2: Chapter 2 The Alchemy Room

"Don't be like that, Senior Brother. I'm not trying to get special treatment. It's just that I've just had a Breakthrough and I'm really starving. Just see if there's anything to eat, anything will do." Yun Ming rubbed his stomach; he really couldn't bear the hunger anymore.

The fat Senior Brother looked closely and saw that he wasn't faking it; he really was at the Qi Refining Level 2 Realm.

"Fine, fine, but there's only white rice. Don't touch anything else, understand?" The fat Senior Brother softened for a moment and pointed to the freshly steamed, steaming rice in the pot.

"Thank you, Senior Brother." After thanking him, Yun Ming couldn't hold back any longer. He scooped a large bowl full of rice and began to wolf it down as if he were eating some worldly delicacy.

One bowl, two bowls down, he felt nothing. Three or four bowls and he felt only half full. It wasn't until the seventh or eighth bowl that Yun Ming felt somewhat satisfied.

Letting out a burp, Yun Ming felt a wave of sleepiness hit him. He thanked the Senior Brother in the kitchen again and left.

Leaving the fat Senior Brother standing there in a daze.

"He's like a hungry ghost reincarnated."

It was the first time he had seen someone eat so much. He had eaten at least enough for four people, and just rice at that, without even drinking any water. Wasn't he choking?

Returning to his dilapidated small hut, Yun Ming could no longer endure the growing drowsiness and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Waking up the next day, looking at the still dilapidated hut and feeling the Qi Refining Level 2 Realm within his body, Yun Ming was certain he hadn't been dreaming.

The System's voice also rang out at the right time.

"Ding! Today is auspicious for cultivation; cultivation speed increased. Ten consecutive draws have been issued."

Yun Ming called up the System interface.

Name: [Yun Ming]

Realm: [Qi Refining Level 2]

Cultivation Technique: [Hunyuan Art] (White) [Supreme Profound Pure Qi Art] (Purple)

Draws: [10]

Wealth: 0

Yun Ming noticed that the System's words had changed from 'today is auspicious for card draws' to 'today is auspicious for cultivation.' It could even increase cultivation speed; he wondered if it would affect the card draws.

"Whatever, let's draw first!"

"Ding! Congratulations on obtaining the following items:

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (White)

Mid-Grade Spirit Stone ×1 (Blue)"

"Eh? Another good drop! Holy crap, a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone. One Mid-Grade Spirit Stone can be exchanged for a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and they're often in high demand with no supply. I've hit the jackpot!"

However, a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone was too conspicuous. As a Utility Disciple, he couldn't possibly produce so many Spirit Stones; he had to hide them first.

As if hearing Yun Ming's thoughts, the Spirit Stones on the table turned into streaks of light and merged into the System interface.

At the same time, Yun Ming's wealth increased slightly.

Name: [Yun Ming]

Realm: [Qi Refining Level 2]

Cultivation Technique: [Hunyuan Art] (White) [Supreme Profound Pure Qi Art] (Purple)

Draws: [0]+

Wealth: 0.0109

Yun Ming's mouth twitched. What did this mean?

One hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones are roughly equal to one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, and one hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones are equal to one High-Grade Spirit Stone.

So, it takes one High-Grade Spirit Stone to count as a single point of wealth.

However, the observant Yun Ming also noticed a plus sign had appeared after the number of draws.

Out of curiosity, Yun Ming clicked it.

"Ding! Consuming one point of wealth to exchange for one draw. Current wealth insufficient; exchange failed."

"Holy crap! That's a total rip-off! Why don't you just rob me? One High-Grade Spirit Stone, which is ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, for just one draw."

The System did not respond, acting as if it couldn't be bothered with him.

"Sigh." Yun Ming sighed. "Fine, whatever. Since I can get ten free draws every day anyway, the worst-case scenario is that I just won't exchange for more."

Just as Yun Ming was preparing to take this opportunity to continue his cultivation, someone knocked on the door.

Pushing the door open was a Senior Brother. Yun Ming recognized him as Senior Brother Chen, who was in charge of overseeing the spirit fields.

