Chapter 598 - 200: The Sect’s Attitude of Importance

The Grand Hall, Main Peak.

Ouyang Jingxuan entered the hall carrying a tray and came to a steady halt.

With a light wave of his arm, Cao Zhen released a surge of formless Inner Qi—powerful, yet restrained. It instantly enveloped the six White Jade Porcelain Bottles on the tray, which transformed into six streaks of brilliant white light and shot toward Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai in the center of the hall.

Seeing this, Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai didn’t dare hesitate. They both reached out, steadily catching the three porcelain bottles that arrived before them.

The bottles were warm and smooth to the touch, exuding the faint, pure fragrance of the jade marrow within. The two immediately bowed to Cao Zhen above them and said in unison, "Thank you, Sect Leader!"

Cao Zhen smiled and nodded slightly, his tone amiable. "You earned this with your strength. There’s no need for such ceremony."

He paused before continuing, "From this day forward, you both will also be granted permanent access to the Grade B Training Rooms. There will be no time limit; you may go to cultivate whenever you wish."

Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai bowed again. "Thank you, Sect Leader!"

Although Chu Yunhai looked pleased, he was nowhere near as excited as Yang Jing.

As the reigning number one on the Hidden Dragon List, he already had access to the Grade B Training Rooms for fifteen days each month.

Having cultivated there for years, he was long familiar and accustomed to the environment.

Moreover, he was currently stuck at the bottleneck of breaking through to the Qi Absorption Realm. Although the Grade B Training Rooms could enhance his cultivation efficiency, they couldn’t help him break through this bottleneck. Thus, for him, the reward was merely icing on the cake.

Yang Jing, however, was a different story entirely.

He possessed a panel, so he had no bottlenecks to speak of. He only needed to accumulate enough cultivation to reach the limit of his current realm to break through naturally.

His most pressing need at the moment was to increase his cultivation speed and advance his Mountain-Breaking Seal to the peak of the Qi Eating Realm as quickly as possible.

The Grade B Training Rooms burned precious Exotic Beast Musk, which helped one focus their mind and calm their spirit, absorb Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, and accelerate the circulation of Inner Qi. A single day of cultivation inside was comparable to eight to ten days in the outside world—a terrifying increase in efficiency.

To Yang Jing, the value of this permanent access was even greater than that of the three drops of Yunqiao Jade Marrow.

From his seat on the dais, Cao Zhen watched the two. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again. "In addition to the Yunqiao Jade Marrow and the training room access, I will also bestow upon each of you three hundred thousand contribution points as encouragement."

Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai were both startled to hear this.

Three hundred thousand contribution points was by no means a small sum, even for them.

Yang Jing was especially thrilled. He had to borrow contribution points from Sun Ningxiang just to redeem *"Hengjiang Du"* before. Now that the Sect Leader had granted him three hundred thousand, he could not only repay his debt but also exchange the rest for numerous Elixirs or suitable martial techniques, solving his current shortage of resources.

"Go to the Steward Main Hall later. You can collect the points with your Disciple Tokens," Cao Zhen said.

The two hurriedly bowed and said in unison, "Thank you, Sect Leader!"

Yang Jing sighed inwardly. ’The Sect Leader is truly generous. Three hundred thousand contribution points... though it’s just an internal currency, it can be exchanged for a massive amount of Cultivation Resources. For me, this is a lifesaver.’

Cao Zhen chuckled and nodded, then waved his hand. "You are dismissed for now. Remember, on the path of the Martial Dao, focus is paramount. Don’t be distracted by fleeting fame and neglect your cultivation."

"We will remember the Sect Leader’s teachings!"

Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai replied in unison. They bowed, took several steps back, and only then turned to return to their positions behind their respective Peak Masters.

Yang Jing stood behind Bai Bing, tightly clutching the three porcelain bottles of Yunqiao Jade Marrow. A mixture of fighting spirit and anticipation swirled in his heart; the path ahead seemed full of light.

As Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai withdrew, Bai Ziyu and Lu Shaohua, standing behind their respective masters, watched them with undisguised envy.

What they envied wasn’t just the generous rewards—the three drops of Yunqiao Jade Marrow and permanent access to the Grade B Training Rooms—but the sect’s unreserved focus on and investment in Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai.

The original reward structure for the Fushan Grand Competition made no mention of additional contribution points.

But because Sect Leader Cao Zhen valued their talent, he had granted them each three hundred thousand contribution points with a wave of his hand. This favoritism was clear for all to see.

Even though they had placed second and third, they paled in comparison to the level of importance shown to the winners.

Next, Cao Zhen’s gaze fell upon Bai Ziyu. "Bai Ziyu," he said in a deep voice.

