Chương 65: 1.65 Master

The funny-numbered courtyard was quite large; in fact, strictly speaking, it could hardly be called a courtyard. Because Ning was registered as a spiritual farmer, he had been assigned to this specific land, as it came with its own field. And this field contained first-grade spiritual soil. Ning had to admit he felt quite conflicted inside. He had spent a long time trying to upgrade his own sub–first-grade spiritual field through soil refining, yet it had stubbornly refused to improve.

And now, just like that, he had been given a fully first-grade field. Still, he wasn't going to complain. Using the jade token, Ning waved it toward the entrance, and the courtyard formation quietly parted. According to the handbook he had received along with his inner sect robe, each inner sect residence was protected by a basic repelling array. Its defensive strength was limited, but it would alert the owner if someone trespassed. The handbook itself contained quite a lot of useful information.

It was probably the reason Elder Shu had skipped most of the introductory explanations earlier and ran away without a care in the world.

"Anyway," Ning mused, "it's not like anyone would ignore the handbook and end up stuck outside their own courtyard, right?" Somewhere, a certain protagonist might have disagreed. But Ning had more important matters at the moment, namely inspecting his new home, the place that would likely serve as his haven for the foreseeable future. The hut itself was modest in size but cleverly arranged. Inside, it was divided into three sections: a comfortable bedroom, a cultivation room, and a neatly organized washroom.

Everything one needed for daily living was already prepared. Most importantly, there was a large bed.

"Uff." The very first thing Ning did was collapse onto it. As he lay down, the soft mattress practically swallowed him whole. In that moment, he felt as though he had achieved a rare state of enlightenment, the unity of man and bed, a frighteningly profound technique.

"So comfy," Ning muttered happily. His old hut in the outer sect had only contained a simple mat. Any furniture he wanted had to be bought with his own spirit stones. And another important detail he noticed, there was not a single mosquito. That alone already made this place far superior. After all, those bloodsuckers had even managed to defeat that bald guy who could one-shot almost anything. So overall, Ning was extremely satisfied. Cultivation was still his main priority, of course.

But indulging in small comforts from time to time was hardly a crime. A life of nothing but endless cultivation and constant fighting sounded miserable. Besides, cultivation was influenced by one's state of mind. A calm and content heart naturally produced better results than a restless one. At least, that was what Ning told himself. Maybe it was just an excuse. But either way, he intended to enjoy these rare comforts. As the evening sun slowly dipped below the horizon, Ning's eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

Before long, sleep wrapped around him like a warm blanket.... The following morning, as the first rays of dawn slipped through the window, Ning stirred from his peaceful sleep. Reluctantly, he rose from the bed, though for a moment he wished he could remain wrapped in that warm cocoon of comfort forever. Never waking up again. … A slightly concerning thought. Shaking his head, Ning quickly got up and walked toward the washroom.

He casually used a drop of Evergreen Morning Dew while bathing, letting the spiritual liquid cleanse the impurities from his body. Given how much physical training he did on a regular basis, such external "beauty products" were practically essential. It was quite common to end up drenched in sweat after each training session.

Besides, ever since that traumatic incident back in college, when one of his roommates had entered the communal bath while still wearing socks, Ning had developed a deep and lasting hatred for shared bathrooms. Anyway, after washing up and finishing a simple breakfast, Ning felt fully refreshed and ready to begin the day. Although it might seem like he had plenty of free time, especially since the sect had not yet assigned him a mentor, Ning was actually quite busy.

First, he needed to completely overhaul his spiritual farming plan. Now that he possessed a first-grade spiritual field, he could start cultivating much higher-tier crops, especially since the effectiveness of frozen breath grain had lowered. He also needed to map out his upcoming cultivation plans in detail. So for his first day, Ning decided to plant Dragon Qi Grass. Although its effects had slightly diminished due to frequent use, it was still extremely useful during the middle stages of Qi Condensation.

By midday, Ning had finished planting the first batch of seeds. He wiped the soil from his hands and was about to begin the next row when the courtyard formation gave a faint warning. Someone was outside. Ning stood up and walked toward the gate. When he stepped out, he saw a man who looked to be in his forties waiting calmly outside the courtyard. His cultivation was difficult to read, but the black-striped inner sect robe made his status obvious: an inner sect senior brother.

"Are you Junior Brother Ning?" the man asked.

"Yes?" Ning blinked.

"I am Ho Fushin from the General Affairs Hall." The man gave a polite nod.

"The sect has assigned you a mentor from the alchemy field. I came to inform you personally."

"Oh?" Ning raised his eyebrows slightly.

