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Having completed the famous-scene recreation challenge, you have received five hundred Spirit Crystals as a creative incentive...

The system's crisp, melodious chime brought the opening round of the Four Symbols of Dharma Combat to a close.

Wu Ming had stunned the entire crowd with the heaven-defying achievement of fifteen Human Dao Seals.

If Zhang Miao's result of eleven seals would have been an impressive feat even at the Sanqing Immortal Sect, then Wu Ming's fifteen seals were simply brutal beyond belief... like a durian shoved into a cave, shredding everyone's worldview.

So much so that after the Command Flag toppled, the two elders of the Liu Family stood frozen for a long time, unable to come back to their senses. Everything before their eyes seemed hazy and unreal.

Fifteen seals, fifteen seals? Fifteen seals!!

Forget Wu Prefecture—even if you searched all of Qiongzhou, how many people could condense fifteen Human Dao Seals in their very first month of cultivation?

Just as Liu Li had explained so confidently earlier: comprehending the Human Emperor Scroll depended to a great extent on one's actual cultivation. How much cultivation could a Desolate youth have accumulated after only just stepping onto the path of cultivation, especially with a severe lack of resources to aid him? How many layers of Human Dao Seals could he support?

Of course, legend had it that some born Dao Seeds and Immortal Seeds in the Sanqing Immortal Sect could make such progress. But the Liu Family elders found it hard to believe that something out of a fairy tale could actually happen right before their eyes!

Meanwhile, after basking in the joy of recreating a famous scene, Wu Ming put his momentary smugness behind him.

It had only been a perfectly ordinary victory.

Three of his fifteen Human Dao Seals came from the system's refinement bonus. His actual achievement was twelve seals... admittedly impressive, but hardly enough to shake the world. The constraints of his actual cultivation were still very real.

Of course, in Zhang Miao's eyes, Wu Ming was a Celestial Master descended from heaven—or even an ancient immortal returned to life.

"Sanlang was right. You really are amazing! Fifteen seals—how did you do it?"

Wu Ming was just about to answer when Zhang Miao gave a little shake of her head. "Oh, I was only asking casually. This must be your special skill. Even if I used secret arts and forbidden drugs to overdraw my cultivation, I couldn't come close... No wonder someone as proud as Sanlang praises you every time he mentions you."

"...Your Sanlang is kind of scary."

On the other side, Liu Yi, one of the two Liu Family elders, suddenly clenched his teeth and put on a look of sudden realization.

"So that's it! Secret arts and forbidden drugs, overdrawn cultivation! You really are a lowborn wretch, only capable of such despicable tricks!"

Liu Li shook his head. "No. It's easy to tell whether someone used forbidden arts to overdraw their cultivation, and the Hengxiao Banner wouldn't allow it. But that does remind me of something..."

As he spoke, he raised his head and said to Zhang Miao, "Get ready for the next round."

Zhang Miao looked surprised. "We're still competing?"

Liu Yi was also confused. He asked in a low voice, "We're starting the next round just like that? Isn't that a little rash?"

Liu Li sneered. "He caught us off guard and bluffed us with his opening move. Fifteen Human Dao Seals is indeed a shocking achievement, but that's only because ordinary cultivators have to consider the whole picture and prioritize a solid foundation. They don't devote too much time to the Human Emperor Scroll, the general compendium of the Immortal Path. But if you don't care about building a solid foundation and only covet a moment of fame, spend most of your time memorizing various scriptures and commentaries, then have a Nascent Soul True Person personally recite scriptures and pour their teachings into you... fifteen seals in a month isn't entirely impossible."

Liu Yi furrowed his brow. Even so, fifteen seals still seemed unbelievable, but if his senior brother said so, he was probably right.

Liu Li continued, "We'll find out soon enough whether I'm right or wrong. The second of the Four Symbols of Dharma Combat: let the immortal banner judge!"

As his words fell, the fallen Apricot Yellow Banner slowly righted itself. Its fabric drooped, as if waiting for the two competitors to formally take their places.

Zhang Miao had no choice. She gave Wu Ming an apologetic little blink, then backed away a few steps to her original spot.

After that, Liu Li took out a square stone the size of a bean and placed it in his palm. He exhaled lightly and silently recited a spell. The stone abruptly swelled until it was two feet across.

Then Liu Li turned his palm and pushed the stone in front of the Apricot Yellow Banner.

Thud!

The stone hit the ground with a heavy crash, followed by the crisp sound of bricks cracking. The old blue bricks in the Sect Leader Temple couldn't bear the weight and split beneath it!

Gu Bai glanced at the broken bricks with some concern. Liu Li said coldly, "When measuring the strength of one's physique, arm strength comes first. And the most common way to measure arm strength is the Stone Lifting Method. True Person Gu Bai, do you have any objections?"

Wu Ming cut in, "Pay for the bricks first, and we won't have any objections."

Liu Li stared at him in disbelief, then gritted his teeth and tossed a silver ingot from the mortal world onto the ground.

Wu Ming shook his head. "These are the bricks of a Nascent Soul True Person's Sect Leader Temple. They've been breathing in the essence of a Nascent Soul day and night. How could they be common—"

Thud!

A vein popped straight out on Liu Li's forehead. He simply tossed out three Spirit Stones, then roared,

"...Zhang Miao! What are you waiting for?!"

Zhang Miao, who had been caught in the crossfire, stuck out her tongue. Then, before another scolding could begin, she stepped forward, crouched, and wrapped her arms around the stone. With a gentle breath, she lifted it.

Wu Ming couldn't help praising her. "What a physique."

Zhang Miao set the stone down and smiled bashfully. "It only weighs eight hundred pounds. It's nothing."

