Ling Han found Yin Hong and told her that he would not only attend the alchemy contest, but also take part in the martial arts contest.
"Already anticipated it, this o'lady already reported your name," Yin Hong said unreservedly.
"You acted first then reported later? Wouldn't you fear that I'm naturally loving of peace and never fight and kill?" Ling Han said with a smile.
"Pah, you look like the bellicose type at first glance, especially when encountering geniuses of the same age range—you probably dream of trampling them, let alone Xuanyuan Zi Guang who has intentions about your wife!" Yin Hong gave him a harsh look.
"That Hai Niu really isn't my wife." Ling Han sighed.
"Not your wife? Then why does she stick to you so tightly?" Yin Hong obviously didn't believe him, and winked at the woman who was grabbing onto the hem of his clothes while holding onto a brick with the other hand.
Ling Han sighed again. Helian Xun Xue stuck to him now, and was even stickier than Hu Niu. At least Hu Niu could be coaxed with food, but this Hai Niu was obviously not a chowhound.
"I get it! I get it! Newlyweds, loveydovey!" Yin Hong looked like she understood clearly. "I won't bother you guys doing your thing. Remember, tomorrow at noon is the alchemy contest, don't exhaust too much of your spirit that you won't even be able to refine pills when the time comes."
"Female rascal!" Ling Han said powerlessly.
For the alchemy emperor, an alchemy contest was obviously a piece of cake, and wasn't something to worry about. For now, Ling Han still put his energy on martial arts; he wanted to adhere the bone patterns on the combined Sword Qi.
The Old Vicious Mongoose's bone patterns were truly incredible, being able to increase destructive power by one- to twofold. With the power of Ling Han's current 23 flashes of combined Sword Qi, if the bone patterns could be adhered onto them… well, even if it couldn't be compared to Sword Ray, it wouldn't be far from it.
If the bone patterns could be adhered onto it, Ling Han would have the confidence to take down Xuanyuan Zi Guang; otherwise, it would be a fifty-fifty chance.
"Additionally, since I've combined Sword Qi, it could be called a pseudo-Ray. Maybe I can try using 10,000 Techniques Return to One?
"On the basis of Mysterious Three Thousand, combining three thousand attacks into one, such an attack… even if I advance into the Spiritual Infant Tier and my physique is comparable to same tier rare metal, it can still be slashed through as long as the weapon is gelivable enough!
"Against the Heaven's Sword Sect, I certainly must be more careful. These ancient sects stood erect possibly no less than twenty thousand years ago, possessing countless precious tools, with no shortage of the ninth tier and tenth tier ones. If they fired 10,000 Techniques Return to One at me, then that wouldn't be a joke anymore."
Inside the Black Tower, Ling Han deduced the 10,000 Techniques Return to One. It couldn't be activated at all relying on normal Sword Qi, but after cultivating Sword Ray, the obscure and hard to understand sword secrets became smooth and simple.
However, Ling Han formed a pseudo-Ray, so he still deduced it slowly. As the sword swirled, the Sword Qi was extremely unstable.
He named this new sword "Purple Bale Sword," because it was forged from Purplish Gold Dragon Pattern Metal. In terms of its current power, it actually still couldn't be compared to the bone sword; it was just slightly sharper, and slighty more durable.
It couldn't be helped. The bone sword was a genuine sixth tier Spirit Tool with a Ba Xia's martial intent, and with a swing of the sword, the terrifying pressure was like a mountain. However, the Purple Bale Sword won in potential. As long as Ling Han continued to nourish it with his own martial intent, it would definitely become a Spirit Tool given enough time.
"However, this at least needs a dozen to twenty years, and at that time, I would definitely have advanced into the Heaven Tier, and this sword wouldn't be of much use to me.
"Sigh, the increase in tier is too fast in this life. Getting a good weapon, I actually can't nourish it into a Spirit Tool before having to change it, such hardship!"
Though he complained, Ling Han's smile was extremely bright; who didn't want their cultivation progression to soar?
"It'd be best if I can get a divine metal to settle the matter in one go, refining my personal Spirit Tool from it. Unfortunately, divine metals only exist in legends. If a piece appeared, even Shattering Void Tier elites would fight desperately for it, and I really wouldn't qualify to contest.
"Whatever, I should just keep my mind on sword training."
In a night, Ling Han acquired only slight improvement on 10,000 Techniques Return to One, but received quite the inspiration in the adherence of bone patterns; if he had one more day, he should be able to be able to achieve substantive progress.
However, the day was already bright, and soon, it would be noon.
Ling Han exited the Black Tower, and after eating casually, he went to the alchemy contest with Zhu Xuan Er and the other two girls.
East, South, West, and North, the four regions' Spirit Treasures Pavilion subbranches; in addition to its headquarters in middle state, over hundred people gathered at once.
Such a contest not only concerned the glory of each subbranch or the headquarters, it also had substantive meaning… Yin Hong and the others were future candidates for the Spirit Treasures Pavilion's Pavilion Masters; their current performance would be scored, influencing whether they could become candidate Pavilion Masters.
For this reason, Yin Hong and the others set their hearts on this matter the way they did.
In addition to Yin Hong, there were four others forming the framework of the younger generation: Yin Hao Qi (east region), Yin Zhi Ming (west region), Yin Le (north region), Yin Si Miao (middle state).
Their performance was to be observed for twenty years, after which one of them would be chosen as the candidate Pavilion Master. Then they would continue to select five Yin Family's youngsters who would undergo the examination, choosing a Pavilion Master candidate among them.
Amongst the current nine Pavilion Masters, should any die from old age or an accident, he would have his position inherited by the candidate Pavilion Master. One radish, one hole… many people were lining up to rise to the position.
Each sub-pavilion announced their candidate that would partake in the alchemy contest. They were all able to invite amazing alchemy geniuses, and the one with the highest title was a low level Earth Grade alchemist at a mere 29 years old, extremely amazing.
This person was called Xuan Ji Yun, and was from the south region. Meanwhile, the other three regions invited alchemists that were all high level Yellow Grade.
Being able to reach high level Yellow Grade before thirty years old, it was already a very impressive thing. This was also related to the environment… The environment became better, and with more spirit grass, it increased the amount of times alchemy masters could refine high level medicinal pills.
Refining pills was about how much one attempted concocting and how much one learnt from their failures before achieving succes.
For example, let's consider failing 99 times before success. With the environment in Ling Han's former lifetime, it might take 99 years to procure the necessary amount of ingredients; however, now, 30-50 years was enough, so the situation was obviously incomparable.
Therefore, no matter whether it was martial arts geniuses or alchemy eccentrics, they jumped out one by one like they weren't anything special at all. The environment changed—it was all.
The alchemy contest was the one with least suspense. Once Xuan Ji Yun's title of low level Earth Grade alchemist was publicized, it was already equal to announcing his victory, making the other three families alchemists lose fighting spirit. Only Yin Hon was still filled with confidence.
What a joke. The alchemist that she invited was a Heaven Grade alchemist, alright?ED/N: Chinglish slang for awesome. It combines a Chinese word, which roughly means "powerful, awesome," with the English suffix -able