《My Life as a Cultivator in a Game》 Chapter 1 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation character: lu yi cultivation base: level 6 qi refiner cultivation technique: white cloud qi refining art (level 2) arts: white cloud sword (level 2), white cloud stance (level 3) current task: none ¡­ lu yi stared at the sudden appearance of text in his line of sight and rubbed his eyes several times to confirm he wasn¡¯t dreaming. his eyes welled up with tears, and he almost cried out, ¡°the golden finger that i¡¯ve been separated from for sixteen years, you¡¯ve finally returned to me!¡± lu yi was a transmigrator who had crossed over to a world called the dawn continent sixteen years ago. this world was incredibly vast, filled with powerful immortal cultivators, demons, devils, devil cultivators, and various dangers. lu yi had decent luck and transmigrated to a cultivation sect. his parents were both outer sect disciples. while their status was not too high, it was already quite good compared to ordinary people. although lu yi¡¯s cultivation talent was not outstanding, it was still passable. he had reached level 6 in the qi refiner stage at the age of sixteen, and he had hopes of reaching the foundation establishment stage and entering the inner sect before he turned twenty. this was better than his parents¡¯ achievements. originally, lu yi¡¯s greatest goal was to enter the inner sect, become a disciple there, live a comfortable life for a couple of hundred years, marry a few wives, have children and grandchildren, and then pass away peacefully. however, unexpectedly, plans could not keep up with changes, and the golden finger appeared. lu yi mentally crossed out his original goals, ¡®yoohoo, take off!¡¯ lu yi studied it for a moment and realized that the golden finger was somewhat like a game interface, displaying his cultivation level, practiced techniques, and current task. the sect lu yi belonged to was called the white cloud sect. the white cloud qi refining art was the basic cultivation technique of the white cloud sect, capable of being cultivated up to the foundation establishment stage. the white cloud sword and white cloud stance were basic arts, suitable for qi refiner cultivators like him. the last section, current task, seemed to be about tasks, but lu yi did not know how to pick up tasks. he could not figure it out and thought for a moment before quietly calling out in his mind, ¡°system spirit?¡± after waiting for a moment and not receiving a response, he realized that it seemed to be just a simple interface. lu yi used his thoughts to tap on the interface a few times, but there was no response. he felt somewhat speechless and thought, ¡®how is this golden finger supposed to be used?¡¯ just then, a gentle female voice came from outside the door, ¡°yi, are you awake?¡± it was lu yi¡¯s mother¡¯s voice. lu yi snapped back to attention and replied, ¡°yes, i¡¯m awake.¡± lu yi got out of bed and decided to continue his exploration after breakfast. leaving his room, he entered the main building. in the hall, a handsome middle-aged man and an elegant woman were seated at the table. these two were lu yi¡¯s parents in this world, lu gaoyang and wang siqi. beside them was a graceful maid named bai lingling. as an outer sect disciple of the white cloud sect, lu yi held a somewhat respectable position, but it was not high. they only had one maid, bai lingling, who took care of chores like laundry, cooking, and cleaning. ¡°yi, come sit down and have breakfast,¡± wang siqi smiled and said. lu gaoyang, as the father, was a bit more stern. he glanced at lu yi and furrowed his brows, saying, ¡°why did you wake up so late today? don¡¯t slack off on the path of cultivation. do you understand?¡± lu yi took a seat and replied, ¡°yes, father.¡± wang siqi gave lu gaoyang a stern look and said, ¡°yi¡¯s talent is better than yours. he¡¯s joining the inner sect in the future. there¡¯s no need for you to educate him.¡± lu gaoyang rolled his eyes in exasperation, his face darkening a bit. he lowered his head and started eating. honestly, lu yi¡¯s talent was indeed a bit better than lu gaoyang¡¯s. wang siqi¡¯s words left him without a way to retort. watching liu gaoyang¡¯s sulking, lu yi chuckled. his parents often bickered like that, but their relationship was strong and they treated him well. lu yi was content. just then, lu gaoyang remembered something and said, ¡°by the way, the outer sect grand competition is in a month. since you¡¯ve reached level 6 in the qi refiner stage this year, you should participate. it¡¯s a chance to gain experience, regardless of your rank.¡± the white cloud sect held an annual grand competition for outer sect disciples. there were rewards based on ranking. the top ten participants could directly enter the inner sect without going through the assessment. however, the grand competition was fierce. there were over ten thousand outer sect disciples in the white cloud sect, and several thousand were at level 5 qi refiner or above. it was intense. lu yi had not participated last year as he was only at the level 5 qi refiner stage. lu gaoyang and wang siqi had advised against it, fearing that lu yi might not even pass the preliminary selection and that it would affect his cultivation mentality. this year, since lu yi had reached the level 6 qi refiner stage, he could at least give it a try. passing the preliminary selection should not be a problem. lu yi nodded and said, ¡°i understand, father.¡± just then, lu yi lowered his head and his gaze flickered. in his vision, the interface had changed. task: participate in the white cloud sect¡¯s outer sect grand competition. rewards vary based on ranking. accept: yes/no ¡®so, the task module worked like this? could i trigger tasks myself?¡¯ lu yi pondered. he felt like he understood the purpose of the golden finger a bit more. ¡®accept a task and receive rewards? isn¡¯t that just like playing a game? this was right up my alley. i had played plenty of games in his previous life, including world of warcraft, swordsman online, and blade & soul.¡¯ lu yi thought. since lu yi was already planning to participate in the grand competition, he had no reason to refuse. he used his will to select ¡®yes¡¯ and accepted the task. then, he noticed a change in his interface. current task: participate in the white cloud sect outer sect grand competition looking at those words, lu yi had a bold idea. he glanced at lu gaoyang and wang siqi, smiling. he asked, ¡°father, mother, do you need me to do anything for you? do you want a leg massage or a back rub?¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi stared at lu yi inexplicably, they were puzzled by lu yi¡¯s offer. lu gaoyang rolled his eyes, somewhat speechless. he said, ¡°just focus on your cultivation! if you don¡¯t have anything to do, go and practice the white cloud sword ten times in the morning!¡± task: practice the white cloud sword 10 times (progress: 0/10) reward: white cloud sword level +1 accept: yes/no seeing the text before him, a wild grin spread across lu yi¡¯s face. he quietly accepted the task. it was just as he had guessed. ¡°i understand, father. i¡¯ll complete the task!¡± said lu yi excitedly. seeing lu yi¡¯s excited expression, wang siqi, as a mother, felt a bit worried. she reached out to touch his forehead and asked, ¡°yi, are you okay? you¡¯re not running a fever, are you?¡± lu yi¡¯s smile froze. he had gotten a bit too excited. he had not controlled himself. he told himself that he needed to calm down. with a forced smile, lu yi cleared his throat and said, ¡°mother, i¡¯m fine. i¡¯ll go practice now.¡± lu yi grabbed two meat buns and hurried out. he needed to complete the task quickly and earn the rewards. Chapter 2 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation lu yi devoured his meat buns in three bites and then headed to the courtyard with his sword. he assumed a stance and began practicing the white cloud sword. as an immortal cultivator in a sect, even the basic techniques like the white cloud sword were far more intricate than the sword techniques found in the mortal world. the white cloud sword captured the ethereal and unpredictable nature of white clouds, its movements ever-changing and its execution as smooth as flowing water. lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword was at level 2, according to the system¡¯s ranking system. in the immortal cultivation realm, this could be considered a minor achievement. as he practiced the technique, a sharp gust of wind accompanied the flow of his sword. while lu yi practiced the white cloud sword, lu gaoyang and wang siqi finished their breakfast and walked out of the main hall. they watched lu yi earnestly practicing his sword technique in the courtyard, both of them wearing faint smiles. wang siqi whispered, ¡°yi¡¯s talent in techniques is really impressive. he has already achieved minor mastery in the white cloud sword. if he could reach major mastery, he might even make it to the top five thousand in the outer sect grand competition.¡± lu gaoyang smiled with a hint of pride, ¡°well, who do you think his parents are?¡± wang siqi shot lu gaoyang a glance and retorted coldly, ¡°could you have had him without me?¡± lu gaoyang chuckled awkwardly and said, ¡°of course, it¡¯s all thanks to you, dear.¡± satisfied, wang siqi nodded and said, ¡°alright, go about your business. we better not disturb yi¡¯s practice.¡± as outer sect attendants, lu gaoyang and wang siqi had their responsibilities to attend to. immersed in practicing the white cloud sword, lu yi did not notice when lu gaoyang and wang siqi left. after completing a round of practice, lu yi glanced at the task progress¡ª1 out of 10. he felt a surge of excitement and continued practicing. round after round, quickly, lu yi completed ten rounds of practice. exhausted and panting, lu yi collapsed to the ground after the tenth round. even though he had reached the level 6 qi refiner stage, practicing the white cloud sword ten times in a row was still tiring. but the thought of the reward for completing the task kept him motivated, and he did not rest for a moment. now that he had finished ten rounds, lu yi felt like he could hardly lift his hands. he looked at the interface. current task: practice white cloud sword ten times (progress: 10/10) reward: white cloud sword level +1 task completed. receive reward: yes/no feeling a rush of excitement, lu yi quickly selected ¡°yes¡±. as he made his choice, his mind was suddenly flooded with a wealth of information about the white cloud sword¡ªhow to manipulate the sword, circulate spiritual energy, regulate breathing, and maximize the technique¡¯s power¡­ these details seemed to be imprinted into lu yi¡¯s mind, becoming almost instinctual. as he absorbed the information, lu yi opened his eyes. with a swift motion, he swung his sword. swish! a faint sound of breaking air echoed, and lu yi noticed a wisp of sword energy trailing behind his sword. the sword¡¯s energy left a mark on the stone floor. wide-eyed, lu yi marveled at the newfound power, ¡®this was much stronger than my previous level 2 white cloud sword. could this be considered close to the major mastery of the technique? if level 3 white cloud sword was already this strong, what about levels 4 and 5? could they surpass major mastery, the nascent stage, or even regain simplicity stage? what about even higher levels? would the white cloud sword remain the same at that point?¡¯ filled with anticipation, lu yi looked forward to the daily tasks assigned by his father. within a month, lu yi believed that he should be able to elevate his white cloud sword to a high level. in the upcoming outer sect grand competition, he might even secure a high ranking. if lu yi made it to the top ten, he could directly enter the inner sect, much faster than he had originally expected. moreover, the rewards for the outer sect grand competition task were likely to be substantial. at that moment, bai lingling approached, announcing, ¡°young master, it¡¯s time for lunch.¡± ¡°oh, alright.¡± lu yi replied.stopped his train of thought. after practicing the white cloud sword all morning, he was quite fatigued. he needed to rest and regain his strength, so he decided to continue his training in the afternoon. ¡­ after lunch, lu yi returned to his room to rest. he had completed the task of practicing the white cloud sword in the morning, and the outer sect assessment task was not feasible for him at the moment. judging by the situation, lu yi thought he needed to find more tasks for himself. at this moment, lu yi had a bold idea. raising his right hand into a fist, he cleared his throat and solemnly coughed near his lips before speaking to himself, ¡°in the afternoon, i will practice the white cloud stance ten times.¡± as lu yi finished speaking, the interface in front of him once again changed. task: practice the white cloud stance ten times (progress: 0/10) reward: enhancement of white cloud stance insights accept: yes/no ¡®wow!¡¯ lu yi was surprised. he stared at the task prompt, feeling like he had just opened the door to a new world. he thought, ¡®could i issue tasks to myself?! could this be real?!¡¯ lu yi¡¯s mind brimming with audacious ideas, he coughed and said, ¡°next, i will take my first step with my left foot!¡± eagerly, lu yi watched the interface, but after a moment of silence, it remained unchanged. no task for taking a step with his left foot was issued. feeling a bit disappointed, lu yi tried again, ¡°next, i will take a step of two meters!¡± a long period of silence followed, and the interface still showed no response. lu yi felt let down, and he had even considered issuing tasks for his everyday actions. it seemed that the task interface did not acknowledge such simple tasks. perhaps the tasks lu yi thought were too basic or unrelated to cultivation. however, despite his disappointment, lu yi remained optimistic. regardless, he was already thrilled that he could issue tasks to himself. there was no need to be too greedy¡ªbeing able to create and complete tasks for himself was already a significant step. being too greedy might trigger heavenly retribution. lu yi then noticed something peculiar. when he practiced the white cloud sword in the morning and completed ten rounds, his technique¡¯s level had directly increased. however, now, after practicing the white cloud stance ten times, he only experienced an enhancement in his insights, without directly leveling up. lu yi pondered for a moment and quickly grasped the difference. his white cloud stance was at level 3, which was higher than the original level 2 of the white cloud sword. practicing the same number of times would naturally yield different results. according to gaming logic, raising a skill¡¯s level required experience points. the higher the level, the more experience points were needed for an upgrade. the difficulty of leveling up naturally increased with higher skill levels. completing the same task might yield the same experience, but upgrading a lower-level skill was easier than a higher-level one. realizing that, lu yi understood that if he wanted to use self-assigned tasks to enhance his technique levels, the higher the level, the more difficult it would be to upgrade. more practice sessions would be required. regardless, it was still far faster than relying solely on lu yi¡¯s insights. ¡®from today onwards, i, lu yi, am a peerless genius!¡¯ lu yi thought and was satisfied. after resting, lu yi began practicing white cloud stance. the practice task was not particularly challenging; it was just a bit tiring. after an afternoon of practice, lu yi easily completed the task. in the evening, lu gaoyang and wang siqi returned. bai lingling had already prepared dinner, and after the three of them finished eating, they returned to their rooms to rest. in the world of cultivators, evenings were usually reserved for cultivation, and it was no different for lu yi and his parents. back in his room, lu yi sat cross-legged and issued himself another task. practice the white cloud qi refining art ten times. since the white cloud qi refining art was also at level 2, the task reward was the same as his morning practice of the white cloud sword¡ªraising the technique¡¯s level by 1. cultivation involved controlling spiritual energy to form a circulation cycle within the body, absorbing external spiritual energy. generally, higher innate talent, stronger techniques, and a deeper mastery of a technique led to more efficient absorption of spiritual energy. lu yi¡¯s white cloud qi refining art was only at level 2. circulating the technique took time, but practicing it ten times in one night was not overly difficult. after cultivating the white cloud qi refining art repeatedly, absorbing spiritual energy, lu yi felt his cultivation gradually improving. by the time he completed ten rounds of practice, dawn was approaching. with the task completed, lu yi chose to receive the reward. instantly, lu yi¡¯s mind was flooded with various insights about the white cloud qi refining art. his understanding of the technique began to rapidly advance. Chapter 3 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation after a moment, lu yi could feel that he had gained a deeper understanding of the white cloud qi refining art. he tried to perform his technique and was pleasantly surprised, ¡®the flow of spiritual energy was smoother than before, the time it took to complete a circulation cycle was reduced by nearly one-third, and the efficiency of absorbing spiritual energy had also improved. overall, my cultivation efficiency had likely increased by almost fifty percent! this increase was significant!¡¯ lu yi had originally estimated that it would take him around seven to eight months to break through to the level 7 qi refiner stage. but now, perhaps it could be accomplished in just five to six months. not only that, with smoother qi circulation, lu yi¡¯s use of techniques would also be faster, and his combat strength would likewise be enhanced. it could be said that the improvement in just the qi refiner¡¯s technique had brought about significant enhancements in various aspects for lu yi! therefore, lu yi issued himself another task. practice the white cloud qi refining art ten times again and continue his cultivation. after all, he needed to practice anyway, and not accepting a task always felt like he was missing out. ¡­ and so, time passed. every day, lu yi assigned tasks to himself. in the morning, he practiced the white cloud sword; in the afternoon, the white cloud stance; and at night, the white cloud qi refining art. with each task completed, the levels of lu yi¡¯s three techniques rapidly improved. in the blink of an eye, two weeks passed, and it was the beginning of a new month. in the morning, lu yi, lu gaoyang, and wang siqi sat together for breakfast. lu gaoyang thought of something and looked at lu yi, saying, ¡°yi, today is the day when the elders give lectures. don¡¯t forget the time.¡± lu yi took a big bite of a meat bun, nodded, and replied, ¡°i know.¡± at the beginning of each month, the outer sect elders would give lectures on fundamental cultivation and address any difficulties encountered by the outer sect disciples. even though they were outer sect elders, some of them were at the golden core stage. any bit of cultivation experience they shared was immensely valuable to the qi refiner disciples. on the first day of each month, unless there were special circumstances, the outer sect disciples would attend the lectures. lu yi was certainly no exception. with a golden core powerhouse offering free lectures, no one would miss out on such an opportunity. although lu yi now had his cultivation progressing rapidly thanks to his golden finger, he did not become arrogant or overconfident. he was just an ordinary qi refiner junior disciple, and there were even senior disciples above him. besides, that senior was at the golden core stage. lu yi believed that regardless of what he did, he should avoid being arrogant and overconfident. otherwise, he would be the one getting hurt. finishing breakfast quickly, lu yi said, ¡°mom, dad, i¡¯m heading to white sun peak.¡± wang siqi watched as lu yi rushed out and hurriedly added, ¡°be careful and watch where you are heading.¡± ¡°i got it!¡± lu yi replied with a smile and then dashed out of the courtyard. white cloud sect was located in the white cloud mountain range, spanning an area of hundreds of square kilometers, mostly consisting of high peaks. the outer sect was located at the outermost part of the sect and comprised over a hundred peaks. the lectures given by the outer sect elders took place on white sun peak, one of these peaks. the mountain peak where lu yi lived was called white spirit peak, not too far from white sun peak, separated by six other peaks. checking the time, lu yi realized he had plenty of time before the lecture. he strolled along the mountain path toward white sun peak. as he walked, lu yi saw other outer sect disciples as well¡ªsome walking alone and others in groups of two or three. living on the same mountain, most of them had crossed paths before, and now, as they met, they exchanged nods and smiles. lu yi was busy with his cultivation and did not socialize much. he did not have any particularly close friends, but he did not mind. in the world of cultivation, while social connections were important, one¡¯s strength was even more crucial. currently, lu yi was in a phase of rapid progress and should focus on his cultivation. otherwise, when he grew older, he might regret not putting in enough effort. such as the old saying, a youth who fails to toil will not thrive in old age. of course, lu yi did not have any particularly bad relationships with others either. after all, his parents were attendants of the sect, which gave him some face within the outer sect. people generally treated him with respect. considering lu yi¡¯s relatively high level of talent, even within the outer sect, most people regarded him favorably. it was rare for anyone to provoke him without reason. besides lu yi; even for disciples with lower cultivation talents, others would mostly ignore them. hardly anyone would intentionally target someone weaker unless there were conflicts of interest. it simply was not worth it. it was because no benefit would one gain from targeting someone weaker. one would only waste cultivation time. moreover, if that person obtained some opportunity and made a breakthrough, they would seek revenge later and it would only mean trouble. even though it might seem impossible, there were many ancient sect ruins and the legacies of powerful cultivators on the dawn continent. there were plenty of valuable treasures around. naturally, there was a chance a person would stumble upon an incredible opportunity. lu yi believed in a saying, the cultivation world was not all about fights, but also about understanding social intricacies. cultivation was no different in this regard. unless there were real conflicts of interest, people generally coexisted peacefully. as lu yi got closer to white sun peak, he saw more and more outer sect disciples. the outer sect had over a hundred thousand disciples, and around the beginning of each month, nearly a hundred thousand would gather at white sun peak. from above, it looked like a swarm of ants migrating. as lu yi approached white sun peak, the atmosphere among the outer sect disciples grew more solemn. the lecture area on white sun peak was located at the summit. while the platform was not small, it only had space for about a thousand disciples. the rest had to stand below the platform, on the mountain path, or in the middle part of the mountain. those positions were available for everyone. the teachings and guidance given by the elders after the lecture were also for the disciples on the platform, which only added to the motivation to get up there. because of that, everyone would want to be on the platform. also, it all depended on strength too. it was the survival of the fittest. lu yi used to listen to the lecture halfway up the mountain. this time, he planned to go to the platform to take a look. he wanted to see the difference between the scenery up there and the scenery halfway up the mountain. lu yi smiled and walked towards the top of white sun peak. as he walked, he saw the disciples at level 1 and level 2 qi refiner stage were the first to stop. it was not that they did not want to go up, but they did not dare to. there were limited seats and if they went up and occupied the seats of those disciples with strong cultivation, they would be in trouble. ordinary disciples were still very self-aware. soon, the level 3 and level 4 qi refiner disciples also stopped. by the time lu yi reached the middle of the mountain, there were significantly fewer people. those level 5 qi refiner disciples had stopped, even those disciples at level 6 qi refiner disciples. continuing further up, the positions were reserved for disciples at the level 7 qi refiner stage and above. however, lu yi did not stop. he continued moving upward. the nearby disciples looked at him in astonishment and then exchanged amused glances. they were thinking someone dared to challenge the authority of the more powerful disciples. it had been a while since they had seen such a spirited youngster. the expressions of the level 7 qi refiner disciples grew more peculiar as they watched lu yi. that was because, even though disciples at the level 7 qi refiner stage had stopped, lu yi had not. lu yi was now nearing the summit, a place where only particularly powerful level 7 and level 8 qi refiner disciples could stand. the available space was limited, and the others thought lu yi, a youngster, still dared to go up there. ¡°what the heck? where did this audacious newcomer come from? isn¡¯t he afraid of death?¡± ¡°he must not be afraid of getting beaten up. i¡¯d call him stubborn!¡± ¡°wanna bet on how long this kid will stay up there?¡± discussions buzzed around. and then, at that moment, a tall and robust outer sect disciple stood in front of lu yi, smiling as he said, ¡°junior brother, did you make a mistake about your position? maybe you should head down?¡± ¡®it had begun!¡¯ the surrounding disciples thought. they brightened up as they happily settled in to enjoy the spectacle. Chapter 4 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation lu yi glanced at the outer sect disciple blocking his way. the outer sect disciple was at the level 8 qi refiner stage, and he seemed quite strong. lu yi smiled and said, ¡°senior brother, i¡¯d like to go up to the platform. would you mind stepping aside?¡± ¡°go up to the platform?¡± the burly man was taken aback, his expression filled with astonishment. other outer sect disciples had strange expressions too, followed by a commotion. ¡°hey, is this for real? i thought this kid just wanted to stand at the front. i didn¡¯t expect him to want to go up to the platform!¡± ¡°is he crazy? a level 6 qi refiner cultivator wants to go up to the platform?¡± ¡°junior brother, let me give you a piece of advice. the platform is quite treacherous. you won¡¯t be able to handle it. you should go down!¡± another outer sect disciple, seemingly concerned, warned lu yi. lu yi paid no attention to others¡¯ opinions. he smiled and said, ¡°senior brother, what¡¯s your take?¡± the burly man¡¯s mouth twitched, and he grinned, ¡°i don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± as the burly man spoke, his spiritual energy circulated him, and he drew the large blade from his back. ¡°i guessed as much.¡± lu yi chuckled and drew his long sword. he calmly looked at the burly man. at that moment, a bold idea struck lu yi. he tried to issue a task mentally, ¡®defeat the opponent in front of me.¡¯ in the next instant, his field of vision changed. task: defeat the level 8 qi refiner outer sect disciple (progress: 0/1) reward: supreme-grade qi condensation elixir x 10 / perfect-grade qi condensation elixir x 1 accept: yes/no lu yi saw the task and felt like he had opened the door to a new world. he did not believe that it was possible. if so, he would be able to challenge other outer sect disciples in the future and earn rewards. moreover, the rewards were incredible. not to mention the supreme-grade elixirs, the perfect-grade pills were completely free of elixir toxicity. with a perfect-grade elixir, there would be no worries about elixir toxicity, no wasting time on detoxification, and the foundation would be extremely solid, no different from cultivating spiritual energy bit by bit. lu yi did not know if the white cloud sect had perfect-grade elixirs, but he knew that as an outer sect disciple, he only received a bottle with ten mid-grade qi condensation elixirs as monthly cultivation resources. he did not even get the top-grade ones. lu yi had two choices for his reward. either take ten supreme-grade qi condensation elixirs or one perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. just defeating a level 8 qi refiner outer sect disciple would earn him such great rewards. lu yi felt like he could bankrupt his golden finger. lu yi looked at the burly man before him, his gaze changing as if he was looking at a perfect-grade elixir. seeing lu yi¡¯s gaze, the burly man could not help but shiver and thought, ¡®does this kid¡­ have some unusual fetish?¡¯ the burly man grew anxious, and he dared not think any further. he glared and sternly said, ¡°step back!¡± then, the burly man stepped forward with his big blade slashing toward lu yi. under the gleam of the blade, a tiger¡¯s roar echoed, and the blade wind howled, ruffling lu yi¡¯s black hair. the tiger blade. lu yi recognized the technique. like the white cloud sword, it was one of the fundamental techniques of the white cloud sect, suitable for qi refiner stage cultivators. the technique was fiercely aggressive, embodying the true essence of a tiger¡¯s strength. it was said that when mastered to a high level, the roars of tigers could be heard within the blade¡¯s light, intimidating the heart and causing opponents to crumble without even fighting. however, the senior brother¡¯s skill seemed lacking in lu yi¡¯s opinion. after half a month of practice, lu yi¡¯s stats had already changed. character: lu yi cultivation base: level 6 qi refiner cultivation technique: white cloud qi refining art (level 6) arts: white cloud sword (level 6), white cloud stance (level 6) lu yi did not know how strong he was now, but he knew that at the very least, he was much stronger than the level 8 qi refiner senior brother. lu yi believed that as long as he wanted, he had several ways to defeat the senior brother in an instant. however, lu yi had a different idea. if he displayed too much strength, no one would dare to challenge him later. then he would miss out on many perfect-grade elixirs. it was unacceptable to lu yi. enduring the urge to defeat the burly man with a single strike, lu yi began performing with the white cloud sword, engaging in a skirmish with the burly man, appearing to have a similar level of strength. clang! clang! clang! the clash of metal resounded, and the two figures flashed in an open space. meanwhile, the nearby outer sect disciples were staring wide-eyed, their mouths agape, showing expressions of disbelief. ¡°what the hell?! is this junior brother really this strong?¡± ¡°a level 6 qi refiner cultivator can fight on par with a level 8 qi refiner senior brother? who is this kid?¡± ¡°he¡¯s using the white cloud sword? can the white cloud sword be this powerful?¡± ¡°i practice the white cloud sword too. i can confirm that he¡¯s using the white cloud sword. but¡­ it seems like this junior brother¡¯s white cloud sword has reached the stage of transformation?! there¡¯s a trace of the white cloud intent in it. this is incredible!¡± ¡°wow¡­ a transformed technique? no wonder this kid is so formidable.¡± the disciples around were in an uproar. cultivation of techniques relied heavily on comprehension. although foundational techniques were simple to start with, mastering them to a profound level was quite challenging. among the tens of thousands of outer sect disciples, perhaps not even a thousand had truly mastered the foundational techniques, let alone reached a transformed stage. even a hundred might be pushing it to reach the transformation stage in the foundational techniques. these disciples had always been in the spotlight on the platform, receiving attention from the elders. unexpectedly, another one appeared now. in other disciples¡¯ opinion, lu yi¡¯s cultivation level was not high; otherwise, he would have defeated his opponent long ago. each disciple¡¯s view of lu yi changed. of course, the burly man who was lu yi¡¯s opponent understood best just how tough of a fight lu yi was. facing the white cloud sword at the transformation stage, the burly man was even more astonished. however, after losing to a level 6 qi refiner junior brother, the burly man felt relieved upon hearing lu yi¡¯s words. he grinned and said, ¡°your insight is astounding, junior brother. i didn¡¯t expect you to reach the transformation stage with the white cloud sword. i truly admire you. i concede defeat wholeheartedly.¡± ¡°thank you for your generosity, senior brother.¡± ¡°you¡¯re too kind, junior brother. please go ahead!¡± the two of them exchanged courteous remarks. in a friendly atmosphere, the burly man stepped aside, allowing lu yi to pass. meanwhile, lu yi also took a glance at his status interface. as expected, the task showed as completed. as for the reward choice, lu yi already had his answer. he would undoubtedly choose the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. while the supreme-grade elixir was good, it still had the issue of elixir toxicity. lu yi¡¯s standards had risen. lu yi did not directly claim the reward since he did not need it right now. suddenly having an elixir appear in his hand would be too absurd. with anticipation, lu yi thought that someone would likely block his path later, giving him a chance to earn another perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. ¡®oh, right!¡¯ lu yi had another bold idea. he muttered to himself, ¡°i want to ascend the white sun peak platform!¡± in the next moment, a task appeared on his status interface. lu yi glanced at it, widened his eyes at the reward, and felt ecstatic. he had not expected the reward to be so amazing. Chapter 5 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation task: reach the white sun peak platform reward: mid-grade magic tool, flowing cloud boots x 1 accept: yes/no lu yi did not expect the reward to be so generous, a mid-grade magic tool. among the tens of thousands of outer sect disciples in the white cloud sect, only a very small number possessed magic tools, and those were generally used by foundation establishment cultivators. due to lu yi¡¯s parents being outer sect attendants andfoundation establishment cultivators, they owned a low-grade magic tool sword. his parents had spent quite a bit to acquire that low-grade magic tool. if a low-grade magic tool was considered precious, not to mention a mid-grade magic tool. to lu yi¡¯s knowledge, even his father, lu gaoyang, only had one mid-grade magic tool sword, which he treasured dearly. lu yi could only look at it and was not allowed to touch it. as for his mother, she did not even possess a mid-grade magic tool yet. lu yi did not expect the task to offer such a lavish reward directly. it was a little too generous. he silently accepted the task and continued forward. the outer sect disciples who were watching the scene cleared a path for him to pass through. at first, lu yi did not feel anything odd, but as he got closer to the platform, he began to sense that something was amiss. he thought, ¡®wait, why isn¡¯t anyone stopping me? this didn¡¯t make sense. normally, a few outer sect disciples would jump out to prevent me from ascending the platform, right? there were plenty of level 8 qi refiner disciples listening to the lecture down below. how could they just watch as a level 6 qi refiner disciple ascended the platform? this didn¡¯t seem right at all.¡¯ lu yi walked on, realizing that the platform was right in front of him. the people ahead seemed to have no intention of stopping him. lu yi started feeling anxious. he thought, ¡®stand up, fellow level 8 qi refiner senior brothers and sisters! what happened to your dignity?! how could you let a mere level 6 qi refiner rookie like me ascend the platform so easily? i¡¯ve even prepared myself to overcome numerous challenges and obtain a perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. is this how it ends? just like that?!¡¯ lu yi slowed his pace, deliberately waiting for someone to step forward and stop him. however, as he walked closer to the platform, nobody obstructed his path. feeling disappointed, lu yi turned his head and looked behind him. he saw the other disciples looking at him. he felt a bit unwilling and decided to make a final effort. he looked around and smiled, saying, ¡°senior brothers and sisters, should i go up now?¡± ¡®hurry up and stop me!! do it now!¡¯ lu yi waited eagerly. at that moment, a level 8 qi refiner senior sister chuckled and said, ¡°junior brother, go ahead. lin gang¡¯s strength is one of the best among us. if you can defeat him, no one else here can guarantee a sure victory against you. we won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right, junior brother. the white cloud sword at the transformation stage is truly formidable. after today¡¯s lecture, i hope we can discuss sword techniques.¡± ¡°since that¡¯s the case, count me in as well.¡± ¡­ one after another, the senior brothers and sisters spoke, leaving lu yi dumbfounded, ¡®so, that senior brother was that powerful? but why didn¡¯t he let someone weaker take the challenge first?¡¯ feeling unhappy, lu yi looked at lin gang. lin gang smiled at him, looking amiable, and said, ¡°junior brother, we can continue sparring when you¡¯re free.¡± lu yi forced a smile, ¡°thank you for your encouragement, senior brothers and sisters. in that case, i¡¯ll go up.¡± feeling disheartened, lu yi turned and took each step up the platform¡¯s steps. the steps were not long, and lu yi quickly arrived at white sun peak¡¯s platform. the platform was a vast square with cushions arranged in rows. at the forefront of the cushions was a podium, the seat for the lecturing elder, which was currently unoccupied. several people were already seated on the cushions. lu yi noticed that the closer one was to the podium, the stronger their cultivation was. some emitted dangerous auras, while those on the outermost edge were weaker. some of the disciples were discussing cultivation insights in pairs, while others were meditating alone. when lu yi arrived, some of them looked his way. seeing lu yi, those disciples were momentarily puzzled or furrowed their brows. ¡°a level 6 qi refiner?¡± ¡°what¡¯s going on? how did a level 6 qi refiner junior brother get up here? didn¡¯t anyone stop him down there?¡± ¡°but that can¡¯t be, right? how could those down there just watch as a junior brother comes up? did they fail to stop him?¡± the comments emerged, and many were astonished, their gazes fixed on lu yi, eyes holding various expressions. among the seated cultivators, those closer to the center had inquisitive expressions and appeared intrigued. those on the outer edges seemed more cautious. since there were limited seats on the platform, and they were always filled, someone else must have been asked to vacate their seat for lu yi. that also meant someone else had to leave. since lu yi, a level 6 qi refiner junior, could come up after successfully bypassing the challenge of so many disciples, it indicated his strength was quite remarkable. the inner circle disciples probably did not need to worry about being replaced, but the outer circle ones were surely concerned. they worried that they would be humiliated if they were driven off the platform. lu yi glanced around the platform, pondered for a moment, and decided it would be best not to draw too much attention. he noticed the senior brothers and sisters in the inner circle seemed quite powerful; he probably could not defeat them. he randomly picked a spot toward the edge and took a seat. after all, one should take things step by step. lu yi was already content with just getting onto the platform today. previously, he could only sit in the middle area of the mountain peak. the progress he had made was already significant. it was best to maintain a steady pace. so, lu yi found an unoccupied spot and sat down, feeling quite pleased with himself as he looked at his status interface. current task: reach the white sun peak platform reward: mid-grade magic tool flowing cloud boots task completed. claim reward: yes/no ¡®the task is completed! i will soon have a mid-grade magic tool!