Chapter 1721: The Zhurong Stone Chambers
Li Yan immediately immersed his Divine Sense into the jade slip. After only seven or eight breaths, he withdrew his consciousness, his face morphing into an expression of surprise. A moment later, that surprise transformed into pure delight.
‘The shade of a great tree truly makes for a cool rest!’
The jade slip had been left for him by Martial Aunt Ning Ke. Its message was simple: by the time he saw this slip, it would mean he had at least attained the rank of Alchemist and was progressing well in his cultivation. Therefore, the Body Integration powerhouse of Huangqi Valley would arrange for him to participate in the “Internal Selection” for Core Elite Disciples. If he succeeded, he would officially become one.
The contents were brief, but combining them with the words of the fair-skinned, thin youth from moments ago, Li Yan could piece together the full story. Martial Aunt Ning Ke had not simply dumped him here and washed her hands of him; she had long ago arranged a follow-up.
However, the prerequisite was that he had to be capable. At the very least, he needed to stand on his own feet and have the skill to become an Alchemist. After all, even a Body Integration cultivator could not directly appoint a newcomer as a Core Elite Disciple. Doing so would violate sect rules and subject Li Yan to crippling jealousy from others.
The fact that the thin youth could find him directly meant the other party knew exactly where he lived and was certain he had not left. This proved they had been observing him in secret all these years. There was no need for questions; they simply delivered the instructions.
Furthermore, Li Yan had become a Yellow-rank Alchemist six months ago, but they had not come for him immediately. Aside from wanting to observe him further, they were likely waiting for the specific time of the “Internal Selection” mentioned in the slip.
As for why a proud individual like that thin youth came in person rather than sending a subordinate, the reason was even simpler. First, they were already acquainted, so there was no need to waste effort explaining the connection. Second, the “Internal Selection” was a secret matter that only those of a certain status within the sect were permitted to know. Thus, the Body Integration powerhouse chose to send her own disciple to make the trip.
The youth’s final words were a clear declaration: they had repaid the favor, and there would be no further involvement. If Li Yan wished to see them again, he would have to rely on his own merit. Once he achieved a certain status in the sect, he would naturally have the qualification. Li Yan had no complaints about this attitude; it was only natural for the strong to behave so.
After quickly sorting through the details, Li Yan felt a stir of excitement. Once again, he felt the sensation of being protected. Once upon a time, no matter what he wanted to do, he had to do it personally. For the things that were nearly impossible yet necessary, he always had to rack his brains and risk his life for an opportunity. Therefore, even after entering Huangqi Valley through Martial Aunt Ning Ke, his subconscious habits had reverted to his old self. He never thought to rely on sect elders, focusing only on how he would solve things himself.
Standing at his courtyard gate, a smile spread across his face, growing wider by the second. Finally, with a flick of his sleeve, the gate swung shut. As the formations activated, he soared into the sky and vanished into the horizon.
Fifteen minutes later, Li Yan noticed the streaks of light in the sky gradually increasing. Many of them were flying in the same direction. The place he was heading for was called “Zhurong,” the area where sect members rented alchemy chambers for their daily work.
When Li Yan arrived at Zhurong, the light from his flight was swallowed by a sea of multicolored radiance. The area was extraordinarily bustling. Zhurong was located in the rear region of Huangqi Valley, beneath a massive floating mountain range. That floating mountain was the sect’s Trading Hall.
It was the most prosperous place in the sect. Whether one was buying materials for alchemy or artifact forging, or selling finished pills and treasures, everyone converged here. Consequently, a vast number of cultivators came daily to trade or rent the stone chambers below.
Li Yan had visited the grand hall on the mountain peak before. It was magnificent and gargantuan; walking through every section would take days. Categories were divided clearly, with some types occupying one or two entire floors. Often, a cultivator would purchase materials on the mountain and immediately descend to rent a chamber for refining.
