16 Chapter 16: Assessment Begins (Seeking to Follow, Save, and Recommend)
Translator: 549690339
Soon, Lu Yun finished taking the Blood Ginseng and Ganoderma, and summoned the attribute panel.
[Name]: Lu Yun
[Power]: Spirit Creek Village
[Martial Arts]: Breaking Wind Saber Technique Perfection (Third-rate martial arts, cannot be upgraded), Mix Origin Technique Small Achievement (4%)
[Innate Talent]: Level 5
[Martial Arts]: Enter Martial Realm Mid Stage
[Energy Points]: 3.3
“A full increase of 3.2 energy points, not a bad harvest.”
Spending only one hundred and twenty taels of silver to get 3.2 energy points was a great deal for Lu Yun.
“It seems that I need to collect more silver in the future.” Lu Yun, who had tasted the sweetness for the first time, thought to himself.
For other martial artists, ordinary medicinal materials like Blood Ginseng don’t have much effect, so they won’t spend money to buy them.
But Lu Yun is different. With his panel hack, he can spend less silver to buy these medicinal materials to get energy points and improve his martial arts.
“I wonder what level my Mix Origin Technique can be upgraded to with these accumulated energy points?”
Lu Yun focused his attention and started to move his thoughts gently behind the Mix Origin Technique.
“Upgrade!”
An hour later, when he looked at the panel again, it had already changed from before.
[Name]: Lu Yun
[Power]: Spirit Creek Village
[Martial Arts]: Breaking Wind Saber Technique Perfection (Third-rate martial arts, cannot be upgraded), Mix Origin Technique Small Achievement (31%)
[Innate Talent]: Level 5
[Martial Arts]: Enter Martial Realm Mid Stage
[Energy Points]: 0.3
——
As expected, 3 energy points could only increase Mix Origin Technique’s cultivation progress by 27%, averaging at about 9% per energy point.
But with such progress, Lu Yun was quite satisfied.
If he had to rely on his own hard work, it would take at least a month’s time.
And this was with him having a Level 5 Innate Talent.
Innate Talent’s level constantly determined a martial artist’s upper limit and also restricted their cultivation speed.
As for people like Lu Tianhu, whose innate talent isn’t very good, it might take even longer.
Now that his Mix Origin Technique has reached a small accomplishment, Lu Yun estimated that he should be slightly more powerful than an average martial artist at the mid-stage of the Enter Martial Realm.
Of course.
Without actual combat, he couldn’t be 100% sure.
After all, since he started cultivating, he had only fought against one martial artist, and that person was only at the initial stage of the Enter Martial Realm.
“There are still more than ten days before the assessment. Although I can’t cultivate my Mix Origin Technique to a great accomplishment, I can’t be idle either.”
Lu Yun put away his panel and thought to himself.
Resolved, he began his closed-door cultivation.
Besides having three meals a day, he rarely went out.
Lu Cangsheng became more and more satisfied with Lu Yun, who possessed innate talent and was diligent in cultivation, and provided him with beast meat every day for nutritional supplements.
Lu Tianhu and Langping were not idle either. After their medicinal bath, their bodies still retained a significant amount of power that needed to be absorbed.
During the time when Lu Yun and others were diligently cultivating, the atmosphere in Cloud Water County became increasingly lively, with youngsters and martial artists coming from all directions every day.
Ten days later.
The residence of Cloud Water County Magistrate, Jiang Hongji, welcomed two distinguished guests.
“Thank you both for your hard work. Our county has prepared a rich banquet to host the two of you.” Jiang Hongji was over forty years old, but he looked very young, like a vigorous young man, exuding a faint aura of prestige.
As the lord of a county, he had a strong martial arts cultivation, but facing the two distinguished guests from the Martial Academy, he did not dare to be complacent about his status.
Next to Jiang Hongji, there was also a scholarly middle-aged man, who revealed a heroic air between his brows and seemed to have a status not much lower than that of Jiang Hongji.
“This is our Cloud Water County Warden, Han Zhuang, who is responsible for countywide security, public order, and leading the yamen officials.”
“Lord Jiang is too polite. My senior brother and I have been entrusted by the Martial Academy to host the Cloud Water County examination, so we will need the help of both Lord Jiang and Warden Han.” Lin Fei, a silver-robed disciple of the Martial Academy, lazily greeted with a smile.
