Library of Heaven's Path - Chapter 97: Pill Debate

"Give it a try?"

Not only Ouyang Cheng felt as though the world was going mad, Du Man and the rest also felt faint-headed.

[Brother, do you take apothecaries to be like the cabbages and cucumbers sold in the market, so easily obtainable?

Give it a try? Are you playing with me?

As one of the highest-standing Upper Nine Path occupations, who didn't study for numerous years and put in effort multiple folds of that imaginable to an ordinary person to join their ranks?

Yet, you said to give it a try...

Your head!

Do you know the content of the examination? Do you know how can one become a true apothecary?]

"Cough cough cough!" Ouyang Cheng's body staggered and he suppressed his urge to vomit blood. He looked at Zhang Xuan seriously and replied to him, "To become an apothecary, one must be more than capable of knowing and discerning medicinal herbs. One must also learn to formulate medicine, extract and refine the essence of which, condensate and forge it into a pill and many more. Just pill forging itself contains several thousands of methods to do so... It isn't that easy to pass the examination!"

"Indeed. Furthermore, one must possess sharp control over the flame in pill forging. If an error were to occur in any of the sequences, it would end in failure. Only by learning seriously and practicing continuously will one succeed. It is impossible for one to become an apothecary with a moment's effort!"

Du Man added.

"So complicated?"

Zhang Xuan felt helpless, "So it's impossible for me to achieve it in half a month's time?"

The Freshmen Tournament would be held in half a month. His purpose here was simple, that was to find a pill that could awaken Yuan Tao and Zhao Ya's unique constitution so that their cultivation would soar by leaps and bounds and they would be able to achieve victory then.

Thus, he had to settle this matter in half a month's time. If he wasn't able to, what's the use of him becoming an apothecary?

After his conversation with Huang Yu, he had already decided on a goal. That was to become a master teacher! This time, Lu Xun laoshi's challenge was an opportunity as much as a threat. If he was able to emerge victorious, it would prove his capabilities and it was likely that he would catch the eye of a master teacher!

Similar to an apothecary, if one wanted to become a master teacher, they must become an assistant master teacher first. This was a process that they must go by.

If one wasn't valued by a master teacher, how could one become an assistant master teacher?

"Half a month..."

Hearing his words, the crowd went speechless once more.

[Which apothecary wasn't an apprentice apothecary for many years before daring to take the examination?

Yet, right after becoming an apprentice, you wish to take the examination for an apothecary... Half a month some more, you must be joking!]

Especially for Sun Tao and Zhu Hua Hua, they were just barely suppressing the urge to throw their shoes at him.

[Brother, is it really alright for you to be putting on an act like this?

It is even more difficult to become an apothecary than an apprentice. You should have already seen the others struggling so furiously just to become an apprentice.

Becoming an apothecary in half a month?

I think you should just keep it to your thoughts…]

"Zhang Xuan, don't be too ambitious and complacent. You are barely twenty, and becoming an apothecary at thirty is already something unprecedented in Tianxuan Kingdom. Fifteen days is an impossible goal! I advise you to study normally, proceed on step-by-step and don't think too much into the future..."

Ouyang Cheng offered his earnest advice to Zhang Xuan.

[This fellow is talented, but he is way too impatient. To want to become an apothecary in half a month... You must be daydreaming!]

"Alright, since it is so troublesome, then I will not take the examinations. I will look for another way then!"

Upon listening to the words of the other party, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He didn't have much interest in becoming an apothecary. Possessing the Heaven's Path Divine Art, breaking through was like eating and drinking to him. Pills were completely unneeded to him. If so, what was the use of becoming an apothecary?

If not for Yuan Tao, he wouldn't come here at all.

Thinking that Zhang Xuan had given up because he had found it bothersome, Ouyang Cheng and Du Man quickly tried to persuade him otherwise, "There are many occupations in the world, and apothecary is considered as one of the noblest. You possess such incredible talent and you have also specially taken the trouble to study the medicinal herbs. Wouldn't you have wasted years of your efforts if you were to not become an apothecary at this point?"

"Years of my effort?" Zhang Xuan blinked.

[It was just four hours, where did the years you speak of come from?]

"I still have other matters to attend to. Since becoming an apothecary is such a complicated process, requiring one to learn how to formulate pills, it is unlikely that I am able to grasp the technique of such within a short moment. I will just give up on it!"

Without much hesitation, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Calm down, there is more than one way for one to become an apothecary. Actually, there is another way other than Pill Forging!" Ouyang Cheng suddenly recalled something and spoke. "Given your formidable memory, this method might be more suited for you!"

"It can't be that you are referring to..." Astonishment appeared on Du Man's face.

"Indeed!" Ouyang Cheng nodded his head.

"But... You should consider the consequences. If he fails, the penalty will be harsh. He might even lose the opportunity to ever take the examination to become an apothecary..."

Du Man was filled with anxiety.

"I know, but this is the only way one can become an apothecary quickly. Otherwise, one would have to walk the conventional path of practicing routinely. Given the countless medicinal herbs and each of their unique properties, it is nigh impossible for one to succeed in a short period of time!"

Ouyang Cheng said.

"But..."

"There are no buts. We are only responsible for informing him of the possibility. The choice is up to him!" Ouyang Cheng shakes his head.

"What is this method you speak of?"

Upon seeing the commotion between the two, Zhang Xuan's couldn't help but ask.

"There are actually two methods for one to become an apothecary. The first method is the usual one, Pill Forging. As long as one is able to forge a grade-1 pill, he will be able to become a 1-star apothecary. This is the standard and traditional method!"

Without hesitation, Ouyang Cheng started to explain.

"The second method is not Pill Forging but Pill Debate!"

"Pill Debate?"

Zhang Xuan was bewildered.

Not just him, even Zhu Hua Hua, Sun Tao and the others seemed to have never heard of it and a perplexed expression appeared on their faces.

"Indeed. You all should have heard of the noblest occupation of the Upper Nine Paths, master teacher!"

Ouyang Cheng said.

"Un!"

The crowd nodded their heads.

Those who knew of the Lower, Middle and Upper Nine Paths naturally knew of master teachers.

This was the highest ranking occupation of the Upper Nine Paths and their social position was superior to that of the apothecaries by numerous folds.

"The more formidable master teachers can offer pointers beyond that of cultivation, pill forging, smithing, formation creation and such are all possible for them!" Ouyang Cheng explained. "However, one has to expend quite a lot of time just to become a master teacher, so how can they have the effort to spend on learning pill forging and smithing to become an apothecary and blacksmith?

"At the same time, if they do not join their ranks, how can they be qualified to teach them?

"To deal with such a situation, a unique examination method was created, Pill Debate!

"It is clear to see from us apothecaries that one requires a lot of practice, forging pills ceaselessly, to become a true apothecary. However, master teachers do not have the time to waste on doing so. In fact, all he needs is to comprehend and integrate the knowledge of pill forging!

"That is to say, he doesn't really need to learn how to forge pills. As long as he has complete knowledge of the theory, he is able to successfully become an apothecary!

"Of course, the examination isn't easy. It requires one to debate with ten true apothecaries about the various aspects of pill forging and one could be disqualified with just a single mistake. Furthermore, a huge penalty will be enforced on one if that happens!"

