The Chosen battles... had caused many eyes to be focused on Big Fatty Zhang, even those of the sect leader.

“The power of will!!” he said, expression very serious. The other peak lords looked surprised, and their eyes began to shine.

Xu Meixiang had taken Lu Tianlei away to begin treating his injuries, but if she were present, she would have been incredulous.

Sounding very happy, the sect leader said, “Junior Sister Meixiang rarely takes this chubby kid out in public. But now his future prospects are clear. His spirit enhancement has developed his will. With a strong will and a strong spirit, this kid is the kind that must be trained well!”

The peak lord from Green Crest Peak smiled and said, “Now that you mention it, his friend, that girl who also came from the Ovens, Qingrou, is actually quite impressive. She might not measure up to Tianyou, but she has her own special destiny. She seems connected to Green Crest Peak’s mountain defense sword. She’s currently seeking enlightenment in Green Crest Cave, and if things go well, Green Crest Peak will soon have another spirit sword guardian!”

As the south bank audience went wild, the north bank disciples simply sat there silently while the sect leader formally announced the results.

Bai Xiaochun had taken first place in the joint south and north bank Chosen battles! He would now join the Inner Sect!

As a reward, he could visit Heavenhorn Pavilion on Mount Daoseed to select a precious treasure of the Qi Condensation level!

Furthermore, he would be given the chance to enter the Spirit Stream Sect’s arcane pocket realm, where he could gain enlightenment of a divine ability! Of course, to take advantage of such an opportunity in the Qi Condensation stage would be a bit of a waste. Any disciple who took first place in the Chosen battles would almost certainly reach Foundation Establishment. That would be the time to use such a chance.

The final reward was a prize of 10,000 spirit stones!

Next, Zheng Yuandong formally bestowed the top ten disciples with the title of Chosen, and promoted them into the Inner Sect. Gradually, the crowds began to depart.

The north bank disciples weren’t very happy, but the south bank disciples were bursting with excitement. As for the Chosen, they had mixed expressions on their faces. Ghostfang watched Bai Xiaochun walk off, and sighed. Deep in his heart, he still didn’t believe himself to have truly lost.

As for the other north bank Chosen such as the Gongsun siblings and Xu Song, they left with clenched fists, all of them intent on returning to their respective mountain peaks and going into secluded meditation!

Zhou Xinqi still had a hard time believing what she had seen, and looked a bit puzzled as she watched Bai Xiaochun leaving. Even more incredulous than her was Shangguan Tianyou.

He stood there despondently, ignored by virtually everyone. His underhanded attack on Bai Xiaochun was something that would forever be etched into the hearts of the south bank disciples.

Chuckling bitterly, he clenched his hands into fists.

“We're only in Qi Condensation. Just wait until Foundation Establishment.... I’ll definitely be number one in that stage. I’ll outdo Bai Xiaochun and Ghostfang both!” Filled with determination, he held his head high with pride as he shot off in a beam of light.

Gradually, everyone left the arena. The Chosen battles were over. However, the true fight between all the Chosen had only just begun.

Everyone on both the south and north bank knew Bai Xiaochun’s name, although on the north bank, it became a taboo word!

He was the archenemy of the north bank, a shameless villain who had brought humiliation to all the disciples there!

That was especially true of Beihan Lie. After being taken away by his master, he immediately went into secluded meditation, not daring to show his face in public. As for his huge dog, he released it somewhere on the north bank, relinquishing ownership of it for all time.

Although the Nightstalker Beast was extraordinary, nobody could control it, and soon it became like a wild dog. Occasionally, people would catch glimpses of it roaming around near the four mountain peaks of the north bank....

Countless north bank disciples went back and madly devoted themselves to cultivation. All of them swore oaths that one day, they would take the stain of humiliation inflicted by Bai Xiaochun and wash it clean with blood!

The disciples even formed an organization called the Slay Xiaochun Society, which was devoted to eradicating Bai Xiaochun!

Because of what had occurred in the Chosen battles, Big Fatty Zhang became incredibly famous. Everyone was completely shocked by the sheer number of spirit enhanced treasures of his that Bai Xiaochun had used in his final fight with Ghostfang.

