Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 169 Mysterious Righteous Man, Old Friend Visits

"The mysterious figure 'Yi' has broken through the fifth level in the outer sect's cultivation technique pavilion! Cultivation level: Early stage of the Bone Forging Realm!"

When this message, accompanied by the light of the array, was clearly displayed on the huge bronze list next to the gate of the Cultivation Techniques Pavilion, the entire outer gate square seemed to have been hit by a boulder, stirring up a thousand waves!

"Early stage of Bone Forging Realm, breaking through to the fifth level?! This—how is this possible?!"

"The last person to break through to the fifth level in the early stages of Bone Forging, I remember, was Senior Brother Zhou Lingyun of the Golden Vein five years ago, right? He had a special physique, exceptionally high innate talent, and was already close to breaking through to the middle stage at that time!"

Who exactly is this "righteous one"? He broke records in the Tianshui branch before, and now, at the outer gate of the prefectural city, he's actually able to pass the fifth level with only early-stage cultivation? This comprehension—"

"The guardian of the fifth level possesses a level of cultivation technique comprehension equivalent to that of a cultivator at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm. An ordinary cultivator in the early stages of Bone Forging Realm would be considered quite capable of withstanding three moves in a contest of techniques, yet he managed to defeat him?!"

"Investigate! Quickly investigate who this 'Yi' is! Is he a newly initiated disciple?"

In an instant, the area in front of the cultivation method pavilion was bustling with noise. Almost all the disciples who saw the list had their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

There is a well-known gap between the early stage of the Bone Forging Realm and the fifth stage.

Being able to pass this level means that one's combat strength, mastery of techniques, and fighting talent far surpass those of others of the same level, and one may even be able to fight beyond their level!

Such a genius, regardless of which lineage he belongs to, would certainly be a key figure in their cultivation!

However, when people tried to deduce his identity from the simple signature "Yi" and the vague information "early stage of Bone Forging Realm", they found it very difficult.

Although there aren't many newly recruited disciples at the early stage of the Bone Forging Realm, there are still over a hundred of them, scattered across the five sects, making it difficult to pinpoint their location in a short time.

But soon, some of the "old-timers" who had risen from the Tianshui branch, especially those who had "intersected" with "righteousness," were filled with turmoil.

At Bibo Peak, in a serene pavilion near Tingtao Academy, four composed and well-dressed outer disciples were gathered together enjoying tea and discussing philosophy.

These four people all looked to be around thirty-five or thirty-six years old. They had strong blood and energy, and the lowest cultivation level among them was the late stage of the Bone Forging Realm. Two of them had even reached the Perfection of the Bone Forging Realm, just one step away from the Refining Realm.

They were four "prodigies" who rose from the Pingtianmen branch of Tianshui. They grew up in the branch since childhood, and their fathers were all prominent figures in Pingtianmen. They never lacked resources.

Leading the group was a handsome, gentle-looking man in a blue robe named Qin Muyun. He was at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, specializing in wood-attribute cultivation techniques, and his aura was long and profound. His father was a powerful elder in a branch of the Pingtian Sect, whose cultivation was also at the Refining Stage.

On the left is a burly man with dark skin and sharp eyes, Tie Zhan. He is also at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, and his aura is fierce, clearly indicating that he follows the path of body refinement or the metal/earth element. His uncle is also a branch sect steward.

On the right is a woman in purple with an ordinary appearance but exceptionally bright and lively eyes. She is Su Yuwei, a late-stage Bone Forging Realm cultivator, skilled in movement techniques and hidden weapons, and the only woman among the four. Her mother comes from a distinguished family.

The last person was a slender, scholarly-looking young man in a blue robe, Wen Yuan, a late-stage Bone Forging Realm cultivator. His aura was calm, suggesting he was skilled in formations or auxiliary techniques. His family had close ties with the sect's weapon-refining hall.

These four were already top-tier when they were in their respective branches. Once they arrived at the outer gate of the prefectural city, they had each secured their own positions within their respective factions, thanks to their backgrounds and strength.

Qin Muyun is in the Qingmu lineage, Tie Zhan is in the Houtu lineage, Su Yuwei is in the Gengjin lineage, and Wen Yuan has established himself in the Lihuo lineage. They are considered prominent figures among the newly recruited disciples.

