Even Elder Chu could not help but feel jealous of such speed, let alone the other new disciples. After the three Purple Immortal Seed disciples succeeded one after another, most people grew restless. Drawing Spiritual Qi into the body was a task that required both boldness and meticulous care, something that could only be accomplished with a calm heart and steady mind. Restless as they were, they focused only on being bold, accelerating the flow of Spiritual Qi into their bodies to break their seeds. Yet the more restless they became, the less likely they were to succeed. Several disciples even turned pale; had Elder Chu not intervened in time, their souls would have been injured by the Spiritual Qi, and they would never have achieved much for the rest of their lives.
After the three great genius Purple Immortal Seed disciples successively drew Spiritual Qi into their bodies, nearly two hundred breaths later, Zhang Yang and Murong Chao, both with Gray Immortal Seeds, also erupted with the aura of drawing Spiritual Qi into their bodies. Comparing the speed at which they drew in Spiritual Qi and broke open their Immortal Seeds, the gap between Gray Seeds and Purple Seeds became apparent.
Though aptitude was not an absolute yardstick for measuring a cultivator's future achievements, there was no denying that those with better aptitude started from a higher point.
Over the next incense stick's worth of time, several disciples with full Colorless Immortal Seeds succeeded in drawing Spiritual Qi into their bodies one after another. Waves of towering auras rose up, making it impossible for the others to settle their minds. To avoid suffering qi deviation, some had already given up.
"Fifteen minutes remain." Elder Chu glanced at the incense stick, which had burned more than halfway down, and reminded them.
At once, many more disciples opened their eyes one after another. They could not calm their minds anyway, and since they still had three months, there was no need to rush over a day or two.
Time passed. More and more people gave up, and the incense stick was nearly burned out. The Spirit Guiding Pill's effect was about to fade. In the entire classroom, only Qin Haoxuan remained immersed in cultivation. Unlike the others, who were concerned with the time, Qin Haoxuan had completely forgotten it, devoting all his focus to feeling.
There was no haste, nor any agitation—only a Dao-seeking heart as calm as still water.
Qin Haoxuan, who had entered Little Snake's body many times, differed from the others. He had already come into contact with Spiritual Qi on numerous occasions, so despite being a Weak Seed, he understood Spiritual Qi better than disciples with full Immortal Seeds. It was simply that a Weak Seed required control to absorb Spiritual Qi, making it far more difficult than for a full seed.
Even before the disciples with full Immortal Seeds had sensed Spiritual Qi, Qin Haoxuan had sensed it ahead of them.
It was like a person with an injured leg competing in a hundred-meter race against a healthy person. The injured runner was at a great disadvantage.
But what if, when the race began, that injured runner's starting point was only ten meters from the finish line? Even injured, he would have a chance to defeat someone whole and sound.
Qin Haoxuan's terrible aptitude gave Murong Chao, whose eye had been punched black and blue by Qin Haoxuan, immense comfort. He and Zhang Kuang shared the same thought: cultivate spiritual arts, avenge themselves, torment Qin Haoxuan viciously, and leave him begging for life but unable to die.
Many complicated gazes fell upon Qin Haoxuan, who was still persevering. Some admired him, while others despised him. Elder Chu's eyes, however, were filled with appreciation. Qin Haoxuan's aptitude was poor, but his Dao heart was firm. As an Enlightenment Immortal Master, Elder Chu knew well that the longer one took to draw Spiritual Qi into the body and break open the Immortal Seed, the greater the difficulty. Without a stable Dao heart and a peaceful state of mind, success was simply impossible. Qin Haoxuan had sat there until now and still held fast to his original heart, his breathing steady, his persistence unflagging—without obsession, delusion, or fear. He was one of the newcomers with the firmest Dao hearts Elder Chu had ever seen.
Time was nearly up, and only a faint red ember remained on the incense stick.
Qin Haoxuan still sat upright. No matter how loud the discussions outside became, they could not shake his mind.
As Qin Haoxuan's enemies, both Li Jing and Zhang Kuang were shocked by his perseverance and endurance. They secretly admired him, while also warning themselves that if they ever had the chance to kill Qin Haoxuan with one rake blow, they must never use two. A person like this could not be given a chance to catch his breath, or he would surely retaliate!
Elder Chu looked at the incense stick and said, "Ten breaths remain."
Elder Chu's timekeeping sparked even fiercer discussion and ridicule. "I bet he definitely won't succeed!"
