Chapter 22: The Regret of the Fire Spiritual Root

In the Lingyun Sect, all new disciples undergo a period similar to an internship, during which, within a set timeframe, those unable to channel spiritual energy into their bodies are either demoted or expelled. For outer sect disciples, this period lasts one year; for servant disciples, it is three years.

New disciples with four or five spiritual roots are assigned directly to the Service Peak as servant disciples, while those with three roots are sent to the outer sect. The demotion of outer sect disciples to servant status is rare, as the sect provides each new outer disciple with a monthly Spirit Induction Pill throughout that year. These disciples, possessing three spiritual roots and aided by the pill, have little hope of cultivating immortality if they fail to channel spiritual energy within the year.

The Spirit Induction Pill is only effective for those who have yet to cultivate, making it suitable for new disciples who haven't yet drawn in spiritual energy. Once they succeed, their allocation changes to match that of outer sect disciples. For disciples like Ji Yao, who had cultivation before joining, they are directly registered as outer sect disciples.

There is also the possibility for servant disciples with four or five roots to ascend, should they reach the fifth layer of Qi Refining within ten years. To become an inner sect disciple, outer sect disciples have two paths: ranking in the top hundred during the sect’s grand competition, held every five years, or reaching the Foundation Establishment stage before the age of fifty.

Chaoyang Peak is the main peak of the Lingyun Sect’s outer sect, housing the Sect Affairs Hall that oversees outer sect matters. At the beginning of each month, the hall distributes supplies to all outer disciples, and only then does Ji Yao appear at Chaoyang Peak.

This day was not one for distributions, yet Ji Yao received a summons from the Sect Affairs Hall.

“Senior brother, may I ask what business you have with me?” Ji Yao had just entered the hall when she was stopped by a steward disciple, about twenty-eight or twenty-nine, at the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

After a brief glance at Ji Yao, he asked, “You are Ji Yao, recently recruited from the Northern Wilderness, correct?”

Ji Yao sensed no particular emotion from him and nodded.

The steward’s smile grew warmer. “I was the one who sent you the message talisman. Do you know Senior Sister Ling Ru from Blazing Flame Peak?”

“Is that the Ling Ru who returned with Master Zhaoming?” Ji Yao, hearing Ling Ru’s name, guessed the reason for the summons.

The steward’s smile broadened. “That’s right. Senior Sister Ling Ru is now the personal disciple of Master Zhaoming at Blazing Flame Peak.”

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Seemingly afraid Ji Yao might not understand, the steward added, “Master Zhaoming personally traveled to the Northern Wilderness to recruit her, precisely because he intended to make her his personal disciple.”

After arriving at Lingyun Sect, Ji Yao had deliberately mingled with the gossip-loving disciples of the outer sect, so she’d heard plenty of rumors, true and false, about each peak. Among them, those concerning Master Zhaoming explained his delight at meeting Ling Ru.

Master Zhaoming is a sword cultivator with a singular fire spirit root, but not a pure sword cultivator; he is also a seventh-grade alchemist, only short of the eighth grade due to insufficient cultivation. Ideally, an eighth-grade alchemist should have a cultivation at the Integration stage.

It’s not strictly required, but the spiritual energy needed to form eighth-grade pills is immense, and the consumption of spiritual consciousness during alchemy is more than a mere Transforming Spirit stage master can bear. Master Zhaoming had attempted eighth-grade pill forging; spiritual energy could be replenished with various pills, but consciousness could not. Once depleted, even the finest pills require time to restore.

If consciousness is exhausted during alchemy, furnace explosions are the least of one’s worries; the backlash can injure the mind, making recovery slow and difficult. Unlike the healing of the body, restoring consciousness relies more on time than medicine.

It’s akin to a mortal who, after days without sleep, drinks a miraculous energizing tonic and feels revitalized, but can one forever avoid sleep by relying on such medicine?

Thus, when Master Zhaoming had to halt his pill forging midway due to waning consciousness, he could only regretfully accept it.

For him, the only barrier to becoming an eighth-grade alchemist was cultivation, but ascending to ninth grade after the Integration stage is impossible. According to the Medicine Immortal Valley’s sole ninth-grade grandmaster, ninth-grade alchemists require harmonious spirit roots—mastery over alchemy fire and affinity with the spiritual plants used in pills.

Ninth-grade pills possess nascent sentience, differing from immortal pills only by a touch of immortal aura. With sentient pills, the alchemist must first communicate with them, which demands affinity with spiritual plants; among the five elements, wood spirit roots are most compatible. Thus, elite alchemists typically possess both fire and wood spirit roots.

Master Zhaoming has a heavenly fire root and exceptional alchemical talent, making him a dual cultivator of sword and pill.

Unable to become a ninth-grade alchemist himself, he sought a disciple to inherit his legacy, hoping they might surpass him and achieve what he could not.

Unfortunately, of his previous two disciples, one talented with the sword lacked alchemical skills, while the other, obsessed with alchemy, ignored all else. Ling Ru, who showed budding sword intent and alchemical talent, was precisely what Master Zhaoming desired.

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Ji Yao listened silently, nodding again without speaking. The steward’s satisfaction at her familiarity with Ling Ru was obvious.

Handing her a wooden token, he said, “Senior Sister Ling Ru couldn’t come herself; this is a task she left behind, specifying you should accept it and then visit her at Blazing Flame Peak. It’s late, so take the task and go quickly.”

Learning Ling Ru had sought her out, and that the reason was to deliver something from her father, Ji Yao was speechless. Was this an abuse of official duties for personal matters?

She was grateful Ling Ru had found an excuse; otherwise, they might never meet, as outer sect disciples are forbidden from visiting the inner sect without special reasons.

With the task token issued by the Sect Affairs Hall, Ji Yao arrived at Ling Ru’s residence.

“You’re finally here!” As the restriction on the residence lifted, a cheerful voice rang out, followed by the familiar figure clad in red.

They hadn’t seen each other in over five months, and the girl had already reached the tenth layer of Qi Refining—not yet fifteen years old, and already at the tenth layer. No wonder the steward called her Senior Sister Ling.

Since recovering from her serious injury, Ji Yao found that as long as someone was in the same stage as her, regardless of cultivation level, she could discern their cultivation clearly.

Moreover, the lifesaving spiritual radiance that had shattered the boulder now seemed to have dispersed throughout her meridians. Every time she circulated her cultivation technique, a peculiar power would flow into her mind, sharpening her senses.

“Are you injured? Why are you so absent-minded?” Ling Ru’s voice snapped Ji Yao out of her thoughts.

“Have I ever acted foolish? I’m just awed by the grandeur of a personal disciple. Are you cursing me?” Ji Yao retorted with mock annoyance.

“Really not? My father sent word that the day he left Guangqiong City, there was a suspected Demon Devourer sighting nearby!”

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