Translator: Kazeyuki_ Editor: Jimmy_
It was not Tong Yan’s fault for feeling resentful. Basically, all the martial arts student who had broke through the two exams had a place to go. When they entered the door, they all followed their teacher to train and run errands.
Only he had received a completely different treatment. In fact, he had been assigned to sweep the floor, a filthy and tiring job. Although Tong Yan was not a spoiled Young Master, but he did come from an aristocratic family and was not very good at servant duties. Besides, he could not accept, from the bottom of his heart, the task he had been assigned to do.
Before, he thought that connecting to the Spiritual Souls was such a lucky and expected matter. To study under an elite Upper Sky warrior, how proud would he make his ancestors when others heard about it?
However, unexpectedly, here he was sweeping leaves and had been doing so for the past two months.
If someone with ill intention had spread this fact to his hometown, then he would lose face for all eight generations of his ancestors.
“Brother Qin, how did you know I was here? I heard that you were selected by an absolute elite warrior from the Stargaze Palace. Because of your appearance, our Bai Yue Country even got raised up to the rank of an Upper Subordinate Country! Nicely done.” Tong Yan’s tone was filled with envy and gratification.
Qin Wushuang laughed: “I didn’t know you were here. I came to this place in hopes of finding Shakyamuni Li Huo to make a few Upper Sky pellets. I didn’t know I would meet you here. Indeed, we were fated to meet again. Brother Tong, do you know who else from the Bai Yue got selected?”
“Three spots were taken from the Purple Flame, Blue Moon and the Great Surge Royal Territory. I took one by fluke, and the other one was Xi Men Xing. The remaining one was a Feudal Lord offspring from the Purple Flame Royal Territory. I think his name was Wan Jinpeng.”
Qin Wushuang sighed: “One hundred and twenty spots were given from the first round. After the second round, only six got selected. The cruelty of this competition is apparent. This time, the score from the Great Wu Country was insane, thirteen of theirs got selected!”
Tong Yan said bitterly: “I know, right? At that time, after the results were announced, the students from the Great Wu country were extremely arrogant. Us six had suffered no less. One of them showed exceptional talent. I heard he got selected by the Third Palace Master from the Palace as a personal disciple! He had unlimited potential. Because of this fact, those martial arts students from the Great Wu were extremely disrespectful to our Bai Yue Country and provoked us.”
“Oh? Then who did the other five from the Bai Yue Country study under?” Qin Wushuang asked curiously.
“Ha, it’s kind of embarrassing to talk about it. Besides me, they all study under the Elders.” Tong Yan scratched his head and seemed somewhat mortified.
Regarding identities, he had the lowest family status among all the qualifying martial arts students. He only came from a Venerable family. For the others, at least, they all came from a Feudal Lord or even a Royal family.
Only offspring from the Royal and the Feudal Lord families could only study under Elders. And being an offspring from a Venerable family, a Shakyamuni had picked him. When he was picked, Tong Yan was in a dreamy state and felt inspired to bring honor to his ancestors.
Thinking about it now, he would rather have been picked by an Elder. Perhaps, he would be happier in that way.
Although the position of an Elder was one level lower than a Shakyamuni, they did received a formal student treatment. Unlike him, after two months of time, he could only sweep the floor.
Seeing Tong Yan disappointed, Qin Wushuang comforted him again: “Brother Tong, although I could not guess why Shakyamuni Li Huo would arrange for you to sweep the ground, I do think he has his intentions for doing so. If I were you, I would definitely do my job properly. I would sweep the ground well, then wait for an opportunity. I only heard that if you are a piece of gold, you would shine eventually. Since Shakyamuni Li Huo has picked you, he would never make you waste your life here. Be patient. On the path of training, some obstacles may be a good thing.”
Feeling as if he had benefited from the advice, Tong Yan kept nodding: “You are right, it is my fault for feeling resentment.”
Qin Wushuang nodded: “Is Shakyamuni Li Huo at the Palace?”
“I truly don’t know. You could go in and ask other Brothers with a higher position. I am only responsible for sweeping.” After he had finished, he waved the broom with a bitter smile.
“I am going to take a look. I will catch up with you later.” Qin Wushuang smiled and said goodbye to Tong Yan. Then, he walked quickly inside.
Watching Qin Wushuang’s back, tremendous admiration filled Tong Yan. At the same time, he also become secretly determined to never feel full of remorse. There was an old saying of how plum blossoms came from the bitter cold, and he must bear all the loneliness!
When Qin Wushuang arrived at the core of the Li Huo Palace, the student guarding the door blocked his path.
“Brother, I am here to pay a visit to Shakyamuni. Please let him know.”
“Are you here to make pellets?” That guard student said with a somewhat arrogant tone.
“That’s right.” Qin Wushuang did not speak evasively.
“Ok, my teacher is not here. You can go back.” That student waved his hand lazily.
“Not here? Then may I ask, when will he return?”
“You don’t know your position!” That student glared, “Shakyamuni Li Huo is travelling. At the very least, he would be out for ten days or half a month. At most, it could take three or five years. How should I know when will he return?”
