Five days later, the First Elder and Second Elder quietly arrived at Wood Peak in the evening. Even Moyang was somewhat surprised to find that they had truly managed to gather all the medicinal herbs for the Universe Pill and the Spring Return Pill.
However, the moment they handed those herbs over to Moyang, both of them wore expressions of utter agony, as if their hearts were bleeding. To gather these ingredients, they had practically sold the shirts off their backs.
"Come back for the pills in three days!" Moyang said, taking the herbs and inspecting them.
"Moyang, everything is in your hands!" The two of them repeated the caution four or five times before finally leaving the small courtyard.
That night, after regulating his breath for a moment on the second floor of the Star Emperor Pagoda, Moyang began refining immediately. In less than half an hour, both types of pills were complete.
Moyang had refined one batch of each type of pill, yielding seven Spring Return Pills and five Universe Pills. This already exceeded his expectations, and he hadn't even used a tenth of the materials sent by the First and Second Elders.
"Oh well, I'll just give them two of each kind. Sigh... I suppose I'm just naturally too kind-hearted..." Moyang muttered to himself.
After putting the pills away, Moyang returned to the first floor of the stone tower and busied himself tinkering with the tower walls, studying the ancient divine runes engraved upon them. He had already comprehended one and could barely manage to replicate it; carrying it with him would allow him to conceal his cultivation aura.
The Fourth Elder had once warned him that he should never reveal all his skills and should keep some tricks up his sleeve at all times. In Moyang's view, concealing one's cultivation was naturally the best trick of all.
"What kind of stone is this tower even forged from? It looks no different from ordinary stone, yet it's so incredibly hard?" Moyang channeled his strength to the maximum and dragged his hand across the wall, yet he couldn't leave even the faintest trace.
Usually, the interior of the stone tower was deathly silent, like a completely independent space.
The first floor of the stone tower was exceptionally chaotic, littered with broken stones and numerous skeletal remains. Moyang had already cleared away quite a few of them; after all, with this stone tower residing in his dantian and housing so many skeletons, just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.
Moyang had hoped he might discover some discarded battle weapons or other items, but the few remaining weapon fragments had long since rotted beyond recognition, and he hadn't spotted any spatial rings or the like on the skeletons.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Early in the morning, the First and Second Elders arrived at Wood Peak, where Moyang had long since prepared the pills.
With nervous expressions, the two men took the white jade bottles handed to them by Moyang and hurriedly pulled out the corks to look inside. Upon seeing that there were two pills in each bottle, they were instantly overjoyed—their aching hearts and pained bodies were forgotten.
"I did my best. After refining all the herbs, this is all I could manage!" Moyang sighed lightly.
"Haha, you've been gifted since childhood. I knew you were destined for greatness, and you certainly didn't disappoint our expectations!" The First Elder's words left Moyang momentarily speechless.
*This old fogey doesn't even know how to talk. Is that really how you praise someone?*
"Right, right, right! Moyang is a rare prodigy of our Lingxu Sect, not only possessing striking good looks and exceptional cultivation talent, but also astonishing mastery in alchemy. I've known all along that he was destined for greater things!" The Second Elder chimed in, nodding eagerly. Now that the pills were in his hands, he was ecstatic and ready to shower him with flattery.
"More than that, he's bound to secure a place for himself across the entire Xuantian Continent in the future!" The First Elder brought the white jade bottle to his nose, sniffing it over and over again with a smile blooming on his face like a chrysanthemum.
Watching the two old men lose their composure in their joy, Moyang felt a strong urge to curse them out. Back when he couldn't cultivate, which of these old fellows hadn't looked at him with disdain, as if even glancing at him would soil their eyes?
Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Moyang would never have known these two elders possessed such formidable flattery skills.
After finally sending the two of them off, the Supreme Elder arrived.
Moyang instantly felt a headache coming on. He knew from experience that the Supreme Elder was harder to deal with than anyone else.
