"Greetings, Senior Brother Ye. I've come to the Sword Peak to inform you that the Five Elements Cave will officially open next month. I'm here to confirm whether you plan to use your entry privilege this year. As a direct disciple, you are eligible to enter once every three years."

  ...

  Life at the Sword Peak was particularly pleasant for Ye Chen. His master remained distant, having barely appeared since the day Ye Chen was brought in. Clearly, his master had no interest in him as a disciple.

  No guidance, no supervision. But no interference also meant a sense of freedom. Food, drink, and the resources needed for cultivation were all sent directly from the Internal Affairs Hall.

  Whenever he had nothing to do, Ye Chen simply cultivated at Sword Peak. He practiced by day and by night, being extremely diligent. When there were matters to attend to, it was usually just to visit the sect's grand plaza.

  There, he would meet with Senior Sister, listen to lectures, stroll through the streets, and sometimes, find something Senior Sister needed. He would then gift it to her, receiving a thirty-times feedback in return.

  Just last week, with a glance that was barely noticeable but easy for Ye Chen to catch, he discovered that Senior Sister liked a particular type of hairpin, which was a high-grade magic tool.

  This hairpin could withstand a surge of spiritual flame once, making it particularly effective against wood-based spells. It was priced at ten mid-tier spirit stones.

  Senior Sister glanced at it wistfully, and then, as if nothing had happened, continued on her way. But Ye Chen, as the top simp of Green Cloud Sect, would never miss such a detail. In a grand gesture, he purchased the hairpin and gifted it to her. Though no critical hit triggered this time, the thirty-times feedback still rewarded him with thirty exquisite hairpins.

  When Ye Chen found time to sell them, he could at least pocket three high-grade spirit stones. Ten mid-grade spirit stones had transformed into three high-grade ones. This was the advantage of the high-feedback multiplier.

  In comparison, Sun Ruoxin's fifteen-times feedback was half as effective. It showed just how crucial Senior Sister Yao Xi was. Ye Chen had already made up his mind. Before reaching Foundation Establishment, he would devote himself entirely to worshiping Yao Xi.

  No distractions! Unless, of course, a female cultivator in the Qi Refining stage with a higher multiplier than Yao Xi appeared. But Ye Chen had done his research lately.

  Among the female disciples of Green Cloud Sect, Yao Xi's talent and cultivation were unparalleled. All the other direct disciples were male. So, if not worshiping Yao Xi, who else could he possibly turn to?

  ...

  Today, a steward from the Internal Affairs Hall arrived suddenly. He respectfully delivered a new piece of information to Ye Chen. The Five Elements Cave would open next month.

  Over the past few weeks, Ye Chen had gained a deeper understanding of the sect. Thus, he was quite familiar with the purpose of the Five Elements Cave.

  To break through to Foundation Establishment, a cultivator needed to accumulate an immense amount of spiritual Qi. The more profound the spiritual Qi, the higher the chances of a successful breakthrough, and the stronger the foundation.

  In the ancient era, there had been the Five Elements Pills, which could help open a cultivator's Dantian, making them one of the most vital pills for cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, second only to the Foundation Establishment Pills.

  But after the end of the ancient era, the world had changed dramatically. The materials for crafting the Five Elements Pills had all but vanished. Only a few ancient pills remained. Yet without the necessary materials, they couldn't be refined. They were like a tree without roots, dwindling away with each use.

  Years passed, and the Five Elements Pills became a thing of the past, completely vanishing. To cope with this, the Five Elements Cave had been devised by later generations. Using array formations, it simulated the effects of the ancient Five Elements Pills. It absorbed the natural essence of the world, transforming it into the Five Elements Spirit Qi to assist cultivators in opening their dantian.

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  However, the materials needed for the formation were extremely expensive. Only sects like Green Cloud Sect, with their abundant resources, could afford to maintain such a formation.

  Moreover, the efficiency of the transformation was low. The amount of Five Elements Spiritual Qi produced each year might only be enough for a single Qi Refining cultivator. At Green Cloud Sect's Five Elements Cave, the yearly output of Five Elements Spirit Qi was barely enough for five cultivators to use.

  And since the sect couldn't provide it solely to the direct disciples, as that would harm the morale of the common disciples, there were restrictions in place for them. The direct disciples could enter the cave only once every three years. The remaining spots would be made available to the general disciples to compete for. Hence, they had to first confirm with the eligible direct disciples and then finalize the remaining spots.

