"Elder Yun, your disciple opened his Spirit Aperture immediately after entering the sect. Such speed in opening the aperture is something even you might not match. Although it's a gift from an immortal, it still counts as opening the aperture. You must teach him well!"

The Great Elder added.

"My disciple actually received a gift from an immortal and opened his Spirit Aperture!"

Yun Qingyao was extremely surprised.

No wonder Lu Ren wanted to bid for the Aperture-Opening Pill back then; she had wrongly blamed him.

For a moment, Yun Qingyao felt a mix of emotions, feeling a bit guilty towards Lu Ren.

Now that the Spirit Aperture was opened, the Aperture-Opening Pill was naturally useless and could be auctioned off for a large sum of money.

This wasn't a lack of ambition; it was clearly a business genius.

"Elder Yun, the sect master has ordered that you must take your disciple to participate in this exchange among the new disciples!"

The Great Elder's words interrupted Yun Qingyao's thoughts.

Yun Qingyao came back to her senses and smiled, "Great Elder, I agree to this!"

"You really agreed?"

The Great Elder looked surprised.

He had been worried that Yun Qingyao would refuse, but he didn't expect her to agree so readily.

"Since I've taken on a disciple, I must help the sect cultivate an outstanding disciple and repay the sect master's kindness!"

Yun Qingyao said.

"Do you have confidence in cultivating Lu Ren? Although he has opened his aperture, he still has a Trash-Grade Bloodline, which is unprecedented!"

The Great Elder said.

Yun Qingyao's cold and beautiful face showed confidence as she said, "My disciple has my Fire Spirit Sword. I only need to teach him my self-created sword art. Even if he has a Trash-Grade Bloodline, I am fully confident in teaching him. As long as he practices my sword art to entry level, he can at least open two Spirit Apertures!

If he can practice to minor accomplishment, he can open four Spirit Apertures. If he reaches mastery, he can open six Spirit Apertures!"

My disciple may only have a Trash-Grade talent, which is determined by the heavens and cannot be changed. But with effort and my guidance, he can still become strong.

"Hahaha, if you can cultivate a Trash-Grade Bloodline, it will be enough to make our Azure Cloud Sect famous!"

The Great Elder laughed.

If our Azure Cloud Sect can even cultivate a Trash-Grade Bloodline, more geniuses will naturally join us in the future.

"Since there's nothing else, I'll go see my disciple!"

Yun Qingyao said and then left.

***

Meanwhile, in the courtyard.

Xiao Huohuo was wielding the Fire Spirit Sword, practicing the Blazing Fire Sword Art with great momentum.

"This Blazing Fire Sword Art is truly powerful. Once I reach mastery, those disciples with Fifth-Grade Bloodlines will be no match for me!"

Xiao Huohuo looked excitedly at the Fire Spirit Sword in his hand.

Spending only two hundred thousand copper coins allowed him to experience the power of a Low-Grade Spirit Artifact in advance, which was truly worth it.

"I'll strive to practice the sword art to entry level within a month!"

Xiao Huohuo said, just as he was about to continue swinging the Fire Spirit Sword, he suddenly felt a shadow flash before him.

Immediately, a slender hand unexpectedly struck towards his chest.

Pfft!

Xiao Huohuo spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying, crashing to the ground.

When he saw who it was, a look of shock appeared on his pained face, "S-S-Saintess!"

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".

Yun Qingyao picked up the Fire Spirit Sword that had fallen to the ground, and with a thrust, the sword's tip pointed at Xiao Huohuo.

"How dare you bully my disciple and steal his Fire Spirit Sword? My disciple may have a Trash-Grade Bloodline, but don't forget he has a master!"

Yun Qingyao's face was icy, and her cold aura seemed to freeze Xiao Huohuo.

At this moment, a scene flashed in Yun Qingyao's mind: a disciple with a Trash-Grade Bloodline being bullied and oppressed by fellow disciples, even having the gift from his master taken away.

Xiao Huohuo shivered all over, his body trembling as he asked, "Saintess, is there a misunderstanding?"

"What misunderstanding could there be? The Fire Spirit Sword in your hand was a gift from me to Lu Ren."

