However, Mo Yang was different. The Sect Master had personally stated yesterday that he was free to enter and leave at will.
What Mo Yang cared about was not the cultivation manuals or secret techniques inside. He wanted to check those ancient texts to see if he could find any information regarding Emperor Xing.
The elder guarding the Scripture Pavilion could not help but stare at Mo Yang for a moment when he saw him. A flash of imperceptible shock crossed his eyes, but he said nothing, merely nodding slightly in his direction.
Upon entering the Scripture Pavilion, Mo Yang walked up floor by floor until he reached the fifth level.
He had previously heard the Fourth Elder say that the sect’s most powerful cultivation manuals and secret arts, along with some precious ancient texts and documents, were kept on the fifth level. Even the prodigies among the disciples rarely had the opportunity to set foot there.
At the very moment Mo Yang entered the Scripture Pavilion, inside the main hall of the Lingxu Sect's primary peak, Su Feier rushed in with tears streaming down her face, startling the Sect Master and several elders present in the hall.
Su Feier looked exceptionally disheveled; her long hair was a complete mess, her dress had been torn in several places, and even one of her bare, immaculate feet was exposed, with only a single shoe left on her.
The powerful figures in the hall exchanged glances, and their expressions shifted instantly. Their minds immediately jumped to a certain conclusion.
"Feier, what happened?" The Sect Master sprang up from his chair, his expression already turning dark.
"It's Mo Yang! It—it was him! He bullied me... He almost... Wuwu!" Su Feier looked as pitiful as anyone could possibly look. She was crying so bitterly that she could barely catch her breath.
Hearing that it was Mo Yang, the Sect Master and the other elders were momentarily stunned, and even the Supreme Elder frowned slightly. However, it sounded as though that ultimate act had not actually taken place, which caused all of them to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
The Sect Master narrowed his eyes and asked, "Feier, was it really Mo Yang?"
Soaking her face in tears and sobbing nonstop, Su Feier nodded vigorously.
"Scoundrel!" Several elders could not help roaring in anger.
"Sect Master, it seems this boy cannot be kept! To dare commit such a rebellious and outrageous act, he should be directly executed according to sect rules!"
"It's only been a day, and he already dares to be this bold and lawless! Does he really think he can act without restraint?"
"No wonder he suddenly changed his mind yesterday and stayed. He's taking revenge on the sect!"
...
The Supreme Elder frowned slightly and said to Su Feier, "Feier, go down and rest first. Don't worry, Grandfather will make this right for you!"
After Su Feier left the main hall, the Supreme Elder spoke up: "Regardless of everything else, this was just a false alarm. Let's observe the situation first!"
He continued, "Early in the morning, if this girl hadn't run over to Wood Peak, how would she have run into Mo Yang? Besides, Mo Yang has been at the Lingxu Sect since he was a child; given his character, he shouldn't be capable of doing such a thing!"
The Sect Master and the other elders frowned upon hearing this. When they thought about it carefully, it did indeed feel somewhat strange.
"Feier has a mischievous personality, and she's been spoiled since childhood. Perhaps she went to make trouble for Mo Yang because she was held hostage by him yesterday, but she didn't get the upper hand, so she intentionally made a scene like this!"
After thinking it over carefully, the Sect Master felt this was highly probable, as he knew the personality of his own daughter better than anyone.
Of course, all of this was due to the cultivation level Mo Yang had displayed. If it had been in the past, he would have met only one end.
Shortly after, the Sect Master and several elders left the main hall. Having learned from a few disciples that Mo Yang had gone to the Scripture Pavilion, the group headed there as well, though they did not go inside, choosing instead to observe from the outside.
"He's got some nerve, going straight to the fifth level. Does he think those cultivation manuals are that easy to master?" The First Elder's expression was somewhat unsightly, and his tone carried a mocking undertone. Mo Yang had not given him an ounce of respect yesterday, and he had never looked favorably upon the boy.
"Don't you all feel that this little fellow is a bit different from yesterday? The faint aura about him seems much more solid than it was yesterday!" The Supreme Elder observed quietly before speaking with a hint of suspicion and a trace of astonishment in his voice.
