After leaving the dormitory, Qin Haoxuan felt that having spent the entire afternoon reading notes instead of cultivating had set his body ablaze again. The flesh and blood throughout his body seemed about to spontaneously combust. All he wanted was to quickly find a place to sit in meditation, frantically draw in spiritual energy to neutralize the scorching medicinal power within him, and buy himself a moment of relief.
The medicinal power of the One-Leaf Golden Lotus was simply too strong. It did not last merely a day or two. At the same time, it made him see the value of Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley anew, and understand why Taichu Sect had chosen to establish itself here. If Taichu Sect could truly enter Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley one day, just how far could it rise?
But... judging by what the elders said, without several thousand, perhaps even ten thousand years, no one could dream of entering Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley.
It was close to early winter, and the mountain nights were bitterly cold. Frost covered the ground as soon as the sun went down. An ordinary person would only have felt cold here, yet Qin Haoxuan stood bare-chested in the winter night, borrowing the chill in vain, still unbearably hot.
Activating the Great Dao Heart Seed Demon Technique, he drew massive amounts of spiritual energy into his body. Though the spiritual energy in Spirit Field Valley did not contain fiery poison like that in the Lava Cellar, it was still exceptionally dense. By now, he had become highly proficient at neutralizing the restless medicinal power within him with spiritual energy. Then, as easily as moving his own arm, he guided that spiritual energy infused with the One-Leaf Golden Lotus's medicinal power into the immortal seed in his dantian, nourishing the immortal sprout that had already grown a few tiny rootlets, though it was still some distance from truly Rooting.
Had anyone else cultivated at such intense strain for such a long time, their body would have collapsed long ago. But with the One-Leaf Golden Lotus laying the foundation, Qin Haoxuan had no need to care about such things. Amid the freezing shrubbery, he cultivated until dawn the next day. Though he had not slept all night, he was still full of vigor, without the slightest sign of exhaustion.
In the middle of the night, that middle-aged man with a face full of beard quietly came again. Seeing Qin Haoxuan still cultivating tirelessly, with barely any fluctuation of spiritual energy around him, completely unlike the boiling spiritual energy when purple-seed disciples cultivated, he sighed inwardly even as he admired him. This child was indeed diligent, but unfortunately, his aptitude was too poor. The spiritual energy he absorbed in one night was not even as much as what a purple-seed disciple absorbed in a single breath. Still, if he could persist like this for a long time and receive a few opportunities, perhaps he might achieve something.
Zhang Kuang, like Qin Haoxuan, had not slept all night.
Somehow, news that Qin Haoxuan had frightened him with an unmatched aura during the day reached Sect Master True Lord Huang Long's ears.
Every purple-seed disciple was a star of Taichu Sect's tomorrow, a future genius of the cultivation world. Naturally, True Lord Huang Long did not wish for Zhang Kuang to be frightened by Qin Haoxuan and leave behind a shadow in his heart. That would create enormous trouble for his future cultivation. Thus, he sent someone to bring Zhang Kuang to the place where he cultivated, Hidden Dragon Temple.
Hidden Dragon Temple was where the successive Sect Masters of Taichu Sect cultivated. It stood atop a spiritual eye. A spiritual eye was a place where spiritual energy was at its densest, born from the very creation of heaven and earth, and immensely beneficial to cultivators. It was comparable to some lesser grotto-heavens and blessed lands. Moreover, spiritual eyes were exceedingly rare. Among seven or eight, even ten mountain ranges, there might not be a single one. In all of Xianglong Kingdom, there was only one spiritual eye, located at Emperor Huang Peak.
This was also one reason why Li Jing and Zhang Kuang coveted the position of Sect Master. With advantages no one else possessed, including this spiritual eye, whichever of the three purple-seed disciples occupied it and cultivated there for three to five years could leave the other two far behind!
