C6 Becoming a Disciple

The Third Elder clearly approved of Ye Chen's decision, assisting him to his feet before adding, "I only agreed to become a patron of the Void Returning Sect because I owed a favor to the Void Returning Taoist. Once you've mastered my techniques, you too will become a patron one day."

Subsequently, the Third Elder presented Ye Chen with several tomes, basic primers on the art of alchemy and weaponry, and set a new deadline: within five years, Ye Chen was to fully grasp these concepts before moving on to actual refining.

Expressing his gratitude to his master with a nod, Ye Chen retreated to his cabin and eagerly opened the first book. Despite its deceptive thinness, the initial page left him feeling overwhelmed for days before he could make sense of it.

Yet, the path of cultivation and the craft of alchemy and weaponry were inherently complex, and the effort Ye Chen invested was well within the bounds of reason.

In the blink of an eye, three months had flown by. Aside from his studies in alchemy and weaponry, Ye Chen diligently practiced the Void Returning Divine Arts. However, he was perplexed to find that each time he circulated his Spiritual Force according to the Divine Arts, his body's energy diminished by a full third.

Given that his constitution already struggled to absorb Spiritual Force, and with the Divine Arts further reducing it, his progress in cultivation was at risk of significant delay.

The Third Elder seldom offered guidance, but he did reveal the essence of the Void Returning Divine Arts: the ability to simultaneously compress and refine Spiritual Force, greatly enhancing the potency of spells cast. Yet, for Ye Chen, this was less than ideal.

The Third Elder estimated that with Ye Chen's five Spirit Roots, reaching the Ninth Empyrean of Qi Refining would take no less than five hundred years, a revelation that struck Ye Chen hard.

Were it not for the solace he found in his cherished jar, Ye Chen might have been tempted to abandon his pursuit altogether.

In an effort to keep his prized possession a secret, Ye Chen kept a watchful eye on the Third Elder's daily routine. He noted that apart from his alchemical work, the elder spent most of his time indulging in his wine gourd, with the remainder devoted to deep slumber.

This was a fortunate turn of events, as it provided Ye Chen with ample time to work independently without the risk of being discovered by others.

One evening, he stealthily retrieved a clay jar and tossed a Spiritual Pill into it. He waited for roughly thirty minutes, but as time passed, Ye Chen's spirits plummeted.

The pill remained unchanged. Had it lost its potency?

Refusing to give up, he threw in a Spiritual Grass and, within just fifteen minutes, Ye Chen was astonished to find his investment had quintupled.

He then experimented with a variety of miscellaneous items and made an intriguing discovery: the jar could only replicate items that occurred naturally. Anything artificially created by humans would not be graced with duplication.

This presented a significant dilemma for Ye Chen. He had planned to use an endless supply of Spiritual Pills to enhance his cultivation. If the quality was insufficient, he thought he could compensate with sheer quantity. Unfortunately, his plan was doomed before it even began.

Realizing that consuming herbs directly was hardly a sustainable strategy, Ye Chen learned from various texts that most herbs carried toxicity. A few might be harmless, but ingesting large quantities for refinement would surely backfire.

With this in mind, Ye Chen set aside his cultivation pursuits to concentrate on mastering the art of alchemy. This approach was the most fitting for his current situation. With a continuous supply of herbs at his disposal, he could focus on crafting high-grade pills. Perhaps, by earning a reputation as an alchemist, he might even be chosen to join the prestigious Extreme King Sect—a place where even those at the Foundation Establishment level were considered mere novices.

After a little over a month, Ye Chen's efficiency and orderly management of various tasks impressed the Third Elder, who entrusted him with two pill recipes.

These were hard-earned, as the Third Elder felt Ye Chen was reaching too high too soon. He had just found his footing and was already looking to sprint ahead.

Yet, such ambition was understandable. Given the high failure rate in pill refinement, the Third Elder was concerned about the potential destruction of his herb garden at the hands of an inexperienced Ye Chen. Typically, newcomers would spend years familiarizing themselves with medicinal properties before attempting hands-on refinement. Ye Chen's pace, however, was exceptionally rapid.

"These are two basic pill formulas, known as the Gold Sand Pill and the Nine-Pointed Powder."

To play it safe, the Third Elder procured two of the simplest medicinal recipes. This way, even if there were failures, the losses would be minimal. They were also well-suited for a newcomer like Ye Chen to practice with.