At the foot of the mountain was a massive square. Opposite the square were two large circular archways. One of the archways was guarded by cultivators at all times. Behind the arches lay a row of exquisite stone chambers shrouded in a translucent, shimmering formation. These chambers were neatly arranged, each bearing a different door plate—these were the alchemy and forging rooms.
One of the archways led only to Grade Three Earth Fire and below, with accompanying cauldrons provided for free to Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment disciples. That area was unmanned; as long as the formation recognized one’s Identity Token, entry was permitted.
The other circular archway required registration and the payment of spirit stones. Only after being issued a token to open a specific stone chamber could one enter.
Li Yan landed in the square and walked toward one of the arches. A long table was set up there, with a young female cultivator sitting behind it. On either side of the arch stood five guards at the Nascent Soul stage.
At this moment, only seven or eight people were lining up at that arch. The numbers weren’t large; after all, most people heading here were going to the Trading Hall on the mountain. Unless absolutely necessary, everyone preferred to refine in their own courtyards to avoid wasting precious spirit stones.
Li Yan waited in line for about a hundred breaths before standing in front of the table.
“What grade of stone chamber are you renting?”
The female cultivator looked up, her large eyes fixing on Li Yan. She had a soft, baby-like face that looked very cute, and her cultivation was only at the mid-stage of Nascent Soul. She held a jade slip, ready to register the transaction. In this great sect, even a Nascent Soul cultivator—a god-like figure who could call the wind and rain in the lower realms—had to perform rotational duties. Of course, such tasks were rewarded with spirit stones or sect contribution points.
The woman had long since discerned Li Yan’s cultivation, but her tone held no particular politeness. She was here representing the sect. If she had to stand and bow every time she saw someone with higher cultivation, she would be exhausted by the end of the day.
Li Yan did not speak. He simply smiled and handed over the jade pendant.
“Oh, you’re here for the Internal Selection!”
The cute cultivator scrutinized Li Yan again after seeing the pendant. Though she knew his purpose, she still took the pendant and inspected it meticulously. Li Yan waited patiently for nearly sixty breaths before she withdrew her Divine Sense.
She handed the pendant back to him and instructed, “Once you enter, turn left and find the third set of stairs leading to the upper level. Follow them up. At about the twenty-li mark, there will be a stone chamber with the plate ‘Bingwu.’ Enter that room. Do not wander elsewhere. If you intrude upon or knock on other stone chambers and disturb someone’s refining, you will bear the consequences!”
Li Yan thanked her and walked straight through the archway, turning left as instructed.
As Li Yan’s back disappeared, the Nascent Soul cultivator retracted her gaze and muttered to herself, “That face is unfamiliar. I’ve seen or heard of most of the others who came before. Li Yan… Li… Yan. I’ve truly never heard the name. He must be someone arranged by a senior in the sect. Otherwise, how could such an unknown person participate in this Internal Selection…”
After thinking it over, she quickly banished the thoughts. It was fine to wonder, but digging too deep would bring her no benefit.
After Li Yan entered the grand formation behind the arch, he found himself in a place he had never visited before. Rows of stone chambers stood before him. Judging by the distance between doors, each room was quite large.
After turning left and passing fifty chambers, a set of stairs appeared, leading to the rear row of chambers above. Li Yan continued forward until the third set of stairs, then began his ascent. As he climbed, he realized that each row of chambers varied in size. Some rows extended only two fathoms upward, while others stretched for over ten fathoms or even dozens.
‘No wonder I have to go twenty li. Some of these chambers are too massive. Who would rent such a place? What do they need all that space for?’
Li Yan pressed on. When he finally found the “Bingwu” stone chamber, his doubts vanished completely.
Upon entering, he found the chamber was even more massive than he had imagined. Nearly thirty people were already standing inside. Even with dozens of people present, it didn’t feel crowded as they were well-dispersed. Li Yan estimated the room to be over four hundred fathoms wide.
