The continuous tolling of the Qingxuan
Sect bells sounded like distant, faint thunder.
This sound abruptly startled him awake.
He opened his eyes to find himself lying in a simple, almost shabby room.
A sharp pain shot through his chest.
He raised his hand to wipe his mouth, his fingertips stained with dried blood.
"...Where am I?"
Before he could think further, a flood of unfamiliar memories rushed into his mind.
After a brief period of intense pain, he quickly realized,
"I...transmigrated?"
This body was also named Chenmo, from Qingshan City, and had been accepted into the Qingxuan Sect at the age of twelve.
His predecessor was a boy of exceptional talent, reaching the peak of the Body Tempering Realm at sixteen, and successfully entering the Qi Condensation Realm a year later.
Within the sect, he was a top disciple of the outer sect, unparalleled in his prominence and highly favored by the elders.
According to sect rules, the top three outer sect disciples who reached the Qi Condensation Realm were qualified to challenge inner sect disciples; victory would grant them promotion to the inner sect.
Just three days before the challenge, his cultivation suddenly and inexplicably regressed, plummeting from the Qi Condensation Realm back to the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm within three days.
This even alarmed an elder who personally investigated, ultimately concluding that he had been poisoned by "Blood Poison Powder," rendering his four years of arduous Body Tempering and one year of Qi Condensation cultivation futile.
Even more terrifying, the poison permanently damaged his spiritual root; unless a heaven-defying elixir was found, he would at most return to the peak of Body Tempering, with no hope of
ever reaching Qi Condensation again. The elder ordered a thorough investigation, but the poisoner could not be found.
A year passed, and the matter remained unresolved.
Who would waste time on a cripple?
The drastic fall from grace caused his predecessor to gradually become despondent, never to recover.
To make matters worse, the outer sect had a bottom-ranking elimination system.
The Body Tempering Realm was divided into five stages: Entry, Minor Success, Major Success, Perfection, and Peak.
If an entry disciple could not break through to Minor Success within a year, they were considered mediocre, stripped of their disciple status, and expelled from the sect.
His predecessor lived in constant fear because of this.
Until yesterday, he suddenly died from a sudden rush of blood to his head.
At that very moment, a silent soul transmigrated and took over this body.
"...This start is too tragic."
Silence gave a bitter laugh.
"The outer sect's annual assessment is in two months. With my current Body Tempering beginner level strength, it's almost impossible to reach the minor completion stage."
"In the end, I'll still be kicked off the mountain."
"Where's the cheat code? Grandpa? System? Give me some response!"
He shouted in his heart, but nothing came.
Instead, a light screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Name: Silence]
[Realm: Body Tempering Realm - Beginner]
[Fate: Descendant of a Pharmacist, Innate Wisdom, Obsessed with Swordsmanship, Average Luck]
[Destiny: Failed the outer sect assessment in two months, expelled from the mountain; on the way home, chased by rogue cultivators, fell off a cliff and died, his body never to be found]
[Recent Opportunities: None]
Silence looked at these lines and sighed.
This destiny... is too cruel.
He then carefully examined the other destinies.
[Descendant of a Pharmacist (White): Born into a family of pharmacists for three generations in Qingshan City, with a kind and benevolent family tradition. You are naturally kind, hardworking, and helpful.]
[Born with Wisdom (Blue): Excellent comprehension, you achieve twice the results with half the effort in cultivating techniques and martial arts, and often have the ability to draw inferences from one instance to another.]
[Sword Obsessed (Blue): You have a natural love for swords, outstanding talent in swordsmanship, and are more adept at using swords.]
[Average Luck (White): Your luck is average; the probability of finding money on the street is basically zero.]
After a moment of silence and contemplation,
it seems that destiny is something rooted in a person's essence, profoundly influencing the trajectory of their life.
The order of destiny from highest to lowest is white, cyan, blue, purple, orange, red, and gold.
"So, this cheat ability of mine... allows me to see my own destiny, fate, and opportunities?"
"Wait, what about other people's?"
Just as the thought arose, several footsteps came from outside the door.
Bang!
The door was kicked open violently.
A fierce-looking young man with a face full of scars strode in, followed by four thin, terrified teenagers.
The fierce young man glanced at the silent man sitting up on the bed and sneered, "Awake? Perfect, I've got some work for you!"