"Brat, what's with that expression? Not welcoming this old man?" The moment the Supreme Elder stepped into the courtyard, he shot Moyang a sideways glance.
"Eh? What realm is your cultivation at now? Why can't even this old man sense it?" Before Moyang could even speak, the elder let out a soft cry of surprise, a hint of bewilderment crossing his face.
In the past, even when Moyang deliberately restrained his aura, the elder could easily probe it. But today was different—Moyang felt entirely devoid of any cultivation.
"Your cultivation hasn't... vanished again, has it?" His expression shifted slightly. Moyang had been unable to cultivate normally for ten whole years in the past; if it had dissipated once more, then—
He instantly transformed into an afterimage, flashing toward Moyang as if intending to inspect him directly. However, Moyang was extremely fast; a slight retreat of his body by a few meters allowed him to deftly evade the elder's grasping hand.
"Good grief! Looks like you've made progress!" Surprise flashed across the Supreme Elder's face. He moved again, employing the Lingxu Steps to lunge at Moyang once more.
Yet, after dozens of consecutive flashes, he came to a halt with a look of utter astonishment. Moyang's speed was actually slightly faster than his, and each time, he evaded the elder's hand at a truly unimaginable angle.
"What movement technique is this? To actually..." He couldn't help but blurt out, still finding it hard to believe. In the entire Lingxu Sect, let alone the disciples, even the Sect Master was not faster than him.
Moyang's heart was hardly calm either. Naturally, he had used the Row Character Formula, and only now, sparring with the Supreme Elder, did he realize this movement technique was even more astonishing than he had imagined.
As for the Row Character Formula, it was the legacy of the Star Emperor, so he naturally wouldn't reveal it.
"Good lad, I knew you must have encountered an expert! No wonder you suddenly broke the cultivation curse and even learned alchemy. All of this must be related to that expert!" the Supreme Elder said, as if confirming a suspicion in his mind.
Moyang frowned slightly. He knew these elders would inevitably harbor suspicions, so he feigned hesitation for a moment before nodding.
"Brat, what kind of powerful figure is this senior?"
Moyang shook his head and said, "He wouldn't let me reveal any information about him. He just said we hit it off and shared a fated bond, which is why he gave me a hand!"
***
Chapter 23: The Uncrowned King
The Supreme Elder frowned in thought for a moment, then nodded. "Many powerful experts indeed have eccentric temperaments. Since he told you not to reveal it, then we won't speak of it, lest we displease that senior and it works to your disadvantage!"
Moyang changed the subject. "Old man, if you have something to say, spit it out!"
The Supreme Elder instantly glared. In the entire Lingxu Sect, no one else dared address him like that. But Moyang? He called him old man this and old fogey that, doing it with alarming fluency—and lately, it was rolling off his tongue even easier.
"Brat, do you know what respect for your elders means?" he glared at Moyang with a cold snort.
"If you have something to say, hurry up and say it. Don't disturb my cultivation!" Moyang replied impatiently. He knew this old fellow never visited without a reason; coming to see him bright and early like this definitely meant trouble.
"Brat, the Four Sects' Martial Arts Tournament is almost here—"
Before the Supreme Elder could finish, Moyang directly shook his head. "What does that have to do with me? I'm not participating!"
"Brat, you... don't forget you're also a part of the Lingxu Sect. And as you know, in the past, the Fourth Elder personally led the delegation to every Martial Arts Tournament. For the past five years, the other three sects have constantly mocked our Lingxu Sect behind our backs. If the Fourth Elder were still alive—"
The Supreme Elder sighed softly and trailed off. At the mention of the Fourth Elder, Moyang's expression grew dejected.
Moyang's expression darkened. Although he knew the Supreme Elder was deliberately using the Fourth Elder to provoke him, what he said was also the truth. Every year during the Martial Arts Tournament in the past, the Fourth Elder had led the Lingxu Sect disciples there, and he still remembered the look of disappointment on the Fourth Elder's face upon their return.
Besides, the hundred-day mourning period he had promised was almost up; he might not be staying in the Lingxu Sect much longer anyway.
