Chapter 617 - 207: The Power of the Qi Absorption Realm, Banquet in the Prefecture City

Lingxi Peak. Qing No. 4 Courtyard, in the Inner Sect Disciple residential area on the mountainside.

Yang Jing took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly as his expression grew grave.

He knew full well how formidable his Senior Sister, Si Jiawen, was.

She had long since reached the Peak of the Qi Absorption Realm, just a single step away from the True Qi Realm.

Among all the experts in the Qi Absorption Realm within the entire Xuanzhen Sect, her strength was considered top-tier. She was far beyond what he, still in the Qi Eating Realm, could ever hope to challenge.

But he didn’t shrink back. Instead, a glimmer of excitement flashed in his eyes.

’This is the perfect opportunity to use Senior Sister’s immense power to test my own true capabilities.’

’I’ll see just how much my combat power has increased after the Fushan competition and these past few days of arduous training with the Grade-B Training Room and the Yunqiao Jade Marrow. I’ll also find out if my progress with the Mountain-Breaking Seal is truly solid.’

He slowly clenched his fists. The three strands of Inner Qi in his body began to circulate, flowing through his meridians like three rushing streams, ready to merge into a river at any moment.

Si Jiawen saw Yang Jing’s ready stance. A faint, confident smile touched her lips as she casually beckoned to him. "You can go first. Let your Senior Sister see what the co-champion of the Fushan competition is really made of."

Yang Jing didn’t stand on ceremony. He gave a slight nod. "Watch out, Senior Sister. Here I come."

’I’m well aware of the gap in our strength. By attacking first, I can seize the initiative and get a better measure of my offensive power.’

’After all, the main goal of this spar is to test myself, not to get beaten senselessly. Attacking first is the only way I can play to my strengths.’

"Give me your best shot," Si Jiawen said with a light laugh. Her tone was casual, but she exuded the aura of a supremely confident expert.

Yang Jing immediately took a deep breath. Within his Dantian, the three strands of Inner Qi that had been circulating independently instantly responded. As if drawn by an unseen force, they rapidly converged and fused into a single, even more formidable, potent, and immense torrent of Inner Qi.

He could clearly feel it—after these past few days benefiting from the Exotic Beast Musk Aroma in the Grade-B Training Room and the pure nourishment of the Yunqiao Jade Marrow, this fused Inner Qi was significantly stronger than before.

It circulated with increasing smoothness, with almost no hint of sluggishness.

Next, he channeled the Heart Method Mantra for the Mountain-Breaking Seal, driving the immense, fused Inner Qi.

The Inner Qi surged through his meridians. A portion of it spread across his skin, forming a thin, protective membrane that shimmered with a faint, ethereal glow.

The rest of the Inner Qi flowed like a hundred rivers to the sea, converging on his fists. They began to radiate a profound light, seeming to swell in size as they became suffused with explosive power.

Yang Jing’s gaze sharpened like an eagle’s, locking onto Si Jiawen. He stomped his foot, and a shallow crack spiderwebbed across the bluestone paver beneath it.

He shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, accompanied by a howl of rushing wind. He unleashed the Mountain-Breaking Seal, channeled to its absolute peak. His fists, like two small, charging mountains, flew toward the vital points on Si Jiawen’s chest with unparalleled might.

Si Jiawen’s eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on Yang Jing’s incoming fists. A flicker of surprise crossed her features, but she remained rooted to the spot, not moving an inch.

At the same time, the Inner Qi in her Dantian stirred silently, like an undercurrent beneath a calm lake—seemingly placid, yet containing terrifying power.

The instant Yang Jing’s fists were about to touch her clothes, Si Jiawen finally raised a hand. An incredibly condensed ball of Inner Qi swirled in her palm. It didn’t radiate outward in the slightest, yet it carried a pressure that could make one’s heart pound.

Though she moved later, her palm arrived first, precisely intercepting Yang Jing’s fists.

BOOM!

The instant fist met palm, a muffled boom erupted. A visible shockwave radiated out from the two of them, rustling the vines on the courtyard walls and scattering the fallen leaves on the ground.

Yang Jing felt an immense, overwhelming force travel up his arms from the point of impact, as if he had been struck by a charging mountain. His arms went numb, and he couldn’t stop his Inner Qi from roiling violently.

He instinctively gave way to the force, stumbling back four or five steps. Each step made the ground tremble. Only after retreating several yards did he manage to completely dissipate the overbearing impact.

Although he had been forced back four or five steps, he was uninjured, and his breathing remained steady.

His retreat served to dissipate the power from his Senior Sister’s palm. It was also clear that Si Jiawen hadn’t used her full strength; she had only matched his power to test him, with no intention of causing injury.

Si Jiawen, in contrast, stood firm, not having moved an inch. Her sleeves fluttered as if in a breeze, and a look of surprise crossed her face. She raised an eyebrow, watching Yang Jing with genuine astonishment.

She had seen Yang Jing defeat other disciples on the tournament stage at Fushan Square. She had also witnessed his entire fierce battle with Chu Yunhai that ended in a draw. She knew his strength was impressive.

But now that she had truly crossed hands with him, the power and control over his Inner Qi that Yang Jing displayed had still taken her by surprise.

In Si Jiawen’s eyes, Yang Jing’s strength was already top-tier among those in the Qi Eating Realm. ’He still has a way to go before he’s "unbeatable in the Qi Eating Realm,"’ she thought, ’but he’s not far off.’

She knew that within the Xuanzhen Sect, and indeed across all of Jintai Prefecture, there were veteran experts who had lingered in the Qi Eating Realm for decades, or even centuries.