"Heh. If he really had any self-awareness, he never should have come here. Star Sword Peak simply isn't a place someone like him belongs."
"What are you all crowding around here for instead of taking the assessment?" Just as Jiang Xuan walked out of Star Sword Peak's entrance, another young woman slowly emerged from within Star Sword Peak.
The instant Hua Xuan saw the young woman, the aloofness on his face vanished without a trace. He hurried forward to greet her respectfully.
"Miss, why have you come as well?"
"I came to take Star Sword Peak's assessment." The young woman answered blandly, her delicate brows knitting slightly. "And don't call me Miss. Today, just like everyone else here, I am merely an ordinary student taking the assessment."
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Facing the most outstanding direct descendant of the current generation under the peak master, Hua Xuan could only nod repeatedly. At the same time, he wanted to quietly gloss over what had just happened and muddle through it.
Unfortunately, someone stepped forward and did not let him have his way.
The person who stepped forward was none other than—Zeng Jun!
Naturally, he had not stepped out because he came from the same Daoist Academy as Jiang Xuan and wanted to seek justice for him. Nor was he delusionally trying to curry favor with Su Xingying. He could still sense the gulf between them, as vast as heaven and earth.
Before stepping out, he secretly glanced at Xie Hanyan.
It was obvious that he was doing this to stand up for Xie Hanyan and win her favor.
And to a certain extent, his actions had indeed succeeded.
Although the earlier matter had ended with Jiang Xuan leaving, everyone saw Jiang Xuan as nothing more than one of Xie Hanyan's followers. His public expulsion had actually disgraced Xie Hanyan.
In an atmosphere where everyone was merely watching the show, Zeng Jun's willingness to step forward and speak a fair word naturally made Xie Hanyan regard him more highly, and her attitude softened somewhat.
Of course, this came at a cost. Hua Xuan's gaze at him was now filled with displeasure, while the students from Zi Dao Academy beside him looked at Zeng Jun with more than a hint of hostility.
Zeng Jun sensed all of this clearly, but he did not care in the slightest.
I never had much chance of getting into Star Sword Peak to begin with. There is no point in currying favor with the people here. Rather than worrying about that, I should first maintain my relationship with Miss Xie.
Besides, with Miss Su here, they won't dare do anything to me.
Just as he had expected, after Zeng Jun laid out the entire sequence of events in full detail, the others had no mind left to trouble him.
Seeing the anger gradually rise on Su Xingying's face, Hua Xuan immediately looked embarrassed and hurriedly lowered his head. "That Jiang Xuan only has a Profound-Grade Mid-Tier Spirit Root. He had no hope of entering our Star Sword Peak at all. I drove him away for his own good as well... Sorry. I overstepped."
Under Su Xingying's gaze, Hua Xuan ultimately lowered his head and admitted his mistake.
After putting Hua Xuan in his place, Su Xingying coldly glared at Xie Lianxing and the others. "On Star Sword Peak's territory, you are not permitted to stir up trouble."
"Understood, Sister Su."
As a direct descendant of the Star Sword Peak Master, though not his biological daughter, Su Xingying had still been kept at the Star Sword Peak Master's side and personally taught by him for a time. This gave her an extremely high status. Even Xie Lianxing and the others, who also came from Daozi Academy, did not dare offend her lightly.
After subduing everyone present, Su Xingying walked over to Xie Hanyan's side, solemnly apologized to her, and began comforting her gently.
"I'm sorry. Our peak's disciples handled this improperly and caused you to suffer a grievance."
At the same time, she specifically asked about Jiang Xuan's situation. It was clear that she was a girl with a strong sense of justice who also placed great importance on Star Sword Peak's reputation.
Unfortunately, Jiang Xuan had already gone far away. Even if she wanted to make amends, she had nowhere to begin.
While she was safeguarding Star Sword Peak's reputation, the discussions below gradually turned rather strange.
"That person was called Jiang Xuan, right? What a pity. He left a little too early..."
"His luck truly was bad. If he had waited just a moment longer, he would have seized this opportunity."
"Hehe, this wasn't bad luck. He was simply putting on too much of an act."
"Exactly. A poor Cultivator with a Mystic-Grade Spiritual Root—what was he acting so free and unrestrained for? Well, now his opportunity is gone, isn't it?"