"He is indeed somewhat different. What on earth has happened to him in just a single day?" The Sect Master spoke with surprise after observing closely as well.
Peering into the Scripture Pavilion, the Supreme Elder said, "As for what Feier claimed, let's not go looking for him just yet. We'll observe in secret for a period of time. Feier must be sixteen now; if we want to keep Mo Yang in the Lingxu Sect, I actually think Feier would be an excellent choice. Putting yesterday's incident aside and thinking carefully, Mo Yang is actually not a bad lad at heart."
The First and Second Elders were both startled upon hearing this. They naturally understood the subtext behind the Supreme Elder's words. However, when they looked toward the Sect Master, even the Sect Master was subconsciously nodding slightly, forcing them to swallow the words that had already reached their lips.
Chapter 5: The Might of the Incomplete Manual
Mo Yang, who was inside the Scripture Pavilion, had no idea what was happening outside. After flipping through nearly ten ancient texts in succession, he failed to find the slightest mention of Emperor Xing.
However, he accidentally discovered an incomplete set of sword techniques. It was severely damaged, with only the foundational mental cultivation method remaining.
"Why would he choose that remnant manual? That sword technique is far too incomplete, and the mental formula is so abstruse that it's simply impossible to practice!" The Supreme Elder frowned. Everything Mo Yang did inside the Scripture Pavilion was crystal clear to him.
"Hah, this brat—does he find all the other cultivation manuals unworthy of his eyes? Why is he coming out already?" The Supreme Elder frowned again.
Hiding in the shadows, several elders watched as Mo Yang walked out of the Scripture Pavilion and headed straight in the direction of Wood Peak.
Yet, just as he was about to leave the range of the elders' sight, Mo Yang actually turned his head and glanced directly toward where they were hiding.
"Could it be that he's discovered us?!" Even the First Elder was somewhat startled, hurriedly restraining his aura.
"He's only at Level 1 Earth Profound Realm—how could his spiritual perception be this sharp?!" The Second Elder exclaimed in a lowered voice.
"He probably hasn't noticed. But this little fellow is becoming harder and harder to read..." The Supreme Elder stroked his beard, a trace of a smile actually appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Afterward, the group quietly dispersed. Originally, they had come because of Su Feier's matter, but the Supreme Elder had directly intervened to stop them. Although the First and Second Elders still looked upon Mo Yang with disfavor, they had no choice but to swallow their resentment.
Upon returning to Wood Peak, Mo Yang went straight into the Stone Pagoda and began to comprehend the sword technique he had obtained from the Scripture Pavilion. He had already committed those few short lines of the formula firmly to memory.
The reason Mo Yang had taken a fancy to this sword technique was simply because the formula was unusually obscure and awkward to pronounce, marking it immediately as distinct from ordinary sword techniques.
The Emperor Xing Scripture he cultivated was quite similar to it in nature.
He practiced until nightfall without gaining any clear insight, yet unawares, his cultivation had grown considerably, steadily approaching the mid-stage of Level 1 Earth Profound Realm.
Mo Yang could not help marveling at the extraordinary nature of the Emperor Xing Scripture. At this rate of progress, it would only take him a few days to break through to the Level 2 Earth Profound Realm. Such a cultivation speed, if displayed among those major powers, would likely drop jaws everywhere.
What he did not know was that the Lingxu Sect was already in an uproar over him.
Many disciples had seen Su Feier crying as she rushed down from Wood Peak, her dress torn in several places and her long hair an utter mess. Naturally, this appearance led those disciples to conjure up all sorts of speculations.
Various rumors spread among the disciples, and Su Feier's admirers completely lost their minds.
Yet, what puzzled the disciples was that the sect's elders did not inquire into the matter at all, acting as if they were completely unaware.
As for Su Feier herself, she was utterly bewildered. The rumors were one thing, but what she could not wrap her head around was that when she went to see the Supreme Elder that very evening, the Supreme Elder showed not the slightest intention of punishing Mo Yang. Instead, he told her to interact more with Mo Yang and lavished praise on him, making his subtext glaringly obvious.
