The air reeked of trouble.

Wang Ba couldn’t put his finger on it—the information he had was too fragmented—but his instincts were screaming that something was wrong.

Without answers, his only option was to prepare. He needed to get stronger.

He reviewed his arsenal. The only thing that offered him a sliver of protection was the Yin Spirit Great Dream Scripture.

It lacked offensive power, but in a world of monsters and cultivators, the ability to deceive the senses was a lifeline. It was the only tool he had that could work against a sect disciple.

Frustratingly, progress was stalled. He had no clue how to unlock the second layer of the scripture. The system panel remained grayed out, offering no option to upgrade.

Left with no other choice, he focused on volume. He accelerated his consumption of Spirit Poultry, devouring the meat to condense Yin Spirit power within his Yin Spirit Abode.

Perhaps because his Physique Strengthening Scripture had improved, his body’s ability to retain spiritual energy had also increased.

After consuming six Spirit Poultry, a fourth drop of Yin Spirit power condensed.

As his spiritual power grew, the world around him sharpened.

His five senses became unnervingly acute. He could hear Niu Yong and Old Hou moving at the foot of the villa long before they even opened their mouths to speak.

Then, one day, Deacon Li came knocking.

The arrival was abrupt. Wang Ba didn’t sense him approaching until the heavy fist struck the villa’s main gate.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Despite the suddenness, Wang Ba didn’t panic. He issued a mental command.

Alpha-Five immediately rounded up the majority of the Spirit Poultry, herding them into Old Man Sun’s room to hide.

For the stragglers that couldn’t fit, Wang Ba activated his Yin Spirit power, casting a veil of concealment over them.

He left only a dozen or so Spirit Poultry wandering the yard as decoys.

Only then did he unbar the gate.

“I was busy with chores, I didn’t expect Deacon Li to grace me with a visit!” Wang Ba bowed deeply, feigning surprise and subservience.

However, the moment the gate swung open, Wang Ba felt a sharp pain in his mind.

The consumption of Yin Spirit power skyrocketed.

Whether it was the sheer number of concealed chickens or the proximity of a cultivator, the drain was terrifying. The reserve of power, originally the size of a raw grain of rice, shrank instantly by a large margin.

It was draining even faster than that night he had encountered the patrolling disciple!

Wang Ba glanced at Deacon Li, his heart pounding with suspicion and unease. A thought flashed through his mind, but he kept his face a mask of polite deference.

Strangely, Deacon Li didn’t seem annoyed by the long wait. Instead, his face was plastered with a wide, almost ingratiating smile.

“Not at all, not at all. Brother Wang is working hard for the sect; that is what matters.”

“Please, Deacon Li, come in.”

Wang Ba had no time to enjoy the reversal of status. The Yin Spirit power was hemorrhaging. He wanted the man gone, but he forced a welcoming smile and stepped aside.

To Wang Ba’s irritation, Deacon Li didn’t decline. But unlike his usual arrogant swagger, belly thrust out, today he walked with a straightened back and proper posture.

“Then I’ll be imposing.”

As he walked in, Li spoke casually, “By the way, Brother Wang, how is your progress with the Physique Strengthening Scripture?”

Wang Ba’s mind raced. Why ask about that?

He hesitated for a split second before replying, “To be honest, Deacon, I’ve been practicing for nearly ten months, but I’ve barely scraped my way to the Fourth Layer.”

Wang Ba had done his research. Rumor had it a true genius had once hit the Eighth Layer in a single year, shocking the sect.

He had considered pretending to be a prodigy to gain protection, but the gnawing unease in his gut made him reconsider.

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

He chose to hide his strength. Unless one had a Spirit Root, it was nearly impossible to tell a person’s cultivation stage just by looking at them. The Fourth Layer was fast, but not fast enough to paint a target on his back.

“Oh? That fast! Brother Wang is exceptionally talented!” Deacon Li seemed genuinely surprised.

Wang Ba put on a look of shame. “You jest, Deacon. What talent? I just… used a few more Meridian-Unblocking Grass seeds than I probably should have.”

“Ah, Meridian-Unblocking Grass seeds…” Deacon Li nodded, looking as if a puzzle had been solved.

