Chapter 16: Crazy Absorption of Spirit Stones

Li Taixing's recent high profile had turned him into somewhat of a celebrity within the sect. Everyone knew he had spent 10 million copper coins on a Bone Forging Pill and another 100,000 on ordinary Spirit Stones. He had also completed the first training project, setting a new record in the Xuantian Sect's history. Yet despite these accomplishments, his first-rank Spiritual Roots, which had no attribute, condemned him to a bleak future in cultivation.

People viewed him with a mix of admiration and pity. How could someone with such weak talent achieve so much, only to be doomed in the long run?

"That's Li Taixing, isn't it?"

"Yeah, his task today is to carry water, but have you seen any?"

"No. He must be using a storage ring. That guy's background can't be simple. His family must be loaded."

For Li Taixing, the task of carrying water was laughably easy. He only needed to carry one load to complete the equivalent of ten billion thanks to his system's help. In no time, he arrived at the Mission Pavilion to hand in his assignment.

Inside, Li Changsheng was busy processing the latest regulations while Cai Tongsheng chatted casually with a new female disciple from the Initiation stage. The moment Li Taixing entered, all eyes turned toward him.

"Boy, did you complete your mission?" Cai Tongsheng asked with the same condescension he had shown him before.

"Yes, Deacon Cai."

"What was your task for today?"

"To carry 20 loads of water."

"And where's the water?"

Li Taixing waved his hand, causing 40 tons of crystal-clear water to materialize before everyone's eyes. Cai Tongsheng's expression shifted in surprise, and even Li Changsheng looked up from his paperwork.

"Well done," Li Changsheng said, standing to his feet. "Follow me to the storage area."

Li Taixing obeyed and poured all 40 loads of water into the reservoir. Li Changsheng nodded approvingly. "You've overfulfilled the task again today. You'll receive 20 contribution points."

"Thank you, Deacon Li."

"Keep working hard, and don't think too much," Li Changsheng advised. But like many others, he believed Li Taixing's future was bleak, no matter his current efforts.

The pity in Li Changsheng's eyes was nothing new to Li Taixing. He had experienced it countless times in the past and had long since stopped being affected by it. After handing in his task, he returned to his dormitory, the first to finish his assignment thanks to his system.

When he arrived, the dormitory was empty. Everyone else was still out completing their tasks. Unbeknownst to him, however, a young woman had been watching him from afar, intrigued by the rumors circulating about him. Deciding to satisfy her curiosity, she quietly slipped into the boys' dormitory.

As Li Taixing entered his room, his thoughts shifted to the Spirit Stones he had purchased. "This is the perfect time to try absorbing them," he muttered.

Despite Lu Tong's warning that he would need to reach the Qi Gathering stage before absorbing Spirit Stones, Li Taixing felt something different. He had a hunch that his body could handle it even now. With a cautious optimism, he retrieved a few Spirit Stones and placed them on his bed.

From her hidden vantage point, the woman outside the dormitory watched in disbelief. "What is this kid doing?" she wondered, concerned. As Li Taixing sat cross-legged and began to absorb Spiritual Qi, her alarm grew. "Is he trying to kill himself? He's not even at the Body Refining stage yet!"

She considered stepping in to stop him, but before she could move, an even more astonishing scene unfolded. The Spirit Stones on Li Taixing's bed began to float into the air, dissolving into Spiritual Qi that poured into his body.

"Impossible..." The woman's eyes widened in shock. What she saw defied all logic. "He's a mere mortal. How is he doing this?"

Unable to believe her own eyes, she stayed frozen in place, watching as Li Taixing continued absorbing the stones. One after another, they dissolved, their energy entering his body without any visible strain. His expression remained calm, as though this impossible feat were entirely normal.

"Has this kid gone mad?" she whispered, shaking her head. "Or maybe...he's just sick in the head."

Inside Li Taixing's mind, his system suddenly activated.

[Ding! An SSS-level super-dangerous person has been detected. The host system may be exposed. High-risk alert! Activating the system's self-protection protocol.]

[Ding! Target information: Name: Wang Xuanwu, real identity: Xuantian Sect Fifth Elder. Warning: Detailed information is beyond the system's detection range.]

The system continued to analyze the situation, determining that this "super-dangerous person" was, in fact, no immediate threat to Li Taixing. Despite the target's overwhelming power, their curiosity about the system and lack of hostility reassured the system.

Meanwhile, Li Taixing remained unaware of this hidden observer. He continued absorbing the Spirit Stones, surprised by how easy it was. 'Why can I absorb these stones without reaching Qi Gathering?' he wondered. 'Where is all this energy going?'

Although he couldn't see the change occurring in his body, his system was quietly working in the background, enhancing his physique and storing the energy for later use. The Dimensional Space Bag, though passive, played a crucial role in bolstering his ability to absorb and contain so much Spiritual Qi.

The woman outside could only watch in disbelief as Li Taixing absorbed thousands of Spirit Stones. "This...this kid is insane!" she muttered, rubbing her temples. "I don't care anymore. If he survives, he's a miracle."

Having witnessed enough, she left quietly, her mind reeling from what she had just seen. Meanwhile, Li Taixing continued absorbing Spirit Stones for an unknown amount of time. When he finally opened his eyes, he realized it was morning, and the sounds of Lu Tong and Sun Bohu could be heard outside the dormitory, returning from their tasks.