On the second day, Qi Heng, the top prodigy of the Lingxu Sect, emerged from seclusion. As the Senior Brother of the primary peak, he had spent several months in seclusion, and his cultivation had broken through to Level 1 Earth Profound Realm.
Upon hearing those rumors, Qi Heng flew into a rage. He initially intended to storm Wood Peak directly, but after learning from other disciples about what Mo Yang had done a few days prior, he deliberated and instead sent someone to deliver a challenge letter to Mo Yang.
On Wood Peak, Mo Yang sat on a stone stool in the small courtyard, staring at the challenge letter in his hand with a somewhat dazed expression. The letter contained only a time, a place, and Qi Heng's name; Mo Yang had no inkling that it was all because of Su Feier.
"Fine by me. It'll be a good way to test my current combat strength. Master often said that true experts are forged through endless battles!" Mo Yang didn't dwell on it too much. In his view, Qi Heng must have learned that his cultivation had reached the Earth Profound Realm and had come out to challenge him for that reason.
The time specified in the challenge letter was noon in three days, and the location was the martial arts arena.
Naturally, this matter could not be hidden from the elders of the sect. However, the Supreme Elder turned a blind eye, intentionally letting the situation develop because he wanted to take the opportunity to test Mo Yang's true combat strength. After all, both Qi Heng and Mo Yang were at Level 1 Earth Profound Realm, and a clash between the two would naturally reveal who was stronger and who was weaker.
For the remainder of the time, Mo Yang spent most of it comprehending the mysterious runes inside the Stone Pagoda while also practicing the incomplete sword manual. Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
At noon on that day, the Lingxu Sect's martial arts arena was exceptionally bustling, with disciples from all the peaks gathered together. At the same time, a black-robed youth slowly walked into the arena.
The youth was tall with a cold facial expression, and the contours of his explosive muscles beneath the black robe were clearly visible, invisibly exuding a powerful sense of physical might.
He was the top prodigy of the Lingxu Sect and the Senior Brother of the primary peak, Qi Heng.
Seeing Qi Heng arrive, many disciples burst into cheers.
"Senior Brother Qi has come out of seclusion! Let's see how that Mo Yang acts arrogant now!"
"Senior Brother Qi will surely win!"
"That beast Mo Yang is lower than an animal, attempting to harbor malicious intentions toward Junior Sister Su. He deserves to die!"
...
Yet some disciples also frowned. After all, Mo Yang had likewise displayed Earth Profound Realm cultivation a few days ago. The crucial point was that Mo Yang had previously been good for nothing—a waste who couldn't even cross the threshold of the Qi Condensation Realm. There seemed to be unknown secrets hidden within him.
"Mo Yang is also at Level 1 Earth Profound Realm. It's still hard to say who will win and who will lose this fight!"
"Indeed, judging by Mo Yang's performance a few days ago, this guy is no pushover. Both of Luo Hao's hands were broken, and now he can't even hold a sword steady..."
No one noticed that not far away, several figures had already been monitoring the situation in the martial arts arena in secret; a group of elders were already watching closely from the shadows.
However, noon had arrived, and the area surrounding the martial arts arena was packed densely with disciples from every peak who had come to watch the battle. Qi Heng had already been waiting in the arena for some time, yet Mo Yang's figure still failed to appear.
"Could Mo Yang not dare to accept the challenge? Why isn't he here yet..."
"Dammit, this piece of trash actually dared to stand Senior Brother Qi up!"
Some disciples cursed as they craned their necks toward Wood Peak.
...
In the center of the martial arts arena, Qi Heng wore a cold expression, leaning on a longsword planted before him. He remained entirely silent, standing quietly right in the middle of the arena.
As time slowly ticked by, the atmosphere at the scene gradually grew somewhat strange, because Mo Yang's figure still had not appeared.
It wasn't until nearly half an hour later that Mo Yang finally appeared in everyone's line of sight. To everyone's speechlessness, he wore a drowsy look, appearing to yawn as he walked over.
An uproar broke out around the martial arts arena, and many disciples began chattering among themselves.
