Chapter 389 - 146: Cultivating Key Disciples (Part 2)
Yang Jing wasn’t discouraged. He continued to practice the stances of the Mountain-Breaking Seal, over and over.
He could faintly feel the active Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi in the air constantly bombarding the pores on his skin.
Gradually, threads of a black, filthy substance seeped out from his pores, clinging to the surface of his skin and emitting a faint, acrid stench.
There wasn’t much of the filth, just a thin layer. After all, he had already cultivated the Indestructible True Skill to the Huajin Realm and undergone a Washing Marrow, so his body already contained far fewer impurities than other Martial Artists at the same level.
After the filth was expelled, Yang Jing felt a sense of comfort wash over his entire body, as if something had been stripped away from within. His limbs felt a little lighter.
The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, which had previously only been able to drift across the surface of his skin, now finally had an opening. It slowly seeped into his body, bringing a cool sensation with it.
Without him noticing, four hours quietly passed.
Yang Jing slowly stopped his movements, took a deep breath, and gradually concluded his practice.
He stood in place, sensing the changes in his body. His five senses felt sharper; he could clearly hear the rustle of wind and grass outside the Training Room.
His body had also become much lighter, as if he could leap several dozen feet high even without the aid of his Inner Strength.
A surge of joy welled up in his heart.
’This is just the beginning of my training in the Mountain-Breaking Seal,’ he thought. ’I’ve only just started to feel the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi and completed a single Washing Marrow, yet the changes are already this significant.’
’If I continue to cultivate, the effects of the Washing Marrow will only grow stronger. What will it be like when my Inner Qi fully enters my body, settles in my Dantian, and I step into the Qi Eating Realm?’
’No wonder the gap between the Qi Eating Realm and the Huajin Realm is so immense.’
Putting aside the huge boost in power from Inner Qi, just the repeated process of Washing Marrow—constantly refining the physical body and eliminating impurities—would be enough to crush an ordinary Huajin Martial Artist with physical strength alone.
The next moment, with a thought from Yang Jing, a panel materialized before his eyes—
[Mountain-Breaking Seal: Novice (6/500)]
[Mountain-Shattering Fist: Perfection (2000/2000)]
[Thunderous Leg: Perfection (1511/2000)]
[Indestructible True Skill: Perfection (1277/2000)]
...
Yunxi Peak, midway up the mountain, in the residential area for Inner Sect Disciples.
In a courtyard that wasn’t luxurious but was exquisitely tidy, the doors and windows of the main house were half-closed, leaving the room dimly lit.
The faint scent of incense mingled with the earthy aroma of plants drifting in from outside, creating a calming atmosphere.
In the center of the main house, Yuwen Mingjue, an Inner Sect Disciple of Yunxi Peak, sat ramrod straight on a carved wooden chair.
He wasn’t wearing his usual brocade robes today, having changed into a simple black set. Even so, it failed to conceal the arrogance in his features.
At this moment, however, his expression was solemn, even a little ugly. His gaze was dark, his thoughts unreadable.
On either side below him, two others were seated on their own chairs.
One man, dressed in the white robes of a Yunxi Peak Inner Sect Disciple, had a common face but sharp, nimble eyes, clearly indicating a quick mind.
The other wore the blue robes of an Outer Sect disciple and had a subservient look about him.
Yuwen Mingjue’s voice was low. "Word has come from the clan. Yuwen Mingtai is preparing to enter seclusion to break through to the Qi Eating Realm."
At these words, both men below him were shaken and involuntarily looked up at Yuwen Mingjue.
Yuwen Mingjue didn’t look at them. His gaze was fixed on the empty space before him as he continued, "Yuwen Mingtai has built a solid foundation over the years. For this attempt to reach the Qi Eating Realm, the old geezers in the clan have probably prepared a wealth of resources for him. He himself claims to have a fifty percent chance of success. The entire clan holds him in high regard now."
The Yuwen Clan was a famous and wealthy merchant clan in Jintai Prefecture. Their businesses were spread throughout the Prefecture City, and they held considerable influence across the entire prefecture.
In a great clan like this, internal competition was always fierce. The younger generation schemed and fought, both openly and in secret, each wanting to become the future leader of the clan.
Yuwen Mingjue’s status in the Yuwen Clan was not low. He had shown great promise since childhood and later entered the Xuanzhen Sect’s Yunxi Peak as an Inner Sect Disciple. Many in the clan considered him a strong contender to be the next Patriarch.
But he knew very well that he was not without rivals, and Yuwen Mingtai was the most troublesome of them all.
The man was also exceptionally talented, had joined the great Jintai sect, the Celestial Sword Sect, and had accumulated a significant network and resources. Now, he was even about to attempt a breakthrough to the Qi Eating Realm.
"The better he performs now, the more those old geezers in the clan will value him, and the more pressure it puts on me." Yuwen Mingjue slowly clenched his fists.
The two men below exchanged a look, each seeing the gravity in the other’s eyes.
They both knew that Yuwen Mingjue’s situation was not as comfortable as it appeared on the surface.
Yuwen Mingjue took a deep breath, suppressing his irritation. His gaze finally fell upon the two men, his tone regaining some of its composure. "Next, I need to increase my standing in the eyes of the clan elders. I can’t let Yuwen Mingtai steal all the spotlight."
His two confidants immediately sat up straighter, their eyes fixed intently on Yuwen Mingjue.
A cold smirk touched the corner of Yuwen Mingjue’s mouth as he said slowly, "I’ve already made an arrangement with Gao Yang of Zhenyue Peak and Xu Ziqiang of Fen Yang Peak. I’ve told them to find an excuse to be away on a mission so they won’t participate in this month’s Cyan Qilin Battle. Naturally, they will be compensated accordingly afterward."
"Gao Yang? Xu Ziqiang?" The white-robed Inner Sect Disciple subconsciously repeated the two names, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
The reputations of these two were resounding. Both were exceptionally outstanding Inner Sect Disciples of their respective peaks, just a step away from the Qi Eating Realm. They were also strong contenders for first place in the Cyan Qilin Battle.