Wang Feng walked through the stoned pathway, looking around as he walked. It was nearly a month ago that he was ideally able to walk around like this.
He walked around in serene silence and saw that there was no one around. 'Huh, that's strange. Why is no one around?'. Although this is a cultivation sect and it should have been normal for it's outsides to be empty. That wasn't the case here.
This is because cultivators with cultivation lower than Transcendent Realm don't cultivation year round, or even for months, as they still have mortal needs, like eating, sleeping and such, even if those needs are severely reduced with each advancements.
Just then, Wang Feng saw the figure of a single ordinary desciple running towards the sect gates, he frowned and rushed towards him in a burst of speed. Wang Feng reached near him within a few seconds, he called, "junior brother, please wait!"
The desciple heard his voice and turned around. Wang Feng saw as the desciple's gaze turned slightly strange, making Wang Feng slightly confused. Wang Feng slightly shook his head and asked, "Junior Brother, do you know why the sect looks so empty?"
The desciple was surprised by the question, "senior brother doesn't know? A few days ago, the sect announced the Elite Desciple exams. Today is the last match, between Senior Brother Cao Zhang Wen and Senior Brother Xie Hong Chen."
the desciple said that and greeted Wang Feng before leaving. Wang Feng stood there for a second, thinking if he should go. 'hmm, that name Xie Hong Chen, wasn't he that bastard who betrayed the sect and was killed later on? ...nah! It won't help me to watch that match.'
After that, he went towards Yang Kai's house to see his current situation. The last time Wang Feng saw, Yang Kai was at 5th stage Tempering Body Realm. But now, more than 40 days have passed, so Wang Feng was curious to what level he had reached.
After reaching Yang Kai's house, he knocked and waited. Yang Kai opened the door after a few seconds. He was surprised to see Wang Feng and asked, "Brother Wang? *Haah* come on in... Where have you been anyways, I haven't seen you for like ... 1 and a half month?"
Wang Feng entered the house and sat down around the table, across from Yang Kai, "more or less. I was just cultivating in an isolated place... What about you?"
Yang Kai looked at him curiously and said, "well, I have been cultivating as well.", he poured a cup of tea for us, "I was able to reach 7th stage Tempering Body Realm and would be able to reach the 8th Stage after some time."
Wang Feng heard this and checked with his perception. This perception is something that all cultivators have, it just let's a cultivator gauge others cultivation from the auras they emit. After checking, Wang Feng found that Yang Kai's realm was fully stable and he could breakthrough after a few days.
Suddenly, Yang Kai looked at him puzzlingly, "Brother Wang... Did something happen to you?" He looked back confusedly, "huh? ... What do you mean, Brother Yang?". Wang Feng was really curious and confused by what he meant.
Yang Kai spoke, "It's your aura... It looks... unusual?... It's like it's at the Tempering Body Realm but also at the Initial Element Realm. So I can't tell your real cultivation."
Wang Feng's eyes slightly widened before he turned his expressions to normal. "It's nothing Brother Yang, It's like that because of the technique I cultivated.", while inwardly, his thoughts were different.
'i didn't think this would happen when I reach the 10th stage. That desciples expressions now make sense, he must have also felt my aura....'.
After that Wang Feng and Yang Kai talked for sometime before Wang Feng went away. As Wang Feng was walking towards his cabin, he stopped in his tracks. "I shouldn't stay in my cabin till I breakthrough to the Qi Sea Realm. Having this aura around me can bring attention to me."
There was one lesson that Wang Feng learned from all the Novels he had memories of. If you yourself are not strong enough, never stand out too much .... otherwise .... Your end might not be good.
When he had defeated Fu Shen, he had gained attention of a few people. So now if he had a mysterious aura around him, along with his increase in strength, he could imagine what people with bad intentions would think.
With that thought, Wang Feng turned and walked back to the Coiling Dragon Stream. He reached there and sat down on his usual spot again. "Looks like I'll be staying here for sometime... Hmm, I want to focus on Breaking through fastly, but those monthly matches..... Oh Yeah!...", as he was thinking, he remembered a detail and grinned.
After that, he started cultivating again.
On the third day, Xia Ning Chang visited him to give him more pills. Wang Feng smiled at her, "thanks, senior sister." She smiled and didn't say anything.
He then said with a slightly embarrassed look, "umm, Senior Sister, you know about the condition of my aura right now. I don't want to get too much attention from others, so I was wondering if... You can ask Old Meng to make me exempted from the battle rule?"
This was an idea he had. In the sect, the elders have the power to exempt a desciple of their matches, thought they only have a few fixed slots to do so in their lives. With this, the elders can secure a few talented desciples for themselves, making them indebted to themselves, even if they somehow miss the monthly requirement.
From what Wang Feng knew, Meng Wu Ya wasn't really close to anyone else and shouldn't have used those slots. Even if he did, he should have only used that for Xia Ning Chang.
Xia Ning Chang heard this and replied, "umm, I'll inform master about this,... But I don't know if he'll agree.", Wang Feng nodded, 'ideally Meng Wu Ya wouldn't refuse any of my requests now, but to be sure...'