As the secluded residence where the Sect Master cultivated, Hidden Dragon Temple was not a place just anyone could enter. When they reached a stretch of purple bamboo forest, the guide stopped and looked at Zhang Kuang with envious eyes. "Beyond this purple bamboo forest lies Hidden Dragon Temple."
Zhang Kuang bent at the waist and bowed in thanks, showing none of the arrogance he displayed before menial disciples. He knew that anyone who could move about such an important sect location, even a mere guide, might be an exceptionally powerful figure. It was best not to offend such people if possible!
Following the guide through the deep purple bamboo forest, he indeed saw a hexagonal pagoda built from black and white bricks and tiles. It was only four stories tall, yet violet light faintly appeared above its peak. This was a sign that the spiritual energy was so dense it had condensed into clouds.
Seeing this sight, he could not help thinking that cultivating in Hidden Dragon Temple for ten days or half a month would surely be more effective than cultivating outside for three months! His ambition swelled uncontrollably, and he secretly swore that he would seize the Sect Master's seat, if only so he could remain in Hidden Dragon Temple cultivating day and night in the future! But he knew whom he was about to meet. Drawing a deep breath, he suppressed the unease in his heart, put on an even humbler smile, and entered the sacred ground in every Taichu Sect disciple's heart—Hidden Dragon Temple.
His first impression upon entering Hidden Dragon Temple was that the spiritual energy was dense. Extremely dense. So dense that it was hard to breathe!
Sect Master True Lord Huang Long wore a silk Daoist robe and sat cross-legged at the center of a huge Eight Trigrams diagram within the tower. The spiritual energy around him as he drew it in was so dense it seemed almost tangible. As Zhang Kuang approached, the spiritual energy washing over him felt like smooth silk, gently rubbing against his skin.
Sensing Zhang Kuang enter, True Lord Huang Long took one deep breath, ending his cultivation. The spiritual energy that had been thick as silk instantly faded as he stopped. Then he opened his eyes, glanced at Zhang Kuang, and softly said, "Sit."
Zhang Kuang had been about to salute, but upon hearing True Lord Huang Long's single word, "Sit," a trace of struggle appeared on his face. Yet his mind still faintly lost its hold. In the end, he hastily performed a salute and sat down where he stood.
True Lord Huang Long was quite satisfied with Zhang Kuang's response. Ordinary people would have immediately lost themselves under the temptation of his divine sense. Zhang Kuang truly deserved to be a purple-seed disciple; even his temperament was firmer than that of ordinary people.
"This disciple was reckless. I beg Sect Master True Lord to forgive me."
Only after sitting for a moment did Zhang Kuang recall his earlier loss of composure, and he hurriedly apologized.
"There is no need to take it to heart. It was merely a small test from me." True Lord Huang Long smiled faintly. This time, he did not employ his divine sense again. "I heard that you had some unpleasantness with Li Jing today? And then clashed with a weak-seed disciple named... Qin Haoxuan?"
So it really was about this. Zhang Kuang's heart tightened. He hurriedly shifted from sitting to kneeling, prostrating himself before True Lord Huang Long. "A few of this disciple's friends exchanged some harsh words with Senior Brother Li Jing's friends, but under this disciple's intervention, we turned swords into plowshares. As for the conflict with Qin Haoxuan, it was because this disciple and Qin Haoxuan came from the same place and had some old grievances."
True Lord Huang Long still only smiled faintly. He raised his right hand, and a powerful force lifted Zhang Kuang from the ground, allowing him to sit again.
"I did not summon you here today to call you to account. I merely wish to tell you that as a purple seed, you bear great responsibilities and a far-reaching mission. Spending all day competing in temper with a weak-seed disciple will only affect your state of mind and hinder your cultivation! Your rivals should not even be fellow sect members like Li Jing and Xu Yu. Your vision should be set higher, beyond Taichu Sect, upon the entire cultivation world! This is my expectation for the three of you purple-seed disciples."
True Lord Huang Long's words made Zhang Kuang's heart bloom with joy, and he suddenly saw the light!
