On the first day, three hundred strong men followed Lin Shuang to learn sword techniques, while Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi voluntarily stepped aside.
“Return Sword,” a tier-earth technique, was on the same level as Meng Zi’s “Shanhai Thirteen Slash,” and its price for exchange within the sect was as high as five thousand spirit stones.
Such precious techniques were rarely shared selflessly unless between close senior and junior disciples.
However, soon Lin Shuang’s voice was heard from outside.
“Did you all understand? If not, I can explain again.”
“Tsk, so talkative,” Meng Zi said, sitting in Master Li’s thatched hut with his knife on his shoulder, polishing a wooden carved totem figurine.
Huangpu Yuan’s face was slightly pale as he sat on a wooden stool, swallowing three pills in quick succession.
Upon hearing the voice, he shifted his gaze toward the window.
Standing in front of a stone slab used as a blackboard, she held a willow branch and pointed beneath each character of the technique.
She was leading the class in reading.
Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes were filled with complexity.
Since his mother’s death, he had been alone, and many of his attendants were similar in this regard.
Born with ancient bloodlines and inheriting primordial power, their lineage continuation was limited and extremely rare.
The Nine-Tailed Fox lineage’s inheritance had relied entirely on self-study.
Never had he received such careful instruction from a teacher.
“Alright, I’m going to start asking questions now. Tenth person in the first row with the sickle.”
“Okay, sixth in the second row, you repeat.”
“Good, you two rows at the back, stand up. Pretend you are acupoints. The first person is the spiritual energy. How should the spiritual energy circulate among the acupoints?”
“Come to the front and demonstrate for everyone!”
Meng Zi: “…?”
Huangpu Yuan: “???”
Forget it, he’d better study on his own.
The Learning Pyramid.
When learning techniques, one must not only see and hear but also articulate, as if teaching others.
If one could mentally rehearse a small play within one’s mind and perform it, that would also be a relatively quick learning method.
By the time 45 people learned the first layer of the tier-earth sword technique on the first day, Lin Shuang returned to Master Li’s thatched hut, where Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan both wore complex expressions.
[Then another sixty plus people learned the tier-one toxic barrier pill.]
[Then another sixty plus people learned the Shanhai Thirteen Slash.]
[Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan, and Meng Zi gained the respect of Li Village.]
In the projection, the 300 strong men of Li Village, after two days of intensive tutoring, showed significant growth.
On the other side of the mountain.
Dao Dong, Dao Xi, and Dao Bei, leading 300 bandits, finally crossed mountains or used teleportation arrays to arrive at Li Village’s territory.
Dao Dong, at the peak of the fourth Foundation Condensation tier, led 100 people to the back of the thatched hut.
Dao Xi and Dao Bei went to another ancestral hall.
The three of them, Dao Dong, Dao Xi, and Dao Bei, kept their communication stones activated throughout, maintaining contact with each other.
“Junior disciples, I’ve arrived. I should be able to come assist you… guys…”
At this moment, Dao Dong, leading a hundred people behind him, gazed at the back door of the solitary thatched hut with a confident smile, just about to send a message confidently, but the last two words seemed to get stuck.
Right then, from the doggy door at the back of the thatched hut, 300 strong men surged out, filling the entire open space so densely that there was barely room to step!
Not even a dog could get through, let alone see Meng Zi’s head!
“Hey hey hey, make way, brothers, let me stand at the front.”
Meng Zi, shouldering his blade, reluctantly flew into the air on his sword.
Huangpu Yuan followed behind, parting the crowd Meng Zi had cleared, wearing a silver rat fox fur cloak and holding a silver-carved jade pill box, walking to face Dao Dong.
Lin Shuang pushed through the crowd, struggling to move past the three hundred people arranged in ten rows, finally emerging from the back, “Wait for me…”
Dao Dong, dressed in a patchwork robe, twitched the corner of his eye.
[Cough cough cough—why is this so funny?]
[This outer sect Lin Shuang, little junior sister, hahaha…]
[The trial disciples got overwhelmed by puppets, not bad.]
[Dao Dong: I had imagined someone might be waiting for me, but I never expected such a grand scene.]
[To be honest, half of the three hundred strong men are outside the projection frame, right?]
[Is the Zhenchuan steward around? Can someone fix the projection?]
[Hehe, you’re all under four thousand layers, right? The projection quality is degraded, so keep climbing, junior brothers and sisters. Higher layers can exchange for a panoramic projection stone.]