“This…” How could Qin Wushuang not discern that this person had deliberately exaggerated the facts. It would be another matter whether or not the Shakyamuni was here. After a moment of thinking, Qin Wushuang knew that this student was trying to make things difficult for him. For sure, he was asking for a bribe. At the moment, he remained calm and pretend to not understand his words. Then, he talked to himself: “This time, the Palace Master is overseeing the pellets himself. Since the Shakyamuni is not here, I will go back and report to him what exactly had happened. Brother, I will just ask one more time, are you sure the Shakyamuni is not home? If the Palace Master asks me, I need to speak the truth.”
Hearing the mention of a Palace Master, that student become stunned. He said with a somewhat ill looking face: “The Palace Master is overseeing this personally? Which Palace Master?”
“It’s the Second Palace Master, Master Tan.” Such tricks by using the power of others to intimidate people, Qin Wushuang was proficient in using it. He knew that despite being a new person, it would not be useful to use his own name. Regardless, he used his teacher’s name. If this still proved to be useless, then it would be strange.
Indeed, upon hearing the name of Tan Zhongchi, that student immediately showed a serious expression. He sized Qin Wushuang from head to toe: “You are not lying with these words?”
“It’s authentic.” Qin Wushuang said lightly.
“Ok, wait here. I am going to see if Shakyamuni has left yet! Let’s make a deal, if he has left, then there is nothing I could do.”
Qin Wushuang smiled lightly and made a “please” gesture. Inwardly, he was certain that Shakyamuni Li Huo was at the Palace. For sure, this student sentry was making things difficult for him. He had said the words this way as he wanted to leave some space for Qin Wushuang exposing him.
Of course, Qin Wushuang knew the principle of “Don’t hit people in the face and don’t point out the weakness in the argument”. Since he went to report willingly, he would not expose him. Yet inwardly, he sighed and felt that his teacher’s name was useful.
No wonder this student switched from arrogance to deference. In the Stargaze Palace, Tan Zhongchi, the Second Palace Master was famous for his iron handed actions and overprotectiveness. Whoever offended people from his line, then they would be asking for their own suffering.
When Qin Wushuang remembered how the Old Man Ji Yin had acted so cautiously when he saw his teacher, it was not a strange to see a little student guard acting like this.
Indeed, after a moment, that student sentry jogged out: “You are lucky, the Shakyamuni has not left yet. Go ahead. It will be his business whether he will make the pellets for you.”
Qin Wushuang cupped his hands and thanked him. Then, he walked inside.
Guided by a Herbalist student from indoor, Qin Wushuang arrived at the main hall of the Li Huo Palace. Presently, Shakyamuni Li Huo was sitting cross-legged. The palm of his two hands facing upwards laid upon his knees.
Like two fairies, two different flame danced on the palm of his two hands. One flame was a bright red color and the other lump was a darker greenish flame.
With his gestures, one could not even feel it was two separate lump of flames. It appeared much more like a unit of the Yin Yang group.
“Sit!”
The Shakyamuni spoke lightly. Qin Wushuang half bowed and sat on one of the chair. However, he did not speak and looked at these two lumps of flame. Inwardly, he was secretly impressed.
Shakyamuni Li Huo’s strength revealed his extraordinary martial artist’s strength. At least, he was an elite warrior at the Middle Stage of the Upper Sky Spiritual Martial Force.
However, everyone at the Upper Sky knew that no one at the Initial Stage could extract the fire element into a solidified form.
An Initial Stage warrior could absorb natural power. However, they could not extract the natural elements independently.
To be able to extract these basic elements, one would need to achieve the Middle Stage of the Spiritual Martial Force.
And Shakyamuni’s hand had showed extremely pure fire element. It was two differently shaped fire elements. One was the Yin Fire, and the other one was the Sun Fire.
In other words, not only could the Shakyamuni extract the basic elements, he could also extract them and form them into solids.
If he were to use it as an attack move, it would be many times stronger than the spiritual power from an Initial Stage warrior.
Regarding Spiritual attack, the more purer, the more powerful.
Without speaking a word, Qin Wushuang was feeling veneration. He watched and felt it carefully.
The tips of both his hands could not help but dance. Inwardly, he thought: “If I could extract elements from the <Coagulated Sword> and form it into the Gang sword, then the attack power would increase many times! It seems, it is a skill in which only a Middle Staged warrior would have.”
“Qin Wushuang, direct student to the Second Palace Master. We have met once.”
“Yes, when I just entered here, I have met with you once.”
The Shakyamuni nodded lightly: “Indeed, the Second Palace Master had good eyes. I remember clearly at that time, there was a vote regarding whether you would advance into the Core students. Unfortunately, that vote happened before I met you. If I had met you, I would have voted yes.”
On the other hand, Qin Wushuang was straightforward as he smiled: “That did not matter to me. If I use my strength to advance into the Core, it will be more convincing. Presently, it’s not far from that end of the year exam.”
Shakyamuni Li Huo nodded: “Nice. You have come today to ask me to make the pellets?”
“Please.” Qin Wushuang bowed respectfully.
“If you want me to make the pellets, you must pass my test. If you can, I will do it myself. If not, we can only go by the rules and give it to my students to make it. Regarding the success rate, it would be none of my business.”
Qin Wushuang felt awe-inspired, he must pass a test before asking him to make the pellets?