"So quickly?" He had expected the process to take quite a while. Elder Shu had told him that due to his lackluster background, many alchemist masters may not choose him, so it might take an extra week or two. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"As expected of the sect," Ning added with a smile. Ho Fushin gave an awkward laugh.

"Yes… well. Your mentor is Senior Ling Xin. Moreover, you will be her first disciple. This is the entry token to her peak." He produced a jade token engraved with delicate patterns. Ning accepted it. But something about Ho Fushin's expression felt… odd. It was the expression of someone watching a guy walk into something interesting. Ning had spent years navigating the outer sect. Reading faces had practically become a survival skill.

So he casually pulled out a small jar of Frozen Breath Spiritual Wine and handed it over.

"Senior Brother has come all this way to deliver the message," Ning said with a friendly smile.

"Please accept this small token of appreciation." Ho Fushin's eyes lit up.

"Ah, Junior Brother is too polite." But his hand had already taken the jar. He uncorked it slightly, sniffed, and nodded with satisfaction before putting it away.

"Senior Brother," Ning said casually, "could you tell me a little about this Senior Ling Xin?" Ho Fushin looked at him thoughtfully.

"Well…" he said slowly.

"This senior is… quite unique." He paused deliberately.

"Unique how?" Ning asked. Ho Fushin scratched his chin.

"She's extremely talented. Some say her understanding of alchemy is among the best in the inner sect." That sounded promising.

"But…" Ho Fushin continued. Ning immediately noticed the pause.

"But?" Ning prompted.

"Well," Ho Fushin said with a faint smile, "let's just say, senior Ling Xin lives alone on her peak and spends most of her time researching new pills."

"That sounds normal enough," Ning said.

"Yes," Ho Fushin nodded.

"Except sometimes… her research gets a little creative." He paused for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively.

"I won't say much more. In any case, your mentor has already been assigned." With that, Ho Fushin simply turned and left, offering no further explanation. Ning stood there for a moment, the jade token still in his hand. Somehow, that vague description only made things more unsettling. Ning knew he had to make preparations.... Each inner sect elder was provided with a mountain peak, which served as their main residence.

As long as their developments adhered to the sect's rules, they had the freedom to shape it according to their desires. Ning walked toward the peak indicated by the jade token. However, even among the many peaks, this one seemed noticeably farther away. The number of disciples he encountered grew fewer and fewer as he continued along the path. Maintaining his usual low profile, Ning eventually arrived safely at the entrance of the peak. A wooden sign stood at the gate, displaying the name "Spirit Flower Peak."

It was an elegant enough name. Ning didn't pay much attention but advanced forward, spotting a large building ahead. As soon as he approached the building, the guiding spiritual thread from the jade token faded away, leaving Ning standing outside. Ning was speechless for a moment, but he did not immediately knock on the door. Instead, he took a deep breath to compose himself before stepping inside.

"Excuse me," Ning began politely, "I am-" BOOM! A thunderous explosion erupted at that moment. A wave of smoke rushed outward, assaulting him instantly. It carried with it a thick medicinal aroma that filled the air. The shockwave surged forward and smacked Ning directly in the face.

"…F-fudge! An attack-," Ning muttered weakly, before his legs gave away. The last thing he remembered was frantic shouting and the sound of hurried footsteps rushing toward him....

"An unfamiliar ceiling," Ning muttered as he stared upward. His thoughts were still sluggish. What just happened? Then suddenly, a giant face filled his vision.

"Who?!" Ning jerked upright instinctively. The face quickly moved back.

"Oh! You're awake!" Standing beside the bed was a young girl who looked no older than fourteen. She wore simple alchemist robes, her long hair loosely tied behind her back. Her bright eyes were currently filled with relief. Ning blinked. Then he looked down at himself. Bandages. Lots of bandages. Besides his head, his body was covered with bandages. Ning could tell that the one who did it was unprofessional just by the way they did it.

"…What happened?" he asked slowly. The girl clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head slightly, looking rather embarrassed.

"Well… I was conducting a pill experiment," she said sheepishly.

"Something went a little wrong."

"A little?"

"Yes. The furnace released some medicinal smoke mixed with fire qi." She gave Ning an apologetic smile.

"And you happened to walk in at the exact moment it exploded. The medicinal properties knocked you unconscious." She bowed her head slightly.

"Sorry." It took Ning a few seconds to fully process that explanation. …Fudge. So this was what Ho Fushin meant when he said the peak master was unique. Ning had barely stepped onto the peak, and he was already wrapped up like a dumpling the next instant. Ning understood the reason why this peak was far away from the rest in that single moment.

"It's fine," Ning said with a strained smile. The girl visibly relaxed.

"You must be Elder Ling Xin," Ning continued, trying to salvage what dignity he had left.

"Disciple pays his respects." Even while half-wrapped in bandages, he still attempted a proper greeting.

