Another beautiful morning arrived. The Water Spirit Sect's outer sect deacon stretched lazily as he watched the busy outer sect disciples in the courtyard, feeling thoroughly content.
This deacon, surnamed Hong, came from the Hong Family, a subsidiary clan of the Water Spirit Sect. With mediocre aptitude, he had barely reached the ninth level of Qi Refining through his family's elixirs. However, the threshold of the tenth level remained forever beyond his reach. Thus, he had secured his position as an outer sect deacon to oversee these nearly forgotten outer disciples.
Within the Water Spirit Sect, disciples were divided into inner and outer sects.
Inner sect disciples received monthly allocations of spirit stones and pills. They only needed to focus on cultivation and complete a set number of sect missions. Additionally, they enjoyed regular lectures from elder deacons.
Outer sect disciples, on the other hand, performed menial labor—essentially serving the inner sect. They received one or two low-grade pills per month and had to earn spirit stones through hard work.
A ninth-level Qi Refining disciple held considerable status even among inner sect members, let alone someone like Fat Hong who also held the title of outer sect deacon.
Thus, Fat Hong lived quite comfortably—one might say he ruled this place like a king.
"Little San! Why aren't the water vats filled yet? No breakfast for you this morning!"
"Jin Gou! Slacking again? Skip lunch today. If I catch you next time, you won't eat for a month!"
Just as Fat Hong was reveling in his authority, a sudden oppressive aura descended from above, nearly suffocating him.
Looking up, he saw the Elder Deacon—followed by four Foundation Establishment elders!
"Greetings, Honored Elders!" Fat Hong immediately dropped to his knees, kowtowing deeply. His mind raced: Has my embezzlement of pills been discovered? No...such a trivial matter wouldn't warrant five elders coming personally...
"Fat Hong, where are the disciples from Stone Village who arrived yesterday?" the Elder Deacon demanded coldly.
"They're...resting! I'll fetch them at once!" Scrambling up, Fat Hong scurried away, relieved yet puzzled. What's so special about these newcomers to warrant such attention?
Soon, Shi Chuan and the others arrived in the courtyard, bowing respectfully.
It was clear—these floating elders possessed profound immortal techniques.
Elder Yan produced a bronze mirror, scanning each disciple. After a moment, he nodded and seemed to communicate silently with the other elders.
"This girl is now my personal disciple," Elder Yan declared abruptly. Summoning a flying sword, he grabbed Qingchuan and soared away, covering a hundred zhang in an instant.
"You—!" Elder Sun could only shake his head helplessly. As an elder, he couldn't afford to squabble over a new disciple in front of juniors.
The remaining four elders turned their attention to Shi Chuan.
Even Shi Chuan could feel their burning gazes scrutinizing him.
"You are Shi Chuan, correct?" a hoarse voice asked.
"Yes, Elder," Shi Chuan replied respectfully.
Elder Yun waved his sleeve, conjuring a giant luminous sphere that enveloped Shi Chuan and the elders, shielding them from prying eyes.
"Your aptitude is exceptional. I intend to take you as my disciple. However, as the ancients said, 'To achieve greatness, one must first temper their will and endure hardship.' Thus, I will teach you cultivation techniques, but you must train in the outer sect for several years. During this time, you must behave like any other outer disciple—no arrogance. Otherwise, you will be expelled, forbidden from cultivation forever."
"This disciple obeys." Shi Chuan bowed eagerly. These five elders were clearly high-ranking figures in the Water Spirit Sect, and Elder Yun seemed the foremost among them. Becoming his disciple promised a bright future.
"On the first day of each month, meet me at the back mountain for instruction."
The sphere dissipated, leaving the outer disciples clueless about what had transpired.
"Fat Hong, the remaining disciples are assigned to the outer sect," the Elder Deacon instructed before departing with the others on their swords.
Long after the elders left, the outer disciples finally rose from their kowtows, their robes soaked with sweat. Whispers erupted—no one had expected five elders to appear simultaneously in the outer sect.
"Senior Brother Yun, I sensed someone spying on us earlier—someone far stronger than us."
"I felt it too. Strange...the outer sect only has mediocre disciples. Even Fat Hong, at the ninth level of Qi Refining, wouldn't dare spy on us." The Elder Deacon frowned.
