Arrival at Reserve Beauty Peak

"Oh, Senior Brother Liu, Senior Brother Zhang used a jade slip when he taught me a cultivation technique. Why aren't you using one?"

Xu Changshou voiced his confusion.

Liu Chuansheng said disdainfully, "You haven't reached the seventh level of Qi Refining yet. Even if I gave you a cultivation jade slip, you couldn't use it."

"You have to reach the seventh level of Qi Refining to use jade slips?"

"Of course. Once you reach the seventh level of Qi Refining, you can project spiritual energy outside your body. It's an important dividing line in the Qi Refining Period."

"Project spiritual energy outside the body..."

Xu Changshou sank into thought...

Below the seventh level of Qi Refining, he couldn't even read a jade slip. Only now did he realize he had been able to use one back then because Zhang Zhengyuan had helped him.

Wait, do I also have to reach the seventh level of Qi Refining to open my Bloodline Jade Talisman?

At that thought, Xu Changshou grew excited. Before, he had tried countless methods-soaking it in water, burning it with fire, even dripping blood onto it-but the bloodline jade stone had shown no reaction at all.

Looking back now, his thinking had been shallow.

Since it was something from the cultivation world, it surely required spiritual energy to open. Once he reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, he could most likely unlock the Bloodline Jade Talisman's secrets.

"That's right!"

Liu Chuansheng continued, "Once cultivators reach the seventh level of Qi Refining and can project spiritual energy outside their bodies, they can practice simple spells. Only then do they possess some offensive power. Kid, here's a warning: before you reach the seventh level of Qi Refining, never leave the sect to gain experience. Otherwise, you won't even know how you died."

"Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother. I understand."

"Store!"

Finally, Liu Chuansheng swept his wide sleeve, putting the spirit stones, the Ten Paths Formula, the Daoist robes, the Disciple Handbook, the Fine Steel Sword, and the other items into the Storage Bag. Then he handed it to Xu Changshou. "Junior Brother Xu, these things are the sect's welcome benefits for newcomers. This is the only lot you'll get for free.

"From now on, whatever you want to buy, you'll have to pay for it yourself."

Xu Changshou nodded. Of course, he understood that the money Liu Chuansheng meant was not worldly currency, but spirit stones.

"Off you go. Your cultivation quarters are at Reserve Beauty Peak, Gengzi Courtyard, number ten."

Xu Changshou silently committed his address to memory. Looking at the Storage Bag, he wanted to ask how to use it, but seeing the impatience on Liu Chuansheng's face, he held back his question and turned toward the hall's exit.

After leaving the Steward Hall, Xu Changshou looked around blankly, an indescribable loneliness filling his heart.

He had left Xu Family Village, and he had no idea where his master, Zhang Zhengyuan, had gone. Xu Changshou even found himself missing that shrew a little.

Since I'm here, I might as well settle in.

Xu Changshou shook his head slightly and hurried into the pavilion where the Public Flying Boat stopped. Three or four people were waiting for it there.

Everyone waiting for the flying boat brimmed with ambition, and none felt inclined to talk.

By now, Xu Changshou had a general understanding of the Public Flying Boats.

Zhang Zhengyuan had said that the Green Immortal Sect had six Public Flying Boats in total, essentially ensuring that two boats passed any given peak every quarter of an hour.

Since the boat had not arrived yet, Xu Changshou began examining his Storage Bag.

His Storage Bag had only a cubic meter of space, much less than Zhang Zhengyuan's.

Before long.

Xu Changshou mastered its use. To retrieve something, he simply named it silently in his mind, channeled spiritual energy into his palm, and patted the Storage Bag. The item he wanted would then emerge.

Putting things inside was even easier. Once an item came near the mouth of the Storage Bag, it would be sucked in automatically.

A short while later, the flying boat arrived.

Xu Changshou boarded the flying boat and took out the Disciple Handbook to read.

Its main contents were the Sect Rules and basic information about the sect's various peaks.

