Chapter 15 Silence and Shock
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/Sha sha sha…/
As he fell from the mountains, Lei Bei let the cold winds brush past his long hair…
[Ling Meng Favor +10]
"Oh?… That's interesting."
His surroundings slowed down as he entered accelerated thinking…
'To think it would rise like this… then… Once I complete {Pulling the snake from the head}, the only other task I have aside from {Shining Knight comes to bed the princess}, Ling Meng's favorability score will reach the max value.'
'But so will that of the Medicine Pavilion. So I guess that's irrelevant.'
"Now that I think about it, the values are perfectly aligned so they reach max value… the reward for Qiu Yinghan is also stated to reach max value…"
…
[Hidden Task: Pulling the snake from the head has been generated]
[Task Requirement:
Defeat Chu Nan 0/1
Defeat Chu Zong 0/1
]
[Task Reward:
Ling Meng Favor +20
Qiu Yinghan Favor (MAX)
Medicine Pavilion Favor +15
Qinguan Sect Favor +25
]
[Task Penalties:
Ling Meng Favor -20
Qiu Yinghan {Questline End}
Medicine Pavilion Favor -15
]
'Yeah… perhaps the Ancient Seal already predicted this outcome. If I participate in the conference and defeat these two, then that'll be the final nail in the coffin to make me the hero of the pavilion and cause all girls to fall for me.'
'Then I think I already know what {Shining Knight comes to bed the princess} is about… I originally thought it was about something else but now… I realize it may be due to something else.'
'With most disciples in the Medicine Pavilion now having their cultivation around the middle to high end of Foundation Establishment, there are no other disciples in the Qinguan Sect able to face them.'
'In comparison, around a month ago, the three strongest disciples of the sect, at least in this generation, are between Levels 5, and 7 of that realm… There is no comparison anymore.'
'Maybe they can win against most of the pavilion since those three are combat oriented while the girls are alchemists. But that's the state of things.'
'Only the senior disciples of the sect are around the earliest levels of Foundation Refinement. Level 1 to 3 at best… They aren't the issue here.'
'With the sect divided between the two Vice Masters. What we have to worry about now are the topmost talents of the sect, those at the Inner Core realm. The reason why there is such a big gap between the senior disciples and the highest elders is because resources are low and with the low cultivation techniques of the sect, unless you're a supreme talent, lucky, or have backing, you'll never go beyond Foundation Refinement.'
'If you take too long to advance, you'll lose your chance to do so in your lifetime, hence the reason why there are many low level Foundation Refinement seniors over the age of 30 but few Inner Core masters… at least far less then there should've been.'
'In the Qinguan Sect. Talents are expected to reach Foundation Establishment before their 20s and Foundation Refinement before their 30s. Anything above that is not expected at all because it's not an expectation.'
'Only Elite Talents can reach the high levels of Foundation Refinement around their 20s, and even then… it's not that much of a difference. Just look at the top talent of the other pavilions; they are in their mid 20s yet they're only between Levels 5, and 7…
'They're not that high up.'
"I think there were around fifty to a hundred senior disciples, and their average strength was that of the 1st Level of Foundation Refinement. Only a few have reached the 2nd Level, and I think the head of the senior disciples had reached the 4th Level."
'Someone in his mid 30s… wait… isn't that Chu Zong?! I finally remember!'
'Chu Zong is Chu Nan's elder brother. With their father being Chu Rong, the other Vice Master of the Sect! Now I understand why I have to defeat them…'
'If I can defeat him, it would be a serious blow to the morale of the senior disciples and it may cause the battle of the sect to be between the Elders and Vice Masters… I don't remember if the disciples ever fought each other… actually… I do.'
'There was never any fight, it was just a one-sided slaughter since Chu Rong's plans, backed by the Iguinio Sect, bore fruit. Only one thing failed, and that was due to the Mc. Even then, it was just a slight addition to Chu Rong's plans.'
'The previous me thwarted the plans to help Chu Nan raise his cultivation through demonic means so he could gain a higher position in the Iguinio Sect after they joined it following the Qinguan Sect's downfall. Things are finally starting to fall into place.'
'As for the Elders… most of them are either at the Peak of Foundation Refinement, or at the 1st Layer of the Inner Core. Few can even reach higher… I can probably count them on my hand.'
'The Vice Masters, the Sect Master, and the guardians… No one else.'
"The guardians would never move unless the Sect was beyond threatened, and the strength of the Vice Masters is about equal… this leaves only the Sect Master to tip the odds."
'It was no wonder that in the original timeline they managed to survive. If they only need to worry about a half-dead zombie, then retreating was quite simple.'
'Since Ling Meng is now almost at the Peak of the Inner Core realm, then she might have the ability to face the Sect Master since he is far from his actual strength.'
/LAND!/
Lei Bei crashed against the ground and dusted his clothes.
'I should return for now. There's little I can do on this front… Everything I could do to strengthen this faction has been done. Unless I go to their face and scream what is going to happen, there is little I can do.'
'I'll try to remind her to be more cautious. With her cultivation, she should be able to start noticing some unusual things about the Vice Master and the Sect Master… If she can put the dots together, then we might be able to avoid the Sect's immediate fall.'
'After that… I'll have to figure that out later.'
He went on his way, leaving the mountains behind.
…
Once he arrived back home…
"Hum… I still have a bit over a week until the conference."
'And after that, another week until the end of the sect. What to do? There aren't many materials to use, and I read all the books I wanted in the library. It would be a waste of time to linger there for those meager Skills.'
'Yeah, the only thing left is to either pick another martial art in the library or to push my cultivation to the next stage… I do remember that the curse limits my cultivation, so to break through, I may need to dual cultivate again… not that its an issue.'
'The thing is… I think I do need to dual cultivate with someone above my realm to progress… but I don't think that's the case either anymore. Maybe it's because I'm not practicing the {Final Sutra of the three Beast Gods}… '
'Since I'm not following such an overbearing technique, some limitations imposed on the previous me won't affect the current me either. However… so are the benefits… there are multiple things that only happen because he practices that. How am I supposed to make up for that?'
'If that can't give me strength, what can I do?... Increase the strength of the other members? That could work… and since the time to dual cultivate is arriving, it seems I'll have to consider it again.'