Relevant memories instantly flooded his mind.
This man was Lei Yong, also an outer disciple, who had entered the sect in the same year as his predecessor and came from the same Green Mountain City.
When the silent man was at the height of his power, Lei Yong had acted like a dog, serving
him faithfully. But when the silent man fell from grace and no one was there to support him, Lei Yong immediately turned on him.
He repeatedly stole the spirit stones that his predecessor had accumulated.
Relying on an inner disciple as a backer, he also set his sights on the "Hundred Herbs Pills" distributed to outer disciples every month—two bottles per person.
Lei Yong was quite shrewd; he only targeted the weak, while actively offering a few bottles to those disciples who were strong or had potential to win them over.
In addition, he had won over a group of outer disciples, and his power gradually grew, eventually making him a tyrant in the outer sect, whom no one dared to provoke.
And the silent man, once the number one in the outer sect, had now become the perfect target for "kicking him when he's down."
Seeing that Mo Chen remained silent, Lei Yong's face darkened, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "Are you deaf? Can't you hear me?" Mo Chen
took a deep breath and calmly said, "I heard you."
Seeing that he was so sensible, Lei Yong nodded in satisfaction: "Then listen!"
Turning to the others behind him, he roared, "You all listen up! Today, each of you will cut down four spirit trees. If you're short even half a tree, believe me, I'll make sure you can't get out of bed for half a year!" "
Yes..." The others squeezed out weak voices from their throats.
Mo Chen frowned .
Lei Yong often did this: taking on difficult tasks from the mission hall, then forcing weaker disciples to complete them for him, while he reaped the rewards all by himself.
Mo Chen wanted to refuse.
But he knew very well that if he spoke up, Lei Yong would beat him half to death on the spot.
Helpless, he could only get up and follow the group.
However, his gaze remained fixed on Lei Yong's back, secretly pondering a countermeasure.
Just then, he suddenly saw a light screen appear on Lei Yong's body as well.
[Name: Lei Yong]
[Realm: Body Tempering Realm - Great Completion]
[Destiny: Distinguished family scion, skilled in weaponry, fairly fortunate]
[Fate: Ultimately reaches the peak of Qi Condensation, serves as a deacon of the Qingxuan Sect, dies ten years later in a factional struggle within the sect]
[Recent Opportunity: While taking on a task to cut down spirit trees, he accidentally discovered a small cloth bag hidden in a tree hollow containing a Marrow Cleansing Pill]
Silent's gaze narrowed slightly.
A Marrow Cleansing Pill!
That was a high-grade Xuan-rank, even close to top-grade, spiritual pill. One pill could cleanse the marrow and bones, reshaping the foundation.
For his current situation, it was practically a life-saving elixir!
The Qingxuan Sect didn't sell such things at all; this pill had somehow appeared in the tree hollow.
But Silent knew that as long as he got it, he could reshape his foundation, and perhaps even use it to break through to the Lesser Completion of Body Tempering.
In that case, he could at least pass the assessment in two months.
Before long, the group arrived at the dense forest behind the sect's mountain.
This place was full of spirit trees, thick and straight, top-grade materials for building houses and refining pills.
Spirit wood is far harder than ordinary wood, making it extremely difficult to chop. Even
with his current beginner-level Body Tempering strength, Silence's arms ached after a day of swinging an axe, and
he could only manage to chop three or four trees at most. This task was usually only given to disciples at the minor or major stages of Body Tempering.
"Get the hell out of here, don't slack off!" Lei Yong threw down five axes and snorted coldly.
Silence waited for the five to pick up their axes and begin working.
While chopping trees, Silence secretly surveyed his surroundings, searching for the tree hollow.
Soon, he indeed found a hidden tree hollow, the marks suggesting it was dug by hand.
But he didn't immediately reach for it.
Lei Yong was still watching from a distance, and acting now would easily be discovered. He had to
wait for an opportunity.
Chopping spirit wood was hard work.
Soon it was noon.
The group was drenched in sweat, their clothes soaked through.
Lei Yong snorted, "I'll give you half an incense stick's time to eat and drink, don't waste it!"
This wasn't a kind word.
They hadn't rested all morning; if they didn't replenish their energy, someone would definitely faint in the afternoon.
If the mission wasn't completed, he wouldn't fare well either.
