Stepping into Qi Refining Level 3

After glancing at Zhang Liang's panel, Ye Lin still headed toward the deepest part despite his doubts.

There were Spirit Fruits in the Herb Field—no matter how he thought about it, he could not make sense of it.

Besides, a Spirit Fruit capable of letting Zhang Liang leap across Qi Refining Level 4 and enter Qi Refining Level 5 had to be at least Yellow Grade Mid Tier.

Yet only Yellow Grade Low Tier medicinal herbs were planted in this Herb Field. More precious herbs definitely would not be planted in the Outer Sect.

Reaching the very back, Ye Lin gathered medicinal herbs while searching for the Spirit Fruit's location.

"Found it."

After searching for several minutes, Ye Lin's face lit up with delight.

Looking at the golden fruit before him, Ye Lin glanced around and hurriedly dug the Spirit Fruit from the half-covered soil, slipping it into his chest.

He then obediently began digging up medicinal herbs again.

"Don't let me catch any of you slacking off. If you dare slack off, I'll break your legs."

At that moment, Zhang Liang entered the Herb Field with his hands clasped behind his back, cursing as he walked and inspected the area.

Whether it was coincidence or something else, Zhang Liang happened to walk toward Ye Lin.

When he saw Ye Lin diligently digging medicinal herbs, he nodded in satisfaction and continued onward.

"Why is there a hole here?"

Zhang Liang squatted down and looked at the pit before him. Every spirit herb in the Herb Field was counted.

When harvesting spirit herbs, one did not simply pull them out by the roots. They were cut off at the surface, leaving the roots behind so they could grow again next year.

Looking at the small pit, Zhang Liang shot Ye Lin in the distance a faintly murderous glance before reaching his hand inside.

The next instant, Zhang Liang seemed to touch something and yanked it out.

"A Spirit Fruit?"

Looking at the golden Spirit Fruit in his hand, Zhang Liang's face brightened.

However, compared with the one Ye Lin had just dug up, this Spirit Fruit was much smaller.

"A Yellow Grade Low Tier Spirit Fruit? If I consume it, my foundation at Qi Refining Level 3 will definitely deepen another layer."

Staring at the Spirit Fruit before him, Zhang Liang had been blinded by wealth.

The value of Spirit Fruits and medicinal herbs differed enormously. Medicinal herbs had to be refined into pills before they could be consumed; swallowing them directly was of little use.

Spirit Fruits were different. They could be consumed directly, and their effects were immense.

"My luck is as good as ever."

Looking at the Spirit Fruit in his hand, Zhang Liang murmured. He tucked it into his robe, then began patrolling the Herb Field while looking around.

Ye Lin happened to witness the entire scene.

"So they were twin Spirit Fruits. There was one above, and another below."

Ye Lin murmured. Twin Spirit Fruits were rare, because once they appeared, only one of them would surely survive.

The other would already have been absorbed.

Clearly, the Spirit Fruit Zhang Liang had found had nearly been absorbed by the one Ye Lin had dug up.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, afternoon arrived. The scorching sun beat down on everyone's backs, leaving them in unbearable pain.

They were all still mortals who had never begun cultivating. Lasting until now was already impressive.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Go back and rest."

Zhang Liang shouted. Hearing this, everyone felt as though a great burden had been lifted and rose one after another, placing their baskets before Zhang Liang.

"Get lost."

Zhang Liang waved them away, and everyone quickly left.

Ye Lin was not doing much better. Swaying as he walked, he reached his residence and collapsed onto his little bed. A wave of searing pain immediately struck, and he sprang back up.

Carefully taking off his clothes, he saw a large patch of red swelling across his back, painful enough to make him bare his teeth.

"Damn it."

Feeling the pain in his back, Ye Lin cursed under his breath.

Then he looked at the golden Spirit Fruit in his hand and smiled faintly. It had been worth it.

Ye Lin sat cross-legged on the bed without the slightest hesitation and swallowed the Spirit Fruit. Instantly, it transformed into streams of pure spiritual energy that spread through his entire body.

"Feels good."

Feeling himself grow stronger bit by bit, Ye Lin was filled with joy.

But the next instant, a sharp pain erupted, and Ye Lin's expression changed drastically.

At the same time, a violent surge of spiritual energy entered his body. His formerly clogged meridians were immediately blasted open by that violent energy, becoming incomparably smooth.