¡¯ however, with so many people around, lu yi restrained his excitement and refrained from claiming the reward. he planned to do so later after he returned home. seeing lu yi quietly find a seat and sit down, the gazes from the other disciples gradually withdrew. however, lu yi still felt that someone was watching him, and he was eager to know if anyone would come forward to challenge him. if someone did, he would have another opportunity to earn a reward. as for initiating a challenge himself, lu yi had not thought about it. he was not the type to be overly conspicuous. lu yi waited for a long time, but no one rashly challenged him. however, as time passed, more and more disciples ascended the platform. when they saw lu yi, many of them focused their attention on him. as time went on, more people filled the platform, and the cushions were nearly all occupied. the inner-circle cultivators did not pay much attention, but the outer-circle ones, upon seeing lu yi¡¯s unfamiliar face, were frowning. at this moment, lu yi heard a cold voice, ¡°junior brother, the seat you¡¯re sitting in belongs to me.¡± lu yi turned around and saw a handsome young man with a chilly gaze staring at him, a level 8 qi refiner cultivator. ¡®finally, someone had arrived! do you know how long i¡¯ve been waiting for you?¡¯ lu yi thought. he stood up smiling amiably, and said, ¡°hello, senior brother. this seat is now mine.¡± Chapter 6 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation ¡°wow¡­ this newcomer is quite arrogant, huh?¡± ¡°even a level 6 qi refiner cultivator is this showy? quite interesting.¡± ¡°hmph¡­ i just hope his strength matches his confidence. being too flashy isn¡¯t a good thing.¡± upon hearing lu yi¡¯s words, the disciples began to gossip and discuss among themselves. lu yi was perplexed by their comments, feeling a bit wronged. he thought he was already quite low-key. if he had been truly showy, he would have started challenging others and earning task rewards long ago. he did not expect the disciples to view him this way. simultaneously, lu yi began reflecting on his behavior, ¡®was i being flashy? i thought it over but couldn¡¯t see it!¡¯ as lu yi contemplated, the level 8 qi refiner disciple in front of him had turned pale. he sneered, ¡°alright, alright! since you are so confident, let¡¯s settle this with a fight!¡± as the disciple spoke, he unsheathed his long sword with a sharp clang, pointing it at lu yi. lu yi chuckled, muttering to himself, ¡°i need to defeat my opponent.¡± task: defeat a level 8 qi refiner outer sect disciple (progress: 0/1) reward: supreme-grade qi condensation elixir x 20 / perfect-grade qi condensation elixir x 2 accept: yes/no ¡®huh? the reward for defeating this disciple seems better than the one for defeating lin gang¡­¡¯ lu yi thought. he blinked in surprise before guessing that it might be because this disciple¡¯s cultivation was slightly stronger than lin gang¡¯s. according to the interface¡¯s assessment, the task difficulty was slightly higher, hence the reward was more generous. that made lu yi even happier. no one would say no to a better reward. he also drew his sword, smiling and saying, ¡°please enlighten me, senior brother!¡± ¡°hmph!¡± the refined-looking young man snorted, his figure moving like a nimble snake as he swiftly closed the distance to lu yi. his sword created a series of blade shadows, striking toward lu yi. with this move, lu yi realized that the senior brother¡¯s strength was indeed significantly greater than lin gang¡¯s. the falling leaves sword and the serpent stance were both fundamental techniques of the white cloud sect, and the senior brother executed them quite well. if lu yi were to use the same methods he used against lin gang on the senior brother, he would undoubtedly lose. however, he remained unfazed. as his spiritual energy flowed, he activated the white cloud stance. his body seemed weightless, becoming ethereal and elusive, evading the sword strikes of the refined young man. seeing that, the disciples around lu yi widened their eyes, and some even stood up. ¡°what?!¡± ¡°that¡¯s the white cloud stance? so ingenious! to use the sword wind to borrow momentum and achieve that?¡± ¡°the white cloud stance at the transformation stage? this junior brother is impressive!¡± their amazement continued. lu yi¡¯s body floated and swiftly closed the distance to the refined young man. lu yi¡¯s sword emanated faint white clouds, seemingly gentle but inherently sharp, enveloping the young man. the refined young man¡¯s pupils contracted, and he wielded his sword with all his might to defend himself. clang! clang! clang! in the consecutive clashes, the refined young man kept retreating and was immediately at a disadvantage. the surrounding disciples were astonished. ¡°his sword energy was one with the clouds?! this junior brother¡¯s white cloud sword has reached the stage of regain simplicity?¡± ¡°to refine foundational techniques to such a degree? this junior brother¡¯s comprehension is astonishing!¡± ¡°no wonder he¡¯s so arrogant. this junior brother possesses formidable strength.¡± ¡°wang xinqi is going to lose!¡± even the inner-circle disciples displayed disbelief. ¡°the white cloud stance in the transformation stage and the white cloud sword in the regain simplicity stage¡­ when did such a figure appear in the outer sect?¡± a handsome, slender youth said with his hands behind his back and furrowed his brows. ¡°wang xinqi¡¯s sword and stance have reached major mastery, and they are already impressive. unfortunately¡­ his opponent is even stronger,¡± an ordinary-looking youth said, crossing his arms and shaking his head. next to them, a charming young girl gazed at lu yi¡¯s figure, her eyes shining. she exclaimed, ¡°this junior brother is so handsome!¡± the nearby disciples turned to the girl with puzzled looks. everyone was evaluating his strength, and she was focused on his appearance. they thought women were shallow beings. looking at lu yi, the other disciples could not help but admit, one had to acknowledge it, this junior brother was indeed handsome. a youth with twin blades strapped to his back, wearing a cold expression, spoke, ¡°this junior brother¡¯s cultivation is a bit lacking; otherwise, the coming outer sect grand competition would have had a worthy opponent.¡± others nodded in agreement. lu yi¡¯s powerful display of techniques was putting pressure on them. achieving the stage of regain simplicity for foundational techniques¡ªnone of them, the outer sect¡¯s strongest disciples, had accomplished that. ¡°it¡¯s fortunate the outer sect grand competition is just half a month away. improving one¡¯s cultivation within that time is quite challenging. if this guy¡¯s cultivation reaches level 8 qi refiner, we might as well just admit defeat.¡± as they conversed, the battle was approaching its end. though lu yi had not used his full strength, his displayed power was already beyond what wang xinqi could withstand. faced with the white cloud sword at the level that the sword¡¯s energy was one with the clouds, wang xinqi¡¯s forehead was beaded with cold sweat. he retreated repeatedly, barely holding on for a moment before lu yi¡¯s sword was at his throat. lu yi looked at the stiff and somewhat incredulous wang xinqi, sheathed his sword, and smiled faintly. lu yi said, ¡°xinqi, i won.¡± ¡®two more perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs were added to my pocket!¡¯ lu yi felt quite content. he wanted more challengers like this. wang xinqi¡¯s expression looked dazed, then he wore a bitter smile and gestured with folded hands, seemingly quite affected. he said, ¡°it¡¯s my inability that led to this.¡± seeing wang xinqi looking so disheartened, lu yi felt a bit sympathetic. he considered himself a good person after all; he did not have any grudges against this wang xinqi. lu yi hoped that wang xinqi would not be traumatized after this. lu yi thought for a moment, then spoke earnestly, ¡°xinqi, your strength is impressive. you¡¯re the strongest opponent i¡¯ve encountered in years. i hope you continue to improve, and we can spar again in the future.¡± although lu yi had only fought two level 8 qi refiner cultivators in the past¡ªlin gang and now wang xinqi¡ªhe realized that if he were to spar with wang xinqi, he might still be able to earn more task rewards. that would not be too bad either. ¡®i¡¯m truly a good person,¡¯ lu yi felt a bit touched by his thoughts. wang xinqi, hearing that, seemed to brighten up a bit. he looked at lu yi with genuine sincerity, his smile returning, and said, ¡°your talent is indeed something i admire, junior brother lu yi. to receive such praise from you, i¡¯m determined to learn from you in the future.¡± ¡°of course, of course!¡± lu yi replied with a smile. wang xinqi nodded, ¡°this spot is yours, junior brother.¡± with that, wang xinqi turned and looked at a nearby youth who was merely watching the scene unfold. he sneered, ¡°li qi, your spot is now mine!¡± li qi, who was casually watching the show, puzzled, ¡®is that how it feels like to have your seat stolen right from under your nose? i felt like cursing and what frustrated me even more was that i wasn¡¯t a match for wang xinqi.¡¯ li qi glanced at wang xinqi with frustration and said, ¡°wang xinqi! if you¡¯re so capable, then challenge junior brother lu yi again! what¡¯s the point of challenging me?¡± ¡°i can¡¯t beat lu yi, but i can beat you.¡± wang xinqi¡¯s response was honest. li qi was furious, and he looked at lu yi with a touch of resentment. then, he silently looked away. he might not be able to defeat wang xinqi, but there were others here who were weaker than him. just then, a streak of sword light swiftly cut across the sky and landed on the platform. it was a young female cultivator in a white dress with cascading black hair. she was extraordinarily beautiful, with an icy demeanor. lu yi, seeing her, was a bit stunned. he remembered the elder who was delivering the lecture as an old man. he did not expect him to transform into such a beautiful woman. Chapter 7 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation not only lu yi, but the other disciples were also stunned when they saw the beautiful young girl appear on the platform. whispers immediately spread throughout the platform. ¡°isn¡¯t she liu ningshuang? why is she here?¡± ¡°she¡¯s liu ningshuang? the nineteen-year-old core disciple who reached the gold core stage? and now she¡¯s a true disciple under the master of silk peak?¡± ¡°yes, the master of silk peak is incredibly talented. he has never taken in disciples before, but he made an exception for liu ningshuang. it¡¯s admirable.¡± the crowd was abuzz with discussions, and they looked at the young girl with awe in their eyes. although liu ningshuang had an extraordinary appearance, such peerless beauty made most people feel a sense of inferiority when standing before her. they did not even dare to feel admiration. at this moment, lu yi was also surprised as he gazed at the beautiful woman on the platform. he had heard of liu ningshuang¡¯s name even in the outer sect. she became a core disciple at the age of nineteen and was now a true disciple under the master of silk peak. not only was she rare within the white cloud sect, but she was also among the top five on the eastern region¡¯s list of prodigies. lu yi had only heard of liu ningshuang¡¯s name before and never thought he would see her in person today. such a beautiful prodigy would have likely intimidated lu yi in the past. but now, he felt a bit inflated and dared to look at her directly. it had to be admitted that liu ningshuang was indeed attractive. lu yi had not seen a woman this good-looking in both of his lifetimes combined. to put it into perspective, she might represent the pinnacle of human appearance. ¡®liu ningshuang did look a bit cold. i wonder who could melt her heart in the future.¡¯ lu yi could not help but internally joke about it. at this moment, lu yi suddenly paused, a bold idea forming in his mind, ¡®i wonder if there would be any rewards if i make liu ningshuang fall in love with me?¡¯ curiosity piqued, lu yi mused to himself, ¡°i want to make liu ningshuang fall in love with me.¡± task: make liu ningshuang fall in love with me. reward:profound cultivation in heart of ice and dao foundation stage technique mystical ice heart sutra, low-grade spirit weapon icy jade. accept: yes/no lu yi was astonished. seeing the rewards, a big question mark slowly formed in lu yi¡¯s mind, followed by a flood of profanity. he thought, ¡®there were rewards?! and¡­ were these rewards serious?!¡¯ a heart was something that generally only dao foundation powerhouses could comprehend. of course, some geniuses might grasp it ahead of time. by comprehending the heart in advance, one would possess a dao foundation stage¡¯s token, provided their cultivation aptitude was not too poor. just thinking about the profound heart of ice sent shivers down lu yi¡¯s spine. as for the dao foundation stage cultivation technique, it was also incredibly powerful. no matter how strong one¡¯s aptitude was, if one¡¯s cultivation technique level was not high enough, one would not be able to progress to a higher stage. while if one could create a higher-level technique oneself. moreover, as a major sect of cultivation, the white cloud sect¡¯s core cultivation technique seemed to only reach the incarnation stage, yet lu yi was directly obtaining a technique surpassing that. as for the spirit weapon, immortal cultivation treasures were divided into magic tools, artifacts, and spirit weapons. magic tools were already extremely rare, let alone spirit weapons. even if it was just a lower-grade spirit weapon, ordinary dao foundation powerhouses probably would not possess one. lu yi¡¯s eyes turned a bit red. initially, he was just curious and wanted to see if there would be any rewards. but now he could only exclaim internally, ¡®liu ningshuang is too extravagant¡­¡¯ lu yi silently accepted the task. after all, there were no penalties for failing, and if he could not complete it, no big deal. there was also a chance that he could complete it. after all, it was now or never. better to take the chance and try it now. win and get the reward, lose and try again. lu yi¡¯s greatest problem was how he should make liu ningshuang fall in love with him. lu yi scratched his head, feeling a bit puzzled. he thought he was okay with cultivating, but he felt a bit clueless about pursuing girls. in his previous life, lu yi had transmigrated right after graduating from university. during his university days, he had been engrossed in playing games like league of legends, mobile legends, and warcraft. he spent most of his time playing games in his dormitory. he had joined a few student clubs at university, but he rarely attended their events. he did attend class activities a few times, but he was majoring in computer science, and there were only four girls in his class. for those who understand, they understand. in middle school and high school, lu yi was busy studying, reading novels, and playing games. he was not interested in girls. there were a few girls who expressed interest in him, but he did not have that kind of intention back then. later, after entering university, he realized what he had missed out on, and he deeply regretted it. he regretted missing several opportunities for sweet romance and even missed the chance to become a scumbag. in short, lu yi had never been in a romantic relationship in both of his lives, and he had no idea how to pursue a girl. ¡®darn it! why didn¡¯t my university back then have a course on how to date? this was a major event for human reproduction! if they didn¡¯t take this seriously, humanity would eventually go extinct!¡¯ lu yi fiercely criticized the education system of his previous life. ¡®come to think of it, i¡¯m a transmigrator. why should i still have to figure out how to pursue a girl?! it was truly a shame for transmigrators! i believe all those who transmigrated in the past must be surrounded by beautiful women. yet i had to pursue someone myself. if this got out, i would be laughed at! they would call me, the shame of transmigrators, lu yi.¡¯ lu yi felt deeply saddened. just then, liu ningshuang¡¯s calm and composed voice rang out, ¡°fellow junior and senior disciples, elder lin feng has matters to attend to, so i¡¯ll be delivering the lecture today.¡± hearing that, everyone quieted down and sat up straight, eagerly waiting for liu ningshuang to begin. liu ningshuang was a super prodigy and she surely had unique insights into cultivation, and anyone could benefit from learning even a little bit from her. after everyone was settled, li qi, who was still standing, looked rather awkward. his frustration was reaching its peak because he did not have a seat! liu ningshuang¡¯s gaze fell on li qi, and her calm eyes made him feel like crying. he looked at wang xinqi with a mixture of anger and resentment and said, ¡°wang xinqi, this is not the end!¡± wang xinqi looked puzzled and asked, ¡°you can¡¯t beat me, so why blame me?¡± li qi¡¯s face turned red with anger. as more and more people glanced over, he flicked his sleeve and covered his face, stepping down from the platform. liu ningshuang¡¯s composed voice continued, ¡°is there any other business? if not, i will begin the lecture.¡± ¡°no!¡± ¡°ningshuang, please start!¡± everyone spoke up, their expressions filled with excitement. liu ningshuang nodded and began, ¡°junior and senior disciples, you all are at the qi refiner stage. today, i will explain the basics of cultivation and fundamental techniques. the dao is unfeeling, and spiritual energy is the source. immortal cultivators assimilate spiritual energy to condense their immortal bodies, ultimately achieving the carefree stage of longevity in harmony with heaven and earth¡­¡± liu ningshuang¡¯s voice, infused with spiritual energy, spread throughout the white sun peak as she expounded on the fundamentals of cultivation. she even shared her insights into the qi refiner stage and her understanding of the white cloud qi refining art. with her profound insights, liu ningshuang¡¯s explanations were simple and easy to comprehend. this captivated not only the disciples on the platform but also those on the mountainside and at the foot of the mountain, who listened thoughtfully, seemingly gaining new insights. even lu yi, whose white cloud qi refining art had reached level 6, a stage considered regain simplicity in the cultivation world, found himself absorbing new knowledge from liu ningshuang¡¯s lecture. however, liu ningshuang¡¯s lecture did more than just enhance his comprehension of the technique. lu yi¡¯s insights broadened, allowing him to deepen his understanding of cultivation as a whole. in fact, due to lu yi¡¯s solid foundation, he gained more insights than the other disciples. soon, he might be able to achieve level 7 with the baiyun qi refinement technique. Chapter 8 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation as time passed, the sun gradually reached its zenith in the sky, and liu ningshuang¡¯s lecture came to a halt. the entire white sun peak fell into silence, and the disciples remained immersed in the teachings of liu ningshuang, taking a while to come back to their senses. liu ningshuang did not interrupt, calmly observing the disciples on the platform. her gaze was clear and cold. it was not until a moment later that some of the disciples slowly recovered, their eyes showing a hint of surprise. it seemed like they had gained considerable insights. as each disciple regained their focus, lu yi also snapped out of his thoughts. he felt a sense of excitement within him, realizing that his understanding of the basics of cultivation had deepened further. seeing everyone returning to their senses, liu ningshuang spoke again, ¡°that¡¯s enough about the fundamentals of cultivation. junior and senior disciples, take your time to digest the knowledge. next, i will discuss the basics of techniques. since all of you are in the qi refiner stage, today i will explain one of the most common qi refinement techniques of white cloud sect¡ªthe white cloud sword.¡± upon hearing that, the expressions on the faces of those on the platform subtly changed. many turned their heads in lu yi¡¯s direction¡ªa qi refiner disciple who had already mastered the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage. lu yi was seated near the outer edge of the platform. while it did not matter much to the outer disciples, even some of the inner disciples were casting glances in lu yi¡¯s direction. liu ningshuang, too, noticed that and followed their gaze with a hint of confusion. liu ningshuang saw that the disciple who had drawn everyone¡¯s attention was a cultivator at the level 6 qi refiner stage. being able to participate on the platform as a level 6 qi refiner indicated decent talent, but that was not the reason for all the attention. perplexed, liu ningshuang inquired, ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡± a charming female disciple in front spoke up, ¡°ningshuang, this handsome lu yi, has already mastered the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage.¡± the surrounding disciples were speechless and thought the term ¡°handsome¡± was unnecessary. liu ningshuang raised an eyebrow at the comment, showing a hint of surprise in her calm gaze. she scrutinized lu yi for a moment and conceded, ¡°indeed, he does look quite handsome. but that¡¯s not the point. it¡¯s impressive for a qi refiner stage cultivator to master a foundational technique to the regain simplicity stage. your aptitude is commendable.¡± lu yi had been pondering how to establish a connection with liu ningshuang. after all, he still had a task to make her fall in love with him. unexpectedly, an opportunity was handed to him on a silver platter. ¡®besides that, that girl had a discerning eye!¡¯ lu yi thought gleefully. with a smile, lu yi replied, ¡°you are too kind.¡± liu ningshuang seemed to have an idea and asked, ¡°since you have already mastered the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage, how about demonstrating it together with me for the junior and senior disciples?¡± lu yi was momentarily taken aback. he found it amusing, ¡®isn¡¯t this akin to being a teaching assistant back in university? i had not been one during my university days, and here i was, transmigrated into another world, effectively becoming an assistant!¡¯ ¡°of course,¡± lu yi readily agreed. if it was from the perspective of a romance game, such unexpected events could increase the favorability of the female lead. he had no reason to refuse it. ¡®oh, right. i should also issue a task and see.¡¯ lu yi thought. he silently muttered to himself, ¡°i will demonstrate the white cloud sword to the disciples.¡± task: demonstrate the white cloud sword to the outer disciples. reward: increase white cloud sword level by +1. accept: yes/no seeing the reward, lu yi was even more pleasantly surprised. as the level of the white cloud sword increased, the number of practice sessions required for each level became greater. he had been at level 6 for four days now, and he had not seen any signs of a breakthrough yet. it would probably take him another three or four days of practice. unexpectedly, by simply demonstrating the technique, he might achieve a breakthrough. ¡®how marvelous!¡¯ lu yi thought. he gleefully got up to the platform and stood beside liu ningshuang. stepping aside, liu ningshuang¡¯s calm voice resounded, ¡°lu yi, are you ready?¡± ¡°i am.¡± ¡°then let¡¯s begin.¡± as liu ningshuang spoke, a plain longsword abruptly appeared in her hand. as the sword was drawn, a sense of sharpness emanated from her. lu yi noticed that and glanced at the white ring on liu ningshuang¡¯s slender finger, feeling a twinge of envy, ¡®an interspatial ring¡­ i wished i had one too.¡¯ but lu yi understood that interspatial rings were quite precious. even the most basic ones were more expensive than ordinary low-grade magic tools. he could not afford one. lu yi¡¯s parents had bought him a low-grade magic tools longsword, but they had not gotten him an interspatial ring. they were too expensive. lu gaoyang had once mentioned that if he were to enter the inner sect, the sect would provide him with an interspatial ring. it was better to save his pennies and get one for free once he made it to the inner sect. lu yi muttered to himself, ¡°it would be great if i could get an interspatial ring as a reward for a task someday.¡± drawing his sword, lu yi looked at liu ningshuang and said, ¡°ningshuang, please enlighten me.¡± liu ningshuang nodded, ¡°go ahead. focus on the demonstration.¡± lu yi took a deep breath, and with the flow of spiritual energy, white clouds appeared around his sword. as the clouds swirled, he performed the white cloud stance and charged toward liu ningshuang. observing the white clouds forming on lu yi¡¯s sword, liu ningshuang nodded in approval. in response, clouds also materialized around her sword. her white cloud sword was similarly at the regain simplicity stage. clang! as their swords clashed, a metallic resonance rang out. the clouds around their swords intermingled and spread, enveloping the entire lectern in an ethereal mist. the disciples below sensed a sharp sword intent circulating between the two figures. they widened their eyes, held their breath, and watched in silence. on the platform, lu yi and liu ningshuang faced each other, and with a subtle understanding, they simultaneously shifted their sword techniques. clang! clang! clang! clang! their goal was to demonstrate the white cloud sword, not to engage in a combat spar. every move and technique they displayed was precise, showcasing the elusive nature of the white cloud sword. the two practitioners engaged in a harmonious dance of swords, captivating the disciples below. the platform was immersed in the sound of clashing metal, and the only sound that could be heard was the resonance of their swords. at this moment, liu ningshuang parted her lips and began to explain, ¡°the white cloud sword draws from the concept of white clouds, emphasizing an elusive and unpredictable sensation. the essence of any technique lies in its intent rather than its form, much like how cultivators should focus on their true nature. this principle applies to all techniques. junior and senior disciples, observe the essence of the white cloud sword¡­¡± amidst the variations in their sword techniques, the core of the white cloud sword was thoroughly demonstrated. this allowed the disciples to gain valuable insights, and many of them revealed expressions of surprise. ¡°so that¡¯s how it is! is the third move used like this? it¡¯s supposed to carry the majestic atmosphere of clouds rolling and billowing. i¡¯ve been misunderstanding it all this time!¡± ¡°i get it now, i get it! hahaha!¡± ¡°is this what the regain simplicity stage of the white cloud sword is like? it¡¯s terrifying!¡± ¡°it¡¯s no use. even with ningshuang¡¯s explanation, comprehending the stage above mastery is still far-fetched. how did lu yi manage to master the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage?!¡± ¡­ on the platform, lu yi marveled at liu ningshuang¡¯s extraordinary insights into the essence of the technique. she truly lived up to her reputation as a peerless genius. in fact, after elevating the three techniques to level 6, lu yi gained some insights into both techniques and arts. the essence of both techniques and arts did not lie in their forms. as they concluded demonstrating the white cloud sword, liu ningshuang and lu yi simultaneously sheathed their swords. a mountain breeze blew by, lifting liu ningshuang¡¯s hair. she turned to lu yi, a faint smile appearing on her otherwise aloof face¡ªher first smile, a beauty beyond compare. ¡°lu yi, your white cloud sword is truly exquisite. your aptitude is remarkable. if you enter the inner sect, you might consider participating in the assessment of silk peak and joining it.¡± Chapter 9 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation the disciples on the platform were all abuzz at liu ningshuang¡¯s words. ¡°i can¡¯t believe liu ningshuang personally invited lu yi to join silk peak?!¡± ¡°silk peak is one of the top three peaks among the twelve inner peaks. they say it has abundant cultivation resources every month and amazing benefits. i want to join too¡­¡± ¡°hehe¡­ you can dream on. elder ling luo made it clear that they only accept true geniuses at silk peak. do you consider yourself a genius?¡± ¡°me? hehe¡­ i¡¯m not boasting, but i¡¯m truly a waste! i didn¡¯t understand anything during ningshuang and lu yi¡¯s demonstration just now.¡± ¡°how coincidental, we¡¯re both wastes.¡± the disciples¡¯ eyes were filled with envy. if given the chance, they would also want to join silk peak. lu yi, on the other hand, was momentarily distracted by liu ningshuang¡¯s smile. he thought her smile was so radiant. he chuckled and said, ¡°i will give it serious consideration. thank you, ningshuang.¡± beep! liu ningshuang¡¯s favorability +1 if this were a romance game, lu yi was pretty sure he would receive a notification by now. too bad he did not have a romance game¡¯s golden finger. as for joining silk peak, lu yi had no objections, of course. silk peak was one of the most powerful peaks within the entire white cloud sect. its peak master, elder ling luo, was one of the strongest individuals in the sect and also one of the youngest prodigies with exceptional talent. being in there meant having a big shot backing you up. it could only be better. liu ningshuang nodded slightly, her slender fingers flipping over as she whipped out a white porcelain bottle. she said, ¡°this is a supreme-grade qi condensation elixir. it¡¯s a gift for you, a token of my appreciation for your assistance during the lecture, lu yi. your cultivation level is still a bit low; don¡¯t neglect your training.¡± as liu ningshuang said that, the porcelain bottle floated toward lu yi. lu yi was momentarily stunned. it was as if he had glimpsed the radiance of a wealthy lady from liu ningshuang. in the porcelain bottle were some supreme-grade elixirs. ordinary people would rarely have the chance to see one, let alone receive it directly from liu ningshuang. however, on second thought, with lu yi¡¯s current rewards being all perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs, there was not much excitement in his heart. but considering liu ningshuang¡¯s goodwill, lu yi did not want to refuse. he accepted the qi condensation elixir with a smile and said, ¡°thank you, ningshuang. i will focus on my cultivation and not disappoint your high expectations.¡± the disciples on the platform stared at lu yi, their eyes reflecting sourness akin to jealousy. they wanted a supreme-grade qi condensation elixir because it was much better than a mid-grade one. furthermore, it was a gift from the legendary figure of the sect, liu ningshuang. anyone who received it could brag about this for a year. they might even display the elixir on a shelf. most importantly, the other disciples saw liu ningshuang smile at lu yi. they were astonished by her action and jealousy had transformed their expressions. ¡°well, you can go now,¡± liu ningshuang nodded slightly. lu yi descended from the platform and returned to his spot. wang xinqi, who was sitting beside him, looked at lu yi with unconcealed envy. he said, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re really lucky. ningshuang is treating you so differently. i¡¯m so envious.¡± ¡°keep it low-key,¡± lu yi said as he smiled. his usual motto still applied; he considered himself a low-key person. ¡°for those of you who still have doubts about your cultivation, you can raise your hand and ask questions. i will choose three people to answer,¡± liu ningshuang began the final stage of her lecture¡ªanswering doubts about cultivation. upon hearing liu ningshuang¡¯s words, many disciples raised their hands, looking expectantly at her. if liu ningshuang could resolve their doubts, their cultivation paths would be much smoother. lu yi thought for a moment and realized he did not have any specific doubts to ask. after all, his techniques and martial techniques had been progressing smoothly with the help of the rewards from his tasks. he had no pressing concerns. liu ningshuang glanced in lu yi¡¯s direction, noticed he did not raise his hand and was not surprised. there were not many techniques that could be cultivated in the qi refiner stage, and most of them followed similar principles. lu yi¡¯s ability to cultivate the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage indicated a keen understanding. it was unlikely he would encounter any significant difficulties at this stage. with that in mind, liu ningshuang no longer focused on lu yi and chose three disciples to answer their doubts. the doubt-resolving session quickly concluded. as the last stage of the lecture came to an end, liu ningshuang calmly announced, ¡°today¡¯s lecture ends here. junior and senior disciples, you may leave.¡± with those words, liu ningshuang nodded slightly to lu yi and transformed into a streak of sword light, disappearing into the distance in a carefree manner. after liu ningshuang departed, the disciples on the platform turned their attention to lu yi, one after another walking over to him. ¡°lu yi, i¡¯m li long from white earth peak. let¡¯s get closer from now on!¡± ¡°lu yi, i have a slight confusion about my sword technique. would you mind sparing some time to help me understand?¡± ¡°lu yi, the maple leaves of the maple forest within the sect have turned red, creating a breathtaking sight. if you have the time, perhaps you¡¯d like to accompany me and enjoy the scenery together?¡± ¡­ lu yi had caught the eye of the sect¡¯s prodigy, liu ningshuang, and had received a supreme-grade qi condensation elixir as a gift. establishing a connection with him only brought benefits to his fellow junior and senior disciples. lu yi was surrounded by eager disciples, feeling a bit overwhelmed. these senior brothers and sisters were so enthusiastic that even the beautiful senior sister who wanted to discuss martial techniques alone had over a dozen competitors. however, lu yi understood that these senior brothers and sisters were enthusiastic because he had displayed remarkable talent and strength. just like those enthusiastic senior sisters¡ªno one had ever been so straightforward in inviting him before, despite his handsome appearance. so, lu yi thought to himself, men needed strength above all else. lu yi sighed inwardly, wearing a smile on his face as he spoke, ¡°senior brothers and sisters, i have gained some insights and need to return to focus on my cultivation. please excuse me!¡± lu yi squeezed through the crowd, maneuvered his body technique, and left the scene without looking back. if this continued, lu yi was afraid he would never be able to leave. he had even seen a senior sister trying to sneakily touch his thigh amidst the chaos. it was getting ridiculous. having left white sun peak, lu yi hurried back to his lodging on white spirit peak and entered his room. sitting at the desk, lu yi took a deep breath. the time had come to claim his rewards and glanced at the interface. tasks: defeat the level 8 qi refiner outer sect disciple. (completed) reach the white sun peak platform. (completed) defeat the level 8 qi refiner outer sect disciple. (completed) demonstrate the white cloud sword to the outer disciples. (completed) all four missions were completed and ready to claim rewards. lu yi planned to claim them one by one. he started with the first one, the reward for defeating lin gang. it was a perfect-grade qi condensation elixir, and he chose to claim it. as lu yi clicked, he realized the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir did not immediately materialize in front of him. instead, it required him to choose where the reward would appear with his intent. lu yi was momentarily surprised. soon, an idea struck him. he used his intent to place the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir into his pocket. in the next instant, he felt a change in his pocket and reached in to find a round, white object about the size of a glass bead. lu yi took it out. it was a white pill that emitted a faint medicinal fragrance. it was indeed a perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. lu yi¡¯s eyes lit up. the functionality of the golden finger was quite user-friendly. he had worried that the rewards might appear randomly, drawing attention. now he could have them appear in his pocket or hidden close to his body whenever others were present. lu yi also thought ahead. if he ever obtained an interspatial ring, could he make rewards appear directly inside it? if that worked, it would be incredibly convenient. ¡®when i have an interspatial ring, i¡¯ll give it a try!¡¯ lu yi thought. without dwelling on it further, lu yi continued to claim his rewards. Chapter 10 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation lu yi clicked to claim the rewards for the second task. instantly, a pair of pale blue boots with delicate cloud patterns appeared on the table in front of him. it was the mid-grade magic tool, flowing cloud boots. lu yi felt a surge of excitement. he now possessed a mid-grade magic tool. thinking about his father who would not even let him touch a mid-grade sword, now he had one for himself. if his father found out, he would probably be so envious. eagerly, lu yi began the process of imprinting his ownership. cultivation treasures needed to be imprinted with the user¡¯s mark to unleash their full power. imprinting a magic tool was quite simple. lu yi infused his spiritual power into the boots and left behind his spiritual imprint, easily completing the process. after imprinting, lu yi took off his old boots and put on the flowing cloud boots. as he wore them, he stood up and jumped a couple of times in place. he was pleasantly surprised. indeed, they were a mid-grade magic tool, and they felt incredibly comfortable. what delighted lu yi, even more, was that after putting on the flowing cloud boots, he felt his body becoming lighter. he wondered if his speed would be increased as well. lu yi infused his spiritual energy into the boots, fully activating the magic tool. then, he executed the white cloud stance. in an instant, he disappeared from one end of the room and reappeared at the other end, with his face only an inch away from the wall. ¡®that was close; i almost smashed my handsome face into the wall.