Within the Purple Gold Grand Hall, while Sect Master Wu and the Deputy Sect Masters wrestled with the issue of the Northern Camp Mountain spirit stone mine, the ordinary Qi Condensation disciples of the sect continued their usual routines. Such monumental affairs concerning the sect’s rise or fall were not for them to concern themselves with.

Green Spring Peak, one of the seven main peaks of the Green Pill Mountain Range.

This peak soared thousands of feet high, its summit perpetually capped with pristine white snow. Midway up the slope, hundreds of qing of flat land had been carved out, upon which a sprawling complex of palaces and pavilions had been erected. The rest of the mountain was likewise dotted with numerous structures; iron suspension bridges linked the terraces and towers, and occasionally, cultivators could be seen gliding through the low-altitude air. Furthermore, behind Green Spring Peak, a stream plunged from the summit as a waterfall, and the entire mountain seemed perpetually veiled in a faint white mist, exuding an overwhelming spiritual energy.

The young cultivator surnamed Zhao, leading Ye Qin and four other disciples, landed their swords on a plaza before the grand hall of Green Spring Peak and retrieved their artifacts. Without uttering much, he strode toward the main hall with a grim expression.

The four followed hastily.

Ye Qin lingered at the rear, curiously surveying his surroundings.

From the sky, the sprawling complex of palaces hadn't seemed overwhelmingly vast. But standing before the clustered edifices now, he felt like an ant dropped into a forest—lost and unable to discern direction.

Ye Qin was inwardly stunned. The sheer scale of the palace cluster on Green Spring Peak alone dwarfed the Immortal Fate City many times over, let alone the entire Green Pill Sect. Moreover, the spiritual energy here on Green Spring Peak was magnitudes richer than in that barren stretch of the Immortal Fate City.

"Martial Uncle Zhao!"

This plaza before the main hall was usually sparsely populated. Four green-robed disciples, assigned to receive newcomers, were already waiting. Seeing the group approach, they hurried forward, bowing respectfully to the cultivator surnamed Zhao.

Martial Uncle Zhao merely snorted. "These are the newcomers. You four take them around." He then unceremoniously handed over Ye Qin, Shen Bao, and the other two newly initiated disciples to the four green-robed reception disciples and proceeded into the main hall by himself.

The green-robed disciples exchanged startled glances. "Martial Uncle Zhao's temper has always been quite mild; why is he so irritable today?" "Did Martial Uncle Zhao get angered by someone during his trip to Immortal Fate City?" "Did any of you provoke him?"

Shen Bao pouted, muttering under his breath.

"Who would dare provoke him? We didn't dare utter a sound on the journey!"

The reception disciples appraised the cultivation levels of Ye Qin and the others and immediately shook their heads with disappointment. "Another year without any disciples of high talent. It's even worse than last year. No wonder Martial Uncle Zhao is in such a foul mood."

The green-robed reception disciples wasted no time. Each took one new disciple and split off to acquaint them with the environment of Green Spring Peak.

One tall, thin senior brother pointed at Ye Qin. "You, come with me. I’ll show you around the various halls. My name is Sun Yuming; just call me Senior Brother Sun."

"Ah, my name is Ye Qin. I request much guidance from Senior Brother Sun!"

Ye Qin paused for a moment before quickly following Senior Brother Sun Yuming.

Senior Brother Sun Yuming was quite talkative. Pointing toward the peaks of the Green Pill Mountain Range, he chuckled, "Our Green Pill Sect may not necessarily surpass other sects in every aspect, but when it comes to location, we have the greatest advantage. The Green Pill Mountain Range is the most spiritually dense area within the entire Spirit Mist Mountain Range; even the clouds carry trace amounts of spiritual energy.

"Such a blessed place is not only ideal for cultivation but also perfect for cultivating spirit herbs. The ancient pioneers who first arrived at this treasure land opened up fields here, planted spirit herbs, and named this area the Green Pill Mountain Range. Using this as their foundation, they expanded step by step, ultimately establishing the sect that has endured for ten thousand years.

"The seven peaks of the Green Pill Mountain Range each possess distinct characteristics. The greatest benefit of our Green Spring Peak is the cascading spring waterfall at the summit; the water contains a small amount of spiritual energy, making it perfectly suited for watering spirit herbs. The other peaks also boast numerous advantages, which you will learn about gradually. Among all the immortal cultivation sects in the Spirit Mist Mountain Range, none can compare to the Green Pill Sect in terms of suitability for cultivating spirit herbs."

Ye Qin’s inner joy was irrepressible.

It wasn't just the rich spiritual energy that delighted him, but the sight of cultivated fields, almost everywhere on Green Spring Peak, planted with spirit herbs. Even the open spaces between the palaces and pavilions had been reclaimed and sown with large quantities of herbs he had never seen before.

Green Spring Peak was practically an herb garden, with medicinal plants visible everywhere.

Senior Brother Sun Yuming noticed Ye Qin gazing around in pleasant surprise, mistaking his awe for mere delight at the rich environment. He immediately burst into laughter, clapping Ye Qin on the shoulder:

"Junior Brother Ye, don't dream about staying on Green Spring Peak. This place is reserved for our uncles and senior uncles to reside, cultivate, and tend their spirit herb fields. Only a very small number of core disciples in blue robes are permitted to grow herbs here as well. Disciples at the Qi Condensation stage like you and me, without powerful backing, are assigned to the surrounding lower mountains. The spiritual energy in those places is far inferior to here."

