"Ah, what kind of demonic beast is that? It looks so much like a human, and it even has a pair of... Strange. Can demonic beasts transform into human form now?" "Huh? Where did it go? It was just here, and now it has vanished in an instant."

Many Qi Refining third and fourth-layer cultivators near Xian Yuan City happened to glimpse the wing-shadow flickering across the low sky before disappearing. Their eyes were filled with horror, mouths agape as they pointed at the heavens and shouted. They had never seen such a bizarre "demonic beast."

"That's a Wing Spirit Tool, it can fly! They're made by refining the wings of flying demonic beasts." A few older, more knowledgeable cultivators shook their heads dismissively, feeling helpless at the ignorance of the younger practitioners. "Learn something; the types of Spirit Tools aren't limited to just swords and armor. There are countless strange and unusual Spirit Tools out there."

Though they spoke this way, their hearts were equally filled with envy. Being able to fly was typically an ability reserved for cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage. A Wing Spirit Tool was one of the few types that allowed Qi Refining cultivators to take to the air. However, hunting down a flying demonic beast was far from simple.

A short while later.

A streak of cyan sword light shot out from Xian Yuan City, covering the distance of thirty or forty li in mere moments as it flashed above a stretch of Gobi desert. A middle-aged man in white robes with an indifferent expression landed on the ground. The-long cyan greatsword swiftly shrank to a three-inch-long green wooden sword and was put away in his hand. This person was none other than Cultivator Kong from the Bao Feng Artifact Refining Workshop.

Cultivator Kong scanned his surroundings but did not find Ye Qin's figure. He only saw Elder Ma on the ground, bound by thorns, his eyes bloodshot and wild. Cultivator Kong’s face darkened completely. Elder Ma’s communication talisman had told him that the spell attached to that Wing Spirit Tool was a high-tier wind-element spell: "Void Break Flash."

"Void Break Flash—a high-tier Spirit Tool that comes with Void Break Flash!"

The thought made the veins bulge on Cultivator Kong’s face, contorting it into a grimace. This was simply unbelievable. Spirit Tools refined from the materials of low-level demonic beasts, typically Rank One or Two, might at most carry low-tier spells, with an extremely slim chance of bearing a mid-tier spell. Carrying a high-tier spell was rare beyond measure.

In reality, the vast majority of Foundation Establishment cultivators had only mastered mid-tier spells. Unless one possessed exceptionally outstanding spiritual root potential, reaching high-tier spells was difficult.

That Wing Spirit Tool carrying Void Break Flash was tantamount to a pseudo-magical artifact for escape.

If he possessed this Spirit Tool, on top of his existing wood-element spells, he would also master a high-tier, wind-element "life-saving" spell. Although it was merely a Spirit Tool intended for Qi Refining cultivators, its value was incalculable.

Cultivator Kong glared fiercely at Elder Ma on the ground.

Elder Ma was not dead, but he had clearly been afflicted by a violent Fire Toxin. The toxin had surged to his brain, rendering him half-mad. Even if cured, he would be useless. Cultivator Kong had no leisure time to detoxify him.

Hmm?

Cultivator Kong suddenly focused intently on Elder Ma and picked up a piece of the fiery thorn vine. As a wood-element cultivator, he felt a strong attraction to this peculiar plant. "A Rank Two mutated thorn, and fire-elemental at that. This kind of mutated shrub only grows where fire spiritual energy is abundant—it's very rare."

If he could refine these into Demon-Binding Ropes, they would be far stronger than ordinary ones. But the quantity of mutated thorns on Elder Ma was too small; refining them might yield only a few wisps of thorny silk, nowhere near enough.

"Damn it!"

Cultivator Kong furiously unleashed a sword energy slash onto the ground. A sword mark stretching over a hundred zhang split the earth, and the entire area within half a li trembled violently. The inch-long small sword in his hand suddenly swelled, transforming into a gigantic cyan flying sword. He leaped up and soared into the air, heading out across the surrounding territory to search for Ye Qin’s tracks.

