Chapter 237: 237. Chapter 237: Five Elements Assessment

237. Chapter 237: Five Elements Assessment

After browsing through all the introductions of the twenty‑six Fourth‑Grade Array treasures, Xiao Zhangqing took a deep breath and suppressed the frenzy in his heart.

He wanted to take all these treasures away! Unfortunately, even though he considered his current clone's strength not weaker than the Grand Elder before him, he lacks the right to kill and seize treasures.

But the Hall of Merit is not a place where he can cause chaos.

The entire palace is a massive array, and it is a Fourth‑Grade Array.

Even a Nascent Soul Initial Stage True Lord coming here would have no chance of forcibly snatching the treasures.

Not to mention this is the San Yang Sect's main base; any mishap would instantly bring a steady stream of reinforcements.

"Finished looking?" the Grand Elder put away the artifact introductions. "These treasures require at least thirty thousand contribution points; your fourteen‑thousand‑plus points are still far short."

"However, Elder Fang, you have now advanced to the mid Golden Core stage, so you can take on more tasks and earn contribution points faster. Perhaps in thirty to fifty years you'll be able to exchange for one of these treasures."

Perhaps fearing Xiao Zhangqing's disappointment, the Grand Elder added a comforting remark.

But the truest voice in his heart was not spoken.

Under normal circumstances, a mid‑stage Golden Core elder who devotes all his energy to contributing to the sect year after year, even compressing his own cultivation time, can indeed earn twenty‑to‑thirty thousand contribution points in fifty years.

But given the current state of the San Yang Sect, who knows what the future holds? Whether they can last fifty more years? So the Grand Elder's final sentence was more wishful thinking.

Xiao Zhangqing naturally would not be fooled by such empty promises.

Thirty to fifty years?

The San Yang Sect is not Character: Liyang Immortal City, and his stay in Character: Liyang Immortal City was only a casual thirty‑year residence, not a lifelong servitude of tasks.

Without replying, Xiao Zhangqing suppressed the myriad thoughts in his mind and seized the core point: "Grand Elder, why do some treasures show as non‑exchangeable? Has someone in the sect already redeemed them?"

Nearly half of these twenty‑six treasures are ones he desperately wants and would surely greatly aid his own self.

But the most notable are items like the 'Seven‑Nail Arrow' and 'Three‑Flame Whip', which have no contribution‑point label and cannot be exchanged!

These treasures clearly have a higher pedigree and lethality than those obtainable with contribution points.

For example, the 'Seven‑Nail Arrow' is a legendary Causal Magic Treasure that kills from a thousand li away, invisibly, and can instantly slay enemies weaker than oneself in cultivation or Primordial Spirit.

Moreover, there is not even a chance for a Nascent Soul to escape! According to its description, this Magic Treasure is cumbersome to wield and requires a long period of nurturing after a single use, yet its applications are endless.

As for the 'Three‑Flame Whip', it is considered the San Yang Sect's flagship treasure, a top Fourth‑Grade item; it is said to be inherited from the sect's founder, but in fact it is a relic once used by a Transformation God Venerable in Qingxu Realm's history!

If he could obtain the 'Three‑Flame Whip', besides its formidable lethality, the system might even extract some of that Transformation God Venerable's divine abilities! "It wasn't redeemed by anyone," the Grand Elder shook his head and explained, "'Non‑exchangeable' means the treasure does not require contribution points; it can be borrowed for free, but must be returned afterward. This ensures the treasures remain the sect's property, not private."

Hm? No contribution points, free borrowing?

Xiao Zhangqing's eyes lit up.

Such a good thing?

As if reading Xiao Zhangqing's thoughts, the Grand Elder chuckled, "However, borrowing these treasures requires conditions even harder than ten‑ or eighty‑thousand contribution points! For instance, if Elder Fang ever forms a Nascent Soul, he could borrow them for free."

Xiao Zhangqing nodded and asked, "Besides forming a Nascent Soul, there must be other ways to borrow them, right?"

Since its founding, the San Yang Sect has had the Nascent Soul True Lord lineage virtually single‑handed, with only a brief period when two Nascent Soul True Lords existed simultaneously.

One elder, one junior.

