Chapter 35

Lu Xiaoding didn't rush back but instead sat down leaning against the stone wall, watching the birds flying across the sky from time to time, and began to talk to the spirit grass.

She talked about everything, from her senior sister to her master, and even about the pills she had refined. When she ran out of things to say, she even talked about the many people who had gathered in the sect. She was very happy talking to herself, but she ignored the feelings of the spirit grass.

This was Lu Xiaoding's little secret, even Lu Yaohang didn't know. She had actually found a spirit grass that was about to take shape in a stone crevice.

Because it was so deformed, even Lu Xiaoding didn't know what kind of spirit grass it was. She had flipped through the spirit grass manual but couldn't find a picture that matched it. However, this didn't stop her from liking the spirit grass; it was her first friend.

Her senior sister forbade her from playing with the sword spirit, saying it would eat her, which sounded terrifying. But everyone was a cultivator, and Lu Xiaoding also wanted a companion. She didn't even consider herself human; she could only move by carrying her body, which was different from humans.

When she accidentally found the spirit grass in the stone crevice, she was overjoyed. As long as she fed it with spirit-gathering liquid, it could gain consciousness and take shape earlier. Then, she would have an intimate friend.

Whenever she had free time, Lu Xiaoding would come to find the spirit grass and feed it with spirit-gathering liquid to help it grow. It wouldn't be long before it gained consciousness.

"You must be a male spirit grass, you eat too much, needing three drops of spirit-gathering liquid a day. I can only gather one drop every three days, which is not enough for you at all." As she spoke, she began to complain, shaking the bottle of spirit-gathering liquid.

Spirit-gathering liquid is a liquid condensed by spirit treasures with spirit cores. Due to the different nature of the spirit cores, they have different abilities. For example, alchemy cauldrons, which have been used to refine pills for a long time and have been nourished by countless spirit grasses, will condense a dark green spirit-gathering liquid as the heaven's qi enters and disperses.

On the other hand, aggressive spirit treasures that have been used for too much killing will condense a bright red spirit-gathering liquid, which is a top-grade material for refining. Feeding it to spirit beasts can also enhance their bloodline and strength, and it is usually sold as soon as it is available.

The types of spirit-gathering liquid vary with the spirit treasures, and their colors and effects are different. Cultivators have given them different names. For example, the green spirit-gathering liquid condensed by alchemy cauldrons is called pill ink.

When refining pills, adding a drop of pill ink can increase the success rate. Even the number of pills produced will be more, and the efficacy will be even better, with the quality being so good that it will amaze people.

Regardless of what kind of spirit core it is, it can produce this substance, but none of them produce as much as Lu Xiaoding. A regular spirit core can only produce one drop in a month, unlike her, who can produce one drop every three days, possibly due to her physical form.

Spirit-gathering liquid has an unknown effect on cultivators, which is to nourish everything and help it gain consciousness earlier. Natural things can gain consciousness earlier, and spirit treasures can help produce spirit cores. However, because the effect is not obvious, even if cultivators try, they will give up due to the long time required.

Such a precious thing, if used to waste without results, even a wealthy cultivator cannot afford it.

Lu Xiaoding only started using spirit-gathering liquid to feed the spirit grass when she discovered it was about to gain consciousness. She had been feeding it for more than four years, and only then did it show such a weak effect. If it were someone else, they would have given up long ago.

Although the spirit grass didn't respond, she kept talking to herself, talking for a full hour until her mouth was dry and her tongue was parched, and she finally stopped.

"I'll go first, and I'll come to see you tomorrow." After saying goodbye to the spirit grass, Lu Xiaoding returned to the Heavenly Pill Hall. The Heavenly Harmony Pill had not yet been refined, and the refining room was still tightly closed.

The next day, when everyone came to see Lu Yaohang's refining results, including Yu Xiudan, the three of them were stunned by her, who had already reached the initial Foundation Establishment stage.

"How could you冲击筑基 (冲击 means 'impact' or 'assault,' and 筑基 means 'Foundation Establishment') while refining pills? After the Heavenly Harmony Pill is refined, you will have plenty of time to冲击筑基. Was it really necessary to not wait even a day?" Yu Xiudan really didn't know how to respond to Lu Yaohang, who had done this in such a short time.

Lu Xiaoding, who couldn't see her cultivation level, usually relied on the clothes of cultivators to distinguish. Now, hearing her master's words, she asked in surprise, "Senior Sister, you have already reached the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Lu Dan's expression was stunned. Zisuye was the one he had brought back, and he was shocked when he saw the Foundation Establishment Pill. Now, he was even more surprised by her rapid progress, reaching the Foundation Establishment stage in just a few days, despite her inferior talent. It made him feel a bit resentful.

"Reaching the Foundation Establishment stage doesn't seem too difficult; I advanced in a moment." Lu Yaohang said lightly, her attitude would surely make others feel annoyed. Then she respectfully bowed to her master and formally said, "Disciple Lu Yaohang, I pay my respects to Master."

Yu Xiudan, knowing her character, understood that she was proving to him that she could reach the Foundation Establishment stage through her own efforts. Now that she had the qualifications, she could formally perform the disciple ceremony. With such a strong and proud personality, she would surely make many enemies in the future. He sighed and said, "Alright, I will inform the Affairs Peak that you have advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage and become my personal disciple. I will arrange your visit to the Sword Tomb as soon as possible; I think you can't wait much longer."

