Chapter 9: The Time of an Incense Stick

This speed made even Elder Chu feel a pang of jealousy, let alone the other new disciples. After the three Purple Seed disciples succeeded one after another, the vast majority of the remaining disciples grew impatient and restless. Guiding spiritual energy into the body was a delicate task that required both boldness and a calm mind. In their agitated state, they focused only on being bold, trying to rush the process of Seed Shattering. But the more impatient they became, the further they were from success. Several disciples even turned pale, and if not for Elder Chu’s timely intervention, their spirit souls would have been injured by the spiritual energy, dooming them to a life of mediocrity.

Following the three geniuses, a few hundred breaths later, the two Gray Seeds, Zhang Yang and Murong Chao, also burst forth with the aura of success. The difference in speed between the Gray and Purple Seeds was immediately apparent.

Although aptitude wasn’t the absolute measure of a cultivator’s future achievements, a higher starting point was an undeniable advantage.

Over the next hour, several disciples with full Uncolored Seeds also succeeded, one after another. Each success sent out waves of energy, further disturbing the others and making it impossible for them to calm their minds. To avoid qi deviation, some had already given up.

“A quarter of an hour left,” Elder Chu announced, glancing at the incense stick that had burned down more than halfway.

Instantly, many more disciples opened their eyes. They couldn’t quiet their minds, and since they had three months, they figured there was no need to rush it on the first day.

As time passed, more and more people gave up. The incense stick was nearly burnt out, and the effects of the Spirit Induction Pill were about to fade. In the entire lecture hall, only Qin Haoxuan remained immersed in his cultivation. Unlike the others who were watching the clock, he had completely forgotten the passage of time, his entire being focused on the feeling of the energy.

There was no haste, no anxiety, only a heart that sought the Dao, as calm as still water.

Having entered the snake’s body many times, Qin Haoxuan was different from the others. He was already familiar with spiritual energy. So, although he had a weak seed, he understood spiritual energy better than even the disciples with full seeds. The only difficulty was that a weak seed needed much more control to absorb spiritual energy than a full one.

Even before the full-seed disciples could sense the spiritual energy, Qin Haoxuan had already felt it.

It was like an injured person in a hundred-meter race against healthy opponents. The injured runner is at a great disadvantage.

But what if that injured runner starts only ten meters from the finish line? Even with an injury, they still have a chance to win.

The poor quality of Qin Haoxuan’s aptitude was a great comfort to Murong Chao, whose eye was still black and blue from his punch. He and Zhang Kuang shared the same thought: they would master spiritual techniques, take their revenge, and torture Qin Haoxuan until he wished for death but could not find it.

Many complex gazes were fixed on the still-persevering Qin Haoxuan. Some were of admiration, others of contempt. Elder Chu’s eyes, however, were filled with appreciation. Qin Haoxuan’s aptitude was poor, but his Dao Heart was firm. As an Initiate Master, he knew well that the longer it took to guide spiritual energy into the body, the greater the difficulty. Without a stable Dao Heart and a peaceful state of mind, success was impossible. For Qin Haoxuan to sit there for so long, maintaining his focus, his breathing steady, persistent and free of obsession, delusion, or fear—he was one of the most resolute new disciples he had ever seen.

Time was almost up. The incense stick was nothing but a tiny red ember.

Qin Haoxuan remained seated, unmoved by the growing chatter from the outside world.

As his enemies, Li Jing and Zhang Kuang were both shocked by his willpower and endurance. They secretly admired him while simultaneously warning themselves that if they ever got a chance to finish him off, they must do it in one blow. A person like this could not be given any chance to recover, or he would surely seek revenge.

Elder Chu glanced at the incense. “Ten breaths left.”

His announcement sparked even more intense discussion and ridicule. “I bet he won’t succeed!”

“Nonsense! If he could succeed, he wouldn’t have a weak seed!”

“Waste is waste. A toad wanting to eat swan meat!”

…

“Five breaths!”

“Four breaths!”

“Three breaths!”

“Two breaths!”

…

Qin Haoxuan still hadn’t given up. His expression was as peaceful as ever, his breathing still perfectly steady. This state of mind, as calm as an ancient well, deeply impressed Elder Chu, who had been deliberately counting down to test the very limits of his resolve.

Murong Chao sneered, “As a disciple with a weak seed, you should learn to face reality. What’s the use of a firm Dao Heart? In the end, you’ll still fail because of your poor aptitude.”

No one believed Qin Haoxuan could still succeed. Even Elder Chu had prepared words of comfort for this determined but untalented new disciple, planning to encourage him to try again tomorrow. But before he could speak, a powerful aura suddenly erupted from Qin Haoxuan’s body, stunning everyone.

At the very last second, Qin Haoxuan finally guided the spiritual energy into his body, shattered his Immortal Seed, and successfully entered the Rooting Stage! Once the root was firmly planted, he could truly step onto the Great Dao of cultivation.

The hall was in an uproar.

Everyone had been waiting to see him fail, but Qin Haoxuan’s success was a sharp slap in their faces. They were all left speechless.

Elder Chu let out a cry of approval, his eyes filled with admiration for Qin Haoxuan. For a disciple with a weak seed to have such a firm Dao Heart and willpower, and to succeed in shattering his seed on the very first day of training, was unprecedented! Even Xu Yu, who kept her distance from everyone, offered Qin Haoxuan a warm smile.

Elder Chu’s praise and Xu Yu’s smile undoubtedly drew more hatred towards Qin Haoxuan, especially from those new disciples who hadn’t managed to persevere. Their jealousy, already piqued by his success, now burned even hotter.

