Chapter 282: Ice Domain Snow Lotus
"At that time, those students from the Holy Academy were all laughing at me, saying I didn't know my place, calling me ignorant, calling me an idiot. They said the Demon Ridge was just a poor, remote little place—two hundred years ago, it produced a Luo Xu, but in another two hundred years, it wouldn't produce a second Luo Xu."
"At first, I naturally didn't believe them. I only thought about cultivating a peerless prodigy, sending him into the Holy Academy, and having him beat those arrogant bastards in the academy until they were crawling on the ground."
"Unfortunately, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment."
"Fifty years passed, and the Demon Ridge did produce some highly talented seedlings. A few of them were even better than Si Xingkong and Zhang Tianggui, but compared to the elites in the Holy Academy, they were still far too lacking. Although two of them did enter the Holy Academy, I told them never to tell anyone they were my disciples."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Hall Master, are you worried they might be suppressed by your former enemies?"
Lei Jing nodded. "If their talent isn't high enough, entering the Holy Academy is like throwing a pebble into the vast ocean—it won't even raise a bubble, let alone stir up any storms. For those two, being able to protect themselves in the Holy Academy is already quite good."
"Later, as I grew older, I wasn't as impulsive as before. Much of my passion wore away with time. In the end, I suddenly thought: even if I really did meet an absolute genius and sent him into the Holy Academy, telling everyone he was my disciple, Lei Jing's disciple—would that really be a good thing? Might it not end up harming him instead?"
"Once I realized that, the last bit of passion I had was gone. I thought to myself, fifty years have passed—who still remembers your grand declarations, Lei Jing? Besides, martial artists from a small place like the Demon Ridge really can't compare to the heirs of half-saint aristocratic families and saintly clans. That's fate. When you're born, it's already decided that you're inferior to others."
"But when you appeared, it seemed I saw hope again."
"With your talent, even if placed in the Holy Academy, you'd absolutely be among the top tier. If you can make a name for yourself in the Holy Academy, then this old man can finally hold his head high and step back into that academy, grab the sleeves of those old classmates, and glare at them through my nostrils, telling them: 'He is my disciple, Lei Jing's disciple. I, Lei Jing, said I would do it, and I've come back!'"
Zhang Ruochen said, "So, the one thing the Hall Master wanted me to do is this?"
"What? Having second thoughts?" Lei Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Hall Master's former enemies are probably high and mighty figures by now. Aren't you afraid that I might also suffer their suppression and retaliation in the Holy Academy?"
Hearing Zhang Ruochen's words, Lei Jing wasn't surprised at all; in fact, he was very understanding.
By speaking so openly, he had already prepared himself for Zhang Ruochen's refusal.
Lei Jing let out a long breath. "You can choose to refuse. After all, there's no benefit for you, and it might even bring deadly trouble."
Fifty years had passed, and Lei Jing's mindset had changed greatly. He no longer charged forward on pure hot blood, only to end up battered and bruised.
When a man grows old, he considers more things.
Lei Jing took an ice jade box from his bosom and handed it to Zhang Ruochen. "Inside this box is a five-hundred-year-old Ice Domain Snow Lotus. Swallow it, and it will help you break through to the Earth Extreme Great Extreme Position. Train hard. Whether you enter the Holy Academy or not in the future, the competition will be brutal."
With that, Lei Jing turned to leave.
"Wait a moment!"
Zhang Ruochen held the ice jade box. "I already owe the Hall Master a favor and promised to do one thing for you. Since I've promised, how could I go back on my word?"
Lei Jing's eyes lit up. "You've decided to become my disciple? To enter the Holy Academy as my disciple? Aren't you afraid of being targeted by the saintly clans?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Since ancient times, the common folk and the saintly clans have been at odds. Although I am a prince, in the eyes of those saintly clan heirs, a prince from a lowly commandery is no different from a commoner. Even if I don't enter the Holy Academy as your disciple, would I still not be targeted?"
Lei Jing laughed heartily and clapped his hands on Zhang Ruochen's shoulders. "Don't worry. With your talent, even if you enter the Holy Academy, the higher-ups will value you. Even the saintly clans won't dare to act against you lightly."
"Do you know why I said back then that I would only accept you as my disciple if you could reach the top one hundred of the Earth Ranking?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Because only by reaching the top one hundred of the Earth Ranking would I gain the attention of the Holy Academy's higher-ups. Only then could my safety be guaranteed."
"Exactly."
Lei Jing said, "But I didn't expect you to not only have the strength of the top one hundred on the Earth Ranking but also the potential to challenge the top ten—no, a very good chance."
"Zhang Ruochen, don't go for the third practical test just yet. First, refine the Ice Domain Snow Lotus and break through your realm."
Once he broke through, Zhang Ruochen's strength would increase greatly, and he would be more than just barely entering the top one hundred of the Earth Ranking.
Zhang Ruochen slowly opened the ice jade box. A burst of cold air emanated from it, instantly dropping the temperature of the surrounding air.
