Nether Flood Dragon Devouring the Void Dao Rhythm

Time slipped by little by little.

It also signaled that everyone was drawing closer and closer to Dragon Lake Dao Academy.

Inside the room.

The earlier whispers had vanished, and an oppressive atmosphere gradually spread.

Faces, some youthful and others mature, were filled with uncertainty-and, of course, even more fear of the approaching assessment.

After all, for the vast majority of them, this was the only chance they would have in their lives.

They could hardly help being nervous.

Except, of course-

At the very center, Ji Bochang and the other three sat facing one another.

Unlike those around them, their faces were relaxed, as though they gave no thought whatsoever to Dragon Lake Dao Academy's assessment.

But a closer look would reveal a trace of gravity in Ji Bochang's eyes.

"So you want me to join you?" Ji Bochang narrowed his eyes slightly.

As he spoke, his faintly frivolous air gradually vanished, and a keen edge flashed in his eyes, making it difficult to meet his gaze.

"That's right." Chu Lingyun, the woman in the green dress, nodded and said earnestly, "You understand as well as we do, Brother Ji. For us, the true test comes after entering the Dao Academy: how to gain a foothold in competition with Aristocratic Clan geniuses from other provinces and our senior brothers and sisters, obtain enough resources, and even... enter the inner academy!"

"Exactly."

Beside her, Deng An added:

"Besides, Brother Ji, your goal must also be the Dao Academy’s Seventy-Two Inheritances. The Dao merits needed to redeem an inheritance are immense. How long would it take to accumulate them on your own?"

"Brother Wu, do you feel the same way?"

Ji Bochang looked thoughtful, then turned to ask Wu Mingyuan on his other side.

At this, Wu Mingyuan nodded in agreement:

"Brother Ji, Fairy Chu and Brother Deng are right. Since we all come from the same province, we ought to work with one heart and one purpose. Fairy Chu's older cousin entered the outer academy nine years ago and is now at the Middle Qi Refining stage. With Brother Chu's support, things will certainly go much more smoothly for us in the outer academy."

Her older cousin? Middle Qi Refining!

That was already on par with the elders back home.

Ji Bochang was secretly astonished, while also realizing that this might well be a good thing for him.

After all, before he left, the cultivating elders of his family had repeatedly warned him that the intensity of competition in the outer academy and the difficulty of obtaining resources were beyond imagination.

Once he had thought it through.

Ji Bochang relaxed and returned to his earlier manner. Opening the painted fan in his hand, he smiled.

"This benefits me, and with all three of you inviting me so warmly, how could I possibly refuse? I'll be counting on you then, Fairy Chu."

"Haha, I knew Brother Ji couldn't possibly refuse."

"Quite right, quite right."

Deng An and Wu Mingyuan responded with beaming smiles.

"You jest, Brother Ji. Just call me Lingyun. There's no need to talk of counting on me. The Immortal Dao is arduous; we'll simply look out for one another."

A blush tinged Chu Lingyun's luminous, pretty face as she answered softly.

At the sight, Wu Mingyuan's expression darkened.

"Oh, Lingyun," Ji Bochang said, apparently remembering something, "I have a friend at Yong’an Academy with very unusual aptitude. I think he could join us and be of help in the future."

As he spoke, Ji Bochang looked toward Zhang Jing.

He knew Zhang Jing's family circumstances, and he knew very well that his aptitude was not poor. He merely lacked resources to support him.

"Brother Ji, do you mean the fellow you were talking to when you first came in?" Deng An asked curiously.

"That's right."

"Brother Ji, may I ask which Lineage in Linshan Commandery he belongs to, to have caught your eye?" Wu Mingyuan followed Ji Bochang's gaze.

What he saw, however, was Zhang Jing sleeping soundly against the wall, his bundle clutched tightly in his arms.

"Brother Zhang's father is only an ordinary physician."

Ji Bochang gave a wry chuckle as he answered.

He understood what Wu Mingyuan meant, but he had no choice but to tell the truth.

"Brother Ji, how about we wait until this 'Brother Zhang' passes the Dao Academy's assessment before discussing it further? That older cousin of mine... has rather high standards."

"If he earns a Grade B evaluation when he passes the assessment, I'll certainly visit him in person to extend an invitation."

