Farting Bug. Despite the somewhat comical and cute name, it was actually a species of stinky spirit insect. Its farts were overwhelmingly foul, and could even be used to concoct a terrifying poisonous gas capable of knocking down powerful cultivators.
Manager Zhang gave a gentle slap to a large, embroidered pouch at his waist. Instantly, a massive swarm of palm-sized, greenish Farting Bugs burst forth, their wings vibrating. Under Manager Zhang's precise control, the Farting Bugs distributed themselves evenly among the candidate disciples.
*Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft...*
Plumes of blue-green smoke shot out from the rear ends of the Farting Bugs.
Some disciples instinctively held their breath. But at that exact moment, one of the inner sect disciples called out loudly, "Anyone who holds their breath will be disqualified! Please try to maintain a normal breathing rhythm."
Yelin was instantly struck by a stench. It was a vile mixture that smelled precisely like rotten eggs left out for a decade, combined with riverbed sludge and decaying corpses...
However, as a former servant of the Lin estate, he had shoveled out countless sewers. He merely furrowed his brow slightly; he didn't alter his breathing rhythm by even the slightest fraction, letting the foul flatulence of the Farting Bugs drift right into his nostrils.
When it came to endurance, Yelin considered himself second to none; no other candidate present would dare claim the top spot. He had only just spent days and nights practicing the *Five Elements Vajra Skill*, a process worse than death, akin to being sliced by a thousand cuts—yet he had endured it all.
He even felt like telling the Farting Bugs, *This is a mere drizzle! Please up the dosage, so we can weed out a few more competitors.*
***
Chapter 35: Passing the Devil's Trial
In stark contrast, pampered individuals among the rest were already retching and vomiting wildly. Some cultivators, utterly unable to withstand the horrific stench, directly passed out from the smell, their eyes rolling back and limbs twitching as if suffering from an epileptic seizure.
Since the majority of those undergoing this test were female labor disciples, the usually lofty, elegant image of this group of fair maidens was completely shattered. Only a handful covered their mouths, faces pale and bodies trembling, clearly enduring with all their might.
Before long, twenty breaths of time had elapsed.
Manager Zhang, expression solemn, struck out with a single palm.
"Disperse!"
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*
A massive gust of wind blew all the foul odors released by the Farting Bugs away without a trace, and the air instantly cleared up.
One of the inner sect disciples announced, "Junior brothers and junior sisters, we will now announce the list of those who have passed this round of evaluation. Those whose names are called, please step forward to prepare for the next round. As for those who failed, remember to clean up your own vomit! If anything is left behind, bear the consequences yourselves!"
A large group of pale-faced teenage girls looked at Manager Zhang now as if they were gazing upon a devil.
This wasn't an evaluation at all; it was outright torture. Many interrogation tortures in the mortal world weren't nearly this sickening.
"Yelin, Li Yue'er, Zhou Qing..."
This time, the name list was much shorter than before. Initially, over two hundred people had participated in this round, but now only sixty or seventy remained. Moreover, apart from Yelin, every single one of them was pale as a sheet.
As for the poor senior and junior sisters behind Yelin who had already been eliminated, they were busy cleaning up their revolting vomit. One cultivator, formerly a wealthy young lady, started retching all over again...
The plaza didn't smell particularly pleasant, but compared to the stench of the Farting Bugs, it was nothing. Yelin even felt the air was quite fresh.
Manager Zhang said solemnly, "Very well. Next is the final round of tests. Those who pass will become senior labor disciples of Spirit Beast Peak. This final round tests spiritual affinity. Low-tier spirit beasts and spirit insects possess no intelligence; if you wish to cultivate them, you must use spiritual affinity to communicate with them. Therefore, the strength of one's spiritual affinity is the fundamental basis for becoming a Beastmaster or an Insect Master!"
Under Manager Zhang's control, a massive swarm of Farting Bugs vibrated their wings and flew to the side of every single cultivator.
An inner sect disciple declared, "Next, you must use your spiritual affinity to try and communicate with the Farting Bugs, and make them obey your commands, following you for a lap around the plaza to pass the test. Do you understand?!"
