Chapter 554 - Compensation
"Ah?"
"Exerted too much force?"
Court Chief Wu, Pavilion Master Kang, and the others were stunned.
Ruohuan gongzi's mouth twitched, and he nearly fainted on the spot.
He had been wondering why Zhang shi would fail the trial despite the fact that even he could clear it. So, this was the main reason behind it... The latter had already gone ahead and absorbed the seed water dry, rendering the Yin-Yang Lake obsolete... Under such circumstances, was there still a need for him to clear the trial?
To think that he was even awed by the other party's openness in admitting his defeat... Looking at it now, the other party was truly shameless!
What do we do now given that you have gone ahead to sap the seed water dry?
Ruohuan gongzi truly felt like crying now.
Ever since he met this fellow, regardless of what he did, be it the selection round or the current trial, there was nothing that went his way. He seemed to be either getting slapped on the face or was on the way to be getting slapped on the face.
If not for his strong mental resilience, he would have long gone mad from this.
"Y-you... actually sapped the power of yin and yang within the seed water dry?"
Court Chief Wu finally recovered from her shock and stared at the young man before her with a frenzied look.
"Un!" Zhang Xuan replied sheepishly.
Even though he knew the name of that small lake below through the Library of Heaven's Path, he had no idea that it would be so important to the Yin-Yang Lake... He had only wanted to temper his soul for a bit, he didn't think that something so important would turn out to be so fragile, breaking down when it had only boosted his soul cultivation from Transcendent Mortal 2-dan to 4-dan.
But thinking deeper into it, that was to be expected. After all, the seed water was only responsible for the production of yin and yang energy. The spiritual energy contained within it for Zhang Xuan's cultivation was lacking. The bulk of the spiritual energy for the Yin-Yang Lake mainly came from the innumerable spirit stones embedded in the surroundings.
As such, the yin and yang energy within the seed water was quickly sapped dry by him.
Upon understanding all of this, Zhang Xuan felt extremely stifled.
If only he'd known how easily that thing broke down, as well as its importance, he would have never touched it!
Just like his zhenqi cultivation, his soul cultivation could be raised as long as he had sufficient middle-tier spirit stones.
He had no way to compensating for the seed water and Yin-Yang Lake!
But still... the seed water wasn't completely useless. After all, its effects were different from that of the spirit stones. A soul that had absorbed the yin and yang energy would be similar to have undergone a lightning tribulation, making it even more tangible and purer. This was something that a spirit stone could never hope to achieve.
"The seed water is hidden deep underground, and the Room of Ice and Fire is only connected to it so that one would be exposed to the power of yin and yang... There's a distance of several thousand meters between both ends. Even at such a distance, you were still able to absorb it?"
Court Chief Wu found the matter too difficult to believe.
Given the distance between the Room of Ice and Fire and the seed water, how did he manage to sap everything dry?
"Cough cough... When I entered the Room of Ice and Fire, I found a mechanism that exposed a trapdoor..." Zhang Xuan said.
Court Chief Wu trembled.
That was a mechanism designed by a 5-star celestial designer! Even she could only open it with the token given to her as the court chief. Yet, this fellow was actually able to activate it... How in the world did he do it?
More importantly... that was only a small ventilation pipe. It only had two purposes-the Room of Ice and Fire trial, and to connect the seed water to the environment so as to nourish it. As such, the ventilation pipe was just a straight vertical opening with a height of several thousand meters... There was nothing there to break one's fall... Jumping down just like that would surely result in death!
Besides, if he had really gone down, how in the world did he get back up?
"It's my fault for absorbing the yin and yang energy of your seed water dry. How about this... I won't take advantage of you. I've taken a good look at your battle technique just now, and the Glacier Plain Court's Yin Formula and Yang Formula possess a fatal flaw. If I'm not mistaken, all who cultivate those two formulae will die early!"
Zhang Xuan felt guilty at destroying the centerpiece of the other party's court. It just so happened that he had taken a good look at the yin and yang attribute disciple just now, and he realized that there were some problems with their cultivation techniques. He hoped to make it up to the other party through this way.
"You..."
Court Chief Wu was stunned.
The yin and yang formula disciples were usually groomed to take care of the seed water. As such, facing frequent immense pressure from the earth vein and the Ice Plain, their lifespans were severely limited. Even if they managed to make the breakthrough into Transcendent Mortal realm, sixty was still a huge hurdle for them.
However, this was a secret of their Glacier Plain Court... This Zhang shi actually managed to see through this as well?
"I can modify your cultivation technique so as to get rid of this trauma in compensation for your loss!" Zhang Xuan said.
"Modify... the cultivation technique?" Court Chief Wu shuddered.
This flaw had been existent in the heritage for the Glacier Plain Court for innumerable years. If it could really be resolved, that person would really be a benefactor to all of the members of the Origin Flame Glacier Plain. Putting aside destroying a branch, even if he were to destroy ten of them, the headquarters wouldn't even frown in the least.
However... even if it could be modified, it was hard to believe that it could come from the hands of a young man who wasn't even twenty yet.
"The greatest flaw with those two cultivation techniques is that yang and yin energy will accumulate, causing one's meridians to be blocked. Even though yang and yin energy are the most original energy of the world, very few cultivators have a constitution compatible with it. If it were to accumulate for an extended period of time, it was very easy for one's foundation to be destroyed. This is similar to ginseng; even though it brings many benefits to the human body, there are still some who are incompatible with it. As long as one's constitution is in conflict with it, even the best tonic could turn into lethal poison..."
Knowing the other party's concerns, Zhang Xuan continued, "If it can be solved at its very root, the compatibility between one's constitution and the yin and yang energy will increase. It won't be difficult for them to regain their lost lifespan!"
