When the sword was mentioned, the hall instantly became a bit quieter.
Finally, it was Sect Leader Xiang Yan who spoke first:
"Who can really say whether it will acknowledge anyone?"
"When her cultivation reaches the First Realm, the answer will reveal itself."
"Regardless, being able to recruit a disciple with a Profound Yin Body is truly a blessing for our Daoist Sect."
"Junior Martial Uncle detached himself from worldly matters and traveled down the mountain for so many years, and has finally accomplished something substantial."
Upon hearing the mention of Junior Martial Uncle, everyone had somewhat bittersweet expressions on their faces.
Ninth Elder Nangong Yue spoke at this time: "Since Han Shuangjiang has a Profound Yin Body, what about Chu Huaixu, who came up the mountain together with her?"
With this remark, the crowd turned their attention to Li Chunsong, full of curiosity.
This person, to be chosen by Junior Martial Uncle alongside someone with a Profound Yin Body, surely has extraordinary qualities.
Fifth Elder Zhao Shuqi began to urge: "Sixth Junior Brother, stop keeping us in suspense, we don't buy it, hurry up and spill the beans!"
Standing at the center of the hall, Li Chunsong hesitated before finally letting out a sigh, raising his hand:
"Him? Better not mention him! Better not!"
The crowd exchanged glances, looking at each other in confusion.
Great Elder Lu Pan furrowed his brows, making his forehead wrinkles even deeper, and spoke with displeasure: "Old Six, when asked to speak, you speak!"
Among the brothers, everyone feared Senior Brother Lu Pan, except for Junior Sister Chu Yinyin. Even Second Senior Brother Xiang Yan, now Sect Leader, secretly feared him.
Li Chunsong immediately smiled apologetically and rubbed his hands: "Senior Brother, it's not that I don't want to tell, it's just... there's nothing to tell!"
"Anyway, from what I see, he should be a Pseudo Spiritual Embryo." Sixth Elder spread his hands.
"What do you mean by should?" Lu Pan was still frowning, always strict and serious, dissatisfied with this ambiguous answer.
"Because I don't know why Junior Martial Uncle sent someone with a Pseudo Spiritual Embryo up the mountain. Moreover, you haven't seen this kid; let me tell you, this kid is quite handsome and tall." Li Chunsong squinted his eyes, as if discussing a matter of great importance.
"What!?" The Daoist sect bigwigs present were indeed startled.
The reason was simple; they knew their Junior Martial Uncle too well.
Junior Martial Uncle has many little quirks.
One of them is being jealous!
He's not tall, his looks are ordinary, yet he fancies himself charming.
He doesn't like men who are too handsome, especially if they are tall and handsome.
Why was Sect Leader Xiang Yan so favored by Junior Martial Uncle back then?
In private, they've figured that Second Brother being that ugly and bald must have been bonus points.
Under such circumstances, a Pseudo Spiritual Embryo like Chu Huaixu being chosen by Junior Martial Uncle undoubtedly possesses something extraordinary!
This alone makes their curiosity and attention on Chu Huaixu subtly surpass Han Shuangjiang with her Profound Yin Body!
Sect Leader Xiang Yan asked with concern: "You've arranged all the entry procedures, right? And chosen the Acupoint Opening Stage Technique?"
Nangong Yue added from the side: "For a Profound Yin Body... I remember the most suitable one is 'Ice Purity Formulas', right?"
Li Chunsong waved his hand with slight helplessness: "Wouldn't I know to choose 'Ice Purity Formulas'? Such a small matter, I've certainly handled it properly, rest assured."
"But for Chu Huaixu, I suppose you can't recommend anything, right?" He raised an eyebrow.
The crowd hearing this could not refute it.
Pseudo Spiritual Embryo, no matter what's chosen, it's all the same.
Even if Junior Martial Uncle came, he would still be clueless.
Too difficult; this task is too difficult!
"Cough cough, it's only the Acupoint Opening Stage, no big deal. When he formally steps into the cultivation path and reaches the First Realm, we'll discuss thoroughly and select a new cultivation technique for him." Xiang Yan made a decisive conclusion.
After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
Li Chunsong saw that the groundwork was laid and began rubbing his hands again in the center of the hall.
"I guess they're both in their rooms cultivating right now."
"Seeing everyone in high spirits today, a minor bet for amusement, how about we gamble something?" He rubbed his hands more intensely.
As the Law Enforcement Elder, Lu Pan immediately huffed: "Sixth Elder, the country has its laws, the sect has its rules. In our Daoist Sect such behavior is not encouraged, sect rule number seventeen, privately setting gambling fined one hundred taels, anyone participating fined fifty."
"Don't disrupt the rules!"
Upon hearing this, Sixth Elder Li Chunsong immediately smiled and said: "I understand, I understand."
Saying this, he took out silver notes worth one hundred taels from his Storage Token and walked to Lu Pan's side, offering with both hands.
The Law Enforcement Elder sternly looked at him and then glanced around at everyone in the hall.
One silver note after another was taken out from the Storage Token and enveloped by spiritual power, floated to his table.
Now it was everyone's turn to watch him.
