Chapter 524 - 180: Racing Against Time, Full of Drive

"Junior Brother," Sun Ningxiang said.

"Hmm?" Yang Jing was taken aback.

"Get some rest." Sun Ningxiang smiled, then let out a soft breath before turning to leave without a backward glance.

Yang Jing didn’t understand why Senior Sister Ning Xiang had suddenly told him to ’get some rest’ again. He shook his head slightly, watching her figure gradually melt into the night and disappear at the end of the mountain path before he turned and walked back to his courtyard.

Back in the main house, Yang Jing took the small white porcelain bottle from his robes and weighed it gently in his hand.

The porcelain bottle was clearly light, yet it felt heavy in his palm.

He knew with perfect clarity that his senior sister was doing all this to help him. This gesture made Yang Jing feel an even deeper gratitude toward Sun Ningxiang.

Clutching the porcelain bottle, Yang Jing took a deep breath, pushing his gratitude deep into his heart. He then turned, carefully placed the bottle in the wooden box by his bed, and strode out into the courtyard.

The night was as black as ink, and the moonlight, like water, spilled across the small, bluestone-paved courtyard.

Yang Jing cleared his mind of all stray thoughts and began to practice the *River-Crossing Technique* in the courtyard.

With the help of the Bone Marrow Tempering Pills and a clear goal in sight, he was now brimming with endless motivation.

This motivation came, in part, from the six Bone Marrow Tempering Pills, which gave him hope of breaking through to the Qi Eating Realm with his *River-Crossing Technique* before the Fushan Grand Competition finals.

It also stemmed from Sun Ningxiang’s unreserved support, which made him secretly resolve to train even harder. He would surely walk higher and further on the Martial Dao in the future and would never let down his senior sister’s kind intentions.

Under the moonlight, Yang Jing’s figure grew increasingly agile.

His feet glided across the bluestone slabs as his Inner Qi circulated through his limbs and meridians according to the *River-Crossing Technique*’s Heart Method. With a light tap of his toes, he shot out several yards like a wisp of green smoke, landing without a sound.

With a sudden twist of his waist, his body abruptly changed direction, like a fleeting shadow of a startled swan, carving a graceful arc through the courtyard.

His footwork was a blur of motion, leaving overlapping afterimages. When he reached his ultimate speed, it was impossible to tell his real body from the illusions.

His Body Technique grew ever more ethereal and swift. The force of the wind kicked up by his robes made the bamboo shadows in the corner of the courtyard rustle.

After an unknown amount of time, a servant from the kitchens arrived with a food box, delivering a steaming hot dinner.

Yang Jing stopped his practice and hurriedly ate dinner. Without even taking a moment to regulate his breathing, he returned to the courtyard and immersed himself once more in training the *River-Crossing Technique*.

As the moonlight deepened, the figure in the small courtyard never rested.

...

The next day, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, Yang Jing rose early.

He washed up quickly and, amidst the early morning mist, hurried toward the summit of Lingxi Peak.

On Lingxi Plaza, a considerable number of disciples from Lingxi Peak had already gathered.

Yang Jing exchanged a few pleasantries with Fang He, Lin Ziheng, Yan Chenglong, Ma Qiang, and the others, then they formed up and set out together for Fushan Square in the Outer Island area.

The group of several hundred disciples was an impressive sight as they marched along the mountain path in the morning light.

Before long, the group arrived at Fushan Square.

By now, the square was already filled with disciples from the other veins, bustling with noise and excitement.

...

Time passed slowly. The morning mist on the horizon gradually dispersed, and warm sunlight spilled onto the bluestone ground of Fushan Square.

By 7:00 AM, all the disciples from the Main Peak and the Seven Veins who had advanced to the second round of the Fushan Grand Competition had arrived. The areas where the disciples of each vein gathered were a sea of fluttering banners and a cacophony of voices.

On the high platform, Cao Zhen, the Sect Leader of Xuanzhen Sect, sat upon the main seat, clad in a Purple Gold Robe with a majestic air.

The Seven Vein Peak Masters had also taken their seats on either side, some resting with their eyes closed, others conversing in low voices.

On the secondary platform, the sect’s various Elders, as well as the eight Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters from the various veins, had all taken their seats, their gazes fixed intently on the massive arena in the center of the square.

Xue Kun, the Main Peak Steward, strode onto the arena holding a list of names.

His gaze swept over the thousands of disciples below the stage. Circulating the Inner Qi in his Dantian, his powerful, resonant voice echoed throughout the entire plaza: "The second round of the Fushan Grand Competition’s main tournament begins now! First match: Chu Yunhai, disciple of Celestial Derivation Peak, versus Xiao Ran, disciple of Fen Yang Peak!"

As his voice fell, two figures leaped onto the arena in response.

Chu Yunhai was dressed in blue robes, his posture straight and tall, his expression calm and serene.

Xiao Ran, on the other hand, wore fiery red martial attire. His fists were clenched, and his eyes held a fierce, courageous glint.

He had traded injury for injury yesterday to barely advance to the second round, leaving a deep impression on many disciples.

Seeing that both were ready, Xue Kun announced, "Begin!" and turned to walk off the arena.

Among the Inner Strength Realm disciples, Xiao Ran’s power was already considered quite good, and his life-or-death fighting style from yesterday was especially memorable.

But now he was facing Chu Yunhai, ranked first on the Hidden Dragon List. The gap between them was like the difference between the clouds and the mud.

Chu Yunhai wasted no words. With just a single light step, his figure seemed to shrink the earth, appearing instantly before Xiao Ran.

He raised his right hand, fingers together in a palm strike, and sent it floating gently toward Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran’s pupils contracted. He instinctively gathered all the Inner Strength in his body into his fists and smashed them ferociously toward Chu Yunhai’s palm.

The next moment, with a dull THUD, Xiao Ran felt an overwhelming, irresistible force surge through his fists into his body. His own Inner Strength was like a lone boat in a raging storm, instantly scattered.

He didn’t even have time to cry out before he was sent flying sideways by the palm strike like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily onto the ground outside the arena and kicking up a cloud of dust.

After landing, Xiao Ran let out a muffled grunt and struggled to climb back to his feet.