Qi Heng's expression had long since turned icy cold. Staring at the figure slowly walking over, he radiated a powerful aura—all of it born from fury.
"Sorry everyone, I overslept!" Mo Yang reached the edge of the martial arts arena and offered an apologetic smile to the surrounding disciples.
"Mo Yang, I thought you wouldn't dare to come!" Qi Heng finally couldn't help speaking, his voice icy and severe, making the anger in his tone unmistakable.
"I was indeed a bit nervous!" Mo Yang looked at Qi Heng and said with a chuckle.
"To think you'd be audacious enough to reach this point—what on earth did you do to Junior Sister Su?" Seeing Mo Yang's absent-minded demeanor, a thick wave of anger surged across Qi Heng's face as he shouted the question.
"Huh? Which Junior Sister Su?" The remark left Mo Yang completely bewildered.
"I am talking about Junior Sister Su Feier!" Qi Heng was on the verge of explosive rage, his voice heavy.
"This beast does it and refuses to admit it!" A disciple immediately roared in anger.
"You eat your fill and wipe your mouth, then deny everything. Are you even a man?"
...
"What did I do to Su Feier?" Hearing the surrounding angry shouts, Mo Yang was completely baffled.
He truly had no idea, though vaguely he recalled what Su Feier had said when she left his courtyard three days ago, leaving him temporarily speechless in his heart.
Qi Heng's expression turned thoroughly frigid. Fixing his gaze on Mo Yang, he asked in a cold voice, "Are you not going to use a sword?"
Mo Yang brazenly stretched his back and said, "Even if you can't beat them, you can't lose your momentum. Just fight, what use is a sword!"
He then twisted his waist and said, "Come on, I'm still in a rush to go back and take a nap!"
Many disciples around them wore stunned expressions; they had never realized Mo Yang could be such an eccentric character.
"Humph!" Qi Heng let out a cold snort.
With a swift motion, he drew his longsword. The aura around his body surged violently as he flashed forward to stab at Mo Yang. A trace of true qi could be clearly seen condensing on the blade's edge, and a fierce, sharp aura instantly surged outward.
Yet, facing this ferocious strike, Mo Yang simply stood quietly in place, neither attacking nor retreating.
Qi Heng's attack was exceptionally fast, the longsword reaching right in front of Mo Yang in the blink of an eye. Only then did Mo Yang suddenly thrust out his right hand, his palm skimming along the edge of the blade before slamming viciously onto the flat of the sword.
Qi Heng's expression shifted slightly. He clearly felt a massive force transmitting along the body of the sword, nearly knocking the weapon from his grip while numbing his entire arm. He hurriedly exerted force in secret to grip the hilt tightly, then capitalized on the momentum to sweep horizontally toward Mo Yang.
Mo Yang pulled back instantly. Then, true qi coursed through his right hand, and a wisp of sword qi slowly condensed from his palm, colliding violently with the sweeping longsword at high speed.
This was that incomplete sword manual. Having practiced it for several days, Mo Yang could barely manage to condense this single wisp of sword qi.
"Clang!"
With a crisp sound, accompanied by the fleeting flash of an incomparably sharp aura, the longsword in Qi Heng's hand was actually snapped clean in two. The broken section dropped onto the bluestone slabs of the martial arts arena, producing a sharp ring.
At that moment, dead silence fell around the martial arts arena, and the numerous watching disciples were struck dumb.
Not far away, the Supreme Elder's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, and the hand stroking his beard accidentally ripped out a large handful of it.
He had once practiced that incomplete sword manual himself, yet after studying it for several years, he had failed to master it because it was far too fragmentary.
Yet he clearly remembered that Mo Yang had only obtained this sword technique from the Scripture Pavilion three days ago! Three days, and this incomplete sword manual had actually been successfully mastered by Mo Yang!
How was this possible?!
Hiding in the shadows all this time, Su Feier almost failed to suppress a cry of shock. Compared to a few days ago, Mo Yang seemed to have grown even stronger. She could see very clearly that while Qi Heng had gone all out right from the start, Mo Yang had handled it as if it were nothing.
