Chapter 185 - 179: I am Innate

Chapter 185: Chapter 179: I am Innate

Chen Yue relaxed his stance, a slight smile on his face. He cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks for your help, Senior Brother Yao!"

The three thousand taels were actually Chen Yue’s own money. It was just that the rules of the betting pool were clear: participants in the duel were not allowed to bet on themselves.

Since Chen Yue knew such a betting pool existed, he naturally couldn’t let this money-making opportunity pass him by.

He was short on cash. His daily consumption of elixirs was astonishingly high, and every bit of extra income would make his cultivation path a little smoother.

That was why he had sought out Yao Jin, asking him to place a bet on his behalf—on himself.

Yao Jin waved his hand. "You can just call me Junior Brother. Besides, this is such a small matter, it doesn’t even count as helping! It was no trouble at all. You’re being too polite, Senior Brother Chen."

Chen Yue smiled and nodded, his tone tinged with a hint of amusement. "Alright, Senior Brother Yao!"

Yao Jin paused for a moment, then a smile spread across his face.

A moment later, Yao Jin left, and Chen Yue resumed practicing the forms of the Ten Thousand Forms Tiger Roar Golden Bell.

The afternoon sun shone on Chen Yue’s figure, casting a sharp shadow on the bluestone courtyard.

He went through the forms again and again. The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, drawn by his movements, flowed slowly, circling him like an invisible stream. It seeped into his skin, muscles, and bones, refining his physical body bit by bit.

Among the cultivation techniques Chen Yue was currently practicing, the ones he had yet to master to the Perfection realm were the Vast Heart Rock Skill, the Ten Thousand Forms Tiger Roar Golden Bell, the Furious Wave Saber Intent, and the Soaring Void Thousand Layer Step.

The progress on the Vast Heart Rock Skill and the Soaring Void Thousand Layer Step was about the same. He should be able to bring both techniques to Perfection before he broke through to the Refining Organ Realm.

As for the Furious Wave Saber Intent, he had started it from the Entry Level, so achieving complete Perfection would certainly have to wait until after he reached the Refining Organ Realm.

As for his other techniques, the Great Vajra Palm had already reached Perfection. His daily training regimen was gradually getting shorter.

Although newly awakened Talents were constantly being added to his list, at least every completed cultivation technique meant one less training pressure and a bit more energy he could devote to other things.

In terms of pill formulas, his current efforts were mainly focused on the Nourishing Spirit Pill Yang Pill and the Nourishing Spirit Pill.

For the former, he was making progress toward producing three pills per furnace. The latter was still in the deduction phase; he hadn’t actually attempted to refine it yet.

He wasn’t performing alchemy every day at the moment, but he continued to deduce pill formulas.

Chen Yue would set aside an hour each day to ponder the pill formulas. He would mentally deduce the combinations of medicinal herbs, the subtle adjustments in dosage, and the rhythm of heat control, running through them again and again in his mind.

It was like a chess player playing out an entire game in their head, seeing the course and outcome of every move without ever placing a piece on the board.

’If the day comes when my Contribution Points run out, I’ll have to pick up the craft of alchemy again.’

Although the Contribution Points from the Cyan Cloud Ranking were supporting him for now, the path of cultivation was endless. His future expenses would only grow larger, and he couldn’t rely on the ranking’s rewards forever.

Once he could produce three Nourishing Spirit Pills per furnace, his income would rise to a new level. By then, even if the challenge rewards from the Cyan Cloud Ranking temporarily decreased, he could sustain his cultivation expenses through his own alchemy.

’Especially since,’ he thought, ’once I break through to the Refining Organ Realm, my daily elixir consumption will probably skyrocket.’

Chen Yue took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, pushing aside those distracting thoughts about the future and his resources.

His forms continued to unfold, the movements of the Ten Thousand Forms Tiger Roar Golden Bell flowing from his hands like moving clouds and flowing water.

The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi flowed slowly around him with a silent rhythm, enveloping him in a tranquil aura.

As Chen Yue was practicing his forms, a sudden rush of hurried footsteps came from the mountain path outside his courtyard wall.

The footsteps were fast and frantic, carrying an undisguised urgency. Chen Yue’s brow twitched slightly. He slowly pressed his hands down, sinking the qi that was circulating within his body into his Dantian.