So they were given half an incense stick's time to rest.
The five quickly took out their dry rations, ate a few bites with the water plants from their water pouches, and then closed their eyes to rest.
This time was too precious for anyone to waste.
Lei Yong, annoyed and too lazy to keep watch, found a clean patch of grass to lie down on and began to eat heartily.
Mo Chen seized the opportunity, excused himself to relieve himself, and quietly left the group, sneaking to the tree.
He first carefully probed with a branch to make sure there were no snakes before quickly reaching inside and pulling out a small cloth bag.
Opening it, he found a small white jade box inside.
Inside the box lay a thumb-sized, emerald-green pill—a Marrow Cleansing Pill!
Mo Chen's heart raced. He quickly hid the pill close to his body, then found a place to sit down and eat, pretending nothing had happened.
The half incense stick's time passed quickly.
Lei Yong kicked his companion, who wanted to sleep a little longer, awake: "Get up and get to work!"
The man was in pain from the kick but dared not utter a sound, and could only drag his tired body to continue swinging the axe.
Time continued to pass.
To avoid being beaten, Chen Mo could only obediently chop down trees.
During this time, he noticed Lei Yong strolling over to that tree.
Just then, a squirrel scurried into its hole, and Lei Yong reached out, grabbed it, and crushed it to death in front of everyone.
"Hmph, I thought there was something good, but it's just a squirrel." Lei Yong sneered and continued his inspection with his hands behind his back.
The sun set.
Chen Mo and the other four finally collected four pieces of spirit wood.
"Alright, get out of here." Lei Yong nodded in satisfaction.
The spirit wood would be inspected by the Mission Hall later.
The group felt like they had been granted a pardon and fled as if their lives depended on it. Chen
Mo also quickly returned to his outer sect residence, back to his small hut.
He pressed the Marrow Cleansing Pill tightly to his chest, and a smile finally appeared on his lips.
Now he finally saw a glimmer of hope for turning things around.
The next morning, Mo
Chen awoke silently, immediately feeling a long-lost surge of energy and a refreshed spirit. He sat up and casually lifted the unassuming little wooden box on the bedside table.
The Marrow Cleansing Pill inside emitted a refreshing herbal fragrance, bringing a bitter smile to his tired face.
Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill. The Marrow Cleansing Pill melted rapidly upon entering his mouth, transforming into a warm torrent that rushed down his throat, its powerful medicinal force instantly spreading to every part of his body, bones, and flesh.
Mo Chen's skin quickly turned red and hot, and a faint heat rose from the top of his head. A tingling, ant-like itching sensation spread deep within his bone marrow, as if countless tiny cracks were rapidly growing and healing, the broken parts merging perfectly at an astonishing speed.
"Hiss—!"
Immediately afterward, intense pain struck. Mo Chen found it increasingly unbearable, his consciousness being torn apart bit by bit by the excruciating pain, until finally, everything went black, and he completely lost consciousness.
An hour later, Mo Chen slowly opened his eyes.
The soreness, fatigue, and stiffness that had been weighing on his body for so long were all gone, as if wiped clean, leaving only a refreshing and clear feeling.
"The Marrow Cleansing Pill not only repaired my foundation, but also allowed me to directly enter the Lesser Completion of the Body Tempering Realm!" Mo Chen was overjoyed.
This meant that he no longer had to worry about the outer disciple assessment three months later.
He quickly checked the light screen and found that it had been updated:
[Name: Mo Chen]
[Realm: Lesser Completion of the Body Tempering Realm]
[Destiny: Descendant of a Pharmacist, Innately Wise, Obsessed with Swordsmanship, Average Fortune]
[Fate: Two months later, on the day before the outer disciple assessment, he was poisoned, his foundation was destroyed, he failed the assessment, and was expelled from the mountain; on his way home, he was chased by rogue cultivators, outnumbered and outmatched, and died from excessive blood loss]
[Recent Opportunities: (Already Acquired) While cutting down spirit wood, he found a small cloth bag hidden in a tree hole, containing a Marrow Cleansing Pill]
Seeing the words "poisoned," Mo Chen frowned deeply.
"Damn it... how am I still poisoned? And there are still rogue cultivators chasing me?"
He was silent for a moment, then quickly figured it out.
