《My Martial Arts Can Train Themselves》 Chapter 1: A Martial Art that Cultivates on Its Own Chapter 1: A Martial Art that Cultivates on Its Own [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] A notification popped up before Yang Yi''s eyes. He was pleasantly surprised. "The martial art cultivated on its own?" A day ago, an attribute panel suddenly appeared in his mind. He tapped a few buttons and learned the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Today, he received a feedback report about the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Yang Yi opened the attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Skin Refining (261/300) Spirit umtion point: 50 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He stared at the martial arts panel again. Martial art: Crimson Afterglow Technique (learned) Realm: Level 1 (Skin Refining) Characteristics: perceptive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1] (Next feedback requires 24 hours) After the feedback from the Crimson Afterglow Technique, the experience points in Yang Yi''s Realm had indeed increased by one point. In this world, martial arts were divided into cultivation methods and martial techniques. A martial artist could learn several martial techniques, but only one cultivation method. This means that a breakthrough in the cultivation method of a martial artist was equivalent to a breakthrough in their own realm. If one did not cultivate a cultivation method, one could only temper their own bones and tendons, and rely on strength training alone, like the fighters in the pugilistic world. That process was slow, and it was easy for the cultivator to have internal injuries. They would not be able to reach the Strength Entry realm no matter how hard they cultivated. The path of cultivation began with the Body Tempering realm and the Strength Entry realm. The Body Tempering realm was divided into the Skin Refining, Blood Refining, and Bone Refining stages. The Crimson Afterglow Technique was the Qixia sect''s Body Tempering martial art. There were only three stages, and the highest level could help Yang Yi break through the Bone Refining stage and reach the Strength Entry realm! However, Yang Yi was not gifted. Ever since his transmigration a year ago, his parents sent him to the Qixia sect to be a general disciple. Even after a long period of cultivation, he was still at the most basic level of the Skin Refining stage. If he relied on his own strength to break through to the Blood Refining stage, it would take at least four months! "ording to the original n, it would take a year and four months to break through to the Blood Refining stage. That means that I have extremely poor aptitude. If that''s the case, it would be better for me to return home and take over the family business instead of toiling away with cultivation." Yang Yi''s parents were famous tea merchants in Qingzhou''s Baisha City. They lived in a beautiful mansion built on fertilend, and had riches beyondpare. He could spend the rest of his life without worrying about his food, clothes, and other matters. However, the world was not a peaceful ce. They were living in troubled times, and demons were ruining people''s lives. Therefore, Yang Yi hoped to learn some skills to protect himself in this chaotic world. "I still have less than 40 experience points before I can break through." Yang Yi looked at his cultivation realm on the attribute panel with anticipation. When he breaks through to the Blood Refining stage, he would be promoted to an outer disciple. As an outer disciple, he would have more time to cultivate, among other benefits. In this chaotic world, the well-established Qixia sect had no shortage of disciples wanting to join it. Therefore, ordinary, untalented individuals could only start from being a general disciple even if they donated money to the sect. "When I was cleaning the side hall this morning, I inexplicably received 50 spirit umtion points. What are spirit umtion points for?" While Yang Yi was feeling puzzled, a piece of information shed through his mind. It turned out that spirit umtion points could not be seen or touched. They were formed by the gathering of Heaven and Earth''s fate. They could be used to hasten the feedback from cultivation methods. 10 spirit umtion points were needed for one feedback report from a Body Tempering martial art. "Does this mean that I can speed up my cultivation?" Yang Yi could painstakingly cultivate for a day with no guarantee of gaining any experience points. Compared to the Crimson Afterglow Technique''s auto-cultivation, he was much slower. The consumption of spirit umtion points could also double the cultivation speed of the Crimson Afterglow Technique! "I want to repeat this process three times!" Yang Yi recited it inwardly. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has cultivated arduously for a day. Its cultivation base has improved. Experience +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique sneaked a peek at the internal disciples''petition. It gained a deeper understanding of the cultivation method. Experience +10.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique decided to rest for a day due to the bad weather. It will cultivate arduously tomorrow. Experience +0.] The Crimson Afterglow Technique indeed gave some feedback. The information on thest two reports were different. Yang Yi guessed that they were some kind of special event. Usually, the Crimson Afterglow Technique would earn one experience point a day. However, after watching the internal disciples''petition, itgained 10 experience points. From this, it could be seen that theprehension ability of the Crimson Afterglow Technique was far more terrifying than Yang Yi had imagined. Yang Yi noticed that the experience points on the interface had increased from 261 to 272! He was in a great mood. Just as he was about to use up the remaining 20 spirit umtion points, he heard something. Creak. The door was pushed open. His roommate, Zhou Yan, dragged his exhausted body into the room. "I''m so tired. I work all day long. How can I find the time to cultivate?" Zhou Yan came from a well-off family, but he was also a general disciple. He had very little time to cultivate every day. He only had one lesson a month. Hence, his cultivation progress was not much different from Yang Yi''s. "Didn''t today''s cleaning finish in the evening?" Yang Yi nced over. "Don''t get me started. I ran over to join in the fun, but I identally bumped into a Senior Brother from the inner sect. Then, I was dragged away to do chores." Zhou Yan did not even take off his clothes. He copsed on the opposite bed. "Then you deserve it," Yang Yi smiled. "This time, it''s not my fault. Do you know what happened?" Zhou Yan got up and said mysteriously with his eyes wide open. "Let me guess, you went to see some beautiful Senior Sisters." It was normal for teenagers of their age to be doing such things. "Wrong! This was a big deal. Do you know the master of the Raindrop Court, Elder Mei?" "There are 13 Elders in the Qixia sect. Among them, there are nine Elders for cultivation method impartation. They are also the the masters of the nine Inner Courts. Elder Mei of the Raindrop Court is also known as Elder Tenth." Although Yang Yi was a general disciple, he collected a lot of information. Among the nine Inner Courts, the Raindrop Court was ranked the middle. However, Elder Mei was a woman and was good at swordsmanship. Most of her disciples were women. Therefore, the Raindrop Court was a beautiful sight to behold in the sect. "What about Elder Mei?" Yang Yi asked with a frown. "She went missing! Also, none of the disciples who went on the mission with her came back except for the First Senior Sister of the Raindrop Court, Zhou Wansu." The cold moon cast its frost-like glow through the wooden window, making Zhou Yan''s face seem pale. "The Elders are at least at the Sati Transformation realm. How could she..." Yang Yi could not believe it, but Zhou Yan did not look like he was joking. "What did the First Senior Sister say?" "She was found next to the sect''s boundary stone. She''s affected by the Devil Qi which entered her body, and she remains unconscious still." Zhou Wansu of the Raindrop Courtyard had always been kind to others. She looked like an immortal. Nobody expected her to be met with such misfortune. Yang Yi sighed. He had thought that a behemoth like the Qixia sect would be able to survive on its own in this chaotic world. However, even a Sati Transformation realm Elder could not escape danger. As he thought about this, Yang Yi opened the attribute panel and looked at his remaining 20 spirit umtion points. He made up his mind and used it all for a feedback! [After a day of hard work, your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved. Experience +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique is eager to protect its master. When it passed by the pill room, it brought back a vial of vitality pills for you!] Chapter 2: Gathering Spirit Accumulation Points Chapter 2: Gathering Spirit umtion Points "Vitality pills?" The attribute panel did note with any storage space. Yang Yi fumbled around inside his pocket, and sure enough, there was a jade bottle! He was shocked. Vitality pills were consumed by Bone Refining martial artists when they reach the Strength Entry realm. It was helpful for the production of the force. Its value was self-evident, but to Yang Yi, it was a hot potato. The nearest pill room was inside the Harmony Court, one of the nine Inner Courts. If pills were lost from the Harmony Court, it would definitely cause a stir. If he was dragged into this somehow... "I''m going out for some fresh air." Yang Yi quickly jumped down from the bed, pushed the door open, and left. "Dump your junk further away, you hear me?" Zhou Yan''s grumbled behind him. There was a light breeze and the moon was bright. The shadows of the trees in the mountain forest ovepped. Yang Yi ran for several miles before making a mark at the spot where he buried the vitality pills. After all, it was a good item. If there was no disturbance in the Harmony Court after some time, he could dig it out again. On the way back to the general courtyard, Yang Yi ran to the stream to wipe his body down. He did not open the jade vial at all, and he made sure that he did not smell like medicinal pills. "Let''s look for it together." As soon as he returned to the general courtyard, he saw many general disciples put on their clothes and hurried out. Yang Yi saw Zhou Yan. He approached him to ask about the situation. "While you were using the toilet, news came in from the Harmony Court. They said that there was a thief. The vitality pills Little Senior Sister Zhuang Chenglu cultivated disappeared without a trace. Everyone is helping to look for it now. Who do you think is so bold to dare to steal from one of the Inner Courts?" This was the first time Zhou Yan had encountered such an absurd matter. "Do you think that it''s one of Little Senior Sister''s admirers?" "Who knows..." Yang Yi felt guilty. "Are youing? Little Senior Sister said that whoever finds the pills or provides clues about this incident will be rewarded." "Okay." They searched for a while like headless chickens. Yang Yi then gave an excuse and went back to his room to sleep. He knew that they would never find it, so he did not want to waste his time. The next morning, Yang Yi woke up early as usual and sat cross-legged in the courtyard to cultivate. The Qixia sect was built among the Sunset Mountains. On a clear morning, there would be red cloudsing from the east. By cultivating the Crimson Afterglow Technique at this time, he could master it better. He had a poor aptitude, but he kept cultivating hard every day. If he improved too quickly, the others would be suspicious of him. "I''ll have to rely on my attribute panel if I want to break through." Yang Yi knew his own ability well, and he did not shun it. This was an opportunity that belonged to him. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Skin Refining (273/300) Spirit umtion points: 0 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 Yang Yi stared at the big zero of his spirit umtion points. He had to think of a way to obtain spirit umtion points. If he relied on the automatic feedback of his martial arts, it would only happen once a day. It was too slow. "What do the number of scans mean?" Yang Yi was stunned for a moment. Then, he understood. Spiritual umtion points were hidden in the natural environment. The amount of spiritual umtion points varied from ce to ce. He could rely on the scans to ascertain the distribution of spiritual umtion points in the vicinity. "Scan!" Yang Yi chanted. A map painted with ink slowly unfolded before him. It showed the Sunset Mountains with the Qixia sect at the center. "Does the intensity of the ink''s color have anything to do with the amount of spiritual umtion points?" Although there was no exnation, Yang Yi guessed that this was highly possible. He focused his eyes on the training field. The ink was dark. His task today was to clean up the training field. It was just the right time for him to go over and check it out. He went to the kitchen and took two pancakes. He left one in the room for Zhou Yan and rushed to the training field. There were already quite a few disciples training there. Their shouts rang out in the air. Looking at their light blue uniform, he could tell that they were outer disciples. Outer disciples had cultivation bases at the Body Tempering stage. Only those who had broken through to the Strength Entry realm were qualified to be selected by the nine Inner Courts. Only those who entered the Inner Courts were considered true disciples of the Qixia sect. The others, like Yang Yi, could only say that offered their money or service to the sect, and were given some benefits in return. "Spiritual umtion points detected in the vicinity. Do you wish to collect them?" A notification appeared in front of Yang Yi as he was cleaning up. "Collect!" He gritted his teeth. "Congrattions on collecting 20 spiritual umtion points!" "Congrattions on collecting 15 spiritual umtion points!" "Congrattions on collecting 17 spiritual umtion points!" ... "You''ve reached the upper limit for spirit umtion points collection today.." It took him 15 minutes. Messages kept popping up before Yang Yi. He checked his attribute panel and found that he had collected a total of 100 spirit umtion points. "Is this my daily limit?" When he pulled out the ink map scroll, the tone of the training field had faded somewhat, but it was still considered dark. Obviously, there were still a lot of spirit umtion points hidden here, but he had already used up his collection quota for the day. "That''s enough. This is equivalent to 10 days of cultivating the Crimson Afterglow Technique. If a special event is triggered, it might be even higher!" He had less than 30 experience points to go. He wondered if there was a possibility of a breakthrough today. Yang Yi licked his lips. He was feeling impatient, but he restrained himself and waited until he returned to his room at night. He worked hard to clean up the area under his charge. At noon, he and Zhou Yan sat under a tree near the stone steps to rest. "Yesterday, Zhao Heng of the Li Bamboo Court challenged Liu Yang, the First Senior Brother of the Dao Yang Court. In the end, he lost by one move and almost lost the tendons of his hands," Zhou Yan gossiped. Yang Yi paused and recalled the feedback from the Crimson Afterglow Technique yesterday. He guessed that it might have watched this match. "Senior Brother Liu Yang is the number one inner disciple. He only won by one move?" he said in surprise. "Of course. Zhao Heng has only been in the Inner Courts for less than a year, and he obviously has talent, but he is arrogant and has caused a lot of trouble. This time, it was thanks to the master of the Li Bamboo Court that he wasn''t ruthlessly killed by Senior Brother Liu Yang." Zhou Yan clicked his tongue and took a bite of the green vegetable. Seeing that they were resting here, the other general disciples came over to chat. As they were all at the bottom of the sect hierarchy, they naturally grouped together. The atmosphere was harmonious. However, part of the reason they came over was because Yang Yi and Zhou Yan''s families were better off. Their chores in the afternoon were demanding, but Yang Yi had already gotten used to it. When evening came, it was finally time to rest. Zhou Yan and a few others met up at the training field to spar. Yang Yi gave an excuse and returned to the general courtyard. He closed the door and sat on his bed. "Feedback on the Crimson Afterglow Technique, five times!" [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] ... He received one experience point from each feedback report. No special events were triggered. Yang Yi was not discouraged. This was much faster than his own cultivation. Having a little improvement was better than triggering a negative effect. "Five more times!" Yang Yi used up all the spirit umtion points he had collected. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has encountered a bottleneck. No progress was made. Experience +0.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique is sparring on the training field. One versus three. Experience +2.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique was feeling rebellious. It went out to y for a day. Experience +0.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] ... Chapter 3: Blood Refining Breakthrough Chapter 3: Blood Refining Breakthrough Yang Yi looked at the feedback messages and smiled. This was an interesting martial art. Not only was it eager to protect its master, it even had a rebellious mood. After ten feedback reports, he gained a total of nine experience points. It was not as much as he had imagined, but it was still eptable. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Skin Refining (282/300) Spirit umtion point: 0 Learned martial art: Crimson Afterglow Technique Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 0 (refreshes in five days) At this rate, it would only take two days to break through to the Blood Refining stage! After these few experiments, Yang Yi understood one thing, the special events triggered by the feedback all happened on the same day. If the martial arts were anthropomorphized, each feedback report would represent what it saw and heard in a day. In that case, 10 feedback reports might represent everything it saw and heard in 10 different parallel dimensions. In this dimension, the Crimson Afterglow Technique was diligently cultivating, while in the other dimension, the Crimson Afterglow Technique stole the medicinal pills. "If that''s the case, I can control the probability of special events to a certain extent. For example, I can save some spirit umtion points. When something major happens around me, I can focus on obtaining feedback." Yang Yi had a plethora of idea, but he quickly shook his head. Even if a special event was triggered, it might not necessarily have a positive effect. For example, the Crimson Afterglow Technique''s act of stealing the pills was not a good thing for the current Yang Yi. "It''s better to use up all the spirit umtion points I have." The most important thing now was to break through to the Blood Refining stage. He could choose to save some spirit umtion points after the breakthrough. After all, there were still many things about the panel that he did not understand. He might need arge amount of spirit umtion points at some point. At night, the Crimson Afterglow Technique automatically gave a feedback, and he obtained one experience point. When Zhou Yan came back, Yang Yi indirectly asked about the pill. "After searching for a day without any clues, we gave up. Everyone is worried about the matter of the Raindrop Court. Who cares about petty theft?" Zhou Yan had some injuries on his body. It was probably from his sparring session with someone else, but he seemed to be in good spirits. "Yeah. We''ll be having our monthly lesson tomorrow. You should wash up and rest early." Yang Yi calmed himself down, chatted a little, and went to sleep. The next morning. Yang Yi was meditating and cultivating in the courtyard as usual. It was rare for Zhou Yan to wake up early. The Crimson Afterglow Technique and the Afterglow Qi in his bodyplemented each other, giving him a rather harmonious feeling. "How''s your progress, Yang Yi?" he opened his eyes and looked over. "I''m alright. What about you?" Yang Yi said. "Nothing out of the ordinary. I''m afraid I''ll need another month to break through to the Blood Refining stage." Zhou Yan shook his head, appearing to be dissatisfied. However, the slightly raised corner of his lips betrayed him. "You''re breaking through soon, then?" Yang Yi said with a smile. "It''s been more than a year. My progress is considered slow, to have only achieve a breakthrough now. Besides, we can''t be sure about the future. Who knows, you might break through before I do." Zhou Yan became exceptionally modest. ... "Before the lesson today, I would like to give everyone some good news. Lin Yan has broken through." In a remote corner of the training field, a few general disciples were lined up neatly. A middle-aged man stood before them. He was the instructor, Zhao Xugang. Beside him, there was a silent youth. Everyone was pping their hands. Lin Yan had great aptitude, but he was not popr among the disciples. Zhou Yan moved closer to Yang Yi and said disdainfully, "He''s always frowning. I wonder who he''s trying to show it to. It seems that people like you and I who got in the sect with money aren''t worthy of his attention." Yang Yi smiled and did not say anything. The lesson continued. Because Lin Yan had made a breakthrough, Zhao Xu was full of enthusiasm, and he increased the difficulty of the lesson. In the end, even after a series of exnations, everyone was left dumbfounded. Even though Yang Yi understood what was said, he was still at a loss when he tried to practice it. "Sigh, I got excited for nothing." Zhao Xu''s newly-ignited desire to nurture talents gradually extinguished. The lesson ended. Yang Yi stayed behind to spar with the others. "Be careful. My God-destroying Fist is unstoppable!" A youth with a buzz cut and bushy eyebrows struck a stance. He threw a few punches in rapid session, giving off an imposing aura. However, Yang Yi blocked the punches, stood still, and returned the punch. "Ow!" The other disciple''s face was strained. He spun three times and fell to the ground, howling non-stop. General disciples were not allowed to learn martial techniques. With their realms, learning martial techniques was a strenuous and unrewarding activity. He named his move the "God-destroying Fist" out of vanity. It was unimaginably weak. Yang Yi felt the slight changes brought about by the Crimson Afterglow Technique''s improvements and looked forward to breaking through to the Blood Refining stage. Then, he would be able to go to the sect''s Martial Storage Pavilion and choose a suitable martial technique to cultivate. The attribute panel had a category for pending martial techniques. It was likely that the Crimson Afterglow Technique was not the only martial art that could give him feedback reports. "Thank you for the session." Yang Yi cupped his fists. After retiring from the session, someone else quickly went up to the stage topete. When everyone''s attention was on the stage, Yang Yi took the opportunity to continue his collection of spirit umtion points. It was the same as yesterday. He collected a total of 100 points. On the ink map, the tone of the training field faded a little. At this rate, there would probably be no spirit umtion points left after three or four more rounds of collection. However, Yang Yi was not worried. The Qixia sect had many ces that were rich in spirit umtion points. In the evening, he returned to the courtyard and took a bath. Yang Yi sat on the bed. He felt refreshed. "Feedback on the Crimson Afterglow Technique, 10 times!" [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique was too hasty in its cultivation and encountered a bacsh. Experience -1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique attended a lesson and was enlightened. Experience +15.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has encountered a stalk of wind me grass. After consuming it, it absorbed a pure stream of hot energy.] Other than these three feedback reports, the rest gave him the usual 1 experience point each. "That was shocking." Yang Yi was confused when he attended the lesson in the afternoon. He did not expect the Crimson Afterglow Technique to be enlightened. On top of that, he obtained 15 experience points! The difference between him and his martial art was too huge. However, it was precisely because of this that he obtained a total of 21 experience points. He could easily break through to the Blood Refining stage! Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (5/500) Spirit umtion point: 0 Learned martial art: Crimson Afterglow Technique Pending martial art: None Number of scans: 0 He focused on the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Martial art: Crimson Afterglow Technique Realm: Level 2 (Blood Refining) Characteristics: perceptive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique encountered a wind me grass by chance. After consuming it, it absorbed a stream of pure and zing energy.] "I''ve finally broken through." Yang Yi''s face was filled with joy. As he felt the increase in his body''s strength, he wished that he could go to the courtyard and throw a few punches. At the Skin Refining stage, the cultivated power remained on the body''s surface. It was pure strength, and it would notst long. After breaking through to the Blood Refining stage, the continuous flow of energy from his blood would give him greater endurance than the Skin Refining stage. What surprised Yang Yi the most was that after breaking through to the Blood Refining stage, the panel showed him that he had five experience points. This meant that the efficiency of obtaining experience points before and after breaking through was the same, but the upper limit was raised. "ording to the rate of 10 experience points per day, I should be able to break through to the Bone Refining realm in about two months!" Yang Yi could see a bright ahead of himself. In his excitement, he jumped off the bed and went to the courtyard. Facing the moonlight, he shouted as he struck the wooden pile. Chapter 4: Keep Your Chin Up Chapter 4: Keep Your Chin Up Thump, thump, thump! The sound of the wooden stake being hit resounded throughout the silent courtyard. Yang Yi focused on his cultivation. He was using pain to cultivate his skin and flesh while he trained his body. He needed to familiarize himself with the changes brought about by the breakthrough as soon as possible. No matter how talented his Crimson Afterglow Technique was, he would still be the one fighting against the enemy in the end. "Yang Yi?" Zhou Yan entered through the courtyard door. "It''s me." Yang Yi withdrew his fist and calmed his breathing. In the past, he would panting heavily from exhaustion after 15 minutes of training. However, he was still breathing easily even after training for an hour. This was the benefit of breaking through to the Blood Refining stage! "You don''t seem to be in your best conditiontely, and you often leave early after lessons. Instead of practicing here alone, why don''t you spar with us?" Zhou Yan had only just returned from sparring with a few general disciples. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Yang Yi silently hitting the wooden stake. He paused for a moment, then immediately understood. "You''re not agitated because I''m on the verge of a breakthrough, are you?" "No, I..." Yang Yi was just about to exin when Zhou Yan stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "You have to keep your chin up. It doesn''t really matter which one of us is ahead of the other." Zhou Yan sincerely consoled him and said, "Just think of this of me going ahead to familiarize myself with the outer sect. You''ll be breaking through soon when I finally get a grasp of the outer sect. When that timees, we''ll be able to reunite in the outer sect." He patted his chest and acted like a big brother. He seemed very reliable. Yang Yi could not help butugh. He did not intend to hide his current condition. "Actually, I''ve broken through." "..." The smile on Zhou Yan''s face gradually froze. He stepped back and asked curiously, "You''ve broken through to the Blood Refining stage?" "Yes, I''ve just broken through. After cultivating for a year, I''ve finally gotten a result." Yang Yi exhaled. "Take this!" Zhou Yan did not allow Yang Yi to exin further. He struck a stance and hurled his fist at Yang Yi. In the past, Zhou Yan always had the upper hand when they sparred. However, this time, after just one exchange, Zhou Yan knew that Yang Yi was telling the truth. That powerful and heavy fist shook his arm until it went numb. He tried tounch counterattacks many times, but Yang Yi''s attacks were like raindrops. They came one after another, not giving him a chance to catch his breath. "That''s enough, that''s enough!" Zhou Yan had a bitter smile. When he was backed into a corner, he said, "You''re at the Blood Refining stage alright." He hid his trembling arm behind his back and did not show any fear. If he continued to fight, he would not be able to hide it anymore. "Congrattions. I told you that you can do it," he said excitedly. "Since you''ve already achieved a breakthrough, you should tell Coach Zhao tomorrow. You''ll be promoted to an outer disciple." Yang Yi was also in a good mood. After being for an entire year, he had finally made a breakthrough. With more time to cultivate, perhaps his cultivation would improve by leaps and bounds with his own hard work! Yang Yi got up early the next day. As usual, he took two pancakes from the kitchen and left one for Zhou Yan. He exined the purpose of his visit to Zhao Xugang before the lesson started. "Oh? You''ve broken through?" Zhao Xugang was pleasantly surprised. Lin Yan had broken through yesterday and Yang Yi had broken through today. He had reached the target for this month. He felt Yang Yi''s arm and said with satisfaction, "You''re indeed at the Blood Refining stage. Moreover, your foundation is solid. Not bad." "What should I do next, Coach?" Yang Yi asked. "I will find someone to help you with your homework today. Pack your things and report to the outer sect manager directly." Zhao Xu Gang handed him a wooden token and said, "Once you enter the outer sect, you must train hard and not waste your time." "Yes! I will remember your instructions." Yang Yi left excitedly after saying his farewells. Zhao Xugang stroked his beard and was in a good mood. He watched Yang Yi leave and said thoughtfully, "I''m impressed by myslef. It seems that my approach yesterday was right. I should be stricter with the disciples." Yang Yi returned to the general courtyard. Zhou Yanid himself on the bed. He looked weak, and there were dark circles under his eyes. The pancake on the table was left untouched. "Zhou Yan, I''m going to the outer sect." Yang Yi packed his belongings. Before he left, he asked, "Don''t you have any homework today?" Homework referred to the chores that the general disciples had toplete every day. "I stayed upte, and now my limbs are weak. I''m nning to report sick for the whole day. Take care of yourself." Zhou Yan waved his hand and forced a smile. "I''m fine." Nobody wanted another person to see their weak side. Yang Yi''s lips moved and he said, "You need to get yourself together as soon as possible." "..." Zhou Yan felt even worse. Yang Yi left the courtyard and rushed to the outer sect to register himself. The Qixia sect was built among a stretch of verdant mountains. The surroundings were bright and beautiful. The rosy clouds in the east were still lingering around. The ancient pavilions and kiosks were arranged in an orderly fashion, partially hidden among the mountains and forests. Some only revealed their eaves. When a breeze blew, the delicate bells on the eaves would make clear ringing sounds. A row of white birds were startled. Spiritual energy was dense around the sect. It looked like a haven for immortals. However, the mountains were full of hiding demonic beasts. ording to legend, there were even great demons of the Sati Transformation realm. The Qixia sect did not have many disciples. There were only 1,000 outer disciples. Each of them stayed in their own wooden hut. The treatment they received was much better than that of the general disciples. Moreover, they were allowed to use some of the sect''s facilities, such as the Mission Hall, the Spiritual Spring Mountain, the Pill Hall, and the Martial Storage Pavilion, as long as one had enough contribution points to spend. Yang Yi fumbled his way to the outer disciples'' registration area. Once he entered the room, he saw an old man in his 60s dozing off. He exined his purpose foring and handed over the wooden token. The old man gave him a sidelong nce and said casually, "Come with me. Let''s get you your uniform and pass." He got up and brought Yang Yi to the backyard. Along the way, he spoke in a casual manner, "Since your wooden hut hasn''t been allocated yet, you can tell me your needs. For example, a quiet environment, a spot with the densest Afterglow Qi, or a hut close to an Inner Court. If there''s a vacancy, I can arrange it for you." "But..." he rubbed his fingers. Yang Yi immediately understood. After asking for more information in an undertone, he handed over a bag of money. The old man shook the bag. He was very satisfied with the weight. "You''re quite perceptive, kid. You''re not like the person from yesterday. He didn''t give me any money, and he went around shouting ''injustice'' and whatnot. It made meugh my head off." "I''ll be in your care from now on, Old Man Mu." During their small talk, Yang Yi learned that the old man''s name was Mu Hengshan. He was the manager of the outer disciples'' affairs. After taking Yang Yi to get his disciple uniform and pass, Mu Hengshan was in a good mood, which was rare, so he continued to lead Yang Yi to the wooden hut. "After bing an outer disciple, there are four lessons every month. You can have the rest of your time to yourself." Having received the money, he began telling Yang Yi about many things. "However, the sect won''t be keeping idle disciples. The moment you be an outer disciple, you''ll have to pay the corresponding contribution points every month. If you go more than three months without paying, you''ll be kicked off the mountain." Yang Yi heard about this before. Just like how the general disciples had to contribute theirbor every day, outer and inner disciples had to contribute to the construction and maintenance of the sect. The outer and inner disciples contributed by paying contribution points. Outer disciples had to pay 100 contribution points every month. They could earn points by doing missions, or hand in rare items and natural treasures. They could also donate money. 1 contribution point was equivalent to 1 tael of silver, which was nothing for a rich person. However, not everyone was rich. Many outer disciples had to grit their teeth and pay with credit for the first two months. They would need at least three months to slowly get used to the life of an outer disciple. However, Yang Yi happened toe from a rich family. Hence, there was no need for him to worry about this matter. Chapter 5: Fire Attribute Chapter 5: Fire Attribute Yang Yi''s most important requirement for the wooden hut was that the environment was quiet and secluded, but not too remote. Demonic beasts would asionally appear at the periphery of the sect grounds, making it less safe. Seeing that Yang Yi had spent a lot of money, Mu Hengshan brought him to the foot of the side peak near the Spiritual Spring Mountain. Few people passed by here. The waters of the spiritual springs would asionally overflow into the nearby streams, which meandered over and nourished the nts around the mountain. "This is the best ce to live in for an outer disciple. I wouldn''t have given you this spot if you didn''t pay me well," said Mu Hengshan as he shook his head. Yang Yi looked around. The environment was good. The grass was green, the birds were singing, and the flowers were fragrant. It was also convenient to fetch water. The wooden hut, however, was a little weathered. Spiderwebs could be seen almost everywhere. It was obvious that it had not been upied for a long time. For a moment, he wondered if he had just been conned. However, Mu Hengshan was a manager. Besides, he did not have too many requirements for the housing conditions. Hence, he epted the arrangement. "Thank you, Old Man Mu." They had another short chat before Mu Hengshan left while muttering something under his breath. Yang Yi entered the wooden hut and examined it carefully. The wooden hut had two floors. Aside from the training room on the second floor that had been specially reinforced, there was nothing special about the building. It was amon bamboo and wood structure. The base was elevated by 20 centimeters, which helped remove moisture and prevent insects. Yang Yi spent half a day to clean up the wooden hut. He had worked as a handyman for a year, so he was very agile when he moved. He wiped every corner of the hut, and it instantly looked brand new. "It looked old because it was dirty. This isn''t so bad." Yang Yi was grateful that Mu Hengshan did not con him. It was now in the evening. Although Yang Yi was tired, he went to collect spirit umtion points. Now that he had broken through to the Blood Refining stage, he wondered if the upper limit had been raised. He went to the Spiritual Spring Mountain with a sliver of hope. The mountain was nearby, and its was drawn with dark ink on the map. "If you wish to cultivate on the Spiritual Spring Mountain, the cheapest spot costs 10 contribution points for every two hours." Halfway up the mountain, there was a toll booth. When Yang Yi arrived here, he was stopped by a disciple on duty. When the disciple saw Yang Yi standing nearby looking around and hesitating, he knew that he was a neer. "Senior Brother, I have just been promoted to an outer disciple. I''m not aware of the wonders of the Spiritual Spring Mountain yet. Can you enlighten me?" Yang Yi saw that the other disciple was also wearing a light blue uniform, so when he saluted, he smoothly slipped some loose silver into his hands. "Heh, what''s this for? We''re from the same sect, so we should look after each other. Don''t be a stranger." The disciple on duty put on an upright and inspoken expression. He looked around to make sure that no one was around, then carefully epted the silver. Yang Yi did not give him much. It added up to less than two taels. However, it was better than nothing. This amount was quite substantial to most outer disciples. "The Spiritual Spring Mountain is a haven for cultivation..." The disciple on duty began to exin enthusiastically. After Yang Yi understood the rules of the Spiritual Spring Mountain, he inquired about the situation of the other facilities, such as the locations of the Mission Hall, and the Martial Storage Pavilion. "Would you like to give the springs a try, Junior Brother? You don''t seem to be short on funds." After chatting for a while, the disciple on duty asked with a smile. "No matter how rich I am, I can''t afford to splurge here. I heard that we have to pay 100 contribution points every month..." Yang Yi''s expression was troubled, as if he was troubled by this amount of contribution points. Seeing this, the disciple on duty lost interest in him. After saying goodbye, Yang Yi returned to the wooden hut at the foot of the side peak. His expression was one of excitement. While he was chatting with the other disciple, he had silently collected spirit umtion points. As expected, after breaking through to the Blood Refining stage, his daily collection limit had also increased. He opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (5/500) Spirit umtion point: 200 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 0 The number of spirit umtion points had increased to 200 points! Even with Yang Yi''s mental fortitude, he could not help but feel ecstatic. The increase in the daily gathering limit of spirit umtion points meant that the number of times he could receive feedback increased. Not only could he use it to cultivate the Crimson Afterglow Technique, he could also use it to learn other martial arts. He definitely had to learn martial techniques. They would be useful during actualbat. Moreover, as the number of martial arts he learned increased, the amount of feedback he would be receiving daily would be higher as well. After making his ns, he muttered in his heart, "Feedback, 10 times!" [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique continuously absorbed the scorching energy of the wind me grass. Fire attribute +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique continuously absorbed the scorching energy of the wind me grass. Fire attribute +3.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique went into the mountain to hunt. It gained nothing after busying itself for an entire day.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique heard something about the First Senior Sister of the Raindrop Court while it chatted with the others. For more information, refer to the details.] ... He was satisfied with today''s reports. He gained six experience points, triggered four special, and did not receive any negative effects. Yang Yi first paid attention to the news about the First Senior Sister of the Raindrop Court. [Zhou Wansu joined the Raindrop Court from a young age and cultivated with Court Master Mei. Their rtionship is akin to that of a mother and a daughter, which, in truth, they are. However, Court Master Mei does not want this to be public knowledge.] "..." Yang Yi was speechless. This Crimson Afterglow Technique was not attending to its proper duties. Why did it go and gossip with others? He could not help butugh. He turned to look at the feedback regarding the wind me grass. "Fire attribute was increased. Is this referring to a cultivation method?" Yang Yi circted the Crimson Afterglow Technique and tried it out. He discovered that there were indeed some changes! When he struck with his fists and palms, there was an inexplicable feeling of heat in his limbs and bones. His attacks became fierce and violent. The Crimson Afterglow Technique was the main cultivation method of the Qixia sect disciples at the Body Tempering realm. After the disciples broke through to the Strength Entry realm, they could cultivate other advanced cultivation methods. Yang Yi had been in the sect for a year and had heard a little about this advanced cultivation method. He knew that it was a fire attribute cultivation method, and that it was powerful. It was far from what the Crimson Afterglow Technique couldpare to. This Crimson Afterglow Technique was a form of a preparatory cultivation method. Under normal circumstances, it would not be able to achieve a change in attributes. However, Yang Yi''s Crimson Afterglow Technique had inexplicably swallowed the wind me grass, which was why it gave such a miraculous effect. After the cultivation method experienced a change in attributes, the offensive power of the moves used to defend against an enemy would increase. At the same time, when he cultivated the advanced cultivation method, the process would be smoother. There were many wonderful benefits to this. "There are surprises everywhere." Yang Yi was in a great mood. He returned to the wooden hut to continue consolidating his cultivation base for a while. He went to bed early, which was rare for him. The next day, ording to the information he obtained from the disciple on duty yesterday, he went to the Martial Storage Pavilion in high spirits. Chapter 6: Choosing A Martial Technique Chapter 6: Choosing A Martial Technique It was early in the morning. Afterglow Qi was abundant in the surroundings. At the foot of the Spiritual Spring Mountain facing the sun, Yang Yi sat upright on the long corridor that extended out of the wooden hut. He was cultivating the Crimson Afterglow Technique. His eyes were closed, and as his breathing stabilized, there was a faint crimson radiance around him that resonated with the rosy clouds in the sky. Outside the wooden hut, the trees were green, and the cuckoos were singing. After what seemed like hours, Yang Yi opened his eyes reluctantly. "After breaking through to Blood Refining stage, the efficiency of my cultivation has also increased!" He opened his attribute panel with satisfaction. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (13/500) Spirit umtion points: 100 Learned martial art: Crimson Afterglow Technique Pending martial art: None Number of scans: 0 His experience points had increased from 5 points to 13 points. He obtained 6 points came from the 10 feedback reports yesterday. Then, he obtained two points from the daily feedback of the Crimson Afterglow Technique as well as from his own hard work over the past few days. "Compared to the feedback reports, the experience points I gained on my own are really negligible." Yang Yi estimated that he could only obtain one experience point after two days of painstaking cultivation. His contribution paled inparison. "Now that the Crimson Afterglow Technique is slowly progressing, it''s time to try and learn another martial art." His gazended on the pending martial arts section. He received a message. If he wanted to learn martial techniques, he had to cultivate it to the beginner level. Regardless of the rank of the martial art, it could be divided into the beginner, intermediate, aplished, and perfect stages, ording to the progress of the cultivation. Yang Yi pursed his lips lightly. He found this very reasonable. He was still at the Body Tempering realm, so it would be a miracle if he could learn Sati Transformation martial arts. The beginner stage was the threshold. It was a test to see if the martial technique waspatible with his physical fitness. Yang Yi headed to the Martial Storage Pavilion. The Martial Storage Pavilion was located in the central area of the Qixia sect. There were quite a number of disciplesing and going. Some of them were inner disciples in purple uniform. "The spiritual energy here is rich as well." Yang Yi raised his head and looked at the five-story Martial Storage Pavilion. The hall on the first floor was where the disciples registered themselves. The second floor onward was where the core items of the martial storage pavilion were kept. Outer disciples could only ess the second floor. The martial arts here were all of the Body Tempering realm. Yang Yi handed over his pass, finished registering, and silently went to the second floor. The decorations here were antique. It resembled a library. There were wooden steps that were half the height of a person. On the wooden steps, there were half-opened glowing scrolls that emitted energy fluctuations. It was still early, but there were already five or six outer disciples who were busy choosing their favorite martial arts. There was also a pair of disciples standing in front of a martial arts scroll. They were discussing softly. Yang Yi retracted his gaze and read the introduction texts next to each scroll. He browsed through the collection slowly. "Vast Heaven Fist, Yin Wind Finger, Scorching Sun Palm... Autumn Leaf de Technique, Flying Snow Sword Technique..." The martial arts here mainly focused on martial techniques. There were also cultivation methods, but they were mostly gathering dust in the corners. Switching cultivation methods was a tiring and unrewarding exercise. Cultivators would usually not switch their cultivation method unless they were notpatible with the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Yang Yi browsed through the collection of scrolls. Every single martial art seemed tempting to him. However, he did not want to bite off more than he could chew. He had limited spirit umtion points as well.It was better for him to specialize in a single cultivation method. He came here with an objective in mind. Since he needed to cultivate to the beginner stage to learn the martial technique, he decided to look for a martial technique that was easy to reach the beginner stage! He did not have to worry about the ease of achieving breakthroughs. "Lin Yan?" Yang Yi saw that Lin Yan was also here. Lin Yan achieved a breakthrough a day before Yang Yi did. Lin Yan came from an average family, and he had just recently been promoted to an outer disciple. He probably could not afford the items here. Also, he was not the kind of person who liked to wander around. "Yang Yi, you broke through as well?" Lin Yan asked in surprise. "Yes, I was lucky. I joined the sect six months before you did, but I could only achieve a breakthrough a day after you did," Yang Yi said self-deprecatingly. Lin Yan forced a smile and did not say much. He was small in stature and was usually quiet. He gave the others a gloomy impression. "Have you saved enough contribution points to exchange for martial arts?" Seeing that the atmosphere was a little awkward, Yang Yi tried to strike a casual conversation. This was actually a private matter, so he did not expect Lin Yan to answer. However, Lin Yan paused for a moment and answered, "Yesterday, I promised a few Senior Brothers of the Harmony Court to try the pills they''re cultivating..." "..." Yang Yi did not expect Lin Yan to do such a thing. Pills should not be consumed randomly. If one was careless, it could affect one''s foundation, and one might even be poisoned. Lin Yan was gambling with his own future! However, it made sense when Yang Yi thought about it. Lin Yan did not have the resources, and his aptitude could only be considered above average. It was easier said than done to outperform 1,000 outer disciples and make his way into the inner sect. He might as well take a gamble. The path of cultivation would be smoother if one had enough resources in the early stages. "There''s no need for that expression." Lin Yan smiled in relief. He took out his pass and swiped it across the sensor''s range on the wooden steps in front of him. The radiance which protected of the scroll faded away, and the scroll fell into his hand. "Have you chosen a martial technique?" "I have, but I''ll have toe backter for it," Yang Yi replied. Lin Yan noticed that the martial technique in front of Yang Yi was called "Mountain-hugging Fist", and he could not help but frown. He said, "This martial art is easy to pick up and has sufficient lethality. However, it is very difficult to achieve breakthroughs. I''m afraid that it will take a year of painstaking cultivation to reach the intermediate stage. You should be careful about your choices." "Alright, I''ll keep that in mind." Yang Yi smiled kindly. Lin Yan was not as arrogant as the rumors suggested. Lin Yan had given him a friendly reminder. Yang Yi felt that he could get to know Lin Yan better. They could also rely on each other in the future. Money was not a problem for him. If Lin Yan asked for his help, he would not mind helping him. However, if he did not make the request, Yang Yi would not make a generous but unsolicited offer. There were times when a person''s kindness might be perceived as malice. When Lin Yan saw that Yang Yi had no intention of giving up on this martial art, he seemed to have understood something. It did not matter if this martial art was difficult to cultivate. If he could reach the beginner stage, he would possessbat strength. If it bes difficult to make progress in the future, he could always cultivate other martial arts simultaneously. The logic behind the choices of rich people was different. Lin Yan realized that he was meddling in other people''s business. He smiled apologetically, bid farewell, and left. Yang Yi watched him leave. After deciding on the Mountain-hugging Fist, he went to the Contribution Hall and exchanged 1,000 contribution points. The Mountain-hugging Fist cost 800 contribution points. He saved the remaining 200 points to make his monthly payments. He carefully kept the martial technique scroll. Before leaving the Martial Storage Pavilion, Yang Yi collected spirit umtion points. After bing an outer disciple, he had more freedom of movement and did not need to do any chores. Yang Yi returned to the wooden hut and could not wait to cultivate the Mountain-Hugging Fist. At the aplished stage, every strike of the Mountain-hugging Fist would have the weight of a mountain. However, if he wanted to reach that stage, he would have to work earnestly and rely on pain to temper his muscles and bones. This was a painstaking process that was unavoidable. This martial art was originally purchased from a martial artist in the pugilistic world. It was said that this Body Tempering martial artist held his own ground against a Strength Entry elite. This martial art was clearly powerful and domineering. Although it would not be easy to achieve breakthroughs with the Mountain-hugging Fist, he could cultivate to the beginner stage with the aid of medicinal baths. Chapter 7: A Competitive Martial Art Chapter 7: A Competitive Martial Art A martial arts scroll was divided into three parts, the text which described the moves and key cultivation tips, a spiritual pattern visualization diagram, and the forms for medicinal baths, spiritual food, and pills which could aid in cultivation. The Mountain-hugging Fist scroll contained a text describing the moves, instructions on tempering tendons and bones, and medicinal bath forms. However, because it was a Body Tempering martial art, there was no spiritual pattern visualization diagram. Even so, Yang Yi could still feel a certain sense of wonder about this martial art from the short text of the scroll. Among the neat rows of texts, there were some words that were written horizontally and vertically, "heaven rewards diligence and perseverance!". Yang Yi pondered on these words and instantly understood them. Body Tempering martial artists could not use the force. Instead, they practiced physical moves. A powerful Body Tempering martial artist was one who perfected his moves through practice. Naturally, it could not be ruled out that when one cultivated to the established or perfect stages, there would be new insights. It was still early, so Yang Yi took the form for the medicinal bath and went to the herbal field. The herbs on the form weremon and did not cost much contribution points. When he passed by the cliff, he saw a person cultivating there with his legs crossed. Yang Yi did not recognize him, but from his purple uniform, he knew that this was an inner disciple. He was meditating under the devil suppression tree beside the cliff. Half of a glowing green sword was buried in the ground. It exuding a cold chill. It was rumored that there was a terrifying devil lord under the cliff. Soul-stirring howls could asionally be heard at night. Yang Yi had been in the sect for a year, but he had never heard anything of the like before. However, this was a remote spot. It was usually deserted. He pretended not to see the other disciple and walked past silently. He went to the herbal field and traded his contribution points for the herbs needed for a month''s worth of medicinal baths. The sky was already dark when he returned to the wooden hut. Yang Yi rested for a while, and then, as usual, he checked on the feedback of his Crimson Afterglow Technique. "Give me 10 consecutive feedback reports!" [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique continuously absorbed the scorching energy of the wind me grass. Fire attribute +2.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique continuously absorbed the scorching energy of the wind me grass. Fire attribute +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique taught a friend how to cultivate, but it backfired. Today was a day for apologies and making amends.] There were 10 feedback reports, which gave him a total of seven experience points, and triggered three special events. "I didn''t expect it to be able to absorb the energy of the wind me grass today!" He did not know how many more days this energy wouldst. Yang Yi entertained his anticipations for a while, and then focused his attention on thest feedback. Apologies and making amends, that was too real. It did not cultivate properly, but it went to teach another person instead? An inexplicable image shed in Yang Yi''s mind. In the world of the Crimson Afterglow Technique, it drank wine and chatted with a few of its friends. When it talked about cultivation, the Crimson Afterglow Technique flushed red in the face, and some of its friends actually believed it. Yang Yi was grateful that there was no bacsh from this which would have cost him some experience points. Overall, he was quite satisfied with the feedback he received today. Moreover, he managed to save another 100 spirit umtion points. Learning a Body Tempering martial art required 500 spirit umtion points. All he needed was five days to do it. Yang Yi was confident that he would definitely not be able to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist to the beginner stage in five days. ... Time was like a stream of water. One would only realize that it was gone when it flowed away. Yang Yi built a courtyard outside the wooden hut at the foot of the mountain. He also ced wooden stakes, stone locks, and other materials he used for cultivation. Thunk-thunk, thunk, thunk-thunk-thunk. The wooden stakes struck each other rhythmically. Yang Yi punched the wooden stakes with thunderous might. These wooden stakes had just been installed half a month ago. Now, the spots where they were struck had dents the size of bowls. Over the past two weeks, Yang Yi had spent his time outside of lessons diligently cultivating. He had finally cultivated the Mountain-hugging Fist to the beginner stage! "Ha!" Yang Yi''s fist moved like a shadow. Following that, he changed his stance, and his arms curved as if he was embracing a mountain. He clenched his fists and struck out at the same time. His arms resembled a pair of ox horns as he pressed them against the wooden stake. There was a muffled thud from the impact. Then, the wooden stake exploded violently, sending debris flying. "The Mountain-hugging Fist move is valiant, but it doesn''t have such explosive power and lethality at the beginner stage. This must be rted to the change in the Crimson Afterglow Technique''s fire attribute." Cultivation methods were the foundation of martial artists. When his Crimson Afterglow Technique was enhanced, his other martial techniques were strengthened as well. Yang Yi''s heart was as clear as a mirror. He was very satisfied with the explosive power of the Mountain-hugging Fist. This waspletely beyond the standard of an ordinary Blood Refining stage martial artist. Moreover, the Mountain-hugging Fist was only at the beginner stage. After learning it, he believed that it would not be long before he would reach the intermediate stage. By then, it would be more powerful! Yang Yi went to take a shower. Then, feeling cool and refreshed, he sat cross-legged on the wooden corridor. He opened the attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (141/500) Spirit umtion points: 1,700 Learned martial art: Crimson Afterglow Technique Pending martial art: Mountain-hugging Fist Number of scans: 1 Yang Yi checked his umted spirit umtion points and feltfortable with the number. Then, he spent 500 spirit umtion points to learn the Mountain-hugging Fist. There were no special effects, but the Mountain-hugging Fist was moved to the list of learned martial arts. Martial arts: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Beginner (1/200) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: None (natural feedback requires 24 hours) "What exactly is this martial arts characteristic?" Yang Yi stared at it, but there was no reaction. He realized that the Mountain-hugging Fist''s characteristics were different from the Crimson Afterglow Technique. The Crimson Afterglow Technique''s characteristic was "perceptive", while the Mountain-hugging Fist''s was petitive". It was understandable if the martial arts were anthropomorphized, but he did not know if it would affect the contents of the daily feedback. Yang Yi decided to give it a try. He requested 10 feedback reports from the Mountain-hugging Fist. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] ... He did 10 feedback sessions, but merely gained one experience point. Yang Yi did not give up. He made 10 more attempts. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist finished soaking in the medicinal bath, and its internal injuries were healed. It is now in a good mood.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist sparred in the training field. It grew more familiar with its moves. Actualbat ability +3.] This time, two special incidents were triggered. Yang Yi was quite interested in the improvement of its actualbat ability. He had always been worried that if he kept cultivating hard, he would suffer a great loss in actualbat in the future. He was delighted that the Mountain-hugging Fist was sensible enough. However, it was definitely not enough to just rely on his martial arts to work hard. Yang Yi decided that he should asionally mingle with others and go to the training field to have exchanges with everyone else. On one hand, he could learn from the exchange of experiences. On the other hand, he could test the results of his own cultivation. The sect was a small society in itself. It was important to show his face every once in a while. It was impossible for him to not blend in at all. Yang Yi paused for a moment. When he saw the steady improvement of the Mountain-hugging Fist, he could not help but feel an itch in his hands. He did 10 more feedback attempts. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist cultivated too fiercely and almost injured its foundation. Experience -3.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist is in a bad mood. One day passed without any improvements made. Experience + 0.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist is overworked. During thepetition, it was struck by an opponent''s sneak attack and lost miserably.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fistunched a sneak attack halfway and sessfully avenged itself. Combat Ability +5. Plundered silver +50 taels!] After receiving 30 feedback in a day, the probability of negative effects appearing seemed to have increased. However, Yang Yi did not focus on that. Instead, the fact that Mountain-hugging Fistunched a sneak attack caught his attention. This feedback could probably be read together with the previous one. In that case, it was clear that the Mountain-hugging Fist was verypetitive. "I hope it that this won''te back to bite me in the back." Yang Yi smiled bitterly. Looking at the content alone, this event increased its actualbat ability and earned him 50 taels. It was great! Chapter 8: The Audacity! Chapter 8: The Audacity! After thinking about it, Yang Yi did not feel at ease. He nned to go out for a walk. He still had some lingering fear from the pill incident earlier. What if the Mountain-hugging Fist had attacked someone important? That would definitely be a huge problem. He arrived at the training grounds. This was where the disciples gathered most of the time. Apart from sparring and exchanging information, the disciples would also spread news. "Yang Yi, it''s rare to see you here," someone greeted him. Although Yang Yi lived mostly in seclusion, he had taken two lessons and knew some of them. The person who greeted him was called Jian Wenbin. He became an outer disciple three months ago. The two of them knew each other from their general disciple days. "I came out to get some fresh air and cultivate while I''m at it." Yang Yi did not say much. He directly jumped onto the training ground. The training ground upied arge area of the square, but the space allocated to outer disciples was rtively close to the side. Even though it was remote, it was still over 1,000 square meters wide. Two or three disciples sparred with each other in small groups. "Heh! I''ve recently traded my points for the Vast Heaven Fist. I can try it out on you." Jian Wenbin struck a stance and raised his hands toward the sky. After circting his strength, he threw a punch at Yang Yi. Yang Yi parried with his hands and used the Mountain-hugging Fist against his opponent. After 10 moves, Yang Yi saw an opening in his opponent and moved forward. His fists resembled ox horns. One of his punches was blocked, and anothernded on Jian Wenbin''s shoulder, forcing him to take three steps back. "What fist technique is this? That was a smooth execution. Have you reached the beginner stage?" Jian Wenbin rubbed his shoulder. He had reached the Blood Refining Stage earlier than Yang Yi did, but he lost by half a move in the fight. "It''s the Mountain-hugging Fist," Yang Yi said truthfully. "Oh, that exins. This martial art can beplemented with medicinal baths. It''s easy to reach the beginner stage." Jian Wenbin felt slightly better. The cultivation curve of the Vast Heaven Fist was rtively tter and smoother. It would definitely catch up with the Mountain-hugging Fist when thetter encountered a bottleneck! However, he did not know that when they were sparring just now, Yang Yi did not use the fire attribute enhancement of the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Otherwise, his explosive power would have been greater. In less than two moves, the oue would have been decided! The two of them got off the training field and went to the side to rest. There was quite a number of people sitting around here. Everyone was chatting and learning from each other''s cultivation experiences. As they chatted, a person rushed over and said, "Wang Chong was beaten up. His injuries are quite bad!" "Huh? What did you say?" Everyone was surprised. "I saw him this morning and he was fine. Why did he suddenly..." "Who did that? The sect forbids infighting." Yang Yi frowned. He guessed that the Mountain-hugging Fist had attacked Wang Chong. "I''m not sure. I heard that the attacker was very fast. He ran away after the fight. Wang Chong didn''t see him either." The person shook his head. Yang Yi had heard of Wang Chong. He was already an outer disciple two years ago, but he was stuck at the Blood Refining stage and could not break through. This person had a fiery personality and was very overbearing. Everyone called him Senior Brother on the surface, but theyined a lot about him in secret. Yang Yi cursed his bad luck and the Mountain-hugging Fist for attacking such a person. Fortunately, the Mountain-hugging Fist was not exposed. He guessed that the special events triggered by the system happened in parallel nes. In that particr ne, the Mountain-hugging Fist was equivalent to his own projection, and there would be Wang Chong''s projection as well. If something happened in a parallel ne, only the results would be felt as a feedback. There was no need to worry about being discovered. "Hey! There are at least 80 people that Wang Chong offended, if not 100. I''m surprised that he wasn''t beaten up sooner," said Jian Wenbin happily. Everyoneughed awkwardly. They did not chime in, but they did not refute him either. Yang Yiughed as well. Wang Chong had many enemies, so they would not be able to trace this incident back to him. After resting for a while, he sparred again with the others. Yang Yi now had a rough understanding of his own strength. Without the enhancement of the Crimson Afterglow Technique, he was probably in the middle of the Blood Refining stage, thanks to the early-stage advantage of the Mountain-hugging Fist. Once he obtained the enhancement of the fire attribute, Yang Yi estimated that he could be ranked at a higher level. He had only been promoted to the outer sect half a month ago. This result was a good result in itself. However, he was not confident enough to face other Blood Refining disciples with more experience. These people had umted experiences over time and had cultivated their martial techniques to the intermediate stage. He could not underestimate them. If Yang Yi could improve the Mountain-hugging Fist, his chances of winning against these people would be 70 to 80 percent. The bottleneck of the Mountain-hugging Fist was its difficulty in achieving breakthroughs. On the other hand, once there was a breakthrough, the improvements would be huge. Clouds filled the evening sky. The setting sun dyed the Sunset Mountains red. Before Yang Yi left the training field, he collected 200 spirit umtion points for the day. He opened the attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (141/500) Spirit umtion point: 1,100 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He then looked at two martial arts. Martial Arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique (learned) Realm: Level 2 (Blood Refining) Characteristics: perceptive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... Martial Arts: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: beginner (22/200) Characteristics:petitive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... Yang Yi looked at the two martial arts and had an idea. He could collect 200 spirit umtion points every day, and he distributed the points evenly between his two martial arts. As for the 1,100 spirit umtion points that he collected, he was prepared to use them all on the Mountain-hugging Fist. The Crimson Afterglow Technique was still some ways away from a breakthrough, so there was no need to rush for the time being. The Mountain-hugging Fist gave him immediatebat strength. After being upgraded to the intermediate stage, it could greatly increase his own strength. Ever since the disappearance of the Raindrop Court Master and her disciples, the Qixia sect had been shrouded in an uneasy shadow. Nobody knew what would happen next. Therefore, long-term investments were definitely necessary, but he also had to pay attention to the short-term benefits. Right now, the most beneficial thing for Yang Yi was to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist to the intermediate stage. To achieve that, it would take about 10 days if he requested 20 feedback reports every day. Coincidentally, Yang Yi had already collected enough spirit umtion points for this. After making a n, Yang Yi returned to the wooden hut. He tossed thest bit of herbs into a medicinal bath to soak his palms. When he received the feedback report earlier, it was mentioned that there were internal injuries in the Mountain-hugging Fist. That caught Yang Yi''s attention. "I heard that the spiritual spring on the Spiritual Spring Mountain is beneficial to cultivation, helps alleviate fatigue, and heal stubborn internal injuries. Perhaps I should give it a try." Seeing that the effects of the medicinal bath were only average, Yang Yi hurried to the Spiritual Spring Mountain before the sky went dark. "The cheapest secret room on the Spiritual Spring Mountain cost 10 contribution points for two hours." The disciple on duty changed. He saw the color of Yang Yi''s uniform, and judged that Yang Yi''s face was unfamiliar. Hence, he gave the lowest price. "Senior Brother, I''d like to use the 30 contribution points-room for four hours." Yang Yi handed over his pass for registration. He knew that the so-called spiritual spring was actually like a hot spring and he needed to soak his body to cultivate. The lowest level secret room would only emit water vapor, like a sauna. It was practically useless. Yang Yi was not short of money.He chose the middle ss room. There were better rooms than this, but they were limited in numbers. Those rooms were basically the privileges of inner disciples. Chapter 9: Little Senior Sister Zhuang Chenglu Chapter 9: Little Senior Sister Zhuang Chenglu The sun gradually set. Yang Yi retrieved his pass from the disciple on duty and continued up the mountain. When he reached the top of the mountain, he found the ce brightly lit with elegant bamboo houses arranged in a row. Yang Yi raised his head to look at the mountain peak in the center. He saw a trickle of spring water flowing into each bamboo house along several canals. There were a secret rooms for cultivation and inside the bamboo houses. The mouths of springs could be found inside those rooms. "From the looks of it, the further in the house is, the more spiritual springs it would contain." Yang Yi''s gaze fell on the few dpidated bamboo houses at the edge. Those should be the lowest grade ones. There were no spiritual springs there. At most, he would only be getting some water vapor. He followed the number te given by the disciple on duty and walked toward the central part of the Spiritual Spring Mountain. The mountain here was decorated with a kind of fluorite. Other than the bamboo houses, there were also some dazzling stalls. The items on sale at the stalls were mostly herbs, spiritual food, demonic beast meat, and other goods.They were items that would go well with cultivating on the Spiritual Spring Mountain. There were also some peculiar trinkets on sale. Yang Yi took a look around and knew that the target customers for these items were mainly outerdisciples like him. They were not expensive, but their prices were not exactly affordable. "Junior Brother, over here!" Someone suddenly called out to him from the side. Yang Yi looked over and saw a stall owner with a thin face. He was wearing a blue uniform. "Yes, Senior Brother?" The person was also an outer disciple, but he looked a little old. Yang Yi was young and handsome, so calling him "Senior Brother" was not an exaggeration. "I don''t recognize you. Is this your first time here?" asked the senior disciple with a kind smile. "Yes, I''m Yang Yi. May I know your name, Senior Brother?" Yang Yi answered honestly. "Han Houchun." "Greetings, Senior Brother Han." Han Houchun waved his hand with a smile. "Junior brother Yang, you can''t be like this. You look gullible. The Senior Brothers and Sisters manning the stalls are all thieves. They will probably con you good, seeing that you''re a newbie." "They don''t own the stalls?" Yang Yi was surprised. "Of course. Only the inner sect has the right to set up stalls here. They''re just like me. They''re all hired to watch the stalls." Han Houchun patted his chest and said proudly, "My stall belongs to Senior Brother Zhou Da of the Diligent Mountain Court." "The Diligent Mountain Court puts great emphasis on practicalbat. The disciples have a quota of hunting demonic beasts every month. Senior Brother Zhou Da is one of the best. That''s why we have this stall that sells demonic beast meat." He adjusted the position of thentern in front of his stall and shone more light on the goods. Yang Yi saw a portion of neatly packaged demon beast meat on the stall. The demonic beast meats were all smoked into strips. Some were dark, some were red, and some even emitted a kind of fierce aura. It was obvious that they were not ordinary goods. "What do you think? Junior Brother Yang, demonic beast meat is nutritious. It''s best enjoyed while you''re soaking in a spiritual spring." Han Houchun was very enthusiastic. He pointed at a piece of meat and said, "This is the palm meat of the ck-striped bear. It will help improve your strength. A pack like this only costs 200 taels." "..." Yang Yi smiled politely. "You don''t like it? What about this one? It''s the back of the neck of the fire-biting tiger. When you eat it while cultivating in a spiritual spring, your cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds! A pack only costs 100 taels." Han Houchun extended a finger. "Senior Brother Han, I don''t have any ns to buy anything for the time being. Maybe next time..." Yang Yi was ready to refuse. Han Houchun immediately interrupted him with an earnest tone, "Junior Brother Yang! You should focus on the bigger picture here! Do you think that I''m lying to you? You might not know this, but everyone who ate the meat of a demonic beast has nothing but praises for it. You''re only wary because you don''t understand it! When you taste it yourself, you''ll understand how wonderful it is." Seeing that no one was around, he leaned closer and said softly, "Junior Brother Yang, since it''s your first time here, I can think of a way to give you a discount, if you don''t have enough money." "..." Yang Yi knew that he was being clung to. However, he could not do anything about it. Looking at the senior disciple''s stance, he would not let him leave if he did not buy something. "In that case, give me a cheap pack of demonic beast meat, Senior Brother." He decided that he would try some demonic beast meat. He could always stock up on it in the future if he liked them. "Alright, let me see. Got it. This ardent sound sparrow meat is good, and it''s cheap. After discount, it''s 80 taels for a single pack." Han Houchun did not say anything and wrapped the ardent sound sparrow meat and handed it to Yang Yi. "Can''t it be cheaper?" Yang Yi knew that the price was definitely inted. "This is already the cheapest price." Han Houchun''s smile gradually disappeared, and he raised his voice. "This ardent sound sparrow has already mastered the force. Even Senior Brother Zhou Da had to spend a lot of effort to kill it. Long-term consumption of this can help alleviate any stubborn injuries." "Is it effective on internal injuries?" Yang Yi raised his eyebrows. "Of course. Would I lie to you for just 80 taels of silver?" Han Houchun saw that business was promising, and he was secretly happy. "Okay, I''ll take your word for it." Yang Yi hesitated slightly before he bought it. However, just as he was about to take out the money, someone grabbed Han Houchun''s wrist! Thetter cried out in pain. The wrapped meat of the ardent sound sparrow fell. Yang Yi looked over and found that it was an inner sect Senior Sister with a bamboo cane. "What a profiteer! The price of eight taels of ardent sound sparrow meat has increased tenfold. Whose stall is this?" Her voice was as clear as ark. Even if she was angry, she was still pleasing to the eyes. "I-it''s Senior Brother Zhou Da''s stall from Diligent Mountain Court!" Han Houchun cried out in pain. His face was pale and sweat was dripping from his forehead. "Senior Brother Zhou Da is a righteous man. He would never do such a thing. You were trying to deceive a fellow disciple. Do you know what will happen to you if I report this matter to Senior Brother Zhou Da?" This Senior Sister held Han Houchun in one hand and kept hitting him with the cane in the other hand. "Senior Sister Zhuang, I''ve made a mistake. Ouch! I won''t do it again!" Han Houchun cried out bitterly. "Go, apologize to this Junior Brother. If he doesn''t forgive you, I''ll report this matter to Senior Brother Zhou Da." The inner sect Senior Sister twisted her hand and pushed Han Houchun in front of Yang Yi. Yang Yi waspletely stunned. What was going on? "Junior Brother Yang, I''ve made a mistake. Please forgive me on ount that this is my first offense." Han Houchun was full of tears. He was almost going to kneel in front of Yang Yi. "Senior Sister, why don''t we forget about this matter?" Yang Yi looked at this Senior Sister who seemed to be the same age as himself. He did not want to cause any trouble over this trivial amount of money. The others were giving them looks when they heard themotion. "Alright, for your sake, Junior Brother, I''ll let him off this time." The Senior Sister stepped in front of Yang Yi and giggled. "Junior Brother, you don''t look familiar. Let me introduce myself. My name is Zhuang Chenglu, from the inner sect''s Harmony Court." Zhuang Chenglu? Her name sounded familiar. Yang Yi instantly reacted. Was this not the person who cultivated the vitality pills that the Crimson Afterglow Technique stole? "What''s wrong, Junior Brother? You don''t look too good," Zhuang Chenglu blinked and asked. "It''s nothing. My name is Yang Yi. Thank you for helping me out just now, Senior Sister Zhuang." Yang Yi bowed guiltily. "Don''t mention it. It was nothing. I hate profiteers the most." Zhuang Chenglu yed with her cane and sized Yang Yi up before asking, "Junior Brother, would you like to buy some medicine to treat your internal injuries?" "Sure." Yang Yi nodded. "Ha, ardent sound sparrow meat won''t help. Why don''t you give me the 80 taels of silver, and I''ll give you some nine-thorn flower petals. When you soak in the spiritual spring to cultivateter, sprinkle some into the water. You''ll feel the effects right away." Zhuang Chenglu took out a handkerchief and opened it, revealing a few bright red petals. "I was going to use them to cultivate some pills, but since you have a need for them, I''ll give them to you." "Thank you, Senior Sister!" Yang Yi did not suspect her motives after knowing who she was. He epted the petals of the nine-thorns flower and handed over the money at the same time. "I was joking. How can I take your money?" Zhuang Chenglu weighed it in her hand and looked at it again. She smiled with satisfaction and said, "Try them out, Junior Brother. It''s time for me to go down the mountain." Yang Yi bowed and left. Han Houchun was watching from beside the stall. He could not help but roll his eyes as he muttered, "She is clearly more cunning! The nine-thorn flower is just a wild flower that can be picked everywhere!" "Watch your mouth." Zhuang Chenglu raised her cane and left merrily. Han Houchun smiled apologetically. He did not want to provoke this youngdy, who had an extraordinary status, even in the inner sect. Chapter 10: Mountain-hugging Fist, Intermediate Stage Chapter 10: Mountain-hugging Fist, Intermediate Stage Yang Yi was slightly dyed, but he reaped a bountiful harvest. Zhuang Chenglu was an expert pill cultivator. If she was reluctant to part with these herbs, they must be very precious! "They''re fragrant, but they don''t smell like medicine." Yang Yi sniffed the petals, but did not think much about it. He knew very well that his knowledge of pharmacology was shallow, so he might not understand how wonderful the petals were. He never would have thought that Zhuang Chenglu, an inner disciple, would con him for 80 taels of silver. Arriving at his assigned bamboo house, Yang Yi headed straight for the secret cultivation room. The room was like a private hot spring. It was paved with cobblestones and there was a spring that was emitting hot steam. The amount of spiritual spring water in the different bamboo houses were fixed. The springs would turn into ordinary hot springs after the spiritual spring water waspletely absorbed and cultivated. After that, one could choose to leave immediately, or continue soaking until the time was up. Yang Yi finished washing his body in the washroom and dove excitedly into the spring. The warm feeling instantly enveloped his entire body, making him feel refreshed! There was also a slight tingling sensation. It was as if pure energy was piercing his skin, as it was being absorbed and released by his body. Yang Yi did not forget to sprinkle the petals of the nine-thorns flower into the spring water. Then, he focused on circting the Crimson Afterglow Technique. It had to be said that with the support of the spiritual spring water, his cultivation progress was much faster. Two hours passed. Yang Yi had almost finished absorbing the spiritual spring water that was originally provided for four hours. He nced at his attribute panel and realized that his experience bar had increased by a little! When he went up the mountain, Yang Yi heard from the disciple on duty that in the short term, the effect of the spiritual spring water would weaken over time. Hence, it was best toe over and cultivate every few days. After experiencing the effect, Yang Yi was still not satisfied and wished that he could soak in the water all day long. Not only could it speed up his cultivation, it could also heal his injuries and rx his muscles and bones. It was tempting. "But is the nine-thorn flower really effective?" Yang Yi felt as if he was bathing in rose petals. It was aesthetic, but he did not feel anything special. He did feel that his body was more rxed after soaking in the spiritual spring, but he did not know if it was because of the effects of the nine-thorns flowers. "I''ll make aparison the next time Ie here." This time, the nine-thorns flowers were added in a hurry. He would have to try soaking in the spiritual spring without adding the petals the next time he was here. If it really worked, he was prepared to buy more from Zhuang Chenglu. He had just started cultivating the Mountain-hugging Fist and already had internal injuries. In the future, he would definitely need simr medicine. The day gradually progressed into night. There was still about 15 minutes left until the stipted four hours were up. The Crimson Afterglow Technique and the Mountain-hugging Fist automatically gave a feedback. For the Crimson Afterglow Technique, he gained one experience point, as usual. As for the Mountain-hugging Fist, it seemed to be a little tired. It was resting and did not earn any experience points. "It seems like giving feedback 30 times a day is indeed a little too much." This made Yang Yi look like a capitalist who was exploiting his workers. He let the Mountain-hugging Fist rest well and decided that he would try again tomorrow. His gazended on the Crimson Afterglow Technique. "Feedback, 10 times!" [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique secretly ate the ck-striped bear meat at the stall. Its strength increased. Strength +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has felt the trickle of spiritual energy from the spiritual spring. Its cultivation base improved. Experience +10.] Two special events, eight regr reports of painstaking cultivation, experience +1. ... Yang Yi was speechless. He would not know unless he made theparison, but under the same cultivation conditions, he had only obtained one experience point, while the crimson afterglow technique gained 10 points. That dealt a huge blow to him. He wondered if working hard was worth it at all. Yang Yi felt deep malice from the attribute panel. It was trying to corrupt his mind! He sighed softly. Then, he looked at the first item on the list. Yang Yi had a growing feeling that something was wrong with the Crimson Afterglow Technique. "Perceptive" was clearly a positive quality, but why was it frequently involved in underhanded activities? Yang Yi expressed his condemnation toward this, but he epted the results happily. Although the increase in strength was not much, it was better than nothing, and Yang Yi did not mind. He opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (160/500) Spirit umtion points: 1,000 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 Yang Yi wasfortable with how neat this turned out. At this rate, he would be able to break through the Bone Refining stage in less than two months. He was making quick progress. If he went all out, he could increase his speed further. However, the utilization rate of the spirit umtion points would decrease, and it would also bring about some unnecessary risks. The gains would not make up for the losses. The most important thing right now was for him to prioritize the cultivation of the Mountain-hugging Fist. ... ... "What I said just now were the main points of cultivating the Crimson Afterglow Technique. You''d better remember them." A dignified-looking teacher was conducting the lesson in a deep voice. The disciples standing in rows below seemed to have trouble understanding, but they responded in a clear voice. After the ss, Yang Yi left in a daze. He happened to meet Lin Yan, so he called him to the training field to spar and carefully ponder over the lesson taught by the teacher today. "Sorry, I promised my Senior Frother from the Harmony Court to test some pills for him." Lin Yan''s face was slightly pale and his eyes were sunken. No one knew what he had been through during this period of time. "Okay." Yang Yi did not insist. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Jian Wenbin. He said proudly, "Recently, I have quite a lot of experience in cultivating the Vast Heaven Fist. I believe that I''ll reach the beginner stage in a few days. Are you up for a spar?" "Uh, okay." Yang Yi looked at his attribute panel with a troubled expression. Martial art: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Intermediate (12/300) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial arts Feedback: ... It had been more than 10 days since theirst sparring session. Yang Yi had cultivated the Mountain-hugging Fist to the intermediate stage. There was no bottleneck. It went smoothly. If he fought against Jian Wenbin, who was not even at the beginner stage for the Vast Heaven Fist, it would not really mean much for him. It would probably only take one move before the oue was decided. Aside from Jian Wenbin, there were also a few close peers who were walking toward the training field. Along the way, everyone discussed the key points of cultivation taught by the coach. "Coach Shen doesn''t know how to teach. I didn''t understand a single thing he said," Jian Wenbin said regretfully. "It would be great if we were allowed to pick our coaches." "That''s right. The path of cultivation still depends on one''s own self to constantly explore. After all, lessons are nothing but external forces." "That''s right. When we were general disciples, we had loads of daily chores, and only one lesson a month. Yet, we still managed to break through to the Blood Refining stage." Many others chimed in. Even Yang Yi started to doubt the importance of the lessons. After a moment, someone suddenly sighed. "Those were some long years." "..." Everyone looked at each other and fell silent. The topic of schoolwork was no longer discussed. Everyone started to talk about the missions they took on during this period of time. After all, not everyone was as rich as Yang Yi. There were a lot of people who were busying themselves to earn 100 contribution points every month. "Sigh, in order to earn this month''s contribution points, I spent more than half of my time on missions. I''ve been on duty at various parts of the sect, sorted out materials, and even hunted a demonic beast. Although it''s only a Skin Refining beast that sneaked into a farmer''s house to eat his crops, it''s still extremely dangerous." Jian Wenbin was quite proud when he talked about hunting demonic beasts. Not many disciples who were new to the Blood Refining stage would have the courage to take on such missions. Although, Jian Wenbin merely tagged along a Bone Refining Senior Brother for the mission, and all he did was contribute one single stab at the beast after it was taken down. Chapter 11: Can Money Solve Everything? Chapter 11: Can Money Solve Everything? When it came to missions, everyone had their own difficult moments. The few people present here were only recently promoted to the outer sect. In addition to their daily cultivation needs, they had to fork out 100 contribution points every month. It was truly a heartache for most of them. "If I didn''t spend all my time on missions, my cultivation would definitely have improved further." Jian Wenbin pretended to be a profound thinker as he said, "Ever since that incident happened in the sect, everyone has been on edge." Members of the Raindrop Court had gone missing, and no news about them have been heard ever since. Many people guessed that Master Mei had been killed. As a low-ranking disciples of the sect, their daily cultivation was not affected much, but they felt impetuous to some extent, nheless. The Qixia sect was not alone in having troubles. Even Qingzhou and the Great Yue Dynasty was not at peace. "You''re right, Senior Brother Jian." Many disciples sighed. Jian Wenbin saw that Yang Yi was silent. Hence, he asked, "Junior Brother Yang, you''ve been in the outer sect for more than a month, so you must have experienced some difficult missions. We might have the freedom to cultivate anytime we want to, but we also have invisible shackles on us." "Uh, I''ve been working hard during this period of time, and I haven''t been to the Mission Hall," Yang Yi said truthfully. Jian Wenbin gave Yang Yi a deep look. He had a sour feeling. Almost everyone here relied on donations to enter the sect. However, most of them only had enough money from their families to join the sect. After that, they had to rely on themselves for everything else. From Yang Yi''s behavior, it was obvious that he was not one of them. He reckoned that Yang Yi''s family had his future cultivation needs covered. There would always be a person who did not fit in with others in every era. Jian Wenbin was used to this. He did not feel good about this, but what else could he do? Could he rob the rich disciples of their money? The richer the person was, the more he did not dare to rob them. Who knew how influential their family might be? They might even be secretly protected by an expert bodyguard. "Let''s go. I want to cultivate to my heart''s content today!" Jian Wenbin nned to vent his anger during the sparring session. They arrived at the training field and quickly divided into groups to spar. Jian Wenbin pulled Yang Yi aside. Yang Yi had reached the intermediate stage with his Mountain-hugging Fist. He wanted to try it out as well. Sparring with Jian Wenbin would obviously not give him any benefits, but seeing how enthusiastic Jian Wenbin was, Yang Yi did not want to embarrass him. He nned to restrain himself as best he could during their sparring session. "Be careful, this is the as stance of the Vast Heaven Fist!" Jian Wenbin''s moves were much sharperpared to before. Fist shadows wereunched in rapid session. They had the aura of a fist that could break the skies. However, Yang Yi parried his attacks without fail. After being "forced" to retreat a few steps, he suddenly stood still and turned around to throw a punch. Bang! Their fists collided and their powers seeped into each other. Jian Wenbin could not take it anymore and fell to the ground. When Yang Yi saw this, he let out a wail, pretended to lose his bnce and fell to the ground. "Is that how powerful the Mountain-hugging Fist is? I guess I''ll have reach the beginner stage of the Vast Heaven Fist before I can fight against it." Jian Wenbin stood up and rubbed his butt. He did not expect Yang Yi to be able to take his killer move and end their spar with a draw. Yang Yi moved his arms and stood up. He was thinking about an excuse he could give to leave. "Again!" Jian Wenbin struck a stance again. "Wait." A voice suddenly called out from beyond the training field. The two of them looked in the direction of the voice and saw an old man in a white robe sauntering toward them. "It''s Manager Xu Menghua of the Mission Hall!" Jian Wenbin cried out in surprise. "Manager Xu?" Yang Yi''s gaze was uncertain. He did not know why the manager of the Mission Hall was walking toward them. "What''s your name?" Xu Menghua walked over and stared at Yang Yi. There was a dignified tone in his voice. "Disciple Yang Yi." Yang Yi''s heart skipped a beat. "Come with me." Xu Menghua turned around and left. He did not give Yang Yi any time to think. "I thought you''ve never been to the Mission Hall before. How did you offend Manager Xu?" Jian Wenbin''s face was filled with shock, and he did not dare to breathe loudly. All the disciples who had been to the Mission Hall knew that Xu Menghua was not an easy person to get along with. He had a strong personality and would haggle over every penny. It was probably because of this that the sect appointed him as the manager of the Mission Hall. Not long ago, a disciple who was fooling around during a mission was caught by Xu Menghua on the spot. In the end, he was severely reprimanded. That disciple''s face turned pale at that time, and he almost wet his pants. "I have no idea." Yang Yi was as dumbfounded as he was. The only thing he knew was that the manager did not seem to be in a good mood. He braced himself and followed. Finally, they arrived at an elegant residence. This seemed to be Xu Menghua''s residence in the sect. It was quiet and secluded, as if he was the only one there. "Manager Xu, I don''t know what I did wrong. Kindly enlighten me." When they entered the residence, Xu Menghua had just sat down when Yang Yi bowed and spoke. "Why did you go easy on him during the sparring session just now?" Xu Menghua picked up his teacup and took a sip. Uh, that was it? Yang Yi was baffled. After picking his words, he said honestly, "I have improved a lot in my cultivation recently. I have already cultivated the Mountain-hugging Fist to the intermediate stage. If I were to use it at full strength, I''m afraid I would hurt Senior Brother Jian Wenbin. I wanted to tell him in advance, but I was dragged onto the training field before I had the chance." "That''s reasonable, but there''s no need for a fake fall in the end. You thought that you were taking your Senior Brother''s pride into consideration, but you''re actually doing him a disservice. The purpose of sparring is to practice. Does acting help you achieve the aim of sparring?" Xu Menghua''s eyes were sharp. "I see. I admit my mistake." Yang Yi hurriedly agreed. The manager had seen through his acting. For a fleeting moment, he was worried that the others had found out about his Mountain-hugging Fist''s assault of a fellow disciple. Recently, his Mountain-hugging Fist had inexplicably attacked a few senior and junior brothers. They were not seriously injured, and the incidents were not made into huge issues. However, a new tradition was gradually adopted in the outer sect. Nobody would be wandering around on their own at night. "How long have you been in the outer sect? I don''t think I''ve seen you in the Mission Hall before." Xu Menghua''s face rxed a little as he started to chat. "About a month or so," Yang Yi answered truthfully. "You cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist?" Xu Menghua raised his eyes. "Yes." Yang Yi nodded. "It''s quite difficult to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist to the intermediate stage in a month or so." Xu Menghua had cultivated the Mountain-hugging Fist before, so he knew that it was not easy to break through the bottlenecks of this martial art. In a month''s time, it was easy to reach the beginner stage, but reaching the intermediate depended on one''s aptitude! "Yes, I had a lucky breakthrough recently." Having said that, Yang Yi could only bite the bullet and admit it. In fact, even if he did not say it, with Xu Menghua''s sharp eyes, it was very easy to see through it. There was no benefit in hiding it. If he had to me someone, it would be his own bad luck. When they were sparring, Xu Menghua just happened to pass by. Any other manager would not have cared about such matters! "Show me some of your moves." Xu Menghua''s expression became serious. Yang Yi felt helpless. He demonstrated a few moves of the Mountain-hugging Fist in the hall. "Not bad, you have indeed reached the intermediate stage. Moreover, your fist style is shrewd and ruthless. It seems that you have experienced a lot of actualbat." Xu Menghua revealed a rare smile. "Thank you for your praise, Manager Xu. Before joining the sect, I''ve always yed around with the martial artists guarding my family. They''ve experienced life in the pugilistic world. Indeed, I do have somebat experience." Yang Yi could only bluff. He could not say that he had cultivated the Mountain-hugging Fist in the middle of the night, right? "Good, good," Xu Menghua repeated hisment. He was from the Diligent Mountain Court of the inner sect. He had a good impression of the disciples who paid attention to actualbat. The way he looked at Yang Yi immediately became fond. In just a month''s time, he was able to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist to the intermediate stage. He really had aptitude in martial arts. At least, he had aptitude in hard body techniques. "Judging from your tone, your family is quite well-off. That''s your advantage, so you should make good use of it. However, it is still an external factor. Can money solve everything?" Xu Menghua said earnestly, "I see that you have a good aptitude, so I''ll tell you this. In the path of cultivation, you need to rely on your own diligence and perseverance. You can''t y tricks, and you shouldn''t put your head down and cultivate blindly. The Mission Hall was established to let disciples hone their skills while earning resources. Only in this way can they consolidate their cultivation bases and nurture the ability to adapt to changes. Otherwise, everything is just a castle in the air. It''s impressive-looking, but it''s useless!" Chapter 12: Listen to My Teachings Chapter 12: Listen to My Teachings There were more than 10 towns of varying sizes scattered across the Sunset Mountains near the Qixia sect. They were affiliated to the Qixia sect and paid their tithes. If they ran into trouble, they would seek protection from the Qixia sect. Apart from the missions issued by the sect, there were also many requests for help from minor sects. Even the adjudication of some personal disputes would sometimes be taken to the sect. There were time-consuming chores with low risks and low returns, but there were also tasks that put one''s skills to the test. It all depended on whether one dared to ept them. Xu Menghua had seen many rich disciples like Yang Yi before. Each of them wanted to cultivate until they were invincible before they left the sect. However, their final achievements were rarely satisfactory. Yang Yi had only been in the outer sect for a month, so it was normal that he had not started epting missions. Xu Menghua was also fond of talented people, which was why he told Yang Yi about all this. However, telling someone else too many things might not always be the best course of action. "I will remember that!" Yang Yi was deeply touched. He was not especially close to Xu Menghua, so it was rare for the manager to say so many heartfelt words to him. In the path of martial arts, one really had to rely on hard work and diligent cultivation instead of the umtion of resources alone. Money was but an object. Although it was worth relying on, it was not omnipotent. Did the cultivation bases of the rich necessarily improve quickly? Were the rich men really as happy as the average person imagined them to be? The happiness of the rich man was not something that the average person could imagine. Yang Yi sighed. Xu Menghua had reminded him about this fact. The Mission Hall was indeed a good ce to test his strength. However, this was not the time. Yang Yi wanted to cultivate in silence for now. He wished to reach the Bone Refining stage, at least. He had lots of money, so he did not consider bing a disciple on duty. Also, he considered himself too weak to leave the sect now, as he was only at the Blood Refining stage. "Since you listen to my teachings, there''s no time to lose. Report to the Mission Hall tomorrow." Xu Menghua did not give Yang Yi the chance to retort. "..." Yang Yi''s face stiffened. This guy was not ying by the rules! He looked at Xu Menghua and saw that the manager''s face was cold and stern. There was no room for arguments. He could only agree. "Understood." He could not afford to offend a manager over such a trivial matter, could he? Moreover, the manager''s intentions were good. "Don''t worry, I am not asking you to kill demonic beasts right away. There are many types of missions. You can try to understand their contents and choose the basic ones to start with." Xu Menghua waved his hand, indicating that Yang Yi could leave. Before Yang Yi left, he stopped him and said, "Since you''re listening to my teachings, you cane and look for me if you encounter any problems in the cultivation of martial techniques such as the Mountain-hugging Fist." "Thank you, manager Xu!" Yang Yi was overjoyed. He bowed and left. When he passed by the training field, he found that Jian Wenbin and the others had already left. Yang Yi stopped and collected the spirit umtion points here before heading to the Spiritual Spring Mountain. After experiencing the effects of the spring, he went there to cultivate for four hours every few days. "Hello, Junior Brother Yang! I have some interesting goods today!" Han Houchun greeted him as soon as he reached the top of the mountain. Ever since Yang Yi learned that the Mountain-hugging Fist ate demonic beast meat to increase its strength, he bought some demonic beast meat from Han Houchun every time he paid a visit to the Spiritual Spring Mountain. Of course, he would buy them at the normal price. Han Houchun was eager to please Yang Yi, who had now be his regr customer. The two of them became familiar with each other over the course of their dealings. "Let me have a look." Yang Yi moved to the front of the stall. "This is green bull python jerky. The beast was at the Spiral Force realm, making this a rare item. I had to do a fair bit of talking to save a portion for you." Spiral Force was the first level of the Strength Entry realm. Han Houchun took out a paper bag from the cab and carefully opened it, revealing a meat strip as thick as a pinky finger. Yang Yi immediately smelled the rich fragrance of the meat. He could not help but salivate. "Hehe, the green bull python meat can increase the amount of Qi and blood, and it tastes good. Therefore, thepetition on the market is tight for this. If I wasn''t already a Bone Refining cultivator, I definitely wouldn''t give it to you," Han Houchun said without being prompted. It was hard to tell if he was telling the truth. "Senior Brother Han, I''m a regr customer. Don''t con me." To be honest, Yang Yi was tempted. After reaching the intermediate stage of the Mountain-hugging Fist, the next thing he needed to do was to focus on cultivating the Crimson Afterglow Technique to the third level. In other words, he had to break through to the Bone Refining stage. Demonic beast meat might not have that much of an effect on him, but it was better than nothing. It could help in his cultivation. After a round of bargaining, Yang Yi finally got a palm-sized bag of green bull python meat. "Fortunately, I brought a lot of money with me when I left home. When I was a general disciple, I didn''t spend too much money." Yang Yi was filled with confidence. Before going to the bamboo house, he bought some simple herbs for a medicinal bath. Afterparing the other herbs, Yang Yi suspected that he had been conned by Zhuang Chenglu. The nine-thorns flower was not evenparable to the ordinary herb packets that were sold at a nearby stall for 10 taels of silver. The effects of treating hidden injuries aside, the ordinary herb packets were at least morefortable to soak in. He decided that he would confront her about this when the opportunityes. How could she deceive an outer sect Junior Brother, when she was an inner sect Senior Sister? Inside the secret room. Yang Yi soaked in the spiritual spring to relieve his tiredness. After more than two hours of concentrated cultivation, he was a little out of breath. The essence of the spiritual spring had almost beenpletely cultivated. For the rest of the time, he nned to enjoy it like soaking in a hot spring. He ced a green bull python meat into his mouth and chewed on it. At the same time, he opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (385/500) Spiritual umtion points: 300 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 Recently, he requested 11 feedback reports from the Crimson Afterglow Technique every day. He was 20% away from the experience points he needed to break through. At this rate, he would be able topletely break through to the Bone Refining stage in less than half a month! This speed was alreadyparable to some inner sect geniuses. Originally, Yang Yi wanted to wait until he had broken through before visiting the Mission Hall. He did not expect Xu Menghua to force him to take on missions so soon. "Oh well. At least he did not force me to choose any specific mission." Yang Yi nned to find an easy mission to go through the motions, for now. "Crimson Afterglow Technique, 10 times!" [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has cultivated on the Spiritual Spring Mountain. Its cultivation base advanced by leaps and bounds. Experience +7.] Out of the 10 feedback reports, only one of them triggered a special event. This was considered good, but there were no reports rted to the green bull python, which made Yang Yi feel somewhat regretful. He also discovered a fact that was difficult for him to ept. Whether it was the Crimson Afterglow Technique or the Mountain-hugging Fist, their aptitudes in all aspects far surpassed his own. They even surpassed him the absorption of the demonic beast meat''s essences. Therefore, sometimes, Yang Yi ate demonic beast meat just to increase the probability of triggering special events for the feedback reports. If he relied on himself, he would be hard-pressed to increase his strength significantly even if he ate until his stomach burst. If he had ess to some extremely rare demonic beast meat, that would be a different matter. Yang Yi returned from the Spiritual Spring Mountain in a rxed state and slept. The next morning, after absorbing the Afterglow Qi, he went to the Mission Hall. There were many disciples going in and out of the Mission Hall. It was divided into three floors. Body Tempering disciples could ept all the missions on the lower floors, but were barred from the topmost floor. Yang Yi looked around the first level. He did not see Xu Menghua. He asked the disciple on duty and found out that Manager Xu was noting today. Yang Yi thought about it and decided to take a look around. "What is your current realm? What kind of mission do you want to take on?" The disciple on duty held a pen in one hand and prepared to make a record. Then, he would choose a suitable mission from the list and present it to Yang Yi. Chapter 13: First Mission Chapter 13: First Mission Yang Yi informed the disciple on duty of his cultivation base and requirements. In short, this was his first mission. He did not want time-consuming orbor-intensive tasks, and he could ept some level of risk. The disciple on duty made a record and gave Yang Yi a deep look. Basically, those who made such requirements did not need to worry about contribution points. They were also cautious in dealing with the world. Yang Yi was not the only person with such requirements. "I see. Wait a moment." The disciple on duty took the records and left the counter. Yang Yi observed the other disciples while he waited. After waiting for a moment, the disciple on duty returned to the counter again. In his hand was a stack of small books that were bounded by iron rings. "These missions meet your requirements. You can choose from among them." The disciple on duty ced the mission booklet on the table and then motioned for the disciple behind him toe forward. He was very familiar with the job. Yang Yi flipped through the mission booklet that looked like a card. "Need one 100-years fire cloud fungus. It grows at the cliffs on the eastern side of the mountains. Reward: 80 contribution points. Mission time limit... Harmony Court." "Delivery escort. The route is from Caiyun Town to Feixiao City is estimated to take eight days. Reward: 120 contribution points. Mission time limit... Caiyun Town''s ck Water Gang." "Wumei Vige is currently suffering from a gue of rats. They''re at the Skin Refining stage, with the possible existence of a rat king. Rmended for a Bone Refining disciple or multiple Blood Refining disciples to work on this. Reward: 160 contribution points. Time limit for the mission... Wumei Vige." Flipping through the pages, Yang Yi saw that the mission rewards were basically around 100 contribution points. Completing one was equivalent to paying a month''s worth of tribute. This meant that the missions were somewhat difficult. Yang Yi was more interested in the task of escorting the goods. The others either involved handing in items or facing demonic beasts. There was too much uncertainty in them. The ck Water Gang was the main entity responsible for escorting the goods. He would only be there to make up the numbers. It was a rtively easy mission. The only issue he had with it was the duration of the mission. Outside the Qixia sect, he might not be able to find a ce where he could collect spirit umtion points. That would be a huge loss! He was having trouble to make up his mind. Yang Yi suddenly saw another mission. "Escort a hunter and his grandson into Sky Light Mountain to collect the morning dew from ghost weeds. Involves camping for a night. Reward: 25 contribution points. Time limit for the mission... A Hunter from Wumei Vige." Sky Light Mountain was not far away from the sect. It was on the outskirts of the Sunset Mountains. Demonic beast encounters were rare there, and travelers also frequented the area. There have been no reports of anyone getting into trouble there. The only difficulty of the mission was the need to sleep in the open overnight. Yang Yi carefully examined the mission card. The time limit was approaching. It was tomorrow. There were also traces of changes to the contribution points. They were now five points more than the original. Presumably, nobody had taken an interest in this mission, so the publisher had no choice but to increase the reward. "Senior Brother, I want to ept this mission." Yang Yi waited for the disciple on duty to be free beforeing forward and voicing out his request. "Are you sure? If the you fail the mission, three contribution points will be deducted," the disciple on duty said. "I understand. Please, sign me up for this." Yang Yi handed over his pass. He understood the rules of epting missions. In order to prevent some disciples from randomly epting missions and causing losses to the person who issued the mission, if the mission failed due to subjective factors, the contribution points of the disciple who epted the mission would be deducted by a certain percentage. "Okay, the three contribution points will be deducted in advance. After the mission ispleted, report back with the wooden token from the client. Your points will be returned to you with the reward." The disciple on duty lightly swiped Yang Yi''s pass before the sensing zone. After registering him, he returned the pass to Yang Yi. "The client has been notified through the wooden token. Junior Brother, please be at the east entrance of Wumei Vige by noon tomorrow. Someone will be waiting for you there. Good luck." The disciple on duty smiled. "Thank you, senior brother." Yang Yi retrieved his pass. Before he left, he nced at the sensing area on the counter. He was quite interested in this kind of sensing technique. However, he knew very well that in order to understand it, he would have to do better than be at the Strength Entry realm. At the very least, he would have to reach the Sati Transformation realm. He left the Mission Hall without even seeing Xu Menghua. He was a manager of the sect and must have been busy. Yang Yi felt that it was normal that he did not see him. In any case, he had already started on a basic mission, as he was requested to. On the surface, this escort mission only gave a reward of 25 contribution points, but in reality, there were many things that could be obtained! The most important thing was that the person who issued the mission was a hunter. Hunters had the clearest understanding of the surrounding mountains. They knew where the dangerous and safe regions were. This way, even if he had to spend the night on this escort mission, his safety would be guaranteed. Other than that, Yang Yi could also learn about the terrain of the surrounding mountains from the hunter. In the future, whether it was going up the mountains to hunt or leaving in case of trouble, he would be able to adapt to the situation. He was making ns for the future. "Yang Yi?" Jian Wenbin was also there at the entrance of the Mission Hall. "You''re here as well?" he said. "Yes. I picked a simple mission to try my hand." Yang Yi noticed that there was a handsome man beside Jian Wenbin. "Hehe, that''s right. It''s not good to be cultivating all day." Jian Wenbin smiled. He was happy to see Yang Yi take on missions. Otherwise, when he took on missions to earn contribution points, Yang Yi''s cultivation base would continue to improve. That would widen the gap between their progress, and he did not want that to happen. "I took on a mission with Senior Brother Shen Ge. We''re dealing with a few Skin Refining demonic beasts. We''re departing tonight." Jian Wenbin emphasized the "demonic beasts". Shen Ge was also an outer disciple. He had been at the Blood Refining stage for a long time. He might not have the aptitude, but his strength was not to be underestimated. He was experienced in dealing with Skin Refining demonic beasts. "Good luck." Yang Yi was not familiar with Shen Ge, so he merely nodded cursorily at him. He could see from Shen Ge''s eyes that thetter was confident in this mission. Jian Wenbin pulled Yang Yi to the side and asked him why Xu Menghua called him away yesterday to which Yang Yi smiled and gave a vague answer. Jian Wenbinforted him, "Manager Xu is a straightforward man. He can be harsh sometimes, but he has a kind heart. If anything happens, don''t take it to heart. I feel sorry for him, to be honest..." After saying that, he left with Shen Ge. Yang Yi was stunned by his statement. He guessed that Jian Wenbin might have misunderstood something. He knew that Xu Menghua was doing it out of kindness. Otherwise, he would not havee to the Mission Hall. After thinking about it for a while, he turned around and went to the medicine pavilion. There were many natural treasures, spiritual herbs, and spiritual medicine sold there. Of course, there were also some misceneous items. For example, there were insect repellent incense, big appetite pills, beast luring pills, purple poison powder, and other items that had miraculous effects under certain circumstances. This was going to be his first trip out of the sect. He wanted to be well prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. The effects of the beast luring pill and purple poison powder were especially remarkable. Yang Yi bought a big bag of each. Everyone else inside the medicine pavilion was looking at him. The disciple on duty repeatedly asked him about the purpose of buying them, in case he was nning to do something illegal. "With these, even if I encounter a Blood Refining demonic beast, I have nothing to worry about!" Yang Yi left the medicine pavilion, satisfied. In fact, he was still being modest. With such a huge amount of purple poison powder, even Spiral Force demonic beasts would be wary of him, let alone Blood Refining demonic beasts. However, even though the beasts would be wary of him, there was no guarantee that Yang Yi would be able to draw out full potential of the items. Yang Yi pinned the two bags on his waist. He nned to return to the wooden hut and try to incorporate them into his fighting strategy. For example, he could scatter a handful of poison powder and toss a beast luring pill mid-fight to catch his opponents off guard. Chapter 14: Hunter Chapter 14: Hunter He was supposed to meet the client at noon tomorrow. The journey from the sect''s gate to Wumei Vige would only take one morning. Hence, Yang Yi could stay in the wooden hut for the night. "Hah!" A handful of purple poisonous powder was scattered in the air above the courtyard. Yang Yi was wearing a mask and tight-fitting clothes as he circled to the back and threw a punch. His punchnded on the arm of the wooden puppet. The puppet spun and its other arm attacked from the side. Yang Yi''s eyes were coated with a protective medicinal liquid, preventing the powder from entering his eyes. He nced sideways and blocked with his elbow. At the same time, he raised one palm, clenched it into a fist, and threw it towards the belly of the puppet. "Bam!" With the enhancement of the attribute changes in his cultivation method, the explosive power of the Mountain-hugging Fist increased dramatically. The mechanical figure made of hardwood exploded from the impact, causing wood chips to fly everywhere. "I''m not at the Bone Refining stage yet, but my strength is already on par with a Bone Refining cultivator!" Yang Yi stopped. He was very satisfied with his current condition. He now understood why cultivation methods were said to be the foundation of a martial artist''s cultivation. Even if they used the same martial technique, the effects would be different for people who cultivated different cultivation methods. After sessfully evolving the Crimson Afterglow Technique, he gained a huge advantage over his peers. Moreover, the Mountain-hugging Fist would asionally steal demonic beast meat to eat which increased its strength, Qi and blood, and other basic attributes. He also received many feedback reports on its actualbat techniques. As a result, Yang Yi''s physical fitness had improved quite a bitpared to before thanks to thebination of the various achievements. Even if he were to face a Bone Refining expert, he would not be afraid at all! However,pared to a true Bone Refining expert, Yang Yi''s ability to withstand blows was still slightly weaker. It was precisely because of this that he prepared so many supporting moves. He nned to use flexible and changeable tactical thinking and not fight head-on against his opponents. Naturally, this was just a precautionary measure. The risk of this mission was not so high. He sprinkled some water in the courtyard to make the poisonous powder settle naturally. Yang Yi took off his tight coat, returned to the long corridor, and sat cross-legged on the clean floor. There was a table next to him with a te of green bull python meat which he bought previously. Yang Yi grabbed a jerky strip and ate it. Then, he closed his eyes and meditated. The cultivation of a martial artist was lonely. He needed to train in actualbat. He also needed to calm down and spend some time to gain enlightenment. A cool breeze blew past his hair. When he opened his eyes, the courtyard was already covered in a fiery red hue. The burning clouds in the sky looked like they were covered in blood. It was really beautiful! Yang Yi opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (403/500) Spirit umtion points: 400 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He turned his focus on the Mountain-hugging Fist. Martial art: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Intermediate (13/300) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... Ever since the Mountain-hugging Fist broke through to the intermediate stage, Yang Yi did not manually request for feedback. Hence, his progress slowed. He could only collect 200 spirit umtion points per day, and he wanted to save a little in case he needed it when the Crimson Afterglow Technique breaks through to the Bone Refining stage. "Sigh, I''m stretched thin! After I break through to the Bone Refining stage, I should be able to increase the daily spirit umtion points quota, right?" Yang Yi looked forward to it. He requested for ten feedback reports! [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has undergone a day of painstaking cultivation. Its cultivation was improved. Experience +1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has made a bunch of friends at the Spiritual Spring Mountain. It learned some things from them. Refer to the details for more information.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has observed Zhao Heng''s cultivation under the devil suppression tree. Its meridians became obstructed and resulted in a bacsh. Experience -4.] Out of the 10 feedback reports, there were two special events. One of them resulted in a deduction of experience points. Yang Yi thought to himself that he was out of luck. He tried to circte the Crimson Afterglow Technique. It was rather smooth and he did not feel as though his meridians were obstructed. "I wonder if this description will be reflected in the form of an internal injury, or merely a deduction of experience points?" Yang Yi was not sure. In fact, a deduction experience points did not matter to him. His overall experience points would increase anyway. What he was most afraid of was the adverse effects of cultivating the Crimson Afterglow Technique. "Zhao Heng? If I remember correctly, he''s a disciple of the Li Bamboo Court. Not long ago, he sparred with the First Senior Brother of the Dao Yang Academy and only lost by half a move. He clearly has aptitude. Where did the Crimson Afterglow Technique go wrong while observing his cultivation?" Yang Yi could not figure it out for now, so he focused on the previous feedback report. [Liuxi Town to the north of the mountains has not been peaceful recently. Many nearby viges have been attacked by demonic beasts. The people are living in fear.] This was considered a valuable piece of information. However, the Sky Light Mountain that Yang Yi was going to visit this time was in the south. He was not worried about any spillover effects from the events mentioned in the feedback report. Yang Yi looked at the Crimson Afterglow Technique. He did not dare to request any more feedback reports. If he obtained any negative effects again, it would very likely affect tomorrow''s mission. He decided to go to bed early tonight. The next morning, Yang Yi went to collect spirit umtion points. Then, he wrapped himself up tightly and set off for the Wumei Vige. Along the way, he met many disciples who gave him strange looks. If Yang Yi put on his mask, he might really be captured as an assassin with evil intentions. The forest was empty, and insects were chirping and birds were singing. At noon, Yang Yi arrived at the east entrance of Wumei Vige as scheduled. He saw a hunter with gray hair standing there with a bow and arrow on his back. When the hunter saw Yang Yi, he immediately went up to him and said gratefully, "Thank you for your assistance, young hero!" "Uncle, just call me Yang Yi." Even though Yang Yi was only an outer disciple, many people would think highly of him in the towns. "Hello, young hero Yang. I''m a hunter from the Wumei Vige. I don''t have a great name, but everyone who knows me calls me Zhang Jiu." Zhang Jiu found Yang Yi''s attire strange, but he did not say anything. He then said, "Young hero Yang, this time I''m asking the immortal sect for help because of my poor grandson. Half a year ago, for some unknown reason, my grandson couldn''t sleep normally. He would still be full of energy even at night. Even after seeing the doctor, his condition doesn''t seem to be improving." "That''s strange." Yang Yi was quite surprised. "This grandson of mine had a hard life. His parents died when he was still a young boy. He followed me around the mountain since he was young. However, ever since he fell ill, he became more and more haggard. My wife and I could only take turns to look after him." When he spoke about his grandson, Zhang Jiu seemed to have aged several years. His family had always been poor. They relied on him to go hunting in the mountains to maintain their livelihood. Now that Zhang Jiu had to take care of his grandson, he had to reduce his trips into the mountains. However, the cost of buying his grandson medicine was increasing day by day. All of this burden fell on the old man with a wrinkled face. "However," Zhang Jiu changed the topic, and a hint of hope appeared in his eyes, "Some time ago, a wandering Taoist passed by the our vige and treated my grandson. Now, if we can get some morning dew condensed on ghost weeds, we can cure him!" Ghost weed was a kind of poisonous nt. It was not umon deep inside the mountains. No matter how Yang Yi thought about it, it sounded like a folk prescription for fighting poison with poison. Yang Yi did not know much about medicine, so he did not say much about it. Instead, he said, "I have a general understanding of the situation now. I''m to escort the two of you to spend the night on Sky Light Mountain, right?" "Yes, the Taoist said that the morning dew can only be drunk on the spot and can not be collected. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have troubled the celestial sect for this." Zhang Jiu bowed again. "There''s no need to be so polite. Uncle Zhang, where''s your grandson?" As Yang Yi was speaking, he felt a chill behind him. Without hesitation, he jumped aside and reached into the poison powder bag. Chapter 15: Are You Trying to Get Me Killed? Chapter 15: Are You Trying to Get Me Killed? Thunk! A bamboo knife struck the ground on which Yang Yi was standing on a few seconds ago. The person holding the bamboo knife was an eight or nine-year-old boy. Yang Yi retreated to the side and paused for a moment before taking his hand out of the poison powder bag. "You naughty boy!" Seeing this, Zhang Jiu''s face turned pale. He went forward and snatched the boy''s bamboo knife. He swatted the boy''s head and said angrily, "If you offend young hero Yang, no one will be willing to escort us up the mountain!" "I don''t care, and I don''t want to go up the mountain!" The boy paled. His eyes were sunken. He was wearing two pieces of linen clothes, but he still looked thin. He was Zhang Jiu''s grandson, Zhang Xiaohu. Zhang Xiaohu was held by Zhang Jiu. He could not break free, but he was not listening to Zhang Jiu. "Uh..." Zhang Jiu was helpless and could only smile apologetically. "This child isn''t sensible. I hope you won''t take offense, young hero Yang." "It''s alright." Yang Yi stood by the side. He did not ask about the cause of this matter. After some persuasion, Zhang Xiaohu calmed down. Zhang Jiu walked over and indicated that they could depart. Yang Yi was chewing on a jerky. He nodded. Then, he followed Zhang Jiu to Sky Light Mountain. Sky Light Mountain was to the west of Wumei Vige. There was a road from here and it was only a four hours'' walk. After that, they would have to deviate from the main road and go deep into the forest. In the evening. Zhang Jiu walked in front while swinging his scythe to remove the obstacles in his way. Following behind him was Zhang Xiaohu. He was also swinging his bamboo knife, but he was just venting his anger on the grass. Yang Yi brought up the rear. With someone leading the way, he was less worried. "Sky Light Mountain isn''t dangerous, but there aren''t many game as well. If you like to hunt, you can go to Young Peak Mountain on the side, but it''s not rmended to go deep, where the demonic beasts are active." Along the way, Zhang Jiu was telling Yang Yi about the surrounding terrain. He was at the Skin Refining stage. When he was younger, he tried to reach the Blood Refining stage, but he failed. After that, he relied on hunting for a living, got married, had children, and led an ordinary life. "So, the periphery of the Sunset Mountains is quite peaceful." Yang Yi had a rough idea. "Not always. Recently, several towns nearby have not been peaceful. More and more demonic beasts are showing up at the outer areas of the mountains, stealing livestock and destroying crops. Nobody knows why this is happening." For a hunter like Zhang Jiu who relied on the mountain for a living, demonic beasts were his natural enemies. Naturally, he was constantly paying attention to the changes on the mountain. "Stop!" Zhang Jiu, who was leading the way in front, suddenly bent down. Yang Yi stood still. He quickly ced his hand on the poison powder bag. The nearby weeds grew past his calves, and there were brambles everywhere. The tall trees looked as if they had been carved out of the same mold. The canopy blotted out the sky and covered the sun. There were only scattered golden rays which shone through the gaps between the leaves. There was no sound in the surroundings. It was very quiet. "There are traces left behind by demonic beasts here." Zhang Jiu picked up a stain on the weeds and sniffed it. "Fortunately, it''s probably a lone Skin Refining three-tailed seductive fox." He stood up and pointed in another direction. "Young hero Yang, let''s go that way." "Okay." Yang Yi continued to follow. Another hour passed. They arrived at their destination safely. However, the sky waspletely dark. "We''re here. This is ghost weed. It''s still here!" Zhang Jiu approached a wet rock with his torch. All the nts in the vicinity had withered. Only a nt that had grown up to his calves was left standing. Yang Yi had heard of the ghost weed, but this was the first time he had seen it. He stretched out his hand. "Young hero Yang, don''t touch the ghost weed. It will give you a searing pain!" Zhang Jiu hurriedly stopped him. "If the poison is so potent, how can you drink the dew that forms on its leaves?" Yang Yi was shocked. "That Taoist gave Huzi a bowl of talisman water. He said it could resist poison." Zhang Jiu sighed. "It might be dangerous, but this is the only way. Huzi has been relying on medicine for half a year. I''m afraid he can''t go on like this." "That''s a lie. Grandpa, that old Taoist is a liar! Are you trying to get me killed?" Zhang Xiaohu suddenly roared. "Shut up! Drinking dew won''t kill you, but if you continue to live like this, you''ll die!" Zhang Jiu reprimanded him. "Can''t you see that the old Taoist is just after your money? Your savings were supposed to be used when you attempt the Blood Refining stage! Now, it''s all gone!" Zhang Xiaohu brandished his bamboo knife and left. The nearby vegetation was cut into pieces. "Be careful of the demonic beasts!" Zhang Jiu chased after him. "..." Yang Yi could not understand what the grandfather and grandson were doing. He never met the so-called Taoist, so he was not sure if this method was effective. However, his hunch was in favor of Zhang Xiaohu''s stance. In a rtively dry clearing in the forest, Zhang Jiu built a fire. The crackling mes calmed Yang Yi''s heart. This was his first night in the wild in this world. He could not help but feel nervous. Zhang Xiaohu sat next to him. He was full of resentment. Zhang Jiu handed him something to eat, but he did not ept it. The flicker of the mes danced on Yang Yi''s face. He chewed on a jerky strip and asked, "Uncle Zhang, have you ever thought about what to do if this method doesn''t work?" Zhang Jiu shook his head and did not answer. It was obvious that this was hisst resort. Yang Yi did not ask further. This was not within the scope of the mission. He spent the night in a daze. The next morning, Yang Yi was awakened by the cold air. When he opened his eyes, he heard a series of tearing wailsing from a close distance. Yang Yi quickly got up and rushed over. He saw Zhang Xiaohu rolling on the ground! He was clutching his neck, his pupils were dted, his face was darker and looked more ferocious than before. "Huzi, it''s all my fault." Zhang Jiu''s tears flowed profusely. He wanted to help Zhang Xiaohu up, but he couldn''t. "Did he drink the dew on the ghost weed?" What Yang Yi was worried about had happened. "Yes, it''s all my fault. It''s my fault for believing that Taoist''s nonsense..." Zhang Jiu knelt on the ground and pped himself repeatedly. "Calm down. Didn''t you say that drinking dew alone won''t kill him? Let''s get him to the town. There might be a way to save him." Yang Yi wanted to bring Zhang Xiaohu to the Qixia sect. However, he was only an outer disciple and had no say in the matter. Even if he brought him there, there was a high chance that he would not be epted. Instead, it would dy the time for treatment. The more powerful a sect was, the stricter the rules were. They were so strict that they were merciless. This was to prevent the people from taking all of their problems to the sect''s gates in the future. Zhang Jiu held back his self-me and did not say anything. He followed Yang