Library of Heaven’s Path

Seeing the two clear footprints on the lady’s bottom, Zhang Xuan said awkwardly, ”If we were to continue fighting, I fear that… you might sustain more severe injuries. Let’s just forget about it! I’ll wager with you whatever you have in your mind…”

He wouldn’t be a match for the other party in a normal battle, but if he were to continue resorting to the Library of Heaven’s Path, who knew what kind of awkwardness would evolve from it?

He already felt embarrassed kicking the other party twice on the bottom. Even if his skin was thick, he couldn’t bring himself to do it anymore.

”Alright!”

While Princess Fei-er was so angry that she could tear out her hair at this very instant, she knew that she would be the one in a disadvantageous position should the fight continue. Thus, she took a deep breath and nodded.

But even so, the flames in her pitch-black eyes continued to blaze, seemingly searing the hateful man with her gaze.

”Since we’re both heading to the Cleansing Lake tomorrow, let’s have a wager on it!” Princess Fei-er said.

”That’s fine by me. How do you want to do it?” Zhang Xuan asked.

”You should be aware that the Lake Eyes of the Cleansing Lake have a limited pool of spiritual energy. In truth, the three days limit given is only a rough estimation. Due to the differing cultivation speed of different cultivators, those entering the Cleansing Lake will be given a ’Spirit Cleansing Incense’!”

Princess Fei-er continued, saying, ”The Spirit Cleansing Incense can detect the concentration of the spiritual energy in the Lake Eye, and it will burn down at differing rates depending on the rate of depletion of spiritual energy. An average rate is one incense a day, so the three days estimate approximates to three incense sticks. Regardless of which Lake Eye one was in, once the three incense sticks burn out, one must leave its premises immediately.”

Given that there’s a fixed amount of spiritual energy in each Lake Eye and that every cultivator had a different rate of cultivation, the approximation of three days wouldn’t hold for everyone. As such, a more accurate way of detecting the depletion of spiritual energy in the Lake Eye was required so that the cultivators inside wouldn’t be exposed to danger—the Spirit Cleansing Incense.

These incenses would start burning immediately once they are put inside the Cleansing Lake, and based on the rate of depletion of spiritual energy in the Lake Eye, they could burn down at differing paces. Once three incense sticks had burned out, one had to leave immediately. This was a rule that had been set long ago, and no one was allowed to break it.

This had been explained back at the banquet, so Zhang Xuan knew about it too.

”So… our wager is very simple. Tomorrow afternoon, we’ll enter the Cleansing Lake at the same time, and whoever’s Spirit Cleansing Incense burns out first will be the winner!” Princess Fei-er said.

”Whoever’s Spirit Cleansing Incense burns out first will be the winner?” Not expecting this to be the wager, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

The rate at which the Spirit Cleansing Incense burned down was proportionate to the rate of one’s absorption of the spiritual energy the Lake Eye. And to absorb the spiritual energy from the Lake Eye swiftly, a strong soul was required.

To put it simply… the stronger one’s soul was, the faster one’s Spirit Cleansing Incense would burn.

As a Cosmos Bridge realm expert, the other party’s soul had undergone the nourishment in the Consonant Spirit realm. Clearly, the other party was taking advantage of Zhang Xuan for possessing a cultivation of only Clarifying Turbidity realm and thus having a weaker soul than her…

Just that… She would have never imagined that she was gravely mistaken. Not only was his soul not weak, it was far stronger than hers!

Having cultivated the Heaven’s Path Soul Art, his soul could already operate independently from his body. In a battle of absorption of spiritual energy from the Cleansing Lake, not even a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert would be a match for him.

”Are you certain you want to wager on this?”

Zhang Xuan looked at her with pity.

With such a wager, she was destined to lose.

”Indeed! Why? You were still so gleeful a moment ago, are you chickening out now?” Princess Fei-er spoke confidently.

”This…” Zhang Xuan scratched his head. ”Fine, let’s talk about the bets then!”

”Simple. If I win, I’ll no longer be your maid anymore, and I won’t owe you any spirit stones either! On the other hand, if you win… I’ll pay you another ten thousand spirit stones… or remain your maid for another five months. How about it?” Princess Fei-er said.

