After handing over the spoils to the bees for transport and receiving his black market points, Qi Ping began his return to the Qingyuan Sect. The three peak Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Celestial Alliance had granted him over twenty thousand black market points, enough to buy some rare Yin and Yang attribute spirit trees. This put him in a very pleasant mood.
On the way back, he remained cautious, hiding his tracks to avoid unnecessary trouble. Five days later, his injuries healed, Qi Ping smoothly reappeared at the mountain gates of the Qingyuan Sect.
The moment he appeared, countless gazes converged upon him. These gazes held shock, fear, worship, and joy—a myriad of emotions, but all sharing a common theme: awe at his terrifying combat power.
Qi Ping was only at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, yet he had fought such a brutal battle, displaying his mastery of spells and combat to the limit. This level of power, paired with his peak-grade aptitudes and his 'Mainstay' evaluation, elevated his potential by several tiers. He had reached the level of a legacy disciple or a core disciple.
There was no doubt that once such a person reached the Golden Core stage, his combat power would be horrifying.
Sensing the weight of the gazes, Qi Ping felt no great surprise. He had been mentally prepared for this and didn't let it distract him. As he passed the gate, he exchanged a nod with Han Li.
Han Li was genuinely happy about Qi Ping's return and his victory. His greatest fear was that Qi Ping would walk the same path as his previous senior brother. Although Qi Ping had taken that dangerous road, he had proven with his terrifying power that he would not meet the same end.
However, a trace of worry remained in Han Li's heart. Would things end here? Now that Qi Ping had proven his immense potential, would he be valued, or would he face even greater hostility and danger? Even Han Li did not have the answer.
Shortly after Qi Ping entered the sect, several of his friends rushed over, with Zhang Da-niu leading the way.
"Senior Brother Ya, you truly fooled me!"
"A few days ago, you said you only take missions you're confident in... I didn't think this was what you meant by confidence!"
Zhang Da-niu still felt a surge of awe whenever he recalled the images of that battle. After a brief conversation with them, Qi Ping bade them farewell and headed for the Merit Hall. His most urgent task was to submit the missions and secure his Contribution Points.
Inside the hall, ignoring the stares of others, he went straight to the submission counter.
"Senior Brother Lin Ya, for slaying the Human-Devil Butcher, you receive 5,500 points. For exterminating the Huang family, you receive 8,700 points. Your total for this run is 14,200 Contribution Points. Please confirm if there are any issues."
"No issues."
"Very well, Senior Brother. Here is your token; keep it safe. You may use your points whenever you present this token."
"Thank you."
Taking the token, Qi Ping returned to Manor Seven in the Inner Sect area.
'Fourteen thousand two hundred points. Not bad at all.'
Most Inner Disciples struggled for twenty years without amassing such a fortune, yet he had secured it in less than half a month.
'According to the regulations, entering the Pavilion of Scriptures to read knowledge of my rank costs ten points per hour. Twelve double-hours a day is one hundred and twenty points. I can stay inside for over a hundred days.'
'However, if I want to exchange for specific manuals and spells, the time I can spend inside will be significantly shorter.'
The next morning, after a night of rest, Qi Ping headed to the Pavilion of Scriptures at dawn. To his surprise, he faced no obstacles upon entering.
'No trouble at all?'
He had killed six peak Foundation Establishment cultivators and caused such a stir, yet the high-level leaders of the Qingyuan Sect offered no reaction, nor did they hinder the process.
'Is this the calm before the storm? Or is it that within the sect, even Golden Core cultivators must follow the rules?'
Qi Ping couldn't be sure which was the case. Regardless, he didn't care much; his goal was to acquire as much knowledge as possible in the shortest amount of time.
He looked at his fellow disciples quietly studying within the pavilion. Some didn't even acknowledge his arrival, focused entirely on the scrolls and jade slips in their hands.
'This is how a seeker of the Dao should be,' Qi Ping noted with approval.
He began his own search. As an Inner Disciple, he only had access to the second floor of the Pavilion of Scriptures. Even so, the sheer volume of knowledge left him breathless. The collections of the Foundation Establishment clans he had raided were like a single hair from nine oxen compared to this. There were many jade slips and books here imbued with special spiritual intent, far more precious than ordinary texts.
A genuine smile appeared on Qi Ping's face. An Inner Disciple's access seemed sufficient to keep him busy for a long time.
'While I have the chance, I'll learn everything I can.'
He began his research into the Five Elements and Yin-Yang, ignoring all outside affairs. To him, this foundation of knowledge was the most important thing. He put all the distractions out of his mind. Whether it was the people who betrayed his information or the ill-intentioned elders, he pushed them all to the back of his mind.
Seeking immortality was his first priority; those scoundrels could be dealt with when the time was right. To improve efficiency, his main body in the Cloud-Mist Mountains also set aside all other tasks, synchronizing with the Treant clone to comprehend the knowledge at a frantic pace.
This state continued for over three months. His behavior caused quite a bit of talk within the sect, but Qi Ping had zero interest in it. He was focused entirely on the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.
After three months, the serious expression on Qi Ping's face finally faded, replaced by a smile.
"Three months... I've finally found the Yin-Yang foundation path suited for me."
"It's time to purchase the Radiant Sun and Dark Night Ancient Woods to assist me in comprehending the Yin-Yang Intent!"