The Unrivaled Tang Sect

Huo Yuhao was just about to reach the main gate when he saw someone walking towards him. They seemed to be walking towards the Tang Sect, and Huo Yuhao hurriedly accelerated when he saw this person as he exclaimed in pleasant surprise, “Eldest senior sister?”

Wasn’t the person who was walking towards him the eldest senior sister of Shrek Academy’s inner courtyard, Zhang Lexuan? She was also one of the Sea God’s Pavilion’s members.

The Sea God’s Pavilion was starting to undergo a generational change. Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, and Zhang Lexuan were elites of the younger generation, and were all part of the Sea God’s Pavilion. 

Zhang Lexuan was also startled when she saw Huo Yuhao. She laughed and said, “That’s convenient, I was going to look for you. I didn’t think I’d meet you here.”

“Ah? You’re looking for me?” Huo Yuhao asked in surprise. He was looking Zhang Lexuan up and down at the same time. 

Zhang Lexuan was wearing a long blue dress today, which made her look even more slender. There was a faint smile on her pretty face that exuded good cheer, and she seemed to be drastically different from before.

There had always been a tinge of melancholy between her eyes back then, but she couldn’t appear any more normal today. Huo Yuhao was very happy for her. Even though the Yin-Yang Love Querying Valley made him lose Dong’er, their experience there wasn’t entirely bad. At least, his eldest senior sister had lost her memory of her feelings towards Bei Bei, which was a great thing for her. She had managed to discard her heaviest burden. 

Huo Yuhao had heard that his eldest senior sister had accepted one of the inner courtyard’s teachers, and they were dating now. Furthermore, his eldest senior sister had already become one of the inner courtyard’s teachers as well, and her cultivation was improving greatly. Her status within the Academy was getting higher and higher. 

“Come in and have a seat, eldest senior sister.” Huo Yuhao was a disciple of the Tang Sect, and he naturally had to play the host. He hurriedly gestured courteously for Zhang Lexuan to enter. 

Zhang Lexuan chuckled and said, “I’m here to find you. Since I’ve run into you, I’m not going inside. I’ll just tell you.”

“Ah? Me?” Huo Yuhao stared at Zhang Lexuan in shock. 

Zhang Lexuan replied, “Yes! It’s so hard to catch you. Who else can I be looking for? You’re always running around outside every day, so where would I go to find you? Let me ask you, have you graduated from the Academy?”

Huo Yuhao scratched his head. He had forgotten about that. Ever since he came back from the big competition, he hadn’t studied in the Academy’s curriculum. 

Zhang Lexuan was a little speechless. “You’re part of the Sea God’s Pavilion after all, so how embarrassing will it be when people find out that you haven’t even officially graduated from the Academy? You should have no problem graduating from the inner courtyard with your current abilities, but we still need you to do some paperwork.”

Huo Yuhao said, “But the others from the Tang Sect…”

Zhang Lexuan grunted and said, “Everyone else has already completed their paperwork; you’re the only one left. You can consider yourself graduated once you pass the inner courtyard’s graduation assessment, and only then can you say you’re a graduate from Shrek Academy.”

Huo Yuhao said, “Alright then, let me take the test. Eldest senior sister, when do you think it’s appropriate for me to go?” Zhang Lexuan was right. Even though he was really busy, it was better for him to officially graduate from the Academy. 

Zhang Lexuan said, “You’ve just returned, so you can rest for a few days. Oh, yes, there’s something else. Everyone else is no longer considered a student from the inner courtyard, because they have graduated. But you haven’t, and you’re also single, while the next season’s Sea God’s Fated Blind Date is about to begin. You have to participate, do you understand?”

“Ah?” Huo Yuhao stared at Zhang Lexuan in astonishment. “I have to participate in the Fated Blind Date, eldest senior sister?”

Zhang Lexuan nodded seriously and said, “That’s the Academy’s rules. All single boys and girls from the inner courtyard have to participate. You’re part of the Academy, and you still haven’t officially graduated. How can you not participate?”

“I… eldest senior sister, let’s forget about that. You know that I already have Dong’er, and even though she’s missing, I can’t go back to participate in the Fated Blind Date anymore.” Huo Yuhao’s eyes became a little dim as he spoke. 

Zhang Lexuan heaved a faint sigh and said, “Yuhao, I understand your feelings, and I also feel very sorry for you. Dong’er is a good girl. However, the Academy’s rules cannot be broken, right? You have to give me face. Let’s do it like this: you’ll just be there to participate, and I’ll ask all the girls not to choose you. You won’t be affected that way.”

Huo Yuhao pulled a long face. “I have a lot of things to do right now, eldest senior sister. You know that this is crunch time for the Tang Sect.”

Zhang Lexuan’s face sank. “Do you still want your graduation certificate, Huo Yuhao? Let me tell you, if you can’t pass this, nobody will give you a graduation certificate, even if you’re part of the Sea God’s Pavilion.”

“Uh…” Zhang Lexuan was firming up, and her dignity as his eldest senior sister immediately came up. Huo Yuhao didn’t dare to argue against her. 

