Chapter 65 - 27: Four Seasons Valley, Twenty-four Solar Terms

Chapter 65: Chapter 27: Four Seasons Valley, Twenty-four Solar Terms

But Dong Hao truly held Jiang Xuan in high regard—or rather, he hoped Jiang Xuan would owe him a great many favors so that he would give his all to help him during the Hundred-Day Exam.

And just then, he gave Jiang Xuan a great ’surprise’.

"I knew you wouldn’t be content, so before coming here, I sought out Xie Hanyan. She’s also skilled with the sword and is preparing to enter Star Sword Peak. With her talent and potential, she was able to secure an assessment opportunity for you."

Jiang Xuan didn’t doubt that.

Ever since learning about the Shenxiao Sect’s system, Jiang Xuan knew that it wasn’t just the Outer Disciples who faced competition. The Nine Peaks, Thirty-Three Mountains, and Eighty-one Blessed Lands within the sect all felt a sense of urgency as well.

If they didn’t strive, the rating of their Dharma Vein would be downgraded, and their corresponding resources, rewards, and status would be lowered in turn. Jiang Xuan believed this was something no Dharma Vein in the Shenxiao Sect could possibly tolerate.

Therefore, they too had to contend.

And the path of Cultivation was as much about refining the self as it was about pursuing truth.

Thus, in the Cultivation Realm, talented individuals were what mattered most. Prodigies were a scarcity everywhere, and possessing sufficient Talent gave Xie Hanyan the qualifications to negotiate terms with Star Sword Peak.

Of course, she wasn’t a Celestial Level Spirit Root, after all—only Earth Level Top Grade. That was why all she could get for Jiang Xuan was an opportunity for an assessment, not a direct pass into Star Sword Peak.

As for why someone with such outstanding Talent as Xie Hanyan would associate with the likes of Dong Hao, the reason was already crystal clear to Jiang Xuan.

She clearly wasn’t content with a Lower-Class Dharma Vein. Instead, she aspired to become an Inner Sect Disciple of a Middle-Class, or perhaps even an Upper-Class, Dharma Vein.

With ambitions like that, the more support she could gather, the better.

...

Dong Hao’s willingness to go to such lengths to pave the way for him was a rare gesture, but Jiang Xuan’s primary goal right now was Four Seasons Valley. It simply wasn’t worth cashing in such a significant favor for a mere assessment slot.

With this in mind, Jiang Xuan immediately waved his hand to decline. "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Dong, but I’ve set my sights on..."

Before he could finish, Dong Hao clapped him on the shoulder, smiling with a look that seemed to say, ’I get it.’ "Brother Jiang, I know you don’t want me to expend favors on your behalf. It’s no problem. I already settled things with Senior Sister Xie."

"Besides, you don’t need to have any reservations. I’ve said it before: the stronger you are, the more secure our chances will be in the second round of the assessment."

"I’m still hoping you’ll score ’Excellent’ again in the second round, so we can both make it into the Inner Sect together."

Whether he was sincere or not, Dong Hao’s words were pleasant to hear. At the same time, his speech made it difficult for Jiang Xuan to refuse.

Jiang Xuan did have some interest in Star Sword Peak as well.

Four Seasons Valley might be suitable for him, but because its core legacy was incomplete, it ultimately had its limits. Moreover, its assessment was extremely difficult—one had to comprehend the Four Seasons Dao Rhymes by tasting seasonal grains. Even Jiang Xuan wasn’t confident he could succeed at such a task.

Star Sword Peak was another matter. It was a complete Middle-Class Dharma Vein and a much better fit for him now that he was a Clear Heart Swordsman.

’If the assessment is about the sword, my chances of passing will increase by at least thirty percent with my Heart·Sincerity (Sword) Talent.’

As for the matter of Spiritual Cuisine—Jiang Xuan’s mind raced, and he instantly devised a workaround:

’Disciples from Middle-Class Dharma Veins hold a high status within the sect. If I really manage to enter Star Sword Peak, I could take a different approach—cultivate the Sword Dao there while asking Dong Hao to pull some strings and find a Cultivator from the Spirit Chef Dharma Vein. I could tag along with them to observe and learn.’

’With my status as a disciple from a Middle-Class Dharma Vein, they would be unlikely to refuse.’

Now that he had a workaround that offered the best of both worlds, Jiang Xuan was no longer conflicted and nodded in agreement.

Seeing that he had agreed, Dong Hao immediately led Jiang Xuan to meet Xie Hanyan.

What made Jiang Xuan frown slightly was that Zeng Jun was also present. From the looks of it, he had the same idea as Dong Hao.

The difference was that he wasn’t paving the way for someone else; he intended to use his connection to Xie Hanyan to get into Star Sword Peak himself.

’...Troublesome.’