Chapter 35: Return Back to Purple Shade Sect

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Return Back to Purple Shade Sect

The outer sect gate of the Purple Shade Sect stood ahead of them beneath the afternoon sun.

Familiar light purple mist drifted around the mountain path, while outer disciples in their sect robes moved in and out of the gate as usual.

Han Jin stepped forward first and presented their tokens.

After a brief inspection, the gate disciples let them pass without any trouble.

Word that three outer disciples had returned alive from an 8th Stage demon wolf mission had already attracted a few curious glances, but no one stopped them.

The three of them went straight to the Mission Hall.

The deacon on duty was a middle-aged inner disciple with a bored expression.

He barely looked up when they approached, but his eyes finally focused when Han Jin placed the Ironback Demon Wolf’s beast core and several fangs on the table.

"Qinghe Village mission... completed?"

"Yes," Han Jin answered calmly. "The target is dead. However, the village was later destroyed by a wolf pack led by a peak 9th Stage alpha. We barely managed to escape."

The deacon’s brows rose slightly as he picked up the beast core and examined it for a moment.

After confirming its authenticity, he recorded the completion in the mission register.

"Contribution points will be issued according to the original mission. As for the wolf pack, I’ll pass the information to the relevant elders."

He casually put the beast core down and waved them off.

"You three can leave."

Just like that, the matter was settled.

No one asked why an outer disciple at the 3rd Stage had been sent on such a dangerous mission in the first place.

No one asked about the mortal villagers who had been caught in the middle of it either.

The sect only cared that the assigned target was dead and that proof of completion had been provided.

Li Jian silently accepted his share of the contribution points before leaving the Mission Hall with the others.

Once they were outside, Han Jin was the first to speak.

"I’m going into seclusion for a while. With this foundation, I need to prepare for my breakthrough."

Su Qin nodded as well.

The exhaustion she had carried throughout the journey had already faded, replaced by a quiet excitement at the changes within her cultivation.

"I also need some time to stabilize my foundation. Don’t look for me unless it’s important."

Soon,

The two of them soon left together, still appearing to be the familiar Dao Companion pair everyone in the outer sect knew them as.

Only Li Jian knew just how much had changed between the three of them during this trip... and how much Favor Debt now tied the two of them to him.

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The moment Li Jian closed the door behind him, the calm expression on his face faded into something colder and sharper.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, took out the dual cultivation jade slip from his spatial ring, and pressed it against his forehead.

In this world, jade slips were commonly used to store cultivation techniques and other forms of knowledge.

Unlike ordinary written records, a jade slip could directly imprint the information stored within it into the user’s mind, allowing them to understand the contents much faster than if they had to read through them manually.

Of course, this method did not mean the user could instantly master whatever was inside.

The jade slip could only impart the knowledge and information itself.

Understanding, comprehension, and cultivation still depended on the individual’s own talent and effort.

Slowly, as the spiritual energy within the jade slip activated, information flooded into Li Jian’s mind.

Circulation routes, methods for exchanging qi between two cultivators, the requirements for a stable partner, and various precautions related to the technique appeared in his consciousness one after another.

Soon, Li Jian’s expression gradually changed.

At first, he had only been curious about the technique.

He had assumed it would be some relatively common dual cultivation method that could help him improve his cultivation speed.

But after fully understanding the contents, his eyes widened slightly.

"...Heaven Grade?"

Li Jian couldn’t help but stare at the jade slip in his hand.

He had expected the technique to be useful, but he hadn’t expected it to be this valuable.

In the cultivation world, techniques were generally divided into several grades: Mortal, Earth, Heaven, Saint, and Divine.

Mortal Grade techniques were the most common and could be found among ordinary cultivators and weaker sects.

Earth Grade techniques were already considerably more valuable, usually reserved for better disciples and more established forces.

Above them was Heaven Grade.

Any Heaven Grade cultivation technique was considered extremely precious, even within a major sect.

Ordinary outer disciples would have almost no chance of coming into contact with one, let alone obtaining one for themselves.

Above Heaven Grade were Saint Grade and Divine Grade techniques.

Those techniques were so rare that they were usually regarded as treasures capable of becoming the foundation of a powerful sect or inheritance.

As for Divine Grade techniques, Li Jian had only heard about them from vague rumors.

Whether ordinary cultivators could even obtain one was another matter entirely.

And yet...

The dual cultivation technique in his hands was a Heaven Grade technique.

Li Jian stared at the jade slip for several seconds before a strange expression appeared on his face.

"Where exactly did that old corpse get this thing?"

He had originally thought the unknown corpse’s inheritance had only given him a useful cultivation method.

Now, it seemed that the value of that inheritance was far greater than he had imagined.

More importantly, this wasn’t simply a Heaven Grade technique for increasing cultivation.

The technique was specifically designed for dual cultivation, allowing two compatible cultivators to circulate their qi together and greatly improve the efficiency of their cultivation.

If practiced correctly, both parties could benefit.

Li Jian’s eyes slowly narrowed.

For someone with average talent like him, this was exactly the kind of method that could help close the gap.

He lowered the jade slip and glanced toward the wall separating his residence from Nangong Mei’s.

His thoughts then returned to Su Qin.

’6,590 points... More than enough.’

He didn’t need to rush over and drag her here immediately.

First, he needed to stabilize the gains from the Golden Marrow Tempering Pool.

His meridians were still faintly sore, and his foundation had only just been compressed and strengthened.

If he forced himself to begin dual cultivation while his body was still adjusting, he would only waste the opportunity.

Rest and stabilize first.

Li Jian closed his eyes and began circulating his qi according to his newly strengthened foundation.

The spiritual energy in the outer sect was thin, but after being tempered by the Golden Marrow Tempering Pool, every strand of qi he absorbed felt purer and more obedient than before.

Outside, the Purple Shade Sect continued with its usual afternoon routine.

Inside the small stone residence, Li Jian quietly focused on consolidating his gains.