After Zhou Xuan and the four hall masters settled on the rules, the people from all four halls rubbed their fists and flexed their palms, eager to try.
After all, they had followed their respective hall masters to the ward office mainly to get a share of this "Primordial Qi Infusion." It was a considerable benefit for them, one that could advance their bone refinement.
Zhou Xuan stood in the courtyard and closed his hand. Light flashed, and an ancient-looking blue-gold stone seal appeared in his palm. The seal was mottled, with obscure, ancient runes flowing across it, and it faintly radiated an inexplicable pressure.
Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi came rolling in.
That was the Ward Lord's Seal.
With the seal in hand, he could stir the Yuan Qi Earth Veins beneath the entire ward city, affecting the flow and course of the Primordial Qi between heaven and earth.
This was one of the powers that came with being ward lord.
Lu Ming could not help marveling at the rather spectacular sight.
"The Divine Ability Halls in Qingyuan Market are all built at nodes along these Yuan Qi Earth Veins. Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi is denser at those points, making them better suited to cultivating divine abilities."
"The ward lord holds this authority and has control over the Yuan Qi Earth Veins, so he can regulate the density of Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi in every Divine Ability Hall in Qingyuan Market," Lu Jin explained to Lu Ming.
Lu Ming was somewhat surprised. The ward lord's authority really was considerable. But didn't that mean all the Divine Ability Halls were in the ward lord's grasp? If one day he simply stirred the Yuan Qi Earth Veins and drew away the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi from the area where a Divine Ability Hall stood, could that hall stay open?
"Regulating the Primordial Qi earth vein is a serious matter. Even the ward lord cannot stir it without cause, or the prefectural city won't stand by and do nothing. If a hall truly doesn't want to be subject to that restriction, the solution is simple: it only needs to set up a Primordial Qi Formation to stabilize the Primordial Qi of heaven and earth. But a large-scale formation like that costs an exorbitant amount. In all of Qingyuan Ward, only the Li and Yan divine ability clans possess one."
Lu Ming nodded slightly. Compared to those divine ability clans, Third-Tier Divine Ability Halls still had somewhat shallow foundations.
"All right, the Primordial Qi Pavilion has taken shape. Everyone, please enter."
Zhou Xuan fully stirred the Yuan Qi Earth Veins. With the aid of the Ward Lord's Seal, he left his own divine ability imprint in the earth veins. Only now had he formally assumed office and become the "lord of a hundred li" of Qingyuan Market.
Hearing Zhou Xuan, Wang Chen of the Golden Gang Sword Hall was the first to step forward. Dressed in flowing white robes, he looked quite dashing. He cupped his fists in salute to Zhou Xuan, then cast a gentle glance at Zhou Fuling behind him and flashed her a toothy smile.
Zhou Fuling was evidently accustomed to such attentions, and her eyes did not so much as flicker.
Wang Chen was a little embarrassed. Back at the Golden Gang Sword Hall, that routine would already have drawn waves of screams from the hall's young female disciples.
An aristocratic young lady like her is a real challenge. If I can win her over, my path of divine ability cultivation will advance by at least ten years. Wang Chen was not discouraged, though. He planned to put on a good showing before Zhou Fuling first, so she would recognize his potential and lay the groundwork for future contact.
With that thought, golden light flashed beneath Wang Chen's feet. His figure passed over flight after flight of steps and rushed into the Primordial Qi Pavilion, where he found a cushion in the front row and sat down.
Lü Xiao and the other two from the Red Sand Hall quickly entered as well.
Two people came from the Mountain Moving Hall. Their leader was a powerfully built youth named Luo Yan, the strongest disciple of the hall's new generation.
"You three go too," Lu Jin said, looking at Lu Ming and his two companions.
Yuan Da scratched his head and gave Gao Yu a wry smile. "If we want someone to make it into the final three, we'll probably have to count on you."
"I'll do my best." Gao Yu's slender brows knitted slightly. She felt a little pressure as well.
"What's the situation in there?" Lu Ming asked.
