Chapter 65: Aren

Xuanjian City Third Middle School.

Under the gaze of numerous Spirit Transformation cultivators, Returning Void elders, and Li Qingyang, Yu Ming slowly opened his eyes.

A bright spiritual light flashed and vanished.

Amid the astonished gazes of the Spirit Transformation cultivators.

Yu Ming's wrinkles and age spots began to fade bit by bit; his sagging skin tightened, and his waxen, gray, withered face visibly turned ruddy.

His cloudy, lifeless eyes were now clear and bright.

His white hair receded, and his withered, emaciated body gradually filled out.

All of this occurred in the blink of an eye.

The once moribund old man vanished, replaced by a martial man with sharp eyebrows and starlike eyes, his posture upright as a spear.

"I succeeded—my foundation is fully restored." Yu Ming tried hard to suppress it, but his joy still came through.

Do you have to say that? Everyone felt that vibrant, harmonious aura.

"Is this your reward for passing the second round?" the principal asked.

"No, everyone who participated in the second trial received it."

Everyone? Three thousand people? The Spirit Transformation cultivators froze—how immense a gesture! The old man, Deputy Head of Silutang, stared at the vibrant Yu Ming, his eyes flickering as if pondering something.

"When does the third round begin?" Li Qingyang asked in a low voice.

"I don't know. The elder who organized this trial revealed nothing, but the third trial will take place in the real world."

In the real world?

Even the mayor, hearing this, had grown numb—he'd only wanted a smooth landing, yet one thing after another kept happening.

He truly couldn't grasp such a massive opportunity!

Could you please change locations?

"I will keep a close eye on this matter—you need not worry too much," Li Qingyang said.

This is most likely the work of some uncle or aunt who just emerged from seclusion; I must take responsibility for it first.

"Let's go."

With that, he slapped the shoulder of the Returning Void elder beside him—but it wasn't just the two of them who left; the Spirit Transformation cultivators vanished with them.

I'd intended to lend a hand anyway; we can't let them stay here and make a spectacle of themselves—better to take them all away at once.

Yu Ming stared at the empty meditation chamber, stunned for a long moment before sighing.

"Senior Li truly has thought of everything."

Then he closed his eyes and focused, observing his current state.

Having lingered for years in the Nascent Soul stage, his foundation now restored, Spirit Transformation is but a thought away.

But he would not do it.

If he ascended to Spirit Transformation now, he would lose eligibility for the third trial.

…………

At the hospital, Xiao Fan arrived very late.

In his hand was a black ring, simple in design, resembling nothing more than a black circular band.

【The Pastoral Cultivation and Nourishment Scripture…】

This was a cultivation technique that came with the ring—the extraordinary encounter he had sensed.

Pasture all living beings, take their spirits, nourish my own divine essence.

Once perfected, the technique allows one to seize the spiritual essence of living creatures, even all things, to strengthen one's foundation and accelerate one's cultivation.

The beings from whom spiritual essence is taken show no outward signs of change and may even continue cultivating normally.

But they will obey the technique's practitioner without condition, and nine-tenths of their cultivation gains belong to the practitioner.

An extremely tyrannical and sinister technique.

In ancient times, when the Cang Clan ruled heaven and earth, beyond all living beings, some of their mighty ones even used this scripture to enslave stars.

Once, the twinkling of stars were but the lowing and bleating of cattle and sheep under the Cang Clan's pasture.

"You're here, Xiao Fan."

A sudden voice interrupted his thoughts; he snapped back to awareness and realized he had somehow walked into the hospital room.

Not far away were his parents, their faces filled with joy.

His older brother stood beside the bed, his complexion ruddy, moving his body freely.

His loose hospital gown was stretched taut by bulging muscles; faintly, one could hear the roaring rush of his blood.

Huh~ He exhaled—a sliver of terrifying blood qi leaked out, causing the room's temperature to rise slightly! Xiao Fan's senses were now sharp—he felt the unhidden, overwhelming aura spreading, making his breathing harder. "Ah Ming, you've just recovered—rest properly."

Xiao Ming smiled: "Don't worry, Mom—I'm a body cultivator; I know my own body."

Then Xiao Ming turned to Xiao Fan, standing by the door.

Meeting his brother's gaze, Xiao Fan's heart tightened.

If he faced his brother, even if he activated the spiritual power boost of the Tai Xuan Battle Art and used every technique he had, he still couldn't block a single punch.

No!

Even if he woke up, how could his brother recover so fast! "Let's take a walk, little brother—I have something to tell you." His voice was calm, neither loud nor soft.

Then Xiao Ming turned to his parents again.

"Dad, Mom, Xiao Fan and I will be back soon."

He had always been decisive; seeing his serious expression, they didn't refuse.

But they still reminded him: "Remember to come back early—it's very late."

"Mm."

Nodding, Xiao Ming walked toward the door.

*Slap! Slap! * Slippers struck the bright floor, producing crisp sounds.

And Xiao Fan, watching his elder brother draw closer, felt an inexplicable flutter of panic in his heart.

By the time he arrived right in front of him, Xiao Fan still hadn't moved a muscle.

"Let's go," Xiao Ming said in a low voice.

A large hand landed on his shoulder, making Xiao Fan's heart tremble.

Big Brother couldn't have... noticed something, could he? "Okay."

Xiao Fan didn't dare refuse.

The two brothers walked out of the hospital room together.

Because the night was already deep, there weren't many people outside, but the lights were very bright, illuminating the entire corridor in a glaring white.

The two were silent; only the sound of shoes striking the floor kept rising, echoing and overlapping.

A walk of less than a minute, yet Xiao Fan felt it was extremely oppressive.

What exactly does Big Brother want to do? After an agonizing half minute or so, the two finally reached the end of the corridor.

Pushing the door open revealed a not-very-large balcony; the evening breeze blowing in carried a hint of chill.

Xiao Ming walked in, leaned back against the railing, and looked at Xiao Fan, who hadn't moved.

The two brothers stared at each other for a while, and Xiao Ming suddenly smiled.

"What's wrong with you, kid? Why are you being so distant with me?"

His expression and tone were no different from how the two of them used to get along.

Could it be that Big Brother hadn't noticed anything at all?

Xiao Fan relaxed considerably in his heart, and also smiled: "I didn't expect you to recover so well, bro. I just hadn't processed it yet."

"Emm... actually, under normal circumstances, I should still be lying in bed right now."

"Normal circumstances?"

"That trial, hasn't the news about it been all over the place?"

Xiao Fan's heart jolted.

"Bro, don't tell me you participated too?"

Wasn't Big Brother in a coma before this?

"That's right, I participated too." Xiao Ming nodded and complained, "I thought this trial's selection range was huge, but when I woke up, everyone who participated was all in Xuanjian City."

"So you're..."

"Just what you're thinking—after passing the second round of the trial, I recovered."

Otherwise, he would have needed at least several more months of rest.

"Don't worry, the Dragon Elephant Pill I promised you before—once I return to the sect, I'll definitely get another one for you!"

Xiao Fan's eyes lowered: "No need, bro. I took the Obstacle-Breaking Spirit Liquid, and now I've already..."

"What are you talking about?" Xiao Ming looked a bit surprised. "Aren't you still at the ninth layer of Qi Refining right now?"

Xiao Fan suddenly raised his head, only to see a pair of purple, faintly glowing eyes.

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