"Greetings, Senior Brother Jiang!"
Luo Tong cupped his hands in greeting with perfect ease, a smile of just the right warmth on his face.
He was no foppish fool blind to the circumstances. From Li Ruohan's attitude, and even Xiao Tongquan's, he could tell that this Senior Brother Jiang was highly valued-certainly no creature destined to remain in a pond.
"So young-he looks even younger than me-and already at the fourth level of Qi Refining. Senior Brother Jiang has a great future ahead of him. He's sure to become an Inner Peaks disciple!"
Luo Tong's thoughts raced as he silently considered:
Compared with that stingy, shortsighted Zhou Can, Senior Brother Jiang could help me much more.
If he enters the Inner Peaks, he could be a powerful ally!
I need to speak to my sister again and make sure she finds some way to 'mend old ties' with Senior Brother Jiang!
Before long, they arrived on the second floor of Heshui Cave.
This time, they had a better private room.
Wang Heng led the way and pushed open the door, revealing a suspended platform with railings on three sides, offering sweeping views of the rolling snowy peaks and sea of clouds.
The mountain wind howled, carrying flurries of snow, but several floor-standing screens blocked it perfectly. Clusters of spiritual light radiated from them, dispelling the bone-piercing chill.
"A fine place."
Xiao Tongquan nodded in praise and took the seat of honor first, his manner composed and naturally dignified.
A broad tea table stood in the center. Wisps of white steam curled from a jade pot upon it, carrying a crisp, clear fragrance.
The others sat down after him.
Smiling, Lu Yun poured Xiao Tongquan a cup of hot tea.
"Senior Brother Xiao, try this Snow-Capped Peak Embracing Green. It's a newly planted spiritual tea from Herb-Gathering Peak that ripens only in the depths of winter."
Xiao Tongquan accepted it. The tea was a clear emerald green, its buds and leaves unfurled. With a light sip, a clear breath went straight to the space between his brows.
"Not bad. Herb-Gathering Peak is doing better and better. Of the Outer Sect's Four Peaks, yours and Sewing Peak bring in the most each year. Your purses are the fullest, and your lives the most comfortable."
Lu Yun smiled proudly, as though sharing in the honor.
Only after Xiao Tongquan had tasted the tea did the others lift their cups.
Wang Heng added his praise:
"Excellent tea indeed. Thank you, Senior Brother Lu."
Li Ruohan lightly gathered her sleeves, her gaze passing over the spirited, impressive-looking Jiang Yi as a small flutter of delight stirred in her heart.
Then she turned her eyes toward the mountain ranges clad in silver and white and said with a smile:
"Heavy snow has sealed the mountains, the year's end is approaching, and work in the outer sect has stopped.
"Spring will arrive in three months. Here, I wish all my senior brothers a rise into the azure clouds and a lasting place in the Inner Peaks."
Wang Heng and Lu Yun exchanged wry smiles. They knew they would most likely be mere also-rans. The Inner Peaks assessment was extremely difficult; cultivation at the fourth level of Qi Refining was far from enough.
Besides, direct descendants of local clans had always cherished their lives and guarded their safety.
Unless absolutely certain, they were unwilling to venture into danger lightly and stake their lives in a fight.
They reckoned they would have to endure another few years, honing their cultivation!
"Of everyone here, only Senior Brother Xiao is all but certain to succeed!"
Lu Yun laughed heartily.
"I'll offer tea in place of wine and drink to you first!"
Xiao Tongquan had already reached the fifth level of Qi Refining. Though he had yet to open his Inner Mansion of the Origin Gate, he was strong enough to look down upon the outer peaks and rank first among them.
In particular, Senior Brother Xiao's origins were far from ordinary. He had ties to the imperial family of the former Yu Kingdom, and the wealth of cultivation resources supplied to him would make even Inner Peaks disciples envious.
"Senior Brother Xiao's renown shines across the four peaks and thunders in everyone's ears! I've long admired your great name. Let me offer a toast as well!"
Luo Tong eagerly picked up the conversation, hoping to make himself known to Xiao Tongquan and leave a deeper impression.