He seemed about to say more when his eyes landed on the dozen Spirit Poultry pecking around the yard.

Despite his attempt to maintain a dignified air, a flash of shock—and raw greed—flickered in his eyes.

He masked it quickly, pointing at the birds with feigned astonishment. “Brother Wang, these… you raised all of these?!”

Wang Ba knew modesty would look suspicious here. He nodded with a smile.

“Just luck, pure luck. These are from the same batch as the two I gave you, just late bloomers.”

“There is no such thing as luck in our line of work!” Deacon Li shook his head, his gaze now filled with sincere admiration.

“I, Old Li, have been in this sect for thirty years. Aside from Meng Randao—who is now one of the top ten Outer Sect disciples—I have never seen a Laborer Disciple with talent like yours, Brother Wang!”

“Meng Randao?”

Wang Ba’s heart skipped a beat.

In the South Lake Market, there was a grain shop called ‘Burning Blade’. The shopkeeper there had tried to rip him off because of his shabby clothes.

Burning Blade… Meng Randao. It has to be the same person.

But the name sparked a more important realization. According to Deacon Li, this Meng Randao had risen from the ranks of the laborers. Shopkeeper Lu at the Grain Depot had mentioned a similar success story.

Connecting the dots, it was likely the same man.

Wang Ba leaned in, curiosity piqued. “Deacon Li, this Senior Meng… did he really start as a laborer?”

“Exactly!” Deacon Li nodded vigorously.

He then leaned closer, lowering his voice to share a piece of sect history.

“Meng Randao and I entered the sect together. But he… he took less than two and a half years to master the tenth layer of the Physique Strengthening Scripture, condense a Spirit Root, and ascend to the Outer Sect!”

Li’s face fell, his voice turning bitter. “And look at me. Thirty years of bitter cultivation, exhausting every means, and I’m still stuck at the Ninth Layer, unable to advance an inch… Sigh!”

The sorrow on Deacon Li’s face was genuine.

Wang Ba was stunned. Someone actually managed to cultivate a Spirit Root in three years?

Compared to that, Deacon Li reaching the Ninth Layer in thirty years seemed pathetic.

So what Old Hou—no, what the Ascension Society said is true?

Wang Ba had doubted the propaganda, but here was living proof.

Unless… does Meng Randao also have a cheat?

It seemed unlikely. But Deacon Li mentioned being stuck at the Ninth Layer. There was clearly a massive bottleneck before the Tenth.

Wang Ba couldn’t resist. “The Ninth Layer… dare I ask, Deacon Li, what makes that final step so difficult?”

Deacon Li hesitated, glancing at Wang Ba. He seemed to weigh the risk of speaking. Finally, he sighed.

“This is not something I should talk about. But since we are close friends, I will tell you what I know. With the Physique Strengthening Scripture, if you don’t succeed within three years… you will almost certainly never succeed in this lifetime!”

“Three years?”

Wang Ba’s mind reeled.

It was exactly what the Ascension Society claimed.

He was confident he could do it within three years. If he had enough Spirit Poultry, he might have done it already.

But for a normal person without a system panel? Without a cheat?

Was there really talent so terrifying that it could compress a lifetime of effort into three years?

Wang Ba found it hard to believe.

He hesitated for a moment, then reached into his sleeve. He pulled out a jagged fragment of a Spirit Stone—about eight fen in weight—and pressed it into Deacon Li’s hand.

Deacon Li felt the texture of the stone. His eyes widened. He squeezed it, struggling with his conscience, before greed won out. He gritted his teeth.

“This matter… let it be known only to Heaven, Earth, you, and me!”

“Deacon Li, you can rest assured!” Wang Ba promised, patting his chest.

“Fine! I’m only saying this because of our friendship!”

Deacon Li scanned the surroundings paranoidal, checking left, right, up, and down. Then, he leaned in until his breath hit Wang Ba’s ear.

“Meng Randao once told me the truth… It wasn’t the Physique Strengthening Scripture that gave him a Spirit Root.”

Deacon Li’s eyes narrowed.

“He succeeded because he already had a Spirit Root to begin with!”