Taotie

"I can cultivate the Guide Technique about six times a day. In just 18 days, I can solidify the Qi Induction attribute."

Zhou Er thought, this speed wasn't too slow.

"Once my cultivation breaks through to the middle stage of Qi Refining, and I learn two more spells, I can go hunt Fierce Tigers myself, get Tiger Livers, and solidify the Longevity attribute."

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

The Xiayun Sect was near the Sunset Mountain Range, so it was very easy to catch a tiger on the mountain.

But the Sunset Mountain Range was too dangerous. Zhou Er currently only had the Strength Increase combat attribute, which was not enough to deal with the dangerous Sunset Mountain Range. He needed to accumulate more attributes.

Fortunately, there was no rule for Outer Sect disciples to complete a certain number of tasks each year, so Zhou Er could develop in the Wutong District with peace of mind for a while.

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

"Senior Brother Wang said before that one Bigu Pill lasts for five days without eating or drinking. It hasn't even been a day, and I already feel hungry."

Zhou Er found it strange. Fortunately, Zhu Shunyang, Senior Brother Zhu, had someone deliver his Outer Sect disciple benefits in advance, which included a bottle of six Bigu Pills.

Finding the gourd containing the Bigu Pills, Zhou Er poured one out and swallowed it, feeling much better.

Immediately, he thought of the Taotie attribute.

"It's probably because of the Taotie attribute that I can eat so much."

Zhou Er thought, and then looked at the solidification progress of the Taotie attribute.

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

[Solidification Condition: Eat and digest 10,000 jin of food. (10/10000)]

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

After checking the Panel, Zhou Er began to worry about the solidification of the Taotie.

Given the current situation, this Taotie attribute was very useful, allowing Zhou Er to convert food into cultivation strength.

However, it required 10,000 jin of food. One Bigu Pill only counted as ten jin, so he would need at least a thousand Bigu Pills.

Zhou Er didn't know the price of Bigu Pills. He would wait for the Market to open before going to buy some.

The markets in the various Outer Sect areas would open periodically, allowing Outer Sect disciples and Servant Disciples to Exchange Resources.

Currently, Zhou Er's Identity Token had not arrived yet, so it was not convenient for him to wander outside.

He could only stay at home, studying the Guide Technique and the Sect Rules.

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

While practicing punches, Zhou Er heard someone knocking on the door.

Knock, knock, knock!

Zhou Er stopped his movements and went to open the door.

"Senior Brother, hello, I'm your new neighbor from next door. My name is Lin Shiyu. This is osmanthus cake made by my mother. Please try some?"

The person who arrived was a sweet-looking girl, also a newly admitted outer sect disciple.

Zhou Er originally wanted to refuse, but the Taotie Soul within his body smelled the aroma of the osmanthus cake and raised his hand to accept it:

"Thank you, this osmanthus cake must be delicious."

"It's great that Senior Brother likes it. Please take care of this humble one in the future,"

Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

"I'm not a Senior Brother. My name is Zhou Er, and I'm also a newly admitted outer sect disciple."

Zhou Er said.

"Senior Brother is also newly admitted? Then why didn't I see you during the Outer Sect Assessment?"

Lin Shiyu said with some surprise.

There were many ways to recruit disciples for the outer sect. The most conventional was naturally the Outer Sect Assessment, which recruited new disciples from the Servant Disciples.

Any Servant Disciple who broke through to Qi Refining Third Layer within five years had the opportunity to participate in the assessment and become an outer sect disciple.

Lin Shiyu had broken through to Qi Refining Fourth Layer within three years, which gave her the opportunity to achieve good results in the Outer Sect Assessment and enter the outer sect.

After carefully observing Zhou Er, Lin Shiyu found that Zhou Er only seemed to have a cultivation of Qi Refining First Layer, which was indeed not the result of a normal outer sect disciple.

However, Lin Shiyu was not well-informed and did not know what other ways there were to enter the outer sect besides the Outer Sect Assessment.

"I came here with an elder. I haven't been practicing cultivation for long, and that elder arranged for me to be in the outer sect."

Zhou Er explained.

Hearing this, Lin Shiyu was stunned. So he had connections.

Knowing that Zhou Er had connections, Lin Shiyu's gaze towards him became more enthusiastic.

To be able to place someone in the outer sect, one must at least have Foundation Establishment Cultivation.

