Chapter 650 - 263: Eighth Layer

"Senior Brother, he’s a disciple of the True Martial Lineage!" she stressed, the implication in her voice unmistakable.

The old grudges between the True Martial and Nine Heavens Lineages had yet to fade, and the matter of Li Qingyu was a thorn stuck between the two factions—a thorn in the hearts of all the martial siblings.

"I know."

Luo Zhixian’s reply was curt and firm. He looked at Li Yu-jun. "And? What does any of this... have to do with me?"

"What does it have to do with you?"

Li Yu-jun was nearly rendered speechless by his question. Suppressing her frustration, she said, "Senior Brother! Are you telling me that among all the talented disciples of the other lineages—geniuses like Zhang Baicheng, Zhong Yu, and even the promising prospects our own Nine Heavens Lineage has carefully nurtured—not a single one is worthy in your eyes? Why must it be this disciple from the True Martial Lineage who earns your favor and inherits your legacy?"

Luo Zhixian slowly shook his head. "Yu Jun, you should know that I’m looking for a successor to the Spear Path, not a pawn in the games between lineages. They may all be fine talents, capable of bringing glory to their respective factions. But when it comes to the Spear Path, he is the only one who could glimpse its very source and grasp its divine essence in a single viewing. I teach the spear. I recognize talent. That is all."

Li Yu-jun looked at her senior brother, at the pure, almost obstinate dedication in his eyes.

She knew him all too well. Once he set his mind on something, he was more unyielding than a Pan Stone—ten times more stubborn than even she, his junior sister.

This very stubbornness had allowed him to reach the Peak of Perfection in the Spear Path, but it also made him seem so unapproachable.

She knew that any further attempts at persuasion would be futile.

"Since you’ve made up your mind, Senior Brother, there’s no point in me saying anything more."

Li Yu-jun slowly rose to her feet, her dark robes stirring as if in a nonexistent wind. "I must admit, I’m curious. What is so special about this disciple from the True Martial Lineage that he’s earned such high praise from you?"

She walked to the doorway and paused for a moment without turning back. "I hope I’ll have the chance to see for myself one day."

With that, Li Yu-jun lingered no longer. She walked away at a measured pace, her figure disappearing into the cloud-wreathed corridor outside the Observatory Tower.

Silence returned to the tower.

.....

Chen Qing returned to his small courtyard on True Martial Peak with two Nourishing God and Nourishing Soul Pills.

He handed one of them to Qing Dai, instructing, "Take this Pill to Senior Brother Qu River’s residence."

"Yes, Senior Brother." Qing Dai received the Jade Bottle with both hands and carefully withdrew.

Chen Qing, meanwhile, returned to his Quiet Chamber.

He had already committed the day’s events to heart.

After a long moment, Chen Qing took out the other Nourishing God and Nourishing Soul Pill.

The Pill was perfectly round, its surface shimmering with flowing motes of starlight. An extraordinary fragrance wafted from it; merely smelling it made his Divine Sense feel clear and refreshed.

He double-checked the description of the Nourishing God and Nourishing Soul Pill’s effects in his alchemy records, and after confirming everything was correct, he consumed it.

The Pill melted the moment it entered his mouth. It didn’t transform into a hot current surging into his Dantian, but rather into a cool yet immense stream of refined energy. Like a brook flowing into a great river, it rushed directly toward the Sea of Will at the center of his brow.

HUMMM—!

It was as if a pebble had been dropped into a calm lake; Chen Qing felt his entire Sea of Will tremble gently.

The cool energy rapidly diffused, merging into his previously tenuous Power of Divine Sense.

An unprecedented sense of clarity washed over him.

Inside the Quiet Chamber, the paths of floating dust motes, the subtle tremble of leaves in the breeze outside his window, and even the light footsteps of Qing Dai and the others in the distance all became clearer than ever before.

More importantly, he felt his thoughts moving faster, his Heart and Spirit growing more focused.

His Sea of Will felt as if it had been cleansed, becoming more stable. The purple orb of light suspended within it also seemed to glow an imperceptible fraction brighter, nourished by this new power.

’This stuff really is incredible!’ Chen Qing praised inwardly.

This Pill was crucial for experts in the True Essence Realm to stabilize their Realm and temper their Divine Sense. For him, an Astral Force Realm cultivator who had prematurely opened his Sea of Will, the effects were even more pronounced, greatly solidifying his foundation.

For the next two days, Chen Qing remained in seclusion, focusing on absorbing the Pill’s power.

Chen Qing felt his Sea of Will growing ever more solid and substantial under the nourishment of the Nourishing God and Nourishing Soul Pill, and his perception had sharpened considerably.

He was keenly aware of how important the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body was to his overall strength. Now that the Fourth Layer was complete, he had to obtain the subsequent parts of the Cultivation Technique as soon as possible.

He tidied himself up briefly and set out for Prison Peak.

Arriving at Prison Peak, Chen Qing descended the familiar passageway, and the bone-chilling Evil Qi once again washed over him.

The Black Water Abyss Prison was as grim and cold as ever, but with Chen Qing’s vast improvement in strength, the potent Qi Blood Power radiating from his body was like a furnace, making it difficult for ordinary Evil Qi to approach him.

He went straight to Master of the Seven Sufferings, who was chanting sutras for purification.

Upon seeing Chen Qing, the Master of the Seven Sufferings stopped tapping his wooden fish. His clouded eyes swept over the young man, a sharp glint flashing within. "Donor Chen, your Cultivation has advanced at a remarkable speed. It seems you have already stabilized the Fourth Layer of the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body. You’ve come for the next part of the Cultivation Technique, I presume?"

"Yes."

Chen Qing nodded frankly, making no attempt to hide it.

Before an expert like the Master of the Seven Sufferings, the vigorous Qi Blood Power practically bursting from him was as obvious as a torch in the dead of night.

The Master of the Seven Sufferings gave Chen Qing a deep look. While the first Four Layers of the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body were not considered the most profound part of this secret Buddhist Sect technique, they were by no means easy to master.

It not only required tempering one’s Qi Blood Power but also comprehending the Buddhist Zen within, harmonizing ferocity with compassion to progress gradually. Otherwise, one could easily cause self-injury or even succumb to demonic deviation.

Chen Qing bore the legacy of the True Martial Lineage, not the Buddhist Sect. For him to cross this threshold and reach the Fourth Layer in such a short time, relying solely on his own insight... ’This young man’s aptitude is truly astonishing!’

"Excellent!"

The Master of the Seven Sufferings suppressed the shock in his heart. "I never expected you to progress so quickly. It seems you have a profound affinity for this technique."