The next morning, Li Ming strutted through the Inner Courtyard with his usual grin. He wore his new azure robe proudly, even though it was slightly crooked and still smelled faintly of steamed buns.
"Ah... what a beautiful day to be an Inner Disciple!" he declared to no one in particular. "The air smells richer, the ground feels springier, even the birds look more respectful."
A passing Inner Disciple muttered under his breath. "More like the birds are laughing at you..."
But Li Ming ignored him. He was too excited.
His first stop was the Pill Hall, a tall pavilion filled with medicinal fragrance. Shelves upon shelves of jade bottles glimmered faintly, each one containing pills that could boost qi, strengthen the body, or heal wounds.
A senior disciple at the counter raised an eyebrow. "Li Ming? You’re here to collect your Inner Disciple allocation?"
Li Ming puffed his chest. "That’s right! Finally, I’ve graduated from eating leftovers and weird herbs. Hand over the good stuff!"
The disciple handed him a small pouch. Inside were:
Qi Condensing Pills (help refine qi faster)
Body Nourishing Pills (heal injuries, strengthen muscles)
Mind Calming Pills (clear distractions during cultivation)
Li Ming’s eyes sparkled. Jackpot!
He looked around and whispered dramatically, "So many pills... if I ate them all, I’d become invincible overnight!"
The senior disciple coughed. "Don’t even think about it. Your body would explode."
Li Ming gulped. Note to self: don’t explode.
Still, when he popped a Qi Condensing Pill, his jade slip greedily devoured the energy, refining it ten times faster than normal. His body tingled with power.
"Hohoho... with this cheat, even the best pills can’t keep up with me. At this rate, I’ll become a legend before lunch."
The senior disciple gave him a weird look. "Why are you laughing like that?"
"Eh? No reason. Just... appreciating life."
The Spirit Training Grounds
Next, Li Ming headed to the Spirit Training Grounds. It was a vast arena filled with glowing formations. Disciples sat cross-legged inside circles that gathered qi from the air like whirlpools.
Li Ming jumped into an empty circle. Immediately, qi swirled around him, thick and abundant. He gasped.
"This... this is like breathing steamed buns!"
Nearby disciples nearly toppled over. "What kind of description is that?!"
He closed his eyes and began cultivating. The jade slip flared, devouring the qi and refining it ten times faster again. Within minutes, Li Ming felt his qi pool expand.
Other disciples stared in disbelief. "Is he... absorbing qi that quickly?!"
"No way. That’s impossible!"
Li Ming opened one eye, saw them watching, and smirked. "What? Never seen a genius at work?"
The disciples ground their teeth.
The Scripture Library
Finally, Li Ming wandered into the Scripture Library, a towering building filled with ancient scrolls and jade slips. Rows upon rows of techniques, from sword arts to body refinements, lined the walls.
A stern elder at the entrance squinted at him. "Li Ming. As a new Inner Disciple, you may browse the first two floors only. Do not cause trouble."
Li Ming bowed innocently. "Me? Trouble? Never!"
He immediately tripped on the first stair and almost knocked over a shelf.
"...Get out if you touch anything wrong," the elder snapped. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel⦿fire.net
Inside, Li Ming’s eyes lit up. "So many techniques... Sword of the Flowing River, Fist of Mountain Splitting, Cloud Steps Movement..."
He picked one at random and tried copying the stance. His leg cramped instantly.
"Agh! Why is cultivation so painful?!"
A passing disciple snorted. "Pathetic. That technique is for Foundation Establishment, not newbies."
Li Ming glared. Just you wait. When my cheat kicks in, even your grandma’s sword art will look weak next to me.
The jade slip pulsed faintly in his robe, almost guiding his hand to a dusty scroll in the corner. He pulled it out.
"Eh? ’Nine Heavens Cloudstep’? Sounds fancy."
When he touched it, a faint glow shimmered across the scroll. For a brief moment, he felt as if clouds swirled under his feet.
Other disciples glanced at him, confused. "Why is that dusty old thing reacting to him?"
Li Ming smirked. Hehehe... another treasure? Not bad. Not bad at all.
As evening fell, Li Ming lay in his new courtyard, pill bottles scattered around him, scrolls piled at his side.
He stretched, looking at the stars. "Pills, training grounds, scriptures... This Inner Disciple life is sweet. But... the others don’t respect me yet."
He clenched his fist, eyes burning. "Fine. If they won’t respect me for being funny and handsome, they’ll respect my strength. Next time they laugh, I’ll blow them away."
The jade slip pulsed once more, whispering in his mind:
> "Your path begins now. The heavens are watching."
Li Ming grinned, biting into a bun. "Good. Let them watch. They won’t believe their eyes anyway."
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