"Could it be that Shi Chuan boy?"
Elder Yun shook his head. "He has no spiritual energy—not even at the first level of Qi Refining. How could he spy on us? Still, the sensation was peculiar. I'll activate the mountain's protective formation. The rest of you, scour the area. We cannot let other sects—especially the Earth Spirit Sect—discover Shi Chuan."
Unbeknownst to Shi Chuan, undercurrents were swirling within the Water Spirit Sect. But as a mere outer disciple, he remained unaffected.
He adapted quickly to outer sect life—chopping wood, carrying water, cooking meals—tasks no different from his past.
But at night, under the old beggar's guidance, Shi Chuan practiced a proper cultivation technique: the "Breathing Art", the foundational method for all cultivators to absorb worldly spiritual energy.
After a month of sleepless nights meditating, Shi Chuan could faintly sense the presence of spiritual energy.
On the first day of the second month, Shi Chuan went to the back mountain to meet Elder Yun.
"Disciple Shi Chuan pays respects to Master." He bowed deeply.
"Rise." Seated on a bluestone, Elder Yun said, "You've performed well this month. Today, I'll teach you our sect's core technique—the 'Water Dragon Art'."
"Qi gathers in the dantian, flows through the meridians...draws upon the water spirit energy of heaven and earth..."
Shi Chuan listened intently, following Elder Yun's guidance. Yet, he felt not a trace of water spirit energy.
After half an hour, Elder Yun's body glistened with dew, his skin radiant.
"Can you sense the cooling energy?" Elder Yun eyed Shi Chuan suspiciously. Even mortals without spiritual roots should feel some moisture when practicing this art.
How could someone with five spiritual roots sense nothing?
"This disciple is dull. I feel nothing." Shi Chuan hung his head. Every time he circulated the technique, the yellow stone on his chest seemed to block the energy. Not only could he not absorb moisture, even dew on his skin evaporated instantly.
"How peculiar!" Elder Yun grabbed Shi Chuan's wrist, probing his meridians. "They're unobstructed. You should react to this technique!"
"Let me assist you." Elder Yun's expression darkened as a piercing cold energy surged into Shi Chuan's body.
"Ah! So cold!" Shi Chuan collapsed, clutching his stomach in agony.
"Go back. I've implanted a wisp of water spirit energy in you. Use it to nourish your meridians. Practice diligently—understood?"
"Understood." Gritting his teeth, Shi Chuan rose and bowed. "This disciple takes his leave."
"That old bastard is ruthless," the old beggar's voice echoed in Shi Chuan's mind.
"Senior, what do you mean?"
"Remember how I said cultivation begins with the 'Breathing Art'? Yet he skipped it and taught you the 'Water Dragon Art' directly. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
"Well...perhaps Master has his reasons."
"Reasons?" The beggar laughed darkly. "You have five earth roots—a once-in-a-century talent. Yet he teaches you a water-attribute technique. Is this the decision of a Foundation Establishment cultivator? And that forced infusion of water energy? It's meant to induce qi deviation when you practice earth techniques later. If he isn't sabotaging you, I'd be shocked."
"Impossible!" Shi Chuan refused to believe it. He and Elder Yun had no feud.
"Believe what you want," the beggar sneered. "Follow my guidance, and you'll reach Foundation Establishment within three years—strong enough to face him. Otherwise, you'll be slaughtered like livestock. The strong prey on the weak—that's the law of cultivation. Also, thank the Earth Mother Stone for masking your earth energy today. Had he detected your cultivation, things would've ended badly."
"Thank you, Senior. What is this Earth Mother Stone—?"
"Don't ask questions you shouldn't." The beggar cut him off sharply.
Whenever the topic turned to the beggar's origins or the stone's nature, he clammed up completely.
Sitting on his meditation mat, Shi Chuan absently rubbed the warm yellow stone, his thoughts in turmoil.
Trapped at the bottom of the Water Spirit Sect's hierarchy, he knew strength was his only path to survival. Yet even the old beggar's motives were unclear—was he truly an ally, or did he too have ulterior motives?
As the beggar had said: "To survive in the cultivation world, vigilance is paramount. Only power guarantees longevity."