Ye Qin quickly finished reading the synopsis for the Wanku Ridge Cave Trial. The junior disciple at the Hall of General Affairs, seeing his interest, continued to chatter on beside him with more details.

This Wanku Ridge cave trial was a large-scale task, involving disciples from over a dozen cultivation sects. Due to its extreme danger, every Qi Refining stage disciple within the Qingdan Sect wishing to participate in the cave trial had to first register at the Hall of General Affairs and affix their handprint, acknowledging that they were responsible for their own life or death, before they could proceed.

The disciple explained that quite a few high-level, blue-robed and green-robed Qi Refining disciples were already preparing to go.

Ye Qin inquired among the handyman disciples about the exact number of high-level Qi Refining experts from their own sect participating, and his heart immediately chilled. Over one hundred people had registered from Qingquan Peak alone—almost all the strongest cultivators above the ninth level of the Qi Refining stage on Qingquan Peak were entering the trial.

Furthermore, disciples such as the children of the Sect Master, several Vice-Sect Masters, and the Elders had all registered to participate, provided they had not yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage. These individuals possessed rare Fa Qi (Magical Artifacts). A Fa Qi could only be refined by Core Formation stage cultivators, possessing immense power, placing them on an entirely different tier from Ling Qi (Spirit Artifacts). These Fa Qi had been painstakingly acquired by Foundation Establishment stage Martial Uncles and Aunts, who then gifted them to these Qi Refining disciples.

Although Qi Refining disciples could not fully unleash the might of a Fa Qi, only managing to release perhaps one or two tenths of its offensive effect, possessing even one meant they were absolutely not comparable to ordinary Qi Refining cultivators wielding only Ling Qi.

Ye Qin was not worried that these "Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters" would actively work against him; after all, they were all disciples of the Qingdan Sect, and unless there were extraordinary reasons, they would not arbitrarily make things difficult for their fellow sect members.

However, if the disciples of the Qingdan Sect possessed Fa Qi, it meant that sects renowned for artifact refinement, such as the Guqi Sect, Dique Sect, and Daluo Sect, certainly had no small number of their Qi Refining disciples possessing such artifacts.

It was extremely common for disciples of different sects to engage in murderous conflicts over Spirit Stones. Disciples from other sects would certainly not afford any consideration for kinship. Just how perilous this cave trial would be, and what incidents might erupt, was something perhaps no one could accurately predict.

Once Ye Qin understood all of this, his mood instantly became incredibly heavy. Moreover, a slight agitation brewed within him—these high-ranking disciples of the sects received Fa Qi as gifts from their elders without having to lift a finger, instantly gaining a massive advantage over ordinary disciples. Yet, poor cultivators from unaffiliated backgrounds had to toil for decades just to earn enough for a single Ling Qi.

However, he had seen such things countless times before. It was commonplace in the Herb Gathering Hall in Zhuqi County Town. Children with money and influence always received better treatment there. Thus, his feeling was merely one of frustration; it was something he could not possibly change.

"When does this cave trial begin?"

Ye Qin thought for a moment and asked.

"In about four months, I think,"

The young disciple replied with a smile.

"That long?"

"Of course.

This is just the initial notification to all sect disciples; the actual commencement won't be that fast. For such a large-scale trial involving over ten sects acting in concert, the disciples’ preparatory work alone will take at least two or three months. Furthermore, we must factor in travel time. The farthest cultivation sect is tens of thousands of miles away; simply reaching Wanku Ridge could take several months on the road. By the time ten-plus sects have gathered at Wanku Mountain, it will be at least three or four months later. Wanku Mountain is not small by any means; completely clearing out the beast hordes in the ore caves within Wanku Mountain will likely take even longer—perhaps one or two years before it's finished. Martial Brother, are you signing up now?"

Ye Qin shook his head and left the Hall of General Affairs. This cave trial was still far off, and this handyman task could be claimed at any time; there was no need to rush the registration. With three or four months for preparation, he had ample time to consider whether or not to join this cave trial.

Stepping out of the Hall of General Affairs,

Ye Qin continued walking, gazing at the countless magnificent palaces and towering structures of Qingquan Peak, as well as the figures of many busy cultivators, his expression indifferent, a hint of bewilderment flashing in his eyes.

"To acquire enough Spirit Stones quickly enough to cultivate spirit herbs and refine Foundation Establishment Pills, the only path is Wanku Mountain. But there are over ten participating sects, with ten thousand participants or more. Experts at the ninth level of Qi Refining are as numerous as clouds, and cultivators possessing high-tier Ling Qi or low-tier Fa Qi are certainly not few. My own spells are only mediocre, and I possess merely a few Ling Qi—I can only be considered an average, middling cultivator. One slip-up, and I'll be sending my life away, serving as a stepping stone."

"If I go, I might die. If I don't go, I have already reached the ninth layer of the Zuowang Scripture and cannot hold out much longer; I could enter the state of sitting in forgetfulness and achieving the state of 'no-self' at any moment, resulting in a suspended animation state—ultimately, still death."

"I don't even have the luxury of waiting; this situation is forcing me to take risks."

Ye Qin was not the type of person who sought thrills or courted adventure casually. If he could achieve Foundation Establishment through a stable and safe method, he would rather spend more time waiting and accumulating strength than participate in a trial where success was uncertain.

He clearly understood his advantages and disadvantages. As the son of a poor hunter from a desolate region, his intelligence was only average, not exceptionally sharp. In terms of strength, he could not compare to the high-ranking disciples of major cultivation families or sects. The habit formed from hunting in the mountains with his father during childhood allowed him to endure hardship, remain constantly cautious, and wait patiently for the opportune moment to strike.

