The Taotie

"I could practice the Guide Technique about six times a day. In just eighteen days, I'd complete the Solidification Condition for the Qi Induction Attribute."

Zhou Er thought the pace wasn't too bad.

"Once I break through to Qi Refining Mid-stage and learn a couple of spells, I'll be able to hunt Fierce Tigers on my own, get their livers, and complete the Solidification Condition for the longevity attribute."

As for the first equipment attribute, Zhou Er already had a plan.

Xiayun Sect was near the Sunset Mountain Range, so catching a tiger up in the mountains would be quite easy.

But the Sunset Mountain Range was far too dangerous. With only the Strength Increase combat attribute, Zhou Er was still no match for its dangers. He needed to build up more attributes.

Fortunately, Outer Sect Disciples weren't required to complete a certain number of tasks each year, so Zhou Er could safely spend some time developing in Wutong District.

After practicing the Guide Technique for an hour and a half, Zhou Er read the Sect Manual for a while. Then he suddenly felt hungry.

"Senior Brother Wang said before that one Bigu Pill could keep you from needing food or water for five days. It hasn't even been a day, and I'm already hungry."

Zhou Er found it strange, but fortunately Senior Brother Zhu Shunyang had arranged for his Outer Sect Disciple benefits to be delivered in advance. They included a bottle containing six Bigu Pills.

Finding the gourd that held the Bigu Pills, Zhou Er poured one out and swallowed it. He immediately felt much better.

Then he thought of the Taotie Attribute.

"I guess the Taotie Attribute is why I can eat so much."

Zhou Er thought about it and checked the Taotie Attribute's solidification progress.

[Taotie (white): Hollow Abdomen, Greatly Increased Appetite, can Get stronger by eating.]

[Solidification Condition: Eat and digest ten thousand jin of food. (10/10000)]

The progress already counted ten jin. It seemed one Bigu Pill was equivalent to ten jin of food.

After checking the panel, Zhou Er began to worry about solidifying the Taotie Attribute.

From the way things stood, this Taotie Attribute was very useful. It let Zhou Er turn food into cultivation and strength.

The problem was that he needed ten thousand jin of food. A single Bigu Pill only counted as ten jin, so he needed at least a thousand pills.

Zhou Er didn't know how much Bigu Pills cost. He'd wait for the market to open and buy some there.

The markets in the various Outer Sect districts opened at intervals, giving Outer Sect Disciples and Servant Disciples a place to trade resources.

For now, Zhou Er's Identity Token hadn't arrived, so it wouldn't be wise to wander around outside.

He could only stay home and study the Guide Technique and the Sect Rules.

When he had nothing else to do, Zhou Er would practice a set of the Five Animal Health Fist in the courtyard.

As he was practicing, Zhou Er heard someone knock at the door.

Knock, knock, knock!

Zhou Er finished his set and went to open the door.

"Hello, Senior Brother. I'm your new neighbor next door. My name is Lin Shiyu. My mother made these Osmanthus Cakes. Would you like to try some?"

The visitor was a sweet-looking young woman, also a newly admitted Outer Sect Disciple.

Zhou Er had meant to refuse, but the Taotie Soul inside him caught the fragrance of the Osmanthus Cakes. His hand reached out and accepted them.

"Thank you. These Osmanthus Cakes must be delicious."

"I'm glad you like them, Senior Brother. I hope you'll look after me from now on."

Lin Shiyu smiled as she spoke.

"I'm not your Senior Brother. My name is Zhou Er, and I'm also a newly admitted Outer Sect Disciple."

Zhou Er explained.

"You just joined too, Senior Brother? Then how come I didn't see you during the Outer Sect Assessment?"

Lin Shiyu asked, puzzled.

There were many ways to recruit disciples into the Outer Sect. The most conventional was the Outer Sect Assessment, which recruited new disciples from among the Servant Disciples.

Any Servant Disciple who broke through to Qi Refining Third Layer within five years had a chance to take the assessment and become an Outer Sect Disciple.

Lin Shiyu had broken through to Qi Refining Fourth Layer within three years. That was how she'd qualified for the Outer Sect Assessment and earned a high enough score to enter the Outer Sect.

Taking a closer look at Zhou Er, Lin Shiyu realized he seemed to be only at Qi Refining First Layer. That certainly wasn't the sort of result a normal Outer Sect Disciple would have.

However, Lin Shiyu wasn't well informed. She didn't know that there were other ways to enter the Outer Sect besides the Outer Sect Assessment.

"I came here with an elder. I only started cultivating recently, and that elder arranged for me to join the Outer Sect."

Zhou Er explained.

Hearing this, Lin Shiyu froze. So he had Connections.

Once she realized Zhou Er had Connections, Lin Shiyu's expression grew much warmer.

Anyone who could put someone into the Outer Sect had to be at least at Foundation Establishment Cultivation.

With such an elder backing him, Zhou Er was well worth befriending.

"Senior Brother Zhou! I hope you'll look after me from now on."

Lin Shiyu said.

"I joined later than you, Fellow Daoist Lin. I should be calling you Senior Sister."

