Chapter 145 - 144: Assaulting the Innate Realm

Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Assaulting the Innate Realm

Meng Yu Jin chuckled at her disciple’s expression, shaking her head.

"Chen Yue has a resolute heart, and his diligence in cultivation is something ordinary people can’t match. As far as I know, apart from performing Alchemy to acquire necessary resources, he spends nearly all his time cultivating, completely focused. That’s something you should learn from."

Her words held no real blame. They were more a statement of fact and an acknowledgment of Chen Yue’s diligence.

Upon hearing this, Liu Wenying’s face fell. Even the fragrant, crispy pastry in her hand suddenly seemed less appealing.

"Master... What is *with* Junior Brother! He’s so young, yet besides Alchemy, all he does is hole up in his little courtyard to cultivate. He never sets foot outside. It’s so boring! What’s the fun in a life like that?"

She truly couldn’t comprehend Chen Yue’s ascetic, monk-like approach to cultivation. To her, such a life seemed utterly bleak and joyless.

Meng Yu Jin reached out and tapped Liu Wenying’s smooth forehead, not too hard and not too soft. "You," she said with a sigh.

"You just can’t seem to quiet your heart. When it comes to natural Talent and comprehension, you’re not lacking at all; one could even say you’re exceptional. But you have a flighty disposition. You can’t stand solitude and are constantly distracted by the outside world.

"If you had half of Chen Yue’s focus and perseverance, you would’ve broken through to the Marrow Refining Realm long ago, to say nothing of mastering the Fourth Layer of the Panshi Skill. Why else would you still be lingering at the Bone Forging Realm?"

The critique hit home. Liu Wenying shrank back, lowered her head, and silently took a bite of her pastry, not daring to argue.

She knew her master was right. When she cultivated each day, it was a feat to remain focused for even an hour or two. Any longer than that and she’d feel bored and restless, always looking for some fun.

Whether it was going down the mountain to wander around the Prefecture City, buying some new trinkets, or sampling all the local delicacies.

In fact, the pastries in her hand were from a secret trip she’d taken to the Prefecture City today, unable to bear the monotony of cultivation any longer.

She wanted to calm her mind and cultivate, to break through sooner. But her restless heart was like a bird that couldn’t be caged, always yearning for the dazzling world outside.

Meng Yu Jin looked at her young disciple’s ’I know I’m wrong, but I can’t help it’ expression, torn between exasperation and amusement. Just as she was about to offer a few more words of advice, her ear twitched. She heard footsteps approaching the courtyard gate.

The footsteps stopped outside the gate. A moment later, two soft knocks echoed, KNOCK KNOCK, followed by a clear, calm voice. "Master, it’s me, Chen Yue."

A smile returned to Meng Yu Jin’s face. "The gate isn’t locked. Come in."

Liu Wenying turned at the sound of his voice, a smile reappearing on her face. She looked toward the gate and enthusiastically waved the hand holding half a pastry. "Junior Brother!" she called out, her voice bright.

"You’re just in time! Come over, quickly! I bought pastries from Fucheng Crispy Fragrance Record. They’re delicious! You have to try..."

Her voice trailed off the instant she got a clear look at Chen Yue walking through the gate. The rest of her words caught in her throat.

The smile on her face froze. Her waving arm stopped mid-air. Her almond-shaped eyes went wide as she stared at Chen Yue, as if seeing her junior brother for the first time.

’Something’s wrong! Something is very wrong!’

Chen Yue looked the same as always—still dressed in a simple, blue disciple’s uniform, his posture straight and his expression placid.

But Liu Wenying was, after all, at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, and her Spiritual Sense was sharp. She could clearly feel that the aura surrounding Chen Yue had undergone a world-shaking transformation compared to when she had seen him just a few days ago.

His aura, already calmer and more profound than others at his level, was now even more restrained. It was like the surface of a deep, dark pool—perfectly still, yet concealing a heart-stopping, immense power in its depths.

’This is clearly...’

Liu Wenying snapped her head around to look at her master, Meng Yu Jin.

The moment Chen Yue stepped into the courtyard, Meng Yu Jin’s gaze was already fixed on him. The casual air about her had vanished, replaced by careful scrutiny.

Her eyes swept over Chen Yue. When she sensed the smooth, consolidated fluctuations of his aura, a flicker of surprise, almost too quick to see, crossed her face.

