Elder Gao's reassignment was swift and absolute. Within an hour of the confrontation, Lin Feng had received his new identification token—a dark, heavy iron disk marked with the characters for "Deep Reclamation Specialist." It granted him access to the areas typically forbidden to Outer Disciples.
The Inner Sect Waste Tunnels were not a part of the Central Scrap Mound. They were a sophisticated, underground network of channels and containment zones designed to manage the high-level spiritual refuse generated by Core Elders, advanced formations, and the elite Alchemy and Artifact Forging departments of the Azure Sky Peak.
Lin Feng arrived at the entrance, a nondescript, reinforced steel grate set deep behind the Resource Hall. The guards, who had previously treated him with contempt, now regarded him with a wary respect, acknowledging the heavy iron token. He was an oddity—a low-stage cultivator with a Black Grade technique and an official designation of incredible utility.
The tunnels descended steeply, the air immediately becoming heavy and charged. This was not the chaotic, toxic volatility of the Mineral Valley; this was a controlled density—a thick, silent concentration of incredibly potent residual spiritual energy that had been locked away for centuries.
The tunnel system was vast, damp, and dimly lit by aged, slow-burning spirit lamps. The refuse here wasn't piled in mountains; it flowed in structured channels—slow, viscous streams of highly condensed spiritual sludge, or rested in sealed, reinforced containment units.
The very air was a challenge. Lin Feng's 4th Stage Mortal Body immediately registered the pressure. The ambient Qi was so concentrated that a standard Outer Disciple would struggle to breathe, and the risk of Qi Deviation—where volatile Qi forces itself into unprepared meridians—was constant.
Lin Feng, however, was immune to Qi Deviation, as his scarred meridians were blocked. Furthermore, the environment was a feast for his Void Spirit Root.
He spent the first day simply exploring the primary channels, overwhelmed by the sheer, unending abundance of high-quality waste.
He found several distinct streams of refuse:
Alchemy Sludge Channel: A slow, viscous flow of condensed, failed elixirs, featuring stable but potent essences from herbs far beyond the Outer Sect's resources (High Grade).
Formation Nullification Stream: A clear, fast-moving channel filled with crystallized residue from nullified defensive runes and shattered high-tier talismans (Peak Grade).
Artifact Core Containment: Sealed, heavy iron vaults containing the melted slag and depleted cores of failed Spiritual Artifacts (Legendary Grade).
Lin Feng immediately focused on the Alchemy Sludge Channel. He needed to acclimatize his body to the sheer potency of the Inner Sect's waste.
He extended his iron grabber into the thick, dark sludge. The material itself radiated a complex, smooth power.
[Target Detected: Condensed Alchemy Sludge (High Grade). Contains High Concentration of Mixed Medicinal Essence. Filtration Required.]
Absorb.
The resulting influx of Scrap Qi was the most refined and potent he had ever experienced. It was smooth, flowing, and immediately began to nourish his core. He could process the volume ten times faster than the Mineral Valley's slag, and with zero contamination cost.
"This is not waste," Lin Feng whispered, his voice echoing in the tunnel. "This is concentrated cultivation."
He spent hours walking alongside the sludge channel, continuously absorbing, his body effortlessly converting the failure of Core Elders into his rapid advancement.
[Refined Medicinal Essence assimilated. Cultivation Progress: Continuous and Rapid.]
He noticed, however, that the intense spiritual concentration of the tunnels was causing a localized issue. The aged, low-grade spirit lamps lining the tunnels were being drained and overloaded by the ambient Qi, flickering and dying rapidly.
Lin Feng found one lamp that was still partially functional. It was a simple artifact designed to run on a common Spirit Stone, but the spiritual current in the tunnel was too much.
[Target Detected: Overloaded Spirit Lamp Artifact. Contains Stabilized Light and Fire Essence. High Internal Pressure.]
An idea struck him, leveraging his unique Transmutation Method. Instead of absorbing the essence for cultivation, he could use the excess spiritual contamination as a resource stabilizer.
He took a handful of the dried, potent residue scraped from the walls of the Formation Nullification Stream—a highly stable, crystalline powder—and gently applied it to the lamp's failing core.
He focused his Scrap Essence Focus and infused the lamp with the pure, stable Formation Essence derived from the crystalline powder.
The failing lamp immediately flared to life, not just bright, but perfectly stable, humming with controlled power. The light cast by the lamp was purer and steadier than when it was new. He had essentially re-stabilized a failing artifact using purified waste.
This realization was monumental. He wasn't just recycling resources; he was creating a new, essential utility for the Inner Sect—spiritual stabilization in a high-density environment. He could sell this service.
By the end of the day, his cultivation had skyrocketed.
[Current Cultivation Base: 4th Stage Mortal Body (65%)]
He had to exit the tunnels, as prolonged exposure was physically exhausting even for him. He carried out a single, sealed containment vessel filled with the highly dense Alchemy Sludge, marked officially for "Transmutation Testing."
As he emerged from the tunnels, blinded by the afternoon light, he was met by a figure waiting patiently outside the grate—a tall, severe-looking young man wearing the immaculate white and silver robes of a high-ranking Inner Sect disciple.
The disciple's name was Jian Li, known as the "Iron Will" of the Inner Sect's resource management. Jian Li was 7th Stage Mortal Body, his aura sharp, controlled, and radiating an immense, silent authority. He carried no weapons, but his presence was a tangible pressure.
"Lin Feng, the Resource Transmuter," Jian Li stated, his voice cool and precise, completely lacking the scorn or mockery Lin Feng was accustomed to. "I am Jian Li, reporting directly to Elder Ming. I was sent to observe and assess your suitability for continued access to the Inner Sect's waste stream."
Lin Feng bowed, suppressing the instinct to retreat from the overwhelming Qi difference. "Senior Brother Jian. It is an honor."
"Honor is irrelevant," Jian Li countered sharply. "Utility is all that matters here. The Elders are intrigued by your method, but deeply concerned by your volatility. The Inner Sect does not tolerate chaos. Your reports on the Mineral Valley were concise, but your performance against Lin Wei was excessive. The Inner Sect is not a training ring for settling petty grievances."
Jian Li fixed Lin Feng with an intense stare. "We understand your unique physical resilience. Now, demonstrate your 'Transmutation Method' on this item. If you fail, or if I detect any unauthorized instability, your access will be immediately revoked, and you will be confined to the Central Scrap Mound for perpetuity."
Jian Li dropped a small, glittering sphere of metallic residue onto the ground. It looked like high-grade copper but radiated a chaotic, unpredictable spiritual energy—the failed core of a powerful artifact.
"This is the slag from a failed Spiritual Storage Module," Jian Li explained. "It is highly valuable but too volatile to reuse, radiating constant, localized Qi disturbances. Stabilize it without damaging the raw material."
The challenge was clear: Lin Feng had to successfully filter and then infuse the object to calm its internal chaos—a highly delicate process. His entire future now depended on his ability to turn the Inner Sect's most potent failure into a stable resource.