A Beautiful Scene

"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Zhong Shan leaped out of the water, his body springing toward the shore. By sheer coincidence, he was heading straight toward the white-haired woman.

Midair, Zhong Shan froze. Likewise, the woman opposite him, whose hand was still resting against her chest, froze as well. When someone suddenly emerged from the hot spring, her mind went blank with a thunderclap.

A man? How could this be? The woman stared at the scene in disbelief. In her memory, no man had ever seen her body. What—what was she supposed to do?

Zhong Shan leaped above the water and witnessed this stunning sight as well, extreme disbelief flashing through his eyes.

White. Zhong Shan's eyes were filled with dazzling white: her skin, her hair, and even the places normally hidden from view—all her body hair was snow-white. This whiteness was not the withered pallor of old age, but a lustrous silver-white.

Only several patches of pink and her pitch-black eyes jolted Zhong Shan back to his senses.

While still in midair, Zhong Shan reacted and recognized the woman. He knew the situation was dire.

Bei Qing Si—she was definitely Bei Qing Si, the Third Senior Sister of Kaiyang Sect's second generation, a Golden Core Stage expert. How—how had she ended up here? And why wasn't she wearing clothes?

Looking at Bei Qing Si's naked body, that perfect figure and strangely white hair would have made even the Buddha Ancestor lower his head and blush. Such a flawless work of nature had been laid bare before Zhong Shan.

After a moment of panic, Zhong Shan immediately cast the distracting thoughts from his mind. After all, he was no hot-blooded youngster. He had two women who loved him deeply, and he carried a blood feud on his shoulders. He quickly assessed the situation.

He was in midair and had nowhere to draw leverage from. He could only crash into Bei Qing Si. If he really landed on her, he would be finished. Bei Qing Si was a Golden Core Stage expert. Having intruded upon her bathing place, would she kill him to silence him?

What should he do? What should he do? Zhong Shan was frantic in midair.

However, Bei Qing Si finally came to her senses.

"Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Bei Qing Si let out a shriek and, in her panic, struck Zhong Shan and sent him flying.

"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Unable to resist in the slightest, Zhong Shan flew far backward.

"Bang~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~" As if he had collided with something, Zhong Shan fell back into the hot spring.

"Pfft~~~~~~~~~~~"

Zhong Shan spat out a great mouthful of blood, a bitter smile appearing on his face. An undeserved calamity—truly an undeserved calamity.

He paddled lightly to the shore and half reclined against it, incomparably weak.

Bei Qing Si's palm had struck Zhong Shan in the chest. The clothing there had torn into the shape of a palm print, while beneath it, a bright-red imprint marred his chest, slowly turning purple and then black. Zhong Shan felt his internal organs churning as well. If he had not constantly practiced the Heavenly Devil Body Tempering Great Technique, that palm strike might well have ended him right there.

"Shing~~~~~~~~~~"

Bei Qing Si had already put on her clothes. A white longsword extended to Zhong Shan's throat as she regarded him with a complicated expression, lightly biting her lip. She looked as though she wanted to kill him with one sword strike, but the blade did not pierce him. It merely rested at his throat.

At this moment, his life hung by a thread, and Zhong Shan was frantic as well. Injuries could be healed with rest, but once dead, it was over.

His hands moved, and he circulated the Red Phoenix Heavenly Scripture. The Red Phoenix Mist was ready to burst forth from his palm at any moment. But Zhong Shan did not dare act. The white sword was at his throat; if her hand trembled even slightly, he would die. To use the Red Phoenix Mist, he had to wait until the sword moved away. Otherwise, one mistake and he would be finished.

"Cough, cough. Miss, I offended you just now. I, Zhong Shan, had no intention of doing that. I had already sunk into the hot spring; you came afterward," Zhong Shan said with difficulty.

Hearing Zhong Shan's words, Bei Qing Si's pupils contracted, and the sword in her hand drew back slightly.

"You—you are Zhong Shan?" Bei Qing Si bit her lip, her expression becoming incredibly complicated. It was as though if the man before her said he was not Zhong Shan, she would immediately stab him to death.

"That's right. I am Zhong Shan, the new disciple who joined a year ago," Zhong Shan said. At the same time, he seemed to see an opportunity, but he did not dare slacken his control over the Red Phoenix Mist in the slightest.

"Zhong Shan—the one who brought back the Jade Slip a year ago?" Bei Qing Si looked at Zhong Shan with a complicated expression. She looked as though she had encountered the most difficult matter in the world, her eyes filled with the utmost complexity.

Zhong Shan did not understand why Bei Qing Si had that expression, but he still nodded.

After seeing Zhong Shan admit it, Bei Qing Si suddenly sheathed her sword and slowly leaned back with her eyes closed, as if she had recalled something deeply sorrowful.

At this moment, Zhong Shan could tell that he seemed to be safe. He did not know why Bei Qing Si cared so much about that Jade Slip, but her murderous intent toward him had vanished.

"Thank you." Bei Qing Si suddenly opened her eyes. Deep sorrow flashed through them as she spoke to Zhong Shan.

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

Seeing Zhong Shan frown, Bei Qing Si seemed to realize that she had said the wrong thing and immediately corrected herself. "Thank you for delivering the Jade Slip."

"You're welcome." Zhong Shan nodded and said nothing more.

"This is a Returning Spring Pill. Let today's matter be treated as though it never happened." Bei Qing Si suddenly tossed over a small white bottle. Then she turned her hand and beckoned. The surrounding clouds and mist dispersed, and sixteen small flags flew into her hand. She flung out her Flying Sword, lightly stepped onto it, and vanished before Zhong Shan's eyes.

Watching Bei Qing Si leave, Zhong Shan felt a wave of relief. Only then did the Red Phoenix Mist disappear from his palm.

Looking at the small white jade bottle, Zhong Shan gently opened it, and a rich, exotic fragrance assaulted his nose. He lightly stoppered the bottle again.

Zhong Shan did not know what the Returning Spring Pill was, but he could be certain that it was a sacred medicine for healing injuries. This medicine should be saved for the most critical moment. As for his own grievous wounds—

He was already used to them. Every time he practiced the Heavenly Devil Body Tempering Great Technique, he ended up seriously injured.

He quickly submerged himself beneath the hot spring again, entered the Flame Fruit Cave Heaven, and sat cross-legged to heal.

Three days. After three days, Zhong Shan had fully recovered.

He quickly left the Flame Fruit Cave Heaven, blocked the entrance, and cautiously emerged from the hot spring again. Only after confirming that there was no danger did he hurry toward the Listening Water Pavilion.

Once he reached the Listening Water Pavilion, he changed his clothes and rested for a short while. Then he slung the Great Guan Dao over his back and headed toward the square beneath Kaiyang Peak. The gathering for the new disciples' first year had begun.

By the time Zhong Shan arrived at the square, several dozen people were already standing there. All the new disciples recruited a year ago had arrived except Zhong Shan.

Nan Batian was still standing at the front, just as he had a year ago. When he saw Zhong Shan approaching, he immediately gave him a meaningful look.

Zhong Shan understood at once and quickly took his place.

"It's been a year. We meet again. Today's gathering is to examine how everyone's cultivation has progressed. Those whose cultivation has not gone smoothly may also enter the Scripture Pavilion and choose another cultivation method. Also, from today onward, I am no longer your Ninth Senior Brother. I am your Sixth Senior Brother," Nan Batian said.

"Yes," the new disciples replied.

"Stand properly. In a moment, the Sect Master, Peak Lords, and several second-generation disciples will come. Wait for your elders to inspect you," Nan Batian shouted.

"Yes!" the new disciples immediately answered excitedly.

Sure enough, not long after Nan Batian finished speaking, more than twenty figures descended from Kaiyang Peak.

A white cloud carried them all. At the very front were three Golden Core Stage experts from Kaiyang Sect, with the second-generation disciples behind them.

When they reached the ground, Sect Master Tian Xingzi waved his sleeve, and the white cloud beneath their feet dispersed. Clearly, the cloud had been formed by him.

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

The Sect Master and Peak Lord carefully surveyed the people in the square.

Zhong Shan had heard Tian Ling'er mention earlier that anyone whose cultivation was two stages higher than yours could see through your cultivation. In other words, Nascent Soul Stage experts could see through the cultivation of Innate Stage practitioners, whereas Golden Core Stage experts could not.

The Sect Master and Peak Lord were clearly both Nascent Soul Stage experts. After surveying everyone once, a trace of satisfaction appeared in their eyes. However, when they saw Zhong Shan, a strange glint surfaced instead.

Innate Third Stage? How had such poor Root Bone achieved this much in a year?

After thinking it over, the Sect Master and Peak Lord merely shook their heads and paid no further attention. Although Zhong Shan was at the Innate Third Stage, he had still not entered their eyes.

"I already understand your cultivation levels. Those whose cultivation speed is unsatisfactory have ten days to enter the Scripture Pavilion and choose another cultivation method. Among the rest, the highest achievement is the Innate Fourth Stage. All those at the Innate Fourth Stage, come to the front," Sect Master Tian Xingzi said.

Soon, four people among the new disciples walked forward with excited expressions and stood at the very front. Three men and one woman stood before the crowd.

Seeing those four, several of the second-generation Kaiyang Sect disciples behind the Sect Master also flashed traces of delight in their eyes. Clearly, those four had been selected as their future disciples.

"Four? Good. Innate Fourth Stage. According to Kaiyang Sect's rules, during a newcomer's first year, the top three in strength each receive a Void Spirit Pearl. But now there are four of you," Tian Xingzi suddenly said.

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

Zhong Shan below also raised his brows when he heard the words Void Spirit Pearl, excitement flashing through his eyes. A Void Spirit Pearl?

Others might not know, but Zhong Shan had heard Nan Batian mention it. The Void Spirit Pearl was used to establish a magic treasure; any magic treasure that reached a grade had to use a Void Spirit Pearl as its vessel.

His pair of Wind Chasing Boots had not reached a grade at all.

Magic treasures had nine grades in total. The weakest was the first grade, and the highest was the ninth. The Void Spirit Pearl's function was to form a fetus according to its owner's thoughts—a formless fetus. Once the fetus was complete, the materials one needed could be poured into it to create the magic treasure one envisioned. Then one would continuously temper it with one's True Qi and True Essence, refining away the impurities within. Afterward, one could continue adding the required materials, refining a magic treasure that grew ever stronger.

Zhong Shan knew that excellent magic treasures were all refined through their owners' continuous use of True Qi, True Essence, and spiritual sense. The longer they remained at their owners' sides, the greater their power became, and the higher the spirituality within them grew. They were not the sort of things storytellers described—placed into a refining furnace and emerging as immortal or divine artifacts.

Zhong Shan greatly wanted a Void Spirit Pearl. Tian Ling'er's Red Silk was a second-grade magic treasure, and Nan Batian's Great Guan Dao was also a second-grade magic treasure. Without a Void Spirit Pearl, his own saber could not be considered a magic treasure at all.

P.S. I'm pushing for the rankings and urgently need recommendation votes.