Chapter 86: Inner Sect Assessment

After waiting just over a moment, Linglong returned to Su Che with a wisp of fragrance. However, she didn’t hand over the pills right away. Instead, hesitantly, she muttered, “I’m thinking whether to give you so many pills—so you won’t advance too fast and surpass me ahead of time…”

Su Che chuckled and bowed, saying, “An elder sister will always be an elder sister. No matter when, you can call me junior brother.”

“That was your own words. I didn’t force you!” With her scheme succeeding, Linglong smiled and took out five medium-sized pill bottles from her Qiankun Bag, placing them on the table. “These are sixth-grade pills. The old man doesn’t have many in stock—only thirty Purple Fire Pills and eighteen Dragon Soaring Pills. That’ll cost you ten thousand spirit stones.”

As she spoke, she took out another bag containing one thousand spirit stones.

Su Che only took the five pill bottles but didn’t take back the bag of spirit stones. Eleven thousand spirit stones could buy forty-eight sixth-grade pills, which was already a very good deal. There was no need to be stingy and keep the change.

Linglong understood his intention. Her bright eyes widened as she demanded fiercely, “Is this… a reward for me?”

“Dare not, dare not!”

Su Che rolled up the pill bottles and ran away. If he didn’t hurry, he might get beaten.

“You brat!” Linglong cursed after him, but then carefully sent a message, warning, “Don’t be too aggressive. You must control the timing of taking the pills. Otherwise, it could cause problems…”

“I know!” Su Che had already run outside, fearing she might throw a binding rope at him and tie him up again.

Having acquired forty-eight sixth-grade pills at once, Su Che should have gone to the Yinwind Gorge to retreat and train further. This would not only help him break through his realm barriers but might even allow him to advance to the eighth level of Qi Cultivation in one go.

However, considering that after reaching the later stages of Qi Cultivation, he would need to apply for the inner sect disciple assessment and undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a Golden Core elder, he had a concern. Advancing to the seventh level of Qi Cultivation at the age of sixteen was already quite remarkable. If he suddenly reached the eighth level, it would be astonishing and too eye-catching.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t act boldly, but now wasn’t the right time.

So, Su Che simply returned to his cultivation cave and immediately began working to break through his realm.

According to Linglong’s previous explanation, three Purple Fire Pills were taken first. After a dozen breaths, a surging flame power emerged. Truly a sixth-grade pill—its medicinal effect was extremely pure, allowing it to transform into true qi very quickly. After more than ten hours, once the fire-type true qi in his body reached a saturated state, three more Dragon Soaring Pills were consumed… As the name suggested, these pills lived up to their reputation. As soon as they entered his body and their effects took hold, a powerful medicinal force surged upward like a giant dragon. At that moment, Su Che even felt as if he were soaring beyond the heavens, eager to roar and shatter the sky! With this upward momentum, he felt that barrier he had been facing break through effortlessly, unimpeded and smooth. Having overcome the barrier, he entered a whole new realm—undoubtedly, this was the feeling of reaching the later stage of Qi Cultivation. Boom! Su Che, who had been sitting in meditation, suddenly stood up. A fierce flame burst from him, turning all the decorations in the room to ashes. Hum… Finally, he took a deep breath, and a flame tongue shot out of his mouth, over five feet long. He had wanted to roar loudly, but considering he had only reached the later stage of Qi Cultivation, creating too much noise might attract complaints from the neighbors about someone getting too arrogant. So, his passion turned into a powerful flame, serving as an emotional outlet. Seventh level of Qi Cultivation! Later stage of Qi Cultivation! After that, Su Che sat down again, taking advantage of the lingering effects of the pills to further stabilize his cultivation level. Three days later, refreshed and dressed neatly, he returned to Linglong’s side. For Su Che, it felt as though they had just said goodbye one moment and met again the next—those days of advancing in cultivation left him almost without a sense of time. “Just five days!” Linglong was counting the days for him. At that moment, she wore an envious expression on her face, though there was also a hint of joy in her eyes. “Your intuition is quite accurate. This advancement was indeed easy.” Su Che chuckled and said, “I was holding back a lot, so it was quick to break through.” “Your wording is crude, but the meaning is correct,” Linglong said, adopting an elder sisterly tone and nodding. “That’s how cultivation works—the more you accumulate over time, the stronger your burst at critical moments…” After delivering a few general truths, she added, “I know why you’re here. You want to apply for the inner disciple assessment, right?” “Yes.” “Let’s go!” Linglong immediately stood up and waved. “I’ll take you to register.”

