Cultivation, Fame, and Fortune in an Instant

By late morning.

A scorching sensation on his backside finally stirred Wugou awake.

Wugou rubbed his eyes and glanced at his bedside.

It seemed yesterday’s transformation had almost completely exhausted the little one’s spiritual energy.

If it were any other day, it would probably have already been bouncing on Wugou’s face.

After a casual wash-up, he pulled a corner of the sheet over A-wu and headed out the door.

“Oh, Old Man Xing, a few days ago I saw you raising a cat spirit. How is it that you’re now keeping a short-legged tiger today? Do you have a mine at home or something?” An outer sect disciple chuckled, clearly amused.

“Hmph!” Xing Wuji offered no explanation, merely directing A-miao as they pulled a cart laden with sea shells.

Being on an island, such food wasn’t scarce.

Yet, with so many disciples coming to the cafeteria, this single cart wouldn’t be enough for three hundred people for one meal.

He would probably have to make several more trips.

Xing Wuji glanced at the short-legged tiger at his feet.

He had to admit, though the fellow looked unremarkable, it was a demonic beast after all, and its strength was truly considerable.

A cart that normally required five or six people to pull, this creature hauled with surprising ease, even having the leisure to sniff at other people’s food.

However, Xing Wuji immediately spat on the ground once more.

That scruffy tiger had truly behaved poorly yesterday. In just a moment, it had taken the cauliflower and…

“Old Man Xing, good afternoon~”

A child’s voice came from behind him, carrying a hint of laziness.

A-miao, who had been diligently pulling the cart, suddenly broke free from its ropes and scurried backward.

Immediately after, a soft growl and a child’s laughter echoed.

Old Man Xing knew it was Wugou the moment he heard the voice.

He was initially pleased, for Wugou had practically taught him a recipe hand-in-hand the day before, and this was his lifelong passion.

However, his face immediately fell. The short-legged tiger was clearly close to Wugou, and every time it caused trouble in the cafeteria, he simply wouldn’t believe it wasn’t Wugou’s idea.

While he was conflicted, Wugou had already arrived before him.

“How is it? Have you mastered that recipe from yesterday? If you’ve fully grasped it, how about I teach you another dish another day?” Wugou pulled a sea shell from the cart, acting very casually.

Upon hearing this, Xing Wuji could no longer maintain any composure.

He quickly walked up to Wugou and asked excitedly, “You actually have more recipes like yesterday’s?”

Wugou smiled faintly, opened the sea shell, casually tossed the clam meat to A-miao, clapped his hands, and said, “So many that you wouldn’t finish learning them in this lifetime.”

“Really?”

Wugou patted A-miao’s head. “Heh heh, believe it or not, you should just let A-miao be. This fellow has thick skin and tough flesh; it won’t be satisfying for you to hit him, and you might just break your old bones trying.”

“Hmph! Just mentioning it makes me angry,” Xing Wuji fumed.

“I don’t know where you found this filthy creature. It looks stupid, but it’s actually incredibly cunning.

Last night, I whipped it, and whether I hit it or not, it would howl loudly. I, this old man, have lived for most of my life and have never seen such a shameless demonic beast.”

He continued, “I got tired from beating it at night, yet this morning, the fellow actually came to help me transport goods on its own initiative. It’s truly… truly… sigh!”

Xing Wuji sighed, said no more, and simply waved his hand.

Before Wugou could say anything, A-miao, with a fawning expression, lay down beneath Xing Wuji, making Xing Wuji both annoyed and amused.

Seeing this, Wugou quickly said, “A-miao, hurry and pull these sea shells to the kitchen!”

A-miao immediately understood the meaning, wagging its large backside, and with a bite, pulled the cart and ran.

It was now mealtime, and more and more inner and outer sect disciples were arriving at the cafeteria.

“Damn, did I watch too much ‘Flower Fairy’ yesterday? I actually saw Old Man Xing chatting and laughing with Hall Master Ning’s illegitimate son.”

