At the foot of the Third Peak, Bai Xiaochun's shrill cries echoed across the mountains. The rhythm, the emotion—it was like an opera performance. His voice caught everyone's attention, and soon, countless servant disciples turned to look.
All they saw was a *round figure* running for his life down the mountain road. If they couldn't make out his body, they could at least see the *giant black pot* strapped to his back, racing like a bug on wheels. With *seven or eight kitchen knives* clanging around his waist, he made quite the scene.
> "Murder! Help! I don't wanna die!"
He ran while screaming, and the more he ran, the louder he got. Behind him, *Xu Baocai's* face had turned dark with rage. His eyes burned with murderous intent, though in his heart, he was panicking. So many people were watching—he didn't want to draw the *sect enforcers'* attention.
> "Shut up already! Dammit, stop yelling!" Xu Baocai roared.
He gritted his teeth and made a hand seal. His wooden sword *glowed* and sped up, zooming straight toward Bai Xiaochun.
Clang!
The sword slammed into the *black pot* on Bai Xiaochun's back with a loud metallic clang, echoing loudly, but *Bai Xiaochun didn't even flinch*. He just kept running like nothing happened.
Xu Baocai nearly choked in frustration. That damned pot covered most of Bai Xiaochun's body—*there was no way to get a clean hit*! Still unwilling to give up, he chased after him.
The two of them dashed through the servant quarters like a bizarre relay race.
> "He's got a freaking pot on his back and he's still this fast?!"
Xu Baocai was panting heavily, humiliated. He was already using his full strength, and *he was at Qi Condensation Level 2!* But Bai Xiaochun? Like a *fat rabbit* with a fire under its tail, *impossible to catch*.
Worse still, *that pig-like scream* never once stopped. It was driving Xu Baocai insane.
In a flash, Bai Xiaochun spotted the path to the *Fire Kitchen. His eyes lit up like he was seeing **his mother's arms*—almost moved to tears.
> "Senior brothers! Help! He's trying to kill me!!"
With that, he charged into the Fire Kitchen. The others inside—like *Zhang Dapang*—heard the piercing cries and rushed out.
> "Senior brother, help! Xu Baocai is trying to kill me! I nearly died out there!"
He immediately hid behind Zhang Dapang's bulk.
> "Xu Baocai?" Zhang's eyes narrowed, scanning the area. But the guy was nowhere to be seen. Then, off in the distance, *Xu Baocai finally stumbled into view*, gasping for breath.
Bai Xiaochun stared in disbelief.
> "Huh? Why is he running so slow?"
Zhang Dapang glanced at Bai Xiaochun, then at the winded Xu Baocai. His chubby face twitched.
Xu Baocai, having chased him all this way, suddenly heard Bai Xiaochun's *bewildered voice* and nearly blew a fuse. His chest felt tight, like he was about to explode. With a roar, he flung his hand to the side.
Whoosh!
His wooden sword shot out and *stabbed through a nearby tree* with a loud thud, leaving a *gaping hole*.
> "Bai Xiaochun! I will never forgive you!!"
With bloodshot eyes, Xu Baocai gave Bai Xiaochun one last glare, looked at the *mountain-sized* Zhang Dapang, then stormed off.
Bai Xiaochun's heart pounded. He glanced at the tree trunk pierced clean through, then at Xu Baocai's crazed look. A shiver ran down his spine.
Zhang Dapang, staring after Xu Baocai, gave a cold snort and patted Bai Xiaochun's shoulder.
> "Don't worry, Ninth Junior Brother. That guy's got a little background, sure—but if he dares to come again, *we'll break his legs!*"
Then, his tone softened.
> "Still, it's best if you don't go out for a while. And… you've gotten kinda skinny again. I'll feed you up properly. Oh right—*Elder Zhou's birthday* is coming up too."
