Uncle-Master Shen, The Green Leaf Sect's Number One Talent in Two Hundred Years

The examiners in the same group all glanced at Chen Ganliu quietly. They also didn't know Chen Ganliu's background. Although Chen Ganliu was at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation, he had been in seclusion recently, emitting demonic energy, which was clearly not the cultivation path of the Green Leaf Sect. He might not necessarily have mastered the Green Leaf Spirit Talisman.

Chen Ganliu's seniority was high. Although they wanted to shield him, they also worried about hurting the pride of this "elder," leaving them in a dilemma.

Chen Ganliu, however, didn't overthink it. He didn't use talisman paper either. With a casual sweep of his hand in the air, talismans condensed in the void as his finger moved. In one go, he drew all thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans.

Let alone Li Sizhong and the other examinees, even the examiners showed expressions of shock. Someone whispered in disbelief, "Heart Talisman Technique!"

The Heart Talisman Technique was a crucial stage in talisman arts. Only by passing this stage could one evolve talisman arts into spells that could be cast at will.

Many at the Fourth or Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation failed to pass this stage, only able to cast spells with the aid of talismans, artifacts, or magic treasures, and were unable to cast spells out of thin air.

Chen Ganliu, merely at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation, had comprehended the Heart Talisman Technique. If not for decades of hard work accumulated in his previous life, he would absolutely be a peerless prodigy.

Some even secretly marveled, thinking, "Although the Green Leaf Spirit Talisman is an introductory method of our sect, ordinary disciples below the Third Layer of Qi Condensation can only merge three to five talismans at once. Any more would be unsustainable."

"To draw thirty-six spirit talismans in one go would require True Qi far beyond what a normal cultivator at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation, boiling liquid into Qi, could withstand."

"Even a cultivator at the Third Layer of Qi Condensation, condensing Qi into apertures, where all bodily apertures can accommodate True Qi, would find it difficult to achieve this. One would need the Innate Essence of the Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation, where one's True Qi transforms into innate essence, to perform it with ease."

"No wonder Young Ancestor Yang recommended Nan Si Xing to the Senior Sister as a disciple. So they possessed such talent. Perhaps Elder Xu's lineage could have another Golden Core cultivator in a hundred years."

Li Sizhong's face turned red, and he turned to leave. The other examinees, however, kept glancing over, their eyes filled with envy as they looked at the thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans suspended in the air.

Although almost everyone knew that Chen Ganliu was "the most outstanding person" in this entrance examination, they hadn't expected him to be this outstanding!

Not only was he at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation, but he had also comprehended the Heart Talisman Technique, completing thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans in one go, flowing like clouds and water. His True Qi was so abundant, far surpassing others at the same level.

Chen Ganliu had casually drawn the Green Leaf Spirit Talismans without much thought at the time. However, after drawing the thirty-six, he felt a slight unease.

"This is bad! How did I draw thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans in one go? The True Qi consumption is so high!"

Drawing the spirit talismans was only the first step. Sufficient True Qi needed to be infused for the talismans to exhibit their miraculous effects. All thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans required True Qi infusion. Even though Chen Ganliu had just refined some spiritual energy from the dispersed demonic energy, significantly increasing his power, he was still struggling.

He dared not continue outputting True Qi. He took a deep breath, intending to withdraw his True Qi.

The thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans suspended in the air were one with Chen Ganliu's True Qi. Responding instantly, they flew back and landed on his body.

Each talisman found a vacant aperture and drilled into it, circulating leisurely and emitting a faint green True Qi. Dozens of apertures rumbled simultaneously, opening all at once.

Chen Ganliu felt his True Qi surge throughout his body. He couldn't even speak, nor could he move a finger. He stood rooted to the spot, motionless for a long time.

The onlookers were unaware of this. They only thought Chen Ganliu was angered by being underestimated. Not only did he draw thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans on the spot, displaying the Heart Talisman Technique, but he also deliberately flaunted his profound power.

They even thought he was still unsatisfied, using the thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans to forcefully open apertures, thereby elevating his cultivation by a significant step, openly showing off his "talent."

True Person Qingyao, who was proctoring elsewhere, had already been alerted and happened to arrive. Witnessing Chen Ganliu "forcefully" opening his apertures with talisman arts under everyone's gaze, he couldn't help but rub his forehead, thinking, "This junior disciple Nan, just because he was provoked, had to make such a shocking move to demonstrate his talisman arts, without any regard for the consequences if he failed!"

"The Green Leaf Sect hasn't had such an arrogant figure in decades."

"Only Uncle-Master Shen, hailed as the sect's most talented individual in two hundred years, possessed such a defiant temperament."

"It remains to be seen if this junior disciple Nan has the same peerless talent as Uncle-Master Shen."

Chen Ganliu remained still and silent. The others didn't dare to breathe loudly until he finally caught his breath, stabilized his True Qi, and slowly returned to sit behind the examination desk. Only then did the various noises gradually resume.

The scene just now had stirred the hearts of the disciples present. Although some had always been jealous of Chen Ganliu, not everyone secretly admired him. Now, many more felt a sense of awe towards him, setting him up as a role model in their hearts.

The subsequent grand examination proceeded without much incident. Chen Ganliu's dozens of apertures felt a slight stinging sensation, so he didn't dare to speak much, dedicating most of his energy to suppressing the restless True Qi.

His act of using the dispersed demonic energy and overflowing spiritual energy to boost his cultivation was essentially drawing water from a nonexistent source, a tree without roots. As time passed, if he couldn't quickly condense Qi into apertures, the increased power would gradually dissipate, leaving perhaps only twenty to thirty percent.

However, this time, by forcefully opening dozens of apertures in one go, the increased power had almost entirely stabilized.

Still, such a crude method was something most cultivators wouldn't dare to use recklessly.

A single misstep damaging an aperture would be irreparable without supreme spirit medicine. But where would ordinary Qi cultivators find supreme spirit medicine? Even if they found it, they wouldn't have enough Talisman Coins or Spirit Stones to purchase it.

Chen Ganliu persevered until the end of the grand examination. He left the Myriad Talisman Tower and returned to Dragon Cloud Cave. His junior sister, Yu Qinghong, had gone somewhere to gather spirit medicine. He decided to go into seclusion himself, activating the Azure Emperor Jia Yi Art to nurture the opened apertures and convert the True Qi generated by the Green Leaf Spirit Talismans into Azure Emperor Jia Yi True Qi.

Seven or eight days later, he emerged from seclusion, and Yu Qinghong had still not returned.

Chen Ganliu knew that his junior sister was merely gathering herbs in the sect's medicinal garden on the main peak, posing no danger, so he wasn't worried about her.

He mused inwardly, "This time, I only opened twenty-seven apertures. After all, it wasn't a natural progression, and there are still some imperfections. Including the original two nasal apertures, twenty-nine apertures have been condensed."

"At the current pace, it might take another seven or eight years to condense all three hundred and sixty-five apertures in my body. Although it's far from Senior Sister's genius, it's much better than my previous life."

"In my past life, I never even tasted the sensation of condensing Qi into apertures at the Third Layer of Qi Condensation."

"Seven or eight years from now..."

"I might even develop a few more Spiritual Veins."

"The future truly holds promise."

Suddenly, a very familiar voice sounded outside Dragon Cloud Cave: "Susu, how are your injuries? I've brought some spirit medicine and came to visit you."