Crow Immortal: I Can Duplicate Infinite Resources

Chapter 183: Merits from Numerous Battles Deserve This Reward

With the consent of Elder Mu and Elder Wen, Han Yu’s entry into the Ancestral Tree Earth Vein was officially authorized.

Elder Lü then cleared his throat. “Yuan Shengjiao and Lu Yun are waiting outside. They took first place in the Inner and Outer Disciple rankings, respectively.”

Elder Wen’s expression softened instantly. She cast a glance at Elder Yan, her eyes shimmering with warmth. “Senior Brother Yan, you’ve worked hard.”

“I know Yuan Shengjiao is prone to arrogance and complacency,” she continued softly. “And Lu Yun… well, his talent is undeniable, but his personality is scattered and unreliable. For them to achieve such results, you must have driven them relentlessly.”

Elder Yan offered a rare, gentle smile. “It was the least I could do, Junior Sister Wen.”

The two exchanged a look so tender that Sect Leader Qi and the other elders looked away, feeling as though they were intruding on a private moment.

“Let the children in,” Elder Wen said. “I want to see them.”

As the junior of the group, Han Yu walked to the heavy doors of the main hall and beckoned the two disciples inside.

“Master!”

Yuan Shengjiao’s voice caught in her throat the moment she crossed the threshold. She stared at Elder Wen, who was leaning weakly against her chair. Her eyes were as bright and gentle as ever, but the shock of white hair cascading over her shoulders was a brutal testament to her failure.

“Master!”

Lu Yun couldn’t hold back. He trembled, rushed forward, and dropped to his knees with a heavy thud, slamming his forehead against the floor. “This disciple is useless…”

The usually lazy, carefree genius was weeping openly, his tears staining the stone floor. The sight of his master’s diminished state had shattered his composure.

Elder Wen’s fingers twitched slightly. Then, with a feigned annoyance, she lifted her foot and kicked Lu Yun in the shoulder.

“What are you crying for?” she scolded, though her laugh was weak. “Your master isn’t dead yet! I just failed a breakthrough to the Golden Core. What does that have to do with you?”

Seeing the typically haughty Yuan Shengjiao wiping away tears, Elder Wen reached out and pulled her into a hug. “Alright, Jiao’er, that’s enough. I missed a step on the path to heaven, that’s all. It’s nothing to cry about.”

Once Lu Yun scrambled up and they had both composed themselves, Elder Wen turned her gaze to Sect Leader Qi.

“Sect Leader,” she began, her tone shifting to business. “My disciple Lu Yun possesses a unique physique. In terms of raw aptitude, he is no lesser than Han Yu, and his loyalty to the sect is beyond question…”

She paused, her eyes pleading. “Could he be allowed to attempt the Ancestral Tree Earth Vein as well?”

Elder Bai, hearing this, interjected before the Sect Leader could speak. “If we are discussing aptitude, my disciple, Bai Seventeen, is equally talented. Furthermore, his affinity with the Wanchun Valley cultivation methods is superior…”

Sect Leader Qi watched the elders vying for their disciples. His gaze swept over the room, cool and detached.

“The Ancestral Tree Earth Vein is the very foundation of our sect,” Qi declared, his voice cutting through the emotional atmosphere. “Access is restricted to those who have rendered Major Merit and withstood the test of blood and fire.”

He gestured toward Han Yu. “Han Yu distinguished himself during the four-sect encirclement, the exposure of the Spirit Beast Sect spy, and the provocation by the Little Sky Net Sect. Apart from the Elders, he holds the highest record for enemies killed and merits earned. I proposed his entry not because of his talent, but because he single-handedly slew two Spirit Beast Sect disciples and a Demonic Cultivator.”

The Sect Leader’s eyes hardened. “This is a reward for battle, not potential.”

“If it is based on battle merit…” Elder Wen sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Then forget I asked.”

She forced a chuckle. “Another day, I’ll kick Lu Yun out to hunt down a few Demonic Cultivators. We’ll see if he qualifies then.”

“There is one more matter,” Sect Leader Qi said.

“Sect Leader,” Elder Yan interrupted gently. “Perhaps we should wait until Junior Sister Wen has rested for a few days?”

“Mm. We will execute the plan later, but I will brief you now.”

Sect Leader Qi paused, noticing the two disciples still lingering. He turned to Han Yu. “Han Yu, the following discussion involves high-level sect secrets. You three are dismissed. Go back and cultivate.”

Han Yu bowed, understanding the dismissal. He led Lu Yun and Yuan Shengjiao out of the hall. The two disciples, eyes still red and spirits crushed by their master’s condition, offered no conversation as they parted ways.

