Raise a sword!

After a short rest, Jiang Peng and Qin Yuan discussed their experience in alchemy. Several hours later, the two finally emerged from the alchemy room.

Qin Yuan needed to stay at Danhuo Peak and couldn't leave, while Jiang Peng prepared to return to Biwu Peak to rest.

Just as she was about to leave, Jiang Peng encountered an unexpected person in the Pill Hall.

"Senior Brother Zhao." Jiang Peng paused slightly, looking at Zhao Shan'ao not far away.

This was the first time Jiang Peng had seen this once spirited and ambitious disciple since their last parting in Cang Kingdom.

Since returning to the sect, Jiang Peng had never heard any news about Zhao Shan'ao. Only a few disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall had come to inquire about what happened in the mountains, and then there was no further news.

Jiang Peng thought the sect didn't want to publicize the matter, and that Zhao Shan'ao might disappear without a trace.

Unexpectedly, I was able to see him in the Pill Hall again.

When Zhao Shan'ao saw Jiang Peng, his expression became extremely complicated.

He seemed about to turn and leave, but hesitated for a moment before finally turning back and bowing deeply to Jiang Peng.

"Outer disciple Zhao Shan'ao greets Senior Brother Jiang."

Jiang Peng was taken aback. She looked Zhao Shan'ao over carefully and then noticed that the waist tag on his waist had changed to the style of an outer disciple.

"Is this the sect's punishment for you?" Jiang Peng suddenly realized.

Zhao Shan'ao did not respond, but simply turned his head to look in the other direction.

Just then, Wang Lu, the steward of the Pill Hall, walked over from the side. Zhao Shan'ao nodded to him as a greeting, and then left on his own.

Wang Lu then came to Jiang Peng's side and whispered, "Zhao Shan'ao has taken over the task of teaching the new disciples of the Pill Hall again."

Speaking of this matter...

Because of the trip to the Spirit Transformation Pool, Jiang Peng did not appear in the Pill Hall for more than a year, and it is unknown how Steward Wang managed to endure it during that time.

Jiang Peng looked embarrassed and was about to apologize.

Wang Lu saw through Jiang Peng's thoughts and waved his hand, saying, "What happened earlier was my recklessness. I didn't know that Junior Brother Jiang was already busy with other matters and couldn't get away."

"It was my fault for speaking out of turn," Jiang Peng said apologetically.

Wang Lu didn't dwell on the topic too much. He just watched Zhao Shan'ao's departing figure and said, "Junior Brother Zhao used to look down on this kind of job, but now, by some twist of fate, he has no choice but to become an instructor in the sect until the end of his life."

"This is also why the sect was willing to let him return to Danhuo Peak... After all, he does have some skill in alchemy."

Jiang Peng suddenly realized.

It seems the sect intends for Zhao Shan'ao to atone for his sins through this.

To be fair, this punishment is considered lenient in the cultivation world.

...

For the next few days, Jiang Peng continued to cultivate her inner energy on Biwu Peak.

Although he had been away from the Spirit Transformation Pool for some time, its effects still seemed to linger, allowing Jiang Peng to make rapid progress in his cultivation recently.

At the current pace, he might be able to break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining in about two more years.

Of course, if one can obtain the final material for nurturing the sword, Crimson Sun Stone Marrow, as soon as possible, and further enhance one's magical sword, one's cultivation progress may also advance further.

In the cultivation room, after absorbing qi and regulating her breathing, Jiang Peng summarized her next goals.

"My accumulation in the Qi Refining Realm is already sufficient. Even Master Lü said that although I only have a mid-grade spiritual root, I have great fortune and it will not be difficult for me to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the future... I have already obtained the Wood Spirit Pill, and now the real trouble is about to begin."

"Foundation Building Pill, Crimson Sun Stone Marrow".

Jiang Peng sat on the futon, feeling the calming effect of the ritual futon, and felt her mind become clear.

"Senior Sister Sun's chamber of commerce is still not very powerful, and in terms of connections, it is probably still inseparable from the Cangshan Sect's little territory... We can't rely entirely on them for the matter of the Crimson Sun Stone Marrow. Perhaps we should ask some other people to inquire, or even go out on our own."

Thinking about going out, Jiang Peng muttered about the Foundation Establishment Pill again.

Given his current status as a true disciple, if he is willing to wait, he is quite confident that he can compete for Foundation Establishment Pills when the sect distributes them next time.

However, Jiang Peng did not want to take the sect's Foundation Establishment Pill.

It was only after becoming a true disciple that Jiang Peng learned that if he used the Foundation Establishment Pill distributed by the sect to break through, he would have to stay in the sect for thirty years after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

The term "sitting in charge" is the sect's original wording, but in Jiang Peng's view, it's just a nice-sounding way of putting it.

It would be more accurate to describe it as being at the beck and call of the sect.

This is a reasonable deal. After all, the sect has gone to great lengths to cultivate a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and it's not fair to let him run away without getting any benefits in return.

Moreover, Foundation Establishment cultivators can enjoy higher treatment and a proper status within the sect.

Thirty years is nothing compared to a lifespan of over two hundred years.

But Jiang Peng was unwilling to be bound by those rules.

Even without this constraint, he probably still wouldn't go out often, but Jiang Peng still refused.

There is a difference between being able to go out and not wanting to go out, and being unable to go out.

"Accepting the Foundation Establishment Pills from the sect is only a worst-case scenario. If possible, we should still find Foundation Establishment Pills ourselves, or even refine them ourselves."

With the experience of refining the second-tier pill, the Wood Spirit Pill, Jiang Peng was confident that he could become a true second-tier alchemist when he reached the peak of Qi Refining.

It might even be earlier.

"Foundation Building Pill and Crimson Sun Stone Marrow, that's pretty much it," Jiang Peng thought to himself.

However, there was still something Jiang Peng couldn't let go of, and that was the Purple Gold Cauldron in his mind.

Ever since the Purple Gold Cauldron helped Jiang Peng at the last moment when refining the Wood Spirit Pill, Jiang Peng has often thought about whether he could activate the Purple Gold Cauldron again in the past few days.

Unfortunately, the attempt ended in failure, and Jiang Peng could only manage to draw a wisp of mysterious purple fire from the crack at the top of the cauldron.

Even so, Jiang Peng was not discouraged.

As his cultivation level improved, he keenly sensed that the connection between him and the cauldron had deepened.

"Such a divine object is probably not something a mere Qi Refining cultivator can wield. Perhaps after I reach Foundation Establishment, I will be able to further understand the mysteries of this cauldron."

Several more days passed in the uneventful course of cultivation.

Early in the morning, Jiang Peng was awakened from her sleep by Mei Jinhe.

Upon opening her eyes and seeing these two restless individuals, Jiang Peng immediately frowned.

"Who let you into my room?"

"If Senior Sister Lan can go in, why can't we?" Mei Jinhe argued vehemently.

"She came because..."

"What is it?"

"Never mind, what is it?"

Mei Jinhe muttered something under her breath before saying, "Senior brother, you forgot, today is the last day of the sect's grand competition!"

After being reminded, Jiang Peng finally remembered.

He didn't take the competition to heart at all, completely forgetting that this rare and exciting event for the sect was nearing its end.