Chapter Twenty: The End of the Training

After Chen Yi had cultivated the first level of the Dragon Elephant Technique to a minor accomplishment, he began roasting the beast he and Howling Sky had hunted.

Once again, they were roasting a porcupine. Ever since their first taste of roasted porcupine, Chen Yi and Howling Sky found the meat particularly delicious. Moreover, the quantity was sufficient to satisfy both their appetites, so hunting porcupines became a regular occurrence.

Cultivation requires both tension and relaxation; one cannot focus solely on training. It drains the mind and spirit, and a restless heart can easily lead to dangerous deviations, which is a loss outweighing any gain.

So, Chen Yi decided to roast a porcupine to reward himself and Howling Sky, and at the same time, restore his spirit depleted by cultivation—a task that served both purposes.

Having only just broken through in his cultivation, it wasn’t wise to push forward recklessly. He ought to consolidate his current level first. Furthermore, after completing his body refinement with the Dragon Elephant Technique, he had endured inhuman torment and expended too much mental energy; he needed to restore himself.

Fortunately, with the classic Daoist scripture, the Dao De Jing, from his previous life, Chen Yi could recover his spirit while also stabilizing his cultivation.

He sat cross-legged, took a bottle of Essence-Nurturing Pills from his spatial ring, swallowed one, and silently recited the Dao De Jing in his mind:

“The Way that can be spoken of is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of all things. Thus, ever desireless, one can observe its subtlety; ever desiring, one can observe its manifestations. These two emerge together yet differ in name. Their unity is called the Mystery. Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders.”

After restoring his spirit and finishing the roasted meat, Chen Yi decided to end this training journey and return to the Five Elements Sect. After all, he had accomplished all his goals in the Heavenly Dragon Mountains, and even gained some unexpected rewards. Moreover, the outer sect tournament was fast approaching.

The outer sect tournament was held once a year by the Five Elements Sect to test the progress of its disciples. At the tournament, inner sect disciples, elders, and even the sect master would sometimes observe. After all, the outer sect disciples were the foundation of the sect—their quality determined the sect’s future prosperity or decline.

Those who performed well in the tournament would not only receive rewards from the sect, but might also attract the attention of elders and be taken as personal disciples. Naturally, the tournament was of great importance to every outer sect member.

On the outskirts of the Heavenly Dragon Mountains, a youth of seventeen or eighteen emerged, smiling serenely as he admired the surrounding scenery, as if out for a leisurely stroll.

This youth was none other than Chen Yi. After deciding to return to the Five Elements Sect, he and Howling Sky took two days to make their way out of the mountains.

As they approached the edge, Chen Yi stored Howling Sky within the Beast Control Ring, placing him alongside the Golden Flood Dragon’s egg. After ingesting the Heavenly Dragon Fruit, Howling Sky had grown so majestic and eye-catching that Chen Yi had no choice but to keep him hidden to avoid unnecessary trouble—at least until his own strength was sufficient to dispel such concerns.

Just as Chen Yi was nearing the Five Elements Sect, he encountered a bit of trouble outside the sect gates.

Ahead, five youths swaggered toward him, with Wang Hu leading the way. As soon as Chen Yi saw Wang Hu, Wang Hu recognized Chen Yi as well.

Though Chen Yi’s physique had changed greatly, his face remained the same, and Wang Hu instantly identified him.

When Wang Hu noticed Chen Yi’s rapid advancement—now possessing the strength of a sixth-level Qi Refiner—his eyes flashed with astonishment.

However, remembering the helpers at his back, Wang Hu’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “Chen Yi, I’ve finally waited long enough for you. I heard you went into the Heavenly Dragon Mountains. I’ve been standing guard here for several days and nights, just to teach you a lesson for stealing from me last time.”

The four youths behind Wang Hu were clearly his hired muscle, each about eighteen or nineteen years old, all at the seventh level of Qi Refinement.

“Seventh-level Qi Refiners wouldn’t normally take orders from someone like Wang Hu, who’s only at the fourth level,” Chen Yi thought. “He must be relying on his brother Wang Long’s reputation.”

Wang Hu sneered, “Scared, are you? Chen Yi, hand over your spirit stones and pills, and I might go easy on you. Otherwise, you’re finished.”

“Teach me a lesson?” Chen Yi drew the Rainbow Sword from his waist. With his current strength, he no longer feared exposing the sword. He addressed the five, “With just you lot? Even if you train for another ten years, you’ll never beat me.”

“How dare you!”

“Insolence!”

“You’re dead!” One of the youths beside Wang Hu, Zhang Hai, stepped forward and pointed arrogantly at Chen Yi. “You’re dead. I, Zhang Hai, will teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”

“You talk too much. If you’re going to fight, hurry up,” Chen Yi replied with a glance.

Zhang Hai was incensed. He lunged forward, his right palm chopping at Chen Yi with lightning speed, the sound of his strike whistling through the air, audible even several dozen paces away.

Zhang Hai used the Mountain-Cleaving Palm, a technique said to split mountains and shatter earth at its peak. Although Zhang Hai had only just begun to master it and couldn’t split mountains yet, it was more than enough to break Chen Yi’s body.

As the palm struck, Chen Yi gently tapped Zhang Hai’s hand with the back of the Rainbow Sword.

A tremendous force surged through Zhang Hai’s hand, and without the slightest ability to resist, he was flung dozens of meters away, spitting blood.

Chen Yi had held back in accordance with the sect’s rules; otherwise, with his current strength and the Rainbow Sword’s sharpness, Zhang Hai would have been split in two.

Wang Hu and his companions gasped in disbelief. Zhang Hai, at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, couldn’t withstand even a single move from Chen Yi. How strong had Chen Yi become?

“Don’t be afraid! The four of us together can take him. Chen Yi is only at the sixth level. He just relied on brute strength just now. If we join forces, we can definitely defeat him. And if we don’t, he won’t let us off anyway,” Wang Hu shouted.

Roused by Wang Hu’s words, the other three moved to surround Chen Yi on all sides.

Seeing this, Chen Yi moved like lightning, the Rainbow Sword sweeping out and sending all four flying several meters, to join Zhang Hai on the ground.

With Chen Yi’s current battle prowess, disciplining these bullies was as effortless as an adult dealing with children.

“Hand over your spirit stones and pills,” Chen Yi demanded, standing over them. “Otherwise, you know the consequences.”

Though the words were the same as before, the roles had reversed. Overpowered by Chen Yi’s strength, Wang Hu and his gang, unwilling as they were, surrendered all they had.