Chapter 276 - 159: Great Elder Lu Junyi of the Holy Pill Sect

Lu Junyi fell into deep thought upon hearing this: "An old acquaintance’s child?"

As the Great Elder of the Holy Pill Sect, Lu Junyi was a prominent figure throughout the entire Red Cloud Prefecture. His daily interactions were exclusively with high-ranking individuals from various sects and powerful families. These people were already influential in their own right and had no need to send their juniors to the Holy Pill Sect. He couldn’t think of anyone and laughed, saying, "I spend most of my time in the sect. Everyone I know has significant backgrounds. There’s no reason for them to send their juniors here. I’m busy reading, so just send him away."

"Great Elder, but he just took out a token made from Molten Lava Layered Stone! Although he looks like a farmer’s child, I’ve examined the token—it’s genuine! For a moment, I wasn’t sure what to do, so I came to ask you whether we should chase him away or..."

Lu Junyi, upon hearing this, immediately put down the ancient book he had just picked up. His eyes widened as he looked at Chen Ke, his voice rising slightly: "What did you say? A token made from Molten Lava Layered Stone? Are you sure you didn’t missee?"

"I saw it very clearly. The texture and feel of the token in hand are identical to the one in the Scripture Pavilion. I absolutely couldn’t mistake it!"

Lu Junyi’s expression grew increasingly perplexed. Molten Lava Layered Stone was extraordinarily valuable—it could be used not only for artifact refinement but also alchemy. Moreover, artifacts and pills refined with Molten Lava Layered Stone had a minimum grade starting from Dark Level. Even in the Holy Pill Sect, they only had one piece of it, which was kept as a prized treasure in the Scripture Pavilion purely for display. No one would dare to use it.

To create a token from such a precious material was both ostentatious and outrageously extravagant. Lu Junyi racked his brain but couldn’t think of any force in the Red Cloud Prefecture capable of such a thing.

"Bring him to me! I want to see him!"

Before Lu Junyi had finished speaking, he sprang to his feet: "Forget it—I’ll go personally!"

With that, his figure moved like the wind and disappeared from the pavilion. By the time Chen Ke reacted, all he could see was a retreating silhouette beyond the courtyard.

Chen Ke hurriedly shouted after him, "Great Elder, wait for me!"

On the midsection of Cloud Saint Peak, Gu Sheng and Lin Miaomiao were waiting for Chen Ke’s reply.

Gu Sheng looked up at the summit of Cloud Saint Peak and frowned, saying, "Senior Sister Lin, who was that person just now? We’re all fellow disciples, so why did he act so arrogant and superior?"

Lin Miaomiao couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly upon hearing this: "You’re still too young! Although we’re all disciples of the Holy Pill Sect, our statuses are worlds apart. He’s a Core Disciple, akin to a privileged heir in a powerful family, while we outer disciples are like servants. It’s normal for him to look down on us. Remember this: in this world, if you want to earn someone’s respect, you must possess sufficient strength. Otherwise, no matter where you go, you’ll have to endure humiliation and scrape by in obscurity."

Lin Miaomiao sighed deeply as she gazed at Cloud Saint Peak enveloped in mist, her eyes filled with bitterness and helplessness.

But she quickly stifled her despondent emotions, patted Gu Sheng’s shoulder, and said, "You don’t need to worry too much. Since your elders are old acquaintances of the Great Elder, he’ll surely look after you. Even if you’re not directly allowed to cultivate at Cloud Saint Peak, at the very least, you should be able to become an Inner Sect Disciple."

"While the treatment for Inner Sect Disciples can’t compare to that of Core Disciples, it’s far better than for us Outer Sect Disciples. Not only do Inner Sect Disciples receive ample resources for cultivation every month, but they also earn fixed contributions points from the sect. Moreover, elders provide personal guidance regularly. You’re just seventeen or eighteen and already at the Perfect stage of Blood Refining Realm. Your talent in martial arts is quite good. With sect resources and elder guidance, I believe you’ll soon advance to the Bronze Bone Realm! You’re still so young—if you manage to break through to the Bronze Bone Realm, with the Great Elder’s support, becoming a Core Disciple is practically guaranteed."

"Brother Gu Sheng, once you become a Core Disciple, don’t forget about your Senior Sister. Please take the trouble to say a few good words for me before the Great Elder. I don’t ask for much—just to become an Inner Sect Disciple at War God Peak!"

Hearing this, Gu Sheng couldn’t help but feel a sense of doubt. Lin Miaomiao’s aura was calm and profound; even among others in the Silver Bone Realm, she was considered formidable. Earlier, Chen Ke—though he was in the Golden Bone Realm—had a somewhat unstable aura, clearly having advanced only recently. Yet he was already a Core Disciple, while Lin Miaomiao remained merely an Outer Sect Disciple. The disparity seemed rather illogical.

"Senior Sister, isn’t advancement within the sect simply based on meeting the conditions? With your cultivation level, why haven’t you even entered the Inner Sect?"

Faced with Gu Sheng’s question, Lin Miaomiao couldn’t help but sigh again: "The sect does have a relatively complete system for disciple advancement. For an Outer Sect Disciple to ascend to the Inner Sect, one needs to break through to the Silver Bone Realm and accumulate a thousand sect contribution points. I’ve met both requirements after years in the sect. However, Inner Sect Disciple quotas are limited annually, and the people competing with me recently have all been relatives of Inner Sect administrators. With equal conditions, they naturally get priority due to their connections within the sect. That’s why I’m asking you to help plead with the Great Elder on my behalf. If I don’t enter the Inner Sect this year, I fear I won’t be able to advance to Golden Bone Realm before the age of thirty."

As she spoke, the light in Lin Miaomiao’s eyes gradually dimmed, brimming with dejection and defeat.

Gu Sheng wasn’t yet certain of the true extent of the token’s influence, so he didn’t dare to make any promises. He could only console her: "Don’t worry, Senior Sister. If there’s an opportunity, I’ll certainly speak to the Great Elder on your behalf."