Four Years (Seeking Recommendations)

Four years later.

Pill Island.

Inside his cave dwelling, Fang Qing looked at the jade bottle in his hand.

Once it was opened, a mournful whistling of wind could be heard from within, accompanied by the tinkling of spring water.

Inside the bottle was a strand of clear, transparent, lustrous True Qi—the fifth-grade middle-grade "Earthspring Tempered Essence"!

"It wasn't easy..."

Fang Qing sighed.

Originally, he had estimated that two or three years would be enough to fully refine a strand of Earthspring Tempered Essence. That estimate had not been wrong.

But Fang Qing had overlooked the competition over cold springs, as well as the burdens of sect assignments.

The Azure Sea Sect invested spirit veins, cultivation arts, and resources into raising its disciples. Naturally, it expected them to risk their lives in return. Unless one had connections or backing and could choose easier assignments, one could only grit one's teeth and bear it.

As a newly inducted disciple, Fang Qing had only one year to adapt. After that, he had mandatory assignments every year.

Fortunately, the Azure Sea Sect was not currently at war with any other faction. Otherwise, the death rate for mandatory assignments would have shot straight upward.

Even so, after Fang Qing had luckily muddled through his first few assignments, his boat had capsized two years ago. He had been assigned to the sect's fishing team and sent into the deep sea to hunt demon fish. One careless moment had left him with injuries neither too severe nor too mild, delaying his cultivation as well.

He had originally calculated that he could cultivate his Qi Refining Third Layer mana to completion in three years. Yet four years had passed, and he was still just a little short of Third Layer Completion.

"Next comes the bottleneck between Early Qi Refinement and Mid Qi Refinement... After the bottleneck, every layer of Mid Qi Refinement takes five or six years at the least. Late Qi Refinement need not even be mentioned..."

"At my age, breaking through to Qi Refining Ninth Layer Grand Completion before the Jiazi Lifespan Limit, the best time for Foundation Establishment, is becoming more and more difficult."

"Is this the hardship of seeking immortality? Encounter the slightest setback, and the road ahead immediately turns dim..."

Of course, his slow cultivation speed was also because he had not used any resources.

Over the past four years, aside from what was necessary to maintain the bare minimum of daily life, Fang Qing had saved all his Contribution Points. He intended to buy several spirit items found in both worlds that carried a much higher premium in Ancient Shu, then resell them there.

Back in Floating Boat Market, Fang Qing had seen many spirit items. Some did not exist on Jade Island, but others had similar or even identical counterparts.

Moreover, identical spirit items held vastly different values in the two worlds. There was plenty of room for profit.

"I've nearly finished practicing the Disguise Technique... It took me a full four years."

"It's time to earn a large amount of resources and raise both my cultivation and alchemy skills..."

Once he became a ranked alchemist, the sect's mandatory assignments would become alchemy assignments. It would not send productive talents such as alchemists to risk their lives hunting demons.

With a thought, Fang Qing took out the Green Leaf Boat artifact and headed to the Palace of Miscellaneous Affairs.

The great hall was still buzzing with voices.

There were even more people than usual.

"Haha... The sect has increased the number of Dragon Transformation Pool assignments. Clearly, a batch of First-Order High Grade Horned Serpents is about to break through to Second-Order..."

"Who knows how many Second-Order Demon Cores they'll produce, or how many Foundation Establishment Pills Elder Tianding will be able to refine..."

"By convention, Foundation Establishment Pills are distributed once every ten years, with True Disciples given priority in exchange... There are quite a few True Disciples in this generation. If the sect's supply of self-produced Second-Order Demon Cores is insufficient, I'm afraid they'll dispatch the Five-Tusk Warship into the deep sea to capture Second-Order demon fish, killing demons to harvest their cores... The casualty rate for such assignments is only slightly lower than a sect war's. They'll definitely be forcibly assigned..."

Listening to the discussions around him, Fang Qing's expression became extremely grave. "Foundation Establishment Pills... Second-Order Demon Cores..."

This had nothing to do with him for now. But if the sect lacked enough self-produced Second-Order Demon Cores and launched a Deep-Sea Grand Fishing expedition, he would be highly likely to become cannon fodder.

"I have to act immediately."

Fang Qing went to the disciples' stalls and began purchasing several spirit materials he had selected.

"Hmm? The prices of some cultivation supplies have risen... Especially high-quality artifacts that can temporarily boost combat strength. Is it related to the matter of Foundation Establishment Pills?"

He arrived at a stall selling medicinal pills and spirit herbs, where he spotted a strange flower as large as a bowl. "How much is this Blazing Sun Flower?"

"Twenty Contribution Points. Take it."

The stall owner was a Mid Qi Refinement cultivator reading a book. He answered without even raising his head.

This Blazing Sun Flower could only be used to refine some basic fire-aspect pills and was not worth much.

But in Ancient Shu, Great Sun spirit items were scarce, so it carried an especially high premium!

Fang Qing had seen one in Floating Boat Market before. It had been the "treasure of the shop" in a pharmacy.

"I'll buy it."

After purchasing the spirit herb, he looked at the medicinal pills. When he saw a Blackwater Pill among them, his heart stirred. "This is... a Blackwater Pill? Are you an alchemist, Senior Brother?"

"Correct. Blackwater Pills are especially suitable for helping Water Spirit Root cultivators break through from Early Qi Refinement to Mid Qi Refinement..."

