Chapter 562

This was a long process that would continue until tomorrow.

Late at night, a faint light flickered before his eyes.

【Agreed to Myriad Treasures Pavilion recruitment, points +20】

【Martial Dao Longevity points: 798】

A smile tugged at the corner of Xu Yang's mouth; the panel had given a point reward, meaning this matter was not a bad thing.

Although the points weren't many, giving a point reward was equivalent to confirming that this was a beneficial matter for him.

Soon he forgot about this matter and continued refining elixirs. Before he knew it, the night passed. The following afternoon, accompanied by a trembling sound from the furnace, the refining of the Dragon-Tiger Great Jin Dan concluded.

"Ten elixirs refined!"

He withdrew the furnace fire and opened the lid. Ten golden Dragon-Tiger Great Golden Elixirs lay inside the furnace. Xu Yang hurriedly fetched a jade box to store them.

With the ten Dragon-Tiger Great Golden Elixirs stored, he walked out of the courtyard, found a restaurant nearby, sat down, and ordered some food.

……

Hongchuan Prefecture, Myriad Treasures Pavilion branch!

The manager, Fang Xinghai, was wearing a loose practice robe, his legs rooted to the ground like a large tree, white mist steaming from his head, shrouding him in a hazy atmosphere.

Invisible power of heaven and earth surged, swarming into his body. Following a strange breathing rhythm, a roar came from within his body, brilliant light flowed over him, and a vast aura was emitted.

"Tap, tap……"

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps reached his ears. Fang Xinghai ceased the "Hibernating Dragon Breathing Method" and opened his eyes to see his disciple, Meng Xiangdong, walking over quickly.

"What is it?" His voice was calm, showing no dissatisfaction at being interrupted.

He was the manager of the Northern Branch of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion in Yunzhou, with a pile of daily affairs. Being interrupted during practice was far too normal. Sometimes, even when he was intimate with his wives and concubines, he might be interrupted by urgent matters.

"Master, Manager Tao Huaijin from Qingyang City has sent an urgent letter." Meng Xiangdong presented the letter he had taken from the carrier pigeon.

Fang Xinghai walked to a nearby pavilion, sat down, poured a cup of tea, and said: "Tao Huaijin? What matter does he have to report?"

Meng Xiangdong said: "He has recruited a disciple from the Profound Heaven Sect named Xu Yang, claiming this person has hopes for a Second Dragon Ascension. He reported the information and simultaneously applied for Dragon Ascension resources for this person named Xu Yang."

Considering long-term development, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion had always been looking for geniuses to recruit in advance, a task always assigned to the managers of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion in various places.

If they had a good eye and recruited a true genius, there would be rewards issued. If their eye was poor and they caused the Myriad Treasures Pavilion to waste resources, they would also be punished.

Fang Xinghai raised an eyebrow: "Profound Heaven Sect? Zhang Jingyuan of the Profound Heaven Sect is considered a figure; he has some reputation even in the entire Yunzhou."

Sipping his tea, he said: "What is the situation with this Xu Yang?"

Meng Xiangdong opened the letter and said: "Xu Yang is currently twenty-four years old. Five months ago, he reached Minor Success in Marrow Cleansing. He is a disciple of Elder Huoyun of the Profound Heaven Sect's Fire Peak, a native of Qingyuan County, Fufeng Prefecture, born to a farming family, and is currently ranked fifth on the Profound Heaven Sect's Ten Elites list."

Fang Xinghai frowned and said nothing.

Meng Xiangdong, however, said: "Master, I think this Tao Huaijin has gone crazy wanting to establish merit, filling the ranks with unqualified people. He only reached Minor Success in Marrow Cleansing at twenty-four; how could such a person possibly achieve a Second Dragon Ascension?

I heard this Profound Heaven Sect's Ten Elites list has ten people. He doesn't recruit the ones at the front, but actually goes to recruit the one only ranked fifth. What is the use of recruiting the fifth? It's just wasting resources for nothing."

Reaching Minor Success in Marrow Cleansing at twenty-four, as long as he didn't fall, there wouldn't be much of a problem breaking through to Heavenly Origin in the future.

