Elder Liu from internal affairs didn't hide anything, and with a smile, said:
"Actually, you'll be able to know this in a while anyway, but knowing it beforehand can save you some detours and losses..."
"There are many things in the sect that can be exchanged with contribution points, some are very common, like the Cold Iron Stone you exchanged."
"But things such as Foundation Establishment Pill, Ox and Tiger Pill... and Magical Artifacts refined by Artifact Refining Elder are worth exchanging."
Elder Liu listed more than ten sect treasures worth exchanging and explained the reasons for each to Lin Chen.
Lin Chen nodded frequently after hearing this, as he was indeed unfamiliar with these things as a newcomer.
For example, the Cold Iron Stone is not worth exchanging because there are many such ores in the cold pools near Changchun Mountain and it is not considered rare.
Though the quality of Cold Iron Stone is good, it requires refinement and is quite complex.
In the hands of a typical artifact refiner, it can only produce inferior magical artifacts, but in the hands of an Artifact Refining Master, upper-grade magical artifacts can be refined.
Similarly, lower-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, aside from the sect, are often only available at auctions.
The starting bid for one is a thousand spirit stones and can sometimes sell for as high as fifteen hundred spirit stones.
Hence, exchanging for it with sect contribution is very suitable, even if you don't use it, you can take it to auction.
Lin Chen noted down everything Elder Liu said.
He understood that Elder Liu was not so patient with every disciple.
The reason he was willing to guide him was because he saw potential in him.
Providing guidance now could establish good karma for the future.
Lin Chen was very willing to accept this.
Though in the High Martial World he had the support of Great Xia Country.
But his foundation in the cultivation realm was still shallow, knowing more people would be beneficial for his future.
Today, he owed a small favor to the internal affairs elder; in the future, when he reciprocates, a relationship will be formed.
Though Lin Chen was young, he was mature and understood these principles.
After guiding him for about fifteen minutes, Elder Liu began to speak less.
Lin Chen knew it was time to leave, so he bowed and said:
"Thank you, Elder Liu, for your guidance today; I will remember it in my heart..."
Elder Liu smiled and nodded when he heard this, watching Lin Chen leave.
...
That evening, when the sun was about to set.
Elder Liu glanced at the sky, preparing to leave the sect hall.
At this moment, a figure hurriedly ran towards the hall, shouting:
"Internal affairs elder, please wait!"
The person was a disciple from Array Peak, Li Zhenqian.
He looked seven parts proud and three parts arrogant, and said:
"Elder, I have come to claim the reward for being the first to break through to the Qi Refining Stage!"
"It should still be in time, right?"
As he spoke, Li Zhenqian circulated his cultivation technique, showing off his First Layer of Qi Refining cultivation.
Elder Liu's expression remained calm upon seeing this.
After all, Lin Chen had been the first to break through, so seeing Li Zhenqian's breakthrough was considered normal.
Thus, Elder Liu took out fifty spirit stones and handed them over.
"Li Zhenqian, this is your reward..."
Li Zhenqian counted the spirit stones carefully and felt something was amiss.
So he asked:
"Elder, isn't the reward for the first to advance to the Qi Refining Stage supposed to be a hundred spirit stones?"
"And a storage bag, sect contribution..."
Elder Liu frowned slightly upon hearing this and reprimanded:
"Do you think I have embezzled your rewards?"
"You were not actually the first to break through; Lin Chen already broke through to the Qi Refining Stage at noon today."
"You are second, so naturally the rewards are what they are..."
Li Zhenqian was stunned, standing frozen in place.
He kept mumbling:
"How is it possible, how could it be?"
"Clearly I have a True Spirit Root... why did Lin Chen break through to the Qi Refining Stage first?"
Li Zhenqian was somewhat out of control at this moment; he had already seen the first-place reward as his own, but it was snatched away by Lin Chen!
He couldn't help but recall the scene a few days ago when Lin Chen joined Pill Peak and left without greeting the internal affairs elder.
Elder Liu watched Li Zhenqian's departing figure and shook his head slightly.
"Though Li Zhenqian has a True Spirit Root, he can't withstand setbacks, his temperament is lacking..."
"Contrarily, though Lin Chen is just Dual Spirit Roots, his temperament is excellent, and he is diligent and inquisitive."
"Dual Spirit Roots may not necessarily be inferior to True Spirit Roots... in the future, Lin Chen may tread further on the cultivation path!"
Elder Liu thought silently in his heart.
...
Meanwhile, at Pill Peak.
After eating spiritual food, Lin Chen continued his cultivation in his room.
His Qi and Blood Value was getting closer and closer to the threshold of a Middle Level Martial Artist, expected to breakthrough tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Lin Chen had officially practiced the Evergreen Technique to the first layer.
Feeling the wood element magical power in his dantian, Lin Chen felt a sense of joy.
"Not bad, cultivation has finally entered the right path. As long as the Evergreen Technique breaks through to the second layer, I will be a Second Layer of Qi Refining cultivator..."
"However, magical power of cultivators at the early Qi Refining Stage is still weak, currently, the physical strength brought by being a martial artist helps me more!"
Lin Chen received Han Jihai's guidance every day and had a general understanding of the cultivation realm.
At the early Qi Refining Stage, from the First to the Third Layer, it wasn't as powerful as imagined.
At this stage, the cultivator's magical power is weak, even using spirit to control artifacts, its offensive power is limited.
True transformation occurs when reaching the middle stage of Qi Refining (Fourth Layer).
At this stage, the cultivator's divine sense can extend a yard outward.
Magical power in the dantian is sufficient to cast several techniques, while the distance and time of using spirit to control artifacts are greatly enhanced.
"By reaching the middle stage of Qi Refining, the cultivator's strength probably fully surpasses martial artists, reaching the level of a warrior!"
Thinking about this, Lin Chen became more captivated by the powerful cultivators in the cultivation realm.
...
One night of cultivation.
The next morning, Lin Chen was awakened by a knock on the door from outside.
"Chen! Wake up quickly! Your senior sister is here to see you!" A female voice came from outside.
"Don't make noise! The child is still sleeping!" This was the voice of his master.
"You old man! You accepted a junior disciple and didn't tell me..."
Han Jihai seemed a bit compromised, helplessly said:
"Weren't you in closed-door alchemy? How could I disturb you?"
"Alchemy can be done anytime; you have to meet your junior brother straight away!"
Squeak—
Lin Chen opened the door, looking out with some helplessness.
Two figures stood outside.
One was naturally Lin Chen's plain-looking master.
The other figure was a very tall woman, appearing to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.
With fair skin, exquisite facial features, alluring eyes, a blush on her cheeks, seeming drunk.
Wearing a loose Taoist robe, but it couldn't conceal her voluptuous figure, and her abundant front was about to burst forth...
Lin Chen was "greatly" shocked and asked:
"Master, this is..."
She was obviously drunk, staggering and fell onto Lin Chen.
"I am your senior sister!"
Lin Chen felt a complete darkness in front of him, nearly unable to breathe.
After struggling for a while, Lin Chen finally realized, confusedly said:
"You are senior sister... Miko?"
Miko barely stood up, took a wine gourd from her waist, and after taking a sip, the blush on her face became more intense.
"Haha! Junior brother, behave... Senior sister has a gift for you!"
With that said, she lightly tossed, sending a delicate ancient jade into Lin Chen's hand...
(Lin Chen: What if we do it once again?)