[…]
The text chatted casually.
Inside the projection, however, a loud cry rang out.
“Fools!”
Seeing Meng Zi, Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan, and the three hundred people gathered there, Dao Dong couldn’t help but curse.
“Do you really think that by throwing everyone at me, you can stop me?”
Three hundred strong men from Li Village against a hundred bandits!
Meng Zi and the other two against Dao Dong alone!
But after the initial shock, Dao Dong regained his composure, thinking that Meng Zi and the others were extremely foolish.
The three hundred strong men of Li Village seemed like support.
But if ten percent were casualties, thirty men dead, the village chief, Master Li, would immediately call them all back home!
Such support was only temporary!
“You can’t even protect a dog!”
“How long can you protect these three hundred people?!”
Before the last word faded, a square array disk flew out from Dao Dong’s sleeve.
The array disk expanded instantly upon release, soaring over Meng Zi’s head toward the hundred young men of Li Village beside him.
“Now let me show you what it means to be an array master!”
Instantly, torrents of blood spewed from the hundred young men of Li Village, their bodies pierced as if by a hundred swords through their shoulders, legs, and chests!
[Five-Step Killing Array!]
[A third-tier array, capable of covering a five-step radius in all directions—Dao Dong’s most proud array.]
[Meng Zi and the others don’t understand Dao Dong well enough! These three hundred from Li Village stood too close together; at least a hundred are within his killing array range!]
[Dong ranks seventh among the ten disciples of Dao Mountain! As an array master, he’s somewhat impressive.]
[Tsk, he’s pretty average. This array is just wide-ranged but the killing moves are actually weak.]
[Right, Foundation Condensation cultivators won’t die from it, heh.]
On the battlefield, a hundred streams of blood shot out simultaneously, indeed a terrifying sight.
But the hundred young men of Li Village were only injured, not yet faltering, still capable of fighting.
But just as Lin Shuang let out a sigh of relief, Dao Dong laughed heartily.
“Do you think you’re the only ones who’ve learned techniques in Zhenchuan and grown stronger?”
“My Five-Step Killing Array was perfected during the last trial!”
Dao Dong formed a hand seal, and the array disk on the ground immediately emitted a second ring of array patterns.
[Chain Array—Five-Step Sequential Kill!]
[One step, one sword. Once within the array, five consecutive injuries will occur!]
As Dao Dong spoke, another stream of blood spewed from the hundred strong men caught in the array, their faces now showing signs of paleness.
Lin Shuang couldn’t help but look worried.
Dao Dong laughed heartily, “Now you know fear? I wonder how many injuries these three hundred wooden puppets from Li Village can endure—One, two, three…”
He confidently counted, but halfway through, his voice abruptly stopped.
Not out of shock or fear, but because blood spurted from his mouth and nose.
It was as if a thousand swords had pierced through his body!
His entire body instantly became nearly transparent within Zhenchuan.
[Dong has suffered severe injuries, his Foundation Qi shattered, losing 60% of his blood, triggering the protective alert for disciples below the 3000th layer of Zhenchuan.]
[Dong is considered dead on this layer!]
[He will be transported to the rest pavilion of Zhenchuan—please Dao Dong prepare 300 healing spirit stones, estimated cost.]
[Six breaths, five breaths…]
Dao Dong stared wide-eyed, slowly looking down at countless sword wounds on his body.
How… how could this be…
Meng Zi hadn’t even moved.
He looked up in confusion, and in the final three breaths of teleportation countdown, saw Lin Shuang’s worried face.
He was already eliminated.
Why was she still so… worried?
“Ah, why did you attack a hundred people right away? Even giving them three consecutive strikes, so ambitious.”
“Alright, now you’re directly killed by forty-five people’s Return Sword technique.”
“I only counted to three, I haven’t even joined in yet…”
Lin Shuang looked at him with concern, muttering anxiously.
She was clearly unhappy.
“Ah, my defensive practice schedule for today.”
It hadn’t even begun, and it was already over.
Lin Shuang was worried!
Dao Dong struggled to open his mouth.
He heard the communication talisman on his disciple badge emit a message.
“Senior brother, are you okay? We’re halfway to the ancestral hall! When will you set off to come over?”
Dao Dong opened his mouth, struggling to raise his hand, but in an instant, his bloodied figure vanished into the teleportation talisman above the wheat field.
