Sixth Level

The next morning, Lin Ye found Deacon Li, who was in charge of assigning residences.

"Changing your residence?" Deacon Li glanced at Lin Ye. "To move from a D-grade residence to a C-grade one, you need to meet two conditions: first, your cultivation must have reached the fourth level of Body Tempering. Second, you need two hundred contribution points. Have you met both?"

"I have." Lin Ye handed over his identity token.

Deacon Li took it and swiped it across a jade tablet. Surprise crossed his face. "Fifth level of Body Tempering? Three hundred and twenty-seven contribution points? You've done well, kid."

"Just luck," Lin Ye said modestly.

"All right, you meet the requirements. There are vacant courtyards in the C-grade area. Which one would you like?" Deacon Li took out a map.

The map showed dozens of small courtyards in the C-grade area.

Lin Ye glanced over it and chose the most secluded courtyard: C-37.

The courtyard sat in a remote corner of the C-grade area, backed against a mountainside and connected to the outside by a single narrow path. There were no other courtyards nearby.

"C-37? That place is pretty remote, and the spiritual energy is thin," Deacon Li warned him.

"I prefer somewhere quiet," Lin Ye said.

"Then it's yours. The monthly rent is ten contribution points, deducted from your token. You can move in right away."

"Thank you, Deacon."

Lin Ye took the new residence plaque and key, returned to the D-grade area, and packed his things.

"Lin Ye, you're moving out?" Zhou Ming was stunned.

"Yeah, I got a C-grade residence."

"C-grade..." Zhou Ming's expression was complicated. "You have enough contribution points?"

"Enough."

"Of course. You placed in the top hundred in the small-scale tournament. That got you three hundred points." Zhou Ming sighed. "Lin Ye, come find me once you've settled in."

"Sure." Lin Ye nodded, then looked at Chen Feng. "Senior Brother Chen, farewell."

Chen Feng opened his eyes and nodded. "Take care."

With his simple luggage on his back, Lin Ye left D-73.

Even after he had walked a long way, he could still feel two gazes fixed on his back.

Lin Ye quickened his pace and reached the C-grade area.

The C-grade area was much better than the D-grade area. Each residence was a separate little courtyard. Though simple, at least it had enclosing walls.

C-37 was in a corner, just as secluded as he'd been told.

Lin Ye pushed the door open and went inside.

The courtyard was small, with three rooms: a bedroom, a training room, and a storeroom. An old tree stood in the yard, with a stone table and stools beneath it.

Though simple, it was far better than a room in a communal dormitory.

"First, I'll check the place over."

Lin Ye carefully inspected the entire courtyard, making sure there were no surveillance arrays or recording stones.

Then he set up simple alarm arrays along the courtyard walls, doors, and windows.

He also dug a hidden compartment beneath the bedroom bed to store important items.

Only after he had finished did he finally relax.

"Now I can cultivate in peace."

Lin Ye entered the training room and sat down cross-legged.

He silently planned his next steps. The Azure Origin Technique was adequate as a cultivation method, but his martial skills were too limited. His most urgent priority was to save up a thousand contribution points and exchange them for a superior Mortal-grade cultivation method as soon as possible.

He also needed to pay attention to building connections. Besides that, he had to quietly prepare trump cards and life-saving measures, such as talismans, poison, and concealed weapons. Better safe than sorry.

Over the next month, he kept almost entirely to himself. During the day, he pretended to meditate and cultivate in the courtyard, occasionally visiting the Chuangong Hall to borrow a few miscellaneous books and keep up appearances. Once night had fallen and all was quiet, he would sneak out to hunt and quietly build up his contribution points.

He hunted with great restraint, going out once every three days and killing just one mid-stage first-level demonic beast each time. His gains stayed steady, between thirty and fifty contribution points—not too much or too little, just enough to cover his daily expenses without drawing attention with an excessive haul.

Now and then, he deliberately returned with minor injuries and shut himself away to "recover" for a few days. Everything he did seemed perfectly reasonable.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Lin Ye quietly accumulated five hundred contribution points, and, under the pretext of stabilizing his cultivation, "successfully broke through" to the sixth level of Body Tempering—the level he revealed to others.

He then went to the Deacon Hall to report his cultivation level and get a new identity token. From then on, as a disciple publicly known to be at the sixth level of Body Tempering, he could take on more difficult missions and claim more generous sect resources.

