Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 172 Profound Rank Advancement, Nine Shadows Perfected

In the blink of an eye.

As the new month begins, the Tingtao Courtyard at Bibo Peak is filled with the fresh scent of morning mist and vegetation.

After finishing his morning breathing exercises, Song Jing, feeling refreshed, got up and headed to the sect's "Hall of General Affairs" to collect the new month's resources for Water Vein Disciples (Level B).

Along the way, Bibo Peak remained serene and quiet.

Disciples are few and far between; when one occasionally encounters them, one merely nods in greeting and passes by in haste.

The decline of the water system is reflected not only in its resources, but also in this lack of vitality.

However, Song Jing's mindset was not affected by this; on the contrary, it became even more determined.

He knew that the more this was the case, the more he needed to calmly cultivate himself and accumulate strength.

The General Affairs Hall is located in a slightly spacious hall halfway up Danyao Peak. Compared to the grandeur of the other four sects, it appears quite simple. There is only one steward on duty, who is the same one I met last time.

Song Jing handed over his identity jade token. The old man took it, verified it, and then silently took out a storage bag from the cabinet behind him and pushed it over. He still looked listless: "Grade B resources, five Xuan Yuan Pills, and forty Crimson Blood Pills for Yellow Rank disciples. Keep it safe."

"Thank you, Steward." Song Jing took the storage bag, scanned it with his divine sense to confirm that it was correct, and was about to leave.

Just then, the light dimmed at the entrance of the General Affairs Hall, and three people walked in.

The leader was a young man in fine clothes, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. His face was somewhat similar to Zhou Ming's, but his arrogance and sinister aura were even stronger. His cultivation level was clearly at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm!

Two men followed behind him: one tall and thin with a gleaming gaze, a late-stage Bone Forging Realm cultivator; the other short and stocky with a steady aura, also a late-stage Bone Forging Realm cultivator.

All three were dressed in the standard robes of the Geng Metal lineage, with gold thread patterns embroidered on the cuffs to signify their status.

The young man in brocade robes swept his gaze across the General Affairs Hall and then fixed it firmly on Song Jing, a sneer and malice curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, so who's here so early to collect these paltry sums? Turns out it's our Azure Wave Peak's genius, Junior Brother Song." The young man in brocade robes spoke in a sharp voice, deliberately drawing out his words, "What, is this second-rate resource of the water vein even worth your attention? Is it enough to fill the gaps in your genius's teeth?"

The tall, thin young man behind him immediately chimed in, saying sarcastically, "Senior Brother Zhou An, what are you saying? Junior Brother Song is a genius who can take on six people at once, and he has high standards! He might be complaining that the water vein wasn't enough and is thinking about how to climb the social ladder!"

It's a pity that the metal and fire veins don't want it, and the wood and earth veins ignore it; it can only scavenge scraps in this desolate place.

The short, stocky youth snorted coldly, his voice like muffled thunder: "You peasant from the outer city, you got a bit of luck and now you think you're something special? Take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror. In the prefectural city, in Pingtianmen, what are you? You dare to oppose Senior Brother Zhou Ming?"

Let me tell you, Song Jing, don't think you're safe just because you're hiding in the water vein's shell!

The Zhou family has plenty of ways to get rid of you! If you know what's good for you, you'd better hurry up and kowtow to Senior Brother Zhou Ming to apologize, and maybe you'll save your life!

It turned out that the young man in brocade was named Zhou An, Zhou Ming's cousin, and also a direct descendant of the Zhou family. Although his talent was not as good as Zhou Ming's, it was still quite good. Moreover, he was completely obedient to Zhou Ming and was Zhou Ming's capable lackey.

The other two, the tall and thin one named Chang Yuan and the short and stocky one named Hong Lie, came from the Chang family and the Hong family respectively. They were vassal families of the Zhou family and had some background in the Gengjin lineage. They were used to bullying their fellow disciples with the Zhou brothers and were arrogant.

Because of his status and Lu Jiutian's presence, Zhou Ming couldn't directly attack Song Jing too often. So he instructed his cousin Zhou An to bring people to Bibo Peak to "reprimand" Song Jing, trying to suppress him psychologically and in terms of resources, hoping to force him to make a mistake or break down on his own.