But what the Myriad Treasures Pavilion needed was not an ordinary Heavenly Origin martial artist, but a student of the Heavenly Strategy Academy who could achieve a Second Dragon Ascension and had huge potential.

What they wanted was a powerhouse who could deter all the heroes of Yunzhou in the future just by hanging their name.

"Born to a farming family, being able to reach this step is truly not easy. He has some talent, and with more time, he really might achieve Dragon Ascension."

Fang Xinghai said: "There are only two and a half years until the Heavenly Strategy Academy opens its gates. Tao Huaijin is trying to take a gamble."

"Tao Huaijin is wasting the Pavilion's resources!"

Meng Xiangdong snorted coldly: "Master, should this disciple write a letter to reject Tao Huaijin?"

Fang Xinghai glanced at Meng Xiangdong indifferently. He knew his disciple was at odds with Tao Huaijin, and said: "Managers in various places have autonomous decision-making power to recruit and cultivate potential guest elders. I don't even have the right to veto Tao Huaijin's decision; would your letter be useful?"

Meng Xiangdong's expression changed slightly.

"Immediately write a letter to report to the Yunzhou headquarters, telling them to send Xu Yang's Dragon Ascension resources. Regardless of whether he can achieve Dragon Ascension, since Tao Huaijin dares to gamble, then let him gamble.

When an enemy makes a foolish move, you go to help him correct it; no wonder you lost to him back then. Compared to Tao Huaijin, you are indeed lacking by quite a bit."

Fang Xinghai waved his hand, feeling somewhat disappointed in this disciple. He only thought about opposing Tao Huaijin. Everyone knew the person Tao Huaijin recruited had poor talent, yet he still wanted to stop him. If he didn't know his disciple was truly at odds with Tao Huaijin, he would have thought they were good friends.

Meng Xiangdong dared not say more and hurriedly took his leave.

"Zhang Jingyuan, how much longer do you intend to hide in the Profound Heaven Sect?" Fang Xinghai's eyes turned cold, and a faint killing intent flashed and vanished.

……

"Return to the sect!"

With the Qi Gathering Elixir and the Dragon-Tiger Great Jin Dan both refined, Xu Yang didn't intend to stay in the city any longer. After packing all the elixirs, he pushed open the door and walked out of the courtyard.

"Xu Yang?"

Just as he walked out of the alley, he heard a slightly surprised voice.

Xu Yang turned back to look and saw Zhang Hong standing a few meters away, watching him.

Zhang Hong had been in Qingyang City for nearly two years, and this was the first time he had encountered him. It had to be said that it was truly fate; even in a place like this, he could run into an old acquaintance.

If the two still had their previous relationship, he should have come to see Zhang Hong long ago. But after the rift, he and Zhang Hong could only be considered acquaintances, not friends.

Therefore, even though Sun Tao and Zhang Yong often came down the mountain to meet with Zhang Hong, he had never come once.

"What a coincidence." Xu Yang smiled.

Zhang Hong's complexion had become a bit colder and sharper, no longer carrying the slick smile as before, and he had gained a bit more weariness and decadence.

"When did you return?" Xu Yang asked.

After returning to the Profound Heaven Sect, he had gone to find Sun Tao for a drink and learned that Sun Tao had entered the Yunling Mountain Range and hadn't returned for several months. He had been somewhat worried that something had happened to Sun Tao.

"I just parted ways with Senior Brother Sun Tao outside the city. He was just talking about you. If he had known he could meet you here, he probably wouldn't have been in such a hurry to return to the Profound Heaven Sect." Zhang Hong's expression was somewhat complex.

Once, he, Zhang Yong, and Lu Ren were all existences who could contend with Xu Yang. Now, Xu Yang had already left everyone behind, riding far ahead, and even Lu Ren was faintly eating dust behind him.

Xu Yang nodded: "I am in a hurry to return to the Profound Heaven Sect, so I won't chat with you much longer."

He cupped his hands and then strode away.

Zhang Hong watched Xu Yang's back, regret rising in his heart. If they hadn't tried to squeeze into the circle of Jiang Ping and others back then and drawn a clear line with Xu Yang, today he and Xu Yang would never have parted after just a few words; they would have at least had a good drink.