Lu Pan remained solemn and unmoving.
Finally, it was Ninth Elder Nangong Yue who gave him an out: "Ah, Senior Brother, don't be such a killjoy, it's rare for everyone to be so enthusiastic today, come join us."
With his deep forehead wrinkles, the Law Enforcement Elder, wearing a serious black face, huffed again and slapped a silver note on the table: "Bang—! This won't happen again!"
...
...
Inside the Daoist Hall, Li Chunsong began proposing, "How about we bet on how long it will take them to open their first acupoint?"
Zhao Shuqi waved his hand, "What's there to bet on? Han Shuangjiang has the Profound Yin Body; she merely needs to circulate the 'Ice Purity Formulas' once inside her body to succeed in opening the acupoint."
"Indeed, with her physique, it's as if all Nine Acupoints are innately open, now just piled with some bodily impurities. Her acupoints are essentially unused," Nangong Yue added.
"Betting on her is certainly pointless." Li Chunsong started rubbing his hands again, his face slightly flushed, "Let's bet on the Pseudo Spiritual Embryo!"
At this remark, everyone exchanged looks.
Hiss—! Betting on a Pseudo Spiritual Embryo really is unpredictable.
"Then how do you plan to bet?" Zhao Shuqi asked.
"Set a limit of three days?" Li Chunsong proposed.
"Alright, I bet on breaking through the first acupoint within three days!" Xiang Yan spoke first.
"I also bet within three days."
"Count me in."
"Three days should be enough," even Lu Pan said so.
Now Li Chunsong was in a hurry.
I also want to bet on within three days!
"No! He's a Pseudo Spiritual Embryo; breaking the first acupoint within ten days would be good, and it requires Body Refining as well. Why are you all betting within three days?" He was desperate, truly desperate.
"Because he is chosen by Junior Martial Uncle," Nangong Yue replied matter-of-factly.
"Exactly, exactly!" Zhao Shuqi chimed in.
Seeing Li Chunsong's speechless expression, they laughed and asked, "Aren't you also thinking of betting on within three days?"
"What else?" Li Chunsong was genuinely at a loss.
Xiang Yan's ugly bald head suddenly lit up, and he asked, "Sixth Junior Brother, how long did it take you to break through the first acupoint back then?"
Li Chunsong raised his chin, "Though I'm not a Profound Yin Body like those top-tier Spiritual Embryos, I am someone with all Nine Innate Acupoints open, so naturally it only took one circulation."
"Then why not have more confidence in Chu Huaixu?" Xiang Yan said in his extremely unpleasant voice.
As Li Chunsong listened to this, his gambling instincts began to erupt.
——There's no child who cries every day!
I don't believe it, how come it's so hard to seek riches amidst danger every time!
"Junior Martial Uncle bless me!" he silently prayed in his heart.
This fellow, known to the players as the Charitable Gambling King, flushed even redder, "I bet that with one circulation, he'll open the acupoint!"
Everyone laughed in unison, going against the grain.
It was mentioned earlier that the Acupoint Opening Stage is fully named Acupoint Opening and Body Refining Stage.
Why was Xue Hu, who was instantly cut down by Chu Huaixu, given only the path of Body Refining for the Pseudo Spiritual Embryo?
It's because people with Pseudo Spiritual Embryos, even if they spend money to buy an Acupoint Opening Pill and swallow it, need to constantly rely on external force to polish their bodies.
Those possessing Spiritual Embryos will absorb the pill's effects, transmitting them throughout every part of their bodies.
No need for Body Refining; the body can be strengthened just by taking pills.
People with Pseudo Spiritual Embryos cannot transmit the Acupoint Opening Pill's effects throughout the body, so they need to use methods of Body Refining to stimulate externally.
This process is painful and torturous.
Many people can't even stick to daily body training, let alone the intensely painful Body Refining.
What's more despairing is that many with Pseudo Spiritual Embryos spend a fortune buying Acupoint Opening Pills, they take it and persist in daily Body Refining, yet they might only open two or three acupoints.
Having paid so much, they merely become stronger and healthier than ordinary people.
Only upon entering the First Realm can one be considered a true cultivator, vastly different from mortals!
Xiang Yan, a powerhouse in the Eighth Realm, had earlier used Divine Sense to sweep once across Medicine Mountain and already discovered that Chu Huaixu's nine acupoints were completely closed, tightly sealed.
One circulation takes about the time of a stick of incense.
How can it be cleared when blocked so tightly?
Thus the gambling session officially began.
The great cultivators in the hall scattered their Divine Senses to perceive the states of Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang.
"Oh, that little girl has already succeeded in opening an acupoint!" Nangong Yue smiled, "Seems like she's eager to cultivate."
Meanwhile, Chu Huaixu had just finished reading a booklet and was calmly unfurling the Jade Scroll, ready to cultivate the 'Refining Sword Formulas.'
There was complete silence in the hall; everyone was sitting with their eyes closed, patiently perceiving with their Divine Senses.
Then, unexpectedly, everyone opened their eyes, showing expressions of disbelief.
Because Chu Huaixu's first acupoint had indeed opened.
And it only took the time of three breaths.
...