159: Martial Arts Grand Competition! Third-Tier Cosmic Spiritual Plants!

The National Martial Artist Competition.

It was held once every year, targeting the First-Year Freshmen of that year. Gu Chen had originally thought the situation this year was special, after all, the war was pressing and the Ancient God Forest was in a state of riot.

So he thought this Martial Artist Competition wouldn't be held, but it turns out it actually is?

Gu Chen arrived at the office of the old man from the Purple Profound Pavilion. This was likely the second time Gu Chen had seen this elder. When he saw Gu Chen enter, the old man's originally worried face shifted into a gentle expression.

"You're here."

"Have a seat."

To be honest, the more the old man looked at Gu Chen, the more he liked him.

A simple background, sincere and enthusiastic; from the information the old man currently possessed, Gu Chen was broad-minded and mentally stable, making him a reliable Martial Artist to entrust things to.

Combined with Gu Chen's stunning and peerless talent.

The old man felt that this was the future of the Human Race.

Therefore, the Xia Country maintained an absolutely unwavering stance regarding any issue involving Gu Chen. Whether it was resources or anyone wanting to move against Gu Chen—such as the Li Family back then—the old man had crushed those threats in the bud.

He wanted to give Gu Chen the healthiest space to grow.

And facts proved...

...that he was right.

In such a short amount of time—a duration where other Martial Artists might not even manage a Breakthrough in a minor Realm—Gu Chen had already risen from a limit break to the Ninth Level of Divine Strength. This speed was faster than a rocket.

"The National Martial Artist Competition is about to begin. Do you plan to participate?" The old man was certain that if Gu Chen participated in this competition, no one else would have any chance of winning. This fellow had long surpassed the level expected of this generation in Xia Country; he was simply too strong.

However, he still needed to ask Gu Chen for his thoughts.

It was a show of respect for Gu Chen.

Gu Chen, on the other hand, didn't have much interest in this National Martial Artist Competition. Just as the old man suspected, if Gu Chen were to participate in such a competition now, it would be no different from bullying children.

Even if Gu Chen were to face an existence in the Glazed Realm now...

...he could give it a try.

Let alone those fellows in the same Realm.

"I've already encountered most of them on the Alien Star. Participating in a competition now would be somewhat boring."

"Hmm, true. Since you've said so, I won't demand anything of you. But don't worry, I'll double the final reward of this competition and give it to you." The old man was quite generous.

"Our Xia Country's Shenwu Institution has recently made a new Breakthrough in forging technology, thanks to observing that divine shuttle of yours."

"Can it be replicated now?"

"Ahem, not to that extent." The old man coughed somewhat helplessly. It wasn't that easy; after all, that was Advanced technology from the Universe belonging to a higher civilization. Xia Country would need at least three more years to achieve that.

Speaking of which, Gu Chen suddenly remembered something.

On the Alien Star, he had obtained two Cosmic Spiritual Plants: one was the cosmic silver thunder wood, and the other was the heavenly fire qi and blood fruit.

Both were relatively Advanced Cosmic Spiritual Plants, but they had been sitting in Gu Chen's Space Ring because he didn't have the appropriate spiritual soil to plant these Cosmic Spiritual Plants.

"Cosmic Spiritual Plants?" The old man's eyes lit up.

Cosmic Spiritual Plants were of inestimable value.

If it was a high-grade type of Spiritual Plant, the fruit it produced might have an effect similar to the source fruits on Blue Star!

source fruits were essentially the predecessors of Cosmic Spiritual Plants.

"I'll help you contact a professional department. This type of project is currently handled by the Biological Research Department, and Xia Country just brought back a batch of spiritual soil from the starry sky not long ago."

The old man looked at Gu Chen before him with some astonishment.

What kind of luck did this Little Fellow have?

Things like Cosmic Spiritual Plants...

...Xia Country had only obtained a few of them in total.

It had taken Xia Country decades to collect those few, yet those few had allowed Xia Country to develop a large number of Biological Potions and crossbreed many subspecies of Spiritual Plants.

And now Gu Chen had two in his hands?

Very soon...

...the Vice Minister of the Biological Research Department rushed over. He was clearly in the middle of an experiment, panting heavily with traces of special liquids on his clothes, and a pungent odor immediately wafted over.

"Where is the Cosmic Spiritual Plant?"

That was a Cosmic Spiritual Plant!

The journey of exploring the starry sky was fraught with danger.

Every year, Xia Country lost a large number of powerhouses in this endeavor, and the risks were naturally proportional to the benefits. The exotic treasures from the starry sky were all extremely precious, and in his view, the most precious of all were Cosmic Spiritual Plants. A single Cosmic Spiritual Plant could bring immense benefits to Xia Country.

Unfortunately, the possibility of bringing back a Spiritual Plant was simply too small.

At this moment, Gu Chen took out the cosmic silver thunder wood and the heavenly fire qi and blood fruit from his Space Ring.

They clearly looked like two pieces of withered wood.

However, they caused the Minister's pupils to shrink instantly.

"This one with slight red patterns is a Second-Order Cosmic Spiritual Plant... this is already extremely precious. Wait, this one... this is a Third-Order Cosmic Spiritual Plant!" His voice was filled with shock. He then looked up at Gu Chen, his spirited eyes filled with utter amazement.

A Third-Order Cosmic Spiritual Plant?

The old man's hand trembled upon hearing this.

The highest-grade Cosmic Spiritual Plant that had appeared in Xia Country so far was only a Second-Order Cosmic Spiritual Plant, and even so, it continued to benefit all of Xia Country. Yet Gu Chen had directly taken out a Third-Order Cosmic Spiritual Plant?

The old man suddenly thought of a saying.

Some people...

...are blessed with immense fortune and accompanied by great luck; such people instantly become the center of heaven and earth wherever they go. Was Gu Chen such a person?

A total of 2.5 million examinees had entered the Alien Star.

Yet Gu Chen was the only one with such an Opportunity.

"A Third-Order Spiritual Plant, coiled with lightning... the energy in this is far stronger than any Spiritual Plant currently recorded in Xia Country. My god."

"Daoyi, does the Biological Research Department currently have Third-Order spiritual soil?"

"Ah, yes!" The Vice Minister of the Biological Research Department, called Daoyi, hurriedly responded. He then looked at Gu Chen and said,

"You must be Gu Chen, right?"

As the Vice Minister of the Biological Research Department...

...he naturally knew the weight the name Gu Chen currently carried within Xia Country. This also made him suddenly feel troubled; having such a treasure in the hands of a young Martial Artist was simply a waste of a god-given gift. However, he knew that this old man would never allow Gu Chen to suffer any loss of interest.

"Minister, I hope you can help me plant these two Spiritual Plants."

"As for what research you want to conduct using these two plants, I won't interfere much. I only want the fruits." Gu Chen's words made the Vice Minister's eyes light up.

"Are you serious?"

He looked up at Gu Chen.

That youthful and handsome face was very serious.

If they could cultivate subspecies of this Spiritual Plant...

...then the subspecies bred from a Third-Order plant would likely be no less effective than the original species of a Second-Order Cosmic Spiritual Plant!

Most importantly...

...they could be mass-produced!