Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 343 Hua Qingcheng! Shocking Change!

Amidst the vast sea of ​​clouds, a majestic city stands like a giant whale, perched on the earth.

It was Hua Qingcheng.

This city is more than 2,000 miles away from the Canglan Tianfu Sect, and it is the farthest point of the Canglan Tianfu Sect's sphere of influence.

Three days later, in the clear, pristine sky, a pure white bird with shimmering, iridescent wings pierced the heavens.

Finally, it landed precisely on the flat square in front of the city lord's mansion.

Four figures leaped down from the bird's back.

Lu Xuan, who was at the head of the group, stood with his hands behind his back. The dark wave pattern on his azure robe shimmered in the morning sun.

This place is the center of Huaqing City, and it is now bustling with people and extremely noisy.

A dense crowd surged forward like a tidal wave, completely surrounding the area.

The cacophony of voices and shouts created a lively yet somewhat chaotic scene of everyday life.

However, looking beyond the outermost crowded area, the innermost area reveals a completely different, orderly scene.

The vast space was cleverly divided into four neat areas.

Each area was arranged neatly, like a well-trained military formation.

In front of these four areas, four flagpoles stand straight and tall, with flags fluttering in the wind.

The patterns and words embroidered on those flags were not just symbols, but also representations of the prestige and power of various forces.

The Qian family, the Yang family, the Shi family, and the Mad Wolf Gang.

These four names are already well-known to the people of Huaqing City and are deeply imprinted in everyone's hearts.

In this city, apart from the City Lord's Mansion, which symbolizes official authority, these four forces are undoubtedly the "giants".

Each of them occupies a distinct territory, holding a pivotal position in various key areas of Huaqing City, including commerce, trade, daily life, and military deterrence.

Like four towering trees, they are rooted in the land of Huaqing City, their branches spreading to every corner of the city.

On the east side, a red flag flutters in the wind, its surface embroidered with the ancient seal script character for "money".

His disciples were all adorned with jade pendants, and even their chairs were specially plated with gold.

To the west, black banners hung like ink, the character "Yang" written in bold, powerful strokes. A group of young men with stern faces exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.

To the south, a green flag flutters amidst clouds, with a medicine cauldron pattern painted next to the character "施".

The Shi family members were surrounded by a faint medicinal fragrance, clearly indicating that they were a family of alchemists.

The blood-red flag at the northern end was menacing, and all the members of the Mad Wolf Gang wore black iron wrist guards.

The gang leader sat upright on a tiger-skin chair, toying with a demon beast's sharp tooth.

Behind them, the burly men all had lifelike wolf head tattoos on their bare chests.

Just moments ago, the four major powers were seated in the VIP seats, exuding an aura of authority and displaying the demeanor of powerful figures.

Upon seeing Lu Xuan and his three companions descending from the sky, their expressions changed drastically.

These usually arrogant people, like startled birds, all jumped up abruptly from their carved sandalwood chairs.

He stood taut, barely daring to breathe, for fear of offending Lu Xuan and his companions with the slightest carelessness.

The crowd parted automatically like a tide, revealing a passage.

At the end of the passage, the over-fifty-year-old city lord of Huaqing City strode towards them.

His silver hair was sparse but meticulously combed, and he wore a gray brocade robe with cloud patterns.

Although he was only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, his every move exuded the aura of someone who had long held a high position.

He is usually decisive and efficient.

At this moment, however, he was completely devoid of his usual majesty. He strode towards Lu Xuan with the speed of the wind, his face full of ingratiating smiles.

Upon reaching him, the city lord of Huaqing City hurriedly bowed deeply, his back bent into a crescent shape, his aged voice full of respect: "Oh dear!"

"So it's Steward Lu! I'm so sorry for not welcoming you properly!"

"I hope Deacon Lu will not take offense!" As he spoke, the old man kept stealing glances at Lu Xuan's expression, his eyes filled with trepidation and unease.

As the person in Huaqing City who knew the Canglan Tianfu Sect best, he naturally knew Lu Xuan's identity and his cultivation level.

Ten years ago, this Deacon Lu came to Huaqing City and brought back more than a dozen promising cultivators to the Canglan Tianfu Sect.

Because at that time, he was the one who personally received this Lord Lu.

Lu Xuan remained calm, nodded slightly, and let out a deep voice, the last syllable carrying an air of authority without anger.

"Ok!"

Immediately, Lu Xuan's gaze swept across the surroundings like a hawk, taking in the tense yet expectant expressions of the younger generation.

"Now that you have made your preparations..."

Lu Xuan parted his lips slightly, his voice steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Then let's start with the Qian family, and test everyone's aptitude in the order of Qian, Yang, Shi, and the Mad Wolf Gang."

After saying that, Lu Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, surrounded by faint spiritual energy fluctuations, which shimmered with a faint blue halo in the sunlight.

This method of testing one's physical constitution may seem simple, but it actually has a threshold.