Gao Yu replied softly, "Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi inside the Primordial Qi Pavilion is extremely dense. Without needing to be drawn in, it will pour madly into our bodies. All we can do is do everything we can to refine the Primordial Qi that enters us and make it our own. But if we can't refine it as fast as it comes in, the Primordial Qi will build up inside us and go out of control. If we don't leave the pavilion of our own accord at that point, we'll be injured, and the loss won't be worth the gain."
Lu Ming understood. Generally speaking, the speed at which one refined Primordial Qi depended on one's Qi Refining Art, the grade of one's Divine Ability Bone, one's own strength, and the level of mastery one had reached in the divine abilities one cultivated. He had the advantage in the grade of his Divine Ability Bone, but his own strength was among the weakest present. After all, he had not even completed his second bone refinement, while Wang Chen, Lü Xiao, Gao Yu, and the others had all completed their third.
As for divine ability mastery, even Yuan Da had already brought two lower divine abilities to major accomplishment and had begun exploring middle divine abilities, while Lu Ming had only brought two lower divine abilities to minor accomplishment.
So Lu Ming did not know how long he could hold out in the Primordial Qi Pavilion either.
In any case, he would do his best.
With that thought, the three set off together, entered the Primordial Qi Pavilion, and found cushions to sit on.
"Hall Master Lu, your grandson only opened his bone recently, didn't he? With strength like that, isn't he asking for trouble by entering the Primordial Qi Pavilion?" Shi Tong asked with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Lu Ming.
Ward Lord Zhou Xuan frowned slightly at those words. Had Lu Jin even brought along a grandson who had only recently opened his bone to get a share of the Primordial Qi Pavilion? That was a rather unseemly display.
Lu Jin did not explain himself. He had kept the fact that Lu Ming possessed a high-grade Divine Ability Bone within the hall, so it had not spread for the time being. But there was no need to tell Shi Tong about it now.
There was no point in explaining. The facts would show everyone who the clown hopping about without end really was.
Once everyone had entered the pavilion, Ward Lord Zhou Xuan released the suppression on the Primordial Qi Pavilion with a thought. In an instant, abundant Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi surged forth and swept toward the people inside like a tide.
Everyone in the stone pavilion grew solemn. Even Wang Chen, the strongest among them, did not dare take it lightly in the slightest. He immediately circulated his hall's Qi Refining Art and stirred the Divine Ability Bone within him, refining and absorbing every bit of the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi pouring endlessly into his body and turning it into his own divine ability Primordial Qi.
Whoa, such abundant Primordial Qi!
When Lu Ming felt the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi pouring into his body, he too could not help being startled. Its richness was not inferior to the medicinal power of a Bone-Tempering Pill.
No wonder Lu Jin had brought him here today.
If he could hold out, the effect would be no less than that of consuming and refining a High-Grade Bone Refining Pill, and there would be no hidden danger from pill impurities.
This was a resource Lu Ming urgently needed right now.
Pleasant surprise flashed through Lu Ming's heart. He immediately activated the Thunderfire Furnace Qi Refining Art. At the same time, the Divine Ability Bone within him rumbled into motion, erupting with a powerful suction that greedily absorbed the rolling Primordial Qi like a bottomless pit.
The divine ability imprints formed by Flame Blade and Lesser Thunderlight on his Divine Ability Bone also began to pulse, helping the bone absorb Primordial Qi like tiny whirlpools.
And that was not all!
The five streams of glazed heavenly light surrounding his Divine Ability Bone flowed into motion, absorbing all the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi pouring into his body with astonishing efficiency. They then transformed it into supremely pure Primordial Qi that fell upon the Divine Ability Bone like spring rain.
The Divine Ability Bone seemed to give a soft, contented hum.
Thanks to the might of his sub-heaven-grade Divine Ability Bone, Lu Ming's efficiency at absorbing and refining Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi was no less than that of the people present who had completed their third bone refinement.
Inside the Primordial Qi Pavilion, abundant Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi rolled and surged as everyone did their utmost to refine and absorb it.
