Northern Yan Chapter Six: Though Small, the Sparrow

Mo Hao stepped out of his room and glanced at the jade token in his hand. He recalled the elder’s words: with this token, he could visit the Hall of Hidden Achievements, the Refining Chamber, the Alchemy Room, and the Training Hall. His immediate priority was to cultivate to the mid-stage of the Fasting Realm. Only then could he master flying magical artifacts, enter the realm of centennial longevity, greatly augment his magical power, and truly become an immortal cultivator. The ability to refine flying magical artifacts had always been his ardent aspiration.

Since childhood, he had heard legends of immortals soaring through the skies and traversing the earth with boundless abilities, roaming the nine heavens. The mere thought stirred excitement within him. Yet, when he considered his five-element spiritual veins, he wondered how he would continue cultivation after breaking through to the mid-stage. Shaking his head firmly, he smiled—he had yet to reach the mid-stage; it was premature to dwell on such thoughts.

Arriving at the main hall where he was to meet the elder, he found the place exceedingly humble: a single table, a storage counter, and a small stool—barely enough room to sit comfortably. Approaching, he saw the elder sprawled over the counter, snoring softly. After coughing twice, the elder stirred, slowly rising and squinting his cloudy eyes with evident irritation.

“Didn’t I say, don’t wake me during my noon nap? You disciples of external affairs are truly troublesome.”

At that moment, an old woman entered through the back door—the same one who had served tea and water before. She noticed Mo Hao standing at the counter and saw the elder rising only to slump back down while mumbling. Embarrassed, she approached, nudged the elder, and whispered something into his ear. The elder’s eyes suddenly snapped open; he shakily stood, casting a tense glance at Mo Hao.

Mo Hao inquired about several matters, learning more about the Hall of Hidden Achievements, the Alchemy Room, and other places. After bidding farewell, he skirted around the main hall.

Surrounding the hall were towering ancient trees, their dense leaves blotting out the sunlight, plunging Mo Hao into near darkness upon entry. Looking up, he could see only blackness. Hastily, he infused his eyes with magical power using a method taught by Master Xuan Fengzi in the foundational cultivation manual. Gradually, shapes began to emerge before his eyes. He followed the elder’s indicated direction carefully, realizing that without the guidance of a cultivator, one would easily lose their way here.

After about fifteen minutes, a luminous barrier appeared ahead. It looked familiar, reminiscent of the scene Han Qing and he had encountered before entering the mountain gate. Mo Hao pressed his jade token against the barrier; it melted away like melting ice, revealing a large opening. Without hesitation, he stepped through and glanced back nervously, fearing the barrier might close behind him.

Before him stood several majestic buildings. Inside and outside the formation, the scenes contrasted sharply.

In the center was a garden-sized pond, from which jets of water spouted upwards, surrounded by swirling mist that gave the place a heavenly illusion. Each building bore a few sharp-stroked characters on its door. Mo Hao’s gaze settled on his destination: the Alchemy Room. Approaching, he swiped the jade token, and the door opened. He strode inside.

The space was modest, densely packed with cabinets. At the end lay individual alchemy rooms, with descriptions of alchemy inscribed on the walls.

As he ventured further, Mo Hao quickly covered his mouth and nose. Perhaps no one had come here for a long time; his movements stirred up a thick cloud of dust, causing tears to stream from his eyes. Standing before the cabinets, he noticed that except for a few small compartments holding jade and porcelain bottles, most cabinets were empty. He glanced at the names of the medicines beneath these empty counters and deduced the reason: only cultivators with the jade token could enter this place, while the outer gate was generally occupied by ordinary mortals without cultivation. Hence, the alchemical medicines accessible to mortals had been taken away.

Mo Hao did not dwell on this. He was here to find elixirs that could aid his cultivation. The thought of reaching the mid-stage of the Fasting Realm stirred excitement within him.

The first jade bottle was labeled: “Blood Condensing Pill, 5 contribution points, effect: restores a small amount of lost vitality and magical power.”

During his fierce battle with the White Ape, Han Qing had gifted him one of these. Mo Hao scanned the other bottles, seeking one that could enhance magical power. After inspecting five or six, he found what he desired and, despite the hefty cost of sixty contribution points, purchased it resolutely for the sake of advancing to mid-stage.