Wu Ming couldn't help marveling. To people in this xianxia world, eight hundred pounds really was nothing. But before he transmigrated, that would have far surpassed the mortal-world professional record... and Zhang Miao, just like him, had only been cultivating for a month!

Just then, Liu Li sneered. "People from the great clans nowadays formally study the Human Emperor Scroll and set foot on the Immortal Path at fifteen or sixteen, once their minds have matured. But from the moment they're born, they undergo strict body training: eating spirit grain, bathing in medicinal water. By the time they begin cultivating, their physiques already far surpass those of ordinary people like you."

Named an ordinary person, Wu Ming wasn't offended. He simply stared seriously at the stone on the ground, gathered himself for a few breaths, then stepped forward.

Thud!

Another muffled impact rang out, seemingly heavier than the stone hitting the ground. Yet not a single blue brick beneath his feet was damaged. Instead, a faint radiance began to shimmer there—the sign of the earth's spiritual energy being drawn to that spot.

Of course, in a contest of physique, one couldn't borrow external power. Wu Ming had simply used the Root Stance, the method he knew best, to adjust his body.

With that single step, he felt the blood in his body surge like liquid mercury, while his bones and muscles seemed to join into a single line, obeying his every command. Riding the heat churning in his chest, he bent his knees and lowered his body, wrapped his arms tightly around the stone, then straightened his back and drove through his legs. His fingers clenched, his arms strained with all their might... and he, too, held the full eight hundred pounds steady against his chest and waist!

"Wh...?!"

Liu Yi beside him couldn't help grinding a tooth to pieces!

How could a Desolate boy with no foundation, after wasting a month in this barren wilderness, possess such strength?!

What kind of joke was this?!

Liu Li was also visibly startled, afraid Wu Ming might do it again. The one standing before you is Ox Demon reborn, strong enough to uproot mountains!

Fortunately, when Wu Ming set the stone down a moment later, his face had flushed red.

The weight had been manageable for Zhang Miao, but it had taken nearly all his strength... the difference between them was obvious.

Of course, only a month ago, even at full strength, Wu Ming couldn't have lifted a third of that stone.

A month of Root Stance practice had already transformed a frail-boned youth. But for an ordinary person, such a transformation was nothing more than reaching the starting line of those great-clan scions.

Wu Ming had expected as much. He let out a long breath and smiled at Zhang Miao. "Congratulations. You win this round."

Zhang Miao quickly shook her head and replied shyly, "I took pills beforehand, so it wasn't a fair win... And Sanlang said the physique round is an event where the great-clan people get an early start. It's only natural for them to win, so gloating over it is tasteless..."

Liu Li, who had just been about to laugh smugly, looked as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.

Wu Ming sighed. "Now I'm a little sorry I didn't get to meet your Sanlang in person."

"!?"

Zhang Miao's eyes suddenly lit up. "You want to meet Sanlang again too!? Great! I knew you two would get along! The last time I saw you together outside Dinghuang Prefecture, I thought you looked so good side by side! It was such a shame Sanlang only had time to say one sentence to you before he was forced to leave..."

"?"

Since transmigrating, this was the first time Wu Ming had been hit with a question mark over his head.

Wait, was this really how this side quest was supposed to unfold?!

But before he could dwell on it, Liu Li's roar swept through the entire temple.

"Zhang Miao, from this moment on, if you dare utter even half another word, I'll make you regret it!"

After being yelled at like that, Zhang Miao truly didn't dare speak out of turn. She lowered her eyes and held her tongue instead of talking to Wu Ming—but the light flickering in her eyes revealed the turbulent thoughts crashing wildly within her.

After putting Zhang Miao in her place, Liu Li turned to Wu Ming. "Next comes the third round..."

Before he could finish, Gu Bai abruptly interrupted. "Wait a moment."

Liu Li sneered. "What? Asking for mercy now? It's a little late for that!"

Gu Bai said, "The third round tests mana, but Wu Ming cultivated and practiced his techniques this morning, and has already spent quite a bit of his mana. The three of you, on the other hand, have come from far away but are well prepared. If I'm not mistaken, Miss Zhang followed the Three Talents Formula and took the Spirit Gathering Pill, Clear Heart Powder, and Origin Returning Soup, putting her in a much better state than usual. That's what you'd call an expedient measure. The advantage on one side and disadvantage on the other hardly seems fair."

Liu Li froze. He hadn't expected this old cripple to see through the Liu Family's secret recipe at a glance...

But that wasn't the point just then. He quickly recovered and laughed. "Ha! If True Person Gu Bai thinks it's unfair, he can produce a similar recipe and give his own disciple a temporary boost. But be careful, True Person: not every expedient measure will be recognized by the Shangqing Hengxiao Flag."

Gu Bai sighed. "I know. The Shangqing Hengxiao Flag may be praised as the fairest in the Nine Provinces, but the justice of the Nine Provinces has never been the justice of Rogue Cultivators."

Liu Li said, "Treating wealthy clans that have diligently cultivated for generations and made great contributions to Qiongzhou's Immortal Path as equals to ignorant mortal Rogue Cultivators—that would be the greatest injustice. True Person Gu Bai, your lament is a little narrow-minded."

Gu Bai stopped arguing. He simply beckoned to Wu Ming. "Ming'er, come here."

When Wu Ming came over, Gu Bai said, "A month ago, just before you began cultivating the Spring Encounter Book, I told you there was a cultivation journal I needed to find and give you. Then I got busy with seclusion and let the matter slip. Now is the right time."

As he spoke, the old man gently placed a thin booklet in Wu Ming's hands.

According to a survey in the reader group, starting tomorrow, updates will be posted at four in the morning, with two chapters released together.

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