Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor
Chapter 426, the Crown Prince is really a good person!

Chapter 426: 426, the Crown Prince is really a good person!

"Kid, since you failed the examination, shouldn’t you repay the money you owe to this Crown Prince?"

When Crown Prince Nie Qianqiu spoke these words, his face unintentionally flushed red, for it was truly embarrassing that a person of his stature was concerned about a mere one thousand gold coins.

However, Nie Qianqiu’s ultimate goal wasn’t the thousand gold coins themselves, but to directly toss this boastful and unashamed brat out of the Meridian Refining Master Guild. Staying in the company of such a person, he felt, lowered his own standards by several degrees.

"Failed?"

Hearing Nie Qianqiu’s words, Yun Xiao’s expression became somewhat strange as he raised his head, and then everyone saw him slowly unfold his palm. Resting there was a black item in tranquility.

"This... this is... a Meridian Refining Master Badge?"

As soon as this item emerged, the four bystanders were all stunned. The murmuring of Xiao Qiu confirmed what exactly lay in Yun Xiao’s palm.

Although, among the four, only Nie Qianqiu was a real Meridian Refining Master, none of them, including Mu Yun or that middle-aged man who failed the examination, were unfamiliar with the badge.

The black badge was adorned with an even darker tiny black star that appeared exceptionally bright, illuminating the eyes of the onlookers. Simultaneously, they all instantly noticed the two small characters engraved above the star: "Yun Xiao".

"Yun Xiao, is that his name?"

Xiao Qiu was somewhat excited; the fact that the candidate she received for examination had passed brought her honor. Moreover, the speed of passing the Mortal Rank Low Level Meridian Refining examination was startlingly quick—might this already be a record-breaking achievement in the records of Lingtian City’s Meridian Refining Master Guild?

As for the other three, they now looked as if they had seen a ghost, especially Crown Prince Nie Qianqiu, whose eyes were brimming with confusion, and he couldn’t help but ask, "You didn’t hide the badge from the beginning, did you? How else could you have passed so quickly?"

This Crown Prince has always been proud and hard to impress, especially with the younger generation being more powerful than himself. If Yun Xiao truly passed the examination in just dozens of breaths, wouldn’t that mean he was dozens of times stronger than him?

Yun Xiao found the Crown Prince’s wild guess somewhat ludicrous but chose to ignore it. Instead, he turned his head and said, "Xiao Qiu, give the thousand gold coins back to the Crown Prince, and take me to the place where the Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining examination is held."

Yun Xiao’s words finally brought Xiao Qiu back to her senses. As she took out the purse containing one thousand gold coins, she hesitated slightly and did not directly return it to the Crown Prince.

"Um, Master Yun Xiao, to take the examination for Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining, you also need to pay a deposit first!"

Xiao Qiu’s complexion was tangled as she spoke; this fellow in front of her couldn’t even conjure up a thousand gold coins and had to borrow from the Crown Prince. The deposit for the Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining examination was even more significant, making the situation rather awkward.

"A deposit also? How much is it?"

At those words, Yun Xiao’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he asked. He had thought that only the Mortal Rank Low Level required a deposit, but it turned out the Mortal Rank Middle Level did as well. And going by that logic, wouldn’t the Mortal Rank Advanced require even more?

"The Middle Level examination requires five thousand gold coins, the Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining examination requires ten thousand gold coins, and as for the Spiritual Rank Low Level Meridian Refining examination, it even requires a deposit of fifty thousand gold coins!"

Xiao Qiu stated all the subsequent deposit amounts in one go, but as she spoke, she glanced at the Crown Prince, both intentionally and unintentionally, seemingly lost in thought.

"Uh... Crown Prince, could you lend me another three thousand five hundred gold coins? I’ll repay you later!"

As expected, Yun Xiao cleared his throat and, after patting his Waist Storage, turned his head and once again addressed the Crown Prince.

In Yun Xiao’s view, the Crown Prince was quick to perform good deeds and surely a good person who wouldn’t refuse his request, and besides, his previous performance should already signify some assurances, with no worry about being unable to pay back.

Seeing just how shameless this Yun Xiao character could be, Nie Qianqiu was almost driven insane. Three thousand five hundred gold coins were less than a drop in the bucket to him; what he cared about was Yun Xiao’s attitude.

Moreover, if you’re borrowing money, just borrow it; don’t always include your own five hundred gold coins. Is five hundred gold coins a lot? This guy was proud rather than ashamed, his skin as thick as could be.

"Just take the examination; consider the deposit on my account!"

In front of others, Crown Prince Nie Qianqiu naturally wouldn’t quibble over a few thousand gold coins. He waved his hand grandly, and then Yun Xiao showed a look of gratitude.

"The Crown Prince really is a good person!"

With that sigh of appreciation, Yun Xiao, under the peculiar gazes of those present, followed Xiao Qiu to the room marked "Mortal Two," apparently the location where the Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining examination was conducted.

Upon hearing Yun Xiao’s appreciation, the Crown Prince’s complexion became even more morose. The first time he lent money was because he was certain Yun Xiao wouldn’t pass the examination, so he was looking for leverage to deal with the kid.

And this second loan, well, it just couldn’t be publicized due to saving face in front of outsiders. This Crown Prince is certainly not a pushover; there have been countless incidents of him resorting to violence at the smallest provocation.

Exactly because of this, ordinarily, nobody would dare to borrow money from Nie Qianqiu, yet today, here comes such a thick-headed youth that has piqued Nie Qianqiu’s interest. He is really curious to see just how far this young fellow named Yun Xiao can go.

...

While several people were talking outside, astonished by what they were witnessing in the "Mortal Rank One" room, a burly middle-aged man stared at a fusion of medicinal liquid in front of him, still not quite able to snap back to reality.

This middle-aged man was naturally the one who had just assessed Yun Xiao as a low-level Mortal Rank Meridian Refining Master, and his own mastery was at the Mortal Rank Middle Level.

Typically, the assessment for a Meridian Refining Master’s level should be presided over by a High-level Meridian Refining Master who is one realm higher than the examinee. However, the young man, merely sixteen or seventeen years old, truly startled this Mid-level Mortal Rank Meridian Refining Master.

The assessment carried out in this room seemed simple enough—just melt three different kinds of herbs with dissimilar attributes and then fuse them perfectly to pass the test.

But while it might sound easy, the actual task was anything but. Melting the three dissimilar herbs into their essences was manageable, but to perfectly fuse them, even this Middle Level Mortal Rank Meridian Master would need quite some time.

Moreover, when we talk about perfect fusion, usually it’s enough just to combine the three essences without causing an explosion due to their conflict. Even achieving just that has stumped many who sought to pass the assessment, such as the middle-aged man who had failed earlier.

But just a moment ago, that seemingly plain-clothed young teenager, with a mere flick of his right hand, summoned a blood-red flame and, in a matter of breaths, melted all three herbs into their essences.

And within a dozen breaths more, those three different essences were perfectly merged. The entire process took only a few tens of breaths, a speed that probably some Meridian Masters at the Spiritual Rank couldn’t even come close to, could they?

After awarding the low-level Mortal Rank Meridian Refining Master Badge to Yun Xiao, the Mid-level Mortal Rank Meridian Refining Master began to scrutinize the fused medicinal liquid more carefully, and this close inspection shocked him profoundly.

"This is a genuinely perfect fusion!"

A murmur escaped his lips, suddenly he made a decision and whispered, "This matter must be reported to the Chairman. Such genius, our Meridian Refining Master Guild cannot let slip by!"

Those who come to the Meridian Refining Master Guild for an assessment badge typically do not belong to the Guild itself; they have their own families or sects, like Crown Prince Nie Qianqiu.

But when encountering a Meridian Refining Genius, even if they can’t be truly recruited into the Meridian Refining Master Guild, they might as well hang their name there. That way, when this genius heads to a higher-level branch for an assessment, this local branch will naturally gain prestige.

Even if such a genius has no sect, nor a powerful family to back them, they can be directly pulled into the Meridian Refining Master Guild. If they achieve greatness in the future, the Lingtian Empire’s Meridian Refining Master Guild is likely to reap countless benefits.

...

Yun Xiao, who was outside, was naturally unaware that his simple move had caused such astonishment. Now, he had already entered the "Mortal Rank Two" room, beginning the assessment for a Mid-level Mortal Rank Meridian Refining Master.

With Yun Xiao’s experience from his previous life, the herbfusion he performed was just the most basic technique. Coupled with the power of the Ancestral Vein Fire, that was why it was so swift.

As for the current assessment, he did not take it too seriously. In just half an incense stick’s time, he reappeared before Nie Qianqiu and the others.

"Uhm... Crown Prince, could I borrow again..."

Yun Xiao stepped out of the room, looking at Nie Qianqiu, who was still dumbfounded, with a sheepish grin. This Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master assessment required a deposit of ten thousand Gold Coins, which he had no means to produce.

"He’s done it so quickly again!"

The Crown Prince of the Lingtian Empire, beholding the badge with two stars now in Yun Xiao’s hand, was so astounded he nearly passed out. Could this guy be the reincarnation of the progenitor of Meridian Refining?

"Xiao Qian, let the deposit go on the Crown Prince’s tab for now. After all, it can be returned to him shortly!"

Seeing that Nie Qianqiu remained silent, Yun Xiao did not ask further and simply turned to speak to Xiao Qian. Hearing these words, Nie Qianqiu nearly stumbled and almost fell to the ground.

"Isn’t this guy’s skin a little too thick?"

Mu Yun, who witnessed the entire proceeding, found Yun Xiao’s presumptuous attitude quite audacious given that the Crown Prince had yet to agree.

But it was just a mere ten thousand Gold Coins—a loss the Crown Prince could easily afford without saying much.

Now, he was genuinely amazed by Yun Xiao, especially the speed of passing the assessments. Perhaps, if you add them together, it was still ten times shorter than the time he took to assess as a low-level Mortal Rank Meridian Master, right?