Volume 1 Chapter 12: Mysterious Beast Xuanjing

  He slept soundly and didn't know anything. When Qin Hao gradually regained consciousness, he looked up and saw that it was already bright outside the house.

  Qin Hao wiped away a thread of blood from the corner of his mouth and sat up, letting out a long breath. The problem with his technique should be solved now?

  Thinking of this, Qin Hao hastily diverted a strand of his mind to explore the Qi Sea, and upon taking a look, he felt a surge of joy in his heart.

  Qin Hao's right hand floated out, releasing the mysterious energy. The palm of his hand emitted a brighter and brighter crimson glow, and the entire surface of his palm seemed to be completely transparent, with the scene of the mysterious energy flowing inside his palm faintly visible.

  Mystic Realm! Tenfold Apex!

  Qin Hao clenched his fists tightly, then slowly released them. His face had already turned a shade of crimson that he could no longer hold back.

  In the end, it was a success. And in just a short moment, it has already jumped two levels and reached the tenth peak directly.

  Although he clearly knew that the thorough rebound of his Xuan Qi, which had been suppressed by the flaws in his cultivation method for five years, was the main reason for his consecutive promotions to two levels, Qin Hao's face still couldn't help but radiate an excited glow.

  "The Azure Tide Formula" can completely free him from the suppression of "Yin Flame Formula" on his Xuan Qi, he will no longer be troubled by the problem of his cultivation method, and from now on, he finally has the ability to practice those even more powerful martial techniques.

  He had three extremely powerful martial skills in his hands, but if he didn't break through the Condensed Mystic Realm, all of this was meaningless to him.

  After all, he is still too weak now, and if he wants to have the ability to change everything that has happened before, strength is indispensable.

  Just as she was lost in thought, a light knock at the door came from outside, followed by a voice.

  "Young master, the seasonal manager of the city lord's mansion has come to pay a visit."

  Ji Fan? Qin Hao couldn't help but pause. What is this kid doing here again? And logically speaking, Ji Fan should be looking for his father, why did he specifically come to find him?

  Qin Hao hastily got up from the ground, tidied up his somewhat disheveled clothes, smoothed out his hair, and then opened the door.

  A servant stood outside the door with his hands hanging down and said respectfully as soon as he saw Qin Hao: "Young master, Manager Ji is waiting for you in the garden."

  Qin Hao nodded and said: "You go do your own thing, I'll go see him myself." After finishing speaking, he waved his hand to dismiss him and strode straight into the courtyard.

  Upon arriving at the courtyard, Qin Hao saw Ji Fan leaning against a large tree, looking relaxed with a faint smile on his face, exuding an air of elegance. In the distance, several maidservants couldn't help but steal glances at him, their cheeks flushing pink before they quickly lowered their heads.

  Qin Hao walked forward and said somewhat helplessly: "Brother Ji, how come you have so much free time today?"

  "Qin Hao." Ji Fan also smiled brightly: "Haven't seen you for a while. By the way, Qin Hao, didn't that day cause you any trouble?"

  That day? Qin Hao soon found out that Ji Fan was letting Qin Yuxian get drunk. To be honest, that day Qin Yuxian got drunk didn't cause any trouble for Qin Hao, and judging from the situation at the time, he should even thank Ji Fan.

  "It's nothing." Qin Hao said with a smile, looking quite pleased. Ji Fan saw the look on Qin Hao's face and just smiled, handing over a sandalwood box.

  "What's given to me?" Qin Hao asked in puzzlement.

  Ji Fan nodded.

  Qin Hao handed over the box in a somewhat unbelievable manner, the box was made of sandalwood, with intricate carvings of flowers, birds, insects and fish on it, and the body of the box was faintly emitting a refreshing and elegant fragrance.

  Qin Hao lifted the lid, took a closer look, and saw dozens of crystal nuclei in various colors lying quietly in the box, emitting soft and gentle light.

  Mystical Beast Xuanjing! Qin Hao was somewhat taken aback.

  On the Tian Huan continent, there exist various demonic beasts. These demonic beasts themselves possess considerable strength, and some of them have a mysterious energy within their bodies that can give birth to crystal nuclei, known as Xuanjing. The uses of Xuanjing are numerous, its value is not low, and it can be considered a rare treasure.

  Xuanjing has many uses: it can be inlaid on ornaments, accelerate the recovery of Xuanqi during battles, be forged into weapons and armor to increase their power, and its greatest use is related to a profession that exists on the Tianhuan continent - the Sealing Master.

  It is well known that Xuanjing, being born from the essence of a demonic beast, naturally contains considerable power. However, that power is too violent; if one wants to directly absorb or utilize it, they will inevitably be injured by the explosion of the fierce power within the Xuanjing.

  The only way to fully exert the power of Xuanjing is for a person with high control over Xuanqi to infuse it into the Xuanjing, building a miniature spiritual array within. Afterwards, as long as the Xuanqi is stimulated and the array is activated, the power of the Xuanjing can be fully unleashed.

  The power of offense and defense has been greatly increased, and a clever formation master can even use that force to instantly recover the body's true energy in an instant, or even speed up cultivation.

  Xuanjing has always been a sought-after item on the Tianhuan Continent.

  Qin Hao stared blankly at the Xuanjing in the box, his mind filled with surprise. Some of the Xuanjing in the box still had dust on them, and a few had bloodstains on their surfaces, looking like they had been obtained not long ago.

  "Are you giving all of these to me?" Qin Hao asked with a hint of skepticism. It was no wonder he had this reaction, as his past self had indeed seen many grand scenes, but he had never seen anyone give away things like this before. The box contained about one hundred Xuanjing crystals. Most of them were obtained from first-grade demon beasts, including mid-grade and high-grade ones. What made Qin Hao's heart even more excited was that there were even second-grade Xuanjing crystals among them.

  A second-order demonic beast is equivalent to a human in the Lingxuan realm. Qin Hao can't provoke it at present.

  Ji Fan nodded slightly with a gentle breeze and light cloud.

  "Hehe, Seasoned brother is indeed thoughtful." Qin Hao also didn't decline the offer and naturally accepted it.

  Qin Hao put away the sandalwood box, and he couldn't help but feel puzzled. That old man thought that letting Qin Yu Xian get drunk would cause him trouble, so he sent these things as an apology? That old man wouldn't do something like that, would he?

  "These things were sent by the Lin family. Lin Bi was waiting for you on the road that night, intending to cause trouble. After Lin Zhanbei, the master of the Lin family, found out, he felt uneasy and sent these things as an apology." Ji Fan said to Qin Hao, who looked puzzled.

  "Oh?" Qin Hao was somewhat enlightened, yet also somewhat surprised.

  I should have known that Old Man Chen wouldn't give him such a good opportunity for no reason. It turns out this was arranged by the Lin family.

  Lin waited for Qin Hao on the road back to his residence that night, and this was seen by the black-clad guard following Qin Hao, which was also reported to the old man. It's just strange that Lin Zhanbei, a domineering and arrogant person, would become so well-behaved? And he even sent so many crystal nuclei? It seems that this matter is still related to the old man.

  Qin Hao smiled and asked: "Seasonal brother, how did Old Man Chen make the master of the Lin family feel 'uncomfortable'?"

  Ji Fan nodded in approval and said with some satisfaction: "After Old Man Chen learned about this matter, he went to the Lin family to visit the master of the house and discussed it with him. Lin Zhanbei also honestly admitted Lin Bi's mistakes. Then, Old Man Chen sat silently at the Lin family for half an hour without saying a word."

  Qin Hao felt a little sympathy for Lin Zhanbei, that old man usually looked frail, but no one dared to provoke him in Tianlang City. Now the old man sat silently in the Lin's house for half an hour without saying a word, how strong must he be to endure that half hour?

  "Then Old Man Chen sighed and said, 'When people get old, their words are no longer taken seriously even by young whippersnappers.' He then instructed me with another sentence, 'Don't overdo it,' before having me push him away."

  Qin Hao was stunned. Chen Lao had said this once five years ago, and then the Feng family disappeared... It can be imagined what Lin Zhanbei would think when he heard these words again.

  Later, it's not necessary for Ji Fan to say that Qin Hao can also guess. Lin Zhanbei was frightened by these words and tried to please Old Man Chen, who, feeling a pang of sympathy, decided to give Lin Zhanbei another chance. At this point, Lin Zhanbei would naturally agree to any absurd request.

  It's really pitiful! To encounter such an old man. Qin Hao was thoroughly disheartened in an instant. Qin Hao smiled awkwardly and said, "Old Man Chen is indeed capable, Lin Zhanbei lost nearly a hundred Xuanjing, it must be very painful." Thinking of Lin Zhanbei's loss, Qin Hao felt a wave of pleasure in his heart.

  "Not nearly a hundred." Ji Fan said seriously: "It's five hundred Xuanjing crystals."

  Five hundred coins? Qin Hao was stunned for a moment. That old man really didn't hold back. Were the remaining four hundred coins just swallowed up like that?

  He was just angry in his heart and wouldn't say it out loud. Now the gap between him and Old Man Chen's level was too big, Qin Hao didn't want to become the old man's next tragic figure.

  Ji Fan left after talking to Qin Hao for a few more sentences. After seeing Ji Fan off, Qin Hao immediately ran back into the room, locked the box in the wooden cabinet, and hid the key before letting out a sigh of relief.

  Having done all that, Qin Hao thought of Qin Yuxian, whom he hadn't seen for many days, and walked out of the house door. As soon as he left the house door, he found that many family juniors were walking hastily, with a look of anxiety, and even when they saw Qin Hao, they just greeted him casually and ran quickly.

  What's going on? Qin Hao felt a bit strange. In just ten days without seeing each other, how could they both become so indifferent?

