Chapter 9: Xianmiao Peak

After these immortal seedlings were allocated, the group belonging to the outer sect disciples was led to the next mountain peak.

The "Road to Immortality" they had just traversed was merely the outer perimeter of the Piao Miao Mountains, just a small part of the mountain gate.

The Immortal Seedling Peak was located on yet another mountain.

A flock of immortal cranes flew over. Each of these cranes was taller than a man, with a wingspan of nearly five or six meters, and each had a saddle on its back.

"These are spirit cranes, raised by the sect. They are essential for travel between the various peaks of the mountain gate. Disciples in the early stages of Qi Refining cannot yet control magic artifacts to fly, so they may use spirit stones or merit points to rent a spirit crane token at the crane docks on each peak."

"We are now taking you to the Patriarch’s Hall on Immortal Seedling Peak. After paying your respects to the Patriarch, you will officially be outer sect disciples. At that time, you will be issued your outer sect disciple identity tokens, uniforms, and assigned living quarters."

"Immortal Seedling Peak is a place for cultivation in the Embryonic Breath realm. You must study diligently there and not waste your time. There will be an assessment every hundred days; those who make no progress will have their outer sect disciple status revoked and be demoted to laborers."

"After reaching the first level of Qi Refining, you may go to the Lingxi Peak near Immortal Seedling Peak to attend lectures."

"The entire immortal seedling cultivation period lasts for two years. After two years, outer sect missions will be assigned, and you will then be able to choose a cave dwelling to live in among the various outer sect peaks."

...

Lin Donglai climbed onto the back of a spirit crane and gripped its feathers tightly. It was only after the crane had been airborne for a long time that he dared to look around.

He saw mountains drifting in the mist, the sky a perpetual green.

When the spirit cranes flew to Immortal Seedling Peak and unloaded the seedlings, they each flew off on their own.

The flock of cranes circled and departed.

Many disciples only then snapped back to reality.

The outer sect elder of the Immortal Seedling Peak Patriarch’s Hall received this batch of seedlings from Elder Ma.

After leading everyone to the Patriarch’s Hall, they performed the ritual of offering incense and bowing—three kowtows and nine prostrations.

Having paid respects to the Patriarch, they were considered part of the outer sect. Elder Qin, the outer sect elder of the Patriarch’s Hall, then began to lecture on the glorious deeds of the Patriarch and the hardships endured since the founding of the sect.

After speaking for over an hour, he finally distributed the outer sect disciple identity tags, three sets of outer sect shoes and robes, as well as a manual of sect rules and a compendium of cultivation.

Once they had received their items, they were assigned their living quarters and informed of the locations of the cafeteria and the schoolhouse.

The schoolhouse, besides teaching illiterate seedlings how to read, also provided basic knowledge on human meridians, organ structures, and acupoints.

If one did not understand these, there was no point in cultivating; they likely wouldn't even be able to comprehend the simplest cultivation technique.

The living quarters consisted of individual courtyards, with one room per person. After all, in the world of cultivation, being disturbed during practice was the greatest taboo.

As expected, Lin Donglai ended up in the same courtyard as Ding Zhen. Also in the same courtyard were a tall, fat man and a short, thin man who looked like a stalk of hemp.

Since they were living in the same courtyard, the four of them exchanged some information before heading to their pre-selected rooms to take a look.

The fat man was named Luo Jie, a disciple with low-grade five-element spiritual roots, with the metal element being the most prominent.

The thin man was named Yu Jiang, also with low-grade five-element spiritual roots, with the water element being the most prominent.

It seemed they were a courtyard full of five-element spiritual roots.

Lin Donglai’s room was on the east side. It had everything he needed; the bedding was complete, and there were even some items left behind by previous seedlings. Everything had been cleaned thoroughly, leaving no trace of previous occupants.

Having climbed stairs all the way, Lin Donglai was exhausted. He lay on the bed, daydreaming about the future for a while, and fell asleep without realizing it.

When he woke up, he heard Ding Zhen knocking on his door: "Brother Lai! Let's go to the cafeteria to eat!"

Lin Donglai rolled out of bed.

After all, eating was the priority!

When he reached the courtyard, the other three were already chatting. Seeing Lin Donglai up, they headed to the Immortal Seedling Peak cafeteria together.

The inner sect disciples had previously mentioned how nourishing the food at the Immortal Seedling Peak was, helping with the practice of the "Foundation-Nurturing Breathing Technique" and the "Tendon-Changing and Bone-Forging Posture." Even the rice was "Bijing" rice, steamed and dried nine times and soaked in semi-spirit medicinal juices.

