The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

"This is the 'Beast Patrol Order' of Hundred Beast Peak."

Xiao Hanyi glanced at Xu Xining, her expression remaining as cold as ever.

"With this mysterious token, you may freely enter the outer gate's monastery, the spirit kitchen, and even those animal pens where unauthorized personnel are not allowed to approach on ordinary days."

Xu Xining was overjoyed upon hearing this.

This is really good stuff!

With this order as cover, wouldn't his business of buying and selling on Hundred Beast Peak be as smooth as a fish in water, without any hindrance?

"Thank you so much, Senior Sister! Your kindness is immeasurable, and I could never repay it even with my life!"

Don't be too happy too soon.

"Seven days later, go to the 'Fire Rock Cave' in Luoyan Valley and retrieve a bottle of the heart's blood of the 'Crimson Flame Bull'. Remember, you must retrieve it alive, do not harm it, and do not disturb the Enforcement Hall."

Crimson Flame Wild Bull!

It was a ferocious beast at the mid-stage of the first rank, with an extremely violent temper. Ordinary Qi Refining disciples dared not approach it easily.

This woman really intends to use him as a suicide soldier.

But he remembered Xu Changqing's teaching: the more dangerous the situation, the more secure the rope he clung to.

"This...a mid-stage Tier 1 ferocious beast..."

Xu Xining deliberately feigned distress, his features contorted in a grimace, then gritted his teeth and slapped his thigh.

"Alright! Since it's Senior Sister's order, Junior Brother will risk his worthless life to bring you the blood!"

"If things succeed, you'll definitely get your share of the benefits."

Xiao Hanyi said no more, and with a wave of his sleeve, he transformed into a streak of frost-white sword light, heading straight for the cave at the mountain peak.

Xu Xining stood there, watching the sword light disappear into the depths of the sea of ​​clouds.

……

Behind Danxia Peak, a row of courtyards are built against the mountain.

This place is hot and cramped, and is where the outer disciples rest.

"Cough...cough cough..."

Xu Xiwen sat cross-legged on a hard wooden bed and slowly opened his eyes.

He spread his hands, looking at the thick calluses on his palms from handling spiritual herbs and sorting charcoal all day long, and a deep sense of despondency and bewilderment flashed in his eyes.

"It still doesn't work."

Xu Xiwen muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.

That determination to change his fate was being worn down little by little by the heavy and tedious tasks that came with Danxia Peak day after day.

He possesses mixed spiritual roots of the five elements, resulting in extremely poor aptitude.

While others can refine a trace of spiritual power by breathing for an hour, he needs to sit still for three hours.

Danxia Peak has strict rules. Outer disciples are required to work in the medicine garden for four hours every day and then go to the fire room to look after the alchemy furnace for one hour.

Only when one's muscles and bones are sore and one is exhausted can one return to the courtyard to meditate.

However, these meridians, with their mixed elements, wear down and repel the spiritual energy. If even one-tenth of it enters the body, it is already a stroke of luck.

"At this rate of slow and steady progress, I'm afraid I won't even be able to reach the second level of Qi Refining by the time I'm eighteen."

Xu Xiwen gritted his teeth, his nails digging deep into his palms.

"Am I destined to waste my entire life here, ultimately becoming a mere medicine slave, adding fuel to the fire?"

Xu Xiwen pushed open the wooden door, feeling a tightness in his chest and urgently needing to find an open space to get some fresh air.

He strolled leisurely, following the steep and rugged bluestone mountain path, and unknowingly stepped out of the Danxia Peak territory.

When he came to his senses and looked up, he was met with a solitary peak with cold, hard rocks and sparse vegetation.

Enforcement Peak.

There were no exotic flowers or rare herbs on either side of the mountain path, only bare black rocks covered with crisscrossing sword marks, exuding a sense of desolation and coldness.

Xu Xiwen looked up at the blue stone archway inscribed with the four characters "Strict Discipline" and paused in his tracks.

He had only come here to relax, but he never expected to end up here.

Looking at the desolate, lonely peak, Xu Xiwen suddenly recalled the one-armed old handyman he had met here that day.

"Five spiritual roots, notoriously 'rotten wood'..."

"His cultivation level of the ninth stage of Qi Refining was earned through countless brushes with death..."

Feeling so agitated today, he actually wanted to find that old man again and ask more about Senior Brother Zhao's past arduous cultivation, hoping to find a glimmer of light for his Dao heart, which was on the verge of collapse.

Xu Xiwen climbed the steps and arrived at the blue stone training ground halfway up the mountain.

The venue was empty, and a cold wind swirled a few withered leaves as they flew by.

He looked around but did not see the old, one-armed janitor who had swept the floor that day.

"Not here today...?"

Xu Xiwen felt a sudden pang of disappointment, shook his head self-deprecatingly, and turned to leave.

"Who are you looking for, peeking around here?"

Xu Xiwen was startled and hurriedly turned around.

Zhao Yichuan, with a jade tablet hanging from his waist, stood with his hands behind his back, coldly looking at him with his head turned to the side.

"Zhao... Senior Brother Zhao!"

Upon recognizing the person's face, Xu Xiwen hurriedly bowed and clasped his hands above his head.

"Outer disciple Xu Xiwen greets Senior Brother Zhao."

Zhao Yichuan's gaze swept over Xu Xiwen's Taoist robe, which was stained with a few specks of cigarette ash, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"It's you, the boy who cried whenever something happened in front of Danxia Peak."

Xu Xiwen stiffened, his face flushed red, and he replied curtly, "Replying to Senior Brother, Junior Brother has changed his indecisive nature and will definitely take revenge with the sword in his hand in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yichuan's eyes flashed with a very faint strange light, but he did not utter any sarcastic remarks.

He looked Xu Xiwen up and down, his voice flat: "It's been over a month, and you're still not stable at the first level of Qi Refining. Your aura is weak. Have you been slacking off these past few days?"

This question struck Xu Xiwen's heart, and the grievances and resentment that had been suppressed for so long almost welled up in his eyes again.

But he bit his lower lip hard, suppressing the bitter taste, and replied respectfully:

"Reporting to Senior Brother, Junior Brother dares not slack off in the slightest!"

"But... but Danxia Peak is full of miscellaneous tasks. Junior Brother has to sort through waste pills and tend to the earth fire every day, without a moment's rest. In the remaining time, although he tries his best to practice breathing exercises..."

Xu Xiwen lowered his eyes, his voice becoming low.

"However, my junior brother is of inferior quality among the five spiritual roots. When spiritual energy enters his body, only one-tenth remains. For me, the path of cultivation is indeed fraught with difficulties."

Zhao Yichuan looked at the thin boy in front of him and remained silent for a long time.

How could he not know the suffering of the five spiritual roots, the despair of practicing breathing exercises day and night only to end up with nothing?

Zhao Yichuan finally spoke, his tone less harsh.

"You're just wasting your time staying at Danxia Peak."

Xu Xiwen clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into the previous marks, drawing a trickle of blood.

How could he not know? But he was like a piece of duckweed, how could he have the right to choose where to go?

"The Enforcement Peak has strict rules and shows no mercy; it only judges by the sword. Ordinary disciples avoid it like the plague, but here, there are very few miscellaneous tasks..."

Xu Xiwen looked up in disbelief.

"Cleaning the sword platform, wiping the torture instruments, and collecting the bodies of those being tortured can be completed in half a day each day. The remaining time is all yours."

Zhao Yichuan turned his head slightly, glancing at the stunned boy out of the corner of his eye.

"If you wish, bring your identification card to the Discipline Hall at 5:00 AM tomorrow to have your registration changed."