Qi Martial Ninth Level

Time flows like a great river, rushing onward.

Half a month later, astonishing news spread among the new disciples.

Zhang Zhixian, who had long held the top spot, had advanced to the Blood Martial Realm!

Upon hearing the news, Yang Chen sat in his wooden cabin and drank three cups of wine in quick succession.

When the cultivation rankings first opened, Zhang Zhixian had already secured the top position with his Qi Martial Seventh Level cultivation. Now, he had once again taken the lead, advancing to the Blood Martial Realm.

He couldn't calm his heart for a long time. His progress during this period could be described as leaps and bounds, yet it paled in comparison to Zhang Zhixian's.

The Qi Martial Ninth Level and the Blood Martial Realm, though separated by a mere sliver, had a bottleneck that could not be ignored. Unlike minor realm advancements, where reaching the required strength would lead to a natural breakthrough, this was different.

On Labor Peak, there were quite a few cultivators stuck at the Qi Martial Ninth Level, with some even remaining at this stage for over a year.

"The one who is truly anxious isn't me."

Yang Chen put down his wine cup, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

He was merely shocked; those ranked in the top ten were likely deeply affected.

Especially Gu You, ranked second, and Huang Tianyu, ranked third.

Huang Tianyu hailed from royalty and had enjoyed every advantage in the early stages of his cultivation. Gu You, who could still outrank him, was undoubtedly no ordinary individual.

Having been the perennial second and third for so long, they must have been harboring a burning desire to surpass Zhang Zhixian and claim the top spot. But now, that ambition was likely extinguished.

As he had predicted, upon hearing of Zhang Zhixian's breakthrough to the Blood Martial Realm, Huang Tianyu, who had been in seclusion, stayed awake all night.

He had broken through to the Qi Martial Ninth Level some time ago, but he was still at least half a month away from the Blood Martial Realm.

"Zhang Zhixian!"

Huang Tianyu's expression revealed no hint of joy or anger. He longed to compete with the other man but maintained his restraint.

He possessed methods for rapid advancement, but the cost was not insignificant. Although he was a prince of a nation, his resources were still limited. After breaking through to the Blood Martial Realm, his demand for cultivation resources would skyrocket. He had to follow his planned path to ensure his progress in the Blood Martial Realm was both swift and stable.

Zhang Zhixian's breakthrough had damaged his pride, but he knew he couldn't act impulsively. His goal wasn't to compare himself to others but to go further.

Being a Labor Disciple was merely the starting point; even being an Outer Sect disciple was not his ultimate aim. He had always set his sights on the Inner Sect, and even the True Disciples.

"So be it, what if you're one step ahead?"

With the situation as it was, Huang Tianyu could only console himself.

But what caught him completely off guard was that on the last day of the month, Gu You broke through!

Beneath the cultivation rankings beside the mess hall, Huang Tianyu's face was impassive. However, the gazes of those around him felt like knives, burning his cheeks.

Seeing this, Yang Chen recalled a saying: "Those who seek fame will be burdened by it."

Just like at this moment, Huang Tianyu might not truly care, but under the scrutiny of hundreds of eyes, even the most resolute individual would be affected.

He secretly felt fortunate that he wasn't ranked third, otherwise, wouldn't that be embarrassing?

But then, he cursed himself for lacking ambition. If he could be ranked third at this moment, being burdened by fame wouldn't be so bad.

Due to Zhang Zhixian's and Gu You's breakthroughs, Huang Tianyu was thrust into the spotlight. Many people were privately discussing when the "third-ranked" individual would finally break through.

This also meant that even though Yang Chen had entered the top twenty, he wasn't as noticeable as before.

"Impatience is the greatest taboo in cultivation. Advancing in cultivation is a natural process; rushing for merit will only be counterproductive."

Lin Chuan said meaningfully when summoning the disciples on the rankings.

Yang Chen knew who he was referring to. He subconsciously glanced at Huang Tianyu, only to see the latter looking calm, his mindset seemingly unaffected.

"You all made great progress this month, allowing Area 8 to remain in the top three. I must thank you all."

