Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Breakthrough
"Is that the Seventh-Grade Martial Arts that Xia Moyu just comprehended?"
"What powerful Swordsmanship. It’s so unorthodox."
"Xia Moyu’s talent is truly incredible. He can already use a Seventh-Grade Martial Arts he just comprehended."
The new students from the other Three Mountains were all stunned, staring at Xia Moyu in astonishment.
Huu Yucui chuckled. "Looks like the match is over."
Her smile brimmed with confidence; she believed Xia Moyu would not disappoint her in this match. Lil Ya, however, said nothing, his eyes fixed intently on the Purple Stone Arena ahead.
Wen Qingye’s eyes were closed, but his ears could still hear. From the whistling wind and the fluctuations in the airflow, he could clearly and accurately sense the power behind that sword strike.
"Immortal One Pointing at Heaven and Earth!"
There was a blur of white light and a tangle of silhouettes. Powerful Qi surged across the arena, forcing many students with lower cultivation to fall back.
After a long moment, the white light faded, allowing everyone to finally see the Purple Stone Arena clearly.
The crowd saw Wen Qingye holding the Ancient Moon Sword, looking down at the half-kneeling Xia Moyu not far away. He spoke coldly, "My sword... You think you’re worthy of laying a hand on it?"
"Hand over the cultivation resources you skimmed!"
Xia Moyu’s expression was one of pure shock. He, who had always been known as the number one prodigy of the Outer Courtyard, couldn’t believe he had been defeated so easily.
Crestfallen, Xia Moyu lowered his head and said, "I’ll give them to Gao Yuerou when I get back."
CRACK.
Wen Qingye hauled Xia Moyu up by the neck and whispered, "If we weren’t in the middle of the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering, you can imagine what your fate would be."
Dangling in the air, Xia Moyu stared into Wen Qingye’s eyes in terror. His face turned deathly pale, and his back was instantly drenched in sweat.
"I... I..."
With a sharp flick, Wen Qingye sent Xia Moyu flying off the arena. He tumbled across the ground several times before struggling back to his feet, looking utterly wretched. Wen Qingye sheathed his sword and walked down from the Purple Stone Arena, completely ignoring the ugly expressions of the South Mountain crowd.
The crowd below stared at Wen Qingye in astonishment. What had just happened? Wasn’t Xia Moyu clearly in the lead a moment ago? How was he defeated in the blink of an eye?
Was the battle between the top new students really over just like that?
It was too fast!
A merciless, crushing display of power.
In the South Mountain seating area, Yann Xiangyang watched Wen Qingye take back his Ancient Moon Sword and snorted coldly. "Hmph, his strength has improved quickly. I wonder if he’ll still be so arrogant tomorrow."
Beside the South Mountain group sat a man with a stern expression, his eyes closed the entire time. Only when Wen Qingye struck with his finger did the man’s eyes crack open slightly.
This person was none other than Lang Feng, the number one expert of the Outer Courtyard and a disciple of South Mountain.
He was always in seclusion, cultivating diligently on South Mountain, while Yann Xiangyang managed its daily affairs. But no one in the Outer Courtyard dared to underestimate him, because his name was Lang Feng.
When he was a new student, he had defeated the tenth-ranked senior disciple, shocking everyone with his strength. Lang Feng could have entered the Inner Courtyard directly back then, but he refused. He had said that he would only enter the Inner Courtyard when he was strong enough to once again sweep away all his opponents.
This statement revealed Lang Feng’s unwillingness to be subordinate to anyone.
Lil Ya watched Wen Qingye walk down from the Purple Stone Arena and burst out laughing. "Excellent! Good! What a sharp finger strike! Not bad at all. Truly worthy of being a student from my North Mountain!"
Lil Ya was beaming, basking in the glory of the moment. North Mountain had been without students for who knows how long, let alone one who could cause such a stir at the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering. This was the first time Lil Ya had ever felt so proud.
