Chapter 381 - 144: Congratulatory Gifts from Fellow Disciples, Meeting the Peak Master
Occasionally, he would hear a riddle that piqued his interest and would lower his head to ponder it for a moment, trying to guess the answer.
However, most of these riddles were about common gossip or scholarly witticisms. As he was usually focused solely on cultivation, he wasn’t well-versed in such topics and usually couldn’t guess correctly.
He could only shake his head with a smile and watch as other diners successfully shouted out the answers. He didn’t feel disappointed, just found the lively atmosphere fun.
In the center of the main hall.
The middle-aged man announced loudly, "Fifth riddle! I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?"
A customer at the next table raised his hand and shouted, "A map!"
The middle-aged man nodded, and a waiter jotted down the table number. A complimentary dish would be sent over later.
...
"Eighth riddle! What has to be broken before you can use it?"
"An egg!"
...
"Tenth riddle! What is full of holes but still holds water?"
"A sponge!"
...
The riddles in the main hall were quite interesting. Some were tricky and odd, while others had a touch of street-smart humor.
Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang were amused, laughing frequently. Sun Ningxiang’s eyes curved into crescents as she laughed, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. Yang Jing also shed the solemn composure he maintained during cultivation, a smile constantly playing on his lips.
The two of them guessed at riddles while slowly eating their meal, finishing every last bite. They occasionally exchanged a few quiet words, talking about amusing events in the sect and reminiscing about their days at the Sun’s Martial Arts Hall. The atmosphere was light and pleasant.
After dinner, they didn’t immediately return to Fushan Island, instead choosing to take a leisurely stroll through the town’s streets.
Night deepened, and the warm, gentle light from the lanterns on both sides of the street cast a soft glow on the flagstone path. A refreshing evening breeze blew in, carrying the damp air from Hidden Dragon Lake.
Most of the shops along the street hadn’t closed for the night yet. The cries of vendors and the sounds of laughter mingled together, creating a lively, bustling scene.
The two walked side by side, occasionally stopping to look at the trinkets sold by the roadside stalls.
Only when the night grew late did the two reluctantly return to the docks and take a boat back to Fushan Island.
...
「The next morning.」
Yang Jing woke just as the sky was beginning to lighten.
He lay on the wooden bed in the main house of Qing No. 4 Courtyard. His eyes opened to a spacious, clean roof, and the fresh scent of grass and sunlight filled the air. For a moment, it felt unfamiliar.
Back in the Ninth Courtyard, the mornings were always filled with the sounds of coughing and footsteps. Now, living alone in his own courtyard, the silence was so profound it made him pause for a second.
Then he remembered—he was an Inner Sect Disciple now. He would never have to live in such crowded conditions again.
After a quick wash, Yang Jing changed into a clean white robe and planned to head to the dining hall for breakfast.
His mind was on the day’s agenda. According to the rules of Lingxi Peak, someone should be coming today to take him to see the Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak. After that, he would pay his respects to Peak Master Bai Bing, and then it would be time to choose a martial art and Cultivation Technique for the Qi Eating Realm.
The thought of choosing a new martial art and Cultivation Technique to switch to, and of charging toward the Qi Eating Realm, filled him with an excitement he could barely contain.
Within the Xuanzhen Sect, there was a distinction between ordinary Inner Sect Disciples and the elite core. The dividing line was the Qi Eating Realm.
As far as Yang Jing knew, most of the Inner Sect Disciples on the Xuanzhen Sect’s Main Peak and the other Seven Veins were still stuck at the Peak of Transformation, blocked by the bottleneck before the Qi Eating Realm.
Yang Jing took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in his heart. He locked his courtyard gate and made his way to the dining hall.
At the dining hall, Yang Jing ate more than two pounds of high-grade Exotic Beast Meat. Afterward, he found the dining hall’s Steward and requested to have his three daily meals delivered to his residence.
Seeing that he was an Inner Sect Disciple, the Steward was very polite. He agreed to the arrangement, informing him that meal delivery for Inner Sect Disciples only cost fifty contribution points per month, which was less than half the price for outer sect disciples who ordered separately.
Yang Jing nodded upon hearing this and readily paid a month’s worth of contribution points in advance.
This arrangement would save him the time of traveling to and from the dining hall, allowing him to devote more energy to his cultivation. It was a perfect setup for him.
After breakfast, Yang Jing immediately returned to Qing No. 4 Courtyard, located halfway up Lingxi Peak.
He paced around the courtyard a few times, his gaze falling on the well and stone table. His heart was filled with anticipation as his mind was already busy calculating which martial art and Cultivation Technique to choose.
He was already at the Peak of Transformation. To continue progressing, he needed to switch to martial arts and a Cultivation Technique for the Inner Qi Realm. This was a crucial step on his cultivation path, one that allowed no room for carelessness.
Just then, a sudden "KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK" on the gate shattered the courtyard’s tranquility.
’It must be the person sent to take me to the Senior Sister,’ he thought. He quickly walked to the gate and pulled it open.