The young stall owner put down his book, spiritual light flashing in his eyes. "I see you're not far from Qi Refining Third Layer Completion. Would you like one?"

"This..."

Fang Qing considered it inwardly.

He possessed a Middle-Grade Water Spirit Root. By all reason, such a minor bottleneck should not stop him.

But how much time it would delay him was hard to say.

Using a Blackwater Pill to force a breakthrough was indeed a good way to save time—the prerequisite was having enough Contribution Points!

"May I ask the price?"

"Only two hundred Contribution Points."

"Excuse me!"

Fang Qing turned and left.

"Haha... Senior Brother Xu, you misjudged him. This Junior Brother Fang is empty-pocketed. I'm afraid he can't afford the Blackwater Pill in your hand."

At that moment, a blue-robed cultivator approached from the side and mocked him. It was none other than Li Yusu.

"Li Yudan, what did you call me?"

Fang Qing stopped in his tracks.

"Junior Brother Fang, what? Among cultivators of the same generation in our sect, strength is honored above all. I've already reached Qi Refining Third Layer Completion and will soon enter seclusion to break through into Mid Qi Refinement. Can't I call you Junior Brother?"

Li Yusu laughed heartily.

"Junior Brother Yudan, have you overlooked the sect rules? Though such a rule exists, cultivators of the same cultivation layer are still ranked according to when they entered the sect. Therefore, until you break through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement, I am still your Senior Brother."

Fang Qing did not know why. Clearly, after he had severed his connection with Zha Zhu, even Gong Susu's faint yet ever-present malice had vanished, but Li Yusu still refused to let the matter rest.

Perhaps this was simply the jealousy of his youth?

It was laughable, but people were people. Sometimes, they simply did absurd things for no reason.

"Hmph, I won't argue over this with you... The sect will soon conduct a 'Grand Fishing.' You'll definitely be on the list for the ocean-going fleet. I'll be waiting for you!"

Li Yusu laughed with delight.

"Then wait."

Fang Qing turned and left, too lazy to quarrel with him.

Not far away, Hua Lian and Yu Taohua had witnessed the scene as well.

"Senior Brother Hua... it seems you misjudged him."

Yu Taohua smiled beautifully. "This Fang Qing showed promise young, but may not amount to much in the end... That Zha Zhu, however—I hear she has already reached Qi Refining Fifth Layer? Given time, the threshold of Late Qi Refinement certainly won't be able to trap her..."

"She truly is a favored daughter of heaven..."

Senior Brother Hua praised her, watching Fang Qing depart. His fine family upbringing made him one of the rare few whose manner had remained unchanged even while Fang Qing had fallen on hard times. "As for Junior Brother Fang, testing jade requires three full days of burning, and judging timber requires waiting seven years... We have now been in the sect for seven years, and he does indeed seem somewhat mediocre. Yet precisely because of this, when we see him in the future, we must greet him with smiles and not create needless resentment. Look at Li Yusu—upon gaining a little success, he humiliates his former Senior Brother. How good can his reputation be? Reputation is important in the sect. Otherwise, even if one becomes a True Disciple, who would lend them that enormous sum of Contribution Points for a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"Foundation Establishment Pills... This time, it will not be our turn. Nor will the next ten years be the stage for disciples of our generation. But I believe in you, Senior Brother Hua. In the future, you will surely become a True Disciple and make your name resound across the Azure Sea."

Yu Taohua gazed at Senior Brother Hua with infatuation, as if some sort of light shimmered in her eyes.

"This fishing team assignment will be more dangerous than the last!"

Inside his cave dwelling, Fang Qing's expression was grave.

He did not care at all about some of the things Li Yudan had said. He even rather liked hearing them. After all, Li Yusu had a Foundation Establishment master and could learn much sect intelligence, which he might inadvertently reveal.

Now that he knew of this matter, he had to respond at once!

"There isn't much time. I must break through in alchemy as soon as possible..."

He took out a bright yellow talisman paper from his storage bag, pasted it onto the entrance of his cave dwelling, and hung up a sign declaring seclusion.

This was a Protective Talisman, capable of guarding a cultivator in seclusion.

Even if Spiritual Sense tried to force its way inside, it would automatically turn to ash and alert the cultivator.

After taking these protective measures, Fang Qing formed hand seals with both hands and began practicing the Disguise Technique.

As he muttered incantations under his breath, the flesh on Fang Qing's face seemed to come alive and wriggle. With only slight adjustments to his brows and eyes, he looked like an entirely different person.

Not only that, but his aura began to change as well. It faintly differed from that of the local cultivators, carrying instead some traits of Breath-Nourishing Dao cultivators.

"Unfortunately, it's merely a barely passable imitation. The moment I truly fight and use mana, it will immediately be exposed. And if I encounter a Foundation Establishment cultivator, or a Dao Foundation Great Cultivator from that side... I likely still won't be able to conceal it."

"Four years of effort, along with an elite secret art from the Azure Sea Sect... and this is all I have to show for it."

"This will do. Tomorrow, I'll immediately accept a mission to leave the sect, then take the risk. Counting the days, Jade Heaven Market should be opening this year as well."

Ever since learning of the abilities of high-level cultivators' Spiritual Sense, Fang Qing had done his best to avoid using the Dao-Born Pearl within the sect.

"I've heard that after Foundation Establishment, one can claim an entire peak and arrange a Second-Order formation to protect one's cave dwelling... Even Core Formation ancestors find it difficult to quietly probe the privacy within such a formation... Unfortunately, that remains a little too far away from me."