Martial Saint with Passives

Having figured this all out, Jiang Che’s resolve solidified.

He focused his mind and resumed circulating the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique.

Instantly, Qi Blood and Strength surged through his body, continuously tempering his bones.

Jiang Che could feel that he was just one final step away from the Peak of the Bone Forging Realm.

Once he reached the Peak, he would be able to naturally enter the Refining Organ Realm!

But this final step was like a heavenly chasm, impossible to cross.

Jiang Che felt a surge of impatience.

If he was in the Bone Forging Realm, he could only participate in the Bone Forging Realm competition.

No matter how skilled a Bone Forging Realm disciple was, even if they took first place, they wouldn’t attract much attention.

But if he could break through to the Refining Organ Realm before the competition, he could participate in the Refining Organ Realm’s competition!

And if he managed to place well...

He would have a real chance of getting noticed by the higher-ups!

’If only I could get into an A-level Cultivation Room...’ A flicker of longing appeared in Jiang Che’s eyes.

The Spiritual Qi in the B-level Cultivation Room was rich, but it seemed it was no longer enough to support him in this final push.

And the A-level Cultivation Rooms were far more effective than the B-level ones!

If he could get into an A-level Cultivation Room, he might be able to break through the bottleneck before the Cloud Tier Inquiry Conference and enter the Refining Organ Realm in one fell swoop!

But the A-level Cultivation Rooms required sect points.

And the most direct way to get those points was through the Cloud Tier Inquiry Conference.

It was a vicious cycle.

To perform well at the Inquiry Conference, he needed to break through to the Refining Organ Realm.

But breaking through to the Refining Organ Realm required an A-level Cultivation Room.

And getting into an A-level Cultivation Room required points earned from the Inquiry Conference.

"Sigh..." Jiang Che let out a breath, feeling frustrated.

All he could do now was keep cultivating and hope for a miracle.

...

A few more days passed.

It was once again time for the monthly progress check with their master, Xu Qingshan.

When Jiang Che arrived at the Yunhai Courtyard, many disciples were already present, gathered in small groups and chatting in low voices.

He deliberately slowed his pace to listen in on the surrounding conversations.

One group was discussing the disappearance of Xie Xingwen.

"Did you hear? Senior Brother Xie... I’m afraid he’s really gone," a short, stout disciple said in a hushed voice.

"It’s been three months. No sign of him, dead or alive. What else could it be but death?" a tall disciple beside him chimed in. "The rumor mill says it was that escaped Young Master of the You Family, You Honglang! A feud born from his father’s murder and the annihilation of his family... If he got the chance, you think he’d pass it up?"

"Tsk, tsk, serves him right... But you shouldn’t be saying things like that." The short, stout disciple glanced around cautiously.

Jiang Che walked past them, his expression serene. He thought,

’You Honglang, you can take the heat for this one. Thanks.’

Another group’s conversation revolved around the upcoming Cloud Tier Inquiry Conference.

"Sigh, it’s going to be a tough year for our Yunhai Courtyard," a disciple with a troubled expression lamented. "With Senior Sister Lin gone, our courtyard has no one in the Refining Organ Realm! What are we going to do?"

"Exactly! We were completely reliant on Senior Sister Lin taking third in the Refining Organ Realm competition last year. That’s the only reason our courtyard got so many resources. This year... I’m afraid we’ll be at the very bottom," another disciple chimed in, his tone despondent.

Listening in silence, Jiang Che understood just how devastating Lin Bihe’s death had been for the Yunhai Courtyard.

It wasn’t just the sorrow of losing a fellow disciple.

It was about how many Cultivation Resources the entire branch would receive for the next year!

You had to understand.

The Cloud Tier Inquiry Conference wasn’t just an occasion for disciples to spar and compete.

It was the established, customary way for the various courtyards to divide resources!

It directly affected the personal interests of every single disciple in the Yunhai Courtyard.

No wonder everyone was so crestfallen.

Before long, all the disciples had arrived.

Their master, Xu Qingshan, emerged from the inner chamber.

Although he still stood tall and straight,

a deep, unshakable melancholy clung to him.

He clearly hadn’t recovered from the devastating loss of his beloved disciple, Lin Bihe.

He scanned the crowd, his voice somewhat hoarse. "Is everyone here? Let’s begin."

The First Senior Brother, Xiao Mingqian, was the first to step forward.

He circulated his Qi Force, his aura steady and composed.

He was still at the Peak of the Bone Forging Realm, having made no progress in months.

After examining him, a flicker of disappointment crossed Xu Qingshan’s eyes. He gave a reluctant nod. "Hmm. Your foundation is solid enough. Keep working hard and try to reach the threshold of the Refining Organ Realm soon."

Xiao Mingqian looked dejected as well. "Yes, Master," he said respectfully, before silently retreating to the side.

Next came several other senior disciples.

Their cultivation levels hovered around the Early and Mid Stage of Bone Forging with little progress, and Xu Qingshan’s reactions grew increasingly indifferent.

Then came a mature-looking disciple named Chen Shi.

Despite having joined the courtyard early, he had been stuck at the Peak of Force Integration for a long time.

He stepped forward nervously and circulated his Qi Force with all his might.

Instantly, the aura of the Early Stage of the Bone Forging Realm radiated from him.

"Oh? A breakthrough?" Xu Qingshan’s eyebrow twitched, his expression finally showing a flicker of emotion. "Not bad. Your steady accumulation has paid off. Stabilize your Realm and don’t be hasty."

"Yes! Thank you, Master!" Chen Shi’s face flushed with excitement as he hurriedly bowed in gratitude.

He instinctively glanced toward Jiang Che, a hint of smugness on his face.

He recalled discussing "fallback options" with Jiang Che during the feast after the last Cloud Tier Inquiry Conference.

But then Jiang Che had quietly broken through to the Bone Forging Realm, needing no fallback option whatsoever.

But no matter what, he was now in the Bone Forging Realm too!

His acquaintances, Li Rui and Zhang Ping, immediately sidled up to congratulate him in low voices, their words thick with envy.

The two of them were still stuck at Force Integration without any sign of progress. They were the ones who really needed to consider their "fallback options" now.

Soon, it was Jiang Che’s turn.

He calmly walked up to Xu Qingshan.

Xu Qingshan took one look at him and froze.

"You..." Xu Qingshan’s voice was urgent. "Circulate your Qi Force! At full power!"