At the Grand Sky Sect, Chu Xinghe spent an entire day reading in the Skill Tower.

It wasn't that he loved reading; it was mainly because the Great Elder was too ruthless... If he got caught by the Great Elder in the morning, it meant a whole session of alchemy.

He ended up breaking through on the spot to become a Sixth Grade Alchemist, and the Great Elder, overjoyed, insisted that he refine three thousand more furnaces to capitalize on the victory.

Refining three thousand furnaces—was that really capitalizing on victory?

Damn it, that was a death sentence!

So, Chu Xinghe could only hide in the Skill Tower to research how to burn... cough, cough... how to learn more skills.

Chu Xinghe had already asked many people about burning down the Skill Tower.

"Sect Master, what if someone burns down the Skill Tower?"

"Don't worry, ordinary disciples have fire-restraining talismans, how could it burn?"

"I'm saying, what if?"

"What if? Hahaha... Xinghe, I won't hide it from you. Besides the Skill Tower, our Grand Sky Sect actually has a hidden Skill Tower. You'll find out where it is in the future. Even if it's really destroyed, the inheritance will never be cut off."

"Huh?" Chu Xinghe was dumbfounded. The Sect Master was indeed unfathomable.

"But if someone really burns down the Skill Tower, they will be sentenced to death by a thousand cuts! No! Before the thousand cuts, they must transcribe all the skills again and then be executed!"

Chu Xinghe was so scared he almost wet himself.

What the hell... that's too harsh, isn't it?

Knowing there was another Skill Tower, Chu Xinghe was thrilled because if there was another one, he wouldn't be executed by a thousand cuts if he set it on fire.

But then he heard the rest and didn't dare anymore.

If he burned it down, he might not be executed by a thousand cuts, but he definitely wouldn't escape the transcription.

Just reading the skills in the Skill Tower could kill him, let alone transcribing them... Chu Xinghe imagined himself old and gray, still sitting in the newly built Skill Tower, transcribing various skills...

Oh my god, that's terrifying. This punishment is harsher than death by a thousand cuts.

Skill Tower, rest assured, not only will I not set you on fire, but if anyone does, I'll be the first to put it out!

Since the Skill Tower couldn't be touched, he could only focus on the most reliable targets, the Ouyang Family and the three hundred geniuses from Muyue Nation.

Speaking of the three hundred geniuses from Muyue Nation, Chu Xinghe remembered he had forgotten to check on them these past few days... Hopefully, nothing went wrong.

Leaving the Skill Tower, Chu Xinghe headed straight for the Spirit Crane Palace, carefully avoiding being caught by the Great Elder along the way.

"Senior Brother Ma Biao..." Chu Xinghe ran into Senior Brother Ma Biao.

"Junior Brother Xinghe, the Great Elder was looking for you this afternoon. Did you come back from the Skill Tower? Do you want to go see the Great Elder?"

"No, no, no... Senior Brother Ma Biao, you're a virtuous man, please don't let the Great Elder know I'm back."

Hearing this, Ma Biao was moved to tears.

Junior Brother Xinghe, you're like a well-fed man who doesn't know the hunger of others. So many people in the Grand Sky Sect dream of receiving guidance from the Great Elder, but you...

"Senior Brother Ma Biao, why haven't I seen the disciples from Muyue Nation?"

As soon as Chu Xinghe said this, Ma Biao's previously bitter expression changed instantly!

Seeing Ma Biao's expression, Chu Xinghe had a bad feeling.

"Junior Brother Xinghe, you're amazing! A few days ago, you left the disciples from Muyue Nation and gave them such high treatment. The senior brothers didn't quite understand, but now we know."

"How did you discover that the people from Muyue Nation have an extraordinary talent for cultivating spiritual herbs?"

Chu Xinghe: "???"

Senior Brother Ma Biao, what are you talking about?

What do you mean by cultivating spiritual herbs? When did I ask them to cultivate spiritual herbs?

Soon, Chu Xinghe found out what was going on. The arrangements he made for the disciples from Muyue Nation were simply explosive.

They received the highest treatment without having to do anything, which left outsiders puzzled about what Junior Brother Xinghe was up to.

But Junior Brother Xinghe was known for his unconventional ways, and everyone believed he wouldn't act without reason.

However, Mu Bai and the others felt embarrassed. They couldn't refine pills, so they could only do other hard labor.

What's the hardest job in the Spirit Crane Palace?

That would definitely be cultivating spiritual herbs, which the disciples disliked.

Knowing this, Mu Bai directly led the people from Muyue Nation to the spiritual herb fields of the Spirit Crane Palace.

They had no idea until they tried, and it was shocking!

The people from Muyue Nation, with their wood spirit, had a terrifying natural ability to cultivate herbs.

The herbs cultivated by Muyue Nation progressed in one day what others did in a month, and the most terrifying part was the high probability of producing top-grade spiritual herbs!

This news caused a sensation in the entire Spirit Crane Palace.

Whether or not the Spirit Crane Palace was in an uproar, Chu Xinghe didn't know. What he knew was, damn it, what is all this!

No, I can't compromise this time!

Chu Xinghe didn't even say goodbye to Senior Brother Ma Biao and ran to the spiritual herb fields.

Sure enough, he saw Mu Bai and the others there.

"Senior Brother Xinghe!" Mu Bai was overjoyed to see Chu Xinghe.

These days in the spiritual herb fields were tough, but they finally found their value, and being recognized felt great.

