The rain pattered outside the window.
The fragrance of fresh grass mingled with the earthy scent of soil and drifted into the distance.
Inside the room, Zhao Huaian's silver needles flashed through the air, each one sinking precisely into an acupuncture point on the wooden dummy.
Again and again, until the dummy was riddled with holes.
By now, Zhao Huaian was completely absorbed in his study of Medical Skill.
In a daze, scene after scene flickered through his mind.
At the same time, countless insights welled up in his heart.
Medical Skill (Grandmaster 3196/3200)
Medical Skill (Grandmaster 3198/3200)
Medical Skill (Perfected 1/6400)
The Attribute Heavenly Book glowed. Its writing slowly twisted and changed, and Medical Skill had reached perfection.
At the same time, as Medical Skill reached perfection, the spiritual force in Zhao Huaian's mind grew stronger. His fatigue vanished, and he was instantly full of energy.
"As expected, Medical Skill at the perfected level has not only given me more experience in the medical arts, but has also greatly increased my spiritual force."
Zhao Huaian took a deep breath and looked at Medical Skill's perfected level.
His brows furrowed at once.
"Wait, Medical Skill has already reached perfection, so why is there still a proficiency bar afterward?"
Li Huaian was astonished. He pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up. Could there be some other benefit beyond the perfected level?
Zhao Huaian had nearly figured out how the Attribute Heavenly Book worked.
By all common sense, if proficiency could still increase after reaching perfection, then there had to be some kind of realm or benefit beyond the perfected level.
At the thought, Li Huaian felt a surge of anticipation.
But when he saw that it required 6,400 proficiency points, Zhao Huaian couldn't help shaking his head. "No rush, no rush. There's still plenty of time. For now, my main goal is to improve my cultivation and strength. As for Medical Skill, I'll keep to my usual routine and set aside an hour or two each day to study it."
Having made up his mind, Zhao Huaian felt his fighting spirit surge.
But he didn't begin cultivating right away. Instead, he opened an oil-paper umbrella, pushed open the door, and stepped outside.
Raindrops pattered against the oil-paper umbrella. Listening to their crisp sound, Zhao Huaian felt unusually at ease, and his spirits lifted.
"More than forty days have passed, and I still haven't collected this month's resources. It's time to make a trip to Incense Hall."
Holding the oil-paper umbrella, Zhao Huaian headed toward Incense Hall with light steps.
In the more than forty days since he had arrived at Greenwood Sect, he hadn't stayed in his room every single day. He had naturally become familiar with some parts of Greenwood Sect's Outer Sect.
Incense Hall, his destination today, was responsible for managing and distributing the Outer Disciples' monthly stipends.
Besides the two Low-grade Spirit Stones he received each month, Zhao Huaian was also entitled to a benefit for becoming a Qi Refining Cultivator, which he had yet to collect.
According to Greenwood Sect's Outer Sect rules, once an inducted disciple gathered Spiritual Energy and became a Qi Refining Cultivator, he could collect a set of Basic Five Elements Spell from Incense Hall.
Previously, Zhao Huaian had been so absorbed in cultivation that he hadn't had time to collect it. Now that he was collecting this month's resources, he naturally planned to pick it up as well.
After all, in the early stages of Qi Refining, cultivation alone could hardly grant someone strength beyond that of an ordinary person. Only by cultivating spells and using one's cultivation to cast them could a cultivator display the power expected of an immortal cultivator.
The spring rain continued without a break, growing heavier and making the oil-paper umbrella rattle.
But it didn't affect Zhao Huaian at all.
With cultivation under his belt, the ordinary raindrops never splashed onto his robes.
As for why he held an umbrella?
Naturally, Zhao Huaian didn't want to waste even a trace of Spiritual Energy, lest he have to spend time replenishing it and delay his cultivation.
Following his memories along the narrow path, Zhao Huaian soon arrived at Incense Hall.
It was already midmonth, so there weren't many people there. In the enormous hall, only a dozen or so people came and went.
Of course, at the beginning of the month, when it was time to collect resources, this place would be packed.
Zhao Huaian strode into Incense Hall. Only two disciples of relatively low cultivation were busy; everyone else sat idly to one side, chatting.
With a harmless smile on his face, Zhao Huaian went up to one of the disciples on duty. "Senior Brother, I'm a new disciple who joined last month. This is my identity token. I'd like to collect this month's resources and a set of Basic Five Elements Spell."
"Oh... wait here."
The disciple on duty didn't even raise his head. He took Zhao Huaian's identity token and checked it with a cold expression.
After confirming it was in order, he took two Low-grade Spirit Stones and a book of Basic Five Elements Spell from beneath the counter.
"Here you are... Hm..."
After placing the items on the counter, the disciple on duty glanced at Zhao Huaian, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
The next instant,
a smile appeared on his previously icy face. "Junior Brother, have you already reached Qi Refining Layer Two?"
"That's right. Thanks to my Three Spiritual Roots, I was lucky enough to break through to Qi Refining Layer Two this morning."
Zhao Huaian nodded calmly.
He had no intention of pretending to be weak to catch his enemies off guard.
In a vast sect like Greenwood Sect, the only way to obtain better resources and greater respect was to show the talent and strength one truly possessed.
Of course, he couldn't be too monstrous or outrageous either. After all, a tree that stood above the forest would be battered by the wind.
If he displayed talent and progress too far beyond what his spiritual roots could account for, he would only provoke others' greed.
"Junior Brother, you have quite the talent. You reached Qi Refining Layer Two in just over forty days. Even among Three Spiritual Roots, yours must be among the very best."
The disciple on duty smiled and praised him.
Then he introduced himself. "My name is Lin Dongpeng. Let's make a good connection, Junior Brother. When you come to collect your resources at the beginning of the month, just come to me. You won't have to queue."
Zhao Huaian smiled faintly and cupped his hands. "Then thank you, Senior Brother Lin!"
"It's only right. Once your cultivation improves, we should look out for each other."
Lin Dongpeng said with a hearty smile.
"Of course!"
Zhao Huaian nodded and cupped his hands to Lin Dongpeng again.
Then he put away the Basic Five Elements Spell and two Low-grade Spirit Stones from the counter and left under the envious gazes of one or two newly inducted disciples nearby.
As he walked out of Incense Hall, Zhao Huaian felt pleased.
Lin Dongpeng had started out cold and distant, but the moment he saw Zhao Huaian's cultivation and talent, he had greeted him with a smile.
That was the importance of cultivation and aptitude.
Otherwise, if Zhao Huaian were an ordinary Five Spiritual Roots or Four Spiritual Roots cultivator, would Lin Dongpeng have treated him this way?
Smiling, Zhao Huaian didn't return to his quarters. Instead, he headed toward the Market in Greenwood Sect's Outer Sect.
He now had four Low-grade Spirit Stones and needed to spend some of them on items that would help him cultivate. After all, breaking through to Qi Refining Layer Two meant he needed more Spiritual Energy, and his cultivation speed would inevitably slow considerably. He would naturally need some aids to cultivation.
Besides, after more than forty days of use, he was running low on Grain Abstinence Pills. The sect didn't distribute them, so he could only buy them himself.
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