However, the area around Xian Yuan City was currently bustling. Low-level cultivators were moving back and forth everywhere; where could he search for a cultivator who had already vanished into the vast crowd?

"This Bat King Wing, it's powerful, but it consumes too much Dharma Power."

Ye Qin navigated the streets of Xian Yuan City with a wry smile.

He was reflecting on the casting of the spell with the Bat King Wing just moments ago—a mix of satisfaction and suffering. This Wing Spirit Tool in his hand was indeed exceptionally formidable as a top-grade Spirit Tool. But it had one massive flaw: the rate at which it drained his Dharma Power was so rapid that it became nearly unbearable.

As a cultivator at the fifth layer of the Qi Refining stage—a mid-tier practitioner—using a high-grade Spirit Tool like the Bat King Wing to consecutively cast the high-tier spell "Void Break Flash" for only five or six li left him feeling his Dharma Power being siphoned away like a rushing stream.

Even with the Bat King Wing, he could now only perform a few short-distance 'Void Break Flashes,' making it difficult to utilize its sufficient life-saving capabilities.

Ye Qin shook his head internally, realizing his own cultivation was still too low.

Not long ago, he had seen a streak of sword light flash toward the northern Gobi Desert from within Xian Yuan City.

He immediately became alert, daring not to fly using the Bat King Wing. Instead, he stored the Spirit Tool away, disguised his appearance, and carefully blended in with a crowd of low-level cultivators to enter Xian Yuan City.

Once inside the city, he finally felt safe. There were tens of thousands of cultivators within the city walls. He wasn't worried that the cultivators from the Bao Feng Workshop would find him easily. Moreover, the major sects would be arriving in Xian Yuan City within a day or two to recruit disciples, and he intended to leave the city anyway, unconcerned about trouble from the Bao Feng Workshop cultivators.

As Ye Qin walked down the street, he suddenly felt a massive spiritual pressure approaching from a distance. Startled, he looked up. He saw more than ten streams of flowing light—sword energies of various colors—flying from the direction of the Spirit Mist Grand Canyon toward Xian Yuan City.

These streaks of sword light slowed down only after arriving above Xian Yuan City, landing on the square of the distant Xian Yuan Palace. They were more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, all clad in grey robes, with expressions of stern resolution; some were old, others middle-aged. As soon as they stood there, a wide open space spanning several hundred zhang immediately formed around them, with no one daring to approach.

They established a temporary recruitment station in the square. Any cultivator who had completed a task for the Ancient Artifact Sect could register there to join.

Only a few Foundation Establishment leaders from the Xian Yuan City Rogue Cultivator Alliance, who had rushed over, dared to approach and offer greetings. The Rogue Cultivator Alliance members were extremely deferential in front of these dozen or so cultivators.

The Xian Yuan Palace Square fell into a dead silence. But soon, the square erupted into a frenzy.

"The Ancient Artifact Sect! It's the elders from the Ancient Artifact Sect! The Ancient Artifact Sect has come to recruit disciples! Brothers, hurry and look!!" "I wonder who will be lucky enough to have collected all the spiritual materials required by the Ancient Artifact Sect and be taken in as a disciple."

Thousands upon thousands of cultivators became wildly excited, surging toward the Xian Yuan Palace Square to witness the disciple recruitment spectacle. Although the vast majority of them had no hope of joining any sect, just catching a glimpse could ignite faint fantasies in their hearts, motivating them to strive to join a sect next year.

Ye Qin was also quite energized. He immediately followed the throng, squeezing into the middle of the crowd to watch the Ancient Artifact Sect recruitment from afar. The Ancient Artifact Sect was the foremost major immortal cultivation sect among the seven in the Spirit Mist Mountain Range, wielding immense prestige. Countless cultivators yearned to join them.

However, the Ancient Artifact Sect only accepted thirty entry-level disciples annually; the number was exceptionally small.

Tens of thousands of Qi Refining cultivators surrounding the square could only stare longingly at the few dozen who had successfully completed the required documentation for the Ancient Artifact Sect and officially joined its ranks.

