Keeping the Appointment

The entire venue fell silent.

Everyone had thought this would be a clash between equals, but no one had expected it to be yet another one-sided crushing, with the loser utterly unable to fight back.

Chen Yan had even hit harder than he had in the first round.

Just as Chen Yan had said, he had easily defeated Li Fu in a single move.

The ordinary Outer Court Disciples watching from below weren't the only ones shaken. The Inner Sect elders seated on the viewing platform, along with the disciples and gatekeepers from the various peaks, were just as stunned.

Back when I was at the Body Tempering Realm, could I have defeated Li Fu with a single move?

Of all the Inner Sect cultivators present, almost none would dare claim they were absolutely certain they could.

There was one exception.

Chu Xiyao, Chief Disciple of Qingchan Peak.

At just seventeen, she had already reached the Mid-stage of the Martial Spring Realm, and she was expected to break through to the Qi Sea Realm before turning twenty.

She was unquestionably the Sect's most gifted young woman.

But to compare Chen Yan with Chu Xiyao was, in its own way, high praise for Chen Yan.

Lin Qifeng certainly had a good eye. He'd found himself a disciple of outstanding talent.

That was what the Inner Sect elders present generally thought.

But in truth, the most bewildered person there at that moment was Lin Qifeng.

What in the world was going on with this kid?

Chen Yan walked down from the arena and made his way toward the viewing platform.

No one present continued praising Chen Yan as they had after the first round. They simply stared at him as if he were some kind of monster.

It looked like the winner of this year's Body Tempering division of the Outer Court Grand Competition had already been decided.

But the winner of the Body Tempering Realm division was just a winner.

Take the Outer Court Grand Competition, for instance. Only the overall winner of the Qi Condensation Realm division could be called the champion.

Likewise, in the Inner Sect Grand Competition, only the overall winner of the Qi Sea Realm division could be called the champion.

Chen Yan easily won the third round as well. By then, there wasn't a single gambler on the viewing platform willing to take bets on his matches.

The odds were one to zero. What fun was there in that?

There was only one round left in the Body Tempering division today, after which the final list of sixteen would be decided.

The matches among the sixteen would begin tomorrow.

Chen Yan's opponent in the last round was an obscure, unknown Outer Court Disciple: dark-skinned, short, and seemingly very simple-minded.

He was at the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm, and hadn't even reached the peak.

Before he drew Chen Yan's name, he'd been lucky with the lots, facing nothing but weaker opponents on his way to the fourth round.

But it was clear his luck had run out.

The copper gong rang, and the fourth round officially began.

Everyone had thought this would be another swift match, ending in an instant kill. But once again, events unfolded in a way no one expected.

The dark-skinned Outer Court Disciple took a strip of white cloth from inside his robe and tossed it onto the ground.

"I forfeit."

The disciple gave a simple-minded smile, then spoke.

If he had no chance of winning, why take a beating for nothing?

No one thought him a coward. They all thought his decision perfectly reasonable.

The dark-skinned, simple-minded disciple took a few steps forward, then clasped his hands and bowed to Chen Yan.

"Disciple Zhang Xishun greets Senior Brother Chen!"

He was so respectful and deferential, so anxious and humble, that he seemed ready to drop to his knees and lick Chen Yan's shoes the very next moment.

"...Hello."

Being treated like that in front of everyone left Chen Yan feeling rather awkward.

"Today, I witnessed Senior Brother Chen win three matches in a row. My admiration for you flows like a river, surging on without end..."

Chen Yan was a little surprised. He hadn't expected this seemingly simple and honest disciple to be so good at flattery.

"I humbly ask Senior Brother Chen to do me the honor of sparing some time after today's competition has ended to give me some guidance in my cultivation."

Zhang Xishun said this.

"Sure."

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Yan agreed.

Chen Yan wasn't some difficult, unapproachable, or heartless person.

Perhaps his more than twenty cycles of reincarnation, and his earlier efforts to conceal his true cultivation, made him seem distant and aloof.

But he simply couldn't refuse a request like this.

The dark-skinned, simple-minded disciple's obsequious manner reminded him of his former self: over a hundred years old, yet still only at the Mid-stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.

Chen Yan understood all too well what it felt like to beg someone for help because you wanted to save yourself.

In that lifetime, before his lifespan was nearly exhausted, Chen Yan had also humbly and obsequiously asked an Inner Sect Disciple he happened to encounter how he could break through from the Qi Condensation Realm to the Martial Spring Realm as quickly as possible.

Who didn't want to make progress, to live a better life?

"Thank you, Senior Brother Chen!"

Zhang Xishun froze for a moment, then quickly broke into a delighted smile.

"It's nothing."

Chen Yan smiled.

Now, he was a true Martial Spring Realm cultivator.

After reaching the Martial Spring Realm, Chen Yan's understanding of the Empty Mountain Art had naturally grown much deeper. Giving a Body Tempering Realm disciple a few pointers would be easy.

As for the Outer Court Grand Competition, which would continue tomorrow, Chen Yan had no reason to worry about it.

As a dignified Martial Spring Realm cultivator, he could naturally handle a few Body Tempering Realm opponents with ease.

That night.

At Zhang Xishun's request, Chen Yan headed to the open space in front of the Outer Court market.

From far away, Chen Yan spotted the dark, short, simple-minded figure standing in front of the market.

"Senior Brother Chen!"

When Zhang Xishun saw Chen Yan, his face lit up, and he hurried over.

"You're here early."

Chen Yan said.

"Not early, not early. I just got here too!"

Zhang Xishun said.

"Tell me, what difficulties have you run into in your cultivation lately? We're both Body Tempering Realm cultivators, so I should be able to help."

Chen Yan said.

"Senior Brother Chen, I've also reached the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm. I'm getting closer and closer to the stage of opening my meridians and drawing in true qi."

Opening the meridians and drawing in qi marked a Body Tempering Realm disciple's official entry into the late stage.

Once true qi could circulate fully through the meridians, one became a Qi Condensation Realm cultivator and could begin using true qi to cast simple techniques.

"Lately, I can often sense the true qi drifting within me. But whenever I try to draw it into my meridians, I feel a peculiar blockage."

Zhang Xishun continued.

"That's normal. You haven't opened your meridians yet. Keep trying and continue tempering your body. It could take just a few days or as long as half a year, but you'll be able to draw qi into your meridians."

Chen Yan explained.

He'd gone through a stage like that himself.

"I see. Then..."

Zhang Xishun went on to ask Chen Yan several more questions about cultivation, and Chen Yan answered each one.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Chen. I've asked just about all my cultivation questions. I've truly gained a great deal today."

Zhang Xishun clasped his hands.

"No problem. Let's leave it there for today..."

"However, there's something else I'd like to ask."

Zhang Xishun raised his head and said with a smile:

"I heard Senior Brother Chen has been investigating Steward Song of Shang Gong Hall lately?"