Yun Qingyao said coldly.

"The Fire Spirit Sword was indeed given to Lu Ren by you, but I didn't steal it. Lu Ren sold it to me!"

Xiao Huohuo quickly explained, fearing that Yun Qingyao might kill him in a fit of anger.

Yun Qingyao wasn't just an elder of the Azure Cloud Sect; she was also the Saintess of Jiangyun Kingdom. Even if she killed him in the sect, his Xiao family wouldn't dare make a sound.

"Nonsense!"

Yun Qingyao said coldly, "This Fire Spirit Sword is worth at least a million copper coins. How could you, an entry-level disciple, afford it?"

"I couldn't afford it, but Lu Ren let me pay in installments. I gave him two hundred thousand copper coins first, and the remaining eight hundred thousand, plus interest, means I have to pay him eighty-eight thousand copper coins a month for ten months!"

Xiao Huohuo said tearfully.

"Installments? Interest?"

Yun Qingyao's eyes widened as if she had heard the most unbelievable thing.

"Saintess, I'm not lying. If you don't believe me, wait for Lu Ren to come back, and we can confront him face to face!"

Xiao Huohuo said quickly.

"No need!"

Yun Qingyao put away the Fire Spirit Sword, took out twenty money notes, and threw them to Xiao Huohuo, saying coldly, "Here's your two hundred thousand back. I'm taking the Fire Spirit Sword!"

Xiao Huohuo was on the verge of tears. With the Fire Spirit Sword gone, wasn't his practice of the Blazing Fire Sword Art in vain?

"Saintess, what if Lu Ren asks me for money?"

Xiao Huohuo said with a mournful face.

"Just don't give it to him. If he doesn't comply, give him a beating. A Trash-Grade Bloodline who doesn't learn anything useful just needs a lesson!"

Yun Qingyao left angrily.

She had lived for twenty years and this was the first time she had given a gift, only for Lu Ren to sell it and let someone pay in installments.

She had planned to spend some time teaching this disciple, but now she just wanted to slap him to death.

***

Shortly after Yun Qingyao left, Lu Ren returned excitedly and rushed into his dormitory.

Entering the Pagoda Space required an absolutely safe environment; otherwise, the mind couldn't relax, and entry into the Pagoda Space would be impossible.

Soon, Lu Ren entered the Pagoda Space.

Looking at the sixty bags of spirit rice before him, Lu Ren roughly calculated that they could sustain him for eighty-two years.

Lu Ren had been practicing the Fierce Tiger Fist for a month without grasping its essence, but now he had eighty-two years of practice time. How could he not succeed?

"Begin practice!"

Lu Ren took out the Fierce Tiger Fist manual and continued practicing.

For Lu Ren, with his Trash-Grade Bloodline, cultivation was a strenuous and unrewarding task. It took him two full years to reach minor accomplishment in the Fierce Tiger Fist.

Xiao Huohuo, with his Fourth-Grade Bloodline talent, reached minor accomplishment in just three days, while Lu Ren took two years.

The gap was too large.

"No matter if the talent is poor, I can grind. This spirit rice is enough for me to practice for eighty years!"

Lu Ren continued to practice.

In the blink of an eye, thirty years passed!

In the round and square Pagoda Space.

Lu Ren's figure was like a fierce tiger, pouncing forward, his fists continuously striking out, the wind from his punches howling, the air vibrating, resembling a tiger descending the mountain.

"Ha!"

Lu Ren suddenly shouted, punching a massive boulder in front of him.

Boom!

With a loud explosion, the boulder shattered, sending fragments flying.

"It's finally perfected!"

A smile appeared on Lu Ren's face.

Although the Fierce Tiger Fist was a Mortal Rank, Low-Grade Martial Technique, its power at perfection was not inferior, even stronger than some Mortal Rank, Mid-Grade Martial Techniques.

Though it took thirty years, Lu Ren didn't mind.

Moreover, Lu Ren discovered that streams of Spiritual Qi were flowing in his palms, transmitting incredible power.

Lu Ren was overjoyed; he had opened two more Spirit Apertures!

---

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan