Chapter 24: The Unyielding Spirit of Youth

Huang Li swept her cold gaze over the remaining prisoners. “When you get out, take a good look at the rules of Taichu. Otherwise, next time, it will be you.”

The old-timers shrank back, nodding repeatedly. The Courtyard of the Stultified! A place from which one could never recover, destined to become a drooling imbecile, forced to labor for the sect until death.

Stepping out of the confinement mountain and seeing the sun again, Qin Haoxuan let out a long, turbid breath. He had absorbed a great deal of medicinal power in the Lava Cellar. Although he was no longer surrounded by the geothermal heat, the fire inside his body was not as unbearable as before.

Returning to the Spirit Field Valley, he saw a bustling crowd gathered outside Zhang Kuang’s dormitory.

To highlight the superiority of the disciples with strong seeds, the sect had assigned each of the three Purple Seeds and two Gray Seeds a private dormitory the day after Qin Haoxuan was confined, freeing them from the communal bunks.

At this moment, Zhang Kuang’s face was beaming as he received an endless stream of flattery. Though he smiled, his arrogance was on full display.

“Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhang, for completing the Rooting Stage in just seven days! You’ve broken the Taichu Sect’s record! This is an unprecedented achievement!”

“The current Sect Master, Perfected Man Huanglong, took 20 days to succeed back then! Not only are you faster than him, but you’ve also left the other two Purple Seeds in the dust. Truly remarkable!”

…

After a wave of compliments, a senior disciple who couldn’t get a word in grew anxious. He pushed forward and presented a basket of gifts he had prepared.

“Junior Brother Zhang, these are some purple yams I grew myself. They taste much better than the steamed buns you’re eating now, and their spiritual energy is much stronger than ordinary grain.”

Zhang Kuang accepted the basket without ceremony, and with a word of thanks, he kicked off a frenzy of gift-giving.

“A humble gift, please accept it, Junior Brother Zhang.”

“This is a 30-year-old ginseng. Sliced and brewed as tea, it can nourish and boost one’s qi. Perfect for after a tiring training session.”

“Junior Brother has just entered the sect, so you probably don’t have a good alchemy cauldron. This one is made of bronze with a bit of mithril added, much better at locking in medicinal power than an ordinary iron one.”

“Junior Brother Zhang, this is a Spirit Gathering Pill I refined. It can speed up the recovery of spiritual energy…”

Seeing the gifts become more and more extravagant, some with more modest offerings felt too embarrassed to present them. To curry favor with Zhang Kuang, the most promising of the Purple Seeds, some were even willing to part with their most prized possessions. One disciple, after fumbling in his robes for a long time, finally made up his mind. “Senior Brother has nothing else of value to offer. This Spiritual Talisman is not particularly rare, but when activated, it has the power of a Seventh-Leaf Spirit Sprout Realm expert’s strike. A genius like you will surely have no use for it, but it is a small token of my sincerity!”

The others were shocked that someone would actually offer a precious Spiritual Talisman as a gift.

For these low-level menial disciples with bleak prospects, a Spiritual Talisman could be a lifesaver in a crisis.

Zhang Kuang accepted all the gifts and flattery with a smile. In his eyes, these menial disciples were getting a great deal; they were earning his goodwill with a few cheap items. If he had been in the sect for longer, he wouldn’t have even glanced at such things.

This scene did not escape the notice of Qin Haoxuan, who had just returned from confinement. He secretly warned himself to cultivate harder. Zhang Kuang had completed the Rooting Stage in seven days, while his own seedling had only just grown the tiniest of roots. He would have to visit the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley more often to find more treasures, and he’d better learn alchemy so as not to waste them.

The smug Zhang Kuang also caught sight of Qin Haoxuan. A flicker of apprehension crossed his eyes. You’re still not dead? Good. Very good. In the past, I might have been wary of you, but now, I have established my roots! Once my seedling sprouts and I learn some powerful immortal arts, I will definitely be able to defeat him!

In any case, I am a Purple Seed, and he is just the worst kind of weak seed.

Although Qin Haoxuan understood the need for pragmatism, he still had the temperament of a youth. Seeing Zhang Kuang looking so smug, he had no intention of letting his rival enjoy his moment of glory. If he could spoil his mood, he would not miss the opportunity.

“Hey, Zhang Kuang…” His voice drew the attention of everyone present. “On my way out, the Discipline Squad announced the verdict for Yuan Shanxiang. His cultivation was crippled, his mind was wiped, and he was thrown into the Courtyard of the Stultified as a laborer. You and your friends here should probably pay more attention to the rules of Taichu.”

What? The faces of the sycophants surrounding Zhang Kuang turned pale with fear. Yuan Shanxiang had been crippled? Not even a Purple Seed could save him?