"Understood!" everyone chorused in unison.
Finally, a somewhat normal test item! Everyone was practically moved to tears.
The vast majority of cultivators began attempting to communicate with the Farting Bugs.
"Oh wow, what a cute Farting Bug! Would you like to play with me?"
The Farting Bug released a stinky fart right in the face of the cute female cultivator.
Another cultivator gently stroked a Farting Bug's head with his hand. "Brother Bug, as long as you run a lap with me, this Spirit Stone is yours!"
*Pfft...*
Another loud, stinky fart right onto that male cultivator's face.
...
Some pleaded bitterly, while others tried both carrots and sticks, but most cultivators were rewarded with a solitary stinky fart.
Initially, some had thought this testing process would be slightly more normal, but instead... *Blech...* Many female cultivators who hadn't managed to throw up earlier finally couldn't hold it in anymore, their pretty faces stained blue-green by the Farting Bugs' flatulence.
Only a tiny handful of cultivators merely gave a glance or waved a hand, and the Farting Bugs would flutter along behind their footsteps...
These were people whose spiritual affinity was strong enough to communicate with the low-intelligence Farting Bugs.
Without a doubt, the person who ran the fastest among them was Yelin, who had communicated with the Farting Bug at a single glance. While the other cultivators were only halfway through their first lap, he had already finished an entire circuit.
In truth, if he wanted, with just a single thought, all the Farting Bugs would swarm over to him; but that would draw far too much attention.
When one lacks strength, one must keep a low profile.
The Insect Emperor Ancient Ring was his secret, and the Insect Emperor Physique was his secret as well. Having greater magical power than others in the same realm could be excused by having consumed heavenly treasures, but having boundless spiritual affinity was hard to find a suitable excuse for.
*Buzz, buzz, buzz...*
The Farting Bug that had run a full lap with Yelin zipped around him joyfully. Then Yelin reached out a hand, and the Farting Bug landed on his palm, rubbing itself affectionately against it.
This sight shattered the mental state of the cultivators who hadn't yet succeeded in communicating with their bugs, leaving them on the verge of tears.
How come over at their side, it was a disgusting farting bug, while over at Yelin's, it was a cute little pet?!
Where was the justice in this? Where was the rule of law?!
Soon, half an hour passed.
Seeing that no one else was able to communicate with the Farting Bugs, an inner sect disciple announced the results of this round: "Junior brothers and junior sisters who failed the test, do not try anymore. Being able to pass two rounds makes you already very outstanding. You can consider trying your luck at other peaks, or wait until you reach the Qi Condensation 3rd Layer to join our Spirit Beast Peak. Spiritual affinity can be enhanced later in life!"
Shortly afterward, the cultivators who failed left dejectedly one after another.
The plaza, which originally held a full five or six hundred people, now had only twenty-odd left. The passing rate was a mere thirtieth; Manager Zhang was truly merciless.
When Manager Zhang's gaze swept over the crowd, it softened considerably. She said loudly, "From this moment on, you are the senior labor disciples of my Spirit Beast Peak. In the future, once you attain the strength of the Qi Condensation 3rd Layer, you can be promoted to senior outer disciples—one small tier higher than ordinary outer disciples."
"The hardships you have endured are all worth it!"
"Furthermore, I will personally gift you all some small tokens of appreciation. The Farting Bugs beside you are spirit insects that I have carefully raised. They possess superior bloodlines, quicker wits than their peers, and superior cultivation talent. They shall be the very first spirit insects you personally own."
Everyone's eyes lit up, their faces revealing expressions of pleasant surprise.
Generally speaking, senior labor disciples could only be promoted to ordinary outer disciples upon reaching the Qi Condensation 3rd Layer, and wanting to advance to senior outer disciples required passing certain examinations. But now, Manager Zhang was directly granting them the qualification to become senior outer disciples!
This was truly an unexpected windfall. At the same time, she was gifting each of them a Farting Bug. A juvenile Farting Bug cost at least one Spirit Stone each, and these were spirit insects raised by Manager Zhang herself—they were worth dozens of Spirit Stones at the very least.