'They are all my compatriots, and the stronger they are, the less pressure will fall on me and the more reassured I will be. Even one stage can be a difference, much less a whole realm.'
With an aim in mind, Lei Bei visited the many girls around the Medicine Pavilion and shared his reminder pills with them, helping them break through again!
He had many pills in his possession, albeit maybe not enough for them all… Still, instead of having them rot, or selling them later, it was better to use them now… He owed them for that after all.
With that, even though he couldn't help all the girls, it was enough to raise over half of them to Foundation Refinement, the third realm of cultivation.
Considering his breakthrough, he tried to talk with Qiu Yinghan since she was the only candidate with over 90 favorability apart from the other girl he dual cultivated with, but she was avoiding him like the plague.
And he knew why this was the case. Just like with the original Mc, once she realized she liked him, she stayed away from him since she was unbearably shy and didn't know how to process those feelings.
This ties to his mission… She is currently in a marriage contract with none other than Chu Nan!!
There was also another reason why she was avoiding him… and that was her fear of Chu Nan's background and her ignorance of her own bloodline.
Qiu Yinghan believes she's the descendant of a sect that was consumed by the Qinguan Sect. That's one of the reasons why she isn't very loyal to the sect itself but is very loyal to her pavilion.
The way she sees things is that the people that destroyed her previous life forced into a marriage contract her… To go into detail, ever since the Sect Master broke through the realm beyond Inner Core, the so-called Golden Core, the Qinguan Sect began its expansion by consuming other small groups and clans in its immediate vicinity.
It had been doing that for over two decades as the Sect Master kept developing his cultivation until he suddenly went into isolation to focus on his cultivation… He has been doing that ever since she joined the Sect over ten years ago.
Had the Sect Master continued his conquest, the Qinguan Sect might've become more the just a Minor Sect by now… Alas, it was just a small frog growing in its isolated pond… The snakes from the forest have arrived and they're here to stay.
Qiu Yinghan believed there had been an agreement between her father and his killer, Chu Rong, that would give his daughter's hand to one of his sect's young masters in exchange for her being left alone until she became twenty years old.
That's why Qiu Yinghan was avoiding him, she feared that he would be tied to this "massive" force that took everything from her… of course… those were all lies from Ling Meng who raised her as an outsider of her true clan.
Of course, Lei Bei knew better. He knew the truth about her and her bloodline. How everything connected together in the end…
[Dual Cultivation Death Countdown: 17 days and…]
…
"… Let's try to break through."
'I've been holding this off for a while, and honestly there's no reason to do so. My favorability is high with everyone, and even if they think something is suspicious, the others have progressed just as fast as I have. I see no reason for me to hesitate now.'
Lei Bei sat down in a meditative position, channeling the energies within him and spreading them across his body.
Slowly, following the guidance of the Starburst Heart Art and the other books he read, he slowly pushed his cultivation to the next stage…
[Breakthrough has been halted. Host is recommended to perform Dual Cultivation to better maximize and stabilize their foundation.
*Warning*
Breakthrough is not advised!
]
"Hum… It seems like that's how things are going to be…"
'Very well then. I was intending to take things a little slower, but it's time to act like a man… a very bad man…'
Lei Bei got up from his seat and stretched his neck and body.
'I wanted to wait for her to approach me again, but that old lady is right. The common sense of this world is varied, and certain societal norms aren't as I'm used to… Even if I said I'm going to adopt them, learning and getting used to them is something entirely different.'
'The idea of seniority and the responsibilities and social cues that are expected from someone at that position… I've failed them completely.'
'I can't be this passive. Unlike my former self, I can't count on luck. I'll take things myself!'
Lei Bei got ready, changing his clothes, taking a good bath, brushing his teeth, and getting his materials ready. As soon as night fell, he went to the pavilion grounds, bee-lining towards the dorms.
It was time to visit Ei Xingda!
…
"Ahhh~… S-Senior… this is wrong~…"
Back in the dorms, Lei Bei pressed Ei Xingda onto her bed, smiling faintly as he did so.
"Xingda… You have my apologies. All this time I've ignored you. No more."
"Y-You're wrong, senior… I was the one who've been ignoring… Umn~…"
Lei Bei kissed her, cutting her words in half.
"Don't worry, Xingda, I'll treat you right just like last time… Last time we were together, I've thought so much about what do to." He said as he whispered in her ears
"Umn~…"
"With the Sect Conference arriving, we also need to try our best, don't we? Let's push ourselves a little further and show those fools of the other pavilions the strength of our Medicine Pavilion."
He let his right hand dance around her body as he pressed her hands to the bed with his left one.
"Umn~… S-Senior… n-not here… they'll hear it."
"I've prepared for that. I've studied formations… Just give me a moment to set it up and no one will hear a thing at all… Unless you want them to."
"N-No!… Let's keep it quiet…"
He smiled, kissing her again, "So much for someone who was refusing just a moment ago."
"You're too bad, senior…" She added with an embarrassed smile as she looked away
With that, Lei Bei set up the formations before doing Ei Xingda even more fiercely than last time. With its increased cultivation, it was a miracle the bed, and the surroundings held to what they did.
From nightfall to the early morning, they kept dual cultivating until it grew too dangerous for him to remain. Despite his still having the stamina to continue, Lei Bei left when he noticed how tired she was.
It would've been awkward to be noticed by others as well.
Upon helping her clean the room and setting up some incense so others wouldn't notice, Lei Bei ran away to his home under the watchful gaze of a shadowy figure.
…
Once he arrived at his home and changed his clothes, he checked the System notifications.
[DING]
[Congratulations Host for performing Dual Cultivation!]
[Dual Cultivation Death Countdown has been reset!]
[Disclaimer]
[Because Host already performed Dual Cultivation with the selected partner, Dual Cultivation Death Countdown hasn't been fully reset]
[Because Host already performed Dual Cultivation with the selected partner, no Skills shall be awarded]
[Dual Cultivation Death Countdown: 29 days, 23 hours and…]
"Hum… I didn't expect this to occur…"
'Maybe it's because her cultivation wasn't that high compared to mine. Well… it's not an issue. I can always just dual cultivate more.'