Court Chief Wu didn't cultivate the Yin Formula or Yang Formula, but the other disciples did. Furthermore, due to their lower cultivation, Zhang Xuan's Eye of Insight was able to work perfectly on them.
Through his observations, he realized that most of them were suffering from the same trauma, and if they weren't treated soon, their lifespan could be severely limited.
A Transcendent Mortal realm cultivator's lifespan can usually reach two hundred to three hundred years. To live until only sixty was truly tragic in comparison.
Court Chief Wu was hesitant, but soon, gritting her teeth; she took out two manuals and passed them over. "Zhang shi, I'll be troubling you for the cultivation techniques..."
Initially, she was still harboring some doubts, thinking that the other party was trying to make use of this opportunity to peek into their cultivation technique. Only after hearing the explanation did she realize that she was wrongly doubting the other party.
The other party was even able to see through the essence and main flaws of their cultivation technique-this meant that the Yin Formula and Yang Formula probably didn't mean much to the other party at all. So how could he possibly resort to such underhanded tricks to attain their cultivation technique?
"Un!" Taking the cultivation technique manual, a corresponding book immediately appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path.
Lowering his head to browse through the manual, it was exactly as what he perceived using his Eye of Insight previously-those who cultivated these two manuals would suffer a serious trauma that would shorten their lifespans.
But fortunately, the flaws of the cultivation techniques were clearly shown through the Library of Heaven's Path. Thus, modifying the cultivation technique wasn't too difficult.
Soon, Zhang Xuan picked up his brush and started changing the incorrect portions of the cultivation techniques that resulted in the shortening of lifespan before passing it back.
"This..."
Grabbing hold of the cultivation technique, Court Chief Wu took a look and started trembling.
As a Transcendent Mortal 5-dan expert who had governed over the Glacier Plain Court for many years, she could easily tell whether the modifications were effective or not.
And based on her evaluation, she could foresee everyone in the Glacier Plain Court recovering from their trauma if they were to cultivate by this modified manual.
To change a cultivation technique right after taking a look... How formidable was this young man?
Even Pavilion Master Kang was incompatible of such a feat!
"Thank you Zhang shi for saving countless members of our Glacier Plain Court!"
She knew that this cultivation technique would surely cause a huge uproar if she were to report it back the headquarters. Who knows how many current and future members would be saved by cultivating this modified technique? Unable to hold back her agitation any longer, Court Chief Wu kneeled to the floor and kowtowed.
"Ah... Court Chief Wu, what are you doing..."
Not expecting the other party to kowtow to him, Zhang Xuan was alarmed. He hurried forward to pull the other party up.
Court Chief Wu shook her hands and replied gravely, "I am thanking you in the stead of our entire Glacier Plain Court. Please don't turn down our gratitude!"
Due to the limitations of their cultivation technique, there were more than a hundred thousand disciples who were unable to live past sixty. Once this cultivation technique got out, they would be saved from the tragic fate of an early death... In other words, Zhang shi, with this action, had saved the lives of more than several hundred thousand people. Her bow represented the gratitude of all of these people.
"Alright then..."
Since the other party was adamant, Zhang Xuan could only concede.
On the other hand, Pavilion Master Kang and Ruohuan gongzi's vision turned dark, and they nearly spurted blood.
When they learned that Zhang shi had devoured the yin and yang energy in the seed water clean, they thought that Court Chief Wu would surely kill him. Who knew that in a blink of an eye, the latter would actually be kneeling to him...
Zhang shi, what other incredible feats are you capable of?
To modify a cultivation technique and solve a problem that had plagued the members of the Origin Flame Glacier Plains for so long...
That was no longer a feat that a master teacher was capable of. In fact, Pavilion Master Kang even thought that a 5-star master teacher couldn't possibly fare any better than him.
After kowtowing grandly three times, Court Leader Wu finally stood up.
Even though the other party had ruined the seed water, in exchange, he had saved countless lives of the Origin Flame Glacier Plain. His contributions had far exceeded his misdoings.
"The reason why we traveled here is to cultivate at the Yin-Yang Lake in preparation of the Master Teacher Tournament. Since I inadvertently ruined the Yin-Yang Lake, resulting in you being unable to advance your cultivation... How about this, I'll offer you some pointer so that you can reach Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle within a month as compensation!"
After dealing with Court Chief Wu's matter, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to Ruohuan gongzi.
Initially, this fellow came excitedly in hopes of using the Yin-Yang Lake to boost his cultivation. Who could have known that the yin and yang energy contained within the lake would be sapped dry by him, resulting in his plans being messed up. Naturally, Zhang Xuan should also compensate him as well.
"Reach Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle within a month?"
Ruohuan gongzi was taken aback.
He was a master teacher himself, and his teacher was even the head of the Master Teacher Pavilion. Throughout his life, he had come into contact with all kinds of ingenious solutions to boost one's rate of cultivation. But even so, he knew that it was impossible for him to reach Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle without at least a decade of hard work. To do so in a month...
You must be dreaming!
"When you cultivate, do you feel your spirit sea is being blocked, as though you are trying to force through a narrow tunnel?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"Ah... Yes!"
Ruohuan gongzi nodded his head.
The main reason why the progress in his cultivation had been slow wasn't due to the lack of resources or his lack of knowledge on how to progress further. Rather, the zhenqi in his body seemed to have met with some kind of impetus, making it difficult for him to drive it around his body.
"The solution is simple. Eat this pill, I guarantee you that you will be able to reach Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle within a month!"
Zhang Xuan nonchalantly took out a fist-sized red pill.
Ruohuan gongzi's body swayed and his face distorted.
"This is... the grade-2 Libido Pill that is fed to savage beasts?"