Chapter 11: Average Talent, Li Xingtian
Morning.
Chu Xingchen held the system blueprint carefully, comparing it with the terrain as he surveyed the area, then inserted a small twig into the ground as a marker.
Although the blueprint couldn't create things out of thin air, it had its advantages—it could be reused.
After all, if he still had to build everything himself, it would be far too unreasonable if it were a one-time tool.
This meant he could first construct a Spirit Gathering Formation at Ten Li Slope.
After all, Ten Li Slope was not a place where spiritual energy converged, nor did it have any spiritual veins running through it. While there was still spiritual energy, it was naturally inferior to areas rich in spiritual veins.
Simply put, it was not an ideal place for cultivation.
Under the same conditions, cultivation in a place where spiritual veins gathered would always yield better results.
Therefore, most respectable immortal sects would choose a mountain occupied by spiritual veins to establish their sect.
In the past, when Li Yingling cultivated, Chu Xingchen had always used spirit stones to roughly set up a formation to assist her training.
It was manageable for one person, but now that Li Xingtian had joined, such wasteful behavior had to stop.
Supplying Li Yingling alone had nearly drained his spirit stone reserves. With another person added, continuing like this would quickly exhaust his supply.
A steady and sustainable approach was needed.
Constructing a Spirit Gathering Formation was still necessary—it would also make future disciple recruitment more convenient.
Although the materials on hand were insufficient to complete the formation, he could at least begin some preliminary groundwork.
Chu Xingchen identified another area and inserted a twig into the soil.
Boom!
A violent gust of wind erupted in the distance, followed by dirt bursting into the air and scattering everywhere.
Chu Xingchen frowned and waved his hand, dispersing the dust storm before quickly taking a few steps forward.
His gaze fell on Li Yingling, who was wielding a wooden sword and striking hard at the ground.
Now that Li Yingling had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, maintaining a spiritual energy barrier was no problem, so her clothes remained spotless.
At this moment, she gripped her wooden sword with a focused expression, continuously striking the ground with her technique.
Another fierce slash sent sword energy crashing into the earth, and a loud rumble followed by intense tremors shook the ground.
Chu Xingchen quickly raised his hand and called out, "Wait!"
Hearing her master's voice, Li Yingling stopped, looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"Master, what's wrong?"
"No—who digs a hole like that?"
Li Yingling looked genuinely confused. "If not like this, then how should I dig?"
Chu Xingchen sighed. "Once the formation base is buried, the soil has to be filled back in. You've blasted the dirt everywhere—what are you going to fill it with? Your little head?"
Hearing that, Li Yingling glanced at the scattered dirt around her.
Still, she said somewhat pitifully, "But if I don't dig like this, it'll take a long time."
Chu Xingchen reassured her, "No one said you had to finish it in a day. Just dig a little whenever you have time after cultivation. Once your junior finishes refining that useless stone, you can have him help you dig together."
"Don't rush. I'll make you something tasty later."
Li Yingling lifted her eyes toward her master's gentle expression and nodded lightly. "Understood."
Then, she resumed using her wooden sword to dig, neatly piling the excavated soil beside the pit.
If nothing else, Li Yingling was quite obedient when she needed to be.
After confirming that everything was fine, Chu Xingchen turned and left, continuing to mark the remaining formation points on the blueprint.
Setting up formation nodes based on the diagram was quite fast.
It didn't take long for all the formation points to be set up.
Afterward, Chu Xingchen slipped back into the ruined temple.
At this moment, Li Xingtian was sitting cross-legged, with the Millennial Bone Jade floating above his head.
The jade continuously poured energy down, washing and refining Li Xingtian's physique.
After observing for a while and confirming that nothing had gone wrong with his second disciple, Chu Xingchen slowly sat back on his wooden board.
As for the materials still missing for the Spirit Gathering Formation, they weren't particularly expensive.
With enough spirit stones, they could easily be purchased.
Although he was poor, Chu Xingchen still had a plan.
And that plan naturally involved his second disciple, who was currently refining the Bone Jade.
As a reborn cultivator, he should at least know a few ways to make money—or perhaps know of a few unexcavated tombs of ancient cultivators.
Grave robbing might not be moral, but it was fast money. Anything left behind by a powerful cultivator would probably be enough to fund the construction of the formation.
Besides, in the cultivation world, such tombs were all politely called "secret realms."
Usually, sect elders would lead large groups of disciples to these "secret realms" to dig graves together.
Thinking about it that way, his moral standards were still perfectly aligned with those of the cultivation world.
After all, the Heavenly Dao Alliance's dream was to become a righteous and prestigious sect!
Chu Xingchen lay back lazily on his wooden board again.
Now, all he needed to do was wait for Li Xingtian to finish refining the Bone Jade, then ask if he knew any good ways to earn money.
By noon, the sun was high.
Li Xingtian had yet to finish his refinement.
Li Yingling returned first, breathing heavily, her spiritual energy nearly exhausted.
She glanced at the two people inside the ruined temple, her gaze lingering on her master leisurely lying on the wooden board.
"Master!" she asked suspiciously. "Why am I the only one digging? Aren't you going to help?"
Chu Xingchen sat up and looked at her. She was pouting slightly, clearly a bit upset.
He cleared his throat lightly. "You think your master is being lazy?"
"Isn't that the case?" Li Yingling countered. "You said yourself that after setting the markers, you'd help me dig!"
Faced with his disciple's accusation, Chu Xingchen decisively changed the subject.
"What nonsense! Can't you make a small contribution to the sect without complaining? Do you understand how much effort your master is putting in for your future?"
Hearing that, Li Yingling opened her mouth but didn't speak, realizing that she now stood on the weaker moral ground.
Still, she knew how to handle her master in this state.
Her face softened with grievance, her peach-blossom eyes glimmering faintly with tears, her delicate expression full of sorrow.
"Master, if you don't want to dig, then that's fine. After all, how could I disobey your arrangements?" she said pitifully. "I wasn't angry—just didn't expect you to deceive me. I didn't think my master saw me as that kind of person."
Good grief.
Chu Xingchen stared at his overly dramatic disciple, momentarily speechless.
But then, he quickly pointed toward Li Xingtian, who was still sitting and refining the Bone Jade.
"I was just worried your junior might encounter trouble while absorbing the Bone Jade, so I came to check."
"After all, your junior's refinement is taking a long time, and his aptitude is far inferior to yours—it's only natural for me to be concerned."
"Unlike you, my first disciple—capable and intelligent—you set my mind at ease."
But Li Yingling's reaction wasn't what he expected.
Her expression instantly turned cold, her tone calm and distant.
"Master, there's no need to explain. Since junior brother has joined our sect and is the weakest in cultivation, it's only right that he receives extra care."
Chu Xingchen didn't even need to think to know that Li Xingtian had woken up behind him.
He sighed irritably. "...Before I lose my patience, go hunt something for me!"
"Understood, master!" Li Yingling quickly bowed and ran out of the ruined temple.
"Forgive me, master... my cultivation and talent are lacking, and I've troubled you," came Li Xingtian's apologetic voice from behind.
Chu Xingchen cleared his throat softly, not turning around.
"It's good that you understand. Just make sure you put in more effort from now on."