Chapter 664: Friends' Reunion, Looking Ahead to the Qi-Nourishing Realm (Part 2)

“Senior Brother Ma is coming too?” Yang Jing’s eyes lit up with surprise as he asked with a smile.

He had an excellent impression of Ma Qiang. The man was cheerful and outgoing, sincere and enthusiastic, without a shred of the arrogance typical of disciples from prominent families. The two of them had talked a lot during the Fushan Grand Tournament and had really hit it off.

However, as a core member of his family, Ma Qiang usually had to stay in Jintai Prefecture City to manage family affairs. He didn’t spend much time on Fushan Island, so the two had rarely had a chance to meet since the tournament ended.

Yan Chenglong smiled and nodded, explaining, “Senior Brother Ma has been back to the sect a few times before, but you were always in secluded cultivation in the Training Room. He was afraid of disturbing you, so he never sought you out.

“This time, when he heard Junior Sister Sun had her breakthrough, he cleared his schedule to rush over. He just wants to get together with everyone and properly celebrate her achievement.”

Lin Ziheng smiled and nodded in agreement, his voice tinged with anticipation. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Senior Brother Ma. This is a perfect chance for us all to get together and celebrate Senior Sister Ning Xiang’s breakthrough.”

Everyone knew that Ma Qiang hadn’t cleared his schedule and rushed over just to celebrate Sun Ningxiang’s breakthrough.

After all, everyone present was exceptionally talented. Fang He, Yan Chenglong, and Ma Qiang had reached the Qi Eating Realm long ago; some had even touched the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm.

In their eyes, this kind of breakthrough was just an ordinary hurdle on the path of the Martial Dao. It would be more surprising if someone *couldn’t* make such a breakthrough.

Ma Qiang had come mainly to use this as an excuse to catch up with Yang Jing and the others. Everyone was usually busy with cultivation or family matters, so opportunities to gather like this were rare.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a set of light footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate. Ma Qiang had finally arrived.

This was clearly not his first visit to the Lin Family’s villa. He navigated the courtyards with practiced ease and walked straight into the main hall, a hearty smile on his face. The moment he entered, he clasped his hands in a martial salute toward Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang. “It’s been too long, Junior Brother Yang, Junior Sister Sun.”

“Senior Brother Ma.” Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang rose in unison, smiling in return.

After a few pleasantries, they all took their seats.

Just then, a servant waiting outside the hall entered quietly and respectfully asked if the banquet could begin. Lin Ziheng nodded. “Let’s begin.”

Soon, servants brought out one exquisite dish after another, filling the large, square table.

Both their presentation and aroma were a cut above what you’d find in the town’s restaurants.

Yang Jing was truly happy for Senior Sister Ning Xiang’s breakthrough. Between that and the lively atmosphere of reuniting with good friends, he had a few extra drinks.

The wine was rich and smooth, warming his throat as it went down and gradually washing away the fatigue from days of arduous training.

Sun Ningxiang also raised her cup and took a small sip. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, making her look even more charming.

She sat beside Yang Jing, her gaze instinctively drawn to him as he chatted and laughed with Ma Qiang, Yan Chenglong, and the others.

She watched him, one moment animatedly recounting amusing stories from his training, the next listening intently to the others’ insights. The corners of her lips curved upward, her eyes sparkling with an admiration and tenderness she couldn’t hide. It was as if, in the entire hall, her world had narrowed to just Yang Jing.

Sun Ningxiang’s expression did not escape the notice of Yan Chenglong, Ma Qiang, and the others.

They were all experts of the Qi Eating Realm. Even Lin Ziheng, who had yet to reach that realm, had undergone multiple rounds of bodily tempering through Washing Marrow. Their senses were sharp and their perception keen; they could clearly register the slightest movements in their surroundings.

Everyone saw how Sun Ningxiang’s gaze was fixed solely on Yang Jing, and knowing smiles simultaneously appeared on their faces.

Yang Jing soon noticed Senior Sister Ning Xiang’s gaze as well. It was as gentle as spring water, making his heart suddenly beat faster. He even faltered mid-sentence.

He instinctively turned to look at Sun Ningxiang beside him, and their eyes met.

Yang Jing could clearly feel the affection in her eyes. His heart fluttered, and his cheeks grew warm. He quickly averted his gaze, but he couldn’t stop a small smile from forming on his lips.

Yan Chenglong, Ma Qiang, and the others exchanged glances, each seeing the teasing smile in the others’ eyes. They all cleared their throats softly, breaking the delicate atmosphere.

Fang He chuckled softly, feeling a pang of envy.

The intimacy and unspoken understanding between Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang were plain to see. It seemed only a matter of time before they broke through that final barrier and took the crucial next step.

A wave of melancholy washed over Fang He. ‘Here I am, over thirty and still all alone, without a single companion to share my life with.’

‘When will I meet a soulmate like that?’ he wondered.

But he also knew that such a deep connection wasn’t something you could simply go out and find. It was all up to fate.

Ma Qiang set down his cup and looked at Yang Jing with a teasing smile. “Junior Brother Yang, I’m sure there are plenty of interesting stories between you and Junior Sister Sun. Why don’t you share some with us?”

Yang Jing just smiled, not at all embarrassed. He began to slowly recount his and Sun Ningxiang’s past at the Sun’s Martial Arts Hall in Yuhe County.

Back then, he was just an ordinary disciple at the Martial Arts Hall with average talent. Sun Ningxiang, on the other hand, was the Hall Master’s daughter—stunningly beautiful, gentle, and elegant. She was the goddess in the hearts of all the disciples.

In those days, Sun Ningxiang often looked after the disciples at the Martial Arts Hall. Yang Jing was no exception, and he never forgot the many times she had cared for him.

“Back then, to all of us disciples at the Martial Arts Hall, Senior Sister Ning Xiang was like a white lotus—pure and kind. Everyone deeply respected her,” Yang Jing said with a smile.

Hearing him say this, Sun Ningxiang’s cheeks flushed an even deeper red. She gave him a shy, playful glare and chided, “Oh, you and your sweet words.”

The others found it fascinating to hear Yang Jing talk about his interesting experiences in Yuhe County and his journey from a common Martial Arts Hall disciple to his current standing. Bursts of laughter frequently erupted, and the atmosphere in the hall grew even more animated.

After they finished reminiscing about Yuhe County, the conversation naturally shifted to the Martial Dao.

For Martial Artists like them, the long and arduous path of cultivation was paramount. It was the one subject they could all connect on.

Both Ma Qiang and Yan Chenglong had been at the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm for years, but they remained hopelessly stuck at the bottleneck just before the Qi Absorption Realm, unable to make any progress.

At the mention of this, Ma Qiang couldn’t help but sigh. He downed a large gulp of wine, his tone laced with frustration and helplessness. “The bottleneck to the Qi Absorption Realm is much harder to break than you’d think. A successful breakthrough in three to five years would be the best-case scenario. The real fear is getting stuck for decades, or even for a lifetime, never advancing beyond the Qi Eating Realm.”

Yan Chenglong nodded in solemn agreement. “Exactly. Even prodigies with far more talent than us often get stuck at the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm for years. What hope do ordinary people like us have? We’re a step behind them in both innate aptitude and resources, which naturally makes a breakthrough even more difficult.”

Of course, Ma Qiang, Yan Chenglong, Fang He, and Lin Ziheng were hardly “ordinary.” They only seemed so when compared to those top-tier prodigies. Among the greater population of Martial Artists, they were all considered geniuses.

Lin Ziheng also nodded, a wry smile on his face. “You all are worrying about the Qi Absorption Realm, while I haven’t even broken through the bottleneck to the Qi Eating Realm yet. Then again, if someone really did reach the Qi Absorption Realm, they’d be considered a dominant figure in all of Jintai Prefecture.”

He was right. In Jintai Prefecture City, the strongest members of many well-known and powerful families were merely experts at the Qi Eating Realm.

Reaching the Qi Absorption Realm would mean one’s Inner Qi would condense and their power would skyrocket. Their status in all of Jintai Prefecture would become extraordinary.

Furthermore, they were disciples of the five great sects. Becoming an expert of the Qi Absorption Realm would cause their status to soar, earning them widespread admiration.

Yang Jing sat to the side, quietly listening to their discussion, his own thoughts stirring.

‘I’m already on the verge of the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm,’ he thought. ‘Once I get there, I can push straight through to the Qi Absorption Realm. With my panel, bottlenecks don’t exist on my Martial Dao path. As long as I reach the limit of my current realm, I’ll break through automatically. At that point, my strength will take a qualitative leap. Whether in the Xuanzhen Sect or in Jintai Prefecture, I’ll have a much greater voice and influence.’

At that moment, Yang Jing felt a surge of anticipation. He had the sudden urge to go straight to the Training Room and cultivate, to reach the Peak of the Qi Eating Realm and break through to the Qi Absorption Realm as soon as possible.