Chapter 92: The Junior Brother’s Auspicious Words

Chapter 92: Chapter 92: The Junior Brother’s Auspicious Words

"Senior Brother, I feel like something’s different about you."

During breakfast, while Ye Linglong was away returning the food container, Ji Suyao finally voiced her confusion. She had wanted to ask the moment she saw him this morning. It wasn’t just her; she was certain Ye Linglong had wanted to ask, too, but they simply hadn’t found the right opportunity.

"How am I different?"

Liu Chen couldn’t help but ask. Just now, when Senior Brother Yang left with the food container, he had looked like he wanted to say something but held back. Now his junior sister was asking the same thing. This could only mean the change was rather obvious.

"Hmm... I can’t put my finger on it. Even though you look the same as yesterday, I just have this feeling that you’re different."

Ji Suyao said, frowning. If she really had to pinpoint what was different, she couldn’t describe it.

"It’s likely an after-effect of a breakthrough with a Magic. I’ll be back to normal in a few days. You don’t need to worry, Junior Sister."

Liu Chen nodded; he understood what was going on. His Resting Technique couldn’t conceal the aura of his Cultivation now that he’d reached the Body Tempering Peak. In the past, though Liu Chen was at the Body Tempering Peak, his two junior sisters had grown accustomed to it. Besides, they had never seen anyone else at the Body Tempering Peak.

But Liu Chen had now reached what could be called Peak Perfection, having stepped into a whole new Realm. The Resting Technique was therefore even more useless, and the fluctuations he unintentionally released were causing the unusual reactions from Senior Brother Yang and his junior sister.

Even though he’d told his junior sister not to worry, Liu Chen was already planning to adjust his cultivation schedule. ’I’ll set aside the Body Protection Technique for now and first focus on cultivating my Resting Technique until it reaches the Unique level.’

’There are about three days left. Previously, I would have thought it was hopeless, but this morning, while practicing the Body Protection Technique, I discovered something. With the Cyan Lotus Bamboo Leaf Spirit Pattern now complete, the Proficiency I gain each time I cast the Body Protection Technique is double the previous amount.’

’If I go all out cultivating the Resting Technique for these three days, it should be enough to raise it to the Unique level.’

’I still need to perform the Meridian Passage three times today, but I can dedicate the remaining two days entirely to the Resting Technique. This anomaly is just too obvious right now. It’s better to find a way to conceal it first.’

"As long as you’re okay."

After hearing his explanation, Ji Suyao breathed a sigh of relief. Liu Chen watched her quietly, ’I wonder if my junior sister is truly concerned about me, or if it’s just about the Spiritual Cuisine.’

After breakfast, once Liu Chen had confirmed there were no issues with his two junior sisters’ Body Tempering, he found a secluded spot and began his Meridian Passage cultivation. The pain was much less severe this time compared to his last session.

An hour passed leisurely. Liu Chen sat cross-legged under the Cyan Bamboo, allowing the Spirit Pattern to soothe the soreness and swelling in his Ren and Du Meridians.

’The Spirit Pattern repairs my meridians, and the Spiritual Cuisine replenishes my Spiritual Power. At this rate, I can perform the Meridian Passage Technique four times a day.’

Liu Chen mused, his eyes narrowing. ’My thinking was correct. If it weren’t for the trial, I could reach the Beginner level with the Meridian Passage Technique tomorrow morning and step into the Meridian Passage Realm.’

But unfortunately, there were no "what ifs." The trial was unavoidable.

He still had one and a half hours before he needed to prepare lunch, so Liu Chen used all of it to practice the Resting Technique. Previously, one practice session of the Resting Technique granted ten Proficiency points; now it granted twenty.

[Resting Technique: Perfection, 600/10000]

By the time he started preparing lunch, Liu Chen was quite satisfied with the Proficiency he’d accumulated in his Resting Technique. The path to the Unique level was a path to hiding the aura of a Peak cultivator. Liu Chen had reached the very end of the Body Tempering Peak; once he succeeded, his Resting Technique would be able to fool any Cultivator in the Body Tempering Realm.

