Eternal Life (永生) Ch. 17

The Comforts of the School

The Godly Strength Puppet created from an underground Devil had been killed without the usage of a weapon, and only bare hands and feet. This caused all the disciples in the hall to resolutely believe that Fang Han was very powerful.

At the same time, they also felt as if the bones in Fang Han’s body were fierce and overbearing, as if they were bones of a barbarian.

However, they weren’t surprised, as many of the large clans had secrets. Perhaps the Fang Clan had a method of strengthening flesh and bones to such a level. However, the other disciples in the hall from the other clans didn’t dare to ask.

At this moment, Fang Han had imprinted himself in the hearts of the other examiners as someone to not be taken lightly, as well as someone who was worth drawing in.

Thus, the Earl of Zhen Yuan, Liu Kang, and Princess Hong Yi Jun immediately realized Fang Han’s worth.

[TL: Thanks to Lornalt for informing me that Duke is above Marquis, thus Liu Kang is now Earl. Secondly, I realized that the author switched up on me, and that the princess is called Hong Yi Jun, not princess of Hong Yi, which had me confused as well]

These disciples were all very skilled in roping people in. Upon becoming an outer court disciple, there would be a yearly series of competitions even bloodier and fiercer than those held by the empires.

Think about it, the hundred thousand outer court disciples all had to vie and compete for only a couple thousand inner court disciple spots. Thus, the competitions were brutal; nothing else could be said about them.

Fang Han was confident that he would eventually become a true disciple like Fang Qing Xue. He just had to stay low like a fish in the water and gradually build up his strength.

When the time came, even if he wanted to be a servant for the Fang Clan, they wouldn’t have the courage to keep him.

“Comparing myself to the Earl and Princess, my bones are strong because I trained in some Heng’lian martial arts. However, their sword styles are all very unique, each with their own traits, and much more efficient when killing someone. Since we are all now outer court disciples, in the future, let us share knowledge with each other.”

[TL: So Heng’lian is just one of three kinds of ancient martial training based on this Chinese website and there apparently isn’t an English translation]

Hong Yi Jun Princess and Earl Liu Kang opposite him had come over to show good will. To think that Fang Han actually knew what to say in such a situation, and would say something as good as “sharing knowledge with each other.”

He had known long ago about the intense outer court competition. If one didn’t group up with others, there would be no way for one to survive. Also, he didn’t know enough about the world he had just entered, and needed to rely on other people to increase his knowledge about the heavens and earth,

For example, he had no clue what an underground Devil was.

One’s status would determine what one would experience, as a lowly horse-breeding servant, what could he possibly know?

The fact that he didn’t know much, Fang Han understood very clearly.

“We are all in the same court, and thus should learn off each other,” stated Earl Liu Kang, nodding his head.

“Let’s wait until the exam is over, and then go together to receive the goods given to us by the school,” said Princess Hong Yi Jun, her eyes still watching the ongoing exam.

In the following period, some people failed, and some people passed.

Out of those who passed, the one who appeared to be Prince Huang Sun of the Da’li Empire was especially eye-catching. With sharp movements, he took out a magic weapon, and proceeded to calmly cut the Godly Strength Puppet to pieces, demonstrating unmatchable power.

[TL: I think I made a mistake. The weapons used by this guy and the other two are magic weapons. I had assumed they weren’t but after reading this part I realized they were. Sorry]

This caused Fang Han to become vigilant in his heart.

The day passed, and the exam finally ended. Out of the hundreds to thousands of nobles and clan disciples who participated, only slightly more than twenty of them passed, and succeeded in becoming outer court disciples.

“Today’s exam has ended. Those who didn’t pass can wait in the great hall, and the school will get cranes to send you out of the Yu’hua Mountains. The others who passed and became disciples please come with me to retrieve daily necessities, the school will provide you with residence. From now on, we are all people of the Yu’hua School, and practitioners of the Immortal Path. Our status is different from others, and our words and deeds must follow the school rules,” shouted an examiner in a great voice.