"Fine. Consider it fulfilling my master's regret—I'll go!" With that, Moyang turned and walked into his house, slamming the door shut with a loud *bang*.
"You brat..." The Supreme Elder froze, cursed softly under his breath, and had no choice but to turn and leave. Yet, a sense of relief finally settled in his heart. Although he hadn't been able to discern Moyang's exact cultivation level, he could sense that Moyang had grown considerably stronger than before—at the very least, he had reached the Earth Mystic Realm - Stage 3 Peak.
With Moyang participating, the chances of the Lingxu Sect winning the championship this time were quite high. After all, many disciples had broken through in their cultivation recently thanks to trading pills with Moyang, and even Xu Xin had stepped into the Earth Mystic Realm. The overall strength of the Lingxu Sect disciples had grown immensely.
Two days later, the Second Elder actually broke through, astonishing all the elders.
This was because the Second Elder's cultivation hadn't seen a breakthrough in over a decade, and given his advanced age, not only had it been difficult for his cultivation to progress even an inch, but it had actually shown signs of regressing.
What shocked the other elders even more was that less than two days after the Second Elder's breakthrough, the First Elder—who had gone into seclusion alongside him—also broke through.
This completely stunned the elders of the Lingxu Sect. The First Elder's cultivation was two minor realms higher than the Second Elder's, yet their situations were nearly identical. For them to break through one after another within a few days was clearly no coincidence.
"Those two old codgers must be grinning from ear to ear now. They definitely went behind our backs to trade with Moyang for pills; otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? Normally they always look at Moyang with disapproval, god knows how they managed to swallow their pride!" In the main hall of the summit, the Fifth Elder was discussing this very matter.
"Tsk tsk, I can't wait anymore. I'm going to trade for a few pills to try out myself. I feel like my cultivation could still be rescued! That kid's pills are actually that potent—I can't miss this opportunity!" The Third Elder looked tempted, clearly itching to give it a try.
Time ticked away day by day, and with only ten days left, the Four Sects' Martial Arts Tournament was fast approaching.
Today also marked the hundredth day since the Fourth Elder's passing. Early in the morning, Moyang prepared food and wine, donned a plain white robe, and headed to the back mountain.
As a hundred days passed, the cenotaph was already covered in green grass, and numerous creeping vines wound their way up the tombstone...
Moyang stood before the tombstone with a heavy heart. They say that when a person dies, the lamp goes out; now, the Fourth Elder's figure could no longer be seen in the Lingxu Sect, and all traces of him were gradually fading, leaving only this lonely little mound sitting quietly here.
"Master, the Four Sects' Martial Arts Tournament is approaching. Since you can't go this time, I'll go in your stead!"
"All these years, you always returned empty-handed and disappointed. Don't worry, I will fulfill your wish and make up for your regrets..."
"Master, I've already broken through to the Heaven Mystic Realm... After the Martial Arts Tournament ends, I'll be leaving the Lingxu Sect. You used to say you never truly saw the brilliant outside world in your lifetime; I'll go see it for you. Once I avenge you in the future, I will surely return and tell you all about it..."
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself..."
***
Upon returning to Wood Peak, Moyang began making preparations. With only a few days left until the Martial Arts Tournament, he intended to calm his mind and meditate on the Row Character Formula, as well as the incomplete sword manual he had been practicing before. That sword manual was extraordinarily powerful; even though it only consisted of a single tier, its might was sufficient to serve as a trump card.
Aside from honoring the Fourth Elder, Moyang wanted to attend the Four Sects' Martial Arts Tournament to observe the cultivation and combat prowess of the talented disciples from the other sects. After all, he had never attended in the past—this would be his very first time.
The elders also began bustling about, selecting the disciples who would participate in this Martial Arts Tournament. Imperceptibly, a tense atmosphere enveloped the entire Lingxu Sect.