His sudden recovery, even his increased cultivation level, had most likely alerted the group that poisoned him. Since they dared to attack, they wouldn't stand idly by and watch him recover; they would most likely resort to desperate measures and strike again.
"My current strength is still not enough."
Silence slowly exhaled, his eyes gradually calming down.
"I must break through to the Qi Condensation Realm as soon as possible."
The path of cultivation begins with Body Tempering, followed by Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation. Each realm is further divided into five stages: Entry, Minor Success, Major Success, Perfection, and Peak.
Most outer disciples remain at the Body Tempering Realm; those who can step into the Qi Condensation Realm are basically already inner disciples; the Foundation Establishment Realm is even rarer.
In the Qingxuan Sect, the Qi Condensation Realm is sufficient to serve as a steward, the Foundation Establishment Realm is suitable for becoming an outer sect elder, and the Core Formation Realm is the level of sect master, vice sect master, and inner sect elder.
As long as he can return to the Qi Condensation Realm as soon as possible, self-preservation will be no problem.
...
The next morning,
Silence had just woken up when he heard cries coming from outside the door. He pushed open the door and saw Lei Yong with two lackeys beating another outer disciple, cursing and swearing as they did so.
"Last month you borrowed twenty low-grade spirit stones from me, with interest on the agreement. You owe thirty this month!"
Two lackeys, emboldened by their power, chimed in, "Yes, yes, Brother Lei is only charging you twenty-five this time, that's already very merciful!"
The disciple, his face bruised and swollen, clutched his head, his voice filled with despair: "That's what I saved up for half a year to buy Body Tempering Pills... Without the pills, I won't pass the year-end assessment at all. Brother Lei, please have mercy..."
The other outer disciples watching had completely different attitudes. Those stronger than Lei Yong stood by with their arms crossed, watching coldly, too lazy to intervene.
The weaker disciples, their faces filled with fear, were afraid they would be the next to be beaten, and similarly dared not step forward to help.
In the end, they could only watch helplessly as the man's face was covered in blood.
Lei Yong stomped on the disciple's chest: "Remember, if you dare to delay again next month, I'll break your leg!"
The two lackeys chuckled: "Let's go, let's go."
"Brother Lei, let's go to the dining hall for a meal!"
Lei Yong snorted: "After eating, let's go to the Scripture Pavilion. I need to pick out a really ruthless martial arts technique."
The three of them laughed and swaggered away.
Silently, he stood inside the door, not uttering a sound. With his current strength, he was simply not capable of intervening.
Moreover, he recognized the disciple who had been beaten.
Back when his previous self was the top disciple of the outer sect, he was arrogant but also generous, often helping the weak. But after his foundation was destroyed and he fell back to the initial stage of Body Tempering, none of those "kindnesses" ever appeared again.
This one was no exception.
"However..."
Silence narrowed his eyes, looking in the direction Lei Yong had left.
"He's stumbled upon another stroke of luck."
He clearly saw Lei Yong's information on the screen:
[Name: Lei Yong]
[Realm: Body Tempering Realm - Great Completion]
[Destiny: Distinguished family scion, skilled in weaponry, decent luck]
[Fate: Ultimately stopped at the Great Completion of Qi Condensation Realm, served as a deacon of the Qingxuan Sect, and was killed by a passing demonic cultivator during a mission seven years later]
[Recent Opportunity: While selecting martial arts techniques at the Scripture Pavilion, he unexpectedly discovered a Xuan-rank martial arts technique inside the cover of "Tiger Roar Fist"]
Silence immediately noticed two changes.
First, Lei Yong's fate had changed significantly.
Originally destined to stop at the peak of Qi Condensation, he had now fallen to the Great Completion of Qi Condensation. This, on the contrary, indicated that the Marrow Cleansing Pill had greatly enhanced him, since cleansing the marrow and bones and removing impurities could significantly accelerate future cultivation.
Second, there was his "recent opportunity."
"Discovering a Xuan-rank martial arts technique in 'Tiger Roar Fist'..." Silence thought to himself.
Cultivation techniques and martial arts skills, like magical treasures, are divided into four ranks: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Outer disciples only have one chance to choose a Yellow-rank technique for free when breaking through a minor realm.
Profound-rank martial arts skills, even low-grade ones, cost at least 300 low-grade spirit stones, and only inner disciples have the opportunity to choose one for free.
And now, this opportunity is right in front of him.
