A Breath, Heavy as a Thousand Pounds

Zhang Lian's arrival brought the literary gathering to its peak in terms of atmosphere.

However, it was rather strange that when he arrived, he didn't first ask about everyone's essays and poems, but instead inquired about a candidate who wasn't even present.

However, given Zhang Lian's official rank, status, age, and position, who would dare to object?

In addition to the discussion that had just taken place, Qiu Yan's information had already spread among the scholars. It was only natural that Zhang Lian overheard it and then questioned him about it.

And so, on this night, a strange thing happened: all those talented and eloquent scholars, despite stealing the spotlight all night, ended up with a candidate who had never appeared, who came out on top.

Among the crowd, Cao Hanqi and the others looked at each other in surprise.

After parting ways with Qiu Yan, Luo Jiayun, and Zhou Guan, they made preparations, which is why they came out to watch the lantern festival and then came here to try their luck. However, they were quickly overshadowed by others and became supporting characters, only able to watch from the sidelines.

But none of them expected that things would turn out this way.

"I never imagined that even though Qiu Yan didn't come, his name would still be circulating here."

Amidst these discussions, the annual lantern festival slowly came to a close.

In the end, for various reasons, no one actually went to look for Qiu Yan. Even Song Qian and Ji Zheng, who each had their own thoughts, did not urge him.

On the other hand, Zhang Lian, who left the literary gathering midway, summoned two people after returning to his residence and inquired about Qiu Yan. Finally, he narrowed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

"So, this Qiu Yan is Ma Yang's disciple, and should rightfully be one of us. The New Party might deliberately sabotage this!" He sneered as he spoke. "This time, the Emperor is on their side, trying to forcefully push through the New Law, even handing over the Talent Selection Ceremony to them. Since we can't change that now, we can't afford to lose in other areas..."

The two men nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

"Don't worry, Elder Zhang, we understand what to do. We will be careful and not give them any opportunity to take advantage."

"The Mind Horse signifies that Bai Zhaoyuan has returned."

Inside the inn, Qiu Yan took a deep breath. Around him, several broken streams of air swirled. This breath drew streams of air into his chest and abdomen through his mouth and nose, and finally condensed in the Myriad People's Heart Fire, slowly forming the shape of a Heart Ape.

Inside and outside the city, Bai Zhaoyuan and his actions had stirred up a storm of undercurrents. However, Qiu Yan, one of the parties involved, did not take it to heart at all. Instead, he remained calm, recalling the scene just now.

"Now that he's back from Scholar Forest, this year's Imperial Examinations should be quite interesting. However, no matter how profound other people's knowledge is, there's no need to think too much about it. Just calm your mind, put what you've learned and what you've thought into writing, and that will be enough."

As he pondered, the image of that terrifying claw attack flashed through his mind again.

"The Dragon Qi is indeed extraordinary. With just one claw, it can freeze the restless Heart Ape and unruly Mind Horse, crushing them directly. In that instant, I couldn't even think of resisting. Through the sensation of the Heart Ape, I could even feel an immense and irresistible force, as if the whole world was pressing down on me!"

Not long ago, he was drawn by a connection to the appearance of the Mind Horse) and his inner Heart Ape) began to manifest.

Originally, the Heart Ape had been weakened by the previous split, but this manifestation allowed it to draw upon numerous chaotic thoughts from the surrounding Void and rapidly grow stronger. This gave Qiu Yan a sudden realization. Moreover, the Heart Ape showed signs of backfiring due to its instinctive struggle, so he released his control and let the Heart Ape ascend into the sky.

Not only that, he also attached his mind to it, sensing the change, and vaguely realized that the distracting thoughts gathering from all directions actually originated from various parts of the city.

However, before he could investigate further, the connection between his Heart Ape and his Mind Horse caused his Heart Ape to change again, manifesting Qiu Yan's consciousness as a scholar. Then, a terrifying claw descended from the sky.

Recalling the scene at that time, Qiu Yan still felt a lingering fear.

"The power of the Dragon Qi is immeasurable."

Thinking of this, he raised his hand, opened his palm, and a wisp of smoke drifted from his palm.

Tremors!

It's unclear when it started, Qiu Yan's hands were trembling slightly. The tendons in the back of his hands and arms were pulsating, and his strength, Blood Qi, and True Qi were gathering and circulating in his palms, all transforming into pure power!

Qiu Yan was expending tremendous effort to support this seemingly thin mist.

The mist gathered, gleaming with a pale yellow sheen, but otherwise it had little to do with anything special.

"This tiny wisp of Dragon Qi actually weighs over a thousand pounds! I could hardly lift it with my physical strength alone!"

Dragon Qi!

This pale yellow mist was none other than the unfathomable Dragon Qi!

Looking at the wisp of mist in his hand, Qiu Yan had a thought: he wanted to swallow it and pass it on to his Divine Spirit Body, but then he remembered the subtle opposition between the Divine Path and Human Path, so he gave up the idea.

"However, when the Mind Horse is in the sky, although its momentum is extraordinary and others are awe-inspiring, I can still clearly feel through the Heart Ape that its aura is rapidly weakening. Bai Zhaoyuan is different from me; without Incense Faith replenishment, it is not easy for him to use the Mind Horse. He immediately drove the Mind Horse to attack the Imperial City as soon as he returned from the Scholar Forest, perhaps to seize the opportunity and make use of the Mind Horse..."

