From Celestial Official to Great Celestial Venerable

Chapter 49 Cultural Relics
Qin Chuan stood before this senior whom Teacher Huo called "Stone Tiger".

The other person was dressed in a wide yellow robe, with a strong physique, a majestic demeanor, and a handsome face that exuded an aura of authority without anger. In particular, there was a hidden electric light in his eyes when they opened and closed.

Upon hearing Huo Yuanjue's greeting, Shi Hu turned around, his gaze first falling on his old friend before turning to Qin Chuan.

Upon seeing that gaze, Qin Chuan felt as if the other person's eyes were tangible, as if a towering mountain was pressing down on his soul.

This was the first time he had truly faced the pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator—neither his usual interactions with Elder Huo nor the imposing aura emanating from Sun Qinghan during his visit were directed at him personally.

At this moment, the senior, who was at least in the late Foundation Establishment stage or even the Great Perfection stage, was truly looking at him.

With just one glance, Qin Chuan felt his soul creak.

Fortunately, the old man in yellow quickly withdrew his gaze and asked Old Huo with a hint of mockery, "This is the kid you praised to the skies? I don't think he's anything special. He almost couldn't stand even a glance from me."

"You old bastard! Which Qi Refining stage cultivator can withstand your Foundation Establishment stage divine sense?" Huo Yuanjue retorted directly. "Enough nonsense, are you going to teach me your 'Earth Emperor Mountain-Crushing Cannon' or not? If you are, my Golden Core-level 'Immortal Yellow Jade' is yours."

"Immortal Yellow Jade? Really?" Shi Hu's eyebrows twitched—that was a rare material that could be used to refine golden pills and magical treasures, and its value was astonishing.

"I'm not so bad as to renege on my debt."

"It's not a loss for me to exchange the Immortal Yellow Jade for my unique technique."

As Shi Hu spoke, he glanced scrutinizingly at Qin Chuan, "But is your student really as extraordinary as you make him out to be? I just don't believe it."

To cultivate true qi in the Yi Mu Qing Tian Jue in half a month? There's no such genius in the world, you're kidding me!
"Believe it or not, you'll know once you pass on the secret formula to him."

Qin Chuan stood quietly to the side without saying a word, but was deeply moved.

The Immortal Yellow Jade... The teacher was actually willing to exchange such a precious treasure for the magic technique.

He secretly vowed that if he ever rose to prominence, he would repay his teacher's kindness a hundredfold.

"Heh, since you put it that way, then it's simple—let him spar with my disciple, and we'll know for sure!" Shi Hu raised his voice and shouted, "Where is Yue Chen!"

The sound shook the archaeological site, and many of the young Taoist priests in the pits looked up.

Yue Chen is widely recognized as the senior disciple. He followed Shi Hu from the beginning as a miner to the present day. Later, he was sent to Lushan Taoist Archaeology Department for further study. After graduation, he followed Shi Hu to various burial sites.

With a whooshing sound, a figure shot out of the crater like a cannonball, then fell to the ground like a meteor, landing behind the old man in yellow: "Disciple is here."

Qin Chuan was intimidated by the opponent's aura and was secretly shocked: This commotion indicates at least the late stage of Qi Refining!
To send a farmer like him to fight against such a master? That's just too much of a bully.

"How about we have the two young men find a place to spar and see if your disciple is really as outstanding as you say?"

Shi Hu raised an eyebrow and looked at Huo Yuanjue with his hands behind his back.

"Qin Chuan, do you dare to spar with your senior brother?" Huo Yuanjue asked with a smile instead of a refusal.

Qin Chuan recalled his teacher Tian Jian's words, telling him to "save some face," and how could he back down now? He immediately said solemnly, "I dare!"

A flash of approval crossed Huo Yuanjue's eyes.

"Then come on."

Shi Hu smiled and led the group to a spacious forest about a mile outside the burial complex.

"Qin Chuan from Nongling Temple, please enlighten me, fellow Daoist." Qin Chuan stood still and clasped his hands in greeting.

Seeing that the other party was only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, yet showed no fear in the face of his eighth level of cultivation, Yue Chen solemnly returned the greeting: "Yue Chen of Jiuchuan Archaeological Temple, Junior Brother Qin, please!"

Since there was a clear difference in their cultivation levels, Qin Chuan didn't hold back. He exerted force with his feet, leaving two footprints with a "whoosh." His Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation level erupted, and with a "whoosh," his figure shot forward, tearing through the air!
Before this.

