Challenge

Chapter 39: Challenge

Qin Yun's return to the mountain caused quite a stir in the True Martial Sect. After all, he had been down the mountain for more than half a year this time, and had not even returned at year-end.

The disciples all missed him greatly.

All the True Disciples who were on the mountain had come, gathering around Qin Yun.

"Well, well, Little Eight. You stayed down the mountain for so long without a word—don't tell me the dazzling mortal world bewitched your eyes."

Looking at those familiar faces, Qin Yun actually felt as though a lifetime had passed.

Just as he was about to speak—

Ye Qinghe was already smiling as she said, "Drink this jug of wine, and we'll forgive you."

Qin Yun's scalp went numb as he looked at the wine Ye Qinghe handed him. He had been a victim of Ye Qinghe's brewing experiments before. He braced himself and drank it, only to find that it was unexpectedly good.

"Third Senior Sister, your brewing skills have improved by leaps and bounds!"

Qin Yun did not hold back his praise.

Ye Qinghe's smile grew even brighter. But after seeing the barely concealed amusement on everyone's faces, Qin Yun more or less understood what was going on. His gaze fell on White Ape, then shifted to Ning Qi.

Relying on his instincts, he tried to gauge Ning Qi's depth, but he could not see through him.

"Little Nine."

He flashed a sunny smile, just as he had back then.

Yet Ning Qi felt that Qin Yun seemed to be suppressing something.

Afterward, Qin Yun went to see Dragon Mountain Daoist. To everyone's surprise, perhaps because he had spent too long down the mountain, Dragon Mountain Daoist actually ordered Qin Yun to confine himself and enter seclusion. Luo Wentian tactfully tried to say a few words in his defense, only to be rebuked as well.

All the Direct Disciples were stunned. Such a thing rarely happened.

They could only hope that their master's anger would subside soon.

Ning Qi sighed softly.

The human heart was truly difficult to fathom.

Vaguely, he felt that his master's actions were connected to Eighth Senior Brother's condition.

But he could not concern himself with such matters. For now, he lacked the ability.

Ning Qi could only cultivate in silence.

He hoped Qin Yun would recover soon.

Time drifted by.

In the blink of an eye, year-end was approaching once more.

Ning Qi underwent two more feigned deaths, completing two more layers of stacked force.

Two months earlier, he had successfully advanced into the Five-Fold Realm, his cultivation officially surpassing that of Seventh Senior Brother Song Cheng.

"Once I complete one more layer of stacked force, I can advance to major success in the Inner Yuan Realm. Ordinary Inner Yuan Realm martial artists at major success can begin converting their force and give their Inner Strength additional traits, but I was already able to do that at minor success."

"Now, my Inner Strength is growing increasingly solid. Once I reach major success, I fear I may be able to extend my Inner Strength beyond my body, just like others at completion."

This made Ning Qi look forward to it.

At the completion of Inner Yuan Nine Layers, one could extend Inner Strength nearly a zhang beyond the body, greatly increasing its power. He estimated that he would not be far off, perhaps even surpassing it.

"Still... I should be able to wrestle with White Mist Realm experts now, shouldn't I?"

Ning Qi was not entirely certain, but he held such expectations.

Gang Yuan Realm Gang Qi was simply too powerful, yet he felt he had the strength to fight one.

He had not forgotten the Blood Rain Pavilion's target. Once the day came when he could easily defeat his master, he should be able to take his revenge.

"It's just that the Energy Conversion Method for the Great Dream Nine Deaths Technique is still only in its infancy. It needs a little more time."

Ning Qi was in no rush about this.

He had high demands for energy conversion, because it concerned his future cultivation in the Gang Yuan Realm.

He hoped the traits of his Inner Strength could encompass all things.

That was difficult.

But with the Myriad Forms Origin Stake before him, it was not impossible. It merely required time to summarize and deduce. If Ning Qi did not possess Max Level Comprehension, this would have been almost impossible to achieve.

Ning Qi felt that he would certainly succeed next year.

"Let's go, Tiansheng."

Looking at the diligently training White Ape beside him, Ning Qi called out with a smile.

