Chapter 34

When Zhang Ruochen saw the Eighth Prince and Shan Xiangling, they also saw him standing outside the Mingwen Guild.

Seeing Zhang Ruochen, the Eighth Prince was extremely angry and sneered, "Ninth Brother, aren't you a martial arts prodigy now? What are you doing at the Mingwen Guild?"

Zhang Ruochen gently shook his head, not wanting to tangle with the Eighth Prince. He instructed Yun'er, "Sister Yun'er, wait for me on the ancient gazelle cart. I'll go to the Mingwen Guild to buy some things first."

Zhang Ruochen got off the ancient gazelle cart and walked towards the gate of the Mingwen Guild.

From behind, a very soft and melodious voice called out, "Ninth Prince, wait a moment."

Zhang Ruochen stopped, turned around, and looked at Shan Xiangling who was walking over. "Who are you?"

At the Qingxuan Pavilion, Zhang Ruochen had met Shan Xiangling once, but he didn't know her identity or name. He only knew that she seemed to be the Eighth Prince's junior sister, from some sect.

"Fire Cloud Sect, Shan Xiangling. During the year-end assessment, Ninth Prince truly broadened my horizons. With the cultivation of the Lesser Extreme of the Yellow Stage, you were able to defeat a martial artist at the Greater Extreme of the Yellow Stage. If there's an opportunity, I would very much like to exchange martial arts knowledge with Ninth Prince."

Shan Xiangling walked gracefully towards Zhang Ruochen, emitting a faint fragrance, her eyes filled with a look of anticipation.

As one of the four great beauties among the young generation of Yunwu County, Shan Xiangling was indeed very beautiful, with eyebrows like willow leaves, long and curled eyelashes, and extremely delicate features, as if she were a masterpiece meticulously crafted by nature.

Originally, when she first met Zhang Ruochen at the Qingxuan Pavilion, she had regarded him as a martial arts cripple, even suspecting that he was Qin Ya's paramour, and looked down on him.

However, during the year-end assessment, Zhang Ruochen displayed terrifying martial talent, lifting a thousand-pound stone disc as if it were a toy, hunting a first-class superior barbarian beast, and defeating his enemy by leaping two minor realms.

For a young martial artist, achieving any one of these feats was not an easy task.

How could someone with such martial talent as Zhang Ruochen possibly be someone else's paramour, reduced to a plaything for a dissolute woman?

Zhang Ruochen glanced at Shan Xiangling, slightly startled. "This woman is not only extremely beautiful, but her martial talent is also very high. She has already cultivated to the Greater Extreme of the Yellow Stage, surpassing the cultivation of the Ninth Princess and Lin Nishan."

Actually, the Ninth Princess, Lin Nishan, and Shan Xiangling were all included among the four great beauties of the young generation because they were not only beautiful but also had extremely high martial talent.

Without the talent for martial cultivation, no matter how beautiful one was, they wouldn't have the qualifications to be a goddess admired by many martial artists.

Shan Xiangling was already seventeen years old, a bit older than the Ninth Princess and Lin Nishan, so her cultivation was naturally a bit higher.

When the Eighth Prince saw Shan Xiangling take the initiative to approach Zhang Ruochen, he sensed a crisis and immediately rushed over, saying, "Junior Sister, have you forgotten the incident between Ninth Brother and the Qingxuan Pavilion's madam? You should stay away from such a person..."

Shan Xiangling raised her hand slightly, interrupting the Eighth Prince's words, and smiled with bright eyes and white teeth. "How could a person of Ninth Prince's caliber be the kind of person you say he is?"

That sense of crisis became even stronger!

"Junior Sister! Let's go! We'll come back to pay respects next time!" The Eighth Prince grabbed Shan Xiangling's wrist, trying to pull her away.

"Whoosh!"

Shan Xiangling's true qi rapidly circulated, and a powerful force emanated from her wrist. With a light shake, she directly sent the Eighth Prince flying.

"Your Highness, Eighth Prince, there are distinctions between men and women. Please respect yourself." Shan Xiangling said coldly.

"Junior Sister..." The Eighth Prince's fingers were numb with pain, and his entire arm couldn't be raised.

Shan Xiangling glanced at the Eighth Prince and shook her head lightly.

When she looked at Zhang Ruochen again, her face immediately showed a gentle smile, and she said in a very pleasant voice, "Ninth Prince, I came to the Mingwen Guild to pay respects and learn alchemy. What about you?"

Zhang Ruochen had seen everything that had just happened and said indifferently, "I came to buy marking pens and spirit paper to learn marking."

"Really? That's great! I've been learning marking since I was young and can already engrave some basic markings. I also have some research on marking pens and spirit paper. If Ninth Prince wants to buy these two items, perhaps I can be of help." Shan Xiangling said.

Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment and realized that he indeed didn't know much about marking pens and spirit paper, so he agreed.