  Ten days? Ten days? This number kept floating in Qin Hao's mind. Suddenly, this key word made Qin Hao feel like he had been struck by lightning, and his mind was blown away.

  He came back to his senses, Qin Hao swallowed a mouthful of saliva and took off in a sprint towards the martial arts arena.

  It wasn't until now that he remembered his father telling him that the list of contestants for the Grand Competition would be finalized ten days later, and today was the tenth day...

  Qin Family Martial Arts Arena.

  A considerable number of people had gathered in the martial arts arena, where these young men stood in twos and threes at various spots. Today they were not training but instead standing aside to demonstrate their martial skills one by one.

  Every year, there will be a competition between households, and the competition is mainly aimed at young sons. Each family must determine eleven people to participate in the war.

  Today is the moment when the list of names will be confirmed. In previous years, it was not so solemn, as long as the contestants were determined before the competition, but this year is different, and the winner will receive a qualification for the Feng Bo Zong assessment. Many details cannot be ignored.

  The list will be finalized today and submitted to the City Master's Mansion tomorrow, which will then be handed over to the Fengpizong by the City Master to avoid any unfair or fraudulent events.

  In the center of the scene stood an old man in white clothes. The old man's hair and beard were all white, his face was pale and old, but his eyes showed a sharp and majestic air, looking very dignified. The old man was the second elder of the Qin family.

  By the old man's side, Qin Yuxian sat on one side, with a small table in front of her, on which lay brushes and ink, as well as over ten pieces of dark blue stone crystals.

  Qin Yuxian, dressed in a pale blue dress, looked serene and elegant like an immortal. Her delicate eyebrows, eyes, and facial features, as well as her slender figure, all exuded the captivating youthful charm of a woman of her age. At this moment, Qin Yuxian was writing something on white paper, her left hand lightly lifting the sleeve of her right hand, revealing a small section of her fair and radiant wrist. Her focused expression added to her charm.

  Many people secretly cast their eyes on Qin Yuxian, but Qin Yuxian continued to write by herself, seemingly unaware.

  "You all know why I've called you here today." The Second Elder's voice was full of energy and didn't show any signs of age.

  After a moment of silence, the Second Elder continued: "Now, take one step forward on top of the Eighth Layer of Condensed Mysteries."

  With a loud whoosh, twenty-one young men stood out in unison.

  "In a few months, it will be your stage. Anyone who is above the Eightfold Seal has an opportunity. Of course, if you don't want to, we won't force you. Those who do not wish to participate can retreat back to their original place within ten breaths."

  No one backed down. Ten breaths later, there were still twenty-one people standing there. They knew that their living environment, the things they had, and the techniques they mastered all came from their family, and now they had the opportunity to show their worth, so naturally no one would back down.

  "Very good." The two elders' faces showed a few points of relief.

  Qin Yuxian's eyes swept towards the crowd, and a faint smile also appeared on her face. However, after scanning the rows several times without finding that familiar figure, her smile dimmed slightly.

  "Well then, come forth one by one and show me your strongest martial skills."

  The two elders didn't simply decide the list based on the level of their Xuan Qi cultivation. Although Xuan Qi cultivation was important, at the Condensing Xuan stage, as long as the difference in levels wasn't too great, mastery of martial skills could make up for these differences.

  Qin Hao's elder cousin Qin Shan stepped forward, steadied his footing, and within an instant thoroughly circulated the mysterious energy.

  High-level martial skill: Opening Mountain Palm. With a loud shout, Qin Shan swiftly and fiercely struck out with one fist, the golden light enveloped fist like an axe chopping straight towards the elder's chest.

  "Peng!" The Second Elder merely lifted one palm lightly and moved it slowly, yet easily blocked Qin Shan's attack.

  "His martial skills are quite impressive. Qin Shan has passed." The Second Elder said, turning his head to speak to Qin Yuxian.

  Qin Yuxian's brush danced lightly, and the black characters began to move on the white paper. When the brush stopped, she picked up a piece of stone crystal and had Qin Shan input a wisp of mysterious energy into it. Then, she placed the stone crystal and the paper together.

  Qin Shan retreated to one side. Then another young man stepped forward and struck the old man with a slap.

  "Qin Heng, condensed Xuan eightfold, martial skills and power only equivalent to condensed Xuan sevenfold, defeated."

  One by one, the young men went up and showed off their best martial skills to the old man. Some were exhilarated, while others hung their heads in despair. After another short period of time, the selection of the twenty-one people was completed. In total, only nine people were selected, not even enough to meet the required number, including Qin Yuxian.

  The two elders sighed and couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. It seemed that the young master of the Qin family still lacked some real power.

  Many people saw this result and also lowered their heads. They had the heart to do something, but were hindered by insufficient strength and unable to take action, which was indeed extremely frustrating.

  Qin Yuxian didn't say a word, her eyes drifting aimlessly, as if lost in thought.

  "Second elder, may I try?" A voice came from afar, and then the crowd saw Qin Hao rushing in from outside the city, his momentum was indescribably fierce.

  ———————————————————————————————