Han Yu, Sun Kang, and Liu Lan were fully occupied with their cultivation, harvesting the spirit fields, and sowing the new crop of Green Grain Spirit Rice. They had no intention of visiting the Green Grain Market to join in the festivities, nor were they qualified to witness the combat competition between the Inner and Outer Disciples firsthand.

By the time their busy season ended, the Grand Competition had already concluded.

The gossipy Laborer Disciples at the Spirit Field Department were buzzing, comparing the final results with their earlier predictions as if they had personally participated.

Some even plucked up the courage to ask the usually aloof Senior Sister Li about the outcome.

Contrary to expectations, Senior Sister Li did not scold them. Instead, she commented on the top ten Inner Disciples, stating that their rankings were “well-deserved.” It turned out she had participated in the Inner Disciple competition as well, though her ranking had not been particularly high.

Only then did the Laborer Disciples realize that Senior Sister Li wasn’t necessarily arrogant; she simply had no interest in their mundane chatter. Her focus lay on the Inner Sect, the realms beyond the seventh level of Qi Refining, and the future goal of Foundation Establishment.

Laborer Disciples worried about the first three levels of Qi Refining and the yield of spirit rice. To her, explaining high-level cultivation matters to them was a waste of time—boring and useless.

Because Sun Kang and Liu Lan discussed the news with such relish, Han Yu couldn’t help but overhear the details.

Two points of interest caught his attention.

First, Senior Brother Jin Qi’s combat prowess was formidable. Originally predicted to rank eighth among the Outer Disciples, he had fought his way to fifth place.

With such strength, he only needed to accumulate merits for another two years. Once he reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, his promotion to the Inner Sect would be all but guaranteed.

The second point concerned a genius Sun Kang mentioned named Sheng Yan.

Sheng Yan was in his twenties and had already reached the seventh level of Qi Refining. As expected, he took first place in the Outer Disciple competition. Since the top ten received Sect Merits as a reward, and the first place received the most, he had enough to enter the Inner Sect immediately.

Sheng Yan possessed Dual Spirit Roots.

Comparing him to Senior Sister Li—the Inner Disciple overseeing the Spirit Field Department—the gap wasn’t massive. She was thirty years old, at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and also possessed Dual Spirit Roots.

This comparison made Han Yu realize that Senior Sister Li was also considered a “genius” in the eyes of Laborer and Outer Disciples. However, once she entered the Inner Sect and was compared against the broader scope of cultivators, she was no longer an exceptional prodigy.

Reflecting on the cultivation speed of these Dual Spirit Root geniuses, Han Yu couldn’t help but think, What a pity. At the Qi Refining stage, one can only refine a single Spirit Root. Only by using the opportunity of Foundation Establishment to thoroughly repair one’s life source can one begin refining a second Spirit Root.

Otherwise, if I could refine myself down to Dual or even a Single Spirit Root right now, wouldn’t I possess that same terrifying cultivation speed?

This was the absolute limit of the Spirit Root Refining Art.

No matter how much repair was attempted, removing a Spirit Root left a permanent disharmony in the body. It was like a person who originally had ten fingers suddenly chopping off two.

One had to wait until crossing a major realm—elevating the very essence of life during Foundation Establishment—to fully heal this breach. Only then could a second Spirit Root be refined.

With the competition over, most Laborer Disciples had finished planting their fields. In just over a month, the Immortal Destiny Grand Ceremony would begin. Wanchun Valley would open its gates to recruit new disciples, and the Green Grain Market was reportedly more bustling than ever.

Han Yu, Sun Kang, and Liu Lan, flush with resources and mindful of past lessons, stayed away from the crowds. Aside from patrolling their fields, they focused entirely on cultivation, only gathering occasionally for brief chats.

Unknowingly, another month passed.

One night, Han Yu completed a cycle of the Spirit Root Refining Art, and his entire body trembled.