Time passed slowly, and before they knew it, half an incense stick's time had gone by.
But as time passed, the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi in the Primordial Qi Pavilion did not weaken. Instead, it rapidly grew denser, and faint wisps of Primordial Qi mist even began to appear.
This immediately put pressure on everyone in the pavilion.
Expressions of pain began to appear on the faces of those at the Third Bone-Tempering Realm with slightly shallower foundations, such as Yuan Da, Gong Peng, and Gong Hu. Too much Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi was pouring into their bodies, and it was already starting to go out of control.
A little later, Yuan Da and the others turned completely red in the face. Faint blood mist rose above their heads, and their faces twisted.
They knew their bodies had reached their limits. If they did not leave the Primordial Qi Pavilion now, the Primordial Qi running wild inside them would cause a severe backlash.
They scrambled to their feet and fled the Primordial Qi Pavilion on hands and knees.
With their departure, the Primordial Qi Pavilion suddenly became much emptier. Only the top young disciples of the various halls, such as Wang Chen, Lin Zhao, Lü Xiao, and Gao Yu, could still struggle to hold on.
"Huh?"
Ward Lord Zhou Xuan suddenly exclaimed softly. His gaze fell in some surprise on a youth inside the Primordial Qi Pavilion. It was Lu Ming.
Among the disciples who had completed their third bone refinement, Lu Ming stood out.
Yet to everyone's astonishment, Lu Ming sat cross-legged inside the Primordial Qi Pavilion, not only unruffled by the abundant Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi within, but still steadily refining it.
The three hall masters, Lin Changkong, Shi Tong, and Shen Tai, noticed it too, and looks of surprise and doubt immediately appeared on their faces.
Something was clearly wrong!
Ward Lord Zhou Xuan narrowed his eyes, then turned to Lu Jin, whose expression had remained calm. "Congratulations, Hall Master Lu," he said with a smile. "Your grandson has extraordinary talent. I presume he awakened a high-grade Divine Ability Bone? No wonder you sent him into the Primordial Qi Pavilion."
At those words, everyone's expression abruptly changed.
Even Zhou Fuling, standing behind Zhou Xuan, was stunned for an instant. Her almond-shaped eyes regarded the youth in the stone pavilion with some surprise.
Hall Master Shi Tong of the Red Sand Hall stared in utter disbelief. "A high-grade Divine Ability Bone?! How is that possible?" he blurted out.
Zhang Yue had only just left the Thunderfire Hall, so how had another high-grade Divine Ability Bone appeared?
Lin Changkong's expression shifted as well. He said slowly, "For him to keep pace with those at the third bone refinement in refining Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi, despite being so far behind them in level, it really does seem to be a high-grade Divine Ability Bone."
"Hehe, congratulations, Hall Master Lu," Shen Tai of the Mountain Moving Hall said, somewhat envious.
High-grade Divine Ability Bones were quite rare among the Divine Ability Halls of Qingyuan Market. Two had appeared in the Thunderfire Hall in just a few years. Such fortune was truly astonishing.
A faint smile appeared on Lu Jin's face, and he sighed. "He only awakened it a few days ago, so this old man shamelessly came to ask for a few more resources for my grandson. I hope you won't take offense, Ward Lord."
Shi Tong's expression shifted. He wanted to say something, but in the end could only snort and think, Lu Ming's strength is too far behind. Even with a high-grade Divine Ability Bone, he might not make it into the final three.
The ward lord already set the rules. If he doesn't stay until the end, it'll be no use.
Shi Tong knew that the resources the Thunderfire Hall had accumulated over the years had long since been exhausted by Zhang Yue. Lu Jin must now be racking his brains over the resources Lu Ming needed, which was why he cared so much about the reward from the ward office this time.
But how could Shi Tong let Lu Jin have his way so easily?
He would not stand by and watch the Thunderfire Hall nurture a second Zhang Yue, who would press their Red Sand Hall so hard it could barely breathe!