Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Profound Whale Body

At 7:00 AM on the second day, the Jade Talisman issued to Yang Jing during the Autumn Defense suddenly began to vibrate. A message appeared within, reminding him to report to the Assembly Hall in Huangyuan Marketplace before 12:30 PM that day.

Because the Jade Talisman could record its location, Yang Jing had kept it in his Cave Mansion in San Yuanli. When he saw the Flying Boats returning, he guessed the Six Great Sects and the Chen Family were about to hold an awards ceremony for meritorious service, so he had returned to San Yuanli.

At 11:15 AM, Yang Jing finished getting ready. He changed into a new cyan Daoist robe and tied up his hair with a jade hairpin.

The Law Enforcement Team in the Marketplace knew that today was a day for the Six Great Sects to display their authority and for the Chen Family to demonstrate their rule, so they dared not be the slightest bit careless. They had begun patrolling at dawn, arresting any suspicious individuals who could not prove their identity.

They were determined not to let any vicious incidents of murder and robbery occur during the awards ceremony.

As Yang Jing was currently the primary target coveted by numerous Tribulation Cultivators, the Law Enforcement Team simply dispatched three Cultivators to escort him to the Assembly Hall.

The Assembly Hall of Huangyuan Marketplace was magnificent, standing atop a three-tiered white jade platform. It was constructed with giant timbers for beams and glazed tiles for the roof, featuring carved beams, painted rafters, and was encircled by long corridors.

By 12:30 PM, the spacious Assembly Hall was already packed to the brim.

At the head of the hall sat seven people: the Outer Sect Stewards from the Six Great Sects and a Foundation Establishment Elder from the Chen Family.

The seven had solemn expressions, exuding an authority that commanded respect without any show of anger. A single glance revealed they were long accustomed to high positions. To Independent Cultivators, they were indeed unapproachably powerful figures. Even the Foundation Establishment Clan Leaders of the various families were a step below them and had to live by their whims.

Inside the great hall, the patriarchs of the Immortal Cultivation Clans were seated in order, while their descendants and clan members at the Qi Cultivation Realm could only stand.

Yang Jing stood with the other Independent Cultivators at Qi Cultivation Perfection, positioned at the very back of the hall. Two more steps and he would have been outside completely.

Those with even fewer Merit Points or lower Cultivation could only wait outside the Assembly Hall.

The fact that he, a Low Tier Cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation, was standing in the same row as Independent Cultivators at Qi Cultivation Perfection made the latter quite displeased, and they subtly ostracized him.

Yang Jing paid them no mind. Looking up, he could see Wang Tong, the Third Shopkeeper of the Celestial Treasure Tower, was also present. He stood behind the Chief Shopkeeper, his somewhat chubby face also set in a solemn expression.

Of all the people from the Celestial Treasure Tower, only the Chief Shopkeeper, with his Foundation Establishment Cultivation, had been given a chair.

Seeing no unusual expression on the face of the Celestial Treasure Tower’s Chief Shopkeeper, Yang Jing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, the Outer Sect Steward from the Supreme Profound Upper Yang Sect, who sat in the head seat, cleared his throat. The still-murmuring Assembly Hall instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“During this Autumn Defense, the Cultivators of San Yuanli slayed a total of one thousand, six hundred and thirty-seven Demons, including three Foundation Establishment Demons. Their contributions were outstanding. We have therefore convened this ceremony to recognize and reward the exemplary families and Independent Cultivators for their service.”

“The Shangyang Zhang Family, first place, with two thousand three hundred Merit Points.”

“The Yushan Huang Clan, second place, with two thousand one hundred and fifty Merit Points.”

…

The Steward paused at one of the entries.

“The Independent Cultivator from San Yuanli, Yang Jing, fifth place, with one thousand six hundred Merit Points.”

Hearing that an unknown Independent Cultivator had actually ranked fifth, a buzz of whispers immediately broke out in the silent Assembly Hall. There were twelve Foundation Establishment Clans in Huangyuan Marketplace, and this single Independent Cultivator’s contributions had surpassed those of eight of them.

“Silence!”

The Steward from the Taixu Sword Sect was a stern-faced, middle-aged man in a plain white Magic Robe. He tapped the sheath of his sword, and the entire Assembly Hall fell silent once more.

“Upon investigation, it has been confirmed that the Independent Cultivator Yang Jing assisted our sect’s true inheritor, Song Luoxi, in slaying a Demon Sect cultivator. That cultivator has been identified as Wu Chunqiu, a true inheritor of the Dark Spring Demon Sect. The Hall Master of our Foreign Affairs Hall has granted special approval to award Yang Jing an additional six hundred Merit Points.”

After he finished speaking, he sat back down and closed his eyes to rest.

Yang Jing could feel scorching gazes on him from all directions. The Taixu Sword Sect was comprised of Three Palaces and Seven Halls, and every Hall Master had a Cultivation at the Nascent Soul Stage. Although a Nascent Soul True Monarch wouldn’t truly take such a minor matter to heart, the connection alone was enough to make others burn with envy and jealousy.

The expressions of the Qi Cultivation Perfection Cultivators around him instantly turned fawning, and they began to subtly gather around as if he were their center.

Seeing no objections, the Outer Sect Steward of the Supreme Profound Upper Yang Sect cleared his throat and continued, announcing and commending the top twenty-four on the merit list.

Naturally, the Six Great Sects and the Chen Family weren’t just offering empty praise. The Zhang Family, who ranked first, was awarded a sizable piece of Red Essence Fire Copper, the primary material for refining a Demon Alarm Bell and enough to forge a Spiritual Artifact.

Those ranked from second to fifth place could choose any Tier One Upper Grade Magical Artifact, and the rewards for those ranked lower were also quite valuable.

Enduring the countless envious gazes, Yang Jing walked forward. From among the various Magical Artifacts, he chose a water-element Flying Sword. It was two and a half feet long, its blade shimmering with a watery light. Incomparably sharp, its name was Cang Lang.

This sword was superior to the two Flying Swords he already possessed, making it a perfect gift for his disciple, Yinjiao.

Seeing Yang Jing choose a Flying Sword, the Steward from the Taixu Sword Sect lifted his eyelids to give him another look before closing them again to rest.

After all the rewards were distributed, the seven prominent figures retired to a back hall for tea. Warriors carried in desks and chairs, and the Scribes responsible for paperwork in the Marketplace took their seats to handle the Merit Point exchanges for everyone present.

“Fellow Daoist Yang, what would you like to exchange your points for?” one of the Scribes asked with great cordiality.

Yang Jing didn’t let the success go to his head.

“I would like to exchange for the Pill Formula for the Five Elements Pill.”

Although the Scribe was surprised that Yang Jing didn’t first choose a type of Gang Sha to aid in his Foundation Establishment, he nodded and recorded the choice on a Jade Scroll. To increase the Power of the Cultivators from the three states of Chen, Cai, and Wei, the Six Great Sects even made Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation Techniques available for exchange; they certainly wouldn’t restrict a mere Pill Formula.

“The Pill Formula for the Five Elements Pill, one hundred and fifty Merit Points.”

“A vial of Cyan Wood Gang Sha.”

“One thousand Merit Points. Fellow Daoist Yang, you have four hundred and fifty Merit Points remaining.”

’I never expected to get an extra six hundred Merit Points,’ Yang Jing thought. ’Even after getting the Five Elements Pill Formula and the Cyan Wood Gang Sha, I still have this much left over.’

He considered for a moment, then asked, “Are there any Body Refining Techniques that specialize in cultivating Essence Blood?”

’Chi Yu’s Cocoon Formation and Embryonic Development talent has an extremely high demand for Essence Blood—the more, the better. It can’t cultivate the True Yang Body, so this is a good opportunity to pick out a Body Refining Technique for it. And even though I can’t practice another Body Refining Technique myself because I already have the True Yang Body, once I use my resources to push this new technique to the Peak of Perfection, I’ll be able to share whatever new talent Chi Yu gains.’

The Scribe mulled it over for a moment.

“I do know of one Body Refining Technique called the Profound Whale Body. An Elder from the Supreme Profound Upper Yang Sect obtained it from a Major Sect overseas. It excels at accumulating Qi and blood. Once mastered, one’s strikes are like a giant whale overturning the seas, possessing unparalleled Giant Power. The Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment Chapter for this technique costs six hundred Merit Points. However, seeing as you performed such meritorious service during the Autumn Defense, Fellow Daoist Yang… tell you what. A distant nephew of mine also managed to accumulate some points. I’ll lend them to you so you can acquire this technique now.”

Yang Jing knew the Scribe wanted to put him in his debt. These Scribes were the Local Bullies of Huangyuan Marketplace, and their information network was top-notch. He was more than happy to build a connection with them, so he naturally agreed with a grateful expression and even secretly slipped the man over fifty Spirit Stones.

The Scribe was, of course, extremely satisfied. He quickly went through the official procedures to complete the exchange for the Profound Whale Body.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep