The Unruly Girl, Ouyang Shishi
Qingyun Sect consisted of seven main peaks.
Each peak occupied a different direction, surrounding a vast central plain. Together, they formed a naturally advantageous terrain that was easy to defend and difficult to assault.
The seven peaks served primarily as the cultivation grounds for the Inner Sect, Core, and Personal Disciples.
At the foot of the mountains lay the common disciple district, an enormous area nearly ten times the size of Qingyun Town, where the majority of the Sect's disciples lived and trained.
With his excellent memory, Zhang Lingxiao quickly found the Spirit Artifact Pavilion.
From the outside, the pavilion had three floors, each corresponding to Spiritual Artifacts of different grades.
Many disciples gathered outside the pavilion.
Most were Outer Sect and Inner Sect Disciples, though there were also quite a few Core Disciples.
Some traveled in groups, while others came alone.
As a newcomer, Zhang Lingxiao naturally belonged to the latter.
Having already changed into his Core Disciple robes, he attracted plenty of attention as he walked.
Many Outer Sect and Inner Sect Disciples looked at him with envy and respect.
Even several Core Disciples couldn't help but cast curious glances his way.
After all, Zhang Lingxiao appeared much younger than most of them.
A Spiritual Martial Realm cultivator could easily become the head of a small family in the outside world.
Within Qingyun Sect, however, such a person was merely another disciple.
The moment Zhang Lingxiao entered the Spirit Artifact Pavilion, a young woman dressed in Inner Sect Disciple robes walked over with a smile.
She appeared to be in her early twenties.
As Zhang Lingxiao looked at her, he quickly noticed something unusual.
Unlike ordinary Inner Sect Disciples, she wore a small badge on the left side of her chest.
The badge was shaped like a miniature Spirit Artifact Pavilion.
Clearly, she was one of the pavilion's reception disciples.
Within Qingyun Sect, serving in important facilities such as the Spirit Artifact Pavilion was another way for disciples to earn Contribution Points.
The young woman bowed politely.
"Senior Brother, how may Junior Sister assist you today?"
Zhang Lingxiao paused briefly before understanding.
Within the Sect, seniority wasn't determined by when one joined, but by one's status and strength.
Since he was a Core Disciple while she was an Inner Sect Disciple, addressing him as "Senior Brother" was perfectly appropriate.
"I'd like to purchase a pill furnace."
The reception disciple smiled.
"Please follow me, Senior Brother."
She led Zhang Lingxiao into a separate stone chamber.
The room was illuminated by glowing spirit stones embedded throughout the walls.
Inside stood eleven display shelves.
"These pill furnaces are arranged according to grade."
"The first shelf contains Yellow Rank Low Grade pill furnaces."
"The second shelf contains Yellow Rank Mid Grade pill furnaces."
"..."
"The eleventh shelf contains Earth Rank High Grade pill furnaces."
"Earth Rank High Grade is the highest quality currently available in the Spirit Artifact Pavilion."
She patiently introduced each section without the slightest impatience, never questioning whether Zhang Lingxiao could actually afford any of them.
"I'll take a look first."
Zhang Lingxiao slowly browsed through the shelves.
He wasn't looking for the most expensive furnace.
Nor did he want the cheapest one.
He simply wanted the one best suited to his current stage.
After discussing it with Gu Yue Ningbing, he eventually selected a dark-green Profound Rank Peak Grade pill furnace.
Its name was the Xuan Water Cauldron.
It possessed dual wood-and-water attributes, making it especially suitable for beginner Alchemists.
The reception disciple smiled.
"Senior Brother truly has an excellent eye."
"The Xuan Water Cauldron is among the finest Profound Rank pill furnaces available."
"Its success rate during pill refinement is even comparable to some low-grade Earth Rank furnaces."
Zhang Lingxiao merely nodded.
"I'll pay with Spirit Stones."
Taking out a storage pouch, he handed it over.
The pouch contained one million Spirit Stones.
He possessed ten such pouches.
As for the remaining thirty million Spirit Stones...
They were safely stored within the Nine Netherworld Palace.
After verifying the amount, the reception disciple handed him another storage pouch.
"Senior Brother, this contains your change—two hundred thousand Spirit Stones."
Zhang Lingxiao accepted it, stored the Xuan Water Cauldron in his storage pouch, and prepared to leave.
The reception disciple pressed a switch on the wall.
The stone door slowly opened.
Just as Zhang Lingxiao stepped outside—
A figure rushed straight toward him.
Reacting instinctively, Zhang Lingxiao reached out to stop the collision.
His palm pressed forward gently, forcing the other person back.
"...Soft."
His expression froze.
Standing before him was a beautiful young girl dressed in a pink palace-style dress.
Unlike the other disciples, she wasn't wearing Qingyun Sect robes.
Instead, an Inner Sect identity token hung from her waist.
"Ouch!"
"You clumsy idiot!"
"How dare you push this Young Miss!"
The pink-clothed girl lost her balance and fell onto the ground.
Her clothes had become slightly disheveled from the impact.
Looking up at Zhang Lingxiao with blazing eyes, she rubbed her sore backside while gritting her teeth.
Only then did Zhang Lingxiao realize what his hand had accidentally touched moments earlier.
He immediately felt awkward.
Just as he was about to apologize—
"You pervert!"
"Where are your eyes looking?!"
Zhang Lingxiao gave a helpless smile.
"Junior Sister, I—"
"Who's your Junior Sister?!"
The girl interrupted him before he could finish.
"You little pervert! You don't even look fully grown!"
"Tell me the truth!"
"Whose robes and identity token did you steal?"
"You actually dared lay hands on this Young Miss!"
"I think you're tired of staying in Qingyun Sect!"
She unleashed a torrent of accusations without giving Zhang Lingxiao a chance to explain.
At that moment, the reception disciple walked out after organizing the display shelves.
Seeing the scene before her, she hurried over.
"Senior Sister Ouyang!"
"What happened?"
The girl immediately grabbed her arm.
"Senior Sister Li!"
"I finally saved enough Contribution Points to buy the Xuan Water Cauldron I wanted."
"But as soon as I got here, this shameless pervert knocked me down..."
"He even took advantage of me!"
With an aggrieved expression, Ouyang Shishi pointed angrily at Zhang Lingxiao.
Her beautiful eyes were filled with indignation.
Originally, Zhang Lingxiao had genuinely intended to apologize for the accident.
However...
After being repeatedly insulted and falsely accused, every trace of guilt disappeared.
He simply couldn't understand how someone so beautiful could be so unreasonable.
From beginning to end, she hadn't allowed him to explain a single word.
Furthermore, if he remembered correctly, she had been the one who came rushing around the corner and crashed into him.
He had merely reacted instinctively to protect himself.