Chapter 8 The Gap Is Created Like This

  "Sun Ming, you have entered the inner gate." Lingyuan said expressionlessly.

  "Then I'll thank Senior Brother first, what should I call myself? Lingming? Lingsun? Never mind, I'll think about it later." Sun Ming was already thinking of his future Daoist name with a pleased expression.

  The next match also shocked everyone, Zhao Dabao and Ouyang Mingyue's Cold Sparrow Sword was unexpectedly on par with Lingyuan's. In just one short day, the three of them emerged victorious, from causing trouble in front of Tianfeng Elder to winning the competition. No wonder the outer sect's grand competition had never been attended by seniors from a powerful sect before.

  "Boss, you're really something. I was going to make you call me boss, but it looks like today I have no choice but to call you boss instead." Zhao Dabao said.

  "It's fine, I don't care about you being a junior brother either. Anyway, we'll be sworn brothers from now on, so it's not bad if you call me that." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Alright, junior brothers and sisters, go back and prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, we will be entering the true sect." said Ling Feng.

  "Yes, senior brother," the three replied.

  "Disciple, tomorrow you will be entering the true sect, and you will also have to find a master. You must cultivate well, do you understand? Go back early today, I'll teach you how to refine something." Cloud Ancestor said.

  "It's Master Sun Mingdao."

  "Do you know why Master Zhi didn't let you use these precious materials that were extracted?" Yun Zhongzi asked as they returned to Sun Ming's residence in Cang Xugu.

  "Although I don't know what to ask, Master should have his own reasons for doing so." Sun Ming replied.

  "A child can be taught, ah. These discarded materials in Cang Xugou are the accumulation of so many years of refining instruments since the establishment of Qilinglei Sect. To others, they may be worthless, but to us two master and disciple, it's different. We two master and disciple possess the Hongmeng Purple Fire, the most mysterious divine fire in the world, which can restore any material to its original state. That's why when you were refining the Fantian Seal, I told you to remove some impurities from the raw materials. Actually, these are not impurities at all, but rather precious instrument-refining materials. Do you remember Tianjinsa? The stone you sleep on every day is actually it. And the stone you use as a footrest in the back latrine is actually Xingchen Silver." Cloud Middle Child said.

  "Master, is this true?" Sun Ming shouted and ran to the toilet, bringing back Xingchen Silver. Although it was very smelly, Sun Ming felt extremely happy. Xingchen Silver! That's something that can refine Mustard Hand Rings, Qiankun Bags and other spatial treasures! I'm rich, I'm rich! Yun Zhongzi's voice calmed Sun Ming down.

  "You've arrived just in time. We're leaving tomorrow, so we need to take all these materials with us today. Come, let me teach you how to refine the Xumi Ring." said Yun Zhongzi.

  "This Mustard Seed Ring, actually utilizes the most difficult aspect of the Dao Refining Apparatus - Space. Originally, I had planned to let you try it during the Yuan Ying period, but with so many materials, it's a pity to waste them as they can be used to replicate a very famous treasure. Today, I will refine a Mustard Seed Ring for you, pay attention and watch closely." said Yun Zhongzi.

  "Master, what kind of treasure can be refined with these materials?" Sun Ming asked in puzzlement.

  "The Five Fires and Seven Birds Fan, also known as the Five Fires Divine Flame Fan. This fan has the Empty Sky Fire, Stone Fire, Wood Fire, Samadhi Fire, and Human World Fire, all combined into one; this treasure fan has the wings of the Phoenix, Blue Luan, Great Peng, Peacock, White Crane, Swan, and Bird of Prey, seven birds' feathers. On the front, there is a symbol seal and a mantra. The materials here can be used to refine the main body of the fan. As for those five fires - Empty Sky Fire, Stone Fire, Wood Fire, Samadhi Fire, and Human World Fire, it's naturally possible to replicate them with Hongmeng Purple Fire. So, we only lack the seven birds' wings, but you don't have to worry, in such a vast Cultivation Realm, we should be able to gather all of them. If not, once we reach the Immortal Realm, we'll definitely find them." Cloud Ancestor said.

  When Sun Ming was fantasizing about carrying the Five Fire Seven Birds Fan and setting fires everywhere, Yun Zhongzi interrupted him and said, "Look carefully, this Xumi Ring is impossible to refine with your current cultivation level. I will try my best to complete the refinement before your True Yuan energy is exhausted, so you need to pay attention and understand. Don't memorize those hand seals for now, you can't learn them yet."

  "Master, I understand." Sun Ming said.

  Suddenly, Sun Ming lost control of his body, from a dominant person to an onlooker. It felt very uncomfortable for a while, thinking that the Mustard Seed Ring was still quickly watching Yun Zhongzi's refining process.

  At first, Sun Ming felt that he could still keep up, but later on, even watching was too fast-paced, so he had to give up.

  Only in front of Yun Zhongzi, a silver-gray liquid was constantly boiling and condensing in the midst of true fire. The color of the true fire changed from purple to white, green, black, red, yellow, then back to yellow, red, black, green, white, and finally to purple, circulating endlessly. With each cycle, the liquid shrank a little more, until it was almost the size of a ring. Just as the color of the true fire stabilized at purple, a ring took shape. Under Yun Zhongzi's control, Sun Ming's hands kept changing, constantly casting seals onto the ring. Sun Ming felt his body's true yuan energy rapidly draining away. Just when he thought his true yuan energy was about to be depleted, Yun Zhongzi's voice came through.

