Chapter 178 Ch178 The Combat Peak

My communication talisman linked to Wang Ming’s answers back as I wait for morning to come.

“No, Mu Shulan and I won’t be attending the Combat Peak tournament this year. Though, Lan Xin just left our peak. I think she’ll be attending.”

I’m standing at the edge of my small minor peak, looking over the rich green rice fields, with a deep blue crane releasing subtle qi infused rain in the air as the sun peaks over the horizon.

“Very well. Keep me updated,” I reply back and stow my talisman away.

A fourth level of qi refinement is all I reveal.

My martial spirit physique is completely concealed; not a single stray vibration comes out.

To make sure my concentration is at its peak, I do not practice my five element qi control today.

Little Red sits on my shoulder, sleeping while emitting the same fourth level of qi refinement that I am.

Soon, a familiar large flying vessel appears, coming from the direction of the main beast mastery peak.

It slows down, but doesn’t come to a stop.

Only a simple ladder is let down over the side, and I run up to catch it, climbing onto the deck, and feel the ship speed up again.

“Welcome, Disciple Li Hao. Make yourself comfortable. We have a few more stops before we arrive at the Combat Peak.” Kang Yelang remarks from the back of the boat.

A few dozen other disciples are present on board. Many are standing together in groups and talking, ranging from mid to late stage qi refiners.

I make my way over to a semi-empty portion of the vessel, and the Vice Peak Master’s voice rings out again.

“It’s been quite a while since we last met. I got your message about the event you wish to partake in, but I must say I’m surprised you’ve broken through to the mid stage of qi refinement.”

A few heads turn, and I feel weak spiritual senses probe me.

“Indeed. Thanks to a few matured flame toads from the Wang Clan, it was not impossible. Though, it wasn’t easy…”

I point to Little Red with a smile, and many interested disciples look away.

Murmurs of how they had to hit the 4th level on their own and couldn’t waste resources that blatantly can be heard, but I don’t react.

Kang Yelang, on the other hand, tightens his gaze from the back of the boat, and even his grey wolf perks up from the strength he uses to probe me.

“You dissolved your Martial Elite Physique? Why? Are you finally planning to study the beast mastery path?”

I shrug. “I didn’t do it on purpose. The physique got in the way of my breakthrough. It was either fail to become a mid stage qi refiner or dissolve my physique.”

The Vice Peak Master looks confused. The outside of his soul trembles in a way that makes me believe he’s wondering if my words are even true, but he does not want to voice his thoughts.

Others on the boat aren’t as contained.

“No wonder his qi feels so weird… This must be what they call a false mid stage qi refiner. Just like when a perfected qi refiner fails to break through into the foundation establishment realm, they’re stuck there forever.”

“His muscles and bones feel stronger than average, though.”

“The Wang Clan probably gave him what they give all their young. Remember Wang Ming’s first few years on the peak? He’d eat high grade spirit fruits by the handful. Obviously, he has a denser body than us. We have to earn our spirit stones ourselves.”

“Who would sever their path of further cultivation and sacrifice their physique just to reach the mid stage of qi refinement?”

Some chuckles and other whispers follow, but the vessel returns to moderate silence after a few more disciples are picked up.

We come to a halt at the top of an extremely tall peak, one that looks like a high grade or maybe even perfect grade vein is below it.

There are very few farms below this peak. I only spot some small fields, hardly using up a tenth of the available land.

Kang Yelang yells out, “Welcome, Named Disciple Sun Fei. You’re our last pickup. We’ll be heading off to the Combat Peak now.”

[Automatic Inspect Function Activated…]

[Sun Fei] [Age: 28]

[10th Level Qi Refiner]

[Earth and Water Spiritual Roots] [5th Grade]

[Acquired Beast Mastery Physique] [Perfected Stage - Mortal Grade]

[Innate Swift Feet Physique] [Initial Stage - Spirit Grade]

[Grandson of the Alchemy Peak Master. Lacking a fire spiritual root, he cannot follow the paths of his elders. He soul-bound with a 5th grade spiritual rabbit species known to share his common innate physique after establishing their foundation.]

A short man with a very youthful demeanor hops over the edge of the boat.

His hair is bright blond, but most of it is covered up by a rabbit lying on the young man’s head.

He wears a named disciple robe that appears to be a size too large for him, and his steps are uneven, like he’s just woken up from a long nap and he’s still tired.

Kang Yelang lifts the boat off the ground to keep on flying, but no one present says a word.

Many even look away, hoping not to catch the attention of this strange disciple.

He doesn’t look at anyone either, simply finding an empty place near the side of the vessel to sit down, then he closes his eyes to fall right back to sleep.

The rabbit on his head looks around curiously, and I read its scan to see a nickname of Tuanzi next to its 10th level of qi refinement.

No one gives the little guy any attention, and after a few minutes of flying, once we begin to leave the view of the Beast Mastery Domain, the rabbit bites his master’s ear.

Sun Fei wakes up with a minor look of irritation on his face to see the rabbit peering over his forehead mischievously. The short named disciple closes his eyes again, but the little rabbit bites his nose.

“Alright, alright, here.” He pulls a bright yellow long root, similar in shape to a carrot but holding over a hundred spirit stones’ worth of qi inside it, out of a storage ring.

Tuanzi grabs it with his mouth and chews with a smug expression while the Sun Clan disciple falls back to sleep like this is a normal occurrence.