Aside from Qi Heng and Xu Xin, the Senior Brother and Senior Sister who had already stepped into the Earth Mystic Realm, Su Fei'er—whose cultivation had previously surged to the Spirit Awakening Realm - Stage 3 Peak—was also chosen, along with six others who were all at the Spirit Awakening Realm - Stage 3.
Qi Heng felt a twinge of doubt. In the past, they always selected ten people, yet this time only nine were chosen. Deep down, he vaguely guessed that the missing spot was probably left for Moyang, but he still decided to ask.
"Third Elder, why did we only select nine people this time?"
Though the others wore puzzled expressions, they all knew very well that within the Lingxu Sect, there existed an uncrowned king among the disciples!
Once notorious as a good-for-nothing, he wasn't hailed as the first or second person of the main summit like Qi Heng and Xu Xin, yet even Qi Heng had been easily defeated by his casual wave of the hand.
"Since you've already guessed, why ask? This time, Moyang will be going with you all!" The Third Elder was usually quite easygoing within the sect and didn't put on airs in front of the disciples, so he directly informed them.
Upon hearing this, Su Fei'er felt a burst of secret delight. Right now, she felt that Moyang was more formidable than anyone else; if Moyang weren't allowed to go, she would have been the first to object.
Qi Heng fell silent upon hearing the news. In his view, although Moyang's combat prowess was formidable, his personality was unpredictable. He still felt a bit uneasy, fearing that Moyang's presence might yield counterproductive results—especially since Moyang had directly clashed with several elders three months ago and even threatened to defect from the sect.
Xu Xin furrowed her brows slightly. The impression Moyang gave her was one of mystery; clearly an ordinary sect disciple, yet his entire being seemed shrouded in a layer of mist. The reason her own cultivation had broken through to the Earth Mystic Realm in such a short time was entirely due to the pills she had traded from Moyang.
Upon hearing that Moyang would be traveling with them, an indescribable sense of reassurance welled up in her heart.
***
Chapter 24: You Have No Experience
In the blink of an eye, only two days remained until the Martial Arts Tournament. At noon that day, the Sect Master personally went to Wood Peak to brief Moyang on the tournament details.
"Two days from now is the Martial Arts Tournament. Third Elder will lead all of you to Xuantian City then. Since it's your first time participating, get a good night's rest once you arrive in Xuantian City, preserve your energy, and don't feel pressured!" the Sect Master instructed in the courtyard.
Moyang didn't say much, simply nodding in response.
"I heard from the Supreme Elder that you've already reached the Earth Mystic Realm - Stage 3 Mid-phase. Under normal circumstances, even if you encounter the strongest disciples from the other three sects, your combat strengths won't differ too much. However, you lack practical combat experience, so try to step onto the arena ring later and observe your opponents' fighting habits and techniques first!"
"Regardless of anything else, your primary concern is to keep yourself safe. Winning or losing doesn't matter!"
The Sect Master rattled off a long string of advice, continuously nagging Moyang.
Moyang sighed and said, "Don't worry, Sect Master. In the past, Master always led the delegation personally. Since he can't go this time, I'll go to make up for his absence!"
The Sect Master cast a surprised glance at Moyang, seemingly about to ask something, but held his tongue.
He actually couldn't perceive Moyang's cultivation level and had wanted to inquire about it, but recalling the Supreme Elder's words, he suppressed the urge.
"We set off tomorrow morning, so get yourself ready!" With that, the Sect Master turned and walked out of the courtyard. After taking a few steps, he looked back at Moyang and added, "Fei'er is going with you all this time as well. Do me a favor and keep an eye on her!"
Moyang nodded. With the Third Elder leading the team, he wasn't worried about any trouble arising.
***
Early the next morning, Qi Heng and the others were fully prepared, waiting at the martial arts practice ground. True to form, Moyang arrived fashionably late.
This wasn't intentional on Moyang's part; rather, he had been engrossed in comprehending the ancient divine runes within the Star Emperor Pagoda and had almost lost track of time.