Yi''s instructions and restrained Zhang Xiaohu who was moving around chaotically. "Young hero Yang, the mission that I issued has been sessfullypleted. The rest is up to me." Zhang Jiu wiped away his tears and tossed a wooden token to Yang Yi. He had a miserable life. Yang Yi was moved bypassion. While he was hesitating, a fierce tiger emerged from the bushes beside him. It was holding a three-tailed fox that was on the verge of death in its mouth. "Fire-biting tiger!" Zhang Jiu recognized this demonic beast immediately. With such a big body and such an intense pressure, this fire-biting tiger was definitely at the Bone Refining stage! Chapter 16: A Myriad of Rapid Changes Chapter 16: A Myriad of Rapid Changes Yang Yi was frightened. He had never seen a demonic beast up close before. It was a Bone Refining beast, and he could not help but break out in a cold sweat. Zhang Jiu wanted to carry his grandson on his back. However, Zhang Xiaohu''s expression was very painful, and he kept on struggling. The two of them were stuck here for a while. Themotion attracted the fire-biting tiger''s attention. The fire-biting tiger stepped on the grass. It approached them slowly. "Let''s go together!" Yang Yi could not bear to abandon them. He decided to help Zhang Jiu. With his current strength, even if he could not beat this Bone Refining fire-biting tiger, he had the confidence to escape. However, he could not waste any more time. He had to do it as soon as possible. He flipped Zhang Xiaohu over and was shocked to find Zhang Xiaohu crying! He was in pain and his facial features were twisted into a mess, looking extremely ferocious. His bloodshot eyes were as wide as an ox''s! Yang Yi knew that this was a gaze filled with hatred. Zhang Xiaohu hated his grandfather and forced him to drink the dew. "Young hero Yang, leave quickly. This is all my fault. I caused Huzi''s death. Now, I shall apany my grandson into the tiger''s mouth. This is karma." Zhang Jiu seemed to have aged a few years. Looking at Zhang Xiaohu''s eyes, his heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. He knew the realm of Yang Yi''s cultivation base. How could a Blood Refining martial artist deal with a Bone Refining demonic beast? Moreover, Zhang Xiaohu''s life was in danger. He was filled with resentment. He did not feel like struggling anymore. The sound of the tiger''s breath approached! Yang Yi suddenly raised his head. The fire-biting tiger was only 10 steps away from him! At this distance, the fire-biting tiger could reach them with a single pounce. Yang Yi instinctively retreated, and the thought of escaping arose in his mind. He did his best. Even though Zhang Xiaohu was only a child, when a child became stubborn, it was no easier to persuade him than an adult! "Please, go. If you have the heart for it, let my poor wife know what happened to me when you pass by Wumei Vige." Zhang Jiu waved his hand at Yang Yi and then sat in front of Zhang Xiaohu. He removed his bow and arrows and ced them beside himself. He faced the fire-biting tiger and did not resist. Yang Yi nodded and left. However, just as he took a few steps forward, the fire-biting tiger lost interest in them and jumped in another direction. This scene made Yang Yi feel as if he was in a dream. "Maybe it''s because it has a prey in its mouth already." Yang Yi thought of the three-tailed seductive fox in the fire-biting tiger''s mouth. After confirming that the crisis was over, he turned around. "Uncle Zhang, you''ve returned from death''s door once now. Hurry up and leave with your grandson." "Sigh, Alright!" Zhang Jiu was stunned for a moment before he went to carry Zhang Xiaohu. This time, he seeded. Zhang Xiaohu waspletely unconscious. Rustle. At this moment, a scaled python slithered out of the grass! Its length was unknown, but its girth was as thick as a person''s embrace! "Hiss!" Yang Yi''s nerves immediately tensed up. This scaled python gave off an oppressive feeling that was even stronger than fire-biting tiger! It was definitely at the Bone Refining stage. "Why are there demonic beasts in Sky Light Mountain?" Zhang Jiu had hunted for his entire life, but he had never encountered such a strange incident. "Split up and run!" Yang Yi scattered a handful of poison powder. Then, he and Zhang Jiu fled in the opposite direction. He jumped five or six steps and looked behind him from the corner of his eye. He saw the scaled python rushing toward the direction in which Zhang Jiu escaped like an arrow leaving a bow. This time, the beast did not have any prey in his mouth. Naturally, it would not give up so easily. "Uncle Zhang is familiar with the terrain. He will definitely be able to shake off the demonic beasts and turn the situation around!" Yang Yiforted himself and ran like the wind. Eventually, there was no movement behind him. He made a sudden stop and looked behind himself. "I can''t defeat a Bone Refining demonic beast now, but I can protect myself. However, that pair of grandfather and grandson probably won''t be able to escape." Yang Yi made a judgment based on reality. The scaled python was not at the Strength Entry realm yet. Even if it was strong, it would not be able to kill him in an instant. Perhaps he could turn back and help Zhang Jiu escape by distracting the beast from the side. After all, there were two of them. If he could save them, Yang Yi would not mind taking action. If he really could not, he would retreat. He had many tricks up his sleeves, and he was confident that he could escape unscathed. The tip of his toes swiftly swept across the soft meadow. After what seemed like hours, Yang Yi saw that Zhang Jiu was forced into a corner. Even so, he nted himself in front of Zhang Xiaohu. His bow was raised as he made a final effort to resist. The scaled python was not in a hurry to attack. It seemed to enjoy the pleasure of exhausting its prey in front of its eyes. "Hey, take this!" Yang Yi threw out all the beast luring pills in his bag. The beast luring pills contained ingredients that attracted demonic beasts. The attention of the scaled python was attracted, but only for an instant. For a scaled python of this size, even if the beast luring pills could attract its attention, they would be tasteless. Soon enough, it turned its attention back to Zhang Jiu. At this moment, Yang Yi had already circled around it. He dragged the dazed Zhang Jiu to the side. He noticed the gaze of the scaled python and immediately threw a punch! This punch contained the full might of the Mountain-hugging Fist. Even the scaled python was stunned for a moment by this. As Yang Yi''s punch sailed toward the python, it suddenly stopped in midair. Yang Yi spread his fingers and released arge amount of purple poison powder. "Run! Now!" Yang Yi shouted at Zhang Jiu. The poison powder was obscuring the scaled python''s sight. It was a good opportunity for them to escape. Zhang Jiu carried Zhang Xiaohu on his back and ran. There was a whistle in the air. A python tail suddenly swung out from the nearby bushes. The python tail smashed heavily onto a tree trunk, breaking the tree in half. Zhang Jiu''s eyes widened when he saw this. He staggered and almost fell. He would have been the one who was split in two if the tree had not been in the way. "Young hero Yang!" His eyes darted around and saw that Yang Yi had already taken dozens of steps and escaped. Yang Yi was extremely fast, and he did not turn back! Yang Yi had already done everything he could, and the rest was up to fate. Whoosh! The python tail swept again. This time, Yang Yi did not n to save them. At this moment, a green light shot past Yang Yi''s shoulder and hit the poisoned scaled python. The sweep of its tail missed because of this and hit a rock. "It''s here! It gave us a hard time looking for it!" Three figures appeared at the same time, bypassing Yang Yi and attacking the scaled python behind him. They were all wearing Qixia sect uniforms. One of them was in purple and the other two were in blue. Yang Yi had seen the purple-clothed leader before. It was Zhuang Chenglu who had tricked him into buying the nine-thorns flower. Zhuang Chenglu took the lead and caught the sailing bamboo cane from the air. Then, she pushed out her palm and scattered the poison. Shended and engaged the scaled python. With a sh of light, the scaled python was hit several times. It wailed from the pain. Zhuang Chenglu was an inner disciple at the Spiral Force realm. It was not difficult for her to deal with a Bone Refining scaled python. Moreover, there were two Bone Refining cultivators beside her. It could not escape even if it wanted to. "You wretched beast, you got away once, but you won''t get away again!" Zhuang Chenglu smiled, and her jade-like fingers sessfully hit the vital point on the scaled python''s head. The beast was instantly stunned and copsed to the ground. One of the blue-robed disciples seized the opportunity toe forward and end its life with a sword. Chapter 17: Dragon Blood Pill Chapter 17: Dragon Blood Pill "Junior Brother, we meet again. You did well just now!" Zhuang Chenglu no longer paid attention to the scaled python. Instead, she walked up to Yang Yi and patted him on the shoulder. "The nine-thorns flower that you sold me before was a counterfeit..." Yang Yi was indignant, but after thinking about it, it did not seem appropriate to talk about this in the current situation. "So, you found out. I''m sorry. I got into a yful mood for a moment. I''ll make it up to you." Zhuang Chenglu smiled sheepishly and said, "It''s all thanks to you that this beast didn''t hurt anyone. You''re obviously a Blood Refining cultivator, but you were brave enough toe back. Your courage ismendable." She happened to witness the scene just now when she was hurrying over. "How about this? When we get back, I''ll personally cultivate a dragon blood pill as a reward for you and also to express my apology. What do you think? Even in the inner sect, there are many Senior and Junior Brothers who are begging me to cultivate pills for them!" The dragon blood pill had the effect of condensing Qi and blood. It was extremely beneficial to Blood Refining martial artists! Due to the cumbersome cultivation process andplicated materials needed, not many people in the sect had any experience of using them before. This made Yang Yi speechless. A dragon blood pill cost more than 80 taels. Since Zhuang Chenglu had offered it, there was no reason for him to reject it. "Thank you in advance, Senior Sister Zhuang," he said. "Thank you, young heroes, for saving me." Zhang Jiu knelt while facing them. He was crying out of gratitude. In just a few short minutes, he had experienced too many twists and turns. His emotional state was a mess. "What''s wrong with the child behind you?" Zhuang Chenglu noticed Zhang Xiaohu''s unsightly expression. There seemed to be a faint ck aura around the child. Yang Yi told her the full version of the story. "How dare you gamble with your grandson''s life, you old fart? How could a hunter like you not know about the poison of the ghost weed?" Zhuang Chenglu walked over and kicked Zhang Jiu. "I hope you can save my grandson. I deserve to die, but he had a rough life." Zhang Jiu hurriedly crawled backward. "Get lost. This won''t work on me. What''s the use of crying? You''re too old for this. Don''t you feel ashamed at all?" Zhuang Chenglu said that impatiently. Yet, she squatted down and carefully examined Zhang Xiaohu''s condition. "He was weak to begin with and has been relying on medication. Now that he''s been poisoned by the ghost weed, he''s on the brink of death. Even if there''s a way to save him, there will be a huge price to pay." "If you can save my grandson, I can even offer up my own life." Zhang Jiu heard the change in Zhuang Chenglu''s tone. After all, he had practiced martial arts before. Although he had not joined the Qixia sect, he knew that these people had the ability of the immortals. Even illnesses that were incurable for mortals were nothing for the immortals. "Heh. Old man, how much do you think your life is worth?" the disciple who was handling the flower python''s carcass said with a smirk. Although these words were cruel, they hit the nail on the head. "That''s enough. What''s the point of saying these useless things?" Zhuang Chenglu nced at the disciple before turning to look at Zhang Jiu. "This scaled python almost ate both of you, so I''m somewhat responsible. If you trust me, I''ll bring your grandson back to the sect for now. If he can''t be saved, we won''t owe each other anything. If he can be saved, I happen to be short of a medicine-testing boy. He''ll stay behind to help me test some medicine to pay off his debt. What do you think?" "Uh." Zhang Jiu knew the dangers of testing medicine. However, if he did not agree now, his grandson would be dead. "Alright!" He kowtowed heavily. "Go back home. Don''t believe in the folk prescription you get from random strangers in the future. This is so unbing." Zhuang Chenglu avoided the position where Zhang Jiu kowtowed. She called Yang Yi over. "Junior Brother, please carry him." Yang Yi did not refuse for the sake of the dragon blood pill. Zhang Jiu was still kneeling on the ground when they left. The two disciples were left behind to deal with the scaled python that they had hunted. Yang Yi carried Zhang Xiaohu on his back and silently followed Zhuang Chenglu up the mountain. They did not talk much along the way. The two of them were not on the same level. Hence, they did not have much inmon to talk about. When they returned to the sect, it was already afternoon. Yang Yi carried Zhang Xiaohu to the inner sect''s Harmony Court and left. Zhuang Chenglu told him toe back in five days to retrieve the dragon blood pill. Yang Yi went to the Mission Hall to make a report. Then, he went to the nearby Spiritual Spring Mountain to collect spirit umtion points. Then, he returned to the wooden hut on the side peak. A lot of things happened today, and he needed some time to calm down. "In any case, I''ve seen a Bone Refining demonic beast. I now know how strong I am rtive to the beasts. Moreover, I''m going to get a dragon blood pill! Zhang Xiaohu''s illness can also be cured..." These oues exceeded his expectations. "You''re outte." As soon as he returned to the wooden hut, Yang Yi saw a someone inside it. It was Zhou Yan. Zhou Yan was wearing a light blue uniform. It was obvious that he had also broken through to the Blood Refining stage and was promoted to an outer disciple. However, this was half a month slower than he predicted. He had said that he would be able to break through within a month, but for some reason, his progress had been dyed. That night, they made a small fire in the courtyard and suspended a rabbit over it. The fats of the rabbit sizzled while it roasted over the fire. "The two of us have finally made it!" Zhou Yan recalled the bitterness of the past year, and tears almost flowed out of his eyes. His family might not be as rich as Yang Yi''s, but he was still considered wealthy. He had been pampered since young. After working for the sect for a year, the bitterness in his heart was not something that could be exined with just a few words. "Let''s cultivate well and enter the inner sect as soon as possible." Yang Yi used tea as a substitute for wine and gave him a toast. In the Qixia sect, only those who were promoted to inner sect could be counted as core members. Zhuang Chenglu could take the initiative to bring Zhang Xiaohu up the mountain, but he did not have the confidence to do the same. "Alright, this time I will break through to the Bone Refining stage before you!" Zhou Yan drank his tea in a rather heroic manner. Then, he broke off a piece of the roasted rabbit and started chomping down on it. "..." Yang Yi silently nced at his attribute panel. He was less than 20% away from the amount of experience points required to break through to the Bone Refining stage. He estimated that it would be very difficult for Zhou Yan to fulfill his wish. He sent Zhou Yan away at night. Yang Yi did not request any feedback reports from the Crimson Afterglow Technique. He cultivated for a while in the courtyard before going to bed early. The next day. Yang Yi went to look for Xu Menghua. Thetter had mentioned that he could look for him to teach him how to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist. Since Yang Yi had already listened to him and epted the mission, he had no reason to be too shy to show his face. However, he did note empty-handed. He brought a high-level teaching token. Outer disciples only had four lessons in a month. If they wanted to have a special session aside from the ordinary lessons, they would need teaching tokens. If they wanted a special lesson from a manager, a normal teaching token would not be enough. It had to be a high-level one. One high-level teaching token cost 1,000 taels. It was extremely expensive item with a low cost-performance ratio. However, Yang Yi felt that it was worth it. The other party could exchange this teaching token for resources. When he was at Xu Menghua''s ce before this, he noticed that it was slightly destitute. Even the tea that he drank was a little cheap. Yang Yi had always followed the good tradition of reciprocity. No matter how close they were, etiquette was important. Moreover, he did not consider himself to be close to Xu Menghua. Since Xu Menghua was willing to teach him, it was only right for him to put in some effort. As the saying went, it was not strange for people to be courteous. Xu Menghua had the right to not ept his offering, but he had the obligation to offer it nheless. Chapter 18: Under the Devil Suppression Tree Chapter 18: Under the Devil Suppression Tree In the hall, Yang Yi exined the purpose of his visit and handed over the teaching token. Xu Menghua put his teacup aside and said in a serious voice, "You listened to my suggestion and epted a mission, and I have already said that I will guide you in the cultivation of the Mountain-hugging Fist. There is no need for the token." "I am afraid that I cannot shoulder this responsibility." Yang Yi bowed. "What responsibility do you have?" Xu Menghua did not understand this. "Since you have been in charge of the Mission Hall, you have never showed any favoritism or acts of cheating. The others say that you are upright and inspoken, and that you have a clear distinction between public and private affairs. If I receive your instruction for nothing, wouldn''t it ruin your reputation?" Yang Yi pursed his lips and continued, "In the future, if a disciple imitates me andes to ask for guidance after epting a mission, will you agree to it?" "Ha, I suspect that you are trying to tter me, but you do have a point." Xu Menghuaughed out loud, his eyes flickered as he said, "In the past, there were disciples who came to me with a teaching token. I knew their intentions. They were trying to get close to me under the pretext of having a lesson, so I sent them away. As time passed, fewer people came to me. You''re not the first toe with a teaching token, but you''re the first one to speak righteously." "I just don''t want others to think that I''m a opportunist," Yang Yi said righteously. It was not difficult for the others to misunderstand the kind of person he was based on his current actions. Xu Menghua looked deeply at Yang Yi. "Alright, I''ll ept this teaching token, but it''s just for safekeeping. When you need it someday, you can get it back anytime." He pondered this for a moment and finally took it. Yang Yi bowed again. Xu Menghua had epted the teaching token. As for whether he used it or not, it was none of his business. Actually, Yang Yi''s real goal was not to ask Xu Menghua for advice on the Mountain-hugging Fist, but the Crimson Afterglow Technique. He was about to break through to the Bone Refining stage. If he had a nominal "master" to cover for him, it would make his breakthrough seem more justified. There were disciples at Yang Yi''s age who had reached the Strength Entry realm. He was only breaking through to the Bone Refining stage, so there was nothing to be surprised about, but it was still better to be cautious. Moreover, Xu Menghua was a manager. Nobody would doubt his abilities because of his identity. Establishing a rtionship with him would be nothing but beneficial to Yang Yi. Yang Yi listened to Xu Menghua telling him about his experience of cultivating the Mountain-hugging Fist for half a day. He had the system on his side, so there were no obstacles for him to achieve breakthroughs. However, by listening to the experience of a senior, he would be able to better understand the essence of the martial art, and execute the moves more smoothly. By the time he left Xu Menghua''s residence, it was already afternoon. Yang Yi was prepared to go to the training field to continue consolidating what he had learned today. He was not the best inprehending what he was taught. Xu Menghua had personally demonstrated a few key points to him, and he needed more time in actualbat practice to ponder over them. When he passed by the Mission Hall, he noticed that many people were gathered there. Jian Wenbin just happened to walk out from the Mission Hall. Yang Yi wanted to greet him, but he noticed that there was something wrong with his expression. Jian Wenbin came out, bowed to the other disciples and then left in a dejected state. "Sigh, Senior Brother Shen Ge was such a good person. I can''t believe that he''s gone." "I heard that he encountered a Spiral Force demonic beast." "It''s the same situation again. Can''t the mission ssification be done more rigorously?" "The sect can''t be med for this. Unexpected incidents are... unexpected." "There have been a lot of unexpected incidents recently. On myst mission, I encountered a demonic beast that exceeded the stated standard as well. I almost died!" "Be careful in the future. I''m afraid that something big will happen in the Sunset Mountains." The disciples whispered amongst themselves. Although their voices were soft, they managed to reach Yang Yi''s ears. Before Yang Yi went out on a mission, he had met Shen Ge once. He did not expect that he would be gone in the few days after they met. He continued toward the training field in a somewhat distracted manner. For the entire afternoon, Yang Yi trained with the others on the training field. When the sky darkened, his entire body was covered in abrasions and he was drenched in sweat. When they parted ways, the Senior Brother who was sparring with him kindly reminded him, "Junior Brother Yang, you should go back early and have some rest. Someone has been taking advantage of the dark to attack other disciplestely." "Okay," Yang Yi responded softly. Before returning to the wooden hut, he went to the Spiritual Spring Mountain to soak for four hours. Recently, his expenses were a little high, and his wealth was thinning at a speed visible to the naked eye. However, Yang Yi did not mind. Money was supposed to be spent. If he ran out of money, he could always write back home and have someone deliver more money to him. Five days passed by in the blink of an eye. Every other day, Yang Yi would bring a teaching token with him as he visited Xu Menghua, which made the manager''s eyelids twitch. A teaching token cost 1,000 taels. Even if his family was rich, Xu Menghua was of the opinion that he should not splurge in this manner unless his family was super rich! On this day, Yang Yi left Xu Menghua''s residence and did not go to the training field. Instead, he turned around and went to the Harmony Court. The time he had agreed upon with Zhuang Chenglu had arrived! Yang Yi had not taken the initiative to request for feedback on his martial arts these past few days. He had been waiting for this day. The progress he made by cultivating on his own was not enough. Would it not be wonderful if the Crimson Afterglow Technique also had a special event where it refined the dragon blood pill as well? This was equivalent to having many pills. His resources would multiply! Of course, it waspletely dependent on one''s luck to receive random feedback on rted events from countless parallel nes. However, as long as it could increase the probability, Yang Yi felt that it was necessary to give it a try. "Senior Brother, I''m Yang Yi. I''m here to look for Senior Sister Zhuang Chenglu. We have an appointment." Arriving at the entrance of the Harmony Court, Yang Yi bowed to a purple-clothed man who walked out of the court. ording to the rules, outer disciples were not allowed to enter the inner sect without permission. "Oh, you''re here for Junior Sister Zhuang? Since you have an appointment, go on in. She should be in the pill room." The senior disciple was easy to talk to. Yang Yi bowed once more and entered. "Sigh, another muddle-headed one..." The man shook his head regretfully. Yang Yi walked into the Harmony Court. The smell of medicine hung in the air. Aside from their daily cultivation, the mostmon thing that the disciples of the Harmony Court did was cultivate pills. "Senior Sister Zhuang, I''m Yang Yi. I''m here for the dragon blood pill." When he arrived at the pill room, Yang Yi saw Zhuang Chenglu busying herself in front of the pill furnace. The hot pill furnace illuminated her flushed cheeks. A few strands of hair on her forehead were wet with sweat. Yang Yi stood outside silently. The greatest taboo in pill cultivation was to be disturbed during the process. Suddenly, Zhuang Chenglu walked out in a hurry. "Senior Sister Zhuang, my dragon blood pill..." Yang Yi began. Before he could finish his words, Zhuang Chenglu spoke, "Quickly go to the medicinal field and pick these few spiritual herbs!" She handed a piece of paper to Yang Yi, and before he could answer, she entered the pill room once again. "Uh..." Yang Yi was baffled. Could it be that she discovered that she was short of medicine halfway through the pill cultivation process? How careless could she be? Even though he was somewhat unwilling, he endured it for the dragon blood pill. On the way to the medicinal field, he passed by the cliff. This was a remote ce that was usually deserted. However, at this moment, there were many female outer disciples gathered here for no reason, and they were blocking the way. They were looking at the devil suppression tree nearby and were discussing among themselves. Soft giggles could asionally be heard. Yang Yi did not have the time to appreciate this scene, and he silently made his way through the crowd. His inconsiderate actions made the female disciples roll their eyes at him. Chapter 19: That is A Great Loss! Chapter 19: That is A Great Loss! Yang Yi was not bothered by their reactions. Why were they gathered here instead of cultivating? As he subconsciously nced into the distance, he noticed someone cultivating under the devil suppression tree! It was the same person he saw thest time he was here. "Has that person been sitting there cross-legged for a month?!" Yang Yi could not believe it. The other person''s posture was exactly the same as before. He resembled a meditating old monk! "Senior Brother Zhao Heng is handsome." "You''re so shallow. He''s much more than that!" "I heard from a certain Court Master''s evaluation that among this batch of disciples, the first one to enter the Sati Transformation might not be Senior Brother Liu Yang, but Senior Brother Zhao Heng, who''s catching up to him." "But Senior Brother Zhao Heng is still at the second level of the Strength Entry realm, the Cauldron Assembling stage. He''s still far from breaking through to the Sati Transformation realm." "There''s nothing to be worried about. With Senior Brother Zhao Heng''s aptitudes, breaking through would be as easy as drinking water." The girls had infatuated expressions on their faces. Yang Yi got the information he wanted. So, this person was Zhao Heng! He found the name familiar, but he had never met the person before. "So, the Crimson Afterglow Technique ended up with obstructed meridians after cultivating with him?" Yang Yi frowned slightly. There was nothing unusual about Zhao Heng at the moment. He continued up the mountain. He found the spiritual medicine that Zhuang Chenglu needed from the herbal field, and hurried back to the pill room. "Senior Sister Zhuang, here''s the medicine you wanted." Yang Yi handed over a cloth bag. The money for picking the medicine was paid for with his contribution points. As long as he could get the dragon blood pills, this amount of money was nothing. "What took you so long? You almost ruined it!" Zhuang Chenglu opened the cloth bag to check. "About my pills..." Yang Yi moved his lips. "Can''t you see that I''m cultivating them? I haven''t slept for three days and three nights while cultivating the dragon blood pills." Zhuang Chenglu nced at him. She did not seem to be in a good mood. Because of this, Yang Yi did not say anything more. He bowed and waited quietly outside the room. Zhuang Chenglu closed the outer door of the pill room. "Hey, Big Brother, there you are!" Yang Yi was waiting for his pills when a child suddenly appeared beside him. It was Zhang Xiaohu! "Are you alright?" Yang Yi was surprised. It had only been five days! It seemed that Zhuang Chenglu''s methods were indeed impressive. "Sister Zhuang''s pills were very effective. I feel much better now." Zhang Xiaohu was as thin as a monkey, but his spirit was much better than before. As he spoke, he took out a ck pill from his pocket and swallowed it, just like eating candy. "Sister Zhuang said that I mustn''t stop taking my medicine." Zhang Xiaohu saw that Yang Yi was staring at the pill, so he exined. "Can you show me the medicine?" Yang Yi remembered Zhuang Chenglu''s condition of agreeing to save Zhang Xiaohu. "Here!" Zhang Xiaohu tossed one toward him. "You''re not going to hit me anymore?" The first time Yang Yi met Zhang Xiaohu in Wumei Vige, the boy attacked him with a bamboo knife. "I''m sorry, Big Brother. I wanted to apologize to you for that." Zhang Xiaohu scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "At that time, I was thinking that if you had not appeared, my grandfather wouldn''t have brought me up the mountain, so I vented my anger on you." "Then do you hate your grandfather now?" Yang Yi was not so petty that he would hold this against a child. "Of course I don''t hate him. On the contrary, I feel rather sorry for him. He originally had the chance to break through to the Blood Refining stage, but in the end, he spent all his money on me. I can''t me him for listening to that Taoist and for making me drink the dew of the ghost weed." Zhang Xiaohu shook his head, and then looked at Yang Yi. He said softly, "You might not know this, Big Brother, but I was the one who took the initiative to drink the dew. It was grandpa who hesitated. At that time, I thought that it would be best if I could treat my illness. If I died from the poison instead, then my grandparents wouldn''t have to work so hard! I''d also be relieved!" "Uh..." Did he get the wrong idea about the incident? However, Zhang Xiaohu''s eyes were clearly filled with hatred back then. Yang Yi shook his head and stopped thinking about it. If Zhang Xiaohu drank the dew willingly, then Zhang Jiu did not deserve that kick from Zhuang Chenglu. "Well, it''s good that you''re recovered now. Your grandfather will be very happy to hear about this," Yang Yi smiled andforted him. "But Sister Zhuang said that I should stay behind to test her medicine and repay her for saving my life." Zhang Xiaohu shrugged. As he spoke, he took out a pill from his pocket and swallowed it. "Do you know what it means to be testing medicine?" Yang Yi asked nkly. "It means that whether it''s good or bad, it''s all up to the heavens'' will. I''m someone who died once anyway. I''m lucky enough to live another day. It''s Sister Zhuang who saved my life. I''ll do whatever she wants me to do." Zhang Xiaohu had a cheerful disposition that transcended his age. Yang Yi sighed. They dropped the topic. In the evening, a bright yellowntern was lit in the Harmony Court. Zhuang Chenglu opened the door of the pill room and walked out. Her lips had lost the color of blood, and there were stains of sweat on thepels of her clothes. "Here are dragon blood pills. Take them!" She stuffed a warm wooden box into Yang Yi''s hands. "Thank you, Senior Sister Zhuang." Yang Yi noticed that Zhuang Chenglu''s eyes were bloodshot. Just as the rumors said, the cultivation process of the dragon blood pills wasplicated. "I have never broken a promise. These dragon blood pills are fresh out of the cauldron. They need a day to rest and lock in the medicinal effects. Don''t be impatient," Zhuang Chenglu reminded him. "Understood." Yang Yi had always been a patient person. After thanking her again, he left in a hurry. "Sister Zhuang, I was taking the medicine seriously just now!" Zhang Xiaohuughed and jumped in front of Zhuang Chenglu. Zhuang Chenglu watched Yang Yi leave. "Okay, here''s the next medicine! After you finish this, you can leave the mountain tomorrow!" She took out another wooden box. "Huh? Wasn''t I supposed to be testing medicine forever?" Zhang Xiaohu was very confused. It had only been five days. He thought that he would not be able to leave without 20 to 30 years. "Your physique is too weak for any medicine to work on you. Why do you still want to test the medicine? I''m going to suffer a great loss!" Zhuang Chenglu finished her sentence angrily and locked herself inside the pill room. ... Yang Yi returned to the wooden hut. He opened the attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining(417/500) Spirit umtion points: 1,200 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He did not request any feedback from the Crimson Afterglow Technique in the past few days, so the increase in his experience points was limited. However, in order to create the illusion that he was talented in cultivating the Mountain-hugging Fist, he requested feedback reports from the technique 10 times a day for the past five days. To Xu Menghua, the fruits of Yang Yi''s cultivation were visible. "I need to wait a day before I can take the dragon blood pills. Should I request feedback from the Crimson Afterglow Technique today?" Yang Yi touched the warm wooden box. He was very tempted, but in the end, he held it in. He practiced punches in the courtyard for a while. The countdown for the martial arts'' auto-feedback had reached zero. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist has improved after a day of hard work. Experience +1.] [When your Crimson Afterglow Technique was cultivating on the cliff, it was disturbed by the external environment. Its cultivation did not improve at all. After some investigation, it found traces of Demonic Qi leaking from the bottom of the cliff!] Chapter 20: You Can Lie, but You Cannot Go Back on Your Word! Chapter 20: You Can Lie, but You Cannot Go Back on Your Word! The so-called devil lord was actually a general term for devil cultivators who cultivated to a certain realm. Devils were different from demons. Demons were beasts, but the devils originated from humans. The realms of their cultivation bases were the same as ordinary martial artists. However, during the breakthrough stage of the Sati Transformation realm, they would take extreme measures, such as abandoning their physical bodies and cultivating their nascent womb. As the saying went, it only takes a single thought to turn into a devil! This process was extremely dangerous and extremely harmful to the outside world. It was not tolerated by the heavens and the earth. Very few devil cultivators could endure it. If there was a slight mistake, not only would their physical bodies be destroyed, their consciousness would also be obliterated. In the end, they would be a wandering devil thought in the world. Only a few martial artists deviate into devil cultivation, and those who cultivated to the level of a devil lord were even fewer. A devil lord mainly cultivated his nascent womb. He possessed endless strength and would never feel tired. He could easily crush martial artists of the same realm. Since ancient times, there had been quite a number of people who thirsted for strength and gone down the same path. Yang Yi did not know what realm the devil lord that was suppressed at the bottom of the cliff was at. However, he was certain that the devil lord was at least at the Sati Transformation realm! If the leakage of Devil Qi was a sign of the devil lord''s revival, that meant that the Qixia sect was in immediate danger! It should be known that the master of the Inner Court was only at the Sati Transformation realm! The sect master and other elders might be of a higher level. However, there was no guarantee that this devil lord had stopped at the Sati Transformation realm. Therefore, when Yang Yi saw this information, his heart beat wildly! He started thinking of a way to spread the news. He had to make preparations and take precautions in order to minimize the danger. To be honest, it was more difficult to keep the news to himself rather than to spread it. However, he did not wish to reveal his source of information to anybody else. "Sigh, I thought the Qixia sect was a tree that could stand tall. Who knew that the foundation of this tree isn''t solid either." The demons in the mountain were restless. Now, there was the leak of Devil Qi. Yang Yi felt that danger was approaching, but he endured for another day. It was almost evening. After a day of painstaking cultivation, Yang Yi did not leave Xu Menghua''s residence immediately. Instead, he quietly took out a wooden box. It was not that he did not trust Zhuang Chenglu, but his knowledge of pharmacology was too shallow. It was better to appraise it before consuming it. In the Qixia sect, the only experienced person who Yang Yi trusted was Manager Xu. "This is a python blood pill. If you take it at the Blood Refining stage, it will help regte your Qi and blood. It''s suitable for your current condition." Xu Menghua was rather emotional. Was this how a child of a rich family was? Looking at the color of the python blood pill, it was considered high-grade. If it was sold on the market, the price would definitely be more than 3,000 taels, and it might not even be possible to buy it. "Manager Xu, are you sure this is a python blood pill?" Yang Yi was not as delighted as Xu Menghua expected him to be. "I can''t be wrong." Xu Menghua was indifferent. "Earlier, I heard some seniors and juniors talking about dragon blood pills..." Yang Yi deliberately brought the topic up. "Dragon blood pills? That kind of pill is very difficult to cultivate. Its effect is stronger than the python blood pill, but very few pill cultivators are willing to cultivate them." Xu Menghwa smiled. This time, Yang Yi finally understood. This python blood pill was the low-quality version of the dragon blood pill. He had been cheated again! Yang Yi was furious. One should never make a promise if one could not keep it. Why did she give him a cheap version of the pills when she promised him high-grade pills? There was something terribly wrong with that woman. "Yang Yi, were cheated by someone and bought python blood pills at the price of dragon blood pills?" Xu Menghua frowned slightly. It wasmon for such things to happen to rich disciples who did not know much about the world. "Forget it." Yang Yi bowed and took his leave. Since things hade to this, it was impossible to seek an exnation from Zhuang Chenglu. After all, he was only an outer disciple and his words had no weight. It was better to have low-grade pills than nothing. He paid for these pills with 80 taels of silver and some medicinal herbs. Overall, it was still a steal for him, but he felt a little ufortable in his heart. Yang Yi returned to the wooden hut with the pills in his hand. "Where were you? I''ve been looking for you!" He did not expect someone to be standing in the courtyard. It was Zhuang Chenglu! At this moment, the sun had set behind the mountains, casting a shadow over the grass and trees. Even her face could not be seen clearly. However, her silhouette seemed tired. She was not as energetic as she usually was. "Senior Sister Zhuang, why are you here?" Yang Yi was about to vent his anger on Zhuang Chenglu, but when she showed up unexpectedly, he found himself at a loss for words. "Here, this is a dragon blood pill. Keep it well!" Zhuang Chenglu walked up and stuffed a wooden box into Yang Yi''s hand. "What about the pill from before?" Yang Yi could not understand Zhuang Chenglu''s actions. "That was a python blood pill. It''s a fine pill, but it''s not on the same level as the dragon blood pill. I promised you that I would give you a dragon blood pill. I won''t give you a lesser item." Zhuang Chenglu walked out of the shadows. Her face was red, and she looked mesmerizing. She was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday. Her chest was wet. She did not even change her clothes when she came to deliver the pills. "Are you sure there are no problems with the pill this time? To tell you the truth, Senior Sister, I was quite depressed just a moment ago. I know that a python blood pill isn''t cheap. I wouldn''t haveined even if you promised me a python blood bill in the beginning." Yang Yi expressed his thoughts. Exchanging 80 taels of silver for the python blood pill was already a steal. The main reason for his depression was Zhuang Chenglu''s lies. They made his heart drop. "Oh? You knew that it was a python blood pill? I was toote," Zhuang Chenglu said regretfully, "Zhang Xiaohu''s injuries were more serious than I imagined. I was actually cultivating antidote pills for him yesterday. When you pressed me for the pill, I started on another pill furnace and hastily cultivated a python blood pill for you." "..." Yang Yi did not know how to respond for a while. "Actually, you could''ve told me that. I don''t mind waiting for another day." He also hoped that Zhang Xiaohu''s condition would improve. Waiting for a day for this was nothing. "That won''t do." Zhuang Chenglu raised her tone and said, "It''s okay to lie, but you can''t go back on your word. If I said that I''ll do it in five days, then I''ll do it in five days." If she could not cultivate dragon blood pills as promised, there was no point in sticking to the schedule, right? Yang Yi could not understand her logic. However, he did not want to argue further about this. Zhuang Chenglu did not have any special rtionship with him to begin with, and he did not expect her to help him wholeheartedly. It was already enough for her toe and hand over the real dragon blood pill. In the end, Yang Yi did not put in too much effort to earn this. It was still a steal for him no matter what kind of pill they were. Zhuang Chenglu yawned. She felt exhausted from cultivating the pills for a long time. "Senior Sister, you should go back and rest. Thank you for the dragon blood pill," Yang Yi said with a smile. "Remember, you have to wait a day for the pill''s medicinal effects to be locked in before you can take them. In order to sessfully cultivate them as soon as possible, I''ve asked for my master''s help. If you recklessly waste the precious pill, I''lle after you!" Zhuang Chenglu made a ruthless expression with her pretty face as she raised her bamboo cane. "Understood!" Yang Yi responded. He took out the python blood pill. "You can keep that too! You can take the python blood pill first, and when its effects wear off, take the dragon blood pill. Consider this as my apology for deceiving you again." Zhuang Chenglu did not care about this little bit of money. Her face was filled with exhaustion as she swayed her body and left. Yang Yi was slightly worried about this situation. Recently, the Qixia sect had not been peaceful. Some unknown person wasunching sneak attacks on other disciples. Quite a few disciples had already suffered heavy casualties. Yang Yi came to a sudden realization. Only then did he remember that the instigator of all this was the Mountain-hugging Fist. He immediately felt relieved. "Alright, now that everything is ready, it''s time to focus on breaking through to the Bone Refining stage!" Yang Yi held the two wooden boxes. He was full of confidence. He had already umted enough spirit umtion points. Breaking through was not a problem for him. The most important thing was to bring the python blood pill and dragon blood pill''s medicinal effects into full y before breaking through! Chapter 21: Double the Effect! Chapter 21: Double the Effect! In the training room on the second floor, Yang Yi sat cross-legged. He took out the python blood pill from the wooden box, and swallowed it in one gulp. A warm current instantly flowed through his throat and seeped into his heart. The effect of the python blood pill was rtively mild. After about a quarter of an hour, Yang Yi felt that the Qi and blood in his entire body had been stimted and became active. If one observed closely, one would be able to notice that his face was slightly flushed at this moment. Even the temperature of his skin had risen slightly! Yang Yi''s eyes were tightly shut as he immediately circted the Crimson Afterglow Technique to absorb the medicine''s effects. The Crimson Afterglow Technique was like a gluttonous child. It seemed iparably delighted when presented with this huge amount of pure energy. It continuously opened its mouth wide to sweep up the pill''s contents. The first round of cultivationsted about four hours. More than half of the medicinal effects had already been transferred to his limbs and bones along the route of the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Yang Yi estimated that it would take two days for it to bepletely absorbed by his body. As for the remaining half of the medicinal power, he could only wait until after this to cultivate it. "Sigh, I''ve overestimated the ability of this body." Yang Yi sighed. He did not expect that the the python blood pill had to be cultivated in two separate sessions. In that case, he might have to cultivate the dragon blood pill in more than three separate sessions. Fortunately, he was not in a hurry to break through. Otherwise, it would have been a torturous experience. Yang Yi clicked his tongue and got up to leave the training room. He went to the courtyard to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist. Part of the pill''s effect was left uncultivated inside his dantian. He was in high spirits and could not fall asleep at all. He practiced his punches to review the key points of Xu Menghua''s lesson and to stimte his Qi and blood. It would allow the effects of the python blood pill to be fully integrated into his Qi and blood. The cold moon hung high in the sky outside the house. The night in the forest was always apanied by a low temperature. However, Yang Yi felt as if he had a fever and his entire body was boiling hot. Yet, unlike someone who had a fever, he seemed to have an endless amount of strength. "Ha!" He threw a punch and followed up with his footsteps. He threw several punches that were seemingly out of order. This was the rolling mountain form of the Mountain-hugging Fist. His punches were like rocks rolling down from the top of the mountain. They were unpredictable, and the more punches he threw, the fiercer they became! After these days of cultivating with Xu Menghua''s instructions, Yang Yi''s Mountain-hugging Fist became much more sophisticated. His control over his own strength was more precise, and every move and form was integrated with some of his own understanding. It was no longer a move set in stone. If he wanted to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist to the aplished stage, or even to the perfect stage, this was especially crucial. The shadows of his fists weaved together. After a round of sparring, the mechanical puppet that he had just bought was on the verge of falling apart. After Yang Yi vented his strength, he stopped and went back to his room to take a shower. He fell into a deep sleep. The next morning. Yang Yi absorbed some Afterglow Qi in an orderly manner. Then, he quietly meditated to feel the changes in his body''s Qi and blood. He did not need to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist at Xu Menghua''s ce today. He could focus all his energy to absorb the pill''s effects. In the evening, most of the medicine''s effect that he had previously cultivated had already been absorbed. Yang Yi opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (418/500) Spirit umtion points: 1,600 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 Looking at his remaining spirit umtion points, Yang Yi requested 10 feedback reports. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique went drinking with a good friend and chatted happily for a day. Experience +0.] 10 feedback reports, and the only special event was actually about it cking off? Yang Yi was very depressed. He was prepared to give request for feedback 30 times a day. If he requested any more than that, the probability of him suffering negative consequences would increase. However, one-third of today''s quota was gone in an instant, and there were no special bonuses. "10 more!" He gritted his teeth. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique sensed that there was a pure medicinal effect in your body. After one day of refining, your Qi and blood''s condensation level has increased by five percent!] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique sensed that there was a pure medicinal effect in your body. After one day of refining, your Qi and blood''s total amount has increased by 10 percent!] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has attempted to cultivate, but its meridians have been obstructed. After a day, there has been no progress at all. Experience +0.] "I knew it!" Yang Yi looked at the words on the feedback message and was overjoyed. This time, there were actually two feedback reports rted to the absorption of medicinal effects! The Crimson Afterglow Technique was perceptive and could absorb the pill''s medicinal effects much more efficiently than he did. Yang Yi did not have the confidence of obtaining the same results even if he were topletely refine the python blood pill. He silently felt the changes brought about by the increase in his Qi and blood. He did not feel any difort, nor did he feel the obstruction brought about by the increase in the pill''s dosage. Everything felt natural. It was as if this was how it should be. "The medicinal effect inside my body has not decreased at all. In other words, the medicinal effect cultivated by the Crimson Afterglow Technique came from a parallel ne. Although I only ate a python blood pill, through the feedback, the benefits I obtained were far more than this!" This was extremely terrifying. Yang Yi could obtain double the effects through the feedback of any medicinal pills he consumed in the future. The feedback of the Crimson Afterglow Technique caused the quality and quantity of his Qi and blood to increase. This increase immediately acted on the absorption of the medicinal effect, forming a positive cycle! "10 more!" Yang Yi had a taste of the medicine and knew what it could do. He felt as though he was getting addicted to it as one would get addicted into making in-app purchases. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique is anxious for quick sess and instant benefits. Its cultivation regressed instead of advance. Experience -2.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique feels that the cultivation schedule for the past few days is too tight and needs to be integrated with periods of rest. It attempted tomunicate with you in writing. See details for more information.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique senses that there is a pure medicinal effect inside your body. After a day of cultivating, your Qi and blood''s condensation level has increased by 10 percent!] This time, there was another feedback about the cultivation of the medicine. Yang Yi was very satisfied. He had improved the cultivation of his Qi and blood by 10 percent! He carefully observed the changes in his body. After a moment, he focused his attention on the previous feedback. [***] This was what the Crimson Afterglow Technique wanted to say. Unfortunately, in Yang Yi''s eyes, this was just a bunch of nonsense. He was stunned. He re-examined the attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Blood Refining (439/500) Spirit umtion value: 1,300 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 After 30 feedback reports, the experience of the Crimson Afterglow Technique increased rapidly. Yang Yi quickly realized a problem. It was very likely that he would break through to the Bone Refining realm before he could fully absorb the pill''s effects. Regardless of whether it was the python blood pill or the dragon blood pill, they were both Blood Refining pills. After breaking through to the Bone Refining stage, the absorption of these medicinal effects by his body would undoubtedly be greatly reduced. However, Yang Yi did not care. How could he improve by absorbing them himself? He still had to rely on the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Then, Yang Yi''s gaze fell on the Mountain-hugging Fist. Martial art: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Intermediate (71/300) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... He wondered if the Mountain-hugging Fist would also provide feedback regarding the pill''s effects just like what the Crimson Afterglow Technique did. Yang Yi pursed his lips. He decided to give it a shot. He requested 10 feedback reports! [Your Mountain-hugging Fist obtained some enlightenment after listening to Xu Menghua''s lesson. Experience +8.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist went to the training ground to challenge the others, but nobody responded. It has lost interest in sparring. Experience +0.] These two special feedback were rted to experience. Yang Yi did not give up. He made 10 more requests. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist felt the medicine''s effects. Its body suddenly heated up. It assaulted a Senior Brother. The Senior Brother was on guard, but he were still clobbered. It searched him and obtained small explosive talismans +2.] ... Chapter 22: Bone Refining Chapter 22: Bone Refining "Why did it beat someone else up again?" Yang Yi had a strange expression on his face. If this continued, it might really cause unnecessarymotion. He was not an advocate of meaningless violence. However, he was tempted by the small explosive talismans. Yang Yi took out two pieces white paper talismans from his pocket. There were mysterious strokes drawn on the talismans which emitted some restrained energy waves. Although he had never used them before, he heard from others that small explosive talismans were powerful enough to kill a Bone Refining martial artist! Even a Sati Transformation martial artist would have to be wary of them. Otherwise, they might end up severely injured. "I wonder who was the one collecting these items. This item is rarely seen in Qingzhou. They are the product of some sects in Leizhou with their secret arts." Yang Yi quietly put away the small explosive talismans. With these items he could use for self-protection, they could be considered pretty good trump cards. He re-examined the feedback of the Mountain-hugging Fist. In the feedback, the Mountain-hugging Fist sensed the pill''s effects, but it did not improve his Qi and blood. He did not know if it was the difference between the cultivation method and martial technique, or if this was an exception. Yang Yi pondered about this for a moment. In the end, he gave up the idea of continuing to try. If he were to request feedback on two martial techniques at the same time, he would instantly run out of spirit umtion points. It would be better for him to focus on the Crimson Afterglow Technique. Two dayster, Yang Yipletely cultivated and absorbed the medicinal effects of the python blood pill. He relied on his own strength to increase the degree of Qi and blood condensation and the total amount of Qi and blood by half. It should be known that the medicinal effects of the python blood pill were truly astonishing. One should not underestimate an increase of 50 percent. If one were to face up against an evenly-matched opponent, a slight advantage would often be able to break the deadlock and have a snowball effect. However, Yang Yi had requested a total of 90 feedback reports from the Crimson Afterglow Technique. His Qi and blood condensation had increased by 60 percent, his Qi and blood volume had increased by 80 percent, and his Qi and blood recovery had increased by 30 percent! Inparison, the difference between his own cultivation and his martial art''s cultivation was obvious. If it was said that a python blood pill could increase one''s Qi and blood to this extent, nobody would believe it. They would even roll their eyes and think that the person was an idiot. However, Yang Yi relied on the Crimson Afterglow Technique from multiple nes to achieve the effect of eating more than 10 python blood pills at the same time. Furthermore, this activity did not incur any side effects, and it did not produce any resistance to the medicine. In essence, he had only eaten one pill. After the python blood pill''s medicinal effects werepletely cultivated, Yang Yi swallowed the dragon blood pill! The dragon blood pill was considered an enhanced version of the python blood pill with superior medicinal effects. However, the two pills were of the same type, and his body might develop a certain level of resistance to them. Yang Yi estimated that if he relied on himself alone, the gains he would obtain would be roughly the same as before. As expected, seven dayster, hepletely absorbed the pill''s effects over three separate asions. The degree of Qi and blood condensation and the total amount of Qi and blood increased by five percent. The feedback from the Crimson Afterglow Technique increased by 90 percent, and the recovery of his Qi and blood increased by 50 percent! In other words, just by relying on these two pills, Yang Yi''s Qi and blood had nearly doubled in quality and quantity. If this was reflected in an actual battle, he would have been able to instantly kill his old self from 10 days ago. Unintentionally, he found a way to be stronger by taking pills. ... It was early in the morning. Yang Yi sat cross-legged on the corridor as he absorbed Afterglow Qi to consolidate the Crimson Afterglow Technique. His experience had soared as he cultivated the pill he consumed and he sessfully broke through to the Bone Refining stage. It took him less than two months. This speed was enough to make people call him a genius. Yang Yi opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Bone Refining (23/800) Spirit umtion points: 200 Learned Martial Arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 "At this rate, it will only take me three months to break through to the Spiral Force realm!" Yang Yi looked at his experience bar. He was filled with anticipation for the future. Only by reaching the Strength Entry realm could he be considered to have a firm foothold in the sect. However, with his current strength, even if he were to fight against someone at the first level of the Force Entry realm, the Spiral Force realm, he might not stand a chance. Of course, it was better to y it safe and not challenge someone of a higher level. A Spiral Force martial artist knew how to use force. This was useful in both offense and defense. If he was not careful, he would easily fail. He continued to sit for a while. Then, he got up and left his residence. During this period of time, he absorbed the pill''s effects and achieved a breakthrough. He regrly went to the Spiritual Spring Mountain to collect spiritual umtion points, but he had not been going to Xu Menghua''s ce. Now that everything was settled, it was time for him to go out and get some fresh air. Moreover, he had to find an opportunity to spread the news of the Devil Qi leak. He went to the training field. Although it was still early, it was already a lively ce. Yang Yi had just arrived and coincidentally bumped into Zhou Yan sparring with a Senior Brother on the stage. The two of them exchanged more than 10 moves. In the end, Zhou Yan was forced back several steps by a fierce palm strike. He cupped his fists and admitted defeat. "That person isn''t powerful. If you attack his lower half, you might have a chance to win." Zhou Yan walked down the stage, and Yang Yi came up from the side. "Unfair! The outer disciples'' trimester assessment starts in seven days, but I''ve only broken through for less than a month..." Zhou Yan was close to tears. He had been training here all this while. However, his foundation was still shallow. No matter who he faced, his chances of winning were extremely slim. "An assessment?" Yang Yi nearly forgot about this. The outer disciples'' assessment was very simple. It was held once every three months, and disciples would be divided into two groups, Blood Refining and Bone Refining. The disciples would be paired up randomly and fight one single match. The winner would receive contribution points, items, and other rewards. The loser would not receive any punishment. At most, they would make a fool of themselves in front of everyone else. It was precisely because it was insignificant that Yang Yi did not pay much attention to it after learning about it from Mu Hengshan. The two of them walked to the side of the training field. Zhou Yan rolled up his sleeves and soaked his arms in the medicine basin that he had prepared beforehand. "I haven''t seen you aroundtely. Have you been training in secret?" he turned his head and asked. "Secret training? That''s too exaggerated. This is just an ordinarypetition." Yang Yi did not take this matter to heart at all. "What would we do if we get paired up with some stubborn old timer? We''ll bepeting while the others are watching. I don''t want to lose too miserably." Zhou Yan sighed helplessly. "If only we could cultivate our fist techniques to the beginner stage before thepetition." Yang Yi smiled faintly. He stood still for a while, as he slowly collected spirit umtion points. Now that he had broken through to the Bone Refining stage, his daily limit was now 300 points. He was no longer in a tight spot. However, because the upper limit had been raised, Yang Yi was considering if he should learn another martial art. The Mountain-hugging Fist wasprehensive, but when it came to defending against enemies, one more martial art meant he would have one more choice. He made a mental note of this. The two of them chatted for a while more before Yang Yi left to look for Xu Menghua. Learning a new martial art aside, the Mountain-hugging Fist was still his main focus at this stage. However, this time, Xu Menghua was not in his residence, nor was he in the Mission Hall. ording to the disciple on duty in the Mission Hall, Xu Menghua had been called over by a certain court master. He did not know when he would be back. Yang Yi had no choice but to consider Zhuang Chenglu. In order to spread the news of the leaking Devil Qi, the spreader had to have some degree of poprity. Although Zhuang Chenglu was sometimes unreliable, she was not a bad person. With a little guidance, she might be able to contribute to this matter. Chapter 23: Do Not Get Too Deep Into This! Chapter 23: Do Not Get Too Deep Into This! "Do you remember me, Junior Brother?" Yang Yi had just arrived at the Harmony Court when he was stopped by someone. Although the other person walked out from the inner sect, he was wearing light blue uniform. His face was thin and his eyes were deep. "Uh, I do. I am Yang Yi. Thank you for helping me out on Sky Light Mountain." Yang Yi recognized the other disciple. It was one of the two disciples who had followed Zhuang Chenglu to kill the scaled python. "My name is Yao Lang." Yao Lang waved his hand. "Greetings, senior brother Yao." Yang Yi bowed. "Junior Brother Yang, are you here to look for Senior Sister Zhuang?" Yao Lang''s gaze flickered. "Yes." Yang Yi did not deny it. Yao Lang nodded as if to say that he expected as much. He looked around and pulled Yang Yi to the side. He said softly, "Look, you''re a neer, so I''ll tell you this, don''t get too deep into this!" "Huh?" Yang Yi did not understand what he was referring to. "Heh! Not admitting it, are we? I saw you running errands for Senior Sister Zhuangst time." Yao Lang smiled. "You''re infatuated with Senior Sister Zhuang, aren''t you?" "That''s not what is was, Senior Brother. Senior Sister Zhuang was cultivating some pills for me, and it''s only right for me to run errands for her. I have no other motives," Yang Yi hurriedly exined. From his words, Yang Yi guessed that Yao Lang had some feelings toward Zhuang Chenglu. If he were to misunderstand things, it would be another troublesome matter. "Don''t worry, you don''t have to be afraid. I''ve already told Senior Sister Zhuang how I feel just now." Yao Lang''s face was covered in a bitter smile. Yang Yi did not need to guess to know that he had been politely rejected. "Cheer up, Senior Brother Yao." At this moment, Yang Yi did not know what to say tofort him. Furthermore, they were not close at all. He was caught off guard when Yao Lang surprised him with this news. "It''s alright. I am finally awake now. Senior Sister Zhuang is perfect. She''s as beautiful as a celestial, as graceful as a spirit moth, and has a very kind heart. However, she''s untouchable by the likes of us. Her approachable personality gave me the illusion that I had a chance." Yao Lang sighed and looked at Yang Yi again. "Junior Brother Yang, you''ve seen it yourself. I''m handsome and talented. In the secr world, I can charm a lot of women. In terms of strength, I''m now at the Bone Refining stage. I estimate that in another year, I''ll have the chance to break through to the Spiral Force realm. I''m almost as powerful as Senior Sister Zhuang. Besides, my family is well-known in Feixiao City." The more Yao Lang spoke, the more excited he became. In the end, his expression dimmed again. "But even so, I was still rejected. Tell me, how high can her standards be?" "Uh..." Yang Yi was flustered. "I couldn''t agree more, Senior Brother Yao." He did not know what to say and could only chime in. "That wasn''t the most terrifying part." Yao Lang''s gloomy expression had a hint of a smile on it. "The scariest part is that even though Senior Sister Zhuang rejected me, I didn''t feel any resentment at all. It felt as though this was how it was supposed to be." "This means that she didn''t take advantage of your feelings. But, a rtionship has to be mutual, after all. You can''t force things." Yang Yi wanted to quickly end the topic and leave. "Yes, and I''m not the first person to have experienced this." Yao Lang patted Yang Yi''s shoulder and said solemnly, "You won''t be thest either. Don''t get too deep into this. Let me serve as a lesson for you." "Senior Brother, you''ve really misunderstood me. I''m just here to ask Senior Sister Zhuang for some medicine." Yang Yi did not know whether he shouldugh or cry. It seemed impossible to clear his name now. "I''m just reminding you while I vent my frustrations. If it''s a misunderstanding, just forget what I just said." Yao Lang left in a daze. Seeing him leave, Yang Yi withdrew hisplicated gaze and walked into the Harmony Court. "Eh, why are you here again? How are the effects of the pills? You didn''t waste them, did you?" Zhuang Chenglu was sitting on a branch of a banyan tree while nibbling on a fragrant pear. "They didn''t go to waste. I''m here to thank you. It''s all thanks to those pills that I managed to sessfully achieve a breakthrough to the Bone Refining stage!" Yang Yi did not hide the fact that he had achieved a breakthrough. In any case, there would be an assessment in a few days, so he could not hide it even if he wanted to. "Oh? You broke through?" Every pill cultivator hoped that their pills would bring about an effect, and Zhuang Chenglu was no exception. She jumped down from the branch and pinched Yang Yi''s arm. She nodded and said, "Yes, your Qi and blood are abundant. The Crimson Afterglow Technique has begun to temper your bones. Not bad, not bad." With this simple act, a cultivator could gauge another person''s current cultivation realm, but that was about it. Yet, Yang Yi immediately pulled his arms back and offered his praises, "Originally, I estimated that I would need another two to three months to break through. In the end, after consuming the pills, I immediately had an opportunity. I have to say, your pill cultivating skills are on a godly level." "You tter me." Zhuang Chenglu''s pretty face came closer. There was half a smile on her face. After that, she moved away and said softly, "I''m still happy that you broke through after consuming my pills." "What about Zhang Xiaohu? Is he feeling better now?" Sensing that the atmosphere was not right, Yang Yi changed the topic. "He has already recovered. I chased him down the mountain." Zhuang Chenglu took another bite of the fragrant pears. This was a grassy slope. The beautiful forest could be seen in the distance. asionally, a breeze blew past, and the bamboo forest yed a rustling concerto. "Didn''t you want to keep him here to test pills for you?" Yang Yi was puzzled. "His constitution is too weak. Using him would only be a waste of my precious pills." Zhuang Chenglu''s expression was indifferent. She should have known from the start that his constitution was weak. He was even poisoned. Even so, she brought Zhang Xiaohu back here to be treated. This meant that Zhuang Chenglu did not n to ask for anything in return from the start. As for the task of testing the pills, she either had a tough mouth but a soft heart, or she wanted to prevent other sick people from asking for help from her if word about this got round. Moreover, it was also possible that she was protecting Zhang Xiaohu from being disturbed by the other disciples. There was nock of people like Yao Lang in the sect. If Zhuang Chenglu was too nice to Zhang Xiaohu, it was inevitable that some of the other disciples would have some wicked ideas. "The scene of the reuniting grandfather and grandson must be very touching." Yang Yi was not sure what the reason was behind Zhuang Chenglu''s actions, so he did not ask further and just smiled. "What does that have to do with me?" Zhuang Chenglu turned her head and red at Yang Yi. She threw away the core of the pear that she had finished eating and pped her hands. She walked over and sized him up. "Aren''t you leaving after saying your thanks?" "Uh, to be honest, I have another request," Yang Yi said sheepishly. "I just broke through to the Bone Refining stage and my cultivation base is a little unstable. I wanted to ask for some pills to consolidate my cultivation base." "Do I look like a full-time pill cultivator to you?" Zhuang Chenglu was displeased. Although the Harmony Court was responsible for the Qixia sect''s supply of pills, the main task of the disciples was still to cultivate. "Oh, I forgot. This is for the cost of cultivating pills. If it''s not enough, I''ll write home and get some more." Yang Yi took out a stack of gold certificates from his pocket. If converted into silver, these certificates would be worth at least 20,000 taels. "Who do you take me for? Not all pills can be valued using money!" Zhuang Chenglu''s expression was cold and stern as she took the certificates. After carefully counting them, a smile gradually appeared on her face. "Actually, there are many pills that can be valued using money." She raised her head and looked at Yang Yi with a grin. "Junior Brother Yang, do you have any pills you have in mind? Or would you like to listen to my suggestion?" "..." Yang Yi expected as much. Zhuang Chenglu was willing to swindle 80 taels of silver. She might not be short of funds, but she was still a money grubber. However, he did not expect her to switch her stance so quickly! This made him wonder if he had given her too much. Chapter 24: Poor Acting Skills Chapter 24: Poor Acting Skills "To tell you the truth, I don''t know anything about pills. I don''t even understand the medicinal properties of many herbs. I nearly touched the ghost weed by mistake on Sky Light Mountain. If it''s possible, I would like to ask you to give me a lesson before I choose my pills." He could not possibly ask for his money back now. Hence, Yang Yi diverted the topic to the medicinal properties of the herbs. "You''re smart. You''re trying to buy two things with the same money." Zhuang Chenglu kept the gold certificates and knocked her cane. She said, "Well, since I have nothing to do today, I''ll teach you something. Otherwise, you won''t even recognize a natural treasure when you see it in the future." The two of them left the Harmony Court and walked towards the herbal field. Since they were going to talk about pharmacology, doing so in the presence of actual herbs would naturally be the most effective way. Moreover, they still had to purchase medicinal herbs to cultivate pills in the future. "Senior Sister Zhuang, that Senior Brother has been sitting cross-legged here for a long time. I wonder what kind of martial arts he''s been cultivating." When they reached the cliff, Zhao Heng was still sitting under the tree. Beside him, there was a glowing green sword with an iparably sharp edge. "That''s Zhao Heng of the Li Bamboo Academy. When he was at the Cauldron Assembling stage, he managed to stand his own ground against Senior Brother Liu Yang, who was at the Mountain Moving stage. In the end, he only lost by half a move. He''s now a famous figure in the Inner Courts. Rumor has it that he''s already trying to break through to the Mountain Moving stage. About his cultivation method, I have no idea. I think it was personally taught by the master of the Li Bamboo Court." Zhuang Chenglu shook her head and said. Strength Entry was divided into three realms, namely Spiral Force, Cauldron Assembling, and Mountain Moving. Every time one advanced to a higher level, the strength in one''s body would multiply. Zhao Heng was able to make up for the difference in strength and challenge those of a higher level. It was likely that he had his own unique methods. "He''s really amazing." Yang Yi yearned for the realm of Strength Entry. No matter how strong a Body Tempering cultivator was, they were still an ordinary persons. Only by knowing how to use the force could one truly step into the path of martial arts. "He joined the Inner Courtster than me. Logically speaking, he should address me as Senior Sister Zhuang!" Zhuang Chenglu raised her head. The two of them continued to ascend the mountain in single file. At the peak of the mountain, in the Herb Hall. When the medicinal herbs in the herb field matured, they would be sent here for processing. This was the ce for sect disciples to buy medicinal herbs at the most affordable price. "This is the heartless weed. If you consume it directly, it will give you diarrhea. However, if you cultivate it into a heartless pill, it will be a good medicine for injuries." "This is the blood ginseng, the main medicinal ingredient for refining the nine whisker pill. The older it is, the better the medicinal effect." "The earring fruit looks like an earring. It''s very easy to recognize. You can eat it directly, or you can smear the juice on the external wounds. It has the effect of dampening the pain." The Herb Hall upied arge area. There were rows of wooden shelves inside. Yang Yi followed Zhuang Chenglu and listened to her introduction. She had been paid for her service, and her exnation was quite detailed. After what seemed like hours, theypleted a tour of the Herb Hall. Yang Yi''s head was dizzy from listening to the exnations. Zhuang Chenglu was also a little tired from talking. "If you reach the Strength Entry realm and are chosen by my master to enter the Harmony Court, you''ll get the chance to systematically learn about pills and medicine. I can only give you a superficial exnation this time. It won''t be long before you forget about it." She walked out of the Herb Hall to breathe in fresh air. "I haven''t decided which Inner Court to join yet." Yang Yi held a few wooden boxes in his hands. Inside were the medicinal herbs needed to cultivate pills in the future. There was also a small wooden cage which contained a palm-sized cloud marten that was looking outside in fear. The blood of the cloud marten was a very good ingredient for cultivating pills. When Zhuang Chenglu introduced this animal, Yang Yi decided that he would cultivate the rity pill. This was a pill that eliminated impurities from the body. It was especially suitable for martial artists who had just broken through. "You''re talking as if you can surely enter the Inner Court." Zhuang Chenglu smiled. "No matter how high the grade of the pill is, it won''t bepletely harmless to the human body. Pills exhausts the potential of the human body, so try not to rely on them." She directed thetter half of her message toward Yang Yi. Yang Yi had used the dragon blood pill to break through to the Bone Refining stage, and then immediately looked for her to cultivate pills. This was because he had experienced how effective pills could be. Zhuang Chenglu had seen too many people being addicted to pills to improve their strength. In the end, they became dependent on it. If they did not take the pills, they would not be able to cultivate at all. "Thank you for your advice, Senior Sister." Yang Yi knew that this was the bitter truth. After choosing the medicinal herbs, the two of them descended the mountain together. "Senior Sister, there seems to be a path at the bottom of the slope. Where does it lead to?" Yang Yi suddenly asked her this question while they walked on the forest path. "Are you stupid? This area is connected to the cliff. This path naturally leads to the bottom of the cliff." Zhuang Chenglu walked in front and urged Yang Yi to hurry up. Yang Yi was neither fast nor slow. He said casually, "I heard that the devil lord is suppressed at the bottom of the cliff. I wonder if it''s true." "Of course it''s true, but I''ve never seen it with my own eyes. That happened a long time ago." Zhuang Chenglu knocked on her cane and urged, "Walk faster, or the it''ll get dark." "Can you help me carry some of these items, Senior Sister? This cloud marten is throwing a tantrum. I can''t hold it steady." Yang Yi was having a hard time carrying the stack of wooden boxes. "You''re such a pain," Zhuang Chenglu grumbled. However, she walked over and took the small, exquisite wooden box at the top. How much weight could that reduce? Yang Yi cursed in his heart. "Ah!" He suddenly slipped and fell on his back. The wooden box in his hand fell to the ground. It was thrown far away and rolled down the slope down the mountain. "Are you kidding me?" Zhuang Chenglu turned around and could not help but roll her eyes. Yet, she still walked over and picked up the scattered herbs. "The cage containing the cloud marten fell down. I''ll go pick it up." Yang Yi got up and jumped down the slope. After taking a dozen steps, he picked up the cage. While Zhuang Chenglu was not paying attention to him, he opened the wooden cage and let the cloud marten go. He nned to use the excuse of finding the cloud marten to lead Zhuang Chenglu to the bottom of the cliff, making her the first person to discover the Devil Qi. From the feedback reports, the leakage of Devil Qi was not serious yet. If it was discovered and reported in time, they should be able to control the situation. "Ah!" Yang Yi shouted. "What''s wrong now?" Zhuang Chenglu was sorting out the herbs when she was startled by the shout. She walked to the edge of the slope. "The cloud marten bit me and ran away." Yang Yi pointed at the foot of the mountain. "Then let''s go buy another one." Zhuang Chenglu was indifferent. "Uh, when it bit me, it took away one of my jade tokens. That was my mother''s legacy." Yang Yi covered his fingers with a sad expression. Zhuang Chenglu nodded and said, "Then you should get it back. It''s getting dark. Be careful on your own." Yang Yi was stunned and stammered, "Senior Sister, you..." Most people would help to look for it in such a situation, right? "I''ll go down the mountain. When you''ve gathered the necessary herbs, bring them to the Harmony Court. I''ll help you cultivate the pills." Zhuang Chenglu waved at Yang Yi and left quickly. "..." Yang Yi wanted to cry. He could not go down alone. It would be too dangerous. After thinking about it, Yang Yi decided to retreat. However, his efforts were not in vain. There was a reason for someone to go down the path now. If he did not want to go down personally, he could go to the Mission Hall and issue a mission to trick the other disciples. He believed that with a generous reward, there would be someone willing to help him find his mother''s legacy. Chapter 25: Mountain Shaker Chapter 25: Mountain Shaker Before the sky turned dark, Yang Yi rushed to the Mission Hall and reported his situation to a disciple on duty. He tried looking for Xu Menghua several times before this. After going back and forth in the Mission Hall, he became familiar with this disciple on duty. "That can be arranged, Junior Brother Yang, I understand what you mean. About the reward..." The disciple on duty was taking notes. This mission was not difficult. To put it bluntly, it was only a mission to recover a lost item. The herbal field and the broken cliff inside sect grounds was a location with a low danger level. Although the devil lord was suppressed at the bottom of the broken cliff, that was a long time ago. That area had long been opened to disciples. As long as it was not too close to the Devil Imprisoning Cave, it was fine. "Let''s set the reward at 200 contribution points. Please help me out, Senior Brother. That jade token is very important to me." 200 contribution points was a huge sum of money. Even the task of escorting goods would not pay this much. Yang Yi handed over his pass along with several pieces of silver hidden under it. The disciple on duty received it. He understood and his expression grew enthusiastic. "Don''t worry, Junior Brother Yang. If this mission is published, there will definitely be many seniors who will be willing to help. Even I would like to skip work to find it." These words were not entirely ttery. Among the outer disciples, there were quite a few who were living on a tight budget. This mission would undoubtedly be a popr one. "I''ll leave it in your hands, Senior Brother." Yang Yi bowed and left. As usual, he went to the Spiritual Spring Mountain to cultivate for a while. Then, he bought some demonic beast meat and went back. Now that the Crimson Afterglow Technique had broken through, it was time to focus on the Mountain-hugging Fist. He imagined that the Qixia Sect might descend into chaos if the leakage of Devil Qi could not be contained. If that happened, he might consider leaving the sect. The journey back to the Yang family in Baisha City was a long one. It would be very difficult to arrive safely if he was weak. Currently, cultivating a martial technique to the aplished stage was the fastest way to improve his strength. He returned to the wooden hut. Yang Yi opened his martial arts panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Bone Refining (23/800) Spirit umtion points: 500 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He opened his martial arts panel. Martial Arts: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Intermediate (83/300) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: [Your Mountain-hugging Fist has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] (Two hours required for the next feedback.) Yang Yi could now collect 300 spirit umtion points a day, which gave him an upper limit of requesting 30 feedback reports per day. "Feedback, 30 times!" He went straight to the point. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist gobbled up a bag of heavenly demon ox jerky. Its strength increased greatly. Power +3. ] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist secretly attended lessons in the Diligent Mountain Court. It learned an ultimate killer move, Mountain Shaker!] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist is tired. Aside from cultivating, it picked up the hobby of fishing. It gained nothing today.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist was injured during a sparring session. Fortunately, a kind senior sister helped it bandage its wounds. Experience -2.