Enlightenment Pavilion's New Rules, the Third True Talisman

"Brother Zheng, Qin Lie, and those other ten seem to be descendants of immortal masters by bloodline..."

Lu He watched the figures leaving Enlightenment Pavilion one after another, unease stirring in his heart.

He glanced around.

He found that everyone else wore equally astonished expressions.

A flash of realization immediately crossed Lu He's eyes. "They stayed in Enlightenment Pavilion for an entire day?"

These people were basically all geniuses whom the stewards favored to enter the Inner Garden next year.

And the reason they had stayed in Enlightenment Pavilion—

Lu He could figure it out without using his brain. They were there to comprehend the Vermilion Horn Stele and condense Red Qiu True Talismans.

Those capable of arranging such a thing were undoubtedly the stewards. Most likely, several stewards had joined forces and paid an unimaginable price.

Otherwise, Enlightenment Pavilion would never have made such an exception.

After all, Enlightenment Pavilion held an exalted position within the Medicine Garden.

Even those stewards found it difficult to exert influence over it.

Could it be that people from the Inner Garden are coming early?

After turning it over and over in his mind, Lu He felt that only something like this could have driven the stewards to such lengths.

Just as he was pondering it.

The white-robed immortal master within Enlightenment Pavilion suddenly strode before the crowd and announced:

"Take note. Starting today and continuing until the seventeenth of next month, Enlightenment Pavilion will uniformly open at the third quarter of the first xu hour. Only the first thirty people may comprehend the Vermilion Horn Stele."

Below, the crowd first fell silent, then erupted into a clamor.

"My lord, the tenant farmers still have to work in the fields every day. If Enlightenment Pavilion opens at the third quarter of the first xu hour, and only the first thirty can enter to comprehend the Vermilion Horn Stele, then that nearly cuts off most people's hope of comprehending it altogether."

Someone mustered his courage and stepped forward, asking tentatively:

"Isn't this... isn't this somewhat inappropriate?"

"It will only last for a little over a month. It will have no real impact. Those who wish to comprehend the visualization diagrams may enter now. Those ranked beyond the first thirty may return directly."

The white-robed immortal master answered with a smile. His voice seemed gentle, yet allowed no room for negotiation.

With that, he turned and walked back inside.

At the sight of this.

Everyone else's expressions changed at once, and they hurried into Enlightenment Pavilion in a mad scramble, not daring to delay for even a moment.

Where he stood.

Lu He could not help but sneer.

There were fewer than thirty people waiting for Enlightenment Pavilion to open in total. He had no idea what these people were even fighting over.

Shaking his head, he walked into the pavilion at an unhurried pace.

Yet in the next moment.

"Brother Lu, wait. I have something to tell you."

Zheng Jingren had somehow turned back and called out softly to stop Lu He.

"Brother Zheng, why have you come back?"

Lu He halted. When he saw that it was Zheng Jingren, a puzzled expression appeared on his face.

"Haha, I thought I vaguely caught sight of Brother Lu earlier, so I came back to make sure. I didn't expect it really was you."

Zheng Jingren spoke with a smile.

"May I ask what guidance Brother Zheng has for me?" Lu He came to a realization, glancing unconsciously toward Enlightenment Pavilion as he asked in a low voice.

"I would not dare call it guidance!"

Zheng Jingren's expression turned solemn.

"I merely wished to remind Brother Lu that the prizes the stewards have added to next month's tea gathering are exceptionally generous. You must remember to attend!"

After a pause.

He added a tactful reminder:

"Also, Brother Lu, it would be best to exchange your contribution points for spirit pills to improve your cultivation."

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Brother Zheng."

Lu He's smile stiffened for a moment before he clasped his hands in thanks.

Naturally, he understood the meaning behind Brother Zheng's latter reminder, but... there was simply no way to explain it!

Not long after.

Watching Lu He's figure gradually disappear into the depths of Enlightenment Pavilion.

A trace of anticipation appeared in Zheng Jingren's eyes.

Only after coming into close contact with them in Enlightenment Pavilion today did he realize that those steward descendants did not all possess outstanding comprehension.

"Six hours every day comprehending the Vermilion Horn Stele, plus one Black Jade Pill every three days—of the nine spots for White-Scale Lake this time, I am determined to claim one!"

"Only... although Bai Hao, Su Lingchan, and the others have high talent, none of them are truly top-tier. After I leave, I fear they will find it difficult to shoulder the burden."

"In the end, it still depends on Brother Lu."

He murmured inwardly.

In fact, early this morning.

Su Lingchan and Bai Hao had told Zheng Jingren about Lu He renting a cave dwelling yesterday.

Though he had been somewhat surprised at the time, he had never felt that he had misjudged the man.

Everyone had been young once.

He expected that after some time, Brother Lu would naturally understand the importance of cultivation.

By then, with Lu He's aptitude, even if his cultivation lagged behind, he would be able to catch up swiftly and truly take over Zheng Jingren's position as the backbone of this group.

Meanwhile.

Inside Enlightenment Pavilion.

Lu He sat cross-legged before the Vermilion Horn Stele. After taking a deep breath, a phantom image of the White Ape Dao Diagram emerged in the depths of his eyes.

"Immaculate Heart Ape!"

In an instant.

His expression became neither joyous nor sorrowful, and his gaze swept straight toward the nine Scarlet Horned-Dragon visualization diagrams before him.

The scene before his eyes surged forth at rapid speed. A phantom Scarlet Horned-Dragon, winding and roaring, abruptly entered Lu He's vision.

Strands of true intent gathered in the depths of his consciousness at a terrifying speed far beyond anything before.

In only a brief moment, they wove together the phantom of a third true talisman, which then began to solidify bit by bit.

The entire process went smoothly to the extreme.

It even gave Lu He the strange sensation that he was not comprehending the true intent himself, but that the true intent within the visualization diagrams was actively rushing toward him.

This effect was far beyond what a second-tier Immaculate Heart Ape could compare to.

Has the 1.1-times comprehension boost... surpassed some threshold?

A trace of surprise flashed through his heart as he secretly guessed.

He did not know how much time had passed.

Accompanied by three familiar tolls of a bell.

Lu He gradually emerged from his state of enlightenment. Within the depths of his eyes, three Red Qiu True Talismans faintly intertwined, flickering with blazing spiritual radiance.

He directly looked toward the Golden Book.

[Name: Lu He]

[Cultivation Realm: Foundation Establishment · Late Body-Shedding Realm (one arm: 1,900 jin)]

[Method: Scarlet Horned-Dragon True-Origin Visualization Diagram · Sixth Layer (2%)

Scarlet Horned-Dragon True-Intent Runes: 3]

[Currently Possessed Innate Dao Diagram: White Ape Child Cave-Evolution Diagram]

[Level: 3 (4/600)]

[Grade: White]

[Innate Talents:

Immaculate Heart Ape (Third Tier) [Note: Upon entering a state of enlightenment, grants an additional 1.1-times comprehension boost]

Myriad-Dharma Marvelous-Insight Treasure Wheel (None)]

[Origin Creation Spirit Radiance: 4 strands]

"I never expected condensing the third true talisman to be so easy.

At this rate, condensing another two or three Red Qiu True Talismans before next month's tea gathering begins should not be a problem."

A faint trace of anticipation flashed in Lu He's eyes.

Just now.

Whether it was Zheng Jingren's reminder or the rule announced by that immortal master of Enlightenment Pavilion, continuing until the seventeenth of next month, both seemed to be telling Lu He in the clearest possible terms:

Next month's tea gathering was extremely important. It might be connected to the Inner Garden...

Naturally, he could not have no thoughts about it.

However, Lu He did not hold much hope for condensing the seventh true talisman.

On one hand, true talismans became increasingly difficult to condense the further one progressed.

On the other hand, that immortal master of Enlightenment Pavilion had set this bizarre rule in order to free up daytime for Qin Lie's group to comprehend the Vermilion Horn Stele.

Lu He clearly had no way to ensure that he could seize one of those thirty spots every day.

As he rose and walked outside.

He unconsciously took out his jade talisman and looked at the forty-nine contribution points displayed upon it.

I can't keep saving them. Tomorrow, I must first exchange them for a Black Jade Pill and raise my strength. Otherwise, at the tea gathering, having only Red Qiu True Talismans may still not be enough to contend against those steward descendants born extraordinary.

Oh, right. Those Golden Bone Sparrow eggs simmering in my pot should be ready to eat by now, shouldn't they?

As though suddenly remembering something, Lu He's eyes abruptly lit up.