[…]
[When will you come over… Dao Xi, your older brother has already gone home.]
[Not sure what to say, one, two, three… this is the first time I’ve seen a cultivator counting during a fight, and it ended up sending himself away.]
[Ah. As the master said, there is no perfect technique in this world. Dao Dong really rose and fell with his array techniques!]
[This Return Sword technique, I want to learn it too. It seems it only costs five thousand spirit stones.]
[Hold on! It can only reflect 50% of the opponent’s attack, and it’s limited by your own cultivation base and spiritual energy.
If your opponent isn’t like Dao Dong, who attacks a hundred people at once and launches five consecutive strikes in a large-scale array (these hundred people would all be under the Return Sword technique), I advise you not to learn it. It’s quite impractical.]
[Forty-five people, his array technique seemed to attack them three times? Equivalent to over a hundred swords instantly stabbing him… isn’t this suicide?]
[Indeed, it’s not practical. As long as the opponent doesn’t act recklessly, he won’t die.]
[…]
The disciples watching the projection were discussing heatedly.
But in the projection, Lin Shuang looked very distressed.
Huangpu Yuan led over sixty people, throwing tier-one toxic barrier pills, while Meng Zi, with the sixty-plus people he taught the blade techniques, quickly surrounded the enemies.
Soon, the hundred bandits brought by Dao Dong were eliminated.
She could only follow them to the ancestral hall.
The injured young men from Li Village, especially those who had mastered the Return Sword technique, were left by the thatched hut to continue guarding the little dog, Xiaofang.
The remaining nearly two hundred followed them.
On the way, Lin Shuang asked worriedly, “Let’s discuss, there’s still Dao Xi and Dao Bei, how should we divide the forces?”
Meng Zi looked at her and Huangpu Yuan, then glanced at the two hundred strong men following them.
“Fifty people will follow you two to engage Dao Xi, the sword cultivator. I’ll take the remaining 150 to deal with Dao Bei and the bandits.”
“Remember, Dao Xi is at the third layer of Foundation Condensation. You just need to hold him off, don’t engage directly.”
Meng Zi instructed.
“Of course, at least hold out for an incense stick’s time.”
Lin Shuang looked at her defensive Pomodoro timer, which hadn’t even started for a minute, and planned fiercely.
[Now their forces are truly balanced.]
[There’s no Return Sword technique on the battlefield anymore, hahaha.]
[Lin Shuang knows it, but it’s not a big issue anymore.]
[Two hundred from Li Village against two hundred bandits; Huangpu Yuan and Lin Shuang, both below the first layer of Foundation Condensation, against Dao Xi at the third layer; Meng Zi against Dao Bei, two knife cultivators at the fourth layer of Foundation Condensation.
Tsk, they’ve done well, but it’s still very dangerous.]
[The real battle is just beginning now.]
In the ancestral hall.
Dao Xi and Dao Bei wore heavy expressions.
While sending messages to Dao Dong, they both saw the steward’s notice that Dao Dong had been seriously injured and removed from the Zhenchuan trial.
When Lin Shuang and the three arrived at the ancestral hall, they saw the two with expressions as dark as water.
“Meng Zi, I will avenge Senior Brother Dao Dong!”
Dao Xi and Dao Bei quickly moved left and right, rushing toward Meng Zi.
“Let your blood comfort my senior brother!”
Two sword beams and a blade light instantly tore through the sky.
But one of the sword beams was suddenly enveloped by a rising treasure cauldron halfway.
Huangpu Yuan formed a hand seal, standing in the shadow of the cauldron with Lin Shuang, directly intercepting Dao Xi’s first attack.
The moment the sword beam collided with the cauldron, it quickly dissipated.
Only ten percent remained when Lin Shuang stepped out from the cauldron’s shadow, activating her golden Diamond Defense Technique!
With a metallic sound, the ten percent sword beam and her Qi dissipated together.
“Huangpu Senior Brother, like this, when the sword beam is about ten percent, you can withdraw the cauldron.”
“About ninety-eight times, and my training will be done.”
Huangpu Yuan pondered, “Junior Sister, the cauldron only has three defenses.”
Dao Xi roared angrily, “Step aside, don’t interfere—”
But as the words left his mouth, a thin wound like a small snake suddenly appeared on his chest, recoiling.
[Pu, is this the retaliation of a Qi Condensation disciple using the Return Sword technique?]