Chu Lingyun did not follow his gaze. She simply looked at Ji Bochang and spoke calmly.

"Oh, I see. That works too."

Seeing that nothing could be done for now, Ji Bochang did not insist. He could only say inwardly, Brother Zhang, oh, Brother Zhang. I've secured an opportunity for you. You must make something of it.

In exchange, asking you to guide me through ten-no, a hundred painted fans wouldn't be too much, would it?

Just then.

"Brother Ji, since you have such confidence in Brother Zhang, why don't we make a wager? We've nothing else to do anyway."

Wu Mingyuan glanced at Zhang Jing again and spoke with interest.

"What would you like to wager on, Brother Wu?"

The smile faded from Ji Bochang's face.

"Haha, naturally, whether Brother Zhang can pass the Dao Academy's assessment."

"And the stakes?"

"How about ten Spirit Stones?" Wu Mingyuan said after a moment's thought.

He turned to Deng An and Chu Lingyun. "Would you and Brother Deng like to take part, Lingyun?"

"No." Deng An shook his head.

"Since you two are interested, I could serve as a witness." Chu Lingyun smiled sweetly, sounding quite interested.

"Twenty Spirit Stones. I'll take that wager."

Ji Bochang spoke in a low voice.

"Twenty Spirit Stones... good! Such boldness, Brother Ji-you make me seem indecisive. Twenty it is."

"You certainly are generous, Brother Wu."

"You're hardly lacking yourself, Brother Ji."

"A wager is a wager, but don't let it spoil your friendship." Seeing the two growing somewhat worked up, Chu Lingyun hurried to smooth things over.

Ahh-

Zhang Jing rolled his neck, feeling refreshed and clearheaded. Without his noticing, the mental energy he had spent activating the Dao Seed that morning had mostly recovered.

"How long was I asleep?"

Zhang Jing raised his head.

Only then did he notice that most people had crowded together and fallen fast asleep. Only a scattered few remained wide-eyed, staring at who knew what.

In the open space in the middle.

Ji Bochang and the other three all sat upright with their legs crossed and their eyes tightly shut, their postures somewhat resembling that of the Immortal Elder outside.

"Are they... cultivating?"

Zhang Jing was utterly baffled.

If he remembered correctly, Master Liu had once said that Dragon Lake Dao Academy stipulated that those selected by the academies to attend its assessment must possess no cultivation.

Could this be what gave these scions of great Aristocratic Clans their confidence in taking the assessment?

A trace of envy stirred in Zhang Jing's heart.

The next moment, he shook his head and thought, I already have the jade talisman, and the Mind's Eye Dao Seed too. What is there to envy?

The room felt a little stifling.

Zhang Jing carefully stood up, stepping through the gaps beside the people sleeping on the floor. He quietly reached the door, pulled it open, and walked straight out.

The moment he stepped outside, Zhang Jing's eyes widened.

In his field of vision was a figure sitting cross-legged.

Yet this figure gave Zhang Jing the powerful illusion that he would transform into a flood dragon at any moment, breathing clouds and mist.

Have I stumbled upon the Immortal Elder's actual cultivation?!

Thump-thump!

Zhang Jing's heart began pounding fiercely beyond his control.

He thought of his Mind’s Eye Dao Seed.

Better to act than merely be tempted.

Zhang Jing slowly backed into the wooden cabin and gently closed the door, leaving only a crack.

Then he sat down among the crowd.

"Mind's Eye!"

Zhang Jing marshaled his mental energy and activated the Mind’s Eye Dao Seed with practiced ease.

At once, an illusory eye appeared within his mind and slowly opened, its gaze passing through the crack in the door toward the Immortal Elder nearby.

There-

A black flood dragon over a hundred feet long had a majestic horned head. Jet-black scales covered its twisting, coiling body, entwined with patterns of extraordinary mystery.

Its enormous head extended slightly forward, continually swallowing wisps of cloud vapor into its belly.

One breath.

Two breaths.

The imprint of the black flood dragon grew ever clearer in Zhang Jing's mind, while the cloud-swallowing, mist-breathing artistic conception it carried also grew steadily stronger.

Small golden characters slowly appeared on the jade talisman.

[Nether Flood Dragon Devouring the Void Dao Rhythm · Incomplete]