Bai Xiaochun nodded distractedly, still staring at that tree with the *gaping hole*. Back in his room, he sat there, trembling slightly. The more he thought, the more uneasy he felt.
> "That sword… it went right through a tree. If it hit me, I'd be scattered bones…"
His mind spun.
> "Unless I *never* leave the Fire Kitchen again, I can't risk it. What if he ambushes me out there?!"
The image of *Xu Baocai's bloodthirsty eyes* haunted him.
> "I came here to live forever, not to get killed…"
His anxiety grew, bloodshot eyes staring into nothing. After a while, he gritted his teeth.
> "Screw it! If I get serious, *even I scare myself!*"
His fear of death wasn't just cowardice—it was *deep insecurity. And this scare pushed him to the edge. He grabbed the **manual for Purple Qi Cauldron Control* and stared at the *second movement diagram*, eyes red with determination.
> "I need to cultivate! I need to get strong!"
Bai Xiaochun may be a scaredy-cat, but once he got serious, *he was terrifyingly stubborn*. Like how he kept lighting incense even after being struck by lightning 13 times in three years.
Now he gritted through the pain and began the second exercise. Normally, he could only hold the posture for *ten seconds, but this time—fifteen. **Then twenty. Then thirty.*
His entire body ached, sweat dripped nonstop, but he didn't stop.
That night passed quietly. Then came day two… day three… *fifteen straight days, and Bai Xiaochun **never left his room* except to eat and use the bathroom.
For a new cultivator, that kind of dedication was *crazy*. But he showed no signs of quitting.
The Fire Kitchen seniors were stunned. Cultivating *Purple Qi Cauldron Control* wasn't easy. It looked simple, but holding each posture for long caused *immense pain*. Most only practiced it every few days.
But Bai Xiaochun went at it like a man possessed.
When they checked on him, they found a totally different person—*disheveled, bloodshot eyes, filthy clothes*—but with an unwavering focus.
He had even *lost a ton of weight, and his spiritual energy was clearly nearing **the peak of Qi Condensation Level 1*.
It was like he'd *burned off all the spiritual treasures* stored in his fat, converting them into pure cultivation.
> "Junior Brother… maybe take a break? It's been half a month…"
Zhang Dapang and the others were worried. But Bai Xiaochun only raised his head, his eyes *burning with determination*. It made their hearts tremble.
Another two weeks passed. He had cultivated for a full month. Zhang Dapang said:
> "That's not cultivation. That's *suicidal training.*"
By then, he could hold the second posture for over *150 seconds, and the **"spiritual stream"* inside him had turned into a *spiritual river*.
Then, on a certain day—
*Boom!*
A thunderous sound echoed from Bai Xiaochun's room. A *surge of spiritual pressure* swept out in all directions.
> "He broke through!"
> "Qi Condensation Level 2! In less than six months! That's rare even for us Fire Kitchen guys with all the bonus meals!"
> "It took me a whole year to reach that level back then…"
As they marveled, Bai Xiaochun's door creaked open.
He stepped out—*disheveled, exhausted, dirty*—but his eyes gleamed like stars.
Just as they were about to greet him, Bai Xiaochun *suddenly leapt onto the garden fence, hands behind his back, chin raised proudly, striking a **lonely expert pose*.
> "Uh… what is he doing?"
> "Did he go crazy from overtraining?"
Then came his *deep, old-man voice*, clearly trying to sound profound:
> "Xu Baocai… a genius among servant disciples… a monster of Qi Condensation Level 2. And I… am also Level 2. Our duel would shake the sect… bones broken, blood spilled…"
He narrowed his eyes dramatically.
> "No. This battle… is too important. I must continue cultivating!"
With that, he struck a final pose, then dramatically reentered his room, slamming the door behind him.
Boom!
The others stared in silence.
> "…Did we feed him the wrong spirit food?"
> "Crap. He's overdosed on spiritual energy. The guy's gone full lunatic. Let's just… not mess with him."