Chapter 461 - 162: The Bewildered Peak Master Zhenyue
With that, she turned and walked away, her pace composed and unhurried.
Yang Jing hurried to keep up, staying one step behind Bai Bing. He caught the faint, elegant scent of orchid and musk, which he assumed was the Peak Master’s natural fragrance.
As the two of them crossed Lingxi Plaza, the numerous Inner Sect Disciples practicing there all stopped what they were doing.
Whether they were disciples who had already entered the Qi Eating Realm or those still in the Inner Strength Realm, all bowed respectfully to Bai Bing, shouting in unison, "Greetings, Peak Master!"
Bai Bing gave a slight nod but didn’t break her stride, continuing straight down the peak.
Only when her and Yang Jing’s figures had faded into the distance did the disciples straighten up and begin to murmur among themselves in hushed tones.
"Isn’t that Yang Jing? The winner of last month’s Cyan Qilin Battle!"
"I can’t believe he was personally summoned by the Peak Master. Now she’s even taking him down the mountain with her. She must hold him in extremely high regard!"
"I’m so jealous. She’s the Peak Master! It’s hard enough for disciples like us to even catch a glimpse of her, yet he gets to accompany her and run errands."
"Lingxi Peak hasn’t had anyone place in the top three of the Cyan Qilin Battle for years. Now that we finally have a champion, it’s only natural for the Peak Master to value him."
Lin Ziheng stood in the crowd, watching Yang Jing’s receding figure, his eyes filled with sincere envy.
He came from the great Lin Family of the Prefecture City and was considered a figure of some importance within his clan.
But in terms of influence, how could his family possibly compare to the Peak Master of Lingxi Peak?
If he could earn that kind of favor from the Peak Master, his position in the family would be more than just secure—even the Lin Family elders would have to treat him with respect. Who would dare to look down on him then?
Unfortunately, the Peak Master hadn’t given him a single glance. In the end, that special honor belonged to Yang Jing.
He sighed softly, suppressed the envy in his heart, and turned to resume his cultivation.
...
Bai Bing and Yang Jing descended Lingxi Peak, one following the other, and took the winding mountain path toward Zhenyue Peak.
The mountain morning breeze, carrying the fresh scent of plants and trees, was crisp and invigorating.
After about an hour of walking, Bai Bing suddenly stopped. She glanced back at Yang Jing and said slowly, "Regarding your breakthrough to the Qi Eating Realm, I will have Jia Wen inform the Sect’s Steward Hall today so it can be entered into the sect’s records."
Yang Jing’s heart stirred, and he listened intently.
"To break through from the Inner Strength Realm to the Qi Eating Realm in less than half a year after joining the sect... such speed is enough to earn you a spot on the Hidden Dragon List."
Bai Bing’s voice was calm and even. "The Hidden Dragon List is more than just an honor; it’s the sect’s way of supporting its most talented disciples. Once you’re on the list, you’ll periodically receive Cultivation Resources as a reward from the sect, which will be a great boon to your cultivation."
She paused before continuing, "But this is only the beginning. You must train even harder to raise your rank on the Hidden Dragon List—the higher, the better. The higher your rank, the more astounding the sect’s rewards, and the greater the boost to your cultivation."
Yang Jing’s heart filled with joy. He quickly bowed and replied respectfully, "I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Peak Master. I will certainly cultivate diligently and not disappoint your expectations!"
Bai Bing nodded slightly. Without another word, she resumed walking toward Zhenyue Peak.
The mountain path twisted and turned, and they occasionally encountered disciples from the other peaks.
Upon seeing Bai Bing, they would first start in surprise, then quickly adopt a serious expression and bow respectfully.
As a Peak Master, Bai Bing’s status in the Xuanzhen Sect was second only to the Sect Leader. She held authority over an entire peak, so disciples from any branch had to treat her with the respect due a senior, not daring to show the slightest bit of discourtesy.
Yang Jing followed half a step behind Bai Bing, his white Inner Sect Disciple uniform making him particularly conspicuous and drawing sidelong glances from many of the disciples they passed.
They whispered among themselves, their gazes filled with curiosity as they secretly wondered about the origins of the young man walking beside Peak Master Lingxi.
Of course, some disciples who had watched the Cyan Qilin Battle last month recognized him.
Yang Jing was completely unaware of these discussions. His mind was currently focused on one thing: the Hidden Dragon List.
He couldn’t help but wonder, ’Once I’m on the Hidden Dragon List, what rank will I get?’
Gao Yang from Zhenyue Peak and Xu Ziqiang from Fen Yang Peak had once made it onto the Hidden Dragon List with their strength at the Peak of the Inner Strength Realm, but they were always ranked at the very bottom.
’Now that I’ve broken through to the Qi Eating Realm, my strength is far beyond what either of them had. Surely my rank on the Hidden Dragon List will be higher than theirs?’
Yang Jing took a light breath. He had never once considered deliberately hiding his strength.
In a major sect like the Xuanzhen Sect, deliberately hiding one’s talent and trying to keep a low profile was actually a foolish choice.
As far as Yang Jing knew, it wasn’t just the Xuanzhen Sect; all five major sects in Jintai Prefecture placed immense importance on nurturing their disciples.
The sect’s resources were finite, so they were naturally funneled toward the disciples with the most talent and potential.
The more dazzling the talent you displayed, the more support you received from the sect. Cultivation Resources, secret Cultivation Techniques, guidance from renowned masters—all of it would be readily available to you.
But if you deliberately concealed your strength and pretended to be mediocre, the sect would either fail to see your potential or underestimate it. They wouldn’t waste resources on you, and in the end, you would only be hindering your own cultivation journey.
As for his personal safety, Yang Jing wasn’t worried in the slightest.
The Xuanzhen Sect had stood for several centuries. Its rules were strict, and conflict among fellow disciples was expressly forbidden. This was an ironclad rule. Anyone who dared to break it would face the harshest punishment: at best, their cultivation would be crippled and they would be expelled from the sect; at worst, they would be executed on the spot.