Chapter 84: Distributing Guns

"Have you ever heard of Wang Xiao of the Wang family? He is an Innate Divine Body, a Heavenly Divine Body ranked ninety-third on the Divine Body Ranking! A Heavenly Divine Body can mobilize the power of the sun, moon, and stars at birth, summoning wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. He is like a god descending to earth, unstoppable!"

"Who in the Ancient Domain hasn't heard of this Qilin Son of the Wang family? If nothing goes wrong, in a few hundred years, the Wang family will give birth to another Deity Transformation expert."

"It is said that Wang Xiao arrived in Hidden Longcheng yesterday, alone. Some saw him traveling through the mountains, roasting all kinds of Foundation Establishment demon beasts!"

Four months later, the major teahouses and restaurants in Hidden Longcheng were bustling with activity.

Time flew by. Four months had passed since Lin Jing arrived in Hidden Longcheng. During these four months, Lin Jing cultivated with peace of mind.

He only relied on auctioning Mechanical Bamboo Guns one by one to maintain and spread his own fame.

Fame needs time to digest. Frequently causing trouble might also have the opposite effect. Hearing a name for too long makes people easily accustomed to it.

Previously, his name only circulated within Hidden Longcheng, but now, once the Lotus Pavilion in other cities auctioned the Mechanical Bamboo Guns, combined with publicity, he initially possessed a certain amount of fame in other cities of the Ancient Domain.

Cultivators in many places knew that a genius disciple had emerged from the Beast-Taming Sect, who had once defeated all heroes in the Cave Heaven and fought Foundation Establishment with Qi Refining in Hidden Longcheng, showing great prestige! Combined with the heat of the Beast-Taming Sect being sealed, many cultivators became curious about whether the Beast-Taming Sect could restore the sect after a hundred years!

The progress of the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique was steadily improving.

In addition, because his Hidden Dragon Secret Technique was progressing very quickly and his own cultivation was not high, deducing mechanical arts and pill-refining techniques didn't consume too much Hidden Dragon Luck for a while.

Having been in seclusion for four months, the increase and consumption of Hidden Dragon Luck had always been in a delicate balance.

However, as time passed, Lin Jing could indeed feel that the improvement of the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique had slowed down quite a bit recently.

Hidden Longcheng was a place where wind and clouds gathered. Every day there were fresh topics. Now that the Academy enrollment was approaching, the names of geniuses from various domains, sects, and families were spreading throughout Hidden Longcheng and the surrounding areas. Other news was naturally suppressed.

At the same time, the Academy had also opened, but for the time being, it was only open to candidates applying for the Academy and the elders who escorted them.

Those who could come to the Academy had quite extraordinary identities and backgrounds. Not just any cultivator could apply for the Academy. Generally, only young cultivators recommended by Nascent Soul level cultivators were qualified to come for the exam. It implemented a recommendation system.

Therefore, the candidates who could come to the Academy were almost all successors or true disciples of major forces.

The Hidden Dragon Secret Technique was mysterious and extraordinary, stronger than most sects' secret techniques. In addition, holding an official position was even more beneficial to the sect and family, so the Hidden Dragon Academy was a place many cultivators yearned for.

"The wind has risen..."

Lin Jing, who had been in seclusion for several months, finally walked out of the Cave Dwelling. He looked at the bright sunshine, felt the breeze, and took a deep breath. No wonder they say there is no time in cultivation. Four months had passed in a flash. It went by very fast. I heard that cultivators with higher cultivation go into seclusion for years or decades at every turn. It's really unimaginable.

For four months, he didn't go out and wander around. It wasn't because he was worried about being targeted, being robbed of luck, and becoming someone else's stepping stone, but because he had already spent a lot of money to rent the Cave Dwelling. Every day he went out, he felt he had lost a lot of spirit stones.

"I don't know if I can use this grand event to take the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique to the next level."

"It's time to replenish some Hidden Dragon Luck." Lin Jing looked at the back of his hand. The blue Hidden Dragon Mark looked washed out and had already begun to fade.

These geniuses from various domains and sects were exactly the stepping stones for him to become famous again. For this, he had prepared for a long time.

"Come to the Quiet Spirit Court quickly." After Lin Jing walked out of the Cave Dwelling, a void sound transmission fell into his ears. Hearing this, Lin Jing looked in one direction.

Quiet Spirit Court, a courtyard within the Academy. Around the courtyard, light gauze-like immortal mist lingered.

Morning light first broke, and golden sunlight sprinkled on the bluestone path. At the end of the courtyard, an exquisite bamboo pavilion stood.

Inside the pavilion, a stone table was matched with several stone stools. On the table, a set of ancient tea sets was placed, and tea fragrance rose. Lin Jing was the last to arrive.

Cao Ziwei sat in front of the stone table, drinking spirit tea. Around him stood two men and one woman.

A young swordsman, a female pill master, and a scholar in a long gown.

All were acquaintances.

Seeing them, Lin Jing smiled slightly. Except for Xu Zhizhi who returned a smile, the young swordsman Yuan Jing was expressionless, and the pill master Zi Ling'er curled her lips, obviously still having opinions about Lin Jing.

