Li Lang quickly calmed himself down once he realized he was starting to come up with crazy ideas, like joining a demonic sect. Based on the books he had read and the information he gathered, demonic cultivators weren’t decent human beings. He didn’t have enough information to make any definitive statements, but all his sources had negative things to say about demonic cultivators.

However, their techniques definitely caught Li Lang’s interest. Their cultivation techniques were known to allow practitioners to advance regardless of their aptitude. They accomplished this by absorbing the Qi and cultivation from others. That particular characteristic was why several elders in Spirit Grove had accused Li Lang of being a demonic cultivator.

While reaching stage four of Energy Gathering at the age of twelve wasn’t anything impressive, it was another matter when aptitude was taken into consideration. It was believed those of a lower aptitude had less talent for manipulating Qi, and few ever get past stage three without years of bitter cultivation.

Either way, I don’t think I can stay here. The nearby sects will probably hear about me from Spirit Grove as well, so I’ll have to go somewhere far away if I want to continue with my experiments. How dare they associate it with demonic cultivation!

Li Lang glared back down on the map he bought from the Mission Hall.

It was much more detailed than what he had seen within the Zi family estate. It showed the surrounding provinces and the main roads.

Spirit Grove was still located in the same province as the Zi family’s home in Lingyun Town, within the Yellow Qilin province. It was on the southern tip of Violet Isle and had four neighboring provinces. The first one to the east was called Jade Lotus. The one to the north was Vermillion Dragon, while the one to the west was called Azure Mist.

The one that stood out the most was also the largest province to the south, which was simply labeled Demonic Cultivator Territory. It was the only coastal province and boasted the largest area among all the surrounding territories.

There were few details about the Demonic Cultivator Territory, but the map surprisingly depicted a city right on top of the border it shared with the Yellow Qilin province.

Is this where they trade with demonic cultivators? Wait…Do they even engage in trade with them?

Li Lang pulled his hair out all night as he fretted about the future.

The next day, Elder Cao showed up again in the early afternoon.

“Have you made a decision?”

“...Yes. I have decided to listen to your recommendation and leave.” Li Lang let out a sigh of relief once he managed to voice his decision out loud and met the elder’s eyes with a determined gaze.

“Very well. I will handle the matters with the sect. Expect to leave tomorrow morning.”

“Elder Cao, will I still be able to use up all my contribution points before I go?”

“...It may be awkward for you to try. Your…unique appearance is hard to miss. Give me your sect token. I can procure what you want for you.”

“Thank you, elder.” Li Lang respectfully handed over the token while his mind was running calculations on what he needed for his travels. “Also, may I ask about the situation in Polarity City?”

“Polarity City? Hmm…I guess that isn’t a bad place to go if you want to continue with your… tests. I’ve seen many people like you who wanted to search for ways to bridge the gap in aptitude. Just know that there are lines you shouldn’t cross, like demonic cultivation. It’ll corrupt your mind from within, then no one will be able to save you.”

“Of course, elder.”

“Polarity City is one of the largest neutral cities where trade prospers. The city lord there has unfathomable cultivation and does not allow any fighting within his territory, so it should be safe for you to go. It is my personal recommendation for you to head to Azure Mist and join another sect, but Polarity City is not a bad choice either.”

“Umm, even if it is right beside the Demonic Cultivator Territory?”

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“Yes…” Elder Cao frowned. “The demonic cultivators aren’t a united force. Some of them…can be reasoned with. Neutral cities exist to allow us to trade with them for their various resources that are only found within their territory. But anyway, it is quite a trip there on foot…”

“Do you think I can buy a Skyrunner with my contribution points?”

“They aren’t cheap and require Qi stones to power them.” The elder took a second to inspect Li Lang’s sect token. “I should have known you would accumulate such an amount of contribution points since you succeed in refining pills every session. This should be enough to purchase something made by an apprentice Woodsmith.”

Throughout the year Li Lang had spent in Spirit Grove, he never stopped refining pills. He could do three batches a day, and each batch had four pills on average. While he had spent some on coins to pay test subjects, Li Lang was still left with over two thousand points.

