I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 29 Third Floor
Underground, in the refinery.

Xue Xiang sat cross-legged, surrounded by a clear light. Inside the nebula box, a spirit stone was being consumed at a visible rate.

Suddenly, a beam of light emerged from Xue's lower abdomen and traveled upwards along the central axis of the abdomen.

A phoenix cry rang out, and two points of light appeared one after another, starting three inches below the navel. Then, a third point of light appeared at the end of the light beam.

"call!"

Xue Xiang exhaled a breath of stale air, his body gleaming with a clear light.

Now, he has been in the training room for seven days. Apart from practicing the "Wind Breathing Sword Technique", he has been diligently drawing spiritual energy into his body.

After consuming more than four spirit stones, he finally advanced again, breaking through to the third level of Qi Refining.

He didn't bother to rest. He stood up, took a step, and with a wave of his hand, a stream of energy shot from his palm. The Spirit Serpent Sword on the ground suddenly sprang up and fell into his hand.

Xue Xiangyou turned and walked away, his steps light and elusive. With the support of spiritual power, the Spirit Serpent Sword sometimes moved as nimbly as a snake, and sometimes shot out a cold light.

As he strode through the room, countless perfectly round objects appeared.

With a whoosh, he thrust his rapier, leaving a row of white dots on the wall.

Xue Xiang danced faster and faster, using the Breath of Wind Steps to move his body swiftly and dreamlike, shifting from west to east in an instant, almost turning into a blur.

Suddenly, the Qianyang Purple Mansion, Lingzhao Purple Mansion, and Guanglong Purple Mansion within his body were simultaneously penetrated by the spiritual power within him, causing all three Purple Mansions to tremble at the same time.

He let out a deep shout and unleashed a move called "Great River Drives Straight." The Spirit Serpent Sword flashed three times, unleashing a sword aura that struck the wall.

Suddenly, chaotic lights burst forth from the wall, indicating that the protective array had been activated with its full power.

When he rented the refining room, he heard the second manager boast about the power of the protective array, saying that it would take a top-notch Qi Refining expert to make the array make a sound.

This demonstrates the power of the Wind-Slaying Sword.

Xue Xiang sheathed his sword, sat cross-legged, and circulated his spiritual energy for half an hour before calming the raging spiritual power within his body.

The power of the Breathing Wind Sword Technique shook his three Purple Mansions, almost completely mobilizing the spiritual energy within his body, unleashing strength far exceeding that of the third level of Qi Refining. He finally fully grasped the domineering nature of the Breathing Wind Sword Technique.

Suddenly, a clear radiance slowly spread around him, and the statue of Kang Guangling rose up without any wind.

Suddenly, the statue automatically disintegrated, turning into wisps of smoke. The smoke coalesced into the image of Kang Guangling.

He still looked up at the sky with a compassionate expression, and after more than ten breaths, he vanished like air dissipating into the air.

Xue Xiang felt a mix of emotions, and despite being mentally prepared, a strange sense of melancholy still washed over him.

He bowed three times in the direction where the Kang Guangling statue had disappeared, then got up and left the alchemy room.

He first went into the bathhouse, gave himself a thorough wash to remove all the grime, changed into clean clothes, left Jiahe Trading Company, and headed straight for the front street.

At that moment, he was so hungry he could have swallowed a whole cow.

He devoured beef noodles, potstickers, meat-filled buns, and mutton soup, and felt like he had come back to life.

After leaving Qianjie Street, he headed home, passing Tongkang Road where crowds had gathered and flames were shooting into the sky.

Squeezing through the crowd, I saw a group of people burning newspapers—the very ones piled high with copies of the Yunmeng Times.

Amidst the raging flames, people continued to add newspapers to the fire, their cursing and swearing further fueling the crowd's anger.

Xue Xiang didn't bother watching the commotion and went straight home.

As soon as he entered the house, he heard the little guy cry out "Ah!" and rush over, crashing into his arms and clinging tightly to his neck, refusing to let go.

Liu Mei followed him out of the main room, quickly walked to his side, tightly gripped his sleeve, and before she could speak, her starry eyes reddened.

Taking advantage of the situation, Xue Xiang leaned on her back and said, "Sister Mei, I'm sleepy."

His heavy breath seeped into Liu Mei's collar, instantly turning her fair skin a rosy hue, and raising goosebumps on her slender, white neck.

Liu Mei lost her balance, and Xue Xiang quickly pulled her into his arms around her waist. The elasticity of her body was astonishing.

"Brother."

Xiao Wan and Fan Youyi from next door heard the commotion and rushed over.

"Xiao Fan, let's have hot pot tonight."

"Clear broth? Spicy broth?" "A yin-yang hot pot."

"Got it."

Fan Youyi grabbed Xiao Wan, "Wife, prepare the dishes, prepare the dishes..."

After leaving the den of iniquity, he gradually revealed his youthful nature, happily taking Xiao Wan to buy groceries.

Upon entering the main room, Madam Xue was ladling a spoonful of golden-yellow chicken soup into a celadon bowl.

Xue's mother forced Xue Xiang to drink two large bowls of chicken soup before letting him go back to his room to rest.

Xue Xiang was so tired that he fell into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

…………

Noon, Yunmeng Newspaper Office, Li Shaobai's private residence.

"Kill Li Shaobai!"

"Give me back the real 'Mortal World'!"

"We want to see Jiangnan."

"........."

Despite the doors and windows being tightly closed, the shouts from outside still managed to penetrate the air.

Li Shaobai was no longer the smug and self-satisfied man he once was. His hair was disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot, his face was pale, and his eyes were empty and lifeless.

He never imagined that the situation would collapse so quickly, and that the defeat would be so overwhelming.

That day, he, Lu Zhang, and Wang Pang agreed to organize a team to continue the story of "The Mortal World".

For the first few days, things were calm, and the sales of Yunmeng Times continued to rise.

Three days later, discordant voices gradually emerged in the market and in teahouses.

The real collapse came from the neighboring city's "Anlu Evening News".

The rise of the Yunmeng Times made all the newly established newspapers in other cities seem like child's play.

Upon receiving this confidential information, the Anlu Evening News had no reason to back down. It published a series of reports, revealing in detail Li Shaobai's usurpation of the Yunmeng Times and the change of author for "Fanjian".

The pent-up rage of many die-hard fans of "The Mortal World" erupted as soon as they realized that the original version of "The Mortal World" had been killed.

In an instant, a spark ignited a prairie fire.

First, the Canaan Morning Post and Yunmeng Times, which published pirated copies of "The Mortal World," were burned in various cities. Then, mass protests broke out, which were suppressed by the police forces of each city.

However, the Yunmeng Times did not stop publishing, and the pirated version of "Fan Jian" was still being published, completely igniting the anger of book fans.

To this day, a large number of protesters have appeared outside the Yunmeng Newspaper Office, and some radicals have even thrown Molotov cocktails into the office.

The pressure from all sides came like a surging tide, making it almost impossible for Li Shaobai to breathe.

Bang! The door was kicked open.

Li Shaobai's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and before he could even yell a curse, Wang Pang, who had rushed in, fired off like a machine gun, "Sir, let's hide! Dean Chen is here, and he looks extremely hostile. A wise man doesn't stand under a dangerous wall; let's hide first..."

Li Shaobai snorted coldly, straightened his hair and clothes, chased away Wang Pang, and left the door wide open.

Ten breaths later, Chen She, the dean of the Fourth Academy, who looked like he was in a state of emergency, strode in.

"Vice President Li has great composure; even if a mountain collapses before him, he remains calm and collected."

Chen She snorted, "I am far inferior to him. When the city magistrate asks questions and the emperor issues orders, I feel like I am sitting on pins and needles."

Li Shaobai remained calm and composed, saying, "Solving this crisis is as easy as turning one's hand."

"Oh? You seem quite confident. Tell me about it."

Chen She sneered.

(End of this chapter)