At this moment, the four of them were discussing the news that had just spread.

"Early stage of Bone Forging Realm, breaking through the fifth barrier—Righteousness?" Su Yuwei blinked her bright eyes, looking at the other three. "Among those from our branch who used this alias, isn't that the only one? Could it be—"

Tie Zhan raised a thick eyebrow and said in a deep voice, "Besides him, who else could it be? Back in the branch, he used the alias 'Yi' to clear the levels in the Cultivation Pavilion, making rapid progress all the way. I remember when he left, he was only at the Flesh Refining Realm, right? How long has it been? Not only has he broken through to the Bone Forging Realm, but he can also break through the fifth level at the outer gate of the prefectural city with only early-stage cultivation?!"

Wen Yuan pushed up his nose and slowly said, "I remember that before Junior Brother Song Jing left the branch, he had a conflict with Qian Rushan. Later, Qian Rushan seemed to have brought people to ambush him on the road, but in the end—he disappeared without a trace. Junior Brother Song Jing, on the other hand, arrived safely in the prefectural city."

Qin Muyun put down his teacup, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his gentle eyes: "If we consider Junior Brother Song Jing's actual combat strength, it would probably have already exceeded the Bone Forging Realm back then, and he would have been at least at the mid-stage, and now he's probably approaching the late stage. Breaking through the fifth level now isn't entirely unexpected, but the speed is truly terrifying."

"But how old is he? In his early twenties, right?" Su Yuwei clicked her tongue. "At our age, we're still struggling to break through to the Bone Forging Realm. He, on the other hand, directly challenged the fifth level with only the initial stage cultivation! I barely managed to pass the fourth level when I was in the late stage of Bone Forging Realm, and I only tried the fifth level when I was in the late stage."

Tie Zhan sighed, "Yeah, it's true, comparisons are odious. I consider myself to be quite diligent in my cultivation, and I've never lacked resources, yet at thirty-five, I've only barely touched the threshold of the Refining Realm. This kid—he's a monster."

"It seems we all underestimated this Junior Brother Song Jing," Wen Yuan concluded. "To be able to leave from the outer city village, fight his way to the prefectural city, and cause such a commotion at the branch, he is no ordinary person. It's just unexpected that after entering the sect and reaching the level of Bibo Peak, he can still stand out so quickly."

Qin Muyun stood up, looked in the direction of Bibo Peak, and smiled gently: "In any case, we are all from the Tianshui branch, which is fate. Junior Brother Song Jing has just arrived and has chosen Bibo Peak, which is in a difficult situation. As his senior brothers and sisters, it is only right and proper for us to visit him, catch up, and see if there is anything we can do to help."

"Perfect timing, let's also confirm in person whether this mysterious 'Yi' is indeed our junior brother."

The other three nodded in agreement. Although they each had their own backgrounds and were usually quite arrogant, they still held a certain amount of respect and a desire to befriend true geniuses, especially those who rose from humble beginnings to achieve success through sheer hard work.

After all, no one can guarantee how far such a person will go in the future.

Thus, these four "branch prodigies," who were somewhat famous outside the city, went together to Bibo Peak to visit Song Jing.

Listening to the Waves Courtyard, in Song Jing's quiet room.

He had just finished a brief period of meditation and felt the wisp of dark blue Xuan Yuan True Qi within his body grow stronger, forming a more subtle balance and interaction with the crimson Wildfire True Qi. He was quite satisfied.

Passing the fifth level of the cultivation technique pavilion was not too difficult for him.

After mastering the "Mysterious Origin Heavy Water True Skill" and initially combining it with the Wildfire True Qi, his overall strength, especially the qualitative change in his true qi, as well as the endurance and variability of his combat, improved significantly.

Although the guardian of the fifth level was strong, he was ultimately defeated by his combined offensive of water and fire, and of both strength and gentleness.

His original intention was simply to hone his newly acquired skills, familiarize himself with the challenge mode of the outer sect's martial arts pavilion, and take a look at his current strength level. He never expected that the pseudonym "Yi" would cause such a sensation again.

"Looks like I can't keep a low profile anymore." Song Jing shook his head, not particularly bothered.

Having chosen this path, one cannot remain unknown forever. Appropriately showcasing one's abilities can also reduce unnecessary trouble.

