Calamity Cause

Empty Mountain Sect had a total of more than twenty-five thousand Outer Court Disciples.

The place where the Outer Court Disciples lived and cultivated was a stretch of flatland between Kongyuan Mountain and Linwu Mountain.

The cultivators of Empty Mountain Sect called this stretch of flatland the Outer Court.

Compared to the ethereal Immortal Qi of the Three Mountains Four Peaks, the Outer Court had a much stronger worldly air about it.

Rather than a cultivation sect, the Outer Court looked more like a small town.

"Yujia Grass, three Spirit Stones per tael! Come have a look!"

"Calming Powder, Calming Powder! Made by Yunyin Peak's Pill Hall, guaranteed authentic! Ten Spirit Stones per dose, same price for young and old!"

"Anyone want the Inner Core of a Second-order Yao Beast? The price is negotiable!"

The Outer Court Disciples with roadside stalls kept hawking their wares along the street.

Chen Yan sat outside a teahouse nearby. The porcelain cup on his table held medicinal tea brewed from Yujia Grass.

Nourishing tendons and strengthening bones, gently soothing the mind—that was what Yujia Grass did.

Time really flew.

Half a month had passed since Chen Yan was reborn.

For that entire half month, he had been meditating in seclusion in his quarters.

After taking four Qi Guiding Pills, Chen Yan had finally broken through to the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.

It was an achievement he had failed to reach in his previous life, even after twenty-eight years.

It had to be said: the Qi Guiding Pills Lu Li had given him were several times more potent than the ones Chen Yan had obtained from the Outer Court's Treasure Pavilion in his previous life.

"Inner Sect goods really are pure."

Chen Yan took another sip of medicinal tea, then smacked his lips.

"Senior Brother Chen?"

That familiar, lilting voice rang out again.

A beautiful young girl, her features still carrying a hint of childishness, stood nearby, looking toward Chen Yan with a mixture of confusion and delight.

Cheng Ziying was a year younger than Chen Yan. Since her quarters were next to his, the two had always been quite close.

Her talent for cultivation far surpassed Chen Yan's.

In his previous life, three years from now, when Cheng Ziying was seventeen, her cultivation would have already reached the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

At the time, Chen Yan would still be stuck in the middle stage.

He had felt rather ashamed that the Junior Sister who had once followed him around had far surpassed him in cultivation.

That was precisely why Chen Yan had started avoiding Cheng Ziying, and their relationship had gradually grown distant.

But when Chen Yan heard that Cheng Ziying had advanced to the Qi Condensation Realm, he had come to terms with it.

People were born with different levels of talent.

Why couldn't he accept that he was simply mediocre?

Yet the Heavenly Dao had played Chen Yan a cruel joke.

Cheng Ziying had died.

She had died in the calamity that befell her at nineteen.

So as Chen Yan looked at Junior Sister Cheng, alive and standing right in front of him, a sudden sense of melancholy welled up inside him.

He had no special feelings for her. He was simply struck by the cruel twists of fate.

Chen Yan smiled and nodded at Cheng Ziying.

"Senior Brother Chen, where have you been for the past half month? Why haven't I seen you at the Martial Arts Hall?"

Cheng Ziying asked curiously.

The Martial Arts Hall was where cultivators sparred, fought duels, and gathered.

Normally, Body Tempering Realm cultivators would gather there to attract Qi, temper their bodies, and forge their foundations.

"I was in seclusion," Chen Yan replied.

"In seclusion?"

Cheng Ziying blinked, then let out a giggle, her expression turning playfully reproachful.

"If you don't want to say, that's fine. What kind of seclusion would a Body Tempering Realm cultivator be in?"

Chen Yan said nothing.

Since being reborn, his most pressing wish had been to advance to the Martial Spring Realm as quickly as possible.

With his aptitude, breaking through would require a vast amount of resources.

So how could he get his hands on the resources he needed?

He remembered the bottle of Qi Guiding Pills Lu Li had given him.

Chen Yan had an idea.

He laid his right hand flat on the tea table. A few wisps of true qi spilled out and circled his palm.

Cheng Ziying froze, then stared at Chen Yan in shock.

"Qi Condensation Realm? Senior Brother Chen, what kind of monster are you? Half a month ago, you were still in the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm, weren't you?"

Half a month ago, Chen Yan had been in the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm. Now, he had reached the Qi Condensation Realm!

That kind of cultivation speed was beyond the bounds of genius.

And his true qi had taken shape... That meant Chen Yan's cultivation had already reached the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.

Fifteen days to go from the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm to the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm?

Not just in Empty Mountain Sect—even across the entire history of Chenping Continent, there had never been another case like it!

Cheng Ziying felt as if her entire worldview had been shaken to its foundations.

"By the way, what brings you to the market?"

"Ah!"

As though she had just remembered something, Cheng Ziying slapped her forehead.

"The Prefectural Senior Sister at the Martial Arts Hall asked me to pick up some medicinal ingredients for her. I almost forgot!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Cheng Ziying hurried out of the teahouse.

"..."

Chen Yan picked up the half-cup of medicinal tea left on the table and drained it.

Then he glanced at the other customers in the teahouse, as well as the proprietor.

The teahouse was small. Everyone inside should have been able to hear his conversation with Cheng Ziying.

He had done it on purpose.

He wanted word of his having reached the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm to spread as quickly as possible.

Not just any late-stage Qi Condensation Realm cultivator, but one who had reached it at fifteen.

A genius.

Even in the Inner Sect, anyone who reached the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm at fifteen was unquestionably a genius.

Once the news spread, would the sect's powerful figures take an interest in him?

The answer was yes.

First, enter the Inner Sect. Then use its superior cultivation resources to break through to the Martial Spring Realm.

That was Chen Yan's plan.

As for whether he might become just another face in the crowd later, he would worry about that later.

Getting into the Inner Sect and reaching the Martial Spring Realm came first. That was what mattered.

Would the plan go smoothly?

Chen Yan didn't know.

Night fell.

Chen Yan sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed, regulating his breath.

True qi circulated endlessly through his body. It slowed briefly as it passed through his lower abdomen—the location of his Martial Spring.

Once his Martial Spring could continuously pour out true qi to supply his meridians, like a babbling spring, he would be able to step into the Martial Spring Realm.

Though Chen Yan had officially become a late-stage Qi Condensation Realm cultivator, he knew just how vast the gap between himself and the Martial Spring Realm was.

He knew all too well what his talent was like.

If he stayed holed up in the sect's Outer Court, he might never break through to the Martial Spring Realm in his entire life.

"..."

Chen Yan frowned.

For some reason, his head suddenly felt heavy and his body grew weak.

It wasn't sleepiness. It was something else...

With a thud, Chen Yan collapsed onto the bed, his consciousness gradually fading.

The door to his quarters swung open from the outside. Several people entered, their footsteps stopping beside Chen Yan's bed.

With his consciousness blurred, he could only make out a few shadows.

"Is it him?"

"That's right."

"Cultivation level?"

"Late-stage Qi Condensation Realm."

"Tsk. Half a month ago, he was still in the early stage of Body Tempering Realm, wasn't he?"

"Yes. What should we do?"

"Calamity Cause. Make it disappear."

"Understood."

A flash of Blade Light streaked by, and Chen Yan's consciousness vanished completely.