Chapter 497 - 172: Commotion in the Sect, Another Breakthrough

The boost from the Bone Marrow Tempering Pill was truly remarkable.

...

Time flew by as Yang Jing trained relentlessly day and night.

Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye. The grass and trees on the mountains grew ever more lush, and the season quietly shifted to June.

「June 1st.」

As the sun rose in the early morning, golden light bathed every peak of the Xuanzhen Sect.

A scarlet notice was posted before the gates of the Main Peak Steward Hall. At the very top, three bold words were written: Fushan Grand Tournament!

It quickly drew an ever-growing crowd of disciples, and the atmosphere grew increasingly lively and boisterous.

The notice clearly laid out all the details of the Fushan Grand Tournament.

The Fushan Grand Tournament would be officially held on June 10th.

The rewards for the top three were jaw-droppingly generous.

In addition to three drops of Yunqiao Jade Marrow and permanent access to a Class B Training Room, the first-place winner would receive an additional two hundred thousand Contribution Points.

The second-place winner would receive two drops of Yunqiao Jade Marrow, two months of access to a Class B Training Room, and one hundred and fifty thousand Contribution Points.

The third-place winner would receive one drop of Yunqiao Jade Marrow, one month of access to a Class B Training Room, and one hundred thousand Contribution Points.

The top twenty disciples would all be placed on the sect’s priority training list.

Furthermore, throughout the competition, the Sect Elders would also be watching. They would select disciples who, despite not placing in the top twenty, demonstrated stunning performance and outstanding potential. These disciples would also be designated for priority training.

The news hit the Xuanzhen Sect like a thunderclap. It even began to spread with incredible speed beyond the sect’s borders, reaching the Prefecture City and other sects.

The three words "Yunqiao Jade Marrow" left many disciples completely baffled, and they scrambled to ask around about it.

When they learned that it was a top-tier Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure usable even by mighty cultivators of the Pill Realm, everyone’s breath quickened.

Although rumors about the Fushan Grand Tournament had been circulating within the Xuanzhen Sect and had captured the attention of many disciples, there had been no official announcement. Consequently, many were either unaware of the details or remained skeptical.

But now, the Steward Main Hall’s announcement was posted before their very eyes in black and white. With the staggering rewards laid bare, an uproar instantly swept through the entire Xuanzhen Sect.

Even the most stoic disciples, those usually single-mindedly devoted to their training, couldn’t help but feel their hearts pound at the triple temptation of Yunqiao Jade Marrow, Class B Training Room access, and a massive amount of Contribution Points.

Aside from these tangible, tempting rewards, the sect’s promise of priority training had the ordinary disciples scrambling over one another for the chance.

Everyone knew this priority training would mean a massive influx of Cultivation Resources. The benefits for their future on the Martial Dao were immeasurable.

What tempted the disciples even more was the possibility that, even if their strength was lacking and they failed to place in the top three—or even the top twenty—they could still be selected for priority training. All they had to do was perform exceptionally well and show the Elders their potential and unique qualities.

Thus, after the announcement was posted, the entire Xuanzhen Sect was thrown into an unprecedented state of clamor and excitement.

Inner Sect Disciples scrambled to the Steward Main Hall to register. They were all eager for a fight, their eyes gleaming with determination.

Meanwhile, Outer Sect Disciples at the peak of Huajin flocked to sign up for the Dragon Gate Martial Trials. They all wanted to seize this final chance for promotion before the Fushan Grand Tournament, desperate to charge into the Inner Sect and claim a ticket to the main event.

...

With the announcement of the Fushan Grand Tournament, the entire Xuanzhen Sect was swept up in an unprecedented wave of excitement and commotion.

Everywhere, from the Inner Sect living quarters on the mountainside to the Outer Sect areas and servant quarters at the foot of the peaks, disciples gathered in small groups. They could be seen along the mountain paths outside the Training Rooms, talking animatedly about the tournament’s rewards and speculating on the favorites for the top three spots. A restless energy seemed to permeate the very air.

But all this clamor and excitement had nothing to do with Yang Jing.

He remained immersed in his own world of cultivation, pouring all his focus into refining his techniques.

While carefully continuing to advance his Mountain-Breaking Seal, he used the Training Room and Bone Marrow Tempering Pills to great effect. His Indestructible True Skill cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, and he was now only a hair’s breadth away from breaking through to the Qi Eating Realm.

During this time, Yang Jing’s life was simple to the point of being tedious. His routine was a straight line between two points: Qing No. 4 Courtyard and the Training Room.

On the rare occasions he had free time, he would visit Sun Ningxiang on Yunxi Peak, chatting with her to break the monotony.

Even when they met, however, they never left the island. They would simply take slow walks along the mountain paths of Fushan Island, discussing their cultivation insights and reminiscing about their old days at the Martial Arts Hall. It was quite pleasant.

Occasionally, the two would also go down to the Dragon Gate Martial Trial grounds at the foot of the Main Peak to watch the excitement.

Ever since rumors of the Fushan Grand Tournament began circulating within the sect in May, the number of Outer Sect disciples signing up for the Dragon Gate Martial Trials had surged. Every one of them was giving their all, desperate to charge into the Inner Sect.

After the Steward Main Hall posted the official announcement on June 1st, the number of Outer Sect disciples registering for the Dragon Gate Martial Trials reached an even more astonishing level.

According to some of the more senior disciples, the Xuanzhen Sect hadn’t been this lively in a very long time.

The fervor surrounding the Dragon Gate Martial Trials was disastrous for the local exotic beasts. The number being killed increased so dramatically that, supposedly, even the price of Exotic Beast Meat in the kitchens had dropped a little.

Toward the end of June, Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang also went to watch that month’s Cyan Qilin Battle.