Breakthrough to Qi Refining Second Stage

Lin Qi's eyes darted around as she moved closer to Senior Sister Yuan Xi and asked, "Senior Sister, did the owner of Tianbao Pavilion specially save some pills and rare spiritual herbs for you? Are you an alchemist?!"

Senior Sister Yuan Xi replied modestly, "I wouldn't call myself an alchemist. It's just a hobby I picked up while cultivating."

Without waiting for Lin Qi to ask, Senior Sister Yuan Xi proactively stated, "I'm currently a third-grade alchemist. Once the spiritual herbs in your yard have grown, you just need to provide the herbs, and I can help you refine any pills below third-grade."

Lin Qi happily nodded. She didn't have a concept of alchemist grades but simply felt her senior sister was amazing.

"Yes, yes, yes! Senior Sister, you're so amazing! When I learn talisman crafting later, I'll also help you make talismans for free. Then we won't be short of pills or talismans!"

Yuan Xi felt inexplicably warm listening to Lin Qi's innocent words.

Under her guidance, Lin Qi planted five types of first-grade spiritual herbs in the front yard.

These spiritual herbs were the basic materials for refining Qi Replenishing Pills. They had short growth cycles and high yields, making them very suitable for beginners.

Lin Qi wasn't lacking in these herbs, but growing them allowed her to understand their habits, conserve resources, and practice using some minor sorcery.

In the time it took to plant the spiritual herbs, Lin Qi learned the Irrigation Technique, the Cleaning Technique, and the Thorn Entanglement Technique under Senior Sister Yuan Xi's tutelage.

Basic spells didn't consume much spiritual energy and weren't picky about spiritual roots; anyone who could cultivate could use them.

Lin Qi found them quite easy to use after practicing.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi's praise made her feel so elated that she almost forgot who she was.

When she turned and saw the listless Luo Ci, she immediately sobered up and calmed down.

Her 'kind and amiable' master's methods of training people were far from gentle.

When Lin Qi saw Luo Ci, Luo Ci also saw her.

"What are you doing here?!" Luo Ci stared at Lin Qi like a startled cat.

Seeing his agitated attitude towards Lin Qi, Senior Sister Yuan Xi gently reminded him, "Third Junior Brother, you should address Little Qi as Second Senior Sister."

"This is the residence for the direct disciples of Zonglei Peak. Your residence and Little Qi's are adjacent, so there's nothing strange about it. We are all fellow disciples, and we will be interacting for a long time to come. Third Junior Brother should let go of past prejudices."

Lin Qi thought Luo Ci would continue to be agitated and furious, but to her surprise, he just stood there, sulking for a few seconds before respectfully calling out to Lin Qi, "Greetings, Eldest Senior Sister, Second Senior Sister."

Lin Qi slowly waved her hand, smiling, "Third Junior Brother, there's no need for such formality. From now on, within the Sect, Senior Sister will take good care of you."

Luo Ci, unable to hold back his temper for more than three seconds, turned red with anger upon hearing Lin Qi's words.

"Even though you are my senior sister, it's hard to say who will be taking care of whom in the future based on cultivation!"

Lin Qi loved to tease him. Watching him stifle his anger without daring to act arrogant made her feel incredibly refreshed.

She nodded with feigned seriousness, "Oh~ So Junior Brother wants to take care of me in the future? Then thank you, Third Junior Brother."

Luo Ci was stunned by Lin Qi's thick skin.

Senior Sister Yuan Xi helplessly stepped in to mediate, "It's natural for you as fellow disciples to help and care for each other. Don't forget what Master said when we were accepted as disciples. Competition during cultivation is fine, but when facing outsiders, we must be united."

Luo Ci seemed to have great respect for 'elders.' Hearing Senior Sister Yuan Xi mention their master's words, he showed reverence, his small face set in a stern expression, "Thank you for your guidance, Eldest Senior Sister!"

"Alright, you've been working hard for several days. Go and check out your own courtyard first. If you encounter any trouble, you can come ask me."

After thanking Senior Sister Yuan Xi, Luo Ci, dragging his tired body, entered the courtyard opposite Lin Qi's.

Lin Qi rubbed her chin as she watched him enter his room and suddenly asked, "Senior Sister, who assigned the courtyards we are living in this year?"

Senior Sister Yuan Xi smiled meaningfully, "Master arranged it personally. Otherwise, according to the rules, you should have lived in the back hall of Qingyun Palace with me."

Lin Qi's expression turned complicated.

Her master was definitely an incredibly cunning person!

No, she shouldn't tease Luo Ci anymore.

Not only would it be a waste of time, but it could also damage her impression in their master's eyes.

Lin Qi naively believed her image in True Monarch Qingyun's eyes was that of a well-behaved and sensible disciple.

After Senior Sister left, she decided to try out the Spirit Gathering Array Disk that True Monarch Qingyun had given her.

True Monarch Qingyun, fearing that Lin Qi would find it difficult to adjust from luxury to frugality, had given Lin Qi a third-grade Spirit Gathering Array Disk.

Lin Qi skillfully formed a hand seal, and the palm-sized array disk automatically enlarged.

Lin Qi inserted thirty low-grade Spirit Stones into the holes of the array disk. Spiritual energy instantly gathered within the disk, and she sat cross-legged in its center.

The surrounding spiritual energy gradually thickened, and Lin Qi could clearly feel the speed at which the array disk was drawing in spiritual energy.

She calmed her mind and spirit, immersing herself completely in cultivation, her Dantian greedily absorbing the spiritual energy.

If spiritual energy were compared to mist, normally Lin Qi could only condense a bowl of water in an hour. However, with the boost from the Spirit Gathering Array Disk, she could condense a basin of water in an hour.

Watching her Dantian gradually fill up, Lin Qi felt extremely pleased.

Cultivation truly brought happiness.

Unknowingly, she had broken through to the second level of Qi Cultivation.

Feeling the barrier shatter, Lin Qi comfortably stretched her muscles and paused her cultivation.

She raised her eyes to look at the sky outside. The Golden Crow had set, and only a faint red light lingered on the horizon.

A rumbling sound came from her stomach, and she belatedly realized she was hungry.

Lin Qi touched her stomach and sighed, "When will I reach Foundation Establishment? Then I won't have to waste time eating."

She was in the comfortable throes of cultivation when suddenly her stomach growled... she really couldn't stand it.

Just then, her door was suddenly knocked upon.

It was so late, Lin Qi thought it must be Senior Sister Yuan Xi looking for her.

When she opened the door, she saw Luo Ci standing at her doorstep with a sickly complexion, still clutching his stomach.

At the exact moment Lin Qi opened the door, Luo Ci's stomach let out a loud growl.

She couldn't help but laugh, asking rhetorically, "Third Junior Brother, it's so late, what brings you to me?"

Luo Ci was a bit too embarrassed to admit it, but his stomach really couldn't take it anymore. Blushing, he asked, "Second Senior Sister, do you know if there's anything to eat on Zonglei Peak?"

Lin Qi curiously asked, "Master always considers everything thoroughly. Didn't you eat anything at Qingyun Palace?"

Luo Ci's face turned even redder, and he stammered for a long time before finally speaking, "In front of Master, how could I possibly feast..."

So it turned out he was starving himself like this because he was too concerned about his reputation to eat much.

Lin Qi wanted to laugh but felt it would be too impolite to laugh too openly.

Never mind, she was the Senior Sister, and she should be generous and not bicker with a little kid.

"There's nowhere to eat on Zonglei Peak. If you want to eat, you either go to the cafeteria on Tianyi Peak or to the marketplace at the foot of the mountain."

Luo Ci asked with a pale face, echoing Lin Qi's own confusion, "We have to go down the mountain for both?!"

Lin Qi suppressed a smile, her eyes full of pity.

After all, he was only six years old. Luo Ci was hit with one blow after another, and his face became so crestfallen he was almost in tears.