Manager Zhang continued, "The gas released by Farting Bugs can be condensed and refined into ingredients for alchemy, or sold directly for making poisonous gases. Using them wisely will make you far wealthier than other cultivators."
"Aside from that, I will also reward the three most outstanding individuals in terms of comprehensive capability in this assessment."
"Yelin."
Yelin was slightly startled, and hurriedly bowed as he stepped forward. "Yelin greets Manager Zhang."
Manager Zhang wore a faint smile, her expression one of appreciation. "You are the most outstanding person in this comprehensive evaluation. These thirty Spirit Stones are the reward you deserve. In the future, you must cultivate diligently on Spirit Beast Peak, contribute more to Spirit Beast Peak, and contribute more to the sect!"
As she spoke, she handed over a small pouch.
Hearing there was a reward of thirty Spirit Stones, Yelin's eyes lit out brightly. He quickly grew even more respectful and called out loudly, "Thank you, Manager Zhang!"
***
Chapter 36: Snow Silkworms, the Hope of Getting Rich
With thirty Spirit Stones in hand, Yelin's impression of this mature, beautiful woman, Manager Zhang, improved quite a bit.
Although Manager Zhang was always strict, she was not stingy at all toward the cultivators she approved of. Just those dozens of Farting Bugs combined were worth hundreds of Spirit Stones.
Aside from Yelin, two other female cultivators who performed well also received rewards from Manager Zhang, amounting to twenty Spirit Stones and ten Spirit Stones respectively.
After the rewards were distributed, Manager Zhang transformed her sword into a long rainbow and vanished without a trace, leaving behind only four inner sect disciples.
One of the senior brothers stated, "Next, I will arrange your labor tasks and living quarters. Follow me!"
With that, the four inner sect disciples soared into the air on their flying swords, and the group followed closely behind on theirs.
Before long, Yelin and the others arrived at a residential area for senior labor disciples set amidst mountains and rivers. Because Yelin's performance had been quite prominent and left a deep impression on the four inner sect disciples, the senior brother specifically allowed Yelin to choose first when assigning dormitories.
Yelin chose a courtyard with the largest dwelling, which was also the most secluded.
Unlike the dormitories for reserve labor disciples, becoming a senior labor disciple meant each person had a standalone small building. Outside the building was a courtyard, an open martial arts practice ground, a feeding ground for raising demonic beasts, and a stone chamber on the lower level specifically designed for raising insects.
A concealment array was set up around each small building. The array consumed one Spirit Stone every three months and could prevent interference from others and leaks of privacy; it could be activated as long as one had money.
Yelin was quite satisfied with this.
He finally had an ideal, spacious residence and no longer had to squeeze into the cramped dormitories of the reserve laborers.
After all the disciples were assigned their quarters, the inner sect senior brother spoke with a stern expression once more: "Junior brothers and junior sisters, take note. Senior labor disciples are required to turn in spirit insects or spirit beast produce worth 60 contribution points every three months. This includes, but is not limited to, juvenile spirit beasts, juvenile spirit insects, or precious materials used for alchemy, weapon crafting, or poison making!"
"If you fail to complete the basic tasks three times, you will lose your status as a senior laborer and be demoted back to an ordinary laborer!"
Hearing this, everyone's expressions turned somewhat grave.
As far as Yelin knew, ordinary labor disciples only needed to earn 20 contribution points every three months to complete their basic tasks, whereas senior laborers on Spirit Beast Peak had a quota three times that of ordinary laborers!
One of the female inner sect disciples smiled slightly. "You don't need to put too much psychological pressure on yourselves. As far as I know, most junior brothers and junior sisters can easily meet this target. Additionally, you can use your identity tokens to collect some juvenile beasts and spirit insect eggs for free from the Spirit Beast Pavilion and the Spirit Pet Pavilion. When you collect the juvenile beasts and insect eggs, you will also receive related husbandry books! Those places are also responsible for registering spirit beasts and spirit insects. I believe everyone understands the sect rules, so I won't repeat them."
