Chapter 4
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Chapter 4: The Jia Hall
Xu Fan gazed at the blue sky, reflecting that the only decent perk of his system was its ability to block various probes from powerful cultivators. It could also create illusions, making it impossible for those great beings to detect anything unusual.
“Do they really need to be so paranoid about the sect’s safety? They scan everything every few days.”
This was one of Xu Fan’s biggest annoyances in Que Tian Gate. Even his little hill was occasionally subjected to thorough inspections by some powerful cultivators. At first, he thought they had discovered his anomaly, but he later realized that everyone was treated the same way.
After venting his frustration, Xu Fan pulled out a few borrowed spell jade slips to study. This was one of his hobbies—he loved learning spells and then deconstructing them to create new ones.
What seemed impossible to other cultivators was as easy as breathing for him.
“Spirit Capture Technique—can collect the soul essence of beasts.”
“Spirit Retention Technique—can maintain the vitality and intelligence of an external soul.”
“Earth Element Shaping Technique—can mold various forms.”
“These three spells are intriguing. If combined properly, could they form a Summoning Technique?”
“The Summoning Technique requires the Spirit Retention Technique to keep the soul alive, but only for a limited time. To sustain it long-term, you’d need the perfect vessel.”
“But a vessel suitable for soul parasitism? I can’t afford that crap.”
“Guess I’ll have to shelve that idea for now. I’ll focus on mastering Alchemy to earn some spirit stones first.”
Xu Fan set down the three jade slips with a sigh, realizing the Summoning Technique he’d imagined was way too expensive.
Just then, a flock of sparrows flew overhead.
Xu Fan reached out and pinched the air, causing one sparrow to lose its soul and plummet to the ground.
A translucent little sparrow appeared in Xu Fan’s hand.
“Little sparrow, time to contribute to science.”
He carefully extracted a fragment of the sparrow’s soul while summoning a small clump of earth into his palm.
The earth fused with the soul fragment, and in an instant, a small clay statue of the sparrow took shape.
Xu Fan examined the clay statue, frowned, and then drew in some additional material from the ground to mix into the clay.
A fireball materialized, engulfing the clay statue.
Moments later, a porcelain sparrow rested in Xu Fan’s hand.
“This should work, right?”
He infused the sparrow’s soul into the porcelain sparrow.
“Let’s see.”
With a flick of his finger, a spark of spiritual light touched the porcelain sparrow’s head.
Instantly, the porcelain sparrow sprang to life, flapping its wings excitedly and fluttering around Xu Fan.
“Not bad. I wonder how it’d handle a beast’s soul,” Xu Fan muttered, stroking his chin.
But then, the porcelain sparrow froze mid-air, lost its vitality, and crashed to the ground.
“Failed again. Feels like I’m missing something. I’ll have to dig through the Sutra Pavilion for ideas later.”
Meanwhile, outside the sect, Wang Yulun stood in shock, staring at the Qi Refinement Sixth Layer beast he had just killed with a single spell.
“One move, just one move,” Wang Yulun muttered, staring at the gaping hole in the beast’s head caused by the Fire Spear Technique, hardly believing his own eyes.
Ever since he received two spells from his Big Brother, he had been studying them tirelessly.
The Light Feather Wind Technique felt like a perfect blend of the Lightness Technique and the Wind Control Technique, merging them into a single spell. This way, he could use it without splitting his focus, saving both effort and mental strain.
After mastering it, Wang Yulun was confident that no one at the Qi Refinement stage could match his speed.
The Fire Spear Technique, on the other hand, was something he couldn’t get enough of—it felt like it was made just for him.
At first, he expected it to be powerful, but he never imagined it would be this devastating—killing a Qi Refinement Sixth Layer beast in a single strike.
Just then, his senior, who was on the same mission, walked over carrying a Snow Fox and said, “Let’s hope that kid doesn’t get eaten by a beast; otherwise, it’ll be a real headache.”
In Que Tian Gate, to join the Battle Hall after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, one must complete various tasks and trials during the Qi Training Stage.
And the Battle Hall’s trials were the deadliest in Que Tian Gate, with a mortality rate as high as ten percent.
“Holy heavens! A one-hit kill?”
Wang Yulun’s senior stared in disbelief at the beast’s fatal wound, then glanced at Wang Yulun, who looked completely unfazed.
“Are we about to welcome another Grade A big shot to the Battle Hall?” the senior murmured.
The Battle Hall’s evaluation system had four grades: A, B, C, and D. Grade D meant failure, Grade C was essentially cannon fodder, and Grade B was where you started being trained as a core fighter.
As for Grade A, those individuals were seen as the sect’s future top-tier combatants. They received personal guidance from a Powerful Master, along with access to the best resources and instructors.
It was the dream of everyone in the Battle Hall.
“Senior, why are you so shocked?” Wang Yulun said lightly, though inside he was brimming with pride.
“Oh, nothing, just amazed at your fighting strength. Killing a Qi Refinement Sixth Layer beast in one hit is no small feat.”
“Junior, defeating stronger opponents can get you a Grade B rating.”
“But to reach Grade A, you’ll need to take on even higher-level challenges.”
“With your current strength, if you push yourself a bit further and single-handedly take down ten beasts above the Qi Refinement Seventh Layer, you could earn a Grade A rating.”
“When you make it to the Jia Hall, don’t forget about your senior,” Wang Yulun’s senior said with a knowing smile.
“Of course not. I haven’t even thanked you for recommending me,” Wang Yulun replied earnestly.
“Haha, it was nothing. You’re too kind,” the senior waved it off, then added seriously, “Now, let’s head back to turn in our mission.”
“Use the time you have left to focus on honing your attack techniques. I hope to see you in the Jia Hall soon.”
Wang Yulun’s senior couldn’t help but think that if Wang Yulun really made it to the Jia Hall, the reward for his recommendation alone might be enough to exchange for two Foundation Establishment Pills. The thought made him even more excited.
“Thank you for the advice, senior,” Wang Yulun said.
With that, the two of them activated their techniques and began their journey back to Que Tian Gate.
That evening, Xu Fan glanced at the still-excited Wang Yulun and asked, “Is it really that surprising to kill a Sixth Layer beast in one move?”
“The Fire Spear Technique has a calming effect during its final activation phase, helping you aim perfectly.”
“With that kind of precision, it’d be strange if it didn’t result in a one-hit kill.”
Xu Fan spoke casually as he expertly roasted beast meat, sprinkling a pinch of cumin and brushing on a layer of honey.
Soon, the mouthwatering aroma of roasted meat filled the air.
Wang Yulun, still riding the high of his achievement, turned to Xu Fan.
“Brother Xu, why don’t you join the Battle Hall with me?”
“With your strength, you’d definitely catch the elders’ attention. The Jia Hall has Powerful Masters guiding its members,” Wang Yulun said, gesturing enthusiastically as he painted a vivid picture of the future.
“Fighting and killing aren’t for me. The mortality rate is too high, and in terms of status, you can’t compare to top-tier master alchemists or artifact masters.”
Besides, Xu Fan had another reason. After reaching the Qi Refinement Twelfth Layer, he could only break through on the final day of his lifespan. Joining the Jia Hall would only bring temporary glory.
It was better to stay low-key from the start.