And the Hall of Merit houses so many top‑grade treasures that eight of them are non‑exchangeable.

The two Nascent Soul True Lords obviously can't make use of them all.

"There are indeed other ways. But for you, Elder Fang, they are even less likely than achieving the status of a Nascent Soul True Lord."

The Grand Elder smiled and shook his head, "For example, attaining a flawless, perfect Golden Core, reaching the late Golden Core stage, and becoming the sect's recognized future Nascent Soul seed…"

"For instance, while in the Golden Core realm, ranking among the top ten Golden Core cultivators of Dongji State in the Five Elements Assessment!"

"Another example: those who make a uniquely significant contribution to the sect also qualify. For example, if one could rescue the sect from fire and water and severely crush the Fuhai Sect, these treasures could be borrowed at will…"

"Of course, to heavily crush the Fuhai Sect, one must at least be a top‑tier Golden Core elite capable of slaying someone like Lady Minghe."

Xiao Zhangqing listened and couldn't help but click his tongue.

These conditions are indeed stringent.

If he remains the former Fang Yuan, his chance of meeting these conditions is truly no greater than the odds of ever forming a Nascent Soul.

First.

He has already attained the Golden Core, and its quality is already sealed as the worst of the second tier, only slightly better than the third‑tier translucent Golden Core.

Even ingesting the precious Pill 'Jin Sui Pill', which costs over ten thousand contribution points to exchange, barely improves the Golden Core's quality.

A flawless, perfect Golden Core is already a zero probability for the former Fang Yuan; there is no chance at all.

As for the second condition, ranking among the top ten Golden Core cultivators of Dongji State in the Imperial Assessment is as hard as scaling the heavens.

The Five Elements Assessment traces its origins back tens of thousands of years, to the era before the Holy Land.

At that time, a prodigiously talented Transformation God Venerable 'Five‑Elements Venerable' was unrivaled, unified Qingxu Realm, founded the true cultivation empire 'Five Elements Dynasty', and eventually ascended to the immortal realm, later honored as the Five Elements Emperor.

Earlier great demonic talents do not guarantee later successors' competence.

After the Five Elements Emperor ascended for several millennia, the Five Elements Dynasty fragmented, and Qingxu Realm entered the Holy Land era.

The Five Elements Assessment is one of the blessings the Five Elements Emperor left to posterity; within the Five Elements Secret Realm, cultivators at Foundation, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul stages can undergo the assessment.

If the assessment results are sufficiently good, meeting certain thresholds, various levels of reward are granted. Though the dynasty fell, the Five Elements Assessment has persisted to the present.

Among Qingxu Realm's twenty‑one states, Dongji State is not small; there are at least several hundred Golden Core cultivators.

Ranking among the top ten Golden Core cultivators in Dongji State signifies a great chance of eventually forming a Nascent Soul.

The third condition is roughly the same.

Making a massive contribution to the San Yang Sect requires at least slaying a high‑level master like Lady Minghe of the Fuhai Sect, which is comparable to ranking in the top ten of Dongji State's Golden Core cultivators.

Because Lady Minghe's overall strength places her roughly within the top twenty‑something among Dongji State's Golden Core cultivators.

"I… will try."

After quietly calculating in his mind, Xiao Zhangqing already formed a plan.

He is certainly going to look for a chance to try the Five Elements Assessment.

Although his avatar's spiritual‑root aptitude is very low and its Foundation Establishment quality is poor, its Soul Transformation inherited a part of his true self and metamorphosed into a Primordial Spirit.

The Five Elements Assessment is not only a test of magical talent; the Soul Transformation aspect also carries heavy weight.

In the Foundation Establishment realm there already exists a Primordial Spirit; whether such a genius exists in the Qingxu Realm is unknown, but even if it does, they are certainly few.

With this, Xiao Zhangqing still has hope of ranking among the top ten Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Eastern Extreme State.

The next option is to slay senior members of the Fuhai Sect and earn merit for the sect, which is also worth considering.

The Mist River Lady and his current body now share a "life‑and‑death grudge," so when the chance arises he naturally wants revenge.