A moment later, a knock came at the door—urgent, but not impolite.

"Is Senior Brother Chen present? Elder Wei Kuang asks that you go to the Cloud-Gazing Hall."

Hearing this, Chen Yue’s brow furrowed.

’The Cloud-Gazing Hall is where the Panshi Sect receives guests, specifically for entertaining outside visitors.’

’Disciples of the Sect don’t go there without reason, and an Elder wouldn’t summon a disciple there for no cause.’

Chen Yue walked to the courtyard gate and unlatched it.

Standing outside the gate was a Deacon Disciple in a gray short coat. He looked to be in his early twenties, and a thin layer of sweat beaded on his forehead, a clear sign he had run all the way.

Seeing Chen Yue open the gate, he quickly cupped his hands in a salute.

Chen Yue returned the salute and then followed the Deacon Disciple up the mountain path toward the Cloud-Gazing Hall.

The two walked one after the other, the Deacon Disciple’s steps still carrying that same sense of urgency that hadn’t fully subsided.

"Senior Brother," Chen Yue asked in a low voice, "do you know why I’ve been summoned to the Cloud-Gazing Hall?"

The Deacon Disciple quickly waved his hands. "I don’t deserve to be called Senior Brother! It’s people from the Liuyun Sword Sect. They say one of their Refining Organ Realm Inner Sect Disciples has died, and they claim it has something to do with you."

Chen Yue’s steps faltered slightly at his words.

’Why would the Liuyun Sword Sect come here? And why are they specifically looking for me?’

He hadn’t been in the Panshi Sect for long, and his interactions with outside sects were few and far between.

The only connection he could think of with the Liuyun Sword Sect was that brief confrontation in Jishi Hall the other day.

The sneering face of Guan Duzhou flashed through Chen Yue’s mind. ’Guan Duzhou is dead?’

’How could Guan Duzhou have died? And how could they say it’s related to me?’

Chen Yue asked no more questions, simply quickening his pace as he followed the Deacon Disciple toward the Cloud-Gazing Hall.

The Cloud-Gazing Hall was situated on the mountainside of the main peak. It was a three-story building of wood and stone, with flying eaves, interlocking brackets, and carved beams and painted rafters that gleamed warmly in the afternoon sun.

In front of the hall was a wide, stone-paved plaza. Several tall stone pillars stood in the plaza, their tops carved with lifelike auspicious cloud patterns.

The hall doors were open, flanked by two Deacon Disciples with long sabers at their waists, their expressions solemn.

Chen Yue followed the Deacon Disciple across the plaza, ascended the stone steps before the Cloud-Gazing Hall, and stepped inside.

The interior of the hall was spacious and bright. Sunlight streamed in from the high windows on either side, illuminating the great hall.

Chen Yue spotted the members of the Liuyun Sword Sect at a glance.

Their leader was a tall, middle-aged man with a lean face and high cheekbones, giving him a naturally imposing aura.

He wore a dark gray robe with a longsword hanging from his waist. Most striking was the aura he exuded—vast and profound. It seemed calm on the surface, but the power contained within was enough to send a chill through anyone who sensed it.

That aura far surpassed the Refining Organ Realm. It was the unique pressure of an Innate Realm expert. Even though he was just standing there naturally, the intangible oppressive feeling made the air in the hall heavy.

Behind the middle-aged man stood a young man who appeared to be under thirty.

His features bore a slight resemblance to Guan Duzhou, with a similar facial structure, though he was older.

While his aura wasn’t as terrifying as the middle-aged man’s, it had already reached the peak of the Refining Organ Realm—dense and solid, like finely tempered steel.

His hands hung at his sides, his fingertips slightly curled.

Hearing footsteps, the group from the Liuyun Sword Sect turned almost in unison, their gazes landing on Chen Yue.

In that instant, Chen Yue felt an immense pressure wash over him. It was a combination of the unconscious oppressive aura from the Innate Realm expert and the undisguised hostility and scrutiny in the eyes of the Liuyun Sword Sect members.

"Chen Yue? Over here."

A gentle voice came from the right side of the hall, like a warm spring breeze, completely nullifying the immense pressure the Liuyun Sword Sect had been exerting.

Chen Yue turned to see Wei Kuang sitting in a high-backed chair on the right side of the hall, holding a cup of tea. His expression was composed, his gaze peaceful.