[Got it, this impractical technique is indeed useless.]
“Hahaha, are you tickling me? A Qi Condensation inner sect disciple trying to hurt me? If you had waited a bit longer, this wound would have already healed!”
Dao Xi mocked, then narrowed his eyes, sending another sword beam toward Meng Zi on the side.
They must win this battle.
No matter how the opponent provoked him, he would prioritize the big picture.
Together with Dao Bei, quickly eliminate Meng Zi, and the remaining Huangpu Yuan and Lin Shuang would be nothing to worry about!
But the sword beam he sent this time was once again intercepted by Huangpu Yuan and Lin Shuang’s cauldron shadow working in unison.
“…”
When the cauldron consumed ninety percent of the sword beam, Lin Shuang stepped out again, her Diamond Qi on the surface colliding with the sword beam.
“Huangpu Senior Brother, the cauldron a bit to the left. Otherwise, it’s blocking my view, thank you.”
Pu Chi, the sword beam dissipated, and another thin snake-like wound appeared on Dao Xi’s chest.
Upon hearing this, Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes flickered with thought, moving the cauldron above his head slightly behind her body.
“Junior Sister, is this better?”
“Ah, much better! Huangpu Senior Brother has already mastered the technique of holding an umbrella for shade.”
Huangpu Yuan raised an eyebrow, casually throwing tier-one toxic camphor pills to harass the moving bandits, occasionally tossing them toward Dao Xi.
“You two—”
Dao Xi took a deep breath, then swung his sword backward toward him.
The cauldron, used three times, shattered with a clack.
Lin Shuang and Huangpu Yuan instantly fled.
But just as Dao Xi sent a sword beam toward Meng Zi, Lin Shuang swiftly intercepted again, skimming the tail of the sword beam. Instantly, two-tenths of the sword beam and her Qi collided and dissipated together.
“Xiao Ai, help me record, the sword beam of a Foundation Condensation third-tier cultivator, two tenths of its power is approximately…”
Xi Dao received another thin wound, blood spurting out.
But such a minor injury didn’t even require the Healing Spring Pill. He had no idea what she was doing!
[Ha, Xiao Shishimei has shown us a negative example—never ever exchange for this cultivation technique.]
[Yeah, with these three cuts… better just cultivate a proper sword technique.]
The projection rolls forward.
There, Dao Xi, who had suffered five or six thin wounds across his chest, also showed no concern for his injuries, just like the audience.
Shaking off Lin Shuang, he charged straight toward Meng Zi’s back.
“Childish! I don’t have time to play with you!”
Yet, only four or five steps away, Dao Xi, attempting to ambush Meng Zi from behind, suddenly halted midair.
Those thin wounds on his chest, barely leaving a trace of blood, hadn’t even crossed his mind for applying medicine.
But now, the six streaks of blood converged into one.
The final fresh wound, added last, connected seamlessly with the first.
In an instant, a fiery red pattern emerged on Dao Xi’s chest, illuminating the entire sequence from start to finish!
“!”
[…?]
[The symbol begins and ends—this—is a symbol!?]
[What?!]
[Not a symbol—take a closer look at Dao Xi—]
Dao Xi lowered his head, unknowingly mimicking what Dao Dong had just done moments ago.
He looked down at his chest.
Suddenly, five jets of blood erupted from the thin wounds!
“Five-step consecutive… killing formation?”
Dao Xi staggered.
He hurriedly swallowed a pill to stop the bleeding.
[Five-step consecutive kill? Dao Dong’s signature technique?]
[?! What?]
In the projection, Lin Shuang had already distanced herself, weaving strangely among different bandits.
Dodging between sword and blade auras, her protective barrier continuously shattered and reformed.
Jets of blood erupted from the bandits’ bodies.
[When did she learn this?!]
[Surely not during that brief clash with Dao Dong!?]
Huangpu Yuan wore a subtle expression, keeping a ten-step distance behind Lin Shuang.
His eye was sharp—he occasionally picked off bandits, tossing in Tier-1 Poison Barrier Pills into the wounds Lin Shuang inflicted.
One at the Cultivation Stage, one at the Gathering Stage, they created utter chaos.
The bandits, already entangled with the many strong men from Li Village, couldn’t chase after them.
Bandits’ HP dropping: -100, -100, -100… continuous bleeding.
Dao Xi: -100, -100, -100… Consumes pill, HP restored.
