5: Chapter 5 Qi Refining Level 4

"Fireball Technique!"

A fist-sized fireball condensed at extreme speed and shot straight toward Yun Ming. Yun Ming had no time to dodge and could only swing his sword to hack it down.

With a boom, the fireball exploded.

The scorching heat turned a section of the short sword red. Yun Ming's hand was also burned; fortunately, he had Spiritual Qi protecting his body, otherwise, his hand would have likely emitted a savory aroma after this move.

"Yun Ming, you are quite good. To have this level of strength at the third level, you can already be proud of yourself," Zhu Dachang said arrogantly, his head held high as he formed a hand seal with one hand.

"Are you sick? If we're fighting, then fight. What's with all the nonsense? 'Proud of having this strength at the third level'—do you think you're at the Foundation Establishment or Golden Core Realm? You're acting so high and mighty just because you know a Fireball Technique. If you're so capable, stop using Spells and fight me with real blades and spears!" Yun Ming couldn't stand it when others acted pretentious.

Yun Ming's few words turned Zhu Dachang's face red with anger. In one breath, he condensed four fireballs and launched them at Yun Ming.

However, the exasperated Zhu Dachang's accuracy had clearly dropped significantly. Out of the four Fireball Techniques, only one actually hit Yun Ming. The other three grazed Yun Ming's clothes as he dodged them.

Looking at his scorched clothes and the already glowing red short sword, then at the panting Zhu Dachang, Yun Ming knew that the other man's Spiritual Qi was running low.

Zhu Dachang also calmed down and suddenly felt a wave of lingering fear; in his haste just now, he had actually consumed more than half of his spiritual energy in succession.

It seemed he needed to end this quickly. Seeing that Yun Ming still appeared to have energy to spare, Zhu Dachang knew he couldn't drag this out any longer.

"Count yourself lucky. I only recently learned this move; I'll use you to test it out!" Zhu Dachang prepared to stake everything on one throw. He hadn't expected that coming to pick a fight with a Utility Disciple would force him to use his trump card, which he had originally intended to save for the year-end Outer Sect Competition.

Seeing Zhu Dachang turn serious, Yun Ming also stood ready, unsure of what other trump cards this kid might have.

"Wind Blade Technique!"

Zhu Dachang shouted loudly, then condensed all the remaining Spiritual Qi in his body. A three-foot-long wind blade violently erupted from in front of him, turning into an afterimage as it shot straight for Yun Ming.

"Shit!" Yun Ming cursed loudly, having no choice but to block with his sword horizontally.

The wind blade was incredibly powerful. It slammed into the short sword, creating a notch, and then pushed Yun Ming backward continuously until he smashed through a tree as thick as three men's embrace before stopping.

The massive commotion drew the eyes of many people.

How could someone be fighting with Spells here in broad daylight? This was strictly forbidden by the Sect's orders. Usually, no one cared if people fought privately, but a disturbance this large wouldn't be easily settled.

Zhu Dachang was also terrified. He was afraid he might have actually killed Yun Ming by mistake. Harming a fellow Disciple would result in having one's cultivation base destroyed, and that was the lightest punishment.

Fortunately, Yun Ming was not dead. On the contrary, at this critical moment, he had achieved a Breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 4.

This was also the reason he hadn't died.

With a cultivation at Qi Refining Level 3, he truly wouldn't have been able to block that Wind Blade Technique. At the critical moment, Yun Ming had no choice but to break through.

Seeing that Yun Ming was fine, Zhu Dachang first breathed a sigh of relief, but then he felt something pressed against his neck.

He didn't dare look down, because Yun Ming was standing in front of him before he even knew it.

"That was a pretty satisfying fight just now, wasn't it!" Yun Ming held the broken short sword against Zhu Dachang's neck with one hand and grabbed his hair with the other. With just a little force, Zhu Dachang's head would be separated from his body.

"You, you, you... you can't kill me!" Zhu Dachang was truly panicked now. He sensed that Yun Ming had broken through; his Realm was now the same as his own, the Early Stage of Qi Refining Level 4. When Yun Ming was at Qi Refining Level 3, he had already been barely a match for him; now that he had reached the fourth level, he was even less of an opponent.