Mu Bai wore a big smile, feeling happier than he had in a long time.

But before Mu Bai could speak, Senior Brother Xinghe spoke.

"Mu Bai, I brought you to the Grand Sky Sect, to the Spirit Crane Palace, and gave you the best resources. Was it for you to do this?"

Mu Bai: "???"

"You all have a natural wood spirit, yet you lack ambition and are here cultivating herbs. Is this how you repay me?"

Chu Xinghe's words left Mu Bai and all the people from Muyue Nation stunned.

"I gave you the best so you could reach the peak one day, not to stay in the fields forever. You've disappointed me! From today on, the disciples of Muyue Nation are absolutely forbidden from entering the fields. Everyone must focus on cultivating!"

Chu Xinghe was genuinely anxious. Damn it... I took my eyes off you for a moment, and you caused trouble, didn't you?

You want to farm here?

No way!

I didn't assign you cultivation tasks before because I wanted you to rest. But you went to farm? If I let you continue, and you produce a farming prodigy like Wang Tieniu, I'd die on the spot!

Mu Bai and the others all hung their heads in silence. They thought they had found their life's purpose, but now they realized they were wrong. Senior Brother Xinghe had such high expectations for them?

They thought that although farming wasn't very promising, they were happy to contribute to the Sect. After all, it was a path for the people of Muyue Nation.

But now they knew they were wrong.

"By the way, didn't you people from Muyue Nation know about your ability to cultivate spiritual herbs?" Chu Xinghe was puzzled.

"Senior Brother Xinghe, you might not know, but where Muyue Nation is located, spiritual herbs don't grow, so we never had the opportunity. In the past, the disciples from Muyue Nation who entered various sects were all exceptionally talented, so they were assigned to cultivate various wood-based skills. No one ever asked us to cultivate herbs."

Mu Bai looked aggrieved, but Chu Xinghe understood.

The geographical location of Muyue Nation meant they had no opportunity to come into contact with spiritual herbs.

And the disciples from Muyue Nation, once they passed the assessments, had their stats maxed out. Who would have thought that students from the highest academies studying law would be super suitable for shoveling manure?

Or that the top-scoring disciples from the highest academies would be asked to research how to shovel manure faster and better?

Forget about the previous sects; even he never thought they were suited for farming!

This won't do; they mustn't be given any opportunity to develop their farming skills.

This path must be blocked!

"The skills you practiced in Muyue Nation before were good, but after so many years, I don't think they're suitable for you. I'll select a new... two new skills for you... From today, start learning these two skills. Remember, no one is allowed to enter the fields again. I have high expectations for you; don't let me down."

"Rest assured, Senior Brother Xinghe, we will not fail your kindness."

Mu Bai was moved to tears.

Soon, relying on his memory, Chu Xinghe transcribed two skills for the disciples of Muyue Nation.

But when they saw the two skills Chu Xinghe had transcribed, Mu Bai and the others were dumbfounded.

The first one was "Great Evolution Heavenly Gold Art"!

The second one was "Illuminating Sun Heart Sutra"!

Both skills were top-tier, but the problem was... the categories of these skills... Did Senior Brother Xinghe make a mistake?

One was a metal-based skill, and the other a fire-based skill?

Muyue Nation had a natural wood spirit, and they were to cultivate metal and fire skills? Wasn't that somewhat inappropriate?

Appropriate! Absolutely appropriate!

This was what Chu Xinghe thought was most suitable.

Muyue Nation had a natural wood spirit, right? If they were given wood-based skills, what if they actually mastered them?

So, they needed to take a different path.

As the saying goes, metal overcomes wood. A "Great Evolution Heavenly Gold Art" would suppress them completely.

And the "Illuminating Sun Heart Sutra" was even more formidable. After metal suppresses, fire burns. With dual cultivation of metal and fire, how could Muyue Nation possibly turn the tables?

This plan was foolproof!

Although Mu Bai was full of doubts, he believed Senior Brother Xinghe would never harm him, so he accepted the skills. From today, all disciples of Muyue Nation would switch to dual cultivation of metal and fire!

Born with wood attributes, dual cultivation of metal and fire—it sounded incredibly reasonable!

After arranging things for the people of Muyue Nation, Chu Xinghe was drenched in cold sweat.

Luckily, he discovered it in time and managed to stop the losses. If he had let them continue farming, and they produced a peerless talent in spiritual herbs from Muyue Nation, everything would have been ruined.

Leaving the fields, Chu Xinghe decided to go to the Artifact Refining Palace to calm his nerves and listen to Ouyang Ming's furnace explosions to soothe his wounded heart.

The sound of exploding furnaces continued, and Chu Xinghe felt comforted.

Just as he was about to leave, he ran into Ouyang Ling, who was returning from outside.

"Hello, Senior Brother Xinghe!"

"Hello, Junior Sister Ouyang."

"Did you come to see me, Senior Brother Xinghe?"

"Uh... sort of. Keep working hard on your cultivation."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Xinghe! Rest assured, I will work hard, and soon I'll show you that I, Ouyang Ling, am not a waste!"

After speaking, Ouyang Ling didn't even spare another glance at the man she wanted to protect and turned to head to the Artifact Refining Palace to work hard.

Watching Ouyang Ling leave, Chu Xinghe sighed. What a wonderful junior sister!

Look at you people from Muyue Nation, and then look at the Ouyang Family. I, Chu Xinghe, am embarrassed on your behalf!

Both are considered useless, but the difference in character is just so vast...