"Hmph, I've already arranged with Yun Xiao that after this selection is over, he will go to Xuanyin Hall to treat me!"

Detecting the meaning in Qian Sanyuan's words, Xue Ningxiang snorted coldly in defiance, as if this made Yun Xiao a member of Xuanyin Hall.

"Haha, that's only natural. Regarding Miss Ningxiang's illness, Mr. Qian also feels quite guilty. When Yun Xiao becomes a disciple of Lianyun Mountain, it might make up for Mr. Qian's past mistake!"

Qian Sanyuan stroked his beard with a smile, but towards the end, his expression turned somewhat forlorn. Indeed, he had once relied too much on his own Meridian Refining Technique and did not seek the aid of the chairman, which resulted in Xue Ningxiang's complications due to Innate Pulse Cutting. He always felt guilty about this matter.

Although Qian Sanyuan appeared to be apologizing, when Xue Ningxiang heard the words "disciple of Lianyun Mountain," her face fell instantly; seemingly, she was unwilling to accept this reality.

No matter how she looked at it, at this moment Yun Xiao was participating in Lianyun Mountain's disciple selection, and regardless of how Xue Ningxiang wanted to refute, she didn't know where to start. She could only remain silent, sulking on the side.

With Qian Sanyuan's status, he naturally wouldn't stoop to argue with a young girl. His gaze turned towards the entrance of Lianyun Mountain, and an extreme anticipation appeared in his eyes.

Could the teenager who had shone so brightly on the Hidden Dragon Continent dazzle once again during Lianyun Mountain's disciple selection? There was a fundamental difference between the two!

…...

Inside Lianyun Mountain!

Yun Xiao and Yu Shu parted ways after exiting the headquarters of Lianyun Mountain. According to Yu Shu, the disciple selection test of Lianyun Mountain had to be completed independently. If Yun Xiao assisted him, even if he passed the test, it would be a significant constraint on his cultivation Dao Heart.

As the former Sect Master of Jade Pot Sect, Yu Shu possessed a proud nature. Though he had been overshadowed at the trade meeting by Li Gongnian, his Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Technique and Middle Stage Qi Seeking Realm cultivation were not weak among the cultivators partaking in the selection.

Just like the two others who passed the test in Lushan City; they were merely Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Masters. Many in this thousands-strong crowd were of such a level, so Yu Shu did have a chance of passing.

It's worth mentioning that although the disciple selection of Lianyun Mountain would ultimately decide the top three, any Meridian Refining Master entering the top ten could become a disciple of Lianyun Mountain. In this crowd of thousands, only ten would succeed. The competition was incredibly fierce!

Even with such slim odds, Yu Shu decided not to walk together with Yun Xiao, seemingly treating the Lianyun Mountain disciple selection as a test. It was also a form of training for enhancing his own cultivation and Meridian Refining skills.

Yun Xiao did not say much about this, though he referred to Yu Shu as his teacher, his current Meridian Qi cultivation and Meridian Refining skills far surpassed Yu Shu's. He knew that having someone protect him would likely minimize the training effect, so he allowed Yu Shu to leave.

"Qian Sanyuan, that old fellow, has set such a tricky task. I don't have a single one of the ten herbs on me!"

Yun Xiao proceeded deeper into Lianyun Mountain while sensing the items within his Waist Storage. Yet, he found none of the herbs listed on the scroll, prompting him to sigh.

Most of the ten herbs were Earth Rank Middle Level; some were Earth Rank Low Level but extremely rare. Some names, lesser-known to Meridian Refining Masters, might have never been heard.

It's worth noting that Yun Xiao had been on the Tenglong Continent for over a year. During this time, he took down numerous clan heads and prominent figures, like Yuyang City's Spirit Fighting Commerce Branch President Xu Huang and the commerce headquarters' Special Envoy Xia Yong.

Later, the major Thunders of Sky Thunder Valley, the Seven Killings Guardian of Killing Heart Sect, and the genius Xiao Qiming of the Xiao Family, all individuals with considerable fortune ended up as Yun Xiao's spoils.

Yet, after claiming so many lifelong collections, he still hadn't found even one of the ten herbs. The realization confirmed Qian Sanyuan came prepared; the herbs were exceedingly rare.

But Yun Xiao wasn't overly concerned. Since Qian Sanyuan dared to set such a task, it implied that these ten herbs must exist within Lianyun Mountain. Otherwise, if no one passed the test, Lianyun Mountain would be at a disadvantage.

After all, Lianyun Mountain was recruiting Meridian Refining geniuses for its sect; posing an impossible task would be meaningless. Yun Xiao speculated there must be a decent amount of those ten herbs — surely more than just ten.

