With no hope of reversing fate, they thus vie for power and profit.

Those two spoke at length, but soon walked out of Xiao Qingpei’s range of divine perception, so he could no longer overhear them.

“I wonder if their actions were intentional or accidental?” he mused.

Yet Xiao Qingpei felt no anger. Listening carefully to their conversation, he pondered and thought the depths of the Cloud Palace were indeed unfathomable.

First, there was the exclusion born of “entrenched circles,” then later, suspicion arose that someone might wish to use him for some purpose.

He didn’t believe this was mere coincidence, nor that he just happened to overhear such words. Though his divine sense was strong, it wasn’t so keen as to easily catch the conversation between two cultivators of the same rank.

After all, these were Cloud Palace cultivators—

One of the three great sects under the Pure Yang Grand Palace!

Even the most ordinary disciples of such a sect surpassed their peers from other sects in strength, for they possessed the finest cultivation methods and resources.

Moreover, the two seemed to fear he might not understand, making the reasoning behind their words exceptionally clear.

“In that case, I’ll remain here for a while and cultivate,” Xiao Qingpei decided, choosing to respond to change with constancy. Once he was familiar with the place, he would find a reason to leave for a few days, then use his “Better Me Than You” innate talent to advance his cultivation.

“Come to think of it, Cloud Palace seems indifferent to cultivators of the Lunar Path like me,” Xiao Qingpei reflected.

Because he followed the Lunar Path, they assumed his potential was exhausted, and even with “Sword Heart Enlightenment,” he was unlikely to reach the Nascent Soul stage; perhaps even breaking through to the Golden Core stage would be out of reach.

“Indeed, the Lunar Path is hardly a demonic way. It simply grew difficult to cultivate due to the abundance of Pure Yang immortal energy in the world, resulting in its gradual loss of inheritance.”

As for Cloud Palace discovering he cultivated the Lunar Path, Xiao Qingpei was not surprised in the least.

The treasure they gifted him said it all.

At the thought, Xiao Qingpei took out the “skull head” treasure. He hadn’t paid it much attention before, but now, examining it closely, he couldn’t help but feel a peculiar expression cross his face.

“Nine skull heads?”

Looking at the string of black jade skulls, Xiao Qingpei involuntarily thought of a certain person.

That person’s catchphrases were: “Senior brother, master has been captured by monsters,” “Second brother, master has been captured by monsters,” “Senior brother, master and second brother have been captured by monsters,” “Don’t worry, master, senior brother will come rescue us.”

It was only the appearance of the treasure that was similar, so Xiao Qingpei began attempting to refine it.

Since this was not a treasure granted by the system, refining it proved extremely arduous. Even after half a day, he had yet to refine a single skull.

But this was as Xiao Qingpei expected.

Treasures were notoriously difficult to refine. He remembered when the Linwu Sect bestowed a jade talisman; it took him three months to fully refine it.

As for the Wind Bag and the Spirit Pill Gourd, those had been specially processed by the system, so they could be wielded with ease.

Because the treasure given by Cloud Palace was of far superior quality to the Linwu Sect’s jade talisman, Xiao Qingpei planned to spend half a year refining it.

Though treasures in this world had no clear ranking, whether they were powerful depended mainly on their reputation, but cultivators could sense quality the moment they acquired one.

Thus, three days passed.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator could abstain from food, and with little mental fatigue, could go without sleep; so these three days had little effect on Xiao Qingpei.

However, the two cultivators who welcomed him into the sect grew rather troubled as the days passed.

It was just as Xiao Qingpei had suspected—someone truly intended to use him as a point of leverage.

Because Golden Core cultivators only had a chance at reversing their fate, not a guarantee, even though Foundation Establishment cultivators could soar through clouds and mist and live like immortals, most would seize any opportunity to vie for power and influence.

Those two Foundation Establishment cultivators responsible for welcoming newcomers were no exception.

Their position, though prominent during major sect events such as the longevity banquet hosted by the Nascent Soul ancestor, was otherwise tedious and delayed their own cultivation.

Of course, there were benefits to the post. Not to mention the Taiyi Jade Hook; even when cultivators wished to leave the sect privately, they had to report to these two, which was enough to keep them well fed.

Since they alone decided whether someone’s conditions for departure were met.

Still, they were not content.

Thus, they pledged themselves to a Golden Core uncle within the sect, who was currently vying for the position of Cloud Palace master.

But the rival was too formidable—a representative of the sword cultivators—so the odds of victory were slim.

However, Xiao Qingpei, sent by the Nascent Soul elder from the Immortal Remote Mansion, gave this Golden Core master a glimmer of hope.

He knew well how exclusionary the sword cultivators of Cloud Palace were, and how much they valued pedigree. If one was not born of a prominent family, nor connected to them, it was difficult to integrate.

Sword cultivators valued talent, but with enough numbers and early instruction, out of ten thousand, a few would grasp the path of sword cultivation.

As for spiritual roots, they were hardly rare in this world—most people possessed them.

But many lacked the necessary environment and resources for cultivation.

For example, the Lunar Path techniques were easily obtained. Yet Xiao Qingpei’s mastery of the “Lunar Vitality Sutra” was entirely due to his own “innate talent.”

Others had nothing; how could they succeed in cultivation?

Of course, if Xiao Qingpei had not attained “Sword Heart Enlightenment,” but merely grasped the sword path, then out of respect for the Nascent Soul elder from the Immortal Remote Mansion, the sword cultivators would not have excluded him so harshly.

It must be understood that “Sword Heart Enlightenment” was a profound realm in sword cultivation.

Xiao Qingpei, unfamiliar with the sword path and aware that he was only a pretender, owed his “Sword Heart Enlightenment” and ability to discern good from evil entirely to the sword pellet that repeatedly granted him “spirituality +1.” Thus, subconsciously, he cared little.

But his indifference did not mean other sword cultivators felt the same!

Take the sword cultivators of Cloud Palace, for example—upon learning that Xiao Qingpei, a rogue cultivator who mastered “Sword Heart Enlightenment” but practiced the Lunar Path, was among them, they felt more uncomfortable than if they had swallowed a fly.

Because, at present, there was only one person in all of Cloud Palace who had attained the realm of “Sword Heart Enlightenment.”