The tall knight clad in bronze armor bore a face as chiseled as stone. Watching the Night Blade Demon ‘Tu Liang’ vanish, he let out a cold snort, then turned his gaze toward Dongbo Xueying, a slight smile now on his face. “I am Wen Liang, of the Earth Temple.”
Rank 21 of the Holy List: Water Knight Wen Liang, a knight of the Earth Temple, master of the ‘True Essence of Water’.
Dongbo Xueying was secretly astonished.
Wen Liang? Another expert listed on the Holy List? Considering all humans, native beings of the supernatural world, and even magical beasts, there were only thirty names in total on the Holy List.
“The Earth Temple possesses the most abundant resources, including many unique techniques and secret arts passed down from the Divine Realm, which only our inner circle may practice,” smiled Wen Liang, the Water Knight. “Therefore, overall, both the Earth Temple and the Blood Blade Tavern surpass the others in strength. Of course, someone like Chi Qiu Bai, the current first-ranked Long Wind Knight on the Holy List, owes his position purely to his extraordinary innate talent. Even the techniques he practices still fall short of ours.”
“This is the list,” Wen Liang tossed a red-glowing parchment into the air; it flew and hovered before Dongbo Xueying. “You have managed to grasp both the mysteries of water and fire within all things—an even greater feat than the intelligence we previously gathered. I can authorize a fifty percent increase on the resources and treasures listed here.”
“I shall remain in Qinghe County for the next ten days. If you decide to join the Earth Temple, simply tear the parchment, and I will sense it immediately and come at once.”
Dongbo Xueying took the parchment, glancing at the conditions listed.
“I won’t linger any longer. I’ll take my leave first,” Wen Liang nodded slightly, then shot into the sky, vanishing into the night.
“These two Holy List experts—arrived swiftly, departed swiftly,” Dongbo Xueying murmured, looking at the two lists—one from the Earth Temple and one from the Blood Blade Tavern.
The Blood Blade Tavern’s offer:
1. Any supernatural weapon may be selected, with a total value cap of 30 jin of third-grade Origin Stones.
2. Five divine-grade assassination techniques, one may be chosen.
3. Any martial energy technique may be selected.
4. Three hundred jin of third-grade Origin Stones.
The Earth Temple’s offer:
1. Any supernatural weapon may be selected, with a total value cap of 50 jin of third-grade Origin Stones.
2. Ten divine-grade secret techniques, one may be chosen.
3. Any martial energy technique may be selected.
4. Three hundred jin of third-grade Origin Stones.
…
Dongbo Xueying returned to his castle, leaning back on the bed, looking at the parchment, and shook his head slightly. “Divine-grade secret techniques—truly tempting! But the Earth Temple and the Blood Blade Tavern impose too many restrictions.”
As for supernatural weapons and Origin Stones…
Dongbo Xueying didn’t care much for those!
For supernatural beings, Origin Stones were extremely important, greatly accelerating cultivation. For instance, from the Flying level to the Saint level, disregarding other bottlenecks, merely accumulating energy… if relying solely on absorbing the power of heaven and earth, would take about seven hundred years! Remember, the lifespan of a Flying-level supernatural being was only around eight hundred years.
Of course, breakthroughs still depended more on cultivation stages!
“Origin Stones are important, but Elder Lei Zhen prepared a massive amount when he sought to break through to Demi-God. Though much was used, over three thousand jin still remain,” Dongbo Xueying mused. The treasures Elder Lei Zhen accumulated throughout his life, aside from the Oceanic Realm Stone and a protective inner armor, were all sold off for Origin Stones.
He exchanged treasures worth over ten thousand jin of Origin Stones, using up most of them for his breakthrough, but still had plenty left.
Three thousand jin of Origin Stones—only a Saint-level Peak expert with long-term adventuring experience, or someone with extraordinary strength like Chi Qiu Bai, or someone with a rare fortune, could possibly possess such a quantity.
Most ‘Origin Stones’ were third-grade.
With such a vast amount of Origin Stones, Dongbo Xueying naturally felt wealthy and confident. What he valued more were techniques! Secret arts!
The divine-grade techniques of the Blood Blade Tavern and the Earth Temple were all passed down from the Divine Realm, never to be shared outside. They were the strongest secret arts in the world. Unless one joined one of those two organizations—or the Demon God Assembly—one could never learn such divine techniques.
“Too many restrictions, leaving me unfree!” Dongbo Xueying decided instantly. “I’ll temporarily abandon both.”
The prouder one was, the less one liked being bound!
Even the first-ranked Chi Qiu Bai on the Holy List, or the first-ranked ‘He Shan Zhu’ on the Demi-God List, were not affiliated with the Earth Temple or the Blood Blade Tavern.
Such extraordinary figures could never be bound!
…
The night passed.
The next morning, Yi Hong, the Chief Master of the Longshan Pavilion in Anyang Province, found Dongbo Xueying.
Under the pavilion,
the two sat facing each other.
