“Brother Shen, what about you?”
Facing Xiao Wu's inquiry, Shen Xiuhan said frankly, “I broke through to the Anjin Rank, but it's only a minor gain...”
“That is already excellent.”
Xiao Wu sighed, patting Shen Xiuhan on the shoulder, and comforted him, “The blood qi in this pool is quite superficial and lacks follow-through. It is not to be blamed on our lack of talent.”
Hearing this, the muscles on Wang Xuanyang's face twitched, and he looked as if he wanted to cry but had no tears. Only after a long silence did he say, “At least you guys got something out of it... I had just filled my third acupoint with force and was about to break through when the blood qi suddenly cut off. What kind of nonsense is this?!”
Everyone looked at each other in silence upon hearing this; no one knew how to respond.
Wang Xuanyang could say such things, but they could not chime in.
No matter how underwhelming the 『Dragon Blood Essence-Infusing Pool』 was, it was still a treasure of the Wang family that countless people could only dream of.
Entering the pool this time had saved everyone at least several months of bitter cultivation.
If they were still to be picky, biting the hand that fed them, it would be utterly ungrateful.
Shen Xiuhan stood quietly, nose to eyes, eyes to heart, remaining completely silent.
“Cough... Brother Xuanyang.”
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Xiao Wu cleared his throat and changed the subject. “The blood qi here has completely dried up. I wonder if it can recover in the future?”
Wang Xuanyang opened his mouth, hesitating slightly upon hearing this. Since this concerned a major treasure of the Wang family, its secrets were not to be spoken of lightly. After a brief pause, he explained vaguely, “The 『Taidi Dragon-Binding Lock』 is a treasure passed down from ancient times, and its wonders are top-tier. Once the blood qi is fully absorbed and refined, we only need to seal it away; after waiting quietly for two to three years, the blood qi inside will naturally accumulate again, restoring it to its original state.”
“So that's how it is...”
A flash of realization crossed Xiao Wu's eyes, and he praised sincerely, “As expected of an ancient spiritual artifact. With such a treasure securing their foundation, the Wang family essentially possesses a sacred ground that can continuously nurture their descendants, ensuring prosperity for generations.”
Hearing Xiao Wu's flattery, the bitterness at the corner of Wang Xuanyang's mouth faded, replaced by an involuntary look of pride. Some time ago, after receiving guidance from Wang Zhidao, he had finally understood that Wang Zhifan leaving him ignored in Changyun County was not because he looked down on his status as a concubine's son. Instead, his father was paving the way for him, allowing him to start from the bottom, temper his character, and make friends with outstanding talents so that he could shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the Wang family.
Thinking of this, the lingering resentment Wang Xuanyang held toward his father had long since vanished.
Hearing others' awe of the Wang family now, his slightly depressed expression from failing to open his acupoint could not help but show a hint of pride.
Even though this was also his first time entering this blood pool.
“Alright.”
Xiao Wu waved his hand, interrupting everyone's thoughts, and said in a deep voice, “Although the blood qi here is thin now, it is still much stronger than the outside world. It is equivalent to constantly taking pills to cultivate. There is still one day left before the time limit. Let us not delay and continue cultivating.”
“Brother Xiao is absolutely right.”
Everyone agreed one after another, finding their respective spots and sitting cross-legged to enter meditation once more.
Shen Xiuhan quietly chose a corner, sitting down on a recessed stone platform at the edge of the blood pool.
He appeared to be closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, but in reality, his mind had already sunk into his body to inspect his gains over the past two days.
Xiao Wu and the others believed that the 『Dragon Blood Essence-Infusing Pool』 was a letdown and that its effects had been overly exaggerated by the Wang family.
Only Shen Xiuhan's mind was as clear as a mirror, knowing exactly how extraordinary this place was!
Not only was the blood qi in the pool majestic and vast, but what was rare was its purity and gentleness, blending seamlessly without any domineering or violent collision.
It was as if it had been tamed, with all violent impurities stripped away.
It was incredibly suitable for martial artists to refine!
Relying on his perfected 『Golden Eagle Soaring Technique』, Shen Xiuhan had drained nearly fifty percent of the blood qi in the pool like a bottomless pit.
