Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 272 – Talent Test

Switching into robes that the You Family prepared, Qin Yu pushed open the door and walked out. The eyes of the maids outside brightened, thinking that the clothes matched this lord very well.

You Yuanming hadn’t arrived yet; there were bound to be many things that he needed to ask You Qi. Qin Yu wandered beneath a pavilion. Without him needing to say anything, maids started to bring in sweets and tea.

He didn’t eat the sweets, but the tea was actually quite good. It was fragrant and lifted the spirits; he could even feel the circulation of magic power within his body liven up.

It was obvious this tea wasn’t ordinary.

To casually take out this type of spirit tea to entertain a guest, it could be seen how deep the You Family’s background was. But, the more important reason was likely because there were far more natural materials and treasures in the Land of Divinity and Demons.

With such rich heaven and earth spiritual energy, it was obvious more treasures would be born.

Qin Yu’s eyes brightened.

With the little blue lamp in hand, there being more world treasures meant there were more lucky chances. After he managed to stabilize his position within the Land of Divinity and Demons, he could start the big business of alchemy.

At this time, there was the sound of the courtyard doors opening. Qin Yu regained his composure and nodded to the maid beside him. He stood up, greeting the person who just arrived. However, the person on the other side of the doors wasn’t You Yuanming or You Qi, but a woman he didn’t know. Her face wasn’t accentuated with any powders or creams, but that fresh-faced look was itself the best form of makeup, an unparalleled beauty.

Seeing Qin Yu, the woman blushed red and bowed. “You Xiuxiu greets honored guest. I shouldn’t be disturbing your rest, but a little beast I raise seems to have run away here. It is wounded, so I ask that honored guest please excuse me for the disturbance.”

Qin Yu cupped his hands together. “It’s no problem. Miss, feel free to come in and search.”

You Xiuxiu revealed a grateful look. “Thank you, honored guest.”

She stepped forwards and took out a jade slip. A gentle melody spread through the air, mixing into the breeze. With her swaying skirt and hair, she seemed like an image from a scroll.

Qin Yu revealed a look of appreciation. The Land of Divinity and Demons was truly a place with countless talented individuals. Just a random girl like this had the ability to move the heart and mind.

You Xiuxiu seemed to realize that Qin Yu was looking at her. She blushed and lowered her head, a bit of happiness flashing in her eyes.

After some time, there was a light rustling and a little snow white beast came running out from somewhere. It hopped around, one of its legs kept curled up, clearly injured. You Xiuxiu was surprised, “Little White!” She immediately bunched up her face, worriedly saying, “You little beast, you still run around when you are injured? If there’s a next time, just see whether or not I still care about you!”

After she finished speaking, she seemed to remember Qin Yu was there. Her face reddened further.

Qin Yu smiled, not saying anything.

There was the sound of footsteps from the courtyard doors. You Qi walked over, but when she saw the situation in the courtyard, her face stiffened and became icy cold.

You Xiuxiu turned around, pleasantly surprised. “Big Sister You Qi, you came back! I’m so happy!”

She hurried over, wanting to hold You Qi’s hand. But, when she was avoided, her smile froze for a brief second.

You Qi indifferently said, “I wouldn’t dare to trouble my little sister. I’m doing very well.”

You Xiuxiu was flustered a little. “Why is big sister like this?”

You Qi drew in a deep breath. “Little sister is well aware in your heart, so why must I say more?” She glanced at the little beast in her arms and a look of contempt flashed in her eyes. “I haven’t seen you in so many years but you’re still using the same old tricks. It's best to trade for a new one at some point, lest this little thing continues to suffer.”

After she finished speaking, she ignored You Xiuxiu’s hardened expression and directly said, “Qin Yu, my uncle is waiting for you.” Then she turned and left.

Qin Yu’s thoughts race. He cupped his hands together, bidding You Xiuxiu farewell, and then followed You Qi.

The courtyard immediately fell silent. The little white beast in You Xiuxiu’s arms suddenly cried out in pain, but it didn’t dare to struggle. Instead, it simply shivered. Its injured leg had been pinched and broken once more.

You Xiuxiu lowered her head, gently looking at it and stroking its fur. “Why are you always so disobedient? Do you want me to hate you?”

She walked out and lightly said, “You didn’t hear or see anything just now.”

Within the courtyard, the maids and servants fell to their knees, their voices trembling as they said, “Yes, Miss Xiuxiu.”

Qin Yu caught up to You Qi. Seeing her icy expression, he asked, “What’s the matter? Do you have some grudge with that You Family miss? You didn’t even give a little bit of face to her, just started fighting as soon you arrived.”

You Qi glared at him. “Does it make your heart ache?”

Qin Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. “Why would my heart ache? I don’t even know her.”

You Qi coldly snorted. After several breaths of silence she said, “From now on, it's best if you keep your distance from her.” She hesitated and continued to say, “I don’t have any definite evidence, but when I was initially punished and exiled and I ventured into the Land of Sealed Demons, I nearly died. I’m afraid that all of this was engineered by my delicate and charming little sister.”

Her complexion didn’t change, but her eyes turned colder.

Qin Yu frowned. He nodded, “I understand.”

For some unknown reason, You Qi relaxed as she heard his answer. She hurriedly concealed this and said, “That’s enough, let’s hurry up. There are many people waiting for you.”

They soon saw You Yuanming. When this Divine Soul realm master saw Qin Yu again, he seemed even more intimate than before. He patted Qin Yu’s shoulder and glanced at You Qi, as if saying that since everyone here was together, there was no need to exchange pleasantries. This left Qin Yu dumbfounded. He looked at You Qi and saw that she was pretending as if she didn’t see anything.

Within the main temple of the You Family, a great feast was prepared. A giant and magnificent crystal chandelier hung high in the air, illuminating the entire temple with an iridescent light. There were nearly a hundred tables set up, with almost all the important figures of the You Family gathered. When You Yuanming brought Qin Yu into the temple, there was a sudden laugh, “Nephew Qin Yu, you really made this old man wait! You need to drink some wine as punishment!”

The person laughing was dressed in purple robes and his hair was combed neatly to the side. His expression was friendly but the aura surrounding his body caused Qin Yu’s heart to skip a beat.

Like an abyss, like a prison, limitless and boundless!

Qin Yu could actually sense a bit of You Yuanming’s great strength. But facing this person, he couldn’t see his depths at all.

As if all he saw was the surface of a sea!

You Yuanming smiled and said, “Qin Yu, this is the Patriarch of my You Family, You Yuanwu.”

Qin Yu restrained his thoughts. He respectfully bowed, “Qin Yu greets the Patriarch.”

You Yuanwu didn’t stop him and received this bow. “Haha, to receive a bow from my nephew today, perhaps several years from now this will be something that I can boast to others about. Nephew, come quickly and taste my You Family’s renowned dishes and see whether or not they suit your tastes.”

Qin Yu sat in a seat near the front. Several You Family masters around You Yuanwu nodded.

The entire banquet had an incomparably harmonious atmosphere. Qin Yu was introduced to many You Family cultivators, and there were no complaints about the food and wine of the You Family. From beginning to end, no one mentioned anything else besides festivities. This left Qin Yu a bit startled, but he soon suppressed these thoughts. Since the You Family wasn’t in a hurry, then he shouldn’t be in a hurry either. He might as well seize this chance to better adapt himself to life within the Land of Divinity and Demons.

The party was in full swing.

Qin Yu declined the beautiful female cultivators that You Yuanwu brought to him, and then bid his farewells. You Qi brought him back to his dwelling. She humphed, saying, “At least you know your limits and didn’t accept those beauties from the Patriarch, otherwise, you would definitely be looked down on by others. In this world, no one who lusts over beauties can become a powerhouse in their own right.”

Qin Yu revealed a helpless expression, “Am I such a person in your eyes?”

You Qi curled her lips. “That’s hard to say!” But even as she taunted, her heart lifted with happiness. After all, the women the Patriarch sent out were all women who excelled in the art of seduction. There were many people in the temple who were looking at them, but Qin Yu’s complexion didn’t change. It was clear his heart was calm and steady.

Humph!

Why would I be happy? The only reason this fellow is so honest is probably because of Ning Ling!

Thinking of this, You Qi’s mood worsened. She gave Qin Yu a withering stare and then stomped out.

This was completely inexplicable. Just what was she trying to play at? Qin Yu shook his head and followed right behind.

For the next several days, Qin Yu lived in satisfaction. The You Family treated him as an honored guest and provided all sorts of entertainment. He had the intention of gradually understanding the Land of Divinity and Demons. Before he knew too much about high level things, he already had a basic understanding of their food and clothing and some other minor necessities. But after understanding these things, he discovered that the differences between the Land of Divinity and Demons and where he used to live were far greater than expected.

Similar to the sea region and Gold Noble Family, there were long-distance cultivator communication items that were already popular. Moreover, the innovation and new design was completely bewildering. What Qin Yu held now was a piece of flat crystalline glass the size of his palm and half the thickness of a finger. In the Land of Divinity and Demons it was called a handphone, and through these handphones people could be linked to each other.

Yes, this explanation was a bit forced, but for some unknown reason that no one was aware of, these things were called ‘handphones’. These things could not only be used to speak to each other, but through built-in array formations, they could receive signals sent out from signal towers, transforming these signals into all sorts of things. For instance, the images that Qin Yu saw in the bathroom were called serial television series, and they were specifically acted out by cultivators. As soon as they appeared they were wildly popular in numerous nations, and the main leads attracted countless new fans and were pursued by innumerable cultivators. In particular, some female leads of popular television series managed to successfully marry into wealthy and powerful families. After realizing that these television series could be used to turn sparrows into phoenixes, more and more beautiful women joined, creating a chain reaction that attracted even more viewers.

Of course, there were many, many other things, but Qin Yu felt that his head couldn’t contain all of this information. Eventually, he sighed inwardly. These cultivators within the Land of Divinity and Demons really knew how to play and have fun. He thought that he could rapidly adapt to this place, but now it seemed as if he would need more time.

Ding ding ding –

His handphone emitted a sound and an image of You Qi suddenly shined out of his screen. This was a function that would appear after two people exchanged numbers. He connected and You Qi’s voice echoed out, “Qin Yu, prepare yourself. Tomorrow the family is going to open up the talent test for you.”

“Talent test?”

You Qi revealed an amazed expression. “Are you saying you’ve never tried one before? The land of exiles may be barren, but there should still be some ways to test talent.”

Qin Yu fell silent. How could he say that when he joined the Eastern Mountain Sect in the past, he was instantly tossed out and made an outer court disciple who toiled over menial jobs? And who didn’t even have the qualifications to take a talent test? However, even if he had never experienced one, he was well aware that his talent was absolutely worthless. The difficulty he experienced when he tried to cross Golden Core in the past resurfaced in his mind.

Sensing his silence, You Qi’s voice became grave. “Is there some problem?”

Qin Yu thought for a moment. “Can you tell me why I have to undergo the talent test?”

Pa –

The link was terminated. Qin Yu was startled. Before long, there was a knock on the courtyard doors and You Qi hurried in. She sent away the workers and dove straight into the point. “Qin Yu, is there a problem with your talent?”

Qin Yu bitterly smiled. This woman was indeed smart; there was no way he could hide this. He couldn’t help but nod in acknowledgement.

You Qi frowned. “How could this be?” She really couldn’t think about it. In that barren wilderness that was the land of exiles, if a person didn’t have a high level of talent, then becoming a Golden Core would have been impossibly difficult, let alone a Nascent Soul.

Moreover, Qin Yu practiced a heaven-defying cultivation method like the Five Element Sword Diagram!

You Qi’s heart sank. “Just what is your talent like?”

“It…should be quite…bad…” Yes, he said this in order to keep a bit of face for himself. Could it even be called bad? It was on a completely different level!

You Qi was silent for a long time. Then, she revealed a bitter expression. “If so, then things are bad.”

Qin Yu’s heart leapt into his throat. “What about it? Could your You Family still care that much about my talent?”

You Qi shook her head. “If it's as they expected and you possess astonishing talent, then the You Family would only be more intimate with you. They wouldn’t hesitate to pay any price to draw you closer. But on the contrary, if your talent cannot satisfy them, then I’m sure they will be angry.”

Qin Yu was silent for several breaths of time. “You are also surnamed You…”

“Shut up! Do you think it’s the right time to consider such things?” You Qi was angry at her expectations being shattered. “If your talent isn’t good, then in the eyes of the You Family, you will have no value. Have you thought about what will happen afterwards? She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then clenched her teeth. “Qin Yu, you must prepare yourself. Once an accident occurs, once you notice anything wrong, you need to escape from the You Family.”

Qin Yu had a dignified expression. “Will things go that far? I am a Nascent Soul cultivator after all. Although my real cultivation is not yet at the Divine Soul realm, it isn’t too far away.”

You Qi forced a smile. “You don’t understand. The Land of Divinity and Demons doesn’t lack masters, what we lack is talent. Moreover, you have refined the Demon Body…I hope I’m just overthinking things.”

The next day.

You Yuanming personally knocked on the door, his expression still kind and friendly. It seemed that You Qi hadn’t told him anything. Or, perhaps she still held onto some hope for his talent.

“Are you ready?”

Qin Yu took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

You Yuanming laughed. “There’s no need to be nervous. It’s just a simple test. With your talent, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

Hearing this, Qin Yu secretly forced a smile. He thought that this wasn’t a problem – this was a major problem. Once this test was over, he would understand.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about leaving ahead of time, but there was too much attention on him now. Perhaps they had sent many guards to protect him because they valued him, but now those guards had become his shackles. Even if he wanted to run away he didn’t have a chance. He could only walk forwards step by step and hope that things wouldn’t reach the point that You Qi spoke about.

Within a great temple of the You Family, there was a nine level crystal pagoda set up. Sunlight fell through the top of the temple, sprinkling down on the crystal pagoda and reflecting in dazzling brilliance.

Once You Yuanming arrived with Qin Yu behind him, they immediately attracted everyone’s eyes.

You Yuanwu laughed. “Nephew, today you can open my eyes and let the You Family juniors know what it means when people say there is no limit in this universe!”

The You Family juniors revealed a bit of indignation. Still, for a cultivator from the land of exiles to refine the Demon Body and also reach Nascent Soul, these were achievements that left them shocked. They didn’t dare to underestimate Qin Yu. action

In the crowd, You Qi was feeling anxious, but she didn’t reveal anything on the surface. Although she had obtained bad news from Qin Yu’s own mouth, what if he was just needlessly belittling himself?

As You Qi was harboring all these ill expectations, Qin Yu stepped in front of the nine level crystal pagoda. All of the You Family cultivators watched him as he placed his hand on it.