“Where are you, Dao Xi—”
Dao Bei angrily shouted.
Meng Zi had learned the Thirteen Mountain-Sea Cuts, each stronger than the last. He must be subdued before completing all thirteen cuts!
Originally, Dao Xi and Dao Bei had agreed to ignore others and jointly target Meng Zi first.
But now, Dao Xi had no idea what he was doing, leaving Dao Bei alone to deal with Meng Zi.
Meng Zi was already on his fifth cut!
“Dao Xi, what exactly are you doing—!” Dao Bei angrily turned to question.
Dao Xi wore a helpless expression.
I don’t even know what I’m doing myself.
[Bandits lost 121 members.]
[Bandits lost 133 members.]
Dao Xi wanted to move forward, but over sixty villagers from Li Village, now in the majority, surrounded him instantly.
His temple twitched as he forced his sword forward.
Yet, swing after swing at the puppets, he felt his sword aura weakening.
Was it just his imagination?
From initially causing serious injuries, now only light ones.
Cultivation Layer Three sword aura, Layer Two sword aura… Layer One sword aura?!
Dao Xi froze in horror—why was his spiritual energy weakening!?
Lin Shuang’s voice came through the gaps among the villagers, “Master Huangpu, you’re blocking my ‘Taking a Bit from My Brother, He Won’t Mind’ technique.”
Dao Xi: “!?”
[…!]
[The Human-tier ‘River from Droplets Technique’!? Absorbing the enemy’s attacking spiritual energy during battle to strengthen oneself?! She learned two techniques from the Scroll Library!?]
[What, she took out two techniques?]
[The River from Droplets, also known as the Robbery Sword Technique! A scoundrel!]
[He grows weaker with each fight, while I grow stronger?]
Dao Xi in the projection was speechless, but after a stick of incense time, gritting his teeth, he finally spotted Lin Shuang, who had been deliberately weaving through the gaps!
But at the sight of her, Dao Xi nearly spat blood.
Lin “Blood-sucking” Shuang, wielding a broadsword.
Her sword aura erupted—Core Formation Stage Three → Core Formation Stage Nine!
Dao “Drained” Xi—Cultivation Layer Three → Cultivation Layer One Peak.
He nearly fainted.
“Hehe, taking a bit from Senior, Senior won’t mind, right?” Lin Shuang smiled.
Dao Xi felt chest pain and a pounding headache, gritting his teeth as he charged toward her, only to be surrounded by ten consecutive Tier-1 Poison Barrier Pills.
Cultivation Layer One Peak → Cultivation Layer One…
Huangpu Yuan calmly stepped out from behind the sixty strongmen.
He also summoned a flying sword, at the Gathering Stage.
Instantly combining his sword aura with Lin Shuang’s, it surged, cutting Dao Xi down!
[Dangerous injury to Dao Xi, protective barrier shattered, blood loss at 60%, triggering the protective warning for disciples below 3000 layers of Zhenchuan.]
[Dangerous injury to Dao Xi, considered layer death!]
[Transferring to Zhenchuan Resting Cave—please prepare 300 healing spirit stones.]
[Six seconds, five seconds…]
Dao Xi wore a stunned expression.
How could this happen…
With all their methods, he was still at Cultivation Layer One!
How could he be defeated by a Gathering Stage beginner and Core Formation Nine!?
In his final gaze, despair and confusion, he looked toward Lin Shuang and Huangpu Yuan.
Both showed a momentary expression of regret.
—Didn’t expect him to be this weak. I used my No.7 Dantian’s ‘Return to the Past’ counterattack, thinking today’s practice wasn’t enough, then used No.8 Dantian to review ‘Taking a Bit from My Brother,’ and he was sent off?
—Should’ve used only one active Dantian and held back a bit. Sigh.
—Wait, could I have been beyond Core Formation Nine just now?
—Still two more rounds of ‘Taking a Bit from My Brother, You Don’t Mind, Right?’ to review. Miscalculation.
Lin Shuang looked at her hands with some regret.
Huangpu Yuan stood beside her, looking at his hands, his expression oddly unnatural.
—Haven’t acted for so long.
—Forgot the power of a Gathering Stage sword aura. That last strike might’ve been too heavy?
—Accidentally used spiritual energy from Cultivation Layer One or Two?
“Junior apprentice sister is amazing.”
“Senior Huangpu is amazing.”
They exchanged glances, quickly shifting blame for the unexpected outcome.
