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Purple Cauldron (2/300)

In the cultivation room of the residence, Bai Jing slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

After three days on Spiritual Elegance Peak, his Immortal Foundation had finally transformed once more, advancing into the Purple Cauldron.

He examined his abdomen inwardly. Seeing the runes flickering across the cauldron's surface and purple light radiating from its patterns, satisfaction filled his eyes.

With the Azure Cauldron advancing into the Purple Cauldron, the space within had expanded by more than twice again, and the blood qi it stored had grown far denser.

He had become stronger again!

"It is said that the Golden Cauldron after the Purple Cauldron is the mark of a peerless genius. With that kind of Immortal Foundation, even one's qi and blood transform into a pale gold, far surpassing ordinary qi-blood cultivators."

Bai Jing thought to himself, unable to help looking forward to it.

He then rose and headed to the training ground beside the courtyard.

Bai Jing raised his head and looked at the hazy purple qi overhead. This was a sign that the formation was operating.

He pondered. "Those three senior disciples were sneaking around last night. I wonder what they came here for."

"It seems I cannot let my formation cultivation stagnate either."

Then he took out another set of Array Flags and began practicing formations.

At the upper peak of Spiritual Elegance Peak, within a magnificent palace gleaming with gold and jade.

More than ten white-robed cultivators sat quietly along either side of the hall, among them Fang Wenze and Lin Changsheng.

Suddenly.

A towering figure gradually solidified from illusion into substance at the center of the hall.

At the sight, all the cultivators rose, bowed in unison, and called out, "Greetings, Senior Disciple Yun."

Yun He wore a stern expression. He swept his gaze over the crowd, nodded, and said, "Everyone is here. Take your seats, then."

He then walked directly to the seat of honor above. Only after sitting down did he speak.

"Have you finished discussing matters these past few days?"

"More or less."

A disciple seated at the foremost position on the left spoke.

"The general plan is this: newcomers who condense an Azure Cauldron will be granted high-grade immortal arts, while those with a Blood Cauldron will receive mid-grade ones. However, the difficulty for them to obtain one opportunity for a high-grade immortal art will be greatly reduced. Purple Cauldron disciples may obtain a Heaven Scroll only after completing a trial. As for Golden Cauldrons, they will be granted a Heaven Scroll directly!"

Hearing this, Senior Disciple Yun nodded and looked around. "Do any of you have objections?"

"I do!"

At the sound of the voice, everyone looked toward the foremost person on the right.

Yun He turned his gaze there as well and smiled. "Senior Brother Lin, what are your thoughts? Speak."

Lin Changsheng looked at the disciple directly opposite him and said in a deep voice.

"Everyone knows that Bai Jing possesses exceptional talent in formations, no less than those newcomers from Array Dao Mountain. I believe he should be given an opportunity to undergo a Heaven Scroll trial."

"Junior Brother Lin!" The man on the left immediately spoke.

"The Heaven Scroll quotas we exchanged for with the three great immortal mountains are not so plentiful. Where would we find an extra one? Besides, Senior Disciple Yun already exchanged for the Array Dao True Giải for him, allowing him to condense an unparalleled Array Dao Inner Core when he breaks through to the inner core realm. As one with a Blood Cauldron, he was even granted a high-grade immortal art directly. He has already received exceptional favor. What more do you want?"

"But the newcomers from Array Dao Mountain all cultivate Heaven Scrolls precisely because they hope to make their Dao Platforms a little more perfect. Then, when they condense Array Dao Inner Cores in the future, their chances of success will increase by a few points. We have finally gained another formation genius—how can we treat him like this?"

Lin Changsheng said. As he spoke, he glanced at the man opposite him, then added coldly.

"Do not think I do not know that your younger brother clearly has not accumulated enough Immortal Merit, yet his name is on the list for this Heaven Scroll trial."

The man opposite him snorted coldly and said in a deep voice.

"Junior Brother Lin, my younger brother rendered great merit to the immortal sect in this war. It is only right that he receive this opportunity. If you refuse to accept it, you may explain it to the elders. Or you can have Senior Disciple Yun take Spiritual Elegance Peak's Heaven Scroll and make another trip to Wind Star Valley. It is not as though we cannot exchange for one."

"You—"

"Enough!"

The two were about to continue arguing when a voice interrupted them.