Wang Feng looked at Xia Ning Chang, 'She's already at that level, I think it's time...'. Wang Feng said, "Tell him that once he helps me, I will give him a Qi Compression Technique." Xia Ning Chang's eyes widened, she had reached the 11th stage of Body Forging Realm and soon would be reaching the 12th Stage, so she would be needing the Qi Compression Technique.
Meng Wu Ya had tried but he wasn't able to come up with such a method till now. So, Xia Ning Chang and Meng Wu Ya were both thinking about what to do. Now, Wang Feng had clearly meant that he had such a technique.
Xia Ning Chang nodded and said excitedly, even forgetting her embarrassment, "Sure, I'll inform him!". Wang Feng smiled at her bubbly excitement and said mischievously, "and if he still doesn't agree... You can always pay me personally, right?~"
Xia Ning Chang's eyes widened at his tone and her skin turned crimson before she stuttered a goodbye and rushed away. Wang Feng chuckled a bit loudly at her haste, which she heard and ran faster.
Wang Feng looked at her back, 'that Old fox should know what this means..... With this, Old Meng is now fully indebted to me, plus he can't hurt me now even if he wanted to because of Xia Ning Chang. Now, I have a solid backing and can proceed with the other things.'
He smiled to himself before he resumed his training, again. "I should set a goal for myself....", Wang Feng thought to himself as he started going through the stances of the 2nd stage of Divine Meridian Foundation Technique.
"Hmm.. let's see. It took me a total of 30 days to complete the 10th Stage Body Forging Realm....ugh.", he grunted a little feeling stain on his body. "So, let's make a goal of completing the 11th Stage within 50 days."
.....
On the other hand, Xia Ning Chang returned to the Treasurer Hall with a slightly red face, her embarrassment residing slowly. She entered the hall and saw her master sitting with his eyes closed and drinking a cup of tea.
She walked towards him, approaching the desk. Meng Wu Ya didn't stop drinking his tea and asked with his eyes closed, "what happened Chang'er? You look in a hurry."
Xia Ning Chang let out a soft breath and said in her soft voice, "I went to meet Brother Feng...". Just hearing that, Meng Wu Ya's eyes opened slightly as he saw her slightly red face. His expressions turned serious, "Chang'er, did that brat do something inappropriate!? Tell me, this old man will beat him up!!"
Xia Ning Chang's eyes widened as she shook her hands in front of her, "No, No, No!! You got it wrong master! ... *Fue* at least listen to me...", Xia Ning Chang complained in a low voice, causing Meng Wu Ya's eyes to twitch.
"*Haah* sorry, dear disciple... So what were you saying?", Meng Wu Ya said as he leaned back again. Xia Ning Chang continued, "I visited Brother Feng... He looked troubled and asked of me to request from master to exempt him from the monthly battle rule..."
She stopped and saw that Meng Wu Ya's face didn't change as he drank some tea, 'so, master won't help? Looks like I have to mention it.', she thought, honestly a little disappointed of Meng Wu Ya, though that was just her soft nature speaking.
What she didn't know was that Meng Wu Ya had internally decided to help Yang Feng, though he wanted to see if he could get something out of it. His greedy nature demanded it!
So, she continued, "... He also said that.... If master helps him. He will give master a Qi Compression Technique". Just as the words left her mouth, Meng Wu Ya's eyes widened and he choked on his tea.
He beated his chest a few times, "*cough* *cough* *cough* *hah* *hah* what did you say!?". Xia Ning Chang repeated her words, causing Meng Wu Ya to be dumbfolded. ' In the name... that brat already had such a technique... *Hah* whatever...'
Meng Wu Ya calmed himself down and leaned back, he had not missed the hidden meaning in this offer. "He wants to be exempted from battles...", he then looked at Xia Ning Chang, "... Or does he not want to show up in front of others because of his aura?"
Xia Ning Chang's eyes shot up in surprise, 'how did master know about it!? I completely controlled my aura and Junior Brother said that master didn't know...', Meng Wu Ya observed her expressions and knew that he had hit the mark.
He sighed, "you don't have to worry Chang'er. Both, Me and Brother Ling already saw him before, though he doesn't know about it....", he raised his cup to take a sip, "... So I was already thinking of exempting him, he can focus on his cultivation."
He then looked at her teasingly, "did you two really think you could keep it a secret? Hehe, you Chang'er, should know me better." His expressions turned thoughtful, "but what I don't understand is, why are you opening those Meridians? they would eventually open up by themselves after you breakthrough from the Nascent Soul Realm."
Xia Ning Chang surprise turned into understanding at that, making her sigh in relief. She then shook her head, "No master. Brother Feng explained that although Cultivator's body automatically opens them at the upper Realms, they don't really get any benefit from it."
She was about to continue before remembering something and shook her head, "sorry master but I can't tell you the specifics of that." Meng Wu Ya's eyes twitched, 'Yeah, that kid definitely wants that...'
Meng Wu Ya thought for a moment and asked after analyzing her words, "...So, if these meridians are nurtured from the start, not only will they boost the capabilities of the cultivator, but this boost will only become stronger, always ensuring that they remain ahead of 'average' cultivators?...."
But Xia Ning Chang didn't reply and remained quite. Meng Wu Ya just shook his head and looked at her, "how long do you think will it take you reach the Peak of these stages?"
Xia Ning Chang thought and answered, "it would still take me about 10-15 days."