And when he reached the Meridian Passage Peak, it would be able to fool any Cultivator in the Meridian Passage Realm. Liu Chen was now developing a keen interest in this concealment method, one he had once dismissed as ineffective.

---

"Junior Brother Yang, is what you said before still on?"

As noon approached, Yang Haichen was heading to the rear mountain as usual when he heard a vaguely familiar voice. Turning around instinctively, Yang Haichen saw the Inner Sect senior brother who had been asking for Spiritual Cuisine—Ren Xunchun.

"Is Senior Brother Ren referring to the Spiritual Cuisine?"

Yang Haichen looked back at him, recalling their previous conversation. He had told him the only way to get Spiritual Cuisine from a True Disciple without causing any hard feelings was to trade for it. The price was a Body Protection Spiritual Artifact, one that, by the usual standard, had to be strong enough to withstand a full-power blow from someone at the Meridian Passage Late Stage.

"Of course, it’s about the Spiritual Cuisine. This is the Jade Sea Pearl. It can withstand a full-power blow from a cultivator at the Meridian Passage Late Stage."

Ren Xunchun nodded and took out an azure pearl, handing it to Yang Haichen. Though he was clearly reluctant to part with it, he wanted the Spiritual Cuisine to help him break through to the Meridian Passage Realm as quickly as possible after the trial began.

His strength in the Body Tempering Realm was average. The only way he could gain an advantage in the trial was to advance to the Meridian Passage Realm first.

"Senior Brother, please wait a moment. I haven’t gotten the Spiritual Cuisine yet."

Yang Haichen accepted the Jade Sea Pearl and walked directly toward the rear mountain. As he did, he clearly sensed the threads of Spiritual Sense that had been lingering nearby vanish. Apparently, the True Disciple had overheard them.

Ren Xunchun watched Yang Haichen’s retreating back. He hesitated for a long time but ultimately said nothing. Body Protection Magical Artifacts were not easy to come by; that one had been his own. Trading it for Spiritual Cuisine meant he would be without a Body Protection Magical Artifact during the trial.

But Ren Xunchun felt it was worth it. The Fire Dragon Valley had already been swept once by the Three Immortal Sects. In that case, there shouldn’t be any Meridian Passage Late Stage cultivators going there to throw their lives away.

A short while later, Yang Haichen emerged from the bamboo grove and handed the food container directly to Ren Xunchun.

"I wish you success in advance, Senior Brother Ren."

Yang Haichen didn’t know what sacrifices this senior brother had made to obtain the Body Protection Magical Artifact, but the fact that he was willing to risk offending a True Disciple for Spiritual Cuisine was admirable. Besides, he was also a disciple of Purple Bamboo Peak. Naturally, Yang Haichen didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.

"May your words prove true, Junior Brother."

Ren Xunchun left with a smile, his eyes full of confidence. He believed that he could succeed, that he could make progress in the trial after advancing to the Meridian Passage Realm, and most importantly, that he could complete the trial alive.

The time between the end of lunch and preparing dinner was exactly three hours. Liu Chen spent one hour on Meridian Passage and the remaining two hours practicing the Resting Technique.

The time from after dinner until bedtime was another three hours. He spent one hour on Body Tempering and the other two, again, practicing the Resting Technique.

[Purple Bamboo Scripture Meridian Passage Chapter: Not yet Beginner, 80/100]

[Resting Technique: Perfection, 2200/10000]

’After a busy day of cultivation, I’m pretty satisfied with my Proficiency gains,’ Liu Chen thought, looking at the notifications. ’I don’t need to practice the Meridian Passage Chapter for the remaining two days, so I can use all that time for the Resting Technique. That should be just about enough time.’

Excluding time for rest and preparing three meals a day, Liu Chen could cultivate for eight and a half hours daily. Over two days, that would be seventeen hours spent practicing the Resting Technique.

[Resting Technique: Perfection, 9000/10000]

’Still a little short. I’ll have to see if I can find time to practice tomorrow.’

Late at night on August 31st, Liu Chen sighed wearily and finally chose to rest. The trial would begin tomorrow; he had to conserve his energy.