“…”
“…”
They both fell silent simultaneously.
[Dao Xi left as fast as his older brother!]
[Cough, actually Dao Dong was faster.]
[Though this robbery sword technique has unique effects, I’ve never seen anyone break through six stages from Core Formation Three to Core Formation Nine using it.]
[But isn’t it possible? Cultivation Layer Three equals a hundred Core Formation Threes. She just tapped Dao Xi fifty or sixty times?]
[… Makes sense?]
[I’m giving up. I can’t handle such clever techniques.]
Elsewhere outside the ancestral hall, Dao Bei’s blade clashed violently with Meng Zi’s twelfth strike.
Suddenly, a piercing sound from behind.
“Dao Xi left, Brother Meng, we’re here to help!”
“Dao Xi might be in trouble, Brother Meng, we’re here.”
Meng Zi: “…?”
Dao Bei: “…”
He turned back in grief.
Brother Dao Dong, junior Dao Xi!
Should he leave too?
[Layer 1720. Girl, tonight, will you come with me?]
[Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan, Meng Zi have passed!]
[Victory achieved!]
[In 500 heartbeats, you may claim one of Dao Dong, Dao Xi, or Dao Bei’s personal techniques.]
[Why 500 heartbeats? Lousy projection, you’re cheating us on time!]
[Patience, they need healing time. Remember the blood they’ve shed?]
[… Oh, right.]
They won.
The disciples watching the projection didn’t log out—they remained curious about which techniques Lin Shuang and the others would claim.
Before that, Old Li appeared smiling in the ancestral hall.
Behind him followed the little yellow dog Fangfang, and in his hands, three bright red bundles.
“Immortal, immortal! I heard that Young Master Wang has run away!”
“And the bandits who coveted our Li Village’s wealth have been defeated!”
Old Li repeatedly bowed, forcefully shoving three large red bundles into Lin Shuang and the others’ hands.
“Thank you three immortals for helping Li Village through this crisis.”
“I can’t repay you enough, so please accept this small token of appreciation.”
[Finally, the reward for this layer.]
[Curious how much it is.]
[To be honest, their victory over Dao Dong was partly due to the three hundred Li Village warriors—too much trickery, too much luck, likely minimal reward.]
[But cultivation is about exploring the laws of heaven and earth, going against the heavens, seeking opportunities for ascension.
The three hundred warriors were discovered by Lin Shishimei through her own ability; the counterattack sword was learned by her alone in the Scroll Library… Dao Dong also had three hundred bandits and formation optimization, same advantage, even higher cultivation.
Their victory or defeat was clearly the result of utilizing heaven, earth, and humanity—how is that trickery?]
[Exactly! How can exploiting the laws of heaven and earth be called trickery?]
[Speaking of which, if she could memorize Dao Dong’s signature Five-step consecutive kill formation in just one clash and learn it—
Such talent, such insight, is one in ten thousand.]
[Yes, even if she used trickery, so what!? With such talent, entering the inner sect, elders will fight to protect her. Then you’ll understand the difference between leveraging advantages and trickery.]
[Hehe, those saying the reward will be small, don’t rush.]
Everyone argued loudly.
Soon, Meng Zi in the projection eagerly reached into the red bundle.
“Oh, you’re too kind indeed, I’ll accept then.”
“Come find me next time you’re in trouble.”
He paused, stunned as the red bundle opened, revealing a stream of radiant light.
Clearly written in water-like patterns:
[Disciple Meng Zi, at Core Formation Four, remains humble and courteous to mortals.
Therefore, he gains insufficient respect and prestige from the old man.
But his approachability leaves a deep impression on the old man and the three hundred youths, prompting reflection among the three hundred young cultivators.
—If I enter the immortal sect in the future, should I stay close or distant from mortals?
—Transformed yet retaining mortal compassion, is this acceptable?
They decided to spend some spirit stones in gratitude.
In the future, they will continue cultivation with this question.
Meng Zi receives 303 spirit stones, among which three were secretly added by the old man because you called him young.]
Meng Zi: “!”
[Ha ha! This Li Village trial is quite amusing.]
[Meng Zi indeed lacks prestige. Too inexperienced.]
But soon another ray of light emerged.
[Meng Zi taught over sixty villagers of Li Village the Thirteen Mountain-Sea Cuts.
They are deeply grateful and respectfully call you “Master.”
