After Feng Qing’s disciples invited Han Longsheng to the Zixiao Sect, Feng Qing instructed his servants to treat him to fine tea and wine. He arranged a room for him in a row of premium suites, which were reserved for powerful cultivators; ordinary guests were typically assigned to standard bedrooms. Han Longsheng sighed, "I have been exhausted from busy work at the herb garden and refining pills lately. It is time for me to relax properly."
Han Longsheng requested that the sect send guards to watch over his herb garden, fearing that if he were away for too long, the rare medicinal herbs might be stolen or destroyed, turning the land into a wasteland. After all, Feng Qing held this alchemist in high regard, and the land’s spiritual qi and feng shui were top-tier.
As for how he practiced alchemy in his previous life, that is a story for another time. Let us start with the basics.
Alchemist ranks are divided into nine grades, each subdivided into low, middle, and high tiers. First grade is the lowest, ninth is the highest, and anything beyond the ninth grade is known as Emperor grade. Han Longsheng was a middle-tier fourth-grade alchemist.
"Master Han, please take your time," Feng Qing said. He left the room and headed straight to the Law Enforcement Hall to report his mission, hoping to claim his five hundred Spirit Stones upon completion. However, his father, Elder Feng, told him, "The Sect Master is in seclusion and won't emerge until tomorrow." Elder Feng added, "Do not be anxious; your reward will be issued once the review is completed tomorrow." Having not seen his son for days, he breathed a sigh of relief to see Feng Qing return unscathed.
Back in his quarters, Feng Qing arranged a lavish dinner and drank and ate with several of his disciples. A plate of chicken and a plate of duck were quickly finished, while the other dishes remained largely untouched. Feng Qing seemed preoccupied and didn’t focus on his meal. "I’ve been tired for days," he said. "You all may head out and rest." Once they left, he fell into deep thought. *How is Junior Sister Ye Hong doing? I haven't seen her in a few days. I'll go visit her tomorrow morning.*
The next morning, Han Lin stretched and remembered the events of the previous night. *I hope Senior Sister is alright.* He knew he could never speak of Elder Feng’s peeping; to do so would be catastrophic. He knew the severity of the Law Enforcement Elder; he would likely be expelled from the sect, or worse, secretly executed. A cold sweat broke out on Han Lin’s brow at the thought.
Just then, his Senior Sister saw him standing blankly outside her door. "Little Junior Brother, did you sleep well last night?" he was asked. *I slept well, and I wanted to ask how you slept—if you were hurt.* But the words died on his lips. "I have a surprise for you," she added.
"What surprise?" he asked quickly. She brought out a cultivation technique. Because of his "trash" spiritual root, he hadn't had a cultivation technique for many days.
"This is a movement-based body-refining technique," she said. "You can practice it even without reaching the Qi Condensation stage. Given your natural talent, you can definitely master it, and it has one major advantage: others won't be able to hit you."
"Oh? What technique is so powerful?" I asked in surprise. I took the manual from her hand and exclaimed, "The 'Ten Rippling Steps'? The literal meaning seems to be: if you can't win, just run!" Senior Sister laughed, and I joined her, saying, "Don't worry, Senior Sister, this technique suits me perfectly. I will practice it well." Relieved, she took her leave.
After watching her go, I returned to my room and closed the door. Skipping lunch, I studied the manual with absolute focus. The technique felt simple—five levels in total. The first level, "Swift as Water," described moving with the fluidity and speed of water. I mastered the first level quickly; after all, my soul’s perception in my past life had reached the Tribulation Transcendence stage.
A message from the Law Enforcement Elder summoned me to the sect’s Great Hall. Upon arriving, I bowed immediately: "Outer sect disciple greets the Sect Master." The Sect Master thought Han Lin seemed quite sharp and wondered why he was merely an outer sect disciple. He turned to Elder Feng and asked, "Why is this man not an inner sect disciple?" Elder Feng replied promptly, "He has not yet passed the sect assessment." The Sect Master turned to the disciples and announced, "Whether you are an outer or inner sect disciple, there will be a martial arts sparring assessment in two days. There are three spots available, and the top three will be allowed to enter the inner sect to meditate and cultivate." Having given his instructions, he walked away with a light, graceful step.
The difference between inner and outer disciples was significant: inner disciples could enter the Treasury Pavilion to read techniques, cultivate in the spiritually dense mountain peaks, and receive more Spirit Stones monthly. Outer sect disciples could only cultivate in the plaza at the base of the mountain.
Seeing the Sect Master leave, Elder Feng glanced at Han Lin with a hint of shame. Han Lin knew that while he had indeed seen the Elder at Senior Sister Ye Hong’s quarters the night before, nothing had happened, so he chose to forgive him. Elder Feng understood the situation perfectly, thinking to himself, *If I make things difficult for this kid, he might seize the chance to expose my peeping and ruin my reputation.*
Knowing Han Longsheng’s background, Feng Qing dared not offend him. He brought Han Longsheng to the Sect Master. After bowing, the two men locked eyes. "Benefactor, it has been a long time," the Sect Master said. "What brings you here?"
"A bolt of heavenly lightning struck Zixiao Mountain a few days ago," Han Longsheng explained. "I was in the herb garden planting herbs; this has nothing to do with me!" He insisted that the Tribulation Transcendence they spoke of had not occurred. The Sect Master gave him a trusting look. "I believe you. However, I have a request: could you refine some Recovery Pills and Qi Condensation pills for our sect?" Hearing the mention of Recovery Pills, a thought struck Han Longsheng—his son’s "trash" spiritual root might finally have a solution. "Refining pills is my specialty," Han Longsheng promised. "I will refine them as quickly as possible and send them over."
A third-grade alchemist could make a Qi Condensation expert bow, while a fourth-grade alchemist could make a Core Formation stage expert beg for pills. A fourth-grade alchemist could refine many types of pills, such as Qi Gathering Pills, Recovery Pills, and Dragon Spirit Pills. As a middle-tier fourth-grade alchemist, Han Longsheng was capable of refining six-pattern Azure Gathering Pills; the higher the grade and the deeper the green color of the pill, the higher the quality, with nine-pattern dark green pills being the pinnacle.