Chapter One Hundred Twenty: Breakthrough to Ninth-Stage True Essence Qi! (Please Subscribe)

Even with Yang Ze’s composed temperament, he could not help but be moved upon hearing this.

For disciples like them, the progression of cultivation eventually leads to the Ninth Stage of True Essence. The final hurdle after that is the breakthrough into the First Grade Bone-Tempering Realm. To truly step into this realm requires two steps: condensing the True Essence within the body into True Force, and tempering the first bone. Only by completing both can one become a genuine First Grade martial artist.

According to Lin Hui, if one can reach the top ten among the registered disciples, they can almost directly become an outer sect disciple. After all, those who make it into the top ten are already half-step First Grade martial artists—the elite among the registered disciples. If they can obtain a Bone-Condensing Pill and successfully temper a bone, they can immediately ascend to the First Grade.

Only now did Yang Ze understand why Lin Hui said half-step First Grade disciples were rare; once these individuals possess a Bone-Condensing Pill, entering the outer sect is a natural progression. Why would someone capable of becoming an outer sect disciple choose to remain a mere registered disciple at the foot of Qingyang Peak?

"So, the tournament has such generous rewards. No wonder I haven't seen those disciples who have reached the Ninth Stage of True Essence wandering around for the past two months; they must all be training hard, hoping to secure a good rank in the tournament," Yang Ze mused.

"I originally thought there wouldn't be any surprises in this year's tournament, but after seeing you, Junior Brother Yang, I’ve realized that this year's competition is likely to have an unexpected variable."

Lin Hui looked at Yang Ze with interest and continued, "In just two months since joining, you have already reached the Eighth Stage of True Essence. By the time the tournament begins, you should be an expert at the Ninth Stage. With your various methods, I believe you will be one of the top hundred registered disciples. Hahaha!"

Lin Hui patted Yang Ze on the shoulder while laughing heartily. Yang Ze’s heart tightened; he hadn't expected Lin Hui to be so perceptive, even guessing his own private intentions.

"Reaching the Ninth Stage of True Essence is no easy feat. Among the hundreds of thousands of registered disciples, there are currently fewer than two thousand who have achieved it. My foundation is still shallow; how could I possibly be one of them?" Yang Ze shook his head.

"Junior Brother, you are too modest. I will just wait to hear your good news. But I will say this first: if you are short on contribution points, you can come to me at any time. I can help you reach the top hundred!" Lin Hui said.

After saying this, Lin Hui did not linger and turned to leave immediately.

Yang Ze stood in place, deep in thought. Since he had learned of such lucrative rewards upon ascending Qingyang Peak, he certainly could not let this opportunity pass him by. Unlike what he told Lin Hui, Yang Ze intended to push himself. His goal was the top ten, and he even harbored a desire for the top three. The allure of the Bone-Condensing Pill was simply too great; if he could obtain one, he wouldn't have to bear the status of a registered disciple for much longer.

However, Yang Ze understood that the top three was merely a pipe dream for him. In such a short time, even making it into the top hundred was questionable; the top three felt like a fantasy. Nevertheless, no matter how difficult it was, Yang Ze would give his all to reach his limit.

With his mind made up, Yang Ze headed up Qingyang Peak. Once he completed his monthly tasks, he would be able to devote himself entirely to cultivation.

***

Three days later, Yang Ze sealed all the entrances to his residence, sat cross-legged in his practice room, and unpacked all his belongings, laying out every medicinal herb he possessed.

He counted them: only twenty portions remained. His savings had nearly been depleted not long after arriving here. With a firm gaze, he reminded himself that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; keeping these resources was useless—putting them to their best use now was the wisest choice.

Yang Ze immediately picked up a portion of herbs and swallowed it. The black stone pattern on his chest emitted a dark glow once more, helping him break down the herbs and convert them into the familiar energy. As he circulated the Qi-Nurturing Technique, Yang Ze began his slow path of cultivation.

