18: Surprise at the selection competition

【This idling session has ended. Total consumption: Blood Qi: 600 points. Total gain: Blood Qi Body Tempering Skill: 12 points. Skill proficiency increased, current progress: Blood Qi Body Tempering Skill (Proficient) (252/1000). Note: No external interference during idling, Cultivation process was smooth. Cultivation stopped due to insufficient Blood Qi. It is recommended to replenish Blood Qi before resuming Cultivation next time.】

Due to the increase in Blood Qi, Qin Yue could now gain 6 points of proficiency each day while idling during sleep, and the use of Body Tempering Fluid doubled his Body Refining progress.

Seeing this result, Qin Yue thought a lot. Blood Replenishing Powder could accelerate the Cultivation of the Divine Bull Blood Refining Art, and Body Tempering Fluid could accelerate the Cultivation of the Blood Qi Body Tempering Skill. So, were there other medicines that could accelerate the Cultivation of other Cultivation Techniques? And were there even better medicines to accelerate the Cultivation of these two Cultivation Techniques?

Qin Yue deeply detested how these aristocratic young masters, through external aids, surpassed the efforts of common farm Disciples like him.

There was nothing he could do about his indignation. Qin Yue had no choice but to take out the Blood Replenishing Powder, drink six packs at once, and activate the AFK System to Cultivate the Divine Bull Blood Refining Art, replenishing his nearly depleted Blood Qi.

By the time Master Zhao woke up, Qin Yue had already finished idling. After breakfast, Master Zhao took Qin Yue to find the other youths from Shiqiao Village, and together with people from other villages, they went to the Zhao Manor's Martial arts study grounds.

The Zhao Manor's Martial arts study grounds were a square structure, with a stage in the middle resembling an inkstone. A high platform was built on the east side, with five carved wooden chairs placed on it.

Several chairs were placed on each side of the stage. Master Zhao walked directly to the foremost chair on the left side of the stage and sat down. Qin Yue and the other four followed him and stood behind Master Zhao.

Only when the people from the seventeen villages below the high platform had all arrived did people come onto the high platform.

There were five people sitting on the chairs on the high platform, including Master Zhao's elder brother.

Accompanying the people on the high platform were more than twenty youths around the same age as Qin Yue. These youths stood on the west side of the stage, directly facing the high platform.

Without needing to ask, Qin Yue knew from their clothing that these people must be from the Zhao Manor. None of the twenty-odd people who arrived even glanced at the side, as if youths from the villages like Qin Yue simply didn't exist.

With a dull clang of a gong, a steward walked onto the stage. His voice was hoarse but capable of piercing through the entire venue. “Zhao Manor’s Martial Selection! Those who meet the requirements will enter the Zhao Manor to learn Martial arts study. Those who do not meet the requirements will return to farm. This year, the Zhao Manor will select a total of thirty-five people. Those who have reached the Blood Qi Realm are not included in this list. Now, those who have reached the Blood Qi Realm, please come up for testing.”

Qin Yue glanced at Master Zhao, who turned back and softly said, “Go up!”

Qin Yue walked onto the stage and saw a total of ten people had come up. Only two of them came from the sides of the stage, while the other eight came from the front of the stage.

Are the Disciples of the Zhao Manor really so outstanding, so much stronger than the youths from the farms?

Qin Yue thought of the idea that had popped into his head this morning: the use of medicine was incredibly beneficial for progress in the Martial Dao.

Once the ten youths lined up and stood still on the stage, the Zhao Manor steward suddenly struck a palm towards them.

Although the Zhao Manor steward was still quite far from Qin Yue, as this palm strike was unleashed, Qin Yue felt a gust of palm wind rush directly towards his face. The force of the palm was so strong that even before it reached Qin Yue's face, it made his skin sting.

Qin Yue immediately circulated his Blood Qi and unleashed the strongest move from his current Divine Bull Fist, pushing it forward.

Qin Yue's fists met the palm force, but there was no imagined sensation of colliding power. He quickly retracted his fist strength, his body swayed, and he did not lunge forward.

Only when Qin Yue stood steady did he realize that all ten of them had reacted to the steward's palm strike. Some even lunged forward two steps before stopping their movement.

It turned out that the steward had only thrown one palm strike, making all ten youths believe it was directed at them, and each of them reacted.

Once all the youths were standing properly, the Zhao Manor steward said, “Each of you has reached the Blood Qi Realm. There’s no need for a Martial arts study competition. Someone will take you to another place shortly. For now, all of you should return to your Masters.”

“Another place?” Qin Yue felt something was amiss. He hadn’t heard Master Zhao mention anything about it!

Qin Yue walked off the stage and saw that Master Zhao had already gone up to the high platform. Qin Yue saw Master Zhao argue with someone on the high platform for a while, then he walked down.

Master Zhao came to Qin Yue's side and said, “Qin Yue, follow me.”

Then, he left the remaining four youths and walked towards his home with Qin Yue.

Qin Yue had a belly full of questions, but Master Zhao didn't give him a chance to ask, walking quickly ahead until they reached Master Zhao's house.

Master Zhao turned to Qin Yue and said, “Go pack all your things. When you’re done, come out and I’ll tell you more.”

Qin Yue didn't have many things, and there wasn't much to pack anyway. He came out shortly, carrying his bundle.

When Qin Yue came out, Master Zhao told Qin Yue to follow him, speaking as they walked, “All of you children who have broken through to the Blood Qi Realm are to be sent to the Saint Mountain. As for what the Saint Mountain is, I originally thought I would have many opportunities to explain it to you when you were learning Martial arts study in the Zhao Manor, but now there is no time. I can only tell you that the Saint Mountain is a place all Martial Artists must go. Previously, we only had one chance to enter the Saint Mountain every three years, but this time, the Saint personally ordered that all children who have broken through to the Blood Qi Realm must go to the Saint Mountain. I don't know why. The envoy is almost here, so let's go wait at the entrance of the Zhao Manor now.”

At the entrance of the Zhao Manor, Qin Yue saw a black carriage parked.

The carriage itself was very ordinary, without any decoration, just pure black, but the animal pulling the carriage was very peculiar, something Qin Yue had never seen before.

It was a very tall horse, but very thin, with sunken eye sockets like a skeleton. The horse also had a pair of small wings on its body, shaped like bat wings. Logically, such small wings would not allow this horse to fly, so he didn’t know what their purpose was.

There was no one driving the carriage in front, only a person waiting beside the carriage. It was the Master of another farm youth who had broken through to the Blood Qi Realm; it seemed he had already boarded the carriage.

Master Zhao led Qin Yue here and, seeing that the Disciples of the Zhao Manor had not yet arrived, said to Qin Yue, “Going to the Saint Mountain is a good thing, don't worry. There, you will have more opportunities, gain more resources and Martial arts study. When I recover to the Coagulated Blood Realm with Life-Generating Pill, I will also go to the Saint Mountain. During this time, you must protect yourself well. Remember not to do things you cannot do; act cautiously.”

As he spoke, the Disciples of the Zhao family arrived. Master Zhao patted Qin Yue's shoulder and told him to get in the carriage.

Qin Yue turned and got into the carriage, suddenly feeling a bit reluctant. If he had to say, the person Qin Yue felt closest to since his Transmigration was probably Master Zhao. This sudden departure left Qin Yue feeling somewhat empty inside.

There was no time for Qin Yue to process his emotions. Qin Yue got into the carriage and saw that the interior of the carriage was much larger than it appeared from the outside. Qin Yue had just been wondering if ten people would be crowded in such a large carriage. The farm youth was sitting at the very back, and Qin Yue walked into the carriage and sat opposite him.