"While he's having breakfast in the dining hall, I'll go to the Scripture Pavilion and snatch that Profound-rank martial arts skill!"
Thinking this, Mo
Chen immediately set off for the Scripture Pavilion. The Qingxuan Sect is located in the Qingcang Mountains.
The highest and largest peak among them—the Qingcang Main Peak—soars into the clouds.
The servants and outer disciples live at the foot of the mountain, while the Scripture Pavilion, the Treasure Pavilion, and the inner disciples' residences are located halfway up the mountain. Further up are the cave dwellings of the elders, vice sect leaders, and sect leaders.
Mo Chen looked up, and the majestic main peak before him exuded a vast spiritual energy.
A huge white waterfall cascaded down the mountaintop like a silver river, crashing into the deep pool below with a thunderous roar, its momentum like ten thousand horses galloping.
Ancient trees towered along the way, their branches gnarled like dragons, with pavilions and terraces nestled among them.
This was the first time Mo Mo had ever witnessed such a magnificent, otherworldly scene, and his heart was filled with excitement, unable to calm down for a long time.
He took a deep breath, quickened his pace, and thought, "The Scripture Pavilion, here I come."
A moment later, Mo Chen stepped into a magnificent pavilion.
The pavilion was entirely constructed of century-old spirit wood, weathered by time yet remaining uncorrupted and resistant to insects, exuding a faint woody fragrance.
Standing at the entrance on the first floor was a middle-aged man with a sinister face, the pavilion's guardian.
However, he was neither a high-ranking elder nor a peerless expert, merely an ordinary Qi Condensation Realm guardian.
At this moment, two more people were queuing ahead of Mo Chen.
One was burly and powerfully built, radiating aura and exuding an oppressive presence, clearly at the peak of Body Tempering; the other was as thin as a bamboo pole, with a sallow complexion, barely managing to steady himself at the entrance.
This thinner one was most likely the one Lei Yong usually extorted.
Upon seeing the burly man, the deacon of the Scripture Pavilion immediately greeted him with a smile: "Please come in, please come in. Call me anytime if you need anything."
But when it was the turn of the thin disciple to step forward, the deacon's face darkened, and he stretched out his hand: "One low-grade spirit stone."
The thin disciple was stunned upon hearing this, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Why doesn't he have to pay, but I have to?"
The deacon of the Scripture Pavilion sneered: "A beginner in Body Tempering dares to compare himself to a peak Body Tempering expert? Pay up! Otherwise, you won't be getting in today!"
In the end, the thin disciple didn't dare to argue and could only leave dejectedly.
One low-grade spirit stone was already a third of his entire fortune, and he really couldn't bear to part with it.
Spirit stones are divided into four grades according to purity: top-grade, high-grade, medium-grade, and low-grade, with an exchange ratio of roughly one to one hundred. One medium-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for one hundred low-grade spirit stones.
After the thin disciple left, it was Silence's turn.
The deacon glanced at him: "Name?"
Silence gave his name.
The steward looked up and sized him up: "So it's the former top outer sect disciple." His tone was strange. "I heard your foundation is completely destroyed? In this state, you still come to choose martial arts techniques?" Mo
Chen frowned: "All disciples of the Qingxuan Sect can enter the Scripture Pavilion to choose martial arts techniques, why can't I?"
The steward chuckled: "Sure, of course you can. Pay a low-grade spirit stone, and I'll let you in."
Mo Chen remained silent.
According to sect rules, disciples could enter and exit the Scripture Pavilion for free, only needing to pay a fee after selecting a cultivation technique.
But rules are rules, and people are flexible.
This steward, though not highly skilled and with little power, always bullied the weak, taking advantage of the fact that no one was watching to skim off his paycheck.
Mo Chen, too lazy to waste words, casually tossed over a low-grade spirit stone.
The steward grinned, "Good for you, I like it. Go in."
Mo Chen shook his head. The lower levels were rotten to this extent, were the higher-ups of the Qingxuan Sect really oblivious?
Or was the entire Qingxuan Sect already rotten to the core?
He glanced down at his own destiny chart.
The steward's lifespan was over; he would barely reach Foundation Establishment in three years, and even then, it would only be a minor achievement.
However, he did have a recent opportunity.
