Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 691: Chapter 392: Return to the Sect

Over the course of a year, Shushan Sect had not changed. When Li Shiming appeared outside the Sect Formation, he sensed many attentive gazes.

“Master, I have returned!” He saw Elder Su waiting for him outside the sect and quickly stepped forward to bow and speak.

“Has your cultivation advanced to the Golden Core Middle Stage?” Elder Su asked in surprise, looking at his disciple.

Li Shiming was momentarily stunned. His advancement to the Golden Core Middle Stage should not be a secret; he had already informed the Beishu Trading Company.

Looking at Elder Su, it seemed he was unaware of his advancement to the Golden Core Middle Stage.

Little did he know that the Beishu Trading Company had intentionally withheld the information, given that he had not explicitly asked them to share this news with the Shushan Sect.

After all, had the Beishu Trading Company shared the news of Li Shiming’s advancement, how could the Shushan Sect have allowed him to spend a year without practicing alchemy?

Within Shushan Sect, Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators, all being very high-ranking elders, had alchemical needs that the sect could not ignore.

Li Shiming quickly understood the reasons behind the Beishu Trading Company’s decision not to release the news.

Yet, he could not blame the Beishu Trading Company. On one hand, the company was protecting his confidentiality with faultless integrity; on the other, their actions had allowed him to spend the year peacefully with his family, free from external disturbances.

“At home, I had an epiphany and made a breakthrough!” Li Shiming replied with a smile.

“It seems that letting you stay at home for a year was the right decision. What you lacked was not cultivation, but mental state, which cannot be aided by spiritual medicine or cultivation techniques,” Elder Su also said happily, laughing.

Elder Su felt extremely emotional; his greatest concern had come true—his disciple was too exceptional and had already caught up to his own level of cultivation.

And he did not know how long it would take for his own advancement to Late-stage Golden Core.

Nevertheless, he could only be happy; in the Cultivation World, besides progressing one’s own cultivation, the most important thing was succession.

In his view, Li Shiming was his legacy. Even though Li Shiming did not practice his main cultivation technique, as a True Disciple, his status was secured.

Li Shiming solemnly nodded his head in agreement. Despite spending the year in the mundane world, his gains had been enormous.

His cultivation wasn’t largely affected. With the help of a Nascent Soul Level Spirit Vein and numerous third-grade Cultivation Assistance Spirit Pills, his progress was swift.

He had even begun to practice the ‘Nanming Leaving Fire’ Divine Skills—a significant step indicating that he was gradually mastering the Divine Skills.

“After returning to the sect, do not rush into seclusion. The Late-stage Golden Core Elders will probably seek you out soon. The consumption of producing third-grade Spirit Pills for Late-stage Golden Core is considerable. Do not refuse to perform alchemy, and feel free to demand substantial remuneration!” Elder Su advised after recalling something.

Unlike before, when third-grade Spirit Pills for Early or Middle-stage Golden Core could be deferred with various excuses, the status of Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators in the sect was different; it was best not to offend them unnecessarily.

Of course, getting Li Shiming to make pills was not so easily agreed upon; creating third-grade Spirit Pills for Late-stage Golden Core could delay his own cultivation time.

All the Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators in the sect were wealthy. Elder Su openly made this statement at the mountain gate to inform other Late-stage Golden Core Elders that alchemy was possible but required adequate compensation.

As Li Shiming returned to the sect, many eyes were watching them.

The master and disciple spoke while flying towards the inner sect.

News of Li Shiming’s return to the sect at the Golden Core Middle Stage spread through the Shushan Sect at incredible speed.

In every corner of the Shushan Sect, figures exuding Late-stage Golden Core auras flew out, heading towards Sword Holding Peak.

Li Shiming was unaware that the Shushan Sect housed so many Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators. In just one day, he received seven Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators, including one Great Elder.

These Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators were all very generous. Without needing Li Shiming to elaborate, they broached the subject of compensation, even offering more than what Li Shiming desired.

It wasn’t that these Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators were naturally generous, but rather that they clearly recognized Li Shiming’s swift cultivation pace indicated his extraordinary talents.

Whether Li Shiming could advance to Nascent Soul Stage was uncertain, but his promotion to Late-stage Golden Core seemed almost guaranteed.

None of the Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators wanted to irk Li Shiming over a matter of compensation, knowing that once he ascended to Late-stage Golden Core, they would need his alchemy skills for their own advancement to Nascent Soul.

Li Shiming organized all the alchemy orders based on a first-come, first-served principle and publicly displayed them.

He set a pace of one batch every ten days. Fortunately, there were not too many Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators in the sect, and coupled with the rarity and value of the spiritual medicine required for third-grade Spirit Pills for Late-stage Golden Core, even with the backlog, it filled just over four months.

No one objected to his arrangements; every one of the Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators understood that Li Shiming’s cultivation was as important as his alchemy.

The matter of Li Shiming doing alchemy was not supposed to interfere with his cultivation; otherwise, not even the Nascent Soul Ancestors of the sect would agree.