Chapter 5

Chapter 2

The Spirit Stream Sect is located within the Donglin Continent, downstream of the Tongtian River, spanning both banks of the Tongtian River. It has a history of ten thousand years, intimidating all directions.

Eight towering peaks, shrouded in mist, span the Tongtian River. Four peaks are on the north bank, three on the south, and in the middle of the Tongtian River stands a majestic peak, the most imposing of all.

This mountain is covered in snow from the middle section upwards, making it impossible to see its end. Only the lower part of the mountain, which has been hollowed out, allows the golden river to rush through, like a mountain bridge.

At this moment, outside the south bank of the Spirit Stream Sect, a long rainbow streaked across the sky. Inside, the middle-aged cultivator Li Qinghou brought Bai Xiaochun and descended into the miscellaneous service area at the base of the third peak. The sound of Bai Xiaochun's cries could still be faintly heard from within the rainbow.

Bai Xiaochun felt he was about to be scared to death. During the flight, he saw countless mountains and several times thought he would lose his grip on the other's leg.

Suddenly, the scene before him blurred, and when it cleared, he was outside a pavilion. After landing, his legs trembled as he looked around at a world completely different from the village.

Next to the pavilion stood a large stone with three large, dragon-like characters carved on it.

Miscellaneous Service Area.

Beside the large stone sat a pockmarked woman. Seeing Li Qinghou arrive, she immediately stood up to greet him.

"Send this boy to the kitchen." Li Qinghou left these words, ignoring Bai Xiaochun, and turned to leave, transforming into a long rainbow.

The pockmarked woman was taken aback by the mention of the kitchen. She glanced at Bai Xiaochun, handed him a cloth bag for miscellaneous service, and without expression, gave him some instructions. She then led Bai Xiaochun out of the pavilion, through a series of courtyards and numerous pavilions, along a path paved with green stones, and past fragrant flowers and grass, like a fairyland. Bai Xiaochun's heart raced, and his nervousness and anxiety lessened.

"What a wonderful place, this is much better than the village." Bai Xiaochun's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he walked forward. The more he advanced, the more beautiful the surroundings became. He even saw some graceful women passing by, making him instantly fall in love with the place.

A short while later, Bai Xiaochun was even more delighted. At the end of the path, he saw a seven-story pavilion, crystal clear and transparent, with cranes flying in the sky.

"Senior Sister, have we arrived?" Bai Xiaochun asked excitedly.

"Yes, right there." The pockmarked woman, still expressionless, pointed to a side path.

Bai Xiaochun followed her finger, full of anticipation, but then froze. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. The path was cracked in many places, and the surroundings were dilapidated. A few thatched houses looked ready to collapse, and a strange smell wafted from there.

Bai Xiaochun felt like crying, but held on to the last bit of hope and asked the pockmarked woman.

"Senior Sister, did you point the wrong way...?"

"No." The pockmarked woman replied coolly, leading the way down the path. Bai Xiaochun felt all his hopes crumble and followed with a bitter expression.

Not far along, he saw several large black cauldrons at the end of the dilapidated path. Upon closer inspection, each cauldron was tended by a fat man, so fat that they seemed to ooze oil, especially the fattest one, who looked like a mountain of meat. Bai Xiaochun was worried he might burst.

Around these fat men were hundreds of large cauldrons, and they were adding water and rice.

Noticing someone's arrival, especially the pockmarked woman, the mountain of meat looked delighted, grabbed a large ladle, and ran over, causing the ground to tremble. His fat jiggled in waves, and Bai Xiaochun was speechless, instinctively looking for an axe.

"Today, I heard a magpie chirping, and it turns out it was you, Senior Sister. Could it be that you have changed your mind and think I have some talent, and you want to become my Dao companion today?" The mountain of meat's eyes gleamed with lust as he ran and shouted.

"I have brought this boy to join your kitchen. I have delivered him, so I will take my leave." The pockmarked woman's face turned grim upon seeing the mountain of meat, and she quickly retreated.

Bai Xiaochun gasped. He had noticed her appearance on the way, which was truly a masterpiece of nature. He couldn't understand what kind of taste this fat man had, to look at her like that.

Before Bai Xiaochun could finish his thoughts, the mountain of meat appeared in front of him, blocking the sunlight and casting him in shadow.

Bai Xiaochun looked up at the enormous, trembling mass of fat and swallowed hard. He had never seen such a fat person before.

The mountain of meat, with a look of longing, turned his gaze from the pockmarked woman's departing figure and looked at Bai Xiaochun.

"Wow, a new face. To be able to replace the originally assigned Xu Baocai, that's not easy."

"Senior Brother, I... I am Bai Xiaochun..." Bai Xiaochun felt the pressure from the other's massive body and instinctively took a few steps back.

"Bai Xiaochun? Hmm... pale skin, petite, and quite innocent. Not bad, not bad. Your name suits my taste." The mountain of meat's eyes lit up, and he patted Bai Xiaochun's shoulder, nearly knocking him over.

"May I ask your name, Senior Brother?" Bai Xiaochun gasped, rolled his eyes, and looked at the mountain of meat with disdain, thinking of playing with his name.

"My name is Zhang Dapang, that one is Huang Erpang, and that one is Hei Sanpang..." The mountain of meat chuckled.

Hearing these names, Bai Xiaochun felt they were apt and immediately lost any desire to play with them.

"As for you, you will be called Bai Jiu... Junior Brother, you are too thin! Going out like this would be a disgrace to our kitchen, but don't worry. In a year, you will be fat too. From now on, you will be called Bai Jiupang." Zhang Dapang patted his chest, and his fat jiggled.

