Chapter 17: 17 Alliance

Drinking the medicinal soup in the bowl, a warm stream flowed into the stomach.

Zhang Rongfang listened to the strange cries echoing in the dark of the back mountain and suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of emotion.

If it were in the past life, perhaps there wouldn’t be so much noise in the mountains.

Because anything that could move might already be nearly extinct.

In places close to human habitation, animals rarely dare to roar recklessly.

Lifting his head, he finished the soup in one gulp. Zhang Rongfang exhaled a mouthful of hot air, feeling warm all over.

He tidied up the medicine pot, packed it in a cloth bag, carried it, and returned to his room,

After drinking the Four Substances Soup for many days in a row, until he finished all five doses, Zhang Rongfang clearly felt the gathering of the warm current of attributes within him.

Time flowed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, another month had passed.

In Shangde Garden of Qinghe Palace.

Amidst the surrounding trees.

Xiao Rong sat calmly on a grand master chair.

In front of him stood five martial cultivator disciples in a row.

Senior Brother Jiao Teng, with a robust build and thick body hair, although only twenty-four now, his bearded face made him look more like a Huxi person.

Second Senior Brother Chen Wuyou was temporarily absent. Standing second was a burly man with short yellow hair, named Hong Da.

Third Sister Zhao Dacong, also burly and strong, stood with her hands behind her back, exuding a deep aura, her body like a rock wall.

The fourth was Chen Hui, who was also a Kun Dao, meaning a female daoist, with a slender and well-proportioned figure and ordinary appearance.

Fifth was Zhang Rongfang, who had just been taken in as a disciple.

Today was Xiao Rong’s third assessment of his disciples. Each time, all five martial cultivator disciples who worshiped him as a teacher had to be assessed to check their progress.

After all, he personally managed the expenses for the disciples, and if anyone was unsatisfactory, that disciple’s consumption might decrease.

As each disciple stepped forward to perform martial arts,

Xiao Rong maintained a calm demeanor, occasionally nodding slightly, as he already knew the general progress of these disciples.

The assessment was actually meant to deepen their sense of crisis, preventing laziness and lack of motivation.

This served as a form of supervision.

At this time, the first three had already finished their performances, each having reached or surpassed the first level in the past. Now, after a few months, progress was present but not significant.

When it came to the fourth, Chen Hui, her expression was indifferent, her ordinary appearance exuding an inexplicable clear and cold confidence.

She was a new disciple taken in by Xiao Rong a few days ago, without any bribes or connections involved; she was just admitted suddenly.

In fact, everyone, including Senior Brother Jiao Teng, was quite curious about her.

No one knew what qualities Chen Hui possessed that made her so favored by the teacher.

“Chen Hui, demonstrate the Mountain-shaped Talisman that you’ve just learned to everyone,” Xiao Rong’s gaze shifted to Chen Hui in the fourth position, his tone noticeably softened.

Clearly, his attitude toward her required different treatment.

“Yes.” Chen Hui nodded respectfully, stepped forward, and slightly bowed to the others with her fist in her palm.

Pa!

Suddenly, her fist and palm pointed forward, and the starting move of the Point of the Gentle Breeze was executed. Subsequently, all the moves of the Mountain-shaped Talisman were performed with varying speed, naturally carrying a rhythm.

“Impressive! You can’t even tell she has only been learning for less than a month!” Zhao Dacong couldn’t help but whisper, with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Jiao Teng slightly bit his lip, his expression unchanged, but a sense of crisis grew within him.

Having just learned for a month and being able to master the basics of the Mountain-shaped Talisman so skillfully, there’s no doubt that Chen Hui is truly a martial arts genius.

Zhang Rongfang, standing last, also marveled.

If he hadn’t had attribute points back then, he could never have achieved this level with the Mountain-shaped Talisman.

To know that his Mountain-shaped Talisman had taken two months just to get started, while Chen Hui was already…

Although his current Mountain-shaped Talisman was similar in terms of proficiency in the moves.