Zhang Kuang’s face turned cold. Someone from the Discipline Hall had already informed him. He had tried to intervene on Yuan Shanxiang’s behalf but had failed. He had planned to appease the Yuan family later, but he hadn’t expected Qin Haoxuan to come and spoil the mood at this very moment.

Everything that happened was witnessed by Xu Yu and Li Jing from a distance. Xu Yu laughed and clapped her hands. Now, anyone who wanted to help Zhang Kuang would have to think twice.

Li Jing’s face was calm, but his heart was anxious. They were both Purple Seed disciples, but Zhang Kuang had completed the Rooting Stage in seven days, breaking the sect’s record. He, however, had not. The gap between them was already widening. If it continued to grow, how could he possibly compete for the position of Sect Master?

I must establish my roots as soon as possible, and then be the first to sprout a seedling! I have to catch up and surpass him while the gap is still small!

Xu Yu looked at Qin Haoxuan, who was now thin and haggard in his tattered clothes after several days in the Lava Cellar, and felt a pang of sadness. Then, she looked at Zhang Kuang, who was shooting a provocative glare at him, and a new wave of worry washed over her.

Right now, Zhang Kuang was still sending others to bully Qin Haoxuan. But once he sprouted his seedling, he would no longer be sending others; he would act himself.

A Purple Seed would surely be nurtured as a key talent by the sect, while Qin Haoxuan, no matter how hard he worked, was still just a disciple with a weak seed. His future achievements could not compare to Zhang Kuang’s. And for Zhang Kuang to have completed the Rooting Stage in just seven days, his aptitude might even be better than hers and Li Jing’s.

Once Zhang Kuang learned some powerful spiritual techniques, not only Qin Haoxuan, but she herself would also be in trouble.

Remembering that first night on Great Islet Mountain, when she had only been able to sleep peacefully under his protection, Xu Yu made a silent vow. No matter what, she would not let Zhang Kuang bully Qin Haoxuan.

The people behind Li Jing were also lost in their own thoughts, wondering if they had backed the right person. If Li Jing’s future was bleak, their own prospects would be dim as well.

Seeing Qin Haoxuan, Xu Yu walked over and looked him up and down. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I had food and drink in the confinement mountain, and no one disturbed my cultivation.”

Xu Yu smiled faintly, then her gaze shifted back to Zhang Kuang’s group, and she sighed with a hint of worry. “I haven’t established my roots yet.”

“So what? There’s still plenty of time,” Qin Haoxuan said with a relaxed expression. After comforting her for a bit, he added, “Don’t waste your time here. I’m fine. Go back and cultivate.”

Spurred on by Zhang Kuang’s progress, Xu Yu nodded. To avoid falling too far behind, she returned to her room to cultivate. Just then, Li Jing came over with a smile.

Looking at Qin Haoxuan’s steady breathing, if not for the reports he had received, he would never have believed that he had been struck by a Fifth-Leaf expert. He couldn’t believe that someone only slightly stronger than an ordinary person could beat a group of old-timers into submission, or that he could break the limbs of a Fifth-Leaf cultivator and then torment him every day.

Qin Haoxuan, what is your secret? Countless questions flashed through Li Jing’s mind, but on his face was an enthusiastic smile. Seeing that Qin Haoxuan’s clothes were tattered, he gave a signal, and one of his followers immediately took off his own outer robe and draped it over Qin Haoxuan’s shoulders. Anyone who didn’t know better would have been moved to tears by this display of respect for a subordinate.

“Today is the day of Junior Brother Qin’s return from the Lava Cellar. My brothers and I have been waiting for a long time,” Li Jing said, walking up with a broad smile and taking Qin Haoxuan’s hand. “We’ve all heard about your heroic deeds in the Lava Cellar. I am filled with admiration! My brothers here also admire you greatly and have come to congratulate you on your safe return.”

As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling man. Although he didn’t like Li Jing, he had helped him. To be rude would be petty. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Qin Haoxuan pulled his hand away. It felt strange to have another man hold his hand like that.

Besides, Murong Chao, who was standing behind Li Jing, was glaring at him with such hatred that it looked as if he wanted to eat him alive. There was no admiration in his eyes.

“Senior Brother Li is too kind. I was being bullied in the Lava Cellar. If not for your help, I might be missing an arm or a leg right now.”

Qin Haoxuan replied with a faint, calm smile.

The commotion around Zhang Kuang had died down, and all eyes were now on Li Jing and Qin Haoxuan. One of Zhang Kuang’s followers, trying to curry favor but lacking any tact, suddenly sneered, “What’s there to talk about with a weak-seeded waste?”

“That’s right. Not all Purple Seeds are the same.”

Instantly, Zhang Kuang’s followers began to chime in with their own taunts. Hearing them mock Li Jing was even more pleasing to Zhang Kuang than being flattered himself, and he let out a loud laugh.

Qin Haoxuan remained calm, but Li Jing’s smile vanished, and his followers glared at the other group. A conflict was about to erupt.