Chapter 3: Provocation from an Old Acquaintance

Night fell, the moon was bright with sparse stars, and a gentle breeze carried a lingering warmth across the medicinal herb valley. Even deep into the night, that heat had not fully dissipated.

Under the moonlight, a slender ten-year-old girl sat cross-legged in a corner of the spirit field, where a few inconspicuous spirit-gathering herbs were hidden among common purslane. The thin spiritual energy flowing through the air gathered into a vortex, surging into her body, circulating through her meridians to be refined, and finally stored within her dantian. The drawback of her low spiritual root aptitude was evident here: after one full cycle through her body, nearly seventy percent of the spiritual energy was lost, leaving only thirty percent to remain in her dantian.

The efficiency was abysmal, but Ji Ning would not give up. She knew better than anyone how arduous this path was for her.

Unbeknownst to her, a ray of golden light pierced the thick clouds at the horizon. As the sun rose in the east, purple mist followed—the morning spiritual energy was at its purest, having shed the impurities of the night. Facing the final rays of dawn, Ji Ning slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and opened her eyes, the morning glow reflecting in her gaze.

She had broken through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, also known as the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Her divine sense expanded, and everything within a hundred meters was clearly perceived in her mind. With a clear head and refreshed body, the fatigue from her sleepless night vanished.

Last night, she had mastered the Wood Spirit Technique and the Blazing Fire Technique. After releasing her fire and wood-attributed spiritual energy a few times, Ji Ning keenly felt that these powers were more refined than before. Perhaps these two techniques had improved her corresponding spiritual root values.

A wave of pleasant surprise arose; when she had first entered the sect, her five spiritual roots were all around 40—perfectly average. A single spiritual root with an extremely high value was known as a Heavenly Spirit Root; such individuals possessed extraordinary talent and cultivation speeds, mastering techniques and martial skills with ease. If Ji Ning could raise all five of her spiritual roots above 90, she would be a rare prodigy of a different kind.

With this thought, Ji Ning set a small goal for herself. Perhaps the creator of this secret technique intended to forge a five-root genius to shatter the ancient, unchanging perceptions of the cultivation world. Regardless of whether anyone had succeeded before her, Ji Ning was willing to test the path herself.

Afterward, Ji Ning performed the Rain-Covering Technique to water the entire field. Before leaving, she cast a protective barrier. She had planted the spirit-gathering herbs in secret; if someone saw them and reported her, she would likely be forced to pay compensation.

Just as she returned to the small courtyard, shrill, noisy voices filled her ears. Ji Ning’s eyes darkened as she pushed the gate open and strode inside.

"Jiang Yeqiu, you’re just a four-root trash with no foundation. What’s the point of cultivating all day? You’re destined to never cross the threshold of the outer sect. You’re only fit to be a servant disciple doing chores for everyone, aren't you?"

"Exactly! Hurry up and finish our work. If Sister Qing is in a good mood, she might even reward you with some contribution points."

Jiang Yeqiu stood to one side, silent, with the cleaning tools they had thrown at her feet. She seemed to have accepted these wanton insults, but the fists under her sleeves were tightly clenched; in truth, she was unwilling to yield.

"Ye Yueqing, have you forgotten that you are also just a four-root disciple? What gives you the right to act so arrogant here?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the beautiful face of the leading girl darkened instantly. She turned to look at the newcomer, her eyes glaring fiercely at Ji Ning as she let out a cold snort. Before she could speak, her lackey chimed in first.

"Look who it is. It’s the trash of all trash. A five-root nobody daring to spout such nonsense here. Aren't you afraid that the Deacon Uncle of the Servant Hall will punish you for not knowing your place?"

"Sister Qing is already at the fourth level of Qi Refining and will soon enter the outer sect. I suggest you have some self-awareness."

Ji Ning smiled. She knew exactly how Ye Yueqing cultivated, for in her previous life, after she had entered the outer sect, she had been assigned to the very courtyard where Ye Yueqing lived. She hadn't understood back then why a new outer-sect disciple was assigned to a courtyard full of veteran disciples. Later, she realized it was to make her a beast of burden to serve them. Ye Yueqing neglected her training, indulged in pleasure all day, and built her cultivation mostly through external resources. It was a fragile facade, ready to shatter at the slightest prick. Yet, she remained self-satisfied, causing trouble everywhere.

