"It's a pity I don't have a storage pouch. I have to carry all these items in the inner lining of my clothes. Otherwise, it would be much more convenient."
Lin Li thought to himself, "Storage pouches are magical tools that involve spatial laws, and only Core Formation cultivators skilled in both artifact crafting and formation arts can refine them. Each one is incredibly valuable and hard to come by in the cultivation marketplaces. Before I successfully reach Foundation Establishment, I probably won't be able to acquire one easily."
"Right now, the priority is to raise my cultivation level as quickly as possible. That's the true path forward!"
After setting aside the Minor Restoration Pills, Great Restoration Pill, lower-grade and medium-grade spirit stones, Lin Li took out the five bottles of Essence-Boosting Pills from the inner lining of his clothes.
Each bottle was about the size of a palm, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, made of delicate porcelain.
He uncorked one bottle and poured out a pill smaller than the Minor Restoration Pill.
Four of these pills together were only the size of a small pinky, brownish-yellow in color.
"Each bottle contains a hundred pills. With five bottles, that's five hundred pills. Even if I cultivate to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, these Essence-Boosting Pills should be more than enough."
Lin Li placed two pills in his mouth. The sweet yet slightly bitter taste of medicinal herbs filled his senses. "Luckily, this sword suppresses the curse inside me, so the spiritual energy I absorb while cultivating doesn't mysteriously vanish anymore."
He began to circulate the Xuantian Boundless Breathing Technique, and soon, the two pills dissolved into spiritual liquid, nourishing his body.
Around him, a faint mist of spiritual energy formed as he absorbed the surrounding energy.
...
A month later.
"I've taken two Essence-Boosting Pills every day, using up sixty pills this month."
Lin Li opened his eyes, a flash of sharp light glinting within them!
His gaze became calm and steady, a clear sign of significant progress during this period of seclusion.
"Though the curse no longer suppresses me and I have the aid of the Essence-Boosting Pills, it still took an entire month to break through from the early stage to the peak of Qi Refining level seven."
Lin Li furrowed his brows slightly.
After experiencing the rapid breakthrough using the Bloodsucking Demon Sword—where he had advanced three levels within half a day—though a month to reach the peak of Qi Refining level seven was already an astonishingly fast rate, Lin Li couldn't help but feel somewhat dissatisfied.
"If I continue my secluded cultivation, it will become harder as I progress. Breaking through the bottleneck of Qi Refining level seven may take at least ten Essence-Boosting Pills. Advancing from level eight to level nine, and eventually reaching the Great Perfection, will likely take more than six months and require at least two or three bottles of Essence-Boosting Pills."
Lin Li pondered, "The Essence-Boosting Pills are quite valuable for Qi Refining cultivators. Although this speed would be considered fast for others, it's still too slow compared to hunting demonic beasts with the Bloodsucking Demon Sword."
"Why not..."
A gleam of excitement flickered in Lin Li's eyes. "I could save the remaining four hundred and forty Essence-Boosting Pills for now, and instead look for sect missions similar to the back mountain trial, where I can fight demonic beasts! This way, I can speed up my cultivation while conserving the pills—it's the best of both worlds! Plus, the saved pills can be sold for spirit stones or gifted to others, which would help build connections. That's far more valuable than just staying in seclusion."
With that thought, Lin Li took a deep breath.
The spiritual mist swirling around him was drawn into his body, like a dragon being swallowed, filling him with abundant energy.
...
At the Xuantian Sect's mountain gate.
Lin Li made his way to the Travel Pavilion, the place where outer disciples accepted and completed sect missions.
Every Xuantian Sect outer disciple was required to take on at least three sect missions per year.
Of course, disciples could take on additional tasks if they wanted more rewards or contributions to the sect.
Normally, Lin Li's participation in the special back mountain trial already counted for three regular tasks this year, so he didn't need to take on more missions.
However, considering his unique situation, he decided to come here anyway.
"This is my first time here, so I'm not too familiar with how things work."
Just as Lin Li was thinking this, someone in the Travel Pavilion spotted him.
A plump man with a round belly, wearing a square hat, hurried over with a flattering smile and greeted Lin Li. "Oh! Isn't this Brother Lin? What brings you here today? You've already made great contributions during the back mountain trial and received such generous rewards. You don't need to bother with these trivial matters anymore. The rewards for these tasks are hardly worth your time."
"I've been in seclusion for a while, and I thought it would be good to get out and move around."
Since the grand sect assembly, Lin Li's reputation had spread widely among the Xuantian Sect disciples.
When he returned to his estate, many had already approached him with offers and praises. So when this round man approached him, Lin Li wasn't surprised. He casually replied, "Besides, as a disciple of the Xuantian Sect, having received so many benefits from the sect, it's only right to give back by completing tasks for the sect."
"Of course, of course!"
The man nodded eagerly, ushering Lin Li inside. "Brother Lin, I heard at the sect assembly that you've only recently joined us. You probably aren't too familiar with how things work here in the Travel Pavilion, are you?"
"That's correct," Lin Li replied, then raised an eyebrow. "If you know that, why are you calling me 'Brother'? From the looks of it, you've been here longer than I have."
"That's true," the man admitted. "But in the cultivation world, we don't rank by age or seniority. We measure by one's cultivation and strength. Brother Lin, you've already achieved such great feats just after joining, so you naturally deserve to be called Brother, far more than someone like me, who has been stuck here for twelve years without much progress."
Lin Li shrugged, acknowledging the logic behind it. "That's true. Like Fairy Qinglian—if we were to rank by age, she could probably be the great-grandmother of us outer disciples. Yet, many elderly women aren't even a fraction of her age. In the world of cultivation, it's clear that strength and cultivation are what truly matter."
"Exactly!"
The man led Lin Li deeper into the pavilion as he explained, "The Travel Pavilion has three levels."
"The first level is the mission hall, where you can browse and accept various missions."
"The second level is where you go to report completed missions and receive your rewards."
"As for the third level... that's something special."
Lin Li scanned the first level and found that the tasks listed here were hardly worth his attention.
Most of them involved menial chores like guarding the gates, tending to the beast pens, or watching over herb fields. There were also requests for helping inner disciples with trivial matters—all tasks that didn't appeal to Lin Li.
"What makes the third level special?"
Lin Li asked with a frown.
If all the tasks here were menial, this trip would truly be a waste of time.