Bai Ziyu immediately stepped out from behind the Thunder Peak Master, walked swiftly to the center of the hall, and bowed. "Disciple Bai Ziyu greets the Sect Leader."

With a light wave of his arm, Cao Zhen sent the two White Jade Porcelain Bottles on the tray flying steadily into Bai Ziyu’s hands.

Bai Ziyu quickly secured them and bowed. "Thank you, Sect Leader."

"For winning second place in the Fushan Grand Competition, you are rewarded with two drops of Yunqiao Jade Marrow, plus two months’ access to the Grade B Training Rooms." Cao Zhen paused, then added, "I will also grant you two hundred thousand contribution points. Cultivate well, and do not fail the sect’s expectations."

"Disciple obeys. Thank you for your generous gift, Sect Leader!" Bai Ziyu sighed to himself as he respectfully accepted the reward, bowed, and withdrew.

Next, Cao Zhen called forward the third-place winner, Lu Shaohua.

Lu Shaohua stepped forward, bowed, and received one drop of Yunqiao Jade Marrow, one month’s access to the Grade B Training Rooms, and one hundred thousand contribution points. Though not as lavish as the rewards for the top two, it was still a recognition of his strength by the sect.

With that, the rewards for Yang Jing, Chu Yunhai, Bai Ziyu, and Lu Shaohua had all been distributed. The atmosphere in the grand hall on the Main Peak relaxed slightly.

Cao Zhen’s gaze swept over the four as he advised them earnestly, "The four of you are the elites of our Xuanzhen Sect’s younger generation. You have already proven your mettle in this competition.

"But remember, the Jintai Prefecture Grand Competition is held every five years. The next one is less than a year away. Your cultivation realms are still too low; I fear it will be difficult for you to contend with the genius disciples of the major sects.

"By the time of the competition after that one, however, you will be the main strength of our Xuanzhen Sect—you will be our hope. You must immerse yourselves in cultivation and strive ever forward."

The four of them bowed in unison, their expressions solemn. "We will remember the Sect Leader’s teachings!"

Cao Zhen nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Alright, you are all dismissed."

Everyone rose. The Seven Vein Peak Masters and the Chief Elder took their leave one by one, and the disciples, including Yang Jing, followed closely behind their own Peak Masters, preparing to exit the grand hall.

Bai Bing walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Peak Master Yunxi Zhou Yunyi, Celestial Derivation Peak Master Huang Zhen, and Peak Master Qingxu Li Zhihai. They conversed in low voices as they walked, their topic centered on the disciples’ performance in the competition and their subsequent training.

After leaving the grand hall, the four Peak Masters ambled ahead, following the bluestone path down the mountain.

Yang Jing, Chu Yunhai, and Lu Shaohua followed silently behind them, the atmosphere a bit subdued.

Just then, Chu Yunhai suddenly turned his head to look at Yang Jing beside him. His voice was low but carried a clear fighting spirit. "Yang Jing, among the younger generation of the Xuanzhen Sect—aside from the long-famous Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of the various veins—you’re the only one who can put any real pressure on me. The others are just mediocre. The gap between us is too wide for them to even be considered rivals."

Yang Jing turned at the sound of his voice, his gaze meeting the intense confidence in Chu Yunhai’s eyes.

He sighed to himself. ’Chu Yunhai certainly has the right to be this proud.’

A Second-Class Root Bone combined with outstanding comprehension gave him a cultivation efficiency comparable to someone with a First-Class Root Bone. Now, he had even awakened a War Body. His talent was so immense he could be considered a top-tier prodigy not just on Celestial Derivation Peak, but in the entire Xuanzhen Sect.

But facing such a supremely talented rival, Yang Jing was not the least bit intimidated. His own eyes lit up with confidence as he met Chu Yunhai’s gaze directly.

’My own talent is astonishing, and I have the panel,’ he thought. ’When it comes to potential and willpower, I won’t lose to anyone.’

Seeing his reaction, the corner of Chu Yunhai’s mouth curved into a smile of approval. "The path of the Martial Dao without a rival is like a lonely trek up a solitary peak—dull and tedious.

"Having an opponent of equal strength like you is what allows us to sharpen one another, to force each other to improve.

"I propose that we arrange a duel every so often. We’ll fight for victory, but also for the tempering of real combat. That way, perhaps we can both advance by leaps and bounds. What do you think?"

Yang Jing listened and found himself agreeing.

He usually spent most of his time immersed in his cultivation. Though his foundation was solid, he lacked the tempering that only real combat could provide.

Chu Yunhai’s proposal happened to be the perfect remedy for this shortcoming.

With such a powerful rival by his side, his cultivation journey would undoubtedly be more motivating and have a clearer direction.

