King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 49: Chapter 48: Spirit Pool

"Heh heh, so you’re a new junior. I thought you were some servant who didn’t know his place."

Li Hai retracted his aura, his smile somewhat stiff.

Although he looked down on someone at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening, the other party was a bona fide Silver Student, enjoying the same status and treatment as him within the Holy Mansion.

"By the way, in your entrance exam, how did the Young Marquis, Tang Wei, do?"

Thinking of something, Li Hai suddenly asked.

His father, a General under Duke Dingyuan, had written to him a few days prior, telling him to look after the Young Marquis, Tang Wei, in the Holy Mansion.

"Hmph! The Young Marquis?"

The moment Luo Tian heard his name, his mood soured, and he turned to leave.

He already had a terrible impression of Li Hai, and now he learned the man was connected to the Young Marquis.

’Ignoring me?’

Li Hai was inwardly displeased but suppressed his anger.

’Judging by this kid’s tone and expression, he seems to hold some disdain and hostility toward the Young Marquis.’

Li Hai’s brow furrowed slightly.

Tang Wei was the son of Duke Dingyuan, after all!

’Could it be... that this kid at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening has an even greater background than Tang Wei?’

’To be at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening yet still take first place in the exam and become a Silver Student... that’s too abnormal!’

It was downright bizarre.

’Unless... the Young Marquis, Nangong Yu, Princess Yunxiu, and the others were all wary of this kid’s identity and let him take first place?’

’Don’t tell me this kid has some earth-shattering background?’

At this thought, Li Hai’s heart skipped a beat. As he watched the youth’s retreating figure, his gaze filled with caution and apprehension.

「Meanwhile.」

Luo Tian chose a Silver Pavilion and moved in.

"Not bad. Two floors total. A main hall, a bathing room, guest rooms, a Practice Room... it has everything."

Luo Tian was very satisfied with the living environment.

He had no idea that his cold dismissal had caused Li Hai, who was at the Seventh Layer of Meridian Opening, to have a major misunderstanding.

「That evening.」

News of a Silver Student at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening spread throughout the Silver Student circles.

...

「The next morning.」

After washing up, Luo Tian changed into the silver uniform of the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion, which made him look quite handsome and slender.

Leaving the Silver Pavilion, Luo Tian began to familiarize himself with the Holy Mansion’s environment.

The Sun Chasing Holy Mansion was filled with green mountains and clear waters, the sound of chirping birds, and the fragrance of flowers. The scenery was both beautiful and magnificent.

If not for the Martial Arts Arenas and Martial Combat Platforms scattered about, one might mistake the place for a scenic resort.

At one point, Luo Tian spotted a majestic and mysterious ancient tower.

A large, lively crowd of disciples had gathered outside.

’Spirit Fighting Tower?’

Luo Tian saw the three words on the plaque. The calligraphy was vigorous and powerful, emitting a sharp, heaven-piercing battle aura.

The moment his gaze met the words, a powerful fighting intent surged within him inexplicably, and his heart began to pound.

From the discussions of the students around him, Luo Tian learned that the Spirit Fighting Tower was one of the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion’s most iconic structures.

The Spirit Fighting Tower had ten floors in total.

Clearing the Fourth-Layer earns a promotion to Silver Student.

Clearing the Sixth-Layer earns a promotion to Golden Student.

Becoming a Silver Student required the strength of the Seventh Layer of Meridian Opening.

Moreover, there seemed to be other benefits to challenging the Spirit Fighting Tower.

’So, to raise my Student Level, I have to challenge the Spirit Fighting Tower. No wonder my Mentor said my Silver Student status was an unconventional promotion.’

Luo Tian had a moment of realization but didn’t join the crowd to challenge the tower.

The most urgent matter was to raise his strength as quickly as possible and secure his status as a Silver Student.

’That’s right, first place in the exam also came with the reward of Cultivation in the Spirit Pool.’

Luo Tian clearly remembered the look of resentful envy on Tang Wei’s face when the female Mentor had announced it.

「Half an hour later.」

Luo Tian arrived at the base of a cliff shrouded in a massive Array. The surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was dense, and numerous Guards stood watch, their security tight.