Apart from the enhancement brought by attribute points to his body through martial arts, merely discussing moves, Chen Hui at this moment could easily spar with him.

At this point, Zhang Rongfang had to admit that some people are naturally suited for this field.

He spent two months just to get started, while she took a month to reach a level of mastery.

“Very good.” Xiao Rong gently clapped, his face filled with praise. “Chen Hui has made great progress; the rest of you should learn from her. Whatever you do, focus all your efforts and don’t slack off or cut corners. Only then can you achieve results quickly. Understood?”

“Understood!” Everyone responded in unison.

After Chen Hui finished, it was Zhang Rongfang’s turn.

He didn’t reveal much foundation, performing the thirty-two forms of the Mountain-shaped Talisman in a standard manner. The moves were proficient, but nothing else stood out.

The Mountain-shaped Talisman requires achieving a level of proficiency where every move embodies the essence and spirit of the rising and falling mountains.

Zhang Rongfang deliberately performed standardly to completely conceal his true level.

His biggest thought now was to avoid being discovered as the one who committed the killing.

To prevent the bandit’s accomplices from tracking him down and causing trouble.

Soon, after finishing the performance, Zhang Rongfang returned to the lineup.

Xiao Rong then began explaining the essence of the Mountain-shaped Talisman. In truth, he wasn’t a particularly good teacher, as his explanations were abstruse and difficult to understand. In the middle, he occasionally took a sip from a wine gourd nonchalantly.

From time to time, he would also spontaneously recite a poem or two.

The attentiveness of the listeners was seriously challenged.

Initially, Zhang Rongfang listened with particular care, but later he found that the content Xiao Rong explained, based on his enhanced Mountain-shaped Talisman, he had already mastered, so he began looking down and slacking off, letting his mind wander.

At this moment, he was eagerly watching the attribute section, where another free attribute point had appeared.

This attribute point suddenly appeared when the martial test started just now.

From medicinal consumption to now, just within a month, there was already an attribute point gain.

Clearly, this was the effect of the Four Substances Soup.

And this was with a formula using ingredients less than three years old.

If high-year herbs are used with the recipe, what would the effect be? Zhang Rongfang feels he might just take off on the spot?

’Unfortunately… it’s too expensive, and the pharmacy is hard to gather them.’

Watching Xiao Rong’s lips move quickly up and down, his thoughts involuntarily drifted elsewhere.

Soon, Xiao Rong finished talking about the Mountain-shaped Talisman, paused for a moment, and looked at Senior Brother Jiao Teng, as well as Zhao Da Cong beside him.

“Jiao Teng, Zhao Da Cong, you both have now reached the second tier. Entering the tier is the first limit break, and each tier thereafter essentially requires another limit break to achieve.

But, breaking limits is quite damaging to the body. Only with proper internal and external remedies can you minimize the risk of internal injuries. If you make progress, remember to collect Heart Nourishing Pills from the pill room before breaking limits.” Xiao Rong advised.

“Understood!” Jiao Teng knew this was about him.

Since Zhao Da Cong has just broken through to the second tier, there’s only him aiming for a breakthrough to the third tier.

He clasped his fists respectfully and thanked his master for the assistance.

Xiao Rong offered a few more words of encouragement, then said no more and got up to leave.

Jiao Teng sighed, glanced at the other junior brothers and sisters, said nothing, and left on his own.

Except for Zhao Da Cong, he considered the others merely ordinary people in his eyes. Only Chen Hui was worth a little attention.

The rest said nothing and gradually walked along the stone path of Shangde Garden outwards.

Zhang Rongfang looked up at Chen Hui; her presence truly made him recognize up close what talent looked like.

Suddenly he thought of Situ Nan, who was once friends with several of them, but now seemed like a stranger.

As he exited Shangde Garden, he distinctly saw Zhou Ze, Situ Nan, and Tao Mengjie standing together with Senior Brother Jiao Teng, as well as several others.