That was right. I am a purple-seed disciple. Why should I keep struggling against Qin Haoxuan, a weak seed whose future realm is limited? Once my cultivation is profound, would killing him not be as easy as turning over my hand?
The issue that had troubled Zhang Kuang all this time was instantly solved as easily as a knife cutting through bamboo. Qin Haoxuan, who had once weighed on his heart like a mountain, vanished at that moment!
"Thank you for your guidance, Sect Master True Lord. This disciple will certainly not disappoint your expectations."
Sensing Zhang Kuang's enlightenment, True Lord Huang Long revealed a satisfied smile as well. These three purple-seed disciples were Taichu Sect's hope for rising to greatness. He did not wish for trivial matters, for insignificant people, to delay their bright futures or cause Taichu Sect to miss this marvelous opportunity to flourish and rise!
After keeping Zhang Kuang for a while longer to speak with him, True Lord Huang Long had the guide send Zhang Kuang back to Spirit Field Valley.
It was already midnight. When Zhang Kuang returned before his own room, he sensed that something was wrong with Zhang Yang's room.
Having successfully Rooted, his senses toward the things around him had become sharper. Zhang Yang's room was very close to his own, only a hundred or so meters away. Normally, even if Zhang Yang was not snoring, he should have been able to hear his breathing from inside. Yet Zhang Yang's room was deathly silent, as though no one were there.
To confirm this, he went to Zhang Yang's room and pushed open the door. The bedding on the bed was neatly arranged. Sure enough, Zhang Yang was not inside.
He recalled how Zhang Yang had often vanished without explanation these past days. Aside from class time, he was rarely seen.
Could he be hiding something from me? Or had he found a place rich in spiritual energy to cultivate? The thought flashed through Zhang Kuang's mind, but he did not investigate further. Though Zhang Yang was outwardly harmonious with him while inwardly at odds, he was only a Gray Seed. There was nothing to fear! Just as Sect Master True Lord Huang Long had said, only by setting one's sights higher could one travel farther.
What Zhang Kuang did not know was that Zhang Yang had indeed found a place to cultivate, but it was not in Spirit Field Valley. It was in Gu Yun Hall.
After Gu Yunzi bribed True Lord Huang Long and obtained his permission to take Zhang Yang under his wing, he remembered the three purple-seed disciples and grew more uneasy the more he thought about them. Therefore, unwilling to wait for the three-month initial training period to end, he secretly brought Zhang Yang to Gu Yun Hall to cultivate.
Every day, he fed Zhang Yang all kinds of pills as though they were meals, personally guided his cultivation, and occasionally even used his own true qi to cleanse Zhang Yang's marrow and reshape his bones. After seven days of such fortune, though Zhang Yang had not yet Rooted, he was already the foremost among everyone except Zhang Kuang.
That night, Gu Yunzi secretly brought him away again. Zhang Yang's realm was already extremely close to the Rooting Realm, and Gu Yunzi wanted to help him Root tonight so that he would not fall too far behind Zhang Kuang.
"Hold the origin and guard the one. Cast aside distracting thoughts. I have already cleansed your marrow and reshaped your bones for the final time. Now you may begin Rooting!"
Gu Yunzi's voice rang out, exceptionally stern, with a faint trace of tension. It was as if he, rather than Zhang Yang, were the one about to Root.
Zhang Yang opened his eyes, swallowed a pill the size of a longan that had been placed before him, then sat in meditation and began drawing in spiritual energy, preparing to Root!
When Zhang Yang swallowed the pill, Gu Yunzi's plump lips twitched involuntarily. This pill was called the Myriad Spirit Pill. He had paid a steep price to pry it from that miser Xia Yunzi's hands. The Myriad Spirit Pill contained a vast amount of spiritual energy, yet its medicinal effect was extremely gentle. Even disciples of the Immortal Root Planting Realm would not suffer backlash from its medicinal power.
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