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist''s thoughts were all over the ce. Its training efficiency was greatly reduced. When it went up the mountain to rx, it discovered a group of ck-clothed men and horses hunting a giant turtle demon beast.] ... A row of feedback reports shed past Yang Yi''s eyes. This was the first time he had requested this many feedback reports in one go, and it was a little dazzling. After carefully checking the records, he was overjoyed. Out of the five special events, there was only one experience deduction. This was already considered a small proportion. The one that caught his attention the most was the second report. It learned an ultimate move by secretly learning from the Diligent Mountain Court! "This fellow is usuallypetitive and always stirring up trouble. I didn''t expect itsprehension abilities to be this wonderful." Yang Yi was a little jealous, but at the same time, he felt gratified. He felt that it should be considered aplete martial art or at least a strengthened one. "Mountain Shaker... It''s an ultimate move used to kill one''s enemies. It sounds powerful." Yang Yi could not sit still anymore. He immediately went to the courtyard to execute the fist technique. The wooden figure in the courtyard had long been reced with a green rock. The surface of the green rock was rough, and it was extremely hard. Only Yang Yi, who had broken through to the Bone Refining stage, dared to use this to practice his punches. "Ha!" Yang Yi threw a straight punch. He unleashed 70 to 80 percent of his Bone Refining stage''s power in that punch. However, he merely left a small white mark on the green rock. His punches became faster and faster. Each punch was like a falling mountain rock that increased with intensity as it rolled forth. The white mark on the green rock became more and more obvious. Ash was starting to form on its surface. "Ha!" Yang Yi was not satisfied yet. He spread his feet and brought his arms slightly together before himself. After umting his strength, his two fists thrust out like ox horns. Thunk! His fists gave muffled thumps. The green rock that was as tall as a person gave a slight shake, but that was all. Yang Yi focused his gaze. The shadows of his fists changed. Following the memories from the previous feedback reports, he made a hammer with his hands and smashed down fiercely! It was Mountain Shaker! Thwack! On the surface of the green rock, a crack the shape of a wash basin appeared. Tiny pieces of gravel rolled down. This move was indeed powerful! Yang Yi was panting. He felt extremely excited with these results. "With such lethality, I might even be able to break through the defenses of a Spiral Force cultivator. If Ibine it with the fire attribute of the Crimson Afterglow Technique, I might be able to unleash a more powerful strike." Although Yang Yi had never really witnessed the defensive force of a Spiral Force martial artist, he had a hunch about it when he reached his current realm. However, he would only know the truth after an actualbat against a Spiral Force cultivator. He wiped his sweat. When he walked to the side to rest, he noticed that there were many abrasions on his arm. There was also a bruise that hurt when he pressed it. There was nothing he could do. He had just broken through to the Bone Refining stage not long ago. Using such a powerful killer move has ced a great burden on his body. Fortunately, his Qi and blood were very solid. This minor injury would not hurt his foundation at all. He merely needed one day to recover, at most. However, he still applied some ointment on it, just to be safe. He worked through the night in excitement. The next day, Yang Yi was still in high spirits. First, he went to the herbal field to buy a cloud marten and sent it to the Harmony Court. After that, he went to look for Xu Menghua. Today, Xu Menghwa was there, but he seemed to be in a hurry, as if he was going to leave again. Yang Yi directly told him the news of his breakthrough. "Oh? If I remember correctly, you haven''t been in the outer sect for long, right?" Xu Menghua was in a hurry at first, but when he heard the news, he immediately became interested. "I''ve barely been promoted to the outer sect for two months," Yang Yi answered truthfully. "Two months to break through to the Bone Refining stage. That''s a good speed." Xu Menghua stepped forward and felt Yang Yi''s arm. After confirming that the situation was true, the way he looked at Yang Yi became even gentler. No matter where one was, talented people were always treated differently. "Aside from the pills provided by senior sister Chenglu from the Harmony Court, it''s also thanks to your guidance that I was fortunate enough to achieve this breakthrough, Manager Xu." These were modest words. He pointed out the two key points for his breakthrough. One of them was also a tteringpliment directed at Xu Menghua which was inserted seamlessly. When he came to Xu Menghua with the teaching token, he would also asionally ask about the Crimson Afterglow Technique apart from receiving guidance for the Mountain-hugging Fist. This was something that Yang Yi had nned long ago. He nned to talk more about it after the breakthrough. "Your achievements today are all thanks to your own hard work. I didn''t do much." Xu Menghua waved his hand, but the smile on his face told Yang Yi that his words had their intended effects. "I have some urgent matters to attend to now. Come visit me when I get back." He walked to the front of the courtyard, paused, and said with his hands behind his back, "When youe over in the future, there''s no need to bring any more teaching tokens." Chapter 26: Ambition Chapter 26: Ambition Xu Menghua''s words sent a signal. He intended to nurture Yang Yi. This was a good thing. In the future, Yang Yi''s cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds. He could attribute his sudden improvements to Xu Menghua''s guidance. If he encountered any difficulties, he could also ask Xu Menghua for help. After all, he held the title of the Mission Hall''s manager. His status in the sect was only slightly lower than that of the sect master and elders. Yang Yi bowed and sent him off. He left Xu Menghua''s ce and headed to the Martial Storage Pavilion. ording to his estimation, he would be able to break through in seven days with the Mountain-hugging Fist. Before that, he would have excess spirit umtion points to cultivate other martial techniques. However, before that, Yang Yi still needed to cultivate his martial techniques to the beginner level. Hence, he would pick a new martial technique based on how quickly he could cultivate it to the beginner stage. "Yang Yi, long time no see." Someone called out to him from behind just as he arrived at the second floor of the Martial Storage Pavilion. Yang Yi turned and saw that the person who spoke to him was Jian Wenbin. Ever since he failed the missionst time, Jian Wenbin rarely showed his face before anyone else. Nobody could me him. Nobody would feel good if theirpanion died during a mission. "Brother Jian..." Yang Yi felt a sense of sorrow. He went over to chat with him for a while. The two of them usually had a good rtionship with each other. As they chatted, Jian Wenbin told him about what happened at that time. "We were on a mission in the vige near Liuxi Town, but the Yin Family in the town happened to lure two Bone Refining demonic beasts to the ce. Without any exnation, they made Senior Brother Shen Ge stall the two Bone Refining demonic beasts while they escaped on horseback. Before they left, they said that they would bring reinforcements to save Senior Brother Shen Ge and asked him to hold on..." Jian Wenbin''s eyes gradually turned red, and he suddenlyughed bitterly. "We couldn''t escape, and there were innocent vigers behind us, so we could only believe in their words. However, even when Senior Brother Shen Ge was bitten to death, they never came back." "That was truly an undeserved disaster." Yang Yi felt extremely ufortable. "An undeserved disaster? If you ask me, that was murder!" Jian Wenbin gritted his teeth and looked up at Yang Yi. "I found out after the incident that it was the Yin Family who went deep into the forest and provoked that pack of demonic beasts! But in the end, they were no match for them, and they fled in a sorry state. That''s what led to the incident." "..." Yang Yi was shocked. He did not expect that there would be people who had a death wish. "Recently, Liuxi Town has been invaded by demonic beasts, and the people are suffering. I think that the young master of the Yin Family, who was the leader, was trying to establish his authority, so he led ordinary people to attack the nest of demonic beasts. However, it''s clear that he is an idiot!" Jian Wenbin spat and clenched his fists. "In other words, Senior Brother Shen Ge paid the price for this person''s recklessness for no reason." Yang Yi empathized and felt disgusted with the young master of the Yin Family. "Did you report this matter to the higher-ups?" "I did, but I don''t think there will be any results. At most, they will offer marypensation and an apology. After all, it was a demonic beast that killed Senior Brother Shen Ge, and the Yin Family holds powerful influence on Liuxi Town... What can a mere outer disciples like us do about it?" Jian Wenbin''s words were rather cold. There was also a hint of helplessness in them. Putting everything on someone else''s shoulders did not necessarily mean that there would be results. If one wanted results, one had to do everything on their own. "I n to make a trip to Senior Brother Shen Ge''s house. If it wasn''t for him, I probably wouldn''t have survived. After this, my ambition is to kill that young master of the Yin Family and not rest until one of us is dead," he said in a very calm tone. Then, he swiped his pass, took the martial arts on the table, and disappeared from Yang Yi''s sight. Before he left, Yang Yi could see the determination in his eyes. Yang Yi sighed. Everyone had their own destinies and opportunities. Yang Yi could not dissuade him and he did not have the time to be doing that either. He retracted his gaze and proceeded to choose his martial arts. Now that he had a fist technique that focused on attacking, he naturally avoided simr martial arts and went to look for support-type martial arts. "Nine Lotus Steps, Light Body Technique, Phantom Dodge... Yin Yang Guard, Thousand Nails Fall..." There were quite a few that he liked. For example, if he mastered the Light Body Technique, his body would be as light as a swallow, allowing him to have the initiative during a battle. It would be easy for him to retreat or fight on. It could be considered a veryprehensive movement technique, but its weakness was that it was difficult to cultivate. It was difficult to reach the beginner stage, and it was also difficult to break through bottlenecks. Moreover, it was best to start cultivating it diligently from a young age. Yang Yi shook his head and his gaze fell on the Nine Lotus Steps and the Phantom Dodge. These martial arts were not asprehensive as the Light Body Technique. They were more like skills. The Nine Lotus Steps was a defensive movement technique. When one was in a defensive state, they would not be thrown into disarray and reveal a weakness in their lower body. Phantom Dodge was a dodging technique. It trained one''s reflexes to the maximum and one''s body would instinctively avoid the enemy''s attack. Judging solely from the introduction, the practicality of both techniques was not bad. However, after some consideration, Yang Yi chose Phantom Dodge in the end. Although Phantom Dodge did not have aplimentary medicinal bath that he could use to aid in his cultivation. it had a unique cultivation approach. It was said that if one cultivated diligently, one could even reach the beginner stage within half a month. This was very attractive to Yang Yi. "I''ll take this." Yang Yi bought it and left. Before he left, he looked at the Yin Yang Guard and the Thousand Nails Fall again. These martial arts focused on defense. They were powerful, but they were not easy to cultivate. They required time and effort. This was especially true for the Yin Yang Guard. This martial art had to be cultivated by two cultivators. One would be Yin while the other would be Yang. Only when they worked together could the strongest effect be manifested. He walked out of the Martial Storage Pavilion silently. Yang Yi''s mood was still affected by Jian Wenbin. He was very depressed, as if a stone was stuck in his heart. "Let''s go and take a look. I heard that the devil lord that''s suppressed at the bottom of the cliff is about to break the seal." "Who told you that? Everyone knows that someone discovered a leakage of Devil Qi. The Court Master has already gone over to deal with it. Perhaps the Sect Master will be there too." "You know, I always thought that it was merely a legend. I didn''t expect it to be true." A few nearby disciples rushed to tell each other about the news. "The Devil Qi leak was discovered so soon?" Yang Yi was stunned. He did not expect the others to act this quickly. However, it was understandable. After all, this was 200 contribution points. There were probably many people who epted the mission. He pondered for a moment and followed the other disciples. When he passed by the devil suppression tree, he did not see Zhao Heng. "Yang Yi." On his way to the medicinal field, Yang Yi bumped into Zhou Yan. Obviously, Zhou Yan was also attracted by themotion. "The name list for the assessment has been released. Fortunately, my opponent is also new to the Blood Refining stage. I was just about to enter seclusion to cultivate. Why did this happen at this juncture?" The two of them walked together and went down the slope. The previously abandoned road was re-paved. "Did you check the name list with manager Mu?" Yang Yi chatted. "Yes, I also checked it for you. You''re out of luck, though. You''re paired with an old timer. I think his name is Wang Chong." Zhou Yan pushed aside the grass and trees and quickly passed through. "Wang Chong?" Yang Yi had an impression of this person. He seemed to be the one who was beaten up by the Mountain-hugging Fist.. Whoosh whoosh whoosh. The two of them descended the slope and quickly arrived at the bottom of the cliff. There were already many disciples gathered here. There were even quite a number of people dressed in purple. Everyone''s expression was solemn. Their gazesnded in front of a cave that was filled with Restrictions. Here, a man in a gray robe was asking a disciple about the reason. Yang Yi knew this disciple. It was Lin Yan who broke through one day before him! Chapter 27: Wang Chong Coming to Visit Chapter 27: Wang Chong Coming to Visit "I went to inquire just now. It was Lin Yan who first discovered the leakage of Devil Qi. That''s lucky of him. It seems that he went down there to look for a jade token. I wonder who issued the mission." Zhou Yan revealed an envious expression. Lin Yan had made a great contribution this time. He would definitely be handsomely rewarded by the sect. "Do you know that person next to him?" Yang Yi did not care about who would be getting the reward. The important thing was whether this matter could be resolved. He still wanted to develop steadily for a period of time, so it was especially crucial to control the situation. "He is Zhu Zhonghai, master of the Li Bamboo Court, and the one standing next to him is Senior Brother Zhao Heng, who has recently shot to fame." When Zhou Yan was a general disciple, he was very well-informed. Yang Yi looked in the direction of Zhu Zhonghai and indeed, there was a man holding a sword standing near him. He was quite familiar with Zhao Heng, who had been cultivating under the devil suppression tree. However, when he looked at Zhao Heng before, he was cultivating. Now that he looked at his facial features, there was a sense of arrogance in him. "He does have the right to be proud. I reckon that he is one or two years older than us." Yang Yi sighed. However, he did not belittle himself. He had his own opportunities. "Move along, all of you. The sect will handle this matter. There''s no need for rm. Don''t spread the news either!" After Zhu Zhonghai understood the situation, he waved his hand and dismissed Lin Yan. Then, he gave a clear order. "Understood." After the court master gave his order, the group of disciples immediately bowed and left obediently. When they left, Yang Yi turned his head and took a look. He saw Zhu Zhonghai leading Zhao Heng into the Devil Imprisoning Cave. This matter came to an end. He no longer bothered about it anymore. "Yang Yi, you have to prepare well for this assessment. Although Wang Chong is an old man, I heard that he has been injured recently. It''s not like you don''t stand a chance." They left the herbal field and descended the mountain. Zhou Yan patted Yang Yi''s shoulder. "Uh, okay." Yang Yi silently agreed. Speaking of this, he still had to go look for Mu Hengshan. He had already broken through to the Bone Refining stage, so naturally, he had to look for an opponent of the same level. Even if Wang Chong was an old man, he was no match for him. The two of them walked all the way to the training field before separating. Yang Yi opened the ink map scroll. The tone of the ink around the training field was faint. The reserve of spiritual umtion points there was drying up. The spiritual springs which he frequented were in simr conditions as well. It was time to find another ce to collect them. He scanned the map. Nearby, there was the Mystic Weapon Pavilion, the Worship Hall, the Reception Hall... Yang Yi casually went to the Worship Hall to collect spirit umtion points for the day. After that, he went to look for Mu Hengshan. "Oh? You''ve broken through to Bone Refining stage? I remember you, kid. You gave me quite a lot." Mu Hengshan was half asleep. When he saw Yang Yiing over, he yawned. "How is it? Are you used to living in that ce?" "Thanks to you, Old Man Mu, everything went smoothly," Yang Yi said respectfully. Mu Hengshan stood up and took the name list and pen from the side. He muttered, "Since you broke through, I have to pair you up with a new opponent." At this point, he suddenly looked up and looked at Yang Yi. "So, what will it be? Do you want to do it randomly or through the back door?" "Uh, let''s do it randomly this time." Yang Yi did not know whether tough or cry. The old man was a little too brazen in his opinion. "Alright, but you might end uppeting against an old-timer. He might have mastered the force, and they won''t be pushovers. You''ll have to be careful." Mu Hengshan took the pen and drew circles on the name list. The so-called randomness seemed to only be within his thoughts. "Thank you for your advice, Old Man Mu." Yang Yi bowed and took his leave. He returned to the wooden hut. As soon as he sat down, he opened the martial technique scroll for Phantom sh. Inside, there were only notes, texts, and the form for its early-stage cultivation. There was no spiritual pattern visualization diagram, nor was there aplimentary medicinal pill form. It could be considered a rtively simple Body Tempering martial art. However, the effect described in the scroll was not bad. If a person had great willpower and sessfully cultivated it, they would be able to react to attacks instantly! Even if the enemy''s fist was thrown out in front of their eyes, they could still use their body''s instinct to dodge it. Just imagine how ufortable it would be if the opponent mustered all their strength to hit nothing in front of their eyes. "Is it really that powerful? If the speed of the opponent''s punch is too fast, my body might not be able to react in time, right? Also, an instinctive dodge might be limited in range. If the opponent gets familiar with the patterns of my movements, this technique would''ve lost its effects." Yang Yi did not believe the words on the scroll easily. He knew that if this was truly a powerful technique, the Martial Storage Pavilion would definitely not sell it for a mere 300 contribution points. There would definitely be an effect. It could be used in certain situations to take his opponents by surprise and avoid fatal injuries, but it was not suitable for continuous use. This was the pertinent evaluation that Yang Yi gave after reading through the text of the scroll. "It''s not bad. At least it''s easy to reach the beginner stage." Yang Yi looked at the supplementary cultivation tips. He wanted to know what this unique way of cultivation was. "Yang Yi?" A call suddenly came from outside the courtyard. Yang Yi raised his head. There was only one person who hade. He was dressed in a light blue uniform, and there was a bandage on his arm. He did not know this person. He temporarily put away the scroll and walked over. "May I ask what''s the matter?" Walking closer, Yang Yi realized that the other disciple''s injuries were very serious. His arms were covered in wounds, and even his face was bruised. He might have had a vicious appearance before, but it was impossible to tell now. "I''m Wang Chong. You should address me as Senior Brother. I''ll be paired with you for the regr trimester assessment this time." Wang Chong did not have a good temper, so he went straight to the point. "Greetings, Senior Brother Wang." Yang Yi finally saw him in person. "Forget it. I see that you''re a smart person, so I''ll cut to the chase. This so-calledpetition isn''t very interesting, and the reward for the winner was also of little value. Who would fight seriously in front of others for such a trivial reward? Many of the Senior and Junior Brothers have their private agreements. When the timees, they will go up and go through the formalities." His fingers knocked on the fence of the courtyard. Although Wang Chong''s body was covered in injuries, his manner of speaking was not at a disadvantage. "What do you mean by that, Senior Brother?" Yang Yi wore a befuddled expression. "During our match, I will win and you will lose. I''ll give you 30 percent of the reward. You''re a neer, so it''s normal for you to lose. Let''s make an agreement. You won''t lose too badly. There will also be reward points for you." For neers, they would basically be schooled during their first few matches. Wang Chong''s conditions were somewhat enticing. Unfortunately, the person he was talking to was Yang Yi. Yang Yi was stunned. He remained silent. "What, do you think it''s too little? Do you think you can beat me? To tell you the truth, I''ve been at the Blood Refining level for a year!" Wang Chong''s words sounded very imposing at first, but after careful consideration, he felt that it was strange. He stayed at the Blood Refining stage for a year because he was either not focused, or because his aptitude was extremely poor. However, for a neer who had just broken through to the Blood Refining stage, the difference of a year was indeed fatal. "Senior Brother Wang, I heard that you have been repeatedly ambushed. Did you manage to catch your attacker?" Yang Yi pursed his lips and tried to ask. "Hah, I knew it. You''re thinking that you''ll stand a chance against me because I''m injured, aren''t you?" Wang Chong was hit where it hurt. He was slightly traumatized by the incident. His attacker had sneaked up on him not once, but several times. The attacker did not stop at hitting him. Wang Chong was even robbed. It was one thing to be robbed of his money. The other day, he wanted to put an end to this, and carried two small exploding talismans on him for self-defense. Yet, he underestimated the his attacker''s insidiousness. Once again, Wang Chong was beaten up, and his attacker took the talismans from him. "Let me tell you, even if I am injured, I can still deal with you. I have asked around and found out that you have only been promoted to outer sect for two months." "Defeating you won''t be a problem for me, injury or no injury. I know that you''ve only been promoted to the outer sect two months ago." Wang Chong was full of confidence. It was as if he wanted to vent all his anger towards his attacker on Yang Yi. "You don''t have to do this, Senior Brother. I have recently broken through to the Bone Refining stage. I''ve asked Manager Mu to change my assigned opponent. We''re no longerpeting against each other." Yang Yi exined the whole story. He cupped his fists and saluted Wang Chong before he left. Chapter 28: Cultivating Phantom Dodge Chapter 28: Cultivating Phantom Dodge "Lin Yan, that''s amazing. You''ve made a great contribution this time. The sect will certainly reward you handsomely." In the pill room of the Harmony Court, a few inner disciples were gathered together as they chatted. Lin Yan, who had been testing the pills for them previously, was also among them. He was sitting quietly at the side and was meditating. Only when someone called out to him would he open his eyes and respond with a gentle smile. "When the timees, don''t forget the few Senior Brothers who provided for you. Your cultivation speed during this period of time is amazing. It''s all thanks to our great tonic pills, haha." Someone patted Lin Yan''s head. Everyone elseughed along. The atmosphere was harmonious. Lin Yan smiled as well, but he did not say anything. If he really could obtain the sect''s reward this time, he wanted to leave this ce as soon as possible. ... Yang Yi stood in the middle of the courtyard with his eyes blindfolded. In front of him stood a huge wooden frame. Ropes were tied to the wooden frame, and under each rope were rocks the size of washbasins. The rocks swayed back and forth like pendulums, making whooshing sounds in the wind. If an ordinary person were to be hit, they would probably spit out what they atest night. However, Yang Yi nned to pass through this rocky area with his eyes blindfolded. This was the cultivation approach recorded in the Phantom Dodge''s scroll. Without relying on his senses, he would use his body''s instinct of seeking benefits and avoiding harm to dodge the attack. He would receive information from the outside world through his senses, then transmit it to his brain to think, and then react with his limbs. This process wasplete and urate, but it was not fast enough. When faced with attacks that did not require thinking but only needed dodging, he would empty his mind and return the right to use his body to his own body. Only then could he make an instantaneous reaction without any dy. He understood the logic, but the problem lies with when he really needed to do it. Yang Yi made sufficient mental preparations. Blindfolded, he stuffed his nose and ears with cotton. He used his mouth to take a breath, emptied his mind and body, and returned the right to use his body to it. Then, he slowly took a step forward. Thump! Yang Yi had just walked to the first stone area and was hit squarely. The washbasin-sized stone struck his waist. He staggered, took a few steps back, and adjusted his condition. However, he was hit by the stone again before he could take two steps. Yang Yi, who had lost his senses, was like a headless fly, flustered and helpless. Time passed by as he trained. Yang Yi had many injuries on his body. However, he did not gain anything. He could not dodge the rocks, nor did he gain any insights. "Am I really that bad atprehension?" Yang Yi was hit so hard that he began to doubt his life. He sat on the corridor while he watched the swinging rocks in the yard and fell into deep thought. In the past two days, he had tried to instinctively dodge the rocks that were moving irregrly during the day, and at night, he requested feedback reports for the Mountain-hugging Fist. He was delighted by the progress made by the Mountain-hugging Fist. It had triggered a few special events, and his experience points were already more than half of the maximum value. However, he still had no clue about the cultivation of Phantom Dodge. Yang Yi touched the injuries on his body. He gradually came to a realization. From the beginning, he knew that he needed to cover his senses and walk through the rocky area. He had been on guard, as if he was ready to be hit. It was an instinct to prepare for the worst. However, the purpose of cultivating Phantom Dodge was to avoid the attack. It was not to prepare for the worst, or to use energy to defend his body and resist the damage! "Empty my body and mind... Empty my body and mind. I didn''t let down my guard against danger. I was still thinking and didn''t give the right to use my body back to my body." Yang Yi seemed to have grasped the crux of the problem. He stood up and came before the rocky area once again with a flicker in his eyes. "What if I empty my body and remove the defense of my body? What if I get hit by a rock?" It would definitely hurt! However, if he was afraid of pain or of getting hurt, what was the point of cultivating martial arts? Yang Yi calmed his mind and used the ck cloth to cover his eyes. He began to truly empty his body. The first stone came at him. He still wanted to defend himself, but he deliberately suppressed the urge halfway. His body froze on the spot for a moment, and the stone hit him squarely. "Again!" Yang Yi ignored the pain and continued to try. He silently recalled the tips about using Phantom Dodge in his heart. He did not think about anything else. Even if his body was hit, he would let the pain spread. Gradually, he grasped a key point, or rather, a trick. When a rock flew towards him, his body would instinctively avoid it. Out of 10 times, he could probably avoid it once or twice. The probability of this was still too low. Moreover, every time Yang Yi avoided it, he moved so much that he could not dodge the next rock. This obviously did not meet the requirements of the Phantom Dodge. That night. Yang Yi went to the Spiritual Spring Mountain to cultivate for a while. He soaked in the spiritual spring, which helped him to recover from his injuries. He had been holed up in the wooden hut for the past few days. This time, he went out to inquire about the news. For the matter of the Devil Qi leak from the Devil Imprisoning Cave, two Court Masters, Zhu Zhonghai of the Li Bamboo Court and Wan Hegui of the Dao Yang Court, worked together to reinforce the seal, which was not very loose to begin with. Wan Hegui was also familiar with Formations. With the two of them working together, this matter came to an end. Some disciples guessed that the Sect Master might make a move, but the Sect Master did not. After the matter was settled, Lin Yan received a reward for being the person to report the leak. However, this was not what Yang Yi was concerned about. He returned from the Spiritual Spring Mountain. He did not continue to cultivate Phantom Dodge. He was going to participate in the outer disciples'' assessment the day after tomorrow. He did not want to go on stage with his injuries. He opened the attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Bone Refining (28/800) Spirit umtion points: 500 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He looked at the martial arts panel again. Martial arts: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Intermediate (258/300) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial arts Feedback: ... "At this rate, my Mountain-hugging Fist should be able to break through to the aplished level tomorrow," Yang Yi said with satisfaction. With this, his strength would rise to another level. Even if he were to meet an old man who knew how to use force, he would have absolute confidence in winning! Of course, it was still debatable whether he should use his full strength in such a minor test. After the Mountain-hugging Fist had broken through to the aplished level, he could integrate his own ideas into the moves, and the others would not be able to gauge his true realm that easily. If his acting skills were up to standard, Xu Menghua should not be able to find out that he was hiding his true strength. He silently requested 30 feedback reports. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist attacked an inner disciple. Both sides were evenly matched. Combat ability +8.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist secretly helped the kind senior sister repair her wooden hut. One day of cultivation was dyed. Experience +0.] There were only two special events out of 30 feedback reports. "Uh..." Yang Yi vaguely felt that something was wrong. Was the Mountain-hugging Fist too full of itself? It actually dared to attack an inner disciple? Inner disciples were at least at the Spiral Force realm. Even if they were not good at fighting, they had a natural advantage in using the force. He really did not know how the Mountain-hugging Fist could win against the other disciple. Chapter 29: Interrogation Chapter 29: Interrogation There was also the second feedback message. The Mountain-hugging Fist, which had been going around picking fights, surprisingly showed its gratitude. This made Yang Yi look at it in a new light. After 30 feedback sessions, the Mountain-hugging Fist was only a few more experience points away to reach the next stage. Yang Yi was not in a hurry. He went back to his room to sleep. The next morning. He sat cross-legged and cultivated. He waited for the Afterglow Qi in the east to disperse. Only then did he used his remaining 200 spirit umtion points for feedback. [Your Mountain-hugging Fist picked up a bag of demonic beast meat from someone else''s room. After eating all of it, its strength increased greatly. Strength +7.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist did not yield any results after a day of fishing. In the end, it jumped into the river and caught a fat mandarin fish. It secretly gave it to the kind senior sister.] [Your Mountain-hugging Fist has gone overboard with its cultivation. Its cultivation base regressed instead of improving. Experience -2.] Yang Yi opened his martial arts panel. Martial arts: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Aplished (2/500) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial arts Feedback: ... The Mountain-hugging Fist had finally broken through to the aplished stage! Feeling the changes in his body, Yang Yi was pleasantly surprised. "Right now, even if I don''t use Mountain Shaker, I should be able to surpass my peers!" As far as he knew, in the Body Tempering realm, there were not many who had cultivated their martial arts to the aplished stage. Moreover, he still had the advantage of his attributes. When he executed a move, its power would increase by many levels. Yang Yi could not sit still. He went to the courtyard to practice his punches. He had just broken through, and he needed to constantly adapt to the changes in his body. There was a gust of wind in the courtyard. He practiced until noon. Yang Yi stopped to eat something. He nned to tidy himself up and attend a lesson in the afternoon. Ever since Xu Menghua started teaching him, the regr lessons had be useless to him. He had skipped quite a few sses. He had nothing to do in the afternoon, so he went to take a look to rx before the assessment. "Yang Yi?" Someone suddenly came from outside the courtyard. The other person was a purple-clothed disciple with a fierce face. Although Yang Yi did not know him, he behaved solemnly. "Is something the matter, Senior Brother?" He went up to him. "Are you Yang Yi?" The other disciple nced at him from the corner of his eyes and said calmly, "Come with me. Senior Brother Zhao Heng wants to talk to you." "Senior Brother Zhao Heng?" Yang Yi''s heart skipped a beat. No matter how much he thought about it, he could not find any connection between himself and Zhao Heng. "Okay." He pursed his lips and agreed. They passed through the sect and arrived at the Li Bamboo Court. This was Yang Yi''s first time here. The Li Bamboo Court was located in the northeast corner of the sect. It was a remote location. Even the air was a little cold and damp. "Go in. Senior Brother is inside." The purple-robed disciple brought Yang Yi to a side hall. Yang Yi bowed and thanked the senior. Then, he walked in quietly. It was very spacious inside. Only one person sat cross-legged on the futon with his eyes closed and focused. "Yang Yi?" The other disciple slowly opened his eyes. His pair of deep eyes seemed to be able to see through everything about Yang Yi! "Yes." Yang Yi bowed. He did not know if he was affected by his aura, but he felt that this space was somewhat oppressive. "Don''t be nervous. Master has asked me to thoroughly investigate the matter of the Devil Qi leaking from the Devil Imprisoning Cave. I''ve summoned you here for some routine questioning," said Zhao Heng slowly. "I asked Lin Yan. He said that the reason he appeared at the bottom of the cliff was because he epted a mission you issued." "Yes," Yang Yi admitted. "You dropped your mother''s memento?" "Yes, it was a jade token." Zhao Heng narrowed his eyes and asked, "How did your jade token end up at the bottom of the cliff?" Yang Yi bowed again, he smiled bitterly and said, "That day, Senior Sister Zhuang Chenglu of Harmony Court and I rushed back from the herbal field. We had too many wooden boxes in our hands and I identally fell, giving the cloud marten inside the wooden cage an opportunity to escape into the bushes on the slope. When I went to chase after it, it took my jade token instead." "Zhuang Chenglu." Zhao Heng was deep in thought. He knew who she was. The hall fell into a temporary silence. Yang Yi looked at him from the beginning to the end. His heart was beating wildly! "I see. I understand what happened now. Later, I will ask senior sister Zhuang for confirmation. You may leave." Zhao Heng waved his hand. Yang Yi bowed and took his leave. "I hope you can find the jade token as soon as possible," Zhao Heng said, just as he was about to step out of the hall. Yang Yi turned around and bowed again before leaving the Li Bamboo Court. He walked all the way back to the sect. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief. Yang Yi had expected that he would be called for questioning. However, he did not expect that the person who would be questioning him to be Zhao Heng. He thought that it would be the Sect Master or a Court Master! It seemed that he was making a big fuss out of nothing. Perhaps this matter was not as serious as he had imagined. Even if he were to be the first discoverer, it would not have been a big deal. Yang Yi''s heart calmed down slightly. Recalling the conversation just now, he sighed with emotion. "Senior Brother Zhao Heng isn''t as arrogant and unruly as the rumors say." He gave another sigh. The oppression he felt in the pce previously was real. No matter how nonjudgmental Yang Yi was, he could tell that Zhao Heng was strange. If it was not necessary, it would be better for him not to interact with him in the future. The way Zhao Heng was looking at him was as though he wanted to eat him alive! In the afternoon. Yang Yi collected the spiritual umtion points for today. Then, he calmed himself and went to attend the lesson. There were a few more new disciples in the ss, but there were also a few less familiar faces, such as Jian Wenbin. All the disciples were lined up in a corner of the training field. A young coach was talking tirelessly before them. Perhaps he considered that there would be an assessment tomorrow, the coach merely talked for a short while before asking everyone to spar. "Shall we spar?" Zhou Yan shouted at Yang Yi. Ever since they entered the courtyard, the two of them had not sparred properly. "Okay." Yang Yi did not refuse. On the stage, Zhou Yan took a stance. The martial technique he cultivated was the Grappling Technique. It was of the same level as the Mountain-hugging Fist, but the emphasis was different. The Mountain-hugging Fist emphasized on using strength to fight against strength. Physical strength was more important than brains. The Grappling Technique, on the other hand, emphasized on changes in techniques. "Take this." Zhou Yan went forward and punched three times in a row. Yang Yi easily blocked them. When Zhou Yan finished his third punch, he was clearly going to attack Yang Yi''s left shoulder, but in the end, he turned his elbow and punched Yang Yi''s left waist. It was very difficult to change the attack point after the punch was thrown. This was also the subtlety of the Grappling Technique. "Too slow." Yang Yi''s body did not move. His arms were close to his waist, protecting it. Zhou Yan''s fist was sent flying. "Why are you so hard?" Zhou Yan took two or three steps back and shook his fist. He thought he had found an opening, but he did not expect Yang Yi to react faster than him. "Your eyes gave you away. Remember not to give your opponent the possibility of reading your intentions during a fight." Yang Yi had learned a lot of practicalbat experience from the Mountain-hugging Fist. He did not exin too much. He stepped forward and unleashed the Mountain Shaker. Wave after wave of fists were as dense as drumbeats. Zhou Yan kept retreating as he moved. Gradually, he could not keep up with Yang Yi''s punches. "Pay attention to your lower body''s defense. If I had changed the direction of my punches just now, you would have lost. Also, don''t look at my fists. Look at my entire body and try to read my next move." Yang Yi suddenly stopped his punch and suddenly kicked out. Zhou Yan, who was still blindly blocking, was shocked. He hurriedly gathered his strength in his arms to protect his chest. However, Yang Yi''s kick did not reach him. Even so, Zhou Yan still fell to the ground because he lost his bnce. Chapter 30: Assessment Match Chapter 30: Assessment Match Yang Yi walked over and helped Zhou Yan up. Thetter was still in disbelief. His arm was hurting and he wore a strange expression. "How did you be so strong?" He asked the question after a long pause. He originally thought that Yang Yi had broken through to the Blood Refining stage out of luck and he would definitely be able to catch up. However, this gap seemed to be getting wider and wider. "I''ve already broken through to the Bone Refining realm. Yang Yi did not hide anything. The two of them were close to each other. There was no need to hide it. "..." Zhou Yan''s expression froze. When the gap between him and the other person was small, he would have thought of catching up. However, when the gap was too big, he was left with helplessness. "You bastard!" He swung his fist at Yang Yi, then sighed and said, "That''s a good thing. It''s better for you to advance further than for the both of us to be stuck at the Blood Refining stage." After breaking through to the Blood Refining stage, Zhou Yan understood the importance of aptitude even more. If Yang Yi had the aptitude for a breakthrough, that was a good thing. If he could go one step further and break through to the Spiral Force realm and enter the inner sect, then he would also have a chance to bask in the glory. The two of them continued to spar with each other for a while. It would be more apt to say that Yang Yi was giving Zhou Yan a lesson. Yang Yi returned to his residence alone. Up until now, he had never forgotten the pressure that Zhao Heng had given him. "He''s only at the Cauldron Assembling stage! Inparison, isn''t Senior Brother Liu Yang from the Dao Yang Court, who won by half a move, stronger?" Yang Yi pursed his lips. He knew that now was not the time for him to becent. A Bone Refining cultivator could be considered a mainstay in the outer sect or in the towns around the mountains. However, in the eyes of the higher-ups of the sect, it was still not enough. Even though they were all inner disciples, the gap between them was still huge. Zhao Heng and Liu Yang were undoubtedly among the outstanding ones. Even Zhuang Chenglu made Yang Yi feel a sense of uncertainty. The night passed in a trance. Yang Yi routinely meditated and cultivated, and then set off to the training field. The training field was particrly lively today. Nearly 1,000 outer disciples were gathered there, and there were even a few patches of purple clothes that could be seen asionally. "The pairings for thepetition has been posted. Go have a look." Mu Hengshan sat on the chair. He did not seem to care about this matter at all. A few disciples on duty with armbands maintained the order of the scene. Yang Yi followed the crowd to check his own pairing. "Gu He." He saw the name of his opponent. "Yang Yi? Why are you in the Bone Refining group?" Someone called out to him from behind. Yang Yi turned around and found that the person was Han Houchun, who had been selling him demonic beast meat. "Senior Brother Han." He walked out of the crowd and exined with a smile, "I had a lucky breakthrough recently..." "Breakthrough? If I remember correctly, you''ve only been in the outer sect for two months." Han Houchun sucked in a breath of cold air. Breaking through to the Bone Refining stage in two months, it could be said that he would definitely advance to the inner sect in the future. He looked at Yang Yi even more fervently. "I knew it. I felt that your future was limitless when I first saw you." "I was just lucky," Yang Yi replied modestly and then asked, "Senior Brother Han, do you know much about Senior Brother Gu He?" "He''s your opponent? I''m not familiar with him either. I''ve heard that his strength is ranked in the middle of the Bone Refining stage. He has some tricks up his sleeve." Han Houchun chuckled, "You''ve just broken through and you''re about to take the test. You''re really unlucky. However, the reward for winning is nothing much. With your family background, I don''t think you''ll fancy it. You should treat this as a sparring session to get to know where you stand." He did not think that Yang Yi would be able to win this match. Gu He conformed with the norms, but Yang Yi achieved breakthroughs within a short span of time. Yang Yi smiled and did not say much. The test began immediately. The test area of the training field was split into two sides. One side was the Bone Refining group, and the other side was the Blood Refining group. There were rtively few people in the Bone Refining group. However, there were asionally people at the Blood Refining level who came to join in the fun. Zhou Yan was one of them. "How does this Senior Brotherpare to you?" "The Wa Leg Technique''s attacks have a wider reach. I''m starting to regret cultivating the Grappling Technique." "The disciples of the Bone Refining group can use weapons. Isn''t this too much of a disadvantage for us bare-handed people?" Zhou Yan seemed to havee to watch a show. He keptmenting, and it was starting to bother Yang Yi. However, in this round of thepetition, one of the disciples wielded a saber. This indeed made Yang Yi realize something. The Blood Refining group''s matches did not allow the use of weapons. Even if one''s main martial arts were saber techniques or sword techniques, they were all treated equally. Only when it came to the Bone Refining stage was this restriction lifted. "After Bone Refining, a warrior''s skin, Qi, blood, and even bones are tempered. The advantage of a weapon isn''t so great. Moreover, everyone shows restraint in this match. Fighting with a weapon can help disciples umte some experience for when they venture out in the future, so there are no restrictions," Yang Yi exined. After the Bone Refining realm, many who could not break through to the Spiral Force realm for a long time chose to leave the sect. It was always good to umte more experience in fighting the enemy. However, in thispetition, the one with the Saber won in the end. "Next, Yang Yi will fight Gu He," the disciple on duty shouted. "It''s your turn." Zhou Yan patted Yang Yi''s shoulder. "Good luck. It''s not shameful even if you lose." A wicked smile appeared on his face, as if he could not wait to see Yang Yi make a fool of himself. "I might not lose." Yang Yi was quite confident. He pushed the crowd aside and walked up to the stage. Gu He followed closely behind. He had brass knuckles. "Hey, isn''t this too despicable? It''s one thing to use a sword, but using a weapon with your fists?" Zhou Yan could not help butmented from below the stage. "Which rule says that those who use fists can''t bring weapons?" Gu He nced at Zhou Yan. After all, there was a gap between their ranks. Even though Zhou Yan was indignant, he gave up. "You''re called Yang Yi, right? It''s you''re first time participating in the test, so it''s inevitable that you''re not well-prepared. This is also my first lesson for you juniors." Gu He took off his shirt and tied it around his waist, revealing his bulky muscles. "I heard that you cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist as well. Come, let''s see whose fist is harder." He clenched his fist with the brass knuckles. He was clearly harboring evil intentions. "The test begins." The disciple on duty below the stage shouted coldly. "Ha!" Gu He charged first. His fists kept at his waist, and when he got close to Yang Yi, he shot out. Yang Yi easily dodged a punch. Another punch was aimed at Yang Yi''s abdomen. Yang Yi''s gaze slightly focused. His opponent''s movements were swift and decisive. Each punch was extremely heavy. Even without the brass knuckles, the lethality could not be underestimated. He bent his body like a cooked shrimp and dodged the punch. Then, he exerted strength on the tip of his feet and jumped backward. "Is dodging all you can do?" Gu He pressed forward again. He did not hold back just because Yang Yi was a rookie. His expression was resolute and his gaze was like a falcon as he locked onto Yang Yi. The moment Yang Yi made a move, he followed closely behind. His fist unceremoniously struck at Yang Yi''s blind spot. Yang Yi stretched out his hand to push it away. He did not meet it head-on, but retreated as he fought. Gu He''s brows were heavy. His punches became more and more chaotic and fierce. It was Mountain Shaker move. Yang Yi did not dodge. His arm was hit by a punch, and the pain was explosive! He retreated repeatedly. Unexpectedly, Gu He had already taken precautions and quickly closed in on him. His fists were like a mountain as they smashed towards Yang Yi. This punch followed closely behind Yang Yi''s retreating steps. When he got closer, he could not react in time to dodge. Yang Yi did not expect that his opponent would be so fierce in an ordinary test. Every move wanted to kill him. He was a little angry. Since he could not dodge, he might as well face it. He rxed his body and let his body sense his opponent''s punches. Whoosh! Gu He''s fist whizzed over. The expected sound of bones cracking did not appear. Yang Yi''s figure was like a fallen leaf, drifting away leisurely! The movements he made to dodge were very slight. He merely twisted his waist, but he actually dodged this fatal punch. Gu He used too much strength, and his footsteps staggered. When he came back to his senses, he realized that a chill wasing from his back. He had just turned his head when Yang Yi''s fist came at him. A few extremely fast punchesnded on Gu He''s face, and it immediately split open. The more Yang Yi punched, the fiercer he became. He turned Gu He''s head 90 degrees with a backhand punch. Then, he threw another punch at his abdomen, knocking him back a few steps. Gu He was in unbearable pain, and his eyes were bleeding. Even so, he still refused to give up. He roared and rushed forward, gathering all his strength into his punch. Yang Yi made up his mind and did not retreat. He clenched his fist and charged