C7 Body Refining Level Nine

Hee Ziang's expression froze. The investigator wasn't looking into Senior Brother Yuan Yi. With the situation being urgent, Yuan Yi was still in the dark about the whole affair, not to mention trying to bribe the Law Enforcement Hall officers in charge of the investigation. Consequently, the records they held were accurate and unaltered.

Bang!

Hee Ziang slammed his hand down on the iron plate and stood up menacingly. Just as he leaned in to make a threat, Wang Yue cut in, "Senior Brother He, what are you planning to do? I'm quite faint-hearted and easily frightened. If I were to accidentally injure myself, the doctor would find the wounds during my check-up when I leave. And if I claimed it was an accident, I doubt the doctor would believe me!"

Hee Ziang's complexion shifted between pale and flushed, and he eventually sat back down.

He didn't know how to move forward. If Wang Yue spilled the beans about Yuan Yi, Hee Ziang would be in a world of trouble.

The situation had escalated significantly since Gu Lin's involvement. If the Law Enforcement Hall made a definitive ruling, Yuan Yi's future prospects would be grim. And if Yuan Yi's future was in jeopardy, the outlook for Hee Ziang, the one driving the case forward, was equally dire.

Yuan Yi's willingness to kill for a mere jade pendant was evidence enough of his ruthlessness.

"Do you have anything else to say, Senior Brother He? If not, I'll be on my way."

Hee Ziang hung his head in defeat and gestured for Wang Yue to leave.

"Don't think this is over," he muttered.

Wang Yue chuckled in response, "Of course it's not over. It's not over between you and me, and it's certainly not over between Yuan Yi and me. Sooner or later, you'll all be undone by my hand."

His voice was eerily calm, as if he were discussing something as mundane as eating or drinking.

Hee Ziang scoffed. He thought Wang Yue was getting too big for his boots. Having worked at the Law Enforcement Hall for many years, he had seen all types. To him, people like Wang Yue were no more than fleeting pests.

The more joyous they are, the quicker they meet their end.

Still, he couldn't completely dismiss Wang Yue. Tales of lightning unlocking hidden potential were the stuff of legends, and while such individuals often met an early demise within a decade or two, during that time, they were nothing short of prodigious. Wang Yue's recent progress was a testament to that—advancing from Body Refining Level Four to Body Refining Level Six in just half a month, outperforming two Senior Brothers who had reached Body Refining Level Seven three years prior. It was nothing short of astounding.

He stroked his chin thoughtfully, a malevolent gleam in his eyes.

"Hmm, he goes to gather herbs every day, right? Relying on those medicinal brews to enhance his cultivation, his body is bound to accumulate a significant amount of Medicine Poison. If it builds up too much, he'll definitely be unable to break through to the Qi Refining Stage. He'll just be wasting years until the Medicine Poison finally clears out, and who knows how many years that will be? So, if we want to take him down, targeting the Medicine Poison is the way to go!"

All medicines have their toxins, not just medicinal soups, but most Spirit Pills carry a risk of pill poison. Only the Blood Soul Pill, refined countless times and developed over generations of dedicated research, is free of such toxins.

The issue isn't the level of alchemy skill; it's the pill formula itself. It's incredibly challenging to compensate for these inherent flaws in the formula.

Outer Sect Disciples, let alone Inner Sect Disciples, rarely have access to pills without pill poison, except for True Inheritance Disciples. And even then, unless their master treats them as their own, the resources they enjoy will be limited.

...

Wang Yue moved through the forest with the swiftness of an arrow, embodying the essence of the Arrow Walking Fast Step technique.

He had reached Body Refining Level Seven, his skin impervious to blades and spears, and not even the fiercest of tigers or leopards could tear through it.

Advancing beyond Level Seven required infusing strong strength into the internal organs—a daunting challenge for many, but not for Wang Yue.

"In one month, the Inner Sect Assessment will take place. I must reach the Qi Refining Stage by then," Wang Yue resolved.

Transitioning from an Outer Sect Disciple to an Inner Sect Disciple isn't just about achieving the Qi Refining Stage; it also requires passing the Inner Sect Assessment. Only those who succeed in the assessment can claim the title of a true Inner Sect Disciple.

The Inner Sect Assessment occurs biannually. If he doesn't reach the Qi Refining Stage or pass the Outer Sect Assessment this time, he'll have to wait another six months.

Every year, over three thousand disciples from the Outer Sect Nine Peaks participate in the assessment, yet fewer than five hundred manage to become Inner Sect Disciples. These successful candidates have often undergone two or three assessments, gaining a solid understanding of the process. The difficulty of the assessment is, therefore, quite evident.

For those disciples whose five-year term is up, this assessment represents their final opportunity. Failure could mean a fortunate placement in the Law Enforcement Hall or, less auspiciously, a future as a mere servant.

Within the sect, the Qi Refining Stage hardly qualifies as combat strength. Consequently, even though the treatment is somewhat better than that of the Body Refining Stage, the difference is marginal.

Now, a critical choice confronts these Outer Sect Disciples with only one last chance: they must find a way to displace Wang Yue from the Inner Sect Assessment.