"Oh?" The girl's eyes lit up in surprise.

"You recognized me?" She seemed genuinely pleased. Due to her youthful appearance and small stature, many people failed to recognize her as an elder at first glance. So, this was a refreshing change.

"Yes," Ning said, producing the jade token he had received earlier.

"I was assigned to be your disciple as part of the rewards from the competition." Ling Xin blinked.

"Oh, right, that thing." She scratched the back of her head.

"I almost forgot about it."

"The old fellows from the sect said that now that I've finished stabilizing my cultivation, I should contribute to the sect by teaching someone." She pointed casually at Ning.

"So that must be you." Ling Xin took the jade token from him and scanned it briefly.

"Mmm. Looks right." Then she leaned closer and stared at Ning more carefully. Earlier, she had been too busy patching him up to really look at him. Now that she examined him properly, her eyes brightened slightly.

"Hm. At least you're good-looking."

"…Thank you?" Ning said uncertainly.

"And you recognized me immediately," Ling Xin continued cheerfully.

"Not bad, young man." She gave his shoulder a friendly pat. Ning nodded politely. Inside, however, he had already realized something. His new master was far more of a character than he had expected. Ling Xin coughed lightly, drawing Ning's attention. Then, her face turned serious as if she was going to talk about something grave.

"Do you know what an alchemist is?" He had a feeling where this was going... Ning narrowed his eyes and answered the anticipating Elder, "Alchemy is the process of fabricating different medical pills and elixirs, which have various uses and strengths." Ning noticed the slight frown on Elder Ling's face and took note of it. He changed his tone, "That is the common consensus of what alchemy is like in the outer sect. Personally, I feel like it's the process of creating something new, unknown, and miraculous.

Something that has never existed upon heaven and earth, it is the way of creation itself." Since the elder didn't seem to like the normal answer, Ning exaggerated. Thankfully, he was well-versed in the Dao of Bullshitting. He exaggerated, added some flowery words, and made it seem more important than it was. Overall, Ning felt he did quite well. So, He waited for a comment. But nothing came; he was met with silence.... Had he overdone it? Then, Ling Xin suddenly burst into laughter.

Not the elegant laugh of a refined elder but a full, unrestrained laugh.

"Hahahahaha!" She wiped the corner of her eye.

"You're right!" Ling Xin grinned widely.

"I didn't expect a new disciple to have such an interesting perspective." She stood up and spread her arms dramatically.

"Alchemy is the pursuit of the Dao itself!"

"It is the endless process of discovering, combining, and transforming the countless materials beneath heaven and earth!"

"It is the act of creation!" Her voice rose with enthusiasm as if she were delivering a grand lecture. If there had been a beam of heavenly light shining behind her, she might have looked like a true prophet of alchemy. In fact, looking at his new supposed master, Ning couldn't help but wonder if he had made the wrong choice in choosing to study alchemy. When he first decided to become a d̶r̶u̶g̶l̶o̶r̶d̶ alchemist, he hadn't thought too deeply about it.

After all, the quintessential cultivation experience was taking drugs/pills, chowing down on 'herbs', and consuming dubious materials in general in order to reach a new/ 'high' stage. Especially, since everyone in this world consumes 'pills,' no one could avoid it. To break through, take pills; to heal, take pills; to live longer, take pills; to stop being bald, take pills; to calm down your temper, take a chill pill.

Ning even wondered if the reason all cultivators were either batshit insane or incredibly stupid or both was that they were all a bunch of druggies and alcoholics. Since they started cultivation as children, they're never sober for a single moment afterward. So, since this was a path with great prospects, Ning was naturally drawn to it. Plus, making new pills (drugs) and selling them to help others reach a high state without repercussions was just too funny to pass up.

But now looking at his master, who was radiating a mad scientist vibe, he didn't find it too funny. After finishing her passionate declaration, Ling Xin turned to Ning expectantly. Clearly waiting for a response. Ning, of course, did not disappoint. He widened his eyes slightly, showing an appropriate amount of admiration.

"I see now, Elder Ling." He nodded solemnly.

"Alchemy is truly… profound."

"Eh? You finally get it. Also, why are you calling me Elder? You should call me Master?" Ling Xin seemed surprised, seeing the way Ning addressed her. Ning's lips twitched, seeing the "why are you not immediately worshipping me as your master?" look on Ling Xin's face. If he were being honest, Ning had, by this point, lost quite a bit of his expectations for this new master. But alas, he no longer had any other choice. In the end, Ning finally replied, "I am willing to become your disciple, Master."

"Heh? Is that so?" Ling Xin smiled before saying, "Then, from now on, you are my first disciple."... Thanks for reading~