Chapter 557 - 188: Defeating a Strong Enemy, Making Another Breakthrough

"First place, Chu Yunhai of Celestial Derivation Peak!"

"Second place, Bai Ziyu of Thunder Peak!"

"Third place, Lu Shaohua of Qingxu Peak!"

"Fourth place, Yang Jing of Lingxi Peak!"

"Fifth place, Jiang Lin Yuan of the Main Peak!"

"Sixth place, Cui Yuan of Zhenyue Peak!"

As the voice faded, a low murmur of discussion immediately swept through the square.

Hearing his name announced in fourth place, Yang Jing nodded slightly.

He had climbed one spot higher than his rank in the previous round. This placement was a worthy reward for the exhilarating battle he had just fought.

Yang Jing silently calculated. ’According to the pairing rules, my next opponent will be the third-ranked Lu Shaohua of Qingxu Peak.’

Yang Jing had watched the entirety of Lu Shaohua’s previous match against Zhang Yunhao. His overwhelmingly dominant fist techniques and unstoppable offensive were a clear demonstration of Lu Shaohua’s unfathomable strength.

Sun Ningxiang, who stood beside him, also quickly realized the matchups for the next round. Her elegant brows furrowed slightly, and she looked at Yang Jing with worry in her eyes. "Lu Shaohua is incredibly strong, isn’t he?" she asked softly.

Sun Ningxiang usually focused solely on her cultivation and rarely interacted with disciples from the sect’s other veins, but even she had long since heard of Lu Shaohua’s name.

Yang Jing nodded, his tone grave. "Senior Brother Lu is very strong. Some time ago, a Flower-Picking Thief was rampaging through Jintai Prefecture. His methods were vicious, and even the authorities were helpless against him. But in the end, Senior Brother Lu killed him in a direct confrontation. His strength is beyond doubt."

Lu Shaohua’s fame far exceeded Su Muyuan’s. He was currently the third-ranked prodigy on the Hidden Dragon List and a renowned master within the Xuanzhen Sect, leagues above any ordinary disciple.

Hearing this, Sun Ningxiang grew even more anxious. Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she swallowed her words. The worry in her clear eyes, however, only intensified.

Yang Jing saw the look on her face and couldn’t help but smile faintly. He reassured her in a gentle tone, "I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry, I know my limits. If I really face an opponent I can’t beat, I won’t push myself too hard."

Only then did Sun Ningxiang finally relax. The tension in her features eased, a faint smile appeared on her face, and she nodded lightly.

...

「Elsewhere.」

In the area where the Qingxu Peak disciples were gathered, Lu Shaohua heard the latest rankings. A flicker of hard-to-detect anticipation flashed through his normally indifferent eyes.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture as straight and tall as a pine tree. A powerful and domineering aura faintly swirled around him.

He looked down at his fists and muttered to himself, his voice tinged with a long-absent excitement, "Finally, an interesting fight."

Ever since the Fushan Grand Tournament began, every opponent he had faced was pathetically weak. They couldn’t even withstand a few of his blows, making the fights utterly boring.

Only after watching the clash of titans between Yang Jing and Su Muyuan had his interest finally been piqued.

Yang Jing’s defense, strength, and the resilience that made him stronger the longer he fought were all top-tier. He was an opponent worthy of facing some of Lu Shaohua’s true abilities.

...

At Fushan Square, the clamor gradually died down as the members of the various factions left one after another.

The disciples of the Main Peak and the Seven Veins also formed small groups and slowly walked out of the square, each returning to their respective peaks.

Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang walked side by side. Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the mountain trees, casting dappled shadows upon them.

It was now noon. The day’s matches had ended early, unlike previous days when grueling battles would last late into the afternoon.

The two of them chatted about the details of the recent matches as they slowly walked in the direction of Yunxi Peak and Lingxi Peak.

...

「That afternoon.」

Lingxi Peak, in the training room area halfway up the mountain.

Inside a spacious Level C Training Room, Yang Jing was focused on cultivating the "River-Crossing Technique."

His feet were slightly staggered in a profound stance. The Inner Qi in his Dantian slowly circulated, flowing through his meridians and out to his limbs and bones.

His figure began to move back and forth within the Training Room. At times, he moved like spring water flowing over a plain, his steps light and silent.

At other times, he was like a raging wave crashing against a riverbank, his body abruptly accelerating and stirring up a whistling gust of wind.

With a light tap of his toes on the stone floor, his entire body shot forward several yards like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Then, with a twist of his waist, he became an afterimage, moving laterally along the wall. His movements were incredibly agile, as if he had truly become a small boat drifting with the current, able to maneuver nimbly within the smallest of spaces as he pleased.

Every turn and every change of direction was perfectly precise, without a single wasted movement.

Inner Qi surged through his meridians, perfectly synchronized with the rhythm of his Body Technique. The air around him rippled faintly from his high-speed movements.

Time passed, second by second.

An hour later, Yang Jing came to an abrupt halt and let out a long, turbid breath.

Sweat trickled down his cheeks, soaking his collar. The back of his training clothes was already drenched, clinging tightly to his skin.

He stood in place with his eyes closed, concentrating and attuning himself to the changes within his body.

At the same time, with a mere thought, a panel appeared before his eyes, clearly displaying the progress of the martial arts he was cultivating—

[Mountain-Breaking Seal: Minor Accomplishment (788/2000)]

[Indestructible True Skill: Second Level, Minor Accomplishment (135/2000)]

[River-Crossing Technique: Entry (500/500)]

When Yang Jing saw the data for the "River-Crossing Technique," he couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

’Now that I’ve cultivated it to this point, the flow of my Inner Qi is much smoother than before, and the sluggishness I felt when using the Body Technique has lessened considerably.’

’With every step, I can clearly feel a sense of lightness underfoot.’

’I’m on the verge of breaking through to the Qi Eating Realm with my River-Crossing Technique.’

The thought that he was about to break through to the Qi Eating Realm with his third martial art—and the immense boost in strength that would follow—made Yang Jing’s heart race. He felt a powerful new wave of motivation to train.

He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, feeling the lingering effects of the Bone Marrow Tempering Pill within his body.

That gentle power was slowly nourishing his meridians and increasing the purity of his Inner Qi.

He didn’t rush to resume his training. Instead, he walked over to a nearby cattail cushion, sat down, and took a moment to regulate his breathing.

A moment later, Yang Jing opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them.

He stood up, regulated his breathing once more, and settled back into his martial stance, ready to break through to the Qi Eating Realm with his "River-Crossing Technique" in one final, concentrated effort.