When the hour arrived, Bai Qi was pushed out of the Ancestor Hall, his steps staggered, barely able to stand upright.

In just half a stick of incense, he was killed seventy times by a youthful Ninghai Zen.

Even as he cultivated the "Jiao Subdues Yellow Springs Sutra," honing his mind and spirit to be exceptionally resilient, he couldn't help but feel somewhat scattered and powerless.

"Master has such a narrow mind..."

Bai Qi quietly muttered in his heart, gasping for breath.

He looked around and found himself standing beneath the large plaque in the main hall.

The sky was dim, thick clouds covered it, with only a few faint stars, and a cold wind howling through the courtyard's withered trees.

The vast Tongwen Hall seemed to have only Uncle Dao left, making it slightly desolate.

Entering at night and leaving at night, it's no wonder those Daoist officials often shut themselves away for ten days, half a month, or even years.

Indeed, in the mountains, there is no sun or moon; cold and heat blur the years.

"Congratulations, Young Master Qi, for gaining recognition from the Ancestor Hall, listed among the named disciples."

Lao Dao timed it perfectly, carrying a pot of thick soup made with Treasure Fish.

The fire was perfectly tended; the fish meat had dissolved, and the bones and spines picked out. It's a method for great nourishment.

"Thank you, Uncle Dao."

Bai Qi had long been exhausted from being doubly thrashed by the seventh-generation ancestors mixed with Ninghai Zen.

Dragging his legs that felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, he sat on the round stool and drank the soup in large gulps.

The steaming, thick soup slipped into his stomach, filling him with a warm and comfortable feeling, like soaking in a hot spring, making him almost want to moan.

"The weight of this Treasure Fish is ample; it tastes like Red Blood Perch; where did it come from?"

Bai Qi drank up and asked afterward. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Your brother, Ah Xie Xiaotou, brought three, saying a young fisherman at Datian Bay had a stroke of luck, caught Treasure Fish, and sold it to your Bai's Fish Stall for ninety-seven taels."

Lao Dao replied with a chuckle.

"Three Red Blood Perch sold for over ninety taels, seems fair."

Bai Qi nodded slightly. Tao Rong had released Uncle Changshun and others, and the fish stall resumed business smoothly.

Although there's an old saying that money can be earned again if lost, a ruined conscience earns even more.

Bai Qi valued more his reputation for righteousness and generosity.

Moreover, doing business in Black River County didn't involve much scheming, but ultimately depended on strength.

Having connections is not enough; one must withstand, guard wealth, or it'll be easily seized, just like when Liang Sanshui helped him change household registration, as he mentioned about that brewery on Red Slot Street.

"Indeed, without losing conscience or exploiting others, there's still profit, it's just... extremely difficult."

Bai Qi lamented for no reason, finishing the large pot of Treasure Fish Soup, boosting his spirit a bit.

He chatted briefly with Uncle Dao, then got up to return to his room, too lazy to undress, and collapsed to sleep.

In the Ancestor Hall, after dying and reviving over four hundred times, this young and vigorous Master Bai Qi was utterly worn out.

Now, whatever he did seemed like a eunuch visiting a brothel, with intention but powerless.

...

...

"What a good sleep!"

When Bai Qi opened his eyes, the sky outside was faintly bright, showing a fish belly white.

He supported himself on his knees sitting at the edge of the bed, his brow displaying a refreshed spirit, thinking of how formidable he was in the dream, punching Ninghai Zen, kicking Kang Longsheng, and becoming the 13th Sect Leader of Tongwen Hall.

Even his upwardly curved mouth couldn't be suppressed!

"Indeed, in dreams, anything is possible!"

Bai Qi exhaled deeply. Using the ink talisman magic seed's nine oxen and two tigers' strength, he completed eight blood exchanges.

He calmed his mind, inwardly observing his flesh, limbs, and bones, where the surging qi resembled burning fire, leaping and swaying intensely.

Every bone, every piece of flesh seemed like they were being smelted in a furnace, impurities refined out, becoming denser.

Had he not restrained, even the hardwood bed would have been crushed.

What if those Four Cultivation Grandmasters got carried away doing business and couldn't stop?

Bai Qi's mind unreasonably popped up a bizarre thought.

"I should have around 150,000 pounds of strength now, even more terrifying if using Nine Oxen and Two Tigers' magic seed… Though I can't lift a small mountain effortlessly like Master, clad in armor and wielding a spear, I could be a formidable general crushing all foes!"

Bai Qi's thoughts wandered, he felt like making a grand statement:

"Let Ninghai Zen come at seventeen!"

At the same age, perhaps he could … beat the Master?

"Yihai Prefecture hides many talents, including the Thirteen Bijou Guilds, Pai Bang, Daoist Officials... Without reaching the third training level, one truly dares not venture recklessly.

Exchanging blood once more, reaching the limit, then starting to refine Silver Marrow, nourish Martial Bone.

Practicing only the Five Grand Captures might take half a year, but combined with true skills, it might reduce to three months?"

Bai Qi pondered, his progress speed was undoubtedly fast, having almost completed in two years what others achieved in nearly ten.

Among the experts under the fish stall, like Brother Jiaqian Lei Xiong who works hard when paid well, and the Sitting Hall Master of the Inner City Martial Arts Association.

None among them had achieved perfect accomplishments in muscle barriers, bone barriers; much less extract the true skill root diagram to refine the internal organs, forever stuck at a bottleneck, unable to advance.

"Elder Liang's words were truly wise: martial arts talent worries about choosing the wrong path.

If I hadn't entered Tongwen Hall, I'd likely be similarly stuck, delayed for years in Black River County."

Bai Qi's eyes were calm, ending his introspection. The ink talisman was gradual, but it's uncertain whether it could break through the limits for now.

He rested briefly, opened the window, faced the rising sun, and began sitting to contemplate, cultivating the "Jiao Subdues Yellow Springs Sutra."

Hereafter, daily morning cultivation, noon post exercises, and evening honing other skills.

Such fulfilling days!

Surviving a few months, by then stepping into Yihai Prefecture, wouldn't disgrace Tongwen Hall's reputation!

...

...

Yihai Prefecture, Yuanyang Temple.

Compared to Zhi Xin Temple, which occupies a vast area like a palace, this "government office" is slightly modest, lacking the grandeur of carved beams and painted rafters, dragons circling pearls, instead exuding an atmosphere of lush woods and elegantly sparse bamboo.

In short, incense offerings are thin, quite solitary.

This is because Yuanyang Temple's serving Daoist Official, Chongxu Zi, is preparing to retire, a barely heated cauldron.

The wealthy merchants of Yihai Prefecture follow the tide, adeptly switching sides, swayed by news circulating loudly to lean towards Zhi Xin Temple.

Chongxu Zi, with a thin face, quite aged, displayed no immortal-like presence with youthful white hair. Instead, he was severe and stern, possessing iron-forged majesty.

Holding a duster, he chanted sutras to the five deities enshrined in the main hall, noticing the hurried footsteps of the child:

"Why the rush? Qingfeng, I've said many times, keep calm, restrain the restless mind and wandering thoughts, that's the way to do tasks properly."

Chongxu Zi scolded.

"Master! That... person is here again!"

The child named Qingfeng stumbled over the door, nearly falling into the main hall.

Fortunately, Chongxu Zi swept with the duster, supporting the panicked child higher, his eyes showing more discontent:

"Who? Is there some demon attacking?"

Qingfeng replied:

"Daoist Qiu… he's here! Just outside!"

Chongxu Zi's expression changed, hastily saying:

"Quick, close the door! Quickly close! Don't let him in..."

Unfortunately, too late, a hearty laugh echoed in Yuanyang Temple:

"Daoist Chongxu! I truly missed you!"

The long-robed Daoist swaggered into the temple.

Chongxu Zi's mouth turned bitter, as though tasting yellow poplar:

"It's over… contaminated again!"

He'd rather have buckets of filth thrown on Yuanyang Temple, instead of encountering Qiu Changtian's ill luck.