About an hour later, a chubby Disciple in a green Daoist robe arrived at the Outer Gate Great Hall.
"Senior Brother Wang is here... I found a Disciple who primarily cultivates fire spiritual power for you. Please take a look!"
"Alright!" Senior Brother Wang's expression was not good.
He looked at He Pingsheng and said, "He's only at the fourth level of the Qi Refinement Stage. Can he do it?"
The Disciple's face immediately fell. "Senior Brother Wang, it's been so long, and no one has shown any interest. You know the situation with your Lingyao Valley yourself!"
"How about this, you try him out first. If it doesn't work, then we'll continue to wait!"
Senior Brother Wang's name was Wang Dun!
He was at the sixth level of the Qi Refinement Stage!
Wang Dun listened to the green-robed Disciple, took a deep breath, and said, "Never mind, never mind... this will have to do!"
"You..." Wang Dun looked at He Pingsheng and said, "Release some of the fire spiritual power within you. I want to see its quality first."
"If it's seven or eight tenths, I'll take you to the valley for another test!"
"Yes!" He Pingsheng dared not delay. He slowly extended his right hand, and as the Li Fire True Method circulated within him, a cluster of fire-attributed spiritual power instantly burst forth from his palm.
The flames were crimson, with hints of white.
"Oh..." Wang Dun was slightly surprised and said, "The color looks good. This fire spiritual power is extremely pure!"
"Let's go, let's go... retract your power and follow me to Lingyao Valley for another test!"
Hearing Wang Dun say this, He Pingsheng also breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he followed Wang Dun and ascended the mountain again.
The Tai Xu Sect's entire inner sect was located on the mountain.
Last year, He Pingsheng had ascended and descended the Tai Xu Sect's mountain several Times, and each Time he was exhausted.
But now, after reaching the fourth level of the Qi Refinement Stage, ascending the mountain was much easier. He could often cross dozens of feet with a single leap, traversing walls and rooftops as if walking on flat ground.
If judged by the standards of the mortal world, he was already a bona fide Martial Forest master.
After about half an hour, Wang Dun and He Pingsheng arrived at a valley.
Whoosh...
Taking a deep breath, He Pingsheng felt that the Spiritual Qi here was more than ten Times denser than outside.
However, it was not of much use to him.
If one's Spiritual Root was too weak, even the best Spiritual Qi was useless because one couldn't refine it quickly enough.
"You're He Pingsheng, right? Come with me. Watch your step and don't run around!"
Wang Dun led He Pingsheng through the valley.
On both sides of the valley were plots of Spiritual Fields.
Various plants were cultivated in the Spiritual Fields.
Most were spirit rice.
A small portion consisted of medicinal herbs.
The further they went in, the denser the Spiritual Qi became. By the Time they reached the innermost part of the valley, the plants cultivated in the Spiritual Fields on both sides had all become Spiritual Plants.
There were seven-leaf spirit grass, Spirit Apricot, vermilion fruit, immortal bamboo shoot, and everything else imaginable.
However, they were all only First Grade medicinal materials.
He Pingsheng recognized all these things because he had already read through the Thirty-Six Methods of Elixir Refining once, and he recognized all the herbs listed in it.
In the deepest part of this valley, there was a patch of fiery red plants.
"These are lieyang flowers!" Wang Dun pointed to the fiery red plants and said, "It's currently their flowering season. There are a total of 560 of them here, and they are Second Grade Spirit Medicines!"
"Come here!"
Not far from the lieyang flowers, there was a large stone.
Wang Dun said, "Release some of your spiritual power onto this stone, and the stone will naturally display the purity of your spiritual power!"
"If it's up to standard, you can stay!"
"Begin!"
"Good!" He Pingsheng took a deep breath, then circulated the spiritual power within his body.
The fire spiritual power was mobilized from his Dantian, circulated through his Meridians, and finally burst forth from his palm.
However, this Time He Pingsheng was cautious; he did not unleash his full spiritual power, only about half the amount, and then covered the stone with it.
Buzz, buzz, buzz...
The stone seemed to possess magic. When He Pingsheng's fire spiritual power sprayed onto it, its color suddenly changed.
It changed from gray to crimson, then from crimson to yellow, and from yellow to Time.
Under Wang Dun's astonished gaze, He Pingsheng retracted the fire spiritual power in his hand.
"Amazing..." Wang Dun clapped his hands and said, "Amazing, amazing..."
"Junior Brother is amazing! You are only at the fourth level of the Qi Refinement Stage, yet the quality of your fire spiritual power has actually reached High Grade?"
"The Cultivation Technique Junior Brother cultivates must be extraordinary!"
He Pingsheng's heart trembled: Oh no... it's exposed.
However, fortunately, Wang Dun then said, "Some of the previous Disciples, even those who reached the seventh or eighth level of the Qi Refinement Stage, could not achieve High Grade fire spiritual power. Of course, here, Medium Grade is sufficient!"
"Junior Brother... come with me to see Senior Kumu!"
"He is the Elder of our Tai Xu Sect's Lingyao Valley!"
"Yes!" He Pingsheng quickly followed behind Wang Dun.
The two continued to walk deeper into the Spirit Valley, and a hazy mist had risen at some point.
The deepest part of the valley looked like a dream.
Wang Dun explained, "There is a Formation set up by a Senior here, which is why there are such illusions. You don't need to come here to serve normally!"
"Absolutely do not trespass!"
He Pingsheng said, "Yes!"
As they spoke, the two suddenly arrived at a cave.
"Senior Kumu!" Wang Dun cupped his hands in front of the cave, saying respectfully, "This Disciple has found a candidate to care for the lieyang flowers. Please bestow your order, Senior Kumu!"
As soon as Wang Dun finished speaking, the thin layer of mist at the mouth of the cave instantly vanished.
Out of it walked a thin, short Old Man.
This man's face was like withered wood, and his hair and beard were all white.
He glanced at He Pingsheng and said, "Qi Refinement Stage four, can he handle it?"
Wang Dun gave a bitter smile, "Senior, I've searched for many days, and this is the only qualified one!"
"Never mind!" Kumu Zhenren took out a black token and handed it to He Pingsheng, saying, "This is the Lingyao Valley's token. With this token, you can freely enter and exit the valley and the Tai Xu Sect!"
"But remember, don't run around. If you run off to another peak and get a good beating, that's not my business!"
He Pingsheng took the token and said, "Yes... Junior will remember!"
"Hmm!" Kumu Zhenren continued, "The previous kid did quite well, but unfortunately, he got into a fight outside and died!"
"The lieyang flower's flowering period still has three months left. You will complete the rest!"
"If you do well, I will reward you!"
"If you are negligent and make mistakes, hehe..."
Kumu Zhenren looked at He Pingsheng, chuckled twice, then waved his hand, "Go... Wang Dun will teach you how to care for the lieyang flowers and how to collect their pollen!"
"Get out!"
After speaking, without waiting for He Pingsheng to say anything, the Old Man turned around and re-entered the cave.