Ouyang Cheng slowly explained the other method of becoming an apothecary, Pill Debate, to the others.

Library of Heaven's Path - Chapter 96: I Will Give It a Try

"It's Dragon Scale Grass. We have made a mistake!"

After a long moment, Ouyang Cheng said with a bitter smile on his face.

As a famous apothecary in Tianxuan Kingdom, he had been the one to teach others all along. He didn't expect to be the one taught today!

"Since it is Dragon Scale Grass, you are the only one who passed the second round, Medicinal Herb Discernment Time Trial. As long as your cultivation realm is Zhenqi realm pinnacle and above, you are officially an apprentice apothecary!"

Upon hearing these words, Sun Tao was on the verge of bursting into tears.

He was probably one of the most tragic candidates ever. His qualification as an apprentice apothecary was canceled in less than ten minutes after its announcement, and it was passed on to someone else...

[Does reality have to be so damned? Does reality have to slap on my face so forcefully?]

However, even though he still felt discontented with the final verdict, having witnessed Zhang Xuan's fearsome memorization ability, he could only swallow his tears back in.

To take the examination with this kind of freak, he had to concede to him even if he didn't want to!

"Later, when the examination ends, I will look for a secluded location and find an opportunity to beat him up. After all, I am nearing thirty, ten years older than the other party. My cultivation realm should be higher than his. Fighter 4-dan Pigu realm pinnacle, it should be more than enough to teach him a lesson!"

As such a vile thought appeared in his mind, he immediately heard the voice of the other party.

"My current cultivation realm is Fighter 5-dan Dingli realm pinnacle!" After which, Zhang Xuan revealed his level of cultivation.

Guang dang!

Sun Tao fell to the floor.

[Do you need to be so terrifying? Not only is your memory so frightening, your fighting prowess just has to be the same as well. To think that I wanted to teach you a lesson, it is lucky that you revealed your cultivation realm now. Otherwise, I would surely be reduced to the state of a snake melon…]

"Alright, alright! Congratulations on joining the ranks of apprentice apothecaries!"

Seeing that his cultivation realm fitted the regulations as well, Ouyang Cheng went straight to the point and drew out an emblem from his embrace. "This is the emblem of an apprentice apothecary. With this, you can enter the guild's basic tier book collection vault freely. You will also enjoy special privileges and priority when purchasing pills from the guild!"

The Apothecary Guild usually sold pills to the outsiders at an exorbitant price. On the other hand, those among their ranks would receive a huge discount when purchasing pills.

Even though he was just an apprentice apothecary, he could be considered as a member of the guild.

"Yes!"

Zhang Xuan grabbed the emblem from Ouyang Cheng's hands joyfully.

The reason why he exerted so much effort to gain the identity of an apprentice was so that he could enter the book collection vault. Finally, he had achieved his aim.

"Also, upon becoming an apprentice, you can choose to follow an apothecary so as to better come into contact with pills and study them. Given your talent, I believe that you will be able to become a true Apothecary in a few years time!"

Ouyang Cheng stared expectantly at Zhang Xuan as he said these words.

It was very clear that he hoped to admit Zhang Xuan as his apprentice.

This young man had astounding memorization ability, not to mention his incredible talents. As long as he was guided carefully, he should be able to achieve high heights soon. Having such an apprentice would help boost his fame.

Du Man, who was standing by the side, had the same intentions as well and he stared at him with glowing eyes.

Looking at the gazes of the two, Zhang Xuan shook his head and replied, "I'm sorry, but I do not have any intention of becoming the apprentice of any apothecary for the time being!"

No matter what, he was a teacher of Hongtian Academy, as well as a transcender. How could he become an errand runner and apprentice of someone else?

It would be a joke if he were to!

After becoming an apprentice, one had the choice to choose whether he wanted to come under an apothecary or not.

"Looks like I was too anxious. You have just become an apprentice, so there's no need to think too much into it. You can make a choice after contemplating over the matter properly!"

Upon Zhang Xuan's rejection, Ouyang Cheng realized that he was a little too hasty and he flashed an embarrassed smile.

"Indeed, you should consider it carefully. It is easier to learn under an apothecary, and you would be able to become a true apothecary faster through so!" Du Man nodded his head in agreement.

"Un!"

Knowing the intentions of the other party, Zhang Xuan nodded his head in response. Suddenly, he recalled something and asked, "Is there any pills in our Apothecary Guild that can awaken special constitutions?"

He had asked a receptionist previously and she didn't seem to know. However, these two over here were true apothecaries of the guild, people of respectable standing. They should at least know a little more than her.

"Pills that awaken unique constitutions?"

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man stared at one another for a moment before the former replied, "There is, but different constitutions require different pills to awaken. If one were to erroneously consume a wrong pill, not only will be constitution not be awakened, it might even result be severe side effects!"

Having browsed through related books, Zhang Xuan understood this fact and continued, "Then... Are there any books relating to unique constitutions and the pills required to awaken them? Can you allow me to take a look at them?"

Yuan Tao possessed the Emperor Bloodline, and before his unique constitution awakened, it was safer for him for fewer people to know of it.

These two apothecaries seemed kind on the surface, but a human's heart was unfathomable. It was hard to say whether revealing the fact to them would bring about a series of trouble.

Thus, it was best for fewer people to know of his Emperor Bloodline. Therefore, he phrased it as a unique constitution and did not reveal any other details about the matter. At most, they would only surmise that he was the one consuming the pill.

"There are quite a books on them, but they are all in the advanced tier book collection vault. According to the rules, only certified apothecaries are allowed to enter and look through them. Not even I have the qualifications to loan them to you!"

Ouyang Cheng shook his head.

"What he said is true. Pills and unique constitutions are something that only qualified apothecaries will research. As such, it is placed in the advanced tier book collection vault. If you really want to take a look at it, you should choose to become the apprentice of one of us. With your talent, you should be able to attempt the examination for a 1-star apothecary within a year's time. Once you succeed, is there still anything that isn't for your browsing?"

Apothecary Du Man made use of this opportunity to help him analyze the situation. "Furthermore, a true apothecary is granted with generous privileges in all Apothecary Guild. Regardless of whether it is the purchasing of pills or scavenging for herbs, your needs will be prioritized over outsiders... You should consider it carefully. It will be slower if you try to fumble your way through to become an apothecary. Even with your superior talent, it is hard for you to succeed even in a few years time!"

"They cannot be loaned?"

Bitterness cloaked Zhang Xuan's face.

Didn't this mean that his hard work has been in vain?

He had wasted quite a bit of time and effort to pass the examination to become an apprentice apothecary.

If Sun Tao, Wen Xue, Uncle Li and the rest were to know his thoughts, blood would definitely spurt forth from their mouth.

[We spend a minimum of six to seven years memorizing the content in those books, and we haven't even passed the examinations yet. All in all, you have only spent four hours... Do you know that four hours ago, you don't even know what an apprentice apothecary is...

You call this hard work?

You dare to call this hard work? Then what is ours called?]

"Indeed. If you wish to look at the books of the advanced tier book collection vault, you have to become an apothecary. This is a rule by the headquarters. If you truly wish to find out how you can utilize pills to awaken unique constitutions, you should first think of a way how you can become an official apothecary!"

