Chapter 397: Chapter 184: Raising Gu
Chen Qing calmed his mind and continued to cultivate diligently in his small courtyard.
At this moment, he was focused on the Eight Desolates Prison-Suppression Technique, intending to refine the Earth True Qi within his Dantian into Earth True Astral.
His Cyan Wood True Qi had already been tempered into Cyan Wood True Gang, causing the once-fused True Qis to separate.
Once his Eight Desolates Prison-Suppression Technique reached the Fifth Layer, he could directly fuse the Cyan Wood True Gang with the Earth True Astral. The resulting power would be far greater than the sum of its parts, and his strength would soar once more.
Just as his Heart and Spirit were immersed in circulating his True Qi, a knock came from outside the courtyard gate.
Chen Qing opened the door to find a disciple from the Geng Metal Institute standing outside.
"Brother Chen, I am Mao Yu, a disciple of the Geng Metal Institute."
The Geng Metal Institute disciple cupped his fists respectfully and said, "By order of the Chief Disciple, Shi Ziyi and Fang Rui of the Xuanjia Sect are visiting. The Chief Disciple is hosting a small gathering at Meiyu Pavilion on Dingbo Lake and has specifically invited Brother Chen and the other Chief Disciples to attend."
A thought stirred in Chen Qing’s mind. Yan Yaoyang had recently grown close to the two from the Xuanjia Sect, working with them on missions for Jingwu Guard Military Merit. This gathering was most likely related.
"Okay, I understand."
Chen Qing nodded in acceptance.
In the afternoon, when Chen Qing arrived at Meiyu Pavilion, he saw that Nie Shanshan, Li Lei, Li Wang, Yan Yaoyang, as well as Shi Ziyi and Fang Rui of the Xuanjia Sect, were all already present, sipping tea and chatting idly.
Outside the pavilion, the emerald water rippled gently, carried on a refreshing breeze. It was indeed an elegant spot.
"Junior Brother Chen, you’re here."
Seeing Chen Qing’s arrival, Yan Yaoyang rose with a smile to greet him.
Chen Qing’s cultivation had already reached the Astral Force Realm. Coupled with his Origin-Returning Breath-Sealing Art achieving Great Success, his aura was perfectly contained, and no one present could tell he had already broken through.
"Senior Brother Yan, Senior Brothers, Senior Sister."
Chen Qing cupped his fists and glanced around, his gaze lingering briefly on Nie Shanshan. He noticed her aura was purer and more condensed than the last time they met. Although she hadn’t successfully broken through, it was clear that her attempt to reach the Astral Force Realm had benefited her greatly, making her foundation even more solid.
After exchanging greetings, everyone took their seats again.
As the one who had arranged the gathering, Yan Yaoyang began with a wry smile. "Thank you, Brother Shi and Junior Brother Fang, for traveling all this way. I gathered everyone for two reasons. First, it’s been a while, and I wanted to reconnect. Second, I hoped we could share some Cultivation Insights."
He paused, his tone tinged with bitterness. "I suppose you’ve all heard. Not long ago, I tried to break through to the Astral Force Realm... and failed."
The atmosphere in the pavilion grew slightly tense.
Shi Ziyi chimed in, his voice also tinged with emotion, "Breaking through the bottleneck of the Astral Force Realm is an incredibly difficult feat. Don’t lose heart, Junior Brother Yan."
He spoke from personal experience, as his own attempt to break through had also been unsuccessful.
Hearing this, Li Wang couldn’t help but look at Shi Ziyi and ask, "Brother Shi, you too...?"
He didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Shi Ziyi nodded frankly, confirming the suspicion. "Yes. I didn’t succeed on my first try, either."
The expressions of those present varied.
Li Lei looked regretful. He knew full well how difficult a breakthrough was and sympathized with Yan and Shi’s predicament.
Li Wang, meanwhile, secretly breathed a sigh of relief while also feeling immense pressure. His cultivation was the lowest of the group; if any of the others stepped into the Astral Force Realm first, the gap between them would widen dramatically. The unspoken pressure of that competition was suffocating.
A glint appeared in Fang Rui’s eyes as he inwardly resolved to cultivate faster. He had already opened eleven of the Orthodox Meridians, placing him just a single step away from Perfection. He was desperate to earn the right to attempt a breakthrough into the Astral Force Realm.
Chen Qing’s expression remained calm, his heart untroubled.
He knew full well that without the blessing of his "Heaven Rewards Diligence" Fate Plate, he too would have likely been unable to escape a fate of multiple attempts and failures.
Nie Shanshan said softly, her tone calm but firm, "Failing once can be seen as an opportunity to gain experience, a chance to temper one’s True Qi and Heart and Spirit. With better preparation next time, the chances of success will naturally be greater."
She spoke from experience.
"Junior Sister Nie is absolutely right."
Shi Ziyi nodded in agreement. "I’ve also heard that Xiao Bieli from Cold Jade Valley apparently didn’t succeed either. They say he was just a hair’s breadth away at the very end."
The others all nodded at his words.
Breaking through to a major realm was no easy feat. Acting rashly could even damage one’s foundation. It was best to let success come naturally when the conditions were ripe.
Just then, Shi Ziyi turned his gaze to Chen Qing, who had been quietly sipping his tea, and asked, "Junior Brother Chen, your cultivation progress has always been swift. I imagine the day you attempt your own breakthrough isn’t far off, is it?"
At these words, all eyes in the pavilion immediately fell upon Chen Qing.
When it came to actual combat prowess, Chen Qing was unquestionably at the top of Yunlin Prefecture’s younger generation. His consecutive victories over Xiao Bieli and Chen Lin were astonishing.
But being the first to break through to the Astral Force Realm was another matter entirely. It was a matter of one’s Root Bone, accumulation, fortuitous encounters, and even sudden epiphanies. Powerful combat ability didn’t necessarily mean a quick breakthrough.
Whoever was first to step into the Astral Force Realm would experience a world-altering shift in both status and strength.
Feeling the weight of their stares, Chen Qing set down his teacup, his expression placid, and replied vaguely, "Mm, I still need a bit more time to prepare. Soon."
He hadn’t given a definitive answer. There was no need to reveal his true cultivation level at a gathering like this.
Nie Shanshan glanced at Chen Qing, her cherry lips parting slightly as if to ask something, but ultimately, her gaze simply flickered, and she held her tongue.
She had a vague feeling that Chen Qing’s aura was even deeper and more inscrutable than before, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Seeing the conversation lull, Yan Yaoyang took a deep breath and broached the day’s other main topic. "There is one more matter I’d like to discuss with all of you. It’s about the Jingwu Guard’s Military Merit. The distribution of Military Merit Orders has now been expanded, and many junior brothers Within the Sect at the Late-stage Embracing Pill Realm now hold a Token."