Upon hearing that the Thirteen Mountain-Sea Cuts were valued at 8,500 spirit stones, they barely managed to scrape together eight hundred spirit stones. That was the best they could do. It’s all for you.
Meng Zi receives an additional 800 spirit stones as teaching fee.]
Meng Zi’s lips twitched. He was happy at first, then disappointed.
Well, 800 is better than nothing.
Happy, he’ll burn paper money for his ancestors when he returns!
Meng Zi is content with spirit stones, even one brings joy.
[Meng Zi contributed in both battles defending Li Fang and the ancestral hall, noted by Old Li.
In the first battle for Li Fang, although your contribution was minimal, you maintained formation control. Old Li acknowledges this, awarding an additional 50 spirit stones for travel expenses.
In the second ancestral hall battle.
At just Core Formation Four, you stood before over a hundred young Li villagers, endured Dao Bei’s blade, and drew most of Dao Xi’s attention.
Your contribution in this battle was significant.
Although newly learned, the Thirteen Mountain-Sea Cuts didn’t fully demonstrate its power, but your highlights were praised by Old Li.
He awards an additional 550 spirit stones for your efforts.
Meng Zi, your prestige and respect in Li Village have increased. Please continue.
In these two battles, you received a total of 600 spirit stones.]
Meng Zi: “!”
Three rounds!
Totaling 600 + 800 + 303 = 1703 spirit stones.
Not bad, actually profitable.
And soon, a technique will be claimed!
[Not too little?]
[Wake up! That’s just for one person!]
[Compared to the layer owner’s exchange rewards, these spirit stones can be used anywhere.]
[The villagers’ reward for teaching exceeds the layer’s defense reward?]
[Perhaps the previous junior was right. They indeed combined special techniques with a crowd tactic.
So their actual evaluation in this layer’s defense might be low. Without teaching villagers, the reward wouldn’t exceed a thousand spirit stones.]
[Zhenchuan remains fair.]
In the Resting Cave.
Zhao Keran, watching the projection, manipulated two rags in hand seals, practicing sword movement footwork.
In a small space, she moved rapidly, nearly becoming a shadow.
But watching Lin Shuang’s curious expression in the projection as she viewed Meng Zi’s rewards, she felt some concern.
Turning to the pink-robed girl beside her, “Senior Auntie, Senior Sister refusing your cave dwelling wasn’t her fault—it was the cave’s. She will buy one eventually. Don’t be angry.”
Who could imagine the cave dwelling seller was actually the true property manager of the Zhenchuan Trial—the ultimate examiner?
Zhao Keran secretly glanced at the pink-robed girl’s expression as she infused spiritual energy into the spirit stones.
The pink-robed girl: “…”
Her hands never stopped.
As she infused a bit of spiritual energy, the summary report from Huangpu Yuan’s opened red envelope kept extending.
“So you think I’m abusing my power and being unfair?” The pink-robed girl raised an eyebrow, drawing out her tone.
The water-like seal script flying from her hand also appeared in the projection.
But soon, she fell into deep thought and her writing slowed.
Huangpu Yuan, severely injured during the early stages of Ningyuan cultivation.
He rarely communicated with the villagers of Li Village, always maintaining the aloof demeanor of a cultivator from the Clearwater Sect.
The villagers dared not speak to him casually, all wondering—what could this immortal possibly want?
Huangpu Yuan’s prestige rose in Li Village, but his silence left the villagers unable to fathom his intentions. They felt that next time, they probably shouldn’t casually ask this immortal for help again, causing a drop in favorability.
Old Li decided to give Huangpu Yuan a thank-you gift of 500 spirit stones to send him on his way.]
Zhao Keran: “…”
The pink-robed woman wrote faster and faster, a look of fascination and contemplation appearing on her face.
[Huangpu Yuan taught sixty disciples to concoct the Level One Poison Barrier Pill.
It was the most basic toxic pill; unless thrown in groups of a hundred, it wouldn’t pose a lethal threat to Ningyuan cultivators.
It also smelled terrible—so thought the villagers of Li Village.
It was said that this Level One formula sold outside for 800 spirit stones; they decided to chip in and give Huangpu Yuan 223 stones.
The reason? Simply because during the pill-making instruction just now, Huangpu Yuan had blown up the cauldron three times, destroying their thatched huts. The repair costs had already been quite burdensome.]
Zhao Keran opened her mouth.
