“How long have these cultivation techniques and visualization paintings been hidden?”

“From the looks of it, probably several thousands or even over ten thousand years.”

Lu Yang pressed his hand to his forehead. No one has discovered them for so long? Just how well have the eminent monks of Xitian Temple hidden these things?

With how well you have hidden them, do you or do you not want people to find them?

~~~

“Arhat Fist is fast and varied. It emphasizes using qi to vibrate the teeth and produce sounds like thunder, using sound to bolster momentum and qi to boost power...”

The Tofu Heavenly Sovereign taught from within the sword.

Lu Yang’s mastery of Arhat Fist was unrivaled in the current era. With him instructing Xinding, progress naturally came swiftly.

Xinding practiced in the courtyard. Thanks to his powerful spiritual consciousness, every movement was fairly precise. After half a month, he was close to grasping the basics.

“It really is much stronger than Bodhi Fist.” The more Xinding practiced, the more he felt the gap between Bodhi Fist and Arhat Fist. As expected of the supreme fist technique that’s said to lead one to attaining the Arhat Fruit Realm.

Just as Xinding was immersed in his fist training, a warm current rose from his dantian, flowed through his limbs and body, and filled him with power.

“Has the pill finally taken effect?”

Xinding was overjoyed. Under the Tofu Heavenly Sovereign’s guidance, he had exchanged his merit points for a Minor Grass Rejuvenation Pill. Though it aided one in a breakthrough, its medicinal properties were gentle and would be slowly absorbed by the body.

After half a month of fist training, his rate of absorption increased, and he finally broke through from the Level Five Qi Training Stage to the Level Six Qi Training Stage!

His pores opened wide, absorbing spirit qi from heaven and earth to replenish the spirit energy depleted by the breakthrough.

“If I run into Senior Brother Xincheng now, I could probably take him down with one punch.”

Compared to half a month ago, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds. He had obtained a visualization painting of a Buddhist founder, learned Arhat Fist, and broken through to the Level Six Qi Training Stage.

Among the four servants’ courtyards—North, South, East, and West—few menial monks had reached the Level Six Qi Training Stage. This meant that Xinding truly had a chance to compete for entry into the Martial Vihara.

“Level Six Qi Training Stage?”

“Greetings, Junior Uncle Zhiyuan.” Xinding exhaled and concluded his practice session. He pressed his palms together to greet the administrator and junior uncle, whose dharma name was Zhiyuan.

“Not arrogant and not impatient. Not bad,” Junior Uncle Zhiyuan praised him, though in his heart, he sighed. If I had possessed Xinding’s temperament back then, I wouldn’t have rushed my breakthrough, which ended up in me falling behind in terms of cultivation realm.

He had been assigned to the servants’ courtyard for many years. Disheartened, he hadn’t paid much attention to its management.

But half a month ago, Xinding’s victory over Xincheng had caught his attention. Observing him, he found Xinding to be a rare, promising talent. With such a temperament, it’d be a shame to keep him in the servants’ courtyard.

“Keep this string of prayer beads. You may find them useful in the Martial Vihara Selection.” Junior Uncle Zhiyuan removed a string of prayer beads from his wrist.

“Junior Uncle, this...” Xinding wanted to refuse. These are Junior Uncle’s prayer beads, a treasure I absolutely can’t afford.

Everything on me combined can’t buy—oh, that’s not right, I have the Dragon Mandate Visualization Painting, the Arhat Fist manual, and the immortal sword.

“Take them. Your junior uncle isn’t giving them to you for nothing. I have a favor to ask.

“This time, four menial monks will be selected to enter the Martial Vihara. With your current ability, getting in won’t be a problem.

“However, these four menial monks will also be ranked. The menial monk who places first can choose any century-old herb from the medicine repository. There is one century-old Lingshu Grass there. I need you to choose it.”

Over the past few days, Zhiyuan had been observing Xinding. His long-dead heart gradually stirred back to life, and he no longer wished to remain in this decadent state. He wanted to return to the Golden Core Stage, and for that, the Lingshu Grass was pivotal.

Due to certain reasons, he couldn’t exchange for the Lingshu Grass himself. His only chance was to obtain it through this Martial Vihara Selection.

“Heavenly Sovereign, this...”

“You can accept them. In fact, you’re getting the better deal. These prayer beads are imbued with Buddhist blessings. Their value is even higher than a century-old Lingshu Grass.”

“Excellent.” Xinding agreed.

~~~

The servants’ courtyard was divided into the east, south, west, and north wings. Xinding belonged to the East Servants’ Courtyard, publicly recognized as the weakest of the four.

All menial monks drew lots to fight on the arena stage, competing for the four spots to enter the Martial Vihara, and then for first place among them.

Xinding stood out among the menial monks. Relying solely on his cultivation at the Level Six Qi Training Stage, he could already sweep through a large number of them.

Xincheng had also advanced to the Level Six Qi Training Stage. But faced with Xinding’s powerful spiritual consciousness, he lost again.

Xinding fought his way into the top eight. Having just broken through to the Level Six Qi Training Stage, he was the weakest among them. Since he was also from the East Servants’ Courtyard, no one thought he had a chance.

Xinding’s opponent was a menial monk from the West Servants’ Courtyard. He had been at the Level Six Qi Training Stage for a year and was a strong candidate to enter the Martial Vihara.

Whoever won between the two would enter the Martial Vihara!

“Senior Brother Zhiyuan, I didn’t expect you to come to a place like this. In previous years, you never cared about the Martial Vihara Selection.”

A monk wearing the same robes as Zhiyuan approached. It was Zhixing. He was the manager of the West Servants’ Courtyard.

“What, do you actually think this boy Xinding can beat someone from our West Servants’ Courtyard?”

“We’ll know when they try.” Despite Zhixing’s provocation, Zhiyuan remained unmoved.

Zhixing sneered and said no more. He recalled how Zhiyuan, once a celebrated prodigy who had made it onto the Earth Ranking, was led astray by beauty and desire. He forcibly attempted a breakthrough, only to fail and be assigned to the servants’ courtyard, ending up in the same place as himself. The thought of it brought him immense satisfaction.

Zhixing prepared to watch the battle to see how Xinding would lose and how Zhiyuan would react.

But when he looked at the arena stage, the fight was already nearing its end. Xinding sent his opponent flying off the platform with a single punch!

The East Servants’ Courtyard erupted in cheers!

At last, someone from the East Servants’ Courtyard could enter the Martial Vihara!

How could it have ended so quickly? I’d only exchanged a few words with Zhiyuan!

“You gave him the prayer beads?!” Zhixing’s eyes bulged with fury. He hadn’t expected Zhiyuan to dare go this far.

He saw Xinding coil the prayer beads around his hand as he performed Bodhi Fist; each punch carried Buddhist light. No one from the West Servants’ Courtyard could stand a chance against that.

According to the rules, only one’s possessions can be used in the competition; nothing must be borrowed. This means that those precious beads, which even I covet, have truly been given to Xinding!

“External possessions—why can’t they be given away?”

“You!”

After Xinding’s match ended, the other three matches concluded one after another. All four would enter the Martial Vihara.

“It seems it will be you four. It’s quite a coincidence; each of the four servants’ courtyards has a representative.” A monk from the Martial Vihara came out to preside over the proceedings. Noticing the prayer beads on Xinding’s hand, he cast a subtle glance at Zhiyuan nearby.

That terrifying existence who had once ranked in the top ten of the Earth Ranking is finally about to awaken?

“According to the rules, you four will fight on the arena stage. The last one remaining will be the first among the servants’ courtyards.”

Being number one wasn’t just about being able to pick a herb from the medicine repository. More importantly, once they entered the Martial Vihara, the amount of resources allotted to them would differ drastically.

Lu Yang stretched lazily. So far, Xinding hasn’t even used Arhat Fist. Against the remaining three, there should be no problem.

“Who do you think will win?”

“Of course, it will be Senior Brother Xin’an from our West Servants’ Courtyard! He wasn’t outstanding before, but a year ago, his cultivation suddenly advanced by leaps and bounds. Now, he’s already at the Level Seven Qi Training Stage!”

“Tch, does cultivation level represent everything? In the end, it could be Senior Brother Xinchen from our South Servants’ Courtyard who wins. It’s said that his talent was originally a mess and ranked at the bottom of the courtyard. One day, it was as if something awakened within him. He shed his former timid self and defeated the disciple in our courtyard who came in through connections and became the Big Senior Brother.”

“It will definitely be Senior Brother Xinping from our North Servants’ Courtyard. They say he has awakened a hidden Formless Constitution. He is unbeatable among his peers and capable of challenging beyond his level. When he was at the Advanced Level Five Qi Training Stage, he defeated a cultivator at the Advanced Level Six Qi Training Stage. To win the top prize, he didn’t go directly to the Martial Vihara when they recruited him. Instead, he came to participate in the competition!”

“...” Lu Yang. Why do these three opponents sound so tough?