Inside the box lay a crystal-clear snow lotus, as if carved from jade, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.
"Five petals in total—indeed, a five-hundred-year-old Ice Domain Snow Lotus."
Zhang Ruochen showed a delighted expression, plucked one of the snow lotus petals, and placed it in his mouth.
The petal was like a thin piece of ice crystal. As soon as it entered his mouth, it melted instantly, turning into a stream of cold energy that flowed into his abdomen.
The medicinal power of the Ice Domain Snow Lotus was extremely rich. Almost instantly, it filled all the meridians in Zhang Ruochen's body, as if it would freeze his true qi solid.
Zhang Ruochen immediately sat cross-legged on the ground, pressed his palms together above his head, and silently recited the third layer of the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture. The fire-attributed true qi in his body slowly circulated through his meridians.
Generally speaking, a five-hundred-year-old Ice Domain Snow Lotus could already be used to help a martial artist at the Earth Extreme Great Perfection Realm break through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
But Zhang Ruochen's talent far exceeded that of ordinary martial artists, so he naturally needed more resources to break through.
Using the Ice Domain Snow Lotus to break through to the Earth Extreme Great Extreme Position was just right.
Zhang Ruochen's refining speed was extremely fast. It took him only about an hour to refine the medicinal power of one petal.
Five hours later, he had completely absorbed all five petals.
The true qi in his body had expanded to its limit.
With the naked eye, one could see wisps of spiritual energy, like snakes, flowing around his body.
Next, Zhang Ruochen picked up the lotus seeds from the snow lotus, swallowed them, and made the final sprint.
"He's only breaking through to the Earth Extreme Great Extreme Position, yet he needs to consume so many resources. Truly, he's not comparable to ordinary martial artists."
Lei Jing had originally thought that Zhang Ruochen only needed to refine the five snow lotus petals to break through, but the situation had completely exceeded his expectations.
Zhang Ruochen swallowed the Ice Domain Snow Lotus seeds, but it still seemed insufficient. He needed more energy to break through.
"This is the most critical moment of his breakthrough!"
Lei Jing took out a drop of sacred liquid and looked at Zhang Ruochen.
The sacred liquid was like a brilliant star, suspended at his fingertip.
Lei Jing pointed his finger and shot the sacred liquid toward Zhang Ruochen's brow.
The Divine Martial Mark on Zhang Ruochen's brow appeared and quickly absorbed that drop of sacred liquid.
"Boom!"
The qi sea in Zhang Ruochen's brow let out a soft sound and immediately expanded seventeenfold.
Finally, he broke through to the Earth Extreme Great Extreme Position in one go.
The spiritual energy that had been floating around Zhang Ruochen's body, as if attracted by some force, quickly surged toward his brow and into his qi sea.
A moment later, Zhang Ruochen stood up again and tried moving his limbs. He felt full of power—if a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artist stood before him, he could send them flying with a single palm strike.
This feeling was wonderful.
"Thank you, Master, for your assistance." Zhang Ruochen cupped his hands and bowed.
In truth, what Lei Jing could teach Zhang Ruochen was very limited, but he had indeed helped Zhang Ruochen a great deal, deserving of this bow.
Though there was no formal master-disciple relationship, there was the bond of one.
Lei Jing smiled. "Zhang Ruochen, do you want to test your strength and speed again?"
"No need. I have a rough idea of my current strength." Zhang Ruochen said.
Lei Jing said, "What rank on the Earth Ranking do you plan to challenge in the third practical test?"
"The hundredth." Zhang Ruochen said.
Lei Jing was momentarily stunned. "Didn't you already defeat her in the second match?"
"I want to try and see how many moves it takes me to defeat her now." Zhang Ruochen said.
"Alright! It's your decision." Lei Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen entered the testing chamber again and once more saw the hundredth-ranked martial artist on the Earth Ranking, Yan Qingwu.
Yan Qingwu carried a war sword as she walked out from the stone wall. She fixed her gaze on Zhang Ruochen. "Why you again?"
"Our previous battle was inconclusive, so naturally, I have to continue challenging you." Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Qingwu's eyes turned cold. "Fine! In our last fight, I didn't expect you to have a high-grade battle weapon, which is why you cut through my sword. Let's fight again—I won't let you succeed this time. Even the realm of Sword Heart Illumination isn't without a way to be countered."
Almost every martial artist who entered the top one hundred of the Earth Ranking could claim to be unrivaled among the younger generation in their region.
Yan Qingwu was no exception. From childhood to adulthood, she had never tasted defeat.
She was very confident in her strength, even when facing a martial artist who had achieved Sword Heart Illumination.
Yan Qingwu held her sword horizontally, raised her arm slightly, and formed a starting stance—seemingly ready to attack, yet also ready to defend, making it hard to read.
After their previous exchange, both had gained enough understanding of each other to choose their battle tactics calmly.