Ji Ning walked up to Jiang Yeqiu. Even though she was a head shorter, Jiang Yeqiu felt a strange sense of comfort.

"I suggest you all have some self-awareness as well. Ye Yueqing is going to the outer sect, but can you all go too?" Ji Ning asked. "Once she leaves, you will lose your protection entirely. How will the people you’ve bullied think and act then? You’ve grown accustomed to being lackeys for the powerful, but I wonder if you’ll be able to get used to living like rats in the street."

Ji Ning’s words left the lackeys stunned, standing there and looking at one another. Seeing their morale waver, Ye Yueqing had to speak up, attempting to placate them with empty promises. "Don't listen to her nonsense! My sister said she will get you all into the outer sect. If you don't trust me, don't you trust my sister?"

Ye Yueqing’s words eased the tense atmosphere slightly. Her sister was a disciple of the Inner Sect’s Spirit Pill Peak, possessing both fire and wood spiritual roots. Despite her youth, her attainments in alchemy had already surpassed those of several senior brothers and sisters. The Master of Spirit Pill Peak praised her endlessly and even intended to pass his mantle to her. It was precisely because of such a sister that Ye Yueqing dared to be so overbearing.

Ye Yueqing said with feigned nonchalance, "Five-root girl, if you cross me again, be careful, or I might just have a word and end your path to immortality."

Hearing this, Ji Ning’s eyes turned cold, and a smirk played on her lips. "Ye Yueqing, you have to beg your sister just to deal with a five-root girl like me? How pathetic you are!"

"You go too far..."

Before she could finish, sharp metal-attributed spiritual energy rushed toward her—it was a Yellow-grade mid-tier martial skill, the Golden Steel Needle. The metal attribute was known for its piercing power; the needles were thin as hair but hard as steel. This was Ye Yueqing’s signature move, and when practiced to perfection, it could rival a Yellow-grade high-tier skill. By using this, Ye Yueqing clearly intended to kill.

However, as both were at the fourth level of Qi Refining, Ji Ning raised her hands and unleashed two large fireballs, blocking the needles' assault. Ye Yueqing increased her input of spiritual energy, attempting to pierce the fireballs with her needles. Although the fireballs were not a formal martial skill, they were bolstered by Ji Ning’s endless supply of spiritual energy, making them as effective as any martial skill of the same rank.

After the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, Ye Yueqing already felt her spiritual energy waning. In contrast, Ji Ning remained as steady as a mountain, showing no signs of fatigue.

"Impossible! How can you block me? It's impossible..." Ye Yueqing’s eyes turned red, her face contorted with rage as she glared at Ji Ning. She was at the fourth level of Qi Refining and had mastered a Yellow-grade mid-tier skill; no other servant disciple on Spirit Cloud Peak should be her match—absolutely not! Unless... unless this "trash" was also at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

By the time the Deacon Uncle from the Servant Hall arrived, Ye Yueqing was being carried, her spiritual energy exhausted and her divine sense scattered. This was a sign of core spiritual depletion, a grave taboo in cultivation. The disciples watching outside explained the situation to him. Deacon Chen looked at Ji Ning with an inscrutable gaze. The girl stood with her back straight, her expression neither angry nor joyful; she was truly a person of indomitable character. Yet, in the Profound Heart Sect, such a personality would likely lead to much suffering.

Deacon Chen remained impartial, punishing both of them by deducting their contribution points and sentencing them to sweep the Ascension Stairs.

After the incident calmed down, Ye Yueqing regained a bit of consciousness. She opened her bloodshot eyes, the hatred and unwillingness within them nearly overflowing to drown Ji Ning.

"Five-root girl, if you have the guts, join me in the final assessment for the outer sect."

"That is precisely my intention."

Ji Ning lowered her eyes. In the outer sect assessment, inner-sect disciples had no right to intervene; this was her opportunity. In this assessment, she would surely settle her old scores.