"Yes! The place where we live has such rich spiritual energy. Advancing our cultivation level doesn't seem that special, right?"
Li Yunjing nodded, speaking indifferently.
Ma Xingyuan nodded in sudden realization.
At this moment, he simply thought that Li Yunjing had been stuck at the first layer of Qi Cultivation for a long time.
This time, with the aid of the precious land in the Miscellaneous Hall, he finally managed to break through to the second layer in one go.
Ma Xingyuan would never have thought that it only took Li Yunjing four days to progress from entry level to the second layer of Qi Cultivation.
If this news were to spread, it would undoubtedly cause a great sensation.
Throughout the Shenxiao Dao Sect, there were likely very few who could cultivate so quickly.
As the two walked and chatted along the mountain path, they encountered many servant disciples and outer disciples.
These disciples were also traveling between various peaks and halls, completing sect tasks.
However, inner sect disciples were rarely seen.
Evidently, within the Shenxiao Dao Sect, the status of inner sect disciples had already experienced a qualitative leap.
Both of them were cultivators, moving with great speed. It only took them three hours to cross the eight mountain peaks.
A thousand-foot peak appeared before them, standing solitary in a vast clearing.
Around it, there were no medicinal gardens, exotic flowers, or grand buildings.
"So this is Qiongze Peak? It truly lives up to its name, it's really barren!"
Ma Xingyuan muttered somewhat disappointedly.
"Hehe! Just think about it, a place for raising bo horses, how could it be a good place?"
Li Yunjing chuckled lightly, feeling no disappointment.
In his previous life, he had seen breeding farms before, and the smell... tsk tsk...
Such a place like Qiongze Peak, isolated amidst the thousands of mountains, was not surprising at all.
What the two didn't know was that once they crossed this peak, they would exit the Shenxiao Mountain Range.
This place marked the extreme western end of the Shenxiao Dao Sect.
The Shenxiao Dao Sect was divided into five major mountain ranges: east, west, south, north, and central.
In the center was naturally the core area, where important figures and crucial sect institutions resided.
Among the other directions, the east was the most revered, with the richest spiritual energy, where most of the true disciples lived.
The south and north followed, each with their strengths.
The western peaks, by comparison, had the weakest spiritual energy.
Although the sect had established branches for various institutions in the west, the strength sent there usually peaked at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Most servant disciples and outer disciples, except those sent to other peaks for tasks, lived in the west.
The western region had seventy-two peaks, and Qiongze Peak was among the worst few.
"Sigh! I never thought I'd end up doing this kind of work!"
Ma Xingyuan sighed deeply.
He had wandered among the loose cultivators, and while he hadn't achieved much in cultivation, he lived quite well among the common folk due to his status as a cultivator.
He was always a welcomed guest among local officials, wealthy merchants, and noble families.
Now, to be reduced to feeding horses, how could Ma Xingyuan not feel melancholic?
Li Yunjing chuckled silently; who wasn't in the same boat?
He had roamed freely across the Great Ming Dynasty, living an immortal-like carefree life.
Even in his dreams, Li Yunjing wouldn't have imagined such a scenario.
The two of them began ascending the mountain. Along the way, a faint unusual odor lingered in the air.
It indeed confirmed Li Yunjing's thoughts.
As they reached midway up the mountain, two grey-robed daoists blocked their path and challenged them.
"Senior brothers, we are new disciples from the Miscellaneous Hall, assigned here to feed the bo horses."
Knowing they were the mountain patrol, Li Yunjing cheerfully handed over his identity token.
The grey-robed disciple glanced at Li Yunjing and Ma Xingyuan's attire. He had already guessed their purpose but still checked their identities as a formality.
After confirming, he smiled and said, "Junior Brother Li, Junior Brother Ma, follow me."
Li Yunjing and Ma Xingyuan responded and continued up the mountain, following the two in front.
Before long, the four of them reached the mountain's summit and saw a palace.
Disciples constantly entered and exited the palace entrance, mostly grey-robed servant disciples, with the occasional blue-robed outer disciple.
On the plaque of the palace, the three characters "Qiongze Peak" were written.
This peak primarily served the Shenxiao Dao Sect by raising some low-tier spirit beasts.
The bo horse was one of them.
The two disciples from Qiongze Peak led Li Yunjing and Ma Xingyuan into the hall.
A middle-aged burly man sat on the high chair at the hall's head, looking down at Li Yunjing and Ma Xingyuan.
The man exuded immense pressure, his muscles bulging under his blue daoist robe.
His sharp gaze and overwhelming presence swept over Li Yunjing and Ma Xingyuan.
The man frowned slightly, seemingly dissatisfied with Li Yunjing and Ma Xingyuan.
These two newcomers were too weak. Although one was at the second layer of Qi Cultivation, and the other at the third layer, they seemed to lack systematic training and showed no signs of mastering magic.
With one glance, the middle-aged man knew these two newcomers were the weakest of the weak.
"With such cultivation, they can only feed bo horses. It seems even trying to exploit them for more work would be impossible."
Hou Boyan was visibly displeased.
After contemplating, Hou Boyan said coldly, "I am Hou Boyan, the steward of Qiongze Peak. The rules are all listed in the Shenxiao Jade Scroll; no need for me to elaborate. You two are responsible for feeding the bo horses. This is your token!"
With that, Hou Boyan flicked his hand, sending a grey light towards Ma Xingyuan.
Ma Xingyuan caught the token, which was inscribed with intricate runes, seemingly for controlling arrays and restrictions.
Faced with the steward's unkind manner, Li Yunjing and Ma Xingyuan had no recourse.
They were not particularly worried, trusting that as long as they did their jobs well, they wouldn't be deprived of their contribution points due to the strict rules of the Shenxiao Dao Sect.
Contribution points were the sect's bottom line.
Of course, if they received the points but couldn't keep them, that was not the sect's concern.
The two soon arrived at their designated "territory."
They took over the tasks from the previous person in charge, inventorying supplies, counting the bo horses, and checking for any injuries or illnesses.
After ensuring everything matched the records, the two settled down completely.
The place to feed the bo horses was halfway up the mountain, in a shady area.
The terrain formed a vast three-mile platform, surrounded by a ring of animal pens. All around the pens, runes were inscribed, sparking with a "crackling" light.