[Name: Lei Bei {Cursed}
Realm: 2nd Level of Foundation Refinement
Cultivation Method: Starburst Heart Art 3rd Mastery
>General Skills: Identification; Spatial Awareness Lv6; Qi Flight Lv1;
>Alchemy Skills: Intermediate Pill Refining {Incomplete} LvMax; Intermediate Herb Cultivation LvMax; Basic Herb Appraisal LvMax; Basic Herb Handling LvMax;
>Refining Skills: Intermediate Material Refining {Incomplete} LvMax; Intermediate Forging Method LvMax; Basic Hammering Technique LvMax
>Formation Skills: Elementary Formation Creation {Incomplete} LvMax
>Combat Skills: Basic Knife Proficiency Lv4; Elementary Grappling Proficiency LvMax; Elementary Throwing Proficiency LvMax
Martial Arts:
Cloud and Wind Fist 3rd Mastery; Cloud and Wind Kick 3rd Mastery; Rising Wind Step 3rd Mastery; Tempest Wind Palm 3rd Mastery
]
'Because of the energy we accumulated with the pills and my training in the past moment, when I performed dual cultivation with her, the lingering medicinal power within our bodies mixed and were purified.'
'While I don't know much about this, the System sure is neat. It cleaned everything up perfectly and even refined my energy more than I expected… it seems there's another reason to dual cultivate frequently.'
'I can use a lot of pills and materials and dual cultivate to have the System clean my energy up… It's the perfect cycle.'
"It's time to use pills again!"
'I'll first take a few days to balance my realm. After that, I'll use some of the pills for this realm, such as the Flesh and Bone Refinement Pill I gave to Ling Meng before. If I play my cards right, I might even be able to reach the 5th or 6th Level by the time the conference starts.'
'I must be careful since, depending on how things play out, I won't be able to dual cultivate for a while. I might have to consider picking a new partner after the conference ends just so I have some buffer time to deal with the aftermath.'
'If that's not enough, I should raise my combat proficiency. There's much to do!'
Lei Bei immediately sat down and began cultivating. There was still a lot of time, but then again… it was short!
With much to do… soon enough, the day of the conference arrived.
…
[Dual Cultivation Death Countdown: 19 days…]
/Around a week before the predicted destruction of the Qinguan Sect…/
In a large room of an even grander hall, all disciples of the Medicine Pavilion could be seen waiting in multiple rolls as they stood in formation, all incredibly dressed beyond compared, each looking like a legendary fairy of the novels and folktales.
Leading each line were the senior disciples of the Medicine Pavilion. Those who before Lei Bei's arrival were already at Foundation Refinement. Their unique clothes sold out their strength and seniority, albeit unlike others in similar position, they seemed to hold little to no arrogance.
Before them stood Qiu Yinghan with her hands behind her back. Her red hair let loose as a long metallic arc floated gently behind her back. Her position was clear, that was the chief disciple of the Medicine Pavilion!
/Chatter…/
Around them were floating chairs where old people could be seen waiting patiently for the start of the conference, including the old lady who guarded the Sect's Library.
Those were the elders and highest level seniors of the Sect who held significant leadership positions such as the Head of the Penal Hall who was in charge of conducting investigations around breaches of the Sect's codes and laws.
And as one would expect, Ling Meng was above the disciples of the Medicine Pavilion, waiting patiently for the conference's start, paying no head to anyone or anything. Acting as calm and collected as ever.
High above the ground at the center of the circle of chair were three thrones, one in the middle and one on each side. These were the seats for the Sect Master, the Patriarch, the Sect Lord… and the two Vice Masters who administered the sect in his stead.
Below the elders were several younger people standing on the ground like the girls of the Medicine Pavilion.
These were the chief disciples of each pavilion and the elders direct disciples. And this also included the three 'most outstanding' disciples of the Sect!
A beautiful girl with purple hair, an arrogant guy with dark hair, and a carefree boy with orange hair.
But where was Lei Bei?
/Chatter…/
People chattered and whispered to each other as they waited for the conference's start, but eventually, The Sect Master clapped his hands loudly, silencing the crowd.
/CLAP!/
He opened his mouth, "We are now starting the Sect General Conference. The five-year meeting where we discuss general manners of the sect and its future."
"Following this we will conduct the duels and challenges that have become the norm of the conference. So for those waiting to challenge your peers, I ask you to be patient! This conference is of absolute importance as it predates the 100-Year Foundation Establishment Conference that will occur next year."
He looked around and eventually at Ling Meng, "This time, we're starting off with the Medicine Pavilion."
"Pavilion Master Ling Meng requested to start the meeting with an announcement by putting her position on the line for she believes she has a matter of utmost importance to discuss."
"We will hear the reason behind it, and if it does not live up to the expectation, she shall be downgraded from her current position… Does anyone want to say anything?"
/Silence/
"Then I declare the start of the 42nd Sect General Conference! May this tradition last two hundred more years!"
/CHEERS!/
As he gestured for the crowd to quieten, the Sect Master continued, "Now… Ling Meng, present to us your reason."
He was old, but certainly not that old looking. The Sect Master looked to be around 70 but his aura was strong and lively.
However, for those who knew him for a long time, it was true that he was getting weaker with his age, and that he would soon step down from the position as Sect Master. That was what all believed, after all, he was centuries old already.
His successor would be likely picked amidst the Vice Masters. They are respectively from the Refining Pavilion and the Sword Pavilion, with Ling Meng and the others being part of the Refining Pavilion faction.
That's why this conference was so important and why there had been a plot to harm the Medicine Pavilion. If Ling Meng was brought down, that would be one less pavilion supporting the head of the Refining Pavilion, something the Sword Pavilion would very much so like.
Ling Meng got up from her seat, stepping onto a floating platform before her seat.
"Let me start with the commission of pills for the 100-Year Foundation Establishment Conference. As you know, our Sect was required to provide a certain number of resources for its participation this year."
"To be precise, the Medicine Pavilion was required to produce the following pills: 100 Smooth Water Pills, 50 Clear Bone Pills…"
She listed a massive series of pills, "… but most importantly, we were requested to produce 400 Foundation Establishment Pills…"
At that moment, someone interrupted. A young man who seemed to be in his early 30s, it was the eldest son of Sword Pavilion Master, and the head of the senior disciples, Chu Zong!
"A task that you have yet to accomplish. Are you here to excuse how you failed such a simple task?"
Laughs echoed within the Sword Pavilion and nearby. People were ruthless, taking their chance to mock others at the slightest chance of harboring favor with those they believed to be at the top.
