Chapter 1031: Sixth Layer of Qi Refining Counters and Defeats Seventh Layer of Qi Refining

"Speak up now, what is the situation with you all, and why are you hiding in the handyman courtyard?"

Lu Yang paced with his hands behind his back in front of the three soul bodies; though he was only in the mid-stage of Deity Transformation and of a low seniority, the three soul bodies still trembled with fear before him, not daring to conceal a single thing.

"Tell nothing but the truth,"

The Immortal Fairy, standing behind Lu Yang, said in a fiercely threatening tone.

"Yes, yes, yes," the three soul bodies hurriedly replied, not daring to utter half a word of refusal.

"I came to learn the Arhat Fist," Mo Xiaochou was the first to confess.

"The truth."

"I came to secretly learn the Arhat Fist."

"West Heaven Temple does not tightly manage its handyman monks, making it the easiest way to infiltrate the place. I thought to possess a handyman monk and help him rise up step by step, hoping to eventually find a chance to gain access to the Arhat Fist."

"My name is Duan Qinshui," a middle-aged man in the early stage of Fusion said; his purpose in infiltrating West Heaven Temple was identical to Mo Xiaochou's, both having come to steal-learn, except that he was after the Tripitaka, one of the three grand scriptures of West Heaven Temple.

"Where are your physical bodies?"

"Hidden outside."

"Why separate them?" Lu Yang wondered; separating soul from flesh halved one's combat power, which seemed a very perilous thing no matter how one looked at it.

"We lack magical treasures that can carry a physical body without being discovered," Duan Qinshui offered a helpless, bitter smile; it wasn't that they wished to do this, but rather that they simply could not avoid it, for such magical treasures were exceedingly rare, and they had nowhere to buy them even if they wanted to.

Venerable Green Smoke, on the other hand, had fought a bitter battle with Master Ming Yu, which left him with only his soul remaining; after using the escape technique "Green Smoke into the Azure Vault," his soul had been severely wounded, forcing him to possess Xin Ping of the North Handyman Courtyard out of sheer desperation.

In order to have Xin Ping promoted to a higher courtyard so that Venerable Green Smoke could recover his strength, seek an opportunity to cause great havoc in West Heaven Temple, and exact revenge on Master Ming Yu, he had used hidden means to nurture Xin Ping into a Formless Constitution; he used a secret method, ensuring that no one could ever detect it.

"You've helped West Heaven Temple resolve a massive hidden trouble," Lu Yang could well imagine that if Venerable Green Smoke had truly remained hidden, he might indeed have stirred up quite a commotion for West Heaven Temple.

However, he performed good deeds without seeking reward, so there was no need to mention such a minor matter to West Heaven Temple.

"Keep these three in the minor world for now, and lock them away in the Prisoner Peak once we return to the sect."

All three of them had seen the Immortal Fairy, so they either could not be left alive or had to be locked up in the Prisoner Peak.

Lu Yang had not expected that within just half a month of arriving at West Heaven Temple, he would have caught three more people for the Prisoner Peak; the only issue was that Mo Xiaochou and Duan Qinshui's cultivation bases were too low, especially Mo Xiaochou, who would be at the absolute bottom upon arriving at the Prisoner Peak.

"Forget it, a mosquito is still meat no matter how small," Lu Yang believed that doing good deeds should not be distinguished by scale.

Having dealt with these three, Lu Yang finally had time to continue watching how Xin Ding's fight was going.

"What, Xin Ding at the sixth layer of Qi Refining actually defeated Xin An at the seventh layer of Qi Refining!"

"This is a challenge across ranks!"

As the battle inside the Azure Peak Sword minor world concluded, the selection match of the Martial Monks Courtyard also entered its final phase, and Xin Ding, whom no one had favored, defeated Xin An, the one most likely to seize the crown.

A sixth layer of Qi Refining defeating a seventh layer was not as simple as crossing a single layer; it signified that the mid-stage of Qi Refining had triumphed over the late-stage of Qi Refining. Seeing this scene, how could the handyman monks not cheer and boil with excitement?

The handyman monks of the East Handyman Courtyard were especially thrilled; how many years had it been since their East Handyman Courtyard had taken the crown, and now they could finally hold their heads high before the other three handyman courtyards.

Lu Yang rubbed his temples in pain; the contrast between the battles inside and outside the minor world was a bit too drastic, and he found it slightly difficult to adapt all at once.

"Senior Brother Zhi Yuan, you have taught a fine disciple," a monk from the Martial Monks Courtyard gave Zhi Yuan a look fraught with deep meaning; if anyone claimed Zhi Yuan had not instructed Xin Ding, he would certainly not believe it.

It appeared that Zhi Yuan's despondency all these years was merely a facade, and he had been secretly nurturing a successor in the shadows, with Xin Ding being the finest example.

With the aptitude Xin Ding displayed today, he might very well enter the Heaven, Earth, and Mortal rankings, becoming a renowned expert on the lists.

Zhi Yuan could not be bothered to respond; after all, even if he claimed he had not taught Xin Ding, the other party would never believe him.

"However, once he enters the Martial Monks Courtyard, he might be targeted. After all, Senior Brother, you did forge grievances with quite a few people back when you were in the Martial Monks Courtyard," the monk from the Martial Monks Courtyard reminded him; his relationship with Zhi Yuan was decent enough, but the same could not be said for others.

Zhi Yuan glared: "Let them dare! Do they truly think I am dead!"

"In short, I shall look after him as much as possible, but I cannot guarantee the rest," the monk from the Martial Monks Courtyard said.

Zhi Yuan calmed down, pressed his palms together, and thanked him: "Then I must trouble you, Junior Brother."

...

"I declare Xin Ding to be the champion of this selection," the monk from the Martial Monks Courtyard announced loudly, throwing the East Handyman Courtyard into a frenzy of cheers.

"Xin Ding, the champion may choose any century-old herb from the medicinal storehouse. Have you thought about what you wish to choose?"

"This Martial Uncle..."

"You may call me Martial Uncle Zhi Kong."

"Martial Uncle Zhi Kong, I have made up my mind."

"Then follow me."

Zhi Kong said, leading Xin Ding toward the medicinal storehouse.

Zhi Kong knocked on the door ring of the storehouse: "Martial Uncle Wu Nian, the handyman courtyard selection has ended, and I have brought someone to choose a herb."

"Come in, and remember not to trample the medicinal seedlings at the entrance."

The grand doors of the medicinal storehouse opened automatically, revealing a field of medicinal herbs before them, where a small old man held a watering can, sprinkling water all around.

The small old man flew before Xin Ding with his hands behind his back; facing the small old man, Xin Ding felt as though he stood utterly naked, with absolutely no secrets to speak of.

Definitely a supreme expert!

"He is merely at the early stage of Deity Transformation," the lazy voice of the Tofu Heavenly Venerate echoed in Xin Ding's ear; any random person pulled from the Azure Peak Sword minor world would be more powerful than this small old man.

Upon learning the small old man's cultivation, Xin Ding still felt he was incredibly powerful; the early stage of Deity Transformation was already an unreachable, grand figure to him.

He feared he might never achieve the Deity Transformation stage in his entire life.

"What herb do you want?" the small old man asked.

"A century-old Spiritual Pivot Grass."

"As expected, it is the Spiritual Pivot Grass." Seeing the Buddhist beads Xin Ding wore, the small old man had roughly guessed he would ask for the Spiritual Pivot Grass.

Spiritual Pivot Grass was scarce, and not many people knew of it.

The small old man let out a sigh: "Has Zhi Yuan truly still not forgiven me, his master, that he must use you to obtain the Spiritual Pivot Grass?"

"Zhi Yuan was the most outstanding in talent and disposition among the disciples I accepted. Who could have foreseen that he, who was single-mindedly devoted to Buddhism, would actually cross paths with that Red Lotus Demoness during a mission? After several entanglements, his mortal heart was stirred, violating the clear regulations and monastic precepts. If I had not torn the two of them apart, who would ever respect these precepts again?"

"Who could have imagined that even though I tore their persons apart, I could not tear their hearts asunder? He rashly attempted to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, fell ill from longing, and failed completely at the final step, dropping down to the Foundation Establishment stage."

"I originally intended to give him the Spiritual Pivot Grass directly, yet I did not expect him to harbor resentment against me, refusing to accept my things, while he himself lacked the qualification to obtain it..."

The small old man rambled on for a long time, and Xin Ding managed to grasp the general idea of Martial Uncle Zhi Yuan's past.

"There is one matter I do not understand, and I pray Grandmaster will resolve my confusion."

"Ask away," the small old man said with a genial smile, evidently treating Xin Ding as his grand-disciple.

"Since the Buddhist sect is a pure land far removed from the secular world, and marrying someone from the mortal realm stirs the mortal heart, why not just have the Red Lotus Demoness also ordain into our West Heaven Temple? That way, it would be perfectly fine for Martial Uncle Zhi Yuan to marry her, wouldn't it?"

The small old man began to doubt his own judgment.

Was this boy truly a disciple taught by Zhi Yuan?