Chapter 7: Damn it, I’ve already given you enough respect!

Cao Xuan quickly clarified his path for future cultivation: he wasn't a sycophant, merely someone who enjoyed angel investing in fairies. The Qi Gathering Pills and Condensing Qi Powder were soon depleted, and he felt as if he had never experienced such a wonderful cultivation session before. Glancing inward to check his progress, he cursed under his breath, “Only a three percent increase on the foundation of the third level of Qi Refining? What a miserable talent I have!”

He could only sigh; with a fourfold tempered spiritual root, he was indeed a piece of waste. Even with his affinity for flora, it barely amounted to three percent progress.

“But at least there’s movement now. Compared to the previous snail’s pace, this is already considered fast!”

...

The following month unfolded as previously foretold. Cao Xuan truly didn’t undertake any sect missions, choosing instead to retreat for closed cultivation.

Inside the Sect Mission Hall, many disciples of Azure Cloud Gate bustled about, either handing over completed tasks or searching for suitable ones.

Within Azure Cloud Gate, every outer disciple and probationary outer disciple was required to complete at least four tasks per month, regardless of difficulty, to receive the offering of ten spirit stones. The sect didn’t force anyone—if tasks weren’t completed, no spirit stones were granted.

Unless one belonged to a cultivation family, spirit stone offerings were not a major concern, though even then, idleness was discouraged. After the four required tasks, any additional missions would earn corresponding spirit stone rewards. Most tasks were worth one to ten stones, but those offering more demanded higher cultivation levels and carried far greater risks.

Each year, there were outer disciples who gambled everything, attempting to earn a lump sum for closed cultivation, only to perish in the process.

Thus, for probationary outer disciples, the wise course was to complete four simple tasks, secure the ten spirit stones, and focus on advancing to the fourth level of Qi Refining as quickly as possible.

When Cao Xuan first arrived at the sect, he grumbled inwardly: if he focused solely on tasks, there was no time to cultivate; if he devoted himself to cultivation, he lacked spirit stones to purchase pills and resources.

This was why even a mere ten Qi Gathering Pills and five bottles of Condensing Qi Powder had been enough to ensnare Lin Miaoxuan, turning her into a sycophant.

At this moment, in the Mission Hall, a young cultivator dressed in a blue robe adorned with cloud patterns smiled at the passing disciples and remarked, “Cao Xuan hasn’t come to the Mission Hall this month. Looks like he’s aiming to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining in his last half-year.”

Two other disciples in plain blue robes without cloud patterns flanked him, flattering, “How could Cao Xuan ever compare to Senior Brother Fang?”

“With half a year left, not doing tasks, no spirit stones coming in, relying on bitter cultivation to reach the fourth level of Qi Refining—what a pipe dream.”

The man in the blue robe was named Fang Baiyu, a contemporary of Cao Xuan in Azure Cloud Gate. One had a fivefold tempered spiritual root, the other fourfold; their talents weren’t vastly different.

The Cao and Fang families were both servant clans under Azure Cloud Gate, reliant on the sect for their livelihood. They ran similar businesses, naturally resulting in conflicts. Though not mortal enemies, their mutual antagonism was longstanding.

As a transmigrator, Cao Xuan’s first impulse was to avoid making enemies, but such family feuds were beyond his control.

Fang Baiyu had broken through to the fourth level of Qi Refining half a year ago, officially becoming an outer disciple. With the promotion, he grew increasingly arrogant. Every time he saw Cao Xuan, he would deliver a mocking taunt. Cao Xuan, seasoned by years of worldly experience, simply ignored such childish behavior, which Fang Baiyu interpreted as weakness.

This month, Cao Xuan hadn’t taken any tasks. The sect paid no mind, but Fang Baiyu watched closely.

Just then, as Fang Baiyu and his lackeys chatted, Cao Xuan strode inside.

His eyes lit up. “Well, isn’t this Cao Xuan? What brings you to the Mission Hall? Not in seclusion for a breakthrough?”

“Oh, I get it—you realized you had no pills, cultivation was as slow as a tortoise, so you couldn’t hold out any longer!”

Fang Baiyu knew the pain of bitter cultivation; most couldn’t endure it.

Cao Xuan scowled at Fang Baiyu. He’d been a seasoned adult in his previous life, but after transmigration, he was an eighteen-year-old youth. Even after two and a half years of cultivation, he was only twenty.

In the sect, with little worldly experience and youthful arrogance, these flaws were glaringly obvious in Fang Baiyu.

Not interested in pointless chatter, Cao Xuan stuck to his usual routine and ignored him.

But Fang Baiyu refused to let it go. “Look, it’s the last day of the month, and you haven’t accepted a single task. What, planning to complete all four in a day?”

“Hugging the Buddha’s leg at the last moment isn’t going to save you. If I were you, I’d just take the day off and try again next month.”

In Fang Baiyu’s eyes, Cao Xuan was only here for spirit stones because he lacked cultivation resources.

As an official outer disciple, his family treated him with increasing respect, his parents lavished praise, and they awaited the day Cao Xuan would be expelled, allowing the Fang family to completely suppress the Cao clan’s business share.

If the Cao family suffered setbacks in business, and failed to produce another talented cultivator to serve as a link to Azure Cloud Gate, their business would be continually suppressed by the Fang family for the next century.

This would create a vicious cycle: shrinking business, diminished family support, declining population, fewer prospects for cultivators, and eventually, not even the ability to maintain their status as servants.

Across Yunzhou, only Azure Cloud Gate remained unshaken; these semi-cultivation, semi-mortal families were always at risk of decline, while new clans constantly emerged.

Dynasties rose and fell, but only Azure Cloud Gate endured—a truth unchanging in Yunzhou.

After their round of mockery, one of Fang Baiyu’s lackeys, irritated by Cao Xuan’s silence, stepped forward and rudely tried to push him.

“Fang Young Master is speaking to you—are you deaf?”

“Hm?”

He pushed, but failed to budge him. His face flushed, and he instantly channeled his true energy. “You dare resist? A waste who, after two and a half years, is only at the early third level of Qi Refining!”

Fang Baiyu’s lackeys were naturally competent; Fang Baiyu was already at the fourth level, while the two were at the late third level, each hoping to break through and become outer disciples in half a year.

Those probationary outer disciples still below the mid-third level by now were essentially untalented, unlikely to pass the assessment, and would soon be “persuaded to leave” by the guardians of the Law Transmission Hall.

To them, failing to push a “waste” was a humiliation for any young man around twenty.

Cao Xuan sensed the aura fluctuations from the person before him, his expression instantly darkening. He’d tolerated their words, but that was no excuse for physical provocation.

Words were one thing; but using true energy? If the old Cao Xuan took such a hit, he’d be injured, his cultivation hindered, and eliminated in half a year.

To ruin a cultivator’s path was tantamount to killing their parents!

Cao Xuan’s entire body pulsed with spiritual energy, revealing his cultivation at the fourth level of Qi Refining!

“You dare disrespect me?!”