Free Web NovelChapter 335: Chapter 137: Conflict
Yang Jing rose with the crowd, his waist bent slightly as he bowed. He murmured the honorifics along with everyone else, his gaze fixed on Bai Bing on the dais, his expression growing more solemn.
He knew this was sect etiquette, a show of respect for the powerful, and he dared not be the least bit lax.
After the salutation, everyone sat down cross-legged in an orderly fashion. Their movements were gentle and slow, and no one made a sound.
The entire Lingxi Plaza fell silent once more. All eyes were fixed ardently on Bai Bing, full of anticipation for the Peak Master’s lecture. Even their breathing seemed to quieten subconsciously.
The plaza was so still one could hear the whisper of wind through the leaves. Peak Master Lingxi, Bai Bing, began to speak. Her voice was cool and melodious, like the chiming of jade, and it carried clearly to every corner of the plaza.
She did not raise her voice, yet everyone could hear her perfectly.
Her lecture revolved around cultivation at the level of Inner Qi. She spoke of its condensation and circulation, the harmony between Inner Qi and the meridians, and how to use Inner Qi to perceive the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. Every sentence held the profound truths of the Martial Dao, each word a gem.
Yang Jing immediately focused his mind, clearing it of all distractions. He listened intently, not daring to miss a single word. But as he listened, his brow slowly furrowed, and a look of utter confusion filled his eyes.
The Peak Master’s lecture was too esoteric and profound. It was all about the insights and techniques of Inner Qi.
He, however, was still cultivating Inner Strength. An insurmountable chasm separated him from the realm of Inner Qi. He couldn’t grasp the deeper meaning at all. To him, every sentence was obscure and unintelligible, like listening to a foreign language.
’Peak Master Lingxi’s voice is truly beautiful,’ he thought. ’Cool, yet with a hint of warmth; melodious and captivating. But the content is far too profound, completely beyond my current level of cultivation.’
No matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn’t glean any useful information. He could barely make out the words, let alone grasp their essence.
But Yang Jing didn’t give up. Instead, he listened even more intently, striving to commit every word Bai Bing said to memory.
He knew perfectly well that he couldn’t understand now simply because his cultivation was insufficient. ’Once I break through to the Qi Eating Realm and begin cultivating Inner Qi, I can review what I’ve memorized today. It’s bound to be enlightening then.’
’Every bit I remember now might save me from a detour later. It’s bound to be useful sooner or later.’
Yang Jing wasn’t the only one who couldn’t understand. For all the Outer Sect Disciples in the plaza, Peak Master Lingxi’s lecture on Inner Qi cultivation was far too advanced, well beyond their current level of practice.
Many Outer Sect Disciples listened with furrowed brows and vacant expressions, their faces a mask of confusion.
Even some disciples who had been promoted to the Inner Sect but had yet to reach the Qi Eating Realm were staring blankly and scratching their heads in frustration.
They knew the Peak Master’s words were incredibly profound and vitally important, but they simply couldn’t comprehend the deeper meaning, leaving them to fret in silent frustration.
Many other disciples shared Yang Jing’s mindset. Even though they couldn’t understand, they focused their efforts on memorizing the Peak Master’s words, planning to slowly decipher their meaning once their cultivation improved. They refused to let this rare opportunity go to waste.
In contrast, the Elders, Stewards, and elite Inner Sect Disciples at the front of the plaza—all of whom had long since broken through to the Qi Eating Realm—listened with rapt attention. Their eyes shone, they nodded occasionally, and expressions of sudden enlightenment would flicker across their faces.
They were clearly grasping key insights from the Peak Master’s lecture, finding it immensely beneficial to their own cultivation and reaping great rewards.
The Peak Master’s lecture didn’t last long, coming to a close in under an hour.
Every sentence she spoke was concise yet profound. Though the lecture was short, it was dense with the essence of the Martial Dao.
As her voice faded, Bai Bing slowly rose. Her posture remained upright and aloof as her indifferent gaze swept over the crowd.
Without another word, she turned and descended from the dais. She walked toward Lingxi Hall, the hem of her robes fluttering, her pace unhurried. In a moment, she stepped through the doors, and her figure vanished from sight.
At this, the hundreds of disciples, Stewards, and Elders in Lingxi Plaza rose to their feet. They bowed respectfully and called out in unison, "We respectfully see the Peak Master off!"
Their voices were loud and unified. Only after the doors of Lingxi Hall had slowly swung shut did everyone gradually straighten, a trace of awe and reluctance lingering in their eyes.
An opportunity to be personally instructed in the truths of the Martial Dao by the Peak Master was truly a rare one.
According to the Xuanzhen Sect’s rules for lectures, if the Peak Master personally presided over the session, the Elders would not take the stage to add anything further. After all, the Peak Master’s insights into the Martial Dao were far beyond what the Elders could offer.
Only when the Peak Master was absent would one or two senior Elders take the stage to lecture and share their cultivation experiences.
Since the Peak Master had taught today, the Elders simply sat in quiet meditation for a moment before rising and departing, leaving only the Stewards and disciples in the plaza.
Next came the portion of the day where the Stewards would give their own lectures.
The Stewards dispersed, each finding an open spot for themselves.
Soon, more than a dozen scattered groups of people had formed across the vast expanse of Lingxi Plaza.
At the center of each group stood a Steward in a blue robe, surrounded by a throng of Lingxi Peak disciples—both Inner and Outer Sect—who had gathered to listen.
They all vied for a spot close to the Stewards, afraid of missing the chance to hear their teachings.
Yang Jing had been keeping an eye on Steward Zheng the entire time. He had noticed him sitting near the front during the Peak Master’s lecture, listening with rapt attention.
Now that the Peak Master’s lecture was over and everyone was scattering to find a Steward to listen to, Yang Jing didn’t hesitate for a second. He immediately broke into a trot toward Steward Zheng.