Yet, the foundation of the acupoints within his body remained as stable as a mountain, without the slightest feeling of superficiality.
As for why the others felt the blood qi in the pool lacked follow-through, it was because a huge portion of it had been refined by Shen Xiuhan!
And he had used this surge of blood qi to completely open all three acupoints of the early-stage Anjin Rank, cultivating all of them to the Great Accomplishment stage!
The Taichong, Guanyuan, and Tinggong acupoints!
A total of three major acupoints were fully opened, their blood qi linked like a string of pearls, and their force as solid as steel needles, flowing endlessly.
At this moment, Shen Xiuhan was already close at hand from the hallmark of the mid-stage Anjin Rank—the fourth of the nine acupoints, the 『Mingmen acupoint』!
‘Once the Tinggong acupoint is cultivated to great perfection, I will be able to open the Mingmen acupoint. And this will take at most a month!’
“Whew...”
Shen Xiuhan exhaled, his eyes flashing with a brilliant light as his heart pounded.
He sat quietly just like this, feeling the surging force within the three acupoints travel through his meridians. An unprecedented wave of confidence welled up from within.
After a good while, Shen Xiuhan suppressed his churning emotions. He closed his eyes, formed his hand seals once more, and continued cultivating.
Buzz!
The dark space of the blood pool suddenly began to tremble violently.
Stone debris fell from the ceiling, and ripples spread across the bloody water in the pool.
Everyone was startled awake, feeling a burning sensation on their wrists.
A hidden, pitch-black chain mark suddenly burst with a piercing, eerie light, gripping them like an invisible hand.
“The three-day limit is up. We are being pulled out!” Wang Xuanyang shouted in a deep voice.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
A moment after he spoke, six black lights soared into the sky one after another, and everyone's figures instantly vanished.
...
The Wang mansion.
Inside the inner hall of the Third Courtyard.
A series of muffled thuds echoed as six figures dropped from midair in a slight daze, taking a few stumbling steps before steadying themselves on the floor.
At the head of the hall, the figure of the Wang family head, Wang Zhidao, was already gone.
Only Zhao Zheng stood in the center of the hall with a beaming smile.
Without asking any questions, he placed the 『Taidi Dragon-Binding Lock』 into a wooden box. He then clapped his hands and said with a smile, “Everyone, this martial feast has officially concluded. The promise of my Longxiang Army still stands. If any of you wish to enlist, you will be given priority in military officer assignments, without having to start from scratch like ordinary soldiers.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd as he continued, “In seven days, I will lead the army to leave Changyun. Those who are interested can find me at the camp outside the city...”
“Do not be late!”
Hearing this, everyone cupped their hands in farewell with varying expressions and left the Wang mansion.
Dusk had already deepened, and the lanterns on both sides of the long street were being lit one after another.
Wang Xuanyang escorted everyone to the entrance before turning back.
Lin Sheng also cupped his fists and took his leave.
At this moment, Xiao Wu suddenly looked at Luo Tangyin and then beckoned to Ji Ning and Shen Xiuhan.
Shen Xiuhan was slightly startled. Realizing that Xiao Wu had something to tell them, he exchanged a glance with Ji Ning and stepped forward to follow.
The four of them walked side by side, crossing the long street and turning into a quiet alley.
Upon reaching a secluded, deserted corner, Xiao Wu stopped.
He scanned his surroundings warily, making sure no one was spying on them.
Only then did he turn around, his expression solemn as he whispered, “Everyone, do you trust my character?”
“What are you saying, Brother Xiao?” Ji Ning said without hesitation. “There is no need for such talk between us brothers.”
Shen Xiuhan also nodded in agreement. “If you have something to say, Brother Xiao, feel free to speak. If I can lend a hand, I will certainly not stand by and watch.”
Luo Tangyin pursed her red lips, standing silently behind Xiao Wu, showing her stance through her actions.
Seeing this, a trace of emotion flashed across Xiao Wu's face.
He took a deep breath, glanced toward the mouth of the alley once more, and then lowered his voice, saying word by word, “To tell you the truth, brothers, when I went to Cloudwater Lake to search for treasures last month, I discovered a shocking secret...”
Rate on N.U.