’This is the Spirit Pool?’

Through the Array, one could vaguely see pavilions, jade pools, and rolling clouds and mist, just like a fairyland.

He walked forward and handed over his Identity Token.

One of the Guards gave him a strange look. "You may cultivate in the Spirit Pool for three days, free of charge!"

He passed through the Array.

A huge pool appeared at the base of the cliff. Crystalline liquid beads bubbled up within it, emitting surging Spiritual Qi fluctuations.

At this moment, there were a dozen or so students in the Spirit Pool, all engrossed in their Cultivation.

SPLASH! BUBBLE!

Luo Tian leaped and entered the Spirit Pool.

His body soaked in the Spirit Pool.

Luo Tian immediately felt a tingling, itching sensation as wisps of cool, pure Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi seeped into his body on their own.

’This is incredible. Just by soaking in the Spirit Pool without doing anything, the effect is equivalent to a Bronze Student undergoing intensive, secluded Cultivation.’

Luo Tian couldn’t help but be amazed.

This opportunity to cultivate in the Spirit Pool was too precious!

Luo Tian immediately activated the four Qi Veins in his body, absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from the liquid in the Spirit Pool.

He possessed a Divine Vein, and his efficiency in absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was extremely high.

GURGLE GURGLE!

With Luo Tian at the center, a faint whirlpool formed around him as endless Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was sucked into his body.

Fortunately, Luo Tian had specifically found a corner to cultivate in, so he didn’t attract any attention.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

A continuous stream of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surged into Luo Tian’s four Qi Veins and was rapidly refined.

Originally, Luo Tian’s fourth Qi Vein was already a quarter of the way opened.

Now, in the Spirit Pool, his progress was lightning-fast.

A few hours later, his fourth Qi Vein had quickly opened another section, reaching two-fifths of the way!

Luo Tian felt the True Qi in his body surging and full of resilience. The process of opening his Qi Vein was still smooth.

「One day later.」

The fourth Qi Vein was opened all the way to three-fifths!

Luo Tian was pleasantly surprised and delighted. The Cultivation effect in the Spirit Pool was simply too good!

The Ninth Layer of Meridian Opening, each layer is harder than the last. The further one progresses, the deeper the Qi Veins that need to be opened, and the difficulty gradually increases.

Under normal Cultivation, Luo Tian feared it would take him half a month to achieve this result.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

SPLASH.

A Silver Student walked out of the Spirit Pool.

"Sigh, with the benefits of a Silver Student, I can only cultivate in the Spirit Pool for free one day a month!"

The student sighed.

He was about to leave when he suddenly heard the sound of surging waves from a corner of the Spirit Pool.

"The fluctuation of four Qi Veins? Could it be that rumored newcomer?"

The Spirit Pool was very large, and the thick mist churned, so he couldn’t see Luo Tian’s face, only feel the fluctuations of four Qi Veins.

"What damn luck. Someone at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening actually managed to take first place in the exam."

The student said sourly.

He had heard that the first-place winner of this year’s exam was rewarded with three days of free Cultivation in the Spirit Pool.

An established Silver Student like him could only cultivate in the Spirit Pool for free one day a month. Any extra time required a hefty price.

"Judging by the commotion, that kid must think this is a hot spring."

Hearing the sound of the water churning in the Spirit Pool, the Silver Student couldn’t help but sneer.

"Wasting such a perfect cultivation environment. You’ll regret it and cry your eyes out later."

Just then, deep within the thick mist, the fluctuations from the four Qi Veins suddenly intensified, and there were even bursts of whistling sounds.

"What’s that sound?"

The Silver Student’s footsteps froze.

WHIR! HUM!

A whistling wind sounded out as the mist in the corner churned, forming a gust of wind that swept in all directions.

"A breakthrough?"

The Silver Student’s eyes widened in utter embarrassment.

Inside the Spirit Pool.

Luo Tian opened his eyes, which shone with a brilliant light. He smiled. ’I’m already at the Peak of Fourth Layer?’

He had broken through to the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening just a few days ago.

In three days, to go from the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening to the Peak of Fourth Layer—such progress was truly astonishing.