[Recent Opportunity: In three days, go to Qingshan City for pleasure, encounter a treasure-hunting rat but fail to catch it, and find three low-grade spirit stones.]
"Treasure-hunting rats are spirit beasts that crave shiny treasures, especially spirit stones. They have weak attack power but are extremely fast. Without special bait, even a peak Qi Condensation cultivator can't catch them."
Mo Chen secretly noted it down.
Bait wasn't difficult to make, but it needed to be prepared in advance.
As long as he prepared in advance, he would definitely be able to catch the treasure-hunting rat and seize all the spirit stones it had hoarded in three days.
A thought flashed through his mind, but he didn't stop, weaving between the bookshelves.
The first floor was entirely filled with Yellow-rank cultivation techniques and martial arts skills.
The second floor contained Xuan-rank techniques, but only inner disciples were allowed to go upstairs.
This layout was precisely because Xuan-rank cultivation techniques and martial arts skills were rare and precious.
Although the Qingxuan Sect was the number one power within a hundred miles, it only possessed three Xuan-rank cultivation techniques and eight Xuan-rank martial arts skills. These high-level manuals were naturally reserved for top-tier genius disciples.
Outer disciples naturally had no chance to obtain them.
Silently, his gaze swept over the manuals, quickly locking onto his target.
"A low-grade Yellow-rank martial arts skill, 'Tiger Roar Fist'!"
He picked up this seemingly ordinary fist technique and carefully examined it. He
quickly noticed something was amiss; the cover was much thicker than usual.
Unless one looked closely, almost no one would notice this subtle difference.
Silently pressed down hard, and sure enough, he discovered a hidden layer within the thick cover.
He pulled out two yellowed pages from the cover. The paper was old but well-preserved, densely covered with small characters.
The five large characters at the top are clearly visible: "Thunder Shadow Sword Technique. Modified".
Mo Chen paused slightly, slightly taken aback.
He had certainly heard of the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique
. It was one of the eight Xuan-rank martial arts treasures of the sect, a mid-grade Xuan-rank technique renowned for its speed and astonishing power, but extremely difficult to master; even among the inner disciples, few had succeeded.
"This seems to be a completely new sword technique improved upon by a senior based on the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique."
Mo Chen was overjoyed and immediately hid the paper carefully.
Regardless, it was a Xuan-rank martial art.
Even mastering just a smattering of it would be enough to drastically increase his strength!
He put the Tiger Roar Fist back in its place, his expression unchanged, and turned to leave the Scripture Pavilion.
Just as he stepped out the threshold, he bumped into Lei Yong, who was about to enter.
Lei Yong frowned slightly upon seeing him: "What are you doing here?"
Mo Chen hadn't expected to run into him so soon.
However, he remained calm and said, "Many of my martial arts skills have been neglected for a long time. I've come to the Scripture Pavilion to review them. Is there a problem?"
Lei Yong chuckled, "Of course not."
If they were at the foot of the mountain, and Chen Mo dared to speak to him like that, he would have already punched him.
But this was halfway up the mountain, with people coming and going, both inner and outer disciples.
Making a move in public wouldn't sound good.
Chen Mo continued walking forward.
"Stop." Lei Yong's gaze shifted, and he suddenly noticed that Chen Mo's chest was slightly bulging. His eyes immediately turned cold.
"Why is your chest so bulging? What are you hiding?" Lei Yong sneered, reaching out to grab it.
His eyes clearly said: If you don't hand it over, I'll search you myself.
Silent and unhurried, he opened his robe, pulled out a steamed bun, and waved it in front of Lei Yong. "I need to earn spirit stones for missions, and I get hungry quickly while working, so I brought a few buns to fill my stomach. What, any objections?"
Lei Yong chuckled twice. "Fine, of course."
He withdrew his hand, said nothing more, and coldly tossed out a sentence: "Don't forget the rules. I take 10% of the reward for each mission."
Silent, his face cold, left quickly without saying a word.
Lei Yong snorted and stepped into the Scripture Pavilion.
The steward at the door recognized him at a glance and immediately greeted him warmly.
Although he was at the Qi Condensation Realm, he was over forty and his potential was exhausted, while Lei Yong was only eighteen or nineteen years old, with a limitless future and his future achievements would surely far surpass his own.
Moreover, Lei Yong came from a prestigious family and had an inner sect senior brother as a backer, so naturally he had to curry favor with him as much as possible.