"Cut the crap. I ask, you answer. Otherwise, even if I don't kill you, no one will say anything if I cut off an ear."

Looking into Yun Ming's cold eyes, Zhu Dachang broke into a cold sweat and nodded gently. He didn't even dare to nod too hard, fearing the blade was blind and might cut him further.

"Who told you to come pick a fight?"

"It was Elder Qian."

"Why did he have you come pick a fight?"

"I... I don't know either."

"Tell me everything you know."

"It... it was just last night. Elder Qian found me and said he'd give me five Low-Grade Spirit Stones to teach a Utility Disciple named Yun Ming a lesson, saying just breaking a leg would do."

"That's it?"

"I swear to heaven that every word is true!" Zhu Dachang swore tremulously.

Watching Zhu Dachang swear, Yun Ming was certain he was telling the truth, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't remember when he had offended this Elder Qian.

"Fine, I understand. Now get lost." Yun Ming withdrew the short sword and told Zhu Dachang to scram.

Zhu Dachang wished he had four legs instead of two; he never intended to take another job like this again.

Just as he was about to leave, Yun Ming suddenly called out to him again.

"Wait!"

Zhu Dachang seemed to be frozen in place, not daring to move an inch.

"Is... is there something else? I've really told you everything I know."

Yun Ming walked up to him and held out his hand.

With a bitter face, Zhu Dachang understood what Yun Ming meant and took five Spirit Stones out from his robe.

Yun Ming remained unmoved.

Zhu Dachang was almost on the verge of tears as he took out another ten Spirit Stones. This was his entire net worth.

Yun Ming counted them, then also took the protective jade pendant Magical Artifact from Zhu Dachang's waist.

"Get lost." Hearing Yun Ming's words, Zhu Dachang felt as if he had been granted a great amnesty and vanished in a flash.

Before the Law Enforcement Hall Disciples could arrive, Yun Ming also headed straight for the Alchemy Room, intending to hide for a bit.

Along the way, many people greeted him. Even those who didn't know him wanted to build a connection; having broken through to Qi Refining Level 4, he could now be called 'Senior Brother' among this group of Utility Disciples.

Adopting the attitude of not hitting a smiling face, Yun Ming politely replied to most of them.

"Who is this person? He broke through to Qi Refining Level 4 without a sound?"

"I don't know him either. He's wearing utility clothes, but there are thousands of Utility Disciples in our Sunset Glow Sect. There are only a few who could possibly break through to Qi Refining Level 4."

"Regardless of who he is, hurry and get to know him. Once he enters the Outer Sect, he might be able to look after us. Even just getting on familiar terms is fine."

...

After a scattering of greetings, it wasn't until he reached the Alchemy Room that things quieted down.

Yun Ming didn't clean the Pill Furnace; instead, he quietly watched the Alchemy Room Disciples refining pills from the side.

Having drawn the 'Introduction to Alchemy Scripture' but never having a chance to use it, Yun Ming intended to sneakily learn a few tricks to see if there was a chance to join the Alchemy Room.

While he was engrossed in watching, someone suddenly patted his shoulder.

Yun Ming turned around and found it was the Alchemy Room Senior Brother who had previously praised his cleaning of the Pill Furnace and given him a bottle of qi gathering pills.

Yun Ming quickly offered a greeting, saying, "Hello, Senior Brother."

This Senior Brother waved his hand, seemingly indifferent to such formalities. "You've broken through?"

"It was just luck, just luck."

"Utility Disciples all have trash talent like four or Five Spiritual Roots. Being able to break through shows you have some skill. What, do you want to join the Alchemy Room?"

Yun Ming gave a thin smile, and two Spirit Stones naturally slid into his palm, which he then stuffed into the Senior Brother's hand. "To be honest, Senior Brother, I do have that intention. I wonder how I should address you, Senior Brother, and how one can join the Alchemy Room?"

Looking at the two Spirit Stones that suddenly appeared in his hand, Xiao Hao smiled inwardly. He stuffed the Spirit Stones back into Yun Ming's hand and said, "My name is Xiao Hao. Joining the Alchemy Room is both simple and difficult. You just need to be able to refine a single batch of first-grade low grade Medicinal Pills."