Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 349 Shi Yizhi's Inner Demons
Xu Ying looked closely and saw that the blue cauldron had an ancient shape and was surrounded by faint starlight. It was exactly the same as the iconic "mascot" Seven Star Cauldron on Spirit Medicine Peak!
The sect leader brought over all the most precious treasures from Spirit Medicine Peak as a reward!?
"Sect Master... this... this isn't the one on Spirit Medicine Peak..."

Xu Ying pointed at the suddenly appearing Seven Star Cauldron and stammered.

Although he didn't understand the art of alchemy, he knew a little about the cauldron on Spirit Medicine Peak. It looked extraordinary, but apart from being a decoration, it didn't seem to have much practical use. It was also inferior to the medicine furnaces in the pharmacies on Spirit Medicine Peak. The sect leader had even complained that it was "good-looking but useless"...

However, even if that thing is more for show than practical use, it is still a rare treasure because it contains a strange fire, and it is indeed stronger than the magical weapons and artifacts that the sect leader gave him before.

Zhang Chengdao could tell from Xu Ying's expression that the other party had misunderstood. He smiled and said, "Steward Xu has a good eye. This magic weapon is indeed of the same origin as the Seven Star Cauldron on Spirit Medicine Peak. However, this cauldron is a magic weapon that can be refined. It has the ability to gather spiritual energy and store medicine. It can be used to assist in battle or to refine pills. It is just right to be the reward for the third place."

Such a profound-grade magic treasure was only the reward for third place!
Upon hearing this, Xu Ying's eyes widened: "This is only third place? What about the top two..."

Zhang Chengdao then took out the [Mysterious Pine Cold Peak - Mortal] and the [Gourd in the World], saying, "The champion's reward is this sword, named 'Mysterious Pine Cold Peak,' a Heaven-rank spiritual sword. As for the second place, it is this [Gourd in the World], which is also a rather rare Earth-rank magic treasure."

The classification of magical treasures into categories such as Heavenly Rank, Earthly Rank, Profound Rank, and Yellow Rank is actually somewhat vague.

After all, reality is not a game, and there are no absolutely fixed values. The classification of magic weapon quality depends more on its function and power. Therefore, just like the academic circles in modern society, there are also some magic weapons that are not very good in quality, but because the creator is famous or for some other reason, the grade and title do not match the magic weapon itself.

However, the general division will not deviate too much in any case.

Moreover, given the nature of their sect leader, if he says it's a Heaven-rank spiritual sword or an Earth-rank magic weapon, then there's absolutely no mistake.

Xu Ying stared wide-eyed at the longsword that exuded a chilling aura before him.

The mere appearance of "Mysterious Pine Cold Peak" caused the temperature inside the warehouse to drop several degrees!

However, the [Pavilion in a Pot] floating next to the "Mysterious Pine and Cold Peak" is also quite eye-catching.

Such exquisite "hot pot designs" are truly a masterpiece...

Wait, isn't this a hot sample?!

Xu Ying examined the [Pavilion in the Pot] carefully. It was exquisitely carved, a miniature version of the building, without a trace of glue or rough burrs...

Could this be...

Xu Ying couldn't help but make a bold guess in his mind, and couldn't help but ask, "Sect Master, could this [Gourd World Pavilion] be a real house?"

Zhang Chengdao nodded and replied, "More or less. This is a tertiary-grade magic treasure that can be refined for one's own use. It forms its own world, rich in spiritual energy, and also has its own barrier to separate the inside from the outside. If it is carefully nurtured after being refined, the spiritual energy within it will likely become even more abundant."

"Sect Master... this is far too precious!"

Xu Ying took a deep breath, her expression conflicted: "Such a precious treasure, is it a bit... appropriate to give it as a reward for the competition?"

"It doesn't matter."

Zhang Chengdao waved his hand and said, "Since my White Stone Immortal Sect is the leader of the immortal path, it should have the demeanor to match it. These treasures should be used to encourage our disciples to cultivate. Moreover, no matter how good the treasures are, if they are left on a high shelf, they are just a piece of scrap iron. Only when they can be used by people can they be considered true magic weapons."

Xu Ying quickly cupped his hands in greeting and replied, "Ying, I have learned much."

……

There were three full months between setting the date for the sect competition and the eve of the actual competition.

During these three months, both inner and outer disciples were indeed motivated to work harder by the competition, with Shi Yizhi being the most diligent.

As the youngest disciple of Zhang Chengdao, the sect leader of Baishi Immortal Sect, and the only disciple who will participate in the sect's grand competition, he was in great turmoil.

If learning the rewards for the sect competition did indeed instill a sense of determination in him, then the rumors circulating within the sect were truly making him feel resentful.

In fact, these words were not only directed at Shi Yizhi. Apart from the senior brothers, senior sisters, senior brothers and senior sisters whose cultivation levels were indeed unapproachable, even the fifth senior brother was often criticized in private. Many people were jealous of why the fifth senior brother, who was just a carpenter, could become the sect leader's personal disciple.

However, Huang Wu is a very open-minded person and doesn't care about these words at all. He might even think that he is really lucky, or that the jealous people are right to say that!

But Shi Yizhi wouldn't work.

