Qiwu Sword Sect

One hundred and forty-eight Spirit Stones. He had struck it rich!

If he exchanged them all for Spirit Coins, he could get at least fifteen hundred!

What did that mean?

A third of the money for his Spiritual Root was covered!

"So this is what profiteering feels like?"

Chen Zhuo could not help sighing inwardly. The weight of the Spirit Stones gave him a tremendous sense of security.

With his current wealth, Chen Zhuo could rank among the top five at his vocational college, right?

Of course, what rich kid went to vocational college?

They had long since gone abroad—to another domain—to study.

There was an unwritten rule in the Immortal Estate world.

If someone came from a prominent family but had less-than-ideal grades and Spiritual Roots,

their family would use the resources of the older generation to send them across domains to study at a top academy.

The Yuqing Domain was known for its Divine Sense and excelled at artifact refining and related fields. These days, the entire domain leaned toward strengthening something called "Tianyuan."

It was basically the cultivation world's version of AI. The Spirit Message Jade Slip and Little Jade were both products of the Yuqing Domain.

The Shangqing Domain focused more on combat. The renowned Shangqing Military Industries oversaw many enterprises, including military cultivation technology firms and the Cluster Cultivation Group. It was on another level.

The Daluo Domain, meanwhile, was rather obsessed with modifying the flesh and excelled at implants.

The Zhongtian Domain did a little of everything, though it mainly followed traditional cultivation. It was the Immortal Estate's home base and the original world.

But traditional cultivators were increasingly unable to match technological cultivators. Those of the Zhongtian Domain were growing weaker, a sign of the Immortal Estate's gradual decline.

As for the Taiqing Domain, where Chen Zhuo lived, pharmaceuticals were its mainstay. Taking drugs was routine.

Each of the Five Domains had its specialties, but they complemented one another.

The Shangqing Domain and Yuqing Domain often collaborated, for instance. Products like Swarm Flying Swords needed the Yuqing Domain's Divine Sense and Tianyuan support.

And the Daluo Domain's bodily modifications could hardly do without the Taiqing Domain's pills.

Each had a piece of the other.

That was what made studying across domains possible. Then, thirty or forty years later, the students could return home as "domain-returning elites" and take up important posts.

But he had wandered off topic.

Chen Zhuo's parents were neither Golden Core True Persons nor Nascent Soul True Lords.

He did not even know who his parents were. He could only rely on himself.

Shaking his head, Chen Zhuo headed for the edge of the Shantytown to see Li Changqing.

He still had to write his report on this month's Qi Gathering Powder.

Having Li Changqing serve as the subject of his report was a task Chen Zhuo had to complete every month.

After all, Li Changqing had a younger sister, and people who were decent at heart were rare in the Ancient Immortal Realm. Chen Zhuo would not trust anyone else with the job.

Throughout the walk to the edge of the Shantytown, though, Chen Zhuo remained on guard.

He had killed Zhao Si and Liu Wu with the Premium Sword Qi Talisman, but that did not mean the Shantytown held no other dangers.

If there were only two Robber Cultivators, Cloudford Market's Shantytown would have made the list of the "Ten Safest Markets."

Besides, that old fox Shopkeeper Han had probably guessed something by now.

But Chen Zhuo was not worried.

Given Shopkeeper Han's cautious nature, realizing that Chen Zhuo might have someone backing him would only make the man more wary and less likely to act rashly.

That actually worked in Chen Zhuo's favor.

Li Changqing's face lit up when he saw Chen Zhuo. "Senior, you're here!"

Chen Zhuo nodded and took out his coursework. "If you need this dose of Qi Gathering Powder, you can have it for eight Spirit Stones."

Li Changqing's eyes brightened, but his expression soon turned troubled. "Senior, I've been a little short of funds lately. I'm afraid..."

"How many Spirit Stones do you have?"

Chen Zhuo did not mind. He was here to do his homework, not make money.

"I only have two Spirit Stones from hunting demons with Brother Sun and Brother Wang a few days ago..."

Li Changqing looked embarrassed.

"That'll do."

Chen Zhuo said casually, "You can owe me the other six Spirit Stones."

Li Changqing grew excited and bowed deeply to Chen Zhuo. "Thank you, Senior!"

