Chapter 1

At the Yunjian Sect in Yundan Prefecture, many excellent and combative individuals were recruited this year for the cultivation trials. Regardless of whether they were boys or girls, everyone who entered the Yunjian Sect had only one thought: to become a sword cultivator who could look down upon all others.

The boys held their green iron swords, looking at the sharp blades that could truly kill, all filled with ambition. As long as they had powerful strength in their hands, they could not only gain honor and wealth but also the favor of countless beauties.

The girls received jade swords, whose semi-transparent blades lacked the ferocity of the boys' swords and instead exuded a gentle and elegant aura. Under the sunlight, they looked at their jade swords, imagining themselves as pure and refined female cultivators, as beautiful and graceful as fairies, and couldn't help but start paying attention to their manners, smiling without showing their teeth.

At the entrance of Zhichu Hall on the halfway point of Zhishang Peak, these half-grown children had been learning for a month. They had only learned a few sword techniques, and most of the time was spent on studies. Sword cultivators also needed to be literate; it was impossible to cultivate just by waving a sword around. Today, these 200 new disciples were very excited because they were about to receive their first batch of elixirs, the Taihe Pills, specially prepared to cleanse and purify their bodies.

For the entire two-year probationary period, they would need to take 24 Taihe Pills. After the two years were up, the peak masters would select suitable disciples. The better they performed, the more choices they would have. When several peak masters wanted to select the same person, that person could choose which peak to join.

Therefore, the Taihe Pills were very important, directly affecting their future. Even the children from wealthy families did not look down on these elixirs, mainly because they were too expensive to buy outside.

The disciples who had been in the sect for a year also stood at the back. Compared to the new children, they were more mature. Wearing light blue robes, they stood with their hands behind their backs, quietly waiting for the Wu Yao Hall to deliver the elixirs.

At this moment, someone with keen eyes noticed a large tripod slowly descending the stone path leading to the summit and couldn't help but exclaim, "Look, that tripod is walking by itself!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it still spread around. All the new disciples looked up at the mountain and saw a large tripod descending the stone steps. They were stunned; this must be the legendary spirit treasure, capable of moving on its own!

"That's the junior sister from the Wu Yao Hall, delivering the elixirs," a disciple at the back explained, seeing their surprise.

Hearing this, everyone stretched their necks to look closely and noticed a girl, only a few years older than them, carrying a tripod twice her height, wobbling down the stone steps. The steep cliff beside her made everyone hold their breath in concern.

At this moment, a girl said, "I know her; my cousin mentioned her. She is the furnace vessel of the Wu Yao Hall's hall master."

"Wow!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise. A furnace vessel!

Although these disciples had just entered the sect, in a place where cultivators and commoners were not distinguished, almost no one was unaware of the matter of furnace vessels. Girls with potential, if they didn't behave well, would be tricked into becoming furnace vessels. Just the threat of this would make girls behave.

The new disciples watched the tripod with excitement and curiosity, seeing it getting closer.

Lu Xiaodi, carrying the heavy tripod, finally finished the long stone steps and stopped to wipe the sweat from her forehead. In the past, she had always been attached to the tripod, but now, as a human, she had to carry it, making her realize how heavy her iron body was.

"Huh? Why are they all staring at me?" She was about to carry the tripod over when she saw the new disciples all looking at her with curious and excited expressions.

At this moment, she heard murmurs from the crowd, "Quick, quick, look! She's looking at us."

"Furnace vessels look like this? So skinny. I thought they would be beautiful and seductive, but they look like dried radishes."

"More like snails. Look at her carrying the tripod, slow and funny, just like a snail! Hahaha..."

The half-grown children all laughed. What kind of furnace vessel was this, not at all beautiful, just like a vegetable.

The disciples who had been in the sect for a year remained silent, standing with their mouths closed, their eyes glancing at the senior brother standing beside them.

Disciples like them were not taught by their masters but by the senior brothers from Zhishang Peak. The two senior brothers today did not scold anyone, apparently wanting the new disciples to learn the consequences of not following the rules in such a situation.

Lu Xiaodi stared at them, these guys were talking about the furnace vessel again. Half a year ago, when she was picked up by the Wu Yao Hall's hall master, she knew nothing and acted like a fool, doing something stupid.

