Adversity on the Path of Cultivation

Joking aside, even a Fifth Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm cultivator couldn't get the better of him. What were these common thugs going to do, rush him to their deaths?

Seeing his subordinates falter, Zhang Kuang knew he couldn't back down any longer. Otherwise, how could he hold his head high in the future? Standing just a couple of steps away from Qin Haoxuan, he mustered his courage and declared loudly, "Why should you be afraid of him! Once I achieve the Supreme Dao, what's a mere Qin Haoxuan to me! If he dares to harm you today, I will repay him a hundredfold, a thousandfold, in the future!"

Qin Haoxuan completely ignored Zhang Kuang's empty promises. With a look of disdain, he patted the face of the lecherous disciple he held captive, who was now beet red. He then scanned the surroundings and sneered, "You're at least an Immortal Seedling Realm cultivator. If you're crippled by me, who hasn't even sprouted yet, how will you ever hold your head up again?"

While these words were ostensibly for the captive, they were actually a warning to the others not to make a move.

The sound of slaps echoed, striking the lecherous disciple's face, but it felt as if Zhang Kuang himself was being slapped!

For any new disciple who had only joined seven days ago, even Zhang Kuang or Li Jing, saying such things in front of so many Immortal Seedling Realm cultivators would have surely incited public outrage and led to them being attacked. But coming from Qin Haoxuan, who had already defeated Fifth Leaf and Third Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm cultivators, the weight of his words was entirely different.

Qin Haoxuan's monstrous resilience was already common knowledge in Spirit Field Valley. If they couldn't injure him and instead got injured by him, it would be utterly humiliating. No matter how high their cultivation reached in the future, the stain of being defeated by a mere mortal would never be erased! Moreover, even if they defeated Qin Haoxuan, what would it prove? Bullying a newly initiated mortal as a cultivator would only invite ridicule.

After weighing the pros and cons, those who had been itching to act stopped in their tracks. Even the several Fifth Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm powerhouses showed no intention of making a move. For individuals of their standing, reputation was paramount. Qin Haoxuan was too bizarre; they didn't want to suffer an unexpected defeat and ruin their lifelong reputation for no good reason.

The lecherous disciple in Qin Haoxuan's grasp turned from red to purple, his breathing shallow. Qin Haoxuan tossed him aside like a dead dog, kicking up a cloud of dust, and then stepped on his face. His cold gaze fixed on Zhang Kuang, who was no more than three steps away. "Before you have the ability to defeat me, you'd best not act arrogant in front of me! Otherwise, killing you would be as easy as flipping my hand. Don't believe me? Try me!"

Zhang Kuang was already drenched in a cold sweat. Qin Haoxuan's imposing presence over the past decade weighed heavily on him. The domineering aura he displayed today, which even Fifth Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm experts dared not provoke, was far beyond Zhang Kuang's current capabilities. Even the Fifth Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm cultivators present were hesitant to make a move.

Qin Haoxuan's display of power subdued everyone. Even Li Jing, who was watching from afar, felt inferior. He sighed inwardly, fortunate that Qin Haoxuan was merely a weak seed disciple. If he were also a purple seed, he would undoubtedly be his greatest rival on the path to becoming the Supreme Sect Master. Now, he didn't have to worry too much; given time, he would be able to far surpass Qin Haoxuan.

However, Qin Haoxuan's bold intrusion into Zhang Kuang's territory today, shattering Zhang Kuang's courage and fully exposing his outwardly strong but inwardly weak nature, pleased Li Jing immensely. If Zhang Kuang couldn't even handle a mere weak seed, and the Fifth Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm cultivators he'd gathered were cowardly good-for-nothings, then if he continued to develop like this, as long as Li Jing could win over Xu Yu, Qin Haoxuan wouldn't amount to much! Afterward, he could simply plot to kill this ungrateful Qin Haoxuan.

After causing a commotion within Zhang Kuang's ranks, Qin Haoxuan wisely knew when to stop. His original goal was to suppress Zhang Kuang's arrogance, not to fight him to the bitter end. Zhang Kuang's faction had several Fifth Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm experts; if a real fight broke out, Qin Haoxuan might not necessarily come out on top.

As he turned to leave, his gaze met Li Jing's. Seeing the wariness in Li Jing's eyes, Qin Haoxuan couldn't help but let out a wry smile. Why were the two Supreme Purple Seed disciples of the Taichu Sect neglecting their cultivation to bother with him, a mere weak seed?

Having made quite a spectacle of himself, Qin Haoxuan returned to his dormitory. However, before he could even sit for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Xu Yu personally arrived and invited him to her room to look over her class notes from the past few days.

Her room was in the female disciples' dormitory area. Amidst countless ambiguous glances, Qin Haoxuan entered and closed the door.

Upon entering Xu Yu's room, a distinct fragrance of a young girl's boudoir filled his nostrils. The room was sparsely furnished: a bed, a desk, and a chair, all neatly arranged. A few potted plants sat on the small windowsill, with a small flower blooming towards the sun. In a corner, about a dozen small medicinal seedlings were planted, adding a touch of life to the modest space.

