Better I perish than my fellow cultivator.

Xiao Qingpei had actually sought out the wrong person, though he remained unaware of this fact.

At this moment, he had also obtained the Pill Spirit Treasure Gourd. Soon, he realized he had overestimated its capabilities.

“So it can only refine one kind of pill…”

Xiao Qingpei’s gaze was somewhat peculiar, for the Pill Spirit Treasure Gourd was not as he had imagined—a vessel capable of refining any pill, provided the recipe. Instead, this gourd could produce only a single type of pill, called the Haotian Pill.

Despite its grandiose name, which suggested a supreme elixir, the Haotian Pill merely extracted pure yang energy from medicinal ingredients and molded it into a pill. It wasn’t useless; consuming it in great quantities could enhance one’s pure yang immortal power and strengthen the body. Yet, in this world, pure yang energy was abundant everywhere. Even practicing a basic or incomplete cultivation method of the Pure Yang Path would allow one to easily harness the ambient pure yang energy to augment oneself.

It was akin to a merchant buying large quantities of local fruits at exorbitant prices, only to sell them in a place where they were grown in abundance.

Moreover, Xiao Qingpei had already shifted his cultivation technique to the Path of Taiyin.

“Still, it’s a magic treasure, and quite sturdy at that. It could serve well as a blunt weapon!” Xiao Qingpei would never disdain a magic treasure. Aside from his Windborne Pouch, the sole item on him resembling a magic artifact was a sword pellet inherited from a great cultivator.

Although the sword pellet had unexpectedly gained sentience, the cultivator who crafted it had failed, so even with its strong spiritual nature, it wasn’t truly a magic treasure.

Of course, Xiao Qingpei hadn’t always been so impoverished. Previously, as a disciple of the Linwu Sect, he possessed more. However, upon his expulsion, all the magic treasures bestowed by Linwu Sect were reclaimed, including a jade talisman treasure that could unleash flames to defend against enemies and enhance the cultivator’s power.

It was said that the founding ancestor of Linwu Sect, once a servant at the Pure Yang Taiyi Palace, was gifted a rare treasure upon leaving. The leftover fragments of that treasure became the jade talismans issued to every Linwu disciple.

Xiao Qingpei promptly tied the gourd at his waist. Though it was a magic treasure, it looked no different from a common wine gourd. If it hadn’t been given by the heroine’s Fuyao System, Xiao Qingpei would never have guessed it was anything special.

Its function was unimpressive, but its ability to conceal its divine nature was unparalleled.

Having settled this, Xiao Qingpei continued with his unfinished business.

He chose a fifty-year-old inkstone from the antiques he’d purchased at the shop. Covered in thick dust and showing signs of wear, it was nonetheless mostly intact.

Seeing the inkstone, Xiao Qingpei’s mind began to conjure images. After a moment, a gray-robed scholar, whose repeated failures left him forgotten by the world, silently appeared behind Xiao Qingpei, holding the inkstone.

“Such bitterness! Such bitterness!” he lamented. “Busy, busy, always busy, yet never knowing oneself. Lost and muddled, muddled and lost, never knowing death.”

The scholar’s face was sallow, his frame gaunt, as if long starved. His pale eyes flickered, quickly settling on Xiao Qingpei. After a brief stare, he turned and headed toward the door.

The day had not yet faded; sunlight lingered outside. As the scholar approached the threshold, just about to step into the sunlit area, he vanished without a trace.

Xiao Qingpei was unsurprised. The “Grandmotherly Xiao Qian” had behaved much the same when summoned, drifting away without a backward glance, then roaming Green Cliff Mountain for six and a half days before returning on the seventh night to claim his life.

This “Bitter Failed Scholar” would likely do the same.

Xiao Qingpei at once began his cultivation.

With “Grandmotherly Xiao Qian” gone, his training reverted to its former state—akin to living on subsistence grants. Truthfully, it was somewhat worse now. Whether at Linwu Sect or Green Cliff Mountain, the spiritual energy had been abundant. Here, it was exceedingly sparse, almost nonexistent.

When Xiao Qingpei had flown here, he’d consumed much immortal power, intending to recover a bit. Yet after half a day, his energy showed not the slightest sign of restoration.

This explained why cultivators always sought out blessed lands.

At present, Xiao Qingpei was better suited to the “Taiyin Self-Cultivation Profound Scripture,” which detailed the proper way to cultivate the Taiyin Path. However, he’d possessed the “Taiyin Vitality Profound Scripture” for much longer and had gained considerable insight into its teachings.

Yet, this time, he soon stopped his cultivation.

As before, this session felt as if aided by the gods. But the effect was only a fraction of what it had been—perhaps one fifth.

“With my Foundation Establishment lower stage level and a fifty-year-old ancient artifact, the summoned ghost should have Foundation Establishment power. So why has the benefit to my Taiyin Path been so diminished?”

Xiao Qingpei was utterly perplexed. Both ghosts had been at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet the results were so different.

Still, lacking answers, he moved on, recording his observations for future reference.

He resumed his training, for he only had six days of peace before he would have to confront the ghost on the seventh day.

[Today’s cultivation of the Taiyin Vitality method yielded notable progress. Gained +1 Life Essence and Taiyin Immortal Power.]

A text box appeared.

This was the “Heaven Rewards Diligence” innate talent granting Xiao Qingpei his daily “subsistence allowance.”

With today’s gains doubled, Xiao Qingpei felt light all over, as if his marrow had been cleansed—an indescribable sense of ease.

He’d experienced this before, and more intensely, so he paid it little mind.

He was more concerned about the sword pellet.

Sword cultivation was always unmatched in combat prowess; Xiao Qingpei coveted that power. He’d given up earlier, knowing he was unsuited for the sword path, but the recent “+1 sentience” event had rekindled his hope.

“Whatever. If I gain it, I’m lucky; if I lose it, it’s fate.”

He shook his head, urging himself to let go of the thought, for his theory about the sword pellet’s sentience was mere speculation.

He prepared to continue cultivating, since at Foundation Establishment level, one could abstain from food and sleep for several days.

But then, Xiao Qingpei noticed something strange—the gourd at his waist had suddenly grown much heavier.