“Yeah, that’s crazy. It’s been two years, and these two are actually eating together. What a wonder of the world~”

“Heh heh, Old Man Xing, remember this,” Wugou said, wiping his mouth. “I haven’t even had a chance to make this dish myself yet. If you successfully figure it out, remember to call me over.”

If it weren’t for Old Man Xing being willing to bring out food specifically for the elders today, he might not have actually revealed the recipe.

After all, in his previous life as a chef, his current obsession with culinary arts was almost identical to Old Man Xing’s.

Xing Wuji said nothing, appearing to still be contemplating the feasibility of the recipe Wugou had just mentioned.

Wugou didn’t disturb him. He patted A-miao’s head and instructed, “You stay here and help Old Man Xing for a day. I need to go sign in at the Skill Transmission Pavilion.”

“Roar~”

A-miao assented with a sound, its head turning towards Xing Wuji’s residence.

It revealed two rows of sharp fangs, its expression slowly turning lewd…

Skill Transmission Pavilion, Qi Refinement Hall One.

Lu Jinhan was seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion.

Recently, some inner sect disciples in the Skill Transmission Pavilion had been spreading rumors that Elder Zhu Manzhi intended to recommend Lu Jinhan to become a disciple of Palace Master Luo.

Some qi refinement disciples, hoping to take a shortcut, had already begun to curry favor with Lu Jinhan from time to time.

Lu Jinhan, having been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, naturally relished their flattery.

His cultivation progress was remarkably swift. Now, it was common for three or four disciples to surround him simultaneously, seeking his guidance on cultivation matters.

This filled him with immense vanity, a feeling he had never experienced within his family or while dealing with Dong Chiwu.

He had traveled thousands of miles to Saint Water Palace precisely to prove to his family that his choice was correct.

For an entire month, he had cultivated day and night. Despite possessing a full innate water spirit root, he worked even harder and more diligently than disciples with ordinary talents.

His sole desire was to be the first among his cohort to reach the second stage of Qi Refinement, thereby earning greater favor from Elder Zhu.

At this moment, beads of sweat uncontrollably broke out on his forehead, a clear sign that he was at the final critical juncture of his breakthrough.

Some disciples nearby, noticing Lu Jinhan’s state, paused their own cultivation.

They observed him closely, hoping to gain some insight into their own practice.

Suddenly, Lu Jinhan’s eyes snapped open. In that instant, his pupils seemed to turn transparent, a phenomenon indicative of excess spiritual energy within his body.

He was poised at a critical point, awaiting only the perfect moment.

With a thought, the last trace of vital essence in Lu Jinhan’s dantian was completely transformed.

His inner vision technique operated at its peak, continuously compressing the true qi stored within his body until it could not be compressed a single fraction further.

“Now!”

Lu Jinhan had waited a full month for this moment. He forcefully suppressed his excitement and fully propelled the compressed true qi, sending it surging towards the main meridian he was about to open for the first time.

As the saying goes, ‘strike while the iron is hot.’ Lu Jinhan, having read ancient sagely texts since childhood, naturally understood this principle.

“Hmph!”

With Lu Jinhan’s furious shout, the true qi within his body rushed with overwhelming force along his predetermined path, assaulting the final barrier.

‘Pop!’

A sound, audible only to Lu Jinhan, echoed within his body. In that instant, he knew he had succeeded!

Gathering his essence and expelling the turbid qi from his body, Lu Jinhan’s lips curved into a smile.

He slowly rose, retrieved a fragrant handkerchief embroidered with many small ‘chrysanthemums’ from his robe, and delicately wiped his smooth forehead with his pinky finger.

Originally, some of his fellow disciples had intended to congratulate Lu Jinhan on his successful breakthrough.

However, upon witnessing this scene, everyone tacitly lowered their heads, resuming their cultivation postures as if nothing had happened.

“Young Master, congratulations on successfully breaking through to the second stage of Qi Refinement! Rest today, and tomorrow you’ll be able to go to Qi Refinement Hall Two!” Dong Chiwu quickly stepped forward, cupping his fists in congratulations.

