Chapter 237: Harvesting Great Abundance

Within less than half a day, the news of Zhou Yuan simultaneously opening the orifices for more than ten disciples in the mountain stream had spread throughout the entire outer mountain. Countless disciples were astonished and found it incredibly difficult to believe. Disciples who had practiced the Illusionary Art were particularly dumbfounded. They knew that sensing the orifices was the most challenging aspect of the Illusionary Art, requiring a significant amount of time. However, with the Selection Ceremony just two months away, everyone was scrambling to enhance their power, making time exceedingly precious.

Initially, many disciples had viewed the situation with amusement, dismissing it as a mere farce. Yet, no one could have predicted that this supposed charade would unfold in such a manner. What had transpired in the mountain stream now conclusively proved that Zhou Yuan indeed possessed the ability to help others open their orifices. Consequently, many disciples who had been training in the Illusionary Art began to stir with excitement.

In the lecture hall, located in the rear mountains, Zhu Yue was in the middle of lecturing when he suddenly sensed a commotion outside. His brow furrowed slightly. Before he could utter a word, someone burst in, shouting frantically, "Zhou Yuan actually helped over ten disciples open their orifices simultaneously!" The lecture hall erupted in an uproar, leaving many disciples utterly dumbfounded. Having listened to Zhu Yue's earlier pronouncements, they had all been convinced that Zhou Yuan was nothing more than a charlatan. Who would have imagined he actually succeeded? Inside the lecture hall, disciples exchanged glances, their eyes then turning oddly towards Zhu Yue, who stood at the front.

Zhu Yue was visibly taken aback. His expression quickly darkened, and his lips trembled slightly, betraying the intense rage brewing within him. Nevertheless, he eventually took a deep breath, suppressing his disbelief and fury. "Hmph," he sneered, his voice frigid, "that boy merely conspired with a few individuals to put on a performance!" At this critical moment, he absolutely could not concede that Zhou Yuan's abilities surpassed his own. This time, however, the many disciples remained silent, their eyes merely flickering. They understood perfectly that, with so many witnesses, it was virtually impossible for Zhou Yuan to have faked it. Zhu Yue's words were nothing more than a desperate attempt at sophistry.

So, did this mean Zhou Yuan truly possessed an astonishing capability, enabling people to master the first stage of the Illusionary Art within a month? Their hearts quickened. If this were true, wouldn't it give them a significant advantage over everyone else? Furthermore, word had it that Zhou Yuan only charged three Source Jades per day, a far more cost-effective rate than Zhu Yue's five per day. The atmosphere in the lecture hall grew peculiar. Despite their strong temptation, no one dared to openly express their interest, as they were reluctant to displease Zhu Yue, an Inner Mountain disciple.

Just as the tension solidified, the person who had rushed in earlier spoke again: "I heard Zhou Yuan has set a limit; he's only accepting one hundred individuals and will cease teaching once that number is reached." At this declaration, many immediately became restless. The number of outer mountain disciples practicing the Illusionary Art far exceeded one hundred; if others claimed the limited spots, they would be left out. Veins throbbed on Zhu Yue's forehead as he glared, his gaze like daggers, at the person who had spoken. The speaker instinctively drew his neck back and swiftly fled. By then, however, the mood within the lecture hall was already agitated and could no longer be suppressed.

"Oh, my stomach hurts, I need to use the latrine," a disciple suddenly exclaimed, clutching his stomach and rising with a pale face, then stumbling out of the lecture hall. "I, too, suddenly feel rather unwell," another equally quick-witted disciple weakly chimed in. "I fear I sustained internal injuries during yesterday's sparring. I'll go rest for a bit." "Come, come, good brother, how could you be so careless? Allow me to help you to rest." The lecture hall instantly descended into chaos, with a flurry of excuses. One by one, disciples, not daring to meet Zhu Yue's gaze, began to quietly slip away. In just a few minutes, the once-crowded lecture hall became more than half empty. Zhu Yue watched these feigning individuals, his entire body trembling with rage. He knew perfectly well that once these "kings" left the hall, they would likely make a direct beeline for Zhou Yuan.

"Big brother, what do we do?" Zhu Feng also watched the scene, his face pale. He had not anticipated Zhou Yuan could be so ruthless, cornering them into such a humiliating predicament so quickly. Zhu Yue gritted his teeth, a flicker of regret crossing his eyes. If only he had known how troublesome Zhou Yuan would be, he wouldn't have offended him over Zhu Feng's petty affair. Yet, he also knew that regret was futile now. His gaze hardened, becoming fierce. "Zhou Yuan, if you dare to obstruct my livelihood, then don't blame me for what comes next!" He had exerted considerable effort to secure this coveted position of teaching source arts in the outer mountain. Now, Zhou Yuan had utterly sabotaged it. There was no way he could possibly swallow this humiliation. Otherwise, if word of this reached the inner mountain, Zhu Yue would undoubtedly become a laughingstock.

