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Wen Xu nodded and followed Bian Chunchou step by step, but he soon discovered that his benefactor's route was rather peculiar. Not only did the path underfoot grow more and more rugged, the fragrance also became fainter and fainter.

"Brother Bian, have you considered changing directions?"

Bian Chunchou looked puzzled. "This is a place I carefully selected. The books say Fragrant Elixir King Grass is rather delicate and enjoys rain, dew, and sunlight, so it must grow on a sunlit slope. Given its noble status, it must grow somewhere ordinary Pill-Fragrance Herb cannot. Don't you think?"

Wen Xu nodded. "You're right, but..."

"But what?"

"The scent has faded."

Bian Chunchou: "...Why didn't you say so earlier?!"

He immediately switched to Route B, only to be reminded a second time by his sweet, foolish companion whom he had picked up along the way. After choosing the wrong direction six times in a row, Bian Chunchou finally understood.

"Forget it. I have no fate with it; a forcibly twisted melon is not sweet." Besides, the Preliminary Trial was almost over, and most importantly, no one else had found it either.

"Are you giving up just like that?"

Bian Chunchou nodded, then remembered that Wen Xu could not see and added, "Mm-hm. There's no need to be too harsh on yourself while you're alive. Fragrant Elixir King Grass is nice, but without it, I'll be just fine."

Wen Xu smiled when he heard that. "That's good, then. I was going to tell you that I seem to have caught its scent, though I might have smelled wrong."

Bian Chunchou instantly sprang up like a launched arrow. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Hurry, hurry, hurry! If we really manage to pick it, you have no idea how cheerful a boy I can become~"

Wen Xu: ...His benefactor's choice of words was quite unique.

This entire stretch of mountains was covered in Pill-Fragrance Herb, without a single other spiritual plant in sight. Most examinees were searching with their heads down, so the two of them did not draw attention. Besides, with the exam nearing its end, no one held much hope of finding the King Grass anymore.

"Looks like no one will find it again this year. I heard long ago that the Fragrant Elixir King Grass in the Cloud-Breaking Secret Realm ripens once every six years. Sadly, ever since Sui Yuan True Person picked one more than fifty years ago, no one has managed to harvest another."

"How could we compare to a pill-dao genius? If we can pass the Preliminary Trial this time, that will already be a stroke of tremendous luck."

The voices of examinees talking drifted over from nearby. Bian Chunchou carefully parted the grass and could not resist lowering his head to sniff. Fine—King Grass fragrance filled the mountains and plains here, and he could not distinguish the slightest difference in scent strength. Compared with Wen Xu's nose, he suspected his own was nothing more than decoration.

Afraid that speaking would be overheard, he carefully lowered his head, took the other's hand, and wrote on it. Seeing blindfolded Wen Xu nod seriously, he immediately smiled in delight, only to grow troubled again the next moment. Damn it, this King Grass had not finished growing yet. Picking it now would be useless. With the exam about to end, would telling the examiner its exact location count toward his score?

Wen Xu smoothly drew back his hand. His hand bore none of the wounds or calluses a blind man would have from feeling out the world. Bian Chunchou's mind was wholly occupied with the King Grass right now, so naturally he would not become suspicious, but there was no guarantee he would not think more deeply about it later. Since Wen Xu had chosen to play the "blind man," he did not want to be exposed too soon. After all, he still needed someone to help him leave this damned Cloud-Breaking Secret Realm.

Of course, Wen Xu could guess how precious this Fragrant Elixir King Grass was. But if he could gain a sincere friend, then the deal would not be a loss. Besides, according to Bian Chunchou, even if this King Grass was dug up, it would belong to Yonglu Mountain, the owner of the Cloud-Breaking Secret Realm.

Since that was the case, and he was not an examinee, there was naturally no need for him to scheme against anyone.

"Is the exam almost over?"

Bian Chunchou made a shushing gesture, then quickly felt he was being overly tense. Only after forcing himself to relax did he speak. "Almost. Forget it, I'm not looking anymore. My luck really isn't very good."

"Me neither. Why don't we sit down and rest while we wait for the exam to end?"

Bian Chunchou nodded. The two chatted casually back and forth, and quite a few people were sitting together in pairs like them, so no one really suspected them. Yet as every second ticked by, Bian Chunchou grew more and more anxious.

When he had not found it, he could still console himself. But now that he had found it and simply could not wait for it to mature, that was truly a kick in the teeth. It was even more infuriating than PXX's final slash!

Just as his anxiety reached the point where he wanted to claw at his hair wildly, someone suddenly tapped twice on the back of his hand. This was the signal he and Wen Xu had agreed upon for the Fragrant Elixir King Grass ripening!

The King Grass had ripened!!!

Bian Chunchou's heart pounded furiously, but his hand was steadier than ever before. He himself did not even clearly see what he had done. By the time he came back to his senses, the King Grass was already lying inside his jade box.

The very next moment, the Pill-Fragrance Herb carpeting the mountains and plains all withered in an instant. Everyone noticed—someone had harvested the Fragrant Elixir King Grass!!!

At the same time, the secret realm's power began transmitting the examinees out. Bian Chunchou only felt his vision blur, and in the next instant, he had returned directly to the center of the formation.

"The Preliminary Trial has ended. Please submit your jade boxes in order and register your results. The list of those who have passed will be announced in the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Please remain calm and wait."

Who could possibly remain calm? That was Fragrant Elixir King Grass!

"Who was it?! Did any of you see?"

"No, but everyone's out now. It has to be among us!"

"Could it have been the young master of Huiyuan City's Li Family? I heard the Li Family of Huiyuan City is exceptionally skilled at tending spiritual plants. Do you think..."

"Do not discuss it further. Yonglu Mountain's senior brother is glaring at you!"

"..."

Thus, everyone only dared whisper among themselves in private, no longer daring to challenge Yonglu Mountain's authority.

As for Bian Chunchou, who carried the King Grass on him, he naturally kept quiet and made his fortune. Only... Bian Chunchou's heart suddenly lurched. Instinctively, he searched for his foolish, sweet companion nearby, and then... oh no. Could Wen Xu really not be an examinee? Could he truly be an ordinary person who had wandered into the secret realm by mistake?

An indescribable impatience surged in his heart, and he even began to feel that the King Grass inside the jade box was scalding hot. Bian Chunchou could not help stepping out of the line and searching from beginning to end, only to find... there truly was no one!

This was bad. Wen Xu was not an examinee and had no jade box issued by Yonglu Mountain. Wouldn't he be left behind in the Cloud-Breaking Secret Realm?! He was blind—how helpless must he be right now?