Whether they pitied Jiang Xuan, regretted his loss, or found him laughable, everyone present tacitly agreed on one thing—he had missed an enormous opportunity.
But was Jiang Xuan truly the one who had missed the opportunity?
Jiang Xuan naturally knew nothing of the later ripples on Star Sword Peak.
After leaving Star Sword Peak, he headed directly toward the predetermined destination of this trip—Four Seasons Valley.
What slightly surprised Jiang Xuan was that Four Seasons Valley was not far from Star Sword Peak at all. A single stop aboard a flying vessel brought him into Four Seasons Valley's territory.
Entirely unlike Star Sword Peak, which stood proud and solitary beneath the clouds, its jade towers and jeweled halls piercing the heavens, Four Seasons Valley lay upon an open plain. As a mid-tier Dao Branch, this place naturally possessed something extraordinary—the four seasons actually coexisted within a single valley.
Standing by the flying vessel's rail and looking down from above, Jiang Xuan saw verdant growth spreading across the valley's eastern region, fresh willow shoots budding in an early-spring scene where all things revived; the southern region was ablaze with flowers like brocade, butterflies dancing and bees humming;
To the west, waves of wheat rose and fell in a scene of golden autumn abundance; to the north lay a lake, a lake frozen solid. Beside the lake stood a mountain, its once-green peak blanketed in gleaming snow, and all that met the eye was Winter's solemn desolation and stillness.
Jiang Xuan watched this scene of distinct seasons for a long time.
Just as he was captivated by this wondrous spectacle of heaven and earth, the flying vessel slowly descended at the very center where the four seasons met. A plain and unadorned village abruptly entered his sight.
"This is the residence of a mid-tier Dao Branch?"
Looking at Yellow Mud Village, which was no different from a rural mortal village, then recalling Star Sword Peak's carved beams, painted rafters, and immortal mist-wreathed jade towers, Jiang Xuan realized for the first time just how much greater the disparity between mid-tier Dao Branches was than he had imagined.
"How can anyone comprehend the Four Seasons Dao Resonance simply by tasting seasonal vegetables? That's impossible!"
"Why is Four Seasons Valley's assessment so difficult? Didn't everyone say the core cultivation method here is flawed?"
"Miss Xia He, please make an exception and lower the assessment requirements!"
"..."
The moment Jiang Xuan stepped into Yellow Mud Village, a noisy quarrel reached his ears.
There were quite a few students here trying their luck, but Jiang Xuan saw at a glance that luxuriously dressed children of Aristocratic Clans were almost nowhere to be found among them. Most of the students wore ordinary clothing, and the auras around them were not particularly formidable.
According to what Dong Hao had said before, Four Seasons Valley's assessment was renowned for its difficulty even among the mid-tier Dao Branches. Even disciples with outstanding talent did not dare claim they could certainly pass it, much less these students before him, whose cultivation was merely average. Naturally, their passing rate was pitifully low.
Even now, not a single person had passed the assessment. It was precisely because the success rate was so dismal that someone had taken the lead in making a fuss, hoping Four Seasons Valley's assessment staff would loosen the requirements.
However, their words made the young woman responsible for receiving them blaze with fury.
She was a young woman about Jiang Xuan's age, appearing only fourteen or fifteen. Her petite and delicate figure was accentuated by a crisp emerald dress, which made her slender waist seem as though it could be held in one hand, brimming with the lively spirit of youth.
Even though she currently had one hand on her hip and was angrily berating the gathered students before Yellow Mud Village, the fury on her face could not hide the lively sweetness and charming innocence in her features.
"Shut up, all of you!"
After that cold rebuke, Xia He said indignantly, "Our Four Seasons Valley is a mid-tier Dao Branch, and our core cultivation method has never had the slightest flaw! Comprehending the Four Seasons Cycle and understanding the Four Seasons Dao Resonance are ironclad rules for entering the valley. If you cannot pass, then settle down and temper yourselves. If you want us to loosen the rules, there isn't a chance!"
The young woman was exceedingly beautiful, and even her furious glare carried little intimidation. Yet as she became angry, two people rose from behind the pair of desks at her back.
One was over ten feet tall, his broad and powerful body like a small mountain, vigorous and mighty Spell Power surging around him; the other had an icy temperament, with a bone-piercing chill radiating from his body.
