Chapter 448 - 159: Breakthrough to the Qi Eating Realm
Yunxi Peak.
In a finely furnished room within the Inner Sect Disciple living quarters, halfway up the peak, Yuwen Mingjue lay quietly in bed, his face as pale as a sheet of paper.
Bright sunlight streamed through the ornate window lattice, falling upon him, yet it couldn’t dispel the slightest hint of deathly stillness that clung to him.
After six days of meticulous care and nourishment from precious Elixirs, he no longer looked as wretched as he had right after the Cyan Qilin Battle.
Back then, he had been covered in blood, with who knows how many broken bones, carried back to the peak like a pile of mud.
Although his injuries were now under control, the right arm Yang Jing had broken still hung limply at his side, wrapped in thick bandages. Every slight movement sent a heart-piercing agony through him.
His five broken ribs made it difficult to even turn over. With every slight breath, he could feel a pulling pain from his internal organs.
The physician had said that injuries like these would take at least three months of quiet recuperation to heal properly.
Yuwen Mingjue turned his head to the side, staring at the tasseled canopy above his bed. His eyes were filled with a chilling frost, a deep-seated resentment swirling within their depths.
The name Yang Jing was like a maggot gnawing at his bones, circling in his mind. Every time he thought of it, he seethed with such hatred that his teeth ached.
He was a genius disciple of Yunxi Peak, a direct descendant of the Yuwen Family! When had he ever suffered such a humiliation?
To be publicly beaten and severely injured on the Cyan Qilin Platform, becoming a laughingstock for all the sect’s disciples... How could he not avenge such a grievance?
However, no matter how deep his hatred, for now, it could only fester secretly in his heart. He was utterly powerless against Yang Jing.
The Yuwen Family was indeed a prominent and famous clan in the Prefecture City. Their businesses were spread throughout Jintai Prefecture, and ordinary families would have to give them a wide berth.
But in the face of the Xuanzhen Sect, such power was like an ant trying to shake a tree—the difference was as vast as that between the clouds and the mud.
The Xuanzhen Sect was a major sect with overwhelming authority. Even if the Yuwen Family had all the courage in the world, they wouldn’t dare to make a move against a Xuanzhen Sect disciple, especially not on or around Fushan Island.
This was the Xuanzhen Sect’s main territory, home to countless powerful experts. If the Yuwen Family dared to show even the slightest ill intent, they would be crushed to dust in an instant.
Moreover, Yang Jing was currently in the spotlight. Having just won first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle, he was a newly risen genius receiving the sect’s full attention, a hot commodity.
The sect was eager to protect such a figure. Even if the Yuwen Family were ten times as bold, they wouldn’t dare to act against Yang Jing at such a critical juncture.
"Hiss—"
As he was lost in thought, a sharp, stabbing pain suddenly shot from his ribs, as if countless fine needles were piercing the seams of his bones.
Yuwen Mingjue couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath, and a layer of cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.
He clenched his teeth tightly, forcing back the cry of pain that had risen to his lips. His expression grew even uglier from the agony.
The intense pain racking his body was like pouring oil on a fire, making his hatred for Yang Jing burn even hotter.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force. A sinister decision had already formed in his mind.
’If I can’t get him from the outside, I’ll do it from the inside!’
Although he couldn’t involve the Yuwen Family in his revenge for the time being, he could use the power from within the sect.
Yang Jing had managed to take first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle; he had surely gotten a taste of its benefits.
Access to the Grade B Training Room, along with those rare Elixirs, were all excellent aids on the path of cultivation.
Next month, Yang Jing would definitely participate in the Cyan Qilin Battle again.
With Yang Jing’s strength, breaking into the top eight or top four would be no difficult task.
When that time comes, he’s bound to run into those two monsters, Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang!
Yuwen Mingjue knew their strength all too well.
Gao Yang had dominated the top spot in the Cyan Qilin Battle for years. His Inner Strength had long since reached the pinnacle of perfection, and his every punch and kick carried the power to shatter mountains and split stone.
Xu Ziqiang was an even more ruthless character. His Body Technique was unpredictable and his methods vicious; he had few rivals among disciples of the same realm.
Either one of them was more than the current Yang Jing could handle.
A venomous, cold sneer slowly curled the corners of Yuwen Mingjue’s mouth.
’At worst, I’ll just take out another portion of the family fortune I’ve accumulated over the years. I can use those precious Secret Techniques and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to hire Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang to act for me.’
’When the time comes, I’ll make sure Yang Jing gets a taste of what it’s like to have his bones shattered and be caught between life and death!’
’I’ll pay him back double for all the injuries he inflicted on me!’
A hatred so potent it was almost tangible roiled in Yuwen Mingjue’s eyes. It was like a poisoned blade, making him wish he could subject Yang Jing to death by a thousand cuts.
Besides, in his mind, hiring Gao Yang and Xu Ziqiang was just collecting a little interest from Yang Jing in advance.
This bit of pain was far from enough to repay the humiliation and agony he had endured on the Cyan Qilin Platform.
He had long since devised a follow-up plan in his mind.
Yang Jing might be exceptionally talented now, but how difficult was the bottleneck of the Qi Eating Realm to break through?
Countless outstanding talents had been trapped before this threshold, never to advance.
Once Yang Jing was stuck at the barrier of the Qi Eating Realm for a long time, unable to break through, the halo from his first-place victory in the Cyan Qilin Battle would gradually dim.
At that point, the sect’s high regard for him would naturally diminish, and he would surely venture out in search of opportunities to achieve his breakthrough.
And that would be the day Yang Jing died!
Yuwen Mingjue thought to himself that when Yang Jing went out, he would secretly send people to tail him, find a remote and deserted place, and completely eliminate him.
Afterward, he would forge some tokens from the Demon Sect or leave behind traces of other Evil Cultivators to frame them for the murder.
That way, he could avenge his broken arm and ribs and do it so secretly that no one would ever know. Wouldn’t it be a perfect, seamless plan?
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Yuwen Mingjue’s breathing grew heavier. His emotions churned, and a sudden roiling sensation in his chest sent a metallic, sweet taste surging up his throat.