Dong Chiwu had clearly seen the disciples’ reactions just now. This Young Master Lu had strong self-esteem, and offering congratulations at this moment was the best course of action, lest Lu Jinhan feel disgruntled and show a different expression only to him.

“Heh heh, didn’t I work hard for a month just for this day?” Lu Jinhan had intended to show off, but seeing everyone around him engrossed in cultivation, he couldn’t unleash his excitement just yet.

Lu Jinhan glanced towards the northeast corner of the Qi Refinement Hall, discovering that Wugou had, at some unknown point, already fallen asleep in his ‘exclusive’ spot.

He couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

“Heh heh, Dong Chiwu, you absolutely must not learn from that boy. To possess such an exceptional spirit root yet be so indolent is truly a waste of talent, hmph!”

Dong Chiwu could only force a smile. He wasn’t fond of gossiping. His mother had always taught him to be low-key in his conduct, for even if advantages rarely came his way, there would at least be no harm.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but glance at Wugou.

Initially, when this child was tested and found to have the same full innate spirit root as Lu Jinhan, it had shocked all his fellow disciples, including himself.

Lu Jinhan, being such a competitive person, had initially regarded Wugou as his strongest rival.

Indeed, half the reason for Lu Jinhan’s intense efforts was this eight-year-old child. After all, Wugou was truly too young; with a little diligent cultivation in the future, becoming a powerful expert was almost a certainty.

At that time, Dong Chiwu himself had been quite concerned about Wugou.

But to his surprise, for an entire month, the boy did nothing but eat and sleep, not taking cultivation seriously at all.

It was only because the Skill Transmission Pavilion elders of Saint Water Palace were responsible enough to supervise the boy almost daily. Had it been any other immortal sect, he would likely have been expelled long ago.

Thinking of this, Dong Chiwu couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh, “Such a talent, dreamed of by countless others, simply wasted. Alas…”

Lu Jinhan, hearing Dong Chiwu’s words, scoffed. “Who cares about him? Tomorrow, I’ll be in Hall Two. You must also cultivate diligently, don’t be like that fool.”

Having said that, Lu Jinhan seemed to spot something, his face lighting up with joy, and he walked straight towards the hall entrance.

“Yo, isn’t this Brother Hua? Just finished eating, have we~”

Hua Youdie inwardly chuckled. If he responded, wouldn’t he be a pig? This effeminate fop loved playing such underhanded tricks.

He decided not to pay him any mind.

But Lu Jinhan was relentless, spreading his arms to block him, his chin slightly raised, eyes gazing at the sky.

“You!” Hua Youdie couldn’t stand Lu Jinhan’s provocative demeanor. However, at this moment, he sensed Lu Jinhan’s strong aura, his true qi gathered in a single line, the true qi that had impacted his meridians not yet fully dissipated, clearly indicating a recent breakthrough.

“Oh, it seems I was mistaken. Congratulations, Junior Brother Lu, on your successful breakthrough~” Hua Youdie cupped a fist, smiling with refined composure.

“You stinking rat, who’s your junior brother?”

Lu Jinhan, hailing from an immortal cultivation clan, cared most about proper hierarchy and order.

“Heh, whoever answers is, I suppose. Don’t bother me anymore; I also need to cultivate diligently. Otherwise, if a junior brother surpasses his senior brother, my reputation as a senior brother would be tarnished, haha.”

Hua Youdie leaned towards Lu Jinhan, startling Lu Jinhan, who quickly retreated.

Lu Jinhan knew Hua Youdie’s thieving skills were formidable; he had already suffered losses before. His beloved folding fan had been stolen by this boy, but he had no proof. Now, being bumped by this boy again, who knew what else he might have lost? He couldn’t bother with Hua Youdie for the moment, only continuously checking the pouches all over his body.

Hua Youdie swiftly glanced over, noting each place Lu Jinhan searched, preparing for the next time, then laughed loudly and departed.

He inadvertently glanced in Wugou’s direction, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face for a brief moment. ‘Hmph, nothing special!’