Chapter 194: Perfection

"Junior Brother Xu, we plan to go to Qingyang City to have some fun. Would you like to join us?"

After leaving the Mission Hall, Chen Chao and the others extended an invitation to Xu Yang.

Having worked hard for forty consecutive days, the group intended to go to Qingyang City to relax.

Xu Yang's heart stirred, but he shook his head and said, "Many thanks to you all for the invitation, but I won't be going."

He did have the idea of visiting Qingyang City, but he did not want to go with Chen Chao and the others. These people were going to drink and carouse, and his friendship with them had not yet reached the point of doing such things together.

After parting ways with Chen Chao and the others, he walked toward his residence.

"Fourteen contribution points can be exchanged for four Qi-Benefiting Pills," Xu Yang calculated in his mind.

He had already refined the previous three Qi-Benefiting Pills, and even with these four added, it would not be enough for him to reach the perfection of Qi Gathering.

"However, if I go to the black market to exchange them, I can get six Qi-Benefiting Pills. Two extra pills should be just about enough."

For those at the Marrow Cleansing cultivation level, Qi-Benefiting Pills were of little use, so many disciples at that level would choose to take them to the black market to exchange for contribution points after obtaining them.

Therefore, exchanging Qi-Benefiting Pills on the black market was more cost-effective than doing so within the sect.

Xu Yang did a quick mental calculation; today happened to be the 20th.

He bought a mask at a shop and waited for nightfall while practicing.

As the sky grew dark, Xu Yang left his room, ate at the canteen, and by the time he finished, the moonlight had already risen.

He hid the mask well and walked toward the outside of the mountain gate; no one stopped him.

The Profound Heaven Sect did not forbid outer sect disciples from leaving, but entering the mountain gate required an identity token check.

Many people were rushing to the black market; everyone tacitly left the mountain gate, entered a secluded area to put on their masks, and only then hurried to the black market's location.

"Wealth moves the heart; it is better to be careful."

After disguising himself in a secluded spot, Xu Yang hurried toward a place five miles to the east.

Fellow disciples robbing fellow disciples happened from time to time; in any case, since identities were unknown, no one would be able to investigate even if someone were killed.

The five-mile journey, at his speed, could be covered in less than a quarter of an hour even without using lightness skills.

He moved nimbly through the mountains, following the people in front, and soon, noisy sounds reached his ears.

After passing through a small grove, the view suddenly opened up.

He saw a flat area appearing in the middle of these rarely visited deep mountains, with countless people walking back and forth; in some places, oil lamps were even lit, and stalls had been set up.

Xu Yang descended from the air and scanned the area, discovering that not everyone was wearing a mask; there were those with high skills and bold hearts who appeared in the black market in such an open and aboveboard manner.

Such people generally possessed very strong strength.

There were many people in the black market, at least over a hundred.

"It is said that those who come here are not only Profound Heaven Sect disciples, but also some martial artists from the nearby Qingyang City."

He walked into the black market and found that the items sold there were diverse: elixirs, medicinal herbs, weapons, and even martial arts manuals—everything a martial artist could use was being sold. Someone was even selling a leopard cub, claiming it possessed the bloodline of a strange beast.

Xu Yang could not tell if it had a strange beast's bloodline, but even if it were truly a strange beast cub, he would not buy it.

Many items could be traded with silver, but some people only wanted contribution points.

"Three Qi-Benefiting Pills, only seven contribution points. First come, first served."

Xu Yang finally saw someone exchanging Qi-Benefiting Pills for contribution points; it was just as he had inquired, much cheaper than in the sect.

Selling them this way was actually a bit of a loss, but contribution points were hard currency in the Profound Heaven Sect; if one wanted to obtain them without doing missions, one had to bite the bullet.

At the same price as the sect, who would risk coming here?

"May I take a look at your Qi-Benefiting Pills?" Xu Yang walked up quickly.

Things in the black market were a mix of truth and falsehood; one had to check them carefully.

"If you want them, trade; if not, get lost!" the person said coldly.

Xu Yang turned and left; for someone so defensive, the items were highly likely to be problematic.

He soon found the next person. This time, the person readily handed him the three Qi-Benefiting Pills to inspect. After confirming there were no errors, he immediately took out seven contribution points and handed them to the other party.

This person also checked carefully to ensure the contribution points were not forged, and only then did the two complete the transaction.

Soon, Xu Yang found a second person. After some inspection, the two completed the transaction, and six Qi-Benefiting Pills were in his hands.

He did not linger, immediately walked out of the black market, channeled his true qi to his feet, and his body turned into a black shadow as he left.

