Listening to Prince Thirteen and Lin Fei, Ye Tian suddenly grasped the preciousness of the Spirit Pool and felt immensely fortunate to have met Prince Thirteen and Lin Fei; otherwise, he would likely have missed this opportunity.
After all, according to the regulations of the Divine Star Sect, only outer disciples in their first year of enrollment are eligible to apply for entry into the Spirit Pool for a single baptism. However, if it weren't for the reminders from Prince Thirteen and Lin Fei, by the time three days had passed, Ye Tian's strength would certainly have allowed him to rank within the top ten, thereby elevating him to the status of an inner disciple, which would naturally preclude his access to the Spirit Pool for baptism.
"This Spirit Pool is probably inaccessible to many!" Ye Tian remarked with a hint of awe.
"Indeed!"
Prince Thirteen nodded, his gaze flickering. "The existence of the Spirit Pool is known to very few within the Divine Star Sect, or at least not many pay it heed. Of course, if one were to meticulously study the Star Manual, they would discover the Spirit Pool's significance. Yet, most martial artists who join the Divine Star Sect do so to earn contribution points, which they then exchange for powerful martial techniques or rare resources to enhance their strength. How many possess the patience to thoroughly read the Star Manual?"
Ye Tian couldn't help but nod in agreement; even he had initially thought of using his contribution points to acquire items rather than spending time diligently studying the Star Manual. It wasn't that he lacked patience, but rather that his focus was primarily on cultivation, not on reading.
"Moreover, even if someone were to discover the Spirit Pool, accumulating ten thousand contribution points within the first year is quite a challenge. And as you've noticed, during each assessment, there are arena battles. Consequently, those capable of earning ten thousand contribution points are often recruited into the inner sect ahead of time. The remaining weaker candidates would find it nearly impossible to amass ten thousand contribution points in just one year," Lin Fei chuckled.
"Why do I get the feeling that the Divine Star Sect doesn't want us to access the Spirit Pool? Otherwise, why hide it so deeply?" Ye Tian pondered, somewhat perplexed.
"Of course, they don't want to see us enter the Spirit Pool. You must consider how many resources the Divine Star Sect has expended to maintain its existence. Ten thousand contribution points, or even a hundred thousand, would be a significant loss for them," Yun Shuiyao shot Ye Tian a glance.
Ye Tian couldn't help but rub his nose; why was this girl always at odds with him? Had he inadvertently offended her in some way?
Lin Fei continued, "But that's not entirely accurate. As long as one has status, they can learn about the Spirit Pool from other disciples of the Divine Star Sect, just like us. Thus, there are always individuals entering the Spirit Pool each year."
"Let's go! I believe Wu Ding and the others will also head to the Spirit Pool. We should get there early to avoid being outpaced," Prince Thirteen declared as he stood up.
"Indeed!" Ye Tian nodded, feeling a surge of anticipation. He was currently in dire need of spiritual energy to practice the Condensation Technique, and the Spirit Pool could very well provide the solution to his pressing dilemma.
The four of them set off together, leaving the courtyard.
On the path outside, they encountered numerous figures, all clad in white, clearly donning the standard attire of the Divine Star Sect.
"This outfit is truly unappealing!" Yun Shuiyao remarked, looking at her white robes with dissatisfaction.
"Let's endure it for now. Once we become inner disciples, we'll be able to wear the beautiful blue Star Robes, which are the attire of inner disciples!" Lin Fei replied with a smile.
"Actually, the most imposing attire is the purple Star Robes. Wearing those would surely draw attention wherever one goes in the Great Yan Kingdom," Prince Thirteen said, his face filled with longing.
"Purple Star Robes? You really think so? Only the true disciples of the Divine Star Sect are permitted to wear those, and one must possess a Martial Sovereign level of cultivation. We should focus on our training first!" Lin Fei rolled his eyes.
Ye Tian's heart stirred; he had heard of the true disciples of the Divine Star Sect—only thirty-six of them existed, each a significant figure in Nanlin County, possessing considerable influence throughout the Great Yan Kingdom.
"Wang Fanyun and Wan Yunxia must have become true disciples of the Divine Star Sect by now!" Ye Tian thought to himself. These two had previously ranked alongside Liu Yunfei as the strongest among the inner disciples of the Divine Star Sect, and it was highly likely that they had already broken through to the Martial Sovereign realm, qualifying as true disciples.
Recalling Liu Yunfei's last words, Ye Tian resolved to seek information about Wan Yunxia at the earliest opportunity to fulfill Liu Yunfei's wishes.
As they conversed, they soon arrived at the location of the Spirit Pool, which was quite secluded, sparsely populated, and shrouded in a formation that obscured its mysteries from ordinary individuals.
Ye Tian looked up to see an unremarkable stone house before him, its door tightly shut, exuding an aura of simplicity. An elderly man with white hair was sweeping the ground at the entrance, paying no heed to the arrival of Ye Tian and his companions.
"Esteemed elder, we have come to apply for the Spirit Pool baptism!"
Alongside Prince Thirteen, Ye Tian and the others respectfully bowed to the old man.
The elder ignored them and continued sweeping.
Ye Tian and the others were undeterred and proceeded toward the stone house.
"My father once said that we must never underestimate the elders of the Divine Star Sect. Our respectful greeting is certainly justified!" Prince Thirteen whispered.
Ye Tian and Lin Fei nodded in agreement, both aware that generally, the longer one lived, the stronger their power, especially in a place like the Divine Star Sect, where powerful individuals were abundant.
"Hey, open the door! We wish to apply for the Spirit Pool baptism!" While they were conversing quietly, Yun Shuiyao had already begun knocking on the stone door.
Creak...
With a crisp sound, the stone door swung open, revealing a bald youth who emerged with a gleaming head, his innocent eyes scanning Ye Tian and his companions with mild annoyance. "Four more kids have arrived; how bothersome! According to the rules, each of you must pay ten thousand contribution points."
Ye Tian and the others exchanged glances, somewhat speechless at the youth's audacity to refer to them as 'kids' despite his young age. However, considering their status as newcomers, they obediently presented their identity tokens.
After deducting ten thousand contribution points, the bald youth allowed them entry.
Upon stepping through the stone door, Ye Tian and his companions were immediately enveloped by an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy, and their eyes fell upon a pool of water comparable in size to the courtyard.
The pool's water was milky white, resembling milk, and emanated a thick mist, akin to ethereal vapor.
Within the pool, four young men and women were meditating with closed eyes; they were none other than Wu Ding, Prince Seven, Bai Yunfei, and Meng Shiyun.
"Those four indeed arrived first!" Lin Fei remarked, his lips curling in annoyance at being beaten to it.
"Regardless, there's plenty of space; we needn't concern ourselves with them!" Prince Thirteen shook his head.
"Exactly, let's hurry in!" Ye Tian nodded and, without hesitation, leaped into the Spirit Pool, instantly feeling a torrent of spiritual energy enveloping his entire body.
This sensation was unprecedented; Ye Tian couldn't help but moan in delight. He quickly focused his mind and began practicing the Condensation Technique.
Prince Thirteen, Lin Fei, and Yun Shuiyao also promptly jumped into the pool.
As time passed, Ye Tian felt his Condensation Technique advancing rapidly; he condensed a false acupoint in mere moments.
"What abundant spiritual energy! If I could cultivate here, a single day would equate to an entire year of training outside!" Ye Tian marveled inwardly.
In less than an hour, he had already condensed thirty false acupoints, a speed that left him astounded and exhilarated.
"At this rate, I could achieve the Great Perfection of the Condensation Technique in just a few hours!" Ye Tian was filled with excitement.
Just then, Ye Tian felt a stir in his bosom as a small creature emerged, stretching lazily and sniffing the air as it began to absorb the spiritual energy from the pool.
"Little Golden Mouse!" Ye Tian opened his eyes in surprise. Fearing others would see his treasure-hunting mouse, he had kept it hidden in his embrace; this little creature preferred to sleep during the day and rarely disturbed him.
"Chirp chirp!" The little golden mouse swam excitedly in the Spirit Pool, diving towards the bottom.
"Hey!" Ye Tian was startled and quickly submerged to catch the little golden mouse.
However, the little golden mouse was swift and reached the bottom in an instant. Ye Tian had no choice but to follow, whereupon he spotted a blue crystal emitting a faint glow.
"This... this is a Martial Soul Crystal!" Ye Tian's eyes widened in astonishment, his gaze fixated on the azure crystal before him.
At that moment, the little golden mouse comfortably nestled atop the azure crystal, wearing an expression of bliss.
This had to be a Martial Soul Crystal; Ye Tian was certain, as the Martial Soul Crystal he had previously obtained was identical to this one, merely differing in color.
"An azure Martial Soul Crystal! If I could devour this, my green Martial Soul would undoubtedly evolve into an azure one," Ye Tian couldn't contain his excitement.
Martial artists with azure Martial Souls were exceedingly rare throughout the eighteen nations of Beihai. In the entire Great Yan Kingdom, it seemed only the monarch possessed an azure Martial Soul; even if there were others, they would certainly be few in number.
This illustrates the rarity of azure Martial Souls.
"If my Martial Soul were to ascend to the azure level, combined with the spiritual energy here, I might even advance to the Martial Spirit realm ahead of schedule."
"However, this is the sacred ground of the Divine Star Sect. This Martial Soul Crystal must have been placed here by a powerful expert of the Sect; if I were to consume it, I wonder if it would trigger any unforeseen consequences?"
"Damn it, fortune favors the bold! My Martial Soul has not been upgraded in a long time; if I miss this opportunity, who knows when I might reach the azure Martial Soul?"
"This chance has been bestowed upon me by the heavens; if I were to forfeit it, I might invite divine retribution!"
After a fierce internal struggle, Ye Tian gritted his teeth and resolved to consume the Martial Soul Crystal.
"Chirp chirp..." Simultaneously, Ye Tian grabbed the little golden mouse by its tail and set it aside. The little creature immediately protested, chattering and waving its tiny claws.
Ye Tian sat cross-legged at the bottom of the pool, beginning to absorb the azure Martial Soul Crystal.
The little golden mouse blinked its large eyes, curiously watching Ye Tian.
Gradually, a black halo enveloped the azure Martial Soul Crystal, emanating from Ye Tian's palm.
The little golden mouse immediately displayed a look of terror, seemingly fearful of the black glow.