The surprise quickly melted into heartfelt gratification and approval. A broad smile spread across her face as she gave Chen Yue a slight nod.

Seeing the affirming, appreciative smile on her master’s face, the last shred of hope in Liu Wenying’s heart popped like a bubble.

The pastry in her hand trembled, nearly slipping from her fingers onto the stone table.

Liu Wenying whipped her head back around to stare at Chen Yue, who had now walked up to them. Her voice was dry with utter shock.

"J-Junior Brother... you broke through?"

Chen Yue stopped a few paces before Meng Yu Jin. He first bowed deeply with his fists clasped. "Disciple Chen Yue greets Master."

Then he turned to the still-petrified Liu Wenying and offered another polite bow. "Greetings, Senior Sister."

Only after completing his salutes did he straighten up to meet Meng Yu Jin’s smiling gaze and Liu Wenying’s wide, staring eyes.

"Master, Senior Sister," he began, "last night during my cultivation, I had a sudden insight and was fortunate enough to break through. I came today to report it to Master."

Chen Yue’s voice wasn’t loud, but to Liu Wenying’s ears, his words struck like a clap of thunder.

’An insight during cultivation last night... a fortunate breakthrough...’

Liu Wenying repeated his words silently in her mind. A complex cocktail of shock, bewilderment, and defeat washed over her, making her feel momentarily dizzy.

Just moments ago, she had been confidently telling her master that she couldn’t slack off because her junior brother was hot on her heels, and she was afraid he would surpass her.

And what happened?

She’d barely finished speaking when the man himself showed up. And he hadn’t just *almost* caught up—he had already blown past her!

Liu Wenying took a sharp breath, trying to calm the turmoil in her chest, but the air she drew in only made her feel more suffocated.

She looked at Chen Yue’s placid, unruffled face and remembered how she had just been complaining about how boring his cultivation was...

Her face burned. The pastry in her hand had lost all its fragrance; it almost felt hot enough to burn her.

’It hasn’t even been a month since Chen Yue became my junior brother. Is my position as senior sister already on the line? Am I about to become the junior sister instead?’

Meng Yu Jin looked at the respectful disciple standing before her, her smile widening and her eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

"Your breakthrough was much faster than I anticipated. Your foundation is solid, your aura is harmonious... it was a natural success. Good. Very good!"

Her emphatic praise was enough to show how pleased she was.

For Chen Yue to break through to Refining Marrow so quickly, and in such a perfect state, showed that his accumulated foundation and his diligence far exceeded her expectations.

Chen Yue’s expression remained calm and humble. "My success today is entirely thanks to you, Master, for teaching me the techniques and guiding me through my confusion. You are a great teacher; I dare not take any credit."

Meng Yu Jin’s smile deepened. "You’re being far too modest. You’ve never even sought me out for help. How could I have taught you that well? This is the result of your own diligence and insight."

Her tone shifted, a casual question laced with genuine concern. "The Soaring Void Nine Transitions and the Heart Method for the Fifth Layer of the Panshi Skill that I gave you a while back—has your study of them been going smoothly? Have you encountered any difficulties? Now is a good time to ask. Tell me."

At her words, something stirred in Chen Yue’s mind.

His original plan was to proceed step-by-step, relying on the panel’s assessments and his own deductions to slowly master the Cultivation Techniques to the point of Perfection.

When he encountered obscure passages, he would puzzle over them himself or seek answers through the process of cultivation.

In Youlin County, there had been no one to ask, so he had long grown accustomed to fumbling through on his own. Even now at the Panshi Sect, with a master to guide him, he subconsciously retained this habit.

Coupled with his packed cultivation schedule, he had never even considered actively seeking his master’s guidance on difficult aspects of the techniques.

But now that Meng Yu Jin had asked, a new possibility occurred to him.

’If I had my master’s high-level guidance, could I achieve a breakthrough in my understanding? Could it drastically increase the rate at which I gain proficiency in the techniques?’

He had never tried this before. A flicker of anticipation sparked within him.

"I do have a few questions, Master. I was just about to ask for your guidance."

Chen Yue’s expression turned serious. After a moment of thought, he began to list several obscure difficulties he had encountered while cultivating the Fifth Layer of the Panshi Skill and the Soaring Void Nine Transformations Profound Meaning.

At first, Meng Yu Jin listened with a smile, prepared to answer the sort of conventional questions a gifted but new disciple might have.