Ling Meng did not let his words affect her, she calmly adjusted her tone and replied, "Not at all, we almost didn't manage to do it but…"
"So what's the problem? Are you here to waste our time?"
She wasn't fazed, but she did get annoyed at his constant interruptions…
"Very well. I'll cut down the chase… I've identified an issue with one of the materials…"
With their attention on her, she explained the entire story, even showing proof by bringing in a blond-haired girl and another guy they captured.
It was obvious who these people were! The traitor of the Medicine Pavilion and her accomplish from the Sword Pavilion!
Seeing their appearance, Chu Zong's eyes changed. But before he could show any other reaction, the Sword Pavilion Master, Chu Rong interjected.
"That was an oversight from our side, it is true we are entrusted with the collection of the Herbs, but we do not know of how to differentiate their quality, and as you said, not even your disciples could see the minute traces."
He then addressed everyone, "In this case, we are willing to fully compensate for the damages. Despite that, this simple matter is in no way deserving to be brought up in this meeting when it could've easily been resolved in a prior moment."
"We do not endorse the activities of the infractor and his accomplice. You can expect proper disciplinary action to be conducted once he is returned."
He smiled, "But I enforce what I said before, state your reason, Pavilion Master Ling."
Ling Meng eyes sharpened, "Are you trying to escape from the problems you raised? You intentionally sabotaged it! The proof is evident and such a matter is worthy of being discussed here at the assembly before all!"
"There is no such proof. The disciples are, at the end of the day, just kids. They are unaware of the inner workings of the pavilion and are hence unqualified to act as used as testimony for such accusations."
/Crack!/
Ling Meng cracked the arm holders of the throne seat with her hand.
"The disciple we captured was indeed qualified! He was…"
/CLAP!/
"SILENCE!" The Sect Master proclaimed
"I have understood this matter, and it's indeed a bit of an oversight from the Sword Pavilion. Competition is recognized, but as long as the sect is not harmed…"
"Given the circumstance, I propose for the Sword Pavilion to pay for the damages."
"Three times the value of all materials that were lost due to your oversight, and all the repairs done during this time as well."
"The Medicine Pavilion spent the better part of the year preparing for the 100-Year Foundation Establishment Conference. This is a great inconvenience for a pavilion that is already under constant pressure for preparing and managing the sect's income of medicine."
"Any words?"
""We accept your verdict!""
/Silence…/
This time Chu Rong knew he had lost, but he was smiling faint, as if expecting that to happen.
Deep down, he had other intentions… Paying a fine was a small price for keeping the plan going, no matter what.
With that, the Sect Master continued, "Is that all, miss Ling?"
"No, it is not. I have explained what happened, but I have yet to show how we fixed this problem. Truth is, we successfully produced all pills on time!"
"Now I plan to show you all how this can potentially assist the Sect as a whole." She said as she looked at her disciples
/BOOOM!/
All the girls immediately released their cultivation of Peak Foundation Establishment with even a few being on the early levels of Foundation Refinement!
Shock immediately spread.
"WHAT?!"
"IMPOSSIBLE!"
"I MUST BE DREAMING!"
The elders all shouted simultaneously, showing how insane this all was to them.
/CLAP!/
The Sect Master was just as surprised, but he let out a simple cough, asking, "Can you explain this to us, Miss Ling?"
/Ploft/
She moved her hand, and a large box with many bottles inside was dropped in the middle of the hall.
"These are the pills that were late to present, all 400 of them. With this, our Medicine Pavilion has done its part."
"But with this, I would like to introduce someone. Because of these 400… 350 were made by a single person in the last few months."
/Whispers!/
The elders once went into a small frenzy to talk while the Sword Pavilion Master snickered, "You can brag, but not lie. This is an exaggeration!"
"Only high-rank alchemists can do so much so quickly, and even so, it would be difficult as no such alchemist would waste time refining such low-rank pills."
'Something's wrong here. Could that useless girl have found some extra backing?'
Ling Meng smiled at his empty provocations, "Precisely, that is why I would like to present you all to our Medicine Pavilion new disciple."
"He was the one responsible for finding out the problem with the leaves, and the person responsible for fixing our pavilion's shame. He is the one who made it possible for our disciples to breakthrough their limitations."
"I welcome you all to bear witness to them as well. For their cultivation is not unstable and overly reliant on the pills. They have achieved this themselves with the assistance and cooperation of each other their hard work!"
"I kept him a secret so far because I wanted him to grow a bit more. But the time has come for him to join our Sect's spotlight!"
"Come inside Lei Bei!"
/Creeeeak!/
The grandiose doors leading inside opened, and a dashing young man entered the hall. He had a serious face as he walked on the red carpet with style, his clothes were fancy but not too much, he seemed humble but was unafraid to show his talents…
Of course, he wasn't the one who chose the clothes...
/Knew…/
He went to the middle of the hall and kneeled.
"Disciple Lei Bei greets the elders and Sect Master!"
""?!""
"!"
Everyone had different reactions when they saw him, but the one with the most peculiar reaction was the Sword Pavilion Master, who was on the verge of laughing.
"Is that you, alchemist?! A handyman in the 1st Layer of Qi formation?!"
"Watch your mouth. He did much more for the Sect than you could ever accomplish in your lifetime!" Ling Meng said as she defended him
'It seems the corruption within the Sect was higher then I thought. How did Ling Meng's existence was leaked so easily? Was it my negligence when we first arrived? I have myself to blame for that.'
"May you explain how?"
"I just said it, Sect Master, he was the one who forged it all, Lei Bei is a descendant from a cut-off line of proficient alchemists, I found him in the village and saw his talent right away, I just did not expect it to be so high."
"Despite not being under the influence of a Sect, he became a cultivator under his own efforts. His talent for alchemy was shown as despite only being here for two months, he already has a level of alchemy that could match mine. And above all he is just 18 years old."
"Once again, I welcome you to check their cultivation, you will see nothing wrong with it!"
The Sect Master scratched his beard and decided that it was better to check it for himself. So he jumped from his throne and walked in the air until he met with Lei Bei.
"Excuse me, young man, but may I check your pulse?"
Lei Bei allowed it. He had no sort of special treasure, and his cultivation technique was based on the Sect's mantras so nothing odd would be found.
When the Sect elder finished with him, his eyes were opened wide as he went to another girl and checked her pulse, and then the next one, and the one after that…
He checked all of them and he said, almost smiling with glee, "Their cultivation is one of the most stable I have ever seen. And also, Lei Bei isn't at the 1st Layer of Qi Formation as you said but at the 5th Level of Foundation Refinement."
""?!""
/Whispers/
The elders once again went into a frenzy. Not only them but the disciples as well.
The Sect Elder did not clap for silence this time, and instead asked him directly.
"Did you really cause this?"
Lei Bei raised his head, "How far they got is due to their own talent, pills are only meant to support."
"During the two months I stayed here, I learned a lot from my colleagues and master, and eventually did my best to reciprocate their faith in me by working hard every day."
"Pavilion Master Ling overpraised me quite a lot, but she doesn't lie... In total, I made over 100 Daoist Pills, 50 Qi Purification Pills, 500 Foundation Establishment Pills… And a Core Condensing Pill which I gave to Pavilion Master Ling."
It was at this time Ling Meng showed her Cultivation to everyone with a boom!
She was at the 5th Later of the Inner Core realm!! This made the Sect Master's eyes almost fall to the ground in shock.
In truth, Lei Bei could tell she was hiding it thanks to the System's Identification Skill.
'As expected, she has finally noticed something odd. Her cultivation has already reached the Peak of the Inner Core realm… Looks like trouble will spread soon enough.'
'Same for the Vice Master… Looks like the pill I gave her pushed her to the peak as well. I don't know which level she was at before, but now its the peak.'
'I hope this is enough to save the Sect… For that to happen, they need to notice the strangeness in the Sect Master's body…'
[Name: Einom Karuang {Undead}
Realm: ???
…
]
'It seems like things are even worse then I thought. I doubt he's being controlled even now… There's the possibility his Soul has been destroyed but his body is unaware of its own condition. Only when the time come will his body be taken over and controlled fully.'
'He's a bomb waiting to ignite.'
Ling Meng continued, "As you can see, Lei Bei's talent is such that he can make pills multiple realms higher than his, and even if he used a lot of materials, that was still a higher success rate than most alchemists!"
"Most importantly, he has only received formal training for two months! How can this not be a worthy subject to be discussed at the conference where we display our progress over the years?!"
/Silence…/
For a good minute, everyone stayed silent, unable to speak even a single word. They all thought the same thing…
'What a monster...'
But the one with the most conflicted expression was the Vice Master of the Sword Pavilion. But his thoughts were his own…
The Sect Master laughed loudly, shacking the hall, "HAHAHAHAHAHA! So that was how it was… that was how it was…"
He looked at him and the dark circles beneath his eyes… he could smell the medicine in his fingers from this distance. He was truly a hard working man.
Tapping his shoulders, he praised him… "Phenomenal work, young man. Your contribution will not be brushed aside… Not under my watch."
He turned around with a wide smile and went to his throne. With a smile on his face he said:
"I believe there is no need to discuss anything anymore, right? Pavilion Master Ling has proven has her words and shall keep her position."
"All of those with doubt in their hearts may check their conditions for themselves. I will give you all two minutes before proceeding with the general conference."
"Make your words heard now or never! I shall tolerate no conflict within my Sect!"
But no one moved. Who would dare to doubt his words when he was this happy? It was clear now, even if it felt surreal. Their realms weren't a lie, and they weren't under the effects of temporary drugs or other enhancement rituals, and most importantly, the young man's talent was real!
A new dragon had risen in the Qinguan Sect!
"Good… With this, I shall declare right now that all disciples of the Medicine Pavilion are now henceforth promoted to Senior Disciples of the Sect! Any objections?"
/Silence/
There was no need to; their strength was already enough… Never in the history of the sect had this happened before.
From one moment to the other, the Sect had received dozens of new Senior Disciples…
"Second, I shall promote Pavilion Lord Ling Meng to the position of High Elder. We still have a vacant spot, and I believe her contributions, together with her cultivation are enough. Any objections?"
/Silence/spot,
Once again, no one said anything. There wasn't anything to say. If anyone was capable of raising thirty peak Foundation Establishment Cultivators within a few months, they would be given such a position, if not be straight promoted to Vice Master.
But that wasn't necessary. Once he steps down and the new Sect Master rises, she will naturally fill in the gap. It was impossible for anyone to compete now. This was how absurd this situation was.
If she weren't so young, given the fact she has Lei Bei under her, it was sure she would become the next candidate to become the Sect Master.
"Third! I am prohibiting any word from today's affairs to be discussed outside of this hall! If I see anyone talking about it, be it an Elder or a Vice Master, they will be punished immediately and be branded with a capital crime!"
/Whispers…/
This one was a bit bigger, but expected; no one would be stupid enough to shoot themselves in the foot…
"Fourth! From now on, I am increasing resources distribution towards the Medicine Pavilion; however, this is just a reward for today's action."
"In order to balance the power between the Pavilions, I request the Medicine Pavilion to refine 50 Daoist Pills and 10 Foundation Establishment Pills for each Pavilion, any extra pills shall be discussed in private with Miss Ling and the resources provided to her in kind." He said as he looked at Ling Meng
But of course, this was his way of saying that he will not abuse Lei Bei's talent without properly rewarding him, and for that, they would have to take the money out of their pockets.
She nodded with a smile while Lei Bei sweated a little…
"Fifth! The Sect shall be closed off from the outside world with the only ones allowed to contact outside being the Commerce Pavilion. They shall be under my direct supervision until the start of the 100-Year conference in half a year!"
/Whispers…/
The Elders talked, but no one replied; they all seemed to agree with his decisions.
The Sect leader looked at Lei Bei and asked, "Before I continue, Senior Disciple Lei Bei, may I ask you, what is your success rate at making Core Condensing Pills?"
Each Pill is a high chance of a new Inner Core cultivator being born in the Sect, his answer may shape the new Golden era of the Sect!… Was what the Sect Master thought most likely…
It had to be consider that even if his chances were low, there were no available pharmacists in these lands that could make such pills cheaply. So from a zero percent chance to something was already a near infinite increase!