"This guy, he's like this every time. I really wouldn't dare count on him for this Martial Arts Tournament!" one of the disciples muttered. This person was on very good terms with Qi Heng; back when Qi Heng had challenged Moyang to a duel, Moyang had kept everyone waiting for a long time as well.
Qi Heng's expression was quite dark too, but he didn't say anything.
Su Fei'er, however, wore a delighted expression. Seeing Moyang arrive, she hurriedly waved at him. "Brother Moyang, over here..."
Xu Xin shot Su Fei'er a look of exasperation, thinking that this little girl must have been completely bewitched by Moyang.
Besides, although Moyang was mysterious and possessed decent cultivation, he seemed completely unserious and full of bad intentions. Su Fei'er had previously asked her about the issue of a man standing up again, and she had heard those words came straight out of Moyang's mouth.
"A young lady should be more reserved. You're the Sect Master's daughter, what does this look like? Stop getting so close to him. This guy is no good—he's starting to research such improper things at this age!" Unable to hold back any longer, Xu Xin reached out and pulled Su Fei'er back.
"Senior Sister Xu, Brother Moyang isn't bad at all!" Su Fei'er muttered under her breath.
Back then, when she had accidentally exposed herself in front of Moyang, he hadn't done anything and had instead bolted in a panic. If it had been anyone else, the outcome would likely have been entirely different.
Xu Xin shook her head in speechlessness; this little girl was probably a lost cause.
"Good morning, Senior Brothers and Senior Sister!" Moyang walked up and greeted everyone with a smile.
The others were rendered speechless, having no idea how to describe Moyang. He was half an hour late—whose good morning was this?!
Xuantian City was over a hundred miles away from the Lingxu Sect. What they rode were several domesticated flying rocs—massive avian creatures whose wingspans approached ten meters when fully grown, easily capable of supporting several people.
"Since everyone is here, let's set off. Arriving in Xuantian City early will give you time to familiarize yourselves with the situation there!" the Third Elder announced.
By the time Moyang realized what was happening, the backs of the three flying rocs were already packed tight; the other disciples were clearly reluctant to share a mount with him.
Three disciples had already scrambled onto the back of the flying roc ridden by the Third Elder, while another three sat behind Qi Heng on his mount. That left only the roc ridden by Xu Xin and Su Fei'er.
"Brother Moyang, get up here quickly..." Su Fei'er patted the space in front of her.
Xu Xin's expression instantly darkened with displeasure, though she couldn't very well crowd onto the other two rocs.
"Moyang, go pilot that one. Fei'er and Xu Xin are girls after all, so fly a bit steadier!" the Third Elder had no choice but to instruct.
"Uh... fine!" Moyang was somewhat speechless. Just days ago, these same disciples had swarmed him to trade pills, treating him like their own father—they had practically begged to call him dad. Now, they were all hiding as far away as possible.
With a single bound, Moyang landed steadily on the back of the flying roc. In the past, the Fourth Elder had taken him on this creature plenty of times, so he was quite familiar with it.
Su Fei'er's eyes sparkled. At that moment, she found that even Moyang's movements were out of the ordinary—unconstrained and handsome.
Seeing this, the other disciples felt a fresh wave of irritation. Two great beauties were squished together with Moyang while they could only watch from the sidelines; didn't this just mean Moyang was getting a massive bargain for doing nothing?
Following several piercing, sharp cries that echoed across the practice ground, the three flying rocs soared into the sky.
The flying roc piloted by Moyang took the lead, leaving the other two rocs far behind in the blink of an eye. Su Fei'er clung tightly to Moyang's robes, squealing with excitement.
Xu Xin secretly regretted her choice, cursing Moyang as a madman in her heart. The howling gale rushed past her ears, producing sharp, whistling sounds. She was genuinely terrified, not daring to look down at the scenery below at all. Had she known this would happen, she would not have shared a mount with Moyang no matter what.
"Moyang, can't you slow down a bit? Third Elder and Senior Brother Qi are still way behind us!" Xu Xin finally couldn't help but protest.