Dawn broke over Green Embroidery Mountain, within the embroidery chamber. On the silken couch, Ye Qin sat with his eyes closed.

The spiritual energy within his body traced the circulation of the Grand Cycle along his meridians thirteen times before he ceased the movement. With a long sigh, he expelled the turbid air from his lungs and opened his bright eyes.

It had taken him nearly half an hour to complete today’s session of cultivation meditation according to the Sitting in Oblivion Sutra. Ye Qin finished his practice, rose, and slowly walked out of the bamboo hut.

Outside, he could faintly sense wisps of spiritual energy within the morning mist. A few rays of sunlight had already pierced the canopy of the bamboo forest, and occasionally, birds and beasts could be seen leaping between the stalks, creating an atmosphere of refreshing joy.

Half a month had slipped by since he joined the Green Elixir Sect, and no major incidents had occurred; the time had passed in quiet cultivation. During this short period, thanks to his meticulous care, the dozens of seeds sown in the small field before the bamboo hut had begun to sprout and grow.

However, it was unknown how many years it would take before they matured enough to be utilized. While the ordinary disciples of an immortal cultivation sect enjoyed far better conditions than rogue cultivators in Immortal Fate City—having access to spiritual energy-rich treasures for growing herbs, the sect's backing and protection, and the ease of exchanging skills and sparrings with fellow disciples—achieving success in cultivation still demanded lengthy, arduous, and diligent practice.

Countless cultivators across the great sects spent ages waiting for their breakthrough. Ye Qin gave a wry smile and shook his head.

He plucked three or four tender bamboo shoots from the thicket for sustenance, enough to count as his day’s food, before returning to the bamboo hut to begin today’s alchemy. He was still using the rudimentary spirit tool he had purchased from the Zhang siblings—a Bronze Sand Alchemy Furnace.

This vessel would serve him well for a considerable time. He had prepared two sources of fire.

One was the Ember Charcoal burned from green embroidery wood. The other was the Yang Fire generated by his own casting of the Fireball Spell.

The Ember Charcoal worked reasonably well, but its heat was not intense enough; it took over an hour to refine one batch of Qi Nurturing Pills. In contrast, using Yang Fire allowed him to refine four batches in the same hour, saving a significant amount of time.

Moreover, when refining pills with Yang Fire, he had to concentrate his divine sense entirely, providing the furnace with a continuous and stable flame. This practice honed his ability to control fireballs and improved his proficiency with fire-elemental spells.

This method of training spell control was extremely popular among disciples of the Green Elixir Sect, and he had specifically sought instruction from a senior brother at the Scripture Hall on how to modulate the size and power of the Yang Fire for alchemy. The only drawback was that using Yang Fire rapidly depleted his magical power.

Since the time spent using Yang Fire was short, he always began his daily alchemy with it, and once half his magic power was consumed, he switched to the Ember Charcoal to complete the remaining batches. He set the Bronze Sand Alchemy Furnace in place.

From his Purple Mansion, Ye Qin took out a stalk of Orchid Ganoderma as the main ingredient, adding several minor grasses as auxiliary components. With practiced ease, he rubbed his hands together, grinding them into a fine, uniform powder and juice, which he then poured into the Bronze Sand Alchemy Furnace, adding a small measure of clear spring water.

Next, Ye Qin released a fireball the size of a thumb, carefully controlling it to hover three inches beneath the furnace, quickly heating the Bronze Sand Alchemy Furnace until it glowed red. He focused all his divine sense, slowly perceiving the temperature of the flame, intending to refine a Qi Nurturing Pill.

Releasing the flame was easy, but maintaining it with consistent power over a long duration was exceedingly difficult. Ye Qin slowly released his magic power, infusing it into the flame.

After the time it took for one stick of incense to burn down— “Puff—” The spiritual energy within the Bronze Sand Alchemy Furnace suddenly became chaotic. The furnace lid sprang open with a bang, spewing forth a plume of dense, burnt odor.

Alchemy failure. Ye Qin, who had been immersed in sensing the temperature of the flame, paused momentarily, frowning slightly.

With a sweep of his sleeve, a great gust of wind rose from the ground, sweeping away the acrid smell within the embroidery chamber. He then poured out the failed pills from the furnace, washing it clean.

Once more, he retrieved a portion of herbs from his Purple Mansion, ground them into powder, mixed them with a portion of clear spirit water, and placed the mixture into the cauldron. After another stick of incense burned— “Puff!” Another billow of thick smoke erupted; alchemy failed again.

The sun rose over the eastern edge of the bamboo forest and set in the west. As dusk deepened— Inside the embroidery chamber, Ye Qin packed away the furnace, holding the three successful Qi Nurturing Pills he had managed to create today, feeling a sour knot in his stomach.

He had attempted to refine over twenty batches today, with only two resulting in usable pills—an output rate of roughly one in ten. This success rate was significantly lower than the nearly four in ten he achieved with the Dew Droplet Pills.