After a quick scan of the room, Qin Haoxuan's gaze settled on Xu Yu. He noticed a blush on her face and, after a moment's pause, realized that girls were often shy. Even he had felt awkward under those ambiguous gazes, let alone Xu Yu.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward, but the hostess broke the silence first. "I'm sorry, Brother Haoxuan. Elder Chu assigned so much coursework these past few days that I couldn't find the time to bring you the notes."

Watching Xu Yu apologize with her head bowed, Qin Haoxuan felt a mix of amusement and touched. This silly girl considered bringing him notes her duty. He quickly smiled and said, "You're a Purple Seed disciple, of course Elder Chu would pay special attention to you. It's perfect timing for me to catch up on all the notes at once."

As Qin Haoxuan spoke, he picked up Xu Yu's notes from the desk, about to flip through them. Suddenly, he sensed that something was amiss. Looking at Xu Yu again, he saw her eyes were slightly red, and she looked wronged. "Brother Haoxuan, I don't mean to look down on you. It's okay that you're not a Purple Seed. I believe your future achievements will definitely not be inferior to Zhang Kuang's!"

Xu Yu's tearful tone immediately flustered Qin Haoxuan. He hadn't felt this panicked even when facing Fifth Leaf Immortal Seedling Realm cultivators head-on. He was at a loss for what to do.

Qin Haoxuan's reaction made Xu Yu chuckle. "Alright, Brother Haoxuan, you can read the notes now. Ask me if there's anything you don't understand."

Qin Haoxuan nodded repeatedly, relieved, wishing he could bury his head in the notebook.

After flipping through for a while, he came across an introduction to a Spirit Technique called Spirit Infusion Technique.

Spirit Infusion Technique: Condenses nearby spiritual power and infuses it into growing plants, accelerating their growth and enhancing their medicinal properties! Can be cultivated after sprouting.

Seeing Qin Haoxuan turn to the Spirit Infusion Technique, Xu Yu explained, "In six months, the sect will no longer provide us with rations; we'll have to grow our own. The Spirit Infusion Technique can speed up the growth of the Spirit Medicine we cultivate. So, we need to practice it diligently now so it will be useful later. Oh, and when refining pills, the Spirit Infusion Technique can also infuse spiritual energy into medicinal herbs to improve the quality of the finished pills, but this requires a high level of cultivation, which we can't achieve yet."

After speaking, Xu Yu began to teach Qin Haoxuan the incantation.

She extended her ten slender white fingers, brought her hands together, bent her middle and ring fingers, and joined the other three. Chanting an incantation, a thin wisp of spiritual energy soon materialized around her hands. However, as she attempted to infuse this energy into a growing seedling, the spiritual energy dissipated abruptly.

Xu Yu smiled and said, "I haven't rooted yet, so the spiritual power I condense is very weak, not enough for infusion. Also, I'm not proficient yet. If I move slightly, this spiritual energy will disappear. But once I sprout, I should be able to master the Spirit Infusion Technique."

Qin Haoxuan nodded. For Purple Seed disciples, such low-level Spirit Techniques were usually mastered with ease. A few days ago, when practicing the Qi Guiding Technique, the three Purple Seed disciples had learned it almost instantly. However, it had taken Qin Haoxuan and other weak seed disciples a long time to learn it.

After Xu Yu demonstrated the technique a few times, Qin Haoxuan tried to imitate her, but he failed. However, he wasn't discouraged. Individual aptitude was predetermined and beyond one's control. As long as he worked diligently, he believed he could still catch up to the Purple Seed disciples.

Xu Yu, who had intended to comfort Qin Haoxuan, saw his nonchalant and calm expression and felt her worry ease. Having interacted with him for these past few days, she understood that Qin Haoxuan was an optimistic and broad-minded person.

Although his aptitude was average, his personal charisma was strong. He always stood out in a crowd, and even the most talented Purple Seed disciples couldn't overshadow him. Otherwise, Zhang Kuang and Li Jing wouldn't have been so envious of him.

Qin Haoxuan diligently reviewed the notes, humbly asking Xu Yu for clarification on anything he didn't understand. Xu Yu answered all his questions thoroughly. By the time they finished reviewing the notes, it was already dusk, and his stomach began to rumble.

After having dinner with Xu Yu, Qin Haoxuan, who ate five times as much as others, drew countless stares. In addition to his nickname "Monster," he had now earned the glorious new moniker "Bottomless Pit."

After bidding farewell to Xu Yu, he had intended to return to his dormitory for a good night's sleep. The injuries from the past few days, coupled with the overloaded cultivation, had left him feeling weary, even though he was practicing the Great Dao Heart Seed Demon Technique. This wasn't physical fatigue, but mental exhaustion.

However, as soon as he returned to the dormitory, he saw many weak seed disciples sitting on their beds, cultivating intensely, their desperate absorption of spiritual energy significantly thinning the spiritual power in the room. Furthermore, the residual medicinal effects in Qin Haoxuan's body were causing him discomfort. Without the geothermal heat of the Lava Cellar to suppress it, this feeling was truly unpleasant.

Since the medicinal effects in his body hadn't been fully digested, he had no intention of venturing into the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley again. Moreover, sleep was a luxury for someone feeling so restless all over. He had no choice but to leave the dormitory and find a quiet place to cultivate.