One day, as Lin Ye was cultivating in the courtyard, he suddenly heard a knock at the door.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Lin Ye frowned.

He had lived at C-37 for a month, and nobody had ever come to visit.

"Who is it?"

"Junior Brother Lin, it's me, Chen Feng."

Chen Feng?

Lin Ye stood and walked to the courtyard gate, but did not open it right away.

"Senior Brother Chen, what do you need?"

"I have something to discuss. Could you open the door so we can talk?" Chen Feng's voice was calm.

Lin Ye hesitated, but finally opened the door.

Outside stood Chen Feng, clad in blue robes, a sword at his waist, his expression as cold as ever.

But he was holding a food box.

"Sorry for the unannounced visit. I brought a few dishes and some wine," Chen Feng said.

"Please come in." Lin Ye stepped aside.

The two sat at the stone table in the courtyard.

Chen Feng opened the food box. Inside were a few simple dishes, a jug of wine, and two cups.

He poured two cups and pushed one toward Lin Ye.

"Junior Brother Lin, you've kept to yourself this past month. Have you been cultivating?" Chen Feng asked.

"Yes. I just broke through to the sixth level of Body Tempering, so I need to stabilize my cultivation." Lin Ye picked up the cup but did not drink.

"Sixth level of Body Tempering..." Chen Feng glanced at him, then suddenly said, "I saw you in the back mountains three days ago."

Lin Ye's heart tightened, but his expression did not change. "Oh? Where?"

"The pine grove on the western side, where you hunted that Shadow Wolf," Chen Feng said evenly. "That punch was clean. An ordinary sixth-level Body Tempering cultivator couldn't have thrown a punch like that."

Lin Ye fell silent.

"Don't be nervous. I mean you no harm." Chen Feng took a sip of wine. "I'm just curious. You clearly have the strength, so why hide it?"

"Isn't Senior Brother Chen hiding his strength too?" Lin Ye countered.

Chen Feng was taken aback. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It was the first time Lin Ye had ever seen him smile, and it looked remarkably genuine.

"You're right." Chen Feng nodded. "I'm hiding my strength too. This world is dangerous. Those who flaunt their edge die young."

"Then what did you come here for today, Senior Brother Chen?" Lin Ye asked.

"Cooperation." Chen Feng set down his cup. "I accepted a mission that I can't complete alone. I need help."

"What mission?"

"Slaying a Green-Scaled Python," Chen Feng said slowly.

Lin Ye's pupils contracted.

The Green-Scaled Python was an early-stage second-level demonic beast, equivalent to the first or second level of the True Qi Realm.

It guarded Purple Ginseng.

"Senior Brother Chen, I'm only at the sixth level of Body Tempering." Lin Ye shook his head.

"I know." Chen Feng looked at him. "I've been watching you for half a month. Your true combat strength is no lower than the seventh level of Body Tempering. With me, we should have a chance."

"Why ask me?"

"Because you're hiding your strength too, and you won't go blabbing about it," Chen Feng said. "Besides, you need contribution points. The Green-Scaled Python's core is worth two hundred points. Its skin, gallbladder, and bones are worth another hundred combined. Each Purple Ginseng is worth twenty points, and there are at least five of them there."

"Five Purple Ginseng..." Lin Ye was tempted.

That meant a hundred contribution points.

"How do we split it?" Lin Ye asked.

"The core goes to me. We split the other materials evenly. Whoever picks a Purple Ginseng keeps it," Chen Feng said.

"What do you need the core for?" Lin Ye asked, puzzled.

Although the Green-Scaled Python's core was second-level, its cold attribute made it unsuitable for cultivation at the Body Tempering Realm.

"I have my reasons." Chen Feng did not explain.

Lin Ye was silent for a moment, then said, "I need to prepare."

"Three days from now, at midnight. Meet me beneath the cliff on the eastern side of the back mountains." Chen Feng stood. "Remember, don't tell anyone—not even Zhou Ming."

"Understood."

After Chen Feng left, Lin Ye sat at the stone table and stared at the wine jug in silence for a long time.

The Green-Scaled Python was incredibly dangerous, but he could hardly bring himself to turn down the lure of four hundred contribution points.

Still, he couldn't get a read on Chen Feng, who had suddenly appeared at his door.