45: Xuan Yangzi, Saint-level aptitude

The Medicinal Pill melted upon entering his mouth, and a warm, gentle current flowed down his throat, initially soft like melting snow in spring, but then it suddenly erupted as it passed his heart.

Countless golden light points flowed like a river of stars, surging through his Meridians.

The Spiritual Qi barriers that had been blocked for many years shattered inch by inch under the onslaught of the light points, and a tingling warmth spread throughout his body, as if an invisible hand was meticulously smoothing out the creases in his muscles.

“Ugh ah —”

Xuan Yangzi couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, as the Spiritual Qi around him surged wildly into a vortex, and his King Realm Peak aura exploded like a volcanic eruption.

The spiritual fruits on the stone table were sent flying by the air current, and the Purple Bamboo leaves rustled, with half of them turning into fragments of spiritual light, eagerly merging into his body.

Gu Changge flicked his fingertips, and a green light, like a glazed cover, descended, steadily suppressing Xuan Yangzi's surging aura at the critical point.

He leaned against the bamboo chair, casually watching the glow around Xuan Yangzi gradually intensify, even the white hairs at his temples were tinged with a golden radiance.

Half an hour later, the light suddenly receded.

Xuan Yangzi's eyes snapped open, a golden light flashing like lightning in his pupils, and the Spiritual Qi swirling around him was a hundred times more condensed than before.

He instinctively looked inward, then suddenly froze, trembling as he pulled out the spirit-testing jade from hisPregnant.

The jade surface, which had originally only glowed with a faint golden halo, was now as brilliant as the scorching sun, with four ancient characters appearing on its edge: Saint-Grade Medium Grade!

“Aptitude... my Aptitude...”

Xuan Yangzi's voice trembled, his thumb repeatedly caressing the four characters, then he suddenly grabbed Gu Changge's arm, his knuckles turning white from the force.

His eyes instantly turned red, and turbid old tears rolled down his deeply lined cheeks: “Saint-Grade Medium Grade! I was only Heaven-Grade Medium Grade before!”

He recalled the spirit-testing jade that had only lit up halfway when he tested his Aptitude a hundred years ago.

He recalled the Elders' regretful words, “Malleable but difficult to become a Saint,” and the countless sleepless nights spent tossing and turning, stuck at a Bottleneck.

At this moment, the jade in his palm was warm and hot, and the Saint-Grade Medium Grade halo illuminated his old face, making him cry like a child who had received candy.

Gu Changge handed him a brocade handkerchief, saying faintly, “It’s just a Medicinal Pill, is it really that big of a deal?”

“It is! It’s a huge deal!”

Xuan Yangzi snatched the brocade handkerchief to wipe his face, crying like a child.

“You don’t understand! This means I can Breakthrough to a much higher level, it means the Azure Profound Sect can become stronger and stronger! It means...”

He suddenly hugged Gu Changge, patting his back with thudding sounds,

“Changge! My good Junior Brother! From now on, I’ll protect your Zizhu Peak! If anyone dares to provoke you, I, Xuan Yangzi, will be the first to overturn their Sect!”

Little Black Bird rolled its eyes from the bamboo branch, then fluttered down and snatched the last spiritual fruit from the stone table.

This person had said “hadn't found a wife” just a while ago, but now he probably had even thought of his great-grandson's name.

Gu Changge pushed him away helplessly, flicked his finger, and five bottles of Marrow Cleansing Pill landed on the table.

“For you.”

Xuan Yangzi was crying heartily when he suddenly caught sight of the five bottles of Marrow Cleansing Pill that Gu Changge handed over, and his crying abruptly stopped.

He snatched the jade bottles, his fingers caressing the bottle bodies as if he were holding a rare treasure.

His previous tears were instantly replaced by ecstasy, and even his wrinkles were brimming with smiles.

“The five Old Ancestors of the Forbidden Ground, one for each of them. Their lifespan is nearing its end, so perhaps they can advance further with the Medicinal Pill's power.

The six Peak Masters of Dan Ding Peak, Jianxiao Peak, and others will also each get one, and there are a few Elders as well. They are the pillars of the Sect, and if their Aptitude improves, the Sect's Foundation will be stable.”

Xuan Yangzi counted clearly on his fingers.

