Chapter 7

At Ji Yuxing's command, the Ji family's young men charged straight toward the summit of Qingyan Mountain like wild horses let loose.

Last year's champion, Ji Changxiao, led the charge. His body was as agile as a monkey, and with a light step on the protruding green rock, he could surge upward by a丈 (zhang, a traditional Chinese unit of length). Then, he would press his hands on another green rock, pull himself up forcefully, and elevate his entire body another丈 (zhang) in just a moment, leaving everyone far behind.

Ji Changsheng, Ji Changle, and Ji Yueqing followed closely behind. Although they were not as agile and strong as Ji Changxiao, they were still among the top young talents of the Ji family. By channeling their primordial energy into their limbs, they could grip the green rocks tightly with their hands and feet, supporting their entire bodies with just one hand or one foot, maintaining a steady position right behind Ji Changxiao.

Behind Ji Changsheng, Ji Changle, and Ji Yueqing were the collateral descendants of the Ji family. Most of them had only cultivated to the point where they could channel their primordial energy into their skin, muscles, tendons, and internal organs. However, they were all tall and robust, with broad waists and long arms. With the help of their internal primordial energy, they also moved quickly.

Compared to the four at the front—Ji Changxiao, Ji Changsheng, Ji Changle, and Ji Yueqing—their breathing was somewhat unstable, and some of them were already sweating on their foreheads, a sign of insufficient primordial energy.

Clearly, the direct descendants of the Ji family were significantly more powerful than the collateral descendants.

Ji Xiaolian, who was only fifteen and participating in the trial for the first time, also performed admirably. She climbed while giggling, seemingly finding the wiggling buttocks above her head very amusing.

Even so, she did not fall too far behind. For her first trial, she giggled and followed closely behind Ji Yueqing, with only a dozen or so丈 (zhang) separating them.

All the Ji family's young men were straining to reach the summit of Qingyan Mountain, driven by the desire to spend three days in the scripture hall. Years of hard training had ignited their full enthusiasm, and they raced upward one after another.

Among them, Ji Changkong, who was far behind, stood out as an anomaly. Compared to Ji Changxiao's lightning-fast speed, his could only be described as "tortoise-like"!

At a steep and dangerous section, Ji Changkong gripped a green rock with both hands, his veins bulging from the effort. He first stabilized his body, then extended his foot to another protruding green rock. After taking a deep breath, he carefully shifted his weight, placing the center of gravity on the foot that was on the rock, and then freed his hands to find another protruding rock for support.

... Using this cautious and steady method, Ji Changkong slowly "climbed" up Qingyan Mountain, step by step.

Even the slowest of the Ji family's young men was dozens of丈 (zhang) ahead of him.

While Ji Changkong was moving like a snail, the fastest, Ji Changxiao, was about to reach the summit!

At the foot of the mountain, Nie Yuanshan, Ji Yuxing, Ji Yusheng, Ji Wan Yun, and others looked up at the Ji family's young men charging up the mountain.

Seeing his grandson Ji Changxiao leading the charge and about to reach the summit, Ji Yuxing's lips curled into a satisfied smile. He then glanced at Ji Changkong, who was moving like a snail, already drenched in sweat after moving only a dozen or so丈 (zhang) and still not far from them. Ji Yuxing frowned, seemingly feeling that Ji Changkong was deliberately embarrassing the Ji family in front of Nie Yuanshan.

After a moment of contemplation, Ji Yuxing said impatiently, "Changkong, if you can't make it, come down early. You've always been weak, and this level of trial is not suitable for you!"

"I'm fine, Uncle Nie is watching over me," Ji Changkong responded from a short distance above, ignoring the sweat streaming down his body, and continued to climb with his hands and feet, struggling to move upward bit by bit.

"Truly not like a Ji family man!" Ji Haoguang muttered under his breath, saying to himself, "Ji family men are robust and tall, each a true man. He, however, is thin and pale, often falling ill. I wonder if he was picked up by Haotian from somewhere and thrown into our Ji family..."

"Haoguang!" Ji Yusheng roared angrily, "What did you say? Haotian personally handed Changkong to me. How could I not recognize my own grandson?"

"Third Uncle, please calm down, I was just joking," Ji Haoguang quickly said with a forced smile, though he didn't seem particularly afraid of Ji Yusheng.

"Whoever dares to spread rumors, I will not forgive them first!" Ji Yusheng coldly snorted, his eyes darkly glaring at Ji Haoguang and then sweeping over the nearby Luo and Zhao families.

