Free Web NovelChapter 333: Chapter 136: Advancement in Strength, Lingxi’s Sermon
Yang Jing strode closer, smiling and nodding in agreement. "That’s right. Today is a lecture day, so I came up the mountain a bit early. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity."
Jia Yuliang looked at Yang Jing’s young yet composed demeanor and nodded in approval. "Junior Brother, you are so diligent and attentive; your spirit is just right. Continue to cultivate diligently in the future. Strive to stabilize your Cultivation at the Peak of Transformation soon, pass the Dragon Gate martial trial, and get promoted to the Inner Sect!"
Hearing this, Yang Jing gave a small smile and said humbly, "Senior Brother, you flatter me. Promotion to the Inner Sect is still a distant goal. For now, I just want to focus on cultivating steadily and reach the threshold of the Peak of Transformation as soon as possible. It’s safer to take things one step at a time."
Seeing this, Jia Yuliang waved his hand. "Junior Brother, don’t be so discouraged. You should have more confidence in yourself. The path of the Martial Dao is difficult, but as long as you’re willing to work hard and diligently polish your skills, anything is possible. You’ve already broken through to the Transformation realm at such a young age; your talent isn’t bad at all. With more effort, you’ll surely achieve something."
Yang Jing’s mood lifted as he listened to Jia Yuliang’s encouragement. He smiled and nodded. "Thanks to your auspicious words, Senior Brother. I will definitely cultivate well."
Jia Yuliang turned to glance at his two companions, then looked back at Yang Jing. "The three of us are waiting for a few other junior brothers we know to go up the mountain together. Do you want to stay and wait with us, Junior Brother? But I should remind you, if you want to get a good spot near the front in Lingxi Plaza, it’s better to go up early. If you’re late, the front spots will mostly be taken, and it’ll be hard to hear the lecture or see the demonstration clearly."
Upon hearing this, Yang Jing quickly cupped his hands. "Since you senior brothers are waiting for others, I won’t disturb you. I’ll head up the mountain first. Senior Brother Jia, you all should also head up soon, lest you miss the beginning of the lecture."
Jia Yuliang smiled and nodded. "Alright, Junior Brother Yang, go on ahead. In the future, if you encounter any problems in your cultivation that are difficult to solve, feel free to come find me. If I know the solution, I will certainly do my best to help you analyze and resolve it."
Yang Jing thanked him solemnly once more, then turned to leave. He quickened his pace, his steps light as he hurried toward Lingxi Plaza at the summit of Lingxi Peak, not daring to delay for even a moment.
’He felt an urgent need for power, a desire to raise his strength as quickly as possible.’
’Within the Xuanzhen Sect, you could find all sorts of resources. Although they cost contribution points, the hundred thousand-plus taels in silver notes Yang Jing carried were enough to support him for some time.’
’Even if he had to throw money at his Cultivation, he was determined to build up his strength!’
’Therefore, to the current Yang Jing, the most important things were time and money. Neither could be wasted.’
...
As Yang Jing’s figure gradually receded into the distance, a slightly chubby friend beside Jia Yuliang leaned in and said in a low voice, "Senior Brother Jia, it seems to me you don’t think too highly of that Junior Brother Yang."
Another friend, a slender fellow disciple, nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We’ve known you for many years and understand your personality best. You’ve always been gentle and smile warmly at everyone, which makes you seem very approachable, but there’s a big difference in how you truly treat people. If you genuinely valued this Junior Brother Yang, you would have invited him to travel with us to talk more on the way and deepen your bond as sect brothers. But just now, you told him to go on ahead. You clearly don’t hold him in high regard."
The two spoke bluntly, and Jia Yuliang didn’t deny it. He just sighed softly, a trace of resignation flashing in his eyes. He knew in his heart that his recent actions did indeed show his lack of regard for Yang Jing.
’After all, Yang Jing comes from a small, remote place and looks completely ordinary. Although he has a Transformation-level Cultivation, he’s not exceptionally outstanding. The key is that his Root Bone is too poor.’
Jia Yuliang gazed in the direction Yang Jing had gone, his tone tinged with a bit of melancholy. "When I first met Junior Brother Yang half a month ago, he was already at the Transformation level of Cultivation."
"I was quite surprised at the time. He managed to break through to the Transformation realm at such a young age, and he didn’t even join through the sect’s regular selection process but was recruited individually. I thought he was either exceptionally talented or had a powerful background, and that he might have a promising future."
At this point, he sighed softly, his voice laced with regret. "However, a few days ago, I asked a fellow disciple I know to look up Junior Brother Yang’s admission records. That’s when I learned he’s just an ordinary disciple from Yuhe County with no family background to speak of. Most importantly, his Root Bone is extremely poor—just a Lower-Eighth Grade Root Bone."
"In the Martial Dao, the Root Bone is the foundation. With a Root Bone that poor, even if he was lucky enough to reach the Transformation realm, it will be difficult for him to advance any further. He’ll most likely be stuck at his current level for the rest of his life, destined for a future with no prospects."
Hearing this, his two friends had a sudden realization and nodded one after another. "So that’s how it is. No wonder you don’t value him. A Lower-Eighth Grade Root Bone... he really has no value in being cultivated or befriended. He’ll likely never make a name for himself in this life."
As they spoke, both shook their heads, a look of contempt appearing in their eyes. The faint curiosity they had about Yang Jing completely vanished, and they dismissed him from their thoughts, unwilling to pay him any more attention.
Although the Xuanzhen Sect is a branch of the Taoist School, it also adheres to the principle that strength reigns supreme. In the eyes of many, a disciple’s Root Bone determines their future. A disciple with a poor Root Bone, even if they show a brief flash of talent, is ultimately just a flash in the pan.
Jia Yuliang sighed lightly, his tone pragmatic. "It’s not that I’m deliberately looking down on him. It’s just that even if I wanted to build a deep friendship and help him out, it would be a waste of my time and energy with no return. It would bring no benefit to my future cultivation and development, so there’s really no point in wasting the effort."
He paused, a gleam flashing in his eyes as his tone turned eager. "However, I recently discovered that Junior Brother Zhao Hongxiang, who lives in the same courtyard as Junior Brother Yang, is very talented. His Cultivation has already reached the threshold of the Peak of Transformation. Moreover, he comes from the Zhao Family of the Prefecture City, a prominent family with extensive connections. His chances of entering the Inner Sect in the future are extremely high. He’s someone worth befriending."
He looked at his two friends and extended a smiling invitation. "Tomorrow, I’m planning to host a small banquet at a restaurant off the island. I’ll invite Junior Brother Zhao over so we can get closer to him. You two should come along as well. Let’s all interact more with Junior Brother Zhao."
Upon hearing this, the other two friends’ faces immediately lit up with joy. They nodded repeatedly in agreement. "Yes, of course, we’ll definitely go! Junior Brother Zhao is exceptionally talented and comes from a good family; his potential is clearly enormous. Associating with a promising fellow disciple like him might lead to mutual support in the future. That has real value—it’s much more useful than befriending those disciples with no future."
