Chapter 71: Chapter 70: Compared to Wen Tongyu
Ten days later, after teaching Xiaxia some basic alchemy techniques, Wen Qingye came to the Celestial Essence Hall. Every student of Qig Mountain Academy had the opportunity to cultivate in this hall once every three months.
"Is that person Wen Qingye?"
"I think so. I’ve seen him at East Mountain."
"I heard Wen Qingye was a swordsman, but then Sister Xiangyang took his sword and gave it to Xia Moyu."
"For real? Sister Xiangyang snatched Wen Qingye’s sword and gave it away?"
"It’s absolutely true. A friend of mine from South Mountain told me."
...
Hearing the chatter around him, Wen Qingye frowned. He’d always had trouble accepting that Yann Xiangyang had taken his Ancient Moon Sword. But to think she’d actually given it away to someone else... A surge of anger rose in his heart at the thought.
Wen Qingye walked to the entrance of the Celestial Essence Hall and said to the Palace Guardian at the door, "I want to enter the Celestial Essence Hall."
"Name and token," the Palace Guardian said flatly.
Wen Qingye took out his token and said, "Wen Qingye!"
Hearing this, the Palace Guardian immediately lifted his head. He sized Wen Qingye up for a few moments, marveling to himself.
The Palace Guardian nodded, a look of realization dawning on his face. "Oh, so you’re the star disciple from North Mountain. Are you planning on participating in the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering this time?"
"I am," Wen Qingye said slowly. He was going to take back his sword.
Hearing Wen Qingye’s words, the Palace Guardian said with some satisfaction, "Good. Excellent. It’s been several years since a disciple from North Mountain has participated in the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering. For new students, it’s the participation that counts. Even if you fail, there’s always next year."
"If there’s nothing else, I’ll go in now," Wen Qingye said. He was feeling rather upset, so he didn’t say anything more to the Palace Guardian.
The Palace Guardian smiled and said, "Alright, go on in. Try to pick a spot where the Primordial Qi is dense to cultivate. You’ll progress faster that way."
Wen Qingye nodded, then walked right in.
The moment Wen Qingye’s foot crossed the threshold of the Celestial Essence Hall, he felt a surging wave of Primordial Qi wash over him. It was an extremely pure form of Primordial Qi, even more refined than the Qi from a Primordial Stone.
Wisps of white mist drifted all around, constantly churning. Wen Qingye took a few steps forward and felt a tremor run through his entire body.
At that moment, Wen Qingye sensed quite a few other people around. Some of them had cultivation levels even higher than Zhao Hao’s. ’They must be students from the Inner Courtyard,’ he thought.
Wen Qingye continued walking forward. The spots with extremely dense Primordial Qi were all occupied, leaving only a few people in the areas where it was thin.
Suddenly, Wen Qingye’s eyes lit up. He spotted a figure sitting cross-legged in an extremely dense area, completely alone.
Yann Xiangyang!
Yann Xiangyang was dressed in robes as black as ink, which perfectly highlighted her graceful, well-curved figure. Her delicate features were dizzying to behold, and her lightly flushed lips held an extreme allure.
Wen Qingye never thought Yann Xiangyang would be cultivating in the Celestial Essence Hall today. ’It really is true that rivals are fated to cross paths,’ he mused.
Wen Qingye slowly walked to a corner, a faint smile playing on his lips.
After settling down cross-legged, Wen Qingye slowly began to circulate the Longevity Technique.
’Spirit Stealing!’
The surrounding Primordial Qi was already dense, but now it surged toward Wen Qingye even more violently, as if his body held an endless, irresistible attraction.
The Primordial Qi around Wen Qingye formed into threads and all poured into his body. The Longevity Technique within him circulated continuously, like a giant hand slowly reaching out.
Yann Xiangyang suddenly felt the surrounding Primordial Qi slowly thinning, causing her cultivation speed to slow down considerably. She couldn’t help but open her eyes.