forward, colliding with the other party''s fist. Their fists collided. Yang Yi''s fist was bleeding profusely, but the other party''s fist seemed to have smashed into a wall and shattered. Chapter 31: Sincerity Chapter 31: Sincerity "Ah!" Gu He shouted loudly. His voice reached thepetition area beside them. Yang Yi withdrew his fist, sucked in a breath of cold air, and kicked Gu He away. The disciple on duty was stunned for a few seconds before he rushed onto the stage in shock to check on Gu He''s injuries. For such a routine test, everyone else basically showed restraint. There were even those who colluded beforehand. Who would have thought that the battle would be so tragic? It was to the point that it was toote to call a halt. However, Yang Yi could not be med. Everyone saw that Gu He was the first to act ruthlessly. Actually, those who knew Gu He knew that he liked to use his power to oppress others. When ordinary rookies were given such a scare, they would basically just admit defeat. Who would have thought that he would meet a tough opponent today. "That''s ruthless!" The people below the stage clicked their tongues. Even though he knew that Gu He was wearing brass knuckles, he still dared to exchange blows with him. Many people touched their fists and felt a wave of pain. This person seemed to be a rookie. Were all rookies nowadays so fierce? "Yang Yi wins." Just as themotion started, Mu Hengshan suddenly appeared on the stage and announced the result. Yang Yi bowed toward Gu He. Then, under the sidelong nces of the crowd, he walked down the training field. "Yang Yi, is your hand alright?" Zhou Yan came up to him and asked with aplicated expression. "It hurts, but it''s not a big deal. I''ll be able to recover in a few days." During the previous battle, Yang Yi had roughly understood Gu He''s strength. Only then did he dare to sh head-on with him at thest moment. He was currently at the Bone Refining stage. Moreover, when he was at the Blood Refining stage, his Qi and blood were far more abundant than his peers. This little injury was indeed not a big deal. At most, he would not be able to fight for three to four days. Inparison, Gu He''s injury was more serious. However, Yang Yi also had a sense of propriety and did not use the Mountain Shaker. Otherwise, not only would his fist bones shatter, even his entire arm might be affected. "Well done, you." Zhou Yan had a new understanding of Yang Yi''s strength. He was happy about this. Since he could notpare to Yang Yi, he wanted Yang Yi to be as strong as possible. "Junior Brother Yang, you really scared me." Han Houchun came up to talk to him. Yang Yi smiled and chatted with him for a while. Then, he treated his wound as he was ready to leave the training field. "Do you know why Junior Brother Yang is so strong? It''s because he ate the demonic beast meat that he bought from me. Don''t be fooled by his looks, when I first met him two months ago, he was only at the Blood Refining stage. If it weren''t for my guidance, hehe..." Seeing that Yang Yi had gone far away, Han Houchun straightened his back and started boasting to the surrounding disciples. Yang Yi left the training field. Soon, another person came over. It was Yao Lang, who had interacted with him at the entrance of the Harmony Court. Yao Lang said bitterly, "Junior Brother Yang, Senior Sister Zhuang is looking for you." Yang Yi had a strange expression. He thought that Yao Lang had finally had enough. Why was he running errands for Zhuang Chenglu again? "Senior Brother Yao, do you know why Senior Sister Zhuang is looking for me?" He did not ask in detail. He was not interested in learning about Yao Lang''s emotional journey. "I don''t know. She said that she''ll be waiting at the pill room." Yao Lang shook his head. Yang Yi figured that the rity pill must have beenpleted. Yang Yi thanked him and then walked towards the Harmony Court. He came to the pill room. There were other inner disciples cultivating pills here. Zhuang Chenglu was also among them, she asionally gave them a few pointers. When she saw Yang Yi, she walked out of the pill room. She looked at Yang Yi''s hand and gloated, "You lost the match? It''s alright. You just broke through. It''s normal that you can''t beat the old timers. Don''t dwell on this." "I won," Yang Yi said silently. "Oh..." Zhuang Chenglu immediately found this boring. "Come with me. I have something for you," she said while beckoning him over. Could it be that it was not a pill? Although Yang Yi was puzzled, he did not ask further. The two of them came to a quiet and secluded residence. The courtyard was filled with flowers and nts thatpeted with each other with their beauty. There were also many herbs that were drying in the sun. They walked in and entered the room. The decorations were simple and elegant. It was extraordinary in its simplicity. Purple was the main color of the room. There was also a faint smell of flowers and herbs. "There, it''s inside the study. Help yourself." Zhuang Chenglu pointed to a room next to her that had its curtains lifted. There were all kinds of ancient books in the room. Some books were stacked on the table with a wooden box containing medicinal pills resting on top. "Is this the rity pill?" Yang Yi walked over and opened the wooden box. A medicinal pill that emitted a clear and cold aura entered his eyes. "It took me an entire day." Zhuang Chenglu brewed a cup of flower tea for herself. "What about the ones below?" These things were ced together with the pills. It was obvious that they were also for Yang Yi. Yang Yi flipped through two pages curiously and realized that it was actually a picture book that exined various herbs and pills! Not only were there text notes, exnations of medicinal principles, there were also pictures that were used forparison. "Most of themon medicinal herbs and pills are on it. Don''t you want to understand these? You can go through them slowly," Zhuang Chenglu said. "There are also hand-drawn figures." Yang Yi saw quite a lot of graffiti. At first, he thought it was a piece of waste paper that was identally put in. Later, he realized that it was an attempt to patch up the damaged original drawing. "There are many iplete ancient books, so I copied them from the original pictures. Byparing them with the pictures, it will be easier to understand, in case you remember the name but don''t know what it looks like," Zhuang Chenglu said seriously. Strictly speaking, this could not be considered copying. It should be called an abstract painting. Although Yang Yi wanted to ridicule her, heughed it off. He did not expect Zhuang Chenglu to do this for him. This was already beyond his expectations. It was a surprise. "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister," Yang Yi said sincerely. If it was just to lend him the ancient books to read, it would not be a big deal. However, she added the drawings. This could be considered a kind gesture. As for whether the drawings were good or not, that was another matter. "There''s no need to repay me. You paid me a lot, you know? I was only cultivating a rity pill for you, but it''s as if I''ve taken advantage of you. Take them and leave. I have to go back and cultivate pills too." Zhuang Chenglu raised her teacup and urged him to leave. Yang Yi nodded his head in greeting. He no longer acted pretentiously. He carried the drawing book and left. The two of them parted halfway. Before leaving, Zhuang Chenglu smiled and said, "Junior Brother Yang, if you still have business in the future, remember me." Yang Yi smiled bitterly. She had clearly advised him not to rely on medicinal pills not long ago. Why was she trying to solicit a customer now? "Okay," he responded. He returned to the wooden hut. It was quiet and undisturbed here. Everything was the same as when he left. Yang Yi enjoyed the moment of being alone very much. He rested for a moment. Then, he immediately began to cultivate Phantom Dodge. When he faced Gu He earlier, he sessfully executed it under pressure and had quite a bit of enlightenment. Yang Yi nned to strike while the iron was hot, hoping that he could learn this martial art as soon as possible.. The sun rose in the east and set in the west, and in the blink of an eye, 10 days had passed. During these 10 days, Yang Yi''s main focus was on the Phantom Dodge. asionally, when he was free, he would flip through the illustrations to supplement his medicinal knowledge. Even if he did not cultivate pills, some basic knowledge still needed to be grasped. Otherwise, the incident of him touching the ghost weed with his bare hands would happen again. Even if he obtained a miraculous pill or natural treasure, he would not be able to distinguish it. Although Yang Yi''s aptitude in cultivation was not good, memorizing was always his forte. Soon enough, the thick stack of diagrams was imprinted in his mind. Chapter 32: The Inner Courts Chapter 32: The Inner Courts Host: Yang Yi Realm: Bone Refining (153/800) Spirit umtion points: 2,200 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist Pending martial arts: Phantom Dodge Number of scans: 1 After 10 days, Phantom Dodge finally appeared in the column of pending martial arts. Moreover, Yang Yi requested feedback from the Crimson Afterglow Technique 10 times a day. He saved the remaining spirit umtion points. Without hesitating, he spent 500 spirit umtion points to learn it. Martial art: Phantom Dodge (learned) Realm: Beginner (1/100) Characteristics: Timid Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: None (auto-feedback requires 24 hours) Although they were both Body Tempering martial arts, Phantom Dodge was obviously on a lower level than the Mountain-hugging Fist. This resulted in the experience points required to level up being less. It was a total of 100 experience points. If he was a more ruthless, he could definitely break through in three to five days! Yang Yi looked at the martial arts that had been enlightened and tried to request for feedback 10 times. [Your Phantom Dodge has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] ... It was a customary "Experience +1". No special events were triggered. Yang Yi repeated this 10 times. [Your Phantom Dodge has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.] ... The feedback message was the same as thest one. He tried 20 times, but no special events were triggered. Yang Yi temporarily lost interest in trying again. Perhaps this stable cultivation style that did not trigger special events was rted to the characteristic of the Phantom Dodge. It was bright outside the wooden hut. A warm wind blew past. The grass and trees rustled. Yang Yi sat cross-legged on the corridor and quietly enjoyed it. Then, he took out the rity pill from the wooden box next to him. He had been bitterly cultivating during this period of time and had forgotten about this pill. The rity pill had the effect of removing impurities and consolidating the realm of a martial artist who had broken through. In fact, the effectiveness of any pill depended on not only the pill itself, but also the user''s physique. Not everyone could exert 100 percent of the medicinal effects of a pill. For an ordinary person like Yang Yi, whose physique was average, he could only absorb 30 to 40 percent of the medicinal effects. The better the pill he ate, the more wasteful it would be. However, he could let the Crimson Afterglow Technique help him cultivate the medicinal effects and then feed it back to his body without any side effects, that was another matter. A single pill could even exert the effects of five to six pills. Zhuang Chenglu had once said that it was not appropriate to eat too many pills. Medicine was somewhat poisonous, ording to her. However, to Yang Yi, the benefits were still greater than the disadvantages. He did not deliberately pursue it. If he encountered a pill that had the right effects, he would eat it. There was no need to worry too much. Yang Yi swallowed the rity pill in one gulp. He felt the clear and cold medicinal effect that was gradually surging up in his body. He immediately entered the state of circting his cultivation. Three days passed. The medicinal effects of the rity pill waspletely refined. With the help of the Crimson Afterglow Technique, Yang Yi obtained several times the benefits of a single pill, and his body felt extremely rxed. It was as if he had taken a step towards the so-called stainless body. And the Phantom Dodge had also sessfully broken through to the intermediate stage through the daily feedback of 30 times! The current Yang Yi was able to make his body automatically react to the moment when danger was approaching. However, the range of dodging was notrge. It was useless against an opponent''s torrential rain of areal attacks. Even so, Yang Yi was very satisfied. This martial art was a unique move. It was usually useless, but when used at a critical moment, it had the effect of turning the world around. Yang Yi opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Bone Refining (233/800) Spirit umtion point: 600 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist, Phantom Dodge Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He opened his martial arts panel again. Martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique (learned) Realm: Level 3 (Bone Refining) Characteristics: Perceptive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... Martial arts: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned) Realm: Aplished (17/500) Characteristics: Competitive Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... Martial arts: Phantom Dodge (learned) Realm: Small Aplishment (2/200) Characteristics: Timid Quality: Body Tempering martial art Feedback: ... After a few days of testing, Yang Yi found that the probability of the Phantom Dodge triggering a special event was indeed lower. However, this could not be said to be a bad thing. Steadily gaining experience was better than going out and having fun all day long. Yang Yi looked at the data on the panel for a while. Then, he got up and left the wooden hut. He headed towards the sect. Xu Menghua had already returned. Before he left, he had mentioned that after he returned, he would like Yang Yi to make a trip there. Yang Yi arrived at Xu Menghua''s residence with ease. He saw the middle-aged man with graying sideburns. "I''m here." Sandalwood fragrance filled the air inside the study room. Xu Menghua was taking care of the work that had piled up in the Mission Hall. Yang Yi bowed to him. Their current rtionship was a little like a master and disciple. However, the manager of the Mission Hall was not qualified to take in disciples, and Xu Menghua was a person who kept his work and personal affairs separate. Even though he liked Yang Yi a lot, he always kept a certain distance from him and did not interfere too much with Yang Yi''s cultivation. "I heard that you defeated Gu He on the training field? He cultivated the Mountain-hugging Fist as well, but he did not realize its full potential. He''s average, if you ask me. You just broke through to the Bone Refining stage, and yet you were able to defeat him. It shows how talented you are. But you can''t be arrogant. In the sect, there are many people who are more talented than you." Xu Menghua raised his eyes and looked at Yang Yi. Although his words were harsh, there was some admiration in his eyes. "Yes, I will remember it," Yang Yi respectfully replied. "Since you have already broken through to the Bone Refining stage, it is time to consider the next matter. Have you done any understanding of the nine Inner Courts?" Xu Menghua changed the topic. "I have, but I don''t know the details." Yang Yi scratched his head. Up until now, the one he had the most contact with was the Harmony Court. He knew that the disciples of the Harmony Court were good at cultivating pills. "The strengths of the nine Inner Courts are quite simr. However, because the different court masters, they each have their own emphasis. For example, the disciples of the Harmony Court are skilled in pill cultivation, the disciples of the Diligent Mountain Court focus on physical cultivation, the Dao Yang Court dabbles in Formations, and so on. If you choose the right Inner Court, it will be of great benefit to your future cultivation." Xu Menghua''s gaze was gentle, as if he was recalling. "I came from the Diligent Mountain Court. Logically speaking, I would prefer you to go to the Diligent Mountain Court. Furthermore, you also focus on physical cultivation, so it that suits you. Of course, if you have other thoughts, you can also follow your heart." He did not have the intention of restricting Yang Yi''s choice. He only provided a suggestion from someone who had experience. The Diligent Mountain Court ced great emphasis on physical cultivation, as well as actualbat. If the disciples in the court did not have any other missions, they would have a monthly quota for hunting demonic beasts. Compared to the other Inner Courts, it was considered the strictest. Therefore, in the same level, the disciples of the Diligent Mountain Court were the most valiant. Such valiance might not have an obvious advantage in thepetitions inside the sect, but the disciples of the other Inner Courts could notpare to them when it came to winning at all costs in actualbat. "The Diligent Mountain Court is indeed a good suggestion. However, I don''t know whether the court master would ept me... Moreover, I have just broken through to the Bone Refining stage not long ago. There is still some time before I can break through to the Spiral Force realm. I want to think about it for a while before making a decision." Yang Yi knew that Xu Menghua was being. He did not burn his bridges. "Hahaha, that''s true. It''s still too early to talk about this." Xu Menghuaughed and ended the topic. Then, he stood up and told Yang Yi the purpose of calling him over. "As mentioned earlier, Ie from the Diligent Mountain Court. When I was in the Inner Courts, I often went into the mountains to hunt demonic beasts. After a while, I became familiar with some of the gangs in the nearby towns." "These gangs fight demonic beasts all day long and have honed their skills. Every year, there is a demon ying party. Firstly, it is considered as entertainment. Secondly, it can also train the younger generation of the gangs. I have a spot there and I want you to participate." Chapter 33: Demon Slaying Party Chapter 33: Demon ying Party "Demon ying party?" Yang Yi did not know much about this term. Or rather, he had rarely gone out since he joined the Qixia sect. Aside from knowing the names of a few towns, he waspletely ignorant of the distribution of power in the town and all kinds of activities. "To put it bluntly, it''s an activity jointly organized by a fewrge gangs. They capture some demonic beasts alive and then transport them to this demon ying party for the juniors to practice. The demonic beasts are mainly of the Blood Refining stage, but there will also be a few Bone Refining demons as well. If your performance is outstanding, you will be rewarded," Xu Menghua exined with a smile. He continued earnestly, "Regardless of whether you choose to join the Diligent Mountain Court in the future, you should seize this opportunity to hone your skills." Yang Yi naturally understood the importance of the demon ying party. In this world, demonic beasts were rampant. If he could make contact with demonic beasts in this manner in advance, he would not panic when he faced them in the future. "Thank you for your kindness, Manager. I will definitely not disappoint you and hone my skills well." Naturally, he did not refuse. Although he met Xu Menghua by ident, he learned lots from him. If the participation quota for this party was announced in the sect, the disciples would certainly fight for it. Not only could it hone hisbat ability, he would also be able to understand the nature of demonic beasts. Who would miss such an opportunity? "The demon ying party is scheduled to be held two days from now in the outskirts of Panshan town. Tomorrow, at noon, you''ll go with a Senior Brother named Tian Zhen. He got the quota through a senior in his family. The two of you will be able to take care of each other along the way." Xu Menghua walked in front of Yang Yi and handed him a ck token. "When you reach Panshan town, hand this token over to the Rope Fire Gang. They will arrange everything." "Understood." Yang Yi carefully received the token. "This is your first time. I should have brought you along, but I have been out for the past few days and have umted too much work." Xu Menghua seemed to be slightly worried. "You don''t have to worry. Senior Brother Tian Zhen will be with me." Yang Yi smiled. He was not a young child who needed an elder to apany him in everything he did. They were merely gangs in a nearby town. Even if they could not get along, it would not be a problem for them to manage their own affairs. The purpose of this trip was to hone his strength, not to socialize. Xu Menghua wanted to say something, but he hesitated. In the end, he waved his hand and told Yang Yi to leave to make preparations. Yang Yi left Xu Menghua''s residence. He headed to the Worship Hall to collect the spirit umtion points and took a detour to the Contribution Hall to collect the reward for his victory in the assessment. He was rewarded with contribution points and a few healing pills. He could use them during the demon ying party. Yang Yi was afraid that this would not be enough, so he went to the Medicine Pavilion to buy some more. He was very tempted by the purple poison powder, beast luring pills, and other props, but he resisted from buying them in the end. If he were to use these items while ying demons, he would probably be chased out immediately. After buying all kinds of medicine for injuries, Yang Yi did not return to the wooden hut directly. He nned to have a good time. He looked for Zhou Yan and a few other friends to gather together. The next day at noon. Before Yang Yi went to the gathering ce, he collected his daily quota of spirit umtion points. After that, he came to the mountain gate and saw the Senior Nrother called Tian Zhen. "Senior Brother Tian." Yang Yi stepped forward and bowed. "You are Junior Brother Yang Yi, right?" Tian Zhen''s teeth were slightly turned out which affected his speech. Also, he gave off a schrly and amiable feeling. The two of them made small talk for a while before leaving the Qixia sect together. Panshan Town was located on the eastern side of the mountains. From here, with their strong legs, they would definitely be able to arrive before nightfall. "Senior Brother Tian, is this your second time participating in the demon ying party?" The mountain path was a little quiet. Yang Yi took the initiative to find a topic to talk about. From the small talk earlier, he learned that this was not Tian Zhen''s first time participating in the demon ying party, so he wanted to learn some useful information from him. "It''s my second time, but it''s all arranged by the elders in my family. It''s not my intention. My closebat ability isn''t strong, and I''m even more enthusiastic about learning about Formations. If I can break through the Spiral Force realmter, I want to join the Dao Yang Court to continue studying Formations." Tian Zhen was like a student who had been forced by his parents to change his major. There was a hint of helplessness in his tone. Yang Yi smiled awkwardly and then said, "I heard that there are rewards for the demon ying party. I wonder what they are. I was in a hurry yesterday, and I forgot to ask Manager Xu." Tian Zhen recalled for a moment. He said slowly, "The rewards are mostly rted to demonic beasts, such as rare demonic beast meat, demonic cores, and various materials. The four gangs will each send two juniors to participate. Including the two public spots, there will be around 10 participants. But this time, I heard that the ck Water Gang of Caiyun Town is going to be absent." "The ck Water Gang?" Yang Yi remembered this name and seemed to have seen it somewhere before. He searched his brain with no results. Hence, he focused on the journey. Along the way, he met many people who went up the mountain to chop wood and hunt. The existence of demonic beasts did not change the way of life of ordinary people. Perhaps they were powerless to change it. Gradually, their field of vision became wider, and they could see the shadows of buildings at the foot of the mountain in the distance. Panshan town was located on the eastern side of the Sunset Mountains. The transportation system was developed, and the poption was dense. Looking from afar, it was exceptionally prosperous. Yang Yi and Tian Zhen quickened their footsteps. Finally, they entered the town as the sun set. They came to the headquarters of the Rope Fire Gang and handed in their tokens. Soon, a person who imed to be the butler received them and brought them to the hotel where they would be staying. "The demon ying party is scheduled for tomorrow. Tonight, you shall rest in this hotel." The butler''s name was Feng He, and he treated them kindly. Yang Yi bowed and thanked him. "When the other participants are all here, we will send you the score cards." Feng He did not stay long. He left shortly after saying that. "Senior Brother Tian, what is this score card?" Yang Yi looked at Tian Zhen in puzzlement. "This demon ying party is actually a proxy for a battle between the major gangs, and the rules are quiteplicated. In short, the few of us have to take turns hunting demonic beasts. Each demonic beast has a corresponding score, and after hunting it, we can obtain points. Moreover, we can choose to continue hunting higher-level demon beasts. If the hunt fails, another participant will be switched in," Tian Zhen exined. "In other words, as long as you are strong enough, you can kill all the demonic beasts by yourself?" Yang Yi suddenly thought of something. "That being said, I don''t think I have the strength to do so. In the demon ying party, there Bone Refining demonic beasts. Although these demonic beasts have been carefully prepared and their bestial nature is slightly weaker, to be able to fight one on one is already very impressive." Tian Zhen understood his own situation very well. He smiled bitterly and continued, "The demonic beasts aren''t the only ones assigned scores. Each of us will get a score card as well." "Don''t tell me we have to hunt each other?" The previous rules were still fine, but this onepletely exceeded Yang Yi''s expectations. "When we sessfully kill a Blood Refining demonic beast, we can choose to proceed to challenge a Bone Refining demonic beast. If you manage to kill the Bone Refining demonic beast, you can choose a participant and fight to the death against them. The winner can take the score card representing the loser''s score, and the loser will lose all the points umted from killing demonic beasts, and can no longer participate in the demon ying party." When Tian Zhen talked about this rule, his expression was grave. He seemed to have been reminded of some unpleasant memories. Chapter 34: Drawing Cards Chapter 34: Drawing Cards This rule soundedplicated. If he wanted to win, he could not be reckless all the way. If he ran out of energy, he might be targeted by others. However, this did not bother Yang Yi. He came to the demon ying party to gain experience, not to be thest person standing. He did not care about who the final victor would be. He was not desperate to win the prize. After adjusting his attitude, Yang Yi did not care about the arrangements. It was rare for him toe to town, so he nned to take a good look around. He parted ways with Tian Zhen at the entrance of the hotel and strolled around Panshan Town alone. Like the towns near the mountains, Panshan town was not under the jurisdiction of any city and was under the protection of the Qixia sect. The Qixia sect was quite lenient as well. As long as the forces and merchants in the town paid their tithes on time, the sect would not interfere in the affairs of the town and let it develop as it pleased. Only when they encountered problems that could not be solved would they look for the office set up by the sect in the town to seek a verdict. Normally, the Qixia sect''s office was empty. The disciples and managers that were sent here would were free enough to have time to cultivate or were treated as distinguished guests by the major forces. Because of thex management, fresh blood would oftene into the town, causing it to radiate with boundless vitality. The Rope Fire Gang was an old organization with many members in Panshan town. It was rumored that the gang leader was a Mountain Moving expert who drifted here in his early years. He had taken root here, and his Rope Fire Saber Technique could be said to be superb. Yang Yi strolled along the streets until it was dark. Lanterns were hung on the streets before he returned to the inn. This inn was also the property of the Rope Fire Gang. Today, it was surrounded by all the individuals who participated in the demon ying party. "He''s back." Yang Yi had just entered the door when he noticed that there were many people standing on the first floor of the inn. Feng he smiled as he came over and said, "Young master Yang, everyone who participated in the demon ying party is here. They are just waiting for you toe over and draw the score card." "I see." Yang Yi was slightly embarrassed. He was so excited that he actually forgot about this. He silently walked to Tian Zhen''s side and asked about everyone who was present. "The demon ying party is hosted by four gangs in turn. This time, the ck Water gang is absent, so there are only three. Look at the people in the corner. They have a fierce aura and look like bandits. They are from the Stone Bear Gang in Liuxi Town. The two young people in front are the contestants this time. The one with a thicker arm is called Luo Ran, and the one with a body like a boulder is called Song Ping." Tian Zhen introduced them in a low voice. Yang Yi looked in the direction and found that the aura of this group of people was indeed extraordinary. "Sitting by the window are the Jiang Sisters. They are from the Anther Gang in Wangchuan town. The elder sister, Jiang Qing, has long hair and the younger sister, Jiang Hong, has short hair. ording to my understanding, Jiang Hong is the only one who is at the Blood Refining stage among the contestants." Yang Yi nodded. This meant that she came here for the same purpose as him, to learn and gain experience. Tian Zhen finally looked at the group of people in the middle of the inn. "They are from the host, the Rope Fire Gang. The one who is looking at the saber is called Ge Zhili, and the one who is resting with his eyes closed is called Li He. They all practice the Rope Fire Saber Technique, so you have to be careful if you encounter them." Although weapons no longer yed a decisive role at the Bone Refining stage, he would still be fighting against the other party with his bare hands. If he was not careful, he could still be easily injured. "They''re all so different from the disciples in our sect." This was the first time Yang Yi hade into contact with so many outsiders in one go. "Members of the gangs often scheme against each other and fight all out for dominance while hunting demonic beasts. Therefore, they have somewhat of a wild aura on them. Naturally, they are different from people like us who cultivate in a sect. Their future achievements may be limited, but at the current level, we may not have the upper hand." Tian Zhen was two years older than Yang Yi, and he had participated in the demon ying party before, so he knew quite a bit about the major gangs. "Is everyone finally here? Let''s start drawing the score cards. I hope I can draw a one-point card." The short-haired Jiang Hong leaned over and put her hands together in prayer. The lower the score, the lower the risk of being targeted by others. Under normal circumstance, if you only had one point, no one would bother you, as they would only get one point if they won. Unless, the other party had a grudge against you and specifically targeted you. Feng He took out 10 small wooden cards with their backs facing upward, and shuffled them on the table. "Since the ck Water gang is absent, there will be two wooden cards left. Who will draw first?" He stretched out his hand and made a an inviting gesture. "I''ll go first." Jiang Hong picked a wooden card in the middle. Shortly after, the rest started to pick up their cards as well. Everyone flipped their cards and revealed their scores. Stone Bear Gang''s Luo Ran had seven points, and Song Ping had eight points. Anther Gang''s Jiang Qing had three points, and Jiang Hong had four points. Rope Fire Gang''s Li He had five points, and Ge Zhili had six points. Tian Zhen let out a sigh of relief and revealed his card. The character "one" was written on it. "Brother Tian, you don''t have to be afraid of being targeted this time." Luo Ran had been herest year to observe, so he knew some things. Last year, Tian Zhen had drawn 10 points, and he was almost immediately targeted during thest demon ying party. He had only been at the Blood Refining stage at that time, so he was the weakest. He made quite a fool out of himself. When he recalled this, Tian Zhen''s face seemed to sour, but he did not pay attention to Luo Ran''s sarcasm. "Nobody with 10 points this time?" Jiang Hong''s ck eyes swept around, and finally stopped in front of Yang Yi. Yang Yi flipped his wooden card. The character for "ten" was written on it. "Ha, there we go." Jiang Hong pped her hands. Everyone''s gaze was also directed at Yang Yi. Yang Yi looked unfamiliar and no one spoke up. However, they were silently sizing him up. He was out of luck! Yang Yi felt helpless. He merely wanted to gain some experience in battle. If he drew a wooden card with 10 points now, he would probably be targeted at the demon ying party. However, fighting with these people who lived on the tip of the de could also be considered as a form of tempering. After thinking about it this way, Yang Yi reconciled himself with the card he drew. He would not cause trouble, but if someone wanted to get his points, he would dly ept it. After the cards were drawn, Feng He left them. Luo Ran and Ge Zhili were chatting casually, but the overall atmosphere was not very harmonious. Fortunately, there were other people around who asionally interjected, or else they might have started fighting here. Yang Yi and Tian Zhen looked at this scene awkwardly. They were not the same kind of people, so they could only say a few words to get to know each other. After chatting for a while, Yang Yi got up, took his leave, and returned to his room to rest. In his room, he took a look outside the wooden window. The full moon hung high in the sky! It cast a silver glow upon the town which seemed to relieve some of the sweltering heat. There were asional shes of light among the rows of houses. On the roof, the shadows of wild cats could be seen jumping about. Yang Yi watched for a while, then closed the window, sat cross-legged on the bed, and opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Bone Refining (244/800) Spirit umtion points: 1,100 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist, Phantom Dodge Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 "Phantom Dodge, feedback 20 times!" Yang Yi muttered in his heart. [Your Phantom Dodge noticed some strange movements in the town when it was cultivating, but it did not go out to investigate after giving it some careful consideration. After a day of painstaking cultivation, experience +1.] After 20 feedback reports, a special event was triggered for the Phantom Dodge. However, due to the characteristic of the Phantom Dodge, the final result was still a single experience point. Yang Yi clicked his tongue. He was rather satisfied with this result. In any case, he did not expect much. He only wanted to quickly upgrade this martial art to the aplished level. The experience required to upgrade the Phantom Dodge was not much. With the rate of receiving feedback 20 times a day, he would be able to break through to the aplished stage in less than 10 days! "Feedback on the Crimson Afterglow Technique, 10times." Yang Yi continued to request for feedback. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique wandered around the town and saw a stall set up by a pugilist. Using money of unknown origin, it won a grand prize, the ck Iron Sword! ] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique made quite a good friend in the Fragrant Court. During their conversation, it learned some things about the town''s wealthy merchant Mo Family. More information in the details.] Chapter 35: Spirit Item Chapter 35: Spirit Item A sword suddenly appeared beside Yang Yi. This sword was simple and grand, and it had a lot of weight. One look and he could tell that it was quite extraordinary. Although Yang Yi did not know how to use a sword, he was attracted by itsplicated appearance at first nce. He came to the bed and unsheathed the sword. Swish! The de was greenish ck. It even had a little bit of rust. Yang Yi swung it about, but it did not seem sharp at all. Instead, it felt like he was swinging a club. "Uh... It''s only good-looking on the surface!" Yang Yi instantly understood that this was a trap set up by the stall''s owner. It made sense when he thought about it. If it was truly a treasure sword, why would it be ced on the stall? He toyed with it for a while, and then hepletely lost interest in this good-looking but useless ck Iron Sword. He returned to his bed and focused on the second feedback message. [The Mo Family has recently provoked unclean things, and strange incidents kept urring. As long as it goes dark inside the manor, it would always feel as though somebody is squatting with their backs turned in the dark shadowy corners.] Yang Yi could not help but frown when he saw this feedback message. Such strange events were not groundless. ording to the memories of his host, he had simr recollections when he stayed in Baisha City. "Does this have something to do with devil thoughts?" Yang Yi guessed in his heart. If that was really the case, it would not be an easy thing to solve this strange happening. Yang Yi shook his head and did not trouble himself further with this. The night passed by peacefully. The next morning, Yang Yi took the ck Iron Sword and followed everyone to the outskirts of Panshan Town. "Demonic beasts are divided into the Blood Refining and Bone Refining stages. The Blood Refining demonic beasts'' scores range from one to five, while the Bone Refining demonic beasts'' scores range from six to 10. After killing Bone Refining demonic beasts, one can return to killing Blood Refining beasts, and repeat the cycle. Of course, you can also challenge a participant." Feng He repeated the rules to everyone as they journeyed toward the destination. "Remember, each participant only has one chance to challenge and be challenged." When he was almost done speaking, the group arrived at the foot of a t mountain. A tform had been set up here, and there were many members of the Rope Fire Gang standing guard nearby. In a certain part of the mountain forest, one could asionally hear the continuous whistling sounds and the pungent smell of wild beasts. "I heard that there are 20 Bone Refining demonic beasts prepared this time. We can go all out." Luo Ran grinned and bumped his fists that were bigger than the others''. Feng He brought them to the side of the stage and sat down. Then, a middle-aged man wearing leather armor walked onto the stage and cupped his fists. "This demon ying party will be guarded by the deputy of the Rope Fire Gang, Mo Wuxie. Everyone can rest assured." Yang Yi noticed that on the other side of the stage, a man who looked like a demon was sitting with his eyes closed, as if he did not care about the movements of the outside world. "Your deputy gang leader is really young," Jiang Hong whispered to Li He beside her. "Although deputy Mo is young, he is already at the Cauldron Assembling stage." Li He''s eyes were filled with fanaticism. "Alright. Next, let''s talk about the reward for the person with the highest points in the demon ying party this time." The middle-aged man''s voice drew everyone''s attention back from Mo Wuxie. He kept them guessing for a while and said with a chuckle, "This time, besides the usual rewards of demonic beast meat and demonic cores, there is another item that I believe all of you will like." A gang member carried a golden feather on a wooden te and stepped forward. Although he was observing from afar, Yang Yi could sense a different aura from this feather. "It''s a Golden Phoenix Feather!" The others were in amotion. "Senior Brother Tian, what is this Golden Phoenix Feather?" Yang Yi asked Tian Zhen. "Junior Brother Yang, you may not know this, but it is considered a spirit item. It''s a rare item found on demonic beasts like pheasants. It is the core material for forging mystic weapons such as the Golden Phoenix Bell and the Phoenix Sound Spear." Tian Zhen''s eyes were fixated on the Golden Phoenix feather as he exined. It was obvious that he was also extremely eager to have it. He did not expect that the major gangs would offer a spirit item as a reward for the demon ying party. Yang Yi had heard of mystic weapons before. The Qixia sect had the Mystic Weapon Pavilion. However, it was only essible to inner disciples. If he remembered correctly, only those who mastered the force could control mystic weapons. Therefore, he did not bother to learn about them before this. Since the Golden Phoenix Feather was a core material for forging mystic weapons, its value was self-evident. It was no wonder that everyone''s expressions were so exaggerated. Except for Jiang Hong, those who participated in the demon ying party were all at the Bone Refining stage. If they could win the Golden Phoenix Feather, they could use mystic weapons directly after breaking through to the Spiral Force realm. This would greatly increase theirbat strength! "Hehe, I want to win this time. None of you shouldpete with me." Luo Ran''s words had a threatening tone. No one refuted him. However, they were all plotting in their hearts. It was rare to encounter a spirit item, so no one wanted to give up so easily. Yang Yi was the only exception. He was of the opinion that he could purchase these items as long as he had the money. It was just a matter of how much would he need to spend. Therefore, he was not particrly envious. The middle-aged man on the stage then repeated the principles of "practicing restraint", "keeping the peace", and so on. Thepetition officially began. A Blood Refining ice blue toad was loaded into a cage and pulled onto the stage. On the cage hung a wooden sign that said ''three''. This meant that defeating this ice blue toad would earn the person three points. The first person on the stage was Li He. Li He had prominent brows and his gaze was deep. He held a shining long saber in his hand, and his aura was extraordinary. This battle onlysted for the time it took to brew a pot of tea. He won. The entire process could be said to be a one-sided suppression. After that, he chose to continue challenging Bone Refining demonic beasts. A Bone Refining fire-biting tiger was pulled up. Li He was much more serious than before. He quickly disyed the Rope Fire Saber Technique and attacked first. The fire-biting tiger was very fierce. After being locked in the cage for so long, it lunged at Li He as soon as it was released. It seemed that it wanted to vent its pent up frustrations from all the abuse it had suffered in the cage on Li He. The two of them fought for more than ten rounds, but they were still inseparable. The fire-biting tiger''s sharp ws and fangs caused quite a bit of trouble for Li He, and fierce signs kept appearing. In the end, Li He used the domineering Rope Fire Saber Technique to sessfully counter-attack the fire-biting tiger. After that, the scene erupted with cheers. Li He was a member of the Rope Fire Gang. His performance was divine and brave, so the members of the Rope Fire Gang naturally gave him face. "I won''t continue." Li He looked at the fire-biting tiger lying in a pool of blood. He was bewildered and did not choose to continue. Yang Yi could tell that he should still have some strength left. However, he did not choose to be reckless because he had considered possible future developments. He had killed two demonic beasts in this round, so he had obtained nine points. "It''s my turn." Tian Zhen had a troubled expression on his face. After the blood stains on the stage were cleaned up, he slowly went up to the stage. "You can do this, Senior Brother Tian!" Yang Yi cheered. Tian Zhen was not good at closebat, and his character was weak. His battle results would probably not be too good. However, as long as he could gain experience from fighting, this trip would not be in vain. "Hey, the Qixia sect disciple is up on the stage. Everyone, quickly take a look. It''s rare to see such a good show." Luo Ran waved around,pletely unconcerned about offending others. To put it bluntly, Yang Yi and Tian Zhen were only outer disciples and were not considered the core members of the sect. If they were wearing purple clothes, even Mo Wuxie, who was resting with his eyes closed, would