This Junior Brother Reed might indeed be quite lucky; he managed to avoid yet another disaster during the great chaos at the Talisman and Ink Workshop.

But is it really necessary for me to keep watching him and following him in everything?

If I didn’t wait for Jason Reed and instead took on other training assignments early, I wouldn’t have chosen to go to the Talisman and Ink Workshop and get caught up in the chaos, nor would I have had to suffer at Qingyun Marsh... David Bolton rubbed his face hard with both hands, falling into deep conflict.

Jason Reed had overheard some chatter in the cafeteria, and after dinner, he returned to his own small courtyard.

He calmed his mind and cultivated.

That night, the tenth qi sea of the freshmen was opened, and his cultivation rose to the tenth level of Qi Refinement.

Jason Reed let out a long breath.

In fact, after reaching the ninth level of Qi Refinement, he felt his rate of improvement gradually slow down again.

At that time, there was still plenty of the purple-gold lingzhi essence left.

But as his realm increased, progress became more and more difficult.

Before going to Qingyun Marsh, with his average talent and foundation, he still hoped to keep improving quickly, but bottlenecks and obstacles were bound to become more frequent.

Before heading to the riverbank at Qingyun Marsh, he had estimated that he wouldn’t break through to the tenth level of Qi Refinement until the end of this year or even early next year.

Actually, compared to the countless ordinary people who spend most of their lives—or even their whole lives—struggling to reach the twelfth level of Qi Refinement, Jason Reed was already very fortunate.

Even the basic Daoist arts taught to novices at the Celestial Master’s Mansion were excellent.

The cultivation resources provided were far less than those given to formally initiated disciples, but still far surpassed what was available outside.

Mount Longhu, as the ancestral court and holy land of the Daoist talisman sect, was one of the most blessed and spiritually rich places in the world, its spiritual energy far exceeding that of ordinary places.

With guidance from renowned teachers, many paths became clear with just a hint, saving him from wasting time on detours, wrong turns, or even dead ends.

But precisely because this was the Celestial Master’s Mansion, there were too many geniuses here, monsters gathered in droves.

Although no one ever said it out loud, since joining, Jason Reed felt he could sense this atmosphere:

Junior brother, do you think we are as happy as you imagine?

No, you’re wrong.

The happiness of us geniuses is beyond your imagination.

“Hmm, I think I can imagine the happiness of geniuses now.” Jason Reed nodded seriously.

Thus, in the days that followed, Jason Reed settled down and continued to cultivate diligently.

Then, the days rolled into October.

Jason Reed advanced from the tenth to the eleventh level of Qi Refinement.

William Thompson was also a bit surprised: “Junior Brother Reed truly hides his abilities well. The latent dragon spiritual body is indeed extraordinary—now you’re about to soar to the heavens.”

Jason Reed: “Thank you for your guidance during this time, Senior Brother Thompson.”

William Thompson: “Oh, not at all, I can’t shamelessly take credit for that.”

He calculated the days, then looked at Jason Reed: “At this rate, Junior Brother Reed, you might just make it in time for the initiation ceremony at the beginning of next year!”

Jason Reed: “That’s what I’m working towards.”

So, by the end of November—

When all twelve qi seas within Jason Reed boiled together, it meant he had successfully broken through all twelve levels of Qi Refinement.

The first major stage of cultivation, complete!

Vast true qi surged like a mighty river, continuous and powerful.

Deep within the vast river and sea of true qi, it was as if a hidden dragon was swimming, occasionally soaring into the sky.

William Thompson sighed: “Reaching the twelfth level of Qi Refinement before the age of twenty isn’t uncommon in our Celestial Master’s Mansion, but to go from the first to the twelfth level in less than two years after joining—that’s rare.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he straightened his expression:

“Junior Brother Reed, Master has returned to the mountain and has summoned you.”

“After you, Senior Brother.” Jason Reed left his small courtyard and went up the mountain together with William Thompson.

It was already winter.

The end of the year had come. After the New Year, it would be time for the initiation ceremony... Jason Reed gazed at the grand Daoist palace in the mountains.

He had made it in time.

If he successfully passed the initiation, he could also move to live in the Daoist palace on the mountain.

Since he had the chance to participate in this initiation ceremony, he needed to carefully consider his choice of master next.

William Thompson led the way, not to Elder Grant’s residence in the main mansion, but to a cave dwelling in the mountains.

Like Elder Foster, most of the other elders had also established separate residences in the mountains.

Upon entering the cave dwelling, Jason Reed suddenly felt as if spring filled the entire room, the winter chill of the outside world no longer relevant here.

Chapter 12: Choosing a Master

Inside Elder Grant’s cave dwelling, two people were seated.

In the main seat was a young Daoist, dressed in a purple Daoist robe, appearing only in his twenties or thirties, exuding an immortal aura and an otherworldly presence.

The Daoist wore a gentle smile; even without speaking, he made people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

Charles Grant.

The last disciple of the previous Celestial Master, and the junior brother of the current Celestial Master.

Interestingly, William Thompson, who sat nearby and looked to be about thirty, actually appeared older than his master, Elder Grant, based on looks alone.

It was hard to say whether Elder Grant had mastered the art of preserving his youth, or if Senior Brother Thompson simply had a mature demeanor.

Unlike the warm and gentle host of the cave dwelling, the other side of the room presented a completely different scene.

On the guest seat, a young girl was wrapped entirely in a black cloak, revealing only a small face, her skin so pale it hardly seemed alive.

Fortunately, she had no intention of overshadowing the host; the slight chill she brought lingered only on her side of the cave, not affecting the overall atmosphere.