Wang Yue is under no illusion that Senior Brother Yuan Yi will calmly allow him to become an Inner Sect Disciple. While neither Inner nor Outer Sect Disciples are the sect's main focus, Inner Sect Disciples undoubtedly receive more attention, and the Inner Sect Law Enforcement Hall enforces discipline far more stringently than its Outer Sect counterpart.

It stands to reason that once Wang Yue joins the Inner Sect, Yuan Yi will struggle to find another opportunity to strike. But should he choose to act, it would mean Yuan Yi himself taking direct action, presenting a far greater danger than any challenge from the Outer Sect.

Wang Yue is not one to underestimate his fellow Inner Sect Disciple at the Qi Refining Level Seven; this individual is no ordinary time-waster from the Outer Sect.

Upon returning to his residence, Wang Yue was surprised to find two Qi Refining Stage senior brothers from Chaos Cloud Peak waiting outside his room. Their eyes brightened at the sight of him.

"Junior Brother Wang!"

The senior brothers were each holding a large bundle. Even from a distance, Wang Yue could detect the aroma of medicinal herbs emanating from the bags.

"Senior Brothers, what brings you here?" Wang Yue inquired, sensing that their intentions might not be entirely benevolent.

The contents of the bags were exactly what he needed. While the exact age of the herbs was unclear, they were certainly not of poor quality.

"Junior Brother Wang, here's the thing. We've heard that you've mastered Explosive Strength, and with the Inner Sect Assessment fast approaching, we thought..."

The two senior brothers appeared rather sheepish.

"We heard that you've been searching for these herbs, Junior Brother Wang, and... well, we didn't know what else to bring, so we gathered some over the past three days, hoping you could offer us some guidance."

With that, they handed over their hefty bags of herbs. Wang Yue estimated the weight; it seemed to be enough for a whole month.

Why refuse a gift that's been brought to your doorstep? Explosive Strength wasn't overly complex, and since he was open to sharing it with his peers from the Sixteen Academies, it made no difference if it spread to Chaos Cloud Peak.

After he shared the details of Explosive Strength, the senior brothers took diligent notes before bidding farewell.

Despite the brief interaction, Wang Yue had a clear read on them: they were sincere and well-meaning, just a bit oblivious to the world beyond their training.

To put it another way, they were the classic cases of practitioners who had trained so intensely that they were out of touch with the subtleties of their surroundings, to the point where they didn't even know the purpose of the herbs they'd brought.

Or to phrase it differently, if not for someone egging them on, providing them with a strategy, they would've been too bashful to seek advice with their thin skins.

As for who was behind their sudden strategic insight, Wang Yue didn't need to guess.

"Hehe, if you're keen on playing the role of couriers and transporters, I'll gladly accept your generosity. I just wonder what your faces will look like when I reach the Qi Refining Stage!"

Was half a month's supply of herbs sufficient?

Not by a long shot!

So, in the days that followed, two more groups arrived, unlike the first pair. They came solely to deliver herbs. Learning Explosive Strength was merely a bonus for them, and they brought enough for a month, as if intending for Wang Yue to dine on herbs for every meal.

Wang Yue didn't hold back with these folks. He accepted their offerings and taught them Explosive Strength, though the depth of what he taught...

Well, let's just say he kept a few secrets.

Thanks to the abundant supply of herbs, within five days, Wang Yue had advanced to Body Refining Level Eight. After twenty days, he had reached Body Refining Level Nine.

Whoosh!

Atop the mountain peak, Wang Yue's breaths cut through the air like twin sword qi. Of course, this was merely an illusion, but Wang Yue was aware that once he reached the Qi Refining Stage, this would become reality.

The synergy between the Five-prison Moving Technique and the Food Sunset Technique was alarmingly potent.

The Five-prison Moving Technique demanded constant eating, and the Food Sunset Technique was designed to facilitate this endless consumption. While the Five-prison Moving Technique struggled to deal with the body's waste and toxins, the Food Sunset Technique efficiently absorbed what was useful and expelled the rest.

For an average person to consume three meals a day, each consisting of half a bucket of rice and two bowls of medicine, would be detrimental to their health. Yet, the more Wang Yue ate, the stronger he became.

His internal organs had been trained to a certain level. Although this was just the beginning for the Five-prison Moving Technique, his progress was swift.

Individually, the Five-prison Moving Technique and the Food Sunset Technique were considered superior practices. However, when combined, they formed an exceptionally rapid cultivation method.

Aside from his large appetite and dependence on medicinal sustenance, there were no other downsides.

"It's time," he thought. "At Body Refining Level Nine, I should select a breathing technique. While the Food Sunset Technique is an excellent method for both breathing and Qi Refining, it would be wise to adopt a disguise to keep it concealed."

The Outer Sect's Martial Scripture Pavilion housed over nine thousand volumes of Secret Inheritance Level Martial Arts, many of which had not been perused in years.

The Outer Sect held lectures every five days, where instructors would elucidate martial arts to the Outer Sect Disciples and recommend noteworthy techniques from the Pavilion.

Outer Sect Disciples devoted the bulk of their time to advancing their cultivation, learning only a handful of techniques to prepare for the Outer Sect Trial.

Wang Yue's visit to the Martial Scripture Pavilion to select a Breathing Arts technique was, unsurprisingly, noted by Yuan Yi.