C5 The Schemes of the Sects and Sects

The following day, Liu Ao and his companions were led away at the crack of dawn by Chen Chong. Within a short span of half a month, Chen Chong returned, now holding a jar, and announced his intention to deliver it to the Second Elder.

As Ye Chen made his way up the bluestone steps, he occasionally spotted a few fellow disciples. The infrequency of their presence was puzzling, prompting him to inquire, "Senior Brother, where have all the other members of our Void Returning Sect gone?" Despite the vastness of the grounds, it seemed deserted, which he found quite baffling.

"Our Azure Mystic Sect is small, with only about eighty members," came the reply. "Many disciples are out on missions. This is quite normal, and you'll likely be assigned such tasks by the sect in the future."

"Also, keep in mind that our Void Returning Sect is led by three Elders. The Great Elder and Second Elder are responsible for accepting disciples. Though the Third Elder is the lowest ranked, his prestige and influence are second only to the Sect Master."

"He oversees the creation of pills, personally crafting all the Pill for the sect, which affords him a highly esteemed status."

Ye Chen, now even more intrigued, asked, "But why is that? Surely I'm not qualified to study under the Third Elder, am I?" It seemed logical that the most promising disciples would be assigned to the Third Elder.

"Ah, there's no helping it. The old man has quite the peculiar temperament, and most people simply can't stand it. Once you're there, you must follow his instructions to the letter. Otherwise, if you upset the Third Elder, not even the Sect Master can help you."

Chen Chong's words were indirect, but Ye Chen understood the subtext: he was being sent to perform menial tasks for the Third Elder, rather than embarking on the true journey of cultivation.

While they conversed, a valley came into view, its herbal fragrance wafting from a distance. An ancient-looking pavilion stood majestically within the valley.

As Ye Chen moved to approach, Chen Chong quickly restrained him, "Hold on, don't move. The Third Elder has set up a Profound Sword Formation here. Without his express permission, the flying swords would shred us to pieces."

As the words were spoken, a divine light soared from the depths of the valley, accompanied by an ancient voice, "The day for pill collection has not yet arrived, be gone!"

The voice was tinged with impatience, startling Ye Chen considerably. Chen Chong, however, remained composed, as if he had anticipated this moment, and bowed respectfully.

"Third Elder, the sect has recently welcomed several new disciples. On behalf of the Great Elder, I've brought one to assist you with cleaning the furnace and attending to various chores."

"Additionally, I've brought a bottle of century-old flower wine, a tribute from the villagers, as a token of respect to you."

"A century-old batch? You've shown some thoughtfulness there. Bring him over."

"At once!"

Chen Chong, ever serene, had long since familiarized himself with the Third Elder's temperament. He guided Ye Chen deeper into the valley, where the latter gazed in awe at the swords hovering in midair, marveling at the possibility of controlling them from a distance and wishing for one of his own.

Before long, they reached the Pill Refining Pavilion, where a massive furnace, ten feet tall, dominated the scene. Heaps of dry wood blazed beneath it, casting a fiery glow. Ye Chen immediately felt the intense heat, his face soon drenched in sweat.

His attention quickly shifted to the elder seated by the furnace, who was eyeing the flower wine in Chen Chong's embrace. With a mere gesture, the jar levitated towards him.

The elder sniffed the jar and, within moments, nodded in approval. "Hmm, one hundred and eight years. Impressive. You've gone to some lengths, haven't you?"

"Martial Uncle, enjoying this fine wine will surely aid you in crafting more pills for the sect. It is my duty to contribute," Chen Chong responded, bowing his hands in respect.

"However, what's the story with this one?" the Third Elder inquired, turning his gaze to Ye Chen. "I've made it clear to Void Returning that I agreed to assist in pill refinement, not to train his disciples!"

"The situation is such that Ye Chen possesses five different Spirit Roots, making cultivation challenging for him. Therefore, the Great Elder thought it best to send him here to assist you with tasks like chopping wood and sweeping around the furnace."

"Five Spirit Roots? So, you think of me as a dumping ground!" Despite his words, the Third Elder didn't turn him away. "You're quite fortunate, you know."

"What's fortunate about having Five Spirit Roots?" Ye Chen said with a wry smile, careful not to speak out of turn in front of such an esteemed figure.

