The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]

Chapter 170: Rigid Squall Sect

Just outside the gates of Qinglong City, a huge crowd had gathered for the sudden test administered by Li Lang’s group. However, what they were currently clamoring about wasn’t anything related to the test, but the new Skyrunner that had arrived at the scene.

As Qinglong City was often visited by half a dozen nearby sects every year, the residents naturally recognized the light blue banners of the Rigid Squall Sect.

“Senior Zhen, there really are foreign cultivators here! They’ve even gathered up such a large crowd too!”

“There’s no need to say anything. I can see for myself. Those cultivators are just young kids. Land the Skyrunner.”

“Right!”

Everyone at the scene could sense drama about to unfold. The townspeople knew the nearby sects usually came together to hold a grand event. Li Lang’s group naturally knew trouble had arrived.

Under the anticipating gazes of the crowd looking forward to things flaring up, the people from the Rigid Squall Sect landed directly on the platform where all the children gathered. The more sharp-witted among the kids even began to slip back into the crowd.

Li Lang and his two companions quickly regrouped to greet the new arrivals.

“Quickly, keep your space rings out of sight,” Li Lang whispered.

The two parties then walked toward each other briskly, meeting at the center of the stage. Both parties could gauge each other’s strength by now. They knew both sides had someone at the peak of Energy Gathering.

That was why the people from the Rigid Squall Sect were surprised when they saw the representative from the other side was someone else. Still, they didn’t dare to completely disregard someone in the eighth stage of Energy Gathering.

“Welcome, I am Li Lang from the Yellow Qilin province. May I ask who has graced us with their presence?”

“Hmm, people from Yellow Qilin. Perhaps you have forgotten about manners? I don’t remember hearing about anyone from our Vermillion Dragon province going into your territory to recruit disciples without first greeting the local sects.”

Seeing the young man, who seemed to be in charge of their group of four, cut straight to the chase, Li Lang chuckled.

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“Apologies, this is pretty embarrassing if you word it that way, but we have our reasons for doing this.”

“Oh? Do tell, then.”

“Unfortunately, that isn’t something we can do. I can tell you that we don’t plan on disregarding your rules. We will pay adequate compensation if we do plan on taking away any talents.”

“Oh? Compensation is quite a pleasant word, but do know we’re not easy to please.”

“Of course. We can discuss it in more detail if we do decide to recruit anyone today.”

Just as Li Lang turned around to get things started, the other party didn’t let him go so easily.

“Hmph, not so fast. You want to just run your test around here like you own the place, just like that?”

Li Lang could see the three other disciples behind him staring at him menacingly, and he inwardly sighed.

They got here just after a day? Do they have someone posted in this city? Or perhaps the mayor of Mu Xia Village sent word to them after we began recruiting people from their village? Hmm, it seems the latter is more likely if only people from the Rigid Squall Sect are here.

“Yes, you’re right,” Li Lang managed to squeeze out after donning his facade. “We should be compensating you for hosting such an event in your territory, but I heard this city isn’t just the Rigid Squall Sect’s territory, is that correct?”

“That is none of your business. You’re currently dealing with us. Your arrangements with the other sects do not matter to us.”

“I see, well in that case, umm…”

“It’s Zhen Xing.”

“Well, Zhen Xing, how about a hundred Qi stones to rent out this space for the day?”

“One hundred per hour.”

Hearing the immediate counteroffer, Li Lang didn’t show any emotions. To any of the onlookers watching, they may praise his ability to hold back his anger, but he was actually trying his hardest to prevent a grin from forming.

He knew these types of young masters would always try to up the price from the initial offer. That was why he quoted his price as Qi stones instead of red crystals.

Even if one red crystal had the same value as a hundred Qi stones, if he had only said one red crystal, it would have left a lot more room for Zhen Xing to raise the price. He could easily ask for a hundred red crystals instead. By quoting in Qi stones, it set an expectation of what currency they would be dealing in. It wouldn’t be likely for him to quote tens of thousands of Qi stones either, as there was a large crowd around.