This pill was called the Summoning Pill, crafted from the inner elixir of a water-element demon beast to boost magical power during the Fasting Realm. Though it could also enhance Foundation Establishment cultivation, its effects were minimal—otherwise, such a pill wouldn’t be stocked in an outer affairs hall. Instinctively, Mo Hao looked to the next cabinet compartment to find it empty. Surprised, he wondered if Feng Xing and the others had redeemed all the pills. But judging by the thick dust, it seemed unlikely.

He examined the description beneath: another pill required two hundred contribution points—a Glow Mist Pill, known as an auxiliary Foundation Establishment pill. Made from the inner elixir of a rare demon beast, it could greatly augment magical power during the Fasting Realm and had noticeable effects even for some Foundation Establishment cultivators.

More importantly, it served as a booster for Foundation Establishment pills, increasing the chance of breaking through from the Fasting Realm to Foundation Establishment. Since few mortals possessed spiritual veins, and fewer still could embark on cultivation and reach Foundation Establishment, such pills were highly coveted.

Mo Hao pondered. If he could refine pills himself, he could save many contribution points. Alchemists and talisman crafters were revered professions, able to greatly concentrate the medicinal power of spiritual herbs and extract their essence, making their pills highly sought after. But for now, such ambitions were premature—he hadn’t even mastered walking properly, let alone running.

Leaving the Alchemy Room, he looked at the jade bottle in his hand, excitement mingling with the sting of losing sixty contribution points. Though the sect was well-equipped with magical artifacts and cultivation techniques, he decided to explore further.

Entering the Hall of Hidden Achievements, he browsed some cultivation manuals—mostly basic cultivation methods already taught by Master Xuan Fengzi. Finding nothing to exchange, he finally spent ten contribution points on a book titled “Hundred Treasures Atlas” and stepped out.

Next, he visited the Refining Chamber, exiting with disappointment. Though the sect was complete in every aspect, it was too small to offer much.

He realized he must cultivate diligently to enter the outer and then inner gates to access better resources.

Finally, Mo Hao approached the Training Hall. At the entrance, he sensed a dense spiritual energy emanating. Inside were many rooms; the central one radiated the strongest aura. Seeing the price—twenty contribution points per day—he grimaced and instead rented the most secluded room for a month and a half using his remaining thirty contribution points.

Once inside, he immediately felt the rent was worth it. Although the spiritual energy in the outer affairs courtyard was already dense, this secluded room’s aura was several times stronger, suggesting the central room’s energy was even more formidable.

Mo Hao placed the jade bottle beside his sitting cushion but did not rush to cultivate. Instead, he opened the “Hundred Treasures Atlas.” This was not a cultivation manual, but a book detailing the geography, astronomy, hydrology, flora, and fauna of the region. He learned that he was in one of eleven small sects scattered across the Cold Mist Mountain Range. The range stretched endlessly; ordinary mortals, due to their physical limitations, might never traverse beyond it in a lifetime. The book also described the unique spiritual beasts, demon beasts, and immortal herbs found there. On a terrain map, Mo Hao located the position of his small village.

He wondered how his mothers were faring, whether Master Xuan Fengzi had already passed on, and how Er Gou and Yi Wen were doing. Despite regrets over his choices, he clenched his fist firmly—once his cultivation was strong enough, he vowed to protect his family and keep his home safe.

Pulling himself back to the present, Mo Hao set the book aside. After all, this richly energized training room was not free; thirty contribution points could have purchased half a bottle of Summoning Pills. Though the book was interesting, it held less allure than advancing to mid-stage.

He began circulating the Qing Yuan Technique to absorb spiritual energy. After completing a full great cycle, he resolutely emptied one pill from the jade bottle. The pill melted instantly, transforming into streams of spiritual power. Using the Qing Yuan Technique to guide the medicinal energy, he began his cultivation.

Though he had entered the Fasting Realm, he was not yet fully fasting. He still needed to feast every few days; only by reaching the late stage could he avoid the pangs of hunger, which troubled him greatly. However, progress came swiftly. He could already feel the bottleneck of the mid-stage loosening under the assault of abundant spiritual energy. The pills were indeed effective.

Though he could not yet enter the sect’s inner gate like Han Qing, the benefits of the outer affairs area were many, and he had tasted some sweetness.

Once this cultivation period ended, he planned to undertake contribution missions in the outer gate to temper himself, striving to pass the trials and enter the outer gate proper. Then, better cultivation resources would be available.

Thus, over the next month and a half, Mo Hao cycled the Qing Yuan Technique, pushing to break through the bottleneck.