"Wanku Ridge has been sealed off for several thousand years; no one truly knows the current situation inside. The most important thing in participating in this cave trial is preserving one's life. Everything else must be handled as circumstances dictate. I spent three years in the abandoned mine tunnels of North Camp Mountain, so I am somewhat familiar with underground cave conditions. That puts me slightly ahead of those disciples who have never entered a mine tunnel."

Ye Qin pondered quietly, his mind gradually hardening.

This cave trial, he had to go.

To preserve his life, he needed thorough preparation.

What he lacked most were defensive Ling Qi. While a protective shield could also offer defense, it was easily shattered by high-tier Ling Qi and consumed a massive amount of magical power; it was simply not as sturdy as the defense offered by a Ling Qi.

With this thought, Ye Qin turned and headed toward the 'Artifact Hall' on Qingquan Peak.

The Artifact Hall was not far from the Hall of General Affairs, separated by only a few hundred yards. Simply put, this was where various Ling Qi were sold. Of course, everything here was stock merchandise; one shouldn't expect to find truly exceptional Ling Qi here. Genuine top-grade artifacts were rarely put on display for general sale in such shops.

Inside the main hall, dozens of large, dark wooden counters encircled the space, displaying dozens of types of offensive Ling Qi: fire-attribute blades, metal-attribute swords, wood-attribute staves and whips, wind-attribute fans, earth-attribute clubs and hammers. These primarily consisted of low-tier and mid-tier Ling Qi, with a small selection of high-tier artifacts.

In addition, five or six smaller purple wooden counters displayed defensive Ling Qi, such as silk armor, full suits of armor, boots, gloves, and shields. The quantity of defensive Ling Qi was noticeably less than that of offensive Ling Qi, and their prices were significantly higher than offensive Ling Qi of the same tier.

Moreover, one or two purple wooden counters held miscellaneous items like artifact pill furnaces, hoes, wine gourds, storage bags, incense, and raw materials, all serving various purposes—there were quite a few of these as well.

All the Ling Qi sold here were brand new, unused, and affixed with white sealing talismans.

Several female disciples stood near the counters.

Business in the Artifact Hall seemed somewhat sluggish; only a handful of Qingdan Sect disciples were browsing the Ling Qi.

Ye Qin walked to the purple wooden counter displaying defensive Ling Qi. He glanced at the prices and was immediately left speechless. Even the lowest-tier defensive Ling Qi cost one or two hundred Spirit Stones. Mid-tier defensive Ling Qi were priced at four or five hundred low-grade Spirit Stones each. As for high-tier items, there were none at all; they had likely all been sold.

A green-robed female disciple with a pretty countenance soon approached the purple wooden counter where Ye Qin was looking, smiling. Seeing him examining a piece of silk armor, she said cheerfully, "Senior Brother, this is a low-tier defensive Ling Qi, the 'Silkworm Inner Armor.' Would you like to take a look?"

"What material is this made from, and what is its defensive capability?"

Ye Qin asked calmly.

The pretty green-robed woman carefully took out the silk armor and smiled, "This is made from the true silk spun by the first-tier spiritual insect, the Snow Silkworm, refined through forty-nine days of tempering. It can easily resist attacks from low-tier five-element spells and can even withstand several hits from mid-tier spells. If you buy the complete set—the 'Silkworm Inner Armor, Silkworm Boots, Silkworm Bracers, and Silkworm Leg Guards'—we can offer a discount; the total will only be six hundred Spirit Stones. This was refined by Sister Xue Xia, a renowned expert in silk armor crafting on Qingquan Peak."

Ye Qin's brow twitched in surprise. Sister Xue Xia? Someone referred to as a 'Sister' must certainly be a Qi Refining stage disciple.

"How can a Qi Refining stage disciple refine such a Ling Qi?"

"Senior Brother, you don't know?"

The green-robed woman chuckled in surprise and explained, "At the summit of Snow Mountain on our Qingquan Peak, there is a cold spring. The spring eye emits a cold water that is almost comparable to the Innate True Water possessed by Foundation Establishment cultivators. By using this cold water to wash and temper the silk, even Qi Refining disciples can refine Ling Qi. However, this is restricted to crafting defensive Ling Qi like silk armor. To refine offensive Ling Qi, there is an Earth Fire Eye Spring deep beneath Qingyan Mountain, whose spewing earth fire approaches the Innate True Fire of Foundation Establishment cultivators, allowing for the refinement of items like Flame Blades or Golden Light Swords. Although the difficulty for Qi Refining disciples to refine Ling Qi is very high, one with ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivation can barely manage it."

"If that's the case, then there should be a lot of Ling Qi here!"

The green-robed woman shook her head, "While that is true, the materials are incredibly hard to obtain. The Snow Silkworms here are wild on the Snow Mountain at the peak of Qingquan Peak; capturing them is extremely difficult. They must be raised for ten years before they begin spinning silk. They only yield a small amount of silk each year, and collecting enough silk—several hundred jin—is required to refine a single suit of silk armor. Sister Xue Xia and some of her fellow sisters have developed a large mulberry garden on the snowfield, raising many Snow Silkworms, but they can only manage to refine a few sets of this Silkworm Inner Armor annually."

Ye Qin looked over everything displayed.

There were roughly four or five sets of silk armor displayed. Each was refined from entirely different materials.

Snow Silkworm Silk Armor: Tier One. Made from the silk spun by Snow Silkworms, tempered. Suitable for making soft silk armor, high in comfort, slightly lower in defense.

Thorn Silk Armor: Tier One. Drawn and tempered from the fibers of wood thorns. Suitable for making resilient inner armor; lower in comfort but extremely tough, one of the highest defensive types among low-tier inner armors. (To be continued. For more updates, please log on to www**com for more chapters. First release.)