Hearing "Bai Jiupang," Bai Xiaochun's face twisted in distress.

"Since you are now the ninth junior brother, you are one of us. Our kitchen has a tradition of carrying cauldrons. See the cauldron on my back? It is the king of cauldrons, made of iron essence, with a ground fire array carved on it. The spiritual rice cooked in this cauldron is far superior to that cooked in ordinary cauldrons. You must choose one too, and carry it on your back. That will be impressive." Zhang Dapang patted the large black cauldron on his back and boasted.

"Senior Brother, can I skip carrying a cauldron?" Bai Xiaochun glanced at the cauldron on Zhang Dapang's back and felt that everyone in the kitchen carried cauldrons. He imagined himself carrying a large black cauldron and quickly said.

"That's not possible. Carrying a cauldron is a tradition in our kitchen. In the sect, others will know you are from the kitchen when they see you carrying a cauldron, and they won't dare to bully you. Our kitchen has a long history!" Zhang Dapang winked at Bai Xiaochun, then without waiting for a response, dragged him to the back of the thatched house, where thousands of large cauldrons were stacked, most covered in thick layers of dust, clearly unused for a long time.

"Ninth Junior Brother, choose one. We need to start cooking, or the rice will burn, and the outer sect disciples will complain." Zhang Dapang shouted, turned, and began moving around the hundreds of cauldrons with the other fat men.

Bai Xiaochun sighed, looking at the cauldrons, trying to decide which one to choose. Suddenly, he saw a cauldron in the corner, pressed under others.

This cauldron was unusual, not round but oval, more like a turtle shell, with faint, indistinct patterns.

"Hmm?" Bai Xiaochun's eyes lit up, and he quickly walked over, crouched down, and examined it. After lifting it out and inspecting it, he was satisfied.

He had always liked turtles because they symbolize longevity, and he had come to cultivate to achieve immortality. Seeing this cauldron, which resembled a turtle shell, he thought it was a good omen.

After moving the cauldron out, Zhang Dapang saw it from a distance and ran over with a large ladle.

"Ninth Junior Brother, why did you choose this one? This cauldron has been there for years, unused. No one has ever chosen it because it looks like a turtle shell. Are you sure, Ninth Junior Brother?" Zhang Dapang patted his belly, trying to dissuade him.

"Sure, I want this cauldron." Bai Xiaochun liked it more and more and said firmly.

Zhang Dapang tried to persuade him again, but seeing Bai Xiaochun's determination, he looked at him strangely, said no more, and arranged a thatched house for him in the kitchen before returning to his work.

By now, it was dusk. Bai Xiaochun, in his thatched house, carefully examined the turtle-shaped cauldron. He noticed several faint patterns on the back, which were hard to see without a close look.

He immediately thought the cauldron was extraordinary and carefully placed it on the stove. He then looked around his simple room, which had a small bed, a table and chair, and a copper mirror on the wall. As he looked around, a purple light flashed from the plain cauldron behind him!

For Bai Xiaochun, many things had happened today. Although he had arrived in the long-desired immortal world, he still felt a bit lost.

After a moment, he took a deep breath, his eyes filled with hope.

"I want immortality!" Bai Xiaochun sat down and took out the cloth bag given to him by the pockmarked woman.

Inside were a pill, a wooden sword, an incense stick, miscellaneous service clothes, a token, and a bamboo book with a few small characters.

"Purple Qi Cauldron Mastery, Condensation Chapter."

At dusk, while Zhang Dapang and the others were busy in the kitchen, Bai Xiaochun was reading the bamboo book, his eyes filled with hope. He had come here for immortality, and the door to immortality was now in his hands. After several deep breaths, Bai Xiaochun opened the bamboo book and began reading.

After a moment, his eyes sparkled with excitement. The bamboo book had three diagrams. According to the text, cultivation was divided into the Condensation and Foundation stages. The Purple Qi Cauldron Mastery had ten levels, corresponding to the ten levels of the Condensation stage.

Each level allowed the control of external objects. At the third level, one could control objects as heavy as half a cauldron. At the sixth level, one could control objects as heavy as a whole cauldron. At the ninth level, one could control a full cauldron. At the final Great Perfection stage, one could control objects as heavy as two cauldrons.

However, the bamboo book only contained the first three levels, and the remaining levels were not recorded. To practice, one needed to follow specific breathing and movements.

Bai Xiaochun focused, adjusted his breathing, and closed his eyes, assuming the position of the first diagram. After three breaths, he felt a painful ache and could not continue. The breathing method also made him feel short of breath.

"Too difficult. The book says that practicing the first diagram should make one feel a subtle flow of qi within the body, but I only feel pain and nothing else." Bai Xiaochun was troubled but, for the sake of immortality, gritted his teeth and tried again. Despite his efforts, by evening, he still had not felt any qi.

He did not know that even those with excellent aptitude, without external help, would need at least a month to feel qi when practicing the first level of the Purple Qi Cauldron Mastery. He had only practiced for a few hours, so it was impossible to feel anything.

Feeling sore all over, Bai Xiaochun stretched and was about to wash his face when he heard a commotion outside. He stuck his head out the window and saw a pale, thin young man standing at the gate of the kitchen courtyard, his face livid.

"Who replaced my spot, Xu Baocai? Come out!"

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The update has begun! The new book is like a tender sapling, in dire need of care. Please give it your support with recommendations and collections! Recommend, recommend, recommend, collect, collect, collect, important things, three times, three times!!!

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