"Nonsense. If he could succeed, he wouldn't be a Weak Seed!"
"Trash is trash. A toad still dreams of eating swan meat!"
"Five breaths!"
"Four breaths!"
"Three breaths!"
"Two breaths!"
Qin Haoxuan still had not given up. His expression remained as calm and peaceful as ever, and his breathing was still incomparably steady. This state of mind, as undisturbed as an ancient well, deeply shocked Elder Chu, who had deliberately announced the time to test just how firm Qin Haoxuan's Dao heart truly was.
Murong Chao sneered, "As a Weak Seed disciple, you should learn to face reality. So what if your Dao heart is firm? Won't you still end in failure because your aptitude is too poor?"
No one thought Qin Haoxuan could still succeed. Even Elder Chu had already prepared words to comfort this new disciple, whose Dao heart was firm and whose perseverance was astonishing but whose aptitude was poor, telling him to try again tomorrow. Yet before he could speak, the aura that suddenly rose from Qin Haoxuan stunned them all.
In the final second, Qin Haoxuan finally guided Spiritual Qi into his body, broke open his Immortal Seed, and successfully produced an immortal root. What came next was Rooting! Once the root was firmly planted, he would truly set foot upon the great path of cultivation.
The whole room erupted.
Everyone had been waiting to see a joke, yet Qin Haoxuan's success slapped them hard across the face. One by one, they stood dumbfounded and speechless.
Elder Chu cried out in praise, his gaze toward Qin Haoxuan full of approval and admiration. For a Weak Seed disciple to possess such a firm Dao heart and such perseverance, and to successfully break open his Immortal Seed on the first day of initial training—it could truly be called unprecedented! Even Xu Yu, who kept everyone at arm's length and never spoke to anyone, offered Qin Haoxuan a warm smile.
Elder Chu's praise and Xu Yu's smile undoubtedly drew even more hatred toward Qin Haoxuan. Especially among the new disciples who had failed to persevere—already crazed with jealousy over Qin Haoxuan's success, they now felt their envy, jealousy, and hatred burn even more fiercely.
Compared with Li Jing, Zhang Kuang, and the others, Qin Haoxuan, though a Weak Seed, had not lost at the starting line. But Qin Haoxuan was far from satisfied. The difference in aptitude truly was enormous. At the beginning, his cultivation level might very well be left far behind! If this continues, Zhang Kuang and the others certainly won't be polite to me in the future! Do I really have to find time to use Little Snake and take a gamble in Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley?
Comparing Little Snake's aptitude with his own body's, he had no choice but to admit that his body was truly awful. It seemed very necessary to make a trip to Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, find some spiritual pills or miraculous medicines to temper his body, and improve his aptitude.
Elder Chu gave Qin Haoxuan an approving look. After counting those who had successfully drawn Spiritual Qi into their bodies, fewer than ten out of these two hundred new disciples had succeeded. This was only the first day of initial training, yet this number already made Chu Cai wild with joy.
Next came the time to begin cultivating techniques. Elder Chu handed everyone a small cultivation booklet containing the most basic Qi Guiding Technique. Disciples who had already drawn Qi into their bodies could cultivate the Qi Guiding Technique to accelerate their absorption of Spiritual Qi, nourish their Immortal Seedlings, and hasten their growth. Once the Immortal Seedling broke free of the seed, they would reach the second level of the Immortal Seedling Realm.
Those who had not reached the step of drawing Qi into their bodies halfheartedly practiced the Qi Guiding Technique while waiting for tomorrow's Spirit Guiding Pill. After all, using ordinary guiding methods, breaking open a seed took at least a year and a half, or as long as eight or ten years.
The Qi Guiding Technique naturally posed no difficulty for geniuses like Li Jing and Zhang Kuang. They understood it at a glance and mastered it as soon as they learned it, immediately beginning to frantically absorb the surrounding heaven and earth Spiritual Qi. Elder Chu clicked his tongue in amazement. At this rate, sprouting was only a matter of time—and not much time at that.
Though Qin Haoxuan had also successfully broken open his seed, he did not possess the comprehension and talent of the Purple Seed disciples and could not instantly master the Qi Guiding Technique. He could only cultivate it step by step like everyone else.