He nodded at once and said solemnly, "Alright. Just as Brother Chu said. We will schedule a duel every so often to sharpen one another and seek progress together!"

Listening to the two of them arrange a duel as if no one else existed, Lu Shaohua, who stood off to the side, couldn’t stop his mouth from twitching. ’These two are unbelievable,’ he grumbled to himself. ’Do they have any regard for anyone else? Do they think I’m invisible?’

He wanted to say something, anything, just to prove he was there, but the memory of Yang Jing’s and Chu Yunhai’s terrifying combat prowess during the Fushan Grand Competition made him swallow the words before they could escape.

The gap was simply too vast. Even jealousy felt feeble, let alone any thought of a challenge.

When Chu Yunhai saw Yang Jing agree so readily, a rare look of genuine delight appeared on his face.

Ordinarily, the other disciples were either in awe of his cold aloofness or intimidated by his strength; they didn’t even dare to approach him.

Even famous geniuses from Jintai Prefecture like Bai Ziyu and Lu Shaohua were, in his eyes, nothing special. They couldn’t stir the slightest ripple within him, so naturally, he couldn’t be bothered to show any emotion.

But Yang Jing was different. He was the only opponent who was his equal, the only one he truly took seriously. This acknowledgement sent a ripple across the frozen surface of his heart.

"Then it’s settled. In two months, on the Fushan arena stage. We’ll determine who’s stronger!"

Chu Yunhai’s eyes burned, his fighting spirit blazing. "I may not be able to break through to the Qi Absorption Realm within two months, but my control over my War Body will be several times more proficient than it is now. You’d better watch out!"

Yang Jing gave a small smile and a calm nod. "Alright. I’ll be waiting."

Although the two spoke quietly, everyone present was a Martial Dao expert with sharp senses. The four Peak Masters had heard every word of their conversation.

Celestial Derivation Peak Master Huang Zhen stroked his beard, chuckling as he glanced back at the three disciples. "These two boys are certainly worthy of being the top prospects hand-picked by the Sect Leader. They’re not just talented; they’re brimming with fighting spirit. I’m quite curious to see how much they’ll have grown in two months."

Peak Master Qingxu Li Zhihai laughed in agreement. "Didn’t they just schedule a rematch at Fushan Square? We should all go watch. We’ll see which of our co-champions is truly a cut above the other."

Peak Master Yunxi Zhou Yunyi’s lovely eyes shifted slightly. In her mind, she had already reached a conclusion.

In her view, while Yang Jing and Chu Yunhai were evenly matched right now, in two months, the scales of victory would most likely tip in Chu Yunhai’s favor.

Yang Jing had immense potential, but he was still a ways from the peak of the Qi Eating Realm. Even if he reached it, that would only be a quantitative change in his accumulated Inner Qi.

Chu Yunhai’s War Body, on the other hand, was a true qualitative transformation.

Two months was enough time for him to fully master the Power of his Battle Body. His strength was bound to soar.

However, she then recalled how Peak Master Zhenyue, Qin Gang, had become a laughingstock among the sect’s upper echelon after repeatedly misjudging Yang Jing. She suppressed her thoughts and said mildly, "I’m also looking forward to the duel."

Bai Bing gave a slight nod, her tone calm. "Then in two months, we shall all go to Fushan Square to watch."

As they talked, the group soon arrived at the midway point of the Main Peak.

Here, the four Peak Masters separated from the three disciples and returned to their respective peaks.

Yang Jing, Chu Yunhai, and Lu Shaohua turned and headed for the Steward Main Hall, also located at the midway point, to collect the contribution points awarded by the Sect Leader.

Before long, the three of them stepped into the Steward Main Hall.

The once-bustling hall quickly fell silent. Every eye in the room snapped to focus on them.

Inner Sect Disciples, Outer Sect Disciples, and sect Stewards—whether they were from the Main Peak or the Seven Veins Peaks—all stopped what they were doing.

The reason was simple: the three of them were just too dazzling.

This was especially true for Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing. At that very moment, their names were displayed side-by-side at the very top of the Hidden Dragon List on the hall’s central notice board, the characters bold and brilliant.

The excitement from yesterday’s Fushan Grand Competition had yet to fade, and the disciples were still buzzing about the earth-shattering final match. How could they not be captivated now that the two stars of the show had appeared in person?

"Is that Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing?"

"Yeah, it’s them! I watched their final match yesterday. It was incredible."

"Are those two that close? They even came to the Steward Main Hall together. By the way, aren’t they stronger than most of the Stewards already?"

"Who’s that with Chu Yunhai and Yang Jing? He looks kind of familiar."

"You idiot. That’s Lu Shaohua, the prodigy ranked third on the Hidden Dragon List."