Big Fatty Zhang became a Chosen on Violet Cauldron Peak, and soon, countless disciples began to visit him, hoping to become friends and thus have access to spirit enhanced items.

Big Fatty Zhang was very pleased by this, but didn’t let it show. He wouldn't perform spirit enhancements for just anyone. Of course, the more he acted like that, the more people fawned over him. Eventually Xu Meixiang called him over to make a detailed inquiry. She almost couldn’t believe what she heard, and was even more shocked to sense the power of will within him!

In the end, she forbade him from performing spirit enhancements for anyone else, at least not until he could perform a fivefold spirit enhancement for Bai Xiaochun.

Big Fatty Zhang found that a bit odd, but nodded in agreement nonetheless.

“Spirit enhancement is the most mysterious of arts,” she thought. “Perhaps Bai Xiaochun and Big Fatty Zhang have some special connection.... If they help each other, the results could be shocking.” Xu Meixiang watched thoughtfully as Big Fatty Zhang left. She didn’t look into the matter any further. In the Spirit Stream Sect, everyone had their own destiny, and greedily attempting to take advantage of others could harm the foundation of the sect. Such actions were strictly forbidden. Besides, Bai Xiaochun had a unique status that made him especially difficult to deal with.

The Spirit Stream Sect had remained strong for ten thousand years, and one of the reasons was that hard and fast rule.

A few days later, Bai Xiaochun got his Inner Sect uniform and command medallion. Furthermore, he received orders from Elder Xu, who led the Inner Sect on Fragrant Cloud Peak, to pack his bags and leave the courtyard residence that had been his home for the past few years.

Inner Sect disciples all received immortal's caves filled with strong spiritual energy!

The so-called immortal's caves were like heavenly abodes that were worlds unto their own. Having taken first place in the Chosen battles, Bai Xiaochun had his pick of the available immortal's caves, and naturally, he picked the best one. It was on the rear side of Fragrant Cloud Peak, at the end of a narrow little path, a quiet place filled with strong spiritual energy.

The cave itself had five rooms, with nightpearls inlaid in the ceilings that filled the place with soft light. There was a large main hall with a little hot spring in the middle. Warm water bubbled up, forming a small pond, within which a few hot spring fish swam lazily about.

The immortal's cave was simple but impressive. It had a medicine concocting workshop, secluded meditation facilities, a spirit plant nursery, and a place set aside for practicing magics.

Also included were two puppets with cultivation bases equivalent to the fifth level of Qi Condensation, who cared for day-to-day affairs for Bai Xiaochun. Every room in the immortal's cave had a spell formation, as did the main hall. Once activated, the stone walls and ceilings would vanish to reveal an image of the sky above. At night, it was even possible to see the moon and the stars. There was a larger spell formation that covered the entire immortal's cave, and once activated, not even an early Foundation Establishment cultivator would be able to break in.

This immortal's cave would even be suitable for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and in fact, it was one of the nicest in all of Fragrant Cloud Peak.

Bai Xiaochun looked very pleased, and his heart nearly burst with joy. Now that he thought about it, his previous courtyard residence had been far too simple and crude. As he saw Elder Xu off, Elder Xu repeatedly reminded him to go to the Inner Sect Spirit Pavilion to find the technique Li Qinghou had suggested for him. Finally, Elder Xu left.

After he was sure Elder Xu was gone, Bai Xiaochun stripped naked and jumped into the pond, where he floated there, sighing contentedly. Occasionally a fish would float by and nibble a bit on his skin. It was a feeling the likes of which he had never experienced before in his life.

“It’s too bad Du Lingfei isn’t here in the sect. Having her here to bathe with would be great.” Sighing, he thought of Hou Xiaomei, and then smiled radiantly. As of that moment, he vowed to find an opportunity to get her to come over and join him in the hot spring to look at the stars.

After some deep thought, he came to the conclusion that his previous way of thinking had been far too limited. “As a man of ambition, I should get Hou Xiaomei and Du Lingfei to come join me in the hot spring at the same time.”

The next morning, Bai Xiaochun woke early and left his immortal’s cave. Strolling along the little mountain path, he noticed another immortal's cave not too far off.

It was only a few meters away, located almost directly across from his own. It had its spell formation activated, and appeared to be occupied. Bai Xiaochun studied it curiously for a few minutes before looking away.

As he strolled along, he realized that there weren’t any Outer Sect disciples to be seen, only a few Inner Sect disciples.

Most people weren’t out and about, but rather, secluded in meditation. The only time they would come out would be to go on sect missions. Of course, whenever Bai Xiaochun did see someone, he would clear his throat and strike a pose. After looking shocked for a moment, the Inner Sect disciple would inevitably greet him as Sect Uncle Bai.

Being addressed in such a manner as he went along lifted his spirits. He swaggered along through Fragrant Cloud Peak until he reached the Inner Sect's Spirit Pavilion. That was a location where the Inner Sect disciples practiced their various techniques and abilities.

Whenever a disciple was promoted to the Inner Sect, they would be able to acquire one of the sect’s techniques at no cost. As soon as Bai Xiaochun arrived, the disciple in charge clasped hands in greeting. Feeling more pleased than ever, Bai Xiaochun clapped his shoulder and then went to look at the options he had in terms of techniques.

“Sever Heaven and Earth?

“Waterflame Theorem!

“Nine Heavens Earth Destruction Incantation?”

After examining the options available, the techniques started to blur together, and he had no idea which one he should pick. They all seemed incredible. Eventually, he found the technique Li Qinghou had suggested that he cultivate.

“Dragon Mammoth Sea-Forming Scripture?” He picked up the jade slip and sent some spiritual power into it. After examining the introduction, his eyes went wide, and his scalp began to tingle.

“Everyone is bound by shackles. Whether in terms of cultivation base or the fleshly body, there are life essence shackles which cannot be broken.... I have created this technique, suitable for cultivation in the Qi Condensation stage, not to break through the shackles, but to gain enlightenment of them!”

Bai Xiaochun took a deep breath and thought back to the black-robed man who had saved his life, the one who called himself the gravekeeper. The words in the introduction of this scripture reminded him of the words that man had spoken.

“The five volumes of the Undying Codex. Break through the five shackles of mortality. The five volumes of the Live Forever Codex. Break through the five seals of eternity!”

He suddenly had the feeling that this Dragon Mammoth Sea-Forming Scripture was anything but ordinary. However, after further examination, he frowned. Based on the description, there didn’t seem to be anything particularly astonishing about it. In fact, it didn't even seem to measure up to some of the other powerful magical techniques he’d just looked at. After a moment though, his expression brightened as he realized that it dovetailed perfectly with the Violet Qi Cauldron Control Art, and also increased the chances of reaching Foundation Establishment!

Bai Xiaochun had been dreaming of reaching Foundation Establishment for years now, and merely thinking about it would leave his heart pounding.

The Dragon Mammoth Sea-Forming Scripture only had three levels. The first led to the ninth level of Qi Condensation, the second led to the great circle of the tenth level of Qi Condensation. The final level led to... Foundation Establishment!

At the pinnacle, the fleshly body would have the strength of dragons and mammoths, and one’s spiritual power would form a huge sea. Best of all was that after creating such a matchless foundation, once one reached Foundation Establishment, it would be much easier to learn just about any divine ability, without worrying about an incompatibility problem.

It was something extraordinary within the ordinary!

“This is the one for me!” Whether because of the fact that the introduction mentioned shackles, or that the scripture could help him reach Foundation Establishment, it left Bai Xiaochun’s heart pounding. Dragon Mammoth Sea-Forming Scripture in hand, he left the Inner Sect Spirit Pavilion and headed back toward his immortal's cave.

Just when he was almost there, the gate of the immortal's cave across from him opened, and a young woman walked out. As soon as she saw him, her jaw dropped, and she tried to duck back inside, but wasn’t fast enough.

“Eee? Sect Niece Xinqi!” He was immediately elated. Ever since the Chosen battles, Zhou Xinqi had kept her distance from him. He’d wanted to get her to address him as Sect Uncle, but had never found the chance. Who would have thought that he was now living right across from her!