Outer mountain disciples streamed continuously towards the mountain stream. The riverside was already in a state of chaos. Zhou Yuan stood at the back, having entrusted the task of registering new students to Shen Wanjin, while Qiao Xiu assisted with others. Of the one hundred available spots, only ten remained in a mere half-hour. Yet, many more disciples continued to swarm in. The scene grew incredibly chaotic as they vied for the remaining ten spots, with some disciples even resorting to physical altercations.

Observing the scene, Shen Wanjin's eyes glinted. He cleared his throat and declared, "Since no one is willing to back down, the final ten spots will be auctioned off. The highest bidder wins, with a starting price of three Source Jades per day." He could tell that most of the late-arriving disciples were wealthy natives from Shengzhou. Crucially, they had initially disbelieved Zhou Yuan, which explained their tardiness. While Zhou Yuan felt no particular way about them, Shen Wanjin decided they shouldn't have it too easy, so he devised a shrewd tactic. Upon hearing this, the disciples glared angrily at Shen Wanjin, clearly understanding his intentions. Despite their awareness, the desire for a spot outweighed their reservations.

"I'll offer four Source Jades!" a native Shengzhou disciple quickly shouted. "I'll offer five!" someone else gritted their teeth and matched. This price was essentially on par with training under Zhu Yue. However, considering Zhou Yuan's significantly higher efficiency, they found the cost acceptable. "Six!" Ultimately, one individual proved even more determined, securing a spot for six Source Jades. Many disciples watched this unfold, secretly clicking their tongues. Six Source Jades a day meant 180 Source Jades for a month of lessons—a truly hefty sum. With the exception of the first spot, which sold for six Source Jades, the remaining spots eventually settled at around five Source Jades each, effortlessly bringing in another substantial amount. Zhou Yuan observed this scene and secretly smiled to himself; Shen Wanjin certainly knew how to extract a good price.

After the ten spots were successfully auctioned, Shen Wanjin announced that registration had closed. Outside the mountain stream, numerous disciples who had failed to secure a spot groaned with profound disappointment. It was at this moment they regretted not having trusted Zhou Yuan earlier. Despite their disappointment and regret, however, no one caused any trouble. It seemed that after witnessing Zhou Yuan's true capabilities, these outer mountain disciples held a newfound admiration for him. After all, everyone still hoped to receive his guidance in the future, so they naturally refrained from causing any offense.

The bustling activity by the stream eventually began to subside, gradually returning to a state of calm. Shen Wanjin rushed back, beaming with delight, a large cloth bag slung over his shoulder. The crisp clinking of Source Jades from within the bag was an extremely pleasant sound. He dropped the heavy cloth bag with a thud before Zhou Yuan. "Little Yuan Brother," he announced, "we've basically registered everyone. This bag alone holds over three hundred Source Jades, enough even for tomorrow's tuition!" As he spoke, Shen Wanjin himself couldn't help but salivate a little. This was just the first day; if this continued for a month, Zhou Yuan could accumulate nearly ten thousand Source Jades—an enormous sum, even for many Inner Mountain disciples. Zhou Yuan, too, couldn't help but sigh in satisfaction. These Source Jades had come too easily. With such resources, he could finally afford to spend without restraint.

Zhou Yuan flicked his finger, and a hundred Source Jades, lifted by source qi, floated out of the bag and towards Shen Wanjin, Qiao Xiu, and the others. He smiled and said, "You've all gone to considerable trouble today. Please don't refuse this small token. You know it means little to me." Shen Wanjin, Qiao Xiu, and the others were about to decline, but upon hearing Zhou Yuan's words, they set aside their modesty. After all, they genuinely needed resources like Source Jades at that time. "Starting tomorrow, I'll also help you cultivate the Illusionary Art, so please arrive on time," Zhou Yuan said with a smile. Qiao Xiu, Shen Wanjin, and the others all nodded in agreement.

Seeing their agreement, Zhou Yuan said no more. He collected the bag filled with Source Jades, turned leisurely, left the mountain stream, and headed back to his small dwelling. "Now that I have money, I can eat at the Hundred Fragrances Restaurant for every meal..." Zhou Yuan chuckled softly. He wasn't indulging in gluttony; rather, the ingredients at the Hundred Fragrances Restaurant were known to be highly nutritious and beneficial for cultivation. Strolling through the mountain paths, he calmly made his way back to his small dwelling.

Upon reaching his small dwelling, however, he paused, taken aback. On a stone platform in front of the building, Yaoyao sat gracefully, cradling Tun Tun, her lovely face earnest. Opposite her sat an old man in grey robes. The old man, too, wore a serious expression, intently focused on a jade tablet resting on the stone platform before them. Both he and Yaoyao held Source Rune brushes. Zhou Yuan was momentarily stunned by this peculiar sight. What exactly were they doing? He quietly approached, his gaze falling upon the jade tablet. As Yaoyao and the old man's Source Rune brushes moved, lines of source marks materialized, resembling a game of chess where pieces devoured one another. These two were actually engaged in a game of strategy using Source Runes!