Luo Tian had wanted to throw out a few more taunts, but the mont he saw Hong Yu's frigid gaze, the fat on his body trembled like ripples in water and he fled in disarray.
This scene left the Sword Sect disciples who had gathered around Quiet Chamber Twenty-Two, ready to watch a good show, completely dumbfounded and speechless.
'This isn't how things were supposed to go!'
Luo Tian was the distinguished third-ranked expert on the Earth List. His strength was undeniable. How could Hong Yu have subdued him so easily?
The crowd of Outer Disciples now looked at Hong Yu with a mixture of confusion and awe.
Hong Yu scanned the crowd and frowned slightly. "Shouldn't you all be cultivating in your own Quiet Chambers? What are you doing here?"
"S-Senior Brother Hong, it's like this..."
soone replied.
Now that Hong Yu had even driven off Luo Tian, their tone beca deferential.
As the disciple explained, Hong Yu's expression grew strange. 'No wonder the Third Layer felt so odd. It turns out I absorbed all the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Good grief. I'd better get out of here before so Inner Sect expert cos to investigate and finds out what I've done.'
With this thought in mind, Hong Yu walked out, his face impassive.
Along the way, no one dared to point or whisper. Everyone proactively cleared a path for him.
Hong Yu reached the First Layer without any obstruction and muttered to himself, "Condensing the eighth Qi Vortex already caused such a huge commotion. If I try to use the Cyan Nether Sword Tower to form the Ninth Qi Vortex, I'll probably end up devouring most of the Spiritual Qi in the tower. That would definitely alarm the Inner Sect experts, which would be terrible!"
Just as Hong Yu was wrestling with his dilemma, Little One's lazy voice drifted out from the Profound Celestial Tower. "Hong Yu, I suggest you first cultivate the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique to the Fourth Transformation. After that, you can condense the Ninth Qi Vortex and break through to the Earth Soul Realm!"
"The Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique?" Hong Yu nodded. "The cultivation thod for this Body Refining Technique is simple enough. I just need to continuously consu Spirit dicine to temper my body and advance."
Little One replied, "You have that hundred-acre Spirit Field now. Consuming about two-thirds of the Spirit dicine there should be enough for you to reach the Fourth Transformation. That will be the perfect ti to consu the Five-Colored Golden Lotus and break through to the Earth Soul Realm. Your current physical strength is not enough to withstand the terrifying dicinal power of the Five-Colored Golden Lotus!"
"I understand. In that case, I'll cultivate here on the First Layer."
Hong Yu chose an unoccupied Quiet Chamber on the First Layer and went inside.
Sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, Hong Yu began his cultivation of the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique.
As he consud one stalk of Spirit dicine after another, Hong Yu's body grew increasingly powerful.
At the First Transformation of the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique, one's physical strength was comparable to a Top Level Mortal Soldier. At the Second Transformation, it was like a Mortal Level Lower Grade Primordial Weapon. At the Third Transformation, it was like a Mortal-level Middle-grade Primordial Weapon, and so on.
Starting from the Second Transformation, when one activated the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique, their body would emit a faint golden glow. At the Third Transformation, this golden glow would rge with the skin, and a golden Body-Protecting Divine Light would beco visible as Elental Power circulated. If one could reach the Fourth Transformation, the Body-Protecting Divine Light would manifest as a suit of Body-Protecting Flowing Light Armor!
Once he reached the Fourth Transformation, Hong Yu's physical strength would be astonishing.
At that point, he would be able to contend with a Late Stage Earth Soul Realm Powerhouse relying on his physical strength alone!
BUZZ! BUZZ!
Streams of faint dicinal radiance coursed through his body, ceaselessly strengthening it.
Ti passed steadily...
Half a month later, Hong Yu broke through to the Second Transformation of the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique, his physical strength now comparable to a Mortal Level Lower Grade Primordial Weapon.
A month and a half later...
Hong Yu finally stepped into the Third Transformation. His physical strength was now comparable to a Mortal-level Middle-grade Primordial Weapon, and a golden Body-Protecting Divine Light coursed around him.
After two and a half months, Hong Yu had consud nearly two-thirds of the hundred-acre Spirit Field Herb Garden by himself. At that mont, his Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique broke through to the Fourth Transformation. As he circulated his Profound Skill, a faint suit of Golden Armor materialized over his body, giving him a heroic and extraordinary appearance.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Hong Yu threw a few casual punches, yet each one caused the air to crackle with sonic booms.
This was a sign that his power had reached a certain level.
Previously, Hong Yu would have needed to use his full strength to achieve such an effect.
'Once I condense the Ninth Qi Vortex, Guo Fei will be no match for ! As for Hong Renjie... I'm afraid I'll have to reach the Earth Soul Realm before I can even think of competing with him!'
Hong Yu narrowed his eyes, the Flowing Light Armor on his body shimring with a faint golden light.
This ti, he was aiming for the position of True Disciple!
In this process, Guo Fei was an opponent he would have to face, but with his current strength, Hong Yu wasn't afraid of him. Hong Renjie, however, was a different story. The man was vicious, ruthless, and incredibly strong.
He was already at the Half-step Heavenly Soul Realm back at Liger Ravine. With about half a year having passed, no one could guarantee that he hadn't taken that final step to reach the Celestial Soul Realm!
If Hong Renjie beca a Celestial Soul Realm expert, he would be able to challenge for the position of Chief Disciple.
The Chief Disciple held imnse privileges. If Hong Renjie managed to claim that position, any move he made against Hong Yu would be like a devastating storm of thunder and lightning.
Therefore...
Hong Yu had to seize his chance in this upcoming promotion tournant!
He had to distinguish himself in the tournant, enough to at least win the favor of an Elder—or even the Sect Leader—and be taken under their wing.
