Chapter 63: Azure Dragon Peak

"Forget everything else for now. Imagine I'm the one fighting—how would I wield my sword against an opponent?"

"First match... if I were..."

In the backyard, Han Yi tirelessly simulated combat scenarios, transforming theoretical knowledge into practical experience to refine his skills and overcome his weaknesses.

The next day, he descended the mountain early and ascended Combat Peak. Upon arriving at the Combat Arena, he found a large crowd of disciples already gathered, vying for the best viewing spots.

"Looks like I still need to secure a good spot."

He found a position slightly closer to the front, sat cross-legged, and waited patiently for the competition to begin.

Soon, the appointed hour arrived. A Foundation Establishment Stage Elder took the stage to announce the day's match schedule. Without further formalities, the first two disciples called forward stepped into the arena to duel.

This time, it was another match between Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement cultivators.

Han Yi had gathered some information the previous day. The Inner Peak Great Competition had been underway for nearly half a month. Through preliminary rounds and revival matches, the top four hundred disciples had been selected. Among these, only about twenty were exceptional Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivators; the rest were either Eighth or Ninth Layer Qi Refining Stage disciples.

The current phase was the elimination round, narrowing the field from four hundred to two hundred. After this round, there would reportedly be another revival match. Once the top two hundred were determined, a new round of elimination and revival matches would follow to narrow the field to the top one hundred.

After the top one hundred disciples were selected, the competition format changed again. The ranking matches began, pitting the top one hundred against each other to determine their final positions, with corresponding rewards for each rank.

Over a thousand disciples had registered for the Inner Peak Great Competition, representing more than ninety percent of the Inner Peak's population. This overwhelming participation extended the competition's duration to a full month.

Han Yi wasn't particularly interested in the exact number of participants. What concerned him more was the month-long duration of the competition, which meant he still had over two weeks to observe hundreds of battles.

Three days later, the top two hundred disciples of the Inner Peak Great Competition were announced.

Eight days later, the top one hundred disciples were determined.

Fifteen days later, the ranking matches for the top one hundred disciples concluded.

With this, the Inner Peak Great Competition officially came to an end.

Throughout those fifteen days, Han Yi absorbed the combat experience of the Inner Peak disciples like a sponge. While these duels weren't life-or-death struggles, they still offered invaluable lessons and insights.

This was especially true during the top one hundred ranking matches, where over ninety percent of the participants had reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement. Moreover, these disciples had all recently returned from completing the Cave Heaven Trial at the Jade Capital Mountain Holy Land just over a month prior.

Han Yi observed the combat techniques of the disciples returning from the Cave Heaven Trial. They employed the sharpest, most concise, direct, and effective methods to secure victory in the shortest possible time.

This was the essence of true combat skill.

Simply put, among individuals of similar physical constitution, some could move a thousand pounds with four ounces of force, while others toiled tirelessly for meager results. The difference lay in their technique.

Han Yi devoured these techniques hungrily, absorbing them voraciously.

Even after the ranking competition concluded, Han Yi remained unsatisfied. Upon returning to his courtyard, he spent over two weeks simulating battles, summarizing key strategies, categorizing tactics, and reviewing his performances. He thoroughly digested his experiences, transforming them into his own arsenal.

However, he knew that this accumulation was merely theoretical knowledge. Truly converting it into practical combat prowess would require a long and arduous journey.

Still, if he could enter the Cave Heaven Trial, he believed he could make rapid progress, refining his combat skills to their peak in a short span of time.

Many Profound Pill Sect disciples shared Han Yi's drive, seizing every opportunity to learn and improve. Even those less adept at summarizing and synthesizing still managed to elevate their combat abilities beyond their previous levels.

Thus, driven by this wave of ambition, the overall combat proficiency of the Profound Pill Sect steadily advanced.

A month after the ranking competition, the Outer Peak Grand Competition commenced.

The Outer Peak Grand Competition drew an even larger crowd of disciples and boasted a grander spectacle than before, immersing the entire Sect in the fervor of this major event.