have to show some respect, let alone Luo Ran. Yang Yi ignored the noisy Luo ran. His gazended on the stage. A Blood Refining demonic beast had just been pulled onto the stage. Tian Zhen struck out with lightning speed. His palm struck the demonic beast''s head, and the beast''s head immediately exploded. The oue was decided in an instant. This was even quicker than Li He''s round. It was bloody, overbearing, and unreasonable. The scene waspletely silent. None of them expected Tian Zhen to possess such explosive power. "..." What happened to not being good at closebat? Yang Yi almost believed Tian Zhen''s nonsense. Chapter 36: Luck Chapter 36: Luck "I''ll continue." On the stage, Tian Zhen had a troubled look on his face. He didn''t feel that it was easy for him to win just now. A Bone Refining demonic beast was pulled up. It was a mystic rock tortoise with extremely strong defense. The score was marked as seven points. It was even higher than the score of fire-biting tiger which Li He had defeated. The mystic rock tortoise got onto the stage and kept hiding in its shell. Tian Zhen took the opportunity to go forward andnded a few strikes with his palms. His palm technique was indeed unique. When he used it, one could hear the faint sound of thunder. The palm force continuouslynded on the rock tortoise''s body, which was covered in a hard shell. After several strikes, the impact of his attacks prated through its body and caused the stage to shake! Crack! The mystic rock tortoise seemed to have been awakened by the strike. It stretched out its four limbs and suddenly exerted force. Its body was like a small mountain as it leapt into the air and dove in Tian Zhen''s direction. Boom! Its heavy body fell down. Several cracks appeared on the white stone tform. At the final moment, Tian Zhen rolled and dodged the attack. When he stood up, his expression was uncertain. At the same time, his palm prints changed and his palms ovepped. The booming thunder became even more intense! The crowd below the stage was a little shocked. "Ha!" Tian Zhen took advantage of the time when the mystic rock tortoise was still in a daze to circle to the back and strike with all his strength. The body of the tortoise had actually moved by an inch! Moreover, the force prated through the tortoise shell and struck the tortoise''s body. The remaining force from the impact continued on and broke a gpole below the stage. "He has actually already cultivated the force." Luo Ran''s gaze slightly focused. If he mastered the force, it meant that it was only a matter of time before he broke through to the Spiral Force realm. At Tian Zhen''s age, once he broke through to the Spiral Force realm, the probability of him entering the inner sect was very high. In other words, Tian Zhen was actually a quasi-inner disciple. "You''ve misjudged him. An expert doesn''t necessarily have to be mboyant," Ge Zhili said coldly. He was used to fighting with Luo Ran. They would take a jab at each other at every opportunity. None was ever pleased by the other. Luo Ran was indignant, but Ge Zhili was right. A Bone Refining expert who knew how to use force was indeed an expert. Even if he were to face him, he might not necessarily win. "Continue." After Tian Zhen defeated the mystic rock tortoise, he did not leave the stage. Soon enough, another Blood Refining demonic beast was pulled up. This Blood Refining demonic beast had a total of five points, which meant that its strength was extremely close to a weaker Blood Refining demonic beast. In the end, Tian Zhen relied on his unique palm technique to win by a narrow margin. After this, he walked down the stage. "Senior Brother Tian, everyone has been deceived by you. How can you say that you aren''t good at closebat? You''re clearly very strong!" Yang Yi stood up and smiled bitterly. "If I am dragged into a battle of attrition, I will definitely lose, so I can only end it quickly. Coincidentally, my family''s Thunder Pattern Palm is good at dealing eruptive blows. Coincidentally, my constitution is extremelypatible with this martial art, so I was lucky enough to defeat three demonic beasts." Tian Zhen''s expression was solemn. No one knew if what he said was true or not. In any case, Yang Yi did not dare to believe it. He was afraid of being dragged into a battle of attrition, so he could only defeat the enemy with one move. There was no problem with that. After a wave of climax, it was the Jiang Sisters'' turn from the Anther Gang. The elder sister, Jiang Qing excelled in using whips. Her whips were chaotic. They resembled dancing wild snakes. She defeated a Blood Refining and Bone Refining demonic beast and scored 10 points. Jiang Hong, on the other hand, was weaker. At the Blood Refining stage, she was able to defeat a four-point Blood Refining demonic beast. This could only be said to be within expectations. Next, it was Yang Yi''s turn. After Tian Zhen''s outburst, everyone was looking forward to the performance of the other Qixia sect disciple. "Junior Brother Yang, your sword," Tian Zhen reminded. "No need." Yang Yi smiled and walked onto the stage. "He''s arrogant." Jiang Hong was watching him. Since he brought his sword here, he should be a sword cultivator. If he was not using it now, it could only mean that he wanted to hide his strength. After all, this was the first round, so it was understandable if he did not want to reveal all of his moves. However, usually, the participants would only be thinking of conserving their energy or refrain from using a technique or two. It was rare for someone to forgo their weapon altogether, like what Yang Yi did. Yang Yi stepped onto the stage. He quietly waited for the members of the Rope Fire Gang to pull the demonic beast over. This was a Blood Refining wind spirit monkey. It was worth four points. The moment the cage was opened, the wind spirit monkey dashed out quickly. However, it did not pounce on Yang Yi. Instead, it grabbed the gang member who was transporting the cage, scratched him with its ws, and flew to the side like the wind. This scene was somewhat unexpected. Yang Yi''s eyes were filled with suspicion. He quickly went forward, wanting to block its path. However, the wind spirit monkey was extremely agile. It knew the difference between itself and Yang Yi, so it ran away and did not fight. It nimbly ran to the edge of the arena. It even turned around and squeaked a few times, as if it was mocking him. Whoosh! A stone flew over and pierced through its head. The wind spirit monkey was still grinning a moment ago. The next moment, its body stiffened and it copsed to the ground. "Change it to another one." The person who made the move was Mo Wuxie. The job of the supervisor was not only to protect the safety of the contestants, but also to deal with the demonic beasts that wanted to escape. The gang member who was scratched was carried down to have his injuries treated. Then, someone else pulled a demonic beast onto the stage. Yang Yi cupped his fists to greet the gang member. Then, with a solemn expression, he stared at the demonic beast that was on the stage. If it were to escape again, it would be too embarrassing. This was a four-legged lizard that was half the height of a human. Its skin was rough and its flesh was thick. It was also given four points. Yang Yi did not recognize it. However, it was only at the Blood Refining stage, so he did not hesitate. He channeled his strength forward and punched a few times. The four-legged lizard''s skin was rough and its flesh was thick. Moreover, there seemed to be some kind of poison on its skin. Although Yang Yi''s punches were effective and made the beast scream in pain, he still felt that his fists were slightly numb. He made a prompt decision and took a piece of cloth to wrap around his fists. After dodging the four-legged lizard''s tongue, he leaned forward and punched heavily at its head. This punch was not fancy, it was purely a crushing force. Boom! The four-legged lizard fell to the ground. Even the ground below was somewhat shattered. Yang Yi jumped back and stood still. This was his first time defeating a demonic beast. This feeling of surging emotions was hard to describe. It was not good, but it was not bad either. After calming his mind, he said, "Continue." "Although the poison of this green-skinned poison lizard isn''t fatal, the numbness willst for a while. Are you sure you want to continue challenging a Bone Refining demonic beast?" Luo Ran eximed. "Continue." Yang Yi did not waste his breath. A ck striped bear that was two stories tall was pulled up. "Ha, 10 points! Brother Yang, you''ve won the lottery. That''s the strongestbat strength of a demonic beast." Luo Ran could not help butugh. If it was given 10 points, it meant that this ck striped bear was extremely strong. An ordinary Bone Refining martial artist might not be a match for it. It was one thing for Yang Yi to draw a 10 points score card. For him to be matched against a 10 point Bone Refining demonic beast now, he was not very lucky. "I reckon that the first person to be eliminated will appear shortly. His fists arepoisoned, and he can only use 70 to 80 percent of his strength," Jiang Hong gloated. If Yang Yi had not been so pretentious in the beginning and used his sword to fight against the green-skinned poison lizard, this would not have happened. From her perspective, Yang Yi had brought this upon himself, and was not worthy of sympathy. Yang Yi did not pay attention to the movements below the stage and silently sized up the ck-striped bear that was twice as tall as him. With his level of strength, he could roughly gauge the difference between the his enemy''s strength and his own. Therefore, as long as this ck-striped bear did not know how to use force, he had full confidence in winning! Chapter 37: I鈥檝e Never Seen Junior Brother Yang Draw His Sword Chapter 37: Ive Never Seen Junior Brother Yang Draw His Sword The ck striped bear slowly climbed out of the specially made cage. It was fine when it was lying down, but once it stood up, that oppressive aura was truly terrifying! This was only a processed beast with a subdued bestial nature. If they were to meet in the wild, even Yang Yi would not dare act rashly. This was the objective of the demon ying party. This was a chance for the contestants to face demonic beasts that they normally would not dare to face, to find out the true strength of the beasts, and to get used to it as soon as possible. In this way, if they were to encounter them the wild in the future, they would be able to make the most urate judgment based on the situation. Yang Yi treasured such an opportunity to gain experience. Therefore, he did not retreat, and wanted to take the opportunity to test his true strength. "Roar!" After a short period of silence, the ck striped bear suddenly became violent. It pounded its chest with its paws and then pounced towards Yang Yi to bite him. With its size, it did not need any fancy moves. It itself was the greatest deterrent to the enemy. Yang Yi''s expression was solemn. First, he jumped away from the ck striped bear''s pouncing bite. Then, he turned around and circled around its side. His punches were like raindrops. It was the Rolling Mountain Stance! Thump! Thump! Thump! Three punchesnded true. When the fourth punch hit, the beast reacted and turned around to press down with its paw. Yang Yi could not pull back his fist in time and parried the paw with his palm. However, the strength behind the palm exceeded his imagination. At that moment, his arm felt as if his arm was being torn apart. He hurriedly disengaged and steered clear. The huge bear paw mmed onto the stage, shattering the white stone surface into pieces. Yang Yi did not intend to stop. He pushed against the stage andunched himself forward. He circled to the back of the ck striped bear in an instant. The Phantom Dodge that he cultivated was a dodging technique, but it also improved his movements. The ck striped bear''s reaction was slower. However, the thick fur on its back yed a defensive role to a certain extent. Yang Yi lunged and moved his arms to form a virtual embrace. Then, both fists struck out like the horns of an ox. "Ha!" This move was equivalent to the killer move of the Mountain-hugging Fist. It was powerful and heavy, and coupled with the aplished stage, it was executed with the gracefulness of sweeping mountains away. Both fists struck the back of the ck striped bear. Layers of energy surged out, and one could see the ck striped bear''s fur stand up. Then, its fur bent forward as if it was being blown by a strong wind. The ck striped bear struggled and fell onto the tform. It rolled and got up again. Its eyes were bloodshot as it roared angrily, which made everyone below the tform frown. Then, it locked onto the culprit that caused it pain. Itunched its four paws at Yang Yi and tore at him. Yang Yi was not afraid at all and fought with it. However, he did not use his fists and palms to fight. Instead, he focused on deflecting the bear''s paws. After that, he found a weak point and quickly threw out a few punches. When the beast reacted, he jumped away and did the same thing again and again. After all, a demonic beast was a demonic beast. Moreover, it was a clumsy ck striped bear. Under Yang Yi''s gueri attacks, it could only take a beating one-sided. Soon enough, the ck striped bear''s physical strength was depleted to the critical point. On the other hand, Yang Yi did not appear to be too exhausted. This was due to his solid foundations in Qi and blood. Yang Yi felt that the time was right. He pushed away the bear''s paw and stepped on the ck striped bear''s body. His body soared into the air. Then, he used the Mountain Shaker as he dove. His arms were like hammers as he heavily knocked on the back of the ck striped bear''s neck. The terrifying force followed Yang Yi''s heel and firmly hammered the ck-striped bear to the ground. The white stone tform immediately caved in and broke into pieces. The ck striped bear roared indignantly. It stubbornly tried to prop its head up. Yang Yi''s eyes shed with a fierce light as he circted the Crimson Afterglow Technique with all his might. The tyrannical change in the fire attribute allowed Yang Yi''s technique to have an additionalyer of explosive power. He pressed down hard. The back of the ck striped bear''s neck emitted a cracking sound. Blood spurted out as half of its head smashed into the stage. It waspletely lifeless. It sounded slow when describing the fight, but the entire process onlysted for the time it took to brew a cup of tea. Some of the people below the stage did not see what had happened. "Continue." The entire ce was silent. Only Yang Yi''s voice rang out silently. "He still has some strength left?" Luo Ran was surprised. He thought that Tian Zhen was already the biggest dark horse. He did not expect that another disciple of the Qixia sect would be so valiant. However, he did not seem to have mastered the usage of force yet. "Hey, this junior brother Yang of yours is very strong. His fist technique is already so strong. How''s his sword technique?" Jiang Hong asked Tian Zhen beside her. She did not expect Yang Yi to defeat a very strong Bone Refining demonic beast while being poisoned. Moreover, he used a fist technique. If he used a sword, would he not be even stronger? "I''ve never seen Junior Brother Yang use a sword," Tian Zhen muttered. His current mood was also veryplicated. At this moment, Yang Yi seemed to be much stronger than when he was tested by the sect. "Huh? You''ve never seen him use a sword before?" Jiang Hong''s pretty face was deathly pale. She muttered in a low voice, "Could it be his sword technique is so fast that it''s invisible to the naked eye?" Jiang Hong regarded Yang Yi as a powerful sword cultivator and did not dare to speak rudely to him anymore. After that, Yang Yi defeated another five-point Blood Refining demonic beast before stepping down from the stage. Actually, with his level of Qi and blood, he could definitely give it another try. However, this was only the first round, so there was no need for that. He still had to conserve his strength. With his high score, the probability of him being challenged was very high. After Yang Yi, it was Luo Ran who went up on stage. Luo Ran was mboyant and his strength could not be underestimated. With his unique arms and thebination of the Stone Bear Gang''s ultimate technique, Savage Bear Fist, he was extremely powerful. He challenged two sets of demonic beasts and obtained 23 points. Then, he stopped fighting, all in his stride. After that, it was Song Ping from the Stone Bear Gang who went up on stage. The Hard Rock Technique that he cultivated was not good at offense, so he could only fight one group beforeing down. Finally, it was Ge Zhili of the Rope Fire Gang. He had also fought two groups very quickly. However, the points of these two groups were on the low side. Therefore, he challenged another four-point Blood Refining demonic beast and got a total of 24 points. The first round of challenges was over for everyone. The top three contestants were Ge Zhili (24 points) , Luo Ran (23 points), and Yang Yi (19 points) . After a short break, the second round began. Li He was the first to go on stage. His good luck continued until now, he defeated two low-point demonic beasts. After this, he neither left the stage nor continued. Instead, he chose to challenge. Moreover, the choice of the opponent exceeded Yang Yi''s guess. It was actually Ge Zhili, who was also from the Rope Fire Gang. Ge Zhili was not surprised. He stepped onto the stage. "I admit defeat." The opponent had juste up when Li He forfeited. This operation had truly stunned Yang Yi. "He''s feeding points. Moreover, ording to the rules of the demon ying party, each person only has one chance to be challenged. Nobody else can challenge Ge Zhili after this." Tian Zhen exined what was happening to Yang Yi. After participating twice, he was used to this kind of maneuver. When one did not have a chance to win, one could think of ways to help one''spanion gain an advantage. This was also the reason why there were two people on one side. However, the reason why the feeding was so smooth this time was because Li He was the first to take the stage. Otherwise, it would be easy for others to intercept him and challenge Ge Zhili first, or to forcefully kill Li He first. Chapter 38: Jiang Qing鈥檚 Challenge Chapter 38: Jiang Qings Challenge As expected, the others were watching this scene as though it was the most ordinary thing ever, just like Tian Zhen. Only Luo Ran was somewhat indignant. In this demon yer party, it was very likely that he and Ge Zhili would be fighting for the top spot. Right now, he was unable to take the initiative to challenge Ge Zhili. On the contrary, he might even be challenged by others. He was in a passive position. Luo Ran''s gaze shifted to Yang Yi. Since he could not target Ge Zhili, he could only consider challenging Yang Yi. After all, Yang Yi had the highest points. Ge Zhili and Li He walked down the stage. Then, Tian Zhen went up the stage. After a period of rest, he relied on the mystical power of his Thunder Pattern Palm to quickly defeat another group of demonic beasts. After that, he did not stop and continued to challenge. Only when he was exhausted did he step down from the stage. He became the second contestant to lose his qualifications after Li He. The rest of the contestants were surprised by the result for a moment. Then, they realized that Tian Zhen did not intend topete for the final victory. "It''s up to you now, Junior Brother Yang. I''ve defeated three Bone Refining demonic beasts and met the requirements set by the elders in my family. I won''t be participating any further." Tian Zhen smiled, as if the exhaustion of his physical strength was not as severe as he had imagined. Yang Yi cupped his fists at him. He could see the semnce of a top student who was tired of studying in him. After Tian Zhen, Jiang Qing went up on stage. She waved her whip and dealt with a Bone Refining demonic beast with lightning speed. After that, she looked at Yang Yi. "I want to challenge you," she said clearly and crisply. Yang Yi looked at this woman who was not much older than himself. After a moment of thought, he immediately understood the other party''s intention. The next contestant in line was her sister Jiang Hong. If Jiang Qing defeated him and have Jiang Hong challenge herself, Jiang Qing would not have to worry about others snatching her points away. However, Jiang Hong was only at the Blood Refining stage. Whether she could defeat the Bone Refining demonic beast and meet the conditions to challenge the participants was still up for discussion. "Although we can wait and see if things will change, we have also missed many opportunities," Song Ping sighed. "This time, the ck Water gang is absent, and there are two groups of two challenging each other. It''s really depressing." Luo Ran had imagined the worst scenario. Jiang Qing defeated Yang Yi, and then Jiang Hong challenged Jiang Qing to admit defeat. In this way, he could only challenge Song Ping, who was also from the Stone Bear Gang. "Qixia sect''s Yang Yi, please enlighten me." Yang Yi walked onto the stage and bowed to the other party. "Anther Gang''s Jiang Qing." Jiang Qing''s eyes were filled with heroic spirit, and she asked in surprise, "Aren''t you going to use a sword?" She had heard her sister talking below the stage just now, and had also mistakenly thought that Yang Yi was an expert in using a sword. "I mainly cultivate fist techniques," Yang Yi said without concealing anything. "Alright." Jiang Qing nodded and did not say anything else. She raised her small hand and the bracelet made of metal pieces on her wrist made a clear sound. Then, a whip flew up and formed a defensive area around her. "I cultivate the Snake-Swallowing Nine Butterfly Whip of the Anther Gang. Be careful." Yang Yi did not wield a weapon and his palms were poisoned. That was why Jiang Qing warned him. Although the oue of this demon yer party was crucial, it was not the most important thing for her. She was different from Luo Ran. She knew that those who could participate in the demon yer party were definitely disciples who were favored by the sect. There was a high chance that they would break through to the Spiral Force realm in the future. There was no need for them to fight to the death just for apetition. Of course, she would not deliberately tter them. There was no need for that, and it was not in her character to do that. It was fine as long as she was neither servile nor overbearing. The whip moved rhythmically in the air, just like dancing butterflies. When Yang Yi wanted to break through, these butterflies immediately turned into poisonous snakes waiting for an opportunity to strike. Yang Yi had never fought with a martial artist who used weapons, and his expression was solemn. Just as he was thinking about how to break the stalemate, the whip in Jiang Qing''s hand made the first move. The whistling sound of the wind rang in his ears. Yang Yi focused his eyes on it, trying to figure out the path of the whip to dodge it. However, Jiang Qing''s whip was really fast. He could not dodge in time, and his arm was hit. A burning red mark soon appeared. He quickly retreated. When he retreated, Jiang Qing advanced. There was only so much space on the stage, and Yang Yi was soon forced into a dead end. The whipshed out again at his lower body. Yang Yi rolled and circled to the left. His footsteps were fast as he circled closer to Jiang Qing. The ends of the whips were flexible and varied. The attack range was very far, but the close proximity was a w. Jiang Qing knew this as well. Sheshed out a few whips consecutively, not giving Yang Yi a chance to get close. Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Every whip was aimed at Yang Yi''s blind spots. Although Yang Yi tried his best to dodge, he was still hit several times. "How can you charge at me like this?" In Jiang Qing''s eyes, Yang Yi''s intentions were too obvious. If this continued, before he could get to her, his entire body would be covered in injuries. Her whip''s offensive ability could not bepared to swords and sabers, but a whip was no joke. However, Yang Yi did not care and reached out to grab the iing whip. However, the whip suddenly changed its position and went around to his side, pecking at his waist. Hiss! The pain made his entire body tremble. Even so, he did not stop his approaching footsteps. "Reckless." Jiang Qing shook her head and retreated. At the same time, the whip technique changed and swung at Yang Yi from a strange angle. This was the killer move of the Snake-Swallowing Nine Butterfly Whip. Dozens of whip shadowsnded on the enemy at the same time. Not only did it have great lethality, but it was also difficult to tell if it was real or fake. From Yang Yi''s performance just now, he could not dodge this move at all! Whoosh. Yang Yi looked at theyers of whip shadows. Without saying anything, he directly used Phantom Dodge and used his body''s own reaction to twist his body in an instant, perfectly dodging the attack. This action, which ordinary people thought was impossible toplete, was actually managed by Yang Yi''s body. Jiang Qing was stunned for a moment. This was the opening Yang Yi was waiting for. Yang Yi dashed in front of Jiang Qing. He had held back for so long, and even deliberately received a fewshes, all to numb his opponent and use Phanto, Dodge to turn the tables at the crucial moment. From Jiang Qing''s panicked expression, it could be seen that his n had seeded. Yang Yi leaned closer to Jiang Qing and stretched out his hand to grab the whip. Jiang Qing naturally did notply. She moved her fists and legs, but how could her fists and legs be a match for Yang Yi? In just a few rounds, her hands were firmly held by Yang Yi. "Admit defeat." Yang Yi''s fistnded on Jiang Qing''s shoulder. "I never admit defeat!" Jiang Qing gritted her teeth and squatted down, using her flexibility to break free from the restraints. Yang Yi moved to catch up andunched his Mountain-hugging Fist. Thump. When his fist approached, Jiang Qing happened to turn around. The fistnded on the awkward spot before her without any deviation. It did not fluctuate much, but it was gentle and soft. Yang Yi hesitated. If he used all his strength and hit this spot, his opponent would definitely be seriously injured. This was just an insignificant match. It was not worth it to offend the Anther gang. He was about to withdraw and use his legs to attack. However, Jiang Qing seized the opportunity. She grabbed Yang Yi''s arm with a backhand and did not let him withdraw. Then, she pushed Yang Yi off the stage with his fist in front of him. Chapter 39: Gaining the Force Chapter 39: Gaining the Force Yang Yi stood below the stage. He did not expect the other party to not be bothered about trifles. On the other hand, he did not treat this duel as a life and death battle. He thought too much and gave his opponent a chance. "Jiang Qing wins. Yang Yi is out." announced a gang member. "Junior Brother Yang, you..." When Yang Yi returned silently. Tian Zhen was at a loss for words. It should have been a pity for him to lose thepetition for no reason, but upon closer inspection of Jiang Qing''s appearance, he felt that Yang Yi did not lose at all. Yang Yi did not respond. A defeat was a defeat. As long as his previous battle strategy was correct, he was satisfied. This was not an importantpetition, and it was still a guest match. He would have to find an opportunity to lose sooner orter. It was impossible for him to reallypete with these few gangs for first ce. That Golden Phoenix Feather was not worth that much money. He closed his eyes and focused. He had already gained much from this demon ying party. At least, he had defeated a 10-point Bone Refining demonic beast. This allowed Yang Yi to clearly understand his own level of strength. "With my current strength, as long as I don''t meet someone who mastered the force, I should be able to win." This time, he had given his all. Fortunately, the ck-striped bear could not use the force. Otherwise, he might not have been able to win with brute force. The force could be used not only for offense, but also for defense. The ck-striped bear''s strength was due to its body size, and it was often much stronger than martial artists of the same level. Therefore, even if Yang Yi was confident that he could break through a martial artist''s force defense, he might not be able to deal with the beast. After Jiang Qing defeated Yang Yi, she obtained 10points. After that, she chose to challenge a Blood Refining demonic beast before stepping down from the stage. Next, it was Jiang Hong''s turn. Jiang Hong had better luck this time. She encountered a two-point Blood Refining demonic beast. With her strength, she easily won. Then, just as everyone expected, she chose to continue. If she wanted to feed her sister points, she had to first defeat a Bone Refiningdemonic beast. When a six-point demonic beast was pulled up, Jiang Hong sent a pill into her mouth, and her aura increased quite a bit. "This is the Anther Gang''s Qi boosting pill, but it can only be effective on Blood Refining martial artists," Tian Zhen exined. Yang Yi nodded. It seemed that Jiang Hong did note here solely to gain experience. On the stage, Jiang Hong relied on the Qi boosting pill to narrowly defeat the Bone Refining demonic beast. After that, just as everyone expected, she issued a challenge to her sister and admitted defeat. As such, there were only four people left in the demon ying party. Jiang Qing, Luo Ran, Song Ping, and Ge Zhili. Yang Yi was not too interested in who would win in the end. However, watching them battle with the demonic beasts, he could more or less learn some experience. As the sun gradually moved west, it shone its golden rays onto the stage. The demon ying party came to an end. In the end, Song Ping fed points to Luo Ran. The remaining three could not challenge each other and could onlypete to see who would kill the most demonic beasts. After a few rounds, Luo Ran had thestugh. He had already cultivated the force and was more experienced in using it than Tian Zhen was. Although Ge Zhili''s Rope Fire Saber Technique was strong, his stamina gave way and led to his defeat. "Everyone, it''s alreadyte today. Why don''t we go back to the inn in town and stay there for a while? We can continue our journey tomorrow morning," Feng He suggested. It was not a wise choice to travel the mountain road at night. Especially since the distance between Liuxi Town and Wangchuan Town was quite far, it was best to wait until tomorrow before departing. Yang Yi and Tian Zhen thought it over and agreed with Feng He''s arrangement. The group returned to Panshan Town. When they reached the inn, everyone went back to their rooms to rest and reorganize. Today, everyone had expended a lot of energy. Many of them were even injured. If they did not calm down and use their inner energy to adjust, it would be easy for them to sustain internal injuries. "Young heroes, please be at ease. Later on, I will send someone to prepare some wine and food. You guys can spend some time together. As the saying goes, if you don''t fight, you won''t get to know each other. In the future, there will be times where you''ll look after each other." Feng He left them with this remark. "Yang Yi." Someone called out to him just as he was about to return to his room. Yang Yi turned his head and saw that it was Jiang Qing. "You could''ve won today''spetition, but you hesitated." Jiang Qing had seen a lot of children from families who had not seen the world have this problem. They usually frown upon having intimate contact with a person of the other gender, or would behave in a gentlemanly manner. She did not like that. Since she had chosen to cultivate martial arts, she decided to abandon these constructs. Hence, when Yang Yi hesitated, she seized the opportunity. However, that was a different matter. It was not Jiang Qing''s intention to win by relying on her gender. She sighed and took out some jade bottles from her clothes. She said indifferently, "These are some medicine for external injuries. There are also some to cure the poison on your hands. Take them." The medicine cultivation skill of the Anther Gang had its own unique points. In certain aspects, they were on par with the Harmony Court. Yang Yi was slightly surprised. Before he could react, his hands were stuffed with medicine. Jiang Qing did not say much before she left. When she turned the corner, she walked together with her sister, Jiang Hong. As they walked, Yang Yi could still hear Jiang Hong''sints. Yang Yi smiled and shook his head. He pushed the door open and entered his room. He brought his own medicine, so he did not use the medicine that Jiang Qing gave him. Although he felt that she was not a scheming person aftering into contact with her, he still had to be careful when he was outside. Regardless of whether he used her medicine or not, Yang Yi would remember this kindness. Night gradually enveloped Panshan Town. The noise on the street faded, and even the temperature dropped a little. Yang Yi sat cross-legged by the bed and cultivated. When his injuries were under control, he opened his attribute panel. Host: Yang Yi Realm: Bone Refining (253/800) Spirit umtion points: 800 Learned martial arts: Crimson Afterglow Technique, Mountain-hugging Fist, Phantom Dodge Pending martial arts: None Number of scans: 1 He opened his martial arts panel. Martial arts: Phantom Dodge (learned) Realm: Intermediate (24/200) Characteristic: Timid Quality: Body Tempering martial arts Feedback: [Your Phantom Dodge has improved after a day of diligent cultivation. Experience +1.] As usual, Yang Yi requested for feedback from the Phantom Dodge for 20 times. It was very stable. All of them were "Experience +1". There were no special events. After that, Yang Yi requested feedback from the Crimson Afterglow Technique for 10 times. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique identally cultivated the force from watching the demon ying party in its spare time!] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique wandered around the town and met a senior sister with her child.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique gained inspiration from Jiang Qing''s whip technique and gained a defensive technique of the force, the Coiling Snake Force!] "You cultivated the force?!" Yang Yi was exceptionally delighted when he saw this feedback. Normally, it was only when one had reached the end of the Bone Refining stage that one would be able to cultivate the force. However, Yang Yi''s experience points were clearly still in the early to middle stage. It was truly unexpected that he could master the force. It could only be said that theprehension ability of the Crimson Afterglow Technique was truly astonishing. It managed to cultivate the force just by observing someone else. Moreover, it learned how to use the force by watching someone else''s whip techniques. That was amazing! Yang Yi quickly closed his eyes and carefully felt the changes in his body. In truth, ordinary people wielded the force as well. However, they could not gather it, much less use it to perfection like a Strength Entry martial artist. Yang Yi could sense the existence of an additional force within his body. Normally, the force would fuse with his flesh and blood, and he would not be able to see or touch it. However, once his thoughts were gathered, they would rapidly gather and move around, forming an extremely restless energy! Yang Yi suddenly opened his eyes, jumped off the bed, and threw a punch forward. This punch was wrapped in force, as if it had the power to cut through iron and metal. If he knew this move during the day, the ck striped bear would not be able tost three moves! Then, he fumbled with the Coiling Snake Force. He wanted to test how strong this so-called force defense technique was. Chapter 40: Thoughts Chapter 40: Thoughts In truth, the force that was cultivated from the advanced stage of the Bone Refining stage was only a tiny mass. It was easy to wrap it around one''s fist to increase the attacking power, but it was difficult to apply it in one''s defense. This was only possible if one could predict the opponent''s attack route in advance and adjust the defensive position of the force with one''s thoughts. In order to form a defense around one''s entire body, one had to break through the to the Spiral Force realm. "Coiling Snake Force..." Yang Yi carefullyprehended the technique of using this force. The so-called Coiling Snake Force was actually disassembling the force into threads when it was activated. Wisps of chaotic and changing force guarded his body, just like the whipping technique Jiang Qing used. In this way, he solved the problem of being short of force. However, the price he had to pay was that his force was diluted and his defensive ability weakened considerably. It could only be said that it was better than nothing. No matter how powerful the Crimson Afterglow Technique was, it was difficult to make bricks without straw. Thinking of this, Yang Yi immediately had an idea. His gazended on the attribute panel, and he requested 10 more feedback reports! Just like how a pill could be consumed multiple times, was there a way to study the force multiple times? If there was, would it not be possible to greatly increase the amount of force he had? [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique met a female confidant in the Fragrant Court. Who would have expected that the other party would reject this rtionship and wanted to collect money. It returned while feeling disappointed.] This time, it only triggered a special event. Yang Yi looked at the feedback and could not help but roll his eyes. There seemed to be something wrong with the lifestyle of the Crimson Afterglow Technique! He was not satisfied and continued to request for 10 more feedback reports. [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique observed Luo Ran''s use of the force and had an epiphany. While meditating, it managed to cultivate a trace of force!] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique was anxious for quick sess and instant benefits. It made a mistake during its cultivation. Instead of advancing, its cultivation has regressed. Experience -1.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has gained experience from the battles of the demon ying party. It gained a trace of force through trial and error!] Yang Yi was overjoyed when he saw the feedback. It was just as he had imagined. Theprehension of the force did not interfere with each other in different parallel dimensions. However, it was only limited to today. Tomorrow, the content of the feedback would be different. Although it was possible to cultivate the force through cultivation, it would not be due to the experience gained from the demon ying party. Special events could be encountered but not sought. If a special event happened in reality, the probability would be greatly increased. He calmed his emotions and felt the changes in his body. If the force was only the size of a fist before this, it was now the size of two fists and a half! Yang Yi gathered his thoughts and used the Coiling Snake Force. A formidable force shield appeared around his body. Although the force was still in the shape of a strand, as the number increased, the defensive ability of the force was greatly strengthened. "The amount of force in my body has already surpassed senior brother Tian and Luo Ran!" Yang Yi quickly came to a conclusion. He was no longer inferior to Tian Zhen and Luo Ran, who were at the peak of the Bone Refining stage. Tian Zhen was good at using prative force, while Luo Ran''s force was precise and efficient, making it difficult to deal with. However, Yang Yi also had the Coiling Snake Force, so it was hard to say who would win or lose in a real fight. "If I continue to expand the surrounding force, will it form a perceptive wall? When the enemy steps into the force''s range, I will be the first to know." Yang Yi looked at the gossamer-like force and fell into a reverie. If he could catch the enemy''s movements in advance, the range of Phantom Dodge would be even greater! Tian Zhen was able project force, which meant that the force could leave the body. The way of separating the force from the body without releasing it was the key to this idea. Yang Yi concentrated and tried, but realized that it did not work. He could only manage to extend his force by the distance of a punch, at most. "Looks like there''s still a long way to go in cultivation." Yang Yi sighed, but he was not disappointed. He had a direction which he could explore further. Not to mention, he had already gained a lot from this experience. If he could cultivate the force, it was equivalent to having half a foot in the Spiral Force realm. He poured himself a cup of tea. Yang Yi drank it to moisten his lips, and then continued to look at the attribute panel. Today, the Crimson Afterglow Technique had already given him 30 feedback reports, and the load on it was heavy. However, he was somewhat unable to resist the temptation of gaining force, so he thought of letting the Crimson Afterglow Technique work harder. "Feedback,10 times!" [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique has developed a feeling of boredom towards cultivation, and it have cultivated recklessly, causing its meridians to be blocked. Experience -3.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique is overworked. It was thinking of abandoning martial arts and starting a business. It was looking for someone to help it sell martial arts insurance services.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique is out gathering local cultural mateurals. It had no intention of cultivating at all. Today was a day for cking off.] [Your Crimson Afterglow Technique was eager to protect its master. It sneaked into Jiang Qing''s room. Just as it was about to take revenge, it was discovered and fled in a hurry.] Yang Yi almost spat out a mouthful of tea. Out of the 10 responses, there were actually four special incidents. Moreover, with a nce, none of them were very positive. What was up with abandoning martial arts for business? Martial artist insurance... Yang Yi did not expect the Crimson Afterglow Technique to have such brains. However, in this world where strength reigned supreme, what was the use of such clever thinking? Only a ghost would listen to nder and work with it! Yang Yi felt that the Crimson Afterglow Technique of that ne was useless. Just as he was bewildered by the ridiculousness of the situation, there was amotion outside his room. "Someone,e quickly!" someone shouted. Yang Yi went out to take a look. The moment he opened the door, he saw that Tian Zhen, who was opposite him, had alsoe out of his room. The two of them looked at each other before rushing towards the direction of the sound. "What''s going on?" Yang Yi arrived at the scene of the incident. He found Jiang Qing and Jiang Hong in the room, and the window beside them was opened. "I was meditating to heal my injuries just now, and someone ambushed me from the side." Jiang Qing held the whip in her hand, and his eyes were filled with killing intent. "If I hadn''t entered the room at the right time, the person would have seeded." Jiang Hong patted her small chest and looked at the window with fear in her eyes. The culprit was very fast. After being discovered, they dashed out like a gust of wind and disappeared into the night. "Did you see the culprit''s appearance or characteristics?" Yang Yi asked eagerly. "No, I don''t even know when they got in." Jiang Qing shook her head. "That''s a pity." Yang Yi felt relieved. The Crimson Afterglow Technique was obviously not as skilled as the Mountain-hugging Fist in these matters. Fortunately, it did not leave any clues behind. "What''s wrong?" More and more people rushed over. Ge Zhili even called over quite a few members of the Rope Fire Gang. Jiang Qing briefly recounted what had just happened. Everyone looked at each other with some doubts. Could it be that the enemies of the Anther Gang had followed them all the way to Panshan Town? This should not be the case. If they wanted to make a move, they should have waited for Jiang Qing and the others to be on their way back before making a move. "Ha, Miss Jiang Qing is beautiful. The culprit might just be a random flower thief. You''re safe now that you''ve scared him away," Luo Ran said half-jokingly. This exnation was not very convincing, but nobody else had a better exnation. As there were no actual losses, Ge Zhili, as the host, led some men to patrol the surroundings. He asked the gang members to increase their patrols, and the disturbance gradually died down. It was already dark. After themotion, everyone''s stomachs were empty. It just so happened that Feng He had arranged for wine and food, so everyone sat down and gathered around a table. With different gangs sitting together, the atmosphere on the table naturally could not be said to be harmonious. However, there were no confrontations during the day. In general, the table was not overturned, and everyone ate their fill. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!