The pink-robed woman continued writing.
[Huangpu Yuan only threw a few Poison Barrier Pills in the first round, receiving a travel allowance of fifty spirit stones.
But in the second round of battle, he performed impressively, working together with Lin Shuang to contain Dao Xi and several marauders, showing excellent coordination.
Old Li believed that the contribution of Immortal Huangpu Yuan in this match was…]
At this point, the pink-robed woman seemed to have greatly relieved her urge to express herself, her expression joyful, but soon she revealed a hint of pensive regret.
“Mm, Xiao Zhao, show me the replicated version of the projection you just displayed.”
“The wounds on Dao Xi, and the injuries on the marauders’ puppets.”
Zhao Keran complied immediately.
The pink-robed woman watched while flicking her fingers.
[Huangpu Yuan’s battle settlement, please wait a moment—]
[Lin Shuang’s checkpoint settlement, please wait a moment—]
[Old Li was frowning, recalling the battle just now. How many spirit stones had he actually stuffed into the red envelope? The memory of an old man was truly not very reliable.]
[???]
[…!]
Inside the rest chamber, the pink-robed woman and Zhao Keran watched the replay of the projection together.
“Strange, truly strange. When Dao Xi left Zhenchuan, he still possessed combat power equivalent to the early-stage Ningyuan. Huangpu Yuan was merely at the entry-level Ningyuan stage, while Lin Shuang temporarily elevated her strength to late-stage Huaqi through the ‘Robbery Sword Technique.'”
“How exactly did the two of them manage to wound Dao Xi seriously in their final strike?”
“And those marauders…”
The pink-robed woman was puzzled.
At her incantation, the bodies of several marauders appeared behind the counter of the rest chamber.
The pink-robed woman crouched down and examined their chests.
“These ten were not killed by the sickles or hoes of Li Village, nor were they caused by counterattacking sword qi.”
“They all had their consciousness shattered in an instant.”
Everyone watching the projection believed the marauders had died from the villagers’ attacks, Lin Shuang’s counterattacks, and Huangpu Yuan’s pill bombardment. But in reality, ten of the ‘marauders’ had died because someone directly shattered their puppet soul-seas.
It must be known that the lowest cultivation level among the marauders was late-stage Qi Transformation, while the highest was early-stage Yuan Condensation.
“Heh, interesting.”
The pink-robed woman looked up, gazing at the projection where Huangpu Yuan stood with his hands behind his back and Lin Shuang, who had taken out her novel—two seemingly weak figures.
“Which one of you is pretending?”
Zhao Keran felt uneasy.
Her senior sister pretending? That wasn’t pretending—it was conserving energy.
Thinking this, she also looked at the wounds again, puzzled. “From my senior sister’s performance, this Pomodoro Clock must be part of her defensive training.”
The pink-robed woman: “?”
“This kind of defense means not attacking unless attacked.”
The pink-robed woman: “?”
In this round, her senior sister had been practicing her physical resistance to attacks and the ability to shift her spiritual energy like snakes across her body to dissipate enemy strikes.
Plus, the two offensive-defensive sword techniques she had just learned were also ones she would definitely review a second time during today’s defensive training.
Zhao Keran pondered.
Therefore, those marauders who suffered soul attacks…
Zhao Keran shook her head. “This doesn’t seem like something my senior sister would do. Unless they provoked her.”
The pink-robed woman nodded. After a while, the marauders on the ground vanished and were replaced by another group.
“So, these eight disciples with sword wounds on their backs—were they Lin Shuang’s doing? In the projection replay, I saw that they blocked the collision of her and Dao Xi’s sword qi and energy.”
Zhao Keran: “…”
Well… that did sound like something her senior sister would do.
The pink-robed woman fell silent, soon sending new words flying into the projection.
[Old Li thought for a while and decided to invite Lin Shuang and Huangpu Yuan into the secret chamber of the ancestral hall. He wanted to have a word with you both.]
[Note: You may choose to remain silent, but silence will affect your reward settlement in Li Village.]
[!?]
[???]
“What is this? I’ve never encountered this before!”
“I’ve seen over a hundred puppet scenario projections, and this is the first time I’ve seen such a situation!”
“What’s going on?”
Meng Zi turned his head, looking at Lin Shuang holding her novel and Huangpu Yuan idly standing nearby, his expression complex.
Both of them wore expressions of surprise.
Looking even more bewildered than he was.
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