Another disciple from the Martial Academy who came with him seemed very young, about sixteen years old, looking extraordinarily handsome and cool. He did not say a word during the courtesies exchanged between Lin Chen, Jiang Hongji, and the others.
“I presume this is the talented young man, Meng Hongfei, who become a member of the Star Palace after just three years of entry!” At the banquet, Jiang Hongji flattered.
Meng Hongfei nodded faintly but did not respond, making Jiang Hongji somewhat embarrassed.
Seeing the situation, Lin Chen shook his head and smiled bitterly, “Lord Jiang guessed right, my junior brother Meng had just entered the Star Palace, and just in time, he was assigned to assist me in overseeing the examination of Cloud Water County.”
Jiang Hongji was a man of tact and would not dwell on any issue.
After all, the Martial Academy disciples who could enter the Star Palace were all experts of the True Qi Realm, one-in-ten-thousand talents. Even if they could not befriend them, they could not be offended.
“Both of you are the heavenly prides of our Spirit Martial Prefecture and have extraordinary elegance. I’m afraid it won’t be long before you reach the Transforming Origin realm.” Warden Han Zhuang subtly changed the topic.
“Warden Han, you joke. To step into the Transforming Origin realm, one must transform True Qi into True Origin. Who knows how many people are trapped in this step and cannot breakthrough?” Lin Fei shook his head and smiled bitterly.
County Magistrate Jiang Hongji nonchalantly said, “That’s true for others, but the two of you are both talented members of the Martial Academy’s Star Palace; surely, you won’t be trapped at this step.”
After the banquet, Lin Chen and Meng Hongfei, as distinguished guests, were arranged in the guest rooms.
At night, the starlight was scattered, and the bright moonlight sprinkled all over the earth.
“Junior Brother, what do you think of this County Magistrate Jiang?” At this moment, Lin Chen’s entire demeanor had changed a great deal, becoming incredibly sharp.
“From the looks of it, he should have no connection with the Evil Cult, but we need to investigate further. If confirmed, this mission will be a bit troublesome.” Meng Hongfei gently pushed open the window, looking at the silvery moon hanging in the sky.
Their arrival in Cloud Water County was not solely about overseeing the recruitment examinations.
If it were just an ordinary examination, sending an old-generation disciple of the Martial Academy would suffice. There would be no need for the genius Star Palace disciples to come in person.
“In my opinion, there must be a problem with either Jiang Hongji or Han Zhuang. We will find out who it is tomorrow.” A cold light flashed in Lin Chen’s eyes, and he began to sneer.
…
Time flew by. As the sky just showed a bit of fish-belly white, the entire Cloud Water County boiled up. Many young talents gathered together, like a torrent, rushing towards the same direction.
“Today, I, Zhang Fada, will make a name for myself in Cloud Water County!”
“After so many years of bitter cultivation, my Sorrowful Palm has finally reached perfection, all for this day.”
…
One after another, young heroes and ambitious geniuses emerged from different inns and restaurants.
“All trash, you guys want to make a name for yourselves!”
At this moment, from the Soaring Dragon Hotel, several strong figures emerged, each with the appearance of a young prodigy.
“It’s them, the prodigies that the Soaring Dragon Restaurant welcomed with swept floors.” As they looked at the dozen or so figures walking out together, the entire street fell into deathly silence, and the people’s eyes were filled with enthusiasm.
Because these people would definitely pass the examination, become disciples of the Martial Academy, and make their names in Cloud Water County.
“You will all be my stepping stones!” Among the youthful figures, the imposing Mu Qingyun held his head high, full of arrogance, and the powerful aura deterred everyone.
“Ignorance is not terrible; it’s blind arrogance that’s pathetic!” Another young figure walked out of the Soaring Dragon Restaurant.
He had sword-like brows and a refined appearance, an air of coldness and an unstoppable aura enveloped him.
Among the many youngsters, he was like a round of blazing sun, with all the other geniuses becoming mere foils.
“It’s Xiao Chen, it’s rumored that he has already reached the Meridian Passage Realm, and his talent for swordsmanship is extremely terrifying. Even when he was at the Enter Martial Realm, he could kill Meridian Passage Realm martial artists by fighting across realms.” Voices of discussion emerged from the crowd.