A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Starting as a Rogue Cultivator

He took out seventeen plants, all of which were the result of several rounds of reduction in quantity; unexpectedly, even so, one person's apparent achievements were almost equivalent to a five-person group from Yellow Maple Valley.

Isn't this setting him up for a fool?

No wonder the disciples from various sects were so envious they wanted to devour him. The Core Formation cultivators looked at Ancestor Chen with mostly envy, but when they looked at Wang, their gazes became subtly meaningful.

Seventeen plants, no, even if it's only thirteen, it's still the most eye-catching one, can you believe it?

A bunch of useless trash.

Chapter 48 Polite Refusal

"Uncle-Master, how come these five people only brought out twenty-two spiritual herbs? What are their individual situations? Surely they can't each have less than five herbs?"

Wang Li used telepathy to ask questions, because asking questions openly would be embarrassing and annoying.

That means I've offended all five of them.

It's not a big deal, but it's completely unnecessary.

"You want to know what happened? I'd love to know too!"

It was clear that Uncle Chen was quite unhappy about the fact that the large amount of investment he had made earlier had not yielded the corresponding results, and he also seemed to harbor some resentment towards Wang Li's alarmist remarks before the trial.

"Of the five people, the first two were not bad, one brought out eight plants and the other brought out seven. As for the remaining three... let's not mention them."

Well, no wonder.

If he hadn't tricked the groups from Spirit Beast Mountain and Blade Transformation Valley, leaving behind a certain unlucky fellow from Heavenly Palace Fortress, Yellow Maple Valley, which invested the most in this forbidden area trial, would probably have been at the bottom.

Oh wait, if we include Xue and Wang, they're still firmly in first place. After all, those two got seventeen plants.

"Grandmaster, fellow uncles and senior masters..."

Knowing the situation, Wang Li bowed respectfully to the four Foundation Establishment managers and Old Ancestor Chen.

"May I ask if there is any rule in our Yellow Maple Valley that forbids those of us participating in the trial from exchanging the spiritual herbs we obtain from the forbidden area?"

He wanted to politely decline the Chen family's offer to become Chen Laozu's disciple!

His experiences in the forbidden area instilled in him a deep aversion to the major cultivation clans. His inclination to become an apprentice shifted from favoring the Chen family to leaning towards Li Huayuan, a nearly solitary figure without family ties.

Refusing requires a suitable reason and a way out that everyone can accept; it is absolutely essential not to embarrass the Chen family.

It's important to understand that directly refusing a Core Formation stage cultivator is practically tantamount to courting death.

The crux of the problem lies in these medicinal herbs brought out from the forbidden area.

These spiritual herbs belong neither to Wang Li and the other Qi Refining disciples participating in the trial, nor to Patriarch Chen or the Chen family. Instead, they are a kind of "tribute" unconditionally handed over to the sect by the disciples participating in the Blood Forbidden Trial! They belong to the sect!

(At that time, the sect will also give Foundation Establishment Pills or other rewards based on the quantity, type, and quality of the spiritual herbs brought by each disciple.)

Huh? Old Ancestor Chen doesn't even have the qualifications to control a few spiritual herbs?

The truth is, no.

If Old Ancestor Chen wanted to intercept the opportunity, the simplest, quickest, and most effective way would be to accept Wang Li, a herb-gathering disciple, as a nominal disciple.

Because there is an unwritten rule in Huangfeng Valley: for those with a clear master-disciple relationship, the master has the right to take half of the tribute that the disciple submits to the sect.

Therefore, as long as Patriarch Chen gave up one (registered) disciple position, the spiritual herbs that Wang Li had collected from the forbidden area could be used as tribute, and half of them would be intercepted by the Chen family.

And for this part, it is perfectly justifiable and natural to specifically target the high-quality spiritual herbs needed.

In short: by accepting Wang Li as a disciple, one will receive a gift as a token of gratitude to the master.

Similarly, if Wang Li wanted to get rid of such a good thing, he would set a precedent that no one had tried in the past thousand years: he would exchange spiritual medicines with others, giving the precious spiritual medicines needed by the Chen family members to the Chen family members he had arranged to enter the family.

In this way, Wang Li can break free from the vicious cycle of becoming an apprentice.

Furthermore, this matter can only be raised before returning to the sect; otherwise, the situation will be different once we're back. We can only bring it up now, while we've rendered a great service and the Chen family is in high spirits; although it will be a downer, it won't necessarily cause the Chen family to immediately turn against us!

Whether they receive the herb from someone else or not makes little difference to them.

"Exchange for the obtained elixirs? What do you mean, kid?"

Uncle Chen frowned slightly and narrowed his eyes.

"Uncle-Master, whether disciples can trade spiritual herbs is extremely important to me, and also to the Chen family and Uncle-Master!"

This time, Wang Li used divine sense to transmit his voice again.

Having already deflected the topic of Elder Chen's desire to accept disciples once, Wang Li dared not try to decline again. Therefore, before the Chen family members could react, he quickly asked this crucial question.

"Hmm, there's no explicit rule in the sect that forbids it. What, do you want to trade with someone? But there's no need for that. Most of the spiritual herbs you've harvested are extremely precious, enough to qualify you for two Foundation Establishment Pills. Even if you exchange the inferior herbs for more precious ones, the number of Foundation Establishment Pills you get won't increase."