He carefully took a small cloth pouch from his robes. It held two Spirit Stones and a few grains of Spirit Sand.

Presenting it with both hands, Li Changqing said respectfully, "Please take these, Senior. I'll gather the remaining six Spirit Stones and repay you as soon as I can!"

Chen Zhuo accepted the stones and gave a slight nod.

Then he handed the Qi Gathering Powder to Li Changqing. "Take it here. I need to observe and make notes."

"Yes!"

Li Changqing answered, then opened the bottle under Chen Zhuo's watchful eye.

The Qi Gathering Powder was pale yellow and gave off a faint, pleasant fragrance.

Li Changqing took a deep breath, held the bottle to his nose and mouth, and carefully inhaled the powder.

"Cough, cough!"

The powder went up his nose. Evidently unused to it, Li Changqing could not help coughing twice.

But he soon steadied his breathing and began circulating the spiritual energy within him.

Honestly, it looked a bit like smoking weed...

As Chen Zhuo took notes, his expression turned odd.

Inhalation through the nose and mouth. Intravenous injection.

Wait, is our Taiqing Domain really in the pharmaceutical business? Why does something feel off?

After grumbling to himself, Chen Zhuo resumed his notes: "Mild coughing after administration..."

The time it took a stick of incense to burn passed. Li Changqing opened his eyes, looking bright and energetic.

"Senior, this Qi Gathering Powder is excellent quality!"

Li Changqing said excitedly, "I can feel spiritual energy filling my body. This dose of Qi Gathering Powder will save me at least two months of arduous cultivation. Thank you, Senior!"

"Tell me about any difficulties you encountered while Cultivation," Chen Zhuo said at once.

"Yes, Senior."

Li Changqing cupped his hands. "When the energy reached the Foot Jue Meridian, there was some..."

Chen Zhuo kept writing as he listened to Li Changqing's account.

After writing for about ten minutes, Chen Zhuo let out a long breath.

Another month's homework was done.

That felt good.

Seeing Chen Zhuo set down his pen, Li Yao approached cautiously, holding two bright red wild fruits in her little hands. She timidly offered them to him and said softly, "Senior, Uncle Zheng next door picked these in the mountains. They're very sweet..."

Chen Zhuo paused and looked down at the little girl with clear eyes. He could not help smiling.

He took the fruit, patted Li Yao's head, and said, "Thank you."

Li Yao's little face flushed. She quickly hid behind Li Changqing, peeking out at Chen Zhuo with only half her head visible.

Li Changqing smiled at the sight.

Once Chen Zhuo had finished his notes, Li Changqing spoke up. "Senior, may I say a few words?"

"Go ahead."

Chen Zhuo put away his paper and pen, in a good mood.

"Senior, did you know the Qiwu Sword Sect will open its gates to recruit disciples in three months?" Li Changqing asked tentatively.

Chen Zhuo froze.

The Sword Gate was recruiting disciples?

Information left behind by the Sinister Old Man he had killed flashed through his mind.

The Qiwu Sword Gate was the foremost sect in the Xu Kingdom, and Cloudford Market, where he was now, seemed to be under its jurisdiction.

"Tell me more," Chen Zhuo pressed.

Seeing Chen Zhuo's interest, Li Changqing perked up and hurried to explain. "Senior, the Qiwu Sword Sect opens its gates to recruit disciples once every ten years. This happens to be a recruitment year."

Huh?

Chen Zhuo paused, then asked, "What are the requirements?"

"They aren't particularly strict."

Li Changqing answered respectfully, "Anyone under thirty who has reached Late Qi Refinement is admitted without an examination."

"Those at Middle Qi Refinement must pass an assessment. If they do, they can become Outer Sect Disciples of the Sword Gate."

"And anyone with outstanding aptitude can ascend to the heavens in a single step and be taken in as an Inner Sect Disciple!"

Middle Qi Refinement...

Chen Zhuo's interest stirred.

He had only recently broken through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer. He met that requirement exactly.

Should he try for the Qiwu Sword Sect?

At that thought, Chen Zhuo said, "You can probably tell I'm not from the Xu Kingdom. Tell me about the Qiwu Sword Sect in detail."

"Besides the Qiwu Sword Gate, are there any other sects in the Xu Kingdom?"