Ouyang Cheng said.

In his opinion, the only way one could become an apothecary quickly was to learn behind a true apothecary. He was the best apothecary in the entire Tianxuan Kingdom, who else could Zhang Xuan choose if not him?

Just when he was about to offer an apprenticeship to Zhang Xuan, he heard the other party speaking up.

"Since... only an apothecary can read books from the advanced tier book collection vault, then... how does the examination an apothecary work?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment. "Let me give it a try!"

"Un, that decision is a wise one. As long as you follow me, I will expend all my effort in grooming you... What?"

Halfway through his words, Ouyang Cheng realized what Zhang Xuan had just said. His voice choked in his throat and his eyes, which were fixated on the young man before him, widened as though they were about to pop out from their sockets. "What... What did you just say?"

Library of Heaven's Path - Chapter 95: Dragon Scale Grass

"Me?"

Sun Tao clenched his fists delightfully. Turning around, he looked at Zhang Xuan and the other candidate. His neck was tilted upwards as he emanated an aura of superiority.

After getting through the first two examinations, his identity as an apprentice was already confirmed.

Ignoring the incomparably narcissistic Sun Tao, upon hearing his name wasn't announced, Zhang Xuan frowned.

That shouldn't be.

He had double checked all of his answers with the Library of Heaven's Path, so it was impossible for him to have committed an error. Why did he fail?

"Master Apothecaries, may I know where did I go wrong?"

Unable to contain his doubts, Zhang Xuan stepped forward.

"Why? Are you going to challenge the two masters' evaluation? A mistake is a mistake. You must have identified a certain medicinal herb inaccurately or made a mistake while writing your answer down!"

Sun Tao stepped before him, flung his sleeve and lectured him as though an earnest teacher, "Study hard after you return. Theoretical knowledge are different from the practical knowledge after all. Your theoretical answers are not bad, but if you are unable to recognize the medicinal herbs, you are still unable to become an apprentice apothecary!"

His voice was deep and his actions were refined.

[Lad, weren't you gleeful just now?

It is shocking that you are able to achieve a perfect score in the written examination, but it is useless!]

"You have identified the Fish Scale Grass erroneously, stating it as Dragon Scale Grass instead!" Seeing his doubtful expression, Ouyang Cheng explained. "However, don't be disheartened. Just the very fact that you were able to achieve perfect accuracy in your written examination shows that you have reached an acceptable level of understanding towards medicinal herbs. As long as you observe and study medicinal herbs properly from now on and integrate your knowledge together, you will surely pass the examination the next time around!"

"Indeed, you are still young. There is no need to hurry. As long as you continue to learn humbly and integrate your theoretical knowledge with your technical skills, you should be able to become a true apprentice apothecary very soon!" Apothecary Du Man also chipped in.

If it was anyone else, the two would be less than bothered to explain. However, the person before them had just achieved a perfect score, even the two of them felt that it was a pity for him to fail this round.

"You mean this?"

Zhang Xuan finally understood why he failed the second round of examination. He headed to the table and picked up the stalk of medicinal herb. Studying it carefully once more, he asked, "Are you sure that this is Fish Scale Grass?"

"Of course, its stem is similar to that of fish scale and its leaves are gray color. What else could it be if not Fish Scale Grass?"

Before Ouyang Cheng and Du Man could answer, Sun Tao quickly spoke out proudly.

Fish Scale Grass was an extremely rare herb and its traits were as what Sun Tao said, fish scale-like stem and gray leaves.

Even though it was rare, information on the herb was recorded in the books.

The one that Zhang Xuan identified inaccurately previously was also this herb.

"Could it be that it isn't?"

Ouyang Cheng clearly agreed with Sun Tao's judgement, and he stared at Zhang Xuan with a doubtful expression.

"Of course not!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Aren't the two apothecaries a little too rash to use a herb which you both aren't sure of in an examination and conclude that I have failed the test?"

"Audacious!" Thinking that the young man before him was trying to win praises by starting a commotion, he quickly interjected. "How could the questions come up by the master apothecaries be wrong? Stop spouting nonsense here..."

After passing the examination, it was highly likely that he would become the apprentice of one of the two apothecaries here, so he had to fawn on them in advance.

"It is easy to tell whether it is nonsense or not! There are books in the room outside the examination hall. May I busy someone to fetch a book on the bottommost of the seventh shelf here!" Couldn't be bothered to argue with this fellow, Zhang Xuan calmly said so.

"Hua Hua, fetch the book here!"

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man traded gazes for a moment before the latter ordered his apprentice to fetch the book.

The apprentice apothecary who brought the candidates into the room nodded his head before walking out. In a moment's time, he returned with a book on unique medicinal herbs, the one that Zhang Xuan had described previously.

"Flip to the 17th page, there is a detailed description on Fish Scale Grass there!"

Zhang Xuan said.

The apprentice Zhu Hua Hua couldn't resist the urge to flip the book and in the next instant, information on Fish Scale Grass appeared before him.

"He can even remember this?"

The two apothecaries, Ouyang Cheng and Du Man, glanced over and their bodies shuddered, revealing their incredulity.

Fish Scale Grass was an ingredient that they took randomly, and no one knew about it beforehand. As such, it was impossible for anyone to cheat!

[To be able to remember which book holds the description of the medicinal herb, which page the description is on and where the book was placed... His memory is nothing short of incredible.]

"May I trouble you to recite the introduction on Fish Scale Grass!" Ignoring their shock, Zhang Xuan carried on.

"Fish Scale Grass usually grows in marshlands. It is named as such due to its unique fish scale-like stem. Its entire body is gray and there are slight white spots on top of the leaves. The scales on mature Fish Scale Grasses are around the size of a soybean..."

The voice of the apprentice apothecary, Hua Hua, gradually faded away as he recited the introduction. Because, even him, had realized that there were many differences between the 'Fish Scale Grass' on the table and what was described in the book.

"There are faint white spots on the top of the leaves of Fish Scale Grass, but this herb doesn't have any of it! The scales of a mature Fish Scale Grass should be around the size of a soybean, but the scales on this herb are around the size of a fingernail. It is clear that it is significantly larger than what is being described!" Zhang Xuan carried the herb up and explained the traits one by one.

"This..."

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man hurriedly grabbed the book from Zhu Hua Hua's hands and browsed through it. They discovered many differences between what was being described in the book and the herb in Zhang Xuan's hands.

"Since it isn't Fish Scale Grass, it should be something that is similar to it. Of the numerous medicinal herbs, the only thing that resembles it is the Dragon Scale Grass that I had written down in my script! If you all doubt the existence of this medicinal herb, you all can send someone to the room again and on the right upper corner of the fourth shelf, there should be a famous work by Senior Liu Da Xian. The herb is described in detail on the 54th page!"

Liu Da Xian was an extremely famous apothecary thirty years ago. He had entered many barren and treacherous lands to discover new herbs and he had contributed much to the apothecary society.