Xiao Tongquan accepted all this flattery and praise without reservation.
Sipping the fragrant tea, he remarked casually:
"If I enter the Inner Peaks, I'll probably become Elder Xu's disciple.
"A few days ago, Elder Xu privately taught me the Metal-Breaking Jade-Cleaving Qi Blade Art for use in the assessment."
Wang Heng and Lu Yun exchanged a glance, both filled with envy.
In past years, the Inner Peaks had selected one resource site, such as the Cave of Myriad Beasts, Heart-Seizing Forest, or Soulfall Gorge, for the assessment.
The many Mortal Laborers seeking to compete for an Inner Peaks place would enter it and complete a commission from Qigong Court.
Strictly speaking, it was neither entirely difficult nor entirely easy.
First, one needed sufficient cultivation-at least the fourth level of Qi Refining-to protect oneself.
Second, one had to master defensive means and have no fear of the dangers lurking throughout the resource sites!
Direct descendants of local clans like Wang Heng and Lu Yun were stuck at this very step.
As the saying went, a method was worth ten thousand in gold, and a single art was hard to obtain.
Most cultivation secrets circulating outside the Dharma Lineages were ungraded, commonplace fare like the Proper Meridian Qi Circulation Art.
Even a prominent local clan like the Bojun Li Clan treasured only a scant few cultivation methods of the Ninth Grade of Qi Refining.
Then there was the fact that methods were hard to obtain and arts hard to master.
Without investing considerable time and effort in painstaking practice and contemplation, comprehending an art's profound mysteries was extremely difficult.
"Methods are hard to obtain, and arts hard to master! Those words are true enough. Elder Xu only gave me the complete text, without any further guidance."
A gloomy look appeared between Xiao Tongquan's brows.
"These past few days, I've studied it day and night, exhausting my mind, yet I still cannot grasp its true essence. It really has worried me to death!"
By the end, Xiao Tongquan sounded somewhat dejected. He abruptly tipped his head back and drained his tea.
Tsk, Senior Brother Xiao isn't all that gifted.
Jiang Yi lowered his head to drink, quietly making himself invisible, while inwardly grumbling.
Only through chatting with Yang Xun had he learned that there was no universal approach to cultivating the Dao and refining spells. Ten thousand people had ten thousand paths.
Simply put, a cultivation method of the Ninth Grade of Qi Refining could branch into numerous versions because cultivators understood it differently.
For prominent clans like the Bojun Li Clan, part of their accumulated foundation lay in their ancestors' "Manuscripts of annotations" on the secrets of Method Formulas.
If someone could take an original cultivation text, begin practicing directly without consulting any predecessor's interpretations, and then pass thirty-percent mastery and reach perfection...
In Yang Xun's exact words, that person was a born talent for the Dao of the Divine Palace and Celestial Mansion caliber!
Thus, it was perfectly normal for Xiao Tongquan to feel dejected.
He knew full well that this was Elder Xu's "test," yet he had been unable to show what he could do and win his favor.
The more anxious he grew, the more agonizing it became!
Jiang Yi could not help remembering when he had first obtained the Lesser Forging Origin Fire-Control Art. He had actually been brimming with enthusiasm to teach himself.
Looking back now, he had been rather like a frog at the bottom of a well, making a laughingstock of himself before the knowledgeable.
While Jiang Yi idled in silence, Luo Tong spoke with an ingratiating smile:
"I've long heard that Senior Brother Xiao's family learning runs deep, and that your knowledge and experience are beyond those of ordinary people! How could a mere Method Formula of the Ninth Grade of Qi Refining possibly stump you?"
His words made Xiao Tongquan's brows sink. Beside him, Wang Heng's and Lu Yun's expressions also shifted slightly.
Li Ruohan, who had brought Luo Tong, was even more startled and nearly overturned the teacup she was handling.
Junior Brother Luo, you said the wrong thing!
Many people across the Outer Sect's Four Peaks knew that Xiao Tongquan was suspected to be a descendant of the former Yu Kingdom's imperial family.
They regarded this as the fundamental reason behind Senior Brother Xiao's extraordinary bearing and outstanding presence.