Even if Lei Bei asks for a lot in return, he is willing to pay. He spent too many years in seclusion, and if Lei Bei could be groomed into an alchemist able to produce pills even he could take, then Qinguan Sect's rise was inevitable, hence the secrecy and the need to keep the words within these halls.
What he needed to do now was make sure his talents weren't abused. Talents were rare and they often appeared, but this was the first time such a grandiose talent appeared in the Medicine Pavilion. Never in the Sect's history had it occurred.
"…"
Lei Bei's value was through the roof. Many elders looked at him with desiring eyes.
How many of them were trapped in their own cultivation? Seeing Ling Meng brought them an unspeakable level of hope…
Lei Bei thought for a moment before replying, "It depends, if you provide me with high-quality materials, I can succeed at least once per eight batches of materials."
"That's for Core Condensing Pills, of course. My success rate is far higher for lower ranked ones. For anything below Foundation Refinement, if you give me two batches of materials, unless something unusual occurs, I will succeed!"
Of course, that was a blatant lie. He could guarantee a near-100 percent success rate by manipulating the requirements with Auto-Crafting.
/Silence…/
The Sect Master's smile was so wide everyone could see his teeth…
"Tell me, Lei Bei, what do you think about Nascent Soul Pills?"
""?!""
Ah yes, the realm beyond Inner Core and Golden Core! And the barrier that had been impeding the Sect leader for a long, long time! If he could become such a powerful cultivator… Any price is low!
Perhaps he was overstepping his boundaries a bit... Asking a 3rd realm cultivator about a pill of the 6th Realm... There was just so much you can jest!
"It's a shame, but our sect has no documents on the subject. I could try making them myself, but we're better off leaving this for another time."
The Sect Master seemed disappointed, but he did not press him further. Lei Bei's words were true, and they stung… his Sect was simply not that influential and resourceful. It wasn't a matter of lacking talents, it was about not even having developed themselves to that point.
"Cough! Let's continue."
"With the Medicine Pavilion's matter out of the way, let us now continue the Sect General Conference!"
…
The conference lasted two hours, with each pavilion displaying the accomplishments and its needs for the future. There were also many talks about the 100-Year Foundation Establishment Conference and their preparations for it.
Lei Bei watched it all unfold besides the other disciples, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
'The 100-Year Foundation Establishment Conference. It's a massive event where essentially all the Southern Sect's come together to participate in the trials of the Holy Land.'
'The Holy Land is a massive sect of the central region of the continent that controls this entire region… The continent itself is divided into three regions, each controlled by a super Sect.'
'The Holy Land and the South, the Ascended Palace to the East and North, and the Heaven of the Twelve Blades with the West and North. Since we technically belong to the Holy Land, we can participate whenever they gather disciples every 100 years.'
'Of course, they gather disciples quite frequently in the central regions; it's just that we're too far for them to matter, so we're only given that chance once every 100 years.'
'Unfortunately, the Sect will be destroyed, and all of its efforts in the last hundred years will vanish. That's all due to the Great Demonic Insurrection, where the four largest sects of the demonic path will begin a great wave of terror that will consume hundreds of sects in the South.'
'They're all doing that due to the opening of the Ancestral God Valley in a few month's time. There are legends saying that the Ancestral God Valley, a land where an ancient demonic deity fell, will appear soon. As such, the four greatest sects of the demonic path have banded together and begun preparing to overthrow the whole South of its natural order so they can find the Ancestral God Valley in peace and collect its treasures.'
'Once they take control of the valley, the four sects would come together to form the fourth great power of the continent, pushing the Holy Land away and nearly driving it out of the South, causing it to lose most of its land.'
'This matter would only be heightened by the other two powers punishing the Holy Land's moment of weakness, which leads to it suffering severe loses… of course… the previous Mc intervenes by joining the Holy Land since that's where Ling Meng and Qiu Yinghan originate from.'
'My goal here is simple. I'll participate in the soon to be opening of the High Mountains of the Qinguan Sect and find the relic of my ancestor. If I return ahead of time, I should be able to participate if not prevent the civil war of the Qinguan Sect from occurring. If I can influence it, I may be able to prevent the unnecessary deaths.'
'Over 80% of the Sect's forces will die in that battle, and the rest that hasn't betrayed them will be transferred with an ancient teleportation seal all the way to the Holy Land over three hundred thousand kilometers from here… That's almost eight times earth's circumference… and that's just about half the size of this continent.'
'If I can help them survive and escape, then I'll have to make a choice… to follow them directly to the Holy Land and skip much of the early story, or remain… Let's assume I remain, what do I do in the aftermath?'
'I'll have to remain in a destroyed sect. The traitors are bound to leave and give way to the demonic army to settle and pillage the place… That's when I strike. If I play my cards right, where the Mc was forced to run, I can use the circumstances to join one of the four demonic sects so I can have a chance of entering the Ancestral God Valley and getting my hands on some of the treasures within.'
'While I could avoid all of these issues, it's important to me to get my hands on my ancestor's relics to enhance the Ancient Seal's powers and unlock more features while also surprising more of the curse and even breaking it… although the true goal of the Ancient Seal is to fuse with the curse to create something of an even higher power.'
'That's not to say I'll have to deal with the Ancient Seal's ego and its plans…'
'I wouldn't want to miss the Ancestral God Valley either.'
'After that, I'll take part in the competition to enter the Holy Land and become part of that issue. From there on is another matter… of course, my plans can change. It'll remain to be seen how much of that will stay the way I envisioned.'
'That's about the path the previous me took. About the first year of his adventure. At the end of it all, he was about Nascent Soul, which is about average for a talented disciple up there.'
'QI formation, Foundation Establishment, Foundation Refinement, and Inner Core form the first cycle of cultivation, also known as Mortal Defiance.'
'Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Heavenly Tribulation, and God Transformation form the second cycle of cultivation, also known as The Four Enigmas.'
'Only by going beyond may one step into the last cycle of mortal cultivation, Immortal Ascension.'
'If I play my cards right, I could potentially reach Heavenly Tribulation by the time of the Holy Land's entrance ceremony. But there is one big issue with remaining here…'
'By staying and separating myself from the sect, not only am I losing access to all girls willing to perform dual cultivation with me, I'm also risking my life and cultivation by joining the demonic path.'
'It's not possible to practice immortal and demonic cultivation at the same time unless someone has a unique constitution or ability… Right now I possess neither. The situation doesn't look right to me…'
With these thoughts, the ceremony came to an end, and with it, the duels at the many arenas outside began.