"Of course, if you still doubt that the herb is Dragon Scale Grass, I have a way to discern it for sure!" Zhang Xuan smiled. "Fish Scale Grass is a warm medicinal herb. A milky-white liquid will flow out if its stem is broken. On the other hand, this herb is a cold medicinal herb. If it is cut apart, a pale yellow liquid that emanates cold moist air will flow out! The two apothecaries are expert at using herbs, so you should be able to discern it easily!"

"This..."

Du Man shot a gaze at Zhu Hua Hua to get him to look for the book once more. At the same time, he exerted a force on his hands and lightly tore the plant apart.

Padah!

The stem of the 'Fish Scale Grass' in his hands was torn apart and a pale yellow liquid flowed out slowly, emitting frigidity into its surroundings.

"It is as he says!"

The duo staggered.

[It is exactly as what the other party said!

To think that this medicinal herb isn't Fish Scale Grass!]

At this moment, Zhu Hua Hua returned with a book in his hand. At the 54th page, records on the Dragon Scale Grass could be found and the traits stated in the book tallied perfectly with this medicinal herb.

Despite being an examiner, to think that a candidate would end up correcting their mistake...

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man felt a fiery sensation on their face.

The room went deathly silent.

Everyone stared at the young man before them as though they were staring at a monster.

[The heck, remembering the difference between Dragon Scale Grass and Fish Scale Grass can still be considered minor, but to remember the exact book and page, as well as where it is placed on the shelves...

You are about to break through the heavens!

Are you sure you are still human?]

Sun Tao, who had just mocked Zhang Xuan in an attempt to perform before the apothecaries, stood rooted to the spot in a daze and his body trembled uncontrollably. An urge to cry overwhelmed him.

[Damn it, if only I knew that the other party had such outstanding memorization ability, I wouldn't have tried to look knowledgeable even if I was beaten to death!]

This time, not only did he fail to look knowledgeable, he looked like a fool!

If there was a burrow in the ground at this moment, he surely would have dived in at this very instant...

Library of Heaven's Path - Chapter 94: Discernment Time Trial

Hu!

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes.

After a moment of studying, his knowledge of medicinal herbs had deepened significantly.

The knowledge in the books he flipped through in the room back then had finally assimilated into his mind and became his.

Not only could the Library of Heaven's Path replicate secret manuals and compile the Heaven's Path Divine Art, it could also hasten the rate which one learnt new knowledge.

Deng deng deng deng!

A series of footsteps could be heard.

"It is Apprentice Zhu Hua Hua, he passed the examination half a year ago!"

"Didn't he become Apothecary Du Man's apprentice?"

"Indeed, he must be here to announce the results!"

"I hope that I am able to pass the examination..."

……

...

Upon seeing the owner of the footsteps, the people outside the examination hall quickly stood up.

"The results are out now. Finally, your facade will be exposed, let's see whether you can continue on with the act then!"

Wen Xue sneered as she glanced coldly at the young man beside her.

To tell truth, if she didn't know that this fellow was a playboy scion in advance, she would have thought that he might actually possess true capabilities.

That was because... His acting was way too realistic!

In the two hours after the examination, he sat on the bench without moving in the least. He truly went all out just to attract her attention.

However... It was useless!

He had already offended her thoroughly a moment ago. It was impossible to change her perception of him now!

"There are three people who passed the first round of examinations!" The apprentice named Zhu Hua Hua walked out of the examination hall with a sheet of paper in his hand. He began to read out the names written on it. "Firstly, Sun Tao from Luyuan City. 91 out of 100!"

"Ah, me? I passed..."

The moment the voice sounded, a young man leapt in joy.

His response attracted countless looks of envy from the other examinees.

Even though he had only passed one of the three rounds, he was at least a step closer to becoming an apprentice apothecary.

Even Wen Xue's eyes were twinkling in respect toward him.

"Second, Qian Wen Man from Ziyun City. 90 out of 100!"

"It's me..." Upon hearing the words, another person stood up with a flushed face.

"Finally, Zhang Xuan from Tianxuan City..."

Suddenly, Zhu Hua Hua's face warped in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes and stared at the paper once more. Only now did he confirm that his sight wasn't playing tricks on him, and with a trembling voice, he said, "100 out of 100!"

"What?"

"100 out of 100?"

"That means... He answered every single question correctly?"

"How is that possible?"

"To be able to achieve a perfect score for such a difficult paper, who is this expert Zhang Xuan?"

"Right, who is it?"

……

...

Upon hearing that the third person who passed the examination achieved a perfect score, the entire area exploded into commotion. Everyone looked around to find the person named Zhang Xuan.

"Alright, the three people who passed the first round, enter the examination hall for the second round!"

Zhu Hua Hua interrupted the commotion and walked into the room.

The two person whose names were called previously also hurriedly followed behind him.

Zhang Xuan stood up as well.

"The names of the three people who passed the examination has already been announced. Why, are you still not going to admit your incapability..." Seeing him stand up, Wen Xue sneered coldly. However, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind and she stopped halfway through her words. Her eyes widened into complete circles and with a quivering voice, she asked, "Wh... What... is your name?"

"Zhang Xuan!"

Couldn't be bothered with this shallow woman, Zhang Xuan turned around and walked into the examination hall.

"Zhang Xuan? He... is Zhang Xuan?"

"The one who scored hundred out of hundred?"

Wen Xue shuddered and her face paled ghastly white. In this instant, she felt as though a clown, making a fool out of herself.

She kept saying that the other party was putting up a facade and had no abilities whatsoever. In the end... he proved her wrong with an unprecedented perfect score!

[Are you for real?

Didn't you know nothing at all before the examination?

Weren't you ignorant of what was being tested?

You liar...

You big liar!

Acting as though an ignorant fool, only to score a full mark... Brother, you must be joking with me!]

Wen Xue felt a burning sensation on her face and she felt herself going insane.

"The fellow who simply flipped through all of the books just now... got a perfect score?"

At the side, Uncle Li's eyes were about to fall to the ground at any moment now.

The heck!

Just a moment ago, he was thinking that perhaps the other party was here to play. He didn't expect the other party to be such a formidable character.

He had never passed the examination despite taking the test frequently ever since he was a teenager. Yet, this fellow received a perfect score in his first attempt...

Truly, comparisons between fellow humans were what that turned out to be the most infuriating...

"It's that fellow who handed up the papers after an hour into the examination!"

"I thought he had given up, to think that he had obtained a perfect score..."

"Too incredible! Getting all of the questions correct in just an hour, how did he study to reach such an incredible level?"

The other examinees also recognized him and a dizzy spell assaulted them.

……

...

Oblivious to the shock and disbelief of the others outside, Zhang Xuan sat down before the desk once more.

On the table before him, several rarely-seen herbs that could not be seen in the market were laid out before him.

"There is a total of ten medicinal herbs on the table. Before this incense burns out, you have to write out its name, properties, and its uses out! For this round, you have to achieve a perfect score to pass!"

~15 minutes

Standing at the front, Ouyang Cheng gestured, "The time starts now!"

In the second round, Medicinal Herb Discernment, one had to achieve a perfect score to pass. That is to say, if one recognized even a single of the ten medicinal herbs inaccurately, one would be disqualified.

Zhang Xuan looked at the first stalk of herb.

It had a green flower, a green stem, and green leaves.

"Green Mane Grass!"