Only by eating well could one cultivate better, complete the tendon-changing and marrow-cleansing process sooner, condense essence and blood, and refine one's life-bound Dao seed.

When the group arrived at the cafeteria and entered, they discovered it was divided into two areas. The first area was free and no different from what they ate at the Taoist temple—century-old ginseng chicken stew served with Bijing rice and the like.

The second area, surprisingly, allowed one to spend spirit stones to eat secret-recipe spirit meals, made from genuine spirit rice, spirit meat, and spirit vegetables.

A poor boy from the boondocks like Lin Donglai naturally couldn't afford the secret-recipe spirit meals.

But he was still slightly stung: "It seems there are hierarchies everywhere."

Fortunately, even the free cafeteria food was much better than the farm food back in the countryside, not to mention it was nourishing and beneficial for cultivation.

Even Lin Donglai felt a surge of heat in his lower abdomen after finishing his meal.

"Senior Sister Jiang said I am suited for planting spirit herbs. If I can get seeds, I might be able to try growing some myself! But everything must take precedence over refining the Dao seed."

"Among this batch of seedlings, we are all just here to make up the numbers," the fat man, Luo Jie, sighed. "Five years ago, the lowest they accepted were low-grade four-element spiritual roots as outer sect disciples. Those with low-grade five-element roots didn't even have the qualifications to walk the Road to Immortality; they would have to pull strings and bribe the outer sect stewards just to become laborers."

"The top ten who reached the summit this time all have excellent spiritual roots. The first place even has a high-grade water-wood dual spiritual root and possesses the Qingyang Dao Body! He has already been taken as a disciple by the Supreme Elder."

"The others, after two years of cultivation as seedlings, will basically all be taken as disciples by inner sect elders!"

"People like us, I'm afraid, are destined to be outer sect disciples for life."

"How do you know that?" Ding Zhen asked Luo Jie.

"While you were all resting, I went to ask around. There are always well-informed people on this Immortal Seedling Peak!"

Luo Jie sighed: "For those of us with low-grade five-element roots, based on the situation of past laborers, even if we cultivate diligently without the aid of pills, it would take two or three years to complete the Embryonic Breath realm and reach the first level of Qi Refining."

"We are better off than laborers, having a two-year seedling cultivation period, but if we haven't reached the second level of Qi Refining by then, I'm afraid we won't even be able to use spells."

"Even the most common 'Lesser Cloud and Rain Spell' requires at least the second level of Qi Refining to be cast successfully."

"Sigh!" Hearing this, Yu Jiang couldn't help but sigh: "We were blinded by the immortal sect! If I had known, I would have gone to a cultivation family to be a 'spirit son-in-law'."

"Spirit son-in-law?"

Someone nearby heard the conversation and couldn't help but interject: "That's just being a stud pig. They marry you to three women at the start. Once all three are pregnant, they give you another three. Once those are pregnant, they give you another three. Those people can really run you into the ground; you'd be a sickly wreck in less than three years."

"Even if you had kidneys of steel, you'd be nothing but medicinal dregs. Even if you produce a child with spiritual roots, that's someone else's son; he won't recognize you as his father."

"Besides, an 'expired' spirit son-in-law is worth less than a dog. When the Qingmu Sect tests for spiritual roots next time, a new batch of people will arrive, hehe..."

These words sent a chill through everyone.

Is the world of cultivation really this naked and cruel?

Time flew by, and ten days had passed. Lin Donglai had been practicing and studying on Immortal Seedling Peak, his daily life a straight line between the schoolhouse, the cafeteria, and his quarters.

Every day, he practiced the Foundation-Nurturing Breathing Technique and the Tendon-Changing and Bone-Forging Posture, while also learning some common knowledge about the cultivation world.

The schoolhouse on Immortal Seedling Peak mostly taught common knowledge: the five elements, yin and yang, human anatomy, and the history of the Qingmu Sect.

There were also classes specifically for the breathing technique and the posture, but they only held one lesson each, leaving behind the phrase, "The master leads you to the door, but cultivation depends on the individual," and then those classes were never held again.

Those with good spiritual roots and high comprehension would naturally understand on their own without needing to follow rigid instructions. For those with poor spiritual roots and low comprehension, no amount of teaching would help.

Lin Donglai often went to the schoolhouse, and besides listening to lectures on cultivation common knowledge, he spent most of his time looking at the various travelogues and illustrated guides in the school library.

He had to at least recognize herb guides, monster guides, and mineral guides.

He read these books for no other reason than to absorb knowledge and adapt as much as possible to the Qingmu Sect and the entire cultivation world he would encounter in the future.

(End of chapter)