Su Che followed behind her. After holding back for a while, he couldn’t help but say, “Senior Linglong, your personality is so straightforward—it doesn’t quite seem like that of a girl.”
“What’s the problem? Don’t you like it?” Linglong turned around and glared at him.
“How could I? I actually admire it greatly.”
Su Che was telling the truth. It was just that he always felt that such an elfin-like girl, with her delicate voice and graceful manners, had a bold and straightforward personality akin to that of a male hero, often creating a strong sense of contrast.
“To be honest, I’ve grown up a lot. If it were two years ago, you little brat…” Linglong turned around again and waved her little fist, “Every time I saw you, I’d hit you!”
Su Che wanted to joke back, “What’s wrong with me? What about me is annoying?” But suddenly he remembered that the “two years ago” she mentioned was the period when his mother passed away. Undoubtedly, such misfortune had dealt her a devastating blow, which was why she had grown up so quickly.
Yes, the same was true for him as well. That great disaster had taken away all his relatives. Even after being revived, he felt as though his mental age had suddenly aged a lot, losing some of the liveliness that comes with youth.
Linglong keenly sensed that Su Che seemed a bit down and explained, “What I said just now was just a joke. Although you’re as hypocritical as your elder brother, you’re not that awful…”
“I know,” Su Che laughed.
“Mm.”
Linglong nodded gently.
……
Xuanji Peak, the Teaching Hall.
Linglong took Su Che to the Teaching Hall, where they met the examiner, Elder Lin.
“As expected, just 16 years old in bone age…” Elder Lin, having figured out Su Che’s actual age, became curious. “I really want to know why, with only a medium-level aptitude in three elemental spirits, you can achieve such results.”
Before Su Che could speak, Linglong answered first, “Elder Lin, although Su Che’s innate aptitude is only medium-level, he is diligent and hardworking. He also has skills in growing spiritual herbs and healing. Most importantly, he has great fortune—he has consumed a rare treasure, which is why…”
Elder Lin listened to Linglong’s explanation with a smile, already understanding that this girl was protecting Su Che and didn’t want him to ask too many questions about Su Che’s secrets.
Elder Lin had a good relationship with the Elder of the Herb Garden and also liked Linglong very much, so he didn’t want to put Su Che in further trouble.

It was precisely because Su Che had anticipated this possibility in advance that he sought out Linglong to bring him to the Teaching Hall. Having acquaintances makes things easier—this principle holds true in the realm of cultivation as well.
“Well, Su Che has met the requirement of advancing to the later stage of Qi Cultivation before the age of 20,” Elder Lin said in a deep voice. “Sometimes, a person’s fortune is even more important than innate talent. Therefore, I can give him an ‘excellent’ evaluation.”
“Thank you, Elder Lin,” Su Che and Linglong bowed together in gratitude.
“Next, two more requirements must be met to pass the assessment and become an inner disciple of our sect,” Elder Lin said, looking at Su Che. “First, your sect contribution value must reach 5,000 points. Second, you must complete an assessment task assigned to you by me.”
“Yes, disciple understands,” Su Che replied respectfully, thinking to himself, “The sect contribution value isn’t a problem—over a hundred of those low-grade spiritual herbs from the Yinwind Gorge can be exchanged for 5,000 points. Now, it depends on how difficult the assessment task assigned by Elder Lin is.”
Elder Lin got up and went into the inner room. Shortly after, he came out carrying a green jade talisman and said to Su Che, “The task details are recorded in the talisman; you’ll understand at a glance.”
“Thank you, Elder Lin.”
Su Che received the task talisman and left the Teaching Hall with Linglong.