Chapter 7: The Second Layer of the Stone Tower

The Supreme Elder's figure paused slightly before speaking, "Second level of the Earth Profound realm, why aren't you hiding anymore? You seem to be unwilling to yield. Today, I'll make you submit!"

"Old man, don't push me!" Mo Yang roared, channeling all of his true energy.

"I’m pushing just to make you submit!"

……

Suddenly, the wind picked up in the small courtyard, and two figures darted back and forth, accompanied by the sound of clashes. After a short while, Mo Yang was sent flying through the air.

After stabilizing himself, Mo Yang's chest heaved heavily, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Although the exchange was brief, the continuous use of his Lingxu Step to dodge had drained a significant amount of his true energy.

He cast a cold glance at the Supreme Elder. Despite the elder's heavy strikes, Mo Yang could tell the force was controlled perfectly—he wasn’t truly trying to harm him.

"Is this all you’ve got? I thought you’d be a real challenge. Look at you, still trying to impress me in the training hall!" The Supreme Elder stood with his hands behind his back, sneering at Mo Yang.

Though his words seemed dismissive, the elder’s heart wasn’t so calm. This was the first time in all his years that he’d encountered a cultivator as monstrous as Mo Yang.

When Mo Yang was first brought to the sect by the Fourth Elder, the Supreme Elder had already been impressed by his extraordinary comprehension. This is what had caused him to care so much for Mo Yang once he realized he could cultivate.

And this was why he had been so determined to pair Mo Yang with Su Fei’er!

The elder knew very well that if he wanted to keep Mo Yang around, he had to give him something to care about. With the Fourth Elder's fall, the only person left he could think of was Su Fei’er.

Over the years, the elder had observed Mo Yang’s character, especially after the Fourth Elder's demise. He knew that as long as Mo Yang had someone to care for, even if he eventually left, he would always stay connected with Lingxu Sect.

Before Mo Yang could speak, the Supreme Elder raised his hand and flicked a small box toward him, saying, "This is a spiritual herb I obtained during my travels several years ago. Your cultivation is advancing too quickly, and this will help stabilize your foundation. Kid, the road of cultivation is long, don’t rush it."

Mo Yang caught the box and opened it. Inside, he found a dried-up spiritual ginseng. He was shocked. This type of ginseng was extremely rare and would be incredibly beneficial to a cultivator. He hadn’t expected the Supreme Elder to give him such a gift directly.

"Old man, what exactly are you trying to do?" Mo Yang frowned and glared at the Supreme Elder, thinking that if someone was too kind without cause, they were usually up to no good.

"This is a compensation for you. The sect owes you a debt, but you need to understand one thing. Not only our Lingxu Sect, but the entire Xuantian Continent operates this way—only the strong earn respect and a future. The weak are destined to be eliminated. So, you must become strong, don’t let down the Fourth Elder’s expectations of you!"

With that, the Supreme Elder turned and walked out of the courtyard without another word.

Mo Yang stared at the spiritual ginseng for a long while, then muttered, "This old guy is so crafty, maybe he’s trying to provoke me into eating the ginseng so he can use it as an excuse to keep me here at Lingxu Sect..."

He looked up at the courtyard and muttered under his breath, "You old scoundrel, you really don’t have good intentions… Trying to make me eat meat, huh? Dream on!"

Then he glanced at the ginseng in his hand and hurriedly retreated into the house. He had to refine this treasure quickly, as who knew when the old man might come to take it back.

Meanwhile, the challenge had already caused a stir within the Lingxu Sect, with rumors spreading like wildfire. Many disciples still couldn’t believe that Qi Heng, a formidable opponent, had been defeated by Mo Yang. Speculations about Mo Yang’s background and potential were endless, and naturally, rumors about his relationship with Su Fei’er were also widely discussed.

"It’s a pity that Senior Xu from the main peak is still in seclusion. Otherwise, with her temperament, she would’ve surely sought revenge on Mu Feng!"

"Senior Xu’s cultivation hasn't yet reached the Earth Profound realm. Even if she went after Mu Feng, she might not be a match for Mo Yang!"

"Could it be that this guy has received some hidden opportunity? How could he become so strong so quickly?"

……

At the Mu Feng peak, inside the stone tower, Mo Yang immediately consumed and refined the spiritual ginseng. The vast spiritual power turned into golden true energy that surged through his meridians. What would have taken him several days to achieve with two levels of cultivation was now completed in just two hours.

When he checked his cultivation, he was astonished to find that he had progressed from the early stage of the second level of the Earth Profound realm to the middle stage, and it was still steadily rising, soon approaching the peak of the second level before it finally stabilized.

"This time, I owe it all to that old man!" Mo Yang muttered to himself, before continuing to meditate.

Time passed, and as his Xinghuang Jing cultivation technique continued to circulate, Mo Yang felt a connection between himself and the stone tower. The surrounding walls of the tower began to glow, enveloped in a mysterious aura.

At that moment, Mo Yang’s body shook as waves of sound suddenly reverberated through the tower, growing louder and echoing within, like ancient, ethereal music. It felt as if the sound was guiding him to comprehend the profound secrets of the Xinghuang Jing.

"Could this be the true meaning of the Dao?" Mo Yang’s mind was stirred as the sound waves continued to resonate in his head, leading him toward a deeper understanding of the technique.

Around him, the mysterious symbols etched into the tower’s walls began to glow with divine radiance. At the entrance to the second level of the tower, the protective barrier trembled and then dissipated like fog.

"This... The barrier is gone!" Mo Yang exclaimed in shock, a surge of excitement rising in his chest. He had thought that only after reaching the Heavenly Profound realm would he be able to enter the second level, but now it had opened ahead of schedule.

He quickly stood up and walked toward the stone steps. As he ascended the winding staircase, he felt a deep sense of anticipation.

Without hesitation, he climbed the steps and reached the second level without any obstruction. But the second level was completely different from the first. The first thing he saw was a dark alchemy furnace, its flames still flickering inside, suggesting they had never extinguished.

"How is this possible? Could the fire in this furnace burn endlessly?" Mo Yang was astounded. Alchemy was a separate path of cultivation, with its unique methods and mysterious formulas rarely shared with others. Most cultivators would never have the chance to come into contact with such secrets.

He forced himself to calm down and approached the furnace, where he found the surrounding area in disarray, with dried-up herbs scattered around, and several dusty ancient scrolls.

Mo Yang had an inkling of what was happening. Cautiously, he bent down and picked up one of the ancient scrolls, brushing off the dust. The faded, ancient characters were still discernible.

"Divine Alchemy Dao!" Mo Yang muttered softly.

[----------------°-------------]

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