Arrogant

040 Arrogance

On the table, an invitation card emitting a faint scent of pine wood lay silently.

"The entrance examination for the True Martial Academy... I never expected that I would actually have the chance to participate in this assessment." Zhang He looked at the card and fell into deep thought.

The True Martial Academy was a name absolutely brimming with power throughout the entire Western Chu Kingdom. As long as one wasn't deaf, they would have heard of this illustrious name!

The civilized regions of the entire continent were primarily divided into five major powers. Each major power possessed its own center where elites gathered.

In the northwest, there was the True Martial Academy of the Northwest Empire; in the northeast, the Mystic Water Academy of the Black Dragon Empire; in the east, the Sage Academy of the Eastern Qi Empire; in the south, the Phoenix Academy of the Southern Wild Empire; and in the southwest, the Caesar Academy of the Western Luo Empire!

The True Martial Academy was the crown jewel of the entire Northwest Empire; the disciples within were all elites. Every single person inside had a formidable background.

However, Zhang He was contemplating whether he should truly enter the True Martial Academy.

"To others, the True Martial Academy holds supreme attraction because entering it means one can soar to success in the future. But for me, entering it might perhaps be a burden." Zhang He hesitated.

If he entered the True Martial Academy, he would have to leave home. His concern for his family was one aspect; on the other hand, once he entered the academy, he would be subject to certain restrictions in the future. He realized clearly that once he emerged from the True Martial Academy, the Western Chu Kingdom would certainly not let him live in peace.

Did Zhang He value fame and fortune? Of course not. While fame and fortune had their appeal and Zhang He could strive for them, the reason for his efforts was never his own greed for vanity or comfort, but rather to ensure his loved ones would no longer suffer.

"Sigh, thinking about this now is perhaps a bit premature. The True Martial Academy's examination must be filled with talented individuals; even if I go to participate, there is no guarantee I will have the opportunity to get in." Zhang He mocked himself.

"However, this is actually a very good opportunity. Those who participate in the True Martial Academy's examination must include many experts. If I go, I can broaden my horizons."

Zhang He thought to himself.

"Regardless, for now, I should continue to improve my strength; that is the true path. I absorbed an entire Cold Flood Dragon Poison Pill, yet I never expected that I still wouldn't be able to break through the eight acupuncture points."

One Cold Flood Dragon Poison Pill had been completely absorbed by Zhang He, yet it failed to achieve his expected results. He had originally thought that after absorbing one, his cultivation would grow, allowing him to easily break through to the eighth acupuncture point and smoothly reach the first stage of the Rejuvenation True Explanation. He never imagined that in the end, while his true qi had increased and his physical constitution had improved—and his realm had even reached the Possession Realm—the final acupuncture point remained stubbornly closed!

This situation occurred because, during the process of absorbing the Cold Flood Dragon Poison Pill, the fire poison of the Kirin Bloodline and the cold poison of the Cold Flood Dragon acted like ice and fire, repeatedly tempering Zhang He's body. This directly caused his meridians to expand and his acupuncture points to grow larger, meaning the amount of true qi that could be allocated to them was insufficient!

"There is one Cold Flood Dragon Poison Pill left. I believe that after absorbing it, I will certainly be able to smoothly cultivate to the first stage. However, even if I continue to absorb more and reach the peak of the Possession Realm, breaking through to the next stage, the Burst Qi Realm, will not be an easy matter."

Zhang He knew that whether it was the Force Martial Realm or the True Martial Realm, each could be divided into three major phases. The first three stages of the Force Martial Realm were one phase, the middle three were another, and the final three were a third; the same applied to the True Martial Realm!

Advancing from one phase to another was the most difficult part of the entire realm. Zhang He had now reached the third stage of the True Martial Realm, the Possession Realm, where true qi could be attached to weapons and other external objects. The Burst Qi Realm, however, allowed true qi to be released directly from the body without the aid of external objects.

There was a world of difference between the two!

"To cultivate from the Possession Realm to the Burst Qi Realm, besides needing vigorous true qi, it is even more important to allow the true qi to circulate thoroughly throughout the entire body. This requires the ability to control true qi to reach a level of extreme subtlety."

Releasing true qi from the body required extremely precise control. Such control placed strict demands on a person's spirit!

"The first three stages of the True Martial Realm focus on the circulation of true qi within the meridians; it emphasizes guiding the true qi. This is a process where practice makes perfect; as long as one cultivates for a long enough time, one will eventually reach the goal. However, the middle three stages of the True Martial Realm require subtle control over the true qi. This requires a person's spirit to be sufficiently powerful to meet those requirements."

The first three stages of cultivation focused primarily on the meridians.

The middle three stages focused primarily on spiritual guidance.

The final three stages focused on the fusion of spirit and true qi! At that point, the true qi released from the body could be completely controlled through the spirit!

The further one progressed in True Martial Realm cultivation, the more difficult it became!

Zhang He knew what he needed to break through to the Burst Qi Realm. It was to make his spirit powerful! To put it in more common terms, it was to make his senses incredibly sharp!

"The demon poison of the Mad Heart Fox is actually a power that targets the spirit. Unfortunately, it is far from enough. If the effect of the Mad Heart Fox's demon poison were ten times stronger, I could strengthen my spirit after absorbing it."

"It seems I still have to rely on the power of medicinal pills. The Mind-Clearing Pill... formulating this thing took a massive amount of my time back then. Just finding the two main ingredients with conflicting attributes was an extremely arduous task."

Zhang He sighed. If he wanted to strengthen his spirit, there were two methods. One was to find demon beasts similar to the Mad Heart Fox and obtain demon poison from them to temper his spirit; as long as his spirit was strong enough to fully command his physical body, he could break through to the Burst Qi Realm. The other was to rely on the power of pills to forcibly temper the spirit!

This kind of pill was the Mind-Clearing Pill! Formulating the Mind-Clearing Pill was definitely not an easy task! The two most important main ingredients, the Drunken Immortal Peach and the Six-Leaf Heart-Extinguishing Flower, were extremely difficult to find! In his previous life, Zhang He had relied on the dual power of technology and money, and it had still taken him a full three years to find them in a deep mountain forest!

In this world, without the aid of powerful technology and lacking sufficient money, how difficult would it be to find these two medicinal herbs?

Zhang He was distressed, when suddenly a flash of inspiration crossed his mind.

"Right, I am an Iron-Rank Pharmacist of the Pharmacist Association. When there's a problem, I can look for the organization!" His heart stirred, and he immediately pulled out the book Lu Tiao had given him. This book contained some introductions to the Pharmacist Association. Among them was a rule: pharmacists could use their authority to post tasks within the Pharmacist Association to search for the medicinal herbs they needed.

Relying on himself to find those two main ingredients was as difficult as ascending to heaven, but if he had the help of other pharmacists, it would be much easier.

Zhang He found the relevant information in the book, and his heart could no longer remain calm.

"Better early than late. I'll go to Luowang Prefecture sooner to look for opportunities." Zhang He decided to set off for Luowang Prefecture. It would also be a good chance to leave home and avoid those who came to act as matchmakers and those who constantly sent invitations to visit, allowing him some peace and quiet.

Luowang Prefecture was one of the eighteen prefectures of the Western Chu Kingdom. The entire Luowang Prefecture was rich in grain and leather, serving as one of the granaries of the Western Chu Kingdom. At the same time, there were many deep mountain forests in Luowang Prefecture, home to many demon beasts and a vast amount of medicinal herbs, which was why the Pharmacist Association chose to establish a branch there.

"The headquarters of the Pharmacist Association is established in the capital of the Northwest Empire, and they have set up a branch in Luowang Prefecture; this alone shows the importance of Luowang Prefecture in the eyes of the Pharmacist Association."

In the carriage, Zhang He looked at the prefectural city of Luowang. The high, dark-green walls stretched on, extending to where his sight could no longer reach.

"The scale of Luowang Prefecture City is more than thirty times that of Mengyin City! In my previous life, it would be comparable to a large city." Zhang He looked at the city before him, feeling moved. Although technology was backward in this era, the scale of Luowang Prefecture City was so vast that it truly astonished him.

The carriage slowly entered Luowang Prefecture City. At the city gate, the guards blocked the vehicle.

"Entry fee: thirty copper coins per person!" The guard at the gate had a professional expression, yet his eyes revealed a hint of craftiness.

"Thirty copper coins for an entry fee per person? That's too much for ordinary people!" Zhang He couldn't help but click his tongue; this was the income of an ordinary family for a hard day's work. He didn't know if these soldiers had set up this checkpoint privately, because he also saw many carriages nearby passing through brazenly without stopping at all.

However, this small amount of money meant nothing to Zhang He. He knew there was no need to offend these soldiers over such a pittance.

He took out a silver coin, and the soldier who had demanded the entry fee immediately saw his eyes light up.

"Officer, if you please, where is the Pharmacist Association in the city?" Zhang He slipped the silver coin into the soldier's hand. The soldier immediately tucked it into his sleeve, his stern face instantly filled with a radiant smile, his attitude turning gentle.

"The Pharmacist Association? It's right in the center of the prefecture city, very easy to find. Just follow this road straight ahead without turning. Not far from the statue of the Chu Emperor, you'll see their sign—that's the place."

"Thank you, officer." Zhang He offered a faint smile and signaled for the coachman to drive into the city.

The roads in Luowang Prefecture were exceptionally wide. As the carriage moved slowly along, Zhang He listened to the lively cries of street vendors outside, the air thick with the bustle of prosperity.

Guided by the soldier's directions, Zhang He successfully located the Pharmacist Association.

"The Pharmacist Association truly holds a lofty status; they actually occupy the land directly opposite the statue of the Chu Emperor." Seeing the location, Zhang He couldn't help but sigh in admiration. The area around the Chu Emperor's statue was a grand plaza, and there, the sign of the Pharmacist Association stood prominently.

"So many people! Look at these carriages—lavishly decorated. One look and you know they belong to the wealthy or the noble!" Zhang He noticed many luxurious carriages parked outside the association. Compared to those, his own carriage looked truly shabby.

The space ahead was already occupied by those opulent carriages, leaving no room for his own. Zhang He had the coachman park outside, then stepped down, preparing to walk toward the main entrance of the Pharmacist Association.

Just as he alighted, a rough voice suddenly rang out from behind.

"Hey, you in the carriage ahead, move aside." Zhang He turned to see a luxurious carriage approaching. The well-dressed coachman was frowning as he looked at his own dilapidated vehicle. The other party was looking for a good spot to park, and since his carriage happened to be under the shade of a tree, avoiding the sun, it seemed they had taken a fancy to his spot.

The coachman's arrogant expression made Zhang He knit his brows slightly.