314: Chapter 314 News from the Teahouse

Over the next few days, Ling Ye's life became extremely routine.

Every morning, he appeared punctually at the teahouse in the center of town, sat in a corner, ordered a pot of the cheapest coarse tea, and sat quietly for the entire morning.

He rarely initiated conversation; he only listened.

He listened to the locals complain about this year's harvest.

He listened to them talk about which family's daughter-in-law had given birth to a child.

He listened to them discuss how a certain Inner Sect Disciple of the Qingyun Sect had achieved another Breakthrough in a certain Realm.

He listened to them talk about every little detail of this world, using the accent that he was gradually starting to get used to.

Like a patient archaeologist, he pieced together the outline of this world bit by bit from these fragmented, casual chats.

By the fifth day, he finally waited for the information he wanted.

There were more people in the teahouse that day than usual.

A middle-aged man wearing a short tunic was surrounded by a few people, talking animatedly about something.

Ling Ye listened for a few moments and caught the keywords — "Qingyun Sect," "Recruiting Disciples," "Last Year," and "Didn't Pass."

He moved his seat closer to them without drawing attention, picked up his teacup, and pretended to be focused on drinking his tea.

"Last year's trial was just too hard," the man said loudly, his tone carrying a bit of resentment. "The first round tested physical strength; we had to run ten miles around the foot of the mountain, and those who couldn't finish were directly eliminated."

"That would have been fine, but what did the second round test? It tested mineral identification!"

"A pile of messy rocks was laid out there, and they asked you to pick out which one was the raw Spirit Stone ore."

"I've never been a miner, so how would I recognize those things?"

Someone nearby laughed, "The Sect is recruiting Disciples, not laborers, so of course they have to test your eye for detail."

"Eye for detail?" The man snorted. "I think they're just trying to make things difficult for people."

"The third round was even more absurd. They locked you in a dark room and called it a 'test of mental fortitude.' Who knows what kind of tricks were inside?"

"I stayed inside for less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick before I felt dizzy, so I walked out myself—only to find out after coming out that it was called 'elimination.'"

Ling Ye held his teacup, eyes lowered, and memorized every word of this information.

Physical test. Identification test. Mental fortitude test.

Three rounds. It sounded simple, but each item could hide mysterious tricks.

He did not rush to leave and continued to listen to those people chat.

The man complained a few more times, and the topic soon shifted elsewhere, but Ling Ye had already obtained what he needed.

He finished his tea, paid the bill, and got up to leave.

In the afternoon, he found Old Shi in an open space outside the town.

Old Shi hadn't been idle these past few days either—he had discovered a grove of wild fruit outside the city, confirmed they were non-toxic, and picked some to replenish their food supplies; he had also found a hidden stream with clear water that could serve as a backup Water Source.

More importantly, he had figured out the shift rotation pattern of the Qingyun Sect Disciples.

"The sentry post at the foot of the mountain changes shifts every four hours," Old Shi said, squatting on the ground and drawing a sketch in the dirt with a twig. "There's about a teacup's time of leeway when the guards change, and the number of guards is halved."

"If you really want to bypass their line of sight, that time slot is the best window."

Ling Ye squatted opposite him, looked at the sketch on the ground, and was silent for a moment: "We are not going to bypass them."

Old Shi looked up at him.

"Next month, the Qingyun Sect will open its gates to recruit Disciples," Ling Ye said. "I intend to participate."

Old Shi did not respond immediately. He put down the twig and brushed the dirt off his hands: "Are you confident?"

"No," Ling Ye answered frankly. "I know nothing about the Cultivate system of this world. I don't know what their standards for testing Spiritual Root are, and I don't know what the so-called 'test of mental fortitude' is actually testing."

"But I need to enter that Sect to access the core information of this world."

He paused and added, "What we need is not to survive by hiding and skulking, but to truly integrate into this world and understand its rules. Joining a Sect is currently the fastest way."

Old Shi was silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you need me to do?"

"Continue to familiarize yourself with the terrain," Ling Ye said. "Especially the entry and exit routes around the Qingyun Sect."

"If I pass the trial and enter the Sect, you will be our fallback on the outside."

"You need to know where there are hidden safe houses, where you can obtain food and Water Source, and where to retreat if something goes wrong."

Old Shi nodded, without any extra words.

Ling Ye stood up and looked toward the mountain peak in the distance, which was gradually blurring in the twilight.

"One month left," he said. "In this month, I want to understand the Cultivate system of this world as much as possible. At the very least, I need to figure out what exactly a 'Spiritual Root' is."