The final remnants of his pure crimson Fire Spirit Root slowly dissolved within him. Han Yu felt a sudden void open up, piercing through both his body and mind. He felt hollow, powerless, and profoundly weak.

He immediately circulated his Blood Essence, striving to fill this terrifying emptiness.

It took eight of his twelve drops of Blood Essence before the sensation of hollowness began to recede. The remaining Blood Essence continued to drain slowly to stabilize his condition.

Even then, a lingering sense of discomfort and physical unease remained.

Han Yu had anticipated this. These changes were the natural cost of finally extinguishing the Fire Spirit Root. He retrieved his prepared Spirit Blood Vines and drank the juice of two vines in one breath. He then circulated the Blood Refining Technique to replenish his Blood Essence before finally stopping.

Due to the recent activity of Demonic Cultivators and spies, the sect’s investigations were strict. The risk of practicing the Blood Refining Technique was high. Consequently, Han Yu had not yet condensed a new Blood Talisman to re-enter the first level of Blood Refining. He merely used the technique to convert the Spirit Blood Vine into Blood Essence, refueling the tank drained by the Spirit Root Refining Art.

The Fire Spirit Root had not simply vanished; it had been broken down into nourishment for his remaining three roots.

Han Yu examined his internal state.

The golden-white Metal Spirit Root, the verdant Wood Spirit Root, and the dark blue Water Spirit Root all pulsed with greater vitality than before.

He had thoroughly and completely become a cultivator with Three Spirit Roots!

His daily limit for absorbing spiritual energy and medicinal efficacy—and converting it into Spirit Breath—had risen sharply.

Among Inner and Outer Disciples, Three Spirit Roots might be common. But among Laborer Disciples, such aptitude was practically a guarantee for promotion to the Outer Sect. To them, he was now a “genius.”

After refining the Fire Spirit Root, Han Yu spent several days consuming a Spirit Blood Vine daily to fully restore his Blood Essence and repair the deficit in his body.

With his improved aptitude, the Green Grain Qi Cultivation Method absorbed more medicinal power each day. The spiritual seed in his dantian sprouted more vigorously, bringing him to the very threshold of the third level of Qi Refining.

With the breakthrough imminent, Han Yu discovered a minor flaw resulting from the loss of his Fire Spirit Root: the power and casting speed of his Flame Technique had hit a hard cap.

It could no longer be improved.

Although the spell wasn’t weak, the inability to enhance it further was a regret. It was the price he paid; without a corresponding Spirit Root, the spell’s growth potential was severed.

However, in exchange for the enhanced potential and cultivation speed of his Metal, Wood, and Water roots, the trade was overwhelmingly in his favor.

A few nights later, the large crow brought another new recruit to the flock—a crow capable of spitting Wind Blades.

This brought the total number of Wind Blade-capable crows to five.

The rest of the flock, with their sharpened claws, tough feathers, and rudimentary spiritual intelligence, were also viable combat assets.

Han Yu felt a sense of gratification. He praised the large and small crows before sending them off into the night.

The night was deep and silent, the moonlight clear and cold.

Zhang Shan, who once secretly released Spirit-Stealing Rats, was gone. Wei Kunyi, who plotted with Steward Wang, was absent. Even Old Daoist Li, who had taught him the Blood Refining Technique, and the corrupt Steward Wang were nowhere to be found.

Han Yu gathered his focus, skimming the memories of the past year from his mind like foam from a cup of tea.

Tonight was the night.

He began to cultivate.

Spirit Breath circulated through the meridian cycles. The medicinal potency of the Mystic Heart Fruit transformed into pure energy, causing the spiritual seed in his dantian to tremble.

A small, complete sprout formed within his dantian, sending a vibration through his entire circulation cycle.

Completing another revolution, his Spirit Breath surged, increasing in volume by several degrees. The sprout acted as both the origin and the destination, rhythmically inhaling and exhaling the energy within him.

He had reached the third level of Qi Refining.