He realized the purpose of such a chamber: it was likely used for assessments or competitions. A normal cultivator would never rent it for personal use.
Within the room, there were about seventeen or eighteen Nascent Soul cultivators; the rest were at the Spirit Transformation stage. At the back wall, there was a raised platform about the height of a man, set with tables and chairs, though no one was sitting there yet. On the walls flanking the stone door, small doors appeared every three feet or so, all of them tightly shut.
Li Yan’s gaze swept over the crowd, confirming his suspicions.
‘As expected, those able to participate in the Internal Selection are Nascent Soul or Spirit Transformation cultivators. They should all be at the Alchemist rank…’
In his years of inquiry, he had never heard of the “Internal Selection,” yet that thin youth had personally come to deliver the news. This was enough to prove that this selection was a special path within Huangqi Valley to reach Core Elite status. Below the Alchemy Grandmaster rank, one was still a disciple. Alchemists below the Nascent Soul stage were likely disciples trained from childhood within the sect and had already been screened. The remaining disciples were primarily Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation Alchemists.
These people were a unique group—either those who joined mid-way or those whose aptitude had some issue early on. The selection was likely for late-bloomers who had entered the valley later in life but possessed genuine alchemical talent. Such people lacked the means to join a great sect in their youth, so the valley used this as a way to recruit or promote them. Since cultivators had long lifespans, they could still be of great use to the sect. Another group likely consisted of those with powerful backers.
Having reasoned through it, Li Yan understood the origins of the candidates. He fell into the category of being recommended.
As he observed the room, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He saw two familiar faces: two young women dressed in white. Beneath their white robes were figures of elegant curves; even the snow-white fabric could not hide their jade-like skin and peerless beauty. From their identical appearance, one could tell they were twins—it was the Ming sisters he had met during the Inner Valley entrance exam.
Li Yan had not seen them since they parted ways near the residential forest years ago. Meeting them here today was quite unexpected.
‘I didn’t expect them to participate in the Internal Selection as well. Is their talent that exceptional, or were they recommended by someone like me?’
He had no way of knowing that the sisters had fared much better than him over these years. Their alchemical aptitude was indeed far superior to his. Because of their talent, they had long since become the medicinal attendants of a powerhouse in the sect, earning that person’s favor.
When Li Yan entered the chamber, his silhouette at the doorway caught the attention of others. Some turned to look. They saw an ordinary-looking youth in white robes walking in slowly. However, the white robes seemed somewhat discordant on him, and his complexion was quite dark.
“Sister, look, it’s that man!” Ming Yu whispered, a flash of surprise in her beautiful eyes. Li Yan’s short, black hair, as stiff as steel needles, made him look quite unique among the crowd.
“He actually came for the Internal Selection too. It seems his alchemy talent is also very good…” Ming Qi nodded.
They had a deep impression of this ordinary youth. If not for him, their Inner Valley entrance exam might have gone poorly. In Huangqi Valley, while there was a ranking for alchemy, it usually only listed the top hundred of each rank. Anyone wishing to get on the list had to rely on their own skill to push someone else off. Therefore, anyone on the list was an absolute genius; otherwise, they couldn’t stand out among so many disciples. Consequently, such people were almost certainly already Core Elite Disciples.
Naturally, people like Ming Qi who still had to participate in the Internal Selection were still striving for that status and would not be on the rankings. To know the alchemy rank of someone like Li Yan, one would have to investigate thoroughly.
Unbeknownst to Li Yan, Ming Qi and Ming Yu had investigated him in secret for a time!
However, just as the troublemaker Cheng Kuanghan had failed to find him years ago, they too had found no news. They hadn’t expected that Li Yan rarely went out, let alone that he would attend the most basic entry-level lectures. As time passed and they focused on their own goal of becoming Core Elites, they had put the matter aside.
Seeing him appear today, the two women were surprised, and the memory of their failed investigation immediately resurfaced.