Ye Qin's target was not the Ancient Artifact Sect, but the Azure Pill Sect.

In just one day, the seven major immortal cultivation sects and more than ten minor sects of the Spirit Mist Mountain Range descended upon Xian Yuan City. The entire disciple recruitment process lasted for one day, stopping only when the quota was filled. If the quota wasn't met, they would simply leave once the time expired.

The dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Azure Pill Sect arrived in Xian Yuan City and set up an exquisite reception area using high-grade spiritual wood tables and chairs, positioned right next to the Ancient Artifact Sect and Earth Mansion Sect stations. The Azure Pill Sect ranked third in strength among the seven major sects, and no other sect dared to contend for position with them. Like the Ancient Artifact Sect, the Azure Pill Sect also recruited thirty disciples.

Only a single young Foundation Establishment cultivator in white robes sat before the table, registering and logging the names of the disciples who came to sign up. Behind him, the other dozen or so middle-aged and elderly Foundation Establishment cultivators chatted amongst themselves.

Ye Qin did not approach immediately but waited a while longer.

Signing up too early would draw excessive attention, and remaining under the scrutiny of thousands of Qi Refining cultivators surrounding the square was quite uncomfortable.

If he waited until many disciples had already signed up, his registration wouldn't make him the sole focal point.

It wasn't until half an hour later, when the Azure Pill Sect had already registered twenty-four disciples, and a lavishly dressed cultivator in brocade robes finished registering in front of him, that Ye Qin finally pushed out of the crowd. With a swift movement, he arrived at the registration desk, taking out a storage pouch from his robe, ready to present the thirty rare spiritual herbs specified by the Azure Pill Sect.

At that moment, a burly man from not far away suddenly lunged forward, shoving Ye Qin aside. He pulled out a storage pouch, dumped a large handful of spiritual herbs onto the table, cupped his hands, and smiled obsequiously at the Foundation Establishment cultivator handling the registration: "Elder Brother, register me first! I was here before that kid!"

Ye Qin was pushed aside, pausing momentarily, but said nothing, taking his place behind the burly man. Signing up slightly earlier or slightly later made no difference to him.

The young Foundation Establishment disciple instantly put on a cold expression and snapped at the burly man, "Silence! Who is your Elder Brother? Those of a higher cultivation layer than you are all Martial Uncles. Those of the same cultivation layer are called Martial Brothers."

"Yes, yes, Martial Uncle!"

The burly man was instantly dumbfounded, hanging his head, not daring to utter another word. This rough-looking man appeared to be at least forty years old, looking older than the young Foundation Establishment cultivator. However, given the disparity in cultivation levels, calling him Martial Uncle was hardly inappropriate.

Ye Qin stood calmly behind him, a faint smile playing on his lips.

After the registering cultivator made a record for the big fellow, it was finally Ye Qin’s turn. Ye Qin handed over the thirty spiritual herbs and explained his background and origins in detail.

He dared not lie or fabricate his background in this regard; immortal cultivation sects rigorously verified the origins of their entry-level disciples. If it were discovered later that his history was fabricated, he wouldn't fare well.

Furthermore, his background was clean, with nothing shameful to hide, so there was no need for fabrication.

"Ye Qin, commoner origin from the Wu Kingdom, Rogue Cultivator, no background from an immortal cultivation family. Currently seventeen years old, achieved the Fifth Layer of the Qi Refining stage."

The cultivator looked up at Ye Qin, his face etched with astonishment, his gaze incredibly peculiar.

Ye Qin felt a slight unease in his heart. His information should not pose any problems, should it? Even if the Azure Pill Sect investigated, they wouldn't find anything amiss.

The young Foundation Establishment cultivator paused, discussed the matter with the other Foundation Establishment cultivators behind him for a moment. Finally, they proceeded to record Ye Qin’s information, allowing him to pass and become the twenty-sixth disciple to join the Azure Pill Sect this year. (To be continued. For future developments, please log in to wwwidiancomm. More chapters available, support the author, support genuine reading!)

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