Back at his residence, Han Yu didn’t have to wait long before Elder Lü arrived to debrief him on the secret meeting.

The sect was shifting its long-term strategy.

First, they would aggressively collect the formula and ingredients for the Spirit Condensing Golden Pill, aiming to manufacture the breakthrough drug domestically.

Second, once Elder Wen recovered, the sect would begin cultivating the Mystic Spirit Ginseng—the primary ingredient for the Foundation Establishment Pill—and the Jade Spirit Berry, crucial for the Qi Refining Spirit Boosting Pill.

It was an ambitious agricultural revolution. If they could stabilize the production of these high-tier herbs, the majority of Wanchun Valley’s Three Spirit Root disciples could achieve Foundation Establishment. Combined with the Golden Core pills, the sect’s power would skyrocket within a generation.

“But the road is treacherous,” Elder Lü warned, pacing the room. “The Mystic Spirit Ginseng is notoriously difficult. At five years of age, it grows limbs and attempts to flee through the soil. One moment of inattention, and years of effort vanish into the earth. And to be potent enough for a Foundation Establishment Pill, it must grow for fifteen years.”

“The Jade Spirit Berry is native to the Central Heaven Domain. Transplanting it to the Southern Region is fighting against nature itself. As for the Spirit Condensing Golden Pill… we lack the confidence to even refine it, let alone gather the rare materials.”

Elder Lü looked at Han Yu, who was absorbing every word. He chuckled, shaking his head. “But these are headaches for the Elders. You don’t need to carry this burden yet.”

“Rest today. Prepare yourself.”

Elder Lü’s expression turned solemn. “Tomorrow morning, you will stand before the Sect Leader and the Elders. We will verify your identity one last time and conduct the ‘Heart Questioning.’ Then, you will enter the Ancestral Tree Earth Vein.”

Han Yu felt a jolt of adrenaline. “Yes, Master!”

If the rumors were true, the Earth Vein would propel him to the eighth layer of Qi Refining in record time, saving him at least two months of grinding cultivation—and that was assuming he had an unlimited supply of pills. Given that pill resistance built up over time, the pure Spirit Infusion Power of the Ancestral Tree was invaluable.

That day, Han Yu practiced the Green Grain Qi Cultivation Method as usual.

The next morning, he followed Elder Lü to the main hall, where Sect Leader Qi and all the elders were assembled.

Once again, they meticulously inspected Han Yu’s cultivation level, Spirit Roots, and whether he had been replaced by an imposter.

The final test was the “Heart Questioning” under the Pressure of Golden Core cultivators. He had to truthfully state his identity, origins, intentions, whether he harbored any malice toward the sect, or if he intended to sabotage the Ancestral Tree Earth Vein. Any hint of abnormality or guilt would be detected by Sect Leader Qi, Elder Yan, and Elder Mu, the three Golden Core cultivators.

Han Yu faced this test with a clear conscience.

He was very satisfied with the sect and had absolutely no intention of harming it.

The Sect Leader, his master, and the various elders, senior brothers, and senior sisters were all trustworthy.

Wanchun Valley was not without those who harbored sinister intentions, were deceitful, or bullied others, but the Sect Leader and elders did not condone or protect such individuals. They promptly purged them.

If the roof beam is crooked, the pillars will slant. If the Sect Leader and elders of Wanchun Valley were like those of the Spirit Beast Sect, Mystic One Sect, or Little Sky Net Sect—framing others and attempting to exterminate families for profit—then the sect’s ethos would not be as it is now.

After the test, Sect Leader Qi and the elders all nodded in approval.

Finally, Sect Leader Qi led Han Yu into the Formation.

The Formation flickered slightly, with spiritual light shifting.

In the blink of an eye, the surroundings transformed.

Thick tree roots, like giant pythons, intertwined and coiled, spreading endlessly through the Earth Vein space. Some were as thick as an adult’s waist, others as thin as a finger, but all were brimming with surging vitality.

The surface of the roots was a faint brown, covered with the marks and patterns of time, resembling the veins of the earth. They wove through the Earth Vein space, forming an intricate, complex network that enveloped the entire area.

Between the gaps in the roots, spiritual light flowed faintly. This light, like clear streams, moved slowly, bringing a trace of life and vitality to the originally dim Earth Vein space. Wherever the light passed, everything was tinged with a faint glow.

In the reflected light, Sect Leader Qi looked at Han Yu. “This is the Ancestral Tree Earth Vein, the core of Wanchun Valley’s Formation.”

“Han Yu, sit cross-legged. I will guide the Spirit Infusion Power into your body.”