Chu Bai sucked in a sharp breath.
In this Yun Dynasty world where all pursuits were considered base and only officialdom was held in high esteem, the Regular Ninth Grade might have been just the beginning, but for countless people, it was the finish line they could only dream of crossing.
They were true Cultivators, living on the imperial payroll, sheltered by the Destiny of the Celestial Court, with lifespans that could reach two hundred years!
’I can’t believe my master was capable of producing such a figure.’
"From now on, you are Old Sixth. You’re also my current Closed-door Disciple," Daoist Zhang said, patting the back of Chu Bai’s hand. "Your senior brothers and sisters have come before you. See that you don’t dishonor our sect’s name."
In the quiet room, the fragrance of tea swirled faintly.
Now that the formal disciple ceremony was complete, he was a true Inner Disciple. Daoist Zhang’s expression was gentle as he casually waved a hand, causing several items to materialize on the small table.
"Now that you’ve entered my tutelage, it wouldn’t be right to leave you empty-handed."
Daoist Zhang pointed to the items and introduced them one by one.
First was a palm-sized, black-wood Token with gold-trimmed edges. The front was engraved with the two words "Calm Heart," while the back bore an intricate cloud pattern.
"This is my personal Token. Here in Anping County, whether you’re dealing with the Government or in the Marketplace, this Token is as good as my presence. If you run into any trouble with common thugs, showing them this should prove useful."
Chu Bai received it with both hands. The wooden token felt heavy in his grasp, more like iron than wood. Its material was clearly extraordinary.
’This wasn’t just a token. It was a talisman granting him free passage throughout Anping County!’
Next was a neatly folded cyan long shirt.
"This Cyan Cloud Shirt, although it can’t be considered an Entry-Level Dharma Artifact, is woven with a blend of Spiritual Silkworm Silk. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer, repels dust and dirt, and is extremely resilient—ordinary swords and blades can hardly damage it. You’re a scholar and a Cultivator; it’s not appropriate for you to always wear those coarse linen clothes."
Finally, there was a lustrous Jade Ring.
"This is the Calm Heart Jade Ring. Worn on your person, it will help you calm your heart and pacify your Qi, reducing stray thoughts. You’re at a critical juncture, accumulating Spiritual Qi to break through to the Qi Cultivation realm. Impulsiveness and anxiety are to be avoided at all costs, and this object will be a great aid to you."
Chu Bai looked at these items, an inexplicable feeling of gratitude swelling in his heart.
Although his master hadn’t directly given him any miraculous pills and elixirs or peerless Cultivation Techniques, every single one of these items had been thoughtfully chosen for a new disciple like him. They were all extremely practical.
"Thank you, Master, for your generous gifts!" Chu Bai bowed deeply again.
"One more thing." Daoist Zhang waved his hand, as if mentioning something trivial. "Now that you are an Inner Disciple, the tuition fee for the academy’s Inner Sect is waived. In the future, if you have any questions about your Cultivation, you may come find me here at any time. You no longer need to be bound by the lecture schedule."
The tuition fee, waived!
Chu Bai’s head snapped up, his eyes growing warm.
That was ten taels of silver! It was a great stone weighing on his parents’ hearts, a weight that kept them awake at night. Now, with a single sentence, his master had lifted that great mountain.
"Master’s great kindness... I shall engrave it upon my heart!"
Even after walking out of the Zhang Mansion, Chu Bai still felt like he was floating.
He tightly clutched the Token and the Jade Ring in his robes. The solid feel of them made him want to throw his head back and roar at the sky.
Without delay, Chu Bai went to the market, bought another plump old hen, and hurried home with it in hand.
He arrived home just as the cooking smoke was beginning to rise.
"Dad, Mom! Great news!"
Chu Bai shouted the moment he entered the courtyard, his face beaming with a brilliant smile he had never shown before.
"What is it? What’s happened? Did you find some money?" Li Qing, who was feeding the pigs, quickly put down her ladle, wiped her hands, and came over to greet him.
Chu Bai handed the old hen to his mother, then solemnly took out the Token and the Cyan Cloud Shirt and placed them on the rickety square table.
"Dad, Mom, Daoist Zhang... has accepted me as his disciple! A true Inner Disciple!"
"What?!"
Chu Xianglin’s dry pipe fell to the ground with a CLATTER. He didn’t bother to pick it up, his eyes wide as he stared at the gold-trimmed Token, his hands trembling. "You’re saying... that god-like Daoist Zhang has taken you as his disciple?"
"That’s right!"
Chu Bai recounted the entire process of becoming a disciple, as well as the matter of his master waiving the tuition fee, down to the last detail.
After he finished, a brief, dead silence fell over the room.
Then, Li Qing suddenly covered her mouth, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. They were tears of pure joy.
"Good... this is great! I knew my son was destined for great things!" Chu Xianglin’s eyes also reddened. He stroked the extraordinary fabric of the long shirt with a trembling hand, as if touching a rare treasure. "This is wonderful. We don’t have to pay the ten taels of silver. Our family’s fortunes... have finally turned around!"
Those ten taels of silver had been like a noose around the whole family’s neck. Now, that noose had finally been broken.
The atmosphere at the dinner table that night was even more jubilant than the last time they’d had meat.
The family sat together around the table. The old hen had been stewed until the meat was tender and falling off the bone, its rich aroma filling the air.
Chu Bai ate until he was completely full. It was partly for celebration, but mostly for the sake of his Cultivation.
After dinner, he returned to his room and didn’t light the lamp.
In the moonlight filtering through the window, he fastened the Calm Heart Jade Ring to his waist.
A faint, cool sensation instantly spread out from his waist. His mind, which had been agitated from the day’s excitement, calmed in an instant, becoming as still as water.
"What a treasure!"
Chu Bai exclaimed in admiration, then sat down cross-legged and began to circulate the Small Qi Gathering Technique.
As he breathed in and out, the old hen in his stomach transformed into a surging torrent of heat that was rapidly broken down and absorbed.
Previously, only thirty to forty percent of the energy from such food could be converted into Essence Qi, with the rest expelled as waste.
But this time, it was different.
Chu Bai could clearly feel the torrent of heat being guided by some mysterious force. His body greedily absorbed it with the ferocity of a whale swallowing the sea, the conversion rate frighteningly high!
Not only that, but the Spiritual Qi circulation path, which had once been somewhat obscure, was now crystal clear. His body seemed to instinctively know the optimal solution—where to speed up, where to slow down.
BUZZ—
Deep within his mind, the familiar panel vibrated slightly.
With a thought, Chu Bai focused his mind and looked.
In the Fate Chart column, the flickering line of text that had previously read "Unconfirmed" finally solidified, emitting a faint golden glow!
[Acquired Fate Chart: Nourishing and Exquisite, Rapid Thinking (Activated)]
(Note: Possessing an exquisite aura, thoughts flow like a spring. Greatly enhances comprehension, efficiently converts ingested energy into Cultivation, and increases Cultivation speed by 50%!)
’It worked!’
Chu Bai was ecstatic.
He circulated his Qi for another cycle and checked the proficiency.
From just a single meal, the progress of the [Small Qi Gathering Technique] had jumped by two whole points!
This terrifying, visible increase in speed made him clench his fists, feeling the abundant power welling up inside him.
’The tuition is waived, I have a path to wealth, I have a renowned master, and now even my cheat ability has leveled up.’
Chu Bai gazed at the bright, clear moon outside his window, a feral glint in his eyes.
’Next up is a full-speed sprint!’
’I’ll show everyone what a... true genius really is!’

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