Who would ultimately obtain these rare herbs depended on their skills and luck. Sometimes luck is a form of strength. Of course, whether you can keep the herbs once found depends on personal capability.

With the assessment deep in Lianyun Mountain and given Qian Sanyuan didn't prohibit participants from fighting each other, it wasn't impossible for someone to have malicious intentions, to kill for treasure.

Perhaps this was another form of Lianyun Mountain's selection test. As a high-rank Meridian Refining Master, formidable Meridian Refining Technique isn't enough. You must have self-preservation skills; at least, ways to evade powerful foes.

With these thoughts in mind, Yun Xiao continued on his way. The Refining Cloud Mountain was enormous, and even if a thousand people entered it, it would be like fish in the sea, unlikely to encounter each other for a long time.

"Chirp chirp!"

At a certain moment, the Scarlet Flame on Yun Xiao's shoulder suddenly stood up and chirped twice before leaping away, disappearing into the dense forest in an instant, leaving Yun Xiao both amused and helpless.

"This guy must have found some good stuff again and went off to enjoy it alone!"

Yun Xiao was used to this. Scarlet Flame had an extremely sensitive sense of smell, especially when it came to some fire-attributed heavenly materials and earthly treasures, sensing them from afar. It must have discovered something now to leave him.

The departure of Scarlet Flame did not have a significant impact on Yun Xiao. But after passing through several giant trees, he suddenly found that this place seemed slightly different from before.

"A bit too quiet!"

A moment later, vigilance rose in Yun Xiao's heart as he sensed the surrounding atmosphere. At this time, a majestic energy suddenly swept over from behind him, making him, who had been on guard, immediately lunge a pace to the right, evading the sneak attack from behind.

A wind sounded, and a shadow swept past Yun Xiao. When he turned his head, he immediately found it was a pitch-black leopard, with a pair of cold eyes staring sinisterly at him, exuding a fierce aura.

"A seventh-rank advanced Black Wind Leopard?"

With Yun Xiao's knowledge, he naturally recognized the details of that black leopard at first glance. Such a Vein Demon, with "wind" in its name, was evidently known for speed. That Yun Xiao could avoid that strike was thanks to his exceptionally quick reaction and speed.

However, with Yun Xiao's current strength, a seventh-rank advanced Black Wind Leopard could no longer pose a significant threat. At this moment, his gaze had already shifted to a particular spot behind the Black Wind Leopard, with an unusual gleam flashing in his eyes.

"Roar!"

The Black Wind Leopard, having missed one strike, did not launch a second attack. Instead, it let out a roar as if warning this human youth about something.

"So it is!"

Hearing the somewhat angry roar of the Black Wind Leopard, Yun Xiao's earlier suspicion was confirmed, as he knew the Black Wind Leopard did not attack again because it was guarding something behind it. Once the attack failed, this thing might fall into someone else's hands, something it did not wish to see.

"Big guy, if you step aside now, I promise not to hurt you!"

Yun Xiao was in a good mood. If the Black Wind Leopard was sensible, he did not want to start a killing spree. He wasn't part of the Fighting Spirit Commerce, who wanted to capture every Vein Demon to turn into a Meridian Spirit or control and sell. At times, the relationship between humans and Vein Demons was destroyed by some with ulterior motives.

"Roar!"

A seventh-rank advanced Vein Demon could already understand human speech, and when they reached the level of a Heavenly Demon, they could even speak. So, the Black Wind Leopard naturally understood Yun Xiao's words immediately, but it responded with an even angrier roar.

It seemed the Black Wind Leopard had been guarding what's behind it for a long time, and it was hard to accept a young human wanted him to move aside upon arrival.

"Since you won't move, then I won't be polite!"

Yun Xiao wasn't a saint or a pedantic person. With his current strength at the Origin Seeking Realm Early Stage, how could he back down? Besides, that thing was likely one of those ten herbs, and he must see it with his own eyes to be relieved.

Seeing the intense meridian qi emanating from this human youth, although the Black Wind Leopard sensed the other party was an Origin Seeking Realm Early Stage expert, as a Vein Demon, it had a lot of confidence in its combat power.

The combat power of Vein Demons had always been much more formidable than humans of the same level. So crossing levels to fight was not impossible.

Especially once they closed in, the gap of meridian qi could be compensated by physical strength. Against a human at the Origin Seeking Realm Early Stage with a seventh-rank advanced cultivation, it was not without opportunities.

Unfortunately, what the Black Wind Leopard didn't know was that the human youth before it was far beyond a typical Origin Seeking Realm Early Stage human cultivator. In the ensuing battle, it might suffer a great loss.