3: Chapter 3

Mu Wanqing's clear apricot eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. “Revered Master, you could even predict this?”

Chen Xuan sighed, a look of disappointment crossing his face. “Given your Aptitude, I originally thought that after one night of Cultivation, you could at least Breakthrough to the second layer of Qi Refining.”

“Yet you are satisfied with merely the first layer of Qi Refining? How lazy.”

He needed to instill the idea of diligence and intense competition in his Disciple, so he could lie back and Purchase Cultivation Base.

“Huh?”

Mu Wanqing's round, oval face showed a hint of grievance.

“Revered Master, but I was Cultivating all night long. I didn't even eat dinner.”

Chen Xuan ignored his Eldest Disciple's explanation and instead used the Samsara Heavenly Dao Eye to check her information. The reason he called her over was for testing.

[Name: Mu Wanqing]

[cultivation base: First Layer of Qi Refining]

[Spiritual Root: Peak-grade Water Spiritual Root]

[Physique: Supreme Yin Spiritual Body]

[Aptitude: Dao Cultivation Genius]

Hmm, simple and clear. Chen Xuan was very satisfied with the Samsara Heavenly Dao Eye.

If he had this thing back then, he wouldn't have had to wander for two and a half years searching for Disciples.

“Revered Master, I heard that Disciples from those Immortal Family Mansions have Medicinal Pills to assist them in Cultivating Immortality, making their Cultivation twice as effective with half the effort. I wonder about our Dao Seeking Sect...”

Mu Wanqing carefully observed her Revered Master's expression.

Chen Xuan was stunned. I only criticized you for not competing hard enough, and you immediately want to fleece me?

“The immortal path itself is like sailing against the current. cultivation base gained through the use of Medicinal Pills will only make your Realm unstable and superficial. If you encounter Cultivators of the same Realm later, you will only...”

“Revered Master, but even a superficial second layer of Qi Refining is still the second layer of Qi Refining!” Before Chen Xuan could finish his spiel, Mu Wanqing interrupted, looking at Chen Xuan with anticipation.

From those clear apricot eyes, Chen Xuan seemed to see a sentence: Old Geezer, cough up some Medicinal Pills.

LOL, do you know how expensive a single Medicinal Pill is?

I haven't even eaten any Medicinal Pills yet! Where do I get the funds to cough them up for you!

Chen Xuan coughed twice and said in a gentle tone, “We will discuss the matter of Medicinal Pills later. You worked hard Cultivating all night. I happen to have something to go out for, so I'll take you along to relax.”

Seeing that Chen Xuan was no longer pursuing the matter of her only Breaking Through one Realm overnight, Mu Wanqing wisely nodded in agreement.

With the precedent set by the Sect Main Hall, she no longer doubted that she had boarded a pirate ship.

If Revered Master won't give Medicinal Pills, Revered Master must have his own considerations... East Stone Valley!

Chen Xuan brought his Eldest Disciple to this “Talent Market,” planning to try his luck and see if he could find the whereabouts of his second Junior Brother.

Of course, “Talent Market” was just Chen Xuan's name for it. Every four years, an Immortal Ascension Assembly is held here.

Sects and Forces of all sizes nearby choose this location to replenish their fresh blood.

Of course, Hegemon-level Forces are the exception!

Forces of that level have widespread fame. If they want to recruit Disciples, they just need to release the news, and various Family descendants will proactively go to pay respects. Why would they need to come to such a remote corner to select Disciples?

Even the Outer Sect Utility Disciples of a Hegemon-level Force are fought over by those Cultivation Families.

Those who come to East Stone Valley to scout for Disciples are, at most, second-rate Sects from the Eastern Region.

Nevertheless, East Stone Valley was still extremely lively, bustling with people.

After all, the desire for “Cultivating Immortality” is deeply ingrained in people's bones.

“Revered Master, did you come here planning to find me a Junior Brother and Junior Sister?” Mu Wanqing followed closely beside Chen Xuan, her spirits high.

This was her first time coming to East Stone Valley. She had heard about it many times when she was in the Capital City.

Chen Xuan looked at the crowded streets and replied casually, “I came to try my luck and see if there are any Disciples destined for me. Easy to trick... easy to take as a Disciple of my Dao Seeking Sect.”

Since the Sect's reputation wasn't well-known, coming to East Stone Valley was the best way to recruit Disciples.