Disciples began to challenge each other as the pavilions put their disciples against each other to prove their beliefs and take a bigger cut off future resource distribution.
Lei Bei considered stepping up so he could challenge Chu Nan and Chu Zong and finish two tasks at once, but after some thought, he decided not to do it here.
He would have that chance once he entered the High Mountains…
…
"Chu Nan! Step into the ring! As first lady of the Medicine Pavilion, I, Qiu Yinghan, challenge you!!"
Qiu Yinghan stepped into one of the arenas and called for her future husband. Today, she was here to sever their connection and free herself from his clutches!
/Swoosh!/
An arrogant-looking guy with dark hair stepped into the arena. Despite the difference in their cultivation, with him at the 7th Level of Foundation Establishment and her at the 2nd Level of Foundation Refinement, he seemed calm and composed.
"How I have missed you, my dear Yanyan." He proclaimed with a smile as she entered the arena, arms on his back
"Enough words! I told you before that I would never accept you! Today I'll clear out this fake contract!"
"Yanyan, you seem to have forgotten this was the wish of your late father. Do you wish to betray his words right here and now before all?"
"That was not his wish! That was your brutality!"
While Qiu Yinghan's story and past were fabricated. Chu Nan and the others did believe it happened. Years ago, Chu Rong did destroy and sect and slay everyone, making a "promise" with the sect's lord that he would spare his daughter if she accepted becoming his son's concubine.
While that story is so far away, the details have now been mixed. The girl that was once promised to Chu Nan is now long gone. Not dead, but sent away so Qiu Yinghan could take her place.
With some manipulation from Ling Meng and Qiu Yinghan's protectors, the story became solid and all evidence to the contrary vanished. Not solely by their hand but Chu Rong's as well, for he wished to clear his name of the atrocities he committed there in his youth.
It was a cycle he committed several times, and one he would've likely kept doing had his children not grown up and the Sect Master entered seclusion.
"That is what you believe, Yanyan… But if you wish to test me again, then I shall show you why father betrothed you to me all those years ago!"
/BURST!/
"T-That is!"
"Ho?"
'I didn't think Chu Nan's cultivation would also reach Foundation Refinement… Could some of the pills I made have reached him through the traitor?'
'The traitor of the pavilion was allowed to roam freely because Ling Meng wanted to catch Chu Rong by surprise. Perhaps some of my items reached him somehow. Although that seems unlikely given how he and the others acted.'
'Then this could be something else. Perhaps Chun Rong is to blame for this. He might've given his son something to enhance his power temporarily so he can defend his honor before all.'
'Chu Nan is part of the Sword Pavilion hence most of his activities involve combat training while Qiu Yinghan is an alchemist… Her combat proficiency isn't that high so despite there being a difference of one minor realm between them, it Chu Nan still has the advantage.'
'Perhaps… will I have to step out?'
"You?! Just how did you reach the 1st Level of Foundation Refinement?!"
"Yanyan, you're not the only one with talent in the sect. Seeing how much you developed in such a short time reinforces my belief that you are the right woman for me!"
"Bastard!!"
"…"
'Let's see how this goes.'
"Wait!"
""!""
At that moment, someone else stepped into the arena. A man very much like Chu Nan… It was his elder brother, Chu Zong!
"How about we take things down a notch?"
"This isn't your place to intervene, Chu Zong!"
"She's right brother, leave this to me. I'll show everyone here my strength."
"That's now how we should do things. As fellow disciples, there are other ways to resolve such conflicts."
"The High Mountains will open soon. How about we compete for resources? The one who brings back the best materials is the winner. How does that sound?"
"Why should I agree to that when I can just end it all right here and now?!"
"Calm down, sister-in-law. We shouldn't waste our strength like this when the High Mountains are about to open. And between two individuals fighting, testing their wit and ability with how many resources they can bring seems more fitting of a test."
As he said that, he looked at Chu Nan, and after a slight moment, he stepped down.
"If brother says so… I'll agree."
"Dammit! Stop deciding…"
"Qiu Yinghan, step down." Lei Bei said all of a sudden, shocking the disciples
"Lei Bei!… Tsk… FINE! Consider yourself lucky!"
She stepped down from the arena and approached Lei Bei, pulling him along somewhere others couldn't see.
…
"What was that about?! I could've taken him down right then and there!"
"Winning or not wasn't going to change anything. This isn't a matter that can be decided just like that. If you won, then you might've caused their actions to become more aggressive."
"What I'm trying to say here is that Chu Nan isn't the one you should be worrying about but their father Chu Rong. As long as he's around to reinforce the contract, then there's nothing you can do… and I imagine you wouldn't be okay with living in Ling Meng's shadow for protection for the next few decades."
"Urg… What should I do?!"
"Let's do as they proposed. Since they want to compete in the High Mountains, then we shall. I had an inkling something was strange about the situation, but his words proved everything there was to say."
'Might as well start hinting at things now… Just in case something happens.'
"Something strange, what do you mean?"
"Hum… I hoped to keep this with me for a while longer since I wasn't sure yet… But I feel there's more to Chu Rong's actions than just a simple attempt at screwing over our faction. Call it a gut feeling, but I feel there's much more to this than meets the eye."
"The Sect Master too… I felt he was odd… Hard to say, maybe because he's so old it made me think he was dead?"
"Be respectful!" She exclaimed as she pinched his chest
"Haha… Let's take this chance to crush both of them and free you from this mess. But you have to recognize that even if we do that there, it won't end until Chu Rong is dealt with."
"I know… Those bastards… I'll crush them all!… But since you mentioned it, wouldn't they do something in the High Mountains? I doubt Chu Zong intervened for nothing."
"They sure didn't. It wouldn't surprise me if the entire Sword Pavilion went in to participate and help Chu Nan get his hands on the best materials in the mountains."
"Then we can just do the same! Get everyone involved…"
"There is a fundamental difference between the both of us. No matter how much our pavilion improved, we have less than a tenth of their numbers, and even their average strength is about a whole major realm lower than ours. That doesn't change much."
"Urg!! So what do we do?! If we can't beat them, like that, then…"
Lei Bei smiled, he already had everything under control.
With no one around them, he put his arm around her waist, causing Qiu Yinghan to blush uncontrollably.
