Chapter 4: Elixirs and Hard Work

As for the remaining mortals, Qin Yan also made contact with them today and discovered that although they do not possess the illustrious backgrounds of immortal families, among them, there is only one poor scholar.

Of course, mortals also have herbal remedies, but their effects are far inferior to that of the Fixed Interest Pill. Xu Quan casually replied, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he was taken aback: "What? You don't even know this? Brother, you can't possibly have cultivated the internal energy from the 'Seeking Immortality Manual' solely relying on your passion and willpower without the aid of medicinal stones, can you?"

The background of each of these individuals can be said to easily surpass that of the somewhat isolated Lord of Weichi City. Therefore, when they practiced the "Seeking Immortality Classic," they could all use precious herbs as aids. In the end, however, the only one who honestly endured the excruciating pain of being gnawed by countless ants every day was none other than himself

However, that is a privilege reserved for the disciples of the immortal cultivation families, while we, the mortals, can only look on with envy.

With this thought, Qin Yan felt his chest expand, leaving no room for discontent, only a longing for the future

Cultivating immortality relies on oneself; enduring hardships has honed my willpower. Just wait and see, one day I will undoubtedly become a powerful cultivator.

At this moment, there was no longer any resentment on his face, and a faint smile even lingered at the corners of his mouth as he muttered to himself: "What does it matter if there are elixirs to alleviate suffering? That only proves your weakness. Qin relies on his own willpower and has reached this point just the same."

Originally, I was joyfully becoming a disciple of the immortal sect, but inadvertently I became aware of such a great secret, making my own efforts seem like nothing more than a joke

... ...

In a moment of emotional turmoil, Qin Yan quickly calmed his thoughts and forced a smile, saying: "Our backgrounds are different, and there is nothing we can do about it. As mere mortals, we naturally cannot compare to the conditions of those immortal cultivation families."

As dawn was just breaking, someone was continuously standing outside the courtyard, gazing into the distance

The immortal sect indeed shows favoritism; although all have passed the assessment, the disciples from those immortal cultivation families were received in magnificent buildings akin to palaces, enjoying the best in food, clothing, and living conditions. In contrast, over ten mortal disciples, including myself, were relegated to a large courtyard situated halfway up the mountain, which was constructed from piled stones and appeared much simpler on the outside

Over the past decade or so, every time I attempted to circulate my internal energy, it felt worse than death. On one occasion, I even bit my teeth to pieces, while the disciples of those immortal cultivation families sailed smoothly, cultivating to such a level.

Beside him, an excited voice entered his ears. Qin Yan then raised his head and saw a beam of sword light emerging from the horizon, moving with incredible speed. In no time, it appeared before him. As the brilliance retracted, it revealed the visage of a celestial envoy clad in white, her face adorned with an air of cold pride. Her gaze swept across the faces of the crowd, and then she spoke: "Who among you is Qin Yan?"

Qin Yan was silent; this was the first time he had learned of this secret. He originally thought that in order to be accepted into the immortal sect, one would have to endure countless hardships. He never imagined that there was such a shortcut in the world.

He raised his head; the moonlight tonight is splendid. As he gazed into the distance, although the scenery appeared somewhat hazy, it added a touch of beauty compared to the clarity of daytime. Qin Yan took a deep breath and then exhaled the turbid air from his chest, as if he had expelled all the discontent from his heart.

The night is cool as water, and the bright moonlight spills down from the sky, casting a hazy glow over the scenery in the mountains. Qin Yan, all alone, sits on a stone in the mountains, gazing at this paradise-like wonderland before him, yet his mood is inexplicably troubled.

Arrived

The way of heaven rewards diligence; the future may still hold countless hardships, but I, Qin Yan, will definitely not be defeated by you all

The earliest acquaintance, Xu Quan, was born into immense wealth, hailing from the Xu family of Qinghe County, known for their business acumen. Over several generations, they accumulated substantial wealth, and even if they were not the richest in the State of Wu, they were not far from it.

Moreover, setting aside the fact that the fixed interest elixir can enhance the speed of cultivation, merely the removal of suffering alone constitutes a significant unfairness

A night without incident

Qin Yan nodded

Those individuals from families of cultivators, with the support of their elders and the availability of fixed-interest pills, have had their original tenfold suffering reduced by ninefold. The remaining bit, although still sorrowful, is truly negligible.

Although the Sea Sand Sect is merely a secular martial arts faction, it boasts thousands of disciples. With such a formidable presence, it naturally does not lack for wealth.

Qin Yan was taken aback and exclaimed: "Is there a way for mortals to alleviate the suffering experienced while cultivating the 'Seeking Immortality Scripture'?"

... ...

"Indeed, the fixed elixir they consume can alleviate over ninety percent of the suffering. As for my Xu family, we have never lacked for that yellow and white substance. We could use one thousand taels of gold to procure the herbs, yet in the end, they are merely ordinary products. After consumption, they only manage to reduce half of the pain at best." Xu Quan sighed, his face filled with an expression of unwillingness.

At this thought, Qin Yan naturally felt indignant; the opportunity he had painstakingly earned through countless hardships posed no difficulty for the other party.

As for food and drink, although they are not in short supply, they are still several levels inferior compared to the disciples of those immortal cultivation families, clearly reflecting a disparity even before entering the door.

Of course, Qin Yan was originally a child of a poor family, and such clothing and living standards were already considered quite decent for him. There was nothing particularly blameworthy about it. What truly frustrated Qin Yan was that the assessment of the immortal sect was exceedingly unfair

The circumstances of the remaining individuals are quite similar; some are the offspring of officials, some belong to wealthy merchant families, and even those from humble beginnings are often the young masters of the Hai Sha faction

On the second day, everyone woke up early, as today was the auspicious day for the opening of spiritual paths. The young men and women who were about to embark on their journey to immortality were naturally extremely excited

The other party widened their eyes, looking at Qin Yan with an expression as if they were gazing at a monster

Young people are often restless, but compared to his peers, Qin Yan appears notably calm. His reflections from last night have greatly benefited him. Although the future may hold many challenges and obstacles, he is determined to overcome them one by one, and there is no need to appear overly eager at this moment