The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

What Shen Yifei didn't know was that Senior Brother Liu's death was discovered the day after it happened.

The person who discovered it was his junior classmate from the same department, surnamed Ma, who was usually close to his senior classmate Liu.

It is said that Senior Brother Liu went to a secret realm some time ago and did not go to the alchemy room to collect his monthly salary. Junior Brother Ma collected it for him and wanted to take advantage of the situation, which is why he entered Senior Brother Liu's sect.

As soon as the door opened, Junior Brother Ma was so frightened that he ran out.

Senior Brother Liu lay naked on the bed, his body covered in bruises, his eyes wide open. Most frighteningly, his dantian (lower abdomen) was completely sunken, as if it had been hollowed out.

Junior Brother Ma scrambled out to call for help.

The enforcement team arrived quickly, led by Yan Jun. They entered the house and saw the state of Liu Shixiong's death.

"He suffered a qi deviation during dual cultivation, his vital energy was completely depleted, and his dantian withered, leading to his death," Yan Jun concluded. "Collect the body and investigate who he recently practiced dual cultivation with."

The investigation led back to Ye Hongling.

Before Senior Brother Liu died, someone saw Ye Hongling enter his courtyard.

As a result, when the enforcement team went to look for Ye Hongling, she was not there.

After searching for two days without finding Ye Hongling, Yan Jun reported the matter to Elder Gu of the Law Enforcement Hall.

After listening to the stern report, Elder Gu squinted and thought for a long time.

"Liu Song died suddenly, and Ye Hongling disappeared. These two had practiced dual cultivation before. Ye Hongling's Yang-Gathering Technique was quite good, so it's not surprising that Liu Song died on her stomach. What's strange is why she ran away?"

"Could it be that they're afraid of being investigated by the sect?" Yan Jun asked tentatively.

Elder Gu shook his head: "She suffered a qi deviation during dual cultivation, not intentionally killed someone. At most, she'll be fined a few years' salary and confined to her quarters for a period of reflection. Why is she running away?"

Yan Jun also felt that Ye Hongling wouldn't run away.

"Continue the investigation. Find out who Ye Hongling has been in contact with these past few days," Elder Gu ordered.

This investigation led them to Shen Yifei.

After Yan Jun reported the results of his investigation to Elder Gu, Elder Gu also found it unbelievable: "A woodcutter and fire-tending servant ate medicinal dregs for three years and achieved Foundation Establishment cultivation."

"I've checked, and it is indeed the Foundation Establishment stage," Yan Jun replied.

"Interesting. Bring that kid here."

Soon, Shen Yifei was taken to the Enforcement Hall by two inner disciples.

Shen Yifei had heard of the Hall of Enforcement before and knew that it was a place to punish disciples who made mistakes. It was said that not many of those disciples who made mistakes could leave unscathed.

Upon entering the main hall, a stern voice boomed, "Why aren't you kneeling before Elder Gu?"

Shen Yifei knelt down with a thud.

Elder Gu asked, "Are you the servant who reached the Foundation Establishment stage by eating the dregs of medicine?"

The voice sounded incredibly authoritative and carried a strong sense of oppression. Upon hearing it, Shen Yifei felt an urge to reveal the truth.

He forced himself to suppress the feeling and replied, "Yes...yes, Elder."

"come over."

Shen Yifei climbed up to Elder Gu.

Elder Gu reached out and grasped his wrist. After examining his body with spiritual energy, Elder Gu nodded.

"Early Foundation Establishment stage, solid foundation, pure spiritual energy, no signs of 'replenishment' (i.e., not 'absorption'), it actually has some 'medicinal' aura!"

Yan Jun asked, "Could it be that this kid really reached the Foundation Establishment stage by taking medicine?"

Shen Yifei quickly replied, "I worked in the alchemy room for three years. I was always hungry and had to eat whatever medicinal residue I could find. I ate all sorts of residue, then slept, woke up, and went back to work. After finishing my work, I ate again. I had no idea what spiritual energy or Foundation Establishment was."

Elder Gu laughed, "This is truly a rare sight. The dregs in the alchemy room contain all sorts of medicinal herbs, some of which are even poisonous. If an ordinary person ate them, they would either die or be poisoned. But you, you actually managed to reach the Foundation Establishment stage."

He waved his hand, "You may leave now and go back to cultivate diligently."

Upon hearing that he was talking about cultivation, Shen Yifei hurriedly replied, "Elder, I have never cultivated before, I know nothing about it."

