"Sister Zhou is here!"
"Hahaha! So the rumors are true! Sister Zhou is here today. We didn't waste our ti!"
"Sister Zhou has already taken the lead in the Fifth Volu of Plants and Vegetation and the three volus of spiritual creatures. This ti, she will surely challenge the Fourth Volu of Soul Creatures!"
The buzzing conversation ebbed and flowed, and the crowd grew larger. Yan Xiaobao found himself trapped in the middle, but luckily, he was not as fat as he used to be. After a bit of jostling, he managed to make his way to the front. Just like that, he lifted his head and saw a bright light dancing in the sky.
It was the blue flying silk, and standing upon it was a young woman dressed in Outer Sect attire. Her long black hair fluttered behind her; she had narrow phoenix-like eyebrows and eyes as cold as the moon. Her complexion was lovely, and her figure was slender and graceful.
As she flew towards one of the ten steles, the surrounding Outer Sect disciples cheered. She landed effortlessly and headed straight into a small cabin below the stele without even looking around.
It was only at this point that Yan Xiaobao noticed that there were small cabins at each of the ten steles. In fact, people were constantly moving in and out of them, including the cabin the young woman had just entered.
The surrounding disciples were extrely excited. Yan Xiaobao glanced around, found a disciple who looked thinner and weaker than the others, and walked towards him.
Then he shouted loudly, "Finally, I can see Sister Zhou again. This ti she will surely take first place on the ninth stele!"
After that, he turned to the scrawny guy to inquire more about what was going on. Considering the young man was in a good mood, he quickly provided a detailed explanation.
"Sister Zhou aims to beco the first person ever to claim first place at all ten steles from ancient tis to now. She's the only one who might achieve it. All she has to do is take the test of the Fourth and Fifth Volu of Spiritual Beings, and she'll undoubtedly be first in both!"
Yan Xiaobao thought that the most critical thing was obtaining the second batch of plants and vegetation, which ant he had to take the test in the appropriate cabin. If he succeeded, then the volu was his. Therefore, he began to make his way through the crowd towards the first stele. It wasn't easy, and once he arrived there, he found all the cabins already occupied. After waiting for a while, he saw a discouraged disciple erge from one, but this didn't dissuade him. He imdiately entered the cabin.
Once inside, it was as if he had completely detached from the noise of outside; everything here was quiet. The cabin wasn't large, and in the middle of it, in front of a small stele, lay a prayer mat.
Yan Xiaobao sat cross-legged in the prescribed manner, then pulled out the jade containing the first batch of plants and vegetation. He placed it on the stele and then sank into a state of concentration. The stele humd and began to glow.
"According to what my brother outside said, now is when I decide what badge will designate as a Pharmacist." After thinking for a mont, he smiled and drew the image of a turtle. He liked turtles, and although his drawing was a bit misshapen and ugly, it looked quite nice to him.
The turtle badge flashed several tis. Yan Xiaobao took a deep breath. He settled his Qi and cleared his thoughts, his eyes beginning to brighten. Finally, he slowly reached out his hand and placed it on the stele. At the mont he touched it, a rumbling sound filled his mind, and his vision swam. When clarity returned, he was no longer in the cabin but in a fantastical world.
Before he could acclimate to the surroundings, light flashed in front of him, and countless dicinal plants appeared, filling his vision.
Not a single dicinal plant was whole. Instead, they were divided into ten or more fragnts, all scattered about.
Just by looking around, it was impossible to discern how many plants there were in total.
This thod of testing at the Ten Thousand dicines Pavilion was feared by countless Outer Sect disciples of Xiangyun Peak. Over the years, many disciples had taken the test only to feel it was completely futile. Therefore, if your na enters the top 100 on the stele, you beco the object of envy and recognition among the masses.
It was particularly true for the top position, which led to widespread fa.
A cold and unfeeling voice suddenly rang out: "During the burning of incense, reassemble the Elf Plant. Your test results will be based on the total number you put together. You can start now."
"Is that all?" Yan Xiaobao thought. He could scarcely believe it. He had imrsed himself in studying the dicinal plants within the jade and had already identified hundreds of dicinal plant parts he could assemble.
He had been very worried about this test, but now that he saw what it involved, he felt relieved. However, he still didn't completely relax.
"It's not easy. Given how simple the test seems, the final goal must be very high." Feeling tense again, he quickly waved his fingers in the air, pointing towards a dozen dicinal plant fragnts. These fragnts imdiately pieced together, forming two dicinal plants.
Next, he waved both hands in the air, not even pausing as he sent nurous plant fragnts flying and coming together. One by one the dicinal plants ford until he soon had 100.
He lifted his head and thought for a while, his spirit rallying. Adjusting everything else, he focused entirely on the dicinal plant fragnts, his hands flying quickly. Then he suddenly thought about the terrible possibility of failing the test and, with a more determined resolve, went all out. His eyes were completely bloodshot, his hands moving even faster.
100 plants. 200 plants. 300 plants. 500 plants... 1000 plants!
Sweat poured from his face, white steam rising from the top of his head, his hands flying. He scanned around and imdiately found more dicinal plant parts he could assemble. He had constantly devoted himself to this process ever since studying the dicinal plants of the jade; he reached a point where he wished he could grind them into powder for further research.
However, that was impossible, so he could only painstakingly examine them until he felt he completely understood them.
If any disciples outside could see what was happening, they would find it unbelievable. To them, this test was terrifying, making the hair on the back of their necks stand. No one could imagine how thoroughly Yan Xiaobao had studied the jade dicinal plants.
Ti flew by. 2,000 plants. 3,000 plants....
Yan Xiaobao's eyes were entirely bloodshot as he forced his hands to follow his thoughts. He even relied on the power of Level 4 Qi Condensation, fearing he couldn't keep up.
Regardless of how fast his speed was, he was uncertain about passing, so all he could do was grit his teeth and continue pressing forward.
4,000 plants. 5,000 plants. 6,000 plants. 7,000 plants....
He wasn't sure how much ti had passed, with so plant fragnts remaining. Suddenly, light began to flash all around, and his vision blurred. The cabin ca back into view, with the jade sliding plate appearing on the surface of the stele. It was the sa slide he presented earlier, containing the first batch of plants and vegetation.
"I missed so, but only a few..." he thought anxiously. After picking up the jade, he walked out of the cabin, feeling thoroughly dispirited. Just then, he heard cheers from outside.
He looked up in the direction of the cabin that Zhou Xinqi had entered. As she erged, her na suddenly appeared in the first place.
"Hahaha! Sister Zhou did it! Didn't I say she'd get another unprecedented first place!?"
"She absolutely deserves the recognition of the spiritual ridians of plants and vegetation. The choices for her future are endless!"
"Sister Zhou, we will wait for you to set another record. When you achieve first place in all ten, the grand Spiritual Stream Bell will notify the entire sect!" All the surrounding Outer Sect disciples cheered. Although so looked displeased, and so harsh words were spoken, they were drowned out by overwhelming applause. Zhou Xinqi's status among the disciples here was like the sun in the sky. In fact, nearly everyone had faith in Fragrant Cloud Peak.
Though she was generally cold, the applause from the surrounding disciples inevitably made her feel sowhat pleased, and she smiled slightly. That smile made the cheers even louder.
...
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