White Ape had now reached Bone Refinement Completion and was striving to break through the bottleneck of Organ Refinement. Perhaps he could complete Body Tempering in six years. That was incredibly fast—even Chubby Kid Zhuang Chen could not compare, much less Qin Yun.

Moreover, White Ape's strength surpassed others of the same realm.

His physical body's foundation was exceptionally solid. Though it was inferior to Ning Qi's, those who practiced the True Martial Stance were likely no better.

Ning Qi discovered that as the White Ape's cultivation realm grew higher and higher, some wondrous transformation seemed to be taking place within its body. He wondered if its bloodline was being awakened.

This made Ning Qi even more curious.

He thought that once his Inner Strength could extend beyond his body, perhaps he could try exploring it.

As thoughts turned in his mind, Ning Qi and the White Ape had already arrived at the Martial Arena.

Last year's Year-End Grand Competition had achieved rather impressive results.

Naturally, Luo Wentian meant to press on with renewed vigor and carry on this fine tradition.

Only after Ning Qi arrived did he discover that Qin Yun had come as well.

Dragon Mountain Daoist had confined him for over half a year. Now that it was year's end, he had been allowed out temporarily, and he was currently speaking with All Direct Disciples.

Everyone advised him that if he had angered their master in any way, he should lower his head and soften his stance rather than stubbornly digging in his heels.

Qin Yun merely smiled and agreed.

When he saw Ning Qi, Qin Yun's gaze instinctively turned toward him as he sensed his aura.

"Little Nine."

He could tell that Ning Qi's aura was considerably stronger than it had been half a year ago, but Ning Qi's exact realm would likely only become clear once he made a move.

Ning Qi sat down with them as well.

The group chatted.

Meanwhile, the Outer Disciples' matches began once more.

Compared with last year, the Outer Disciples as a whole had grown stronger, and several outstanding disciples had emerged, delighting everyone.

Then came the Inner Disciples.

After the top twenty disciples received their awards, it was time for the True Disciples to spar with one another and resolve the other disciples' doubts.

This time, however, there was one more person: Qin Yun.

Luo Wentian once again fought Jiang Baishan. This time, Luo Wentian's defeat was even more decisive.

It thoroughly cemented Jiang Baishan's position as the second-strongest person in True Martial Sect.

The current Jiang Baishan had hope of breaking through to the Gang Yuan Realm before turning forty, becoming True Martial Sect's second Gang Yuan Realm expert.

At forty, in this world where martial artists enjoyed long lives, he was still of the younger generation, and his momentum was fierce.

Yet as Ning Qi watched the two battle, his heart remained calm. He became even more certain that even if Eldest Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Brother joined forces, they likely would not be his match.

But after Luo Wentian was defeated, Qin Yun unexpectedly took the initiative to challenge Jiang Baishan.

As expected, Qin Yun lost.

Yet what shocked everyone was that

Qin Yun had actually displayed cultivation at the sixth layer of the Inner Yuan Realm!

One had to know

that Qin Yun was only in his twenties, yet he had already reached Inner Yuan Grand Completion. At this rate, he might have a chance of advancing to the Gang Yuan Realm before thirty-five—perhaps even sooner.

Everyone in True Martial Sect was incomparably thrilled.

They loudly praised Qin Yun.

This was a sign of True Martial's flourishing prosperity.

Only Dragon Mountain Daoist's eyes held a faint trace of worry.

Ning Qi found it somewhat surprising as well. Qin Yun's cultivation progress seemed excessively fast. Could it be that he had encountered some fortuitous opportunity during his earlier descent from the mountain? After Jiang Baishan stepped down, Qin Yun remained standing in the center of the Martial Arena rather than leaving. He looked toward Ning Qi and extended an invitation. "Junior Brother, why not come and give it a try? Let your senior brother feed you some moves?"

There was an indescribable meaning in his eyes, and even the other disciples vaguely sensed that something was amiss.

A year ago, when Jiang Baishan had made such an invitation, Ning Qi had been able to smile and politely decline.

But one year later, when Qin Yun issued the invitation again, Ning Qi hesitated somewhat.

Qin Yun was different from Jiang Baishan. Ning Qi felt that the changes Qin Yun had undergone over the past few years might perhaps have something to do with him.