Hearing Chen Qingshan actually ask about Ye Qingxuan, Zhao Yong looked somewhat bewildered. "Aren't you guys from Senior Sister Zhao's side? Why are you asking me about her!"
Before his voice even faded, Zhao Yong took a punch to the face from Chen Qingshan.
"If I tell you to speak, you speak! Where did you get all this nonsense?"
Staring with wide eyes, Zhao Yong looked utterly unconvinced after taking the punch.
Yet, seeing Chen Qingshan gesture as if to strike again, he had no choice but to endure it and begin recounting the story of Ye Qingxuan.
"Senior Sister Ye was brought back to the mountain gate by the Sect Master. From the moment she stepped through the door, she was a formal disciple. In less than a year, she broke through the Body Tempering Realm to enter the Bone Forging Realm, earning her the title of the sect's most outstanding genius in nearly a century!"
"By now, Senior Sister Ye has completed her mission of descending the mountain to punish the wicked and promote good, and has become a core disciple. Within the sect, her status is second only to a few elders!"
The expressions of both Chen Qingshan and Wang Dahai turned somewhat peculiar, especially when they heard the phrase "punish the wicked and promote good," which made their faces even more fascinating.
As for Ye Qingxuan punishing the wicked and promoting good, the two of them knew the truth all too well.
Heh!
Chen Qingshan gave a dry laugh, changing the subject to ask, "Are you saying that anyone can become a core disciple just by reaching the Bone Forging Realm?"
Zhao Yong let out a cold snort and said with disdain, "Of course it's not that simple!"
"To become a core disciple, you must either reach the Fifth Layer of Body Tempering Realm before the age of ten, or the Bone Forging Realm before twenty. Otherwise, you must reach the Qi Control Realm before thirty!"
"Fail that, and you have no destiny with the core disciples!"
Hearing this, Chen Qingshan felt that becoming a core disciple was indeed quite difficult.
The main issue was that he was somewhat old.
By now, Chen Qingshan was already twenty-five. To become a core disciple, his only path was to reach the Qi Control Realm before turning thirty.
Yet, the current Chen Qingshan had never even laid eyes on an expert in the Qi Control Realm.
Let alone becoming one.
What dealt an even greater blow to Chen Qingshan was that this little hussy Ye Qingxuan was not even twenty years old yet, and she was already a Bone Forging Realm expert.
Moreover, she had only been cultivating for a little over a year. What a true genius!
Feeling depressed in his heart, Chen Qingshan delivered another punch to Zhao Yong to vent his anger.
Left dumbfounded by the blow, Zhao Yong asked in a daze, "Why did you hit me again?"
With an expression of utter disgust, Chen Qingshan retorted, "Ye Qingxuan cultivated to the Bone Forging Realm in a single year, while you're nearly thirty and haven't even reached the Fifth Layer of Body Tempering. Don't you deserve a beating?"
Zhao Yong looked as though he was on the verge of tears.
"I don't want this either, but my talent just isn't enough! That Ye Qingxuan was brought back by the Sect Master and fed all sorts of spiritual pills like meals—of course she cultivates fast!"
Gazing at the aggrieved-looking Zhao Yong on the ground, Chen Qingshan felt a pang of fear in his heart.
His own talent didn't seem very good either—he was probably even worse than this fellow Wang Dahai.
Would he end up just like Zhao Yong, failing to reach the Fifth Layer of Body Tempering or become a formal disciple even after cultivating until thirty?
Only to be driven out in the end, and then humiliated when newcomers came knocking at his door!
No, he absolutely could not let himself fall to that state.
The more he thought about it, the more anxious Chen Qingshan became. He abruptly stood up and shouted at Wang Dahai, "Let's go, to the next one!"
Chen Qingshan led Wang Dahai away to the dormitory of their next target.
At the same time, he took away all of Zhao Yong's Blood Qi Pills.
A total of seven!
Chen Qingshan kept five for himself and gave two to Wang Dahai.
Upon arriving at the home of their next target, Chen Qingshan did not hesitate in the least and immediately threw a punch.
Catching the occupant completely off guard.
The man had long since heard that Chen Qingshan was running around robbing people with a lackey.
Yet, he never expected Chen Qingshan to be so fierce. Facing him—an expert at the Fourth Layer of Body Tempering—Chen Qingshan showed not a shred of apprehension and attacked instantly.
Having seized the initiative this time and attacking fueled by anger, Chen Qingshan suppressed his opponent right from the start.
Single-handedly, he defeated this Fourth Layer of Body Tempering expert.
Left with zero capability to fight back under Chen Qingshan's assault, the man shouted loudly, "Stop hitting me, stop hitting me! I'll hand over all my Blood Qi Pills!"
Chen Qingshan still landed two angry blows before finally halting his attack.
Even though he stopped, his gaze remained filled with fury as he stared intently at the man before him.
This frightened the opponent out of his wits.
Had he not known that Chen Qing had just recently arrived at the Servant Quarters, he would have thought he had personally offended Chen Qingshan.
"It's just Blood Qi Pills we're talking about, there's no need to fight for your life over them! Even though we aren't formal disciples, killing someone in the Servant Quarters isn't easy to explain away!"
Chen Qingshan had already figured out this logic.
Even Ma Youcai, who was already a formal disciple, wouldn't easily take the life of a servant disciple, let alone someone like himself.
Without wasting words with the fellow, Chen Qingshan said coldly, "The Blood Qi Pills, hand them over!"
After a moment of hesitation, the man handed over all his Blood Qi Pills.
He felt that this Chen Qingshan had truly gone a bit mad; if he didn't hand them over, he might actually end up dead right here.
With nine Blood Qi Pills in hand, a very satisfied Chen Qingshan took Wang Dahai to the next stop.
Within that single day, Chen Qingshan led Wang Dahai to challenge eight Fourth Layer of Body Tempering experts, leaving out only Liu An.
They plundered a total of fifty-two Blood Qi Pills.
Giving twelve to Wang Dahai, Chen Qingshan kept forty for himself.
Though the quantity might not seem astronomical, many servant disciples never even laid eyes on this many Blood Qi Pills from the moment they entered until the day they were driven out of the Servant Quarters.
At the same time, Chen Qingshan's ferocious display earned him a new title among the other disciples in the Servant Quarters: the Ruthless Bandit!
Within the Servant Quarters, Chen Qingshan's reputation was second only to the formal disciple Ma Youcai.
After all, Ma Youcai was a formal disciple, and everyone still felt that formal disciples were somewhat more formidable.
To this, Chen Qingshan paid no mind.
Now that he possessed the Blood Qi Pills, Chen Qingshan prepared to begin his cultivation.
"Dahai, keep a low profile these past few days. We hold too many Blood Qi Pills on us, so don't draw the covetous eyes of others, and don't go provoking anyone else!"
"We've already robbed their Blood Qi Pills, beating them up again serves no purpose."
Nodding earnestly, Wang Dahai agreed.
He was currently very eager to cultivate as well!
Over the following half-month, aside from going to the dining hall for meals every day, Chen Qingshan remained entirely in his dormitory for cultivation.
No one dared to come and disturb him either.
Though forty Blood Qi Pills were a substantial amount, they were consumed at a rapid pace.
Half a month slipped by, and even though Chen Qingshan used them quite sparingly, the forty Blood Qi Pills were completely depleted.
Yet, the results were equally obvious.
Chen Qingshan's cultivation realm had advanced to the Third Layer of Body Tempering.
Such a speed was considered exceptionally fast within the Servant Quarters.
At this moment, Chen Qingshan could sense that if he were to face opponents like Liu An or Zhao Yong at the Fourth Layer of Body Tempering again, he could easily defeat them.
Even if he encountered Ma Youcai of the Fifth Layer of Body Tempering, he should be able to win.
However, to Chen Qingshan's slight surprise, Wang Dahai had also cultivated to the Third Layer of Body Tempering by now.
Furthermore, he was approaching the Fourth Layer of Body Tempering.
Damn it, this fellow's talent really was superior to his own!