Rise in the Martial Chaos: Starting From a Martial Arts School

Realization dawned on Yang Jing, and he quickly gave a solemn nod.

Si Jiawen looked away and continued her unhurried descent down the stone steps, explaining things to Yang Jing in a level voice. "Most of the Stewards in the sect are at the Qi Eating and Qi Absorption Realms. The ordinary Stewards who are responsible for assessing outer sect disciples and assigning miscellaneous tasks generally have a cultivation at the Qi Eating Realm.

"Take Steward Zheng, who brought you to the Cyan Qilin Platform for the competition. He’s a Senior Steward from the Internal Affairs Hall, and his cultivation has reached the Qi Absorption Realm. His status is far above that of an ordinary Steward, and he manages many of the Inner Sect’s affairs."

She paused, her fingertips lightly brushing a willow branch that drooped to her shoulder. "Above the Stewards are the Elders," she continued. "The Elders of the sect mostly have cultivation at the True Qi Realm. They assist the Peak Masters of their respective branches in managing the sect’s critical affairs. They are the true pillars of the sect, its upper echelon."

Si Jiawen stopped there, saying no more. Her gaze drifted toward the distant, rolling mountain ranges, as if she were lost in thought.

Yang Jing listened, captivated. He felt the world of the Martial Dao opening up before him. Unable to contain his curiosity, he pressed on, "Senior Sister, what realm is above the True Qi Realm? And what about the Peak Masters and the Sect Leader of our Xuanzhen Sect? What are their cultivation levels?"

When Si Jiawen heard this, she turned and shot him an indifferent glance before slowly shaking her head.

"That realm is too far removed from the likes of us," she said, her voice tinged with an ethereal quality. "It’s a completely different major realm. Even if I were to tell you about it now, you likely wouldn’t understand."

After a moment, perhaps not wanting to completely dash his enthusiasm, Si Jiawen added, "You only need to know that the realm is called the Pill Realm."

The Pill Realm!

The words sent a shock through Yang Jing.

’So on the path of the Martial Dao, beyond the Inner Strength and Inner Qi Realms, there’s a realm as profound as the Pill Realm!’

He had been stuck in the Inner Strength Realm for so long that he’d thought the Qi Eating Realm was an unattainable summit. Now, it seemed he had only just peeked through a crack in the gateway to the Martial Dao.

Following Si Jiawen down the mountain and listening to her explanation of the different realms had been incredibly enlightening. It greatly broadened his horizons and dispelled much of his confusion.

Yang Jing took a deep breath, pushing aside the complex and distant thoughts about the Pill Realm. His gaze grew determined once more.

’You have to walk the path one step at a time and ascend through the realms one level at a time. Rather than daydreaming about the unattainable Pill Realm, it’s better to focus on what’s right in front of me.’

He clenched his fists and muttered to himself, "So then, my next goal is to break through to the Qi Absorption Realm."

Hearing this, Si Jiawen couldn’t help but arch a brow. She shot him an irritated glare. "Kid, you think the Qi Absorption Realm is some cabbage you can just pick from a field? You think you can break through just because you say so?"

The transition from the Qi Eating Realm to the Qi Absorption Realm might seem like a small difference in name, but it represents a massive leap from "guiding qi into the body" to "absorbing qi to refine the body." Countless people get stuck at the peak of the Qi Eating Realm, wasting decades without making an inch of progress.

She paused. The thought she’d had back in Lingxi Hall—the one where she wondered if Yang Jing would surpass her and snatch away her title of Senior Sister—flashed through her mind. She glanced at Yang Jing’s earnest expression and couldn’t resist asking, "You’re not planning on breaking through to the Qi Absorption Realm just to steal my position as Senior Sister, are you, kid?"

At her words, Yang Jing immediately waved his hands, shaking his head like a rattle. "I wouldn’t dare! I absolutely wouldn’t dare!"

Si Jiawen huffed, giving an elegant eye-roll. Her tone was laced with a mix of pride and disdain. "It’s not a matter of whether you dare, but whether you can. You think surpassing me is that easy?"

She scoffed, her eyes flashing with a rare, spirited fire. "Work hard, kid. Before you entered the Inner Qi Realm, you were a frog in a well gazing at the moon—all you could do was look up to me. Now that you’re in the Inner Qi Realm, you’re an ant gazing at the vast blue sky—still hopelessly out of reach!"

The corner of Yang Jing’s mouth twitched. ’I never noticed before,’ he grumbled to himself, ’but this Senior Sister of mine can be really dramatic sometimes.’

Outwardly, however, he didn’t dare show a hint of disrespect, replying obediently, "You’re right, Senior Sister. I would never dream of comparing myself to you."

Only then did Si Jiawen give a satisfied little smile, her eyes curving like a cold snow lotus blooming.

"Let’s go." She tossed out the two words, her pace suddenly quickening. Her skirts swirled as she headed down the winding mountain path away from Lingxi Peak.

Yang Jing was taken aback for a moment, then quickly hurried to catch up. "Senior Sister, where are we going?" he called out.

Without turning back, Si Jiawen’s crisp voice drifted back to him on the mountain wind. "To the Talent Pavilion, of course. Where did you think we were going? Sightseeing?"

She continued without breaking stride. "The Master’s order probably won’t reach the Talent Pavilion until tomorrow. But with me accompanying you, it’s a different story. They’ll let you retrieve all the subsequent techniques for the Mountain-Breaking Seal ahead of time."

Si Jiawen’s tone held a hint of vicarious pride. "I am the Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak. When I go out, my every word and action represents not only the Master and Lingxi Peak, but the entire Xuanzhen Sect. With me vouching for you, the Talent Pavilion will do me the favor of making an exception and letting you claim your techniques early."

Yang Jing listened and nodded, thoroughly impressed.

The status of a peak’s Senior Brother or Sister was truly revered. This kind of influence and the conveniences it brought were things an ordinary disciple couldn’t even dream of. It was truly enviable.

The two of them quickly descended Lingxi Peak and hurried toward the Main Peak.