This session was destined to be a long one. He had stocked up on enough dry rations and was determined not to stop until his goal was achieved. As he absorbed the energy, he felt the True Essence in his dantian increasing bit by bit. The speed was not rapid, but it was far faster than what he could achieve through self-cultivation alone.

Half a month passed quickly. Yang Ze sat in his practice room with five portions of herbs left, but he stopped consuming them. Yesterday, he had clearly felt his internal True Essence reach a state of saturation—a sign that he had reached the peak of the Eighth Stage. Without breaking through to the Ninth Stage, further consumption of herbs would be of little use.

Therefore, Yang Ze prepared to冲击 the Ninth Stage. Drawing on his experience from his previous breakthrough, he decided to attempt something bold. Mentally reviewing the crucial steps for the Ninth Stage as recorded in the Qi-Nurturing Technique, he circulated his True Essence along a path completely different from before, guiding it through his meridians.

After three full cycles, his aura reached a peak, but Yang Ze did not stop; he continued to push forward. He completed another three cycles, yet the bottleneck of the Ninth Stage remained stubbornly firm. At this juncture, Yang Ze silently called out to the black stone in his heart with the utmost sincerity.

After several silent pleas, the black stone pattern on his chest suddenly released a faint, eerie light. It emerged from his chest like a small sphere of light, clinging to his skin. As soon as this light appeared, it influenced his entire aura, including the True Essence circulating within his body.

Seeing this, Yang Ze’s eyes lit up with joy. This was exactly as it had been last time. He resumed circulating his True Essence according to the technique, and this time, he sensed the opportunity. He lunged directly toward the Ninth Stage of True Essence.

There was no bottleneck; everything happened as naturally as water flowing into a channel. His True Essence surged, and his aura exploded outward, reaching the Ninth Stage. Feeling the vastly enhanced power within him, Yang Ze laughed. His hypothesis was correct: the black stone could help him break through bottlenecks without resistance. With the black stone in his possession, he no longer had to fear stagnating; he could simply grind slowly, and when the time was right, use the stone to advance.

With a soft shout, Yang Ze extended his right hand. Pale white True Essence manifested in his palm, coalescing into nine distinct vortices. As he activated the Qi-Nurturing Technique, the nine vortices merged and vanished into his palm.

"The Ninth Stage of True Essence. This Ethereal Martial Academy is truly a treasure trove. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is so dense here that not only is the speed of cultivation faster, but the efficiency of using medicinal herbs is far superior to the outside world. Had I been anywhere else, even with the black stone, I could not have reached the Ninth Stage so quickly," Yang Ze sighed.

Today, he was finally only one step away from becoming a First Grade martial artist. Even without that final breakthrough, he was now an invincible force in a small place like Yuyang City; the Ninth Stage of True Essence was comparable to the peak of the Houtian realm.

"I cannot be too happy yet. I have only just broken through to the Ninth Stage, barely placing myself among the elite registered disciples. With more than half a month left, I can still become even stronger."

Yang Ze glanced at the remaining five portions of herbs but did not consume them rashly, choosing first to stabilize his newly attained cultivation. Seven days later, after twenty-two days of isolation, the doors to his residence finally opened.

A refreshed Yang Ze stepped out. The sunlight fell on his somewhat dark complexion, and although his appearance seemed ordinary, he possessed a distinct aura. He ended his seclusion because he felt that continuing in that state would yield diminishing returns. Through his breakthrough, his "Great Whirlwind Piercing Blade Steps" had also reached the state of Mastery, which was the limit achievable through raw power; reaching perfection would now require dedicated practice.

Running a bit of True Essence through his body, he felt strength many times greater than before. If he were to face Wu He again, he was confident he could defeat him within three moves, even without using a weapon.

Checking his identity token, he found he only had fifty contribution points left. There was still a little time before the tournament, and he did not want to waste it. With the black stone space, he believed he had enough time to cultivate a new martial art. However, fifty points were not enough. It seemed he would indeed have to follow Lin Hui’s advice and borrow more points.