In the blink of an eye, night was approaching. The Menial Disciples of Spirit Field Valley had already arranged food and lodging for the new disciples. Elder Chu said, "The path of cultivation cannot be pursued by shutting yourself indoors and building a cart. There are many senior brothers in Spirit Field Valley, so you may seek their advice often. Tomorrow, I will explain some basic knowledge of cultivation and take you to identify some medicinal herbs."
After explaining several key points about circulating and guiding qi, he left them to cultivate on their own.
Besides serving as the place for new disciples' entry-level training, Spirit Field Valley also housed many Menial Disciples who had entered the sect ten, even several dozen, years ago. Most remained stuck at the first level of planting their immortal roots, or the early stage of the second-level Immortal Seedling Realm, unable to advance a single step. They were assigned to grow spiritual medicine in Spirit Field Valley for the sect's use. Unless they encountered a tremendous opportunity to break through their realm, they would spend their entire lives muddling along, eating and waiting to die, with no hope of ever rising above their station.
For these Menial Disciples with little hope, the annual entry-level training for new disciples was an opportunity.
There had once been a Menial Disciple who fawned over a strong-seed disciple receiving training here. After that strong-seed disciple soared into the skies, he helped the Menial Disciple escape his status as well. What was more, this group had three Purple Immortal Seeds and two Gray Immortal Seeds. It could be said that since Taichu Sect had first established itself, this was the generation of new disciples with the best aptitude. Even attaching themselves to a single Gray Seed disciple would bring endless benefits.
When they arrived at the dormitories, quite a few Menial Disciples had already been waiting for a long time. They eagerly took the strong-seed disciples' luggage, found them rooms, and made every arrangement impeccably.
There were hundreds of Menial Disciples growing spiritual medicine in Spirit Field Valley, but only five Colored Immortal Seed disciples. There were too many monks and too little gruel. Moreover, one could not judge cultivation achievements solely by the strength of an Immortal Seed. Many Menial Disciples who had been a step too slow began considering finding a pleasing Weak Seed disciple to support. Perhaps a blind cat might stumble upon a dead mouse, after all; every year, Weak Seed disciples emerged with a single cry that startled the world.
Among the Weak Seed disciples, Qin Haoxuan naturally had the most moving bearing and presence. Moreover, the story of how he had persisted to the end and successfully broken open his seed had already spread far and wide. After looking around, one Menial Disciple decided to draw closer to Qin Haoxuan.
Just as he stepped forward, Zhang Kuang came over with several fawning Menial Disciples. Pointing at Qin Haoxuan, he said, "This is my fellow townsman and good friend, Qin Haoxuan. Back in Datian Town, Brother Qin often instructed me in martial arts. Last year, when I sparred with him, I accidentally broke several ribs and lay in bed for three or four months. What a pity—Qin Haoxuan has such fine skills, yet he turned out to be a Colorless Weak Seed. I fear he has no hope of sprouting. I ask you senior brothers, for my sake, to look after him well from now on!"
Zhang Kuang's meaning could not have been clearer. These Menial Disciples were all old hands who had become shrewd with age; how could they fail to hear the implication? They immediately gave Qin Haoxuan malicious grins and repeatedly assured Zhang Kuang that they would certainly take good care of Qin Haoxuan. The Menial Disciple who had originally wanted to approach Qin Haoxuan broke out in cold sweat and immediately turned around to leave. If he truly got close to Qin Haoxuan, he might not even know how he died later.
Zhang Kuang's Purple Seed aptitude gave him limitless potential, and his future achievements were boundless. These Menial Disciples had been worrying over how to curry favor with such a genius. Now that Zhang Kuang had taken the initiative to speak, every one of them rubbed their hands together impatiently. If sect rules had not strictly forbidden disciples from fighting among themselves, they would have dearly loved to cut off Qin Haoxuan's head at once and claim credit.
Though these old hands of Spirit Field Valley had poor aptitude and sprouted late, many were senior brothers in the Immortal Seedling Realm who had cultivated for ten, eight, or even several dozen years. Qin Haoxuan knew he was no match for them, and an intense sense of crisis welled up within him. This is bad! To curry favor with Zhang Kuang, these people are capable of anything! As I am now, I am no match for them at all! I must find a way to raise my cultivation as quickly as possible to protect myself! It seems I have no choice but to visit Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley tonight and gamble on my luck! Let's see whether there truly are spiritual medicines inside, as the senior brothers said. If I can find a few spiritual medicines that qualify as heavenly treasures, they should greatly help me improve my cultivation, shouldn't they?
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