Chapter 10

Night Shang was still meditating and cultivating. Seeing Night Shang's efforts, Qin Zhen also sat down to meditate and cultivate.

After a night's rest, the group arrived at the entrance of the Medicine Valley on the noon of the second day, which was also the front of the Pill Cauldron Mountain.

Two stone pillars, each about thirty to forty feet high and four to five feet in diameter, carved with medicine cauldrons and various herbs, stood tall at the entrance. At the top of the stone pillars, a stone plaque connected them, on which two golden characters were engraved: "Medicine Valley."

The beast-drawn carriages did not enter the gate because only the disciples of Medicine Valley or those invited by Medicine Valley were allowed to enter. The carriages went down the straight road and entered a valley, where there were over a thousand pavilions, forming a small town. This was the Grass Valley Town, a resting place for those who came to Medicine Valley on business and a place for Medicine Valley disciples to purchase daily necessities.

Qiu Zhen found an inn to stay in, waiting for the disciple recruitment ceremony to begin. He couldn't return yet because only a few people from the group could enter Medicine Valley, and he still had to send the others back.

After Qiu Zhen arranged the rooms, Night Shang went to meditate and cultivate.

Just as Night Shang was about to enter a meditative state, someone knocked on the door.

Opening the door, Night Shang was taken aback. The person knocking was Qin Zhen, and not far behind him were Guan Xiong and Li Song.

"I'm leaving. You, keep working hard!" Qin Zhen said, looking at Night Shang. This was the first time Qin Zhen had spoken to Night Shang.

Night Shang understood immediately. Qin Zhen was not an ordinary person and didn't need to follow the usual route of visiting the mountain gate.

Night Shang was wrong. In fact, Qin Zhen wasn't there to become a disciple. Qin Aoxuan's arrangement was for Qin Zhen to stay with his master for one or two years before participating in the disciple recruitment ceremony.

"I will. You too!" Night Shang nodded. Although Qin Zhen's path was smooth, he wasn't jealous. He knew everyone had a different path to walk.

Qin Zhen took out two bottles of pills and handed them to Night Shang. Seeing that Night Shang didn't take them, Qin Zhen stepped forward, grabbed Night Shang's hand, and forced the pills into his hand, then turned and left.

After saying goodbye to Qiu Zhen, Qin Zhen left the inn with Guan Xiong and Li Song, heading towards the entrance of Medicine Valley.

Qin Zhen had a personal letter and token from Qin Aoxuan, so the Medicine Valley disciples let him pass after checking. However, Guan Xiong and Li Song couldn't enter; they had known they couldn't and were there just to see Qin Zhen off.

"Uncles, if Night Shang doesn't make it, please take good care of him when you return," Qin Zhen said, turning to look at Guan Xiong and Li Song as he entered the gate.

"Sir, rest assured. If Night Shang can't enter Medicine Valley, we will take him back," Guan Xiong nodded.

Watching Night Shang being led away by the Medicine Valley disciples, Guan Xiong and Li Song turned and left.

"Once in the deep sea, one becomes a dragon. With Sir's character, his future achievements will be boundless," Guan Xiong sighed, shaking his head.

"Night Shang is also good, but his background limits him. It's a pity. I don't know what he will choose after this. The Qin family can arrange for him, but his life won't be easy," Li Song, a wise man, knew that the other two young masters of the Qin family didn't like Night Shang. He also didn't think Night Shang would be able to enter Medicine Valley, as there were too many people attending the disciple recruitment ceremony, and many had higher cultivation levels than Night Shang.

"If those two young masters can enter Medicine Valley, Night Shang's life in the Qin family would be much more stable. They are strong, but it's not easy for them to enter Medicine Valley," Guan Xiong smiled, not optimistic about Qin Hai and Qin Shan, who were good at eating, drinking, and playing.

For the next two days, Night Shang worked hard on his cultivation.

After breakfast one day, as Night Shang was about to return to his room, the inn became bustling. People from Medicine Valley had arrived to register those attending the disciple recruitment ceremony and issue number plates.

Night Shang also registered and received a number plate, which was number 1226.

Seeing Night Shang's cultivation level, the Medicine Valley disciple in charge of registration just smiled. A cultivation level of the third layer of Qi Condensation was just for show at the disciple recruitment ceremony.

The Medicine Valley disciples were of high quality. Although they thought Night Shang had no hope, they still smiled and registered him. Even if he failed, it would still be an experience. People with great achievements cannot be measured by their current cultivation level. As the saying goes, don't look down on a poor young man.

After the registration, the Medicine Valley disciple left and told Night Shang to be at the square in front of the Medicine Valley gate in three days for the disciple recruitment ceremony.

"Night Shang, those were elite disciples of Medicine Valley just now!" Tang Tian, who came from Chiyang City, said to Night Shang.

"How do you know they were elite disciples?" Night Shang asked with a smile.

Tang Tian was the grandson of Elder Tang Fengming of Chiyang City. Although he came from a prominent family, he didn't have the arrogant and extravagant air of Qin Hai and others.

"By their clothes and symbols. They were wearing white battle robes, which only inner disciples can wear. Additionally, their battle robes had a medicine cauldron symbol on the cuffs. The leader had a silver medicine cauldron, which means they are elite hall disciples. A silver medicine cauldron is even more special, but I don't know what level it represents," Tang Tian said, scratching his nose and smiling sheepishly.

"That's the symbol of entering the Yuan List," Qiu Zhen, who overheard their conversation, said.

"Uncle Qiu, what is the Yuan List?" Tang Tian asked eagerly before Night Shang could speak.

"Medicine Valley has countless disciples, and there are outstanding ones at every level. Those who rank in the top hundred in the Gathering Yuan stage are Yuan List disciples, marked by a silver medicine cauldron. Above the Yuan List is the Pill List, which ranks Core Formation disciples, marked by a golden cauldron. Do you understand? If you are fortunate enough to enter Medicine Valley, you should strive for this goal and bring glory to Chiyang City," Qiu Zhen said, patting Tang Tian's shoulder and smiling. Qiu Zhen was familiar with Tang Tian because the leader of the Chiyang City guard was Tang Tian's grandfather, Tang Fengming.

"Indeed, they are impressive," Tang Tian nodded, looking forward to the ranking.

"Not only are they impressive, but their treatment is also different. Depending on their level, Medicine Valley disciples receive different resources. Servant disciples can barely make a living because Medicine Valley doesn't value them. No matter how many resources they give, they can't cultivate them. Disciples who make the list have a future, so Medicine Valley won't be stingy with resources. Little Tang Tian, you need to work hard," Qiu Zhen said with a smile.

"Uncle Qiu, just wait and see!" Tang Tian patted his chest.

Nodding at Qiu Zhen, Night Shang went to cultivate.

"That silly boy, all he does is cultivate. He's not afraid of overworking himself," Tang Tian muttered under his breath, looking at Night Shang's back.

"He's different from you. Because of his background and low starting point, he works extra hard. Tang Tian, you shouldn't underestimate him," Qiu Zhen said with a smile, then got up and left, heading out of the inn. Grass Valley was the gateway to Medicine Valley, and the trading market had many good pills. As a cultivator, Qiu Zhen also needed pill resources.

The three days passed quickly, and it was soon the day of the Medicine Valley disciple recruitment ceremony.

Under Qiu Zhen's lead, the group arrived at the gate.

This time, Medicine Valley was open to everyone, but there were Medicine Valley disciples guarding the area. Running around was not allowed. Under the guidance of the Medicine Valley disciples, tens of thousands of people gathered at the square in front of the gate, where the disciple recruitment ceremony was to be held.