The old deacon on duty didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, as if he hadn't heard anything, and just silently wiped the jade slip in his hand.

With the Water Vein weakened, he, a mere steward, naturally had no desire to get involved in the struggles between these direct disciples, especially since the other party was from the Gold Vein.

Song Jing remained calm, as if he hadn't heard the three men's foul language. He simply put away his storage bag, nodded slightly to the old steward, and turned to walk towards the door, not even glancing at Zhou An and the other two, as if they were just noisy stray dogs on the roadside.

This utter disregard angered and humiliated Zhou An more than any vehement rebuttal.

"Stop!" Zhou An stepped forward, blocking Song Jing's path. His early-stage Refining Realm aura was released without reservation, creating an oppressive atmosphere. "Song Jing, are you deaf? Didn't you hear me talking to you?"

Chang Yuan and Hong Lie also surrounded Song Jing from the left and right, subtly blocking his retreat, their faces filled with sinister smiles.

Song Jing finally stopped, slowly raised his eyes, and looked calmly at Zhou An. His gaze was like a deep pool, without the slightest ripple, yet it sent a chill down Zhou An's spine for no reason.

"A good dog doesn't block the way." Song Jing spoke calmly, his voice not loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the quiet General Affairs Hall.

"Who the hell are you calling a dog?!" Zhou An roared in fury, his face flushed red, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, he wanted to attack immediately. But he remembered the sect rules: attacking a fellow disciple in the General Affairs Hall was punishable severely.

Moreover, he couldn't gauge Song Jing's true strength. Although the intelligence said he was in the early stage of Bone Forging, it was probably not that simple for someone in the Flesh Refining stage to fight ten Bone Forging experts alone.

"Whoever gets in the way, is the one who will stand in the way." Song Jing's tone remained calm as he glanced at Chang Yuan and Hong Lie. "Also, go back and tell Zhou Ming that if he's got the guts, he should come himself. What's the use of sending a few barking dogs? Does he dare to openly defy the sect rules?"

"You're asking for it!" Chang Yuan, who was even more impatient, was about to make a move when Zhou An grabbed him.

Zhou An stared intently at Song Jing, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "Fine, very well! Song Jing, you've got guts! You think you're a genius because you can fight? Let me tell you, in front of a true genius, you're nothing!"

My cousin, Senior Brother Zhou Ming, is a master of the Refining Realm! My Golden Vein's chief senior brother, Zhou Lingyun, is an unparalleled genius of the Marrow Refining Realm! Who do you think you are? How dare you compare yourself to them?

You think you can catch up with others by relying on this meager water vein resources and painstakingly cultivating? Dream on!

"A peasant from out of town will always be a peasant! You just wait, you'll be crying sooner or later!"

After making his threats, Zhou An knew he couldn't do anything to Song Jing here. He snorted heavily, then led Chang Yuan and Hong Lie away, giving the old steward a fierce glare before leaving.

The old deacon remained unmoved.

Song Jing watched the three figures leave, his eyes turning slightly cold.

The Zhou family's suppression was indeed relentless.

However, this level of provocation was nothing more than a gentle breeze to him.

His goal was never to get entangled with these few lackeys.

"Strength is the best response," Song Jing thought to himself, then turned and left the General Affairs Hall, heading straight for the Cultivation Techniques Pavilion.

In the following month, Song Jing's life returned to its extreme routine and monotony.

The resources received, Xuan Yuan Dan and Yun Shen Xiang, are mainly used for cultivating the "Xuan Yuan Chong Shui Zhen Gong" and nourishing the soul.

He spent almost all his time in the cultivation technique pavilion. With the talent of "Heaven rewards diligence" and the profound understanding of "speed" and "change" brought about by breaking the limits of the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique and the Chasing Wind Leg Technique, he focused his cultivation on the Nine Shadow Step, a high-quality beginner-level movement technique.

In the unpredictable and high-pressure combat environment of the fifth level of the Kung Fu Pavilion, the various subtle variations of the Nine Shadow Steps were brought to their fullest potential.

Song Jing no longer merely pursued creating a few afterimages to confuse his opponents, but began to pursue a smoother transition between afterimages and his true form, combining footwork with body movements, leg techniques, and even the essence of spear techniques, pursuing the ultimate efficiency and unpredictability of shifting and changing within a small space.

Sweat soaked his clothes, his mind was exhausted, and he was repeatedly driven to the brink of defeat by the fifth gatekeeper's exquisite movements, but time and time again he turned the tide of battle with his tenacious will and rapidly improving understanding.

His understanding of "shadow" is no longer limited to visual deception, but goes deeper into the levels of energy flow, rhythm interference, and even the use of ambient light and shadow.

Finally, in a fierce battle at the end of the month, when the gatekeeper blocked all his escape routes with a fatal blow, Song Jing's footwork changed mysteriously. His figure seemed to instantly merge into the subtle fluctuations of the surrounding light and airflow, leaving behind three solid and indistinguishable afterimages. His true body, however, appeared like a ghost in the blind spot behind the gatekeeper!

It's not a visual residual caused by extreme speed, but a true "body transforming into multiple shadows, with the real and the unreal intertwined"!

His grasp of timing, his use of footwork, and his control of his own energy have all reached a new level.

Nine Shadow Steps, perfect!

Achieved!

Although it failed to reach the profound realm of "returning to the true nature" like the Chasing Wind Leg Technique and the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique, the Nine Shadow Steps at its perfect level, with its strange, swift, and elusive characteristics, has reached the theoretical pinnacle of this skill.

Combined with the Wind Chasing Leg Technique, which focuses on linear bursts and agility, and the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique, which focuses on fierce attacks and area-of-effect strikes, Song Jing's agility, speed, and evasion abilities have reached a whole new level.

Within the Bone Forging Realm, in terms of sheer speed and unpredictability of movement techniques alone, it would be difficult to find a worthy opponent.

"With my two True Return Techniques, the Wind Chasing Leg Technique and the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique, one entry-level rare technique, the Profound Origin Heavy Water True Technique, one perfected technique, the Nine Shadow Steps, plus the perfected Golden Bell Shield for defense and the fully mastered Wildfire Spear Technique for offense—perhaps, I can try the sixth level." Song Jing finished his breathing adjustment, his eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

The sixth level of the Cultivation Technique Pavilion is usually for disciples who are at the late stage or even the peak of the Bone Forging Realm and have profound cultivation techniques.

The strength of the gatekeeper, their application of techniques, and their control over the battle situation will far surpass that of the fifth gate.

But he wanted to give it a try.

It's not just about testing your strength, but also about the pressure of seeking a breakthrough, and—the qualification to advance to the Xuan-rank disciple!

According to the sect's rules, new disciples must meet certain conditions, such as reaching the late stage of Bone Forging cultivation or completing specific sect tasks.

Alternatively, one can achieve corresponding results in the Cultivation Technique Pavilion and pass the review before being promoted to the Profound Rank and enjoying better treatment and privileges.

"Breaking through the six barriers" is undoubtedly a fast and highly persuasive approach.

Stepping back into the familiar, quiet room, I chose the sixth challenge.

As light and shadow coalesced, a figure with an even more composed aura and sharp, eagle-like gaze slowly emerged.

His inner energy was concealed yet gave off an invincible, oppressive feeling, as if he could unleash a thunderous attack at any moment.

Without further ado, the battle erupted instantly!

The gatekeeper's leg techniques were fast, accurate, ruthless, and varied, with sword energy crisscrossing and shattering the quiet room into pieces.

His cultivation level was clearly simulated to be at the perfect level of the Bone Forging Realm, with powerful true qi and a chilling sword intent.

Song Jing dared not be careless in the slightest. He fully unleashed the Perfect Nine Shadow Steps, combined with the explosive power of the Returning to Truth Wind and Thunder Leg Technique, weaving and dodging through the countless leg shadows. Like a small boat in a stormy sea, he seemed to be in danger, but he always managed to avoid fatal attacks at the last second.

The Return to Truth Chasing Wind Leg technique endowed him with unparalleled agility and the ability to change direction, allowing him to constantly pull and find the subtle gaps in the guard's sword stance shifts.

The gatekeeper quickly realized that Song Jing's movements were difficult to deal with, so he changed his strategy, shifting from a fierce and stormy attack to a meticulous and balanced approach of offense and defense. He used his exquisite footwork to begin to compress Song Jing's space and at the same time continuously eroded and interfered with him with his sword energy.

The pressure has increased dramatically!

Song Jing felt as if he had been trapped in an invisible net, surrounded by sharp true energy from all sides, leaving him with less and less room to dodge.

"We can't just keep dodging!" Song Jing's eyes sharpened, and the crimson and dark blue true energy within his body suddenly accelerated its circulation.

He no longer relied solely on agility to maneuver and began to attempt counterattacks.

"The Wildfire Spear Technique: The Spark Ignites!" The Crimson Flame Star Thunder Spear, trailing a streak of fire, precisely targeted the weakest point.

At the same time, the Xuan Yuan True Qi quietly adhered to the gun body, increasing its penetration and power.

"Clang!" The gun and sword clashed, sparks flying.

The gatekeeper trembled slightly, his inner energy momentarily stagnant.

Song Jing pressed his advantage relentlessly, unleashing his Wind and Thunder Leg Technique. A side kick, as powerful as thunder, struck his opponent's waist and abdomen, forcing him to return his sword to defend.

The battle reached its climax.

Song Jing mastered the art of combining body techniques, leg techniques, spear techniques, and the initial attempts at using the true energy of water and fire to its fullest extent.

He sometimes used the Wildfire Spear Technique to launch a strong attack, sometimes used the Profound Origin True Qi to penetrate and interfere, sometimes used the Ghostly Movement Technique to maneuver and fight, and sometimes used the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique to launch a surprise attack.

The speed and explosiveness advantages brought by the two Returning to Truth Leg Techniques, and the unpredictability and agility brought by the perfect Nine Shadow Steps, were fully demonstrated at this moment.

Although the gatekeeper was powerful and had exquisite swordsmanship, he gradually found it difficult to handle Song Jing's all-round and ever-changing offensive.

In particular, Song Jing's true energy, which combines water and fire, is sometimes as fiery as fire and sometimes as gentle as water, making it unpredictable and causing his defenses to repeatedly break through.

After a hundred moves, Song Jing finally seized the moment when the gatekeeper had exhausted his old strength and had not yet generated new strength, and fused all his strength with the essence of the two great true energies into a single spear thrust!

On the Crimson Star Thunder Spear, crimson and dark blue light merged with unprecedented intensity, as if transforming into a destructive thunderbolt of crimson and blue!

"A prairie fire—burning the heavens!"

"boom!"

The spear flashes like a dragon, unstoppable!

The gatekeeper hastily parried with his sword, but was jolted by the terrifying force that was both violent and subtly penetrating, causing his sword to slip from his hand and his chest to be pierced by the force of the spear!

The figure dissipated.

Level 6, passed!

Song Jing knelt, leaning on his spear, breathing heavily. His body was covered in sword wounds of varying depths, dripping with blood, but his eyes were filled with the joy of victory and enlightenment.

This battle allowed him to integrate his knowledge more deeply and gain a more practical understanding of the principle of water and fire complementing each other.

As he dragged his weary yet excited body out of the meditation room, the huge bronze list outside the cultivation technique pavilion flashed once more: "The mysterious man 'Yi' has broken through the sixth level again in the outer sect cultivation technique pavilion! Cultivation: Early stage of Bone Forging Realm!"

Quiet.

After a brief silence, there was an even more intense uproar and shock than when the five passes were broken through last time!

"The sixth level?! It's him again! Righteousness!"

"Early stage of the Bone Forging Realm—breaking through five or six levels in a row—this isn't just genius, this is monstrous talent!"

"Who is it?! Have they found out yet?!"

"It seems—someone saw Song Jing, the newcomer to Bibo Peak, go inside just now—"

"Song Jing? That's the newcomer who chose the water vein and offended the Zhou family? Could it be him?!"

"Impossible, right? He's only been in the outer sect for two months? And he's already gone from the peak of Body Refining to the early stage of Bone Forging, and even broken through five or six levels? This—absolutely impossible!"

"Wang Tianhao, the genius disciple from the Earth Vein, also went in. I heard that his cultivation level is also at the early stage of Bone Forging, and he's only nineteen years old. He's also the most talented disciple the Earth Vein has received in recent years. It's just that he's rather dull and doesn't like to talk!"

"That's right, I think it must be Wang Tianhao, the genius disciple of this earth vein. We'll find out by asking him later!"

The news spread like wildfire, instantly reaching all the peaks of the outer sect.

Qin Muyun, Tie Zhan, Su Yuwei, and Wen Yuan reunited. Looking at the list, they were speechless, their eyes filled with deep shock and admiration.

They found the fifth level extremely difficult, requiring tremendous effort. As for the sixth level, they didn't even want to try; it was absolutely impossible for them to pass it given their current strength!

Song Jing's rate of progress is simply unbelievable.

The news of Song Jing's advancement to the Xuan rank and the bestowal of the Concentrating Spirit Pill was like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, creating ripples in the outer sect far more intense than when "Yi" broke through the five barriers last time.

In just two months, he jumped from the newly promoted Yellow Rank to the Profound Rank. Even in the history of the outer sect of Pingtianmen, this speed is enough to rank among the top.

For a time, the name "Song Jing," like the mysterious and powerful "Yi," became the focus of discussion among many outer disciples.

This news naturally spread quickly to Bibo Peak and reached the ears of Chen Mo, who had been keeping a close eye on Song Jing.

Bibo Peak, beside Tingtao Courtyard, is Chen Mo's "Youhuang Xiaozhu".

After the ordinary-looking disciple from the Water Vein Sect, who was responsible for gathering information outside, suppressed his excitement and reported the detailed situation in front of the General Affairs Hall, including the steward's praise of Song Jing and the details of the extra Mind-Concentrating Pill he had been given, he finished reporting everything.

Chen Mo, the sixth senior brother of the Water Vein, who was known for his gloomy and taciturn nature and his inability to show his emotions, was still surprisingly stunned, even though he had already heard about Song Jing and Yi's story through comfortable channels.

He was holding a piece of black bamboo leaf in his hand, his movements frozen in mid-air. His eyes, which were always half-open and half-closed, as if they were indifferent to everything, suddenly widened, and an indescribable light flashed deep in his pupils.

The next moment, he slammed the bamboo leaves onto the stone table beside him, abruptly stood up, threw his head back, and let out a hearty laugh of utter delight: "Good! Good! Good! Hahaha! What a fine Song Jing! What a righteous man!"

The clear and enthusiastic laughter caused the small spiritual spring in the courtyard to ripple slightly, startling several silver spirit fish into diving to the bottom.

The gloom that had always shrouded his face was now mostly dispelled by an almost ecstatic joy and excitement, and it seemed as if sparks were rekindling in his eyes.

"Two months on the Xuan Steps, and the Elder bestows upon me a Spirit-Concentrating Pill—" Chen Mo's laughter subsided, his gaze fixed intently on Song Jing's residence. His fingers unconsciously tapped the stone table, producing a crisp sound. "Uncle, what kind of stone have you thrown into this stagnant pool this time?" No, this is no stone; it is clearly—a hidden dragon, poised to soar!

He knew the sect's rules well; pills of the Concentration Pill level were usually only available to Earth-rank disciples or those who had made great contributions.

The fact that the old man specially approved this for a newly promoted Xuan-rank disciple carries a significance far beyond a simple commendation.

This is both an acknowledgment of his talent and an invisible "mark" and protection.

Song Jing, or rather "Yi," had truly entered the field of vision of certain important figures.

"Interesting, truly interesting." Chen Mo's lips curled into a playful smile, unlike his usual cold demeanor. This smile carried the excitement of a chess player seeing an unexpected turn of events in the game. "Those idiots from the Zhou family must be furious by now, right? On one hand, they're desperately slandering Song Jing, and on the other hand, they're praising that vague concept of 'righteousness' to the skies—heh, if they knew the truth, how interesting their faces would be!"

Thinking of that scene, Chen Mo's smile deepened, even carrying a hint of malicious anticipation.

Meanwhile, at Gengjin Peak, inside Zhou Ming's "Ruijinxuan".

The atmosphere, however, was the complete opposite of the cheerful atmosphere of Youhuang Xiaozhu; it was heavy, cold, and filled with an barely suppressed anger.