As Qiu Yan pondered this, he gathered the wisp of mist, and then a porcelain bottle flew out from his body.

"However, it seems that Bai Zhaoyuan's goal has not been achieved. No, that's not right!"

Qiu Yan suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"Judging from the process, Bai Zhaoyuan seems to have failed. Judging from his behavior, he clearly intended to use the Mind Horse and the Literary Thought in the city to attack the Imperial City in order to investigate something, but in the end, the Mind Horse was directly crushed by the Dragon Qi!"

Snap!

With a soft sound, the porcelain bottle suddenly shattered, and pale yellow smoke drifted out from between the fragments. Just as it was about to dissipate, Qiu Yan reached out and grabbed it, enveloping it with his Divine Sense and Qi and Blood, causing it to gather again.

"Judging from the result, he seems to have achieved his goal. Although this wisp of Dragon Qi weighs over a thousand pounds, it is extremely precious. Dragon Qi is a unified whole and cannot be torn apart easily. It is only because of Mind Horse inherent characteristics of the Heart Ape that a trace of thought was able to remain at the moment of shattering and was brought back."

Qiu Yan once traveled through the Dragon Qi using the Imperial Heart Thought, and was very curious about this strange power. But it was because of that trip that he also discovered that the Dragon Qi, which seemed to be scattered, was actually interconnected, and it was difficult for him to tear it apart with his strength.

"Bai Zhaoyuan relied on the Mind Horse, which was his own ability. He happened to come out of the Scholar Forest and find himself on the edge of the Imperial City, which was the right time. He fought with the City Intent, which seemed dangerous, but in fact he was also entangled with the city, preventing the Dragon Qi from killing him, which was the right place. Finally, he happened to be there during the Lantern Festival, when the city was full of light and Literary Thought were surging. He was drawn there by the Will Mind Horse, which was the right person."

Thinking about this, Qiu Yan couldn't help but admire Bai Zhaoyuan's plan.

"He possessed his own inherent strength, combined with favorable timing, location, and human factors, and even created the illusion of attacking the Imperial City, deceiving even the Dragon Qi. In the end, he was not Mind Horse shattering, and even managed to absorb the Dragon Qi and obtain it! Bai Zhaoyuan probably has no cultivation and is like an ordinary person in the Mortal Realm. After his Mind Horse shattered, he may never be able to nurture it into a full form again in this lifetime. Such courage is truly remarkable!"

The "restless mind" originates from the shadowy side of the scholar's circle. It is not only rare but also contains great mystery. Anyone who obtains it would treasure it and make use of it. However, Bai Zhaoyuan used it as a chess piece after returning from the scholar's circle, in exchange for a wisp of dragon energy.

Unlike Qiu Yan, whose Heart Ape was also shattered, Bai Zhaoyuan could reassemble it in no time by relying on the Incense Faith and the Myriad People's Heart Fire. However, he might not be able to recreate his Mind Horse in a short period of time and could only keep the fragments of his Mind Horse in his heart, waiting for fortuitous opportunity.

"But I wonder, without any cultivation or Divine Ability, how does he prevent the thin Dragon Qi from dissipating, and how does he contain it?"

Looking at the pale yellow mist in his hand, Qiu Yan fell into deep thought. Even with his battle- Fleshly Body, he found it difficult to support this Dragon Qi; he wondered how Bai Zhaoyuan would control it.

In a way, Qiu Yan also benefited from Bai Zhaoyuan's plan. However, it came too suddenly and he was not prepared in advance. The Dragon Qi was really difficult to deal with in a short time. If he hadn't had the experience of traveling through Dragon Qi and knew some of its characteristics, anyone else, even if they benefited temporarily, would have been unable to control the Dragon Qi from dissipating and would have ended up with nothing.

"However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Obtaining Dragon Qi is a good thing, but it will likely involve some Karma, which is ultimately unavoidable."

Thinking this, Qiu Yan was about to try another method to contain the Dragon Qi when a creaking sound suddenly came from not far away. Then, the Trial Beast struggled to fly up from under the Ginseng Baby and came to Qiu Yan's side, circling around the Dragon Qi.

"Hmm?" Qiu Yan's heart stirred, and he looked thoughtfully at the Trial Beast in front of him.

Since this Trial Beast was subdued by the Ginseng Baby, it has only been used as a means of transportation, and it has been obedient and has not resisted much. People have almost forgotten that its Origin Source is actually a collection of many fears of hardship.

His Divine Sense expanded, traversing inside and outside the Trial Beast, quickly revealing its inner and outer dimensions.

"Huh? The aura of this Trial Beast has actually changed; it now contains some Literary Dao energy!"

Noticing this, Qiu Yan glanced at the sleeping Ginseng Baby again, knowing it was related to him, and then spoke to the Trial Beast, "I know you want this Dragon Qi, but things have happened suddenly, so we can't act rashly and can't grant your wish yet."

Sensing the disappointment revealed by the Trial Beast, Qiu Yan shook his head. Then, he took out a porcelain bottle from his bosom, flicked it with his finger, and the stopper popped off. A small ball of flame flew out from inside, containing a golden pill!

The pill emitted a light, like a small sun!

The Solar True Essence! (To be continued. Please search for the novel for better and faster updates!)