Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

Pei Tingchun's voice was filled with deep emotion. "Our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect has a profound heritage and masters in abundance, but those who can reach such a realm are few and far between."

He felt a secret sense of regret.

The Peak Master of Ten Thousand Laws Peak was exceptionally powerful, an undisputed master of the Spear Path. But he had a strange and reclusive personality and had never taken a disciple to pass on his legacy.

Moreover, the relationship between the Peak Master of Ten Thousand Laws Peak and the True Martial Lineage was a delicate one.

Otherwise, with the talent Chen Qing had displayed in the Spear Path, he could have tried to win the master's favor. Receiving even a little guidance from him would be of immense benefit to Chen Qing's future in Martial Arts.

Pei Tingchun did not explicitly mention this difficult relationship. He composed himself and said, "Your talent is exceptional and your foundation is solid. Cultivate diligently, and do not squander such a gift."

Chen Qing cupped his fist. "I will take your teachings to heart, Elder Pei! I will cultivate diligently and not disappoint you!"

"Go on. I will deduct the Contribution Points myself."

Pei Tingchun waved his hand and closed his eyes again.

Chen Qing bowed once more before turning and leaving the Dharma Transmission Hall.

As he walked out of the hall, he looked up toward the distant, cloud-shrouded Ten Thousand Laws Peak. He felt a flicker of curiosity about the Spear Path Grandmaster he had never met.

'A Spear Path Grandmaster!?'

Gathering his thoughts, Chen Qing hurried toward Brother Qu River's residence.

.....

After leaving the Dharma Transmission Hall, Chen Qing went straight to Qu River's residence.

As a True Disciple, Qu River's residence was located in the core area of True Martial Peak.

Led by a maidservant in an elegant dress, Chen Qing passed through a meticulously arranged courtyard and stepped into the main hall.

"You're here, Junior Brother Chen. Have a seat."

Qu River was already waiting in the hall. When he saw him enter, a gentle smile appeared on his face as he pointed to the wooden chair beside him.

"Brother Qu."

Chen Qing cupped his hands and sat down as told.

The maidservant served tea and quietly withdrew, leaving only the two martial brothers in the hall.

Qu River looked at Chen Qing, his eyes filled with unconcealed admiration. "Your battle on the Seven-Star Platform was truly astounding. After that fight, you're not just a True Successor Candidate, but one of the very best. As soon as a True Disciple position opens up, you'll have an excellent chance to fill it. A lot of people have started paying attention to you."

He paused, his expression growing more serious. "However, besides keeping an eye on the other True Successor Candidates, there's one person you must be especially wary of—Lu Chenming."

Chen Qing nodded. "Thank you for the warning, Brother."

He was, of course, aware of Lu Chenming.

When Wu Anren and He Shuang first started to distinguish themselves, he hosted a banquet for them. Later, in his battle against Meng Qianxue, he displayed strength far surpassing that of an ordinary cultivator at Astral Force Perfection.

The man was not only powerful but also incredibly shrewd.

'He's probably already noticed me by now.'

Qu River took a sip of tea. "Lu Chenming is an extremely observant person. He will use all available resources to gather every piece of information on his potential rivals. Plus, he's backed by the most powerful of the lineages, the Nine Heavens Lineage, and he has the thousand-year-old Li Family supporting him from behind. He lacks neither resources nor intelligence."

"Although his previous attempt to break through to the True Essence Realm failed, the process tempered his Nine Heavens True Astral, making it even purer. Within the Astral Force Realm, he has almost no equal."

Chen Qing silently committed this information to memory.

"No matter how you spin it, a True Successor Candidate is still just an Inner Sect Elite, not an actual True Disciple."

Qu River spoke earnestly, "Only by becoming a True Disciple can you have a greater voice within the Sect and gain access to its core secrets. Furthermore, only True Disciples are qualified to periodically enter the 'Grotto Heaven' to train."

"Grotto Heaven!?" Chen Qing's eyes narrowed as he repeated the words in a low voice.

It wasn't the first time he had heard the term, but it had always been shrouded in mystery.