Mu Wanqing 'hummed' in acknowledgment, ignoring her Revered Master's slip of the tongue.

The main hall was real, and the Cultivation Technique was real. How could that be called tricking people?

...On the East Stone Valley Martial Arts Stage, masses of people were queuing up for Aptitude tests, hoping to join a Cultivation Sect and embark on the immortal path.

A skinny, dark-skinned young man, Li Pingan, shamelessly pleaded, “Elder Wang, please give me a chance!”

“As long as you let me join the Po Shan Sect, I am willing to serve as a beast of burden.”

The Outer Sect Elder of the Po Shan Sect responsible for recruiting Disciples glanced at him disdainfully and sneered, “Serve as a beast of burden?”

“Are you even worthy?”

“A piece of trash without a Spiritual Root dares to dream of Cultivating Immortality? That's delusional!”

“Hurry up and scram. Don't block the people behind you.”

Li Pingan clenched his fists, lowered his head, and continued to plead:

“Elder Wang, Outer Sect Utility Disciple is fine too! I am the most capable of enduring hardship; I can do anything.”

Elder Wang was momentarily stunned. He sized up the young man before him, seemingly deep in thought.

“Capable of enduring hardship?”

He lifted his trouser leg and extended his right foot, which was clad in a leather boot.

He said with a playful expression, “My boot is a bit dirty. How do you think you should handle that?”

Li Pingan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. This was humiliation!

But thinking of the hatred over his parents being murdered, he could only suppress the anger in his heart, forcing out a flattering smile as he said:

“This lowly one will wipe it clean for you immediately!”

Just as Li Pingan squatted down, he heard Elder Wang say in a cold tone, “Wipe it?”

“You have zero Comprehension Ability, yet you still want to enter my Po Shan Sect. If you kneel down and lick it clean for me, I might consider giving you a spot as an Outer Sect Utility Disciple.”

The people watching behind him burst into laughter upon hearing this.

“Oh ho, hurry up and seize the opportunity! If Elder Wang changes his mind later, you won't even get to be a Utility Disciple.”

“Trash should just accept their fate. Don't look at what kind of person you are, yet you still dare to try and join the famous Po Shan Sect.”

“Hurry up and scram, don't waste This Lord's time for Immortal Ascension.”

Rage burned in Li Pingan's eyes. How was this merely humiliating him? This was clearly trampling his dignity into the dirt.

His heart was filled with rage, unwillingness, resentment, and injustice. His fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

Various complex emotions swelled in his chest, but they were drowned by a sense of powerlessness.

In the end, he chose to turn and leave!

Elder Wang coldly snorted, “If you're capable of enduring hardship, you should spend your life suffering in the mud. Did you really need this old man to humiliate you before you understood that logic?”

“Next!”

Li Pingan watched the Disciples with Spiritual Roots being selected by various Sects, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Why?

Why is The Heavens so unfair? Why do I, specifically, not have a Spiritual Root?

...“Revered Master, there are so many people! How do you plan to select Disciples?”

This was Mu Wanqing's first time seeing such a lively scene. It was even more bustling than the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival in the Capital City.

As expected of the quadrennial Immortal Ascension Assembly.

Chen Xuan also had a headache. With so many people, just looking at their Status Panels made his eyes blurry.

How was he supposed to find a Disciple who met his requirements?

The Martial Arts Stage in the center was covered with signs from various Sects.

Each one was more imposing, grander, and more luxurious than the last.

Invincible Divine Fist Sect: Outer Sect Disciples must perform tasks for ten hours a day, rewarded with one hour of Cultivation time. Limit: 30 people.

Zhengyang Sect: Outer Sect Disciples must perform Sect tasks for eleven hours a day, rewarded with half an hour of Cultivation time. Limit: 50 people.

Ethereal Palace: Utility Disciples must perform tasks for eleven and a half hours a day, rewarded with one hour of Cultivation time every half month. Limit: 70 people.

Good heavens, the Cultivation World is too exploitative.

Chen Xuan was filled with emotion upon reading this. These conditions would make a Capitalist feel ashamed of themselves.

“Revered Master, look over there. The Po Shan Sect is actually recruiting Disciples here too.” Mu Wanqing pointed to the luxurious, gilt-inlaid sign in the middle of the Martial Arts Stage.