As the pressure released by the two spread outward, the students who had been making noise without end immediately fell silent. Quite a few even turned and departed dejectedly.
However, Yellow Mud Village truly lacked the imposing prestige of a renowned Dao Branch. After those people had only walked a few steps away, they could not help muttering complaints in low voices.
"What are they acting so proud for? Aren't they just a Middle Branch that's about to decline?"
"Exactly. If their cultivation method really had no flaws, why would not even a single child of an Aristocratic Clan be willing to come?"
"Hmph, I heard they could not even recruit enough disciples in the previous few rounds... At this rate, Four Seasons Valley will be demoted to a lower-tier Dao Branch before long."
Crack!
Though the distant conversations were quiet, a Cultivator's spiritual senses were sharp. Not only did Jiang Xuan hear every word clearly, Xia He naturally caught every single one as well. Those words were like oil poured onto a fire, making her unextinguished anger burn even hotter.
Seeing that she was about to chase after them and argue, the burly young man hurried forward to stop her. "Miss, do not act rashly. They are merely the reckless words of a group of ignorant people. They are not worth having Miss violate the sect rules."
The burly young man's obstruction ultimately made Xia He stop, but the pent-up frustration in her chest did not disperse at all. She turned toward the students who had not yet left and snorted coldly. "Stop daydreaming. There is absolutely no chance that Four Seasons Valley's assessment will be loosened in the slightest!"
As she spoke, her gaze swept across the entire area. Even Jiang Xuan, who stood to one side continuously stuffing food and spices into his mouth, received a fierce glare from her.
Clearly, his appearance of watching the excitement while constantly eating had caused her to lump him in with those who had come to stir things up and mock them.
"..." That glare left Jiang Xuan somewhat speechless and even more aggrieved. I never said I wanted the assessment difficulty lowered. I am standing here eating instead of taking the assessment because I am preparing for Four Seasons Valley's assessment.
That was Jiang Xuan's sincere thought. At this moment, he was working with all his strength toward taking up the profession of Gourmet.
But Xia He obviously could not have known that. After thinking briefly, Jiang Xuan did not step forward to explain. The reason was that after glaring at him, the young woman turned and ran to one side, where she began pouring out her grievances to a woman with a gentle and serene temperament.
"Sister Yingyue, look. Fewer and fewer people are coming here. What should we do?"
"Don't worry. The time when we truly recruit people has never been now, but during the later stages of the Hundred-Day Grand Examination."
Jiang Xuan could not immediately grasp the deeper meaning behind those words, but Xia He understood. However, more indignation appeared on her face. "Relying only on those people, we can at most preserve our place as a Middle Branch. We cannot raise our ranking at all! I want Four Seasons Valley to rise again and return to being the top-tier Dao Branch it was when Great-Grandfather was here!"
Once those words were spoken, the woman named Meng Yingyue could only fall silent, unsure how to console her.
"So Four Seasons Valley's cultivation method most likely really has a problem. It is just that they have some special reliance that allows them to recruit people during the later stages of the Hundred-Day Grand Examination, which is why they never worry about being downgraded?"
Their conversation gave Jiang Xuan a rough understanding of Four Seasons Valley's circumstances, but he quickly shook his head and cast these trivial matters aside.
"This has nothing to do with me. The most urgent matter is completing my appointment as a Gourmet... To comprehend the Four Seasons Dao Resonance merely by tasting seasonal vegetables is simply impossible with my current cultivation and comprehension."
Having made up his mind, Jiang Xuan immediately quickened his movements, continuously sending foods of every kind into his mouth.
Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, savory, numbing... The food categories he needed to appraise in order to become a Gourmet were not especially numerous, yet they encompassed the hundred flavors of the mortal world. Moreover, he had just unlocked the ability Taste a Hundred Flavors. An immense flood of flavor information poured into his senses, and in only a brief moment, Jiang Xuan had tasted every flavor in the world.
Countless unique taste impressions gathered in his mind, unexpectedly giving Jiang Xuan a faint sense of something mysterious.
Unfortunately, his comprehension ultimately was not top-tier. He was not some heaven-blessed prodigy capable of achieving enlightenment in a single instant from the hundred flavors amid mortal hearth smoke.
Fortunately, if talent was lacking, he still had effort and sweat.