Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 345 The Gathering of One Hundred Heroes (Part Two)

Holding her wine glass, she began to toast and chat with the others at the table, including Sun Zheng to Han Yi's left and two other silent men, trying to recruit them into the group.

Han Yi listened for a while and realized that Sun Ruoqing seemed to know more than just his information.

She seemed to have done a lot of research on the other people at the banquet beforehand. Just by chatting with Sun Zheng for a short while, she managed to get him nodding in agreement.

Soon, Sun Zheng was also persuaded by this woman and agreed to leave his information and register to join the Hundred Heroes Association.

Subsequently, Sun Ruoqing used the same set of words, methods, and tactics to deal with the other two disciples who had remained silent. The same template, the same persuasive techniques…

This completely erased any goodwill Han Yi had initially felt towards her. Clearly, this woman was just a middleman recruiting people to make extra money.

However, despite some disdain for his behavior, such an outgoing and sociable person is still needed at this kind of banquet to liven up the atmosphere and get the conversation flowing.

Under her deliberate guidance, and after a round of toasts, Han Yi learned the names of his two taciturn senior brothers: one named Qi Jun and the other Guo Yefei, both of whom had entered the Nine-Bend Academy a few years ago.

After that, Sun Ruoqing left her seat again, picked up her wine glass, and went to other tables to look for a suitable target.

The drinks at the banquet were all sweet rice wines with a low alcohol content. Even so, the woman's high alcohol tolerance surprised Han Yi.

They drank non-stop, and must have drunk at least two jin of wine. As they were finishing up, Zhong Yunxiu, the head of the academy, hurriedly appeared, offered a few words of advice to everyone, and then left in a hurry, as if she had some urgent business to attend to.

Afterwards, under Fang Chengqi's guidance, everyone raised their glasses and drank a toast, thus bringing the banquet to a complete end.

After the disciples had eaten and drunk their fill, they rose and took their leave.

After leaving Tianxiang Tower, some people already had carriages waiting for them, while others disappeared into the darkness of the street in a flash.

Han Yi chatted happily with Sun Zheng, Sun Ruoqing, and others. After they went downstairs together and parted ways, he stood downstairs at Tianxiang Tower, gazing at the location of Senior Sister Zhong Han from afar.

Zhong Han was also among the last to come downstairs. At this moment, she was standing in front of the carriage, seemingly talking to a woman.

After the woman left and everyone was alone, Han Yi walked over.

"Senior Sister." He cupped his hands in greeting.

"Junior Brother Han, what's wrong? Is something the matter?" Zhong Han smiled. She had already seen Han Yi standing in the distance waiting for him, so she wasn't surprised.

She had a good impression of Han Yi, this newly initiated disciple. He kept his promises, had no messy habits, and unlike some male disciples with ulterior motives, he didn't fawn over her or flatter her.

Every time he came over, it was for something important. Like last time, she had almost forgotten about the twenty taels of gold notes, but this person still came alone with her, made money, and immediately paid her back.

"It's nothing, I've just mastered the first level of the True Skill and want to learn the second level, the Cold Yin Nine-Bend Palm," Han Yi replied.

"You've passed the first level? Not bad, it does meet the characteristics of the first level, 'swelling on the outside, its color is bright red'." Zhong Han carefully examined Han Yi. "Pretty good, completing the first level within three months is considered above average in the Nine-Bend Academy."

The last time Han Yi asked her to repay the money was three months ago, before Han Yi had even started cultivating.

"But that makes sense. The first level is just the beginning, testing your fine control over your qi and blood. You were a second-level martial artist before, so this kind of progress is normal with your previous experience."

"Huh, you haven't lost your power yet?" she suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

The biggest difference between a martial arts master who practices multiple skills and a true martial arts master is whether or not they have only practiced one martial art.

In terms of outward manifestation, martial arts practitioners who practice both martial arts and martial arts have impure qi and blood and complicated strength, so their overall qi and blood are not as pure and consistent as those of true martial arts practitioners.

Zhong Han's realm was incredibly high; his cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the sixth level of true skill, and his insight was unmatched except by the head of the academy, Zhong Yunxiu.

Therefore, she could tell at a glance that there was still a phenomenon of energy gathering and pulling on Han Yi's body.

Clearly, Han Yi hadn't heeded the warning he received that day and still hadn't dispelled his internal energy. "I haven't had time yet. Dispelling internal energy would cause too much damage to the body. I want to try cultivating true internal energy first," Han Yi explained. "Besides, if I dispelled my internal energy, my strength would be reduced too much, and I wouldn't be able to complete many of the inner courtyard's tasks."

“Sigh…but…” Zhong Han shook her head; she understood what Han Yi meant.

Most of the disciples of Jiuqu Academy come from families with considerable wealth.

Even elderly people without background resources who can stay can still have additional investment income, just like the Hundred Talents Association.

Disciples like Han Yi, who are penniless, have no family background, and have no investors... are very few in number.

Therefore, he can only earn money and exchange it for resources by taking on tasks from the inner court.

That's why she understood the real reason why Han Yi was reluctant to dispel his power.

Although she wanted to help, just like last time, she also understood that it's better to help in an emergency than to support someone who is chronically in need. She could have helped with the twenty taels of gold notes shortfall last time, but that was enough.

However, when it comes to personal cultivation, she cannot do what she did last time.

Her money didn't come from thin air. If she were to sponsor every poor fellow disciple she encountered, wouldn't she be a sucker?

Therefore, all she could do was sigh; there was nothing else she could do.

Zhong Han sighed: "You're only at the first level of true skill, the entry-level stage. The qi and blood generated at this stage won't yet mix with the two martial arts you're practicing. But if you reach the second level and your skill doesn't dissipate..."

At that time, with the qi and blood mixing, all your current work will be in vain.

You must take this matter seriously and act quickly. Don't wait until your qi and blood are stuck together before you start practicing; by then, it will be too late.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister." Han Yi nodded.

He understood Zhong Han's meaning: dispersing internal energy naturally meant dispelling the turbid blood containing the characteristics of internal force. Since the first level of true skill does not yet generate internal force, dispersing internal energy at this time would not cause any problems.

However, if one reaches the second or third level, the qi and blood of the three martial arts become mixed in the body, causing the power to dissipate. In doing so, it is very likely that the qi and blood of the true power will also be dissipated along with the martial arts practiced.

However, his original plan was to pursue the path of cultivating true martial arts skills.