He carefully read through the Sect Rules:

Those who betrayed their sect would be killed without mercy.

Those who defied their elders would be killed without mercy.

Those who fought within the sect would be killed without mercy.

There were more than ten Sect Rules, but as long as he exercised a little caution, he should generally avoid breaking them.

Putting away the Disciple Handbook, Xu Changshou gazed out over the sea of clouds, his eyes roaming across the great peaks.

The flying boat had around twenty stops. It started at Steward Peak, then passed Fengdu Peak, Eight Trigrams Peak, Heavenly Pivot Peak, Green Ink Peak, Scarlet Fire Peak, Cinnabar Clouds Peak, Great Unity Peak, Luminous Grace Peak, Reserve Beauty Peak... Its final stop was Front Gate Peak.

There was something else to watch out for: the sect's flying boats traveled in both directions. Taking one going the wrong way would waste a great deal of time.

This time, Xu Changshou had boarded one going the wrong way. He had done so deliberately, wanting to make a few extra rounds and deepen his understanding of the Green Immortal Sect.

"We've reached Fengdu Peak. Anyone getting off?" someone called.

"I am!"

A pale-faced young man disembarked.

"Fengdu Peak..."

Xu Changshou lifted his gaze. Before him stood a mighty peak steeped in sinister, ghostly gloom, wreathed in black vapor. It was utterly terrifying.

Still, Fengdu Peak lived up to its status as one of the seven main peaks. Its spiritual energy was clearly several times denser than Steward Peak's.

If only I could cultivate here.

The thought flashed through Xu Changshou's mind, but he quickly shook his head. Forget it. This place is too frightening.

The flying boat set off again, passing Eight Trigrams Peak, Heavenly Pivot Peak, Green Ink Peak, Scarlet Fire Peak, Cinnabar Clouds Peak, and the other peaks in turn.

"We've reached Great Unity Peak."

The flying boat arrived at the Green Immortal Sect's largest peak, where the spiritual energy was richest. The mighty mountain pierced straight into the clouds, its summit beyond sight.

Amid the clouds and mist, wide sleeves fluttered.

Exquisite buildings studded the mountain from top to bottom, their pavilions and towers gleaming with precious light.

The towering peak gave an impression of radiant clouds and jeweled splendor.

Xu Changshou even saw a streak of light flash past, swift as lightning. He had no idea what it was.

"What a blessed haven for immortals."

Xu Changshou was secretly astonished.

They were only at the foot of the mountain. He could only imagine how rich the spiritual energy must be higher up.

The flying boat continued onward...

"Fellow Daoists, Reserve Beauty Peak is just ahead. If you're getting off, prepare yourselves."

Reserve Beauty Peak...

Xu Changshou's heart stirred, and he looked toward Reserve Beauty Peak.

The entire peak looked as though a sharp sword had sliced it off halfway up, with numerous buildings then erected on the immense cut surface.

Looking down, he saw hundreds of houses packed tightly together. Compared with Great Unity Peak's exquisite buildings, the sight felt like stepping into a slum.

Clearly, these houses were for the menial disciples.

Besides these, there were many other large compounds. Some reeked to high heaven, some held mountains of firewood, some were piled with cloth, and others with scrap metal. Xu Changshou also spotted a building that looked like a granary.

In short, nearly everything filthy, messy, and shabby had been gathered on Reserve Beauty Peak.

"We've reached Reserve Beauty Peak. Hurry off, hurry off!"

With a great clatter...

There were dozens of people on the flying boat, and nearly ninety percent disembarked at Reserve Beauty Peak.

Xu Changshou followed the others onto Reserve Beauty Peak.

The disciples' courtyards on Reserve Beauty Peak were all numbered using the sixty-year cycle: Jiazi Courtyard, Yichou Courtyard, Bingyin Courtyard, Dingmao Courtyard...

Following this sequence, Xu Changshou soon found his cultivation quarters: Gengzi Courtyard.