Chapter 274: The Void‑Piercing Gate

Yan Buji looked at the audience below and raised his right arm!

Whoa—!!

You're getting stronger with age, Senior Brother Huang!

Junior Sister Liu lost, boohoo!

Liu Ruhua fled the stage in disarray, and before leaving she glanced at Yan Buji.

Sure enough, I'm still too young; none of these old things are simple.

Congratulations to Huang Hao of Accumulation Device Peak for winning this year's Qi Refinement Grand Competition! Junior Brother Huang, do you have anything to say to everyone present? Pang De stepped onto the arena, shouting happily.

Thank you, Senior Brother, and thank you, fellow sect members. I am still a novice, and I was lucky to win this Qi Refinement Grand Competition; there are many I must thank. I am especially grateful to Senior Brother Nan Gong Ping of Accumulation Device Peak for his many suggestions. I feel that without everyone's support I wouldn't have made it this far. Thanks again, everyone.

Yan Buji gave a formulaic speech, merely to show his attitude.

Pang De smiled and shouted, "Congratulations again to Junior Brother Huang Hao for taking the Qi Refinement Grand Competition title!"

Clap clap.

Applause rose from the audience below, and the Qi Refinement disciples looked at Yan Buji with envy.

After all, facing the True Transmission directly and now winning the title, he really stole the spotlight.

Back on the floor, Pang De handed Yan Buji a bag of Spiritual Stones.

"Junior Brother, congratulations this time," Pang De said.

"Thank you, Senior Brother, it was just luck."

"No, no, no, the fact that you finally saw Liu Ruhua's true form is already impressive. And your early setup—though Liu Ruhua was cautious, she still couldn't hide from you," Pang De laughed.

"Hehehee," Yan Buji laughed, his aged face smoothing out, looking very happy.

Crucially, Yan Buji was truly delighted; besides his competition reward, the Spiritual Stones he wagered earned him nearly ten thousand more, and he guessed that others had also bet on his round.

In total, this Qi Refinement Grand Competition netted him over ten thousand Spiritual Stones, but such opportunities don't come every day.

Even ten thousand Spiritual Stones aren't enough for his cultivation.

Hu Bing walked over and said, "Congratulations, Junior Brother Huang."

"Senior Brother Hu."

Hu Bing looked at Yan Buji: "Now that Junior Brother has taken the title in front of the True Transmission, I expect his reputation within the sect will rise quickly."

Yan Buji chuckled, "It's all just empty fame."

"Junior Brother, you seem open‑minded, but the earlier talk about the True Transmission selecting attendants wasn't false. Since you're attached to Accumulation Device Peak, Senior Brother Nan Gong Ping of the True Transmission there should have told you, right?"

"Yes, it was mentioned. But I don't know why they're selecting attendants."

"Isn't it for the quota to go to the Abnormal District… Never mind, this doesn't concern us much, but if Junior Brother cultivates a good relationship with Senior Brother Nan Gong Ping, you might be able to find a way to the Abnormal District and see the world," Hu Bing laughed.

Yan Buji's eyes flickered, and he clasped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Senior Brother, for your instruction."

"Don't mention it; since Junior Brother won, the previously secret matter can now be told to you."

"Oh? Please speak, Senior Brother."

Hu Bing laughed, "Inside the Technique Hall there is a technique called the Void‑Piercing Gate; if you can master it, you could say you'd ascend in a single step in the future."

"Void‑Piercing Gate? What kind of technique is that?"

"I don't know the details, only that the Sect Master placed it in the Technique Hall, and said that if anyone ever manages to master it, they should be told immediately."

Yan Buji raised an eyebrow, "Then, looking at it, there must be many who want to learn it, right?"

"Unfortunately, no one can learn it."

"Alright, I understand, thank you, Senior Brother."

Since he now knows this technique is linked to the Sect Master, Yan Buji really wants to see what kind of technique it is.

It sounds like a Buddhist sect technique, but Qing Shan Sect shouldn't have much connection with Buddhism.

Hu Bing laughed, "That said, you should consider yourself whether to choose that technique; after all, the cultivation difficulty is said to be too great, and most people can't even understand it."

"Is that so?"

Yan Buji's expression turned strange.

If that's really the case, then I definitely can't understand it.

Immediately, Yan Buji asked about some other excellent techniques available in the Technique Hall as alternatives.

He couldn't wait until the next day, so that same day Yan Buji went to the Technique Hall, flashing his token to enter.

"Junior Brother Huang, you can only choose techniques within the Foundation Establishment Stage. Though you can't reach the Core Formation Stage or Golden Core stage techniques, I advise you not to aim too high; countless cultivators have wasted their own cultivation after obtaining top‑tier techniques."

"Yes, thank you, Senior Brother, for the warning."

"Alright, go in."

The Technique Hall is near the library pavilion at the summit of the main peak; normally the Technique Hall disciples' task is to guide people in selecting techniques, give appropriate advice, and collect a small introduction fee.

Yan Buji and that senior brother from the Technique Hall entered the Scripture Repository; he headed straight for the second‑floor Foundation Establishment techniques and began searching.

"All are acceptable, and the cultivation difficulty isn't high," Yan Buji said as he examined each, though he could only see the technique summaries, he could roughly judge suitability.

He needed some auxiliary techniques; there are many auxiliary techniques of a single Five‑Element attribute, and the requirements aren't high, but they don't fit his current system.

His path follows the generating cycle of the Five Elements, whereas most auxiliary techniques merely boost a single attribute, so Yan Buji couldn't select them.

Seeing this, Yan Buji had few options left; he inadvertently picked up a technique and paused, "Void‑Piercing Gate?"

"Hmm? Junior Brother, are you choosing this technique?"

"No, I just picked it up and it feels odd; why does this technique have no summary?" Yan Buji looked at him with a puzzled expression.

The senior brother from the Technique Hall pursed his lips, "Because no one has yet discovered what this technique does. However, the Sect Master said that if someone can master it, they can become his disciple."

"Really?!"

"Hey, Junior Brother, you need to think this through; this isn't a joke. Coming here daily costs a lot of points and Spiritual Stones. Since you barely won the Qi Refinement Grand Competition, choosing this unknown technique—what if it doesn't match your cultivation technique?"

Yan Buji looked around, shook his head, "Honestly, none of the techniques here suit me, so I'll just take a look at this one. If I can master it and earn the Sect Master's favor, that'll be a huge gain."

Old, old, and your mind's still off, right?

The senior brother of Technique Hall gave Yan Buji a strange look, "If you can master this technique, I'll eat this bookshelf right here."

"Alright."

Seeing that Yan Buji's mind was set, the other party said little, made a record, and then let Yan Buji take the technique, to be returned within a month.