They formed a small circle surrounded by a larger circle, all Martial Cultivator disciples.

Half of the Martial Cultivator disciples at Qinghe Palace were basically present here.

Jiao Teng and those with tiers were in the first class, followed by Zhou Ze, Tao Mengjie, these talents or gifted ones.

And then the circle of ordinary Martial Cultivator disciples.

This is the clear circle among the disciples of Qinghe Palace.

People like Jiao Teng were usually True Disciples and had completely different treatment from the rest.

Zhang Rongfang and some other Martial Cultivator disciples stood at a distance, watched this scene, and each left with their thoughts.

“Why are they gathered like that?” Suddenly a female voice asked quietly behind.

“They’re seeking advice from senior brothers and sisters on experiences and tips for nourishing blood and muscle forging to enter the tier.” Another woman replied, “After all, with so many people, opportunities are scarce. Masters don’t have the patience to explain meticulously to everyone; many times one must consult senior brothers and sisters.”

“I don’t know about entering the tier, but is nourishing blood really that hard? Isn’t it quite simple to pass?” The first female voice asked in surprise.

Zhang Rongfang couldn’t help but turn around. He happened to see Chen Hui’s face slightly surprised.

Clearly, she was truly puzzled.

Indeed… being able to continuously complete a series of Mountain-shaped Talisman definitely counts as entering nourishing blood.

For Chen Hui and him, Zhang Rongfang, the only difference now is the time for nourishing blood accumulation.

Nourishing blood gradually improves physique, and this improvement requires time.

Zhang Rongfang just used attribute points to forcibly compress this process into an extremely short period.

“Senior Brother Zhang, why are you looking at me?” Chen Hui questioned puzzledly. For her, who had joined later, Zhang Rongfang was indeed her senior brother.

“Nothing… just feeling a bit emotional.” Zhang Rongfang sighed, finally glanced in the direction of Situ Nan.

The other party at this moment had a serene face, quietly speaking with Zhou Ze beside her.

Seemingly sensing the gaze, Situ Nan turned her head and happened to see Zhang Rongfang’s receding figure.

Memories of days spent with Zhang Rongfang flashed in her mind, but she said nothing.

Pang Pangzi, Zhang Rongfang, and Li Suanmei, for her, were all past tense.

People move upwards, water flows downwards; the people she interacts with today must elevate because of her own rising level.

Friends can only truly be friends with equality.

Returning to the room for a midday rest.

Zhang Rongfang lay on the bed, staring at the gray-white mosquito net fabric, feeling a sense of calm inside.

After several confirmations, he already affirmed that the martial arts of this world were akin to the old novels without Inner Strength from the previous life.

In the martial world, Jianghu, the greater the fame, the stronger the power.

And Qinghe Palace is merely a mid-sized branch sect within Pingyu Road. Its martial arts are considered orthodox but sparse in actual combat.

This point he fully verified during his patrol outings recently.

After all, Huaxin County doesn’t only have Qinghe Palace as one force; plenty of rumors circulate as well.

“Well, having a place to settle is already quite good.”

He took a deep breath, letting go of distracting thoughts, lifted his hand, his gaze focused intently.

Soon, the attribute bar appeared.

Without any hesitation, he immediately added the free attribute points obtained from shortening time eating Four Substances Soup to the Mountain-shaped Talisman.

And the Mountain-shaped Talisman instantly blurred from the previous mastery level.

Two seconds later.

A new text emerged.

’Mountain-shaped Talisman (Perfected)’

“Perfected?”

Zhang Rongfang had no time to ponder; suddenly he felt excruciating pain as if his whole body was tearing apart.

From head to toe, inside and out, every piece of flesh sent waves of agony.

His whole being arched upwards.

The intense pain caused him to convulse wildly, wanting to scream.

But at such a time, in such a place, Zhang Rongfang dared not make any sound, fearing others would discover his anomaly.

He gritted his teeth tightly, could only endure the pain, waiting for the attribute point transformation to end.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep