A Beautiful Scene

Boom!

Zhong Shan leaped out of the water, his body soaring towards the shore, directly towards the white-haired woman.

Mid-air, Zhong Shan froze. Similarly, the woman opposite, her hand still covering her chest, also froze. When someone suddenly emerged from the hot spring, the woman's mind went blank with a sudden jolt.

A man? How could this be? The woman stared at the scene in disbelief, watching the man leaping towards her. In her memory, no man had ever seen her body. What, what should she do?

Zhong Shan leaped out of the water and also saw this stunning scene, his eyes flashing with extreme disbelief.

White, Zhong Shan's eyes were filled with pure white. Skin, hair, and places usually unseen. All the hair was snow-white. This white wasn't the withered white of old age, but a lustrous silver-white.

Only a few patches of pink and her pitch-black eyes jolted Zhong Shan awake.

Mid-air, Zhong Shan reacted and understood who this woman was. Zhong Shan knew that things were bad.

Bei Qing Si, it was definitely Bei Qing Si, the third senior sister of the second generation of the Kaiyang Sect, a Golden Core Stage expert. She, why was she here? And not wearing clothes?

Looking at Bei Qing Si's naked body, that perfect figure, the strangely white-haired woman, even a Buddha would lower his head and blush. Such a perfect heavenly being was presented before Zhong Shan.

After a moment of panic, Zhong Shan immediately shook off the lust in his heart. After all, Zhong Shan was not a young boy, and he had two deeply loved women and carried a blood feud. He immediately assessed the situation.

He was in mid-air, unable to borrow strength, and could only pounce towards Bei Qing Si. If he really pounced on her, he would be dead. Bei Qing Si was a Golden Core Stage expert. If he intruded on her bathing place, would she kill him to silence him?

What to do? What to do? In mid-air, Zhong Shan was extremely anxious.

However, at this moment, Bei Qing Si finally came to her senses.

"Ah!"

Bei Qing Si screamed in surprise. In her panic, she struck Zhong Shan with a palm, sending him flying.

Boom!

Without any resistance, Zhong Shan flew far back.

Bang! As if hitting something, Zhong Shan fell back into the hot spring.

Puff!

Zhong Shan spat out a mouthful of blood, a bitter smile appearing on his face. Unwarranted disaster, truly unwarranted disaster.

Gently swimming to the shore, Zhong Shan half-lay on the bank, extremely weak.

Bei Qing Si's palm struck Zhong Shan's chest. Zhong Shan's clothes on his chest were torn into a palm print shape. On his chest, there was a bright red palm print, which slowly turned purple, and then became pitch black. Zhong Shan felt that even his internal organs were churning. If he hadn't been practicing the Heavenly Devil Body Tempering Great Technique, that palm strike might have finished him off right there.

Hiss!

Bei Qing Si had already put on her clothes. A white long sword was placed at Zhong Shan's throat. She looked at Zhong Shan with a complicated expression, gently biting her lip, as if she wanted to kill Zhong Shan with a single sword strike. However, the sword did not go in, but was just placed at Zhong Shan's throat.

At this moment, life and death hung in the balance. Zhong Shan was also extremely anxious. Injuries could be healed, but death was final.

His hand moved, and the Red Phoenix Heavenly Scripture circulated. In his palm, the Red Phoenix Mist was ready to be released at any moment. But Zhong Shan didn't dare, because the white sword was at his throat. As long as her hand trembled, he would die. He had to wait until the sword was gone before using the Red Phoenix Mist, otherwise, if anything went wrong, he would be dead.

"Cough cough, Miss, I apologize for the offense just now. I, Zhong Shan, did not intend to do this. It is truly because I had already sunk into the hot spring, and you came later," Zhong Shan said with difficulty.

Hearing what Zhong Shan said, Bei Qing Si's pupils constricted, and the long sword in her hand also slightly retracted.

"You, you are Zhong Shan?" Bei Qing Si bit her lip, her expression extremely complicated. It was as if she would immediately stab him with her sword if the man in front of her said he wasn't Zhong Shan.

"That's right, I'm Zhong Shan, the new disciple who joined a year ago," Zhong Shan said. At the same time, it was as if he saw an opportunity, but he didn't dare to slack off with the Red Phoenix Mist in his hand.

"Zhong Shan, who brought back the jade slip a year ago?" Bei Qing Si looked at Zhong Shan with a complicated expression. Her expression was as if she had seen the most difficult thing in the world, her eyes filled with extreme complexity.

Not understanding why Bei Qing Si had that expression, Zhong Shan still nodded.

Seeing Zhong Shan admit it, Bei Qing Si suddenly withdrew her sword, closed her eyes slightly, and leaned back gently, as if remembering something very sad.

At this moment, Zhong Shan also realized that he seemed to be safe. He didn't know why Bei Qing Si was so concerned about that jade slip, but in this state, Bei Qing Si's killing intent towards him had disappeared.

"Thank you," Bei Qing Si suddenly opened her eyes, a deep sadness flashing within them, and said to Zhong Shan.

Thank me? Thank me for what? For seeing you bathe?

Seeing Zhong Shan frown, Bei Qing Si also seemed to realize she had said the wrong thing and immediately corrected herself, "Thank you for bringing the jade slip."

"You're welcome," Zhong Shan nodded, not saying anything more.

"This is a Returning Spring Pill. Let's pretend today's events never happened." Bei Qing Si suddenly threw down a small white bottle. Then, with a flip of her hand, the surrounding mist dispersed, sixteen small flags flew into her hand, she tossed her flying sword, stepped lightly onto it, and disappeared from Zhong Shan's sight.

Looking at Bei Qing Si's departing figure, Zhong Shan felt a wave of relief. At this moment, the Red Phoenix Mist finally disappeared from his palm.

