Recruitment

Enthusiasm.

The moment Li Xian, Zhou Juechen, and the others arrived at the foot of Asking the Dao Mountain, they felt the heartfelt enthusiasm of the representatives of these factions.

The Tai Xu Sword Palace, the Sacred Martial Tower, the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, and the Canglang Sword Sect-these well-informed factions had all sent people.

As for the other factions...

They, too, were watching Li Xian.

But neither their movements nor their intelligence had been as timely as those of these four.

Still, if Li Xian stayed in the town at the foot of Asking the Dao Mountain tonight, visitors would wear through his threshold.

After all, so far, Li Xian had accepted sponsorship from both the Zhou Family and the Sword Saint Guangyuan.

The Zhou Family?

Merely a local lineage.

Had Zhou Juechen not comprehended primordial unity and attained an impervious body, many people would never have given this prefecture-level lineage a second thought.

As for the Sword Saint Guangyuan...

His investment had indeed made some smaller factions shrink back.

But factions that considered themselves substantial were still willing to try their luck.

What if they caught his eye?

At the foot of Asking the Dao Mountain, in a pavilion reserved for receiving distinguished guests.

Li Xian, Zhou Juechen, and the representatives of the four major factions took their seats.

On an occasion like this, even Zhou Juechen was merely accompanying the principal guest, let alone Hongyu and the others.

Now, as he looked at Li Xian, his heart still shook, even though he had learned shortly after their departure that Li Xian had been ranked ninth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

The Hidden Dragon Ranking.

When Li Xian killed Blood Eagle and Zhang Shuheng, he had guessed that such strength would surely earn him a place on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, but he had never imagined his ranking would be so high.

Straight into the top ten!

More importantly, he was only twenty-two!

He was far younger than both the twenty-seven-year-old Princess Yan Yu and the twenty-nine-year-old Sword Heir Xiang Yangsheng.

Even if he failed to leap over the Dragon Gate this time, he would still have a chance next time.

And if he was already in the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Ranking this time, what about next time?

The top five? The top three?

Or even...

First on the Hidden Dragon Ranking!

This was the real reason the Tai Xu Sword Palace, the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, and the Sacred Martial Tower had all sent representatives to recruit him.

Others choose me, but I choose others too...

Zhou Juechen recalled those words Li Xian had spoken on Canglang Mountain not long ago, words he had thought somewhat arrogant.

Back then, even the Sword Saint Guangyuan's regard alone had seemed to Zhou Juechen like a towering mountain, an impassable chasm.

But now...

Long Yu, Li Qiong, and Xiao Ruqing might not match the Sword Saint Guangyuan in strength, but in terms of the resources and influence they could mobilize, and the standing they represented, which of them did not surpass him?

And now, these people had truly come to Li Xian of their own accord to discuss terms with him.

While Zhou Juechen was reflecting on this, Li Qiong of the Tai Xu Sword Palace spoke. "Let me go first."

For some reason, Long Yu and Xiao Ruqing did not object.

"Li Hidden Dragon, we both bear the surname Li. Perhaps five hundred years ago, we belonged to the same family. That in itself is fate. In this round of Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, Yan Yu, who has cultivated true qi, and Xiang Yangsheng of our Tai Xu Sword Palace are each certain to secure a place. But I believe your potential is no less than Xiang Yangsheng's. Thus, as long as you are willing to join the Tai Xu Sword Palace, Li Hidden Dragon, we are willing to grant you the same Sword Heir treatment as Xiang Yangsheng."

Li Qiong said frankly, "Not only will you be able to seek cultivation guidance directly from our Palace Master Li Feng, who is in the Xiantian Realm, but our Tai Xu Sword Palace will also assign a True Qi Realm elder as your personal guardian! In addition, we can grant you our sect's foundational scripture, the Void Thirteen Swords, immediately, and provide as much Blood Spirit Powder as you request. We are even willing to supply three sticks of Spirit-Concentrating Incense every month, which helps in attaining spirit and qi as one, to aid you in cultivating true qi as soon as possible."

After hearing Li Qiong finish, Long Yu, sitting nearby, was also about to present the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's terms.