However, this discrepancy was quite normal. He had been refining Dew Droplet Pills for at least three to five years; he could make them with his eyes closed.

The Qi Nurturing Pills, however, were a recent endeavor; he was still unfamiliar with their medicinal properties, so a sharp drop in the success rate was expected. Furthermore, the Qi Nurturing Pill was a tier higher in grade than the Dew Droplet Pill, making it inherently more difficult to refine than a first-tier spirit pill.

Nourishing Qi Pills, Qi Nurturing Pills, and Qi Gathering Pills were the three primary tiers of spirit elixirs commonly refined and consumed by cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, corresponding respectively to the early, middle, and late stages of Qi Refining. Their quality was, in fact, mediocre.

They could only be considered average. For instance, the Dew Droplet Pills Ye Qin used previously were also first-tier spirit pills, yet a single one was equivalent in medicinal effect to three Nourishing Qi Pills.

The difference lay in the spiritual herbs required: the ingredients for these three types of pills were best suited for large-scale cultivation, growing easily in soil with even slight spiritual energy. They were not as 'delicate' as the Dew Droplet Grass, which withered easily if the environment was even slightly inadequate.

Although disciples of the Green Elixir Sect cultivated a wide variety of spiritual herbs across different tiers and possessed numerous proprietary formulas, these three pills remained the most popular among Qi Refining disciples. The seeds and refinement formulas for these three elixirs were common goods in the Green Spring Peak market, obtainable for a mere sum of spirit stones.

Naturally, he had acquired the seeds and formula for the Qi Nurturing Pill and began refining them himself. Yet, one matter caused him distress: cultivating the second-tier spiritual herb, Orchid Ganoderma, within his Purple Mansion consumed low-grade spirit stones at an alarming rate.

One low-grade spirit stone could only support the growth of ten Orchid Ganoderma plants, enough for ten batches of Qi Nurturing Pills. Given his current success rate of only one in ten, one low-grade spirit stone yielded merely one Qi Nurturing Pill.

Even if he mastered the refining process, his success rate would likely peak around two in ten in the short term, making it impossible to achieve much higher. He could consume three Qi Nurturing Pills daily, using meditation to slowly refine and absorb the medicinal essence into his cultivation base.

The rate at which spirit stones were consumed was staggering. Three low-grade spirit stones per day meant that in this half-month period, he had already depleted thirty to forty stones.

His supply of Wood Spirit Stones was nearly exhausted. Ye Qin offered another wry smile.

He had originally planned to remain undisturbed on this remote Green Embroidery Mountain for one or two months, allowing those who might be interested in him to forget about him before he resumed his activities. But now, it seemed he had to find a way to acquire a substantial amount of spirit stones.

Three months would require ninety low-grade spirit stones. Ye Qin pondered carefully.

Those currently interested in him were likely only Uncle-Master Zhao, the steward of Green Spring Peak, and a few acquaintances like Shen Bao and Sun Yuming. Other fellow disciples likely wouldn't give him a second glance even if they encountered him.

Selling spirit pills for spirit stones was undoubtedly the quickest way to earn money. However, selling pills once or twice was acceptable; doing it daily would inevitably invite suspicion.

There were many ways to earn spirit stones; he didn't necessarily have to sell elixirs. The General Affairs Hall seemed to have numerous miscellaneous tasks available.

Perhaps those duties could provide him with the initial funds he needed temporarily. The following morning, at first light, Ye Qin left Green Embroidery Mountain and rushed toward Green Spring Peak.

An hour later, he arrived at the General Affairs Hall on Green Spring Peak. Coming to this peak was unavoidable.

The aerial transportation provided by Green Spring Peak could only ferry disciples one-way to various locations within a few hundred miles of the main peak, but not in reverse. Fortunately, Green Embroidery Mountain was only two to three hundred miles away, reachable within an hour's run—a good opportunity to practice the Wind Riding Art.

Along the way, he passed numerous smaller mountains. The Green Elixir Sect claimed a population of eight thousand Qi Refining disciples, but these were dispersed across several hundred mountains spanning over a thousand miles.

The actual number of disciples on any single peak was not large. Even the most spiritually rich small peak was shared by barely a hundred disciples.

Other peaks had as few as ten or twenty, and many peaks hosted no one at all. Large sections of these mountains had been converted into fields cultivating various spiritual grasses—crimson, green, and violet—though most were immature.

Occasionally, he spotted diligent, green-robed disciples carrying water to irrigate the herbs on the slopes. Ye Qin did not linger.

Arriving at the General Affairs Hall, he entered and bowed to a young Deacon Brother managing the allocation of 'miscellaneous tasks.' He requested to take on an assignment. The other Deacon Brothers in the hall glanced over, silently envying the assigned colleague.

The Deacon Brother, his expression stern, scrutinized Ye Qin and showed a flicker of surprise. A cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refining was relatively rare within the Green Elixir Sect.