Just then, a knock came from outside the quiet room, accompanied by a gentle male voice: "Is Junior Brother Song Jing here? Old friends from the Tianshui branch, Qin Muyun, Tie Zhan, Su Yuwei, and Wen Yuan, have come to visit."

Song Jing raised an eyebrow. He naturally knew these four people; they were top figures in the branch office and had powerful backgrounds.

They came together, and their purpose was self-evident.

Upon opening the door, four smiling figures stood outside, exuding an air of authority.

"So it's Senior Brother Qin, Senior Brother Tie, Senior Sister Su, and Senior Brother Wen. Please come in." Song Jing stepped aside and led the four into the rather simple quiet room. The room contained only a table, a futon, and a low couch, with simple furnishings.

The four sat down, and Qin Muyun, as their representative, got straight to the point, smiling and saying, "Junior Brother Song, we apologize for our intrusion. It's truly astonishing what you did today in the Cultivation Technique Pavilion. Your reputation for 'righteousness' has made many senior disciples restless."

Song Jing knew he couldn't hide it; these people from the branch could easily guess what was going on. So he frankly admitted, "It's just a trivial skill; I'm sorry to have made you laugh, senior brothers and sisters. I'm new to the sect and just wanted to test my skills and get familiar with the environment."

"Breaking through the fifth level in the early stage of Bone Forging is just a piece of cake? Wouldn't we be utterly ashamed?" Su Yuwei covered her mouth and chuckled, her beautiful eyes lingering on Song Jing with curiosity. "Junior Brother Song, how exactly did you cultivate? I remember when you left the branch, you hadn't even reached the Bone Forging Realm yet, right? It's only been a short time!"

"It's just a matter of some fortuitous circumstances, plus not daring to slack off," Song Jing said vaguely, changing the subject. "I suppose my senior brothers and sisters have already established themselves in the city. I wonder what the situation is like in the outer sect now? And how are the disciple ranks divided?"

Seeing that Song Jing was unwilling to discuss his secrets, the four did not press him further. Wen Yuan took over the conversation and explained, "The outer disciples of the prefectural city are divided into four ranks: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, based on their cultivation level, contributions, and potential. The Yellow rank is the lowest, mostly consisting of newly entered Bone Forging Realm disciples and some older disciples with average strength."

To reach the Xuan rank, one needs a certain level of strength, usually at the late stage of Bone Forging, or by accumulating contributions by completing certain sect missions.

The Earth Rank is a watershed moment; one must break through to the Refining Stage and meet certain other conditions to be eligible to apply for promotion.

Once you become a Rank 1 disciple, your benefits will be greatly improved. You will be able to choose one rare cultivation technique for free each year and gain more cultivation resources and privileges.

"What about the Heavenly Rank?" Song Jing pressed.

Qin Muyun interjected, his tone filled with longing and solemnity: "Heavenly Rank—that's the true pinnacle of the outer sect, the core disciples."

Normally, one needs to reach the Marrow Refining Realm and make great contributions to the sect before being approved by the Elders' Council to be promoted.

Heavenly Rank disciples hold a prestigious position and enjoy immense authority, in some respects comparable to ordinary inner disciples.

However, there is an even more difficult, yet more dazzling, path to ascend to the Heavenly Rank.

He paused, looked at Song Jing, and said, word by word, "That is—not relying on cultivation to break through, but relying on the ultimate understanding of the cultivation technique and practical combat ability to continuously break through the eighth level in the Cultivation Technique Pavilion!"

"The eighth level?!" Song Jing's eyes narrowed. He had just passed the fifth level and knew that it would get harder and harder as he went on. The difficulty of the eighth level was probably far beyond his imagination.

"Not bad." Tie Zhan added in a deep voice, "To break through the eight gates, the basic requirement is to have at least four high-quality cultivation techniques at the perfect level!"

Moreover, this is just the basic threshold. In actual combat, the strength of the gatekeeper will increase dramatically, requiring extremely high levels of martial arts comprehension, combat wisdom, and on-the-spot adaptability.

This path is even more difficult than simply breaking through to the Marrow Refining Realm!

As far as I know, in the past hundred years, only two or three outer disciples have been able to advance to the Heavenly Rank through this method. Each of them later became a renowned figure in their respective regions.