Senior Disciple Yun looked at them both, shook his head, and said, "Although Zhi Yuan is still somewhat short of Immortal Merit, the fact that he rendered merit is undeniable. Changsheng, you should not question or slander him over this."

"Yes, Senior Disciple Yun." Lin Changsheng obediently nodded in acknowledgment.

Yun He then looked over the crowd and continued, "Bai Jing truly is highly talented in the Dao of formations. I believe all of you have seen every record of his assessment, so there is no need for me to elaborate further."

Lin Changsheng, who had not held much hope to begin with, was delighted upon hearing this.

A talented formation cultivator should not be neglected.

"Jiang Zhishen, have all the trial slots for the Heaven Scroll already been assigned?"

"Reporting to Senior Brother, they have all been assigned. There are no extra slots." Jiang Zhishen bowed as he answered, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. So long as his younger brother's slot was untouched, nothing else mattered.

Yun He nodded. "Then I will take Spiritual Elegance Peak's Heaven Scroll and make another trip. If Bai Jing can condense an Array Dao Inner Core, he will become another great pillar of Spiritual Elegance Peak. He should be given an opportunity."

"Enough. It is settled. When the time for the trial comes, be sure to notify them."

Number Thirteen, Southwest Street, Lower Peak.

Inside the cultivation room of a residence, Bai Jing sat cross-legged as the Minor Formless Technique circulated without pause. Though his eyes were tightly shut, his hand skillfully reached for the jade bottle at his side.

"Hmm?" He then opened his eyes. Looking at the jade bottle in his hand, he sighed helplessly. "Already gone?"

Three bottles of mid-grade Qi Replenishing Pills had seemingly lasted only around twenty days.

"Fortunately, my cultivation has already reached perfection at the eighth gate. The speed is quite fast." That gave him a little comfort.

Bai Jing rose and walked out of the cultivation room.

When he reached the courtyard, he looked up at the increasingly hazy purple qi overhead. Larger and larger stars flickered in and out of sight, their vast aura placing immense pressure even on him now.

Star Array Basics had reached major accomplishment!

Over these twenty days, not only had his cultivation improved, but his formations had also risen to another level, reaching major accomplishment!

Before long, it would reach perfection, capable of defending against Dao Platform Realm cultivators.

He then opened the gates of the residence and walked out.

Before long, Bai Jing arrived at Myriad Pill Hall.

"Junior Brother Bai Jing, you have come again." The child senior disciple brightened upon seeing the familiar figure approach.

Bai Jing forced out a smile. "Senior Brother, get me three—no, five bottles of Qi Replenishing Pills!"

"Sure thing. Spirit Stones or Immortal Merit?"

"Immortal Merit!" Bai Jing said through gritted teeth. Over this period, he had already come to understand the uses of Immortal Merit. On Shangqing Mountain, even more precious manuals, divine abilities, and spells all had to be exchanged for with Immortal Merit.

But he had no choice now. He could only use Immortal Merit to exchange for cultivation resources.

As he spoke, he handed his identity Jade Pendant to the other party.

A moment later, Bai Jing stared at the five Immortal Merit missing from his Jade Pendant, his face full of heartache.

At that moment, he suddenly thought of a certain bright-eyed, lovely young girl.

If that wealthy patron had been around, how would he have ended up in such straitened circumstances?

"I wonder how Brother Xu Shan is doing. Is he, like me, worrying over Spirit Stones?" Bai Jing muttered to himself.

He then left Myriad Pill Hall with five jade bottles tucked against his chest.

He walked without stopping until he reached the exit of the marketplace, where he abruptly halted.

"Eh?"

Bai Jing let out a surprised sound and cast his gaze toward the street on the left, not far away.

Several familiar figures stood there.

They were all newcomers who had arrived at Spiritual Elegance Peak alongside him.

Moreover, he discovered that all of them were renowned geniuses who had condensed Purple Cauldrons. Among them was even the Golden Cauldron youth, Li Huai'an!

"Where are they going?" Bai Jing was somewhat puzzled.

Most importantly, this matter seemed to concern only geniuses with Purple Cauldrons or above!

Because the ones leading them were Fang Wenze and Lin Changsheng, the senior disciples who had welcomed them.

Just as Bai Jing was about to head right, he heard a shout.

"Junior Brother Bai, you are the only one missing. Hurry over!"