  "A drop of blood recognizes its master," Yun Zhongzi said.

  Sun Ming regained control of his body, gritted his teeth and bit his finger, just as the blood dripped down, Sun Ming felt the ring fit onto his right hand's ring finger. With a thought, the piece of leftover Starlight Silver disappeared.

  "This ring is so big, I reckon it can even hold the entire Qianshou Mountain." Sun Mingdao said.

  "Of course, the handprint on your ring just now was a genuine Yuqing Xianfa seal, that's why it had such a large space. You also felt the consumption of true yuan energy from this Xianfa, right? Now you're not ready to learn, but when you reach the stage of Lianqi Huashen, I'll definitely teach it to you." said Yun Zhongzi.

  "I know, Master. Anyway, it's all mine sooner or later, I'm not in a hurry." Sun Mingdao said.

  "Ah, you kid," Yun Zhongzi said with a rare smile.

  "Tomorrow, tomorrow I can officially become a Cultivator."

  The next day, Sun Ming ran to the top of Qihun Mountain early in the morning. Just after taking a breath, a big fat hand patted his shoulder.

  "Wow, Boss is up early! I didn't think you'd be more anxious than me!" Zhao Dabao said with a silly grin.

  "Yes, yes, but I'm not the earliest either, look over there, there's a beauty." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Good morning, Miss Ouyang." Zhao Dabao greeted Ouyang Mingyue with an innocent expression.

  Ouyang Mingyue seemed to be the same as ever, her face unchanged from when they first met until now, always expressionless, as if someone in her family had died. She merely nodded slightly at Sunming and Zhao Dabao, which was considered a greeting.

  "Junior brother, junior sister are ready, we're going back to the inner sect." said Ling Yuan.

  "How is it Flowing Clouds again!" Sun Ming looked at this treasure with a sense of nostalgia, twenty years had passed in the blink of an eye. When he faced this treasure again, his mood was completely different from before. Back then, he had come to Qilingshan with a carefree attitude, but now he had become a formal disciple of the sect. The young man who used to be muddled and confused was now pursuing the elusive Heavenly Way.

  With the envious eyes of those outer disciples who failed to be selected, Sun Ming and his group left.

  Huoyun Mountains is a vast mountain range of several thousand miles, with countless peaks. As long as one's cultivation reaches the Yuan Ying period, they can choose a peak to open up their own practice place. So when Sun Ming and others were flying, they saw cultivators using magic treasures to fly out from the mountains.

  "Senior brother, where are we going now?" Sun Mingdao asked.

  "Disciples below the Yuan Ying period are not qualified to open up a cave mansion, so of course we need to return to our Ling Zi generation disciples' gathering place, Ling Yuan Mountain. At that time, I will find a master uncle with cultivation above the Yuan Ying period for each of you three to be your master, and you must behave well, because those master uncles have very high requirements for selecting disciples." said Ling Yuan Dao.

  "You've entered the inner gate and become official disciples of Qī Líng Zōng, you must work hard to cultivate. Your current cultivation is too low, some of the same generation of Lingzi disciples who entered the inner gate at the same time as you have already formed golden elixirs, and a few are even more powerful than us. Even the worst one has reached the fusion period. So, you must work hard to cultivate, or the gap will only get bigger." said Líng Fēng.

  "Alright, Brother Lingfeng, is Brother Lingkong on the mountain? I'd like to see him," Sun Ming asked.

  "What's with this 'Ling Kong Shixiong' business, anyway? You'll have to change your ways. From now on, not only do you have to keep calling me 'Ling Kong Shishu', but I also have to call him that." said Ling Feng.

  "When did that happen? Has Master Lingkong entered the Yuan Infant stage? I might as well just ask Master Lingkong to be my master directly." Sun Ming asked.

  "Two years ago, when he just broke through, we fellow disciples who joined the sect together all envied his talent. Although he was an outer disciple like you at first, he entered the Yuan Ying period earlier than us inner disciples, it's really admirable." Ling Feng said with a face full of reverence.

  "Your information was sent to some masters above the yuan ying period who have not accepted disciples through the transmission jade symbol last night. As for Sun Ming, you asked if it's possible to join Ling Kong, now called Xuan Kong, under Master Xuan Kong's door, it depends on whether you can meet Master Xuan Kong today." Leng Yuan replied indifferently.

  Sun Ming'en fell silent at once. But in his heart, he was praying "I hope Master Xuan Kong becomes my master."

  "Yes, let that person be your master, and you will find it much more convenient in your future actions," said Yun Zhongzi.

  "I've finally figured out why even with the same amount of time, a slight difference in talent can't possibly result in such a huge gap." Sun Ming muttered to himself.

  "What's up, boss?" Zhao Dabao said.

  "Feel the density of the spiritual energy around here carefully, although it's still a distance from Lingyuan Mountain, but the density of the spiritual energy here is already more than twice as dense as where we were." Sun Ming explained.