Unfortunately, they had betrayed Xu Yang once, and their friendship could never go back.

"Senior Brother Sun!"

Xu Yang returned to the Profound Heaven Sect all the way and soon saw Sun Tao, who had returned not long ago. He saw Sun Tao's face was glowing, his aura was vigorous, and it was as if luster was flowing between his skin and muscles.

"You cleansed your marrow?" Xu Yang was greatly astonished.

According to Sun Tao's talent, it would take at least a year or two to cleanse his marrow, unless there was another opportunity.

Sun Tao smiled: "Nothing escapes Junior Brother Xu's eyes. This time entering the Yunling Mountain Range, Zhang Hong and I could be said to have had a narrow escape from death. By luck, we turned a disaster into a blessing. I picked a strange spiritual herb and took it, and unexpectedly broke through the barrier overnight, stepping into the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

Xu Yang frowned: "Your state is a bit strange."

He felt that within Sun Tao's body, a vigorous life force was lying dormant, and luster was flowing between his skin and muscles.

Not to mention him, even anyone with a little understanding of the martial arts world could see that Sun Tao had broken through.

Since Sun Tao said he took the spiritual herb in the Yunling Mountain Range, it had been at least three or four days now, but Sun Tao's state was still like someone who had just taken the spiritual herb.

Sun Tao nodded: "That spiritual herb had a massive medicinal effect. At the beginning, it almost blew me up directly. You don't know, a few days ago, my whole body was glowing. It was only in the last two days that it got a bit better, and I dared to return to the Profound Heaven Sect with Zhang Hong."

Xu Yang knew that Sun Tao had probably picked up something good. After so many days, he still hadn't digested the medicinal effect of that strange spiritual herb.

This was the reason why many people followed one after another, risking their lives to enter the Yunling Mountain Range. Maybe one day, if they were lucky and picked a true peerless spiritual herb, their cultivation would soar to the sky.

For Sun Tao to have such strange phenomena even days after taking the spiritual herb, the spiritual herb he picked must be extraordinary. Breaking through the Marrow Cleansing Realm was just the surface; the real benefits were probably only known to Sun Tao himself.

"Senior Brother Sun, you should close your door and cultivate for a few days. When these strange phenomena disappear, we will gather again." Xu Yang said.

Not having seen each other for four or five months, he had originally come to find Sun Tao for a drink and a small gathering, but Sun Tao's situation was clearly not suitable for showing his face.

Leaving Sun Tao's courtyard, Xu Yang went to find Xu Qing again, gave her the refined Qi Gathering Elixir, and the siblings had another meal in the Outer Sect before Xu Yang returned to Fire Peak.

In the following days, with the Dragon-Tiger Great Jin Dan, his life became regular. Besides cultivation, he began to go to the Weapon Forging Pavilion to put on a show of practicing the Gold Melting Technique.

Half a month later, Sun Tao appeared outside his courtyard. The strange phenomena on his body had disappeared, and Xu Yang couldn't sense his cultivation aura either; he must have hidden his cultivation with a technique like the Breath-Restraining Technique.

It turned out that after cleansing his marrow, Sun Tao chose Fire Peak and was now also an Inner Sect disciple of Fire Peak.

The place where he lived was exactly opposite Xu Yang, the courtyard of the senior brother who had been killed by the Blood Lotus Sect last year.

"Congratulations to Senior Brother Sun for getting what you wished for!" Xu Yang smiled and cupped his hands.

Sun Tao's greatest wish was to cleanse his marrow and become an Inner Sect disciple. This originally didn't have much possibility, but when the opportunity arrived, a strange spiritual herb directly allowed him to cleanse his marrow.

Sun Tao sighed: "A narrow escape from death, finally reached this step."

For the sake of cleansing his marrow, he had wandered on the edge of life and death many times.

"By the way, I invited Zhang Yong, Wen Jie, and the others to celebrate at the Outer Sect restaurant. The time is almost up. If you have nothing to do, let's set off."

"Senior Brother, wait a moment!"

Xu Yang turned back to the room, fetched a Qi Gathering Elixir, and handed it to Sun Tao: "Congratulations to Senior Brother for being promoted to the Inner Sect. A small gift, please accept it, Senior Brother."