Chapter 353: Chapter 140: Murderous Intent, All Branches Gather
For him, the best preparation before the trial was to maintain his peak condition, not to deliberately alter his cultivation habits.
His Mountain-Shattering Fist had already reached the Peak of Transformation. With no subsequent cultivation technique or martial art to support it, he had reached a point where no further progress could be made.
As such, his cultivation over the past few days was focused entirely on the Raging Wave Leg Technique and the Indestructible True Skill. He strove to further refine his mastery of these two martial arts, aiming for a more harmonious fusion of his physical body and Inner Strength.
During a break in his cultivation, Yang Jing made a special trip to Yunxi Peak to tell Sun Ningxiang that he would be participating in the Dragon Gate Martial Trial.
Sun Ningxiang was startled by the news. She hadn’t expected Yang Jing to apply for the Dragon Gate Martial Trial so quickly.
But since he had already applied, there was no way to cancel it.
Sun Ningxiang couldn’t help but worry for him, saying that on the day of the trial, she would be sure to head to Dragon Gate Plaza early to wait.
As a disciple of Yunxi Peak, it wasn’t convenient for her to meet Yang Jing at Lingxi Plaza, so she could only wait at the trial location at the foot of the Main Peak.
Yang Jing noticed Sun Ningxiang’s worry and nervousness and agreed with a smile. A warmth spread through his heart; having someone care for him like this gave the upcoming trial a different kind of meaning.
...
Besides Sun Ningxiang, the others living in the Ninth Courtyard—Zhao Hongxiang, Su Qingyue, and Lin Wenxuan—also knew that Yang Jing was about to take the Dragon Gate Martial Trial. So did Cai He Kang, a new Outer Sect Disciple who had moved in a short while ago.
It was Liu Rou, of course, who had mentioned it. After all, they all lived in the same courtyard and saw each other constantly. She had brought it up casually during a chat, and soon everyone else knew.
However, after they found out, aside from Liu Rou occasionally reminding him to prepare well, the others maintained a tacit silence, not offering a single comment.
Lin Wenxuan had always followed Zhao Hongxiang’s lead and deliberately kept his distance from Yang Jing.
The newcomer had only recently joined the sect and was quite shrewd. Knowing that Yang Jing and Zhao Hongxiang were on bad terms—and that Zhao Hongxiang’s future was far brighter—he naturally made a point of distancing himself from Yang Jing to avoid offending the latter. He wouldn’t even make eye contact when they saw each other.
When Zhao Hongxiang learned that Yang Jing was taking the Dragon Gate Martial Trial, he treated it as an insignificant matter and paid it no mind.
In his opinion, the Dragon Gate Martial Trial was incredibly difficult. Even he had failed to pass despite preparing meticulously for a long time. For Yang Jing to apply so hastily, right after breaking through to the Peak of Transformation, was simply foolish. He had no foundation to speak of and was doomed to return in failure, utterly unworthy of his attention.
Perhaps it could be said that Su Qingyue was the only one of the group who responded to Yang Jing’s participation in the Dragon Gate Martial Trial.
She seized the opportunity of a chance encounter with Yang Jing in the courtyard to mock him to his face, essentially telling him he was biting off more than he could chew by attempting the Dragon Gate Martial Trial.
She already couldn’t stand the sight of Yang Jing. If Zhao Hongxiang hadn’t stopped her, she would have already found some Transformation Realm disciples to teach him a lesson.
Now, seeing Yang Jing so clearly overestimating himself, she naturally wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to mock him, her words filled with disdain and contempt.
Faced with Su Qingyue’s provocation, Yang Jing just gave her a cool glance, then turned and left without saying another word.
He knew full well that if it weren’t for the Xuanzhen Sect’s strict rules forbidding disciples from killing one another, Su Qingyue’s repeated provocations would have enraged him long ago.
’If this were the outside world,’ he thought, ’given the way she’s courting death, I would have lost my patience and twisted her head off long ago to eliminate any future trouble. I’d never have allowed her to be so insolent.’
...
Four days passed in a flash. In the blink of an eye, it was April 20th—the day of Yang Jing’s Dragon Gate Martial Trial.
As dawn was just breaking, a faint morning light began to wash over Lingxi Peak.
Yang Jing awoke and, after a quick wash, put on a freshly laundered green robe. The clean, simple attire made him look neat and sharp, accentuating his tall and valiant figure.
Once ready, he headed straight to the central dining hall on Fushan Island for breakfast. He needed to keep his body in peak condition for the Dragon Gate Martial Trial today.
He deliberately ordered a highly nourishing meal of Rare Exotic Beast Meat. The meat on his plate was vibrant in color, exuding a rich, savory aroma, and came with a medicinal soup that nourished one’s qi and blood. It cost nearly twice the contribution points of a regular high-grade exotic beast meat meal.
Yang Jing devoured the meal. As the warm Exotic Beast Meat and medicinal soup went down, they instantly transformed into pure qi, blood, and energy. The nourishment flowed through his body to his very core, and a surging heat washed over him as his Inner Strength grew even more potent and abundant.
With every breath, he could feel his qi and blood surging within him. His muscles and bones felt limber and thoroughly invigorated. He was brimming with energy, his condition absolutely perfect.
After breakfast, Yang Jing didn’t linger, heading straight for Lingxi Plaza at the summit of Lingxi Peak.
When he reached the plaza, the area outside the Internal Affairs Hall was still quiet. He found a random corner, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes. Slowly regulating his breathing, he banished all stray thoughts, allowing his mind and body to settle into a state of complete tranquility. He silently stabilized his condition, making the final preparations for the imminent Dragon Gate Martial Trial.
As time passed, Lingxi Plaza gradually filled with more and more disciples.
Most were Inner Sect Disciples in white robes who had arrived early to polish their martial arts. The wind from their fists and the shadows of their palms crisscrossed as faint fluctuations of Inner Strength and Inner Qi permeated the air.
Outer Sect Disciples rarely came to the summit on normal days unless they had important business, so a green-robed figure on the plaza was a rare sight. Sitting alone in a corner, Yang Jing seemed somewhat out of place.
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