Beside them, the city lord of Qingyan City, Nie Yuanshan, frowned, clearly disliking Ji Haoguang's words. However, he felt it was a Ji family matter and did not intervene.

"Grandfather, I've made it!" At that moment, a powerful shout from the summit of Qingyan Mountain echoed down. Ji Changxiao had already reached the top while Ji Changle and Ji Changsheng were only two-thirds of the way up.

Hearing this, Ji Yuxing smiled, stroked his beard, and nodded in satisfaction. "Changxiao has not been lazy these past three years. His agility has improved significantly, and his speed to the summit has nearly doubled."

"Yes, to compete with the girl from the Jiu family, Changxiao has been training to the point of neglecting sleep and meals!" Ji Haoguang said with a smile. He was naturally pleased with his son's achievements.

Seeing the satisfaction of the father and son, Nie Yuanshan's lips curled in disdain, and he said coldly, "Half a month ago, I was a guest at the Jiu family in Yin Mountain and saw the girl Jiu Lingsnow. If my eyes do not deceive me, she has already broken through to the Sancai Heaven realm!"

Hearing this, Ji Yuxing and Ji Haoguang's smiles froze, their faces turning sour as if they had eaten a fly. Their eyes showed unmasked shock, sorrow, confusion, and tension...

"I heard that two years ago, Ji Changxiao was defeated by Jiu Lingsnow. I know a bit about the feud between your Ji family and the Jiu family of Yin Mountain. I don't want to comment on this matter, but if Ji Changxiao truly wants to compete with Jiu Lingsnow, his current strength is far from enough..." Nie Yuanshan said indifferently.

Ji Changxiao was still lingering in the Liangyi Heaven realm, while the other had already broken through to the Sancai Heaven realm, a full realm apart. If they were to face each other again, he would surely lose!

The gap between realms was like a vast chasm. For a Liangyi Heaven realm Celestial Warrior to defeat a Sancai Heaven realm Celestial Warrior was not just difficult; it was nearly impossible!

"Sancai Heaven... Sancai Heaven... That girl is only seventeen this year, right? How is this possible? Two years ago, she had just reached the Liangyi Heaven realm, and in just two years, she has broken through again! This... This is truly a distance that brings despair..." Ji Haoguang muttered, his spirit shattered.

Ji Yuxing's lips no longer held a smile, his face grim.

"In this world, there are people called prodigies! Jiu Lingsnow is one of them!" Nie Yuanshan concluded.

...

"Master, come and take a look." Just as Ji Yuxing and Ji Haoguang were silent, the steward Shao Kang, who had come with Nie Yuanshan, suddenly waved from a distance.

Nie Yuanshan was taken aback, apologized to Ji Yuxing and Ji Haoguang, and walked over to Shao Kang. When he reached Shao Kang, he asked curiously, "What's wrong? What could surprise you?"

Others might not know Shao Kang's strength, but Nie Yuanshan certainly did.

Although they were both Liuhe Heaven realm Celestial Warriors, Shao Kang's true strength was definitely above Ji Yuxing, the head of the Ji family!

He had mastered the external three harmonies of eyes, hands, and body, and the internal three harmonies of essence, qi, and spirit. All he needed was to use his own essence blood, will, and soul to nurture a divine weapon of his own, and he could advance to the Qixing Heaven realm!

Besides his high strength, Shao Kang's composure was also something Nie Yuanshan greatly admired. Shao Kang never overreacted to anything, so for him to call out this time, Nie Yuanshan found it very strange.

"Master, look." Shao Kang took a light breath and pointed upward.

His breath indicated his unstable state of mind, and Nie Yuanshan, who had known Shao Kang for many years, understood what this small action meant. In recent years, Shao Kang had rarely been unstable. Therefore, Nie Yuanshan's curiosity grew even more, and he involuntarily followed Shao Kang's finger.

Shao Kang's finger pointed to the starting point where Ji Changkong had chosen to climb. As his finger moved upward, Ji Changkong, who was still struggling to move, was about a dozen or so丈 (zhang) above. Shao Kang's finger paused briefly when it reached Ji Changkong, then continued upward, finally stopping at the summit of Qingyan Mountain.

As Shao Kang's finger moved, Nie Yuanshan's eyes followed.

At first, he was not particularly concerned, but when Shao Kang's finger paused briefly on Ji Changkong, Nie Yuanshan seemed to realize something.

He first froze, then silently calculated in his mind, and his expression suddenly became serious...

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