It so happens that the Mist River Lady excels at Soul Transformation attacks, what a coincidence? "Then do we still need to exchange a treasure today?"

The Grand Elder asked.

Xiao Zhangqing nodded, "I'll exchange for the Mountain River Banner."

The once four‑tier Spirit Treasure, the famed artifact that the Nascent Soul Middle Stage True Lord rose to fame with, had its banner core destroyed in the final great battle, its power plummeting to near‑irreparable, dropping to the third tier.

Yet among Foundation Establishment cultivators, it remains a rare Magic Treasure.

His current contribution points cannot exchange for high‑grade treasures, so he must settle for something lesser.

This item can be useful to Xiao Zhangqing now, and when he returns to the Da Yu Cultivation World, it may also aid his true self.

"Mountain River Banner? Fine. Though this treasure's offensive power is a bit weak, its defensive and enemy‑binding ability is still decent. You already possess mid‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivation; with this treasure, your survivability greatly increases."

The Grand Elder finished speaking, turned and entered deep within the hall, and soon produced a set of banners, twelve in total.

Each bore a rustic aura; the materials, the carved array patterns were exceedingly profound, and even Xiao Zhangqing found them quite awe‑inspiring.

Unfortunately, more than half of the twelve banners were somewhat "damaged"; even after repair, they were clearly discordant.

Especially the main banner, over eighty percent of its damaged sections had been patched.

After a brief inspection, he packed the banners away to refine later, and Xiao Zhangqing bowed and said, "Grand Elder, I shall take my leave."

"Go, go, slay a few more Fuhai Sect brats."

The Grand Elder waved his hand, sat cross‑legged, and resumed a posture like sleeping.

……

……

Xiao Zhangqing returned to his own cave, spent three days refining the Mountain River Banner, and then mastered its various functions.

Before he could even seek a task, an elder of the External Affairs Hall, a Foundation Establishment elder, came to him proactively, offering a mission he wanted Xiao Zhangqing to handle.

Apparently the news that his injuries fully healed after emerging from the barrier had already spread among the sect's higher echelons.

Now the Sanyang Sect is in a critical situation, its high‑end combat power severely lacking; a mid‑stage Foundation Establishment true practitioner could be of great use.

The sect will not let him idle.

However, Xiao Zhangqing has no objection.

He originally intended to go to the External Affairs Hall to take tasks, earn contribution points, and see if he could meet the condition of "making a major contribution to the sect" by killing two late‑stage Golden Core masters of the Fuhai Sect.

The avatar descends upon the heavens to seize opportunities; he is destined not to be low‑key, but must act flamboyantly.

Only by displaying great strength can he obtain useful treasures.

As for the Five Elements Assessment, it opens only once every five years; the time has not yet come, so there is no rush.

"Brother Fang, congratulations. I heard that after a disaster turned into a blessing, you were gravely wounded by the Mist River Lady, yet within just half a year your injuries fully healed and your cultivation broke through to mid‑stage Foundation Establishment. Truly a boon for the sect!"

The one from the External Affairs Hall who came to Xiao Zhangqing was an elder surnamed Zhao, an early‑stage Golden Core elder, who usually gets along well with Fang Yuan.

"Brother Zhao, no need to be formal; you never go to the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. If you have a task for me today, just say it outright," Xiao Zhangqing said with a smile.

Elder Zhao, true to his word, nodded and said, "Since that's the case, I'll be direct. The Fuhai Sect has recently launched attacks on our jurisdiction's Blood Crystal Island. Three elders, led by Elder Li, have gone to garrison it, yet manpower remains insufficient. You should know how vital Blood Crystal Island is to our Sanyang Sect; failure is unacceptable. Therefore the External Affairs Hall wishes to ask Brother Fang to take the lead and cooperate with Elder Li in defending Blood Crystal Island."

The Eastern Extreme State lies adjacent to the boundless ocean, and the Sanyang Sect's jurisdiction includes a stretch of coastline.

Blood Crystal Island is an offshore island not far from the Sanyang Sect's coast, abundant in a special ore of high value.

The revenue from Blood Crystal Island accounts for nearly forty percent of the Sanyang Sect's profit and must never be handed over to the Fuhai Sect. (End of chapter)