"Aside from that, the Spirit Beast Peak academy also runs knowledge classes on raising various spirit insects and beasts once every ten days. If you want to complete your basic tasks, make sure not to miss the classes. If anyone has any questions, you may raise them now."
Someone asked:
"Senior Sister, provided the basic tasks are completed, can the produce of the spirit insects or spirit beasts be sold independently?"
The inner sect senior sister nodded.
"Yes. The spirit beasts and spirit insects you collect all belong to you personally. This is also one of the hidden incomes of our Spirit Beast Peak disciples. As long as your skills are high enough, earning a few extra Spirit Stones every month is naturally a breeze. Last year, a junior brother raised a mutated Ice Spirit Spider and sold it at the market auction house for a full five hundred Spirit Stones!"
Everyone swallowed hard in unison.
Five hundred Spirit Stones was an unimaginable fortune to them.
Another disciple asked:
"May I ask if every single spirit insect or spirit beast needs to be brought one by one to the Spirit Beast Pavilion or Spirit Insect Pavilion for registration according to the sect rules? For instance, when raising Mighty Ants, there are thousands in a single colony. Registering them one by one would be far too troublesome."
The senior sister smiled. "Actually, the sect doesn't pay too much attention to breeding stock with low danger levels. The primary targets for registration are usually ghost entities, Heavenly Demons, Earth Demons, and a few ferocious beasts with particularly cruel dispositions. To register spirit insects or spirit beasts of moderate danger, you only need to give a rough description."
"For example, you can just bring one Mighty Ant to the Spirit Insect Pavilion and register that you are raising a colony of Mighty Ants."
"Understood, thank you, Senior Sister."
The more Yelin listened, the brighter his eyes shone.
As it turned out, Spirit Beast Peak was the ideal place for him to get rich! He had been racking his brains over the past couple of days trying to figure out how to earn Spirit Stones, and now he finally had some direction.
Furthermore, the identity registration for Xiaobai and Xiaoqiang would also become much easier.
Clearly, neither Xiaobai nor Xiaoqiang belonged to the category of extremely dangerous creatures. Once Yelin grew familiar with Spirit Beast Peak, he could simply take them to report while concealing their cultivation levels.
Seeing that the crowd had no further questions, the four inner sect disciples departed on their flying swords one after another. The newly passed senior labor disciples eagerly headed toward the Spirit Beast Pavilion and Spirit Pet Pavilion to collect juvenile beasts to raise.
Everyone understood in their hearts: the earlier they raised them, the faster the spirit beasts and spirit insects would grow, and the more produce they would yield. This meant sect contributions and glittering Spirit Stones!
Having passed the evaluation with such difficulty, no one wanted to lose their status as a senior labor disciple of Spirit Beast Peak.
Before long, Yelin arrived at the Spirit Insect Pavilion. After spending some time waiting in line, the elderly man in charge verified Yelin's identity token and handed him a small booklet.
"Young fellow, this records the raising difficulty and production value of various low-tier spirit insects. Generally speaking, the higher the raising difficulty, the higher the production value. You should weigh your options carefully and make your selection based on your own circumstances."
"Our Spirit Insect Pavilion only provides insect eggs for free once. If you raise them to death, you'll have to redeem them through sect contributions or pay out of your own pocket to buy them at the market."
Yelin respectfully accepted the booklet. "Thank you for the warning, Senior."
Yelin opened the booklet and quickly flipped through it.
The difficulty of raising spirit insects was rated from one to five stars, with five stars representing the hardest to raise, and one star representing spirit insects with the cheapest lives that were the easiest to survive.
Yelin noticed that the Mighty Ants mentioned by that senior sister earlier were rated two stars in raising difficulty, with their main produce being Mighty Ant acid, used for refining poisons and shaping magical treasures.
Without much hesitation, Yelin decisively locked onto the number one spirit insect on the five-star profit ranking list—the Snow Silkworm!