He opened the task logbook and stated coldly, "Junior Brother, our sect has numerous miscellaneous duties. Let me find a suitable one for you!" While speaking, his eyes remained fixed on Ye Qin.

"Senior Brother, could you show me which tasks yield more spirit stones?" Ye Qin smiled, palming a spirit stone. He slipped it discreetly to the Deacon Brother, out of sight of the others in the hall.

Senior Brother Sun Yuming had long advised him that no matter the demeanor of the senior brothers in this hall—whether stern or genial—none refused spirit stones. To get anything done, one must first show respect; otherwise, one risked being subtly sabotaged by these very seniors.

The Deacon Brother unobtrusively shielded the stone with his sleeve, causing the offering to vanish. A hint of a smile finally broke through his rigid face.

The arrangement for temporary duties was different from the assignment of residences. New disciples' living quarters were set once and generally did not change unless they reached the Foundation Establishment stage and moved to the seven main peaks.

Thus, the 'respect fee' for housing was quite expensive, often requiring ten or more low-grade spirit stones for a slightly better spot. However, these miscellaneous duties changed frequently, often every few days or months.

Offering one spirit stone was considered quite generous and was more than enough to secure a favorable assignment. The Deacon Brother was clearly satisfied, and his tone immediately became much more courteous.

"Since Junior Brother possesses a certain skill, selecting a task that suits you is certainly appropriate; utilize your strengths where best needed. From now on, whenever you need to pick up duties, come directly to me, and I will arrange it.

My surname is Qian; just call me Senior Brother Qian. Now, what kind of task are you hoping to undertake?" "Senior Brother Qian, I have only recently joined and am unfamiliar with the specifics of these duties.

I humbly request Senior Brother to enlighten me. I wish to take on any task that can earn more spirit stones—the more, the better." Ye Qin spoke respectfully.

Senior Brother Qian pondered for a moment. "There are certainly many daily chores that earn spirit stones.

The best among them is assisting a Senior Uncle in tending his herb gardens. Many Senior Uncles within the sect are in deep seclusion and lack the time to look after their spiritual herbs, requiring hired hands.

This type of chore offers high income; if you manage it well, you might even receive one or two precious spiritual herbs as a reward. However, you must be personally vetted and approved by those Senior Uncles to take on such a task.

Junior Brother, allow me to introduce you to a few Senior Uncles. What do you think?

If you perform well, you might even gain the appreciation of a Martial Granduncle." Ye Qin quickly shook his head. Those Foundation Establishment Martial Uncles and Senior Uncles possessed sharp eyes that could instantly discern the state of his cultivation; they were best avoided, not approached voluntarily.

Furthermore, the spiritual herbs grown in their gardens, although often high-grade, were mostly used for refining Foundation Establishment pills, rarely serving the needs of Qi Refining disciples. It would be agonizing to stare at a pile of high-tier herbs that he couldn't use.

If he were currently at the ninth level of Qi Refining, nearing Foundation Establishment, tending the herb gardens for these martial elders might indeed be a lucrative position. He could even save the money otherwise spent on purchasing seeds.

Ye Qin thought this privately, but smiled outwardly. "I am not familiar with the Martial Uncles; perhaps a different type of duty?" "Junior Brother is perhaps fearful of these Martial Uncles!

Senior Brother also worried about them in my younger days. But if you get to know them, you'll find that most Martial Uncles are in seclusion for long periods and rarely emerge.

As long as you care for their herbs properly, they will never make things difficult for you." Seeing Ye Qin’s insistence, Senior Brother Qian didn't press the issue. "Very well.

As for other duties, there are many, but they mostly involve drudgery. Such as fetching spiritual spring water from Green Spring Peak, collecting a specific type of soil from Green Mountain Peak and delivering it to another peak, sweeping grounds, cooking, carrying water, and so on.

I advise Junior Brother to disregard these tasks. They are hard work and interfere with your cultivation.

Only those cultivators truly unable to make ends meet take on such menial labor." Ye Qin chuckled. "Heavy labor is fine; what matters most is the highest earning potential.

Senior Brother Qian, please look again carefully for me." Senior Brother Qian looked slightly surprised, then considered. "Let me see...

There is also the Mountain Patrol duty, requiring daily travel to clear out demonic beasts that breach the thousand-mile perimeter of the Green Elixir Mountain Range. You fly around constantly on an aerial beast, facing some danger.

The income is quite high, and the slain demonic beasts belong to you. Ah, and I almost forgot—there are a couple of lucrative tasks listed below.

The North Camp Mountain mine requires over a dozen miners. This duty is both dirty and exhausting, demanding one constantly stay deep within the tunnels hundreds of feet below ground, which is why it always has vacancies and never fills up.

However, the compensation is very high: one spirit stone per day, which is the highest of all miscellaneous duties." (To be continued. For further developments, please log onto www**com for more chapters, supporting the author and genuine reading!)