Gong Tianshun couldn’t help but purse his lips. Though displeased, he had to admit that Wen Qingye’s speed was incredibly fast and his perception was outstanding. Without any hesitation, he had struck the weakest point of Xia Moyu’s Sword Body with a single finger.
Huu Yucui’s expression was now incredibly foul. One moment she was brimming with confidence, and in the blink of an eye, her prized student had been defeated.
"Not bad. North Mountain has produced a fine student this year," Nie Qinglan praised.
Lil Ya grinned at Gong Tianshun. "Great Mountain Master Gong, don’t you forget what you promised me."
Gong Tianshun snorted. "Don’t worry. I honor my bets!"
...
"Wen Qingye truly deserves the title of number one new student in the Outer Courtyard."
"What in the world happened? How was Xia Moyu defeated in the blink of an eye?"
"Is Wen Qingye’s strength that terrifying? He defeated Xia Moyu in just two moves?"
Many of the senior students who had been selected for the event stood in the crowd, scoffing at Wen Qingye’s strength. Xia Moyu’s technique may have seemed dazzling, but he had only just comprehended it and wasn’t proficient. Add to that his eagerness for a quick victory, and all of his weaknesses were exposed. It was only natural that Wen Qingye could defeat him.
In their eyes, Wen Qingye was now the weakest person in the competition, a piece of juicy meat for the taking. All the senior students hoped they would draw him as their opponent the next day.
Wen Qingye returned to his thatched hut at the foot of North Mountain. He knew that with his current cultivation, there was still a significant gap between him and first place. He had to raise his cultivation from the Refining Essence Third Layer Heaven as quickly as possible.
That night, Wen Qingye went to the entrance of the Celestial Essence Hall alone.
The Palace Guardian of the Celestial Essence Hall was slightly startled to see Wen Qingye. "What brings you to the Celestial Essence Hall so late at night?"
"I want to enter the Celestial Essence Hall to cultivate," Wen Qingye said slowly.
Every student participating in the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering was given one extra opportunity to enter the Celestial Essence Hall.
The Palace Guardian’s brows furrowed. "What? Are you not planning to participate in the rest of the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering?"
Wen Qingye smiled faintly. "I am."
The Palace Guardian advised, "If you go in now, you can only cultivate until dawn. You’ll be wasting such a great opportunity. It would be better to wait until after the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering is over. There are no time limits if you use your chance then."
Wen Qingye shook his head. "I’ll go now."
He knew the Palace Guardian meant well, but the man didn’t know that Wen Qingye possessed the Longevity Technique. For him, one night was more than enough.
Seeing Wen Qingye’s insistence, the Palace Guardian didn’t press the issue.
Wen Qingye walked slowly into the Celestial Essence Hall, and waves of dense Primordial Qi washed over him. Since it was the middle of the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering and already late at night, Wen Qingye was the only one inside.
Wen Qingye found a spot where the Primordial Qi was exceptionally dense and sat down.
The moment he sat down, Wen Qingye began circulating his Longevity Technique. The surrounding Primordial Qi, as if drawn by a tremendous gravitational pull, rushed toward him in endless waves.
The Primordial Qi swiftly entered Wen Qingye’s body, flowing through his limbs and into every corner of his being. He instantly felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout him. With all this abundant Primordial Qi to himself, he began to absorb it with reckless abandon.
As time went on, Wen Qingye absorbed more and more Primordial Qi. The vast amount of Qi around him began to take on a misty form, slowly condensing until it began to fall like a rain of Primordial Qi.
Suddenly, a cold, divine light began to radiate from Wen Qingye’s body, violently tearing apart the surrounding Primordial Qi. A shocking wave of power burst into the air.
A breakthrough! Refining Essence Fourth Layer Heaven!
After his breakthrough, Wen Qingye wasted no time and continued absorbing the Primordial Qi, constantly reinforcing his body and steadily consolidating his new cultivation level.
Amidst this incredibly dense Primordial Qi, Wen Qingye’s cultivation increased at a speed visible to the naked eye.