Only by finding a sufficiently powerful backer could he make Hong Renjie hesitate to act, thereby ensuring his own safety.
'The Outer Sect's promotion tournant is in half a month. I'll do my best to condense nine Qi Vortexes by then.'
With that thought, Hong Yu began his final half-month of cultivation.
But Hong Yu, busy cultivating in the Cyan Nether Sword Tower, had no idea that several events had shaken the entire Cyan Nether Sword Sect over the past two and a half months.
A month and a half into Hong Yu's seclusion, Ling Tian, the consensus number-one genius among the new disciples, officially broke through to the Late-stage Earth Soul Realm.
Three days later, he challenged the tenth-ranked True Disciple.
The outco shocked everyone!
Three moves!
In just three moves, Ling Tian defeated the True Disciple, and his fa skyrocketed.
Every expert who beca a True Disciple was a top-tier genius, without exception.
They all possessed, to so degree, combat strength that surpassed their own cultivation realm.
The tenth-ranked True Disciple had been in the Late-stage Earth Soul Realm for a full five years and had an incredibly deep foundation. Yet, this very expert couldn't even last three moves against Ling Tian before being defeated. One could only imagine how heaven-defying Ling Tian's combat strength must be!
In addition, that batch of new disciples also experienced successive breakthroughs.
Out of the more than one thousand new disciples in the Outer Sect, forty-eight had broken through to the Earth Soul Realm.
Within the Inner Sect...
Besides Ling Tian, Dongfang Lang and Duan Hong had also broken through.
Given their talent and foundations, they could even put up a fight against a Late Stage Earth Soul Realm Powerhouse.
After their breakthroughs, the two began challenging other Inner Sect Disciples. Dongfang Lang surged into the Inner Sect's top 300, while the slightly weaker Duan Hong still managed to reach the top 400.
At their rate of cultivation, they were bound to advance even further and shine brilliantly in the Inner Sect promotion tournant six months later!
Their fa was second only to the Demon Fiend, Ling Tian.
Even the Sword Sect Master was stirred, personally proclaiming, "This batch of new disciples has the best overall potential and talent in a century!"
There was also a noteworthy incident.
After breaking into the Inner Sect's top 300, Dongfang Lang had frantically rushed to the Outer Sect to find Hong Yu, intending to challenge him and avenge his humiliation at Liger Ravine. However, Hong Yu remained in secluded cultivation within the Cyan Nether Sword Tower. Forget Dongfang Lang; even Hong Renjie, who wanted to cause trouble, could only wait for Hong Yu to erge.
Dongfang Lang waited outside the Sword Tower for a full five days before finally returning to the Inner Sect to continue his cultivation.
Before he left, Dongfang Lang had made a bold declaration: in the Inner Sect promotion tournant six months from now, he would ensure Hong Yu suffered a complete and utter defeat!
This incident beca a hot topic for a while, even overshadowing the arranged match between Hong Yu and Guo Fei.
But as ti passed, people slowly began to forget these events.
Naturally, the na Hong Yu also began to fade from public mory.
No matter how much of a genius he had appeared to be before.
As long as he failed to cross the threshold of the Earth Soul Realm, he would never truly enter the sights of real Martial Artists.
Of course,
while so forgot, others naturally rembered him.
Many people were looking forward to Hong Yu erging from seclusion with his strength greatly increased, ready to make a brilliant showing at the promotion tournant.
However...
when the Outer Sect promotion tournant officially began three months later, and Hong Yu finally appeared before the crowd, everyone was disappointed.
Because Hong Yu was still at the Essence Realm; he had yet to break through to the Earth Soul Realm.
...
The bustling Outer Sect Martial Arts Arena was a sea of people.
Disciples were assigned to their respective combat zones based on their Sect's Sword Order.
Zone Nineteen, where Hong Yu was assigned, was already packed with people.
The Cyan Nether Sword Sect had three hundred thousand Outer Disciples. Even though many gave up their right to participate in the promotion tournant, there were still no fewer than one hundred thousand contestants.
With one hundred thousand people divided into one hundred combat zones, each zone was quite crowded.
When Hong Yu appeared in Zone Nineteen, he imdiately drew the crowd's attention.
"That's Hong Yu? The arrogant brat who dared to challenge Senior Brother Guo Fei?"
"I thought he'd be soone special, but it turns out he's nothing much. I heard he was already at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm when he joined the Sect. Look, it's been months, and he's *still* at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm..."
"Maybe he had so lucky break before, or swallowed so kind of Exotic Fruit to get that far. Otherwise, after cultivating in the Sword Sect for over four months, even a pig would have broken through by now!"
"Everyone was talking him up like he was so legend. I thought that when he ca out of seclusion, he'd at least have an Early-Stage Earth Soul Realm Cultivation. I never imagined he'd still be at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm."
Soone shook their head and sighed. "They say all are ants below the Earth Soul Realm. Only by reaching the Earth Soul Realm can one truly step into the Martial Arts Hall. This Hong Yu is stuck at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm, unable to break through. He'll probably be stuck at this level for the rest of his life. Being strong in the Essence Realm ultimately ans nothing in the grand sche of things. Only those who beco true powerhouses can be called geniuses!"
"Soone like him is, at best, a fallen genius!"
These people chattered without restraint, even deliberately raising their voices so Hong Yu would hear them.
Lost in the crowd, Hong Yu couldn't help but rub his nose, a playful look in his eyes. He squinted at the grand arena before him and the thousand other contestants in Zone Nineteen. The corner of his mouth curled into an unreadable smile as he muttered to himself...
'A fallen genius, huh? It seems no one has any faith in . So, should I give them all a little shock?'
[Future updates: One chapter at 6 AM, two consecutive chapters around 5 PM. I will post an announcent if there are any bonus chapters!]
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