"Thank you, Master. I will choose a spirit sword in the Sword Tomb that won't embarrass you." This was exactly what Lu Yaohang wanted; she was determined to succeed in the Sword Tomb.

Taking on a disciple is not just a matter of the master agreeing; it must be reported to the Affairs Peak for record. Then, various monthly allowances and clothing will be issued, and even a new identity badge must be made, which takes time and process.

Fortunately, cultivators are not slow in handling affairs. Two days later, Lu Yaohang received everything and was only waiting to enter the Sword Tomb in the afternoon.

"Senior Sister, this clothing is really beautiful. From today on, I will call you Daoist Lord Lu." Lu Xiaoding circled around Lu Yaohang, who was wearing the sect's uniform, and touched the white patterns on the edge, smiling.

"If you dare to call me that, I'll spank you. It's a pity you can't cultivate; otherwise, I would use pills to push you to the Foundation Establishment stage." Lu Yaohang said regretfully, feeling conflicted. Keeping a low profile was the best protection for Lu Xiaoding. But as a spirit core with terrifying alchemy skills, being just a small medicine boy seemed like a waste.

Lu Xiaoding smiled, "Senior Sister, what's so good about the Foundation Establishment stage? My goal is to return to the Precious List; that's where I belong." She had no interest in the cultivation levels of cultivators; the Precious List was the most attractive thing for a spirit core.

Seeing her mention this, Lu Yaohang seized the opportunity to ask, "Xiaoding, what was your rank on the Precious List, and did you have a powerful name?"

"Of course, I was called the Wicked Thousand Souls Gray Cauldron, ranked seventh on the Precious List." Lu Xiaoding said without hesitation, having forgotten the high-level pills but not the name of the cauldron or its rank on the Precious List.

"Such a... powerful name." Lu Yaohang paused, the name of the cauldron indeed didn't sound like it belonged to a good person, but this could help her find its owner.

Lu Xiaoding, however, stroked her chin and said with a profound look, "But Master said to be good, so I didn't mention the name of the cauldron. I don't have a name myself. When I return to the Precious List, I will give the cauldron a new name, the Ten Thousand People's Blessing Cauldron." She looked at Lu Yaohang with the corner of her eye, clearly wanting praise, as she was very satisfied with the name she had chosen.

Lu Yaohang genuinely felt that the Ten Thousand People's Blessing Cauldron was far inferior to the Wicked Thousand Souls Gray Cauldron. What did Ten Thousand People's Blessing mean? Did she want to fly in the sky and scatter countless pills from the cauldron, like a celestial maiden spreading blessings to the world?

But her eyes were too eager, so Lu Yaohang had to nod and say, "It sounds very good, very auspicious."

"That's great." Lu Xiaoding was extremely satisfied and then said mysteriously to her senior sister, "Senior Sister, I left a drop of blood on your chest. When you enter the Sword Tomb to choose a sword, if a sword makes your heart beat fast, it's a good sword."

"You have such an ability?" Lu Yaohang asked in surprise.

Lu Xiaoding chuckled, "I discovered it recently, but it will lose its effect over time, so you need to choose a good sword quickly."

"Alright, I'll be careful." Having a way to choose a good sword was excellent. Lu Yaohang was worried about not being able to distinguish the quality of the swords and missing out on a top-grade spirit sword. With Xiaoding's help, she was sure to choose a good sword.

However, when she was brought to the depths of the sect by Yu Xiudan and entered the Sword Tomb through a door opened by the sect leader's secret token, she found that it was completely different from what she and Xiaoding had imagined.

They had thought the swords in the Sword Tomb were stuck in the ground, and they just needed to follow them. But the Sword Tomb was empty, and Lu Yaohang stood on a lake-like surface, surrounded by a light mist that made it impossible to see the environment clearly.

Her reflection was in the lake, and with every step, it seemed like another her was following closely. Whispers kept coming from her ears, as if she was being watched by many things.

"This time it's a woman, who will go?"

"I don't like female cultivators; they are too weak."

"I prefer tall and strong male cultivators. Female cultivators, you can go, my dream is to be a handsome man's sword."

"I do like the aura she gives off; it's very cold and proud, which suits me."

Hearing these words, Lu Yaohang understood that the swords in the Sword Tomb had sword spirits. Cultivators entering the Sword Tomb were not choosing spirit swords but being chosen by them. Only when a spirit sword chose you would it fall into your hands.

This was a matter of luck and eye appeal!

At that moment, a white cold aura shot out from the mist, and as it approached her, a thin layer of ice crystals formed on the lake surface. It seemed that the spirit sword's sword spirit was attracted to her.

A sword with a cold aura indeed suited her. Lu Yaohang had already decided that the sword's aura matched hers. A crystal-clear sword hilt emerged from the lake, and the sword body slowly extended, revealing that the swords were hidden underwater.

Suddenly, a domineering voice echoed in the Sword Tomb, "Get lost!"

The sword that had already revealed its hilt plunged back into the lake, and the sword spirits that had been whispering non-stop suddenly screamed and ran away. The entire Sword Tomb fell silent, leaving Lu Yaohang standing alone, not knowing what had happened.