But at that moment, Li Xian spoke first. "Everyone, there are only a dozen or so days left until Leaping Over the Dragon Gate. I will certainly participate in this grand event where snakes shed their skins to become dragons, and fight with all my strength for a chance to see that entirely new world."

He said calmly, "If the prerequisite for your offers is that I join your respective factions, I think you need not say any more."

Hearing this, they exchanged glances.

After a moment, Li Qiong said, "Only five Dragon Gate Tokens will be made available this time. Yan Yu of the Yan Family and our Tai Xu Sword Palace's Sword Heir Xiang Yangsheng have cultivated true qi, putting them far above those with impervious bodies. They are certain to secure one place each. The remaining three will be decided among the thirty of you with impervious bodies and four Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing experts who have defeated opponents with impervious bodies..."

He paused. "As an institution dedicated to selecting Dao Seedlings and Immortal Seedlings, the Rising Dragon Pavilion possesses many wondrous objects and magical artifacts. Its intelligence-gathering capabilities are beyond question-even the Yan Family cannot compare. Since it ranked you ninth, Li Hidden Dragon, that proves that every one of the six people ahead of you has a better chance than you of winning a Dragon Gate Token."

Long Yu, Xiao Ruqing, and even Ren Qingshan, who had brought Young Sect Master Yuan along, all nodded in firm agreement.

"To prevent collusion, the format of Leaping Over the Dragon Gate changes each time. But it always falls into categories such as martial contests, treasure contests, slaying villains, and hunting beasts, testing cultivation realms, fortune, actual combat, quick thinking, and so on... And in every category, strength matters most."

Long Yu added this.

The implication was...

In a contest of strength alone, Li Xian actually had little hope against Qi Liang, Yue Longsha, Su Jianxing, and the others.

A hair's breadth of superiority in martial skill could stretch beyond the horizon.

"Qi Liang is the current emperor's son-in-law, with the Yan Family behind him. Yue Longsha is the personal disciple of the Sacred Martial Tower's Fist Saint Wei Qingqing. Although Su Jianxing does not come from any of our factions, he has likewise obtained the legacy of Daoist Mo, a Pre-Heavenly Grandmaster from a century ago."

Li Qiong spoke earnestly. "Every one of them practices top-tier sword arts, fist arts, and secret arts, giving them astonishing combat strength. You have only recently attained an impervious body. Against these experts with formidable legacies who have all achieved blood and qi mastery and reached Leakless Realm great accomplishment, you truly have no advantage. Rather than that, you would be better off preparing thoroughly, gathering momentum, and spending five years consolidating your foundation before ascending to the heavens in a single step."

As Li Xian listened to this Tai Xu Sword Palace expert's rhetoric...

He found it very familiar.

He had not read many books.

But in the information-saturated world of his previous life, constant exposure had left him with no shortage of things he had heard.

What was this?

Undermining his confidence?

Belittling his worth as much as possible while trying to win him over?

This attitude...

He could not be bothered to waste any more time and said bluntly, "I will certainly not miss this round of Leaping Over the Dragon Gate. There are still a dozen or so days before it actually begins. With enough Blood-Nourishing Pills during that time, I might yet achieve blood and qi mastery. So, if you can sponsor me with three to five Blood-Nourishing Pills, I will repay you generously afterward."

"Blood-Nourishing Pills?"

Li Qiong, Long Yu, and Xiao Ruqing exchanged glances.

For cultivators who had entered the Dao, Blood-Nourishing Pills were merely the most ordinary pills, but refining them still required magical power to cleanse and temper the ingredients.

Any medicine that involved the level of "entering the Dao" could be considered a miraculous elixir to martial artists.

A single pill could stir up bloody storms across a prefecture, or even a province.

If Li Xian were willing to join their respective factions, then, precious as Blood-Nourishing Pills were, it was not beyond them to procure some for him.

But now Li Xian had made it clear that he intended to set his sights on Leaping Over the Dragon Gate...

Long Yu of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion spoke first. "If you want Blood-Nourishing Pills, Li Hidden Dragon, that is hardly difficult. However, arranging the transfer of pills like these will take a little time..."

Just then, a voice came from outside.

"Li Hidden Dragon, our Tower Master has a gift for you."

(End of chapter)