Meanwhile, in the center of the arena, Qi Heng was equally dumbstruck.
Chapter 6: The Cunning Elder
Qi Heng's body froze instantly. He stared blankly at the longsword in his hand, which had already been lopped in half, an expression of sheer disbelief filling his eyes.
As the top prodigy of the Lingxu Sect and the Senior Brother of the primary peak, the sword he used could hardly be an ordinary item.
This sword had been a gift from the First Elder, forged from hundred-refined fine gold. It could slice through iron like mud, and having accompanied him for many years, it had never failed him. Yet now, it had been severed by a mere strand of sword qi.
The First Elder, who had been watching the battle in secret alongside the Sect Master and the Supreme Elder, thought he must be seeing things. He hurriedly rubbed his eyes, but that broken blade lying on the martial arts arena still looked glaringly real.
"Mo Yang, you..." Recovering from his shock, Qi Heng's gaze snapped toward Mo Yang, two beams of cold light shooting from his eyes, his expression sinking to the absolute extreme.
At that moment, Mo Yang was still frowning as he recalled the previous moment. That wisp of sword qi had dissipated after a single strike, but its power seemed pretty decent. If he could comprehend it thoroughly, its might would boundlessly increase.
When he raised his head, Qi Heng was already charging over. Abandoning the broken sword in his hand, Qi Heng clenched his fist with a single hand, a dazzling halo shrouding his fist as he smashed fiercely toward Mo Yang.
"The fourth layer of the Tyrant Fist!" A spectator disciple immediately cried out in astonishment.
This was a fist technique known for its fierce, unyielding, and tyrannical power, divided into five layers in total. The fourth layer could only be unleashed once cultivation reached the Earth Profound Realm, as it required true qi to condense the fist force and drive it outward, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.
Among all the disciples, Qi Heng was the only one who had cultivated the Tyrant Fist to the fourth layer.
"The fourth layer of the Tyrant Fist!" Mo Yang's gaze narrowed slightly; he was naturally well aware of the power of this fist technique.
He originally intended to channel his true qi to counter it, but after a slight hesitation, he simply threw his own fist forward in a direct counter-attack.
"Boom..."
The two fists smashed violently against each other, producing a muffled, thunderous roar. A visible ring of shockwaves spread rapidly outward from where the two stood, and both men simultaneously recoiled.
Whether it was Mo Yang or Qi Heng, with every step they took backward during their retreat, the bluestone ground shattered beneath their feet.
One could only imagine the immense power unleashed by their previous exchange!
The discussions at the scene came to an abrupt halt, and numerous disciples were left gaping. In all past duels between sect disciples, they had never witnessed such a staggering spectacle.
The most crucial point was that everyone had clearly seen just now that Mo Yang hadn't channeled any true qi whatsoever—he was relying purely on his physical strength, whereas Qi Heng had unleashed the power of the fourth layer of the Tyrant Fist.
The shock in Qi Heng's eyes flashed and vanished, replaced by a terrifyingly gloomy face. He stared silently at Mo Yang, appraising him seriously for the very first time. A moment later, he spoke in a deep voice: "To think you've hidden yourself this deeply! Everyone thought you were incapable of cultivation, yet your cultivation turns out to be the strongest of all!"
Qi Heng spoke with utmost sincerity, but his tone abruptly shifted. "Even so, today I will definitely demand justice for Junior Sister!"
Mo Yang felt immensely speechless in his heart and bluntly retorted, "Demand your sister's justice! Do you have any brains at all?"
Those words instantly enraged Qi Heng. A flash of killing intent crossed his eyes, and utilizing the Lingxu Footwork, he lunged forward once more.
Mo Yang's gaze narrowed. The true qi within his body slowly stirred, and a golden luster overflowed onto the surface of his skin, covering him like a suit of golden armor.
The scene repeated itself identically: the two men once again threw punches that met head-on.
Both were sent reeling back simultaneously once more. However, when the two men steadied their stances, a trace of pallor had already surfaced on Qi Heng's face. The pain written across his features was impossible to conceal, and thick shock mirrored itself within his eyes.