When Chen Yue posed his first question, however, her smile faltered.

After his second question, a look of surprise flashed in her eyes.

By the time Chen Yue had finished asking his five or six questions, Meng Yu Jin was completely taken aback.

Her bright eyes scrutinized the placid young man before her. ’These aren’t questions a disciple who just received the techniques should be able to ask.’

’These are the kind of problems one would only encounter after comprehending the Fifth Layer of the Panshi Skill and the Soaring Void Nine Transitions on an extremely deep level, and only after extensive practical application!’

She had assumed Chen Yue was focused solely on raising his Cultivation level. She never imagined that on top of his breakthrough, he had also comprehended these two cultivation techniques to such an astonishing degree!

Though her heart was in turmoil, Meng Yu Jin was a master at the peak of the Refining Organ Realm. Her mental fortitude was profound, and her expression returned to normal in an instant.

"The fact that you’re asking these questions shows that you’ve been cultivating deeply and diligently. That’s a good thing."

Her voice gentle, Meng Yu Jin began to answer his questions one by one.

She didn’t provide direct answers. Instead, she expounded from a higher perspective, touching on the foundational principles of the techniques and the relationship between the Heart Spirit and the physical body, guiding Chen Yue to find the answers himself.

Chen Yue listened with rapt attention, his expression shifting between sudden realization and deep contemplation. He felt that many sticking points he had previously puzzled over—impasses he could only overcome through sheer, grinding effort—were suddenly becoming clear under his master’s guidance, like the sun breaking through the clouds.

Vague feelings sharpened into clarity. Seemingly contradictory details revealed their underlying logic.

The master and disciple, one asking and one answering, became completely immersed in their discussion of the Martial Dao, losing all track of time.

Across the stone table, Liu Wenying, who had initially forced herself to perk up her ears and listen in, now wore a dazed expression. Her eyes were unfocused, the half-eaten pastry in her hand completely forgotten.

"I see now! Thank you for your guidance, Master! I will return and contemplate your words carefully, then verify them through my cultivation."

After a long while, Chen Yue mentally reviewed Meng Yu Jin’s explanations. He felt he had gained an immense amount; many points where he’d been stuck were now clear. He immediately stood and bowed deeply to Meng Yu Jin once more.

Meng Yu Jin’s face was also wreathed in a smile of pleasure and gratification.

Teaching a genius disciple who was not only incredibly diligent but also understood everything with the slightest hint was a rare pleasure and a source of great accomplishment for any master.

She had never experienced this kind of joy—the pure bliss of discussing the Martial Dao—when teaching the flighty Liu Wenying.

"It is good that you understand," Meng Yu Jin encouraged him warmly. "In the Martial Dao, a master can only lead you to the door; the journey is yours alone. I have seen your insight and your effort. Remember to guard against pride and impatience. Only then can you advance steadily."

"I will remember your teachings, Master," Chen Yue replied respectfully.

Seeing that his master had no further instructions and that Senior Sister Liu Wenying seemed to have her head in the clouds, he found it an opportune moment to take his leave.

As he left the courtyard and walked the path back to his own, Chen Yue was still savoring what he had learned, forming a clearer plan for his future cultivation.

Back in the courtyard, Liu Wenying stared in the direction Chen Yue had disappeared, her face a mask of utter dejection.

Meng Yu Jin glanced at her thoroughly crushed disciple and shook her head with a sigh. She knew this had been a major shock for Liu Wenying. Perhaps it would be enough to make her finally focus.

But Meng Yu Jin said no more. Some lessons had to be learned on one’s own.

Her gaze returned to the direction Chen Yue had taken, her eyes growing deep as thoughts churned in her mind.

’He’s reached the Marrow Refining Realm... and his understanding of the techniques is already this profound. At this rate, in two or three years—perhaps even less—he’ll be touching the threshold of the Refining Organ Realm!’

The thought startled even her.

’It seems I, his master, need to step up my game as well.’ A faint smile touched Meng Yu Jin’s lips.

She had been stuck at the peak of the Refining Organ Realm for some time now, steadily accumulating power and adjusting her condition to prepare for an assault on the abstruse Innate Acupoint Refining Realm.

She had planned on being more cautious, but now, witnessing her disciple’s meteoric rise, her own desire for valiant progress was kindled.

’Perhaps,’ she thought, ’it’s time to make a push for the Innate Realm.’