Utility Disciples were different from those Outer Sect Disciples; they were responsible for all aspects of the Sect's work, such as looking after the spirit fields and herb gardens, or cleaning the Sect's courtyards. These were the easy tasks.

The dirty and exhausting work included mining, feeding Spirit Beasts, cleaning Pill Furnaces, and so on.

Yun Ming's luck had been relatively good; when he first entered the Sect, he was assigned to look after the spirit fields.

This Senior Brother Chen was his direct superior, but looking at this Senior Brother's expression, it didn't seem like he had anything good to say.

"Senior Brother Chen, what brings you here? Come in and have some water." Yun Ming politely invited the Senior Brother to sit and chat.

Senior Brother Chen just peeked into Yun Ming's simple hut and flatly refused: "No need. I'm just here to inform you that you've been reassigned. You don't need to come to the spirit fields anymore."

"What? Why have I been reassigned? Could Senior Brother please enlighten me?" Yun Ming was somewhat surprised.

"There's no reason. Report to the Alchemy Room tomorrow. They need someone to clean the Pill Furnaces." Senior Brother Chen didn't explain, or rather, he couldn't be bothered to explain. After saying this, he turned around and left.

Yun Ming closed the door, thinking that cleaning Pill Furnaces was definitely not a good thing. The Alchemy Room performed Alchemy every day, so wouldn't he have to clean Pill Furnaces every day? Where would he find time to Cultivate?

Moreover, furnace explosions were common in the Alchemy Room, and there might even be residual Pill Poison. If one wasn't careful and the Pill Poison damaged their Foundation, their future path to the Dao would truly be cut off.

But right now, he had neither money nor influence, so he had no better options. His only way out was to reach a Breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 4 as soon as possible to become an Outer Sect Disciple; then he wouldn't have to do this dirty work anymore.

"Cultivate!" Thinking of this, Yun Ming was full of motivation and began to focus on his cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived.

Yun Ming's Realm was steadily approaching Qi Refining Level 3. He had absorbed all nine Low-Grade Spirit Stones, leaving only one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone.

Yun Ming knew that as long as he absorbed this Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, breaking through to Qi Refining Level 3 would be easy.

However, it was already time to report to the Alchemy Room.

"Ding! Today is auspicious for cultivation; cultivation speed increased. Ten consecutive draws have been issued."

The familiar System voice rang out; it was still ten consecutive draws.

Yun Ming didn't draw immediately, but instead prepared to report to the Alchemy Room first.

Upon entering the Alchemy Room, the main hall was very quiet. About a dozen people were sitting cross-legged, most of them focused on the Pill Furnaces in front of them. No one paid any attention to Yun Ming, who had just entered.

Yun Ming wasn't in a hurry either. He felt the Spiritual Qi here; to describe it in one phrase: it was very dense but extremely mixed, primarily with Wood and Fire Attributes.

Fortunately, the Supreme Profound Pure Qi Art had the effect of purifying Spiritual Qi. Cultivating here was actually much better than in his small, broken hut.

Yun Ming was starting to like this place a bit.

However, in the next second, Yun Ming's opinion changed.

A Senior Brother who was missing an arm walked toward him, asking as he approached: "Are you the new Utility Disciple for cleaning the Pill Furnaces?"

"Yes, Senior Brother. I am Yun Ming. How should I address you, Senior Brother?"

"There's no need for titles. I'm leaving the Sect tomorrow. Follow me, and I'll tell you about the work you need to do."

The two of them arrived at a quiet room specifically for storing Pill Furnaces that needed cleaning. The Senior Brother began to introduce the job description: "The things you need to do are simple. There are dozens of Alchemy Room Disciples, and someone is performing Alchemy every day. What you need to do is clean these Pill Furnaces thoroughly, inside and out."

"Also, a word of advice: use tools whenever possible. Do not put your hands inside the Pill Furnaces. My right hand was blown off when I was cleaning a Pill Furnace back then." Speaking of his arm, the Senior Brother's eyes visibly dimmed.