Chapter 348 - 303: Real? Fake?

Chapter 348: Chapter 303: Real? Fake?

Apparently, Jiang Xu had underestimated the value of a Middle Grade Scholar.

The stringent conditions within the Wenqu Pavilion were not easily met.

And for the cultivators of the Youxian Sea, they were even more severe.

As a relatively isolated sea region, its cultivators had limited access to knowledge.

Although the region had its own unique Immortal Dao traditions, the lack of contact with the outside world made its cultivators desperate for the texts within the Wenqu Pavilion.

To be promoted to a Middle Grade Scholar in the Wenqu Pavilion, the simplest requirement was to submit a certain number of unrecorded texts.

For the cultivators of the Youxian Sea, this was undoubtedly an insurmountable hurdle.

First, the Wenqu Pavilion had a long and storied history, its influence having long ago spread throughout the entire Cultivation Realm.

For countless years since its founding, innumerable cultivators, drawn by its reputation, had flocked to it.

They contributed their personal collections of texts, insights, and Secret Techniques to the Wenqu Pavilion, hoping to exchange them for precious Wenqu Points and raise their Scholar Level.

This long-term accumulation meant the Wenqu Pavilion’s collection was so vast and its scope so broad that it encompassed nearly all known knowledge in the Cultivation Realm.

Second, the Wenqu Pavilion’s standards for accepting texts were rigorous and comprehensive. Any texts that were duplicates, heavily damaged, contained serious errors, or were of low value would not pass its strict review.

This meant that easily accessible and widely circulated texts had long since been cataloged.

The remaining uncollected works were often extremely rare, hidden, or highly valuable one-of-a-kind secret tomes, far beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators.

Furthermore, the geography and environment of the Youxian Sea itself made communication with the outside world difficult.

Cultivators from the region faced immense risks if they wished to cross the vast ocean to search for unrecorded texts in a State Domain or among other cultivation powers.

Even the few lucky enough to return with precious materials often found they didn’t have nearly enough to meet the massive quantity required for promotion to Middle Grade Scholar.

Finally, resources within the Youxian Sea were unevenly distributed. Most texts and knowledge were controlled by a handful of great families.

These factions guarded their legacies with extreme secrecy and would never let them fall into outside hands.

Even if an ordinary cultivator was fortunate enough to find a lead on an unrecorded text, they were often unable to actually acquire it due to limitations in status, strength, or connections.

Only a cultivator like Jiang Xu, coming from another State Domain, had a slightly higher chance of possessing unrecorded texts.

And yet, even the texts he brought from Dinghai State alone were not enough for him to meet the requirements for a Middle Grade Scholar.

In the end, it was the numerous unrecorded Magic from Sun Long, combined with the Golden Core Scripture from Xiong Liangsheng, that finally allowed him to meet the standard.

For even a cultivator like Jiang Xu to reach the rank of Middle Grade Scholar required a series of fortuitous encounters.

Let alone the locals of the Wenqu Pavilion.

No wonder Hua Ying was so shocked.

"What, is there a problem?" Jiang Xu asked.

Knowing she had lost her composure, Hua Ying quickly covered her red lips with a hand and returned the Jade Token to Jiang Xu.

"Forgive me, honored Scholar. Your status is so rare, I was momentarily stunned."

After speaking, Hua Ying waved her hand, deactivating the defensive barrier and gesturing for Jiang Xu to enter.

At the same time, she added a word of caution, "Xiao Jin Island is prosperous and lively, but it also attracts all sorts of characters. An honored Scholar like yourself should proceed with caution. If you run into any trouble, feel free to mention my name, Hua Ying. It might help you out of a bind."

Jiang Xu remained noncommittal. Without a word, he piloted his Dharma Ship straight through.

Just as he passed Hua Ying, with a flick of her wrist, a Sound Transmission Talisman landed on his Dharma Ship.

As she watched Jiang Xu depart, Hua Ying’s flirtatious demeanor vanished. Her gaze grew profound, lingering on his retreating figure for a long moment before she finally looked away.

At some point, a Sound Transmission Talisman had already flown off quietly, heading toward the island’s interior.

’A Middle Grade Scholar of unknown origin, one I’ve never seen before. Even though he’s only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, he can’t be underestimated.’

’I wonder why he’s come to Xiao Jin Island at a time like this. Is he just a fat sheep, or...’

...

Jiang Xu steered his Dharma Ship, leisurely sailing toward a quieter dock on the edge of Xiao Jin Island.

Along the way, his attention wasn’t on the bustling, mysterious island scenery outside. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the Sound Transmission Talisman in his hand.

His curiosity about the Sound Transmission Talisman didn’t stem from any personal interest in Hua Ying, the Female Cultivator who had received him.

Instead, it was a matter of his own safety. He was using the Spiritual Eye Technique to carefully examine the Talisman and ensure it held no hidden dangers.

To be honest, Jiang Xu was extremely wary of Hua Ying.

’No, that’s not quite right.’

’In fact, ever since learning about Xiao Jin Island, I’ve been on high alert about everything on this island.’

’That naturally includes everyone on Xiao Jin Island.’

At that moment, Jiang Xu’s eyes were slightly closed, his Divine Sense focused on the Sound Transmission Talisman at his fingertips. A faint green light glowed in his pupils.

Two invisible beams of sight pierced through the Talisman Paper, delving deep into its internal structure.

Under the scrutiny of his Spiritual Eye Technique, the Sound Transmission Talisman gradually revealed its inner secrets.

The seemingly ordinary markings on the Talisman Paper’s surface transformed under the gaze of his Spiritual Eye Technique, revealing themselves to be intricate and delicate Runes.

Jiang Xu carefully discerned the arrangement and structure of these Runes, as well as the flow of Spiritual Power within them, attempting to decipher their function and intent.

The first thing he noticed was the Sound Transmission Talisman’s most basic function: transmitting information.

The Runes that formed the transmission channel shone brilliantly, interwoven like silken threads to create a stable energy grid. This ensured that messages could be passed between users without error.