"Oh? You really don't know how to cultivate? You don't even know the Dual Cultivation Method of the Joyful Union Sect?"

"Elder, besides being a little strong, I don't know any martial arts techniques!"

"Hmm." Elder Gu nodded in satisfaction. "It seems you have nothing to do with Ye Hongling's disappearance. Alright, you may leave."

Shen Yifei was stunned. That's it?

"Elder, this humble servant..."

Elder Gu interrupted him, "It's your good fortune that a menial servant could cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage. Don't eat the dregs of medicine anymore; there's no good for you if you eat too much of that stuff."

Shen Yifei thanked him repeatedly and left the main hall of the Law Enforcement Hall.

Back in the woodshed, Shen Yifei lay in bed all morning, doing nothing, but he still felt uneasy. Around noon, there was another knock on the door.

"Junior Brother Shen! Open the door!"

It's Senior Brother Zhou again.

Shen Yifei opened the door, and Senior Brother Zhou stood outside with a bright smile on his face, followed by two servants carrying a large box.

"Senior Brother Zhou, what's wrong...?"

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Shen!" Senior Brother Zhou said, cupping his hands in greeting. "Junior Brother Shen, from today onwards, you are an inner disciple!"

Shen Yifei was stunned. He had just returned from the Hall of Enforcement, how did he become an inner disciple?

"Senior Brother Zhou, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"No mistake, Elder Gu of the Enforcement Hall specifically recommended you. Look, they've even sent you the gifts!"

Senior Brother Zhou pointed to the large box, "One hundred low-grade spirit stones, two bottles of Qi Gathering Pills, a set of inner disciple robes, and this—"

He took out a jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to Shen Yifei.

Shen Yifei took it and saw that the front of the jade tablet was engraved with the seven characters "Inner Disciple of the Hehuan Sect," and the back was engraved with his name.

"Also, the sect has assigned you a courtyard." Senior Brother Zhou smiled, his face full of wrinkles. "It's on the east side of the inner courtyard. It used to be where an alchemist lived, and it even has a pill-making room. You can move in anytime."

Shen Yifei held the jade pendant, not reacting for a long time.

So this makes me an inner disciple?

"Senior Brother Zhou, what... what's going on?"

"Elder Gu said that you, a menial servant, have achieved Foundation Establishment by eating medicinal dregs. This is an extraordinary talent that cannot be buried. He made an exception to promote you to the inner sect. From now on, focus on cultivation, and you might even form your Core!"

After hearing this, Shen Yifei felt a mix of emotions.

Did Elder Gu truly believe that he had eaten the dregs of the medicine? Or did he have ulterior motives?

Regardless, this step has been taken.

He thanked Senior Brother Zhou, carried the box into the woodshed, opened it and found one hundred low-grade spirit stones, two bottles of Qi Gathering Pills, and a set of blue robes for inner disciples.

Shen Yifei changed into a robe and looked at his reflection in the water vat.

Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse; after this change, he really does look like an inner disciple.

That afternoon, he moved into the inner courtyard.

The courtyard wasn't large, with two sections: the alchemy room at the front and the bedroom at the back. Inside the alchemy room stood a half-person-high alchemy furnace, with ashes still remaining at the bottom. Dozens of empty jade bottles were displayed on a shelf against the wall.

Shen Yifei walked around and became more and more satisfied. This was his territory.

Before he could enjoy his happiness for long, he suddenly realized something.

Inner disciples have sect missions every month. Only by completing the missions can they receive a salary and corresponding rewards. Is assigning this alchemy room to me just to make me refine pills?

He'd worked in the alchemy room for three years, and all he did was chop wood and tend the fire, at most helping to clean the furnace. He couldn't even recognize all the medicinal herbs. Asking him to refine pills? He wouldn't know a thing!

No wonder they gave me a hundred low-grade spirit stones; that's a huge sum outside. In the alchemy room, it's only enough to buy a few Dragon Yang Grass plants.

Thinking of this, Shen Yifei lost all interest in looking at his residence and hurriedly went out to receive a sect mission.

Shen Yifei left the courtyard, completely lost and unsure of where to pick up his mission.

It was afternoon, and there weren't many people on the mountain road. Occasionally, one or two inner disciples would pass by, so Shen Yifei quickly inquired about them.

The place where you receive missions is called the Mission Hall. Shen Yifei asked around and found the place.

The mission hall is a three-story pavilion with blue bricks and gray tiles, which looks very grand.

He entered the room, where seven or eight people were already queuing in the lobby on the first floor.

He stood at the back of the line, waiting to receive his task.