"The Gold Sand Pill can enhance the speed at which one absorbs and refines Spiritual Force. Although it's not as potent as the Spirit Transforming Pill, its formula is quite straightforward."

"The Nine Pungent Powder, on the other hand, is for healing wounds. It's of little use in the Cultivation Realm, but in the mortal world, it's considered a priceless sacred medicine. Take it and ponder over it, but be careful not to waste too much of my herbs!"

Ye Chen was ecstatic upon receiving these formulas and hurried back to his small cabin.

As per ancient texts, special flames are required to refine Pills. Typically, using Spiritual Force to ignite Dao fire is most appropriate due to its precise temperature control. However, the Third Elder used various century-old trees for his pill refinement.

Controlling such flames from ordinary wood is quite challenging; they are uneven and unpredictable. But as the Third Elder says, after a hundred years, even these can possess a hint of spirituality. Besides, the entire Void Returning Sect uses Dao fire for pill-making, and this old man simply can't keep up with that.

Additionally, there are the Heavenly Flames of prestigious sects, said to be the essence of fire extracted from the sun itself, which alchemists find incredibly convenient to use. Even ordinary disciples can manipulate them to some extent.

Unquestionably, the Void Returning Sect doesn't have access to such resources. Ye Chen, unlike the Third Elder, cannot rely on experience and cultivation to refine Spiritual Pills from ordinary wood. He must instead use the mana within his body to sustain the effort, managing to produce a flame with great difficulty.

This task is far from easy, requiring precise control over Spiritual Force and resulting in significant energy consumption. Thankfully, patience is something Ye Chen has in abundance. Once his Spiritual Force is depleted, he begins again, and after two weeks of continuous attempts, he finally manages to stabilize the Dao fire, ensuring it no longer flickers erratically.

These persistent trials also help Ye Chen retain a considerable amount of energy within himself, solidifying his footing in the first level of the Qi Refining realm.

This morning, Ye Chen carried out his usual task of transporting charcoal to the valley entrance. He noticed Hsu Qi and the rest peering eagerly in his direction, clearly waiting for him. Without wasting any time, he quickly delivered the charcoal to the Pill Refining Pavilion and hurried back out.

"Mr. Ye! I'm overjoyed! I've finally broken through to the first level of the Qi Refining Realm!"

"The Great Elder mentioned allocating more Spirit Item resources to us. Who knows, maybe we'll even earn the opportunity to join the Royal Extreme Sect someday."

Liu Ao and his companions, now donning elegant brocade robes, bore no resemblance to their former impoverished selves back in Ye Family Village. Both had successfully achieved their breakthroughs.

"Here, Mr. Ye, I've specifically set aside these Spiritual Pills for you. Given the challenges of cultivating with your five Spirit Roots, these will be immensely helpful."

Hsu Qi produced three spherical pills from his pocket, revealing that their visit was specifically to deliver these pills to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen was torn between amusement and disbelief. Ironically, he, once considered worthless, had advanced faster than Liu Ao and the others, and had already solidified his cultivation level.

"You should keep these Spiritual Pills for yourself. Now's the time to double your efforts and strive for entry into the Royal Extreme Sect. Remember what Senior Brother Chen Chong said? Any reward from our seniors could be worth more than a multitude of Spiritual Pills."

"Alas, Mr. Ye, you're not aware..."

At Ye Chen's words, Liu Ao looked down, a tinge of sorrow in his voice.

"Senior Brother Chen Chong... he's passed away..."

Ever since they joined the Void Returning Sect, Chen Chong had been their welcoming guide, and outside the valley, Hsu Qi and the others had often been under his watchful care. They had developed a strong bond with him.

"What? How could this happen?"

Ye Chen was stunned by the news.

"The senior brothers say that in recent days, numerous bandits and factions in Northern Chu have targeted Void Returning Sect disciples. The murder of the Void Returning Taoist is just one incident."

"The Sect Master has gone to the Royal Extreme Sect, and it's uncertain when he'll return. Therefore, the Great Elder has decreed a lockdown of the Void Returning Sect, forbidding any disciple from leaving the mountain at will."

Ye Chen recalled the muscular man's words and involuntarily inhaled sharply. They were clearly up to no good. He promptly cautioned, "You all must be vigilant. Should the Void Returning Sect face any danger in the future, come to me without delay. The Sect Master's Profound Sword Formation will keep us safe."

Once Liu Ao and his companion had departed, Ye Chen couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the situation than met the eye. He shared his concerns with the Third Elder, who appeared to take the news in stride.