Compared to Li Jing, Zhang Kuang, and the others, Qin Haoxuan, despite his weak seed, hadn’t lost at the starting line. Yet, he was far from satisfied. The difference in aptitude is truly vast. In these early stages, the gap in our cultivation levels could widen significantly! If this continues, Zhang Kuang and the others won’t be so courteous in the future. Do I really have to risk going to the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley with the snake?

Comparing the snake’s aptitude to his own body’s, he had to admit his physical vessel was terrible. It seemed a trip to the valley to find some elixirs to temper his body and improve his aptitude was necessary.

Elder Chu gave Qin Haoxuan an approving glance and then tallied the numbers. Of the two hundred new disciples, fewer than ten had succeeded. For the very first day of training, this number was enough to make him ecstatic.

Next, it was time to learn the initial cultivation technique. Elder Chu distributed a small booklet to each disciple. It contained a basic “Spirit Induction Art.” Those who had already succeeded could practice this art to speed up the absorption of spiritual energy, water their seedlings, and hasten their growth. Once the seedling sprouted, they would reach the second realm, the Spirit Sprout Realm.

Those who hadn’t succeeded could practice the art half-heartedly while waiting for the next day’s Spirit Induction Pill. After all, using the normal method, shattering the seed could take anywhere from six months to ten years.

The Spirit Induction Art was no challenge for geniuses like Li Jing and Zhang Kuang. They understood it at a glance and began to frantically absorb the surrounding spiritual energy, shocking Elder Chu. At this rate, sprouting a seedling was just a matter of time, and not a very long time at that.

Although Qin Haoxuan had also succeeded, he lacked the perception and talent of the Purple Seed disciples. He couldn’t master the Spirit Induction Art instantly and had to learn it step-by-step like everyone else.

As night fell, the Menial Disciples of the Spirit Field Valley had already arranged food and lodging for the new disciples. Elder Chu said, “The path of cultivation cannot be walked alone behind closed doors. There are many senior brothers in the valley. You can learn much from them. Tomorrow, I will explain some basic knowledge of cultivation and teach you to identify some medicinal herbs.”

After explaining a few more key points of the technique, he left them to cultivate on their own.

The Spirit Field Valley was not only a training ground for new disciples but also home to many menial disciples who had been in the sect for decades. Most of them were stuck in the Immortal Seed Realm or the early stages of the Spirit Sprout Realm with no hope of advancing. They were assigned to grow spiritual herbs for the rest of the sect. Without a great opportunity, they were destined to live out their days in mediocrity.

For these hopeless menial disciples, the annual training of new disciples was an opportunity.

In the past, some menial disciples had managed to curry favor with a strong-seeded disciple during their training. After that disciple rose to prominence, they helped him shed his menial status. This year’s batch, with three Purple Seeds and two Gray Seeds, was the most talented in the history of the sect. Even attaching oneself to a Gray Seed disciple could bring endless benefits.

When they arrived at the dormitories, many menial disciples were already waiting. They eagerly helped the strong-seeded disciples with their luggage, found them rooms, and took care of everything.

There were hundreds of menial disciples in the valley, but only five colored-seed disciples. The competition was fierce. Since cultivation was not solely determined by the strength of one’s Immortal Seed, many menial disciples who had missed their chance began to look among the disciples with weak seeds for a promising candidate, hoping to get lucky. After all, every year, some disciples with weak seeds would rise against the odds.

Among the disciples with weak seeds, Qin Haoxuan’s temperament and demeanor were the most impressive. The story of his last-second success had also spread widely. One menial disciple, after observing the crowd, decided to approach Qin Haoxuan.

Just as he was about to walk over, Zhang Kuang, followed by several fawning menial disciples, came over and pointed at Qin Haoxuan. “This is my good friend from my hometown, Qin Haoxuan. Back in Datian Town, Brother Qin often gave me pointers in martial arts. Last year, I accidentally broke a few ribs while sparring with him and was bedridden for three or four months. It’s a pity that with such good skills, he turned out to be an Uncolored Seed. I’m afraid he has no hope of sprouting a seedling. I ask you, senior brothers, to take care of him in the future, for my sake!”

Zhang Kuang’s meaning was crystal clear. These menial disciples were old hands and understood his hidden message immediately. They all looked at Qin Haoxuan with sinister smiles and promised Zhang Kuang that they would “take good care” of him. The menial disciple who had intended to approach Qin Haoxuan broke out in a cold sweat and immediately turned and fled. If he got close to this Qin Haoxuan, he wouldn’t even know how he died.

Zhang Kuang’s Purple Seed aptitude held infinite potential for the future. These menial disciples were desperate to curry favor with this genius. Now that he had given them a task, they were all rubbing their hands in anticipation. If not for the strict sect rules against infighting, they would have probably cut off Qin Haoxuan’s head to present it to him as a trophy.

These old-timers of the Spirit Field Valley, though their aptitude was poor, were mostly in the Spirit Sprout Realm, having cultivated for decades. Qin Haoxuan knew he was no match for them. A strong sense of crisis washed over him. This is bad! To curry favor with Zhang Kuang, these people will do anything to me! At my current level, I’m no match for them! I must find a way to increase my strength as quickly as possible, just to survive! It seems I have no choice but to gamble on my luck in the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley tonight! Let’s see if it’s really like the senior brother said, full of spiritual herbs. If I can find a few heaven-defying herbs, they should be of great help in raising my cultivation level, right?