Righteous cultivators wanted to look good, so they would instinctively avoid doing anything too outrageous.

The price of one hundred Qi stones per hour was perfectly acceptable to Li Lang. He quickly reached into his robes and pretended to retrieve the money from there before flicking over a red crystal.

“Very well. Here is the payment for the first hour. We’ll pay you at the end if we need more time.”

Zhen Xing said nothing but appraised his new wealth against the sun as he signaled to Li Lang to go away with his other hand.

“Senior Zhen, that’s a red crystal! Shouldn’t you—”

“Not right now, Junior Lei.”

Seeing the scene, Li Lang swiftly made his way away from them. His heart lurched when he saw the intelligent glint in the junior’s eyes upon noticing the red crystal. He had likely noticed the discrepancy in the currency they received. Energy Gatherers rarely dealt with red crystals. Luckily, he was a junior.

Not wanting to give the Rigid Squall Sect disciples any time to converse, Li Lang quickly signaled to his peers to get the test started. He channeled Qi and projected his voice across the area.

“Sorry for the delay. The kind gentlemen from the Rigid Squall Sect have decided to spectate, so we’ll begin the test without further ado! The first test is to keep up with my assistant there in the mask!”

Wei Ping didn’t look back and started to run in a circle around the platform Long Yi had erected. He made ample use of the space the crowd left between them and the platform. It allowed the townsfolk to watch them without moving from their spot.

“They’re making them run as a test? What is this? The recruitment for some mortal guards?” Zhen Xing muttered upon noticing the spectacle.

“That is…strange,” Junior Lei muttered. “Maybe they don’t have any assessment tools with them and they’re too lazy to personally check through all these kids?”

He found his words justified the more he watched.

The first test almost lasted almost two hours before it ended. By then, half the contestants had been eliminated. It made both Zhen Xing and his junior grin, but for different reasons. One was happy about receiving more money, while the other felt his prediction was spot on.

However, their grins quickly became frowns upon seeing the next test. The strange trio made the kids get into teams of five. They then erected two thin pillars on two ends of the platform and began explaining a strange game to the children that not even a cultivator like Zhen Xing had ever heard of before.

The game involved kicking a simple ball of leather to the opponent’s side. They couldn’t use their hands or make physical contact with each other. These strange rules completely dumbfounded the four Rigid Squall cultivators.

“Why in the world would they disallow physical contact?” Junior Lei shouted. “There’s no good reason for prospective cultivators to avoid it when combat will be something they must learn.”

“Junior, I’ve given up making sense of what they’re doing by now. They obviously have their own agenda, seeing they’re recruiting so far away from home. As long as they pay us adequately, then I’m fine with it. The sect shouldn’t care too as long as they don’t try to take someone they shouldn’t.”

Seeing Zhen Xing’s meaningful look, Junior Lei nodded softly.

The strange game proceeded for another two hours before the nearly hundred teams managed to complete the games on the dozens of fields Long Yi had set up. When it ended, only a hundred kids remained.

This wasn’t because the tests had eliminated all of them, but many of them had quit on their own initiative. They had gotten skeptical about these strange tests that seemed to have nothing to do with cultivation. They were also the same kids who had set their sights on other sects, so they never took the tests seriously.

The remaining kids were then told to form a line.

“Junior Lei, I’m going to go practice my new Qi art. Let me know if anything happens.”

Just as Zhen Xing wandered off toward the forest, a sudden gasp from his junior drew his attention back to the scene.

What he saw made him knit his brows tightly. That was because he witnessed Li Lang stabbing a young child with a needle. To the righteous cultivators, a needle only represented two things. Acupuncture to heal or poison to kill. Seeing how it wasn’t likely they would suddenly treat the young kids, he narrowed his eyes at the other possibility.