Upon hearing Qi Yuan agree, Jiang Lingsu breathed a sigh of relief.
"Greetings, senior brother!"
The rest of the six people also admired Jiang Lingsu with a touch of amazement and envy.
Kang Fulu heaved a sigh of relief. Qi Yuan did not choose the person he was looking at.
"The selection is finished. Everybody, I will take my leave now," Qi Yuan said.
The other disciples from the several peaks nodded in acknowledgment.
Despite appearing a bit foolish, Qi Yuan was still courteous.
"Farewell, junior brother Qi Yuan," they said.
"See you tonight, junior brother Qi Yuan!"
Everyone warmly greeted Qi Yuan, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
As long as there were no conflicts of interest, they all respected Qi Yuan's position.
However, Zhuge Miao from Shen Medicine Peak hesitated for a moment and asked, "Junior brother Qi Yuan, I have some doubts about the Pill Medicine recipe of the Nourishing Pill.
Do you have time to enlighten me, junior brother Qi Yuan?
If you can help clear up my confusion, I'm willing to offer a Foundation Establishment spiritual object in return."
Zhuge Miao spoke sincerely.
Earlier, when he reminded Qi Yuan to choose first, it was just to strike up a conversation with him.
His words aroused different expressions among the disciples of Shenguang Sect present.
Qi Yuan looked at Zhuge Miao and responded: "I will take my pet for a walk at the foot of the mountain this evening, I can help you check it then."
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Miao was overjoyed.
Xu Yiyi from Wanfa Peak, remembered something when Qi Yuan mentioned pets. A hint of a smile appeared on her usually cold face.
"Junior sister, let's go." Qi Yuan called out to Jiang Lingsu, and the two left the crowd.
Only then did Kang Fulu say, "Junior brother Zhuge, are you sure you want to ask Qi Yuan about the Pill Medicine recipe?"
The remaining people in the room showed puzzled or smiling expressions.
They didn't believe that Qi Yuan would be able to help Zhuge Miao.
"Junior brother Qi Yuan is a genius with shocking ideas. He might have his own theories about the way of Pill Medicine," said Zhuge Miao.
Half a month ago, he ran into Qi Yuan taking his pet out for a stroll and discussed the Pill Medicine recipe with him. Unexpectedly, the opinions offered by Qi Yuan were of great help to him.
"If he's that great, why can't he put together a Foundation Establishment spiritual object?" said the straightforward elder disciple from Douzhan Peak. "Junior brother Zhuge, you may be short one Foundation Establishment spiritual object."
The Foundation Establishment spiritual objects were expensive necessities for cultivators who had reached the pinnacle of Qi Refinement and were trying to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
The higher the grade of the Foundation Establishment spiritual object, the better it suited the cultivator, and the better effect it had on the Foundation Establishment.
At present, except for Qi Yuan, all the head disciples of the five peaks had already reached Foundation Establishment.
In their opinion, Qi Yuan's inability to cultivate was because he had offended his master and was not given a Foundation Establishment spiritual object.
Xu Yiyi, the head disciple from Wanfa Peak chimed in, "One step a genius, one step a madman, Qi Yuan might have unique insights."
"Alright, we can gossip about this later, we have important things to do." Kang Fulu interrupted.
No one continued the conversation. Kang Fulu turned to look at the remaining five people.
"We don't need to introduce the rest of them," said Kang Fulu.
"And I am Kang Fulu, from Wu Light Peak..." Everyone present rolled their eyes.
It looks like Kang bao would prattle on about himself again.
...
Jiang Lingsu followed behind Qi Yuan obediently, being extra careful.
She was very curious about QiCai Peak.
Especially its Peak Master, Ruan Yixi.
Even her family's connections were unable to find out Ruan Yixi's true background.
Of course, this was due to the great distance between her family and the Shenguang Sect and the haste of the matter.
But even so, it proved that Ruan Yixi was no ordinary person.
Perhaps, she was the reason why the Shenguang Sect could escape disaster.
She travelled thousands of miles to Shenguang Sect, all for Ruan Yixi.
As for her senior brother Qi?
Just a brother she'd had a brief encounter with.