"Here, take these." The Third Elder gestured, and two verdant Pills flew towards Chen Chong, who was ecstatic. "Thank you for your generosity, Martial Uncle. I—"

"Off with you. You've already got a bargain, no need to butter me up." The Third Elder cut off Chen Chong's attempt at flattery and sent him on his way.

"Kneel, young one. From this day forth, you are my disciple."

Ye Chen quickly knelt and fervently kowtowed several times.

"That's enough. Save your kowtows for when I'm dead; there's no need for so many now."

"Remember, as a member of my sect, you won't be taught any spells or divine techniques. You'll be doing a variety of menial tasks. Just focus on your work and forget about pursuing cultivation."

The Third Elder's declaration dashed Ye Chen's last bit of hope. It was clear that serving this master would be no easy task, certainly not as pleasant as dealing with the affable Immortal Zhang. But Ye Chen didn't dare complain and simply nodded in agreement.

In reality, the valley's affairs weren't too complex. Ye Chen's daily duties involved fetching specific wood from the valley entrance to keep the Furnace's flame alive and tending to the medicinal field near the Pill Refining Pavilion with Spirit Liquid.

The outer disciples had selected the wood, careful not to slack off under the Third Elder's watch. The irrigation of the medicinal field didn't require much expertise either.

For someone like Ye Chen, who had grown up working the land, these tasks were second nature and posed no challenge.

Moreover, the Third Elder instructed Ye Chen to memorize the properties of all the medicinal herbs within a month, to facilitate future assistance with pill refinement.

"Take this. With it, you can move freely in and out of the valley without fear of harm from the Sword Formation."

After finishing his instructions, the Third Elder was about to stand and leave when he nonchalantly tossed a token to Ye Chen, who quickly caught it.

"Master, the Second Elder mentioned yesterday that I might only be able to cultivate up to the Third Level of Qi Refining. Do you think I could possibly..."

Ye Chen mustered a great deal of courage to ask this question, his hands nervously twisting together.

"Humph, you youngsters, is the path of cultivation really so tempting?" the Third Elder scoffed, tossing over a book. "Take a look at this. Figure it out on your own."

Clutching the Void Returning Divine Arts, Ye Chen was overjoyed. The Third Elder, observing his excitement, couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. He was well aware that the growth potential for someone with five Spirit Roots was virtually nonexistent. With this in mind, he threw Ye Chen a Spiritual Pill.

"This will help speed up your cultivation. Just remember, don't get in the way of my important affairs!"

Ye Chen, recalling Chen Chong's ecstatic demeanor, realized the immense value of the Pill. Besides, with the jar's assistance, he could potentially produce a whole sack of Spiritual Pills in the future.

Having taken to heart his master's instructions, Ye Chen made his way to a wooden hut near the medicinal fields, a spot that would make it easier for him to tend to the herbs at night. Once the Third Elder had departed, Ye Chen eagerly opened the Void Returning Divine Arts.

It must be said that, perhaps due to consuming so many spirit herbs, within a mere three days, Ye Chen had committed to memory the effects and specific uses of those herbs. The Third Elder had quizzed him repeatedly, yet Ye Chen responded with ease, managing to coax a rare smile from the old man.

"Not bad, you seem quite clever. Now, let's see the quality of your soul thoughts," the Third Elder remarked.

Ye Chen was puzzled, "Soul thoughts? What are those?"

The Third Elder shook his head, "The Spirit Root is merely the key to the door of cultivation, but soul thoughts are what determine your potential on the path of pill refining. Let's get to it."

With that, the Third Elder placed his large hands upon Ye Chen's crown. After a brief moment of contemplation, he couldn't help but express his admiration, "I've stumbled upon a real gem. Excellent, truly excellent."

"Little one, take me as your master."

"Ah? Wasn't I already taken as a disciple a few days ago?"

Ye Chen was somewhat bewildered by the Third Elder's statement.

"Tsk, that was under the auspices of the Void Returning Sect. Now, I intend to make you my personal disciple, and entrust you with the legacy of pill and weapon crafting in the future."

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen immediately knelt down and accepted the offer without a word.

"Esteemed master, please accept your disciple Ye Chen's bow."

"Very well, very well."