The examiners in the same group all cast Chen Ganliu a furtive glance. They did not know much about Chen Ganliu's foundations either. Although he was a Second Layer of Qi Condensation cultivator, he had secluded himself for cultivation some time ago, and demonic aura had spilled out in all directions. It was obvious that his cultivation path was not that of the Green Leaf Sect, so he might not be proficient in Green Leaf Spirit Talismans.
Chen Ganliu's seniority was also high. Although they wanted to shield him from this, they were afraid of hurting the "senior's" dignity, leaving them caught between two choices.
Chen Ganliu, however, had not thought much of it. He did not even use talisman paper, merely sketching through the air with his hand. Wherever his fingers passed, talismans condensed in midair, and in one breath, he drew all thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans.
Not to mention Li Sizhong and the other examinees—even several examiners revealed shocked expressions. Someone cried out softly, "Heart Talisman Technique!"
The Heart Talisman Technique was an exceptionally crucial hurdle among talisman arts and spells. Only after crossing it could one evolve talisman arts into spells that activated at the movement of a thought.
There were plenty of people at the fourth or fifth layers of Qi Condensation who had failed to cross this hurdle. They could only cast spells with the aid of talismans, artifacts, and magical treasures, and those unable to cast spells out of thin air were everywhere.
Chen Ganliu was merely at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation, yet he had comprehended the Heart Talisman Technique. If one did not count the accumulation of decades of painstaking cultivation in his previous life, he was unquestionably a peerless prodigy.
Some were even secretly alarmed, thinking, Although Green Leaf Spirit Talismans are the entry-level method of our sect, ordinary disciples below the Third Layer of Qi Condensation can only combine three or five talismans to cast them. Any more, and they can hardly continue.
To draw thirty-six spirit talismans in a single breath requires True Qi that ordinary Second Layer of Qi Condensation cultivators, who boil liquid into Qi, simply cannot withstand.
Even someone at the Third Layer of Qi Condensation, who has condensed Qi into apertures and can contain True Qi in every aperture throughout the body, would find this difficult. One must reach the Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation, where one's innate essence transforms all one's True Qi into innate Qi, before one can cast them with ease.
No wonder Young Ancestor Yang pushed Nan Sixing onto First Senior Sister as a disciple. So he actually possesses such talent. Perhaps a hundred years from now, Great Elder Xu's branch will have another Golden Core cultivator.
Li Sizhong's face flushed crimson, and he turned and left. The other examinees kept sneaking glances over, gazing at the thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans suspended in midair with eyes brimming with envy.
Although nearly everyone knew that Chen Ganliu was "the most outstanding person" in this entrance examination, no one had expected him to be outstanding to such an extent!
Not only was he at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation, he had even comprehended the Heart Talisman Technique. Thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans had flowed from his brush in one breath, as smooth as drifting clouds and flowing water. The abundance of his True Qi far surpassed that of others at the same level.
When Chen Ganliu casually sketched the Green Leaf Spirit Talismans, he had not thought much of it. But after drawing all thirty-six, he sensed that something was slightly amiss.
"Damn it! Why did I draw thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans in one breath? The True Qi consumption is so great!"
Drawing the spirit talismans was only the first step. They had to be infused with sufficient True Qi before the talismans could display their various marvels. All thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans needed to be infused with True Qi. Even though Chen Ganliu had just refined some of the spiritual energy scattered from strands of demonic aura, greatly increasing his cultivation, he still found it somewhat unbearable.
He did not dare continue channeling True Qi. Drawing a deep breath, he prepared to withdraw it.
The thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans suspended in midair were one with Chen Ganliu's own True Qi. Responding as one, they all flew back and landed on his body.
Each chose an aperture and drilled inside. They began circulating leisurely, producing faint azure True Qi. Dozens of apertures rumbled together and opened at the same time.
Chen Ganliu felt the True Qi throughout his body surge and churn. He could not even speak, nor could he move so much as a little finger. He stood motionless where he was for a long, long time.
The onlookers knew nothing of this. They merely assumed that Chen Ganliu was enraged at being looked down upon. Not only had he drawn thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans on the spot and displayed the Heart Talisman Technique, he had even deliberately flaunted his tremendous cultivation.
He was not satisfied even then. He had actually borrowed the thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans to force open his apertures, raising his cultivation in one stroke and taking a great stride forward, openly flaunting his "talent."
True Person Qingyao, who had been invigilating elsewhere, had long since been alerted. He happened to rush over and witnessed Chen Ganliu "forcibly" breaking open his apertures with talisman arts under everyone's watchful eyes. He could not help rubbing his forehead and thinking, This Junior Brother Nan was merely provoked by someone and asked to display his talisman arts, yet he has to make such a world-shaking move without considering what he will do if he fails?
The Green Leaf Sect has not seen anyone this brimming with arrogance in the past few decades.
Only Uncle-Master Shen, hailed as the most talented person in our sect in two hundred years, has such an unruly temper.
I just wonder whether this Junior Brother Nan possesses talent as peerless as Uncle-Master Shen's.
Chen Ganliu remained silent and motionless, and no one else dared even breathe too loudly. Only after he caught his breath, sorted out his True Qi, and slowly returned to sit behind the examination desk did all kinds of noisy voices gradually begin to sound.
The scene just now had left the disciples' blood surging. Although there had always been people jealous of Chen Ganliu, some had also secretly admired him. Now, even more people looked up to him, establishing him as a role model in their hearts.
The remainder of the grand examination passed without incident. Dozens of Chen Ganliu's apertures throbbed faintly, so he did not dare say much. He devoted most of his energy to suppressing his restless True Qi.
The spiritual energy that had spilled out from the scattered strands of demonic aura and increased his cultivation was, in truth, water without a source and a tree without roots. As time passed, if he could not quickly condense Qi into his apertures, some of his increased cultivation would gradually dissipate, and in the end, perhaps only two or three layers would remain.
But this time, he had blasted open dozens of apertures in one breath, so almost all of the cultivation he had gained stabilized.
It was just that ordinary cultivators would never dare use such crude methods recklessly.
If one carelessly damaged an aperture, it could not be repaired without supreme Spirit Medicine. But how could an ordinary Qi Cultivator possibly find supreme Spirit Medicine? Even if they did find it, they would not have enough Talisman Coins or spirit stones to buy it.
Chen Ganliu held out until the grand examination ended, then left the Myriad Talisman Tower and returned to Dragon Cloud Cave. His Junior Martial Sister Yu Qinghong had gone somewhere to gather Spirit Medicine. He simply entered secluded cultivation on his own, activating the Azure Emperor Jia Yi Art to nourish the apertures he had forced open and transform the True Qi produced by the Green Leaf Spirit Talismans into Azure Emperor Jia Yi True Qi.
Seven or eight days later, he emerged from seclusion, but Yu Qinghong had still not returned.
Chen Ganliu knew that his Junior Martial Sister was only gathering medicine in the herb gardens on the Green Leaf Sect's main mountain. There was no danger, so he was not worried about her.
He thought to himself, This time, I only forced open twenty-seven apertures. Since it was not a matter of letting nature take its course, there are still imperfections. Counting the original two nasal apertures, twenty-nine apertures have now been refined.
At this rate, it will probably take another seven or eight years to finish refining all three hundred and sixty-five apertures throughout my body. Although I am far less talented than Senior Martial Sister, I am still much better off than in my previous life.
In my previous life, I had never even tasted what it was like to reach the Third Layer of Qi Condensation and condense Qi into my apertures.
Seven or eight years from now...
Perhaps I will even have several more spiritual veins.
The future truly looks promising.
A very familiar voice suddenly rang out beyond Dragon Cloud Cave. "Susu, how are your injuries? I brought some Spirit Medicine to come see you."
Before you continue