Afterwards, one led Fang Han and some of the other passing disciples through the “Ta Xian Yuan.”

I heard that daily necessities were all various kinds of fa’qi. I wonder what they are,thought Fang Han in his heart.

Before long, the group of people reached the storage chamber in depths of the building. Inside, in front of their eyes, they could count ten large chests, perfectly one for each of them.

“Ka’cha.” The examiner who had led them over opened one of the chests. Inside, there was a Yu’hua School uniform, a couple talismans engraved in jade, a long sword in a sharkskin sheath, and some books engraved in jade.

“This uniform is an article of magic clothing. It is made from the silk of five different kinds of silkworms, sky, earth, gold, silver, and black, and softened using hundreds of spiritual medicines. Upon wearing it, insects will avoid you, and snakes, insects, rodents, and ants will not attack you. You will become impervious to the effects of poison and miasma, and even more so blades and arrows as long as they are not at the fa’qi level. Out of these couple talismans, the first is for cleaning your clothes. It contains magic water. If you are ever dirty, just the thought will cause the water to become a fog, which will surround you and immediately get rid of filth, leaving you clean and refreshed. The second one is a dust avoidance talisman. The third one is a spirit fire talisman, from which you can retrieve fire from at any time. The fourth one is a true water talisman. No matter the time, no matter the place, you can take the vapor out of the air and condense it in this talisman. In the future, when you guys go to the desert to execute tasks given to you by the school and train, you can bring these things with you. The fifth talisman is a blood-staunching talisman, filled with medicinal powers. It can treat all kinds of flesh wounds. For example, if you are ever hacked by a sword, you can use it and it will stop your bleeding, relieve pain, and help your wound heal.”

The examiner thoroughly explained the uniform and the talismans, and then took out the sword. “Shua.” He quickly pulled out the sword, the sound like a dragon talking, a crane honking, light flickering around the room. Upon the sword itself, faint lines of light ran up and down the sword.

“This is the Yu’hua School’s creation, the Devil Beheading Sword. Although it isn’t a flying sword, it will cut through iron as if it were mud, and is imbued with a yang aura, allowing you to kill evil spirits, and avoid Devils. It is also a fa’qi. In the future, if you guys are lucky enough to be promoted to inner court disciple, the school will bestow upon you a ling’qi level flying sword, making you able to kill people within ten li of you. You will also be able to use it to fly. Also, inscribed within these jade books are our Yu’hua School’s three main martial styles, the ‘Calm Crane Longevity Fist’, ‘Flying Spirit Soft Body Enhancement’, and the ‘Tiger Dragon Flying Step’. The remaining books contain the school rules and information about other schools, Demons, the abyss, the seas, the affairs of various great empires, things higher than the heavens, and geography. From now on, your daily tasks are to study and train.”

After explaining the uses of everything in the chest, the examiner handed one to each person.

“Good stuff, even my magic sword isn’t this sharp! This fa’qi, if it could be brought out and auctioned, it would be worth even more than several cities.”

Princess Hong Yi Jun held the Devil Beheading Sword in her hand, slightly wielding it. Immediately, she could feel the dense Sword Qi emanating from the sword.

“Of course, our magic swords aren’t made of materials any worse than this sword, perhaps they are made of even better materials. However, when this sword was refined, a Divine Realm expert imbued their magic to it,” stated Liu Kang.

Even if it were just a piece of iron, if a Divine Realm expert imbued their magic to it during the forging process, it would become a magic weapon.

Fang Han didn’t say a word, and instead organized all of his things, and following the examiner’s instructions, found his residence in “Wo Xian Yuan.”

[TL: So for clarification, in “Ta Xian Yuan” and “Wo Xian Yuan,” the last part, xian yuan, means immortal yard, I just felt it sounded better if I left it.]

“Wo Xian Yuan” was very large. Compared with the Fang Clan prefecture, it was about fifty times larger. Inside, there was one independent courtyard after another, totaling thousands, if not ten thousand.

The Yu’hua School had approximately 100,000 outer court disciples, all of them living on this plain in the mountains, training. The names of the places they lived included “Wo Xian Yuan,” “Liu Xian Yuan,” “Qing Xian Yuan,” “Jing Xian Yuan,” “Qian Xian Yuan,” etc. There were a total of ten such living areas.

The scale of each Xian Yuan was comparable to that of a palace, grand, and emanating a noble aura.

“What a huge courtyard and room.”

Fang Han reached his residence. Just the yard had a radius of a few acres, and in it, he could see constructed pavilions and bamboo swaying. As he walking, in the very center, amid the flower garden, streams flowed in every direction, goldfish playing, and kingfishers flying around. In the air one could feel dense amounts of Immortal Qi. It was truly paradise.

“No wonder people are willing to do anything to become a disciple of the Yu’hua School. There are truly too many benefits gained by being an outer court disciple.”

Closing the door to his house behind him, Fang Han sat on his bed, legs crossed. First, he changed his clothes. Immediately, he could feel the abundant Immortal Qi around him, a fresh scent being emitted from the clothes and reaching his nose.

This uniform was able to repel hundreds of kinds of poisonous gasses, snakes, rodents, ants, and insects, and was impervious to blades and arrows.

In the common world, even ten thousand liang of gold would not be able to buy such a precious treasure, yet at the Yu’hua School, it was something given to outer court disciples for their well-being.

Afterwards, Fang Han took out the five talismans, dripping a drop of blood on each to blood-bind it. Immediately, he could feel a spiritual link between him and the talismans.

With just a thought, a wisp of flame immediately sparked from the ‘Spirit Fire Talisman.’

“Good things. These talismans are pretty much essential to bring when going out.”

After this, Fang Han dug out the jade books.

From their midst, he chose the book titled ‘Calm Crane Longevity Fist’, and opened it. Immediately, on the jade, an Immortal practitioner wearing white clothing appeared, and actually began flashing and making maneuvers, step by step, unceasingly drilling the movements. At the same time, a voice was emitted from the book, explaining the profound mysteries and actions of the style.

Explaining everything in a detailed fashion, it was 100 times better than what Fang Han had secretly learned back in the Fang Clan.

“How does this book have memory and the ability to project sounds?” Fang Han investigated for half a day, but was unable to figure out how the book was able to project the person or where the sounds came from. Eventually, he gave it up, as when he trained further, he would naturally understand.

Opening the other two books on martial styles, Fang Han read the explanations and watched the movements of the Immortal practitioner, trying step by step to learn them.

Smooth circulation of Qi!

His spirit burning with a fiery passion!

The ‘Nine Aperture Golden Pellet’ releasing its medicinal power into his bone marrow!

Fang Han felt as if his martial ability had improved once again.

Today’s head-on fight with the ‘Godly Strength Puppet’ had benefit him a lot, helping him fully consolidate his Qi and causing his body to be even stronger and robust.

Even a slight movement resulted in his bones cracking. Facing the mirror, Fang Han realized that his muscles seemed like they were sculpted out of steel. As for his skin, it looked soft and smooth, like the most delicate silks and satins.

“Inner strengthening of internal organs, organs as strong as iron!”

He fiercely inhaled a breath, swallowing it into his stomach, where it began rotating, “Gu’dong gu’dong.” With it, Fang Han’s internal organs were constantly turning.

The ‘Godly Strength Puppet’ had felt as if it were made of steel. The hits it landed on Fang Han’s body had helped him expel his body’s impurities and caused the ‘Nine Aperture Golden Pellet’ to exude tons of medicinal power to repair his injuries. Thus, his power had once again risen by leaps and bounds.