"All here." Seeing that the four people from the Bodhi Cave Heaven had all arrived, Cao Ziwei smiled and said: "Tomorrow is the day of the Academy assessment. You four will be all the examiners. I have decided to place the strength test in the first assessment."

"This time there are over a hundred candidates applying for the Academy, all at the Qi Refining stage. Yuan Jing, Zi Ling'er, you two are already at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Xu Zhizhi, Lin Jing, you two... one at the ninth layer of Qi Refining... why are you still at the seventh layer of Qi Refining?"

Seeing that Lin Jing had been using the Academy's Cave Dwelling for four months and was still at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, Cao Ziwei was stunned for a moment. Even if your cultivation speed is slow, you shouldn't occupy such a good place and not improve your cultivation by a single layer, right?

Several people looked at Lin Jing. Lin Jing coughed dryly and said: "Soon. I have a premonition that within a month, I will definitely reach the eighth layer of Qi Refining. These four months... I have indeed neglected personal cultivation, and we Beast-Taming Sect disciples cultivate very slowly."

It was mainly because the Pine-Leaf Rat had already reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining, and it was almost difficult to give him realm feedback, which caused Lin Jing's progress to slow down quite a bit. Plus... the late Qi Refining stage was obviously harder to improve than the mid Qi Refining stage.

Lin Jing sighed. He had also thought that after such a long time, he could at least improve by one layer.

No wonder the Longevity Body didn't even make it onto the Divine Body Ranking!

"Forget it. Your pet beast is at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, it's the same." Cao Ziwei said: "When the time comes, the Academy will provide you with the best spirit-replenishing and healing pills without limit."

"Candidates can freely choose one of you four to engage in combat, and then I will score them. You four get ready."

"Lin Jing and Xu Zhizhi aside, I hope Yuan Jing and Zi Ling'er, as Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, will definitely not become stepping stones for Qi Refining stage cross-level combat. The Academy doesn't care, but this will be very disadvantageous for your cultivation of the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique."

"Yes!" Yuan Jing and Zi Ling'er nodded.

"Alright, that's all I have to say. At sunrise tomorrow, you go to the Flying Dragon Mountain of the Academy. I will preside over the first assessment there." After speaking, Cao Ziwei disappeared, leaving only the four of them at the scene.

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The pavilion went quiet.

Just as Yuan Jing wanted to leave, Lin Jing said: "Tomorrow is the day of the assessment. I wish everyone success. I have specially prepared three gifts. Although you might not be able to use them, having an extra trump card is always good."

After speaking, he took out three Mechanical Bamboo Guns and placed them on the stone table.

"Hahaha, I've long wanted to use this, but it's a pity that the auction price was too expensive, and I was embarrassed to ask Brother Lin for it directly." Xu Zhizhi picked up a Mechanical Bamboo Gun, adjusted it up, down, left, and right, feeling very novel.

"To deal with ordinary candidates, just firing a few shots will test their level! Compared to a brush, the feel is indeed novel!"

"You're not giving gifts; you're clearly wanting us to help you promote your mechanical creations during the assessment!" Zi Ling'er said angrily.

"Do you want it or not? It was auctioned for a lot of spirit stones. Use it to defeat a few candidates, and it will be yours." Lin Jing asked.

Zi Ling'er hesitated for a moment, remembering the domineering scene of Lin Jing holding a Mechanical Bamboo Gun in the Cave Heaven. She picked up a Mechanical Bamboo Gun and smiled: "I actually don't really want to play with it, but since you've said so, I'll help you."

Such an expensive Mechanical Bamboo Gun, might as well take it.

She giggled and asked: "Lin Jing, can I mix poison pills and soul-bewitching pills into it and fire them together with the beans, detonating them with an explosion?"

Xu Zhizhi was stunned. No, can you play like that?

You say you don't want it, but how come your brain moves faster than mine!

Should I add something too?

"You go back and try it..." Lin Jing hadn't tried it either.

"I'm already at Foundation Establishment, I don't need this kind of thing. A sword is enough." Yuan Jing shook his head, then hesitated for a moment, picked up the Mechanical Bamboo Gun, and said: "However, ordinary Qi Refining cultivators are not worth me drawing my sword."

Having been chased and killed by a squirrel holding a gun, the young swordsman also wanted to try this thing.

Lin Jing knew that it was difficult for ordinary people to resist the temptation of a machine gun.

Seeing that all four examiners were holding Mechanical Bamboo Guns, Xu Zhizhi said: "Not bad. We use our expertise in spells to crush the challengers. Although the assessment process will be spread, it's too monotonous and hard to have discussion value. But if we uniformly use Mechanical Bamboo Guns to take out weaker candidates and then use our signature spells to defeat stronger ones, it will definitely have more discussion value. This plan is wonderful! Brother Lin, as expected of you."

Actually, Mr. Cao, who hadn't walked away, hid behind a tree and fell into deep thought. ===== CHAPTER 85 =====