"Tsk!"
"Hahaha!"
In an instant, the entire square at the sect's entrance filled with mocking and sarcastic laughter.
"Elder Zou is willing to bestow upon you the famous Coldwater Sword, a cherished weapon, and you dare refuse? Instead, you choose to wield that broken sword of yours?"
"Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!"
The teasing voices echoed without end.
However, Lin Li remained completely unfazed!
Heh!
Why should he care about the idle chatter of outsiders?
Only he knew the true value of what he held!
After all, it was his life, and only he had the right to decide how to live it—no need to consider others' opinions.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Elder Zou took a deep breath, withdrew the Coldwater Sword into his storage bag, his beard quivering as he exclaimed "Good!" three times.
The shock and anger that had initially gripped him vanished, replaced by a satisfied smile. He patted Lin Li on the shoulder and said, "What a filial young man! I wasn't wrong about you after all!"
"However, that sword of yours is far too ordinary. It might suffice while you're in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, but when you reach the late stage..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Elder Zou's expression suddenly shifted dramatically!
"What?!"
He couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment, "You've already reached the late stage of Qi Refining?!"
How could that be?
Elder Zou distinctly remembered that not long ago, during the incident in the back mountain, Lin Li had been merely at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.
When the sect elders had gathered to discuss Lin Li's rewards, the sect leader had shown them the records of Lin Li's entry into the sect:
An orphan, a rogue cultivator, and he had only been in the sect for less than a month, barely meeting the Qi Refining mid-stage requirement for entry at level four.
And yet now...
Lin Li had already reached the late stage of Qi Refining!
Although Elder Zou had lived for hundreds of years as a seasoned cultivator at the late stage of Core Formation, well-versed in the world, he had never encountered someone like Lin Li—who, in just one month, had gone from the fourth level to the seventh level of Qi Refining. Such a rapid breakthrough was unheard of, even for him!
No wonder Elder Zou was so astonished!
Lin Li also felt his heart tighten: he hadn't expected Elder Zou to be so sharp, sensing his advancement with just a pat on the shoulder!
"Elder Zou's insight is indeed extraordinary!"
Lin Li respectfully replied, "After entering Xuantian Sect and learning the sect's profound cultivation method, I realized it was far more advanced and mysterious compared to the scattered techniques I practiced before. After studying it deeply, I gained tremendous benefits! Moreover, during my life-and-death battle with the Golden Leopard King, I had a moment of enlightenment, which helped me break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining."
"I see."
Elder Zou didn't doubt him and instead stroked his beard in satisfaction. "It seems your fortune runs deep! It won't be long before you reach the Great Perfection of Qi Refining and have to choose one of the five branches of Xuantian Sect to join. Remember, the techniques of my Lietian Peak's Sword Branch align best with you."
"Replying to the elder," Lin Li hesitated and said, "But I must always use the sword my late father passed down to me, and I'm afraid joining the Sword Branch might not be appropriate. I've been considering joining the Artifact Branch so that I can learn how to refine weapons. Then, I could turn this sword into my life-bound magical weapon..."
"Nonsense!"
Both Elder Zou and Ye Fan, the spirit within Lin Li's sword, cursed in unison.
Elder Zou continued, "Do you think weapon refining is so easy? Before you succeed, you could waste countless rare materials!"
"If you accidentally ruin the sword your father left you, won't that be a tremendous loss?"
"This..."
Lin Li felt a jolt of realization and agreed with Elder Zou's reasoning. What if, during the refining process, the sword lost its bloodsucking and curse-suppressing powers? What would he do then?
For a moment, Lin Li found himself caught in a dilemma.
"How about this," Elder Zou suggested with a smile. "Since you don't want my Coldwater Sword, I'll ask a senior from the Artifact Branch to help you refine your current sword into a top-grade magical weapon. How does that sound?"
Lin Li was initially delighted by the offer but quickly realized the potential danger: if an elder from the Artifact Branch discovered the unusual nature of his sword, it would be disastrous!
"Thank you for your kindness, Elder Zou!" Lin Li bowed and said with sincerity, "The rewards the sect has already bestowed upon me are more than generous! Your offer is truly overwhelming, but I must humbly decline. There's still quite some time before I reach the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. As for what to do with the sword and which branch to join, I would like to think about it more carefully. I hope you understand!"
"Hmph! To receive such a favor from Elder Zou and yet show no gratitude?!"
Luo Zhiyuan, who had long hoped to become Elder Zou's disciple, couldn't hold back any longer and rebuked Lin Li.
"Apologies!"
Lin Li bowed again, but his resolve remained firm.
"Ah, fine then! So be it!"
Elder Zou shook his head, letting out a resigned sigh. After arranging for Lin Li and the others to stand in line, he addressed the entire assembly, giving an inspiring speech about unity and mutual assistance among fellow disciples. With that, the grand assembly came to an end.
As Lin Li and Liu Shidi made their way back, several unfamiliar fellow disciples approached Lin Li, trying to curry favor.
Some wanted to follow him, others offered to make him their "big brother," and there were even outer disciple factions trying to recruit Lin Li as a deputy in their ranks.
Even some Foundation Establishment inner disciples came forward to show goodwill and extend offers of friendship.
Liu Shidi couldn't help but laugh, teasing Lin Li: "You're the big shot now! The whole sect wants a piece of you!"
But Lin Li refused all their advances.
To him, his life held too many secrets.
After politely turning down all offers, Lin Li returned to his personal estate. After being served a meal by the two maids, he promptly entered seclusion to cultivate once again.
...
Inside his quiet chamber.
Lin Li first inspected the Great Restoration Pill that had sparked so much jealousy among the Foundation Establishment disciples.
The pill was a rich golden-red color, about the size of a thumb.
"From what I heard at the grand assembly, using this now would be a waste for someone like me in the Qi Refining stage. The Great Restoration Pill is most effective for those in the Foundation Establishment stage and above, even for Core Formation cultivators. It's a life-saving treasure for critical moments, so I must keep it close and safeguard it well!"
Next, Lin Li checked the vial containing the twenty-eight Minor Restoration Pills.
When he opened the cap, a fragrant scent filled the air.
He poured out a pill, about the size of his pinky nail, bright red in color.
"This one I can use right now. It should be incredibly beneficial for someone in the Qi Refining stage like me. Its effects should still be substantial even in the Foundation Establishment stage."
After inspecting the pills, Lin Li turned his attention to the spirit stones.
The eighty-eight lower-grade spirit stones appeared semi-translucent, resembling jade. Holding one, he felt a gentle flow of spiritual energy.
"Using these spirit stones during cultivation will increase my efficiency several times over!" Lin Li thought. "But spirit stones are the currency of the cultivation world. With five bottles of Essence-Boosting Pills, I don't need to waste these precious stones right away."
As for the medium-grade spirit stones, they appeared much more crystalline and radiant, with an unmistakable flow of spiritual energy within.