Upon recalling such a plant being recorded in the books, a name floated into his mind.

Following closely behind, the description of Green Mane Grass appeared before him in the Library of Heaven's Path. He casually jotted it down.

After he was done with the first one, he proceeded onto the second one.

Even though these medicinal herbs were not commonly seen, to him who had an archive in his mind, the examination wasn't difficult at all. Soon, he finished writing down the information of nine of the plants, with only a single one remaining.

This was a bizarre plant with a yellow flower, a gray stem, and white leaves.

Just as he was struggling to figure out what plant it was, a thought flashed through his mind and he froze. Smiling bitterly, he patted his forehead.

Why didn't he think of it earlier!

With the cheating machine called the Library of Heaven's Path, he didn't have to go through so much trouble to discern the medicinal herbs!

He stretched out his hands and gently picked up the medicinal herb.

Hu!

A book appeared before him and a detailed explanation of the medicinal herb was compiled within the book, with all of its strengths and flaws recorded within.

He casually copied it onto the paper.

Then, he touched the other nine of the herbs to double confirm his answer.

The results were exactly as how he discerned it, except for a particular stalk.

Zhang Xuan knew that it is impossible for the Library of Heaven's Path to make a mistake and thus, he edited his answer.

The incense had barely burnt halfway through by the time he was finished.

He passed the answer sheet.

Previously, Ouyang Cheng thought that Zhang Xuan was here to fool about, so he didn't have a good opinion of him. However, upon seeing him achieve a perfect score in the first round of examinations, he dared not underestimate him any further and hurriedly picked up his paper to take a look.

Apothecary Du Man walked over by the corner to look at the paper as well.

The answers on the paper were all correct.

They nod their head in satisfaction as they browsed through his paper.

Not just the name, even the properties, unique traits and uses of the medicinal herb written in the script of the young man were flawless.

Just as they were certain that he would pass the examination and were about to offer him compliments, they suddenly paused simultaneously and stared intently at his paper once more.

"Alright, there is only one person who passed the second round of examinations. I will announce his name now..."

Soon, after the remaining two candidates handed in their papers, Ouyang Cheng swiftly marked their papers. Then, his gaze swept through the surrounding as he announced the result, "Sun Tao from Luyuan City!"

True Martial World - Chapter 210: The result of Heaven’s Eyeball

The Radiant Sun Qi energized Yi Yun's whole body. His body's fatigue was wiped away. A brand new energy warmed Yi Yun's body as it rejuvenated him.

The 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' powered by the Radiant Sun Qi was the real 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique'!

The 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' was a compilation cultivation technique. But it was more biased towards internal energy, which allowed a warrior's Yuan Qi to pool and it’s quality to increase. As for stances, the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' did not go too much into it.

With the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' powered, it was not limited to a particular weapon. It could be used whether it was a saber, a sword or a spear.

Yi Yun slung his Thousand Army Saber across his back and ran straight to the job office.

In a few more days, Yi Yun would turn thirteen. His height had increased, but compared to the ridiculous length of the Thousand Army Saber, he was still shorter.

As such, Yi Yun found it very inconvenient to carry the Thousand Army Saber around.

"If I have the chance, I must get myself an interspatial ring." Yi Yun was thinking that, be it the Thousand Army Saber or the Tai Cang Bow, they were too long to sling across his back due to their length. It was alright to carry them during normal training, but to pick herbs in the herb mountain #60, it was easy for him to get stuck in the woods when he was traveling through them.

But right now, Yi Yun was tight on money. He had a 3000 dragon scale rune loan and in a few more days, he needed to prepare dragon scale runes for gambling in the arena.

He had to wait before buying an interspatial ring. It was imperative that he prepared the amount needed for the betting.

And the only way to quickly accumulate wealth right now was to break the herb-picking record.

When Yi Yun appeared in the herb-picking office, the Thousand Army Saber across his back made him seem like he was carrying a flagpole on his back, this made him stand out.

"Little Brother Yi Yun, it's been a while since I saw you. I thought you wouldn't be picking herbs after you obtained the primordial herb." In the office, Zhao Qingcheng and company saw Yi Yun from far. They greeted him with a smile. For a boy that looked like the brother from next door, Zhao Qingcheng and her sisterly friends had a good impression of Yi Yun.

When they previously heard that Yi Yun had picked a primordial herb, they found it hard to believe. But after receiving a few rounds of confirmation, they knew it was not a joke. They sincerely felt happy for Yi Yun.

"Yes… I've been busy training the past few days, so I haven't been to the herb mountain much." Yi Yun shyly smiled.

"Hehe, Little Brother Yi Yun sure is great. We were all hoping you would break the record! You were only lacking in a few thousand, but you didn't come for about ten days…Now, there are only twelve days left to the sixty-day limit…" Zhao Qingcheng said it with some regret.

Previously, Yi Yun had managed to accumulate 10,000 dragon scale runes from picking the primordial herb. Together with all the other miscellaneous herbs, he had picked about 14,000 dragon scale runes worth of herbs.

But the record set by Zhong Yi was about 19,000.

Yi Yun was still 5200 runes short of the record.

With twelve days left to pick 5200 runes worth of herbs, Yi Yun had to pick an average of 434 dragon scale runes worth of herbs a day to reach his goal.

This was not easy!

"You finally thought about picking herbs? I thought that after you had your windfall, you lost interest in picking herbs!" At that moment, Wang spoke without much emotion from behind the herb-picking counter.

"Sis Wang sure likes to joke. I still plan to break the record!" Yi Yun grinned and greeted Wang.

"Break the record? Ha!" Wang placed one hand on the table and looked at Yi Yun with a deep gaze. "Kid, you sure are confident! Do you know how many dragon scale runes you are lacking?"

"I know!" Yi Yun said it directly. "I've counted it carefully. The recruit ranking match will begin soon. I want to use the dragon scale runes I earn for my betting!"

Upon hearing Yi Yun, Wang squinted her eyes and looked at Yi Yun. "To pick over 5000 dragon scale runes worth of herbs in twelve days, you can't be hoping to pick some Heaven-ranked herbs…"

80% of the dragon scale runes Yi Yun had accumulated previously came from the Blood Yang Flower and the primordial herb. This was all due to luck, but Yi Yun had never really picked many low-grade herbs.

"I heard that you offended the Hongdao Association. The entire association has declared war on you…" Wang said in her leisurely tone. This matter had spread throughout the Tai Ah Divine City and it was especially known among the rookies. Zhao Qingcheng and her friends, of course, heard of this and they were all worried for Yi Yun.

"Yes, that's why I need Sis Wang's care and concern. The rookies from the association pawned all their belongings to gamble with me. If you don't give me more dragon scale runes, I won't be able to afford the bet…" Yi Yun said in a pathetic manner.

"Don't give me that crap!" Wang said coldly. She gave a herb basket and a sickle to Yi Yun. After that, she said mildly, "Elder Jian Ge has increased the reward for breaking the herb-picking record. If you break the record, you will receive 25,000 dragon scale runes and 2 glory points."

Wang's apparently unintentional words made Yi Yun overjoyed.

This was a timely help.

He really had to thank Elder Jian Ge.

"Don't get happy too early. Break the record first!" Wang poured a bucket of cold water; however, although she kept attacking Yi Yun with her words, she was looking forward to Yi Yun’s next step.

Every since Yi Yun picked the Heaven Purple Yang Ginseng, Wang had a different kind of appreciation for Yi Yun. She faintly believed that this youth would one day soar in the Tai Ah Divine Kingdom.

…

With a flash of the teleportation array's beam, Yi Yun arrived at the #60 herb mountain for the first time in a long time.

Facing these familiar surroundings, Yi Yun took a deep breath. Herb mountain #60's Heaven Earth Yuan Qi was thick and fresh. It gave people a mind-refreshing feeling

With his spiritual energy interfacing with the Purple Crystal, Yi Yun used his recently formed Heaven's eyeball to scan the surroundings.

Immediately, a world completely formed from energy appeared within Yi Yun's vision.

In a radius of five kilometers, every life became an energy figure. Whether it was a blade of grass or a flying insect, they all had their own representative energy light dot.

These light dots were very faint. Before Yi Yun formed Heaven's eyeball, he could not sense it at all.

And the energy blobs that were clearly lit up like a flame were no doubt herbs.

The more valuable the herb was, the more energy it contained.

In a radius of a few dozen kilometers, there were 20-30 herbs. There were a few Mystic-ranked herbs. There were no Earth-ranked herbs, but by changing locations, he could easily find them.

After forming Heaven's eyeball, Yi Yun felt like the herb mountain's grounds were littered with tons of herbs to pick.

If he were to carefully search the few herb mountains in the Tai Ah Divine City, given sufficient time, he could probably find another primordial herb.

Of course, there was no need to do so.

Firstly, it was a huge waste of time and the outcome was not guaranteed.

Secondly, Yi Yun would not dare to hand in the primordial herb he picked. He could only absorb it himself. What was most important for Yi Yun now was the glory points. For the energy aspect, Yi Yun could get that from the Wilderness Divine Hall.

The Wilderness Divine Hall had six primordial strain sculptures. Each of them had an alarming amount of energy within it. With Yi Yun's current cultivation level, he could not reduce the energy within them by much through his few attempts.

Yi Yun picked herbs as he pleased and he found about 200 dragon scale runes worth so far.

By changing his location, with a scan using his senses, Yi Yun had managed to find 500 dragon scale runes worth in about an hour.

It was too easy.

Yi Yun used the remaining time to cultivate.

A warrior had to endure the boring and lonely cultivation process. Yi Yun had previously gained a thin concept of eternity when drawing the last sun picture.

This made Yi Yun even more diligent. Life could not repeat itself like the rising and setting of the sun. If one did not grab every moment, one would waste their talent and potential. It would be a great regret.

True Martial World - Chapter 209: Radiant Sun Qi

"We'll pawn it all!" The Capital's Four Bully Lords said in an unrestrained manner and they placed all of the items they had brought with them onto the table.

"Brothers, keep it up. Our goal will not only be Yi Yun. Yi Yun will just be the starter dish. We will rise up the rookie rankings, letting everyone know the power of the Capital's Four Bully Lords!"

The fatty of the four-man group gave the concluding remark. He was the oldest amongst the four of them.

At that moment, in the corner of his eye, he spotted a youth in linen clothes looking at them by the door. His stare was… very odd.

Fatty felt unhappy. Why was this kid looking at them? Had he never seen such an elegant and magnificent group?

"Who are you?" Fatty stared at Yi Yun.

"Me? Uh…" Yi Yun rubbed his chin and gave an even stranger look. "My name is Yi Yun, nice to meet you…"

"…" The Four Bully Lords stared wide-eyed at Yi Yun, with their mouths agape. They were talking about Yi Yun and he was actually standing behind them!?

"You are Yi Yun!?"

"You are the kid going against us, the Hongdao Association?" The tall member of the Four Bully Lords, Lofty casually pulled out a dagger and played with it in his hand.

He threw the dagger into the air, again and again, sending flashes of light. It could be told at a glance that this dagger was no ordinary item.

"Kid, what have you come here for? Pawning something?" The four of them sized up Yi Yun. Their faces had looks of ridicule. They all thought that Yi Yun was here to pawn his items to prepare the betting amount for the rookie rankings.

Yi Yun shrugged and said, "Taking a loan."

As he was saying this, Yi Yun had already filled up his IOU. He handed it over to the manager.

Warrior's had good eyesight. With a glance, they could see that Yi Yun was making a loan of 3000 dragon scale runes!

Immediately, the Four Bully Lords were a little dumbfounded. He was not here to pawn, but to take a loan?

"Haha, come to think of it, this kid is a bumpkin from the Cloud Wilderness. He's poor, so how could he have an item to pawn?"

"Taking a loan is good! Borrowing from a usury for gambling sure is promising!"

The Four Bully Lords thought that Yi Yun was here to borrow runes for the betting.

To borrow money for gambling, with the high-interest rates, was an unacceptable action to many. One could lose everything until they had nothing was left.

The Four Bully Lords' Fatty excitedly rubbed his chin.

In the Tai Ah Divine City, if one could not repay one’s loan, one had to sleep on the streets. Besides, one could not leave the Tai Ah Divine City. To live on the streets for years would definitely be interesting.

Yi Yun could not be bothered to explain. After finishing the borrowing procedure, he took the 3000 dragon scale runes and then he ran towards the Wilderness Divine Hall.

Cultivation was a very boring matter. One had to endure being alone as well as endure the loneliness.

To martial art experts, training reclusively for 20-30 years and not eating or drinking for 400-500 years was very common. They could rely purely on absorbing Heaven Earth Yuan Qi and eating desolate bone relics for sustenance.

To control one's own destiny, to not rot to dust after a hundred years, one had to endure the boredom and loneliness.

Yi Yun embarked on his cultivation journey of absorbing pure Yang energy and he finished drawing out the picture of the sun.

Yi Yun was mesmerized within his own world. Later on, he locked himself in his room for three consecutive days. He did not sleep or rest, so his brain had become a bit numb.

In front of Yi Yun, there were seven to eight jade scrolls. These jade scrolls were blank jade scrolls Yi Yun had bought from the Ten Thousand Pagoda. He had used his Yuan Qi to inscribe the picture of the sun within these jade scrolls.

Now, a picture of the sun would appear in front of him whenever he closed his eyes. He could remember every stroke clearly.

Not only had he been continuously drawing this picture in his soul. He had also drawn on the jade scrolls a few hundred times.

But, the picture of the sun within his soul was only 99% complete. He lacked something before it was perfect.

Yi Yun knew that this last 1% lacked a certain charm!

And this charm was the entire sun picture's essence. It was like a drawn dragon that was missing its eyes.

But the charm could not be copied. Even though Yi Yun's control of his own energy was at its extreme, he had gained nothing despite doing this continuously for three days.

In the morning, Yi Yun's eyes were bloodshot. He opened his door and walked out into the street.

The sun rose in the east like a blur purple flame. Yi Yun squinted his eyes and looked at the sun rising from the horizon.

"Sunrise from Tang Valley, Roaming across the World, Spreading Light Onto World, Brilliant Glorious Magnificent Luster, Ten Suns from Fusang, Who Masters Pure Yang…" Yi Yun recited the principles of the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique'. The sun rose and set every day as if it would never fall down the sky. It would shine on this Divine Wilderness forever.

But ordinary humans had a much shorter lifespan in contrast.

Even those with power, who enjoyed wealth and had many concubines, would turn to dust after a few decades. To be enshrined in history and to be remembered by future generations was extremely difficult.

Even the Divine Kingdom's Kingdom Knight’s and Baron’s lifespan was only a few hundred years. It was an insignificant existence in the Tai Ah Divine Kingdom, not to mention, in the entire vast wilderness.

Weak existences would feel tiny when they faced the vast world and the passage of time, which was infinite.

But there would always be people who did not wish to remain tiny.

They would search.

What would the future be like 10,000 years from now? What about 100,000 years? 10,000,000 years? Did this world have an end to it?

What was at the end of the continent? Was there another piece of land across the ocean? Was there a sky above the skies?

These people would want to slowly control their own destiny. By conquering nature in the pursuit of balance, they would exist on the same level as the world!

Yi Yun was such a person.

In the past, he had no such possibility. Now, God had given him a chance. As a result, he wanted to pursue it with everything he had. He wanted to explore and see what it was like at the pinnacle of martial arts.

Pursuit…

Pinnacle…

Eternal…

There was the legend of Kua Fu who chased the sun.

Kua Fu did not do this for wealth, for power or for beauties. All he wanted to know was where the sun went when it set. What was at the ends of the horizons?

In the legends, Kua Fu never managed to catch up with the sun due to the heat and exhaustion. He could not bear the thirst and he drank all the water from two rivers, but still, he died of thirst along the road.

This story seemed to make Kua Fu's death silly. But his quest was in understanding the world and to triumph over it.

At that moment, Yi Yun suddenly felt an enlightenment…

He looked at the morning sun in the East. He could see a rising purple gas.

Despite his tired body, he injected his spiritual energy into the Purple Crystal…

This time, he did not draw the picture according to the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' jade scroll, but he used the real morning sun!

The pure Yang Qi began to circulate within Yi Yun's body. Line after line of energy interweaved together. Yi Yun was drawing a charm that belonged to him.

The pursuits of humans.

The pinnacle of the martial arts way.

The eternal nature…

One had to have pursuits and dreams in one's life. What if it was achieved?

Yi Yun recited the words he had heard in his previous life. He closed his eyes and controlled the pure Yang Qi within his body. With his feeling, he guided the last stroke. He felt that this last stroke had an inexplicable power that belonged to the sun. That eternal charm was stamped deeply into the picture of the sun.

Instantly, the picture of the sun in Yi Yun's mind came alive.

"Boom!"

A burst of pure Yang fire exploded from Yi Yun's dantian. It burned and circulated around his body!

Yi Yun's entire body felt like he was bathed in flames. He was like a Rainbow Blood Feather that was being reborn within the flames.

Suddenly, Yi Yun heard the sounds of eggshell cracking within his body.

With that, the energy within his body rose! More and more of it turned into a purple Qi that mixed with the pure Yang Qi in the East!

This energy became one with Yi Yun. Yi Yun felt like all of the cells in his body came alive at that very moment and they were respirating Heaven Earth Yuan Qi!

Yi Yun's body was covered in a golden aura. It was like he had a metal cage within his body. There was a primordial strain locked in the cage, and now the cage had been opened and the primordial strain had been awoken!

A new, strange energy went through Yi Yun's body!

The purple Qi grew richer. In the air, it slowly evolved into a long valley.

The blurred valley had trees and flowing rivers. But these trees and flowing rivers seemed to faintly appear within the pure Yang Qi as if it was in a burning flame.

"Radiant Sun Qi! This is Radiant Sun Qi!" Yi Yun suddenly opened his eyes. At that moment, his eyes were like the burning Sun!

Radiant Sun Qi… When he completed the picture of the sun, he obtained Radiant Sun Qi!

The cloaked man had said that only one out of five people practicing the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' could condense Radiant Sun Qi. But now, Yi Yun had really condensed Radiant Sun Qi!

Furthermore, he had only been practicing the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' for half a month!

The Radiant Sun Qi image that had been formed looked like the sun rising from the Tang Valley.

This meant that Yi Yun's Radiant Sun Qi had a grade! This was the beginning step, the Tang Valley level of Radiant Sun Qi!

True Martial World - Chapter 208: Rainbow Blood Feather

With a flash coming from the Wilderness Divine Hall's door, Yi Yun was shrouded by light, and in the next moment, he was teleported into the Wilderness Divine Hall 6.

Hot!

This was Yi Yun's first impression.

The temperature in the room was close to boiling point. If an ordinary mortal were to enter here, they would instantly turn into steam!

There was a blood-red sculpture in the middle of the hall. This sculpture was a big firebird.

The firebird had its wings spread out, it looked like it wanted to cry out into the sky. Its feathers, which were soaked in Great Yan gold, looked like burning flames.

The Great Yan gold is originally black in color, but when light shines on it, it would reflect a dark golden sheen.

But this Great Yan gold sculpture inside Hall 6 looked blood red. This was because the pure Yang energy the firebird had merged within the Great Yan gold over a long period of time and it eventually turned into this color.

"The founding city lord of the Tai Ah Divine City surely chose it well. To have an ancient three-legged Golden Crow primordial strain…" Yi Yun pondered over it. This firebird's name was Rainbow Blood Feather.

How could the Tai Ah Divine City, being the symbol of the Tai Ah Divine Kingdom, not have a pure Yang primordial strain within its Wilderness Divine Hall?

If it did not have one, then future generations would find it difficult to practice the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique'.

Back when the founding city lord of the Tai Ah Divine City built the Wilderness Divine Hall, he had chased the pure Yang Rainbow Blood Feather across half the Divine Wilderness!

When the Wilderness Divine Hall was built, the Rainbow Blood Feather was placed in Hall 6. The Hall was inscribed with arrays that gathered pure Yang Qi. This caused Hall 6 to maintain a hot temperature over the tens of millions of years. The closer one approached the Rainbow Blood Feather, the higher the temperature was.

The tiles below the Rainbow Blood Feather had been baked red. Over many years, all the impurities in the tiles had been burned away. Even the tiles were considered treasures.

"Rainbow Blood Feather…" Yi Yun looked at the formidable firebird sculpture. He could feel wave after wave of energy and pressure heading towards him like a tsunami. The blood within his body began circulating rapidly.

The Rainbow Blood Feather's pure Yang energy was much better than the Heaven Purple Yang Ginseng!

Yi Yun had his spiritual energy interface with the Purple Crystal. In his vision, it was a fiery red scene.

Ever since he had absorbed the Heaven Purple Yang Ginseng, Yi Yun's mental powers had improved. Having formed Heaven's eyeball, his control over the Purple Crystal had increased.

Now, Yi Yun could easily use the Purple Crystal to absorb the primordial strain's energy through the Great Yan gold.

Soon, the first energy blob flew towards Yi Yun.

This energy blob was the size of a pigeon egg. There was a small, cute firebird in it. This firebird looked exactly like the Rainbow Blood Feather. Each feather looked lifelike and they could be clearly seen.

Yi Yun took a deep breath and calmed his mind. After that, he opened his mouth and began to swallow the energy blob.

Suddenly, Yi Yun clearly felt that the pure Yang energy surged through his limbs. Yi Yun controlled this energy masterfully and with one complete circulation in his body, the energy entered into the picture of the sun.

With the picture of the sun within his body, Yi Yun's body ability to hold and control energy greatly increased. If Yi Yun's body was said to be a water reservoir, then the Heaven Earth Yuan Qi would be the water. Now, having learned the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique', Yi Yun's reservoir had been dug deeper, so he could freely absorb the energy, filling up the reservoir once again.

Blob after blob of pure Yang energy flew towards Yi Yun. The Rainbow Blood Feather, as a primordial strain, had energy that was in no way inferior to the Heaven Purple Yang Ginseng in terms of purity. After going through the Great Yan gold and the pure Yang array for tens of millions of years, the energy quality was much better than the Heaven Purple Yang Ginseng!

Of course, the most beneficial thing Yi Yun got from absorbing the Heaven Purple Yang Ginseng was not the energy itself, it was his Heaven’s eyeball, which he formed using its energy. This was an unexpected surprise.

In the next two hours, Yi Yun dedicated himself to absorbing the pure primordial strain energy. As the picture of the sun in his soul became more and more complete, Yi Yun's understanding of the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' also grew deeper.

…

Day after day, Yi Yun would allocate time to cultivate in the day and at night. By absorbing the pure Yang energy within the Wilderness Divine Hall, he slowly copied the Sun picture in his mind. Yi Yun's cultivation level also became more solid as he did so. The picture of the sun slowly increased in completion. It went from 70% to 75% and then to 85%, all the way to 90%.

These days, Yi Yun's dantian was like a burning flame. Slowly, his cultivation level reached the peak of the mid-stages of Purple Blood and it was moving towards the late-stages of Purple Blood.

But at that moment, Yi Yun had used up all the cultivation time he had left in the Wilderness Divine Hall.

Just a bit more…

The sun picture within Yi Yun's mind was nearly complete. If he could not enter the Wilderness Divine Hall at that moment, it would be a pity.

He just needed six more hours of Wilderness Divine Hall cultivation time to complete his Sun picture.

Yi Yun frowned slightly. If he were to pick herbs to earn dragon scale runes, it would be too slow. To earn 3000 dragon scale runes, he needed to pick herbs for at least another 7-8 days. Then, he wouldn’t be able to finish the first stage of the 'Tai Ah Sacred Technique' in one go. If he carried on 7-8 days later, he would lose his momentum and waste a lot of mental energy.

"Right!" Yi Yun's mind suddenly had a flash of brilliance. He thought of an easy solution. "How could I forget this? It shouldn’t be a problem then."

…

In the central square of the Tai Ah Divine City, there was an inconspicuous building behind the Ten Thousand Pagoda. This building was a hundred feet tall and looked ordinary from the outside.

But this building held painful memories for many cultivators.

This was the Tai Ah Divine City's bank. It provided loan and pawning services to cultivators.

The loan interest was abnormally high. Rookies had to pay a monthly interest rate of 12%, while non-rookies had to pay a 15% monthly interest rate.

Back then, when Zhao Qingcheng had to ask Yi Yun for help. it was because of the high-interest loan she had borrowed from this bank. That amount was just tens of dragon scale runes. Yi Yun did not ask for it back since Zhao Qingcheng had helped him quite a lot.

Yi Yun had come to the bank to borrow money. He wanted to borrow 3000 dragon scale runes and he wanted to return it in a month. He just needed to pay 360 dragon scale runes as interest. To Yi Yun, this was nothing.

The bank's loan procedures were not complicated. Although Yi Yun was a rookie, he had previously had a large number of dragon scale runes, so he had a high credit limit. According to the Tai Ah Divine City's various regulations, Yi Yun had a 5000 credit limit.

Yi Yun planned to only borrow 3000, but when he entered the bank he encountered a strange group of cultivators.

Within the bank were four youths. They were dressed in silk. Their body figures were interesting. One was tall, another short, another fat and another thin.

The four of them stood together, completing a height and weight set. It gave a comical feeling.

"Manager, how much do you think this could be pawned for?"

Not many people dared to borrow from the bank's usury. And to these rich young masters, borrowing from a bank was pretty disgraceful.

Hence, if they needed money, most of the time they would choose another method, which was to pawn.

Many scions had pawned items that they had brought from their family clans. The divine city did not encourage such behavior, hence they greatly lowered the valuation of the pawned item!

An item, when pawned in the Tai Ah Divine City, would usually be devalued by half.

But there was no other choice. Many young masters would still come to pawn their items since the Tai Ah Divine City had many resources that could not be obtained elsewhere.

"500 dragon scale runes!"

The pawning manager had a mustache. He was a middle-aged man who wore a small felt hat, which gave him a common businessman look.

Each item was just scanned with his eyes half-opened. In a few seconds, he would evaluate the items and give them a price. The quoted price was final and those who didn't agree with it could choose not to sell it!

"500, so little…" The tall youth was upset, but after some thought, he bit his teeth and said, "I'll pawn it!'

"Second brother, don't worry about it. Right now, what we are lacking is dragon scale runes. With this item pawned, we can redeem it back in the future if you want it." The short one amongst the four youths spoke. As he said it, he raised his hand over his head to pat the tall youth's shoulder. Due to the difference in heights, it looked very out of place.

"By pawning our items, we can use the dragon scale runes we get to bet with that fool Yi Yun next month. By then, 500 will turn into a thousand and a thousand will turn into two thousand. In a short while, we will earn everything back!" The short youth said it with ease.

The fat youth by his side echoed, "Right. This kid Yi Yun dared to offend our Hongdao Association. It's best to start with him! Brothers, this battle will be our, the Capital's Four Bully Lords, it will be our first battle in the Tai Ah Divine City. We must ensure that the name ‘The Capital's Four Bully Lords’ becomes famous. In the future, the four of us will become famous in the Tai Ah Divine City. We will use Yi Yun as our flag in this first battle!"

The fat guy's words made the others excited. Having the Capital's Four Bully Lords dominate the Tai Ah Divine City was an exciting thing to think about!

At this point, not far away from them, Yi Yun's facial expression was odd. These four people's words made him puzzled.

Bet with that fool Yi Yun? Were they talking about him?

This made Yi Yun at a loss over whether to laugh or cry. He understood that these people were from the Hongdao Association.

They came to the bank to obtain money. However, as they came from a prestigious background, they had items to pawn. It did not matter if they couldn't return the money in the future.

And the reason for them pawning their items was to bet on the battle with him in a month!

Rookies did not earn a lot of dragon scale runes, but they had large expenditures. It was natural that they did not have many dragon scale runes to gamble with.

And to many rookies, the battle in a month's time would be their best opportunity to earn dragon scale runes.

As for Yi Yun, having arrived in the Tai Ah Divine City, he had chosen the herb-picking job that the least capable people did. Together with his Cloud Wilderness background, his strength couldn't be any good. Yet, he picked a primordial herb, making him worth a lot. Was he not the perfect lamb for the slaughter?