Crushing Victory! [Please Keep Reading]

Wu Yan had just stepped out when he turned around and happened to see the instant Ji Yuan completed the talisman.

Young Master Wu instinctively stopped in his tracks... He actually had that kind of ability?

Even with such an obscure Skylight Talisman, he could succeed in a single attempt. Could it be that he had studied these Talismans beforehand as well?

When Wu Yan saw Ji Yuan draw a Skylight Talisman in one go, his first reaction was that Ji Yuan had drawn this talisman before.

And not merely dabbled in it—he had to be proficient in it, at the very least.

But Wu Wenbin did not think so. He had just watched Ji Yuan get started... and he had copied it on the spot. That proved he definitely had not drawn this Skylight Talisman before.

He had merely memorized the runes of the Skylight Talisman.

Thus, even if this was not his first time drawing a Skylight Talisman, it could not have been far from it.

Hong Xiuwen, the Water Dragon Sect cultivator on duty, shared the same thought.

Since he could serve as the examiner for the Talisman area during the Water Dragon Sect's selection, he was naturally a member of the Talisman Hall within the Water Dragon Sect's Four Treasures Hall.

And one of its best, at that.

In the path of talisman drawing, he was also an Upper First Tier Talisman Master.

Wu Wenbin could tell that Ji Yuan had gone from unfamiliarity to getting started. Naturally, Hong Xiuwen could see it too... Success in one attempt. The question was whether it was a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, or whether he truly had some talent.

The previously bored Hong Xiuwen had developed a measure of interest.

Even the few of them were so surprised, let alone the cultivators watching from the sidelines.

They had thought it was already rare enough to see Mei Chen join. Who would have imagined that there was another expert among this batch of examinees?

"Another success? Could he join the Water Dragon Sect too?"

"Hard, hard, hard. Didn't you see Young Master Wu succeed in one attempt too? The... the point is, drawing talismans isn't as simple as you think."

"Exactly, exactly. And this seems to be his first time drawing a Skylight Talisman. How could it possibly be so easy?"

"..."

Ji Yuan, the one drawing the talismans, was equally astonished.

He had not expected his luck to be so good this time. Back at home, if he drew a new talisman in the [Talisman Room], he would have to fail ten or twenty times before getting the hang of it.

Even in the [Dao Comprehension Chamber], he would need nearly ten attempts before succeeding.

So, being able to succeed in one try today was entirely because he had stepped in dog shit... Even Ji Yuan himself had to admit that.

He glanced at the Skylight Talisman in his hand, set it aside, then looked up to find everyone outside staring at him.

Curiosity, shock, envy, jealousy... every kind of expression was present. Wu Yan, meanwhile, still wore that mocking gaze.

Ji Yuan paid them no mind. He simply picked up another sheet of Talisman Paper.

With the experience from before, and the fact that learning the Skylight Talisman automatically granted the [Talisman Room]'s assistance effect, increasing his success rate by 20%—

This time, success came even more naturally.

As Ji Yuan poured spiritual power into it, the second Skylight Talisman was completed once more.

It went so smoothly that even Ji Yuan scarcely dared believe it.

The onlookers outside were similarly dumbfounded. Even Wu Wenbin found it hard to believe.

The first success could be called a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, but succeeding twice in a row... Could a blind cat stumble upon two dead mice at once?

If he wanted to stubbornly insist on it, perhaps he could fool others.

But he could not fool himself.

Wu Wenbin had no choice but to admit that Ji Yuan's talent in Talismans was likely extraordinarily high. Otherwise, he could never have achieved this much.

"Father..."

Wu Yan's gaze flickered. His face burned hot, yet had also turned somewhat pale.

He had thought Ji Yuan was nothing special. Now it seemed... the one who was nothing special was probably himself.

Wu Wenbin shot him a cold glance, though a warm smile hung on his face. "It seems Zengtou City truly has decent feng shui. Another Water Dragon Sect cultivator is about to emerge."

His face was full of delight for Ji Yuan.

"Indeed. This time, there's even a Heavenly Spirit Root."

Hong Xiuwen, the Water Dragon Sect cultivator on duty, smiled and joined in. Yet his gaze never left Ji Yuan... With talent this high in Talismans, he had to get him into the Four Treasures Hall.

His spiritual root was a little lacking, though. Should he notify his master in advance and see whether his master could take him as a disciple?

Hong Xiuwen was already thinking about what would happen after this person joined the Water Dragon Sect.

But Ji Yuan was in a bit of a bind. The first two had succeeded. Of the remaining eight, even if he drew with his eyes closed, he could probably complete one, right?

If he succeeded one more time, he would have to join the Water Dragon Sect.

That would not do.

Going in now would probably make his cultivation breakthrough slower than remaining out here.

Ji Yuan looked at the remaining Talisman Paper in his hand. He had wanted to say that he was giving up, but that would be far too fake.

But if he drew them himself and failed eight in a row... well, that would be a little fake too.

At least he would have put on an act. If he directly declared that he was giving up, then he would not even be pretending.

Ji Yuan first deactivated the [Talisman Room]'s effect, then raised the talisman brush once more...

The third sheet failed.