Zhang Lexuan thought for a moment, then said, “Let’s do it like this. You’re walking over the event anyway, and you still have to deal with graduation paperwork. Why don’t you come to the inner courtyard during the night of the Sea God’s Fated Blind Date, and you’ll participate in the event at night, and I’ll arrange for your graduation assessment on the following morning, then I’ll help you deal with your paperwork. You can save the most time that way.”

Huo Yuhao really couldn’t turn her down anymore. He could only accept his fate. “Alright, eldest senior sister, I’ll listen to you.”

Zhang Lexuan’s frown turned into a smile as she said, “That’s better! It’s a deal, then. The Sea God’s Fated Blind Date will be held five days from now, and if you dare to not come, hmph! The Tang Sect will not know peace.” Zhang Lexuan turned and strode away after leaving this threat. 

Huo Yuhao’s face was full of exasperation as he watched her leave. He really couldn’t afford to offend his eldest senior sister!

But... she was right. He couldn’t break the Academy’s rules. Furthermore, getting his graduation certificate was also very important. He would just be there to walk through the event. 

Five days from now. I can’t forget about that…

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Huo Yuhao walked into the Tang Sect as he thought, and immediately began to contemplate and research forging those pills. 

Huo Yuhao needed specific tools to do this. He needed a furnace, and he needed sufficient warmth in the fire. 

A pill furnace was simple. All he had to do was make a soul tool. 

Huo Yuhao began to draw a blueprint for that soul tool as he contemplated. No matter what, he was still a Class 7 soul engineer who could forge a Class 8 soul tool. Even though he hadn’t seriously studied forging soul tools for a few years, a small problem like this couldn’t stump him. 

The pill furnace had to satisfy several conditions. First, it had to be strong enough to resist high temperatures. Second, it had to produce high temperatures. Third, it had to be able to control its temperature. Fourth, the furnace itself couldn’t have any effect on these herbs at all. 

He should be able to start forging pills after satisfying these conditions. 

It wasn’t hard to forge a soul tool while satisfying these conditions…

--- 

Just as Huo Yuhao was just about to complete his blueprint, a knock came from outside

“Who is it?” Huo Yuhao asked subconsciously, without even looking up. 

“It’s me!” A very dissatisfied voice could be heard from outside. 

“Ah?” The person who owned this voice was one of the people that Huo Yuhao feared the most. He hurriedly stood up and opened the door. 

“Why are you here, Teacher Xuan?” Huo Yuhao greeted Xuan Ziwen with a sheepish smile on his face. 

Xuan Ziwen grunted coldly and said, “You dirty fellow. You’re back rather quickly, but you used Bei Bei as your shield as soon as you came back. Do you think I’ll let you go? How many days do you need to forge whatever pills? Give me an accurate estimate.”

Huo Yuhao forced a smile and said, “How can I give you a proper estimate, Teacher Xuan? This is also my first time, and I still have to do some experiments. You know that we have to conduct experiments every time we craft a new soul tool! It’s similar for forging pills. I was just drawing up some blueprints for a pill furnace. Don’t worry, once I’m done with my pills, I will immediately learn about soul tools from you. What do you think?”

“A blueprint for a pill furnace? Let me take a look.” It was his first reaction when he heard “soul tool”.

Huo Yuhao hurriedly handed over the blueprint that he had just drawn. 

Xuan Ziwen didn’t have to ask what Huo Yuhao needed from his pill furnace; he understood Huo Yuhao’s intentions with a few glances. 

However, his first reaction after looking through the blueprint was to slap his hand upside Huo Yuhao’s head. 

“Aiyo, why did you hit me, Teacher Xuan?” Huo Yuhao said aggrievedly. 

Xuan Ziwen snapped, “Idiot, to think you’re a Class 7 soul engineer! Don’t tell others that you’re my disciple, because I can’t take that embarrassment. Look at what you’re drawing; what is that? It would be surprising if you could actually forge pills successfully with this thing of yours. Just waiting to waste some resources.”

“Ah?” Huo Yuhao admired Xuan Ziwen the most in terms of forging soul tools. Xuan Ziwen wouldn’t speak without thinking about this, and he was very strict about his research with soul tools. 

Huo Yuhao hurriedly sought advice humbly. “Teacher Xuan, can you tell me what’s wrong with my blueprint? Help me.”

Xuan Ziwen grunted coldly and said, “Now you want to learn? You have never been willing to properly learn about forging soul tools from me over the years, and you feel embarrassed now? You messed up something as simple as this! Hmph! 

“Don’t think you can do this well with that spiritual power of yours. No matter how formidable your spiritual power is, if you don’t have sufficient experience, if you don’t have the newest theories and principles, all that is wasted. Let me just touch on two things to tell you why your furnace is useless.

“First, let me ask you, how can your furnace ensure that the herbs’ medicinal effects won’t be lost? Do you not know that herbs that are considered natural treasures will release their medicinal effects once they’re used? Can metal seal the furnace so that these medicinal effects won’t be lost? Once these medicinal effects are lost, everything that’s good will flow away. Are you preparing a furnace full of dregs for everyone?”