Chapter 310: Chapter 131: Zhenyue Peak (2)
From the Baihui Acupoint on the crown of his head to the Yongquan Acupoint on the soles of his feet, from the bones of his arms to those of his legs, he missed not a single spot.
Wherever his Inner Qi reached, he conducted a careful examination, only to re-confirm his previous judgment: it was, without a doubt, an Eighth-Grade Root Bone.
He withdrew his hand, the white glow at his fingertips completely dissipating. His brow furrowed deeply as he gave a slight shake of his head, the confusion in his heart growing even stronger.
’How on earth did this boy manage it?’
’Could he have taken some kind of forbidden medicine? But the examination revealed no signs of damage to his meridians. On the contrary, his bones and muscles were exceptionally solid, showing no signs of having been unnaturally forced to grow.’
’Could this young man have some other talent?’ Steward Chen thought to himself.
If this young man truly possessed some other extraordinary talent, it should have been mentioned in the recommendation letter.
At this thought, Steward Chen decided not to dwell on it further. All he had to do was submit the recommendation letter along with his own findings.
Steward Chen averted his gaze from Yang Jing and let it fall upon Sun Ningxiang, who stood to the side. His tone softened slightly as he said, "Young lady, I will now examine your root bone as well."
Sun Ningxiang heard him and nodded gently.
Seeing this, Steward Chen said no more.
To maintain propriety, he did not touch her all over as thoroughly as he had with Yang Jing. Instead, he simply extended two fingers and lightly tapped a few key points on Sun Ningxiang’s wrist, shoulder, and ankle.
The faint white glow reappeared at his fingertips. A much gentler stream of Inner Qi seeped in from his fingers, slowly coursing through several of her main meridians as he carefully sensed her bones and channels.
A moment later, Steward Chen withdrew his fingers. The white glow faded, and he already had his answer.
While the young woman’s root bone was not of the highest quality, it was still a Fifth-Grade Root Bone, which was about average for the disciples the Xuanzhen Sect had recruited in previous years.
He nodded slightly and said to Sun Ningxiang, "Your root bone is Fifth-Grade. Not bad at all."
With that, Steward Chen wasted no more time. He straightened his robes and said to the pair, "Alright, the root bone examination is complete. I will now present the recommendation letter to the Peak Master of Zhenyue Peak. You just need to wait patiently for news."
Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang quickly replied, "Thank you for your trouble, Steward Chen."
Steward Chen waved his hand dismissively and turned to walk toward the door.
He pushed the door open. Not far outside, a Xuanzhen Sect disciple in a green robe was standing guard. Seeing Steward Chen emerge, the disciple immediately straightened his back, his expression respectful.
Steward Chen called out, "You, come here."
The disciple on duty hurried forward and bowed. "Greetings, Steward Chen. What are your instructions?"
Steward Chen turned sideways and pointed at Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang inside the room. "Take them to the guest rooms to rest. Look after them well, and show them proper respect."
"As you command," the sect disciple replied respectfully.
"Mm," Steward Chen acknowledged with a faint nod.
After receiving Steward Chen’s instructions, the sect disciple turned around. He clasped his hands in a salute to Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang as they walked out of the room. With a gentle smile and a clear voice, he said, "You two, please follow me."
Hearing this, Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang turned their gaze to Steward Chen, both clasping their hands in a salute. "Thank you for your trouble, Steward Chen."
Steward Chen nodded slightly but said nothing more.
Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang then followed the sect disciple outside.
The sect disciple led them across a square at a leisurely pace, occasionally offering brief descriptions of the surrounding scenery. His attitude was not at all arrogant.
They walked on, gradually arriving at the foot of a mountain, its towering form visible when they looked up.
This place wasn’t too far from the dock where they had first landed. The distant sound of waves crashing against reefs could be faintly heard, indicating they had not ventured deep into the core area of Fushan Island.
Yang Jing looked out and saw a neat cluster of single-story buildings not far ahead. Every few buildings formed a small courtyard, enclosed by low, bluestone walls that exuded a rustic charm.
Other disciples occasionally walked along the paths between the courtyards.
"We’re here." The sect disciple stopped and pointed to one of the small courtyards.
A wooden plaque hung at the entrance to this courtyard. On it were written the three words "Guest Reception Courtyard" in a strong, vigorous script.
He pushed open the unlatched courtyard gate and explained with a smile, "It isn’t the sect’s recruitment season right now, so most of these guest rooms are empty. If it were the busy recruitment period, a courtyard like this would house at least a dozen people. For now, I’ll have to ask you two to rest here. It’s very quiet."
The courtyard was kept very clean. In the middle was a small skywell, and in a corner grew a few nameless flowers and plants with delicate white blossoms, filling the air with a faint, fresh fragrance.
There were two side rooms on either flank, their doors and windows wiped clean.
Seeing this, Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang quickly clasped their hands and thanked the sect disciple.
Yang Jing said, "Thank you for the arrangements, Senior Brother."
The sect disciple waved his hand graciously and said, "There’s no need to be so polite. This is just part of my duties. I’ll be on guard duty back at the square. If you two need anything or want to ask about something, just come find me there."
His attitude toward Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang remained gentle, without a hint of the arrogance one might expect from a sect disciple.
After all, those who came to join the Xuanzhen Sect with a recommendation letter usually had some connections or background, and their chances of successfully being admitted were extremely high. Naturally, he would not be disrespectful.
"Thank you, Senior Brother," Yang Jing said with a smile.
The sect disciple smiled, nodded farewell, and turned to leave along the path they had come. His green-robed figure soon disappeared among the trees.
Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang walked into the Guest Reception Courtyard side by side. He reached back and gently pulled the wooden gate closed. The hinge let out a faint CREAK, slightly muffling the sounds of the outside world.