It requires cultivators at the late Foundation Establishment stage or above to circulate their powerful spiritual energy and use it as a guide to probe into the meridians of the person being tested.

One can judge a person's innate talent by sensing the smoothness of the flow of spiritual energy within their body and the speed at which their physical constitution absorbs spiritual energy.

The higher a cultivator's realm, the more refined and exquisite their spiritual power, and the more accurate and subtle their judgments become.

Even the slightest difference in aptitude cannot escape the perception of a high-level cultivator.

Under the blazing sun, the bluestone bricks on the Spirit Testing Square were scorching hot.

Twisted heat waves surged in the air, blurring the outlines of distant buildings.

Lu Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, the azure spiritual energy flowing from his fingertips rippling with fine waves.

Each line subtly corresponds to the spiritual energy circulation trajectory of the Canglan Tianfu Sect's supreme martial art, "Canghai Bibo Jue," faintly exuding a profound and unpredictable pressure.

"look up."

Lu Xuan's voice was like a cold spring, startling the young man in brocade robes at the front of the line, who trembled all over.

The boy tilted his head back, trembling, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously.

Lu Xuan's palm, covered in a deep blue spiritual light, gently pressed against his brow.

In an instant, a visible ripple of spiritual energy spread outwards from the point of contact.

The boy suddenly arched his back, and powerful spiritual energy flowed through his meridians.

Three breaths later, Lu Xuan suddenly stopped.

A pale blue cloud pattern slowly appeared on the boy's forehead, a sign that he had absorbed a trace of Lu Xuan's spiritual power.

"His spiritual energy is condensed and does not dissipate; he possesses three spiritual roots; his aptitude is below average; he may join our sect."

As soon as he finished speaking, the three inner disciples who had been following Lu Xuan stepped forward and led the still dazed boy toward the selection area.

Immediately afterwards, the girl with pigtails stepped forward timidly.

As soon as Lu Xuan's spiritual power entered, a sudden change occurred—the air around the girl abruptly condensed.

Thousands of tiny ice crystals fell silently, refracting a cold light in the sunlight.

"A mutated ice spirit root!"

"Your aptitude is excellent; you may join my sect!"

The girl blinked blankly, completely unaware of the storm she had stirred up.

A chorus of gasps erupted from the crowd, and the murmurs of discussion exploded like boiling water.

"Patriarch Qian, congratulations."

The girl was personally led to stand to one side by the inner disciple surnamed Han.

This is top-notch cultivation aptitude.

It could be said that Lu Xuan's mission was complete simply by bringing her back to the sect. When the third test subject stepped forward, the spiritual energy probe only elicited a faint, earthy-yellow halo.

Lu Xuan remained as indifferent as ever: "His four spiritual roots are mixed, so he can serve as a menial servant in my sect."

"Would you be willing to...?"

Upon hearing this, the fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy's face turned deathly pale.

He stared intently at his hands, which were covered in chilblains and calluses, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.

"I...I do."

The boy's voice was so hoarse it was almost broken, as if he had used up all his strength.

He knew this was the most important opportunity of his life.

In the Canglan Tianfu Sect, even the lowest-ranking servant position is enough to attract countless wandering cultivators from the mountains.

Because it meant a sliver of hope for achieving the Foundation Establishment stage, a sliver of possibility for changing the fate of mortals.

...........
Three hours later, Lu Xuan had selected twenty-five promising cultivators.

Finally, there was a teenage girl with freckles.

She struggled to move her stiff legs and staggered forward under the gaze of everyone.

Lu Xuan lightly touched the girl's brow with his finger, and a wisp of deep blue spiritual energy entered her body.

In just a few breaths, Lu Xuan withdrew his finger: "Water and wood dual spiritual roots, average aptitude, you can join my sect."

Upon hearing this, the freckled girl swayed slightly, her pale face instantly turning bright red with extreme excitement.

As the last person on the Spirit Testing Square finished their test, Lu Xuan slightly moved the spiritual energy in his sleeve, instantly dispersing the remaining spiritual energy in his palm.

He looked up at the distant horizon, his fingertips lightly touching the storage bag at his waist, a plan already in mind.

Huaqing City is located on the periphery of the sect's power, and unexpected gains may be hidden in the wilderness secret realm.

The spirits of heaven and earth, and the demonic beasts.

Lu Xuan wanted to see if the system panel could refine these two things into system points.

"boom!"

A loud bang caused the ground of the Spirit Testing Plaza to crack, and crimson blood energy surged up like venomous snakes. The aura of the late-stage Qi Refining Realm transformed into an invisible wave of energy that swept across the entire area.

The last dozen or so Qi Refining cultivators with low cultivation levels rolled their eyes back and collapsed to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the burly man with a face full of scars didn't care at all and pushed through the crowd like a bulldozer.

Wherever it went, the scions of noble families were knocked off their feet, their screams echoing everywhere.

