Time flew by like a white steed galloping past a crack in the door. As cold winds began sweeping across the Spirit Stream Sect from the Tongtian River a month later, and autumn leaves drifted gently to the ground, Bai Xiaochun suddenly realized—it had been a year since he'd arrived at the sect.
This year had been full of events for him. From a mere mortal, he had become a cultivator, reached the third level of Qi Condensation, and even resolved a string of conflicts brought on by his entry into the kitchen crew.
Xu Baocai never came near the kitchen again. Once, when Bai Xiaochun went down the mountain to purchase supplies, he saw Xu Baocai in the distance—who immediately turned and fled, seemingly terrified of him.
Despite that, Bai Xiaochun often wore a troubled expression during the past month, sighing quietly to himself. He didn't talk to Zhang Dapang or the others about it—he just kept it bottled up inside.
"One whole year of my life..." Bai Xiaochun murmured, watching yellow leaves fall from a tree not far away.
"I'm like that tree... each fallen leaf is like a year of my lifespan..." This thought made him melancholic.
He had tried countless methods over the past month to nourish his body, but the single white hair at his temple refused to turn black again. He subtly asked Zhang Dapang and others about it, and eventually learned that while methods to extend lifespan did exist in the cultivation world, they were either heavily restricted or incredibly rare—like finding a phoenix feather.
Gradually, he lost his appetite and interest in life. His face even looked gaunt. Just as he was about to give up, resigned to having lost one year of his life, something happened.
One afternoon, while out buying supplies, he stood at the foot of the Third Peak, staring at a massive stone tablet. His breath grew heavy.
This stone tablet stood on the south bank of the Spirit Stream Sect, and every mountain had one like it. It was filled with countless lines of glowing text that shifted like flowing water, constantly being replaced with new lines.
This was the Spirit Stream Sect's task board. Disciples took on tasks from it to earn spirit stones and contribution points, which were essential for cultivation.
Contribution points were especially valuable. They could be used to listen to teachings, enter the Spell Pavilion, or gain access to special cultivation sites. In many ways, they were more important than spirit stones.
At that moment, quite a few outer sect disciples stood by the stone tablet, studying the tasks. After choosing a task, they would politely speak with a middle-aged cultivator meditating below it.
Some servant disciples were also present, clearly distinguishable by their rougher clothing compared to the cloud-patterned robes of the outer disciples.
Any task not designated for inner disciples could be chosen by both outer and servant disciples. Ambitious servants viewed this place as their first step toward glory.
Bai Xiaochun had been standing there for a full incense stick's time, his expression flickering with indecision. He was staring at one flashing line in the middle of the stone tablet, hesitating.
"Longevity Pill… I didn't expect the sect to have a pill like that. Judging by the name, it seems it could extend lifespan..." he muttered. After pondering a bit longer, he approached the middle-aged cultivator at the base of the tablet.
This cultivator was surrounded by outer disciples who all ignored Bai Xiaochun when he arrived. To them, servant disciples weren't worth noticing.
When the crowd lessened, Bai Xiaochun put on a respectful look and cupped his fists.
"Good afternoon, Senior Brother."
The cultivator gave Bai Xiaochun a brief glance and nodded silently.
"Senior Brother, I saw a task that involves collecting a few herbs in exchange for a Longevity Pill. Does this pill really extend life?" Bai Xiaochun quickly asked.
"Longevity Pill… yes, there's such a task. The pill does indeed extend lifespan—by one year. However, it has several limitations. It can only be used by cultivators below the fifth level of Qi Condensation, and it only works once. After that, it has no effect. It's rare and valuable, yes, but for just one year… its use is limited," the cultivator explained, taking a liking to Bai Xiaochun's politeness.
"Normally, it's given to mortal family members of disciples to prolong their lives. But it is expensive. Do you want to take the task?"
Bai Xiaochun glanced up at the tablet, thought for a moment, and then nodded.
The cultivator raised his hand and pointed at the tablet. The task line turned gray. At the same time, a jade slip appeared in his hand, which he tossed to Bai Xiaochun.
"Green Spirit Leaf, Earth Dragon Fruit, Stone Bug Skin—gather enough of these, and you can exchange them for one Longevity Pill," he said flatly before turning to another outer disciple.