  At this moment, Ye Chen hesitated when facing the steward's inquiry. He had heard that the Five Elements Spiritual Qi in the Five Elements Cave was a competition to claim. Once inside, cultivators simply found a spot, sat down, and began absorbing the energy. The more one absorbed, the greater the reward.

  The cultivator with the fastest absorption and greatest capacity would reap the most benefit. And the higher one's cultivation, the more they could absorb, which meant more advantages to be had. Ye Chen thought to himself: should he wait two more years to take this opportunity? That way, after gifting the chance to Yao Xi, he could absorb more and perhaps even get better feedback.

  Considering how hard he was training every day, in two years he would certainly reach the peak of the Qi Refining stage. But just as he was contemplating this, a red figure appeared, soaring on a sword. It landed before him, and Ye Chen immediately recognized the outline of her figure even before seeing her face. Such a perfect silhouette was rare to find anywhere in the entire cultivation world.

  Without needing to see her face, Ye Chen already knew it was his beloved master, Gu Yun Yun.

  The steward didn't dare look directly at her and immediately lowered his head. "Greetings, Master Gu!"

  Gu Yun Yun ignored the steward and turned directly toward Ye Chen. Her face was expressionless as she spoke coldly, "You will go to the Five Elements Cave to cultivate this year."

  Ye Chen: ????

  He had thought that his master cared little about him, that she wouldn't pay attention to his progress. But now, she had suddenly appeared.

  Ye Chen felt warmth in his heart, swearing to himself that after reaching Foundation Establishment, he would certainly repay his master's kindness tenfold, serving her with the utmost devotion.

  However, Ye Chen was also curious. Why did his master want him to go this year? Wouldn't it be better to wait until his cultivation was higher?

  As if sensing Ye Chen's confusion, Gu Yun Yun spoke calmly: "This year, the spiritual veins of Green Cloud Sect experienced an anomalous surge. The Five Elements Spiritual Qi transformed in the Five Elements Cave is 60% higher than in previous years. By seizing this opportunity to cultivate, you might be able to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining."

  Hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes immediately lit up.

  Without hesitation, he nodded. "Thank you for the reminder, Master!"

  Then, he glanced coldly at the steward, his tone indifferent. "I'll take it."

  This man had been dishonest. Such an important matter and he hadn't mentioned it to him.

  The steward could only lower his head, unable to offer any rebuttal.

  Elder Chen had felt that giving Ye Chen the Five Elements Cave quota was a waste, especially with this year's extraordinary results. It would be better to give the opportunity to a more talented disciple, for the good of Green Cloud Sect. That was why he had deliberately kept quiet about it.

  What could he do? Now, with Master Gu having exposed the truth and Ye Chen, the direct disciple, resentful, he could only mutter, "Alright! I'll bring you the entry token in a couple of days!"

  With that, he quickly left, wanting to escape the awkwardness.

  Gu Yun Yun didn't wait for Ye Chen to speak, immediately rising again. "Cultivate well in the Five Elements Cave. Don't miss this chance."

  Gu Yun Yun had come today not only to remind Ye Chen but also to gauge whether he was all show but no substance. After all, it had been days, and Ye Chen hadn't rested a single night. This had completely thrown off her own internal clock.

  Yet, when she saw Ye Chen, he didn't appear weak at all. On the contrary, his aura had grown stronger since the time he first entered. This made Gu Yun Yun feel a bit hopeful. Perhaps her disciple wasn't as useless as she had thought. After he came out of the Five Elements Cave this time, he might have made some significant progress.

  At least, she hoped he wouldn't be humiliated by too many ordinary disciples during the next sect tournament. Otherwise, even she, as his master, would feel embarrassed.

  …

  Ye Chen, watching his master's fiery figure disappear into the distance, quickly bowed deeply. "I won't disappoint you, Master."

  Once his master was out of sight, Ye Chen lowered his head, deep in thought. What kind of reward would he get if he gave his Five Elements Cave quota to Yao Xi?

  This year, the Five Elements Cave was overflowing with Five Elements Spiritual Qi. The value of the quota was certainly higher than in previous years. The reward he'd receive should be substantial, right? Would the system grant him a private Five Elements Cave? A place for him to enjoy all to himself?!