Zhou Er knew Xiayun Sect had a strict hierarchy. Lin Shiyu's cultivation was a step above his, so he ought to call her Senior Sister.

"How old are you, Senior Brother Zhou? I'm fourteen this year. I must be younger than you, right?"

Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

Zhou Er was sixteen this year, two years older than Lin Shiyu. Seeing that, he could only accept the title of Senior Brother.

"All right. If you insist on calling me Senior Brother, then let's leave it at that."

"Senior Brother Zhou, have you not received your Identity Token and Outer Sect Uniform yet?"

Lin Shiyu asked, noticing that Zhou Er was still wearing clothes from the Mortal World.

"I only arrived at Xiayun Sect yesterday. Senior Brother Zhu said it would take a few days to make my Identity Token and uniform."

Zhou Er explained.

"Oh!"

Lin Shiyu nodded, then said,

"Senior Brother Zhou, you've just arrived. Would you like me to show you around the sect?"

"A Senior Brother already showed me around yesterday."

Zhou Er said.

"He surely didn't show you everything, Senior Brother. I can take you to some of Xiayun Sect's most scenic spots. I'm sure you haven't seen them."

Lin Shiyu even volunteered.

Seeing how enthusiastic Lin Shiyu was, and wanting to buy Bigu Pills anyway, Zhou Er said,

"Junior Sister Lin, I want to buy more Bigu Pills, or some tasty food. How about you take me to the Outer Sect market?"

"Sure! Sure!"

Lin Shiyu smiled and nodded.

On the way, Lin Shiyu asked about Zhou Er's life in the Mortal World, fishing for information about which elder he was connected to. Zhou Er didn't say much, keeping an air of mystery about him.

Of course, Zhou Er also knew it wouldn't be appropriate to bother Master Jide too much. There was no need to keep bringing him up.

Seeing that, Lin Shiyu could only talk about her own life in the Mortal World.

Lin Shiyu was the daughter of a textile workshop owner in Jiangnan, and her family was fairly well-off. When she'd been found to have a Low-grade Spirit Root, she was brought to Xiayun Mountain and became a Servant Disciple.

A few months ago, she passed the Outer Sect Assessment and became an Outer Sect Disciple. Afterward, she'd gone home for a visit, and now she'd returned.

"Three years went by, and my parents seemed to have aged all at once."

Lin Shiyu sighed.

She was afraid she'd grow old one day too, her beauty fading away, so she wanted to cultivate hard.

Zhou Er, however, didn't want to hear a young woman's endless chatter. He simply asked,

"Junior Sister Lin, what tasty food is there in Jiangnan?"

After gaining the Taotie Attribute, Zhou Er had turned into a food-loving gourmand.

"There are all sorts of tasty things, like pastries. If we get the chance, I'll take you to Jiangnan to try them, Senior Brother Zhou."

Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

"I'll definitely go when I have time."

Zhou Er nodded.

Since there was no market in Wutong District that day, they had to go somewhere else.

The two arrived in Red Maple District, where the market was open. Many Outer Sect Senior Brothers had set up stalls along the widest street.

Some called out to customers themselves, while others left their stalls in the hands of Outer Sect servants.

Zhou Er browsed casually. Most of the things were beyond his means, until he reached a stall selling all sorts of pills.

"Senior Brother! Senior Sister! These pills were refined by my big brother. They're cheap and effective, and have very little Pill Poison!"

A little girl of seven or eight, her hair tied in two little buns, called out to them.

Zhou Er found the Bigu Pills and asked,

"How many Spirit Stones does one Bigu Pill cost?"

"Ten Bigu Pills for one Spirit Fragment."

The little girl replied.

Spirit Fragments were incomplete Low-grade Spirit Stones. Generally, one Low-grade Spirit Stone was worth ten Spirit Fragments.

"Senior Brother, Outer Sect Disciples receive six Bigu Pills every month. That's more than enough for the whole month. If you're not going away, there's no need to buy these."

Seeing Zhou Er about to buy the cheap Bigu Pills, Lin Shiyu tried to dissuade him.

Even if Bigu Pills were cheap, they did nothing to help with cultivation.

The monthly allowance of Spirit Stones for Outer Sect Disciples was already small. He shouldn't waste it like this.

"Junior Sister Lin, I have a big appetite. Six Bigu Pills are nowhere near enough."

Zhou Er shook his head and said.

Still, he hadn't expected Bigu Pills to be so cheap. One Low-grade Spirit Stone could buy a hundred.

That meant Zhou Er needed only ten Spirit Stones to buy enough Bigu Pills to solidify the Taotie Attribute.

However, even if he bought them all, he couldn't take them all right away.

Lin Shiyu was skeptical. Zhou Er was fairly lean, a slender young man with only a little muscle. He didn't look like someone who needed a huge number of Bigu Pills just to stay alive.

Still, since Zhou Er insisted on buying them, she didn't press him.

"Senior Brother, we only have eighty Bigu Pills left."

The little girl with the twin buns counted them, looking a little troubled.

"Then I'll take all eighty."