Uncle Chen smiled and shook his head to explain.

"Then, if I exchange the spiritual medicine that Grandmaster Chen and Uncle Chen need for the disciples of the Chen family... Huh? Where are Junior Brother Wang and Junior Brother Xue? Why haven't they come out?"

Without a doubt, these two were the best candidates for the exchange. Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on them, and he killed them both.

"Wait, what about the IOU they wrote to me?"

As he spoke, his right hand trembled and his lips twitched as he pulled a jade slip from his storage bag. It was one of the two "IOUs" left behind by the two people who had intercepted him in the forbidden area two days ago.

"Uncle-Master, does this thing still count?"

Wang Li strained to bring his features together before letting out a mournful wail that would break the hearts of anyone who saw it and bring tears to their eyes.

IOU?

What IOU?

Uncle Chen was quick-witted and nimble-fingered. He snatched the jade slip from Wang Li's hand with a wave of his hand, then pressed it to his forehead and probed it with his divine sense.

The next moment: "Damn it, damn it, those two bastards!"

Her pretty face immediately turned green, and she also developed a lot of black lines.

"What's wrong? Let me see..."

Old Man Chen was also very curious about what was written on the little jade slip, but Old Ancestor Chen's curiosity was even greater, and his hand speed was even faster. Sure enough, with a wave of his hand, the jade slip was in his hand. After a brief look, his old face twitched, and he almost couldn't control his emotions and crushed the jade slip: What a disgraceful thing.

He didn't need to guess what exactly happened inside the forbidden area; he could easily piece together a rough idea.

It's no surprise that the two of them were tempted by the money and, relying on the Chen family's reputation, snatched the spirit herb from the brat in front of them—a spirit herb that was quite old and of good quality. The problem is, even if you snatched it, you should at least take the herb with you. Otherwise, what's the point of stealing it?

For some reason, the old ancestor became increasingly angry: a good-for-nothing scoundrel who was more of a hindrance than a help.

When she looked at Wang Li, a hint of complexity and understanding quietly crept in.

The little guy is harboring resentment!

……

"Ahem, senior brothers, what are your surnames? Also, could you tell me the quality of your spiritual roots?"

Those whom Wang Li addressed as "senior brother" were naturally the two at the peak of the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, so asking such a question was indeed a bit presumptuous. Sure enough, someone's face showed displeasure, and that was the one with the most spiritual herbs.

The one who had one less spiritual herb compared to the other didn't seem to mind being asked about the secrets of her spiritual root, and replied to Wang Li with a smile.

"My name is Xu Da, and I have the three spiritual roots of wood, fire, and earth; this is Senior Brother Zhang, and he has the three spiritual roots of metal, water, and earth."

It seems these two are acquaintances.

"Then, Senior Brother Xu, would you be willing to exchange a few spiritual herbs with me?"

Wang Li was sincere.

Upon hearing this, Xu Da's expression changed, and he suddenly became tense. He subconsciously thought that the two precious spiritual herbs in his hands would be snatched away by the young man in front of him.

The cultivator surnamed Zhang, who had initially shown a hint of displeasure, was taken aback for a moment, then a subtle sneer appeared on his lips.

From this perspective, although the two know each other, their relationship is "ambiguous."

“Young Master Wang…”

Uncle Chen seemed to be warning someone.

Old Master Chen, however, was quite interested.

Most others maintained an indifferent attitude, as if it were none of their business.

Everyone was ready to watch a good show.

However, Wang Li's next words left everyone present completely astonished.

"Grandmaster, Uncle Master, this disciple wishes to exchange a few high-quality immortal herbs with Senior Brother Xu. Please grant me permission!"

what's going on?

Exchange immortal herbs for spiritual herbs?

The five Qi Refining stage disciples were completely baffled by this move. The experienced Elder Chen and the four Foundation Establishment stage managers were initially puzzled, and then their expressions changed as they frowned.

"Young man, do you know what you're missing out on by doing this?"

Uncle Chen understands Wang Li best.

At this moment, the tone of the divine sense transmission was exceptionally stern: Is the Chen family, and his grandfather, so unworthy of your attention, Wang Li?

The thought of the consequences if this got out, and all that he, Chen, had done before, made his anger rise uncontrollably.

"Uncle-Master, I know! But I have my own difficulties! Uncle-Master, I might have someone I like!"

ha?

Uncle Chen's anger faltered, and he immediately fell silent.

Old Ancestor Chen, who had effortlessly and openly eavesdropped on the two men's conversation without any deliberate intent, had a strange expression on his face.

"Which girl have you taken a fancy to? No, what does that have to do with whether or not you're willing to become my grandfather's disciple? Kid, stop interrupting."

Anger flared up again.

The question of whether or not one is willing to become a disciple of Master Chen is an unavoidable hurdle that must be handled with utmost care.

Wang Li, on the other hand, clearly intended to use the matter of a Daoist partner as an excuse.

“Uncle-Master, of course it’s related. I’ve found out that the girl has been accepted as a disciple by Grandmaster Li. Once she reaches Foundation Establishment, she will become a formal disciple. And with her talent, she should be able to reach Foundation Establishment soon. As for me, if I want to win that girl over and eventually become cultivation partners, I can only take advantage of my proximity.”

Master Li?

It can only be Li Huayuan.

Li Huayuan has only recently accepted one disciple under his nominal title: