Chapter 559 - 189: Great Increase in Inner Qi

He stepped forward and gently pushed open the ajar courtyard gate. A soft CREAK broke the tranquility of the small courtyard.

A dim yellow candlelight shone through the window lattice of the main house, exuding a cozy warmth that contrasted sharply with the darkness of the night outside.

He gently closed the gate behind him and turned around to see Sun Ningxiang walking out of the main house, holding a freshly wiped porcelain bowl.

"Senior Sister," Yang Jing said with a smile as he walked over to greet her.

When Sun Ningxiang saw him, her eyes curved into beautiful crescents. She smiled and said, "Just finished cultivating? The people from the kitchens delivered dinner this evening. I’ve heated it up, so hurry inside and eat before it gets cold."

Yang Jing smiled and nodded, following Sun Ningxiang into the main house.

As soon as he entered, Yang Jing’s gaze fell upon the eight immortals table.

On the table, besides several food boxes containing his meal, were two sets of neatly folded, brand-new robes.

One was a moon-white long robe made of fine material, with faint cloud patterns embroidered on the collar.

The other was a set of jet-black martial attire with fine, dense stitching, more suitable for training.

Looking at the two sets of clothes, a warmth suddenly spread through Yang Jing’s heart. He knew his Senior Sister must have sewn them for him by hand.

His heart filled with even more gratitude for his Senior Sister. Ever since he had joined the Xuanzhen Sect, aside from the standard sect-issued uniform, almost all the clothes he wore and the cloth shoes on his feet had been personally sewn by Sun Ningxiang. Every stitch was filled with her meticulous care.

Moreover, the six Bone Marrow Tempering Pills his Senior Sister had given him before had played a crucial role in his ability to break through to the Qi Eating Realm in his *Hengjiang Du* technique so quickly.

Yang Jing walked to the eight immortals table and sat down. As he opened the food boxes from the kitchens, a rich aroma instantly filled the air.

The food boxes contained a good balance of meat and vegetables. The stir-fried greens were a vibrant, succulent green, and the meat dish was a full two jin of Rare Exotic Beast Meat. The meat was firm and a rich, soy-sauce red, promising an excellent flavor at a single glance.

Sun Ningxiang brought over a cup of warm tea and placed it by his hand. In a gentle voice, she said, "After you finish eating, try on these two new sets of clothes and see if they fit. If they’re uncomfortable anywhere, I’ll take them back and alter them."

Yang Jing picked up his chopsticks, put a piece of Exotic Beast Meat into his mouth, and chewed as he nodded with a smile. "Senior Sister, the clothes you make always have such fine stitching, and the measurements are perfect. They’re always an excellent fit."

The words had barely left his mouth when a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK suddenly came from the courtyard gate.

Hearing the knock, Yang Jing quickly put down his bowl and chopsticks. He waved his hand at Sun Ningxiang, who was about to stand up. "You stay seated, Senior Sister. I’ll get the door."

He knew that anyone coming to see him at this hour would surely be an acquaintance from Lingxi Peak. Sun Ningxiang was a disciple from Yunxi Peak and had little interaction with the disciples from Lingxi Peak.

Yang Jing walked quickly to the courtyard gate, unlatched it, and was slightly stunned when he saw the person standing outside.

The visitor was actually Senior Sister Si Jiawen. She was still wearing her signature plain-colored long robe. She stood tall and straight, her expression cool and aloof. In the night, her aura seemed even more extraordinary.

"Senior Sister?" Yang Jing was a little surprised and asked subconsciously, "It’s so late. What brings you here?"

Si Jiawen’s gaze swept over Yang Jing, then moved past his shoulder to the slender figure inside the main house. A flicker of emotion crossed her eyes.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she just said flatly, "It seems I’ve come at a bad time. I’ll come find you another time."

After speaking, Si Jiawen turned and made to leave.

Yang Jing quickly reached out to stop her. "Senior Sister, you’ve come at a perfect time. I’m not busy. Did you come all this way to give me some instructions?"

Si Jiawen shook her head gently and didn’t stop walking, leaving behind only a light, airy comment: "It’s nothing. I’ll be going. You’re busy. However, the grand competition is tomorrow. Be sure not to expend too much energy tonight. You need to conserve your strength before a big battle."

Her words struck Yang Jing’s ears like a clap of thunder, leaving him stunned on the spot.

He watched Si Jiawen’s back quickly disappear into the darkness of the mountain path, unable to snap out of his daze for a long time.

Yang Jing took a deep breath to suppress his bewilderment. He turned around just in time to see Sun Ningxiang walking out of the house.

At that moment, Sun Ningxiang’s cheeks were as red as ripe apples, and even the tips of her ears were flushed crimson. Her clear eyes were glistening as if holding back spring water, filled with a mix of shyness and embarrassment.

Seeing her state, Yang Jing subconsciously called out, "Senior Sister."

Sun Ningxiang buried her head even lower, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. "Junior Brother, I... I have to go back tonight."

Hearing this, Yang Jing froze as if struck by an Immobilization Spell, petrified on the spot with a look of utter bewilderment on his face.

Sun Ningxiang glanced up and saw his dazed look. She couldn’t hold it in any longer and let out a PFFT of laughter. Her eyes curved into crescents, and in the dim yellow candlelight, she looked all the more charming.

...

「Meanwhile.」

Si Jiawen walked along the mountain path back to her residence, occasionally kicking a small pebble out of her way. The pebble tumbled into the grass by the roadside.

She pouted and muttered under her breath, ’That guy... honestly. The grand competition is tomorrow, and he’s thinking about blowing off some steam before the match?’

She had come looking for Yang Jing tonight with the intention of sparring with him.

She wanted to personally gauge the depths of Yang Jing’s current strength, and then, keeping Lu Shaohua’s fighting style in mind, give him a few pointers on how to counter it.

In Si Jiawen’s opinion, given Lu Shaohua’s overwhelmingly powerful fist techniques, even though Yang Jing’s strength was considerable, his chances of winning against Lu Shaohua were ultimately slim.