Defense of the Medicine Garden and the Senior Brother's Approval

"Damn it! Is there no law left? I'd only just managed to make this dump look halfway decent, and you local bullies had already caught the scent?" Xuanwei glared at the several streaks of escaping light that made no effort to conceal their hostility, rage boiling inside him.

The lights descended, revealing four figures. The leader was a Thorn Vine Demon, its entire body covered in spikes and emanating the fluctuations of an early True Immortal; beside it stood a Poison Mushroom Spirit with a mushroom cap atop its head. Its cultivation was somewhat weaker, but the paralyzing toxic mist swirling around it made no one dare underestimate it. The remaining two were Wolf Demons with mixed auras, vicious eyes, and drool dripping from their jaws. Clearly, they were just hired muscle.

"Hey! Where did this little thief come from, daring to mess with our territory?" The Thorn Vine Demon swung its thorny vine-whip, its voice shrill and grating.

Xuanwei froze for a moment, then nearly laughed in anger. "Your territory? This medicine garden had been abandoned for who knew how many years. Does it have your name written on it?"

The Poison Mushroom Spirit said sinisterly, "Hmph! The spiritual qi in this valley has always been absorbed by us brothers! You came here to straighten out the earth veins and stir up the spiritual qi, ruining our cultivation, yet you still dare argue?"

So that was it. They were rogue cultivators who had grown accustomed to squatting on a mountain and freeloading off its spiritual qi! Seeing him turn wasteland into treasure, they had come to steal the fruits of his labor!

"Ruined your cultivation?" Xuanwei's chubby earthen body—one he had reluctantly condensed again to put on a show—planted its hands on its hips and tried its hardest to look fierce. "More like I cut off your freeloading! This is the medicine garden in the rear mountain of Golden Ao Island, the Saint's dojo. Since when did it become your territory? Get lost while you still can, or this young master will clean house for my master!"

He directly raised Sect Master Tongtian's banner, hoping to frighten them away.

However, the Thorn Vine Demon was clearly either a foolhardy brute or thought Xuanwei's cultivation was too low to fear. It sneered viciously. "How exalted is the Saint? Why would he care about some remote corner like this? Kid, stop trying to bluff us! Hand over the treasure you used to stir the earth veins just now, then surrender the right to supply this medicine garden's spiritual qi to us brothers. Otherwise, today, we'll scatter your little wisp of immortal qi for good!"

Without waiting for Xuanwei's response, the vine demon lashed out with its thorny whip! Countless whip shadows tore through the air, carrying both the sound of splitting wind and a force of binding! At the same time, the Poison Mushroom Spirit sprayed out a cloud of pink paralyzing spores, while the two Wolf Demons bared their fangs and lunged from the flanks!

"Damn it! No martial honor at all! You're ganging up on me!" Xuanwei cried out strangely, but his mind swiftly calmed. Though they had numbers on their side, only the vine demon was a True Immortal. The other three were merely at the Earth Immortal level, and they seemed to have no coordination whatsoever, fighting entirely on instinct.

He did not dare take the attack head-on. His chubby body ducked with surprising agility, evading the vine-whip. At the same time, he opened his mouth—simulating the motion—and sprayed out a stream of pure immortal qi, which whirled like a gale and blew away most of the paralyzing spore mist.

Next, he circulated the Nine Tribulations Earth-Guarding Body. Yellow light flashed over his temporary body, making it several degrees more solid. He took a claw strike from the Wolf Demon on his left head-on with a muffled bang, jolting the demon so badly that its claw throbbed with pain. At the same time, he swung his right "hand," slapping a brick-sized chunk of Wutu Essence he had prepared beforehand squarely onto the right-side Wolf Demon's nose!

"Awooo!" The Wolf Demon let out a miserable cry, tears and snot streaming down its face as it instantly lost all combat ability.

"This one's tough! Get him together!" Seeing one of their number fall in a single exchange, the Thorn Vine Demon was both shocked and enraged. Its vine-whip moved even faster, while the spikes on its body shot out like flying needles!

The Poison Mushroom Spirit spewed another cloud of toxic mist, while the remaining Wolf Demon circled around to launch a sneak attack from behind.

Xuanwei's pressure immediately soared! His cultivation was ultimately lower than the vine demon's. Cracks began appearing in his temporary body beneath the barrage of vine-whips and spikes, while the poison mist left his consciousness feeling sluggish.

No, I need to find a way to break through! While struggling to dodge, he observed his opponents. His advantage lay in the purity of his energy and his stronger control over vitality and the earth element!

He abruptly poured most of his immortal qi into the ground beneath his feet, connecting with the portion of earth veins he had just sorted out!

Earth Veins: Mud Swamp!

In an instant, the ground within several yards of him turned as muddy and viscous as a swamp! The Thorn Vine Demon's roots, the Poison Mushroom Spirit's mycelium, and the remaining Wolf Demon's paws all sank into it at once, their movements abruptly slowing!

"Now!" A sharp gleam flashed through Xuanwei's eyes. Regardless of the drain on himself, he pushed the Wutu Source Core's power to its limit, blending it with the life-infused sword qi of the Supreme Pure Immortal Method—simulated, of course—and transforming it into dozens of pale yellow earth spikes carrying both crushing weight and razor-sharp force, which violently thrust up from the mud swamp!

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Several earth spikes pierced through the Thorn Vine Demon, drawing a shrill scream as its Demonic Qi dispersed; the Poison Mushroom Spirit's cap was punctured, toxic fluid pouring out; the Wolf Demon suffered even worse, impaled clean through from bottom to top!

The battle ended in a flash. Of the four demons who had come looking for trouble, three were dead and one was severely injured—the one whose nose had been smashed.

Xuanwei dispersed his divine art. His chubby earthen body swayed as his energy level dropped directly to 15%. Cracks covered his temporary shell, which nearly collapsed on the spot. He hurriedly absorbed the surrounding spiritual qi to recover, still shaken by the danger.

"Damn, group fights are exhausting... Good thing I was more skilled." He panted for "breath," looking over the battlefield's wreckage. Just as he was about to clean up, he suddenly sensed something and snapped his head up.

Above the valley, Daoist Duobao's ancient and solemn figure had appeared at some unknown time, silently looking down at him.

Xuanwei's heart tightened. Crap, the dean caught me fighting red-handed! Will he say I damaged public property? Or that I was too ruthless?

He hurriedly bowed. "Senior Brother."

Daoist Duobao slowly descended. His gaze swept across the demon corpses on the ground, then over the Spirit Field that had already been restored to life and the few verdant Spirit-Nourishing Grass Seedlings. Finally, his eyes settled on Xuanwei's battered earthen body, his expression complicated.

"Calm in danger, adept at using the terrain, decisive in action." Daoist Duobao spoke slowly. His tone remained even, but the scrutiny and rejection in it seemed to have weakened considerably. "What you said before, about using this method to temper your control over spiritual power, was not empty talk."

Xuanwei was stunned. Was that... praise?

"However, your killing intent was too heavy, harming the harmony of Heaven." Daoist Duobao changed the subject. "Though our Interception Sect teaches without discrimination, we must still guide others toward goodness. We do not slaughter wantonly."

"Senior Brother, you see clearly!" Xuanwei hurriedly explained. "They attacked first, intending to scatter this disciple's spiritual consciousness and seize the medicine garden. This disciple had no choice but to defend himself with all his strength! I couldn't exactly stand there and let them beat me to death, could I?"

Daoist Duobao fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. You were not at fault in this matter. When attacked, you immediately connected with the earth veins and drew upon Wood Element Spiritual Qi to fight. It is clear that your understanding of the Supreme Pure Immortal Method and your own origin is quite profound, far surpassing that of an ordinary Earth Immortal."

He flicked a finger, and a beam of clear light entered Xuanwei's body. Xuanwei immediately felt his depleted immortal qi rapidly recover, while more than half the cracks in his shell healed. His energy level stabilized at 16%.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Xuanwei said sincerely. This senior brother might look cold, but he had a warm heart!

"You have done very well in clearing the medicine garden and cultivating spiritual herbs." Daoist Duobao looked at the Spirit Field, and at last a faint trace of nearly imperceptible approval flashed through his eyes. "Far beyond my expectations. Now that this matter is settled, you may use this token to enter and leave the medicine garden freely. If you require ordinary spiritual herb seeds, you may collect them from the Outer Sect Administration Hall."