Bai Xiaochun left with the jade slip, his mind filled with the words "Longevity Pill." Determination gradually filled his eyes.
"I must get that pill to make up for the year I lost."
With that resolve, he headed straight to the Four Seas Hall to search the basic records available to servant disciples. There, he found information on the Green Spirit Leaf—it only grew where a bird called the Spirit-Waiting Bird nested. These birds liked to flock together, and even one of them was as strong as a second-level Qi Condensation cultivator. Harvesting it wouldn't be easy, hence the leaf's high price.
But there were no entries on the Earth Dragon Fruit or Stone Bug Skin. Bai Xiaochun touched his empty pocket and left with a bitter smile. Back at the kitchen, he asked around. No one had heard of the Earth Dragon Fruit, but Hei Sanpang knew about Stone Bug Skin. It came from a spiritual insect called the Stone Bug, and the skin was its shed shell.
The skin was incredibly tough and heavy. It was rare on the south bank, but the north bank—where beast-taming techniques were common—had more of it. However, only inner sect disciples could cross the mountain bridge to travel between the two sides of the sect.
"Why are you asking about these herbs? You can't eat them. Besides, they're crazy expensive at the southern marketplace," Zhang Dapang said, patting his belly in surprise.
At the mention of the marketplace, Bai Xiaochun's eyes lit up. After giving a brief explanation, he rushed down the mountain. Although he hadn't gone out much during the year, he knew about the marketplace outside the sect.
Most of the shops were run by cultivator clans related to sect disciples, or by the disciples themselves. Over time, the place had grown into a bustling hub.
It was also where the kitchen got its supplies.
After touring the place, especially the herbal shops, Bai Xiaochun returned to the kitchen frowning, sighing constantly.
"It's outrageous! That Earth Dragon Fruit—just a root fruit that grows underground—is so expensive!"
He had no concept of money. To him, nothing mattered more than lifespan. But right now, he was completely broke. Even his fatty senior brothers weren't much better off—they may have been full of tricks, but their wallets were just as empty.
As for selling the kitchen's food secretly, they had eaten plenty without getting caught, but trying to sell it? The Supervisory Office had their eyes everywhere—it was far too risky.
He thought and thought, but couldn't find a way to make money. The only option seemed to be selling items related to spirit refining.
But that felt inappropriate.
Several days passed in deep thought. One day, as he was meditating in his hut, a low bell suddenly rang through the sect.
It wasn't loud and quickly faded. Bai Xiaochun opened his eyes, not surprised. He'd heard this bell every month since joining. Zhang Dapang had told him—it signaled the trial paths on each peak were now open to servant disciples, giving them a chance to become outer sect disciples.
To qualify, one had to be at least at the third level of Qi Condensation. They could then choose one of the mountain paths to attempt the trial. Though the path was just a stairway leading up, it was imbued with magical force, making every step harder. If one could reach the top, they would be eligible to become an outer disciple.
But the sect only allowed the top three fastest climbers from each peak. With tens of thousands of servant disciples just on the south bank, competition was brutal.
As for the kitchen crew, they would rather die hungry than compete for an outer disciple spot. Every month, they just watched the fuss from afar with mocking expressions.
Bai Xiaochun closed his eyes again—but suddenly snapped them open. A strange glint flashed through them, quickly turning into joy. An idea had taken shape in his mind. He got up and paced the room, thinking it through thoroughly. Finally, his face lit up with excitement.
"It'll work!"
He immediately threw open the door and called Zhang Dapang and the others over, interrupting their usual gossip about which unlucky servant might win the outer disciple slot this time.
"Senior brothers! I've got a money-making idea. Please help me out, and we'll all get rich!" Bai Xiaochun licked his lips, eyes gleaming as he looked at them.
Zhang Dapang and the others instantly perked up. They'd seen this expression before—back when Bai Xiaochun proposed thickening the bottoms of bowls to help the kitchen crew. That idea had made life much better for them.
"What is it, Ninth Fatty? Tell us! Honestly, we're broke too. Damn those Supervisory dogs—if it weren't for them, we'd be rich just selling stuff from the kitchen!" Zhang Dapang clapped Bai Xiaochun's shoulder, his eyes full of anticipation.