"In addition, I want to specifically commend Yang Chen. His progress this month has been the greatest. He has now reached the twentieth rank. I hope you will continue to strive and reach even greater heights."

If you find this book to your liking, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

As usual, Lin Chuan singled out Yang Chen for praise, which made the other disciples on the rankings feel a bit uncomfortable, especially Wei Xiao and Xue Cang. Their rankings were higher than Yang Chen's, yet Lin Chuan had never specifically commended them.

Yang Chen rubbed his nose. Every month, at the end of the month, Lin Chuan would do this, and he felt a bit helpless.

However, this helplessness was quickly replaced by joy.

Rank 20: Awarded 15 Spirit Crystals and one Low-grade Sword Technique!

As he received the Spirit Crystals and the sword technique, Yang Chen couldn't stop smiling. The Spirit Crystals were secondary; he had longed for this Low-grade Sword Technique for a long time.

Upon returning to his residence, he eagerly took out the sword technique and began to study it.

The sword technique was named Gale Sword Technique. It was a swift sword style, with its core principle being to be one step ahead.

Yang Chen was completely engrossed as soon as he started reading. Although the sword technique's grade wasn't high, it was undoubtedly top-tier among Low-grade Sword Techniques. When cultivated to a high level, it could allow one's sword strikes to be invisible, making them impossible to guard against.

In the following days, Yang Chen became even busier. Besides his cultivation, he spent almost all his spare time practicing the sword technique.

For this, he even specially bought a sword. As the saying goes, a sword technique is inseparable from a sword. Only when the sword is in hand can one better grasp the essence of the Gale Sword Technique.

His comprehension wasn't too poor. In about seven days, he had grasped the basics of the Gale Sword Technique.

Now, with a sword in hand, he estimated his strength had increased by at least thirty percent. This was the terrifying power of mastering a lethal skill.

Previously, he could only rely on his fists and feet, but how could fists and feet be as sharp as a blade?

Another day passed. On the cultivation rankings, Huang Tianyu's realm had suddenly changed, breaking through to the Blood Martial Realm.

There wasn't much to say about this third person to break through.

Yang Chen didn't pay it much mind anyway. He wasn't far from Qi Martial Ninth Level now, and with the Gale Sword Technique mastered, he naturally felt no awe when looking at Huang Tianyu and the others.

Another seven days passed like this, and Yang Chen's cultivation broke through once again!

[Realm: Qi Martial Ninth Level, Punching Force: 13519 kg]

"Good!"

Yang Chen laughed with satisfaction. After more than seven months, he had finally reached the end of the Qi Martial Realm, standing at the threshold of the Blood Martial Realm.

The day after Yang Chen's breakthrough, he received a message from above.

Ten days later, at the beginning of next month, Outer Sect disciples would come to harvest the Spirit Rice.

Upon receiving this news, Yang Chen sighed slightly. The ripening of the Spirit Rice meant the Hemp-Clad Society would come again.

This was not good news for him at all.

He began to prepare, buying some supplies and planning to stay here for an extended period.

As expected, only two days passed before members of the Hemp-Clad Society paid a late-night visit.

They still took things without asking.

Although Yang Chen was unhappy, he didn't dare to stop them. He could only fulfill his duties, staring wide-eyed as they siphoned off spiritual energy.

Time passed day by day, and the end of the month arrived again.

When Yang Chen returned to the residential area, the plaza was already filled with people. Seeing him arrive, many greeted him with smiles.

"Senior Brother Yang, what surprise are you bringing us this time?"

"What are you talking about? Is Senior Brother Yang bringing us a surprise? It's clearly a fright!"

"Senior Brother Yang, are you considering finding a partner? This young lady is beautiful, has a sweet voice, and is very obedient~"

Yang Chen paused, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the junior sister who had spoken. He rubbed his hands and chuckled, "That can be arranged, junior sister. Come to my place tonight!"

The junior sister who spoke immediately blushed crimson, covering her face and stomping her foot, "Oh my~ Senior Brother, you, you..."

The surrounding disciples burst into laughter.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.