The moment she opened her eyes, she saw a shocking scene. The Primordial Qi around her seemed to be guided, flowing away toward a spot not far off with astonishing speed.
Yann Xiangyang’s expression immediately darkened. She quickly stood up and walked in the direction the Primordial Qi was flowing.
In a short while, she saw a figure sitting on a meditation cushion, the surrounding Primordial Qi continuously pouring into his body. His body was like a bottomless pit, ceaselessly absorbing the vast amount of Primordial Qi without the slightest sign of trouble.
At first, Yann Xiangyang was shocked—shocked that this person possessed a technique to absorb Primordial Qi like this without his body exploding from the pressure. Then, her shock turned to anger.
"Wen Qingye!" Yann Xiangyang growled.
Wen Qingye slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Yann Xiangyang, he said with a deadpan expression, "Isn’t this Yann Xiangyang of South Mountain? Are you cultivating in the Celestial Essence Hall too?"
Yann Xiangyang looked into Wen Qingye’s eyes and knew he was doing it on purpose. Absolutely on purpose. ’Otherwise, how could everyone else around them be cultivating just fine, while the Primordial Qi around me alone has become so scarce?’ she fumed inwardly.
Yann Xiangyang said through gritted teeth, "Still playing dumb?"
"How am I playing dumb?" Wen Qingye asked lightly.
"Hmph. Fine. You’ve got nerve." Yann Xiangyang shot Wen Qingye a vicious glare, then turned and left.
Wen Qingye shrugged, then stood up with a smile.
Yann Xiangyang saw several students cultivating not far ahead. The Primordial Qi there was also extremely dense, and their cultivation levels were not low. They looked like students from the Inner Courtyard.
Yann Xiangyang walked over with a blank expression. Looking at the Inner Courtyard students, she said slowly, "All of you, get up. I’m using this spot now."
The Inner Courtyard students opened their eyes. Upon realizing the person before them was Yann Xiangyang, they immediately got up without a word and moved to a spot further away.
Watching from the side, Wen Qingye frowned. ’Why do even Inner Courtyard students have to listen to her? It seems Yann Xiangyang must have a powerful backer in Qig Mountain Academy,’ he thought.
Yann Xiangyang looked at the surrounding Primordial Qi with satisfaction, then sat right down and began cultivating.
Before long, she discovered her cultivation speed had slowed down again.
Yann Xiangyang shot up, only to discover that the Primordial Qi around her was once again being drawn toward Wen Qingye not far away.
"Wen Qingye, are you looking to die?" Yann Xiangyang marched right up to Wen Qingye and roared.
A red glint flashed in Wen Qingye’s eyes. He said in a low voice, "What do you think you’re doing? Fighting is forbidden in the Celestial Essence Hall. Even if I were looking to die, are you sure you’re capable of killing me?"
Yann Xiangyang gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with an endless rage, as if she wanted to burn Wen Qingye to ashes.
Looking at Wen Qingye’s indifferent expression, Yann Xiangyang couldn’t help but sneer, "You really can’t compare to your brother, Wen Tongyu. You’re not even one-thousandth as good as he is."
Upon hearing this, a monstrous rage ignited within Wen Qingye. From the depths of his soul—for reasons he couldn’t quite grasp—he despised Wen Tongyu, and he especially hated being compared to him.
Wen Qingye suppressed the fire in his heart, his gaze remaining calm as he said, "Is that so? Then I can only thank you for the compliment."
Yann Xiangyang snorted coldly. "Compliment you? You’re a despicable, shameless little man who can’t even tell praise from an insult. Let me tell you, Wen Tongyu has already broken through to the Refining Essence Eighth Layer Heaven! It won’t be long before he reaches the Refining Spirit Stage and becomes one of the powerhouses of our Celestial Martial Country. And you? You’ll be stuck scrambling in the Outer Courtyard of Qig Mountain Academy for the rest of your life, a frog in a well. You’d best watch yourself."
