Today, Cheng Qian was pulled into a gathering by an outer sect senior brother he often went fishing with. It was held at another outer disciple's cave residence.
That senior brother acted all mysterious, and since Cheng Qian was bored anyway, he figured he might as well go and see for himself.
When they arrived and took their seats, the host activated the formation that sealed the cave.
******
The owner of the cave was Lin Yi, a standout among the outer sect. He had a low-grade three-spiritual root, and just barely missed entering the inner sect.
Unwilling to give up, he had been training hard ever since. He walked the line between life and death in countless dangerous missions, all to earn contribution points from the sect and trade for spirit stones and pills.
He held a fire in his heart. A fire aimed at himself, the sect, and the heavens.
Until one day, an old friend of his, now an inner sect senior, paid him a rare visit. That senior brother had advanced into the later stages of Qi Refining and they hadn't spoken much in a long time. But that day, he came to recommend a perfume.
The scene was still fresh in his mind.
"Senior brother, what you're saying sounds... a little too much."
"Hahaha. You think it sounds exaggerated, right? I thought so too. I mean, this stuff is for women. What use do we have for it? But do you know why it's so popular in the inner sect, with both men and women?"
"Please enlighten me."
"It brings you spirit stones. A lot of them. And spirit stones mean resources: pills, spiritual treasures, rare herbs. They're the steps we climb to reach Foundation Establishment, even Golden Core."
When his senior shared how much profit he had made, Lin Yi was shocked.
"So in the end, does it matter whether this thing actually works or not? Not at all. We just use it to earn spirit stones."
And so, he was convinced. He became a new steward under his senior brother's name.
Now, just two months later, he was already a high-rank steward. His influence in the outer sect had skyrocketed. That alone was an unexpected gift. He loved the feeling—telling stories about his experience, maybe dressing them up a little, and earning spirit stones in return.
The spirit stones in his storage bag were about to break two thousand. A number he had never dared dream of before.
He silently thanked his senior brother. Well, maybe not too much. That guy was already earning more than he was.
He dreamed of rising even further. If he could become the one in charge for the "Immortal Fragrance" project in the outer sect, he could operate independently. That way, his senior brother would no longer take a cut from his profits.
Looking at all the disciples seated in front of him, Lin Yi pulled himself out of his thoughts.
He stood up with energy, eyes shining like he held some secret path to immortality.
"Fellow disciples, have you ever wondered why we train so hard, yet always hit bottlenecks? Is it because we're not working hard enough? No. It's because we lack proper guidance. We haven't found the right breakthrough—the opportunity that lets us do more with less."
His voice was loud and passionate. The room fell silent.
He paused, eyes sweeping across the group, then went on.
"Not long ago, I ran into an inner sect senior brother. He's from my hometown. I'm sure many of you have old friends from back home who are now senior brothers and sisters in the inner sect.
"You know what kind of people they are. That's why I truly call him my senior brother. He brought me something that's become a trend among them—a spiritual perfume called 'Lingyun Immortal Fragrance.' At first, I laughed at it too. I thought it was pointless. But after trying it myself, I began to treat it like a sacred item.
"This isn't just a perfume. It's a treasure of the cultivation world. It's the key to helping us break through. I was told to keep it secret. To never mention it outside. But I couldn't keep it to myself while my old friends in the outer sect keep struggling in the dark. I couldn't sit by and enjoy something like this while you all miss out.
"When I was lost, it was the brothers and sisters of the outer sect who gave me support. When I was down, you helped me get back up. That's why I took the risk to bring this 'Lingyun Immortal Fragrance' here for you.
"Some of you might ask, 'Is it really as magical as you say?'
"My answer is… no!"
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. It was like everyone was silently asking, Did you just talk for all that time, only to admit this stuff is useless?
But Lin Yi remained just as passionate. He stood tall, watching the disciples whisper among themselves until the room fell quiet again.
"In fact, the things I described don't even come close to how powerful it really is.
"Do you know what this 'Lingyun Immortal Fragrance' actually does? It helps guide us into a deep meditative state. In that state, our spiritual energy flows freely even in our dreams, speeding up our cultivation. It can also awaken hidden potential in our spiritual roots, helping us go even further on the path of cultivation." His voice was full of temptation.
"I used to be at the fifth layer of Qi Refining. Many of you knew that. But in just two months, I've reached the sixth layer. I'm now at the late stage of Qi Refining.
"And I can feel it—my strength is still growing fast. Honestly, if I had a second chance to take the inner sect entry test, I believe I'd pass. And with the help of 'Lingyun Immortal Fragrance', I could become one of the best there."
He noticed a few of the younger disciples already looking tempted. So he pushed harder, striking while the iron was hot.
"And this isn't just about one person's path. A powerful figure in the inner sect heard about my experience. He felt sympathy for our struggles. That's why he created something called the 'Immortal Fragrance Project,' a path built especially for us outer disciples who don't have family backing.
"That senior... he's a kind soul. I'm one of the first to benefit from the project, and I'm truly grateful to him.
"The 'Immortal Fragrance Project' is like a big family. We help each other grow. If you're willing to join us and introduce new members, not only will you get access to 'Lingyun Immortal Fragrance' at a special price, but you'll also earn generous bonuses in return.
"Let me speak to you all from the heart. Back then, when I went to the sect's market, I only dared visit the stalls run by fellow disciples. I'd go to the far corners just to look at things. Every time I wanted to buy something, it was a painful decision. I'd hesitate so much. I'm sure many of you have felt the same."
Seeing many of them nodding, he went on.
"But now, when I go to the market, I buy daily supplies without even thinking. I even walk into shops run by big families, not just to browse. If I see something I like, I buy it. To be honest, I've always liked flying swords. But in the past, I used to just look. Now, I've already bought four."
With that, he pulled out four flying swords from his storage bag and showed them off.
"They're not even that expensive. Each one cost a little over two hundred spirit stones."
That calm statement stirred the crowd. To them, spending two hundred spirit stones on a single item was no small thing. Just buying one would require a lot of thought.
"Now imagine this. Just after a few months, you'll be earning enough to buy rare cultivation resources. Anything you used to dream about. Even Foundation Establishment Pills! Would you really want to miss a chance like that?"
Lin Yi's words felt like a spell: logical, rhythmic, persuasive. They tugged at something deep in the hearts of everyone there.
He knew exactly what these young disciples were feeling. He had once been one of them. Using that knowledge, he wove a carefully crafted story—half truth, half lie—guiding them step by step into the fold of the Immortal Fragrance Project.
"And now, this chance is right in front of you! Come on, fellow disciples. Let's rise together and create our own legend in the cultivation world. With the Immortal Fragrance Project guiding us, with the support of our family, we will break through our limits and reach heights we never dreamed of!"
As his speech ended, thunderous applause erupted. A few young disciples were already eager to join this 'big family.'
Cheng Qian looked at the faces gathered around Lin Yi. The disciples of Lingyun Sect wore expressions of wild hope and excitement.
It was a glow fueled by desire and illusion.
Some of them might've known something was off. Others maybe didn't. But none of them could resist the greed buried deep inside. The craving for power. The hunger to advance.
Just like him.
They were all greedy. All quietly longing for immortality.
And for the first time, Cheng Qian felt like he was seeing the true face of the cultivation world.