Wei Kuang was one of the Panshi Sect’s elders, with a lean face and a scholarly air about him.

His posture seemed casual at that moment, but the power contained in his words had precisely dissolved the intangible pressure the Liuyun Sword Sect members had directed at Chen Yue.

Chen Yue walked to Wei Kuang’s side, stood firm, and saluted with cupped hands. "Greetings, Elder Wei!"

Wei Kuang nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Chen Yue for a moment before turning to the Liuyun Sword Sect members opposite them.

"You are Chen Yue?"

The Innate Realm middle-aged man from the Liuyun Sword Sect spoke, his voice deep and chilling.

His gaze swept over Chen Yue twice. A flicker of light glinted in his deep-set eyes.

It was because he had discovered that Chen Yue’s cultivation was truly only at the Marrow Refining Realm.

Wei Kuang chuckled softly. His voice wasn’t loud, but it perfectly broke the heavy atmosphere.

He set down his teacup and gestured toward the middle-aged man.

"Chen Yue, this is Elder Bei Sufang of the Liuyun Sword Sect. Elder Bei has come from afar. You should pay your respects as a junior."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yue cupped his hands in a salute. "Greetings, Elder Bei. I am Chen Yue."

Bei Sufang nodded silently, his eyes still sizing up Chen Yue.

Wei Kuang turned to Chen Yue and explained in a calm tone:

"An Inner Sect Disciple of the Liuyun Sword Sect, Guan Duzhou, was killed two days ago. It’s said that you happened to run into him in the Prefecture City. So, Elder Bei has made a special trip here to inquire about the situation."

A perfectly measured look of confusion appeared on Chen Yue’s face. "What did that Senior Brother look like?"

Bei Sufang flipped his right hand over, and a Memory Stone appeared in his palm.

Bei Sufang channeled a wisp of Primordial Power into it. The surface of the Memory Stone rippled, and a moment later, a clear image emerged from the stone, hovering in mid-air.

It was the image of Guan Duzhou.

Chen Yue glanced at the image of Guan Duzhou from the Memory Stone, his gaze lingering on the cold face for a moment before nodding. "I have seen him once."

Guan Duhai, the young man who somewhat resembled Guan Duzhou, took a step forward, his eyes fixed on Chen Yue.

"Did you two have a conflict inside Jishi Hall at the time?"

Chen Yue shook his head, speaking unhurriedly. "Not a conflict. It seemed that this Senior Brother had mistaken me for someone else, so I explained the situation."

Bei Sufang’s stare grew sharper, his deep-set eyes narrowing slightly.

"Someone saw Guan Duzhou follow you out of the city after you left. Then, Guan Duzhou died outside the city, while you returned to the Panshi Sect unharmed."

Hearing this, Wei Kuang waved his hand. A smile remained on his face, but it was a degree colder than before.

"Ah, Elder Bei, your words could easily lead to a misunderstanding."

Wei Kuang’s voice was unhurried. "Besides, you yourself said that Chen Yue left the city first, and Guan Duzhou left after him. You can’t possibly hold the first disciple responsible for the second one’s death just because one left the city and the other followed, can you?"

"But they had a grudge,"

Guan Duhai’s gaze never left Chen Yue’s face for even a second. "They left the city around the same time, and my brother died. He was killed by a Vigorous Palm Technique. Coincidentally, you’re also proficient in a Vigorous Palm Technique, aren’t you?"

Guan Duhai’s accusation was much more direct than Bei Sufang’s.

Wei Kuang’s brow twitched. His gaze flickered between Guan Duhai and Chen Yue for an instant.

Just as he was about to speak, a voice rang out from outside the hall, clear and resonant.

"They left one after the other, and you pin the blame on my disciple? A Refining Organ Realm expert died, and you’re blaming a Marrow Refining Realm disciple? Don’t you find that ridiculous?"

Everyone turned to look. A figure emerged from the light outside the hall and walked in.

Meng Yu Jin was dressed in a simple, elegant, aqua-colored long dress. Her hair was tied up with a single jade hairpin, and her gaze was as calm as still water.

The aura she radiated was completely different from the peak Refining Organ Realm aura from before. It was powerful, profound, and unshakable.

The Innate Realm. Meng Yu Jin had broken through!