Looking at the small white jade bottle, Zhong Shan gently opened it, and a strange fragrance wafted out. He carefully stoppered the small bottle.

Returning Spring Pill, Zhong Shan didn't know what it was, but he was certain it was a healing sacred medicine. This medicine should be saved for the most critical moment, as for his own severe injuries...

He was used to it. Every time after practicing the Heavenly Devil Body Tempering Great Technique, he would be severely injured.

Quickly, he submerged himself back into the hot spring, entered the Fire Fruit Cave Heaven, and sat cross-legged to heal his injuries.

Three days, after three days, Zhong Shan had completely recovered.

He quickly exited the Fire Fruit Cave Heaven, blocked the entrance, carefully came out of the hot spring again, confirmed there was no danger, and then quickly headed towards the Listening Water Pavilion.

Upon reaching the Listening Water Pavilion, he changed his clothes, rested for a while, then carried his Great Guan Dao and headed towards the plaza below Kaiyang Peak. The first-year new disciples' gathering had begun.

When Zhong Shan arrived at the plaza, there were already dozens of people standing there. All the new disciples recruited a year ago were present, except for Zhong Shan.

Nan Batian was still standing at the front, just like a year ago, looking at the people who arrived. Seeing Zhong Shan walk over, he immediately gave Zhong Shan a look.

Zhong Shan understood and immediately stood properly.

"It's been a year, and we meet again. Today, this gathering is to test how everyone has been cultivating. If your cultivation is not smooth, you can also enter the Scripture Pavilion and re-select a cultivation technique. Also, from today onwards, I will no longer be your Ninth Senior Brother. I am your Sixth Senior Brother," Nan Batian said.

"Yes," the new disciples replied.

"Everyone stand properly. The Sect Master, Peak Master, and some second-generation disciples will be arriving soon to inspect you," Nan Batian shouted.

"Yes," the new disciples immediately said excitedly.

Indeed, not long after Nan Batian finished speaking, over twenty people descended from Kaiyang Peak.

A white cloud carried everyone. At the very front were three Golden Core Stage experts of the Kaiyang Sect, followed by the second-generation disciples.

Upon reaching the bottom, Sect Master Tian Xingzi flicked his sleeve, and the white cloud beneath his feet dispersed. Clearly, the white cloud just now was formed by him.

It was still the same group of people as last time. Zhong Shan was among them and did not see Bei Qing Si, but Tian Ling'er was following behind Tian Xingzi.

Looking at the people in the plaza, the Sect Master and Peak Master carefully surveyed them.

Zhong Shan had heard Tian Ling'er mention before that as long as your cultivation was two levels higher than someone else's, you could see through their cultivation. This meant that a Nascent Soul Stage expert could see through the cultivation of someone in the Innate Stage, but a Golden Core Stage expert could not.

The Sect Master and Peak Masters were clearly in the Nascent Soul Stage. After surveying the area, a hint of satisfaction appeared in their eyes. However, when they saw Zhong Shan, a strange look crossed their faces.

Innate Stage, third level? Could that bone structure really achieve such a high level in just one year?

After thinking for a moment, the Sect Master and Peak Masters merely shook their heads and didn't pay it much mind. After all, although Zhong Shan was at the third level of the Innate Stage, he still hadn't entered their sights.

"I am aware of your cultivation levels. Those with slow cultivation speed have ten days to enter the Scripture Pavilion and reselect their cultivation techniques. As for the rest, the highest achievement is the Innate Stage, fourth level. All those at the Innate Stage, fourth level, come forward," said Sect Master Tian Xingzi.

Soon, among this group of new disciples, four individuals, filled with excitement, quickly walked forward and stood at the very front. Three men and one woman stood before the other disciples.

Seeing these four, a hint of joy flashed in the eyes of the second-generation disciples of the Kaiyang Sect standing behind the Sect Master. Clearly, these four were the future disciples they had chosen.

"Four, good. Innate Stage, fourth level. According to the rules of the Kaiyang Sect, for new disciples in their first year, the top three in strength each receive a Void Spirit Pearl. However, there are now four of you," Tian Xingzi suddenly said.

Hearing Tian Xingzi's words, the four individuals frowned. Void Spirit Pearl?

Below, when Zhong Shan heard "Void Spirit Pearl," his eyebrows also twitched, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes. Void Spirit Pearl?

Others might not know, but Zhong Shan had heard Nan Batian mention it. A Void Spirit Pearl was used to fix magical treasures. A magical treasure that could be ranked had to use a Void Spirit Pearl as its carrier.

His pair of Wind Chasing Boots were not ranked at all.

Magical treasures were divided into nine ranks, with the weakest being first rank and the highest being ninth rank. The function of a Void Spirit Pearl was to form an embryo, an invisible embryo, based on the individual's consciousness and thoughts. Once the embryo was formed, one would infuse the required materials into it to form the magical treasure they envisioned. Then, they would continuously temper it with their True Qi and True Essence, refining out the impurities. After that, they could continue to infuse the required materials to refine increasingly powerful magical treasures.

Zhong Shan knew that good magical treasures were continuously refined by their masters using True Qi, True Essence, and spiritual energy. The longer they stayed with their masters, the stronger their power and the higher their internal spirituality became. They were not like the items described by storytellers, which were put into a refining furnace and came out as immortal or divine artifacts.

Zhong Shan really wanted a Void Spirit Pearl. Tian Ling'er's Red Silk was a second-rank magical treasure, and Nan Batian's Great Guan Dao was also a second-rank magical treasure. His own great saber, without a Void Spirit Pearl, couldn't even be considered a magical treasure.

PS: Rushing the rankings, urgently need recommendation votes.