Chapter Fifty-Six: Feng Mo's Breakthrough

Feng Mo’s purpose in joining the Eastern District Tournament was never to become one of the top three disciples on Mount Ziyang. Rather, he hoped to make a name for himself; if by chance he caught the eye of an elder from one of the great families and was taken in, not only would he gain the honor of receiving a family name, but he might even be given the opportunity to marry a woman from one of the Four Great Families. What greater glory could there be for his own kin?

As for those coveted top three spots, they were always destined to fall into the hands of the Four Great Families; the only question was which family would claim them. Such a rich bounty would never be allowed to slip into the hands of outsiders.

Still, Feng Mo harbored little hope, even of drawing an elder’s attention. His talent was mediocre, and he was no longer young. Joining this grand tournament was a gamble, a last attempt to try his luck. If he could break through, it would be a blessing.

“Of course I want to, but what of it?” Feng Mo felt a flicker of excitement. Luo Tian, though only recently a member of the outer sect, was already gaining a reputation. Rumor had it his insights into cultivation were near miraculous, and in recent days his name had spread like wildfire. Even if he could not break through, there was much to be gained simply by receiving Luo Tian’s guidance.

However, Luo Tian did not teach as other inner sect disciples did, holding open lectures or dispensing advice in large groups. Instead, he seemed to treat each person individually, rarely spending much time instructing his peers.

Could it be that this time…

Before Feng Mo could dwell on it, Luo Tian spoke again, “I can see your vital energy is close to breaking through, so I thought I’d give you a hand. Brother Feng, if you wish it, sit down quickly and start circulating your energy—I’ll take a close look for you.”

Was there some hidden plot?

Seeing Luo Tian’s earnest expression, Feng Mo couldn’t help but grow suspicious. Could this fellow be trying to trick him, lulling him into complacency before striking?

“But the price is still three hundred contribution points—no discounts,” Luo Tian added after a moment’s thought. He wanted to make this clear; it would be troublesome if Feng Mo broke through and then refused to pay. He certainly didn’t want to argue over points right here on the dueling stage.

He wants contribution points?

Strangely, this put Feng Mo at ease. If Luo Tian was still negotiating terms at a moment like this, surely he was sincere about his offer of guidance.

This Brother Luo—honestly…

Tang Yueran couldn’t help but be amused and exasperated. Her own turn had not yet come, but the tension she’d felt was swept away in an instant.

“Is this Luo Tian fellow for real?” Tang Yu scoffed.

“Hmph, whatever tricks you use, so long as you get through a few more rounds, I’ll make sure to give you a proper lesson,” Shen Lingfeng said coldly, glaring at Luo Tian with open hostility.

The inner sect disciple overseeing Luo Tian’s match was left somewhat dumbfounded. In all his years at Shenyang Sect, he’d never seen anything like this; while nothing violated the rules per se, someone coaching his opponent to break through right in the middle of the tournament—how foolish would one have to be?

“Brother Feng, just take the offer! I’ve been waiting in line for days and haven’t had the chance!” someone called out.

“Hmph, that Luo fellow thinks he’s too good for us now that he’s got some skill. He hardly spares a moment to instruct the rest of us, and now he’s pulling this stunt on the dueling stage…”

“Oh, don’t be like that. Brother Luo is a cultivator too—he needs time for his own training. The stronger he is, the more valuable his guidance, right?”

“Nonsense! He’s just full of himself because—”

Feng Mo had planned to gauge the mood of the disciples below, but before he could say much, his peers had already shifted the conversation to Luo Tian’s character, leaving himself entirely forgotten.

“Fine, I—I accept!” Feng Mo deliberated. Rather than defeat Luo Tian and get knocked out in the second round, he might as well take his shot now. Three hundred contribution points weren’t so valuable as to be impossible to part with.

He handed over his identification token. Luo Tian tapped it, feeling the increase in points, and with the prospect of some valuable experience ahead, his mood soared. His tone softened, “Brother Feng, aren’t you going to start circulating your energy?”

This rascal is taking advantage of me! We’re both at the sixth turn of Qi Condensation—why is he the senior and I the junior? Feng Mo bit his tongue, swallowing his resentment. The points were already spent; what did it matter? So long as he could break through, calling Luo Tian ‘senior brother’ was a small price.

After stowing his token in his storage pouch, Feng Mo sat cross-legged right there on the stage, beginning to circulate his energy. A deep blue aura flickered and surged across his body, showing that he was channeling his vital energy with all his might.

Not only was the inner sect disciple in charge of the match surprised, but even the other three arena referees found their attention drawn to this spectacle.

What on earth was happening?

If Elder Liu Neng had not been presiding over the battlefield from above, the four inner sect disciples might well have conspired to put a stop to this farce.

“Brother Feng, your current state is good, but there are a few small areas you should pay attention to.”

Luo Tian approached slowly, stopping a few meters away so as not to make Feng Mo wary—too much pressure could hinder a breakthrough. “Here… and here…” he whispered, pointing out the flaws and blockages in Feng Mo’s energy flow that he could see with his divine eyes, offering suggestions for improvement.

Feng Mo nodded slightly, his nerves gradually settling. He focused intently, committing Luo Tian’s advice to memory before closing his eyes and boldly striving for a breakthrough.

With an elder present, there was little to fear. Even if the sect looked down on disciples from commoner backgrounds, they would not stand idle if one met misfortune on the dueling stage.

Seeing Feng Mo’s resolve, the audience of outer sect disciples fell silent, none daring to disturb the moment.

As the saying goes, “Success comes in the first surge, fails at the second, and is exhausted by the third.” Breakthroughs are about seizing the moment; if one’s will is strong and the heart clear, the results are best. But a failed first attempt can be crushing, and some, though full of untapped potential, are never able to advance after repeated setbacks.

Any disciple who felt ready to break through after Luo Tian’s guidance would never stifle that momentum—they would act while the iron was hot. If they missed this chance, it might be months before they recovered the right state of mind.

They say blocking another’s path to fortune is like killing their parents, but in cultivation, hindering someone’s breakthrough is akin to wiping out their entire family—it would make you their mortal enemy. For this reason, no matter how anyone felt about Feng Mo at this moment, no one dared to interrupt.

The disciples at the other three arenas exchanged glances before signaling to one another and halting their own matches. First, they feared making noise that might disrupt Feng Mo’s breakthrough; second, with nobody watching their fights, it made sense to wait until the dust settled. After all, even the referee disciples were distracted.

A most curious scene unfolded at the center of Mount Ziyang’s eastern district. All four arenas were active, yet everyone’s eyes were fixed on the one pair who had not even begun to fight. Even Elder Liu Neng, observing from the sky, watched Luo Tian with interest.

So this is the young man the Seventh Prince sent?

Before long, Feng Mo’s body trembled; he threw back his head and let out a triumphant roar, the sound soaring skyward, suffused with joy and excitement, as though he meant to part the clouds themselves.

At the same moment, a faint trace of violet appeared amidst the deep blue energy swirling around Feng Mo’s body. Though subtle and easily overlooked against the blue, it did not escape the notice of those present.

He really broke through?

Feng Mo’s breakthrough, guided by Luo Tian, was witnessed by hundreds of outer sect disciples in the eastern district—played out vividly before their very eyes.