Her master led her to meet the sect leader. When the sect leader asked her name in front of everyone, she honestly said she was a furnace vessel. Although her master quickly said she had no name when picked up and named her Lu Xiaodi, it was too late. The news that she was a furnace vessel spread quickly, and the entire sect knew about it. The more people who spread it, the more it seemed true.

After half a year of learning, Lu Xiaodi was no longer the ignorant girl she once was. With a blank expression, she carried the tripod and walked over to the crowd.

Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground with a thud. The heavy tripod landed on top of her, shocking the new disciples. They were worried she might be crushed to death!

Lu Xiaodi struggled like a turtle, finally crawling out from the side. As soon as she stood up, a small cloth bag fell from her chest, and white elixirs spilled out onto the ground.

"Ah! My elixirs, you must stand still!" She dashed forward, stomping on the rolling pills. Some rolled into the grass by the road, and she followed, stomping continuously.

Everyone watched her in shock, their eyes focused on her waist, where she had tied a rope to bind herself to the tripod. Who would steal from her, and why was she so paranoid!

After about half a cup of tea, Lu Xiaodi finally emerged, having picked up all the elixirs that had fallen. The elixirs were covered in mud, which she placed in the hem of her robe.

"Great, not a single pill is missing," she sighed in relief, smiling sweetly. Then, with one hand, she pulled the shoulder strap of the tripod and dragged it toward the Zhichu Square.

With each step, the tripod scraped against the stone, creating a grating sound that made everyone uneasy. The noise was so loud that it made their teeth feel weak.

Finally, Lu Xiaodi dragged the tripod to the two senior brothers from Zhishang Peak, bowed to them, and said, "Senior brothers, I'm here to deliver the elixirs."

"Um." The two senior brothers from Zhishang Peak glanced at the elixirs in her robe. The originally white elixirs were now covered in mud and grass, looking so dirty that they couldn't be eaten.

Distributing elixirs to the new disciples was also divided. Lu Xiaodi first went to the disciples who had entered last year. She didn't take the dirty elixirs from her robe but took clean ones from the small cloth bag in her chest, smiling and handing them over.

"Senior brothers, here are this month's Taihe Pills. Please accept them."

Even if it was just Taihe Pills, they were still much-needed elixirs. Everyone knew that the sect's alchemy skills were poor. Building a good relationship with the Wu Yao Hall's medicine boys could only bring benefits, so they politely thanked her, "Thank you, junior sister."

The new disciples watched her distribute the elixirs, but their status was too low, so they had to wait until the senior brothers and sisters had taken their elixirs.

After distributing the elixirs to the senior disciples, Lu Xiaodi finally came to distribute them to the new disciples. She picked up a dirty elixir from her robe and handed it to a young disciple.

"This is dirty, how can we eat it?" The young disciple refused to take it, pointing at the muddy pill. Even at his young age, he knew what was edible and what wasn't.

"Ah!" Lu Xiaodi looked at him in surprise, then said pitifully, "But I fell, and your elixirs dropped to the ground. If you don't take them, you won't have this month's Taihe Pills."

This caused immediate dissatisfaction among the crowd. They were still children and protested, "You made the elixirs dirty yourself, why should we eat dirty things!"

"Right, we want clean elixirs. Go back and get clean ones. You should pay for the dirty ones, not us!"

How clumsy, unable to do such a simple task, no wonder she became a furnace vessel. The young disciples looked down on her, and the first elixir of their cultivation was dirty, which was unacceptable.

Everyone criticized her, and with the senior brothers not interfering, they cursed her freely. The noise grew louder, disturbing the senior brothers learning in the halls nearby.

The noise from dragging the tripod had already disturbed them, and now the noise outside continued, making it impossible to cultivate!

Seeing that the disciples couldn't focus on their studies, a senior master became angry, pushed open the door, and shouted at the square, "What are you all making a fuss about? What kind of behavior is this!"

Xie Hong frowned, looking at the new disciples outside. Were they all spoiled brats? They couldn't even stand quietly and wait for their elixirs, showing no discipline!

Just as he was about to scold them and call the disciples responsible for their discipline, a figure suddenly rushed over, grabbing his sleeve and crying.

"Uncle Xie, they are bullying me. They say I'm a furnace vessel and that the Taihe Pills I carried are dirty. They won't take them and want me to bring clean ones!"

She immediately let go of Xie Hong's sleeve and quickly grabbed the elixirs that had fallen to the ground, then burst into tears, "Uncle, it's all my fault. The Taihe Pills fell and got dirty."