Free Web NovelChapter 331: Chapter 136: Advancement in Strength, Lingxi’s Sermon
Yang Jing held his breath again and carefully scanned the depths of the dense forest several times.
His gaze swept over every gap in the leaves and branches. After confirming there were truly no figures and not another sound, his anxious heart finally settled, and he quietly sighed in relief.
Though Yang Jing had relaxed, he hadn’t let his guard down completely. Not daring to dawdle any longer, he quickly finished his bath, then took his discarded outer shirt to the stream and began scrubbing it in the icy water.
The sweat stains on the shirt were quickly washed away. He wrung the water from the fabric and put it straight back on.
He then circulated the Inner Strength in his body. A warm current of Inner Strength flowed through his meridians, spreading throughout him.
His qi and blood surged, and a faint warmth radiated from his body.
The damp clothes were steamed by the heat, and in just a moment, they became dry and comfortable, without a trace of moisture left.
Once he was ready, Yang Jing immediately hurried back to his residence, his pace a bit faster than when he came.
As he passed the dense forest, he couldn’t help but glance at it a couple more times.
In the night, the forest remained quiet and deep, with nothing out of the ordinary. Even the sound of the wind rustling the leaves seemed particularly peaceful.
He shook his head, thinking to himself, ’I must just be exhausted from practicing my fist techniques, and I’m always worried about things back at the old house in Wazi Town. That’s probably why I’m having these groundless suspicions.’
...
「On the summit of Lingxi Peak, inside the main hall.」
Candlelight flickered, casting a dim yellow halo over the vast, empty hall, imbuing it with a cold solemnity.
The stunningly beautiful yet indifferent Peak Master of Lingxi Peak, Bai Bing, sat cross-legged on the Jade Meditation Mat at the head of the hall. Her eyes were shut tight, her aura as deep and still as an abyss, yet her brow was slightly furrowed as if she were contemplating something, a hint of strangeness in her expression that was difficult to perceive.
Just then, the hall doors were gently pushed open.
A slender figure walked in slowly. It was a young woman in her twenties, dressed in a simple, elegant white robe. Her posture was erect, her features lovely, and her gentle temperament was mixed with an air of competence. This was Lingxi Peak’s Senior Sister, Si Jiawen.
She walked lightly to Bai Bing’s side, bowed slightly, and said in a soft yet respectful voice, "Master, you summoned me so late at night. Do you have instructions?"
Bai Bing slowly opened her eyes. Her cold gaze fell upon Si Jiawen as she gave a direct order in a calm, flat tone, "Jia Wen, go immediately to the pine forest at the northeast corner of the peak’s base. There is a frozen stream there. I want you to fill in the stream bed and divert the water from upstream. Do not let it flow through that area again."
Hearing this, Si Jiawen froze on the spot, her eyes filled with confusion.
Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at Bai Bing in astonishment, her mind reeling with bewilderment.
’Master specifically called me here in the middle of the night, not to discuss cultivation matters or assign a sect mission, but just to tell me to fill in a stream and divert it?’
’This is too bizarre. It’s just an ordinary stream. Why go to all this trouble, and why handle it specifically in the middle of the night? What kind of strange task is this?’
After speaking, Bai Bing said no more.
She slowly closed her eyes again. Her aura grew even deeper, the furrow in her brow smoothed out, and she returned to her usual state of cool detachment. It was clear she had no intention of explaining her reasons, nor did she wish to be questioned further.
Si Jiawen looked at her master’s meditative posture, gave a helpless, wry smile, and gently shook her head.
She had been cultivating under Bai Bing for many years and had long since understood her master’s temperament. Bai Bing was a woman of few words, calm and decisive in her actions, and never one to explain her decisions. Once she gave an order, her disciples were simply expected to obey.
Even though her heart was filled with questions, she could only suppress them.
In the eyes of outsiders, she was the lofty Senior Sister of Lingxi Peak, the foremost among the disciples, with a status comparable to the Sect Elders and admired by thousands of her peers.
But in front of her master, she was always a dutiful disciple. She never dared to defy her master’s orders and would always see them through to the best of her ability.
Si Jiawen thought no more of it. She bowed to Bai Bing again and replied softly, "As you command."
With that, she turned and walked lightly out of the great hall. The doors closed slowly behind her, leaving the cold candlelight and the silence within.
Once again, Bai Bing was alone in the great hall. The flickering halo of the candlelight cast faint shadows on her exquisite face.
She remained seated in quiet meditation, her expression placid, as if the order she had just given was a trivial matter. Only the occasional twitch of her eyelashes betrayed a hint of imperceptible contemplation.
...
「The next day.」
Yang Jing woke up on time, just as the sky was beginning to brighten.
Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, he focused his thoughts, and a moment later, a panel materialized before his eyes.
[Mountain-Shattering Fist: Perfection (310/2000)]
[Surging Wave Kick: Major Accomplishment (910/1000)]
[Indestructible True Skill: Major Accomplishment (110/1000)]
Over the past half-month, with the aid of the Xuanzhen Sect’s Training Rooms, Yang Jing’s progress in these three martial arts could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds.
His "Surging Wave Kick" was not far from breaking through to Transforming Strength, and his "Indestructible True Skill" had broken through to the Hidden Strength stage in one go.
As Yang Jing’s realm advanced, he focused more of his energy on his main discipline, "Mountain-Shattering Fist," and the higher-quality "Indestructible True Skill." He had significantly reduced the time spent training his "Surging Wave Kick"; otherwise, it might have already broken through to Transforming Strength by now.
However, as both "Surging Wave Kick" and "Indestructible True Skill" had improved significantly, his progress had slowed down a bit. But since he was essentially re-training from a higher vantage point—retracing the paths of Bright Strength, Hidden Strength, and Transforming Strength—and had the aid of the Xuanzhen Sect’s incredibly profound Training Rooms, his cultivation speed was still astonishing.