Watching Zhang Ruochen and Shan Xiangling's backs, the Eighth Prince was utterly dejected.

A moment later, the Eighth Prince's eyes regained their fighting spirit, and he thought to himself, as long as I become Zou En's disciple, Junior Sister will definitely return to my side.

...

"Marking pens and spirit paper are divided into five grades: basic, intermediate, advanced, heavenly, and divine, corresponding to the five grades of markings."

"To engrave basic markings, you only need to use basic-grade marking pens and spirit paper."

"Those with mental power below the 30th level can only engrave basic markings. The higher the mental power, the more basic markings you can engrave, and the more stable the markings will be, with a higher success rate."

Shan Xiangling introduced while saying, "I have been cultivating mental power since I was young and learning marking at the same time. My mental power has already reached the 16th level, and I can engrave a few basic markings, but the success rate is quite low. Out of twenty attempts, only one is successful."

"Someone like Master Zou En has a very high success rate, engraving at least seven or eight out of ten attempts."

In the Chiyun Sect, they also recruited alchemists who cultivated mental power. However, the Chiyun Sect was ultimately a martial sect, and the highest mental power of their alchemists was only at the 18th level. With his level of expertise, he could hardly guide Shan Xiangling anymore.

Therefore, Shan Xiangling came to the capital's Mingwen Guild, hoping to become a disciple of Master Zou En and continue learning marking and alchemy, striving to reach the level of a first-class alchemist as soon as possible.

"Your mental power has actually reached the 16th level!" Zhang Ruochen said.

To reach the 15th level of mental power before the age of twenty is considered a prodigy. Shan Xiangling's mental power strength was already quite remarkable among girls of the same age.

Mentioning mental power strength, Shan Xiangling was also quite proud, and a sense of superiority arose in her heart. "Generally speaking, reaching the 15th level of mental power gives you a chance to become a first-class alchemist."

She paused and then said somewhat dejectedly, "Unfortunately, my alchemy skills and marking skills are still lacking. I've taken the first-class alchemist exam twice and haven't passed. If I could become a disciple of a second-class alchemist and receive his guidance, I would definitely become a first-class alchemist very quickly."

Zhang Ruochen asked, "What's the point of becoming a first-class alchemist? Is there any benefit?"

"The benefits are numerous! First, becoming a first-class alchemist allows you to officially join the Mingwen Guild and become a member. You will have the opportunity to learn more advanced mental power techniques and listen to lectures by mental power masters."

"Additionally, becoming a first-class alchemist entitles you to a set of special alchemist robes made by the Mingwen Guild. Wearing the robes represents your identity. As long as it's not a personal grudge or you don't provoke trouble, if someone dares to harm you, the Mingwen Guild will step in to resolve the issue."

"Of course, as a first-class alchemist, you are also highly respected by martial artists. Generally, no martial artist would dare to offend an alchemist or a pill master."

Zhang Ruochen was also somewhat moved. The Mingwen Guild has a very long history, dating back to the Middle Ancient Era, over hundreds of thousands of years. Even the First Central Empire, established by Empress Chirao, has only an eight-hundred-year history.

It could be said that even the foundation of the current First Central Empire of Kunlun World couldn't compare to the Mingwen Guild.

No one knew the true power of the Mingwen Guild, but no one dared to provoke it.

Becoming a member of the Mingwen Guild seemed to be a good thing. Zhang Ruochen nodded thoughtfully.

Marking pens and spirit paper were very expensive.

A basic-grade marking pen cost one thousand silver coins.

A basic-grade sheet of spirit paper cost one silver coin.

Seeing the prices, ordinary martial artists would have been scared away long ago.

Learning marking was simply a money-burning activity. Only large families and major sects could cultivate a few alchemists and alchemists, and they had to be carefully selected, choosing those with strong mental power.

If they couldn't be cultivated into first-class alchemists or first-class alchemists, it would be a total loss.

Zhang Ruochen bought ten marking pens and ten thousand sheets of spirit paper, spending a total of twenty thousand silver coins. Even though he wasn't short of money, he still felt the pain of the expenditure.

After buying the marking pens and spirit paper, Zhang Ruochen and Shan Xiangling went to pay respects to Master Zou En. Zhang Ruochen was completely clueless about marking and had to rely on his own exploration.

From a distance, they heard a voice.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, Eighth Prince, your mental power has reached the 12th level. Did you really not cultivate mental power before?" Master Zou En said in amazement.

For the Eighth Prince's age, if he had never cultivated mental power before and could reach the 12th level, it would definitely be considered a prodigious talent.

"Of course, I never cultivated mental power before."

The Eighth Prince saw Zhang Ruochen and Shan Xiangling walking over and, with a smug smile, deliberately raised his voice, "According to Master, isn't this prince a natural mental power talent?"

Receiving Master Zou En's affirmation, the Eighth Prince was very excited and couldn't wait to show his talent to Shan Xiangling.

...

There's another chapter today!