"W-What are you doing?!"
"Just trust me. I'll get you out of this situation in no time. You know you can count on me for anything, don't you?"
"S-Shut it you pervert! Who let you touch me?! Get your hands off me before I cut them!"
"You don't seem to mind it, do you. But well… If you want my hands off your waist so much, then why did you move closer to me?"
"It's because… because…"
But he didn't let her finish. He approached her all of a sudden, almost making her think he was going to kiss her.
However, he reached to hears, saying:
"If you needed help, all you had to do was tell me. I would've crushed them right then and there for you. I know you're afraid of Chu Rong and what he may do, but I also have my means."
"Mnn~"
As he said that, he hugged her a bit tighter, squishing her in some places she wouldn't let anyone touch…
"Just give me some time. Soon enough I'll also enter Inner Core and eventually surpass him. When that time comes, what will he even be able to do?"
"S-Stop touching me…~"
"I'm not doing anything though..." He said with a chuckle as he squished her body further, "If you let me help you, we can easily break them down. You're strong, Qiu Yinghan, stronger than you could ever imagine."
"Would that be better for you? For you to crush those bastards yourself?"
"I… Mnn~… I'll stomp them with my own power!… I don't… Mnn~… Need you… pervert…"
"Says the girl who ate all my balls…"
"Pills! Don't make it sound weird, you pervert!"
"But you won't deny it? Every day you were there beside me… I never had the chance to thank you for your efforts… So thank you for everything."
"Urg… say your thanks… Mnn~… Away from me…"
She hugged him back, letting him touch her all over.
'As expected, she has a strange kink to be dominated… Or maybe it's just because her favorability is so high… well… Should I push this further?…'
"The High Mountains will only be open later tomorrow. Should we go back and wait for it to open, or should we strengthen our cultivation together?"
"Y-Y-YOU!!"
Her face beet red. She didn't know what to do or say anymore, so she just stood there.
For a moment, Lei Bei realized that if he pressed her a bit more, there was a chance he could potentially dual cultivate with her!
'Should I just do it? I don't want to force things too much…'
After a slight contemplation, he raised her chin with his right hand and pressed his lips against hers.
"!!!!"
After a few seconds of deafening silence, he pulled away from her as her eyes trembled, saying:
"While I would like to do so… I think a matter as important as that is better left for more joyous circumstances… So let's continue this after we crush both of them down mercilessly… Show them who's in charge here."
'I find it funny that her favorability hasn't increased yet… Maybe it's how I thought before. Maybe what I see isn't exactly how it is.'
'What the System may consider as that isn't the same as what I think… I suppose I'll have to wait to take both Chu Nan and Chu Zong down to conquer her heart completely.'
"Y-Y-Yeah!… yeah…"
With a few extra words, Lei Bei let go of her, allowing her to breathe deeply as her heart raced wildly. After a few moments like that with her face red and steam rising around her face, he turned around and left the side room, making way to the entrance of the High Mountains with Qiu Yinghan right behind him.
It would take around three hours for them to open around high noon. The High Mountains would also remain open for one week, albeit most disciples would return within the first two or so days.
The High Mountains are the innermost area of the Sect. Lei Bei once visited its outer regions when he went with Ling Meng to her hidden abode to suppress the fire demon.
Most of the time, the High Mountains were kept secure with a powerful wide-range array set by the founder of the Qinguan Sect, Einom Karuang's master, over five hundred years ago.
The Sect's founder died of old age centuries ago after failing to reach the Nascent Soul Realm. With the cultivation of the Golden Core, a cultivator may live between two hundred and five hundred years. The exact time varies between cultivation art, energy, medicine, injuries, and the like.
Truth is, most cultivators didn't die of old age but died during failed breakthroughs or Qi deviation. When an old cultivator dies from those circumstances, it's usually called death by old age as well.
Lei Bei wanted to find his legacy but failed. He feared everything that the old master left behind was likely kept at the Sect Master's abode.
He was most interested in the Formation knowledge he left behind, but it wouldn't be against him to see the techniques of a genius who essentially carved his way into the Golden Core with nothing but his own ingenuity.
Something like that, even if low class, might enlighten him substantially… And it was important to gather such knowledge since he knew it would eventually come a time when he would need it.
Right now, Lei Bei was focused on getting the fragment within the High Mountains and leaving early so he had the time to prepare before Chu Rong did anything rash. That's why his plan was simple — to end it all within a day!
There was a reason why there were so many artifacts and fragments in the South. This area was once the Lei Family's ancestral grounds… It might've been thousands of years ago, but their artifacts persevere.
Some were collected, some by the rare Lei members who battled the curse… but they all had one thing in common… they were all waiting for him! The one fated to collect them all, the last Lei!
That's why he couldn't skip everything and rush to the center of the continent; he needed those artifacts even if it meant making his life a little harder.
For now, he joined the other disciples, waiting for the High Mountains to open. After Ling Meng finally approached them following intense discussions with the Vice Master and the other elders, it was time to discuss who would go to the High Mountains.
After all, it was a dangerous place, and it would be best to send a small group rather than many. Especially for them who weren't combatants. In the past few times the High Mountains opened, the Medicine Pavilion sent disciples only so they could collect herbs in the outer regions, and even then they often returned with fewer members. Either from monsters attacking them or worse…
When you had a pavilion made out of only women, it always attracted trouble… they could try to send not one but that was a problem in itself. Even if they tried to defend themselves, without clear proof, no one was going to enact justice.
Even if they had, would anyone act? More than once had that happened. They weren't fools… That was just the brutality of the competition.
After much deliberation, Ling Meng chose five disciples to accompany Lei Bei and Qiu Yinghan into the High Mountains. All of them were at the 3rd Level of Foundation Refinement with one of them being at the 4th!
They were the previous senior disciples of the pavilion. After they received Lei Bei's pills, their stagnated cultivation skyrocketed. And with his understanding of his cultivation art, he also helped them quite a bit.
He never told them, but he also read their cultivation art with the auto-reading function to better understand and assist them. If he were to put it in words, he likely had something between 2nd and 3rd mastery of their cultivation art.
With everything ready, they only needed to wait for the High Mountains to be opened. As soon as the doors opened, he'd charge through directly to his goal!
All else be damned!
…
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Notes