With a series of whooshing sounds, eighteen flying needles shot towards Yue Chen's vital points like a sudden rain of cold stars. Although he had never fought anyone since he began cultivating, he had imagined the order of his attacks many times in case of danger.

At this moment, he could be said to have brought out all the ideas he had in mind.

"Flying needles?" Yue Chen's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not move. He simply made a hand seal with one hand, and with a few "poof" sounds, all the flying needles were stuck into a round mud wall that suddenly rose up in front of him.

"Earth elemental magic!" Qin Chuan, having tested the opponent's cultivation level and found it to be at the eighth level, dared not be careless. He immediately moved closer and pointed a finger out!
The Yi Wood Azure Sky Technique activated the emerald green finger force, stirring the airflow and sending it straight through the mud wall!
With a splash, lush green shoots instantly sprouted on the mud wall, and the barrier crumbled in an instant.

"The Azure Heaven Technique of Yi Wood... seventh level?!" Yue Chen wasn't surprised that the spell was broken; what truly shocked him was the power contained in that single finger strike. Having always been by Shi Hu's side, how could he not recognize Elder Huo's unique skill?

Shi Hu, standing to the side, also widened his eyes in surprise: "Seventh level? You didn't say that he had already mastered the Yi Mu Qing Tian Technique to the seventh level!"

He suddenly turned his head to look at Huo Yuanjue.

At this point, he finally believed it.

However, the competition is not over yet. Since it is a contest, one side must admit defeat for the outcome to be clear.

Although Yue Chen was startled by Qin Chuan's Yi Wood True Qi, he quickly calmed himself down and met Qin Chuan's continued attack with a punch without hesitation!
boom!
The explosion was as loud as a cannon exploding!
Yue Chen's fist, imbued with thick, earthy yellow true energy, was like a cannonball fired from a gun, creating sonic boom-like ripples even before it arrived.

This punch was terrifyingly powerful, as if it could even shatter mountains.

Earth Emperor's Mountain-Crushing Cannon!
Qin Chuan felt a pang of unease and subconsciously activated his Palm Flame Technique with all his might, spreading his five fingers to meet the fist.

boom!
As their fists and palms clashed, a shockwave exploded outwards from the two of them, causing the ground to sink and dust to billow and disperse.

Behind Yue Chen, the soil and rocks had neatly collapsed, forming a cube as if cleaved by a knife and axe.

Behind Qin Chuan, however, the grass and trees sprouted and grew wildly, bursting forth with greenery, as if a small garden of several square meters had appeared out of nowhere.

"Junior Brother Qin is indeed remarkable." Yue Chen withdrew his fist and praised, "Your Yi Wood Azure Sky Technique is masterful, and your Fire Element Technique is also quite accomplished. With the wood and fire complementing each other, if we were at the same level, I would be no match for you."

"Senior Brother Yue, you are too kind." Qin Chuan was grateful that the other party had suppressed his strength to the sixth level of Qi Refining at the moment of the confrontation to avoid accidental injury. He cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Senior Brother's cultivation and skills are superior to mine. I humbly admit defeat."

“No need for such politeness.” Shi Hu stepped forward, his expression now calm. “Yue Chen’s words are true. If your cultivation levels are equal, he is indeed no match for you.”

He turned to Huo Yuanjue and sneered, "You old geezer, you've really picked up a big treasure."

Old Master Huo stroked his beard and chuckled. The fight just now seemed dangerous, but in reality, with him and Shi Hu backing him up, there was no danger.

The students' impressive performance at this moment truly opened the eyes of this old friend.

"Have him come to me for an hour every day after he finishes work at Shenshi (3-5 PM)." Shi Hu finally relented. "I will pass on this 'Earth Emperor Mountain-Crushing Cannon'."

Qin Chuan was overjoyed upon hearing this and stepped forward to express his gratitude: "Thank you very much, Senior Shi!"

"Wait a moment to thank me," Shi Hu raised his hand to stop him. "Although your teacher paid the tuition, you can't just sit idly here every day. I just saw your exquisite skill in manipulating the flying needles, and your spiritual power seems to far surpass that of others at the same level?"

"My divine sense is indeed slightly stronger than that of other cultivators at the same level," Qin Chuan said calmly.

This is naturally the result of cultivating the Thirteen Transformations of the Divine Shock.

“Perfect,” Shi Hu said, hands behind his back. “Archaeology requires meticulousness, and strong spiritual power facilitates precise work. Yue Chen, prepare a whisk for him and take him to Pit 38 to assist in cleaning the restrictions and burial soil on that artifact.”

Cultural relics?

Qin Chuan's heart stirred.

(End of this chapter)