Chapter 21: Saint-Level Cultivation Technique

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Xuandan Sect. The Medicine Garden.

The Xuandan Sect was once the largest alchemy sect in the Great Xia Dynasty, and its medicine garden was the most expansive in the land, covering three great mountains and stretching for ten thousand miles. However, as the sect declined, the garden was left without disciples to guard it, eventually falling into the hands of ferocious beasts. Nourished by the spiritual herbs, these beasts grew far more powerful than their ordinary kin.

As the disciple-recruitment tournament began, cultivators swarmed into the garden, vying to slay the beasts.

[Ding! Zhang San helped you maintain the medicine garden by slaying a Qi Condensation beast. Reward: 1 year of cultivation.]
[Ding! Wang Mazi helped you maintain the medicine garden by slaying a Foundation Establishment beast. Reward: 2 years of cultivation.]
[Ding! The Poison Master helped you maintain the medicine garden by slaying a Golden Core beast. Reward: 5 years of cultivation.]
[Ding! Sister Yao helped you maintain the medicine garden by slaying a Nascent Soul beast. Reward: 10 years of cultivation.]
[Ding! Luo Hao helped you maintain the medicine garden by slaying a Golden Core beast. Reward: 10 years of cultivation.]
[...]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the task. Reward: System Reclamation.]

System notifications refreshed incessantly before Chen Xuan’s eyes. Every time a participant killed a beast, he received a reward. His goal in holding the tournament in the garden was simply to have them clear out the infestation. It was a win-win: the beasts were purged, and he reaped the system rewards.

Two days passed, and the system had refreshed thousands of times. While most were Qi Condensation beasts, the sheer volume had granted Chen Xuan thousands of years of cultivation, propelling him from the mid-stage to the late-stage of the Spirit Severing Realm. He had also accumulated thousands of "filial piety points."

Chen Xuan was stunned. In just a few days, he had gone from a Nascent Soul cultivator nearing the end of his lifespan to a late-stage Spirit Severing expert. If these people’s "filial piety" were even higher, he might be able to ascend to immortality right then and there. Furthermore, because Luo Hao had participated, his system task was also completed.

The tournament concluded, and the results were in. The top two were as expected. The first was Sister Yao, an elder of the Joyous Union Sect; she had slain a Great Nascent Soul Beast, ranking first in core quality and second in quantity. The second was the Poison Master, who used his Nascent Soul cultivation and mastery of toxins to slaughter numerous Golden Core beasts, ranking second in core quality and first in quantity.

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The third-place winner, however, took everyone by surprise: Luo Hao.

Having previously sold a jade pendant to Chen Xuan for 100,000 spirit stones, Luo Hao had advanced from the early stage of Foundation Establishment to the late stage in just a few days. While his cultivation wasn't the highest, he possessed "Golden Luck." His fortune was explosive; he encountered no powerful beasts along the way and even stumbled upon a severely wounded, near-death Golden Core beast. In two days, he had accumulated one Golden Core, over 200 Foundation Establishment cores, and over 500 Qi Condensation cores, securing him third place.

The others had mostly encountered beasts stronger than themselves and were left heavily wounded. This resulted in an absurd top three: two Nascent Soul experts and one Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"That kid is so lucky. Only at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, yet he outpaced a crowd of Golden Core experts to reach the top three!"
"Exactly, I'm not convinced."
"My cultivation is clearly higher than his; why does he get to be in the top three?"
"I don't accept this!"

A crowd of cultivators who considered themselves superior to Luo Hao complained. Their strength was greater, but they had exhausted their spiritual power early on by running into powerful beasts.

Chen Xuan clicked his tongue. They had no choice but to accept it. Who else but someone with "Orange Luck" could walk along and find a near-death Golden Core beast? Could a bunch of NPCs with "Blue" or "White" luck compare?

"Sect Leader Chen, the tournament is over. Isn't it time to hand out the rewards?" Li Qingshan and his two companions spoke with malicious delight, intentionally raising their voices for all to hear.

The square fell silent. The Poison Master and the Joyous Union Sect elder stared intently at Chen Xuan. If he dared to deceive them, they would turn the Xuandan Sect upside down.

"My word is my bond." Chen Xuan waved his hand and said to Chu Lingyun, "Lingyun, go to the utility room and bring out the items."

"Yes." Chu Lingyun nodded, and moments later, she returned with three prepared Saint-grade cultivation manuals.

"Pick," Chen Xuan said to Luo Hao and the others, tossing the manuals toward them.

"This... this is truly a Saint-grade manual!" The Poison Master caught one and opened a single page; he immediately sensed its profound nature—it was vastly superior to the Earth-grade manuals he practiced.

"They really have Saint-grade manuals!"
"And there are three of them!"
"This one is good, I want this one!"
"You slut, that's mine, don't grab it!"
"Old Poison, I had my eye on that one!"

The Poison Master and the elder of the Joyous Union Sect began to quarrel.

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They had come to the tournament just to try their luck, thinking that even one Saint-grade manual would be a great find. Now that Chen Xuan had produced three at once, they were dazzled and terrified the others would end up with something better.

"The Xuandan Sect actually has Saint-grade manuals. Sect Leader Chen wasn't boasting."
"Saint-grade manuals are rare in this world. Did I hear right? He just pulled them out of a utility room, and three at once!"
"I'm biting my teeth in regret. If my luck had been better, that manual would be mine."
"It's not too late. If I join the Xuandan Sect, maybe I'll have a chance to practice such manuals in the future."
"I want to join the Xuandan Sect!"
"I am willing to donate ten thousand low-grade spirit stones just to join!"
"I'll join without a salary; I'll sweep the floors every day!"
"Sect Leader Chen, are you looking for a bed-warming maid..."

The square was in an uproar. No one had expected the Xuandan Sect to possess such treasures. Everyone scrambled to join, hoping that even a glimpse of a Saint-grade manual would benefit them greatly.

Li Qingshan was also stunned. He had considered that Chen Xuan might have one, but never three. It seemed the legend of the Immortal's Treasure was true; otherwise, Chen Xuan couldn't possibly possess so many. Seeing Chen Xuan’s nonchalant attitude toward these manuals, Li Qingshan suspected there were even higher-tier manuals—perhaps Immortal-grade—hidden within the treasure. A greedy glint filled his eyes.

"Sect Leader Li," Chen Xuan said, smiling at him. "The tournament is finished, and the rewards have been distributed. Since you no longer need to maintain the passage, is it time for you all to return?"

Li Qingshan’s expression stiffened. Return? That was impossible. The Immortal's Treasure was right before him; he had to have it.

"Sect Leader Li, Sect Leader Shi, Sect Leader Dongfang, please return. We have an initiation ceremony to attend to," the Poison Master and the elder of the Joyous Union Sect interjected. They were aware of the three major sects' ill intentions. They hadn't spoken up before, but now that they had personally received the Saint-grade manuals, it was time to show some sincerity and defend the sect that had rewarded them.