Zhou Er handed the Spirit Stone in his hand to the little girl.

"All right, Senior Brother!"

The little girl with the twin buns was relieved of her dilemma and cheerfully took the Spirit Stone. She handed Zhou Er two gourds filled with Bigu Pills, then gave him two Spirit Fragments in change.

Taking the gourds, Zhou Er left contentedly, with no desire to keep browsing.

After all, his purse was light; window-shopping would only dampen his spirits.

Lin Shiyu didn't buy much either. She'd come from the Servant Disciples and was used to being frugal. She spent the Spirit Stones she received on pills to improve her cultivation.

After browsing, Zhou Er and Lin Shiyu returned to Wutong District.

"Senior Brother Zhou, once your Identity Token is ready, let's go to the Mission Hall together and take on a task!"

Lin Shiyu said before they parted.

"Sure!"

Zhou Er nodded.

Back in his little house, Zhou Er closed the door and checked the Taotie's progress.

[Taotie (white): Hollow Abdomen, Greatly Increased Appetite, can Get stronger by eating.]

[Solidification Condition: Eat and digest ten thousand jin of food. (14/10000)]

The progress had increased by four, which meant the Bigu Pill he'd eaten that morning was almost completely digested.

[Cultivation: Qi Refining First Layer (1.54%)]

The results were quite impressive, too.

Even though Zhou Er had spent the afternoon browsing the market, his cultivation had still improved on its own.

With the Taotie Attribute, as long as something was being digested in his stomach, Zhou Er could grow stronger automatically.

"With the Taotie Attribute, it seems my stomach can store food in some kind of special space. I just don't know how big that space is."

Looking at the words Hollow Abdomen, Zhou Er suddenly had an idea.

To figure it out, Zhou Er needed to eat a lot more. He opened the Osmanthus Cakes Lin Shiyu had brought him and swallowed them in just a few bites.

After eating them, Zhou Er's stomach didn't change at all.

But he could feel that some of the Osmanthus Cakes had entered the mysterious space inside his stomach.

To test his limit, Zhou Er swallowed another Bigu Pill.

Just as he was about to swallow a second, he worried that eating too many Bigu Pills might make him burst, so he decided to wait and see how he felt today.

He put eating aside for now. The meridians in Zhou Er's body had loosened up considerably, so he could practice the Guide Technique again.

After practicing three more times, Zhou Er stopped.

[Qi Induction: Draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body to temper the physique.]

[Solidification Condition: Circulate the Guide Technique 108 times. (9/108)]

The progress bar updated, giving Zhou Er a tremendous sense of satisfaction.

"This attribute's progress updates whenever I want. It's downright addictive."

Being able to see his progress at any time made Zhou Er eager to cultivate.

If he weren't worried his body couldn't take it, Zhou Er would have cultivated until heaven and earth turned dark.

The next day, Zhou Er didn't feel unwell, so he swallowed two more Bigu Pills.

Three on the second day, and four on the third.

Despite stuffing himself with so many Bigu Pills, Zhou Er's body showed no obvious ill effects.

On the contrary, he grew stronger with each passing day.

Of course, he hadn't digested all those Bigu Pills. Most of them were stored in the Internal Space that came with the Taotie Attribute. Once Zhou Er finished digesting a pill, another would be released, giving him extra stomach capacity.

That day, after finishing his daily cultivation, Zhou Er went with his neighbor, Lin Shiyu, to listen to a lecture at the Lecture Platform.

On their way home after the lecture, they saw a Servant Disciple waiting there with several items in hand.

"Senior Brother Zhou, your Identity Token and Outer Sect Uniform have arrived."

The Servant Disciple handed the items to Zhou Er.

"Senior Brother Zhou, your Identity Token finally arrived. We can go to the Mission Hall to collect a task tomorrow."

Seeing this, Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

"That's right."

Zhou Er nodded, took his things, said goodbye to Lin Shiyu, and walked into his little courtyard.

The Servant Disciple had brought him two things: an Identity Token and a uniform.

The Identity Token was a smooth, white jade pendant. Some of Zhou Er's blood had been infused into it, leaving a small red mark in the center, and it recorded his identity information. When he held it in his palm and sensed it with his spiritual consciousness, he could tell that Zhou Er was a disciple of the Outer Sect's Wutong District.

The Outer Sect Uniform was a blue-brown color, embroidered with flowing clouds to represent the Xiayun Sect. A formation had been built into the garment, allowing it to clean itself so there was no need to wash it.

Zhou Er changed into the Outer Sect Uniform and hung the Identity Token from his waist. He finally looked the part.

[Name: Zhou Er]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining First Layer (8.97%)]

[Equipment Slot (3/3): Five Animals Health Technique, Guide Technique, Bigu Pill.]

[Unsolidified Attributes: Five Animals Health Technique (Perfected), Longevity, Qi Induction, Taotie (White).]

[Solidified Attributes: Strength Increase (White).]

Four days passed, and Zhou Er's cultivation had improved considerably. At his current pace, he would break through to the Qi Refining Second Layer in about two months—hardly slower than those with Mid-grade Spirit Roots.