The next morning, Elder Cao met with Li Lang at his dorms. He handed over the pack with his Spirit Grove disciple robes to the elder before exiting the place he lived in for almost a year. Without the olive-green robes that all disciples wore, Li Lang stuck out like a sore thumb.

However, no one dared to question Li Lang with Elder Cao right beside him, and they made their way toward the Sky Berth.

“I have converted all your outstanding contribution points into Qi stones here.” Elder Cao handed a small burlap bag over before waving her hand to materialize a Skyrunner. “And this is your Skyrunner. It can’t go that fast, but that also means it won’t consume as many Qi stones.”

The wooden carriage in question did appear more shabby compared to all the ones Li Lang had encountered. It had no adornments and was made of cheap-looking wood. Other than that, it didn’t differ too much from the conventional Skyrunner, with seats for six.

Li Lang didn’t really mind as long as it worked, so after a quick glance, he brought his attention to the Qi stones instead.

“There sure is a lot in here.”

“...I added a little extra…as a parting gift. That is all I can do for you as the one responsible for bringing you into the sect. You will have to take care of yourself from now on.”

She talks as if she was responsible for any of this…In fact, it should be the opposite. I’m sure inviting someone into the sect who was later found to be conducting dubious experiments didn’t look good for her. I’m glad I met someone kind like her.

“Thank you for everything…I owe you a lot. I won’t forget about this.”

Elder Cao said nothing and simply nodded. After a few more words of warning and instructing Li Lang how to drive his new Skyrunner, the little big-headed boy departed from Spirit Grove.

He drove his new Skyrunner in the opposite direction from the colossal tree that was the symbol of the Spirit Grove and headed straight for Xiang Yang.

It took half a day to arrive at the familiar city as Li Lang’s new Skyrunner was much slower than the other ones he’s been on.

Arriving at the city, this time, Li Lang no longer had a sect token to show the gate guards, but he did still have his alchemist ring. The problem was what to do with his Skyrunner.

“Umm, can I leave my Skyrunner out here?” Li Lang politely asked the gatekeeper.

“No, you’ll have to bring it along with you, like all the other carriages, and park it somewhere else.”

It was only at the guard’s words that Li Lang realized a Skyrunner could function as a normal carriage too. He smacked himself on the forehead for the belated realization. Every time he saw Skyrunners, they had always been in the air. That was how he differentiated them from normal carriages.

So all those normal carriages running around in the streets could be Skyrunners too…Or not, they usually disappear at the wave of the hand of their owner…

It took Li Lang some extra time to navigate the city with a carriage, as his usual path went through narrow streets. Still, he had commuted to the city enough times over the ten months that he wouldn’t get lost on the way to Wei Ping’s residence.

“B-boss! You’re back. How d-did the sect c-competition go?”

“Well…A lot happened and I’m no longer part of Spirit Grove now…”

“W-what?”

“Let’s sit down first. It’s a long story.”

Li Lang proceeded to retell his tale over a cup of tea while Wei Ping listened quietly the entire time. His expression changed several times throughout the story, but he only spoke after Li Lang was finished.

“So, what a-are you planning t-to do now?”

“I’m moving to Polarity City, and I was hoping you’d come with me.”

“I…”

“Please, I need you. Our research is close to completion, but the sects around here won’t let me continue it on their turf.”

“A-as long as you d-don’t mind, I w-will come along. I want to become a p-powerful cultivator, too!”

The young boy stood tall, unleashing his aura of a third stage Energy Gatherer.

Wei Ping took a surprisingly short time to pack his things. It was only now that Li Lang learned his place wasn’t actually his, but belonged to a deceased old man. Wei Ping only secretly lived there, as no one cared about the shabby shack.

The two young boys excitedly stocked up for their journey and exited the city the next morning.

Just as they exited the gates and began to ascend into the air on their Skyrunner, a loud shout reached their ears.

“Li Lang! Wait for me!”