The crowd immediately erupted into chaos and retreated.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, the burly figure staggered out, cradling a seven- or eight-year-old boy huddled in his arms.

He knelt heavily before Lu Xuan, scattering pebbles beneath his knees.

"Immortal Master, please wait!"

The burly man's hoarse roar pierced through the noise, and the hideous scar on his face twisted and deformed with the trembling muscles.

"My child... also wants to join the Canglan Tianfu Sect!"

After saying that, the burly man pushed the boy forward and pressed his calloused hands firmly against the child's back.

"Please, Immortal Master, have mercy!"

"Be bold!"

The leader of the Mad Wolf Gang roared, drawing his curved sword three inches from its sheath, the cold light making everyone's faces turn pale.

"Fang Yunshui!"

"What do you think this place is?"

"How dare you show your face in front of us!"

The eldest elder of the Qian family rose up with a flick of his sleeve, revealing a hidden weapon that gleamed with a sinister blue light.

“A year ago, you robbed my Qian family’s caravan, causing me heavy losses.”

"We, the Qian family, haven't settled this score with you yet!"

Immediately afterwards, more than a dozen people from various factions stood up, their eyes surging with killing intent, as if they were about to tear Fang Yunshui to pieces at any moment.

Clearly, Fang Yunshui seems to have offended quite a few powerful forces.

Lu Xuan seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere around him. His black wide sleeves fluttered without wind as he indifferently gazed at the two people kneeling on the ground, one large and one small.

The little boy trembled all over, yet stubbornly tilted his head back, his clear eyes filled with fear and longing.

The city lord of Huaqing City was so anxious that cold sweat poured down his forehead. He rushed to Lu Xuan's side in three steps, pointing at Fang Yunshui with trembling hands: "Fang Yunshui, you villain!"

"You've repeatedly plundered outside the city, even daring to steal the spirit rice from the city lord's mansion!"

"Now, how dare you run wild in front of Deacon Lu!"

"I think you're tired of living!"

With the arrival of the city lord of Huaqing City, the surrounding area was filled with shouts of fighting and killing, and spittle almost drowned Fang Yunshui and his companion.

Lu Xuan glanced at them indifferently, his spiritual energy condensing slightly in his sleeve, and he was about to use his movement technique to leave.

Although he was not afraid of anyone present, Lu Xuan did not want to make a move for someone he did not know.

He wouldn't bother with the grudges between ants.

Because Lu Xuan hates trouble the most!
Lu Xuan's indifferent attitude was noticed by everyone present.

The moment he turned around, the atmosphere in the entire Spirit Testing Square changed abruptly.

"Okay!"

"Fang Yunshui, now that you're here, don't even think about leaving Huaqing City!"

The leader of the Mad Wolf Gang suddenly let out a piercing, sinister laugh, and the black iron bracers clashed, producing a metallic clang.

Dozens of his gang members behind him drew their weapons in unison, the cold gleam illuminating the spirit-testing platform.

These blades were all engraved with the same wolf head emblem, indicating that they were weapons made from the finest spirit iron!

"Fang Yunshui, oh Fang Yunshui..." the Qian family head murmured slowly.

“Since three years ago, you have robbed my Qian family’s caravan four times, the value of which is…” He suddenly narrowed his eyes, “…one thousand four hundred spirit stones.”

"Today, I will use you to sacrifice the reputation of my Qian family!"

The city lord of Huaqing City raised his hand seemingly casually, and the city guards on the side of the square were already poised to move forward and capture Fang Yunshui at any moment.

This is all because of that scoundrel Fang Yunshui, who has been hiding outside the city for years and occasionally robbing passing caravans.

For example, the Qian family and the City Lord's Mansion, which are powerful forces.

Fang Yunshui hadn't taken care of some of the smaller factions in the city.

I don't know if he did it on purpose, or if he just thinks those small-time cronies don't meet his standards.

Facing the chilling sight of swords flashing all around, Fang Yunshui felt no fear, as if he had expected this scene.

"Master Immortal!"

"Three months ago, I stumbled upon a Xuan-grade spiritual flower—the Purple Water Chestnut Fruit—deep in the Cangwu Mountains!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Fang Yunshui's eyes were burning as he stared at Lu Xuan's back as he paused.

"The fruit was not yet ripe at the time, and the Foundation Establishment stage Azure Scale Demon Serpent guarded it day and night. I escaped with my life by breaking three ribs."

"Judging by the time, the purple water chestnuts are now nine-tenths ripe, and these next few days are the perfect time to harvest them!"

A chorus of gasps rose and fell from the crowd.

The Purple Diamond Fruit, a rare and precious spiritual flower, is said to be a once-in-a-century find. It is rumored that consuming it can cleanse one's spiritual roots and aptitude.

"If the Immortal Master grants my son a chance, I am willing to offer up the position of this fruit!"

(End of this chapter)