Master Yi is a novice, young and with low cultivation, and many people are not convinced of his abilities.

When everyone started learning at the same time, their speed of drawing qi into their bodies was about the same. Since Master Yizhi was not the first, he naturally did not show anything special.

Even though his cultivation level is currently the highest among the new disciples, everyone can say that it is because he is the sect leader's personal disciple. Whether it is cultivation resources or being sent to the Immortal Alliance to enjoy the most abundant spiritual energy resources, he has the best. If he is not the number one in cultivation, then he is unworthy to be the sect leader's personal disciple.

However, there weren't many people who actually said such things; out of several hundred, there were only two or three. But because Shi Yizhi had been subjected to such criticism since childhood, he was exceptionally sensitive, to the point that he felt the way other outer disciples looked at him was mocking his uselessness. Even…

Even Gao Wencai, whom I had known before...

Shaking his jumbled thoughts, Shi Yizhi forced himself to calm down and sat down to meditate in the mountains.

This place is several dozen miles from Baishi Mountain, not too far, and has a decent amount of spiritual energy.

It's not too close, so it's not easy to run into fellow disciples.

He had been stuck at the ninth level of Qi Refining for several days. According to the "White Stone Immortal Dao Book", cultivators with good talent usually achieve Foundation Establishment in a hundred days. However, he had been cultivating for far more than a hundred days, but he still couldn't quite grasp the threshold for breakthrough, which made him extremely anxious.

The Foundation Establishment Pill, which he had saved up for a long time, lay quietly in Shi Yizhi's hand.

This stuff doesn't work immediately after consumption; it's meant to be taken when you sense an impending breakthrough, and it can offer some assistance.

He hasn't felt any breakthrough yet, so he hasn't taken the Foundation Building Pill.

The moonlight, like water, poured down upon the mountains of Baishi Immortal Sect.

Shi Yizhi sat cross-legged, gripping the Foundation Establishment Pill tightly in his hand, his eyes closed, veins bulging on his forehead, and beads of sweat rolling down, soaking his clothes.

The spiritual energy within his body could not be condensed into a cohesive mass; it always wandered in the refined true energy channels—that is, the meridians—unable to settle within his body, and thus he was unable to establish his foundation.

The more anxious Shi Yizhi was to gather his inner energy, the more powerless he became, and even his meridians began to throb with pain.

Giving up is out of the question. Today is the last day. If I can't reach the Foundation Establishment stage today, I'll have to participate in the sect competition tomorrow.

He could already imagine what those outer disciples would say at that time—

It's nothing more than the rankings of the sect competition being predetermined. As the sect leader's personal disciple, Shi Yizhi is bound to take the champion's reward. Perhaps, for the sake of the Heavenly Realm Spirit Sword reward, he deliberately suppressed his cultivation and didn't establish his foundation. In this way, he could secure the champion's title with his Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivation, thus saving face and obtaining the champion's reward...

He had seen Gao Wencai's disdainful look many times before.

The more Shi Yizhi thought about it, the more disordered his breathing became. Soon, the spiritual energy around him fluctuated violently, like boiling water, sometimes overflowing wildly and sometimes contracting inward. Shi Yizhi himself seemed to be in a world of ice and fire, sometimes cold and sometimes hot, his face turning white and red.

Gradually, Shi Yizhi's face turned a dark purple, a sign that the pent-up resentment in his heart was turning into a demon.

"I want to cultivate immortality."

For some reason, Shi Yizhi suddenly recalled a scene from the Ascension Steps.

When Jiang Wanli and I were lying on the ground, unable to even stand up.

“I really want to cultivate immortality. I can tell. Brother Gao and your family are both quite wealthy. Although my family is relatively well-off, the amount of money I've spent over the years is not a small sum... at least not a small sum for my family…”

"I want to cultivate immortality."

This time, Shi Yizhi murmured the same four words softly, which overlapped with the words Jiang Wanli had said in his memory.

Back then, Jiang Wanli held him back; now…

Even though Shi Yizhi's eyes were closed, it was as if he could see the White Stone Immortal Sect through the layers of mountains, and also the disciples within the White Stone Immortal Sect, whether they were the senior brothers and sisters of the inner sect, or Jiang Wanli and Gao Wencai of the outer sect...

"Senior brother, we've come this far, you can't give up!"

"Tch, personally taught by the sect leader, you probably can't even reach the Foundation Establishment stage, right?"

"Hahaha, senior brother, your surname is really too advantageous. Although you are now considered an inner disciple and a direct disciple of the sect leader, we should indeed call you sixth senior brother!"

"This is really unreasonable! Senior Brother is clearly the youngest, but we all have to call him Sixth Senior Brother! Ah! Wait, I am now Master's disciple, so shouldn't I call you Junior Uncle?"

"Hehe, then let's each follow our own path. Instead of calling each other 'Senior Brother,' let's just call each other 'Fellow Daoist Master'!"

In a daze, I heard many familiar voices, not only Jiang Wanli and Gao Wencai, but also Anderding, Lu Maoer, Zhu Ye...

Immediately afterwards, within the dantian and dantian, the originally misty and turbulent spiritual energy was being frantically compressed, gradually condensing into a purer and more stable foundation...

(End of this chapter)