However, Han Yi chose not to participate. Instead, he seized the opportunity to enter the Sect Management Hall and apply for promotion to Inner Sect Disciple status.

The promotion assessment was remarkably simple: a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator on duty would verify the applicant's cultivation level.

Han Yi's cultivation had already stabilized, allowing him to pass the assessment effortlessly.

Next, he applied to move to Azure Dragon Peak, abandoning his initial preference for Pill Sword Peak.

Given the significance of this decision for his future, Han Yi didn't rely on mere intuition. He carefully weighed all factors and planned meticulously before acting.

Before finalizing his choice, he consulted numerous Inner Peak disciples he was close to, seeking their advice repeatedly. Finally, he abandoned Pill Sword Peak in favor of Azure Dragon Peak, the foremost peak among the Inner Peaks.

Guan Di, Yan Ru, Luo Yunzhou, and even Han Yi himself visited Pill Sword Peak to consult Cui Xingchen, whom they had encountered a few times previously.

Only after these thorough deliberations did Han Yi confirm his final decision.

The primary reason for his choice was his growing awareness of the Pill Sword Technique's limitations.

Among the nine peaks of the Inner Peak, Pill Sword Peak consistently ranked near the bottom. This wasn't merely due to the technique's difficulty or the scarcity of disciples joining the peak; the fundamental limitations of the Pill Sword Technique itself played a crucial role.

In truth...

The Pill Sword Technique is a branch of Sword Control.

It treats medicinal pills as swords, transforming them into weapons controlled through alchemical methods. This technique combines alchemy and sword control, nurturing a Sword Pill within the dantian—a type of Sword Pill.

While this method grants formidable combat power during the Qi Refining and even Foundation Establishment stages, it presents a fatal flaw at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

The difficulty of forming a Golden Core using this technique is immeasurably greater than for ordinary cultivators.

To successfully break through to the Golden Core stage, practitioners of the Pill Sword Technique must shatter their Sword Pill and then recondense it. Only through this arduous process can they achieve a natural Golden Core formation and advance to the next realm.

Throughout the history of the Profound Pill Sect, only one individual has ever managed to shatter and reform a Sword Pill. This stark fact underscores the terrifying difficulty of this feat.

Shortcuts in the early stages lead to insurmountable obstacles later on—there are no shortcuts on the Immortal Path.

This was the primary reason Han Yi, after careful deliberation, chose to abandon the Pill Sword Technique and instead opt for Azure Dragon Peak.

He wasn't foolish. Though he possessed a Proficiency Panel, he had no intention of deliberately making his path more difficult.

Therefore, he applied to join Azure Dragon Peak.

Normally, when an Outer Peak Disciple applies to join an Inner Peak, they submit an application and select their preferred peak. That peak then decides whether to accept them. If rejected, the disciple is randomly assigned to another Inner Peak.

After submitting his application, Han Yi immediately sought out Luo Yunzhou to inform him of his choice. Luo Yunzhou was delighted and confidently assured him that there would be no problems whatsoever.

Three days passed.

Finally, Han Yi received confirmation. This time, everything went smoothly, and he was successfully transferred to Azure Dragon Peak.

His relocation coincided with the Outer Sect Grand Competition, which drew the full attention of all Outer Sect disciples, leaving his move unnoticed.

On Little Spirit Void Peak, the courtyard where Han Yi had lived for over a decade since his transmigration quietly closed its gates, patiently awaiting its next occupant.

Once his transfer to Azure Dragon Peak was confirmed, Han Yi declined Luo Yunzhou's offer of assistance and personally selected a quiet but conveniently located courtyard.

Afterward, he accompanied Luo Yunzhou to the core node of Azure Dragon Peak's Spirit Vein, the Azure Dragon Palace, to pay his respects to a Sect Elder—Luo Yunzhou's master. Han Yi's smooth transfer to Azure Dragon Peak was largely due to the Master's intervention.