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

"Senior Brother Zhou! Please take care of this junior sister in the future."

Lin Shiyu said.

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

Zhou Er knew that the Xiayun Sect was a sect with strict hierarchy. Lin Shiyu's cultivation was currently one level higher than his, so he should be the one calling her Senior Sister.

"How old are you, Senior Brother Zhou? I'm fourteen this year, so I'm definitely younger than you!"

Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

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

"Alright! Since you insist on calling me Senior Brother, then so be it."

"Senior Brother Zhou, haven't you received your Identity Token and Outer Sect Uniform yet?"

Lin Shiyu asked, seeing Zhou Er still wearing mortal clothes.

"I just arrived at the 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, since you're new here, would you like me to show you around the sect?"

"A Senior Brother already showed me around yesterday."

Zhou Er said.

"Then that Senior Brother probably didn't show you everything. I can take you to some scenic spots in the Xiayun Sect that you've definitely never seen before."

Lin Shiyu even recommended herself.

Seeing Lin Shiyu's enthusiasm, and Zhou Er wanting to buy Bigu Pills, he said:

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

"Okay! Okay!"

Lin Shiyu smiled and nodded.

On the way, Lin Shiyu asked about Zhou Er's affairs in the Mortal World, trying to probe indirectly who his Connections were. Zhou Er didn't answer much, maintaining a certain mystery.

Of course, Zhou Er also knew that it was inconvenient for him to bother Master Jide too much and there was no need to mention him frequently.

Seeing this, Lin Shiyu had no choice but to talk about her own experiences in the Mortal World.

Lin Shiyu was the daughter of a textile workshop in Jiangnan. Her family was considered well-off. Because she tested positive for 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. She returned home once and was now rushing back.

"In the three years, my parents seemed to have aged all of a sudden," Lin Shiyu lamented.

She feared that she too would age one day, her beauty fading, and thus she had to cultivate diligently.

Zhou Er, however, did not want to listen to the young lady's rambling. He simply asked, "Junior Sister Lin, what delicious food is there in Jiangnan?"

After obtaining the Taotie Attribute, Zhou Er had become a gluttonous foodie.

"There's a lot of delicious food, all sorts of pastries. If there's a chance, I'll take Senior Brother Zhou to Jiangnan to try them," Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

"I'll definitely go if I have time," Zhou Er nodded.

Since there was no market in Wutong District today, they had to go elsewhere.

The two arrived at Red Maple District, where a market was open. Many Senior Brothers from the Outer Sect had set up stalls on the widest street. Some were hawking their wares themselves, while others handed their stalls over to Outer Sect servants.

Zhou Er casually looked around. He couldn't afford most of the items until he came to a stall selling all sorts of pills.

"Senior Brother! Senior Sister, these are pills refined by my elder brother. They're cheap, effective, and have little Pill Poison," a little girl, about seven or eight years old with pigtails, called out.

Zhou Er found the Bigu Pill and asked, "How much Spirit Stone is one Bigu Pill?"

"Ten Bigu Pills for one Spirit Fragment," the little girl replied.

Spirit Fragment was an incomplete Low-grade Spirit Stone that had been mined. Generally, one Low-grade Spirit Stone was worth ten Spirit Fragments.

"Senior Brother, Outer Sect disciples are given six Bigu Pills every month, which is completely enough for a month's consumption. If Senior Brother isn't traveling far, there's no need to buy these."

Lin Shiyu saw that Zhou Er was going to buy worthless Bigu Pills and advised him.

No matter how cheap Bigu Pills are, they are useless for cultivation.

The Spirit Stones Outer Sect disciples receive each month are already scarce, so they shouldn't be wasted like this.

"Junior Sister Lin, I have a large appetite, and six Bigu Pills are far from enough."

Zhou Er shook his head and said.

However, he also didn't expect Bigu Pills to be so cheap, costing only one Low-grade Spirit Stone for a hundred pills.

In that case, with just ten Spirit Stones, Zhou Er could buy enough Bigu Pills needed to solidify the Taotie Attribute.

However, even if he bought them, Zhou Er wouldn't be able to consume them immediately.

Lin Shiyu was very suspicious seeing this, after all, Zhou Er was a Lean Muscular Youth of a rather slender build, not someone who seemed to need to eat a lot of Bigu Pills to maintain his vital signs.