"That's right."

Qu River confirmed. "The Grotto Heaven is our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect's true Secret Realm. It's the very core of our foundation and involves the Sect's deepest secrets, so I can't elaborate. All you need to know is that training within it offers tremendous advantages, whether for breaking through bottlenecks or for cultivation in general."

"Thank you for the advice, Brother," Chen Qing said, solemnly cupping his hands.

Qu River nodded slightly.

He naturally hoped Chen Qing would mature quickly and become another pillar of the True Martial Lineage, helping to shoulder the pressure from the other lineages.

But he also knew he couldn't rush things. The competition for a True Disciple position was a complex affair involving many factors, especially with the immense external pressure the True Martial Lineage was already facing.

Qu River shifted the conversation back to Chen Qing, smiling. "The outcome of the duel was beyond my expectations. I never thought that on top of your astonishing Spear Technique, you had also cultivated your Body Refining Technique to such an exquisite degree! Truly impressive."

"You flatter me, Brother."

Chen Qing said humbly, "Body Refining is just an unorthodox path. I was simply fortunate to have achieved a little something."

"No, you're wrong."

But Qu River shook his head and said sternly, "Body Refining Hard Skills are vast and profound, by no means an unorthodox path. If cultivated to the highest levels, one can attain a saintly physique with qi and blood as mighty as a dragon's. It is an equally world-shaking power, in no way weaker than purely cultivating a Heart Method or True Scripture. In fact, it holds an even greater advantage in close combat and for self-preservation."

"It's just that this path is exceedingly difficult and painful, filled with bottlenecks, and consumes a massive amount of resources. That is why so few specialize in it. But you must never underestimate its potential for that reason."

Hearing this, Chen Qing felt his heart stir.

Since he began cultivating the Eight Extremes Vajra Body, he had come to deeply appreciate the power that Body Refining provided. However, few masters held the Path of Body Refining in such high regard as Qu River did.

"You've clearly reached a considerable level of mastery in your Body Refining Hard Skill."

Qu River looked at him, getting to the point. "I called you here today for a specific reason."

"Please go on, Brother," Chen Qing said.

Qu River said, "News came from Prison Peak recently. They need a disciple to assist with guard duty at a place called the Black Water Abyss Prison. It's where our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect holds the various prisoners it has captured, including many former masters and powerful figures from the Demon Sect. Because the Evil Qi there is so heavy, an ordinary disciple would easily be corroded by it and have their foundation damaged if they stayed too long. However, this duty can only be undertaken by a Core Disciple of the Four Veins."

He paused and looked at Chen Qing. "You cultivate a Hard Skill; your qi and blood are vigorous, and your physique is resilient. Your resistance to Evil Qi is far greater than an ordinary person's, which makes you the ideal candidate. Plus, there are Sect masters stationed at the prison year-round, and all the inmates are restrained by Secret Techniques, completely stripped of their strength. There's no danger. If not for the Evil Qi, a cushy and well-paying post like this, with its generous Contribution Points, would have had people fighting tooth and nail for it."

"Prison Peak… Black Water Abyss Prison?" Chen Qing's eyes flickered.

While Evil Qi was a nuisance for ordinary people, it was actually highly beneficial for Body Refining experts.

"That's right."

Qu River confirmed. "The position pays one thousand Contribution Points a month. The duties mainly consist of patrolling a fixed area and ensuring the restraints are intact. It's very relaxed. Are you willing to take it?"

'One thousand Contribution Points a month!'

That was several times his current monthly allowance—a very substantial and stable source of income indeed.

Although Chen Qing still had the thirty thousand Contribution Points from Han Xiong, who would ever turn down more?

After a moment of thought, he nodded in agreement. "I'm willing to go."

"Good."

A smile appeared on Qu River's face as he took out a token and handed it to Chen Qing. "This is your access Token. In three days, take this and report directly to Prison Peak. Someone will be there to receive you and get you settled."

Chen Qing took the Token with both hands. "Thank you, Brother!"

....

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