After leaving the black market for about a kilometer, with no one pursuing him from behind, his vigilant heart finally relaxed.

"Kid, leave behind the things on you, and I will let you leave. Don't force me to kill."

A black shadow suddenly drifted down from a tree in front, blocking his path.

Xu Yang's heart sank; there was no one behind him, but the real enemy had long been hiding in front, waiting for him.

This person was none other than the one who had scolded him earlier. This guy was likely not selling fake goods, but rather looking for a target.

While he was trading with others, this person had run here to wait for him.

"Fine, come and take them!" Xu Yang stood his ground.

The black shadow let out a soft laugh: "It seems you are not resigned. Since that is the case, I will kindly send you on your way."

A powerful aura radiated from him. He lightly tapped his toes on the ground, the ground exploded, and his figure, wrapped in a wild wind, suddenly disappeared from where he stood.

The wind stirred, fallen leaves flew, and in the blink of an eye, the person crossed a distance of two zhang and struck out with a palm capable of splitting stones.

Qi Gathering Perfection!

Before the palm arrived, the powerful true qi had already blasted through the air, hitting the air and making a dull sound, carrying a suffocating pressure.

This was a palm technique that struck through the air, extremely profound. After the true qi left the body, there was no sign of it dissipating; it even became more condensed and focused.

Xu Yang had thought he was a Marrow Cleansing expert, but he did not expect this person to be at the Qi Gathering Perfection level. It was likely that the person had scolded him at the black market, he had not spoken, and coupled with his exchange of Qi-Benefiting Pills, the person thought he was easy to handle.

"Good palm technique!"

A sharp light burst from his eyes. At Qi Gathering Minor Success, one could already project true qi to kill enemies, but most people rarely did so because once the true qi left the body, its power would be greatly reduced.

If the distance were further, the true qi might dissipate completely before hitting the enemy.

But the palm technique used by this person showed no signs of the true qi dissipating at all. In just a flash, the palm power crossed a distance of one zhang and arrived right in front of him.

Xu Yang did not choose to dodge; given this person's speed and palm technique, dodging would only put him at a disadvantage.

In an instant, a series of crisp cracking sounds erupted from his body, his tendons roared, his spine's "Great Dragon" came alive, and the force surged upward from his tailbone.

"Quick battle, quick decision!"

He had no intention of slowly learning this profound palm technique. The Diamond Body Technique roared into operation, his true qi turned into a large net covering his entire body, and his skin took on a faint silver hue.

Powerful strength roared within his body, surging and gathering in his fist.

Raging Waves Fist, force stacking!

"Bang, bang..."

In an instant, the force stacked to eight layers.

Xu Yang had already managed to stack nine layers of force with the Raging Waves Fist, but during practice, he could not yet complete the nine-layer stack in an instant during combat.

"Boom!"

The wind whistled sharply, his fist thrust out like a great spear, instantly shattering the incoming palm power.

With a loud boom, countless fallen leaves in the surroundings were shattered into powder by the force in an instant, kicking up dust that soared into the sky.

The true qi at the soles of his feet suddenly exploded, Xu Yang's body suddenly disappeared from where he stood, like an arrow leaving the bow, breaking through the dust, his fist striking directly toward the incoming palm.

"Not good!"

The violent aura, like raging waves, shocked the black shadow, who realized he had provoked an expert.

This newcomer, who looked like he was visiting the black market for the first time, was not a weakling, but a crouching beast.

Those eight consecutive crisp sounds were clearly the Raging Waves Fist, known as the strongest fist technique of the Profound Heaven Sect's outer sect, which the person before him had cultivated to the realm of stacking eight layers of force in an instant.

He wanted to dodge, but it was already too late; he could only pour his life's true qi into his hand in the nick of time.

"Bang!"

"Crack!"

Fist and palm collided; this could be called Xu Yang's peak punch, and its lethality was terrifying.

The first sound was the collision of fist and palm, the sound of the force dissipating.

The second sound was the sound of bones shattering.

The black shadow only felt an irresistible, powerful force coming from the opposite fist, tearing through the palm power he had condensed with his life's true qi like dry wood, and the domineering, pure true qi tore through his protective true qi like a blade, blasting into his meridians.

The hardness of the opponent's fist felt as if it were cast from refined iron, like a Diamond Indestructible Body; the palm power he had condensed with his life's true qi could not shake it in the slightest. It was like striking an iron arm; even without that irresistible, terrifying force, he felt he could not hurt the opponent at all.

He had not even had time to perceive the pain before the terrifying true qi exploded within his meridians, blasting his palm apart, his fingers splattering everywhere with blood. ===== CHAPTER 195 =====