The fourth sheet failed.

Watching the tenth sheet of Talisman Paper spontaneously ignite in his hand, Ji Yuan revealed an expression of extreme regret. Looking utterly dejected, he walked out of the partitioned booth, returned before Hong Xiuwen, and handed over his wooden plaque.

The latter was somewhat surprised, though not greatly so.

Within Cloud-Rain Marsh, there were quite a few people qualified to join the Water Dragon Sect who had kept putting it off. Wu Wenbin, for instance, was one of them.

Hong Xiuwen did not know why Ji Yuan was lingering in Zengtou City, but he could tell that Ji Yuan had deliberately held back.

"Fellow Daoist, what a pity," Hong Xiuwen said, unable to suppress a smile.

Ji Yuan sighed as well. "A pity indeed."

"Enough. You're still young. It will be the same if you come again three years from now."

As Hong Xiuwen spoke, he pulled a Communication Talisman from his waist and tossed it to Ji Yuan.

"I might not come to your Zengtou City next time. Wherever I am then, I'll send you a message. You may simply come find me."

As for Ji Yuan intentionally holding back and temporarily declining to join the Water Dragon Sect, Hong Xiuwen did not care much.

Cloud-Rain Marsh had plenty of such people. Some wished to wait until their cultivation was higher before joining, while others simply did not want to enter through the path of the hundred arts of cultivation.

After all, once someone joined the Water Dragon Sect through Talismans, they had to devote themselves wholeheartedly to drawing talismans.

They would be nowhere near as free as those who joined through sheer strength.

"This..."

Ji Yuan was somewhat surprised. He had not expected to be noticed after merely taking part in an examination.

But no matter what, being valued was a good thing.

He put away the precious Communication Talisman and cupped his hands. "Thank you, Senior!"

"Why call me Senior? I'm Hong Xiuwen. Just call me Senior Brother Hong."

"Greetings, Senior Brother Hong."

Ji Yuan readily went along with it.

Hong Xiuwen smiled and nodded slightly, then turned to Wu Wenbin with a meaningful smile. "Fellow Daoist Wu, since my junior brother is staying in Zengtou City, I'll have to trouble you to look after him."

"Certainly, certainly."

The smile on Wu Wenbin's face deepened.

"All right, who else wants to take the examination? Hurry up, what are you all waiting for?"

When he turned to face the others, Hong Xiuwen no longer had such a pleasant expression.

Wu Wenbin also looked toward Ji Yuan and said with a smiling face, "Fellow Daoist Ji, we should see more of each other in the future. Do come visit the Wu Family when you have time."

"Next time, certainly!"

Ji Yuan smiled and cupped his hands. He then nodded to the cultivators watching nearby before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

After leaving the Talisman area, he went to browse the adjacent Alchemy Zone. The examination could not be seen from there, and he did not spot Wen Lin's family, so he returned to where he had started.

Just as he returned, he suddenly heard a burst of gong sounds coming from the direction of Cloud-Rain Marsh.

The sound was distant and vast, as though it had spread across all of Cloud-Rain Marsh.

Ji Yuan turned to look, only to see several streaks of light cross the sky before finally landing in the open square of Zengtou City.

Five people had set out for the selection earlier, but only three had returned.

Han Feiyu, the middle-aged man whose face was somewhat pale; Dong Qian, dressed in a dark teal robe and exuding mature charm from head to toe... Neither of them appeared to be injured.

And Qin Long, bleeding from all seven orifices and swaying even as he stood.

The other two did not return.

"Han Feiyu and Dong Qian have successfully joined the Water Dragon Sect."

As soon as the young cultivator finished speaking, cheers immediately rose from the surrounding crowd.

Han Feiyu and Dong Qian hurriedly cupped their hands toward the crowd in thanks. It was rare for Ji Yuan to see Late Qi Refining cultivators thanking those in Early Qi Refining.

But it would only happen this once. The next time they met, those two would be lofty disciples of an immortal sect.

As for the grievously injured Qin Long, he forcibly mounted his Flying Boat and left the place.

Ji Yuan waited there for a while longer. As the various examinations ended and the Water Dragon Sect disciples departed—

With the excitement over, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Ji Yuan had waited all day without seeing Lu Wan, so he naturally assumed she had gone to another market town.

But just as he was preparing to leave, he caught sight of a familiar figure in the crowd.

Everyone else had already scattered from the open square, yet she had only just arrived from outside. Not only that, she seemed badly injured. The corner of her mouth was bruised purple, and she limped with every step.

Ji Yuan saw her, and she saw Ji Yuan as well.

Seeing this, Ji Yuan naturally wanted to go over and ask what had happened, but Lu Wan shook her head amid the crowd.

She looked miserable, yet there seemed to be a trace of resolve in her expression.

Ji Yuan immediately guessed what had happened.

But so what?

Ji Yuan's expression remained unchanged, and his steps did not falter. When he reached Lu Wan's side, he paused slightly, handed something to her, and then left.

Not a single word was exchanged between them from beginning to end.

Only after Ji Yuan had left did Lu Wan look at what she held in her hand.

It was a piece of Blood Essence, weighing a full half tael.