The pill dross spun rapidly between his three hands.

  As the scorched odor dissipated, a crisp, refreshing medicinal fragrance began to seep from between his fingers. The originally blackened lump grew rounded and smooth, its surface glowing with a faint, ethereal luster. In mere moments, a Clear-Sight Pill the size of a longan fruit—its quality exceptional—took form.

  Gensheng tucked the pill away, picked up the waste bin, and walked toward the back of the mountain as if nothing had happened. He dumped the remaining dross into the pit and returned to Unit A-19.

  The courtyard gate was shut and locked. He opened his palm; the Clear-Sight Pill lay there, its aroma filling the room. Without hesitation, he tossed it into his mouth.

  A wave of pure, lucid medicinal power exploded within him before he could even react. His human shell proved surprisingly resilient against the surge. His meridians were violently widened, and the spiritual vortex within his Dantian spun with a wild, hungry fervor.

  The process lasted less than six hours. Gensheng snapped his eyes open and looked at his hands.

  Seventh Level of Qi Condensation.

  "Damn it," he cursed softly.

  From a common insect eating dross, to stealing spirit grain, to consuming the feed and manure of spirit beasts; from being scorched by pig-fire to being hunted by cultivators... He had discarded his insect frame, donned a human skin, and survived a hundred near-death encounters just to build a foundation at the fifth or sixth level.

  Yet a human needed only to swallow a single pill like this to equal more than a year of his bitter toil.

  The following days were disciplined and monotonous.

  By day, Gensheng worked in the Alchemy Fire Room. He added charcoal, fanned the flames, and cleared the waste bins. He did no more and no less than what was expected—the perfect image of a diligent, quiet newcomer. He spoke little and never socialized, burying himself in his work.

  The other disciples, who had initially shunned him because of his face, gradually lost interest in this silent, lucky "mannequin." No one noticed that every time he carried the half-man-high waste bin toward the back mountain, three hands were working feverishly beneath his sleeves.

  Those scraps, dismissed as trash by others, were granted a second life in his grip. One by one, Clear-Sight Pills were refined from the waste. Back in Unit A-19, he would lock the door and swallow them.

  Level Seven. Level Eight.

  This human skin was like a bottomless pit, greedily devouring the medicinal power and converting it into the purest spiritual energy. He no longer needed to gorge on raw flesh; it was nowhere near as clean or efficient as these pills.

  However, as his cultivation rose, a new problem emerged. One day, after swallowing another self-refined pill, the sensation of growth was far weaker than before. It was like pouring a ladle of water into a half-full barrel; the level rose, but there was none of that initial, torrential surge.

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  He was at the peak of the Eighth Level, just one step away from the Ninth. The pills were losing their efficacy.

  Worse, he was running out of money. His job in the fire room offered access to dross, but no actual profit. Spirit stones—without them, he was paralyzed. The dozen stones he had taken from Wu Yong were long gone. Now, aside from his cultivation and that hidden Ten-Thousand Insect Tripod, he possessed nothing.

  That old bastard Jiang Guixian... talks a big game about gifting me treasures and a mantle, but didn't leave a single spirit stone.

  Half a month later, after exhausting the last batch of dross to refine two mediocre pills, he finally shattered the barrier.

  Ninth Level of Qi Condensation.

  The spiritual energy in his Dantian was several times more robust than before. Yet, Gensheng could not find it in himself to be happy. Clear-Sight Pills had effectively become useless for his progression—mere snacks at best.

  His path had hit a dead end again.

  Coincidentally, on that very day, an order arrived from Saintess Peak: Stop all refining of Clear-Sight Pills.

  When the news broke, the entire Alchemy Fire Room erupted in cheers.

  "The heavens have eyes! Finally, no more of that cursed stuff!" "I've almost gone bald these past two months! Furnaces blowing every day—I've nearly been blasted stupid!"

  Wang Qi even threw his fan away in excitement and slapped Gensheng’s shoulder. "Brother, we’re liberated!"

  Only Gensheng stood in the corner, silent. No more Clear-Sight Pills meant no more waste dross. His safest, most stable supply of "food" had been severed.

  For the next few days, the fire room became incredibly idle. The hunger began to gnaw at his mind once more.

  Night fell on Unit A-19. Gensheng sat on the ground, siphoning the energy from his very last spirit stone.

  "I need to eat humans... I can't progress without it. No stones, no pills. I'm stuck."

  Just then, a boisterous shouting came from outside the courtyard.

  "The Deacon Hall has posted new notices! A major mission with plenty of spirit stones! Everyone, come out and see!"

  The voice drew closer and stopped at his gate. Gensheng smoothed his expression into a gentle mask and opened the door. A round-faced youth stood there, grinning.

  "Senior Brother, you finally came out."

  Gensheng stepped aside, his voice soft. "Junior Brother, what is this important matter from the Deacon Hall?"

  "I'm just the messenger. I’m worried everyone is too busy with secluded cultivation to see the opportunity. You'll have to check the board for the details, but I heard about a massive 'fat job'!"

  "There’s a Junior Sister—heard her master is an Inner Sect Deacon, but she's not very talented. She’s been at it for ten years and is only at the second level of Qi Condensation. Her master is embarrassed and wants to send her home to visit relatives. He’s too lazy to make the trip himself, so he’s offering three hundred low-grade spirit stones for a Senior Brother to escort her!"

  "Three hundred!" The youth smacked his lips. "That’s enough to buy a decent low-grade artifact!"

  Gensheng’s heart stirred. This was more than a mission; it was a delivery of rations. His expression, however, showed only a perfect mix of surprise and longing, followed by a knowing, bitter smile.

  "Such a good thing... I doubt a 'Waste-Root' disciple like me will get the chance. Thank you for informing me, Junior Brother."

  He bowed politely. The youth, seeing Gensheng’s "weak" potential, agreed that he probably stood no chance and hurried off to the next house.

  Gensheng closed the gate and locked it.

  Three hundred spirit stones. Enough to buy better recipes and herbs to push himself to the Great Circle of Qi Condensation. It might even allow his Ten-Thousand Insect Tripod to be fired up for the very first time.

  He walked to the water vat in the yard and leaned down. The face in the reflection looked like a trustworthy, kind soul.

  Beneath his sleeves, his other four hands slithered out. One pair adjusted the folds of his robes; the other smoothed out a loose thread at his cuff.

  His preparations complete, he stood tall and walked toward the Deacon Hall.