However, standing outside wasn’t the Steward or disciple he had expected, but Liu Rou, Lin Wenxuan, and Jia Yuliang.
The three of them were still dressed in the blue robes of outer sect disciples. Each held an exquisite jade box, its surface carved with simple cloud patterns, looking quite valuable.
Upon seeing Yang Jing, the three immediately bowed in unison, their tones respectful. "Greetings, Senior Brother Yang!"
Yang Jing’s brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of doubt in his mind.
Liu Rou was one thing, but he hadn’t interacted much with the other two in the past. This was especially true for Lin Wenxuan, who used to follow Zhao Hongxiang and had been quite critical of him.
For the three of them to suddenly show up at his door with gifts was rather unexpected.
Before Yang Jing could ask, Liu Rou spoke first. "Senior Brother Yang, we heard yesterday that you successfully advanced to the Inner Sect. The three of us have been wanting to congratulate you, but we didn’t have the chance. This is a small token of our appreciation, a congratulatory gift for you. We hope you’ll accept it."
As she spoke, she proffered the jade box in her hands.
Lin Wenxuan quickly chimed in, "That’s right, Senior Brother Yang. It’s just a humble gift, a small token of our respect. We hope you won’t find it lacking."
He wore a fawning smile, but inwardly, he was breathing a sigh of relief.
Yesterday, he’d heard from other disciples just how dominant Yang Jing had been at the Dragon Gate martial trials—sweeping all four matches and crushing an exotic beast. He had tossed and turned all night, hesitating for hours before finally going to find Liu Rou behind Zhao Hongxiang’s back.
He knew very well that Yang Jing was now an Inner Sect Disciple with formidable strength. Even if he couldn’t ride his coattails, he absolutely could not afford to offend him further. Mending their relationship, even a little, was better than nothing.
What he hadn’t expected was that Jia Yuliang had also approached Liu Rou this morning, saying he wanted to come along to visit Yang Jing.
Jia Yuliang was filled with regret. Back when he learned that Yang Jing’s innate aptitude was ordinary, he had distanced himself. Now that Yang Jing had soared to new heights, his regret was immense. ’I’ve placed so many bets in my life, I can’t believe I misjudged such a key person,’ he thought.
He figured that with Liu Rou acting as an intermediary, showing up to offer congratulations wouldn’t be quite so awkward.
The three of them hit it off immediately, each preparing a generous gift before coming to Qing No. 4 Courtyard together.
Hearing this, Yang Jing quickly waved his hands. "You’re all being too kind. Advancing to the Inner Sect is a small matter. There’s no need to go to such expense. Please, take these gifts back. I can’t accept them."
"Senior Brother Yang, please accept them!" Liu Rou insisted. "It’s a custom in the sect. When a disciple is newly promoted to the Inner Sect, it’s proper for their peers to congratulate them with a small gift. If you don’t accept, you’ll be putting us in a difficult position."
Jia Yuliang and Lin Wenxuan also nodded in agreement.
With that, the three of them pushed the jade boxes into Yang Jing’s arms without another word. Then, they cupped their fists in unison and said, "Senior Brother Yang, we won’t disturb you any longer. We’ll take our leave!"
Yang Jing was about to refuse again when he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching from a short distance away. He immediately turned his head to look.
The trio also noticed the sound. They had just turned to leave when they saw the newcomer. Their expressions froze for an instant, then they shuddered and quickly bowed deeply—this time, bending almost to a ninety-degree angle. Their voices were filled with the utmost respect. "Greetings, Senior Sister!"
The newcomer was dressed in a moon-white long dress. She was tall and slender with a cold, aloof aura. It was none other than the Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak, Si Jiawen.
Her status on Lingxi Peak was extremely high, second only to the Peak Master, Bai Bing, and comparable to that of an Elder on the peak. It was rare for outer sect disciples to ever see her.
The three of them never imagined they would run into her here. They were shocked and apprehensive, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
Si Jiawen gave a faint nod, her gaze passing over the three of them to land on Yang Jing. Her tone was calm, yet held a hint of softness. "Junior Brother Yang, I’ve come to get you. Come with me to see Master."
Hearing this, the three of them were profoundly shaken. ’The Senior Sister herself came to escort Yang Jing to see the Peak Master?’
Such treatment was rare even for previously promoted Inner Sect Disciples. It was more than enough to show how highly the Peak Master and the Senior Sister valued Yang Jing!
In an instant, Yang Jing’s importance in their minds skyrocketed, becoming immensely greater.
Lin Wenxuan was secretly relieved. ’It’s a good thing I came today and gave him a gift. Otherwise, I’m afraid it would’ve been truly difficult to survive on Lingxi Peak in the future.’
Jia Yuliang, on the other hand, was filled with even more regret and a mix of complicated emotions. ’If I hadn’t distanced myself from Yang Jing back then because of his ordinary aptitude, if I’d just maintained a good relationship with him, I might be under his protection by now. I wouldn’t have to be so cautiously currying favor like this.’