So... he had passed? Not only passed, but received procurement privileges too?

Xuanwei was overjoyed. "This disciple will not disappoint Senior Brother's trust. I will tend the medicine garden properly!"

Daoist Duobao nodded slightly. He seemed to hesitate before finally speaking. "Three days from now, at Yuxu Palace on Kunlun Mountain, Second Uncle-Master Primordial Lord of Heaven will lecture on the Jade Pure Immortal Method. All disciples of the Elucidation Sect may attend. By Master's decree, any disciple of our Interception Sect who wishes to do so may also go, to uphold the bond of unity among the Three Pure Ones."

Primordial Lord of Heaven was giving a lecture? The moment Xuanwei heard that, his scalp tingled. That man disliked him immensely!

"Of course," Daoist Duobao said, glancing at him with deep meaning, "I heard that Second Uncle-Master's lecture will focus on the principles of 'innate foundation and heavenly destiny' and 'blessed fortune and karmic luck.' If you feel that... your foundation is shallow, there is no need to go. Tending the medicine garden in peace is also cultivation."

The moment Xuanwei heard that, his stubborn competitive spirit flared up again. This was a provocation! He was plainly telling him that Uncle-Master Yuanshi might use the lecture to take a jab at him. Was he asking whether Xuanwei dared to go?

Go! Why wouldn't he? At worst, he would argue with him again! Besides, he could take the chance to hear what mysteries the Jade Pure Immortal Method held. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you would never be defeated!

"Senior Brother, this disciple is willing to go!" Xuanwei puffed out his chest—the chest of his earthen form. "It will be a good opportunity to listen to Second Uncle-Master's great Dao and broaden my horizons!"

A trace of surprise flashed through Daoist Duobao's eyes, then turned into an extraordinarily faint smile, almost impossible to detect. "Good. In three days, you will accompany us."

With that, his figure vanished from where he stood.

Xuanwei looked at the spot where Duobao had disappeared and stroked—mentally stroked—his nonexistent chin.

"Tsk, tsk. This senior brother is really deep-minded... testing me, then provoking me." He smacked his lips. "Still, I finally got my work permit from him."

He happily looked toward the Spirit Field that now belonged to him, as though he could already see countless spiritual herbs waving at him, and countless Interception Sect disciples bringing resources to beg him to hasten their growth...

"First, I'll finish fixing up this land and plant the first batch of spiritual herbs! Then... I'll go to Yuxu Palace and meet that Uncle-Master Yuanshi!"

Filled with motivation, he was just about to throw himself back into the great endeavor of reclaiming wasteland when the system's familiar notification sounded again:

[Ding! Detected that the host has successfully gained the preliminary approval of Interception Sect core disciple "Daoist Duobao" (attitude changed from 'rejection' to 'observation and limited approval').]

[Main quest, Phase One: "Gain the approval of three core disciples." Progress: (1/3).]

[Reward issued: The Body-Tempering Chapter (prerequisite) of the *Chaos Heaven-Opening Art* has been unlocked! You may initially use Chaos Qi to temper the origin of your immortal qi and increase your innate foundation potential!]

[New challenge triggered: "Listening to the Dao at Yuxu Palace." Successfully attend the lecture and gain insight within Primordial Lord of Heaven's dojo without being expelled or suppressed. Reward: Determined by performance.]

Xuanwei stared at the words "Body-Tempering Chapter" and "increase innate foundation potential," his eyes going wide!

"The Body-Tempering Chapter! It's finally here! And it can even increase my innate foundation—what a heaven-defying ability!" His immortal qi surged with excitement. "Even if Yuxu Palace is a dragon's pool and tiger's den, this young master is definitely going!"

He could practically see the glorious future ahead: using Chaos Body Tempering to continuously improve his innate foundation until Uncle-Master Yuanshi's titanium-alloy dog eyes were blinded...

However, he did not know that this trip to Yuxu Palace held far more in store for him than merely Primordial Lord of Heaven's "special attention." A far greater storm, aimed at this "anomaly," was quietly brewing.