I keep my eyes off to the side of the ship too, watching the smaller mountains pass by below, but inwardly think about this being my first run-in with another member of the big three clans.

He has an innate spirit grade physique, wears a low grade tier 2 spatial ring, and gives off a raw qi aura even more intense than mine from his bones and flesh.

There’s no killing intent coming off him at all.

It is only a calm, smooth vibration of his innate physique and an additional beast mastery physique that amplifies the soul bond to his rabbit.

From watching him sleep and even studying his status, it’s hard to get a read on this man.

Though, the simplest conclusion for now is not to get involved.

After half an hour, we pass by the alchemy peak and travel further into the sect toward the combat peak’s outer domain.

There are a few other small flying vessels that approach, carrying single disciples that have decided to show up alone. There are larger vessels filled with a few dozen at a time like ours.

Kang Yelang points one out. “Some of those vessels will be fellow higher-ranking disciples like yourselves wishing to fight in the main combat tournament. However, some are stewards and lower-ranking outer sect disciples here to simply watch the show. I’ve already gotten confirmation that later today, some disciples from the Inner Sect will come to watch the later rounds to scout for talent.”

My gaze follows the vice captain’s finger, then further into the combat peak’s domain.

Many of the smaller mountains and valleys we fly over have large structures built on their peaks. Others have flattened-out sparring courtyards like I remember using in the Wang Estate.

Though, many of these peaks are not in use.

It appears everyone is either leaving or has already left, all heading toward the main combat peak as the sun fully rises over the horizon.

This mountain comes into clear view and appears even taller than the beast mastery’s main peak, far larger than the Wang or Mu mountains also.

It is hard to say without sensing the core of the mountain for myself, but at the very least, this is a mountain formed atop a mid grade or higher tier 2 vein.

Large visual arrays are placed near its base, pointing travelers that have come upward toward the main paths.

There are four lower cliff ledges lit up with the insignias for the beast mastery, forging, alchemy, and combat peaks. When we fly closer, it becomes clear that this is where all of the side tournaments are taking place.

“Our Peak Master has already arrived. He will be judging the beast mastery side competitions for the first half of the day, and I will assist him. However, he will be watching the main tournament with everyone else. I will drop you off at the main peak above to register. Even if you do not wish to fight in the main combat peak event, all of the side tournaments are registered here as well.”

Kang Yelang pulls the ship up the mountain further, past the cloudline, away from the minor ledges, following many other ships coming this way.

We come to a halt near a massive open peak, with only the clouds to look at in three directions.

There are dozens of fighting pits all lined up evenly in a wide, flattened area, and behind it, a large open trading market holds over a thousand cultivators. This market surrounds a large newly built stadium, but all of the entrances are locked up and heavily guarded.

The flying vessels that touch down let out passengers one by one.

Many do not make their way toward the arrangement of smaller fighting pits. They simply check in as visitors and enter the open market for entertainment.

When Kang Yelang descends, he’s greeted by a stern old bearded man at the 7th level of qi refinement with a late stage black iron battle physique, and all of us walk out of the vessel to follow him.

Sun Fei is the last to stand and leave, only after his rabbit bites his ear three times to wake him up.

The Vice Peak Master waves us goodbye and yells over the ship’s edge, “If any of you manage to make it into the top 8 of the main event, the beast mastery peak master said he would personally grant you a named disciple token! Make us proud out there!”

The old man guiding us shows a grin under his mean outer expression and chuckles.

“The only one in your bunch who even has a shot at the top 8 is already a named disciple. What’s the point of giving you all false hope?”

Some of the late stage qi refiners in our group who walk alongside their grey wolves retort back, saying they might just win the whole thing, but he rolls his eyes. This is the same false youthful confidence he’s been hearing from every new arrival all morning.

We’re led to a few stalls, all manned by greying older men, most at the 7th and 8th level of qi refinement with late stage Acquired Black Iron Battle Physiques.

The lines move fast, and there aren’t that many waiting just yet. I only count a hundred or so waiting near the pits.

I pull out my identity token once it’s my turn, and it’s scanned by a calm wrinkly faced 92-year-old man with very steady late stage cultivation.

He taps the token to a silver slab, then motions for me to lean in.

The old man pulls out a small black disk, "Imprint this spirit root testing artifact, I need to make sure your identity matches your token.”

I probe the small item, then do as he says.

It lights up with 5 dull colors, and he pulls it back, returning my authority token in the same motion.

“Li Hao, Outer Sect Disciple of the Beast Mastery Peak, holding the Vice Peak Master’s authority token. Five 9th grade roots, everything checks out. It looks like the only specialized event you’ve signed up for is the combat peak’s hosted archery event. You have very strong bones, but still, a 4th level qi refiner like yourself probably won’t even pass the strength test to make it into the trial rounds.”

He points behind him, and I nod.

“I would still like to try, Senior.”

A subtle fluctuation of annoyance and superiority shows in his soul, but he still picks a blank rectangular mid grade talisman out of his ring and taps it to the silver slab.

My name appears on the white piece of wood, and a simple 168 shows below it. He ties it to a thick black string and hands it over.

“Alright, step on past and try. Once you’re disqualified, you can head down the side mountain path to the archery event. It’s open all day, so you can attend any time you’d like before the tournament at night begins. Feel free to trade in the market, or watch the side competitions as well.”

He hands back my authority token and now my combat peak competitor talisman too.

I put the necklace on and stow away my authority token, then walk forward to see what the strongest disciples of this side of the outer sect are really like.