Lei Yong nodded and went straight into the bookshelf.
His eyes swept over the various cultivation techniques and martial arts skills, but he still couldn't find anything that suited his taste.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.
His gaze fell on a martial arts manual titled "Tiger Roar Fist.
" "Hmm, something seems off about this book cover."
Lei Yong picked up the Tiger Roar Fist and immediately noticed something hidden inside.
But when he pressed down hard, it was empty.
"Tsk, I'm overthinking it."
Lei Yong shook his head, put the book back, and didn't dwell on it.
But for some reason, he suddenly felt empty inside.
He felt as if something that should have belonged to him had inexplicably slipped away.
Meanwhile,
Mo Chen left the Scripture Pavilion and jogged back to the outer disciples' courtyard at the foot of the mountain.
Upon entering, he bolted the door shut, pulled out the two yellowed pages of paper from his robes, spread them on the table, and, using the light streaming in from the window, began to study them word by word.
Two hours passed, and he let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples.
Mo Chen sighed, "This senior's modification of the Thunder Shadow Sword technique is truly wild. On one hand, its power and speed have greatly increased; on the other hand, the difficulty of cultivation has also skyrocketed." "
However, I have a cheat code; I'll always find a way to catch up. " He carefully put the pages away, grabbed the iron sword beside his bed, went to the courtyard, and began practicing. He practiced for half a month. At the foot of the mountain, in a bamboo forest... The wind rustled through the bamboo leaves, accompanied by a dense whistling sound. From afar, a young man wielding an iron sword moved like a ghost, his sword flashing so fast it was almost a blur! Swift as thunder, ruthless as a venomous snake! A moment later, the young man sheathed his sword. Dozens of neatly severed bamboo leaves lay scattered on the ground. The young man was covered in sweat, but he laughed with satisfaction: "The first level of the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique is indeed powerful, every strike is deadly, but it's too exhausting." "Fortunately, I've already broken through to the Great Perfection of the Body Tempering Realm, otherwise, I would have collapsed from exhaustion after just one strike." This young man was none other than Silence. The complete Thunder Shadow Sword Technique manual has three levels. Many disciples and elders in the inner sect have practiced this sword technique, but most are stuck at the second level, and almost no one has even touched the threshold of the third level. Silence reached the second level in just half a month, entirely due to a series of fortuitous opportunities he had seized. Previously, he had intercepted the deacon's opportunity, catching the treasure-hunting rat with homemade bait and obtaining over twenty low-grade spirit stones. With these spirit stones, he purchased two Body Tempering Pills from the Treasure Pavilion. In the following half month, he intercepted two more opportunities from Lei Yong. One was a sudden enlightenment at Sword Cliff during a nighttime walk, resulting in significant progress in his swordsmanship. The other was an accidental fall into the water, where he unexpectedly discovered a piece of Azure Pool Algae, a high-grade yellow-rank spiritual herb that could enhance cultivation without the need for alchemy; simply consuming it would improve his cultivation.
One stalk of Jade Pool Algae is equivalent to two Body Tempering Pills, making it quite valuable.
In other words, consuming four Body Tempering Pills would instantly restore one's cultivation to the Great Perfection of the Body Tempering Realm!
"If I remember correctly, today is the day the outer disciples receive their medicinal liquid." Momo suddenly remembered and headed straight for the outer sect courtyard at the foot of the mountain.
Every month, outer sect disciples receive two bottles of Hundred Herbs Liquid.
This liquid is far inferior to Body Tempering Pills; ten bottles barely equal one, but it's better than nothing.
Moreover, the Hundred Herbs Liquid is distributed free of charge, two bottles per person. Sure enough
, when he returned to the outer sect courtyard, many disciples had already gathered.
At the center was a makeshift platform, upon which stood a deacon with an indifferent expression.
Deacons are different from elders; most are also inner sect disciples.
Some deacons are stationed in towns under the sect's jurisdiction, responsible for managing inns, merchant guilds, or recruiting new disciples.
Within the Qingxuan Sect's territory, there are three towns, including Qingshan City, more than ten villages, and hundreds of small strongholds.
The outer disciples lined up and stepped forward one by one to receive two bottles of Hundred Herbs Elixir from the steward.
Identification tokens and faces were verified upon receipt to prevent impersonation.
Silent also received his two bottles.
The elixir was of mediocre quality, but it was better than nothing.
After distributing the medicine, the steward said nothing and turned to leave.
Silent wanted to wander around, hoping to stumble upon some opportunities.
But after taking only two steps, he saw Lei Yong with two henchmen collecting "protection money" from each disciple.
They kept one bottle for each disciple and took one from them.
They probably knew that if they took all the money, these outer disciples would have no choice but to fight to the death.
Those who refused to pay were immediately beaten by Lei Yong and his gang.
Soon, they arrived before Silent.
Lei Yong sneered, "Oh, Senior Brother Shen, it's been several days since I've seen you. Every time I see you, I'm reminded of the once-mighty number one in the outer sect!"
The two lackeys laughed along, "Yeah! How impressive you were back then!"
"It's a pity you're now a piece of trash!" Lei Yong grinned maliciously, "Hand it over, or do you want to get beaten up too?"
He narrowed his eyes.
At this distance, Lei Yong was riddled with openings, his sword still hanging at his waist.
If he were to use the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, a single strike would slit his throat, killing him instantly.
The two lackeys were merely at the Lesser Completion of Body Tempering, no match for him.
However, the Qingxuan Sect had strict rules, forbidding internal fighting.
Killing Lei Yong on the spot would be satisfying, but it would also incur severe punishment from the sect, even execution.
It was better to find an opportunity to eliminate him silently outside the sect. Having
figured this out, Shen Mo, expressionless, handed over a bottle of Hundred Herbs Elixir.
Lei Yong scoffed, "One bottle isn't enough!" Shen Mo's
eyes narrowed. Lei
Yong's smile grew even more sinister: "Your foundation is ruined; drinking more would be a waste. Why not give it to me? I can still use it."
The two lackeys laughed even louder: "That's right, a piece of trash drinking Hundred Herbs Elixir is a waste!"
Shen Mo paused for a moment, then handed over a second bottle.
Lei Yong smugly said, "You're smart..."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly kicked Shen Mo in the chest.
Bang!
Silence was kicked and sent flying, crashing to the ground.
"But who says knowing when to back down means you won't get beaten? Hahaha!" Lei Yong laughed, grabbing two bottles of herbal elixir, and strode off with his lackeys, heading towards the next person.
Silence slowly got up, clutching his chest, a cold glint in his eyes.
Today, Lei Yong must die.
Just now, he saw a new opportunity emerge on Lei Yong's body.
[Name: Lei Yong]
[Realm: Body Tempering Realm - Great Completion]
[Destiny: Aristocratic Family Heir, Skilled with Weapons, Fair Luck]
[Fate: Ultimately stops at the Qi Condensation Realm, serving as a steward of the Qingxuan Sect, betrayed and killed by teammates during a mission five years later]
[Recent Opportunity: This afternoon, after leaving the Qingxuan Sect, he arranged a secret rendezvous with a female disciple at Niulong Mountain, but she broke off the appointment with another. Enraged, Lei Yong vented his anger on the surrounding trees, unexpectedly discovering a hundred-year-old Blood Spirit Mushroom. After consuming it, he broke through to the Perfect Body Tempering Realm, reaching the peak of Body Tempering.]
Blood Spirit Mushroom, a rare spiritual herb, top-grade Yellow Rank.
A hundred-year-old pill is already a mid-grade Xuan-level pill!
Although its effects are better when refined into pills, direct consumption is also very beneficial.
Mo Mo's eyes darkened, and he immediately began preparations.
...
Niu Long Mountain.
This place is thirty miles from the Qingxuan Sect's mountain gate.
Under a giant tree, Lei Yong arrived early, eagerly awaiting the female disciple.
Just thinking about her fiery figure made Lei Yong feel hot all over.
"Today I'll definitely show her my power!" He chuckled, lost in thought.
But after waiting for a long time, the beauty still hadn't appeared.
Lei Yong's brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
He realized he'd been stood up.
Had that woman found someone new?
Thinking this, Lei Yong's anger surged.
In his rage, he drew his sword and wildly hacked at the surrounding trees, venting his resentment.
At this moment, he only wanted to find someone to use as a human punching bag and beat them up.
Just then, a surprised voice suddenly came from behind: "Senior Brother Lei, you're here too! That's great!"