However, since Zhou Er was insistent on buying them, she couldn't persuade him further.

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

The girl with Pigtails counted the Bigu Pills, looking a bit troubled.

"Then give me eighty first."

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

"Okay, Senior Brother!"

The girl with Pigtails, her troubles resolved, immediately smiled, accepted the Spirit Stone, handed the Bigu Pills filling two gourds to Zhou Er, and gave Zhou Er two Spirit Fragments as change.

Taking the gourds, Zhou Er left satisfied, not wanting to browse any further.

After all, his purse was empty, and browsing would only lead to self-pity.

Lin Shiyu didn't buy much either. She came from a Servant Disciple background and was accustomed to frugality. The Spirit Stones she received were all spent on purchasing pills to improve her cultivation.

After their outing, Zhou Er and Lin Shiyu returned to the Wutong District.

"Senior Brother Zhou, after your Identity Token is ready, let's go to the Mission Hall together to accept missions!"

Before parting, Lin Shiyu said.

"Okay!"

Zhou Er nodded.

Returning to his small room and closing the door, Zhou Er checked the progress of the Taotie.

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

[Solidification Condition: Eat and digest 10,000 jin of food. (14/10,000)]

The progress increased by four points, indicating that the Bigu Pill eaten this morning was almost completely digested.

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

Of course, the effect was also very considerable.

Even though Zhou Er went to the market in the afternoon, his cultivation had improved on its own.

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

"With the Taotie Attribute, my stomach seems to be able to store food in a special space. I just don't know how big this space is."

Looking at the words "Hollow Abdomen," Zhou Er suddenly thought of something.

To figure this out, Zhou Er had to eat enough, so he opened the Osmanthus Cakes that Lin Shiyu had sent today and swallowed them down in a few bites.

After eating these, his stomach showed no change.

Zhou Er could feel that a portion of these Osmanthus Cakes had entered the mysterious space in his stomach.

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

Just as he was about to swallow a second one, fearing he would be stuffed to death by eating too many Bigu Pills, he decided to observe the situation first today.

Putting aside eating for now, Zhou Er's meridians felt much smoother, and he could practice the Guide Technique again.

After practicing three more times, Zhou Er stopped.

[Qi Induction: Guide the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body, tempering the physique.]

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

The progress bar updated, and Zhou Er felt immense satisfaction.

"This attribute's progress updates at any time, it's truly addictive."

Being able to see his progress at any time greatly increased Zhou Er's desire to cultivate.

If he wasn't worried about his body not being able to handle it, Zhou Er would really want to cultivate until he was exhausted.

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

Three Bigu Pills on the second day, four on the third day.

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

Conversely, he grew stronger with each passing day.

Of course, these Bigu Pills were not all digested. Most of them were stored in the Internal Space that came with the Taotie attribute. Only after Zhou Er digested one would it be released, serving as additional Stomach Capacity.

On this day, Zhou Er finished his daily Cultivation and went with his neighbor Lin Shiyu to the Lecture Platform to attend a class.

When he returned home after the class, he saw a Servant Disciple waiting with a few items.

"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 has finally arrived. We can go to the Mission Hall to pick up missions tomorrow," Lin Shiyu said with a smile upon seeing this.

"That's right."

Zhou Er nodded, took his items, said goodbye to Lin Shiyu, and walked into his Courtyard.

The Servant Disciple had given him two items in total: an Identity Token and a set of uniforms.

The Identity Token was a clean white jade pendant, infused with some of Zhou Er's Fingertip Blood, with a touch of red appearing in the center, and it recorded Zhou Er's identity information. Placing it in his palm and sensing it with his spiritual sense, one could know that Zhou Er was a disciple of the Wutong District in the Outer Sect.

The Outer Sect Uniform was dark green and embroidered with flowing clouds, representing the Xiayun Sect. The clothes were constructed with magic arrays, allowing them to self-clean, eliminating the need for washing.

Zhou Er put on the Outer Sect Uniform and hung the Identity Token on his waist, looking quite 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 (Perfection), Longevity, Qi Induction, Taotie (White).]

[Solidified Attributes: Strength Increase (White).]

Four days passed, and Zhou Er's cultivation had increased significantly. At the current pace, he would be able to break through to Qi Refining Second Layer in about two months, which was not much slower than those with Mid-grade Spirit Roots.