”Remain my maid for another five months? There’s no need for that…”

Zhang Xuan shook his head without any hesitation.

Honestly, he didn’t need a maid at all, needless to say, he definitely didn’t need a proud princess like the other party. Back then, he had only raised the matter to get even with the other party. In terms of practicality, spirit stones were definitely far superior.

Hearing the other party shooting down her offer, Princess Fei-er gritted her teeth in anger.

”What else do you want? Do you expect me to marry you?”

”Marry me?” Zhang Xuan was stunned. ”You wish!”

”You…”

Princess Fei-er grabbed her hair in a frenzy.

There were countless master teachers in the Master Teacher Academy who were dying to win her fancy, and yet this fellow actually scorned at the thought of being married to her… Who do you think you are?

”I don’t need you to become my maid for another five months, just give me ten thousand spirit stones if you lose!” Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

”Fine, that’s a deal…”

With clenched jaws, Princess Fei-er stomped away.

She really couldn’t stand talking to this fellow for a second longer. She feared that she might just suffer a heart attack on the spot and die.

Sneaking through the premises, she managed to reach her living quarters without being seen when Luo Qiqi suddenly walked up to her. Upon seeing her unkempt state, the other party was dumbfounded. ”What happened?”

At the current moment, Princess Fei-er’s clothes were ripped at several parts, revealing her snowy skin. Her hair and face had clumps of mud sticking onto it, as though she had been rolling on the ground. She looked extremely scruffy at this current moment.

”It’s nothing much… I suffered some injuries, so I might need you to apply some recovery medicine to me later on!” Princess Fei-er said.

She lost a bet fair and square, and yet she went to confront the other party and even attacked him… It would still be fine if she succeeded, but she ended up being beaten up instead. Even her bottom had swollen up due to being kicked…

She would rather die than tell anyone of this shameful affair!

”You’re injured?” Luo Qiqi frowned. ”Who did it?”

”I said that I’m fine! Just apply the medicine for me…” Princess Fei-er’s face flushed.

”Alright.”

Seeing that the other party was unwilling to talk about it, Luo Qiqi didn’t push on either. ”If it’s superficial wounds, I happen to have a bottle of ’Bloodwillow Balm’ forged by Dean Lu of the Apothecary School. It is exceptionally effective on external wounds, so it should get you healed up for tomorrow’s Cleansing Lake!”

”There’s no need for that, Wu Zhen just gave up a bottle of Saint recovery medicine. He said that it can heal any external wound, no matter how severe, within moments… Help me apply some!”

Princess Fei-er flicked her wrist and took out a wine gourd.

While she was a little embarrassed to have the other party apply the medicinal wine on her, especially on her bottom, it was much better than suffering and limping around.

”Saint recovery medicine?”

Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

”Un. It’s said to be a gift from one of the Vassal States. They tested it out on the spot and it was shown to be extremely effective. Even a bleeding wound can be healed instantly with it!” Princess Fei-er said. ”He insisted that I should accept it. Let’s see whether it lives up to the rumors then!”

”There’s actually such a formidable medicine?” Luo Qiqi commented in awe as she entered the room with Princess Fei-er.

But not too longer later, a shout of agony reminiscent of a pig being butchered echoed out of their room. Following which, Princess Fei-er’s furious howl echoed across the entire mansion.

”AHHH… WU ZHEN, TO HELL WITH YOU!”

With a doubtful expression, Wu Zhen looked out from his door.

”Who called for me?”

…

After parting with Princess Fei-er, Zhang Xuan returned to his own room.

He took out the Glacier Rain Sword and had it acknowledge him as its master. Giving the sword a try, he found it to be very handy.

After which, he put the sword away, sat down, and began conditioning his body to recuperate from the immense exertion from the previous two battles a moment ago. But soon, perhaps it was the exhaustion from flying for more than a month catching up with him, he soon fell into a deep sleep.

When he finally opened his eyes once more, it was already daylight. As soon as he walked out from his room, Luo Xuan and Bi Jianghai immediately walked up to him with an agitated expression which reflected both excitement and gratitude.

After returning back to their rooms last night, they immediately consumed the Consonant Spirit Pill given to them and successfully achieved a breakthrough to Consonant Spirit realm intermediate stage.

While it was only one small cultivation realm, their souls had become much stronger, and their zhenqi had grown denser as well.

And all of this was thanks to the young man before them.

After eating breakfast, Hong shi walked over and said, ”Let’s go to the royal palace. The Cleansing Lake is opening today, so we’ll have to hurry!”

Hongfeng Empire had performed exceptionally in deciding the distribution of slots this time around, crushing the other three Vassal States. This had left him excited and motivated.

The royal palace was much grander and larger than the crown prince’s Eastern Palace. Its resplendent design carried a strong hint of authority which brought out a solemn atmosphere in the area. Those who entered would find a pressure pressing down against them, inducing deference in them.

Under the lead of two eunuchs, they walked into the main hall of the royal palace. Luo Zhao, Feng Yu, and the others had already arrived at this point.

After a night of recuperation, everyone seemed to look much better. However, if one were to take a closer look, the swelling and wounds were still visible.

While one’s physical body would grow stronger along with the rise in one’s cultivation, one’s recovery ability would slow in contrast.

While they did possess precious recovery medicine, its effectiveness pale far in comparison to Zhang Xuan’s zhenqi, which could heal any wounds instantaneously.

”Hmm? What’s with that fellow?”

It wasn’t surprising to see injuries on them, but there was one who did leave Zhang Xuan a little taken aback.

For some reason, Wu Zhen, who had sat beside the crown prince last night and accepted everyone’s gifts, had a black eye on his face. There were distinct hints of swelling which indicated that he had suffered a vicious beating by someone last night.

Given that he was a talented student of the Master Teacher Academy, a figure whom even Emperor Ye Wentian and Crown Prince Ye Qian had to regard with the utmost respect, who would dare to lay their hands on him, not to mention, reduce him to such a tragic state?

Zhang Xuan wasn’t the only one who was surprised by the turn of events. Perplexed gazes from the others in the main hall would fall on him from time to time as well.

At that moment, Wu Zhen noticed Zhang Xuan and stomped over angrily.

”Zhang shi… I have something I would like to ask you!”

”Paying respect to Wu shi!”

Zhang Xuan clasped his fist.

”Don’t give me this nonsense. Tell me, what’s wrong with this medicinal wine?” Flicking his wrist, Wu shi took out the wine gourd angrily.

While this fellow claimed that this was a gift from Hong shi, he could tell that Zhang shi was surely involved in this matter.

”This medicinal wine?”

Zhang Xuan froze for a moment before coming to a realization. ”You used it?”

This ’medicinal wine’ was in fact just plain white wine. The only reason why it could heal injuries previously was due to him infusing his zhenqi in. But as time passed, the zhenqi would slowly dissipate, and thus, the healing property would gradually fade.

It seemed like this fellow had used it and it was ineffective.

”I wasn’t the one who used it… but it’s completely ineffective!”

The more Wu Zhen thought about it, the angrier he felt.

When he heard the Sixth Princess calling for him yesterday, he excitedly ran over, thinking that the other party wanted to reward him for giving her the medicinal wine. Who knew that he would only be viciously beaten up instead? Only then did he realize that the medicinal wine was completely ineffective.

The more he thought about this matter, the more furious he felt. Thus, he stomped straight up to Zhang Xuan as soon as he saw him.

”How could it be ineffective? Let me take a look. Alright, since your face is injured, why don’t you give it a try?”

How could Zhang Xuan possibly admit to it, especially given how angry the other party was? Thus, grabbing hold of the medicinal wine, he shook it and infused a surge of zhenqi into it.

”Give it a try?” Wu Zhen thought that the other party would surely tremble in fear upon being confronted, but seeing the calmness on the other party’s face, he frowned.

”Un, here…”

Passing the medicinal gourd over, Zhang Xuan said. ”Since you doubt its effectiveness, you should try drinking it!”