But only "insiders" close to him, such as Wang Heng, Lu Yun, and Li Ruohan, knew that discussion of his family background was Senior Brother Xiao's greatest taboo.
Luo Tong had tried to pat the horse's rump, only to slap its leg instead.
"Senior Brother Xiao..."
Li Ruohan intended to salvage the situation.
After all, she had brought him here, so naturally she had to shoulder part of the responsibility.
"It's fine. Those who don't know are not to blame."
Xiao Tongquan waved a hand to interrupt her. Ignoring Luo Tong's puzzled expression, he quietly changed the subject:
"It's been a long time since I gathered with you all. I can't help recalling our early days in the outer sect, when we tested our cultivation against one another and helped each other advance. Those days were truly unforgettable.
"There are Inner Peaks places every year. Whether a step faster or slower, we'll all meet at the summit in the end.
"Since we're in good spirits today, let me demonstrate my cultivation and abilities for you!
"May you reach the fifth level soon and enter the Inner Peaks!"
"Please demonstrate your arts, Senior Brother Xiao!"
Wang Heng and Lu Yun spoke in unison.
The two subtly shifted their seats, putting some distance between themselves and Luo Tong.
The latter noticed nothing, his attention held firmly by Xiao Tongquan.
The fifth level of Qi Refining!
In the outer sect, that was enough to oversee an entire department!
Within a clan, that would make him a formidable figure on the level of an ancestor!
Senior Brother Xiao formed hand seals with his right hand and gave a low cry of "Rise!"
Vast True Qi surged from his body like a celestial river cascading down, magnificent in its might.
The air shook and roared, pressing upon everyone's chests until they felt stifled, as though bearing enormous boulders.
This Senior Brother Xiao's cultivation is so profound...
Jiang Yi's eyelids twitched slightly. To his senses, the cultivation and power Xiao Tongquan displayed fell only a fraction short of Yang Xun's.
"Condense!" Xiao Tongquan uttered another word. The ceaseless torrent of True Qi abruptly curled back, transforming into a gigantic palm.
"Go!" With another low cry, the enormous True Qi palm, several zhang across, shot through the air with overwhelming force!
Xiao Tongquan calmly formed hand seals, directing the giant palm to grab and seize, producing muffled, thunderous booms!
The howling mountain wind, snowflakes filling the sky, and surging clouds all shattered beneath that palm, turning into wildly dancing air currents!
Once the palm struck, the True Qi dispersed, but Xiao Tongquan did not stop. He slowly approached the railing, changed his finger seals again, and specks of dark light rose from his seven apertures.
Between exhalations and inhalations, the water nature nurtured throughout his body transformed into a vast mass of black clouds, pouring down like a waterfall!
Splash!
It was like surging black water, scouring and ravaging everything!
Wherever it passed, trees toppled, snapped, and shattered. Everything within a dozen or more zhang was reduced to ruin!
So this is the fifth level of Qi Refining?
Jiang Yi held his breath, marveling inwardly.
What formidable means!
Golden light flashed in his eyes, and the Heavenly Book appeared in reflection.
[Heavenly Book, I humbly ask you to show me the answer directly: where does Soul-Nourishing Peak's Xiao Tongquan rank in overall strength among the Mortal Laborers of the Qianji Sect's outer four peaks?]
This was the latest use Jiang Yi had discovered.
Questions like this involved no detailed deductions, so the Heavenly Book responded extremely quickly.
By asking for only a brief answer rather than specific details, he could save a great deal of time, since no excessive deduction was required.
[First]
Jiang Yi was unsurprised. Taking Xiao Tongquan as his "combat strength benchmark," he asked another question.
[Heavenly Book, I humbly ask you to show me the answer directly: where does Crimson Flame Peak's Jiang Yi rank in overall strength among the Mortal Laborers of the Qianji Sect's outer four peaks?]
Two or three breaths passed.
[Seventh]
Jiang Seven, then? Tsk, that's rather far behind, and it doesn't sound good either!
Jiang Yi took a deep breath and reflected inwardly. He still bore a heavy burden and had a long road ahead before he could look down upon the Outer Sect's Four Peaks!
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