After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Lin Yi said, "I have something here. I wonder if you would be interested."
Upon hearing this, the Empty Prince asked with great interest, "What is it?"
Lin Yi smiled slightly and said, "Tianhe Star Sand."
As he spoke, he took out a very ordinary-looking black iron box, placed it on the table, and pushed it to the side, bringing the iron box to the front of the Empty Prince.
The Empty Prince's heart pounded violently. He took a deep breath and then opened the iron box.
Inside the iron box lay three crystal-clear, faintly shimmering grains of strange metal, each only the size of a grain of sand.
This is Heavenly River Star Sand, one of the seven rarest and most superior sword-forging materials in the world. It's just a pity that the quantity is so small, otherwise Lin Yi wouldn't have taken it out.
With a "snap," Young Master Kongxu closed the iron box, then gripped it tightly in his hand, and said, "I wonder what you want, friend?"
Seeing the Empty Void Prince's performance, Lin Yi felt reassured and said with a smile, "Then let's see what you have to offer, fellow Daoist."
These three grains of Milky Way star sand were obtained from a large pile of meteorites after he saw a meteor fall from the sky nearby when he was a child.
Meteors from outer space are very common in the north because the Celestial Palace of the North often operates a grand array to capture stars from beyond the heavens.
After these celestial bodies enter the celestial atmosphere, they generate heat and burn due to friction, and some may even collapse directly, turning into a meteor shower.
At first, the meteorite was snapped up by people from all over the world, who hoped to find some treasure and become rich.
Later, people discovered that the meteorite was actually not very valuable. Although the Star Palace recovered it, the price was very low, not even enough to cover the travel expenses.
As for what treasures you might find in a meteorite, that depends entirely on luck, and the chances are extremely low.
Lin Yi's luck seemed to have run out after the first time, and he never found anything from the meteorite again.
The Empty Prince patted the sword holster at his waist, and several items appeared on the table. He said, "This is all my possessions."
Lin Yi's gaze swept over the items: several bottles of pills, a broken sword, a withered branch, and a bone covered in cracks. It turned out that the person in front of him was also a poor wretch.
Upon further reflection, he immediately understood.
Among sword cultivators, especially those of the sword-wielding sect, unless they are incredibly lucky enough to obtain a peerless divine weapon, forging a flying sword from scratch requires all sorts of spiritual herbs for refinement, and the resources consumed are enough to make ordinary cultivators feel hopeless.
Sword cultivators are powerful because they can endure hardship and persevere.
No pain, no gain.
Lin Yi reached out and a bottle of fasting pills flew into his hand. After thinking for a moment, he chose the broken sword from the remaining items.
The sword is engraved with the shape of a Qilin, with its head held high and hooves raised, giving people a sense of striving for progress.
The Empty Void Prince explained, “This sword belonged to a king of the Chu Kingdom five hundred years ago. It accompanied that king in his conquest of the Southern Wilderness, slaying countless demons and monsters. Later, the king was killed by a demon saint from the Ancestral Court of Ten Thousand Demons, and the sword was lost. I found it by chance. This sword is forged from mixed gold, and its materials are difficult to identify. It is also very difficult to disassemble, so I have kept it all this time.”
Lin Yi nodded and said, "Let's change these two things."
The Empty Prince shook his head and said, "At least three things should be exchanged. The Heavenly River Star Sand is of great use to me. Besides testing my swords against the demonic cultivators of the Northern Frontier, the Star Palace is another destination for me on this northward journey. With these three grains of star sand, then..."
Lin Yi saw a fleeting murderous glint in the depths of the Empty Prince's eyes. Although he knew there must be a story behind it, he didn't ask any further questions.
Sometimes, knowing too much isn't necessarily a good thing.
"Then let's choose this one." Lin Yi said, reaching out and beckoning the cracked bone into his hand.
“Alright.” Young Master Kongxu nodded, then put away the items on the table and said, “I’ve been here for several days. We’ll meet again someday.”
"Take care on your journey," Lin Yi said.
The Empty Prince is gone.
Ten days later, Lin Yi also left Qingxia Palace.
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Chapter Eight: Cangyuan Academy, Ordaining Taoist Priests
It was late spring, and a light rain was falling. Lin Yi walked down the street, holding an oil-paper umbrella.
Because of the rain, there weren't many pedestrians. The wide streets gave a sense of emptiness.
This is Cangyuan City, the capital of Nancang County.
This city is several times larger than the county seat of Lechun County, and it is incredibly prosperous, relying on the Canghe River as a major artery to connect the east and west.
Lin Yi's destination was the Hundred Schools Academy located in the western district of Cangyuan City.
The Great Xia Dynasty established academies in each county, academies in prefectures, and colleges in states. Above these were the Hundred Schools in the capital city.
At the county level, the academy is merely a platform for gathering intelligence, issuing missions, and facilitating communication among local monks.
The prefecture-level academies not only managed the academies of the subordinate counties, but also bore the responsibility of education, cultivating talents for the Great Xia.
Every year, hundreds of universities enroll a batch of students, and the most outstanding among them will have the opportunity to pursue further studies at colleges in the state.
Those who are slightly less skilled may also have the opportunity to be recommended to various sects to continue their training.
Even those who barely graduate can find their place in the county.
That's why the annual enrollment season for the Hundred Schools is always the busiest time in Cangyuan City.
Lin Yi walked quickly and soon arrived outside the Hundred Schools Academy.
This place is quite different from the quiet and deserted schools in Lechun County. Even on rainy days, the surroundings are very lively.
The vendors kept shouting and hawking their wares, and groups of young, inexperienced-looking teenagers gathered together, coming and going, creating a lively scene.