"Also, all the herb fields are protected by formations. Don't even think about touching the spirit herbs inside; the slightest contact will trigger the defensive restrictions. If you're caught, even the Sect Master couldn't save you."

"Come along; I'll take you to see the halls."

Senior Brother Sun Yuming ascended the stone steps toward the palace.

Ye Qin smiled and said nothing.

In front of the palace stood several massive stone pillars. Tied to them were several fierce, large leopards. Catching the unfamiliar scent, they suddenly lunged toward Ye Qin, snarling and hissing several times.

Ye Qin jumped back, startled. These spiritual leopards were at least Third-Tier beasts, nearly equivalent to cultivators at the ninth level of the Qi Condensation stage. He couldn't afford to take a single claw strike from them.

Fortunately, the beasts were tightly secured by several thick, dark green iron chains, preventing them from struggling free or getting close to Ye Qin. However, their claws left deep gouges in the black rock.

Sun Yuming, walking ahead, glanced at the leopards. "These are the Mottled Spiritual Leopards that guard the mountain. They are for watching the gate; ignore them. Once they become familiar with your aura, they won't bark at you next time."

Ye Qin carefully skirted around them.

A trace of envy sparked in his heart: Were these the spirit beasts trained by the sect? He had occasionally seen a few spirit beasts in Immortal Fate City; they were rumored to possess extremely high loyalty—difficult to betray once bonded, and fearless when facing the enemy. Cultivation sects and families often kept spirit beasts for guarding gates and mountains. Yet, raising such beasts required immense resources and was no easy feat.

Sun Yuming led Ye Qin up the steps of the main hall. The main hall of Green Spring Peak, the "Green Spring Hall," was typically where important matters were discussed, and only Foundation Establishment cultivators were qualified to enter; those below that stage were forbidden entry.

They bypassed the main hall and headed toward the side halls.

"Hall of Technique Transmission!"

"Hall of Scripture Collection!"

"Hall of Artifacts!"

"Hall of Elixirs!"

"Hall of General Affairs!"

Green Spring Peak housed many side halls, each with different functions and roles. Many deacon disciples were stationed there to oversee them. Sun Yuming guided Ye Qin, having them pay respects to the deacons, martial uncles, martial grand-uncles, and some senior brothers running errands in each hall.

The itinerary Sun Yuming arranged was rather rushed, moving through the numerous palaces in a whirlwind tour, briefly explaining the function of each hall.

Despite the speed, Ye Qin managed to observe a great deal.

In the Scripture Collection Hall, there were countless cultivation manuals, spell scrolls, elixir refining secrets, and various books.

The Artifact Hall displayed numerous spiritual artifacts and magical tools for sale, alongside artifact refining formulas, pill concoction recipes, various auxiliary tools for alchemy and forging, and even a large stock of common raw materials.

The plaques hanging above the pavilions largely indicated their purpose, making it convenient for new disciples to familiarize themselves with the layout.

Ye Qin was somewhat surprised to see books on artifact forging in the Scripture Collection Hall: "Does our Green Pill Sect practice artifact forging besides alchemy?"

"Of course. Almost every immortal cultivation sect practices both alchemy and artifact forging. It’s just a matter of emphasis. Our Green Pill Sect does have quite a few skilled artifact refiners, but our main cultivation paths focus on Wood and Fire spirit roots. Therefore, we prioritize Wood-element and Fire-element artifact refinement. Other types of forging are rarely seen."

Sun Yuming smiled and continued:

"No spiritual or magical artifacts within the sect are supplied for free; they must be purchased with spirit stones. If Junior Brother Ye has the financial backing of a powerful family, you can directly purchase artifacts, magical tools, and elixirs here with spirit stones. Our sect's elixirs and artifacts are not only high quality but also relatively cheap.

"If you lack family wealth, your only option is to earn spirit stones by performing miscellaneous tasks for the sect. Judging by you, Junior Brother Ye, you don't appear to hail from a major family. If you wish to remain in the sect long-term, it’s best to take on handyman tasks; you can earn quite a few spirit stones monthly. Even wealthy families cannot sustain excessive spending."

Ye Qin nodded subtly.

The Green Pill Sect held the various spirit herb seeds he desired most, the formulas for Qi Condensation stage elixirs, and alchemy techniques. These three things were what he lacked most. His Dew-Gathering Pill was only suitable for cultivators from the first to the third level of Qi Condensation, making it obsolete for his current cultivation base.

As a cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Condensation, his cultivation was nearly at the bottom tier in the Green Pill Sect; it would be hard to find many lower than him. Finding a discreet way to obtain alchemy formulas and spirit herb seeds to boost his cultivation was the immediate priority.

Ye Qin did not linger in the Scripture Collection Hall, committing everything to memory.

"The Hall of General Affairs houses the deacons who assign handyman work," Sun Yuming said, pointing toward a palace nearby, suddenly lowering his voice. "There’s a trick to obtaining these assignments. Although Martial Uncles are in charge, they aren't always around, so it's usually the senior brothers who handle the management. If you subtly slip the supervising senior brother one or two low-grade spirit stones, that brother will naturally arrange a profitable yet easy assignment for you. However, this is something we brothers understand between ourselves; just don't let the presiding Martial Uncle find out."

Ye Qin returned a knowing smile.

Sun Yuming laughed heartily, praising Ye Qin’s high understanding—that small sacrifices could lead to greater gains. He imparted much similar "insider knowledge and rules" to Ye Qin before finally leading him to the "Hall of General Affairs."