Chapter 380: The Same Inn
Leaving the Divine Sword Sacred Land, Zhang Ruochen returned to the Martial Market Inn in the Seventh District, unaware of what happened afterward.
As he walked into the Martial Market Inn, he suddenly heard a crowd of voices. Looking into the distance, Zhang Ruochen saw that Zi Hansha, Xue Yingrou, and other gifted students from Nanyun Commandery had also checked into the Nanting Inn.
At this moment, they stood in the center of the vast training ground, sizing up the inn.
Among them, a younger gifted student exclaimed in amazement, "Wow! As expected of the Martial Market Academy's inn, it's so magnificent!"
"The Eastern Domain Sacred City is truly a sacred land for martial cultivation. I must enter the Saint Academy and stay here forever, never returning!"
...
...
Even the gifted students from Nanyun Commandery included many who were visiting the Eastern Domain Sacred City for the first time.
They were stunned by its splendor. Even an inn was comparable to a magnificent palace. Many resolved to put down roots here and become permanent residents of the Eastern Domain Sacred City.
It seemed that becoming a permanent resident of the Eastern Domain Sacred City was a supreme honor.
Zi Hansha stood with his arms crossed, looking aloof. He watched his junior brothers and sisters, who had never seen the world, with a hint of disdain in his eyes. "If you want to stay permanently in the Eastern Domain Sacred City, you'll have to buy a mansion. As far as I know, even the cheapest mansion costs at least two million spirit crystals. As for a mansion in the Seventh District, even if you spend ten million spirit crystals, you might not be able to buy one."
As an outstanding talent from a Half-Saint clan, Zi Hansha had visited the Eastern Domain Sacred City before, so he had some understanding of it.
Hearing Zi Hansha's words, the enthusiasm of those gifted students immediately dimmed by more than half.
The price of a mansion in the Eastern Domain Sacred City was too high. Even with their Heavenly Extreme Realm martial cultivation, they might not afford one even after decades of hard work.
Moreover, even if they could earn several million spirit crystals, they would rather spend it on cultivation. Who would buy a mansion?
Thus, for a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artist, buying a mansion in the Eastern Domain Sacred City was almost impossible.
Zi Hansha glanced in Xue Yingrou's direction and said smugly, "Our Zi clan is a Half-Saint clan with several properties in the Eastern Domain Sacred City. Before I came, the clan leader already said that if I can become a Saint Disciple of the Saint Academy, I will receive one of those mansions."
Hearing this, the gifted students all let out exclamations of admiration. They gathered around Zi Hansha, flattering him.
"Senior Brother is truly impressive. As expected of the heir of a Half-Saint clan, we are far behind you."
"In the future, in the Eastern Domain Sacred City, please look after us, Senior Brother."
...
Especially the few female gifted students, who gazed at Zi Hansha with admiration, deeply moved by the profound heritage of a Half-Saint clan, which even had influence in the Eastern Domain Sacred City.
Xue Yingrou, on the other hand, remained very calm.
Ever since she saw Zhang Ruochen defeat Zi Hansha, she had been greatly disappointed in him. A mere Half-Saint clan—there were countless such clans in the Eastern Domain Sacred City.
At the very least, the heir of a Saint-level clan would be worthy of her, Xue Yingrou.
Zhang Ruochen only glanced from afar, shook his head, walked through the gate, and headed toward the Jade Toad Palace.
No one knew who first spotted Zhang Ruochen, but a startled voice rang out, "Senior Brother, Senior Sister Xue, look quickly! Zhang Ruochen is also staying at this inn."
The gazes of those gifted students all turned to Zhang Ruochen. Many had mocking expressions in their eyes.
"Staying at the same inn as those country bumpkins from Demon Ridge—how degrading." Zi Hansha thought to himself, putting away his smile and letting out a cold snort.
Xue Yingrou furrowed her brows slightly, feeling an indescribable emotion. She didn't dislike Zhang Ruochen, but she was quite disappointed in him.
Zhang Ruochen ignored them, crossed the training ground, and returned to his room.
"Continue cultivating, and strive to break through to the late stage of the Heavenly Extreme Realm as soon as possible."
Zhang Ruochen entered the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal, sat cross-legged at the center, cleared his mind of distractions, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and activated his technique to fully absorb the Sacred Dragon power from the Dragon Pearl.
In the Divine Sword Sacred Land, although Zhang Ruochen had only exchanged one move with Lu Fantian, he could clearly feel the immense power contained within Lu Fantian.
"Lu Fantian's cultivation should have reached the Middle Extreme Position of the Heavenly Extreme Realm, three realms higher than mine. If I don't use my Martial Soul and Spiritual Power, I will definitely lose in a fight against him."
A powerful Martial Soul and Spiritual Power were Zhang Ruochen's important trump cards, but as the heir of the Divine Sword Sacred Land, did Lu Fantian not have his own trump cards?
Therefore, in a real battle, Zhang Ruochen had no confidence in defeating Lu Fantian.
Now, he had to improve his cultivation as quickly as possible. Only by breaking through to the late stage of the Heavenly Extreme Realm would his strength reach a higher level. Only then would he have more confidence in fighting the prodigies of the Eastern Domain.
In his Qi Sea, over five thousand drops of cyan true energy floated like stars in the sky, emitting a flickering light.
On the walls of the Qi Sea, various divine marks emerged—some with human bodies and dragon heads, some with human bodies and serpent tails, some with three heads and six arms...
As the technique circulated, the divine marks seemed to come to life, transforming into divine phantom images that merged with the true energy.
Each drop of true energy merged with one divine phantom image.
Looking from afar, it was like a god suspended inside a bubble, radiating a sacred glow.
"Taiyi Azure Void Heaven."
Zhang Ruochen activated the fourth layer technique of the "Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture," forming a vortex in his Qi Sea that rapidly spun the drops of true energy.
Immediately, the speed at which his Blood Spirit Meridian absorbed the Sacred Dragon power increased twofold.
Twenty days later, the true energy in Zhang Ruochen's Qi Sea reached nine thousand seven hundred drops, very close to ten thousand.
If he had three more days, Zhang Ruochen was confident he could break through to the late stage of the Heavenly Extreme Realm in one go.
Unfortunately, today was the first round of the Saint Academy's assessment. Zhang Ruochen had to stop cultivating and step out of the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal.
Twenty days in the Time-Space Crystal corresponded to only six or seven days in the outside world.
In the early morning, the air was slightly cold, with wisps of white mist drifting. Through the misty veil, one could faintly see the distant vermilion eaves and glazed tiles.
Duanmu Xingling, Si Xingkong, and Chang Qiqi had long been waiting outside, dressed in neat silver martial robes, looking spirited.
When they saw Zhang Ruochen come out, everyone's eyes lit up.
Even Lei Jing, who had profound cultivation, stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen and said, "Zhang Ruochen, has your cultivation broken through again?"
Although Zhang Ruochen's cultivation had not broken through, the true energy in his body, having merged with the divine marks, had become more mysterious and wondrous.
Each drop of true energy was like a god.
It was for this reason that they sensed something unusual and thought Zhang Ruochen had broken through another realm.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen's strength had indeed increased by a notch.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "I only broke through to the middle stage of the Heavenly Extreme Realm not long ago. How could I break through to the late stage so quickly?"
Hearing this, Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi both breathed a sigh of relief.
Chang Qiqi patted his chest and said, "You scared me! Luckily you didn't break through, or it would be really discouraging. I've been working hard to refine the dragon blood recently, and I've only managed to cultivate one thousand eight hundred drops of true energy."