C20 Inner Sect Trial

The hours spent in cultivation always passed in a delightful yet fleeting blur.

Hsu Fann harnessed the portion of spiritual energy he couldn't immediately use, refining it into a considerable number of spirit stones. With each session, his technique grew more refined, and the quality of the stones improved. He worked tirelessly until he had filled an entire pouch, and only then did he allow himself to rest.

Though he had paused his work on the spirit stones, Hsu Fann's fascination with the pill furnace remained unabated.

"If I can refine spirit stones, I wonder about the process for pills?"

The prospect of creating a usable pill was an entirely different game from spirit stones. Spirit stones were currency, useful for purchasing trinkets or for the occasional bribe among less advanced peers.

Pills, on the other hand, were in a league of their own.

Consider the Spirit Increasing Pill—a treasure that thousands of spirit stones might not procure.

If he could produce such a pill, would he ever worry about spirit stones again?

This thought brought a chuckle to Hsu Fann, breaking his reverie.

His own laughter roused him, and he realized he had slipped into a meditative state without intending to. It was one thing to be in a trance, but to be so engrossed in a daydream? He shook his head at himself.

After ensuring the weighty bag of spirit stones wasn't a figment of his imagination, he stretched his stiff legs and stood, loosening his muscles.

Refining a pill today seemed unlikely without the necessary ingredients. But the spirit stones? They were tangible, and he wielded them with confidence.

"Hahaha, I'm now a man with spirit stones to spend!"

The moon's dappled light filtered through the window.

Straightening his attire, Hsu Fann decided to step outside for some fresh air. The room had started to feel otherworldly after so many hours inside.

As he opened the door and was about to cross the threshold, his foot brushed against something soft.

Looking down, he discovered a small bundle.

He picked it up and noticed a paper marked with a cultivation technique. A simple gesture from him, and the technique vanished, leaving the paper to flutter into his grasp.

Upon reading the note, Hsu Fann couldn't help but chuckle. "Brother Hsu Fann, I'm on the verge of a breakthrough, and my master has secured a place for me to cultivate in seclusion. During this time, you must take care of yourself. Let's wait until I emerge before we decide on anything!" Despite being years his junior, she carried herself with the gravitas of an elder, eager to spread her wings and protect him, unaware that she was the one in need of protection.

He carefully folded the note and tucked it into his sleeve before unwrapping the package to reveal a brand-new set of clothes. He was about to reflect on the luxury of having spirit stones—buying whatever one desires—when a peculiar embroidery caught his eye: a small, awkwardly stitched bamboo shoot on the cuff, twisting almost into a bamboo leaf. Hsu Fann had never encountered such an odd design.

Gazing at it, he suddenly burst into laughter, embracing the clothes. "You silly girl, you're about to go into seclusion, which is clearly most important, yet you're still worried about my well-being, even going so far as to make me new clothes. You've really outdone yourself!"

He carried the clothes inside, planning to try them on. The pattern was just a small detail on the sleeve, hardly noticeable unless he pointed it out. But as he shook out the garment, the dense stitches caught his eye. They were meticulously reinforced, perhaps out of concern for durability, yet he hadn't realized the depth of meaning they conveyed when worn.

Hsu Fann laughed again, holding the unwearable clothes, before carefully folding them and placing them back into the package. He stored them away with his treasures, a place reserved for his most valued possessions. This was the first gift he had received since his arrival, and the first time someone had shown him such heartfelt consideration.

The moon shone cool and clear, yet his heart felt as if it housed a blazing sun, radiating warmth. This internal sun left him wide awake, pondering. After some thought, he decided he should reciprocate with a gift of his own, a token of his appreciation.

After pondering for a bit, he realized that since her breakthrough was imminent, crafting a Spirit Enhancing Pill or any other type of pill to aid in cultivation would be the perfect finishing touch.

He quickly made up his mind, stepped out the door, and headed up the mountain to gather herbs.

Finding the right herbs for pill refining was surprisingly simple; a random handful could yield several varieties. Yet, transforming these unremarkable herbs into pills that could enhance cultivation or have other effects required a fair amount of skill.

He returned with a basketful of herbs, setting it against the wall. Taking a portion, he placed them into the pill furnace, infused a bit of spirit energy, and ignited it as he had done before.

This time, however, the flames were lackluster in both color and intensity.

"What's happening?" Hsu Fann whispered to himself.

Upon channeling his spirit energy once more, he discovered a delay in his technique's ability to absorb energy.

With each advancement in realm, other aspects should progress as well. His spirit energy had reached the state of Breatharianism, but his cultivation technique had not evolved to match. How could it cope with the current demands of energy absorption?

An inability to absorb energy meant stagnation in cultivation progress, a single thread that could unravel the whole tapestry.

"It looks like it's time to seek out a new cultivation technique."

The system offered him considerable assistance, but it wasn't a catch-all solution. Tasks like earning rewards through trials required his direct involvement.

The paths to rewards were few: undergoing trials at the Extraterrestrial Tower or enhancing his abilities at the mission hall.

He snuffed out the pill furnace and picked up the unappealing, misshapen pill, hesitating before deciding against discarding it.

Who could say whether this mysterious pill might hold some significant value?

After stowing the pill furnace, Hsu Fann nestled into his bed, luxuriously stretched, and drifted off to sleep.

His dreams were pleasant, save for the intermittent shouting and yelling of some unknown person sent to disturb him.

Annoyed by the noise, Hsu Fann swatted it away, and tranquility returned to his world.

"Hsu Fann! How dare you strike me!"

Startled by the booming voice, Hsu Fann's eyes snapped open, and he realized that the commotion wasn't a figment of his dreams.

"Senior Brother? I apologize, my mind was foggy just now, I didn't realize..."

Hsu Fann recognized the face before him as familiar, yet he couldn't quite place the name.

Thankfully, the senior brother didn't seem too bothered, offering a gentle reminder instead, "You should diligently prepare these next few days. The elders have agreed to include you in the upcoming Inner Sect trials."

Despite the senior brother's attempt to maintain a neutral and serious tone, Hsu Fann detected a hint of envy.

Indeed, it was a rare opportunity for an Outer Sect disciple to participate in the Inner Sect trial. For some, it remained an elusive dream throughout their entire tenure in the Outer Sect.

But was it all as straightforward as it seemed?

Recalling Wang Xiaogai and the shadowy figure of Han Dongling, Hsu Fann sensed complexity beneath the surface.

Yet, there was nothing more to say at the moment. Opportunities like this were fleeting, and he knew he had to stay alert and cautious.