Snow Silkworms were delicate and frail, extremely prone to illness, and also had very picky appetites. They had to eat tender mulberry leaves bathed in the first ray of morning sunlight and covered with dew. In addition, Snow Silkworms had to live in ice caves; the lower the temperature, the more active the Snow Silkworms were.
The produce of the Snow Silkworm was snow silk, which was the primary material for the vast majority of magical robes. The higher the quality of the snow silk, the more valuable it was. As long as Yelin could raise Snow Silkworms well, not to mention completing his basic tasks with ease, he could also earn a massive amount of Spirit Stones, solving his dilemma of lacking money.
***
Chapter 37: Mist Array
"Senior, this junior wishes to claim Snow Silkworm cocoons."
The elderly man at the Spirit Insect Pavilion was slightly stunned, his brows furrowing as he said, "Kid, even many inner sect members struggle to keep Snow Silkworms alive. Furthermore, Snow Silkworm cocoons are extremely precious; you can only claim two at a time. Have you thought this through?"
Yelin was also slightly surprised. He only knew that the difficulty of raising Snow Silkworms was five stars, but he hadn't expected that even many inner sect disciples of Spirit Beast Peak couldn't keep them alive.
Seen in this light, the difficulty of raising them was indeed tremendous.
However, he still stuck to his plan. He possessed the Insect Emperor bloodline and the Insect Emperor Ancient Ring; worst comes to worst, he could feed them his blood. Yelin had never seen a bug that didn't like devouring his blood.
Right now, Yelin's physical body was growing increasingly robust, his vital blood ever more exuberant. His blood-generation capability had improved vastly compared to the past. Coupled with the Farting Bug and these two Snow Silkworms—making a total of three new spirit insects—Yelin had the confidence to keep them alive.
He stated firmly, "This junior has thought it through and wishes to give it a try. I ask Senior to grant permission."
The old man shook his head slightly. "So be it. I will go get the Snow Silkworm cocoons for you right away, and also gift you a batch of mulberry saplings. You can plant them in the spiritual field of your senior labor courtyard; mulberry trees grow very quickly in spiritual fields."
Yelin's small courtyard indeed had a plot of spiritual field, though it wasn't large—roughly enough to plant ten mulberry trees.
Shortly thereafter, the old man returned with two crystal-clear jade boxes, a small booklet, and a bundle of mulberry saplings.
Before Yelin's fingers even touched the jade box, he felt a wave of biting cold rushing toward him. He could clearly see two snow-white cocoons resting inside the jade box. These were the precious Snow Silkworm cocoons; a single Snow Silkworm cocoon could fetch five Spirit Stones in the marketplace.
The small booklet detailed the precautions for raising Snow Silkworms and their living habits.
"Young fellow, if you really manage to keep the Snow Silkworms alive, the snow silk can be exchanged for an unlimited amount of contribution points at our Spirit Insect Pavilion. Once your Spirit Stones are plentiful, sect contribution points might be even more useful to you."
Yelin thanked the old man and flew straight back to his quarters on his flying sword.
Seeing Yelin return, the Farting Bug flew out from the dwelling to greet him happily.
*Pfft, pfft, pfft...*
It conveniently released a series of stinky farts along the way.
Yelin gave a wry smile as he held his breath. He didn't scold the Farting Bug either, instead affectionately stroking its carapace. Then, with a sudden wave of his palm carrying the magical power of 2.4 racing horses, a fierce gust of wind roared forth, blowing the Farting Bug's light-blue stinky gas away into the air.
Though the surrounding smell was still heavenly-hellish, at least he could breathe normally again.
Yelin hadn't officially begun cultivating the Farting Bug yet, so its intelligence was currently very low; it only understood how to fart when happy, fart when unhappy, and fart in battle.
Aside from farting, the Farting Bug usually fed on flower stamens and hunted smaller insects.
Entering his small courtyard, Yelin walked to the center and, with a pang of heartache, pulled out a glowing Spirit Stone and inserted it into a slot, then shouted lightly: "Activate!"
A surge of magical power was driven into a red jade stone right beside the slot.