The bones throughout his body were shattered beneath the violent spiritual energy, then reassembled under the nourishment of spiritual energy.

Gradually, Ye Lin could no longer endure the pain. He closed his eyes, fell onto the bed, and completely passed out from agony.

At that moment, streams of black filth began seeping from the pores across Ye Lin's skin, looking utterly disgusting.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Zhang Liang sat cross-legged on a luxuriously enormous bed, joyfully examining the small and exquisite Spirit Fruit in his hand.

"Whether I can enter Qi Refining Level 4 depends on you."

With that, Zhang Liang swallowed it in one gulp, chewed it carelessly a few times, and then forcefully gulped it down.

Three minutes, five minutes, ten minutes.

Ten minutes passed, and Zhang Liang's expression grew increasingly strange. Why was there no reaction?

"Could this Spirit Fruit be too high-grade, so it needs more time to take effect?"

With no reaction after ten minutes, Zhang Liang was somewhat puzzled. But in the next instant, his face changed, and he clutched his stomach as he rushed toward the latrine.

A foul stench immediately spread through the surroundings, drawing countless curses.

Five hours later...

Zhang Liang stood in the courtyard with a pale face and trembling legs, his expression full of rage.

"Damn it, what kind of trash Spirit Fruit was that? Fuck!"

Zhang Liang immediately began cursing. He had been shitting for a full five hours, and it had not stopped once.

Good thing he was at Qi Refining Level 3. Otherwise, he would have shat himself to death.

Elsewhere, Ye Lin, who had been unconscious for five hours, slowly opened his eyes. He raised an arm to cover his eyes out of habit, but the next instant, his eyes widened.

"What happened?"

Looking at his pitch-black arms and body, along with the foul stench that occasionally wafted from them, Ye Lin was full of confusion.

He then lowered his head. Immediately, a transparent panel appeared before his eyes.

Name: Ye Lin

Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 3

Fate Rank: Black (Calamitous)

Fate Traits: [Cursed with Bad Luck] [Divine Comprehension]

Destiny: Half a month from now, you will participate in the Chore Disciple Tournament. While fighting Zhang Liang for the position of Chore Overseer, you will be caught off guard when Zhang Liang uses Bone-Melting Powder to launch a sneak attack. You will die from this.

Recent Opportunity: None

[Cursed with Bad Luck]: Your luck is poor. For example, you will trip whenever you walk, and get cuckolded whenever you marry.

[Divine Comprehension]: You possess Transcendental Comprehension and can understand all kinds of cultivation techniques at incredible speed. Others need three months to comprehend the same cultivation technique, while you need only a few days.

"Qi Refining Level 3?"

Seeing his cultivation, Ye Lin clenched his fist in excitement, his face filled with delight.

He could feel that not only had his strength increased, but his defenses had also greatly improved. At the same time, a mass of spiritual energy floated within his dantian.

The spiritual energy contained within this Spirit Fruit had been far too abundant for the former Ye Lin at Qi Refining Level 1. After Cleansing Marrow, there was still quite a bit left, now floating within his dantian.

"If I slowly refine this spiritual energy, it will be enough for me to enter Qi Refining Level 4."

Ye Lin murmured.

Then, when he saw his Destiny, Ye Lin thought to himself that Qi Refining Level 3 was still not enough. However, this time, he at least possessed the strength to fight Zhang Liang head-on.

But the panel had clearly changed this time. Although he now had the strength to contend with Zhang Liang, he would still be killed by Zhang Liang's sneak attack.

"No. There are still half a month left. Now that I've entered Qi Refining Level 3, if I exchange for another cultivation technique, use Spirit Stones to assist me, and refine that mass of spiritual energy, half a month will be enough for me to enter Qi Refining Level 5."

Ye Lin murmured. At Qi Refining Level 5, his cultivation would already be at a crushing level—more than enough.

The Azure Cloud Sect had five ranks: Chore Disciple, Outer Sect disciple, Inner Sect disciple, Elder's Personal Disciple, and Sect Holy Son.

Among the Outer Sect disciples, most were at Qi Refining Level 4 or Qi Refining Level 5.

"I should take a bath first."

Ye Lin came back to his senses as wave after wave of foul stench rushed into his nose, making him feel sick.