"Senior Brother, what kind of person is our master?" Jiang Lingsu asked cautiously, hoping to learn about Peak Master Ruan Yixi through Qi Yuan.
"Our master is...an exceedingly beautiful person," Qi Yuan said without hesitation.
Jiang Lingsu was taken aback for a moment.
How can a disciple describe his master in such a way?
It's too disrespectful! It's almost like betraying his master!
However, considering that senior brother Qi Yuan was from a lineage of fools, she accepted it.
Monks from the Path of the Foolish are rather strange and blunt, which is nothing unusual.
Jiang Lingsu continued to ask, "And what else, besides being pretty?"
Qi Yuan stopped in his tracks, pondering for a moment.
Jiang Lingsu waited in anticipation.
"She has a good figure."
Jiang Lingsu: "..."
Jiang Lingsu felt regret, wishing she hadn't asked her Senior Brother.
Monks from the Path of the Foolish are just too outrageous!
What on earth is inside their heads?
She decided, she wouldn't ask her Senior Brother anymore, since she would soon be able to meet her master on the Seven-Color Peak.
The two journeyed towards the Seven-Color Peak in silence.
About two quarters of an hour later, Qi Yuan stopped.
"This is my room."
Qi Yuan pointed to a little courtyard.
Jiang Lingsu was unsure of what he meant.
She asked, "Where is our master? Am I supposed to meet her?"
Qi Yuan looked towards the mountain peak, "Master resides in the palace at the top of the mountain."
Jiang Lingsu raised her eyes to the mountain peak, and saw what looked like a loft within the clouds.
Compared to Senior Brother Qi Yuan's thatched cottage, it was far superior.
"Let's go meet our master now!" Jiang Lingsu was eager to proceed.
Qi Yuan shook his head, "We can't."
"Master isn't there?"
"No, there are restrictions from the middle of the mountain to its peak, we can't go up."
"Ah?" Jiang Lingsu was confused.
"Master once said, only those who have reached the Yuan Dan stage are allowed to pay her a visit."
The path of cultivation involves seven realms: Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Yuan Dan, Spirit Infant, Purple Mansion, Yin God, and Yang God.
The Shenguang Sect is one of the three major Cultivation sects in the Great Merchant Country, with over a thousand disciples.
Most of these thousand disciples are at the stage of Qi Refinement.
Above Qi Refinement is Foundation Establishment.
Those who have established their foundation have substantial combat power, forming the middle power structure of a sect.
Within the sect, their status is highly respected, and they can hold administrative roles, even as elders.
Once they step into the Yuan Dan stage, they become true higher-ups in the sect.
In the Great Merchant Country, unless they encounter those old Spirit Infant monsters, they can walk around unopposed.
As for the higher realms of Yin God and Yang God, it is said that there is not one in the entire Great Merchant Country.
Jiang Lingsu was taken aback.
Regardless of where, a cultivator at the Yuan Dan stage is not a weakling.
Even for her, with her familial resources, it would take at least a decade of hard work to become a Yuan Dan cultivator.
As for her Senior Brother Qi Yuan, who belongs to the Path of the Foolish, he does have some talent, but she sees him as merely average.
He may never step into the Yuan Dan stage in his entire life.
Even if he does, the rank of his Yuan Dan might not be very high.
"Senior Brother, why would Master set such a stringent requirement?" Jiang Lingsu couldn't understand.
She didn't have that much time to wait.
Looking at Jiang Lingsu, Qi Yuan slowly said, "Master might be scared... to see me."
"Ah?" Jiang Lingsu was startled thinking back to Qi Yuan's previous comments about their master.
Master just doesn't want to see you!
"Senior Brother, I understand." Jiang Lingsu felt powerless about the monks from the Path of the Foolish.
She looked at Qi Yuan, "Where would I be staying, Senior Brother?"
She couldn't go to the mountain peak and there were no other houses here.
"In the yard, there's straw, and some wood."
Hearing this, Jiang Lingsu had a sense of foreboding.
He couldn't possibly be suggesting that she build herself a straw hut, could he?
She had never lived in a straw hut.
"Move a little, build a straw hut, and settle in for yourself."
Qi Yuan yawned again.