“Master Dongbo, you’ve given me quite a scare,” Yi Hong said helplessly. “I only learned last night that you displayed the True Essence of Water in Duoyu County of the Eastern Province?”
“That’s right,” Dongbo Xueying nodded. He had used water to knock away a group of guards.
“You’ve mastered both the True Essence of Water and Fire, yet you didn’t say anything,” Yi Hong said, exasperated. “You must realize, the stronger you are, the better the offers from the great supernatural organizations will be. I sent the news to all parties last night.”
“Apologies, my fault,” Dongbo Xueying said quickly.
“Are you hiding any more strength?” Yi Hong pressed. “Feel free to reveal all your abilities.”
“Does awakening an ancient bloodline during my mortal days count?” Dongbo Xueying teased.
“It counts!” Yi Hong widened his eyes. “Can you manipulate the power of heaven and earth? Or—”
“Just a burst of strength,” Dongbo Xueying smiled faintly.
Yi Hong was stunned, then sighed helplessly. “Alright, forget I asked!”
A burst of strength had no bearing on cultivation insight. Unless it was a second awakening… but a second awakening of the ancient bloodline was extremely rare. In the present world, there was not a single supernatural being who had achieved a second awakening of the ancient bloodline! After all, once awakened, one would nearly rival the ancient beings themselves.
“Hmm?” Yi Hong suddenly looked up, startled, toward the sky.
Dongbo Xueying also turned his gaze.
In the sky, two figures were walking side by side. One was a handsome white-haired man, the other a lion-headed beastman warrior.
“Long Wind Knight, Zuo Qiu Knight,” Yi Hong exclaimed.
“Them?” Dongbo Xueying was also somewhat stunned. “The strongest among the human Saints?”
Among the top five of the Holy List, only one was human—the Long Wind Knight Chi Qiu Bai!
Rank 6 of the Holy List: Zuo Qiu Knight ‘Tan Shi’, an elder of the Sea God Palace, who began with the mysteries of great mountains within all things, mastering the ‘Zuo Qiu True Essence’, whose power was the strongest among the Saints.
“Master Dongbo, it seems all factions value you highly, sending their elders, all Holy List experts,” Yi Hong marveled.
“Mm,” Dongbo Xueying nodded.
Counting last night’s Night Blade Demon and Water Knight, these four were all Holy List experts.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Chi Qiu Bai and Tan Shi landed side by side.
“Dongbo Xueying,” Tan Shi grinned broadly. “Your two uncles are both beastmen?”
“Yes,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
Tan Shi looked at Dongbo Xueying with evident warmth. The beastmen occupied an awkward position among humans. Although over long centuries, the law declared beastmen and other humans equal. Yet discrimination against beastmen still existed. Even among the supernatural, some looked down upon beastman supernaturals. Coupled with the small number of beastman supernaturals, they often felt oppressed.
Dongbo Xueying had two beastmen among his family, which made Tan Shi feel particularly favorably toward him.
“Dongbo Xueying,” Chi Qiu Bai spoke, his voice gentle, his gaze restrained. “I guess you’ve already met the Earth Temple and the Blood Blade Tavern’s people. When it comes to secret techniques, the four great supernatural organizations cannot rival them. But their rules are numerous and strict! My Water Source Hermitage can compensate you in other ways. Here is the list.”
He tossed a parchment, and beside him, Tan Shi also threw one.
Another two lists!
Dongbo Xueying looked and was amazed—the treasures offered by the Sea God Palace and the Water Source Hermitage were even more generous, with the Water Source Hermitage offering the most!
“You’re from Anyang Province, and so am I,” Chi Qiu Bai smiled. “I hope you will join the Water Source Hermitage. After all, the five northern provinces are under our protection. Currently, Anyang Province has only two Saint-level experts—I hope you will be the third.”
“Long Wind, he’s just entered the supernatural realm, and you already think he can become a Saint?” Tan Shi teased.
“I can’t guarantee it,”
Chi Qiu Bai looked at Dongbo Xueying. “Your talent is exceptional. So young to enter the supernatural realm, and mastering both the mysteries of water and fire within all things! Your insight is extremely high! With such talent… if you become careless or arrogant and fail to reach Saint-level, that would be a disgrace! I believe this time, all supernatural organizations sent Saint-level experts because we all believe you should be able to become a Saint!”
“I imagine their offers are very generous, with Origin Stones enough for you to cultivate up to Saint-level Initial Stage! Like the Earth Temple and the Blood Blade Tavern, they probably offer you a choice of divine-grade secret techniques right from the start?”
Dongbo Xueying nodded slightly.
For ordinary supernaturals in the Earth Temple, even to obtain a divine-grade secret technique, they must first pass trials and make contributions!
But Dongbo Xueying would receive one upon joining!
The six hundred jin of Origin Stones provided by the Water Source Hermitage—if Dongbo Xueying were to absorb only the primordial energy within the Origin Stones without drawing from the heavens and earth…
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