“The rest will go to the chief Disciples of the various Peaks — Lu Chenyu of Zhenyue Peak, Lin Xiaowan of Dan Ding Peak, Chu Jingchen of Jianxiao Peak... If these children's Aptitude can be raised by one level, they will be able to bear more responsibility in the future.”

He paused, tucking the jade bottles deeper into his embrace, smiling like a squirrel that had hoarded enough food.

“Dividing them this way, the Old Ancestors, Peak Masters, and chief Disciples can all benefit, and it should be enough for now.”

“After the grand competition, we’ll see who has the most potential, and the rest will be saved for focused Cultivation.”

After speaking, he suddenly remembered something. He had previously thought of using the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill and Innate Spirit Marrow to see if he could further improve the Aptitude of a few Disciples.

Now with these Marrow Cleansing Pills, he could save them! Woohoo, liftoff!

Gu Changge watched Xuan Yangzi suddenly stop and grin foolishly, his face beaming with excitement, looking utterly like an idiot.

A moment later, Xuan Yangzi composed himself.

Then he remembered something else and solemnly bowed to Gu Changge.

“No words can express my gratitude! From now on, my life, Xuan Yangzi’s life, is yours!”

With that, he turned and rushed down the mountain, but after two steps, he turned back.

“Oh right! I’ll accept the King Realm treasures. The Disciples' strength is not yet enough. I’ll personally write the grand competition reward list; one Heaven-Grade treasure will be enough to drive all the Sect Disciples crazy!”

Watching his hurried departure, Gu Changge shook his head and chuckled.

Back mountain Forbidden Ground.

“Old Ancestors, look what good things Xiao Yangzi has brought you!”

He shouted, raising his voice, and quickened his pace, wanting to give the Old Ancestors a surprise.

But as soon as he rushed to the barrier, there was a dull thud, and a translucent barrier suddenly appeared, glowing with a glazed luster, forcefully bouncing him back, almost causing him to fall on his backside.

Xuan Yangzi clutched his bumped arm, staring wide-eyed at the barrier.

The runes flowing on the barrier were several times denser than usual, faintly accompanied by the sound of Dragon and Phoenix cries, and touching it caused a needle-like stinging sensation — the strength of this barrier was at least three times stronger than before!

“That’s strange...” He circled the barrier twice, stroking his chin in thought.

“I clearly didn’t ask anyone to reinforce it, could it be...”

Suddenly remembering the spiritual tea he had given the Old Ancestors a few days ago, Xuan Yangzi suddenly understood.

It was most likely that the Old Ancestors had drunk the enlightenment tea, their Cultivation had improved, and they had strengthened the barrier.

He looked at the five stone Peaks vaguely visible behind the barrier, where clouds and mist swirled, and the stone platforms where the Old Ancestors meditated glowed with a faint golden light, clearly indicating they were engrossed in comprehension.

“Never mind, never mind.”

Xuan Yangzi weighed the Marrow Cleansing Pill in his hand, smacking his lips.

“I can’t interrupt the Old Ancestors' Cultivation just for a Medicinal Pill; that would be a loss rather than a gain.”

He turned and left the Forbidden Ground.

On the stone Peaks behind the barrier, five aged figures slowly opened their eyes.

The Great Ancestor stroked his beard, his gaze passing through the translucent barrier, watching Xuan Yangzi's hurried departure, and he couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

“Who reinforced this barrier? Why haven’t they removed it yet?”

The Fifth Ancestor was using Spiritual Qi to brush away the tea stains on the stone platform, and hearing this, he rolled his eyes.

“Who else could it be? It was you who were eager to drink the tea that day, and you strengthened the barrier.”

The Third Old Ancestor rubbed the back of his head, chuckling, “Isn’t it because we thought it would be safer to reinforce it... Who knew Xiao Yangzi would come at this time.”

The Great Ancestor flicked his fingertip on the stone table, where faint golden tea stains from the enlightenment tea still remained.

“Look at the jade bottle in his hand, surrounded by spiritual light, it’s probably a good thing. The spiritual tea a few days ago allowed me to touch the threshold of the Saint-Grade, and what’s in this bottle...”

The Fourth Ancestor suddenly interrupted him, pointing in the direction where Xuan Yangzi had disappeared outside the barrier.

“That kid just shouted ‘brought good stuff’, he was most likely coming for us. Now this is great, he was blocked by your broken barrier.”

“How about we call him back?”