¡¯ lu yi thought. he felt a bit relieved but also pleasantly surprised. it seemed like the flowing cloud boots had increased his speed by almost thirty percent. considering that lu yi had already mastered the white cloud stance to the regain simplicity stage, his speed was already fast, comparable to cultivators at the level 8 or level 9 qi refiner stage. a thirty percent increase would likely outpace even those at the level 9 qi refiner stage. lu yi thought the mid-grade magic tool was indeed powerful. he felt like he had received a new toy. as he executed the white cloud stance, his figure continuously flashed around the room, appearing here and there, elusive like a ghost. after a moment of playful movement, lu yi finally sat down contentedly on a chair and continued to review his gains. the third task was also about defeating an outer sect disciple, wang xinqi. the reward was two perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. lu yi claimed the reward and now had three perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs in his possession, which he could use for future cultivation. the fourth task involved demonstrating the white cloud sword with liu ningshuang, resulting in his white cloud sword level increasing by 1. after claiming the rewards, lu yi felt a rush of information flooding into his brain. it was all about insights into the white cloud sword. lu yi closed his eyes to absorb the information. when he had fully assimilated it, he opened his eyes. a flash of sword light seemed to flash in his eyes. he exhaled slowly and then raised his finger. clouds swirled around his fingertip, looking soft and gentle. with a gesture, ripples resembling flowing clouds appeared in the air, landing silently on the ground to leave a few cloud patterns. looking at the cloud patterns on the ground, lu yi felt incredibly excited. he noticed that the techniques in level 6 and level 7 were completely different concepts. although the white cloud sword itself had not changed, lu yi¡¯s utilization of his spiritual energy had evolved. after altering a few paths of spiritual energy circulation, the efficiency of energy usage improved, and the power increased as well. lu yi thought it was an optimization. if the white cloud sword had been about perfecting the existing technique up to level 6, then at level 7, it had broken free from its original framework and undergone a sublimation. lu yi had a feeling that if he used his full strength now, the power of his attacks might be nearly fifty percent stronger than the previous white cloud sword¡¯s level. moreover, his mastery over it had become more intuitive. most importantly, the consumption of spiritual energy had not increased. it was hard to believe that there was no increase in spiritual energy consumption and a fifty percent boost in power. this kind of change was almost unimaginable. lu yi was amazed. just the white cloud sword at level 7 was so powerful. he wondered what if it was at level 8 or 9. he also wondered if he continued to optimize it, would the power of the white cloud sword keep increasing and would the consumption of spiritual energy remain unchanged. he was in disbelief that it was still a technique. normally, qi refiner cultivators could only cultivate techniques of their stage to fully unleash their power. some geniuses might manage to master foundation establishment stage techniques at the qi condensation stage, but the high spiritual energy consumption of those techniques would be a burden. even if their foundations were solid, they would not be able to use such techniques normally and would likely treat them as secret weapons. but if lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword kept advancing, gaining both power and efficiency without increasing spiritual energy consumption. that meant he was using a foundation establishment stage¡¯s power with the spiritual energy consumption of a qi refiner stage. lu yi¡¯s expression turned a bit odd. those techniques that others used as their ultimate moves, for him, were just regular attacks. he felt it was a bit unfair and somewhat unethical. lu yi pondered for a while, and his lips began to curve upward uncontrollably¡ªnot because he wanted to smile, but because he genuinely could not help it. after all, he seemed to have become a bit fierce. lu yi enjoyed this feeling for quite some time before taking a deep breath to calm his restless heart, ¡®stay calm! even if i can use basic attacks as ultimate moves, i¡¯m just an ordinary level 6 qi refiner cultivator! i¡¯m still quite inexperienced! how could i be so confident?! besides, i¡¯m not invincible even in the outer sect! i can¡¯t defeat a golden core cultivator in the qi refiner stage, so how can i call myself powerful?! i must have some humility! using basic attacks as ultimate moves does have its limits. it¡¯s not like i¡¯m casting forbidden spells casually! i don¡¯t have to act so recklessly. as long as it doesn¡¯t cross the timeline, i¡¯m just a newbie! a clumsy bird needs to start flying first! stay steady and don¡¯t get carried away. i can do this!¡¯ lu yi silently implanted those thoughts into his mind, preventing himself from becoming proud. once a person became proud, they easily become arrogant, and arrogance leads to a decrease in wisdom. then, they might end up doing utterly foolish things. lu yi felt that even though he was not a very timid person, acting recklessly was unacceptable. he would be the example who rejects foolish actions. after repeatedly giving himself this psychological suggestion, lu yi gradually felt that his mindset had normalized. he was clear that even if his basic attacks were as powerful as foundation establishment stage techniques, he was still just a level 6 qi refiner cultivator. he had to keep working hard on his cultivation and continue on his path of becoming immortal. lu yi nodded slightly, approving of his thoughts. after reviewing his gains, lu yi looked out of the window. the horizon was tinged with orange, and the sun had already begun to set. liu ningshuang had been giving lectures all day, and by the time lu yi returned, it was already quite late. he had also spent time reviewing his rewards and comprehending the level 7 white cloud sword. unknowingly, the day had passed by quickly. lu yi wondered if his father and mother were done with work. he realized he was feeling a bit hungry. ¡­ meanwhile, inside the outer sect affairs hall, lu gaoyang and wang siqi were getting ready to finish their work. as attendants, they also had designated work hours, and it was their time to clock out. at that moment, a middle-aged man with a hooked nose hurriedly approached. he looked at lu gaoyang and exclaimed, ¡°wow, gaoyang, i never expected your kid to be so powerful! how come you never mentioned it before?¡± lu gaoyang stared at the man in bewilderment and asked, ¡°huh? what are you talking about?¡± Chapter 11 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation the man with the hooked nose stared at the bewildered expressions of lu gaoyang and wang siqi with a strange look on his face. he said, ¡°you two had no idea¡­?¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi exchanged glances and saw the confusion in each other¡¯s eyes. they were both thinking, ¡®what is going on?¡¯ suddenly, something struck lu gaoyang¡¯s mind. his heart skipped a beat, and he asked, ¡°should we know something? what happened to our boy? is he in trouble or something?¡± lu gaoyang believed that lu yi had a decent personality and would not do anything to stir up trouble. he had a feeling that lu yi had done something that everyone knew about and had to be punished severely. ¡®i better hold a family meeting when i get home and discuss how to punish lu yi severely.¡¯ lu gaoyang thought. wang siqi expressed her concern, ¡°mr. li, what about my son? what happened to yi?¡± seeing that both of them genuinely had no idea, li mang, who was also an attendant, was puzzled. he said, ¡°your boy made quite a scene today on the white sun peak¡¯s platform. moreover, he cultivated the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage. how come both of you, as his parents, don¡¯t know about it?¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi were left with question marks in their minds upon hearing li mang¡¯s words. ¡°w-wait a moment. are you saying that our boy has cultivated the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage?!¡± lu gaoyang felt like he might have misheard or that li mang was living in a dream. ¡°yes. don¡¯t look at me like that. everyone in the outer sect is talking about today¡¯s events. the one giving the lecture was liu ningshuang. i heard she holds high hopes for your boy. she even gave him a bottle of supreme-grade qi condensation elixir and invited him to participate in the assessment at silk peak! gaoyang, you¡¯re in luck! it seems like your boy is quite the genius.¡± li mang spoke, and as he did, his eyes turned envious as he looked at lu gaoyang. ¡®damn it! why didn¡¯t i have such good luck? how come i didn¡¯t have such a son? the thought of my son made me furious. he was almost twenty years old and only at the level 7 qi refiner stage. it was utterly unrealistic to expect him to break through to the foundation establishment stage. he couldn¡¯t even compare to that boy!¡¯ the more li mang thought about it, the angrier he became. he wished he could immediately punish his son. lu gaoyang and wang siqi did not pay much attention to li mang anymore. they exchanged glances, both wearing very strange expressions. they believed that they knew their son but li mang sounded like he was talking about someone else. wang siqi regained her composure and smiled at li mang, whose expression was a bit distorted. she said, ¡°mr. li, we have something to attend to, so we¡¯ll take our leave¡­¡± before wang siqi could finish, a gentle laughter sounded, ¡°siqi, gaoyang, you¡¯re here.¡± lu gaoyang, wang siqi, and li mang¡¯s expressions all changed as they turned to see an old man with gray stubble walking toward them with a smile. the three of them quickly bowed respectfully, ¡°greetings, elder qi.¡± elder qi was responsible for the entire outer sect affairs hall. his name was qi feiyu, a powerful foundation establishment cultivator with high status and authority. normally, qi feiyu was cultivating in seclusion, rarely seen. lu gaoyang and the others never expected qi feiyu to appear here, and from the looks of it, he seemed to be here for lu gaoyang and wang siqi. ¡°no need for formalities.¡± qi feiyu had a warm smile on his face as he looked at the somewhat dazed lu gaoyang and wang siqi. he spoke, ¡°have you encountered any difficulties in your recent work? managing the work in the task department can be quite challenging.¡± ¡°thank you for your concern, elder qi. our work has been going smoothly.¡± lu gaoyang replied with a smile. ¡°it seems like your work has been going well¡­ by the way, there are two vacancies for the positions at the resource department that distributes to the outer sect disciples. why don¡¯t you take up those positions? with your abilities, it should be no problem.¡± qi feiyu smiled. lu gaoyang, wang siqi, and li mang were dumbfounded by qi feiyu¡¯s words. distributing resources to outer sect disciples was a lucrative job. generally speaking, the cultivation resources allocated by the sect to the outer sect disciples were always surplus. a large part of these surpluses belonged to the elders, and the other part fell into the pockets of the deacons in charge of this area. this was the unspoken rule of the affairs hall. any attendants would want to enter the resources department. however, those who could enter were usually attendants with powerful backers. ordinary attendants could only watch at most. lu gaoyang and wang siqi did not expect that qi feiyu, the elder of the affairs hall, would personally appoint them to the resource department. this was something that they had not expected and completely stunned. ¡°are you willing?¡± qi feiyu asked with a gentle smile after seeing lu gaoyang and wang siqi¡¯s astonished expressions. after snapping out of their daze, lu gaoyang and wang siqi were filled with joy. they both said, ¡°of course, we¡¯re willing. thank you, elder qi!¡± lu gaoyang cautiously asked, ¡°elder qi¡­ could this be because of our son?¡± qi feiyu chuckled and said, ¡°lu yi has great potential. once he joins the inner sect in the future, the sky¡¯s the limit. gaoyang, you¡¯re in luck. keep up the good work.¡± of course, qi feiyu had also heard about lu yi¡¯s recent achievements. the name liu ningshuang carried immense weight within the white cloud sect, and even qi feiyu could not help but show goodwill towards someone she favored. without lingering, qi feiyu vanished from the spot. the three foundation establishment cultivators present could not even see how he disappeared. after qi feiyu left, li mang¡¯s envy intensified as he looked at lu gaoyang and said, ¡°i never thought even elder qi would personally appoint you to the resource department. gaoyang, you¡¯re really on your way to success!¡± li mang was even more frustrated. he thought, ¡®how come i didn¡¯t have such luck? it seemed like i needed to have a backup plan.¡¯ lu gaoyang and wang siqi were still somewhat dazed. they looked at each other and then lu gaoyang smiled. he said, ¡°mang, i¡¯ll treat you to a celebration next time. we have something to attend to this time, so we¡¯ll head back.¡± li mang understood and nodded, ¡°go ahead.¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi quickly left the hall. along the way, they noticed that many people were looking at them strangely as if there was something odd about their gaze. even the attendants who held higher positions than them were smiling at them. lu gaoyang and wang siqi understood that all of this was probably because of lu yi. once lu gaoyang and wang siqi left the hall, they immediately soared into the sky on their flying swords and headed towards the white spirit peak. ¡­ at white spirit peak, lu yi was contemplating whether to start cultivating the white cloud qi refining art for a full day or to alleviate his hunger first. the lecture by liu ningshuang today had given him a new insight into the qi refining art, but he also felt hungry and did not want to cultivate it. just then, two ear-piercing sonic booms rang out from a distance, getting closer rapidly with overwhelming force. lu yi widened his eyes and thought, ¡®enemy attack? that couldn¡¯t be, right? who would dare to stir up trouble in the white cloud sect?¡¯ however, it was always better to be safe than sorry. lu yi became cautious and stood up. if there were enemies, he would flee. at that moment, lu gaoyang¡¯s voice resounded, ¡°lu yi! get out here!¡± lu yi was puzzled, his face wearing a strange expression. he put down the long sword in his hand and walked out of his room. he saw lu gaoyang and wang siqi standing aggressively in the courtyard. the ground was marked with sword traces, and the flowers and plants at the side were chopped into pieces. a question mark appeared in lu yi¡¯s mind. ¡°father, mother, what¡¯s going on with you two? why is there such a big commotion when i¡¯m just returning home?¡± ¡°what¡¯s going on?! isn¡¯t it because of you?!¡± lu gaoyang shouted as he glared at lu yi. Chapter 12 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation lu yi looked bewildered, ¡°me? what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± seeing lu yi¡¯s perplexed expression, lu gaoyang and wang siqi were both dumbfounded. they could not believe that their son acted like nothing happened after something that big happened. wang siqi took a deep breath and asked, ¡°yi, did you go to white sun peak today? did you step onto the platform?¡± upon hearing that, lu yi instantly understood and found it amusing, ¡®father and mother were making such a fuss because of my appearance on the platform? so, they knew about the events on white sun peak? the lectures had just ended, and it was already evening. how did news travel so quickly within the outer sect? i had underestimated the gossiping nature of the outer sect disciples.¡¯ rolling his eyes internally, lu yi grinned and said, ¡°yeah, i went to white sun peak and stood on the platform. what do you think? am i a genius or what?¡± lu yi was getting quite a kick out of acting like a genius. lu gaoyang and wang siqi exchanged glances, both filled with shock as they found out it was the truth. both lu gaoyang and wang siqi had been somewhat unsure before. after all, lu yi was their son, and they were not entirely sure about his capabilities. but now, they were confronted with the evidence. lu gaoyang¡¯s expression changed, and he still could not believe it as he asked, ¡°so¡­ you cultivated the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage?¡± ¡°yep,¡± lu yi nodded. ¡°so, liu ningshuang, a core disciple, invited you to participate in the assessment at silk peak and gave you a supreme-grade qi condensation elixir?¡± lu gaoyang continued. ¡°exactly, she¡¯s nice,¡± lu yi nodded again and said. ¡°wow¡­¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi gasped in disbelief. lu gaoyang looked at lu yi with shock and said, ¡°how can my son be such a genius?! i can¡¯t believe it!¡± lu yi was puzzled and exclaimed, ¡°what do you mean, father? you can¡¯t believe your son is a genius? mother, help me out here!¡± lu yi could not believe that his father was questioning his genius status. wang siqi hesitated for a moment, then said with a chuckle, ¡°to be honest, i know your talents better than anyone, and i still find it hard to believe.¡± lu yi was utterly flabbergasted. he thought, ¡®who would expect their parents to doubt their own child¡¯s capabilities? if i had not been transmigrated since birth, i might have thought i was picked up from a junkyard.¡¯ lu yi replied, somewhat aggrieved, ¡°there¡¯s a saying that even ordinary people can become immortal after reading enough books. so, i¡¯ve had some insights, is that a crime?¡± seeing lu gaoyang¡¯s doubtful gaze, lu yi¡¯s blood boiled, and he continued, ¡°old man, you want to compare me to immortals?¡± lu gaoyang looked at lu yi, his eyes squinting, and suddenly howled in pain, ¡°ahhh!!¡± lu gaoyang¡¯s voice was cut off by a sharp cry, and wang siqi retracted her foot from lu gaoyang¡¯s foot. she smiled and said, ¡°yi, it¡¯s great that you have ambition. i support you! but, are you having insights?¡± if it were not within the sect with the protection of the sect¡¯s array, strong evil cultivators would not have been able to infiltrate. both wang siqi and lu gaoyang had considered whether lu yi might have been possessed by someone else. besides, lu yi¡¯s behavior and habits had not changed from before, even if he had gained some insights. if he had been possessed, it would have been hard to hide, and both lu gaoyang and wang siqi were now certain that was not the case. lu yi nodded and said, ¡°yes, i¡¯ve been feeling more clear-headed lately, and my understanding during the cultivation of techniques and arts is increasing. otherwise, my white cloud sword wouldn¡¯t have been able to reach the regain simplicity stage in such a short time.¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi exchanged glances. they thought, ¡®what kind of principle is this? we couldn¡¯t quite grasp it.¡¯ ¡°yi, have you accidentally consumed some heavenly treasure?¡± wang siqi guessed. ¡°i¡¯m not sure, maybe?¡± said lu yi. he naturally would not mention his long-lost golden finger. such matters would be hard to explain away. white cloud sect was a righteous sect with good practices and treated their geniuses well. as long as lu yi did not betray the sect, they were quite accommodating. with both of his parents in the sect, especially his father being an attendant, they had high hopes for him. lu gaoyang could not fathom the reason either. he said, ¡°well, this is a good thing. maybe this state will fade, but for now, yi, you should focus more on cultivation during this period.¡± ¡°i understand,¡± lu yi nodded. wang siqi smiled and said, ¡°i¡¯m in a good mood today, so i¡¯ll personally cook something delicious for you two.¡± ¡­ after dinner, lu yi returned to his room, letting out a satisfied burp. he had to admit, his mother¡¯s cooking was excellent. he circulated his spiritual energy, swiftly digesting the food. then he sat cross-legged on his bed, preparing to cultivate. before starting his cultivation, lu yi mentally issued the task to cultivate the white cloud qi refining art ten times. however, when he saw the task rewards, he widened his eyes. task: cultivate the white cloud qi refining art ten times (progress: 0/10) reward: white cloud qi refining art level +1 accept: yes / no ¡®the white cloud qi refining art¡¯s level would increase?¡¯ lu yi found it hard to believe. after all, he had just reached level 6 in both white cloud qi refining art and white cloud sword. he thought it would take several more days to reach a higher level. but then it hit lu yi, ¡®could it be because of the insights i gained from liu ningshuang¡¯s lecture today? did my progress in white cloud qi refining art speed up because of my newfound understanding? according to gaming logic, this might be considered a special event. my insights somehow increased my experience gained in white cloud qi refining art.¡¯ lu yi was thrilled and thought his innate talent was indeed not bad. however, instead of immediately cultivating, he decided to take out a white elixir. it was a perfect-grade qi condensation elixir, and he intended to use it to improve his cultivation. placing the elixir in his mouth, lu yi felt it dissolve into warm streams that spread throughout his body. the rich spiritual energy made him feel like he was swelling up. he hurriedly activated his cultivation technique. as his technique circulated, lu yi absorbed the rich spiritual energy, which entered his dantian. he could feel his cultivation advancing at a rapid pace. with each cycle of his technique, his cultivation rose higher and higher. as he continued, he suddenly felt an obstacle. the feeling was peculiar, not something physical, but rather intangible. lu yi¡¯s spiritual energy could not accumulate further because of the barrier. even the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir¡¯s continuous release of spiritual energy could not overcome it. it was like pouring water into a bottle until it reached its limit, causing the water to overflow. lu yi was familiar with this sensation, having experienced it a few times before. lu yi had reached the bottleneck at the level 6 qi refiner stage. he was initially taken aback but then erupted in joy. he had not expected to reach a bottleneck so quickly. Chapter 13 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation lu yi had originally thought that it would take a few more months to break through, but to his surprise, it had only been half a month since his golden finger awakened, and he was about to make a breakthrough. this was greatly related to reaching level 6 in the white cloud qi refining art and the significant increase in his cultivation speed. the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir also played an essential role. lu yi calmed his mood, focused his concentration, and prepared to break through the bottleneck. based on his previous breakthrough experiences, he knew that breaking through a bottleneck was not easy. it had taken him quite some time to break through each time before. however, the spiritual energy within lu yi surged like a torrent this time, carrying the abundant spiritual energy emitted by the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. with an unstoppable momentum, it collided heavily against the invisible barrier. boom! a loud boom resounded as the tidal spiritual energy and the internal barrier confronted each other. just a moment later, a cracking sound echoed, the barrier shattered, and the invisible restraint vanished. lu yi felt his body lighten, and as the qi refining art circulated, he began to absorb spiritual energy once again. lu yi had successfully broken through. that bottleneck¡¯s restriction had not even managed to resist him for a minute. lu yi felt joy in his heart but was not surprised. after all, his white cloud qi refining art had reached level 6, and his foundation was extremely solid. moreover, he still contained the spiritual energy of the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. with such a continuous supply of spiritual energy, even if it were not him, an ordinary cultivator at the qi refiner stage could easily break through in a matter of days. the breakthrough brought happiness to lu yi for a moment, but he quickly calmed down. he thought it was just the beginning and he could continue breaking through to foundation establishment, golden core, nascent soul, and even achieve immortality in the future! for now, though, lu yi needed to continue cultivating. he continued to circulate the qi refining art, and after completing it ten times, he paused and eagerly accepted the rewards. suddenly, various pieces of information about the white cloud qi refining art appeared in lu yi¡¯s mind. while the information was profound and complex, he could easily absorb it. just as lu yi had guessed, reaching level 7 in the white cloud qi refining art indeed brought significant changes. the route of qi circulation in the white cloud qi refining art had altered. initially, there were seventeen acupoints that the white cloud qi refining art circulated through. after the change, there were a total of six additional acupoints. eager to try out the level 7 white cloud qi refining art, lu yi once again issued a cultivation task for himself and began to cultivate the technique. immediately, lu yi noticed the difference. the efficiency of absorbing spiritual energy in the level 7 white cloud qi refining art was more than double that of level 6. furthermore, as the technique circulated, the spiritual energy within lu yi¡¯s body was continually tempered. after just a single cycle, the spiritual energy inside him had become slightly denser. lu yi was pleasantly surprised. tempering his spiritual energy not only maintained its quantity but also improved its quality. after all, rocks and sponges would not have the same hardness under the same quality. the white cloud qi refining art could temper lu yi¡¯s spiritual energy, raising his already solid foundation to a higher level. this would undoubtedly enhance the power of techniques and spells that utilized spiritual energy. ¡®wouldn¡¯t my spiritual energy quality soon be comparable to that of foundation establishment cultivators?¡¯ lu yi was beginning to look forward to it. feeling the benefits brought by the level 7 white cloud qi refining art, lu yi devoted himself even more to cultivation. he repeatedly circulated the technique to absorb the spiritual energy emitted by the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir contained a vast amount of spiritual energy. even after his breakthrough, there was still a surplus. as he absorbed it, lu yi could sense his cultivation advancing at an extremely fast pace. the night passed silently, and as the sky gradually brightened, the morning sun cast its golden-red light through the clouds, illuminating the white cloud mountain range. lu yi slowly opened his eyes, a faint white light flickering within them. he exhaled a breath of turbid air and revealed a hint of joy. after a night of cultivation, lu yi had thoroughly assimilated the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir, and his cultivation had taken a big step forward to the level 7 qi refiner stage. lu yi estimated that if he had a perfect-grade qi condensation elixir every day, he might be able to reach the level 8 qi refiner stage in just a month. even geniuses would hesitate to claim that they could advance one level of cultivation within a month. the speed was not even lu yi¡¯s limit. if he continued to raise the level of his white cloud qi refining art to levels 8 or 9, his breakthroughs would be even faster. the only problem was that lu yi now had only two perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs left. lu yi immediately thought of wang xinqi and the other disciples, ¡®how about¡­ finding some time to spar with them? completing a few tasks wouldn¡¯t take much time and would earn me several perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. who wouldn¡¯t be willing to do such a thing? but with two elixirs left, there was no hurry. i should focus on other things first. with the white cloud sword and white cloud qi refining art both at level 7, only the white cloud stance remained at level 6, lagging. i should catch up on that first.¡¯ with those thoughts in mind, lu yi left his room. ¡­ over the next two days, lu yi continued to cultivate steadily. during the day, he practiced the white cloud sword, followed by the white cloud stance in the afternoon, and the white cloud qi refining art at night. his days were fulfilling. two days later, lu yi ran out of perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs and had to start considering obtaining more. after breakfast, lu gaoyang and wang siqi became busy with their tasks, and lu yi also left his courtyard. it was the first time he had ventured out since returning from the open lecture. the white cloud sect¡¯s outer sect had a dedicated martial arena area where outer sect disciples usually practiced. if there were disputes among disciples that they wanted to settle privately, they could also spar in the martial arena. if matters escalated to the point of life and death, they could engage in a life-and-death battle in the arena, with an attendant serving as a witness. however, in the many years lu yi had been in the sect, he had not seen many life-and-death battles. the atmosphere within white cloud sect was generally quite good, and the disciples usually got along well with each other. although sparring was common, not everyone was like lu yi, who could improve his techniques and arts levels by issuing tasks to himself. even talented cultivators needed to battle to understand their shortcomings, as cultivation was not about secluded practice alone. the martial arena was situated in a basin on the outskirts of the white cloud mountain range, between the white light peak and white dew peak. it was not too far from the white spirit peak. lu yi jogged all the way, heading towards the martial arena. along the way, when the outer sect disciples saw lu yi, they greeted him with smiles. ¡°lu yi!¡± ¡°lu yi! have you come out of seclusion?¡± ¡°i heard that your white cloud sword has reached the regain simplicity stage. i wonder if you could offer some guidance to me?¡± ¡­ lu yi responded with smiles and nods, feeling his face. he had not expected news of the white sun peak incident to spread so widely. he was almost at the point where he could show his face everywhere. several charming disciples even wanted special guidance from lu yi. if he did not have something to do today, he might have almost agreed. he felt frustrated he could not do so. lu yi firmly held onto his determination on cultivation, gritted his teeth, and declined. Chapter 14 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation it did not take long for lu yi to arrive at the martial arena area. the entire area was vast, covering several kilometers in diameter. it was paved with deep blue stone slabs, forming a massive square. the square was dotted with various platforms, which were used by outer sect disciples for sparring. in the central area of the martial arena, there was a larger platform known as the central platform. life-and-death battles and important competitions often took place on this platform. at this moment, many people were cultivating their techniques in the martial arena. among the outer sect disciples, some preferred quiet and solitary cultivation, while others liked practicing in crowded areas. after all, practicing in a group allowed them to discuss and exchange insights when facing difficulties in cultivation, which was quite common. furthermore, even solitary cultivators would come to the martial arena when they reached a bottleneck in their cultivation, seeking sparring partners to enhance their comprehension. lu yi entered the martial arena, and a level 3 qi refiner disciple who was practicing sword techniques nearby glanced at him. suddenly, he stopped and stared, then greeted, ¡°lu yi? why are you here at the martial arena?¡± lu yi smiled faintly and replied, ¡°i felt some inspiration after the lecture and wanted to find someone to spar with.¡± as lu yi spoke, he walked into the martial arena. the level 3 qi refiner disciple¡¯s eyes brightened. he was also a practitioner of the sword, and he thought perhaps he could learn something from lu yi¡¯s sparring. a sword technique in the regain simplicity stage. during the previous lecture, the demonstration of sword techniques was only visible to the disciples on the platform. the hundreds of thousands of outer sect disciples below had not been fortunate enough to witness it. they wanted to see such powerful sword techniques, but their strength was lacking at the time. however, the level 3 qi refiner disciple never expected that lu yi would come to the martial arena for sparring. it was simply a heaven-sent opportunity. the disciple quickly followed lu yi. the conversation between lu yi and the disciple caught the attention of other disciples nearby, and they began discussing as well. ¡°lu yi¡­ is that the one who reached the regain simplicity stage in the white cloud sword and gained liu ningshuang¡¯s favor?¡± ¡°that¡¯s him! i can¡¯t believe he¡¯s in the martial arena now. i have to go and see. maybe i¡¯ll gain some insights!¡± ¡°lu yi is impressive¡­ we couldn¡¯t see the basic techniques demonstrated during the lecture. now we¡¯re lucky to witness this.¡± ¡­ the discussion spread, and many disciples followed lu yi into the martial arena. similar to white sun peak, the inner area of the martial arena was dominated by stronger outer sect disciples. lu yi continued walking in. before long, lu yi spotted a familiar figure approaching. it was wang xinqi, who had sparred with him on the platform before. he did not expect to find wang xinqi here as well. ¡°lu yi, i heard some commotion outside and realized you were here. i didn¡¯t expect you to come to the martial arena too,¡± wang xinqi greeted with a smile. ¡°wang xinqi, i¡¯ve had some insights recently and wanted to find someone to spar with,¡± lu yi replied. ¡®great, i just found my opponent?¡¯ lu yi felt a sense of delight. lu yi silently muttered to himself, ¡°i want to defeat wang xinqi.¡± the interface remained silent, without any response or displayed task. ¡®huh? why isn¡¯t there a task?¡¯ lu yi felt a bit puzzled. ¡®i had two perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs before. why isn¡¯t the task even showing up this time?¡¯ then, lu yi thought of something, and his expression became odd, ¡®could it be that my progress was too rapid?¡¯ after all, lu yi¡¯s cultivation had now reached the level 7 qi refiner stage, and both the white cloud sword and white cloud qi refining art were at level 7. his strength had undergone a complete transformation compared to just two days ago. according to the interface¡¯s assessment, the gap between lu yi and wang xinqi was too significant, making it impossible to generate a task. this seemed to be the only possibility for lu yi. lu yi scratched his head, realizing that he might need to spar with cultivators at the level 9 qi refiner stage or above to receive rewards. thankfully, cultivators at the level 9 qi refiner stage did not pose much of a threat to him. wang xinqi was unaware of lu yi¡¯s thoughts. his eyes lit up and said, ¡°if you¡¯re looking for someone to spar with, then how about sparring with me, lu yi? i¡¯ve had some insights too.¡± lu yi felt a bit helpless because he felt pointless to even spar with wang xinqi since there was no reward. lu yi considered himself too strong for wang xinqi. lu yi had to consider wang xinqi¡¯s self-esteem and not defeat him too easily. it would be a waste of time. lu yi smiled faintly and exuded the aura of the level 7 qi refiner stage. ¡°you¡¯re at the level 7 qi refiner stage already?!¡± wang xinqi exclaimed. his eyes widened in surprise as he looked at lu yi. wang xinqi continued with envy, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect you to break through your level. if i¡¯m not mistaken, liu ningshuang gave you a bottle of perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs after the lecture.¡± then wang xinqi sighed and shook his head. he said, ¡°when you were at the level 6 qi refiner stage, i was already not your match¡­ now¡­¡± wang xinqi no longer mentioned sparring, and lu yi felt relaxed. wang xinqi continued, ¡°with your current strength, i¡¯m afraid that you can only gain something from sparring with the disciples at the level 9 qi refiner stage. there are two disciples that i¡¯m good friends with inside. they¡¯re at the level 9 qi refiner stage. why don¡¯t you come with me?¡± lu yi¡¯s eyes lit up and thought, ¡®i guessed it saved my time from looking for an opponent.¡¯ ¡°lead the way, xinqi.¡± lu yi nodded and said. ¡°hahaha, come now, lu yi. those two disciples praised you very much and they¡¯ve long wanted to get to know you,¡± wang xinqi said. lu yi nodded and walked in together with wang xinqi. not long after, wang xinqi brought lu yi to the side of an arena. two youths were sitting cross-legged there, discussing the dao. both of them carried long swords on their backs. it seemed that they were both sword cultivators. lu yi looked at their faces and did not have any impression of them. after all, there were about a thousand people on the platform at that time. lu yi would not deliberately remember who they were. wang xinqi brought lu yi over. the two youths sensed something and turned to look. when they saw lu yi, the two youths¡¯ expressions changed slightly. then, they stood up. ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re here too?¡± the young man on the left smiled and asked. the youth on the right was even more muscular. he grinned and said, ¡°i knew there would be something good today. it turns out that i¡¯m going to meet lu yi.¡± ¡°greetings.¡± lu yi laughed. wang xinqi introduced, ¡°this is lu ling, and this is wang wulian. both of them are at the level 9 qi refiner stage. they can be ranked in the top 100 in the outer sect.¡± then, wang xinqi looked at the young man and said, ¡°lu ling, lu yi has already broken through to the level 7 qi refiner stage and plans to find someone to spar with. i wonder if the two of you are interested?¡± ¡°you¡¯re at the level 7 qi refiner stage already?!¡± the handsome young man, lu ling, stared at lu qi with wide eyes and said in surprise. wang wulian seemed to have thought of something and said enviously, ¡°previously on the platform, liu ningshuang gave you a bottle of supreme-grade qi condensation elixir. it seems to be very useful.¡± lu yi chuckled and said, ¡°liu ningshuang is kind.¡± then lu yi muttered to himself, ¡°i want to defeat lu ling.¡± task: defeat lu ling (progress: 0/1) reward: perfect-grade qi condensation elixir x 10 / perfect-grade qi condensation elixir x 1 accept: yes/no lu yi was speechless. he had a complicated thought, ¡®i was happy that i finally got a task, but also disappointed that even defeating lu ling, who was at the level 9 qi refiner stage, would only yield a single perfect-grade qi condensation elixir? isn¡¯t that quite meager?¡¯ Chapter 15 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation ¡°do you two wish to spar with me?¡± lu yi asked with a composed expression, his smile unwavering. lu ling and wang wulian exchanged glances, both seeing the eager anticipation in each other¡¯s eyes. lu ling smiled and said, ¡°of course, back at white sun peak, i was deeply impressed by your white cloud sword at the regain simplicity stage. i¡¯ve been wanting to learn from you for a while.¡± wang wulian laughed as well, ¡°me too! today, it looks like my wish will come true.¡± ¡°in that case, why don¡¯t you two take turns?¡± lu yi suggested. ¡°i¡¯ll go first!¡± wang wulian immediately volunteered. lu ling shrugged in response, showing no objection. lu yi silently issued the task to defeat wang wulian, with the same reward as the challenge against lu ling¡ªa perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. lu yi and wang wulian stepped into the arena. thousands of outer sect disciples had gathered at the martial arena, watching the two with hushed conversations. ¡°lu yi has already reached the level 7 qi refiner stage.¡± ¡°it¡¯s no surprise, after all, liu ningshuang gave him a supreme-grade qi condensation elixir before. combined with lu yi¡¯s talent, this breakthrough is natural.¡± ¡°i envy lu yi¡¯s talent, but what i envy even more is that he¡¯s earned the admiration of liu ningshuang. i wish i could get her to notice me a bit more.¡± ¡°dream on, my friend, dreams can be quite vivid.¡± ¡°by the way, who do you two think will win, lu yi or wang wulian?¡± ¡°isn¡¯t it obvious? lu yi, with his white cloud sword in the regain simplicity stage, is unbeatable!¡± ¡°i think wulian is no slouch either. he¡¯s already at the level 9 qi refiner stage, just a step away from reaching perfection at the level. his strength is formidable.¡± ¡°we¡¯ll see about that!¡± ¡­ those discussions were not limited to the crowd. even wang xinqi and lu ling were talking. wang xinqi asked curiously, ¡°ling, who do you think will win?¡± lu ling shook his head and said, ¡°i¡¯m not sure. logically speaking, i¡¯m more inclined to wulian, but the techniques at the regain simplicity stage are extraordinary. lu yi also has a chance.¡± wang xinqi looked at lu yi enviously and said, ¡°so you¡¯re saying that lu yi is at the level of the top one hundred outer sect disciples? he¡¯s only at the level 7 qi refiner stage¡­¡± lu ling glanced at wang xinqi and said, ¡°a genius who comprehends the regain simplicity stage¡¯s techniques, especially someone like lu yi, isn¡¯t easily comparable. it¡¯s just that his current cultivation is a bit low. once he reaches the level 8 qi refiner stage, he can contend with even the senior disciples.¡± wang xinqi inhaled sharply, and the oxygen content around him seemed to drop rapidly. in the arena, lu yi and wang wulian stood facing each other. wang wulian drew his long sword, smiling, and said, ¡°lu yi, i practice the flowing wind sword, which has reached the major mastery stage. i hope you won¡¯t hold back. if anything, i¡¯d like you to inspire me a bit, helping me break through to the transformation stage.¡± lu yi casually drew his sword and smiled. he said, ¡°rest assured, wulian. i won¡¯t hold back. i¡¯m not that kind of person.¡± ¡®i don¡¯t need to use the level 7 white cloud sword, or else it might be too discouraging to wulian. oh, i just upgraded the level 7 white cloud stance yesterday. if necessary, i can use the level 6 version instead.¡¯ lu yi pondered his options. wang wulian was quite pleased with lu yi¡¯s response. his aura surged, and he rushed toward lu yi. his green robe billowed like a fluttering banner, and his speed was astonishingly fast. it seemed wang wulian¡¯s footwork was well-practiced as well. in fact, among the elite disciples of the outer sect, there were no glaring weaknesses by the time they reached the higher levels. both their cultivation and mastery of techniques were exceptional. otherwise, they would not have been able to enter the top one hundred among over a hundred thousand outer sect disciples. being able to enter the top one hundred among such a large number of outer sect disciples was already a sign of extraordinary talent for ordinary people. of course, although wang wulian¡¯s speed was impressive, it was still insufficient for lu yi. lu yi¡¯s expression remained calm. his sword quivered slightly, and in the next moment, his sword aura transformed into clouds, swirling as he met wang wulian¡¯s attack head-on. clang! clang! clang! their figures interweaved and clashed in the blink of an eye. the continuous collision of the swords and aura formed translucent energy ripples that spread outwards, rustling the robes of the surrounding spectators. the audience of disciples remained focused, their eyes fixed on the arena as if trying to penetrate the scene. for them, comprehending the techniques in the regain simplicity stage was a rare opportunity. in the arena, lu yi and wang wulian¡¯s figures flashed and intertwined. their speed was so fast that in the eyes of mortals, they were probably like ghosts. even outer sect disciples at the bottom of the qi refiner stage felt that it was a little difficult to watch the two of them compete. with every breath, there would be a few clashing sounds. the sword light was cold, and the spiritual energy shockwaves turned into the wind. the battle was intense. wang wulian¡¯s expression was grave and he had already given his all. lu yi was expressionless, but he was still sighing in his heart. it had to be said that as an elite outer disciple, wang wulian was much stronger than wang xinqi. not only was his cultivation and mastery of arts stronger, but he was also more experienced in fighting. lu yi was not as experienced as wang wulian, but he was stronger. even if he did not use his full strength, he could still handle it with ease. in front of absolute strength, all the fancy tricks were nothing but futile. as long as lu yi was willing, he could end the battle in a few moves even without using the level 7 white cloud sword. however, lu yi¡¯s goal was to continuously farm rewards, so he would not be so ruthless. lu yi thought wang wulian was a good helper for him. he had to show off the white cloud sword in the regain simplicity stage to make others happy. otherwise, he would hurt their pride and stop sparring with him. lu yi felt that he was quite considerate. in the arena, lu yi and wang wulian exchanged blows for hundreds of rounds. lu yi swung his long sword, and with the swirling clouds, he deflected wang wulian¡¯s attack, then swiftly closed the distance between them. seizing the opportunity, lu yi swiftly moved past wang wulian, approaching him in an instant and placing his sword against wang wulian¡¯s neck. wang wulian froze in place, glanced at the sword, then let out a sigh and shook his head with a wry smile, ¡°i¡¯ve lost. you are truly remarkable, lu yi.¡± lu yi gave a slight smile and said, ¡°wulian, you¡¯re not weak either. i just happened to be a bit luckier this time.¡± ¡°winning is winning, but after this battle, i¡¯ve gained some insights. i need to step aside and digest them,¡± wang wulian said eagerly. some insights needed to be grasped immediately, or they might vanish like a shooting star. lu yi glanced at the completed task and nodded. he said, ¡°wulian, go ahead and digest your insights. once you¡¯re ready, we can continue sparring.¡± lu yi silently completed the task, letting the perfect-grade condensation elixir find its way into his embrace. he also issued a new task to defeat wang wulian. ¡°really?¡± wang wulian widened his eyes, brimming with surprise. lu yi responded earnestly, ¡°of course, wulian. since you¡¯ve gained insights, i will do my best to help by cultivating with you.¡± touched by lu yi¡¯s sincerity, wang wulian¡¯s eyes welled up, and he was on the verge of tears. he said, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re truly a kind person! if you ever need anything, just come to me. i, wang wulian, will unquestionably help you!¡± lu yi¡¯s smile was warm and said, ¡°wulian, you¡¯re too kind. go and gain your insights.¡± lu yi still wanted to complete the task of defeating lu ling. Chapter 16 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation wang wulian stepped down from the stage, and lu yi turned to lu ling, who seemed eager to try, and smiled, ¡°ling, shall we have a friendly match now?¡± lu ling was momentarily taken aback and asked, ¡°lu yi, you just had a battle. don¡¯t you need some rest?¡± lu yi chuckled and replied, ¡°my white cloud qi refining art allows me to recover quickly. i don¡¯t need rest.¡± the surrounding onlookers could not help but gasp. ¡°the white cloud sword at the regain simplicity stage, white cloud stance in the transformation stage, and even the white cloud qi refining art is at a high level? lu yi is amazing.¡± ¡°lu yi¡¯s comprehension is astonishingly high. i envy him. if i had half of his comprehension, that would be amazing.¡± ¡­ amidst the private conversations, lu ling also glanced deeply at lu yi. to be honest, even he felt envious. quickly putting those thoughts aside, lu ling smiled nonchalantly and said, ¡°in that case, i won¡¯t hold back.¡± with a light step, lu ling gracefully ascended the stage. lu yi observed and noticed that lu ling had also cultivated the white cloud stance. just like him, lu ling had mastered this technique quite well. lu ling positioned himself and drew his long sword, saying, ¡°lu yi, let¡¯s do this!¡± ¡°after you!¡± lu yi smiled. without further ado, the two of them rushed toward each other. similar to his bout with wang wulian, lu yi sparred with lu ling for a considerable time. while lu ling¡¯s sword technique might not be at wang wulian¡¯s level, his speed was slightly faster. however, both were more or less on par with lu yi, who maintained control throughout the fight. after a substantial period of sparring, lu yi eventually defeated lu ling, giving him face and leaving lu ling quite satisfied. following the match with lu ling, while wang wulian had not finished his insights, lu yi decided to take a break. although lu yi was not particularly tired, and his spiritual energy was still around half, he did not want to be seen as a monster if he did not recover a bit. and so, lu yi consecutively sparred with wang wulian and lu ling. the surrounding cultivators formed a circle, witnessing the precious stage of the white cloud sword in hopes of gaining insights. the sparring continued throughout the morning. lu yi completed sixteen sessions, fulfilling sixteen tasks, and obtaining sixteen perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. the qi condensation elixirs would be sufficient for lu yi¡¯s cultivation until the start of the grand competition. lu yi felt it was about time. after the bouts with lu ling and wang wulian, lu yi smiled faintly and spoke, ¡°ling, wulian, i think we can stop here for today. i¡¯ve gained a lot from our exchanges, and i¡¯m grateful for your guidance.¡± both lu ling and wang wulian were taken aback by his words, then quickly shook their heads. lu ling expressed his gratitude, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re too modest. this morning¡¯s sparring was highly beneficial to me. with some luck, i might break through to the transformation stage in my sword technique soon. all thanks to you!¡± beside lu ling, wang wulian nodded in agreement and said, ¡°ling is right. my sword technique is just a step away from the transformation stage, all thanks to you!¡± lu yi lightly patted his pocket and his chest where he kept the sixteen perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. he modestly said, ¡°you are too kind.¡± in this friendly atmosphere between the three, lu yi bid his farewells and left. many onlookers around him made way, acknowledging the renown of his white cloud sword at the regain simplicity stage. they expressed gratitude, as well, for they were gaining insights even from just observing the matches. for cultivators, witnessing battles among powerful senior disciples was even more effective for cultivation than their regular practice. lu yi¡¯s morning sparring had a teaching effect on them as well. leaving the martial arena, lu yi returned to white sun peak and started his training for the day. while the morning was spent cultivating the white cloud sword, the afternoon was dedicated to the white cloud stance, and the evening was reserved for the white cloud qi refining art. he hardly took any breaks during this period. the diligence reminded lu yi of his high school days when he used to study overnight for exams¡ªa memory he could not help but cringe at. however, there was a stark difference between studying for exams and cultivation. while both required diligence, lu yi found cultivation to be more gratifying. he could visibly feel himself growing stronger as he completed tasks and absorbed insights. and so, time swiftly passed, reaching half a month later. on this day, lu yi opened his eyes, a faint white spiritual light flickering within them. it gradually dissipated, and he let out a sigh of relief, ¡°the time has come.¡± today was the day of the grand competition. lu yi got up and headed to the main hall of the residence. inside, lu gaoyang and wang siqi were already seated at the table, breakfast laid out before them. despite that, neither of them had touched their food. upon lu yi¡¯s entrance, both of them turned to look at him. lu gaoyang¡¯s expression was solemn as he asked, ¡°yi, the grand competition is beginning today. how do you feel?¡± wang siqi also gazed at lu yi. during this period, wang siqi and lu gaoyang had not discussed much about the grand competition in front of lu yi. however, in reality, at the affairs hall outside, many disciples would occasionally inquire about lu yi¡¯s situation from his parents. after all, lu yi¡¯s remarkable performance during the lecture made him quite renowned among the outer sect disciples. if lu yi did not perform well this time, his parents could only imagine the criticism they might receive. for that, lu gaoyang and wang siqi did not want to burden lu yi with unnecessary pressure. lu yi smiled and replied, ¡°rest assured, father, i feel very confident.¡± over these past two weeks, lu yi had not been idly playing around. he had diligently cultivated every day and seen substantial progress. his attributes had once again changed. character: lu yi cultivation base: level 7 qi refiner cultivation technique: white cloud qi refining art (level 8) arts: white cloud sword (level 8), white cloud stance (level 8) all of lu yi¡¯s cultivation technique and arts had reached level 8. honestly, he was not entirely sure of his strength. after all, the power of level 8 techniques was astonishing. he did not dare to test them in his small courtyard, fearing he might accidentally demolish it. regardless, lu yi felt that he was ready for the grand competition. he had not forgotten that he still had a task to accomplish during the competition. he wondered what rewards awaited him if he managed to secure the first place. lu yi was filled with anticipation. seeing lu yi¡¯s confident expression, both lu gaoyang and wang siqi felt relieved. wang siqi smiled and said, ¡°i knew you would do just fine!¡± lu gaoyang also wore a rare smile and said, ¡°isn¡¯t there a saying? like father, like son!¡± lu yi looked at lu gaoyang speechlessly, never before encountering such shamelessness. lu yi thought, ¡®did he just call himself a strong father? unbelievable!¡¯ ¡°let¡¯s eat! after breakfast, we¡¯ll head to the martial arena together!¡± lu gaoyang laughed. every year, the location of the grand competition was at the martial arena. as the grandest event of the outer sect, nearly all outer disciples would gather at the martial arena during the grand competition. while not everyone participated, they could still watch the matches. this was beneficial for weaker disciples as well since they could observe the battles between stronger senior brothers and sisters. since the disciples were all there, the elders and attendants, who would otherwise be idle, would also join in the excitement. this was the case for lu gaoyang and wang siqi. furthermore, this year, it was their son who was participating. they certainly had to go and show their support. after breakfast, the three of them made their way to the martial arena. Chapter 17 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation in the area of the martial arena, a vast crowd had gathered at this moment. numerous outer sect disciples had arrived here. some came to participate in the grand competition, while others came to watch. those who came to watch could not enter the central arena but could only stay in the outer area. many stood on nearby mountains to observe. being cultivators, their eyesight was good enough to see clearly. apart from the outer sect disciples, there were also attendants and elders of the outer sect. most of them were hovering in the air, their hands folded, emanating an air of transcendence. compared to the cultivators who could not fly with their swords, their display was much more impressive. at this moment, two streaks of sword light cut through the sky and landed outside the martial arena. it was none other than lu gaoyang and wang siqi. in lu gaoyang¡¯s hand was a person¡ªlu yi. sensing the gazes of nearby outer sect disciples, lu yi felt his face reddening. he was, after all, a somewhat distinguished figure in the outer sect. no one would have thought he¡¯d be carried like that. lu yi lamented inwardly, ¡®my heroic and dignified image was completely shattered¡­¡¯ determined, lu yi vowed to break through to the foundation establishment stage as quickly as possible and learn sword flight at the earliest opportunity. lu gaoyang set lu yi down and patted his shoulder, saying, ¡°you rascal, just do your best in everything, don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± wang siqi smiled faintly and said, ¡°yi, do your best. i believe you¡¯re the best.¡± lu yi smiled back at his parents and said, ¡°i know.¡± both lu gaoyang and wang siqi nodded slightly before transforming into streaks of light and flying into the air, joining their colleagues. meanwhile, lu yi headed towards the martial arena. on his way, the outer sect disciples greeted him with smiles. ¡°lu yi.¡± ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°lu yi¡­¡± lu yi nodded and smiled in response, soon arriving at the interior of the martial arena. this was where the participants of the grand competition were gathering. compared to the entire population of outer sect disciples, the number of participants in the grand competition was much smaller, but it still amounted to tens of thousands. the martial arena was still filled with a sea of people. some disciples were meditating alone, while others were chatting in groups of twos and threes. when they saw lu yi, most disciples nodded and greeted him. ¡°lu yi! over here!¡± at this moment, lu yi heard a familiar voice. he turned his head and saw lu ling, wang wulian, and wang xinqi standing on the side. lu ling waved to lu yi, a smile on his face. lu yi chuckled and walked over, ¡°hey, everyone.¡± ¡°lu yi, you finally came. the selection is about to begin, and i was worried you might not make it,¡± wang wulian said with a smile. lu ling also smiled and said, ¡°lu yi is the son of attendant lu gaoyang. he would certainly bring him here. what is there to worry about?¡± wang wulian smirked, ¡°i was worried we¡¯d have one less opponent.¡± rolling his eyes, lu ling retorted, ¡°we didn¡¯t win a single time in our last sparring session.¡± ¡°but things are different this time! my sword technique has already reached the transformation stage!¡± wang wulian grinned confidently. ¡°this time, my goal is to make it to the top thirty!¡± hearing that, lu yi smiled and congratulated, ¡°congratulations, wulian.¡± ¡°i have to thank you, lu yi. i owe you one,¡± wang wulian expressed his gratitude sincerely. as the four of them conversed, before long, a figure streaked across the sky and landed on the central stage. it was an elderly man with graying hair, a serious expression, and dressed in white robes. the man was dugu fang, the grand elder of the outer sect. it was said that his cultivation had reached the peak of the golden core stage, on the verge of breaking through to the nascent soul stage. within the outer sect, he was undoubtedly the strongest, and even within the entire white cloud sect, he was considered a formidable presence. as dugu fang appeared, the noisy chatter gradually subsided. everyone¡¯s attention was now focused on him¡ªsuch was the majesty of a grand elder. dugu fang¡¯s gaze swept across the crowd below, and he began to speak, ¡°it¡¯s once again time for the annual outer sect grand competition. i hope that this time, someone can truly shine and make a name for themselves in white cloud sect. now, let the selection begin. this year¡¯s selection is the same as before. withstands my pressure for thirty minutes, and you shall pass.¡± as he spoke, dugu fang produced an ordinary-looking incense stick. with a simple motion, the incense was ignited. dugu fang then tossed the incense stick, and its wooden end, resembling iron and gold, pierced the stone platform at the center of the arena, slowly burning. ¡°let¡¯s begin.¡± as he finished, an immensely powerful pressure emanated from dugu fang¡¯s body, spreading in all directions. soon, it enveloped the entire martial arena. instantly, the disciples who were standing felt pressure on their chests. many of the disciples at the level 5 qi refiner stage or above were swaying and struggling to maintain their balance. some even turned pale, and a few coughed up blood before collapsing. although most of the participants were at the level 5 qi refiner stage or above, there were always some young and arrogant ones who believed they were special. even if they were only at the level 3 or level 4 qi refiner stage, they thought they could make a name for themselves by participating. each grand competition had its share of such disciples. they were not as special as they believed. under the pressure of a golden core powerhouse, they could not even endure a single breath. in contrast, those at the level 5 qi refiner stage were coping better. they felt the pressure on their chests but were able to withstand it by circulating their spiritual energy. as for those with higher cultivation levels, they showed even better composure. lu yi, facing this pressure, felt like a gentle breeze against his face. he had almost no reaction. lu yi glanced at the others. wang wulian and lu ling seemed at ease, apparently unaffected. wang xinqi was slightly worse off, his complexion a bit pale. nevertheless, wang xinqi¡¯s performance was quite remarkable compared to those at the level 5 or level 6 qi refiner stage. just then, lu yi thought of something and muttered to himself, ¡°i need to pass the selection.¡± although lu yi had already received the task for the grand competition, he wondered if there might be an additional selection task that he could trigger. yet, after waiting for a while, the task interface remained unchanged. lu yi could not receive any new tasks in this situation. lu yi felt a bit disappointed, but it was not unexpected. the loophole was quite significant, and according to his research on the task interface, the chances of success were inherently low. he decided not to dwell on it any longer. as time passed, several cultivators at the level 5 qi refiner stage began to sway, finding it hard to maintain their balance. some even fell to the ground, unable to withstand the selection¡¯s pressure. wang wulian and lu ling began circulating their spiritual energy. they glanced at lu yi and nodded in acknowledgment. indeed, despite being only at the level 7 qi refiner stage, lu yi did not need to circulate his spiritual energy and effortlessly withstood the grand elder dugu fang¡¯s pressure. soon, thirty minutes passed, and dugu fang dispelled the pressure. in the martial arena, only a fraction of the disciples remained standing. many at the level 5 qi refiner stage cultivators had failed, and those who managed to pass were mostly at higher cultivation levels. dugu fang glanced at the remaining disciples, feeling somewhat disappointed. the quality of the outer sect disciples had not changed much this time. but dugu fang was not too surprised by this outcome. he spoke, ¡°those who passed the selection, stay. others, leave the martial arena.¡± the failed disciples wore bitter expressions, supporting each other as they exited the arena. even those who had fainted earlier were being led away by acquaintances. soon, only the disciples who had passed the selection remained in the arena. however, even so, there were still nearly ten thousand of them. the number was still quite substantial. the grand competition had traditionally lasted for several days, and this practice had its reasons. after all, there were simply too many disciples in white cloud sect. Chapter 18 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation dugu fang continued, ¡°next is the preliminary stage. as usual, it will be a one-on-one competition, with the winners advancing and the losers being eliminated.¡± as he spoke, dugu fang waved his hand, and numerous small stone tablets appeared in the air. these tablets turned into streams of light and landed in front of each outer sect disciple on the square. lu yi received the stone tablet floating in front of him and glanced at it. it was engraved with 101-25. lu yi had some understanding of this. although he had not participated in the outer sect grand competition before, he had watched it several times. the numbers on the tablet indicated the platform number and the round of the match. combined, it represented the 101st platform and the 25th round. the martial arena was massive, with a total of 320 platforms. the 101st platform was considered to be in a relatively forward position. at this moment, wang wulian looked at his stone tablet and asked, ¡°i¡¯m on platform number 28. how about you guys?¡± lu ling smiled faintly and replied, ¡°i¡¯m number 211.¡± wang xinqi said, ¡°i¡¯m on platform number 7.¡± the three of them looked at lu yi. lu yi smiled and said, ¡°platform number 101.¡± wang wulian, lu ling, and wang xinqi all breathed a sigh of relief. wang xinqi chuckled and said, ¡°thank goodness i¡¯m not on the same platform as lu yi. otherwise, i¡¯d be in trouble.¡± ¡°yeah, with lu yi¡¯s strength, if i were on the same platform, i might get eliminated in the early rounds if i¡¯m in bad luck,¡± wang wulian nodded in agreement. lu yi laughed, ¡°you all gave me too much credit. i¡¯m not that strong.¡± the three of them rolled their eyes, not believing lu yi¡¯s modesty. they knew very well how strong he actually was. while they were chatting, dugu fang¡¯s voice sounded again, ¡°alright, now all participating disciples, proceed to your designated platform areas, and referees, take your positions.¡± as dugu fang finished speaking, figures representing referees landed on each platform in the sky. they were the referees for this outer sect grand competition. lu yi smiled at wang wulian and the others, he said, ¡°good luck to you all.¡± the three of them exchanged glances and nodded. lu ling smiled and said, ¡°we¡¯ll take your good wishes, lu yi. with your skills, you¡¯ll surely excel in the competition.¡± wang wulian grinned and said, ¡°i¡¯ll go first!¡± wang xinqi appeared a bit nervous, saying, ¡°then i¡¯ll head over as well.¡± the four of them parted ways, and lu yi made his way to platform number 101. soon, lu yi found platform number 101. there were already over a hundred people standing below the platform, all outer sect disciples participating in this round of matches. those disciples had initially looked somewhat relaxed, but their expressions froze when they saw lu yi. ¡°lu yi¡­!¡± ¡°damn, why am i so unlucky? to actually be on the same platform as lu yi?!¡± ¡°ah!! i was hoping to make it to the top one thousand. i hope i don¡¯t run into lu yi in the early rounds¡­¡± one outer sect disciple after another wore looks of despair. lu yi felt very innocent. he did not get to choose which platform he would be on. the referee on the platform was named feng tian, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man. naturally, he recognized lu yi, who had been gaining quite a reputation in the outer sect lately. he could not help but take a few more glances. ¡®it had to be said that lu yi had a decent appearance that should appeal to young girls. but the real question was whether his strength was as impressive as rumored. we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡¯ feng tian thought. as all the participating disciples found their platforms, dugu fang¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°let the matches begin.¡± with that, dugu fang raised his hands and ascended into the air, joining the other elders. a middle-aged man with black hair among them smiled faintly, ¡°grand elder dugu, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± dugu fang looked down at the platforms and replied calmly, ¡°the outer sect is where we cultivate elites for white cloud sect. the outer sect grand competition is of utmost importance. as the grand elder of the outer sect, these are my duties. what hardship is there?¡± ¡°grand elder dugu, your dedication is admirable!¡± ¡°we should learn from the grand elder dugu.¡± one elder after another spoke in agreement. dugu fang sighed, ¡°it¡¯s a pity that the number of people who passed the selection this year hasn¡¯t increased much. it seems that exceptional talents are hard to come by¡­¡± upon hearing that, elder qi feiyu from the affairs hall smiled and said, ¡°grand elder dugu, i have news regarding that. you¡¯ve been in seclusion all this month and might not know, but we¡¯ve actually produced a genius in the outer sect recently.¡± upon hearing that, dugu fang was taken aback and looked at qi feiyu curiously. dugu fang asked, ¡°oh? what genius?¡± ¡°i¡¯m sure the other elders are aware. that lu yi from white spirit peak has comprehended the white cloud sword to the regain simplicity stage,¡± qi feiyu replied with a smile. ¡°lu yi? i¡¯ve heard that name recently. they say he has good aptitude.¡± ¡°yes, i heard that lin feng recently went on a trip for the sect and had lui ningshuang deliver the lecture. she speaks highly of lu yi.¡± ¡°in my opinion, with such comprehension ability, he might even have a chance to break through to the nascent soul stage.¡± numerous elders exchanged words, discussing lu yi. hearing their discussion, dugu fang¡¯s eyes brightened. he spoke, ¡°comprehended the regain simplicity stage in white cloud sword? that¡¯s truly remarkable. if someone can comprehend a stage like that, their achievements won¡¯t be lacking. and to receive recognition from lui ningshuang? perhaps there¡¯s hope for him to break through to the nascent soul stage?¡± dugu fang became more and more delighted. he asked, ¡°how old is this lu yi?¡± the elders exchanged glances. they were all elders and would not ask about others¡¯ ages. at this moment, qi feiyu smiled and answered, ¡°lu yi¡¯s parents are attendants in our white cloud sect. they work in my affairs hall. i¡¯ve looked into it. that child is only sixteen years old, and i heard he recently reached the level 7 qi refiner stage.¡± ¡°only sixteen? i see!¡± dugu fang¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°which platform is lu yi on?¡± qi feiyu had been closely monitoring lu yi from the beginning. upon hearing dugu fang¡¯s question, he pointed directly and said, ¡°he¡¯s on platform number 101.¡± ¡­ as dugu fang announced the start of the competition, the referee on platform number 101, feng tian, spoke, ¡°alright, contestant number one, step onto the platform.¡± two cultivators with the number one on their stone tablets jumped onto the platform. lu yi glanced at them. both of them were at the level 6 qi refiner stage. in fact, after the selection, the number of cultivators at the level 6 qi refiner stage was the largest. following that were those at level 5 and level 7. once a cultivator reached the level 8 qi refiner stage, the number of outer sect disciples drastically decreased. there were only a little over a thousand at level 8 and even fewer at level 9. as for level 10, there were fewer than ten individuals. the two level 6 qi refiner disciples saluted each other, and the battle began. lu yi started out watching with enthusiasm, but he quickly grew bored. both of them only had a rudimentary grasp of their techniques. one had achieved a minor mastery, while the other had not even reached that level. watching their moves full of flaws and clumsiness, lu yi felt as if he were witnessing a farce. ¡®with this level of skill, even with my eyes closed, i could defeat them¡­¡¯ lu yi thought. after a short exchange, the disciple with a minor mastery in his technique emerged as the victor. the first match concluded, and the second one began shortly after. round after round passed, and lu yi was beginning to doze off. thinking about having to compete on this platform for several rounds, it was too painful for lu yi to enjoy watching the competition. Chapter 19 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation ¡°number 25, step onto the stage!¡± feng tian¡¯s voice rang out, jolting lu yi, who had been feeling drowsy. finally, it was his turn. standing below and watching others fight had made him quite sleepy. he hoped for a stronger opponent, at least so he could perform some tasks and earn rewards. lu yi soared into the air and arrived on the stage. the many disciples below were suddenly abuzz with excitement; they had finally seen lu yi step onto the stage. as lu yi took the stage, another young man quickly followed suit. seeing this young man, lu yi was taken aback and then smiled. he said, ¡°so, it¡¯s li qi, what a coincidence!¡± the young man was none other than the bystander who had been pushed off the platform by wang xinqi on white sun peak before. he had been completely innocent and had a pitiful look, which had left an impression on lu yi. li qi¡¯s expression was somewhat ugly. he looked at lu yi, his mouth twitching, and he almost gritted his teeth as he forced out a smile, ¡°lu yi, what a coincidence¡­¡± ¡®oh heavens. why am i so unlucky? it was only the first round! yet i ended up facing the monster, lu yi?! with my strength, i was practically guaranteed a spot in the top one thousand!¡¯ li qi thought as he was on the verge of tears. feng tian glanced at lu yi and li qi, then calmly announced, ¡°the match begins.¡± lu yi smiled faintly and said, ¡°li qi, please.¡± lu yi felt a bit sorry for li qi. although he could not accept tasks, he still made up his mind to help li qi cultivate later. lu yi did not want to shatter li qi¡¯s confidence. li qi¡¯s mouth twitched, and then he looked both pained and resentful. he said, ¡°i concede!¡± lu yi was taken aback. he watched as li qi turned and jumped down from the stage, disappearing into the crowd. speechless, lu yi sighed, ¡®is li qi having a breakdown? luck was also an important factor on the path of cultivation, and it seemed that li qi fell into the category of having exceptionally bad luck.¡¯ lu yi stepped down from the stage, and beside him, feng tian had wanted to assess lu yi¡¯s strength, but unexpectedly, li qi had conceded. feng tian could only shake his head helplessly and announce, ¡°number 26, step onto the stage.¡± the preliminary matches were brief. when they began, there was still plenty of time left in the day. the entire day was dedicated to the preliminary matches for the qi refiner cultivators. the matches were not too long, and several rounds quickly passed. lu yi was not sure if he was just lucky, but in his platform, number 101, the strongest opponent he faced was li qi, who was only at the level 8 qi refiner. there was not even a cultivator at level 9. every time lu yi stepped onto the stage, his opponents simply conceded. lu yi felt quite despairing. he felt like he had stood under the platform the whole day without drawing his sword once. as time went on, lu yi grew somewhat numb. it was such a waste of time, and he wished he could return home to cultivate. unfortunately, as a participant, he could not be absent. ¡­ the sun gradually set, sinking behind the mountains. the sky transformed into shades of orange and red, signaling the end of the day¡¯s preliminary matches. lu yi was, of course, the first place in his platform, number 101. the next step was to compete with the first-place participants from other platforms, vying for a spot in the top ten. that would be the ranking matches. as the preliminary matches came to an end, dugu fang arrived at the central stage and announced, ¡°today¡¯s grand competition ends here. tomorrow, the ranking matches will begin. i hope all of you can maintain your condition and display your best performance.¡± saying that, dugu fang glanced in lu yi¡¯s direction, feeling a bit regretful. he had wanted to witness lu yi¡¯s strength, but all of his opponents had conceded. after dugu fang announced the end of the grand competition, many disciples left one after another. after a day of fighting, it was a big burden for most disciples. even if attendants were watching as referees, injuries were inevitable in the competition. the disciples needed to go back to heal their injuries to avoid any sequelae. lu yi looked at the sky and realized that lu gaoyang and wang siqi had not come down yet. to avoid being dragged home by lu gaoyang in front of everyone, he immediately activated his movement technique and turned into a stream of light, disappearing into the crowd. he wanted to run back by himself. in the sky, lu gaoyang and wang siqi were all smiles. next to them were li mang and the others. those people were congratulating lu gaoyang and wang siqi. ¡°congratulations, gaoyang. lu yi entered the ranking match without even using his sword. he defeated the enemy without fighting.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right, gaoyang. tell us, how is lu yi¡¯s strength?¡± ¡°i think it will definitely enter the top 100!¡± ¡°top 100? are you underestimating lu yi? i think he can enter the top 10!¡± ¡°no matter what, gaoyang, you have a good son. don¡¯t forget us when you¡¯re rich in the future.¡± ¡°alright, alright¡­¡± lu gaoyang smiled so hard that his eyes were almost invisible. wang siqi was also chatting with the female attendant. her face was full of happiness. ¡°everyone, i still have to bring my son home. i¡¯ll excuse myself first¡­what? where¡¯s lu yi?¡± lu gaoyang said as he lowered his head to look for lu yi and realized that he had run off somewhere. hearing that, wang siqi lowered her head and looked around. she was also confused, ¡®where¡¯s my son? he is a big man, how did he disappear without a trace?¡¯ ¡­ after lu yi returned to white spirit peak, he returned to his room to rest. in fact, with his cultivation, standing for a day was not tiring, but he was mentally tired. he did not do anything and just stood there. ¡®how is that a competition? it was simply a punishment to stand, okay?¡¯ lu yi cursed in his heart. he hoped that the competition would end soon so that he could get the prize. that grand competition task had been hanging in his task interface for a long time. he had always reminded himself about it. after a while, wang siqi¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°yi? yi, are you home?¡± lu yi was stunned. he went out and saw lu gaoyang and wang siqi standing outside. he was confused and answered, ¡°i¡¯m at home.¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi heaved a sigh of relief. lu gaoyang was speechless and said, ¡°you, we were still waiting to bring you home, but you came back first.¡± the corner of lu yi¡¯s mouth twitched. he thought, ¡®does he even care about my face?¡¯ lu yi coughed dryly and said, ¡°i saw you and mother chatting in the sky, so i came back first.¡± when lu gaoyang and wang siqi heard that, they did not care anymore. wang siqi smiled and said, ¡°as expected of my son. you¡¯re really powerful. you defeated the enemy without fighting. those attendants today have a very high evaluation of you.¡± lu yi was puzzled and thought, ¡®i have stood there for a day, yet others have given me a high evaluation? did they fall on their head or something?¡¯ lu gaoyang agreed happily, ¡°that¡¯s right, everyone thinks that we are like father, like son.¡± lu yi looked at lu gaoyang speechlessly and thought, ¡®as long as you are happy.¡¯ the three of them chatted and laughed. after dinner, lu yi was chased back to his room to cultivate. both of them hoped that lu yi could maintain his good condition. lu yi returned to his room and began his daily training. as his spiritual energy circulated, lu yi¡¯s spiritual energy became stronger and stronger. he had a feeling that he was not far from the level 8 qi refiner stage. after upgrading the white cloud qi refining art to level 8, lu yi¡¯s cultivation speed had more than doubled compared to when it was at level 7. coupled with the effects of the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir, his cultivation speed was incredibly fast now. Chapter 20 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation a night passed without any special events. early the next morning, lu yi woke up and had breakfast with lu gaoyang and wang siqi. lu gaoyang then said, ¡°let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading to the martial arena!¡± lu yi looked at the outstretched hand of lu gaoyang and his expression changed. he quickly said, ¡°hold on, father! i plan to go there myself today!¡± lu gaoyang¡¯s hand paused. he looked at lu yi with a puzzled expression.¡±why? wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient for me to take you there?¡± lu yi cleared his throat and explained, ¡°you know i¡¯m quite well-known now. it¡¯s still early, and if i go there too soon, i might attract a crowd, and that would be embarrassing. it¡¯s better if i go leisurely.¡± upon hearing lu yi¡¯s explanation, lu gaoyang thought for a moment and found it reasonable. wang siqi also smiled and added, ¡°since that¡¯s the case, let yi go by himself. he¡¯s grown up now and has his own ideas.¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi departed on their flying swords, and lu yi breathed a sigh of relief, ¡®today i wouldn¡¯t be dragged along and there¡¯s still a chance for me to improve my image.¡¯ with a happy expression on his face, lu yi ran out of the door. when lu yi arrived at the martial arena, quite many people had already gathered. the previous day¡¯s selection and preliminary matches had been completed, so there were fewer people in the square, but the area around the martial arena was becoming increasingly crowded. seeing lu yi approach, the eyes of the outer disciples lit up. ¡°it¡¯s lu yi!¡± ¡°yesterday, i was hoping to witness lu yi¡¯s swordsmanship, but i missed it whether it was on white sun peak or at the martial arena.¡± ¡°yes, but today, the top ten will be decided, and we¡¯ll definitely get to see lu yi¡¯s swordsmanship!¡± ¡­ many disciples were filled with anticipation. lu yi walked into the martial arena and headed toward the central stage, which was surrounded by ten larger platforms. these ten platforms were meant for the ranking matches. in previous grand competitions, 320 disciples were competing on these ten platforms to determine the top ten. currently, the area of the platforms had already filled with disciples, and they were all among the top 320. when the disciples saw lu yi coming, they cast inquisitive glances at him, some with caution. he even noticed a few hostile looks from some of the level 9 qi refiner cultivators. lu yi wondered if he had done something to offend them. he had no idea why these people seemed so unfriendly. deciding not to think too much about it, he turned his attention elsewhere. just then, lu yi heard wang wulian¡¯s voice, ¡°lu yi, over here!¡± turning his head, lu yi saw wang wulian waving at him with a smile on his face. lu yi walked over and greeted him, ¡°hi, wulian!¡± lu yi looked around and asked with confusion, ¡°where¡¯s ling? why haven¡¯t i seen him?¡± lu ling was not weak and lu yi was surprised not to find him there. wang wulian chuckled wryly and explained, ¡°ling was unlucky. jiang fan is on his platform, and he didn¡¯t advance.¡± ¡°jiang fan?¡± lu yi thought for a moment and then recalled. he asked, ¡°is he the one at the level 10 qi refiner?¡± ¡°who else could it be?¡± wang wulian said. lu yi sighed, realizing that it was not just li qi who had been unlucky. lu ling was also in a tough spot. despite having the strength to make it to the top one hundred, lu ling did not pass the preliminaries. however, the outer sect would not consider this fairness or unfairness. as the saying goes, luck might be intangible, but it¡¯s indeed important in cultivation. in fact, luck was also a part of one¡¯s strength. lu yi had no problem with this understanding. in his past life, he had read countless novels where the scions of destiny weren¡¯t necessarily the most talented, but they were like cockroaches that could not be killed no matter how hard you tried. and they always ended up with various treasures. no one could reason with that. ¡°by the way, wulian. who is that senior disciple in the green robe? why does he look at me as if i¡¯ve taken something important from him?¡± lu yi asked puzzledly. that senior disciple¡¯s gaze was far from friendly. it made lu yi wonder if he had stolen the guy¡¯s wife or something. wang wulian glanced in the direction lu yi had indicated but quickly averted his gaze. he grinned and said, ¡°well, it¡¯s because your cultivation broke through to the level 7 qi refiner, lu yi.¡± ¡°what does my breakthrough to the level 7 qi refiner have to do with this?¡± lu yi was perplexed. ¡°ha¡­ it¡¯s because of your astonishing talent, lu yi. with the strength of the level 7 qi refiner, you¡¯re already comparable to level 9. now that you¡¯ve broken through to level 7, some people might be feeling threatened,¡± wang wulian said with a mischievous smile. ¡°lu yi, you should know that the top ten disciples in each year¡¯s grand competition can be exempted from assessment and directly enter the inner sect, right?¡± lu yi nodded and replied, ¡°i know.¡± truth be told, it was lu yi¡¯s goal. wang wulian continued to explain, ¡°among the outer sect disciples in this session, there are only six senior disciples at the level 10 qi refiner. the remaining four are selected from the level 9 qi refiner disciples. that guy you saw just now is named mo lingxi. he has the strength to enter the top ten, or to put it accurately, he¡¯s right in the tenth place. do you understand what i mean, lu yi?¡± lu yi suddenly realized. he finally understood why a few level 9 qi refiner disciples had been giving him hostile looks earlier. those guys were probably qualified to vie for the top ten in the outer sect. with lu yi emerging, it was like adding a new competitor. moreover, considering lu yi¡¯s demonstrated strength, they probably were not confident they could beat him. as for the unfriendly guy, lu yi now understood his perspective as well. if lu yi managed to get into the top ten, he would be the one knocked out, and then he wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the inner sect. that must be quite frustrating. it was not a surprise that guy was so unfriendly. lu yi felt a bit sympathetic toward him. sighing, lu yi said, ¡°i hope mo lingxi has better luck next year.¡± wang wulian was baffled, looking at lu yi, who was sighing with sympathy and said, ¡°lu yi, do you think you¡¯ll definitely make it into the top ten?¡± lu yi smiled and said confidently, ¡°of course.¡± in fact, lu yi¡¯s goal was not just the top ten; he aimed for the first place. he had not forgotten the sect¡¯s rewards for the grand competition. the higher the ranking, the better the rewards. wang wulian grinned, gave lu yi a thumbs-up, and said, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯ve got quite the dauntless spirit! but don¡¯t underestimate those who are competing for the top ten. they¡¯re not like me and ling. they all have their unique skills, and at the very least, they have cultivated an art to the transformation stage, and some even have magic tools.¡± lu yi felt strange and thought, ¡®magic tools? i have two, a low-grade magic sword and a pair of mid-grade magic boots. as for techniques at the transformation stage, it was not boasting to say that i was still a bit lacking compared to them.¡¯ as they were conversing, dugu fang arrived at the central stage once again. looking at lu yi and the others, dugu fang¡¯s expression had softened compared to yesterday. he said, ¡°being able to enter the ranking matches, all of you are the elite disciples of our white cloud sect¡¯s outer sect. i¡¯m sure you will all enter the inner sect in the future. today¡¯s competition is to determine the rankings. let the ranking matches begin!¡± then, dugu fang waved his hand again. 320 stone tablets appeared, flying towards lu yi and the others. Chapter 21 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation lu yi picked up the stone tablet floating in front of him and glanced at it: 9-5. wang wulian looked a bit nervous as he turned to lu yi and said, ¡°lu yi, which platform are you on?¡± lu yi smiled and replied, ¡°platform 9.¡± wang wulian grinned and then burst into laughter. he said, ¡°i¡¯m on platform 10. if i¡¯m lucky enough, maybe i can make it to the top ten?¡± lu yi was speechless and thought wang wulian was quite optimistic. lu yi did not dampen wang wulian¡¯s spirits and nodded with a smile, he said, ¡°i believe in your strength, wulian. you¡¯ll do just fine.¡± wang wulian chuckled. platforms 9 and 10 were right next to each other. the two of them walked over to the edge of their respective platforms. at that moment, lu yi felt a sharp gaze upon him. he turned his head and saw mo lingxi looking at him with cold eyes. lu yi was taken aback. he had not expected mo lingxi to be on this platform too. that guy¡¯s gaze could almost cut through him. others also noticed mo lingxi¡¯s attitude and watched the scene unfold with an amused expression. these outer sect disciples who had made it to this stage of the competition were undoubtedly strong. they knew a thing or two about mo lingxi, who was one of the top ten gatekeepers. now that an up-and-coming figure like lu yi had appeared, mo lingxi would clash with him like a pair of roosters. the rest were sitting back and enjoying the show. just then, a gentle voice sounded, ¡°lu yi, didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡± lu yi turned his head and saw a young man with an ordinary appearance and determined eyes walking towards him with a friendly smile, a cultivator at the level 10 qi refiner stage. ¡°is that jiang fan?¡± ¡°who would have thought jiang fan would also be on this platform? this is bad. there¡¯s no chance for me to be in the top ten now.¡± ¡°brother¡­ don¡¯t just drink, have a bit of food too, okay?¡± ¡°but if you had even one peanut, you wouldn¡¯t be so drunk.¡± ¡°between lu yi and jiang fan, who do you think is stronger?¡± ¡°i¡¯m more optimistic about jiang fan. he¡¯s also a genius; he might be the champion.¡± ¡°i¡¯m also leaning towards jiang fan. if lu yi¡¯s cultivation was at the same level as jiang fan¡¯s, i would think lu yi is stronger, but he¡¯s at a disadvantage in terms of cultivation.¡± many nodded in agreement. lu yi smiled, nodded, and greeted jiang fan, ¡°greetings, jiang fan.¡± jiang fan returned the smile and asked, ¡°are you on platform 9 or 10?¡± lu yi replied, ¡°platform 9.¡± jiang fan smiled and said, ¡°that¡¯s a pity. i¡¯m on platform 10. i was hoping to have a match with you sooner. i heard you broke through to the level 7 qi refiner stage.¡± lu yi was taken aback for a moment and then smiled, ¡°when the top ten ranking matches come, i hope you could enlighten me, jiang fan.¡± jiang fan was momentarily surprised but then looked deeply at lu yi and said, ¡°you are quite confident. i will look forward to it.¡± with that, jiang fan smiled at lu yi and turned to leave. watching jiang fan¡¯s departing figure, lu yi felt a bit strange. his perception ability was quite strong now. jiang fan¡¯s strength was quite formidable, even giving lu yi a faint sense of danger. keep in mind, lu yi now had mastery over level 8 arts. his strength was much higher compared to regular cultivators at the level 10 qi refiner stage. in this case, jiang fan was significantly stronger than the typical cultivator at his level. indeed, a name like that was not to be underestimated. rolling his eyes in his mind, lu yi muttered to himself, ¡°i will defeat jiang fan.¡± task: defeat jiang fan (progress: 0/1) reward: 1 drop of centennial spirit dew accept: yes / no lu yi¡¯s expression froze as he looked at the reward. he thought, ¡®goodness, a drop of centennial spirit dew?! there¡¯s such a reward?¡¯ the centennial spirit dew was a treasure more precious than elixirs or spirit stones for cultivation. spirit dew had an extremely low absorption difficulty, no side effects whatsoever, and could nourish the physical body. it could even enhance affinity with spiritual energy to a certain extent, essentially boosting innate talent. even though lu yi¡¯s cultivation speed was quite fast, it was mainly due to his high-level cultivation technique and the daily consumption of perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. in reality, his innate talent for cultivation was just slightly above average. with centennial spirit dew, his cultivation talent would definitely experience a significant improvement. in that case, his cultivation speed would become even faster. though centennial spirit dew might not be as effective as millennium or myriad spirit dew, it was still spirit dew. more importantly, this was a sparring reward, something that could be repeated. ¡®hmm¡­ it looked like i should treat jiang fan a little better. in the future, i could spar with him more often. not too much, just three to five times a day. if i could get three to five drops of centennial spirit dew every day, i would be able to improve my cultivation talent rapidly. lu yi thought. lu yi suddenly found jiang fan¡¯s ordinary face quite handsome. while lu yi was gleefully in his thoughts, he felt another icy gaze from mo lingxi. he snapped back to his senses and silently muttered to himself, ¡°i will defeat mo lingxi.¡± task: defeat mo lingxi (progress: 0/1) reward: supreme-grade qi condensation elixirs x 20 / perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs * 2 accept: yes / no lu yi clicked his tongue and felt disappointed. he realized that mo lingxi was pretty weak. ¡°what¡¯s wrong, lu yi?¡± wang wulian asked. he was dumbfounded by lu yi¡¯s reactions upon hearing about jiang fan being on his platform. he only came to his senses when he heard lu yi¡¯s sound of frustration. he looked at lu yi. lu yi smiled at wang wulian and said, ¡°nothing. it seems you are also going to meet your end at the hands of jiang fan.¡± wang wulian¡¯s expression froze and said, ¡°lu yi, please don¡¯t say that. i want to be alone for a moment.¡± ¡°hahaha!¡± as lu yi and wang wulian were conversing, dugu fang spoke up, ¡°let the competition begin.¡± once dugu fang¡¯s words were spoken, the attendants on the platforms began announcing the matches. ¡°platform 1, on stage!¡± ¡­ the disciples who made it to the ranking matches were much stronger compared to the preliminary rounds the previous day. even the lowest cultivation level was at the level 8 qi refiner stage, and those with lower cultivation levels wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, even if luck was on their side. there couldn¡¯t be any cultivators at the level 8 qi refiner stage on a single platform, after all. so, even with good luck, a certain level of strength was needed as a foundation. the matches on the platforms were intense and engaging. most participants had mastered at least one art to the major mastery level. lu yi was thoroughly engrossed, unlike the day before when he was almost falling asleep from boredom. the matches proceeded one by one, and it quickly came to lu yi¡¯s turn as the fifth match. he gracefully floated up and landed lightly on the platform. across from him stood a girl with delicate features and flowing black hair, a cultivator at the level 9 qi refiner stage. when the girl saw lu yi, her lips curled up slightly, forming a shy smile. she said, ¡°hello, lu yi. i¡¯m gu mingxi.¡± lu yi smiled back and said, ¡°hello, mingxi.¡± ¡°your sword talent is truly remarkable. i admire you greatly,¡± gu mingxi said with a smile, initiating conversation before the fight. lu yi was a bit puzzled and thought, ¡®aren¡¯t we here to compete? why were we chatting?¡¯ lu yi twitched the corner of his mouth and said, ¡°mingxi, you¡¯re too kind.¡± at the same time, lu yi silently thought to himself, ¡®defeat gu mingxi.¡¯ task: defeat gu mingxi (progress: 0/1) reward: supreme-grade qi condensation elixirs x 10 / perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs x 1 ¡®well¡­ mingxi seemed a bit weak.¡¯ lu yi thought. he was not picky about it. a reward was still a reward. before gu mingxi could make a move, her fair face reddened, and she said, ¡°lu yi¡­ if you have time, could you spar with me more often?¡± lu yi was puzzled. he thought, ¡®mingxi was¡­ something seems off.¡¯ Chapter 22 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation not only was lu yi bewildered, but even the disciples watching below were at a loss. each male disciple looking at lu yi had a mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment in their eyes. ¡®damn it! is it that impressive just to be handsome and talented?!¡¯ ¡®why is he even getting invitations during the grand competition?!¡¯ even the attendant who was acting as a referee was a bit dumbfounded. he twitched his lips and then cleared his throat, saying, ¡°during the grand competition, let¡¯s not engage in irrelevant conversations!¡± gu mingxi¡¯s face turned red, and she nodded repeatedly, ¡°oh, of course¡­¡± ¡°let¡¯s start the match!¡± the attendant felt a bit exhausted. gu mingxi nodded eagerly, looking at lu yi, and said, ¡°lu yi, please enlighten me!¡± lu yi said, ¡°of course, mingxi. please enlighten me as well!¡± lu yi also felt a bit tired. being handsome could sometimes be quite troublesome. however, it wasn¡¯t his fault. gu mingxi practiced sword arts too. she held a long sword in her hand and darted toward lu yi like a butterfly. lu yi remained expressionless. after sizing up gu mingxi¡¯s strength, he realized that she was slightly weaker than lu ling and wang wulian. she was probably not too strong within the level 9 qi refiner stage. lu yi could end the match with a single move if he wanted to. however, considering gu mingxi¡¯s discerning eye, he felt a bit reluctant. also, lu yi needed to prepare for the upcoming top ten challenge matches. after the top ten were selected, the difference from the previous preliminaries was that if the disciples in the coming ranking competition were not convinced, they could choose to challenge the top ten disciples. he still wanted to have a few more people challenge him so that he could obtain the reward of sparring. lu yi thought he should take it easy. then, lu yi¡¯s long sword was surrounded by clouds as he met gu mingxi head-on. ¡­ in the air, dugu fang and the other elders lowered their heads, their focus mainly on lu yi¡¯s platform. dugu fang smiled and said, ¡°this is the first time i¡¯ve seen lu yi in action.¡± qi feiyu chuckled and said, ¡°yes, the sword qi turning into clouds, just as the rumors say. lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword has indeed reached the stage of regain simplicity.¡± a nearby elder lightly stroked his white beard, observing the platform where lu yi was facing gu mingxi. he nodded and commented, ¡°indeed, the sword technique of the regain simplicity stage has its merits. to be able to suppress gu mingxi, who is at the level 9 qi refiner, despite being at level 7, truly shows extraordinary strength.¡± ¡°indeed, lu yi is only sixteen years old, yet he has cultivated the white cloud sword to the stage of regain simplicity. his comprehension is quite remarkable, and his potential is tremendous. perhaps he could become a pillar of our white cloud sect.¡± ¡°moreover, his parents are from our white cloud sect. that¡¯s the best part.¡± ¡°yes, no need to worry about him being a spy from other sects.¡± dugu fang looked at the ongoing battle on the platform, his expression gradually becoming peculiar. he smiled and said, ¡°this lu yi¡­ seems to have held back.¡± these words left all the elders momentarily stunned. they watched the battle closely, feeling a bit bewildered. ¡°grand elder dugu¡­ are you saying lu yi held back?¡± qi feiyu asked as he found it hard to believe. ¡°to be able to suppress gu mingxi, who is at the level 9 qi refiner, despite being at level 7, is already quite remarkable. and he still held back?¡± ¡°how come i didn¡¯t notice that this boy held back?¡± several elders were uncertain, displaying confusion. dugu fang chuckled mysteriously and said, ¡°i¡¯m afraid gu mingxi won¡¯t be able to force out lu yi¡¯s true strength. it seems he has also reached the stage of regain simplicity in the white cloud stance.¡± ¡°what?!¡± everyone was shocked, looking at lu yi with disbelief. ¡°grand elder dugu, is this true?!¡± ¡°both of his arts have reached the stage of regain simplicity? his comprehension¡­ is even more remarkable than i had imagined.¡± seeing the elders¡¯ reactions, dugu fang smiled lightly and said, ¡°when i was young, i also cultivated the white cloud stance. i¡¯ve conducted quite a bit of research on it. although this boy is deliberately concealing his abilities, how can he escape my sight?¡± the doubts of the elders were dispelled by dugu fang¡¯s words, and their gazes at lu yi became even more astonished, filled with admiration and curiosity. the elders thought a mere sixteen years old, having two techniques at the regain simplicity stage and perhaps the depth of his comprehension of the cultivation method isn¡¯t low either. such a genius was extremely rare even within the entire white cloud sect. enough to make these outer sect elders, cultivators at the gold core stage, pay more attention. an elder chuckled and said, ¡°this lu yi is quite the youthful charmer. gu mingxi seemed to show interest before. could it be that this young man knows how to appreciate beauty?¡± this remark caused the elders to chuckle. after all, no one present was not at lu yi¡¯s age before. they started to think differently. young people liking beautiful women was normal. they had lived for hundreds of years and thought they could be some attractive disciples to lu yi. ¡­ the battle on the platform continued for a while. lu yi noticed that gu mingxi¡¯s energy was starting to wane, indicating that her spiritual energy was depleting. seeing that the timing was right, lu yi activated his stance, and his long sword, which carried the sound of tearing air, connected with gu mingxi¡¯s sword. clang! gu mingxi¡¯s sword trembled from the impact. lu yi took the opportunity to place his long sword horizontally at gu mingxi¡¯s neck. gu mingxi was panting heavily, her chest rising and falling unevenly. sweat formed on her forehead, and she looked at lu yi with a hint of shyness. lu yi was speechless and thought, ¡®what¡¯s with her expression? is she expecting me to take responsibility?¡¯ lu yi quickly withdrew his sword and smiled, ¡°mingxi, it was a good match.¡± ¡°you are truly amazing. i concede,¡± gu mingxi said. sensing that gu mingxi might want to say something more, the attendant felt that something was amiss and hurriedly intervened, ¡°since the match is over, you may step down.¡± lu yi smiled at gu mingxi and then jumped off the platform. after gu mingxi¡¯s match, the competition continued. a total of 320 disciples participated in the ranking matches, with 32 on each platform. after the first round, 16 advanced to the next round. the advancing participants would continue to compete in subsequent rounds until the final two battled for first place on each platform. in the second round, lu yi¡¯s opponent conceded immediately. he didn¡¯t need to exert much effort. in the third round, lu yi faced a level 9 qi refiner cultivator. similar to his approach with gu mingxi, lu yi accepted the sparring challenge and engaged in a battle for a while before concluding the match, earning a perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. in the fourth round, lu yi¡¯s opponent was also a level 9 qi refiner senior disciple. similar to the previous fights, lu yi engaged in a bit of sparring before ending the match, receiving another perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. now, it was the fifth and final round, the battle for the top ten positions. ¡°the final round begins. lu yi, mo lingxi, step onto the platform,¡± the attendant¡¯s indifferent voice echoed. mo lingxi¡¯s figure flickered, and he instantly appeared on the platform. his sharp gaze focused on lu yi below and said, ¡°lu yi, come up and fight! let me see if you can really make it into the top ten as you claimed!¡± lu yi also leaped onto the platform, grinning, and said, ¡°lingxi, don¡¯t worry. i¡¯m confident i can make it into the top ten.¡± with two perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs already in hand, along with the ones he had previously obtained, earning five perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs from this round was also a decent achievement. hearing lu yi¡¯s words, mo lingxi¡¯s face turned angry. he smiled and said, ¡°very well, since you¡¯re so sure, let me witness your strength!¡± the disciples below and the elders and attendants in the sky all watched with amusement, curious to see which of the two disciples was stronger. Chapter 23 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation qi feiyu looked at the platform and asked, ¡°grand elder dugu, do you think lu yi can win?¡± dugu fang smiled slightly, ¡°if lu yi displays the regain simplicity stage of the white cloud stance, he should be able to win. however, mo lingxi is not weak either; it probably won¡¯t be an easy victory.¡± hearing that, the other elders nodded in agreement. ¡°mo lingxi cultivates the spirit serpent sword and spirit serpent stance, both of which have reached the transformation stage. coupled with his cultivation at the level 9 qi refiner, his strength is indeed formidable.¡± ¡°if lu yi can defeat mo lingxi, he will definitely secure a spot in the top ten and join the inner sect. looking back at the history of our white cloud sect, there have been very few who entered the inner sect at the level 7 qi refiner.¡± ¡°excluding the geniuses we brought in from outside the sect, it¡¯s been hundreds of years since we¡¯ve seen such talent.¡± ¡°the last one was wu yong from the inner sect enforcement hall, right? he¡¯s already at the nascent soul stage.¡± the elders¡¯ satisfaction with lu yi grew as they discussed his potential. meanwhile, not far away, lu gaoyang, wang siqi, and several attendants were also watching lu yi¡¯s platform closely. both lu gaoyang and wang siqi were a bit nervous at the moment. if lu yi could win, he would secure a place in the top ten, enabling him to join the inner sect. as parents, it was natural for them to feel anxious about their child¡¯s future. the attendants nearby were filled with curiosity and anticipation. ¡°gaoyang, this is the most crucial match. do you think he can win?¡± lu gaoyang shook his head and said, ¡°i¡¯m not sure, but of course, i hope he can win.¡± ¡°mo lingxi is quite strong¡­ lu yi¡¯s cultivation is a bit lower. if he had reached the level 8 qi refiner stage, he would have a better chance of winning.¡± ¡°yes, even if he can¡¯t win this time, it¡¯s not a big deal. give it another year, and if lu yi¡¯s cultivation reaches the level 8 qi refiner, he will definitely secure a spot in the top ten of the inner sect. it¡¯s just an extra year of effort.¡± ¡­ as they spoke, the competition on the platform had already begun. mo lingxi¡¯s expression turned cold as he unleashed his spiritual energy at the level 9 qi refiner cultivation and attacked at full force. both the spirit serpent sword and spirit serpent stance drew inspiration from the agility and elusiveness of serpents. mo lingxi¡¯s steps were tricky and his speed astonishing. in almost an instant, he appeared by lu yi¡¯s side. his sword, like a serpent¡¯s tongue, thrust toward lu yi¡¯s chest. with spiritual energy coiling around his sword, mo lingxi shattered the air and emitted a piercing whistling sound. lu yi¡¯s expression remained unchanged. with a slight movement of his foot, his figure drifted like a white cloud, evading the incoming strike in a carefree manner. seeing lu yi¡¯s evasion, mo lingxi pressed on, his body closing in rapidly. his sword, filled with a mysterious aura, launched a continuous assault on lu yi. the sword winds created by his strikes were sharp and fierce, leaving the disciples watching below unable to help but feel their hearts race. they couldn¡¯t imagine being able to withstand such a relentless attack. however, lu yi seemed to effortlessly avoid each attack amidst the storm of sword strikes. as lu yi dodged the attacks, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, ¡®lingxi is indeed worthy of being the gatekeeper of the top ten. his strength surpasses even wulian and mingxi.¡¯ nevertheless, to an average cultivator at the level 9 qi refiner, mo lingxi¡¯s strength was undeniably formidable. for lu yi, however, it was still manageable. after all, when facing wang wulian and the others earlier, lu yi had deliberately held back, not fully unleashing the regain simplicity stage of the white cloud sword. now, lu yi felt that he could exert a bit more power. cloud-like qi emanated from his long sword, thicker and denser than before, enveloping an area of over a meter around him. halting his evasive maneuvers, lu yi swung his sword. in the next moment, the ethereal sword clouds soared toward mo lingxi with astonishing speed. mo lingxi¡¯s pupils constricted as he felt the immense threat. he exclaimed, ¡°what?!¡± mo lingxi quickly abandoned his aggressive attack, activating the spirit serpent stance to retreat repeatedly, evading the sword clouds. the sword clouds swept past mo lingxi¡¯s side and landed on the platform. the stone slabs on the platform bore the imprints of intricate cloud patterns. the attendants nearby couldn¡¯t help but shiver, surprised by the power of lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword. the platform was made of green oak stone, specially treated to resist damage. yet, lu yi¡¯s strike had left visible marks on it. ¡®lu yi was amazing.¡¯ the disciples all thought as they gasped. ¡°the power of this sword¡­ i don¡¯t think i can block it!¡± ¡°i¡¯m afraid that only the senior disciples at the level 10 qi refiner stage can block it.¡± ¡°lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword has actually reached such a level?! when he was competing with the other disciples, he actually didn¡¯t use his full strength?!¡± wang wulian did not participate in the competition. he was stunned as he looked at lu yi on the stage. he exclaimed, ¡°is this the true power of the sword technique in the regain simplicity stage?!¡± among the disciples who had sparred with lu yi earlier, gu mingxi and the other two level 9 qi refiner cultivators stared wide-eyed, disbelief written across their faces. one of the senior disciples sighed with a wry smile, shaking his head, and said, ¡°i originally thought the gap between me and lu yi wasn¡¯t that significant, but now¡­ it¡¯s like heaven and earth.¡± another senior disciple beside him wore a bitter expression. gu mingxi looked at lu yi with even brighter eyes. mo lingxi, who was facing lu yi, could feel the pressure from lu yi¡¯s sword even more. cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he stared at lu yi with his eyes wide open and said, ¡°you actually hid your strength before?¡± lu yi smiled embarrassedly and said, ¡°it isn¡¯t easy for the senior disciples to cultivate. if i was too harsh on them, it wouldn¡¯t be good if i damaged their hearts. if you are not so powerful, i would not have used such power, lingxi.¡± lu yi couldn¡¯t say that he was pretending to be a noob so that someone could spar with him in the future. if they were all insta-killed, no one would spar with him. if no one came to spar with him, he would not be able to complete the tasks and obtain the perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. upon hearing that, wang wulian and the others were shocked. they widened their eyes and looked at lu yi in disbelief. wang wulian was moved. he said, ¡°lu yi¡­ you¡¯ve put so much thought into this for us. you are such a nice person!¡± gu mingxi was anxious and said, ¡°lu yi is too kind and considerate.¡± even the other disciples were full of admiration for lu yi. ¡°lu yi is so kind-hearted!¡± ¡°lu yi is truly an example for us. fellow disciples should take care of each other.¡± even jiang fan, who was standing nearby, nodded slightly. as he looked at lu yi, a trace of approval appeared in his eyes. he smiled and said, ¡°lu yi is indeed kind-hearted and worthy of befriending.¡± hearing lu yi¡¯s words, mo lingxi fell into a moment of silence. then, mo lingxi took a deep breath and looked at lu yi, his expression solemn, and said, ¡°lu yi, you are truly righteous. in ordinary circumstances, i would share a drink and chat with you. however, this grand competition concerns the allocation of inner-sect spots. i can only say sorry.¡± lu yi smiled and replied, ¡°lingxi, there¡¯s no need to feel pressured. the path to immortality is boundless. we¡¯re all striving for progress. it¡¯s about our future. just do your best. don¡¯t leave any regrets.¡± lu yi¡¯s long sword resonated with a clear ring, and the swirling clouds surrounding it complemented his gentle smile. Chapter 24 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation mo lingxi took a deep breath and charged toward lu yi once again. lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword¡¯s power erupted, and he met mo lingxi¡¯s attack head-on. the two of them clashed once more on the platform. mo lingxi¡¯s stance was mysterious, while lu yi¡¯s movements were ethereal. their figures flashed on the platform, and with each collision, sword qi swept through the air, and spiritual energy transformed into translucent rings of qi that dispersed. overall, lu yi still easily suppressed mo lingxi. after all, he had nearly pushed the white cloud sword to the limit of the regain simplicity stage. as time passed, not long after, lu yi seized an opening in mo lingxi¡¯s sword technique transitions. the clouds shifted, and with a single sword strike, he sent mo lingxi flying off the platform. mo lingxi stumbled and landed on the ground, his expression momentarily dazed. then, he gave a bitter smile, sheathed his sword, and cupped his fists toward lu yi on the platform. he said, ¡°lu yi, your strength is astonishing. i admit defeat.¡± in fact, after witnessing lu yi¡¯s formidable swordsmanship earlier, mo lingxi already felt that his chances were slim. lu yi smiled and nodded. he said, ¡°your strength is extraordinary, lingxi. i merely performed slightly better this time.¡± hearing those words, wang wulian and the others felt a sense of familiarity. they looked at lu yi with a slightly peculiar expression. this was the same way he had spoken after defeating them. now, hearing lu yi say the same thing, they couldn¡¯t believe it anymore. the attendants on the platform came back to their senses, and as they looked deeply at lu yi, their initially indifferent expressions softened a bit. lu yi¡¯s words had touched them deeply. one of the attendants nodded and announced, ¡°lu yi wins and enters the top ten.¡± in the sky, dugu fang watched lu yi with a smile, feeling satisfied, and commented, ¡°this little guy is impressive. talented and valiant, such a disciple is truly a blessing to our white cloud sect.¡± qi feiyu beside dugu fang also nodded and said, ¡°indeed, compared to those heartless and ruthless geniuses, i prefer this lu yi.¡± the other elders nodded in agreement. after all, nobody wanted to invest their effort into nurturing a genius disciple only for them to turn their back on the sect or even become adversarial. a disciple with both a sense of loyalty and righteousness was less likely to betray. especially when this loyal and righteous disciple had such incredible talent. dugu fang sighed and said, ¡°if it weren¡¯t for this young man¡¯s exceptional talent, i would¡¯ve considered taking him as a personal disciple.¡± hearing that, the other elders were taken aback, surprised by dugu fang¡¯s high evaluation of lu yi. ¡°grand elder dugu, you must be joking. you¡¯re almost at the nascent soul stage, yet you can¡¯t teach lu yi?¡± ¡°that¡¯s right. if you are willing to have lu yi under your wings, that would be his blessing.¡± all the elders spoke. dugu fang shook his head and said, ¡°this young man is more powerful than i thought. his white cloud sword has probably reached its limit. it¡¯s even at the point where there¡¯s no room for improvement. with such talent, if he enters the inner sect, he will probably cause an uproar in the inner sect.¡± the elders gasped and widened their eyes. they did not expect the dugu fang to have such a high evaluation of lu yi. to cultivate a technique to its limit, to a point where no further progress was possible, required exceptional insight and talent. for a moment, these elders were lost in thought. meanwhile, not far away, lu gaoyang and wang siqi felt relieved upon seeing lu yi defeat mo lingxi. ¡°well done! that¡¯s my son!¡± lu gaoyang exclaimed with joy. beside him, wang siqi wore a broad smile. li mang and the others looked at lu gaoyang and wang siqi with envy, feeling a bit sour. they offered their congratulations one after another. ¡°congratulations, gaoyang. your son has entered the top ten and made it to the inner sect. such an achievement hasn¡¯t been seen in our white cloud sect for hundreds of years.¡± ¡°yes, lu yi has exceptional talent. you¡¯ll have to treat us to a feast, gaoyang!¡± ¡°what moved me the most was lu yi¡¯s words. he values relationships and loyalty.¡± many attendants nodded in agreement. ¡°gaoyang, siqi, you two are great examples!¡± ¡°our white cloud sect needs geniuses like lu yi.¡± lu gaoyang laughed happily and said, ¡°that¡¯s right, my wife and i have been leading by example every day.¡± seeing lu gaoyang¡¯s cheerful demeanor, wang siqi couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes in exasperation. she thought to herself that she would have to lecture him later when they got home. wang siqi smiled and said, ¡°our son has been sensible since he was young. he hasn¡¯t caused us much trouble.¡± as everyone chatted, lu yi stepped down from the platform and wang wulian approached lu yi immediately. wang wulian looked at lu yi with a touched expression and said, ¡°lu yi, i acknowledge your intentions. from now on, if you need any help, i will not hesitate to lend a hand.¡± a handsome young man walked over. he was the level 9 qi refiner disciple that lu yi had defeated earlier¡ªlin qifeng. lin qifeng nodded as well and said, ¡°lu yi, if you have the time, you¡¯re welcome to visit white dew peak as a guest.¡± ¡°congratulations, lu yi, on entering the top ten and the inner sect.¡± ¡°after entering the inner sect, you will likely soar even higher. congratulations!¡± senior disciples came forward one after another to congratulate lu yi, showing great friendliness. lu yi smiled and responded to each of them. just then, jiang fan walked over with a smile. he said, ¡°lu yi, you value relationships and loyalty. we can exchange pointers more often in the future.¡± hearing that, lu yi¡¯s eyes lit up, and thought, ¡®jiang fan¡¯s sparring missions rewarded me with centennial spirit dew! if they could exchange pointers more often, wouldn¡¯t that be fantastic?¡¯ lu yi happily replied, ¡°in that case, i might have to trouble you more often, jiang fan.¡± as they joked, the consecutive matches on the platforms came to an end. soon, the top ten rankings were determined. as the preliminary competition concluded, dugu fang once again stood at the central platform and calmly announced, ¡°the preliminary competition is over, and the top ten of the outer sect disciples have been decided. the disciples who ranked in the top ten, please come to the central platform.¡± hearing that, lu yi and jiang fan exchanged a glance, then activated their stance, leaping into the air and landing on the central platform. apart from them, eight others also stepped onto the platform. there was a robust and tall young man exuding a beast-like aura, wearing black attire, and with a simple expression. there was a handsome young man dressed in embroidered clothes, a cold-looking young man with twin blades on his back, a graceful young woman with a long sword on her back, and a charming young woman in a blue dress. these six were all at the level 10 qi refiner. the remaining three were senior disciples at the level 9 qi refiner stage as well. alongside them was lu yi, who was at the level 7 qi refiner. a total of ten people. lu yi¡¯s gaze swept over them, and he spotted the charming young woman. he was momentarily stunned. she was the female disciple who had praised his handsome looks on the white sun peak platform. he recalled that her name was lin wan¡¯er. lin wan¡¯er also noticed lu yi, her eyes brightened. she smiled at him, but with dugu fang present, she didn¡¯t dare to speak. the ten disciples stood beside dugu fang. he gave them a sweeping glance before looking down at the platform and saying calmly, ¡°the top ten disciples of the outer sect are gathered here. according to tradition, if anyone feels dissatisfied, they may challenge another and, if victorious, take their place.¡± upon hearing that, a commotion arose below the platform. several people were eager to give it a try. these were the disciples at the level 9 qi refiner stage. the senior disciples at the level 10 qi refiner certainly wouldn¡¯t challenge, but there were four others¡ªthree at level 9 and one at level 7¡ªwho saw this as their last chance. lu yi also held his breath, eagerly watching the scene below. he thought excitedly, ¡®pick me! please pick me!¡¯ Chapter 25 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation in the central area of the martial arena platform, there was a somewhat subdued atmosphere. below, the outer sect disciples who had been striving for the top ten positions while considering their bad luck were now gazing at the top ten participants on the stage. to be more precise, they were sizing up the three level 9 qi refiner disciples and lu yi. the three level 9 qi refiner disciples standing on the platform had cold expressions, their gazes sweeping over the restive fellow disciples below. they emitted an imposing aura, intending to make those eager challengers below think twice before choosing them. on the other hand, lu yi appeared completely lacking in any imposing aura, resembling a harmless little white rabbit. just then, mo lingxi stepped forward and said, ¡°yu ming, i challenge you!¡± yu ming was a disciple at the level 9 qi refiner stage with thick eyebrows and an ordinary appearance. he furrowed his brows and looked at mo lingxi. yu ming said, ¡°mo lingxi, are you sure you want to challenge me? do you think i¡¯m the weakest one?¡± mo lingxi grinned and replied, ¡°i have no choice. i think i¡¯m slightly inferior to tian lu and lin yu. as for lu yi¡­ heh, i just lost to him a moment ago. i believe lu yi is stronger than tian lu and lin yu. so, you¡¯re the only one left, and i believe i have a chance against you.¡± upon hearing those words, the expressions of many people changed slightly as they turned their gazes in lu yi¡¯s direction. ¡°what?! mo lingxi just lost to lu yi?!¡± ¡°is that true? lu yi¡¯s strength is actually so impressive?¡± ¡°didn¡¯t you know? the ninth platform, where they were competing for the top ten spots, was between lu yi and mo lingxi. lu yi is really strong; that white cloud sword was eye-opening.¡± ¡°i didn¡¯t know. we were on the fourth platform, just one away from the central platform, so we weren¡¯t paying attention.¡± ¡°you missed out. i think lu yi¡¯s strength is even stronger than tian lu and lin yu.¡± everyone gasped in surprise, and those few who had been eager to challenge before now looked at lu yi with more caution, quickly averting their gazes. since that was the case, it seemed they would have to choose someone else to challenge. feeling the eyes on him, lu yi was dumbfounded. he glanced at mo lingxi and the other disciples speaking below, feeling a sense of despair and thought, ¡®what grudges and resentments were these? i had been hoping for some perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs as rewards from this round, but what had actually happened? why were they exaggerating my abilities so much? i¡¯m actually not that strong!¡¯ lu yi saw the level 9 qi refiner disciples avert their gazes and felt even more helpless. yu ming¡¯s expression also changed upon hearing mo lingxi¡¯s words. he glanced at lu yi and gritted his teeth, coldly responding to mo lingxi, ¡°fine, let¡¯s give it a try then! i, yu ming, am not one to be trifled with!¡± seeing that, dugu fang smiled and said, ¡°since that¡¯s the case, let the challenge begin.¡± the challenge for the top ten would take place on the central platform. lu yi and the others stepped down from the platform, while dugu fang floated in the air as the referee. mo lingxi and yu ming ascended the platform. as the two contenders stood on the platform, lu yi felt numb and disheartened. he was nearly becoming a big scapegoat. he thought, ¡®if only i had dealt with mo lingxi more decisively earlier. that guy had blown my capabilities out of proportion. if no one came to challenge me, it would be mo lingxi¡¯s fault!¡¯ lu yi suddenly realized that if he had been more aggressive, others would probably be even less likely to challenge him. feeling even more dejected, lu yi watched the events unfold. lin wan¡¯er on the side looked at lu yi with a playful smile and said, ¡°lu yi, i didn¡¯t expect you to be so formidable.¡± lu yi snapped out of his daze and saw that several level 10 qi refiner disciples were observing him. he gave a shy smile and replied, ¡°wan¡¯er, mo lingxi exaggerated a bit. i¡¯m just average.¡± jiang fan next to them chuckled lightly. ¡°why be so modest, lu yi? your strength is clear to me. i imagine your white cloud sword is close to its limits, isn¡¯t it?¡± upon hearing that, the expressions of others changed slightly. they looked at lu yi with a hint of surprise. ¡°pushed a foundational technique to its limits?¡± a young man with twin blades on his back looked at lu yi, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit. ¡°interesting. i¡¯m looking forward to sparring with you in tomorrow¡¯s top ten rankings battle.¡± the expressions of the other level 10 qi refiner disciples also grew more cautious as they looked at lu yi. seeing their expressions, lu yi felt slightly more at ease and thought, ¡®while i might have missed a few rounds of sparring with the level 9 qi refiner disciples, i¡¯m certain we would clash in the top ten rankings battle the next day. at that time, i would surely receive some rewards.¡¯ with that thought, lu yi¡¯s mood brightened again. he smiled and said, ¡°everyone, i appreciate your praise. during tomorrow¡¯s ranking battle, i hope you can take it easy on me.¡± as they chatted, the battle on the platform had already begun. lu yi was aware of mo lingxi¡¯s strength. among the level 9 qi refiner disciples, mo lingxi was considered one of the top, but yu ming¡¯s strength was equally impressive. watching the battle, lu yi noticed that yu ming had also pushed his techniques to the transformation stage, similar to mo lingxi. what set yu ming apart was that he wielded a low-grade magic long blade, something mo lingxi lacked. the battle between the two was intense, and in the end, yu ming emerged victorious due to the advantage of his magic tool. mo lingxi felt somewhat unwilling, but he had no choice but to accept his defeat. after mo lingxi and yu ming¡¯s battle concluded, others challenged each other as well. however, due to mo lingxi¡¯s words, those challengers avoided lu yi. perhaps due to yu ming¡¯s comparatively weaker strength among the level 9 qi refiner disciples, he had been the primary target for challengers. eventually, a disciple wielding twin swords defeated yu ming and secured a spot in the top ten. lu yi knew the name of this disciple who used twin swords¡ªwan hua. his strength was remarkable, already being one of the outstanding talents in the outer sect. yu ming was slightly inferior in comparison, managing to enter the top ten due to both his strength and a bit of luck. unfortunately, he was defeated by wan hua in the end, serving as a stepping stone for others. following wan hua¡¯s victory, no one else challenged, and the top ten rankings were finalized. at this point, the sky was already turning dusk, marking the end of the day¡¯s competition. tomorrow would be the final day of the grand competition and the most crucial one¡ªwhen the top ten rankings would be determined. although the final challenge had been somewhat unexpected, lu yi had still managed to obtain five perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. this could be considered a decent harvest, leaving him in a relatively cheerful mood. as was customary, dugu fang announced the end of the day¡¯s grand competition. the crowd dispersed, and lu yi, like before, didn¡¯t return with lu gaoyang and wang siqi. instead, he headed home alone. ¡­ the next morning, almost all the outer sect disciples, along with attendants and elders, had risen early and gathered at the martial arena platform. lu yi was no exception. arriving at the platform, he noticed that more figures were floating in the sky compared to the previous day. he noticed that some of those figures were inner sect elders who had come to observe. after all, the top ten disciples would be exempt from assessment and could directly join the inner sect. therefore, they could already be considered inner sect disciples. some inner sect elders might come to observe their performances. if satisfied, they might even take on these disciples as their apprentices. of course, those observing elders were usually just ordinary ones within the inner sect. the truly powerful elders and peak masters wouldn¡¯t casually come to watch. while the outer sect disciples might be geniuses, there were very few among them who could truly stand out in the inner sect. after all, most inner sect disciples had originally come from the outer sect. that made everyone a genius in the outer sect. some were even brought back and nurtured by powerful figures from the outside world, making their talent even more extraordinary. the top ten grand competition in the outer sect was just that, a stepping stone. what really mattered was how they performed in the inner sect. only then would they gain the attention of these important figures. Chapter 26 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation lu yi quickly arrived at the central martial arena platform area where everyone else had already gathered. jiang fan had his hands behind his head, and he was chewing on a brittlegrass he didn¡¯t know where he had pulled from. when he saw lu yi, he greeted him with a smile, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re here.¡± others looked over and nodded slightly in greeting. lin wan¡¯er playfully waved her hand at lu yi and asked ¡°lu yi, which peak are you planning to join in the inner sect?¡± others turned curious gazes toward lu yi. lu yi smiled and said, ¡°i promised liu ningshuang to participate in the assessment for the silk peak.¡± hearing that, a handsome level 10 qi refiner disciple dressed in embroidered clothes chuckled, ¡°with lu yi¡¯s aptitude, entering the silk peak is indeed possible.¡± that hand disciple¡¯s name was bai yulong, and he was also one of the top three in the outer sect in terms of strength. the sturdy level 10 qi refiner disciple next to bai yulong scratched his head and said, ¡°unfortunately, my talent isn¡¯t that great. i¡¯ll probably be kicked out if i go to silk peak.¡± that was tie man, and his strength was equally formidable. he cultivated body refinement techniques. ¡°silk peak¡­ it¡¯s also a gathering place for geniuses in the inner sect. how can an average person go there?¡± ¡°i had different thoughts. i plan to go to the crimson flow peak. i heard there are the most fire cultivators there. after i reach the foundation establishment stage, i plan to cultivate fire techniques.¡± ¡°after entering the inner sect, i wonder if we¡¯ll be able to make a name for ourselves?¡± ¡°we¡¯re not sure, but lu yi probably won¡¯t have a problem.¡± as they chatted about their future prospects in the inner sect, everyone was filled with anticipation. before long, dugu fang descended from the sky and landed on the central platform. the ten individuals fell silent, and the atmosphere among the onlookers grew more intense. dugu fang¡¯s gaze swept across the crowd, and he said, ¡°may i have your attention?!¡± the atmosphere immediately quieted down. dugu fang¡¯s authority was still quite imposing. he looked towards the top ten disciples and said, ¡°the ranking battles for the top ten will begin now. as usual, you will compete in pairs, and the final rankings will be determined.¡± as dugu fang spoke, he took out ten jade tokens. the tokens floated and arrived in front of the ten people, including lu yi. lu yi received the token and looked at it. there was a number 1 etched on the jade token. he was taken aback for a moment. he hadn¡¯t expected to be the first one. looking around, he noticed others were also checking the tokens in each other¡¯s hands, seeming quite curious about each other¡¯s numbers. just then, dugu fang continued, ¡°let the matches begin. number 1 stays on the stage, while the others step down.¡± upon hearing that, eight individuals descended from the platform, leaving only lu yi and tie man, who were left staring at each other. lu yi looked at tie man, grinned, and said, ¡°tie man, what a coincidence?¡± then lu yi muttered to himself internally, ¡®i need to defeat tie man!¡¯ task: defeat tie man (progress: 0/1) reward: supreme-grade physique elixir x 40 / perfect-grade physique elixir x 4 accept: yes/no seeing the task, lu yi was taken aback. he pondered, ¡®the reward wasn¡¯t qi condensation elixirs but physique elixirs instead?¡¯ the physique elixir was used for cultivating body refinement techniques. it could accelerate the cultivation speed of such techniques. even without cultivating body refinement techniques, taking the physique elixir could enhance physical strength, though its effect wouldn¡¯t be as good as refining body refinement techniques. lu yi didn¡¯t expect the reward for this mission to be such an item. this was definitely valuable¡ªmore precious than the qi condensation elixir. it was worth noting that the strength of a cultivator¡¯s physical body usually progressed alongside their cultivation stage. unless they cultivated body refinement techniques, which could enhance physical strength, most cultivators wouldn¡¯t have the time, energy, and resources to focus on body refinement cultivation. lu yi had not cultivated body refinement techniques before. after all, his previous talent didn¡¯t allow for it. after awakening the golden finger, he prioritized enhancing his spiritual cultivation to boost his combat strength, aiming for a good performance in the grand competition. lu yi had considered cultivating body refinement techniques after the grand competition, but that was something to consider later. he hadn¡¯t expected to receive a body refinement elixir as a reward now. it was quite a good item. lu yi looked at tie man more kindly and thought perhaps they could spar more often in the future. tie man saw lu yi¡¯s friendly smile and grinned back. he said, ¡°it¡¯s quite a coincidence indeed, lu yi. looks like we need to start the match.¡± the disciples watching below were excited to see that the first match was already between a level 10 qi refiner disciple and lu yi. all eyes turned towards the central platform. dugu fang glanced at the two and then vanished from his spot, only his voice echoing, ¡°begin.¡± hearing that, tie man grinned, and his spiritual energy circulated. his skin gradually turned into a gray iron color. he clenched his fists, and as his fists collided, a muffled sound rang out, ¡°lu yi, please enlighten me.¡± seeing that, lu yi also drew his long sword, and clouds of aura revolved around it. he smiled faintly and said, ¡°tie man, please enlighten me as well.¡± tie man grinned, his robust legs exerting force. boom! the ground under tie man¡¯s feet cracked like a spiderweb, and his body disappeared from its original spot. he instantly reappeared above lu yi¡¯s head, emitting a fierce beast-like aura, extremely terrifying. tie man clenched his right fist and swung it towards lu yi¡¯s head. his fist carried translucent energy, and the punch created a howling gust of wind that stirred lu yi¡¯s black hair. lu yi felt a slight stinging sensation on his skin under the force of the punch. he sighed internally, ¡®tie man¡¯s momentum was indeed astonishing.¡¯ lu yi circulated his spiritual energy, and his figure resembled white clouds, seemingly slow but incredibly fast as he retreated. tie man¡¯s punch missed, landing on the platform and creating a small pit. he stomped his legs and disappeared from his original spot once more. just then, lu yi swung his long sword to the right, and a strong aura of sword qi circulated as he struck. tie man¡¯s body appeared exactly in that spot. sensing the formidable sharpness of the sword qi, tie man¡¯s pupils constricted. he let out a low roar, and in the next moment, his body emitted a layer of circulating spiritual energy. the gray iron color on his skin became even deeper. tie man clenched both fists and struck the sword qi. boom! the fist charged with spiritual energy collided with the sword qi, creating a loud explosion. the shockwave swept in all directions like a storm, causing the surrounding outer sect disciples to feel a terrifying pressure. their eyes widened. ¡°wow¡­ such a powerful destructive force!¡± ¡°that power¡­ i¡¯m not boasting, but if i took a single hit, i¡¯d probably just lie on the ground and have my two hold a funeral for me!¡± ¡°well, you¡¯re indeed not boasting.¡± ¡­ beside the platform, bai yulong and others watched the intense fluctuations on the platform, their expressions changing. the three level 9 qi refiner disciples exchanged glances, looking somewhat bewildered. ¡°is he really at the level 7 qi refiner stage? or my eyes are fooling me?¡± ¡°anyway, i¡¯m gonna just sit back and relax. i¡¯m already in the top ten. i don¡¯t aim for a higher rank; just getting into the inner sect is enough.¡± ¡°indeed, lu yi is impressive. we¡¯ll probably just spar until we¡¯re out, okay? let¡¯s not go all out against them.¡± the three of them nodded simultaneously. lin wan¡¯er on the side glanced at the three of them, revealing a mischievous smile as she said, ¡°you think they¡¯re going all out? they¡¯re just warming up.¡± after hearing what lin wan¡¯er said, wan hua and the others had a puzzled expression. Chapter 27 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation in the sky, dugu fang and the other elders were also paying close attention to the battle on the platform. a chubby old man looked down at lu yi and exclaimed, ¡°this young man is truly a genius. with only a cultivation base of the level 7 qi refiner, he¡¯s able to unleash such powerful strength. grand elder dugu, the outer sect has truly produced an exceptional individual this time.¡± a middle-aged man next to him nodded slightly and said, ¡°with this level of strength, if he can maintain it in the future, he might have a chance to make it to our greenfield¡¯s young talents ranking, right?¡± the other elders were slightly taken aback by this statement. one of them said, ¡°elder lin, that assessment might be a bit exaggerated. the young talents on young talents ranking have unparalleled natural talents. while lu yi¡¯s perception is remarkable, his innate talent for cultivation doesn¡¯t seem to be that strong. he only reached the level 7 qi refiner stage at the age of sixteen, which is still quite a gap.¡± the other elders nodded in agreement. the middle-aged man smiled faintly and continued, ¡°having strong perception indicates that his speed of comprehending techniques won¡¯t be lacking. if this young man possesses a formidable cultivation technique and is provided with enough cultivation resources, his cultivation level can still be improved. conversely, lacking insightful comprehension is a problem that can¡¯t be easily solved even with a strong perception. i¡¯m more optimistic about this young man.¡± the middle-aged man¡¯s words caused the other elders to exchange glances, expressing similar agreement. ¡°in any case, it¡¯s a good thing for our white cloud sect to have one more genius.¡± on the platform, after the explosion, both lu yi and tie man simultaneously retreated. lu yi shook his hand slightly, feeling a slight numbness. it had to be said that tie man¡¯s strength was the strongest opponent lu yi had encountered since awakening the golden finger. lu yi had already utilized the full power of his white cloud sword in the regain simplicity stage, yet he still couldn¡¯t completely suppress tie man. moreover, tie man¡¯s physical strength was formidable. after the collision, lu yi felt a slight numbness in his hand. but, lu yi thought that was what made it interesting. lu yi smiled and then circulated his spiritual energy. he increased the output of spiritual energy. the intensity of the spiritual energy he had used earlier was equivalent to the normal intensity of spiritual energy for a level 7 qi refiner cultivator. his white cloud qi refining art had already reached level 8. the spiritual energy in his body was nearly mist-like and was probably on the verge of condensing into spiritual liquid. the quality of his spiritual energy wasn¡¯t something an ordinary level 10 qi refiner cultivator could compare to. lu yi felt that the quality of his current spiritual energy was almost comparable to that of a cultivator who had just entered the foundation establishment stage. even though he had only slightly increased his spiritual energy output, the power unleashed by his white cloud sword would still be significantly enhanced. with the eruption of lu yi¡¯s spiritual energy, his aura grew stronger. he looked at tie man and smiled, saying, ¡°tie man, the warm-up is about to end. shall we put in more effort?¡± feeling the fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from lu yi, tie man¡¯s pupils slightly contracted. sensing a significant pressure, he grinned and his expression turned more serious. he said, ¡°lu yi, it seems like we¡¯ve underestimated you¡­ to possess such strength at the level 7 qi refiner stage, i¡¯m truly ashamed as your senior. however¡­ i won¡¯t hold back.¡± as he spoke, tie man¡¯s spiritual energy surged. with a low shout, he displayed a fist technique that emitted the roar of a fierce tiger. the qi refiner stage art¡ªtiger fist. similar to the tiger blade art, the tiger fist was also a fundamental art of the white cloud sect, derived from the tiger intent. when lu yi had previously encountered lin gang¡¯s tiger blade, it hadn¡¯t been particularly strong. however, tie man was different. with his strong physical body and vigorous blood, his display of the tiger fist was accompanied by a terrifying aura, even emitting a tiger¡¯s roar. around tie man, waves of qi transformed into wild winds, sweeping in all directions. the immense momentum of the tiger¡¯s roar pressed heavily on the chests of the weaker outer sect disciples around him. the disciples around were startled and looked at the platform in fear. lu yi felt the powerful pressure and smiled. he said, ¡°tie man, just do your best. i won¡¯t go easy on you either.¡± ¡®i was right¡­ tie man was stronger than i had imagined. i had to use the white cloud stance at level 6 and above.¡¯ lu yi thought. while lu yi was thinking, tie man stomped on the ground, causing the floor to crack. his body was like a ferocious tiger descending from the mountain, and he charged at lu yi with a fierce aura. lu yi felt as if he was looking at a huge ferocious tiger coming at him. a sword light flashed in his eyes, and then a sword cloud that was even more vast than before swept out to meet tie man. boom! with a loud boom, tiny wounds appeared on tie man¡¯s skin. they had been cut open by lu yi¡¯s sword qi. however, the fresh blood made tie man even more excited. he roared and used his powerful physical body to break through the sword cloud and charge at lu yi. lu yi helplessly smiled and tiptoed, his figure suddenly disappearing from the spot. boom! tie man¡¯s fist landed on the floor. then, he felt an extremely sharp sword intent coming from behind him. the hair on his back stood on end. he instinctively turned around and saw a sword cloud. tie man¡¯s pupils constricted. he could not counterattack in time. he could only roar angrily and erupt with spiritual energy. he crossed his arms in front of his chest to block. boom! tie man¡¯s clothes were torn apart, and the sword cloud tore open sword marks on his body. blood flowed out, and his body was sent flying. however, tie man¡¯s physical body was extremely strong, so this injury was not serious to him. as soon as he landed, he got up. at that moment, a long sword fell on tie man¡¯s neck. his body froze. lu yi stood in front of tie man and smiled. he said, ¡°tie man, thank you for letting me win.¡± the arena and the surrounding air became very quiet. then, the disciples below were in an uproar. ¡°what just happened?!¡± ¡°how did lu yi¡¯s speed suddenly become so fast?!¡± ¡°yes, his speed was completely different from before! i couldn¡¯t even see lu yi¡¯s figure clearly!¡± ¡°is there a possibility that lu yi¡¯s white cloud stance has also reached the regain simplicity stage?¡± that statement left the people around in a daze, and then their gazes toward lu yi were filled with astonishment. ¡°is that really possible? both his basic techniques, the white cloud sword and the white cloud stance, have both reached the regain simplicity stage? how high must his perception be?¡± ¡°isn¡¯t this joke going too far? i¡¯d rather believe that lu yi is hiding his true cultivation level. maybe he¡¯s actually at the level 8 qi refiner stage¡­¡± meanwhile, below the platform, lin wan¡¯er, jiang fan, and others were also observing the battle. bai yulong, lin wan¡¯er, and a few other level 10 qi refiner disciples had solemn expressions. jiang fan looked intently at lu yi and chuckled, ¡°this lu yi is truly amazing. both the white cloud sword and the white cloud stance have reached the regain simplicity stage. this guy might be hiding something, huh? what if he¡¯s also reached the pinnacle of the white cloud stance?¡± the others stared at jiang fan with an odd look. ¡°jiang fan, can you not jinx it?¡± said a cold and fierce young man carrying two swords on his back. lin wan¡¯er nodded and said, ¡°exactly! what if your guess is correct? that would be troublesome. i don¡¯t want to lose to a younger, lower-cultivation-level disciple, especially when he¡¯s so handsome. it would be so embarrassing.¡± bai yulong took a deep breath and said slowly, ¡°have any of you considered something? outer sect disciples cultivate one main technique and two basic arts. is it possible that this guy¡¯s main technique has also reached the regain simplicity stage?¡± jiang fan¡¯s smile froze, and the expressions of lin wan¡¯er and the others also stiffened. ¡°could¡­ that be really possible?¡± conversely, the trio of level 9 qi refiner disciples sat back and watched the show with glee. they couldn¡¯t care less about the outcome, as none of them could win against lu yi or tie man. they were just passing by, enjoying the show. Chapter 28 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation in the arena, tie man¡¯s expression froze, his face still showing shock. after a moment of locking gazes with lu yi, he scratched his head and said, ¡°white cloud stance at the regain simplicity stage?¡± ¡°yeah,¡± lu yi said as he smiled and nodded, retracting his longsword. tie man scratched his head again and cupped his hand to lu yi, saying, ¡°i admit defeat, lu yi, you¡¯re formidable. i lost.¡± saying that, tie man hopped off the arena and began to recover his energy. the top ten matches weren¡¯t just a single round; losing this match meant tie man had no chance for the top five, but he still had to compete for the remaining spots, so he needed to recover well to stand a chance. lu yi also jumped off the arena, noticing the expectant gazes of jiang fan and the others. he chuckled shyly, ¡°what¡¯s the matter?¡± bai yulong gave a dry cough and waved his folding fan, asking, ¡°lu yi, tell us honestly, did you also cultivate your white cloud qi refining art to the regain simplicity stage?¡± lu yi was momentarily surprised, then smiled in amazement and said, ¡°yulong, you¡¯re really sharp to figure that out.¡± bai yulong and the others fell silent. even tie man, who was already recovering his energy, showed fluctuations in his aura, indicating that he also heard their conversation. in the quiet atmosphere, dugu fang arrived at the arena. he said, ¡°participant number 2, step up.¡± everyone snapped back to reality. both lin wan¡¯er and a level 9 qi refiner disciple jumped onto the stage. the level 9 qi refiner disciple seemed composed. he knew he wasn¡¯t a match for lin wan¡¯er and had no intention of going all out. he fought as best he could, but when he realized victory was impossible, he decisively admitted defeat. his match didn¡¯t cause much of a stir. next was the third match, where jiang fan faced a white-robed female disciple also at the level 9 qi refiner stage. her swordsmanship and stance were exceptional, reaching the transformation stage. however, jiang fan¡¯s strength clearly surpassed hers. jiang fan cultivated the golden blade arts, sharp and piercing swordsmanship. it was a stark contrast to his ordinary appearance, and he quickly gained control of the situation. he pressured the white-robed female disciple into continuous retreat until he finally forced her out of the arena with a powerful strike. watching jiang fan exhibit his swordsmanship, lu yi¡¯s gaze flickered. he sensed that jiang fan seemed to be holding back; his skill in the golden blade art might have reached the regain simplicity stage. lu yi sighed inwardly, acknowledging jiang fan¡¯s strength. he was indeed a powerful disciple who posed a threat. the fourth match involved bai yulong and another level 9 qi refiner disciple. bai yulong wielded a rare folding fan, which surprised lu yi. for those cultivators above the foundation establishment stage, a variety of magical tools could be used, resulting in all sorts of weaponry. however, at the qi refiner stage, more people used typical weapons like swords, knives, and spears. bai yulong¡¯s folding fan was a low-grade magical tool, and its power was extraordinary. the sharp intent within his strikes made his attacks very potent. lu yi observed bai yulong in a snow-white robe, his lips twitching, and thought, ¡®yulong seemed quite self-absorbed. even though using a blade to execute a blade art seemed more logical, he chose to use a folding fan instead. evidently, he believed it was more stylish.¡¯ amused, lu yi wondered whether he should also choose arts and tools that were more fashionable. after all, strength might be temporary, but looking cool was forever. bai yulong¡¯s strength was undoubtedly formidable, and the level 9 qi refiner disciple struggled briefly before being smacked off the arena by a single stroke of the folding fan. the final match before determining the top five involved li yun the dual blade user, and a female disciple at the level 9 qi refiner stage. li yun wielded a pair of blades and had a demeanor of calmness. he was not one to hold back. his blade arts were sharp, and he showed no mercy to the level 9 qi refiner disciple. after just two strikes, she was thrown out of the arena. she left with reddened eyes, close to tears. lu yi looked at li yun¡¯s expressionless face and couldn¡¯t help but think that he might have social difficulties. after determining the top five, they had an hour of rest. following that, the second round of matches began, with pairs competing against each other. one person would have a bye, determined by drawing lots. dugu fang and the five participants, including lu yi, stood in the arena. five jade plaques floated in front of them. dugu fang smiled and said, ¡°choose one.¡± the five of them exchanged glances before bai yulong grinned slightly, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re the youngest. you go first.¡± lu yi smiled and nodded. he said, ¡°sure.¡± glancing at the five jade plaques, lu yi inwardly prayed, ¡®please, don¡¯t let me get a bye. please, don¡¯t let me get a bye. i intended to fight one more round to earn rewards.¡¯ lu yi reached for the rightmost jade plaque. as he held it in his hand, he looked at it and revealed a smile. he thought, ¡®it wasn¡¯t a bye; how fortunate!¡¯ the others also chose their jade plaques one by one. after selecting, jiang fan was taken aback. he cheerfully spoke up, ¡°looks like luck is on my side.¡± jiang fan flipped the jade plaque and saw that it was blank, without any numbers. it was a bye. bai yulong¡¯s lips twitched slightly as he pulled out his jade plaque with the number one etched on it. looking at bai yulong¡¯s jade plaque, lin wan¡¯er, and li yun¡¯s expressions relaxed a bit. lin wan¡¯er grinned and said, ¡°thank goodness i didn¡¯t run intolu yi and bai yulon. those two are truly troublesome.¡± li yun glanced at lin wan¡¯er, saying coolly, ¡°what? do you think i¡¯m weaker than them?¡± lin wan¡¯er shot a glance at li yun and chuckled, further provoking his cold demeanor. meanwhile, dugu fang¡¯s voice broke the silence, ¡°the rest of you can step down. lu yi and bai yulong, stay.¡± lin wan¡¯er smiled at lu yi, ¡°cheer up, lu yi! teach that show-off a lesson!¡± seeing lin wan¡¯er¡¯s smile, lu yi¡¯s heart warmed, and thought, ¡®it seemed that wan¡¯er indeed understood bai yulong¡¯s flashy demeanor quite well.¡¯ jiang fan patted lu yi¡¯s shoulder, offering encouragement, ¡°you got this.¡± li yun remained silent, still sulking from lin wan¡¯er¡¯s disdainful remark. he left the arena without a word. with three of them stepping down, only lu yi and bai yulong remained in the arena. below, the watching disciples were astounded. ¡°lu yi and bai yulong¡¯s match is already up so soon?!¡± ¡°lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword and white cloud stance are so powerful, and bai yulong is among the top three outer sect disciples. their showdown will definitely be exciting!¡± ¡°indeed, both of them are outer sect geniuses. i wonder who will be stronger?¡± the disciples were full of anticipation. not only them, but the elders and attendants in the sky were also looking forward to the match. lu gaoyang and wang siqi were already confident due to lu yi¡¯s placement within the top ten. now, they had no worries. instead, they were eager to see how strong lu yi truly was. in the arena, lu yi gazed at bai yulong and quietly murmured to himself, ¡®i want to defeat bai yulong.¡¯ in the next moment, words floated into lu yi¡¯s mind. he glanced at them, initially surprised, then overjoyed. he hadn¡¯t expected such a reward. Chapter 29 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation task: defeat bai yulong (progress: 0/1) reward: a ray of sword intent accept: yes/no ¡®a ray of sword intent!¡¯ lu yi hadn¡¯t expected that the reward would be that. the last time he encountered a task related to enlightenment, it was the task that made liu ningshuang fall for him. although it was just a ray of sword intent, it was still sword intent. this was a powerful technique that usually only cultivators in the dao foundation stage could possess. even if it was just a ray, it was extremely formidable, enough to significantly enhance lu yi¡¯s combat strength. lu yi¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at bai yulong, his face carrying an enthusiastic smile. ¡°yulong, please enlighten me!¡± bai yulong was momentarily stunned by lu yi¡¯s enthusiasm, but he quickly smiled and said, ¡°lu yi, please guide me.¡± dugu fang¡¯s voice sounded, ¡°begin!¡± upon hearing that, bai yulong opened his folding fan, and spiritual energy circulated around him. breezes swirled around him, and his figure vanished. lu yi smiled and activated the white cloud stance as well, disappearing from his original spot. in the next instant, both of them reappeared in the central area of the arena. lu yi¡¯s longsword and bai yulong¡¯s folding fan carried dense spiritual energy as they clashed. boom! sharp sword and blade qi turned into surging residual waves, leaving marks on the arena. shortly after, both lu yi and bai yulong¡¯s figures vanished again and reappeared in the next moment, followed by the sound of the collision. bai yulong¡¯s stance was much stronger compared to tie man¡¯s, and his speed was faster. when facing tie man, lu yi could use his speed advantage to quickly find tie man¡¯s weaknesses and defeat him. however, when facing bai yulong, lu yi couldn¡¯t achieve the same result. in terms of offensive techniques, bai yulong¡¯s blade techniques were quite formidable. while the gap compared to lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword wasn¡¯t insignificant, his cultivation base was high enough. he might have spent quite some time at the level 10 qi refiner stage, and his spiritual energy was profound, making his power equally formidable. as a result, the battle between the two reached a stalemate for a moment. lu yi displayed a slight advantage, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t substantial enough to transform into a winning position. in the arena, the battle between the two created intense fluctuations. translucent residual waves turned into violent winds that spread outwards, leaving the nearby outer sect disciples astounded. ¡°so strong! no matter lu yi or bai yulong, they are incredibly strong!¡± ¡°yeah, their casual strikes, i¡¯m afraid i wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand them!¡± ¡°bai yulong is one thing, after all, he¡¯s at the level 10 qi refiner stage, almost at the foundation establishment stage, but lu yi is only at the level 7 qi refiner stage, and yet he¡¯s this powerful!¡± ¡°it¡¯s terrifying!¡± boom! another collision occurred. both lu yi and bai yulong retreated simultaneously and landed in two corners of the arena. bai yulong exhaled a breath of turbid air, calming the tumultuous spiritual energy within him. he took a deep breath and looked at lu yi, speaking, ¡°lu yi, you better watch out!¡± spiritual energy flowed around bai yulong, pouring into the folding fan in his hand. with a clear ring, an incredibly sharp aura radiated from the fan, and his aura similarly increased. ¡®bai yulong had fully activated the power of his magical tool.¡¯ lu yi thought and smiled at that. similarly, he channeled spiritual energy into his longsword, and sharp sword intent circulated around it. lu yi¡¯s longsword was also a magical tool. lu gaoyang had spent quite many spirit stones when buying it for him. after activating their magical tools, they disappeared from their spots again, engaging in combat once more. boom! two fierce translucent auras swept across the arena, leaving deep cracks on its surface that extended for more than ten meters before stopping. with their magical tools activated, the power of their techniques had also significantly increased. after the first attack, the two of them attacked again and again. they either collided or dodged each other. each attack carried terrifying power, and the arena became even more chaotic. bai yulong¡¯s aura began to gradually weaken after exchanging blows once again for hundreds of rounds. he was repelled by lu yi after a single strike. on the arena, bai yulong¡¯s toes touched the ground, retreating to the edge of the arena. he looked at lu yi in disbelief and said with a twisted expression, ¡°lu yi, your spiritual energy hasn¡¯t run out yet?¡± lu yi sensed that there was still about two-thirds of his spiritual energy left within him. glancing at bai yulong¡¯s weakening spiritual aura, he cleared his throat and said, somewhat reluctantly, ¡°it¡¯s almost gone. i have less than a quarter of my spiritual energy remaining.¡± when bai yulong heard that, he took a deep breath. a fierce look appeared in his eyes as he charged at lu yi again. boom! boom! the sound of battle rang out again. this time, the confrontation only lasted for dozens of rounds before bai yulong was sent flying. after he landed on the ground, he retreated continuously. a trace of blood flowed out from the corner of his mouth, and his face was slightly pale. he looked at lu yi, who was still full of vigor, and shouted, ¡°lu yi! you¡¯re lying! how does this look like you¡¯re about to run out of spiritual energy?!¡± seeing bai yulong¡¯s resentful expression, lu yi coughed dryly and said, ¡°it was going to be soon. there was less than a quarter left.¡± bai yulong was astonished. he looked at lu yi in disbelief and said, ¡°less than a quarter of your spiritual energy? and you call that almost gone?!¡± among the disciples below the arena, jiang fan and the others wore peculiar expressions. lin wan¡¯er exclaimed, ¡°is lu yi a monster?! even though bai yulong is at the level 10 qi refiner stage, his spiritual energy is actually inferior to lu yi¡¯s at the level 7 qi refiner stage?!¡± jiang fan¡¯s expression became serious as he spoke, ¡°didn¡¯t you hear what he said? his white cloud qi refining art has already reached the regain simplicity stage. the density of his spiritual energy might far surpass that of a typical level 7 qi refiner cultivator.¡± even li yun, who usually wore a cold expression, couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°h-how is this surpassing the level 7 qi refiner? bai yulong¡¯s spiritual energy is almost depleted, but this guy still has a quarter of his spiritual energy left. this is clearly exceeding the level 10 qi refiner stage, isn¡¯t it?¡± in the sky, dugu fang and the elders were all astonished. an inner sect elder looked at lu yi and exclaimed, ¡°this young man is truly remarkable. he has cultivated one technique and two arts to the regain simplicity stage.¡± ¡°yes, with this kind of aptitude, it¡¯s incredible! even among the core disciples, there¡¯s hardly anyone who can match up.¡± ¡°i think this young man¡¯s talent in swordsmanship cultivation is quite suitable for inheriting my legacy. he could become a sword cultivator. i¡¯m thinking of taking him as my disciple.¡± an old man with graying hair stroked his beard and smiled. instantly, the atmosphere among the elders froze, and they erupted in protest. ¡°you old geezer, what nonsense are you spouting?! who do you think you are?¡± ¡°that¡¯s right! this young man has such strong talent in stances, he should be learning flee arts from me!¡± ¡°get lost! each and every one of you shameless geezers! i obtained a pretty decent incarnation stage technique from a relic. i¡¯ve been struggling to comprehend it. i¡¯m planning to pass it on to this young man. he¡¯s going to be my disciple!¡± ¡°i feel like¡­ lu yi and i are fated to be together¡­¡± the elders from the inner sect stared wide-eyed, competing to speak, their faces flushed. Chapter 30 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation at this moment, dugu fang coldly snorted and said, ¡°that¡¯s enough!¡± dugu fang¡¯s gold core aura at the pinnacle spread out, and many inner sect elders immediately looked over. they were also at the gold core stage. dugu fang sneered and swept his gaze over everyone, saying, ¡°you shameless lot. you¡¯re not even nascent soul stage cultivators, yet you dare to take lu yi as a disciple? aren¡¯t you afraid of misleading the younger generation?¡± the elders were displeased upon hearing that. ¡°no, dugu fang, what you said is not right. what¡¯s wrong with gold core? isn¡¯t a gold core cultivator considered a person? are they inferior to those nascent soul old freaks? i believe my teaching ability to disciples is still quite good!¡± ¡°why don¡¯t you say that in front of those nascent soul elders from your waterfall peak?¡± dugu fang said faintly. the speaking elder immediately fell silent. it was true that gold core cultivators were indeed inferior to old freaks in the nascent soul stage. dugu fang continued, ¡°lu yi comprehended a set of techniques and two arts to the regain simplicity stage. that¡¯s because outer sect disciples can only cultivate these specific techniques and arts. how do you know where his limits lie? such talent is beyond your imagination. it¡¯s better to look for other disciples.¡± the elders¡¯ expressions changed, and they sighed one after another. ¡°fine, fine. after the grand competition is over, once news of this young man¡¯s strength spreads, those nascent soul old freaks might also be alarmed.¡± ¡°i think this bai yulong is quite good too. his foundation is solid. we can consider taking him as a disciple¡­¡± one by one, the elders decided to give up and turned their gaze to others. those who could enter the top ten had certain talents. for them, these disciples were also good choices. while they were discussing, the battle in the arena had basically concluded. when bai yulong heard that lu yi still had almost a quarter of his spiritual energy remaining, he was already dumbfounded. lu yi¡¯s subsequent attacks left bai yulong, who had exhausted most of his spiritual energy, unable to resist at all. in just a few rounds, bai yulong was knocked out of the arena by a sword strike. after landing on the ground, bai yulong staggered back a few steps before regaining his balance. he looked at lu yi in the arena with a resentful expression, then sighed and smiled bitterly. he cupped his hands towards lu yi and said, ¡°lu yi, your strength surpasses mine. i, as your senior, can only admit defeat.¡± lu yi also smiled and returned the gesture, saying, ¡°yulong, i appreciate your concession.¡± dugu fang landed on the arena and nodded at lu yi, smiling gently, and said, ¡°well done, well done. go and take a break to recover.¡± lu yi nodded and stepped off the arena. approaching jiang fan and the others, lu yi noticed their peculiar expressions. he chuckled shyly and asked, ¡°why are you all looking at me like that?¡± ¡°are you a monster?¡± lin wan¡¯er asked. lu yi was speechless. he said, ¡°wan¡¯er, i¡¯m just an ordinary human cultivator!¡± ¡®that¡¯s slander!¡¯ lu yi thought. the others fell into silence, not knowing how to respond. they couldn¡¯t help but wonder if lu yi had some huge misconception about what it meant to be ordinary. at that moment, dugu fang¡¯s voice resounded, ¡°lin wan¡¯er and li yun, take the stage!¡± hearing that, lin wan¡¯er and li yun exchanged a glance and then soared into the air, arriving on the stage. meanwhile, jiang fan smiled at lu yi and said, ¡°lu yi, take your time to recover. there¡¯s another competition coming up.¡± lu yi nodded, sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and pretended to begin his recovery. in fact, lu yi¡¯s consumption was not significant. by the time the match ended, he still had about two-thirds of his spiritual energy left. moreover, his recovery speed was quite fast. in just a short while, he had already regained a considerable amount. however, if lu yi didn¡¯t put on a show, he would be regarded as a monster. lu yi preferred to think of himself as a normal person. with his eyes closed, lu yi took the opportunity to check his completed task. the task to defeat bai yulong was already marked as completed and the reward was ready for claim. lu yi considered for a moment. since the sword intent was not a physical item but rather a state of comprehension, he decided to claim the reward now. he was eager to see how powerful the ray of sword intent was. he used his thoughts to select the reward and suddenly, a sword light flashed through his mind. the sword light was extremely sharp and pure, as if it could split the darkness within lu yi¡¯s mind. after that, a vast amount of profound information appeared in his mind. all of it was related to sword intent. lu yi absorbed the information like a sponge, and his understanding of swordsmanship improved at an astonishing speed. after a while, lu yi completely assimilated the ray of sword intent. he slowly opened his eyes, a trace of sword light flickering within them. he exhaled a turbid breath and was pleasantly surprised. ¡®so this is sword intent. if i added the sword intent to the white cloud sword, the power of the regain simplicity stage would likely see a substantial increase. if i used this on his white cloud sword at level 7 or above, the power would be even more astonishing.¡¯ lu yi thought lu yi¡¯s heart raced with excitement. he glanced at bai yulong nearby and silently vowed, ¡®i will defeat bai yulong!¡¯ task: defeat bai yulong (progress: 0/1) reward: a ray of sword intent accept: yes/no lu yi became even more delighted and thought, ¡®wonderful! it seems i need to get closer to bai yulong in the future.¡¯ bai yulong felt lu yi¡¯s gaze and looked over. seeing lu yi¡¯s friendly expression, bai yulong couldn¡¯t figure out why, but he felt a chill in his heart. he asked in confusion, ¡°lu yi, what¡¯s wrong?¡± lu yi smiled and accepted the task silently. then he replied with a straight face, ¡°nothing at all. i just think that bai yulong exudes an extraordinary aura and is quite elegant.¡± bai yulong¡¯s eyes lit up, and he lifted his folding fan with a smile, saying, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re too straightforward. i like people who are as candid as you!¡± lu yi replied earnestly, ¡°my biggest advantage is my straightforwardness. after we enter the inner sect, you and i can continue to learn from each other.¡± ¡°sure thing.¡± bai yulong responded with a smile. beside them, jiang fan was looking at lu yi with a puzzled expression. he asked, ¡°lu yi, why do i feel like you¡¯re a bit different now? is it just my imagination?¡± lu yi was taken aback, surprised by how perceptive jiang fan was. lu yi had just comprehended sword intent, and jiang fan already sensed something. lu yi chuckled and replied, ¡°while fighting bai yulong just now, i had a bit of enlightenment. i believe i¡¯ve made some progress.¡± bai yulong was shocked by lu yi¡¯s words and stared at lu yi, completely puzzled, with question marks swirling around his head. ¡®huh? we fought each other earlier but why didn¡¯t i experience any enlightenment?¡¯ bai yulong was completely baffled. meanwhile, jiang fan on the side was also a bit speechless. he said, ¡°lu yi, your aptitude for comprehension is really admirable.¡± lu yi laughed heartily and said, ¡°thank you for the compliment, jiang fan.¡± just then, a loud boom came from the arena. lu yi and the others turned to look, only to see li yun being thrown out of the arena, stumbling as he landed. lin wan¡¯er in the arena looked pale, with two cuts on her arm from which blood was oozing. she appeared weak, but there was a faint smile on her face. dugu fang¡¯s voice echoed, ¡°lin wan¡¯er wins.¡± li yun wore a frustrated expression. he snorted coldly, came to the side, and sat down without saying a word, clearly sulking. on the other hand, lin wan¡¯er hopped off the stage with a mischievous grin. she said, ¡°hehe, li yun, how¡¯s that? am i impressive?¡± li yun cast a glance at the triumphant lin wan¡¯er, sulking even more. he emitted an aura of immense injustice. dugu fang¡¯s voice came again, ¡°take a one-hour rest before the top three battles.¡± Chapter 31 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation upon hearing that, lin wan¡¯er no longer mocked li yun. she went to the side and sat down to meditate. her injuries were not light; she needed to recover to a better state. the others were also meditating. after determining the top five, they still needed to decide the rankings for the next five. time passed, and quickly an hour went by. dugu fang appeared in the arena again and calmly said, ¡°the top three disciples, step onto the stage.¡± lu yi, jiang fan, and lin wan¡¯er stood up and ascended the arena. dugu fang took out three jade tokens, which floated in the air. he said, ¡°among the three, one person will have a bye, and the other two will compete to decide the second place. after that, the person with the bye will contend for first place.¡± lu yi and the other two exchanged glances. lin wan¡¯er grinned mischievously and said, ¡°lu yi, shall you go first?¡± lu yi smiled and said, ¡°of course, i don¡¯t mind.¡± lu yi reached out and took a jade token, flipping it over to reveal the number one. lu yi raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling happy inside. to him, another competition meant there was another reward. seeing lu yi take the token, jiang fan and lin wan¡¯er also reached for their jade tokens. after looking at the token, lin wan¡¯er¡¯s expression turned disappointed. jiang fan next to her chuckled lightly and turned over his own token, saying, ¡°i have a bye.¡± lu yi looked at jiang fan strangely and thought, ¡®could he be a child of destiny? his luck was so good, getting a bye twice in a row. sure enough, he was extraordinary just like his name. dugu fang smiled and said, ¡°in that case, jiang fan steps down from the stage. lu yi and lin wan¡¯er, please prepare yourself.¡± jiang fan nodded and stepped down from the arena. dugu fang also ascended into the air, leaving only lu yi and lin wan¡¯er on the stage. lin wan¡¯er looked at lu yi and smiled. she said, ¡°lu yi, please be gentle with me later.¡± lu yi chuckled and said, ¡°your strength is astonishing, wan¡¯er. i¡¯m afraid i might not be your match.¡± lin wan¡¯er widened her eyes and looked at lu yi in disbelief. she asked, ¡°are you saying this with your eyes open? doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt?¡± lu yi felt pretty healthy, and his conscience wasn¡¯t hurting. he said earnestly, ¡°wan¡¯er, you misunderstand me. i never tell lies.¡± during their conversation, lu yi silently muttered to himself, ¡°i will defeat lin wan¡¯er.¡± task: defeat lin wan¡¯er (progress: 0/1) reward: foundation establishment stage art, amnesia accept: yes/no lu yi was taken aback, feeling a bit astonished. he thought, ¡®an art? i didn¡¯t expect the reward to be that.¡¯ lu yi had originally thought that the rewards for sparring tasks would be various cultivation resources or something of the sort. he didn¡¯t expect that even arts could be rewarded. however, lu yi had no idea what type of art amnesia was. since he hadn¡¯t completed the mission, he couldn¡¯t get detailed information about its content. in addition, lu yi was curious, ¡®what would be the reward if i completed this task and then continued to defeat lin wan¡¯er? would it be another art, amnesia, or some other art? if it were indeed another art, that would be great. i could spar with lin wan¡¯er a few more times and obtain several arts.¡¯ lu yi was somewhat expectant. after completing the current task, he would try it out. just then, dugu fang¡¯s voice resounded, ¡°let¡¯s begin.¡± lu yi and lin wan¡¯er exchanged glances. their spiritual energy circulated around them as they drew their swords and simultaneously disappeared from their original positions. lin wan¡¯er was extraordinary in strength, but she was still not on the same level as bai yulong. thus, facing lu yi, she was naturally at a disadvantage. as usual, lu yi held back a bit, using slightly less strength during the battle. they fought for hundreds of rounds. lin wan¡¯er¡¯s spiritual energy was almost depleted, sweat drenched her forehead, and she was panting. lin wan¡¯er retreated to the edge of the arena, cast an annoyed glance at lu yi, who seemed unperturbed, and helplessly said, ¡°i give up! i¡¯m not fighting anymore!¡± lu yi smiled and replied, ¡°you did great, wan¡¯er.¡± whether it was the elders or the disciples, nobody was surprised that lin wan¡¯er gave up. after all, lu yi had already shown strength beyond what lin wan¡¯er could compare to. after lin wan¡¯er conceded, dugu fang appeared in the arena again and announced, ¡°lu yi wins.¡± dugu fang turned to look at lu yi and smiled faintly. he said, ¡°take a short break before the battle for first place.¡± lu yi nodded and replied, ¡°yes, grand elder dugu.¡± after stepping down from the arena, the others didn¡¯t disturb lu yi. after all, the battle for first place was about to commence, which was of great importance. lu yi needed to prepare well. jiang fan sat against the corner of the arena, his hands behind his head. he watched lu yi, who was meditating with a pretentious pose, his eyes filled with fighting spirit. bai yulong fanned himself with his folding fan and glanced at jiang fan. he smiled faintly and said, ¡°jiang fan, do you still have some hidden art up your sleeve?¡± jiang fan was momentarily puzzled. he looked at bai yulong and chuckled. he asked, ¡°why do you say that?¡± ¡°lu yi displayed such formidable strength. yet, you¡¯re still not backing down, which means you believe that even someone like lu yi isn¡¯t unbeatable.¡± bai yulong squinted his eyes, lightly smiling as he spoke. ¡°bai yulong, you¡¯re quite smart.¡± jiang fan laughed. seeing jiang fan admit it, bai yulong became even more curious and asked, ¡°we¡¯ve been fellow disciples for several years. what hidden arts do you have? you actually think you can defeat that monster, lu yi?¡± looking at lu yi, bai yulong felt that his talent was already decent. but to be able to defeat him, a cultivator at the level 7 qi refiner stage, was simply bewildering. ¡®lu yi was truly something else.¡¯ bai yulong thought. jiang fan squinted his eyes, smiled faintly, and didn¡¯t answer. since bai yulong could tell that jiang fan was hiding something, he raised his eyebrows in slight disdain but didn¡¯t ask further. after all, he was sure that jiang fan would reveal it in the end. with bai yulong¡¯s understanding of jiang fan, their strengths were originally about equal, with jiang fan possibly being slightly stronger. however, being able to defeat lu yi, who was at the level 7 qi refiner stage, wasn¡¯t something jiang fan could accomplish. in the end, jiang fan would definitely reveal his hidden card. the final battle was about to begin. everyone in the martial arena waited in quiet anticipation. time passed, and not long after, lu yi slowly opened his eyes. seeing that, dugu fang asked, ¡°lu yi, have you recovered?¡± lu yi smiled and replied, ¡°yes.¡± ¡°very well, in that case¡­ lu yi, jiang fan, step onto the stage.¡± dugu fang¡¯s words concluded, and lu yi and jiang fan exchanged smiles. both of them soared into the air and stood on opposite sides of the arena. dugu fang rose into the air, leaving lu yi and jiang fan alone. the two of them locked eyes. jiang fan drew a long blade, lightly laughing, ¡°lu yi, i didn¡¯t expect you to be my opponent in the final.¡± lu yi also chuckled and said, ¡°i¡¯ve been quite lucky.¡± jiang fan neither confirmed nor denied it and said ¡°but luck alone can¡¯t bring you here¡­ alright, enough talk. let¡¯s begin.¡± lu yi clasped his hands and smiled. he said, ¡°jiang fan, after you.¡± jiang fan¡¯s expression turned cold, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. his entire body was enveloped in blade qi as he executed the golden blade arts. with a clang, a blade qi over ten meters long was slashed forward, aiming straight at lu yi. Chapter 32 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation swoosh! lu yi¡¯s body suddenly disappeared from its original position, and the blade¡¯s radiance slashed across the ground, leaving deep marks. jiang fan didn¡¯t even spare a glance at the marks. he moved his feet and vanished on the spot. boom! in the next moment, in one corner of the arena, both lu yi and jiang fan¡¯s figures appeared simultaneously. a roaring sound echoed as their spiritual energy surged around them, forming a faint protective shield. halos of light revolved around them, and the powerful shockwaves from their collision dispersed into semi-transparent waves of energy radiating outwards. the collision lasted only an instant before their bodies disappeared again. in the following moment, their bodies flickered incessantly, and the entire arena was covered in blade light and sword clouds spanning over ten meters. the thunderous clashes of collision intermittently resounded, almost deafening the ears. just a moment of combat had turned the already scarred arena into a mess. the intense battle caused the observing disciples around to exclaim in astonishment. the strength displayed by both of them was considered top-tier even among the foundation establishment stage cultivators. very few could match their prowess. the battle continued for a while, and their figures reappeared on the sides of the arena, holding their weapons while staring at each other. lu yi couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, ¡®i had to admit that jiang fan¡¯s strength was slightly stronger than bai yulong¡¯s. my white cloud sword and white cloud stance had been pushed to the limits of the regain simplicity stage. moreover, i infused a considerable amount of qi into the white cloud qi refining art, repeatedly improving its quality. yet, i still couldn¡¯t suppress jiang fan.¡¯ at this moment, jiang fan took a deep breath and slowly spoke, ¡°lu yi, is that all you could do?¡± lu yi was taken aback, then he realized that he still had his level 7 and level 8 white cloud sword and white cloud qi refining art, along with his nearly ethereal qi, not to mention the recently grasped sword intent. he cleared his throat and replied, ¡°i¡¯m already approaching my full strength.¡± jiang fan¡¯s expression changed upon hearing that and said, ¡°so you mean you haven¡¯t used your full strength yet?¡± regarding lu yi, jiang fan felt he had understood him to some extent. when lu yi said he was approaching his full strength, jiang fan couldn¡¯t believe a single word and thought lu yi must have held back a lot. with that thought in mind, jiang fan hesitated for a moment. he took a deep breath and continued, ¡°in that case, i¡¯ll have to unleash my strongest move. this move will determine the outcome.¡± lu yi was a bit curious now. given jiang fan¡¯s current level of strength, he shouldn¡¯t pose much threat to lu yi. the only time he felt a slight threat was likely due to the strongest move. lu yi smiled and replied, ¡°jiang fan, be my guest.¡± jiang fan¡¯s face grew serious, and he spoke slowly, ¡°i haven¡¯t completely mastered this move yet, and i can¡¯t control it freely. lu yi, you should be careful.¡± as he spoke, jiang fan¡¯s spiritual energy began to surge, his aura quickly rising. the surrounding onlookers overheard jiang fan and lu yi¡¯s conversation, leaving them puzzled. ¡°jiang fan has displayed such strong strength, yet he still has reserves?¡± ¡°what kind of trump card is jiang fan holding? i haven¡¯t seen him use it before.¡± the onlookers¡¯ confusion was palpable. they were curious about what trump card was jiang fan holding back. as everyone speculated, jiang fan¡¯s body emitted a sound like waves. his spiritual energy surged explosively, and a powerful aura formed waves that spread in all directions. even his pitch-black hair was blown about by this aura. lu yi¡¯s pupils slightly contracted as he watched jiang fan closely and thought, ¡®well, this aura is a bit intimidating.¡¯ grand elder dugu fang and his companions in the sky also noticed the change. their expressions shifted in surprise. ¡°is this¡­ surging wave palm?¡± ¡°this young man¡¯s talent is quite good. he¡¯s just at the level 10 qi refiner stage, yet he comprehended techniques at the foundation establishment stage?¡± ¡°interesting. i originally thought lu yi had secured the first place, but now it seems there¡¯s a variable.¡± the expressions of the elders, when they looked at jiang fan, changed a little. to be able to comprehend a foundation establishment stage¡¯s arts while in the qi refiner stage and use it, the requirements were not low. on one hand, one¡¯s foundation had to be solid, and on the other hand, one¡¯s comprehension had to be sufficient. obviously, jiang fan¡¯s performance surprised all the elders. they looked at jiang fan, who had an astonishing aura, and then looked at lu yi with curiosity. ¡°i wonder if lu yi can block the arts at the foundation establishment stage?¡± qi feiyu asked with a smile. ¡°i doubt it. lu yi¡¯s white cloud sword and white cloud stance are already pushed to their limits. even if the quality of his white cloud qi refining art improves a bit, there are still limitations. it¡¯s too difficult for him to withstand a foundation establishment stage art.¡± one of the elders shook his head and the others nodded slightly, indicating their agreement. even dugu fang nodded and said, ¡°if lu yi doesn¡¯t have more tricks up his sleeve, he¡¯s probably going to lose.¡± another elder chuckled and said, ¡°i thought lu yi had secured the first place, but it seems jiang fan has some hidden depths.¡± from a distance, lu gaoyang and wang siqi watched jiang fan¡¯s awe-inspiring aura, their expressions changing. lu gaoyang furrowed his brows slightly and said, ¡°surging wave palm? jiang fan has actually mastered foundation establishment stage arts?¡± wang siqi worriedly asked, ¡°surging wave palm is quite formidable. is yi in danger?¡± lu yi already exceeded lu gaoyang and wang siqi¡¯s expectations by becoming second place in the grand competition. at this moment, they were concerned that surging wave palm might be too powerful and cause injuries to lu yi. on the side, li mang smiled and reassured them, ¡°siqi, don¡¯t worry. there are so many elders watching. with lu yi¡¯s talents, how could those elders just stand by and let a genius like him get hurt?¡± others also joined in to comfort lu gaoyang and wang siqi. lu gaoyang and wang siqi gradually eased their worries after hearing their words. below the arena, bai yulong, lin wan¡¯er, and the others were all watching jiang fan¡¯s astonishing aura. bai yulong¡¯s pupils contracted slightly as he spoke, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect jiang fan to hide his secret so tightly. he¡¯s really holding onto a trump card!¡± li yun crossed his arms, not caring about his own situation for the moment, and said, ¡°lu yi might be in danger.¡± tie man nodded and added, ¡°a foundation establishment stage art. lu yi probably can¡¯t withstand it.¡± ¡°hmph! i believe lu yi can handle it!¡± lin wan¡¯er snorted, glancing at bai yulong and the others. the three of them were speechless and thought, ¡®did this woman think lu yi was invincible just because he was handsome? good looks didn¡¯t equate to strength.¡¯ the three of them chose not to reply. just then, jiang fan took a step forward and issued a low shout, ¡°lu yi, be careful!¡± jiang fan¡¯s right hand turned into a palm, and he sent a palm strike toward lu yi. a cyan ripple emerged, forming a huge palm imprint that was nearly two meters in diameter. this enormous palm imprint rushed toward lu yi at a breathtaking speed. wherever the palm imprint passed, the ground of the arena cracked, and the surrounding air seemed to be filled with watery spiritual energy, sealing off the space and leaving lu yi with no chance to evade. facing this immensely powerful palm imprint, lu yi remained calm, a glint of sword intent flashing in his eyes. in the next moment, an incredibly sharp sword intent shot into the sky, and clusters of sword clouds rose from lu yi¡¯s longsword. Chapter 33 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation ¡°what?! this is¡­ sword intent??¡± at the moment the sharp sword intent appeared, grand elder dugu fang and the other elders widened their eyes, staring fixedly at lu yi in the arena. the rolling sword clouds surged toward the palm imprint, and the incredibly sharp sword intent amplified the power of the white cloud sword, greatly increasing its might. the collision of the sword clouds and the palm imprint resounded. boom! an extremely intense explosion rang out, blue and white light intertwined, and the vigor and sword radiance radiated in all directions, shrouding the arena. the residual shockwaves turned into a strong wind that spread in all directions. bai yulong and the others below the arena felt the terrifying aftermath, their faces filled with shock. ¡°quick, retreat!!¡± they hurriedly stepped back, not daring to get too close. the outer sect disciples watching from behind also felt a heavy pressure on their chests, their faces turning slightly pale from the immense aura. everyone exclaimed in shock, their eyes widened as they looked toward the arena. ¡°such terrifying power!¡± ¡°he¡¯s only at the level 10 qi refiner stage, yet he¡¯s this strong??¡± ¡°no, what¡¯s going on with lu yi?! how did he get stronger again? wasn¡¯t he already close to his limit?¡± ¡°haha¡­ naive, you actually believed what lu yi said? that guy is full of nonsense! his claims of reaching his limit are all lies!¡± lu gaoyang and wang siqi in the sky looked at the surging palm wind and sword clouds in the arena, their faces filled with bewilderment. ¡°this is¡­ the sword intent?!¡± ¡°my goodness! lu yi actually mastered sword intent???¡± ¡°he¡¯s only at the level 7 qi refiner stage, and he¡¯s already comprehended such a conception?!¡± ¡°gaoyang, do you know how amazing lu yi is?!¡± lu gaoyang was bewildered, shaking his head slowly, and thought, ¡®how could i know? honestly, if it weren¡¯t for the grand competition, i wouldn¡¯t even dare to imagine that lu yi could make it into the top ten. sword intent? i didn¡¯t even dare to dream about it.¡¯ wang siqi, standing beside lu gaoyang, wore the same baffled expression, mirroring lu gaoyang¡¯s feelings. the expressions of dugu fang and the other elders were equally shaken, making it hard for them to stay composed. ¡°incredible, truly incredible! this young man¡¯s talent is truly outstanding.¡± ¡°yes! to comprehend such conception at the qi refiner stage, his future is boundless!¡± ¡°haha, not to mention the dao foundation stage, even at the incarnation stage, he¡¯ll have quite the potential! he could become one of the pillars of the white cloud sect.¡± the elders marveled at the situation. they knew only experts at the dao foundation stage would be able to grasp such a conception normally. to comprehend such a conception before reaching the dao foundation stage was an indication of extraordinary genius. especially considering that lu yi was currently only at the qi refiner stage, he could undoubtedly be called a prodigy. ¡°after today, the prominent figures in the inner sect probably won¡¯t be able to sit still,¡± grand elder dugu fang laughed. the other elders nodded in agreement. with such talent, those nascent soul stage elders would certainly fight over him, and even the peak masters and supreme elders at the incarnation stage would be tempted. as they conversed, the collision in the arena gradually dissipated, revealing the scene in the center of the platform. by this point, not a single intact slab remained on the huge platform. lu yi and jiang fan stood on opposite ends of the platform, facing each other with a tense atmosphere, not speaking. lu yi¡¯s expression was calm, his aura fluctuating, indicating that he was in decent shape. comparatively, jiang fan¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t as good. his face was pale, and his breath seemed weak, sweat dripping from his forehead. jiang fan looked at lu yi, his expression filled with astonishment and disbelief. after a moment of silence, jiang fan chuckled helplessly and said, ¡°lu yi, you actually comprehended sword intent¡­ you¡¯re truly¡­¡± jiang fan shook his head, smiled, and added, ¡°i yield.¡± the surging wave palm was, after all, a foundation establishment art. using it now consumed a significant amount of jiang fan¡¯s spiritual energy. after that strike, his spiritual energy reserves were already quite low. if he were to use it a second time, it would be equivalent to going all out. seeing that lu yi still had quite a bit of energy left, jiang fan felt that there wouldn¡¯t be any difference even if he used it a second time. after jiang fan admitted defeat, lu yi smiled and said, ¡°jiang fan, you¡¯re very skilled. it was an honor to compete with you. i was lucky and had a slight enlightenment during the battle with bai yulong just now, which was why i was able to comprehend sword intent.¡± upon hearing that, jiang fan was stunned. he looked at lu yi with a strange expression and then looked back at bai yulong who was a little far away from the arena. his eyes were filled with disdain and thought, ¡®if lu yi could comprehend sword intent, what did bai yulong comprehend?¡¯ of course, bai yulong also heard that and was completely dumbfounded. he thought, ¡®what?! we were competing, so why was lu yi able to comprehend sword intent?! is there a problem somewhere? something must have gone wrong!¡¯ bai yulong tried his best to recall the fight with lu yi just now. he wanted to know how lu yi had comprehended the sword intent. however, after thinking for a long time, bai yulong still could not figure it out. he was completely dumbfounded. bai yulong turned his head and saw lin wan¡¯er and the others looking at him with complicated expressions. the corners of his mouth twitched, and he said in embarrassment, ¡°what are you looking at? can you blame me for this? it wasn¡¯t my intention for lu yi to comprehend it!¡± lin wan¡¯er asked faintly, ¡°then what did you comprehend?¡± ¡°is there such a big difference between people?¡± tie man scratched his head. li yun sneered and didn¡¯t say anything. he just glanced at bai yulong. bai yulong was speechless because he was upset. at that moment, dugu fang landed on the stage. he looked at lu yi with a satisfied expression and nodded with a smile. he said, ¡°well done. to be able to comprehend sword intent at such a young age, your future is extraordinary.¡± lu yi smiled and said, ¡°you flatter me, grand elder dugu.¡± dugu fang smiled as he looked at jiang fan and nodded. he said, ¡°jiang fan, you did well too. you¡¯re able to comprehend foundation establishment art, and your comprehension is also extraordinary.¡± jiang fan smiled and said, ¡°thank you, grand elder dugu.¡± dugu fang laughed out loud and said, ¡°there are two geniuses in this year¡¯s outer sect competition. not bad. now that the top two have been decided, you two can leave the stage.¡± lu yi and jiang fan nodded and left the arena. the grand competition had reached the point where the top three places were determined. the following matches would be the duels for the lower rankings. the fourth and fifth places were determined between bai yulong and li yun. during their match, perhaps due to bai yulong¡¯s lingering frustration from his loss to lu yi, he had an explosive outburst and defeated li yun, securing fourth place. the rankings from sixth to tenth were determined through various matches. li mang secured sixth place, followed by liu tian, a level 10 qi refiner female cultivator, in seventh place. the remaining spots were taken by three level 9 qi refiner cultivators. the top ten of the grand competition had finally been decided. as the sun began to set, the competition came to an end. lu yi had finished his matches early and was now enjoying the time watching the later matches. the level 9 and level 10 qi refiner cultivators had impressive strength, making the later matches much more enjoyable compared to the preliminary rounds. when all the matches concluded, grand elder dugu fang stepped onto the platform again. he looked around, his tone calm as he announced, ¡°the outer sect grand competition has come to an end. the top ten disciples will come to the outer sect main hall one week from now. i will lead you to the inner sect. as for the rewards for the grand competition, they will be distributed by the affairs hall. the champion will receive a low-grade magical tool and a top-grade foundation establishment elixir. the second and third place winners will each receive a top-grade foundation establishment elixir. the fourth and fifth place winners will receive a mid-grade foundation establishment elixir. the sixth to tenth place winners will each receive a low-grade foundation establishment elixir. those who passed the preliminary selection will receive a bottle of top-grade qi condensation elixir, and those who passed the selection will receive a bottle of mid-grade qi condensation elixir.¡± Chapter 34 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation every year, the rewards for the outer sect grand competition are generally the same, so lu yi and the others weren¡¯t surprised. for them, the foundation establishment elixir was good stuff, as it could increase the chances of breaking through to the foundation establishment stage. the first-place reward, the low-grade magical tool, was even more precious. however, the most important thing was the top ten spots that granted entry into the inner sect. that was the most wonderful part. ¡°alright, that¡¯s it for today. you can all leave now,¡± dugu fang said before vanishing from the arena. lu yi and the others exchanged glances. bai yulong lightly fanned himself and said with a smile, ¡°everyone must be tired after the grand competition. i¡¯ll go back and rest as well. goodbye.¡± jiang fan nodded at lu yi and said, ¡°lu yi, let¡¯s spar when we have the chance.¡± lu yi nodded back and replied, ¡°sure thing.¡± afterward, everyone departed. just like before, lu yi didn¡¯t wait for lu gaoyang and wang siqi, returning to his residence on his own. once he got back to his room, lu yi eagerly began to claim his rewards. this time, there were quite a few rewards to collect. tasks: participate in the white cloud sect outer sect grand competition (completed) defeat tie man (completed) defeat lin wan¡¯er (completed) defeat jiang fan (completed) four completed tasks, among which the one that intrigued lu yi the most was the first one. the white cloud sect grand competition task looked rather significant, and lu yi had secured first place. he wondered what sort of reward would that entail. lu yi clicked on the grand competition task. task: participate in the white cloud sect outer sect grand competition, rewards are based on ranking. completed. reward: top-grade magical tool, purple jade bell, thunder spirit elixir x 1, perfect-grade foundation establishment elixir x 5, white cloud sword level + 1, white cloud stance level + 1, white cloud qi refining art level + 1. claim reward: yes/no lu yi was astonished. his eyes widened as he looked at the reward, his breathing growing a bit rapid. he was surprised to see the rewards for the task to be a little lavish. the top-grade magical tool was self-explanatory. even some golden core cultivators still used magical tools of this level. the purple jade bell was a defensive treasure that could activate a shield, capable of enduring three attacks from golden core cultivators and providing near-impregnable defense against foundation establishment cultivators. it was a life-preserving treasure. as for the thunder spirit elixir, lu yi was familiar with it. it was a type of rare natural treasure used in the foundation establishment stage. generally, cultivators would break through to the foundation establishment stage using foundation establishment elixirs. however, if they used special natural treasures, they could build a more compatible cultivation base, one that responded better to specific attributes. this would greatly amplify their progress in cultivating those attributes. generally speaking, if a cultivator or genius was able to find a suitable treasure, they would choose to find a suitable treasure to build their cultivation base. of course, not all heavenly resources could be used to break through. such heavenly resources could only be encountered by chance and were extremely precious. thunder spirit elixir was one such treasure and an especially precious one at that. if lu yi used the thunder spirit elixir for his breakthrough, his cultivation base would be particularly attuned to the thunder. consequently, cultivating thunder-based arts would yield twice the results with half the effort. these treasures were even more valuable than top-grade magical tools. the perfect-grade foundation establishment elixir was equally rare and valuable. while the success rate for breaking through was limited with regular foundation establishment elixirs, the perfect-grade foundation establishment elixir had the highest success rate. even a cultivator with an unstable cultivation base would have a high chance of breaking through using it. when coupled with a natural treasure, a rock-solid cultivation base would be established. as for the last three rewards, they would elevate lu yi¡¯s skills and techniques by one level each. this meant his white cloud sword, white cloud stance, and white cloud qi refining art would all be upgraded to level 9. lu yi wasn¡¯t too sure about the power of the white cloud sword and white cloud stance when they were upgraded to level 9, but they were definitely several times stronger than the white cloud sword and white cloud stance at the regain simplicity stage. they shouldn¡¯t be any weaker than ordinary foundation establishment arts. as for the white cloud qi refining art upgraded to level 9, lu yi¡¯s cultivation speed was even faster. perhaps it would not take long for him to break through to the peak of the qi refiner stage and start preparing to break through to the foundation establishment stage. lu yi was very satisfied with these rewards. he quickly chose to receive them. instantly, all kinds of rewards appeared. a palm-sized, exquisite purple-colored jade bell appeared on lu yi¡¯s table. it was the top-grade magical tool, the purple jade bell. there were also five completely purple, extremely crystalline medicinal elixirs on the side. they were the perfect-grade foundation establishment elixir. next to it was a transparent crystal bottle. there was a drop of purple liquid in the crystal bottle. thunder arcs were circulating inside the liquid. it was the thunder spirit elixir. lu yi kept all the treasures in his bosom. at this moment, a large amount of information appeared in his mind. all of this information was related to the white cloud sword, white cloud stance, and white cloud qi refining art. the profound information made lu yi¡¯s brain swell and he could not help but frown. a moment later, lu yi let out a breath of turbid air. after absorbing the information, he raised his cultivation arts to lv. 9. his eyes widened further as he gazed at the rewards, a hint of excitement appearing on his face. the rewards were too beneficial. with skills and techniques at level 9, lu yi believed he could easily handle ordinary foundation establishment cultivators. moreover, coupled with the flowing cloud boots and the purple jade bell, lu yi felt that he should be virtually unbeatable in the foundation establishment stage and even had a chance to escape when facing golden core powerhouses. after all, lu yi was only at the level 7 qi refiner stage. if one was wondering what invincible meant, lu yi was the example. however, lu yi quickly came to his senses and realized he couldn¡¯t get carried away. he told himself, ¡®i¡¯m not to get conceited and i was just an ordinary and mediocre cultivator. i¡¯m only at the level 7 qi refiner stage. why am i even thinking about running from a golden core cultivator? how unambitious of me! if i have the ability, i should just crush a golden core cultivator! i¡¯m already sixteen years old and only at the level 7 qi refiner stage. think about lin ningshuang, who reached the golden core stage at nineteen years old. i¡¯m better off working in a factory! invincible? what is invincible? apart from white cloud sect, am i invincible anywhere else? no! focus on cultivation and strive to improve every day! the early bird catches the worm!¡¯ after these affirmations, lu yi¡¯s heart calmed down. he knew he was only a regular qi refiner cultivator and there was nothing to be proud of. then, lu yi continued to claim his other rewards. for defeating tie man, lu yi received four perfect-grade physique elixirs. after receiving them, lu yi put them away, thinking about looking for a body refinement technique to cultivate once he entered the inner sect. generally, the more solid one¡¯s cultivation base during the qi refiner stage, the stronger the path base would be. lu yi believed that by training in each aspect to their limits, his resulting path base wouldn¡¯t be weak. after defeating lin wan¡¯er, lu yi received a special art called amnesia. lu yi absorbed the information and a strange expression formed on his face. amnesia could be considered a soul-related art. it allowed the user to erase a target¡¯s memory for a while. the larger the gap in spiritual power between the user and the target, the higher the success rate of the art. lu yi fell into silence, inwardly amused, ¡®this is essentially causing someone to lose their memory, isn¡¯t it? such art was something only found in neon-colored, special manga, right?¡¯ then, there were several daring ideas formed in lu yi¡¯s mind. but as soon as these ideas appeared, lu yi promptly suppressed them. he thought, ¡®no way! can¡¯t let my mind wander like that! i¡¯m lu yi, a beloved, charming young man¡ªhow could i use such dishonorable methods?! i¡¯m not that kind of person!¡¯ Chapter 35 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation however, the amnesia art also had certain risks. if the target¡¯s spiritual power exceeded the user¡¯s by too much, there was a possibility of backlashes that could damage the user¡¯s spiritual energy. lu yi glanced at level 1 behind the amnesia art on the interface and felt that it was better not to attempt it until he had cultivated the art to a higher level. he didn¡¯t want to risk any accidents. putting aside the matter of amnesia, lu yi redeemed the final reward for defeating jiang fan. in front of lu yi appeared a white porcelain bottle. he opened the lid, and rich spiritual energy immediately wafted out. satisfied, lu yi sealed the bottle cap. it was the centennial spiritual dew, an extremely precious resource for enhancing cultivation. lu yi kept the item safely and then thought of something. he mentally issued another task to himself, this time to defeat lin wan¡¯er. he was curious whether continuing to issue tasks would yield more arts to learn. however, lu yi was quickly disappointed. task: defeat lin wan¡¯er (progress: 0/1) reward: top-grade qi condensation elixirs x 50/ perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs x 5 accept: yes/no the rewards were not new arts, just elixirs. lu yi realized that the rewards for sparring tasks were somewhat random. the majority of the time, they offered cultivation resources like elixirs. the reward for the previous task with a new art was probably just luck. lu yi then issued other tasks for sparring with other senior disciples. he found that the rewards for sparring with jiang fan and bai yulong remained the same: one drop of centennial spiritual dew and a ray of sword intent. however, the reward from sparring with tie man decreased from four perfect-grade physique elixirs to three. the rewards for sparring with other senior disciples were all perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs, which weren¡¯t particularly special to lu yi. feeling somewhat helpless, lu yi realized that he might need to check if there were new sparring targets in the inner sect once he entered. at the same time, lu yi pondered if there were other ways to obtain rewards through tasks. gathering more rewards could accelerate his growth. ¡®if only i could get a millennium spiritual dew or a myriad spiritual dew, that would be wonderful.¡¯ lu yi thought. while lu yi was daydreaming, wang siqi¡¯s voice sounded, ¡°yi, are you back?¡± lu yi snapped back to reality and replied with a smile, ¡°i¡¯m here!¡± ¡­ lu yi achieving first place in the outer sect grand competition naturally delighted wang siqi and lu gaoyang. he had become so outstanding, and they were brimming with pride. lu gaoyang specifically bought some expensive spiritual herbs and monster meat. wang siqi prepared a feast, and the family celebrated together. lu gaoyang indulged in quite a bit of alcohol and had many conversations with lu yi. as a father, he naturally hoped for lu yi¡¯s success. although lu gaoyang held a position as an outer sect attendant and had some status there, he also experienced some hardships and difficulties. now that lu yi¡¯s talents had inexplicably become powerful, his future looked promising. lu gaoyang was happy about that and didn¡¯t wish for lu yi to end up just like him, a mere outer sect attendant. wang siqi was equally joyful. she, who usually didn¡¯t drink, had a little that night, expressing her mixed feelings of pride and loss as her son grew up. lu yi, though transmigrated, was also their biological child. seeing his parents so happy, he felt genuinely content. looking at the still-youthful faces of lu gaoyang and wang siqi, lu yi thought about how once he achieved a higher cultivation level and had more resources, he would help his parents with their cultivation. he wanted them to become stronger and even potentially reach longevity. on that night, lu yi didn¡¯t cultivate. instead, the three of them chatted late into the night. afterward, he went to his room and rested. during this period, lu yi had been cultivating diligently every day, which left him exhausted at times. after a night¡¯s rest, he felt refreshed and his mood improved. lu yi realized that cultivation required a balance between exertion and rest. occasionally taking breaks could actually enhance efficiency and improve one¡¯s state of mind. in the following days, the visitors to lu yi¡¯s home were endless. they included lu gaoyang and wang siqi¡¯s colleagues, who were also outer sect attendants, coming to offer gifts and congratulate lu yi on winning the outer sect grand competition and entering the inner sect. they admired lu gaoyang and wang siqi, knowing that if lu yi became powerful in the future, their status would also improve. they might not be too far from forming a golden core and becoming different from ordinary outer sect attendants. at the same time, some elders also came to congratulate lu yi, including qi feiyu, the elder of the affairs hall where lu gaoyang and wang siqi were working. lu yi also learned that qi feiyu took great care of lu gaoyang and wang siqi and was very respectful to qi feiyu. this made qi feiyu¡¯s old face glow. a genius who had cultivated two arts and a cultivation technique to the regain simplicity stage at level 7 qi refiner stage and had even grasped sword intent respected him. qi feiyu naturally felt delighted after all, qi feiyu was just an ordinary golden core cultivator. if nothing unexpected happened, he would never be able to break through to the nascent soul stage in his life. lu yi was different from him. it was almost easy for lu yi to break through to the nascent soul stage in the future. if lu yi had some luck, it would not be difficult for him to become an incarnation cultivator. lu yi even had the hope of becoming a dao foundation cultivator. lu yi was considered a big shot in greenfield and a powerful figure in the entire eastern region. qi feiyu also secretly planned to take care of lu gaoyang and wang siqi more in the future. at the same time, some elders from the inner sect also came to find lu yi, hoping he would join their peaks. however, lu yi said he planned to participate in the assessment for the silk peak, and no one disturbed him after that. apart from the visitors, jiang fan also came to visit lu yi once. lu yi proposed a friendly match, which jiang fan gladly accepted. the two found a secluded small forest and sparred for an entire afternoon. when jiang fan left, lu yi found himself with an extra twenty drops of centennial spiritual dew. lu yi saw jiang fan off enthusiastically, hoping he would come again next time. in addition to jiang fan, bai yulong, and li yun also paid visits. lu yi sparred with them for an afternoon each. after obtaining the fifth ray of sword intent from bai yulong, his rewards changed to five perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. lu yi was a bit disappointed; he had hoped to further upgrade his sword intent. however, the five rays of sword intent still made his swordsmanship formidable, much stronger than when he only had the first ray. as for reward sparring with li yun, it was just an ordinary perfect-grade qi condensation elixir. lu yi currently needed perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs for cultivation, so he welcomed them all. li yun was a battle enthusiast. after a whole afternoon, lu yi received a whopping 75 qi condensation elixirs from sparring with him. it was quite remarkable. adding the ones lu yi got from bai yulong and the ones he previously obtained, lu yi now had over a hundred perfect-grade qi condensation elixirs. he could use them to cultivate for quite a while. this brought a lot of joy to lu yi. ¡­ time flowed by, and it was already the evening of the sixth day. lu yi sat cross-legged in his room, spiritual energy circulating around him, and his aura fluctuating intensely. inside lu yi¡¯s body, the surging spiritual energy contained in the centennial spiritual dew was causing his cultivation to rapidly advance. the white cloud qi refining art at level 9 was simply unreasonable. lu yi felt that even the cultivation speed of a foundation establishment cultivator absorbing spiritual energy might not surpass his. generally speaking, the spiritual energy contained in a drop of centennial spiritual dew was enough for a qi refining cultivator at level 7 to refine for several months. however, for lu yi, it was a matter of just one night to completely absorb it. with such an absorption efficiency, lu yi¡¯s cultivation speed naturally accelerated significantly. as he circulated his spiritual energy, lu yi felt a barrier. he had reached the bottleneck of the level 7 qi refiner stage. lu yi¡¯s heart surged with excitement. in less than a month, he had broken through to the level 8 qi refiner stage. he felt that his speed was simply astonishing. just as lu yi was about to attempt the breakthrough, he suddenly paused, realizing something, ¡®hold on¡­ what about the task i had issued to myself to break through the stage?¡¯ lu yi found it odd that he hadn¡¯t thought of that when he broke through to the level 7 qi refiner stage. perhaps it was because he had been too excited. then, he decided to give it a try. lu yi mentally muttered to himself, ¡®i want to break through to the level 8 qi refiner stage.¡¯ Chapter 36 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation task: break through to the level 8 qi refiner (progress: 0/1) reward: millennium spiritual dew x 1 accept: yes/no lu yi was shocked. he looked at the reward and question marks slowly floated through lu yi¡¯s mind. he thought, ¡®is it actually possible?! and, the reward is a drop of millennium spiritual dew?!¡¯ lu yi¡¯s heart ached suddenly. when he broke through to the level 7 qi refiner stage before, he hadn¡¯t issued a task for it. he felt it was a loss. lu yi even felt like crying a bit. he took several deep breaths before calming down. he thought, ¡®the past was in the past; regrets were useless. in the future, i had to develop a good habit of issuing various task instructions at any time to see if i could trigger tasks.¡¯ lu yi resolved in his heart and accepted the task. afterward, he began to circulate the white cloud qi refining art and began to break through the bottleneck. the white cloud qi refining art had reached level 9, and its power had greatly increased compared to before. when lu yi broke through to the level 7 qi refiner stage, the bottleneck resisted for a moment. however, this time, with the assistance of the white cloud qi refining art and the spiritual energy of the millennium spiritual dew, the bottleneck couldn¡¯t resist at all. it was almost instantly broken through by lu yi. the spiritual energy circulated within lu yi¡¯s body, gradually tempering his physical body. he exhaled a breath of turbid air and opened his eyes. he had reached the level 8 qi refiner stage. this time, lu yi wasn¡¯t as surprised as before. breaking through had become a common occurrence for him; he had to adapt to it. after the breakthrough, lu yi immediately chose to claim the reward. a porcelain bottle appeared in his hand, and he opened it, sniffing the rich spiritual energy that wafted out. its concentration far exceeded that of the millennium spiritual dew. he placed the millennium spiritual dew in his embrace and felt a bit troubled. he had too many good things now, centennial spiritual dew, millennium spiritual dew, top-grade magical tool, perfect-grade foundation establishment elixirs¡­ lu yi didn¡¯t even know where to put them all. fortunately, he would receive an interspatial ring once he entered the inner sect tomorrow. he was already counting on getting an interspatial ring to store all these precious items. having learned from previous experience, lu yi was afraid of forgetting again. he mentally issued another task to himself to break through to the level 9 qi refiner stage. as expected, the reward was still a drop of millennium spiritual dew. seeing the reward, lu yi felt motivated. he closed his eyes with a contented smile and began cultivating in bliss. ¡­ the next morning, lu yi slowly opened his eyes, a glimmer of enlightenment shining in them. after a night of cultivation, he absorbed the spiritual energy of the millennium spiritual dew, completely stabilizing his cultivation at the level 8 qi refiner stage. getting up from the bed, lu yi stretched lazily. he left his room, entered the main hall of the house, and saw lu gaoyang sitting at the table, wiping his beloved mid-grade magical longsword. lu yi glanced at it and quickly averted his gaze. in the past, he would have wanted to touch it, but now¡­ he was already someone with a top-grade magical tool. seeing lu yi come in, lu gaoyang put away the longsword, smiled, and said, ¡°yi, you¡¯re up quite early today.¡± lu yi sat down at the table and smiled, nodding. he said, ¡°yes, i completed my cultivation task ahead of time today. by the way, where¡¯s mother?¡± lu yi looked around but didn¡¯t see wang siqi. at that moment, wang siqi walked in from outside, a gentle smile on her beautiful face. she said, ¡°i went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.¡± wang siqi took out portions of breakfast from her interspatial ring as she spoke. one had to admit that having an interspatial ring in this world was much more convenient than the previous one. at least, when serving meals, there was no need to worry about having too much food and making multiple trips¡ªit could all be done at once. looking at the delicious breakfast items continuously being taken out by wang siqi, lu yi cheerfully remarked, ¡°mother, why is today¡¯s breakfast so sumptuous?¡± lu gaoyang, who was sitting nearby, also chimed in happily, ¡°how could it not be sumptuous? our little rascal yi has finally entered the inner sect. from now on, no one can disturb our peaceful personal times anymore.¡± lu yi¡¯s smile froze on his face and was shocked. wang siqi glanced at lu gaoyang, and his smile froze. wang siqi sat down and placed a bun in lu yi¡¯s bowl. she smiled and said, ¡°yi, you need to work hard in your cultivation after entering the inner sect. you might not even be able to come back a few times a year. today, i made you some of your favorite dishes.¡± when lu yi met wang siqi¡¯s gentle gaze, his heart warmed. he smiled and said, ¡°thank you, mother.¡± then, lu yi felt that something was off. he got a feeling that entering the inner sect was so similar to when he was studying at university in his previous life. the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu was a little strong. ¡°come, let¡¯s eat,¡± wang siqi said with a smile. lu gaoyang¡¯s expression turned serious as well. he looked at lu yi and said, ¡°boy, your current talent is very good, but you have to know that there are always people better than you. many people are better than you. after entering the inner sect, don¡¯t cause trouble and cultivate well.¡± ¡°father, you still don¡¯t know me?¡± lu yi hurriedly nodded and said. ¡°i¡¯m not the kind of person who will cause trouble.¡± lu gaoyang¡¯s expression softened as he smiled and nodded. he said, ¡°i believe in you.¡± lu gaoyang paused and looked at lu yi. he asked, ¡°you¡¯re going to silk peak after entering the inner sect?¡± ¡°yes,¡± lu yi nodded and said. lu yi was recalling liu ningshuang¡¯s pretty face and still remembered that he had a task to make her fall in love with him. suddenly thinking about it made him feel embarrassed. lu gaoyang nodded and said, ¡°i heard that the assessment of silk peak is not simple. you should be careful.¡± ¡°i understand,¡± lu yi said with a smile. wang siqi, however, didn¡¯t mind and said, ¡°with yi¡¯s talent, entering the inner sect is definitely no problem. perhaps he might even become a disciple under the master of silk peak.¡± the three of them chatted. after breakfast, lu gaoyang and the other two left the hall. in the courtyard, wang siqi stroked lu yi¡¯s hair and said with a smile, ¡°after entering the inner sect, remember to wear more clothes. don¡¯t tire yourself out during cultivation. safety is the most important thing¡­¡± wang siqi nagged at lu yi. lu yi listened with a smile and did not interrupt her. after a while, lu gaoyang said, ¡°alright, it¡¯s about time.¡± wang siqi nodded and looked at lu yi. she said, ¡°go ahead.¡± ¡°father, mother,¡± lu yi said with a smile. ¡°i¡¯ll be leaving then.¡± lu gaoyang nodded and said, ¡°take care of yourself.¡± lu yi waved at the two of them, then left the house and ran towards the outer hall. the outer hall was located on white dawn peak, not too far away from white spirit peak. with lu yi¡¯s speed, it did not take long for him to reach it. there was a magnificent huge hall on the top of white dawn peak. it was the outer hall. it was very large. the grand elder dugu fang of the outer sect, jiang fan, and the others were already there. when they saw lu yi, they all looked over. jiang fan chuckled and said, ¡°lu yi, you¡¯re a little late.¡± lu yi smiled and nodded. he said, ¡°i was saying goodbyes to my parents.¡± bai yulong waved his folding fan and sighed, ¡°lu yi is the best. his family is in the white cloud sect.¡± the others nodded in agreement, sharing a profound understanding. after joining the white cloud sect and becoming an outer sect disciple, the majority of their families still remained in the mundane world. some disciples might have decent family backgrounds, belonging to cultivation clans or even being princes and princesses of kingdoms. however, compared to the world of cultivation, these were still insignificant. the control the white cloud sect had over some kingdoms was quite substantial. even for those from royal or noble families, joining the white cloud sect was a source of pride. for those disciples who came from ordinary families or had common origins, after joining the white cloud sect, they would be separated from their families, leading lives completely detached from their worldly origins. they might not even meet their families more than a few times in their entire lives. for the young outer sect disciples, that feeling was quite complex. ¡°well, now that lu yi is here too, let¡¯s set off for the inner sect,¡± said dugu fang with a smile. everyone¡¯s eyes lit up with anticipation. even lu yi was looking forward to it. finally, they were going to the inner sect. the inner sect was where the elite of the entire white cloud sect resided, with entirely different resources and techniques from the outer sect. Chapter 37 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation the group exited the main hall and arrived at the courtyard outside the outer sect¡¯s hall. with a wave of his hand, dugu fang summoned a massive sword about ten meters in length before them. although lu yi and the others had some knowledge, upon seeing this enormous sword, they widened their eyes in astonishment and asked, ¡°is this a flying sword? a flying magical treasure?¡± ordinary foundation establishment cultivators could use swords to fly, using their weapons as a means of transportation. however, these flying swords were generally for personal use, as they weren¡¯t very convenient for carrying others. this was why lu yi was carried by lu gaoyang when they flew to the arena during the outer sect grand competition. apart from using regular magical treasures for flying, there was another type of specialized flying magical treasure. these magical treasures were specifically designed for rapid travel and were not only more versatile but also faster. of course, these flying magical treasures were quite precious and expensive. seeing the flying sword before them, lu yi and the others couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of envy. flying magical treasures were extremely valuable, and their prices were not low. with a self-satisfied smile, dugu fang explained while maintaining the dignity of a senior, ¡°get on. it¡¯s just a flying magical treasure. if you work hard in the future, you¡¯ll also be able to own one.¡± lu yi and the others got onto the flying sword. grand elder dugu fang gave a sweeping motion with his sleeve, and the flying sword soared into the sky, disappearing into the clouds as it flew towards the inner sect. the flying sword¡¯s speed was quite impressive. during the flight, it formed a protective aura of spiritual energy around them, shielding them from strong winds. seated within this aura, they experienced a smooth and comfortable journey. along the way, dugu fang briefly introduced the inner sect¡¯s situation to lu yi and the others. after all, the inner sect was significantly different from the outer sect. outer sect disciples were only the foundation of the white cloud sect, while inner sect disciples were its true elites. competition within the inner sect was undoubtedly fiercer, and more aspects needed attention. lu yi and the others listened attentively, and before long, the flying sword passed through a layer of clouds, revealing a breathtaking sight. before their eyes lay a massive mountain range, with twelve towering peaks. in the center of these peaks was a vast basin, within which sat a small city. at the center of the city stood a towering tower that reached into the clouds. this was the white cloud sect¡¯s trial pagoda, as dugu fang had previously explained. it was an advanced magical treasure retrieved from an ancient ruin, used for training inner sect disciples. the area surrounding the trial pagoda was adorned with pavilions, towers, and terraces, all bustling with activity. white cloud sect¡¯s aura enveloped the entire region. numerous cultivators flew on their swords, and white cranes soared through the air, creating a scene that exuded a profound sense of elegance. lu yi and the others were amazed. this view was entirely different from what they had seen in the outer sect. as lin wan¡¯er and liu tian were women, their eyes sparkled even more with excitement. lin yi murmured, ¡°it¡¯s so beautiful.¡± liu tian nodded in agreement. dugu fang chuckled and said, ¡°this is the inner sect region of the white cloud sect. this will be your place of cultivation and life from now on.¡± staring at the flying cultivators and the cranes in the sky, lu yi and the others felt their eyes shine with anticipation. dugu fang smiled gently and said, ¡°i¡¯ll take you to the inner sect affairs hall first. as newcomers to the inner sect, you¡¯ll need to register your identities as inner sect disciples and receive identity tokens.¡± lu yi and the others nodded in agreement. the flying sword changed direction under dugu fang¡¯s guidance and brought them to the central town. in no time, they arrived before a massive hall. a vast square lay before the hall, bustling with flying cultivators. every one of them exuded an aura of vitality, with various strengths on display. even lu yi could sense the formidable aura radiating from some of these disciples. however, there were also disciples whose auras lu yi felt were not much stronger than his own. lu yi speculated that these disciples had recently joined the inner sect. they probably weren¡¯t very strong yet. riding the flying sword, lu yi and the others caused a commotion as they arrived. flying swords were not common within the white cloud sect. seeing dugu fang and lu yi¡¯s group on the flying sword, some senior disciples recognized them and said, ¡°it¡¯s elder dugu fang.¡± ¡°given the timing, the outer sect grand competition seems to have just ended. aren¡¯t these the top ten from this year¡¯s outer sect grand competition?¡± ¡°outer sect grand competition¡­ i heard there were two geniuses this time.¡± one disciple recalled something and chuckled. ¡°geniuses? are you sure? we all come from the outer sect, so what¡¯s the big deal about outer sect geniuses?¡± ¡°yeah, saying they¡¯re geniuses is a bit of a stretch.¡± ¡°what do you guys know? i heard from an elder from the outer sect that one of the geniuses mastered the foundation establishment art at the level 10 qi refiner stage. the other one is even more unbelievable. he¡¯s only at the level 7 qi refiner stage, but he already reached the regain simplicity stage with two arts and one cultivation technique. he even comprehended the sword intent! he¡¯s likely to achieve the incarnation stage in the future, and he might even reach the dao foundation stage. isn¡¯t this genius enough?!¡± those words made the others stunned. they looked at dugu fang and the others in shock. even those who didn¡¯t pay much attention to it looked over, full of shock. then, these senior disciples were in an uproar. ¡°really? the first one was still understandable. he was indeed very talented, but it was understandable. but what the hell was the second one?! there was such a person in the outer sect? shouldn¡¯t such talent be brought directly to the inner sect to be nurtured?¡± ¡°i know right. with such talent, the cultivator would be a nascent soul elder¡¯s core disciple! he could be the direct disciple of the peak master.¡± ¡°how would i know? this is what the elder of our waterfall peak said, so it shouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡± ¡°who are these two disciples? if there¡¯s a chance, i want to get to know them.¡± many inner sect disciples asked curiously. the disciple recalled the elder¡¯s words and said with a strange expression, ¡°that level 7 qi refiner disciple seems to be the most handsome one in the top ten. the one at level 10 qi refiner seems to be¡­ the one with the most ordinary looks?¡± dugu fang and the others were speechless. while some of the voices were distant, they were still audible due to their cultivation levels. lu yi and the others had excellent hearing and could clearly hear their discussion. they exchanged strange glances as they listened to the discussion. as the grand elder, dugu fang only twitched his brow before regaining his composure. lu yi and the others had a variety of expressions. lu yi, in particular, felt a little awkward when he looked at jiang fan. even though jiang fan had an extraordinary character, lu yi could easily overpower him in the looks department. however, saying this outright felt inappropriate. lu yi was starting to feel quite uncomfortable. even jiang fan, with his extraordinary temperament, couldn¡¯t help but feel a vein throbbing on his forehead. his expression was rigid, and he awkwardly touched his nose and asked, ¡°is having an ordinary appearance a fault?¡± lu yi spoke earnestly, ¡°jiang fan, don¡¯t overthink it. we all know about your talents and abilities.¡± ¡°jiang fan, a man¡¯s strength is what truly matters. what¡¯s the use of being a pretty boy? such a sissy.¡± li yun crossed his arms and sneered. lu yi blinked, completely taken aback. he felt like he had been insulted. beside lu yi, bai yulong¡¯s expression also stiffened. he tapped his folding fan and asked, ¡°do they really think that lu yi is the most handsome?¡± ¡°isn¡¯t he?¡± lin wan¡¯er asked as she shot bai yulong a glance. bai yulong coughed awkwardly, giving lin wan¡¯er a wry smile and straightening his back. liu tian sighed gently, ¡°bai yulong, you don¡¯t have to think too much about it. when it comes to being handsome, you really can¡¯t compete with lu yi.¡± bai yulong¡¯s expression froze, and he went silent. dugu fang cleared his throat and said, ¡°alright, let¡¯s go inside.¡± with everyone¡¯s attention on them, lu yi and the others entered the affairs hall. Chapter 38 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation entering the affairs hall, dugu fang led lu yi and the others through a massive hall and arrived at the area where the registration of inner sect disciples was conducted. it was a not-so-large room. inside the room, an elderly man in a gray robe was reclining on a chair. when he saw dugu fang arriving with people, he smiled and stood up. he said, ¡°elder dugu, you¡¯re a bit later this time compared to last time.¡± dugu fang smiled and replied, ¡°you¡¯re always free anyway. whether i come early or late doesn¡¯t make much of a difference.¡± the gray-robed old man chuckled and said, ¡°that¡¯s true. only a few people are entering the inner sect of the white cloud sect every year. i indeed have little to do.¡± with that, the gray-robed old man¡¯s gaze swept over lu yi¡¯s group, and he smiled. he asked, ¡°these young ones are the top ten from the outer sect grand competition?¡± dugu fang nodded. ¡°yes.¡± dugu fang then introduced the gray-robed old man to lu yi¡¯s group, ¡°this is elder li wang of the affairs hall.¡± lu yi was a little surprised. he hadn¡¯t expected that he would be meeting an elder here. no wonder dugu fang and li wang were chatting so comfortably. they quickly bowed respectfully and said, ¡°greetings, elder li.¡± li wang nodded with a smile and said, ¡°these are all pretty good young fellows. come, let me help you with your registration.¡± as li wang spoke, he slowly walked to the table beside him and sat down. ¡°lu yi, you go first,¡± dugu fang said. lu yi nodded and went to li wang¡¯s table. li wang smiled and nodded, saying in a genial tone, ¡°you¡¯re lu yi, right? after the grand competition, those old geezers were all talking about an outer sect genius. you¡¯re quite remarkable at such a young age, having cultivated both arts and techniques to the regain simplicity stage, and even mastering sword intent. quite extraordinary.¡± lu yi smiled and said modestly, ¡°elder li, you¡¯re too kind.¡± li wang chuckled and didn¡¯t dwell on the topic. instead, he asked lu yi for some basic information, registered it, and then handed over a white ring and a white token. ¡°this interspatial ring is a benefit for inner sect disciples. inside, there are several sets of inner sect clothing for changing and an introduction to the inner sect¡¯s rules. make sure to read the rules carefully to avoid violating the sect¡¯s regulations and facing punishment. the inner sect disciple token should also be kept safe. you¡¯ll need it for tasks from the sect and for using sect points in the future. if you lose it, you¡¯ll have to spend spirit stones to get a replacement.¡± lu yi nodded repeatedly and accepted the interspatial ring and inner sect disciple token. he didn¡¯t need much explanation about the interspatial ring; it was surely a good item. as for the inner sect disciple token, dugu fang had already mentioned its functions on the way here. it was somewhat similar to a student id card from his previous life¡¯s university, containing the basic information of inner sect disciples. it could store points, perform transactions, and even serve as an access pass. it had many functions. putting the interspatial ring on his finger and placing the token inside it, lu yi stepped back. the following procedures were carried out for jiang fan, bai yulong, and the others, according to their rankings. once wan hua received his interspatial ring and token, everyone completed the registration. li wang then spoke, ¡°with your information registered, you¡¯re already inner sect disciples now. i¡¯m sure elder dugu has already introduced you to the twelve peaks of the inner sect. for those of you who are still unfamiliar, you can read the inner sect introduction in your ring. based on your future development, you can choose which peak you want to join. although there are differences in the strengths of the twelve peaks according to rumors, since they are all white cloud sect¡¯s peaks, each one has its merits. the most important thing is to choose the one that suits you best. i believe you can understand that.¡± lu yi and the others nodded in agreement and said, ¡°thank you, elder li, for your guidance.¡± li wang waved his hand and said, ¡°you may leave.¡± with that, dugu fang smiled and said, ¡°elder li, since it¡¯s settled, i¡¯ll take my leave.¡± li wang nodded with a smile and said, ¡°feel free to visit me whenever you have time. let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± ¡°no problem.¡± dugu fang left with lu yi and the others. when they left the affairs hall, dugu fang looked at lu yi¡¯s group. he smiled and said, ¡°alright, from now on, you are considered inner sect disciples. there are paths from white cloud marketplace to each of the twelve peaks. you can ask around for directions. i¡¯ll remind you once again, each peak specializes in different areas. make your choice according to your own conditions.¡± lu yi¡¯s group nodded, indicating their understanding. afterward, dugu fang bid them farewell, transforming into sword light and vanishing into the sky, leaving lu yi¡¯s group of ten behind. now that they were officially inner sect disciples, they were eager to join the peaks they aspired to. after bidding each other farewell, they went their separate ways toward the peaks they wanted to join. of course, lu yi was heading to the silk peak. on their way here, dugu fang had already indicated the direction of silk peak. lu yi had memorized it, and now he followed that direction. white cloud marketplace was not small, and its roads were complex. however, when it came to reaching the twelve peaks, as long as one asked for direction, one would be pointed the way. lu yi didn¡¯t expend much effort. soon, he arrived at the foot of silk peak. looking up from the bottom of the mountain, silk peak appeared even more massive. although lu yi hadn¡¯t been to mount everest in his previous life, he felt that silk peak might be even taller than mount everest. at the end of the path was a small road leading up the mountain. it was made of stone steps, and at the intersection, two middle-aged male cultivators who weren¡¯t young were on duty. those two male cultivators were not wearing inner sect disciple uniforms, but servant disciple uniforms. lu yi wasn¡¯t surprised. proper disciples of the white cloud sect rarely performed menial tasks. they focused on cultivation, while such tasks were usually done by servant disciples and attendants. this applied to both the outer and inner sects. it was also normal for the inner sect to have servant disciples. however, the servant disciples had cultivation bases in the qi refiner stage, which was much stronger compared to the outer sect. most of the outer sect¡¯s servant disciples hadn¡¯t even reached the qi refiner stage. however, the two disciples were not young, and it would be difficult for them to break through to the foundation establishment stage. when the two servant disciples saw lu yi approaching, dressed in outer sect disciple attire, they both paused. one of the older disciples cupped his hands and said, ¡°do you have business at silk peak?¡± lu yi smiled and said, ¡°hello, i¡¯m lu yi. i¡¯ve just entered the inner sect after passing the outer sect grand competition. i wish to join silk peak. could you guide me through the assessment?¡± as lu yi spoke, he also presented his inner sect disciple token for their inspection. the two servant disciples looked at the token and the gaze of the older disciple flickered. he quickly spoke, ¡°so you¡¯re lu yi. please follow me. i¡¯ll take you to see mr. xiao, who is responsible for the peak admission assessment.¡± lu yi nodded with a smile and followed the middle-aged disciple as they ascended the steps. after ascending for not too long, lu yi saw a palace not far away from the platform. the middle-aged servant disciple led him along a side road to a square in front of the palace. then, the middle-aged servant disciple introduced with a smile, ¡°lu yi, this is the peak admission hall for assessments. mr. xiao is inside.¡± saying that, the middle-aged servant disciple led lu yi into the hall. near the entrance of the hall, a middle-aged man with a gentle appearance had his eyes closed, surrounded by circulating spiritual energy. he seemed to be cultivating. lu yi glanced at him and was stunned. he thought, ¡®is he secretly cultivating during work hours? is he this efficient? i couldn¡¯t have accidentally joined some peak led by someone super passionate about cultivation, right?¡¯ lu yi felt a bit apprehensive. upon hearing the commotion, the middle-aged man opened his eyes and looked over. the servant disciple explained, ¡°mr. xiao, this is lu yi, who entered the inner sect through the outer sect grand competition. he wishes to join silk peak. i brought him here for the assessment.¡± upon hearing the servant disciple¡¯s words, mr. xiao¡¯s expression seemed slightly odd as he looked at lu yi. ¡°you¡¯re lu yi?¡± Chapter 39 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation upon hearing the words of mr. xiao, lu yi was taken aback. he asked with some confusion, ¡°mr. xiao, do you know me?¡± a complex expression twitched at the corner of mr. xiao¡¯s mouth. he said with a mix of emotions, ¡°how could i not know? these past few days, the elders have been coming to me non-stop, saying that if you arrive at silk peak, i should inform them immediately. they seem to have taken a liking to you. i have to admit, your talent, even among silk peak¡¯s disciples, is quite exceptional.¡± mr. xiao was familiar with lu yi¡¯s performance during the outer sect grand competition. after all, as the one in charge of the initiation assessments for entering the peak, how could he not be aware of the top ten talents from the outer sect? these were all references for assessment. thinking about lu yi¡¯s talent, mr. xiao couldn¡¯t help feeling somewhat bitter. he had been working diligently in cultivation for nearly a hundred years, yet he hadn¡¯t even broken through to the golden core stage. as for the realm of insight, he wasn¡¯t able to grasp it. mr. xiao couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the gap between individuals was really that vast. he keenly felt the malevolence emanating from the world. fortunately, mr. xiao was the one responsible for the assessment at silk peak. he had encountered many talented disciples and had been struck down numerous times as well. his willpower remained strong, preventing him from falling into obsession. lu yi smiled and replied, ¡°mr. xiao, you¡¯re overpraising me.¡± mr. xiao shook his head and said, ¡°this is not an exaggeration. i¡¯ve been in charge of assessments for so many years, and i¡¯ve encountered tens of thousands of inner sect disciples. only a few can match your talent.¡± then mr. xiao continued, ¡°you wait for a moment. i¡¯ll inform the elders. otherwise¡­¡± at this point, mr. xiao shivered and continued, ¡°¡­if i don¡¯t, these elders might just tear me apart.¡± lu yi looked at mr. xiao with a touch of sympathy. in a place where the bigwigs gathered, it seemed that mr. xiao was having a difficult time. then lu yi saw mr. xiao take out a communication token and send out a message. not long after the message was sent, powerful auras began to rise from various places on silk peak. all of them were in the nascent soul realm. one after another, these formidable auras surged, startling the silk peak disciples who were currently cultivating. they opened their eyes one after another and rushed out of their adobes. ¡°what¡¯s going on?! are there intruders?!¡± ¡°which devil cultivator dares to invade our white cloud sect? not only invade white cloud sect but also silk peak? isn¡¯t he afraid our master will flay him alive?¡± ¡°where¡¯s that devil cultivator? i just happened to cultivate a new profound technique of the golden core stage. let him come and die!¡± soon, these disciples realized that something was amiss. ¡°hmm? what¡¯s happening? these auras¡­ seem to be from the elders?¡± ¡°no sign of outside enemies? what¡¯s wrong with the elders?¡± they saw streaks of light rising into the air from various mountain peaks, converging as streams of light towards the entrance of the peak admission hall. these disciples were utterly bewildered. ¡°what¡¯s happening to the peak admission hall? is something wrong? why are all these elders heading there one by one?¡± ¡°look at the aura of these elders¡­ could they be getting ready to fight?¡± ¡°let¡¯s go and see!¡± one after another, the disciples also took to the air, flying toward the direction of the peak admission hall. ¡­ inside the peak admission hall, lu yi felt the surging aura approaching, and he was a bit stunned. cold sweat formed on his forehead as he looked at mr. xiao and asked, ¡°mr. xiao, how many of the elders inquired about my situation before?¡± mr. xiao pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°almost all of the elders asked.¡± lu yi was astonished and began to feel nervous. he saw the imposing manner of those elders and began to worry if he might end up dismembered by them. just at that moment, streams of light fell onto the square outside the hall, transforming into figures. there were about twenty of them in total, a mixture of males and females, handsome and ordinary-looking, appearing young and elderly. all of them were nascent soul cultivators. the auras of the nascent soul cultivators surged, causing the middle-aged disciple accompanying them to stagger, almost fainting. in his entire life, he had never seen so many nascent soul cultivators gather at silk peak. the middle-aged disciple couldn¡¯t help but glance at lu yi and thought, ¡®what kind of immortal senior was this fellow disciple?¡¯ the various nascent soul cultivators exchanged glances, their expressions cold and displeased. one among them, a handsome man holding a jade flute and dressed in white robes, smiled and said, ¡°everyone, why are you here?¡± a mature-looking female elder in a purple gown cast a mocking look at the speaking elder and said, ¡°dongwang lian, are you pretending to be clueless? aren¡¯t we all here for lu yi?¡± a white-haired old man with wrinkles on his face but an extremely tall and robust stature grinned, ¡°that¡¯s right. there¡¯s no need to hide it. we¡¯re all here because we see the exceptional talent in lu yi. he¡¯s a good seedling.¡± dongwang lian narrowed his eyes, his expression unhappy, and sneered, ¡°since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s draw lots to decide!¡± another elder with a kind expression, appearing chubby and pleasant, chuckled and said, ¡°let¡¯s not damage our relationship. taking in disciples is a significant matter. we should ask for lu yi¡¯s opinion first, right?¡± another elder, with a cold expression and beautiful appearance, her black hair elegantly tied, nodded, ¡°moreover, lu yi hasn¡¯t even started the peak initiation assessment yet.¡± upon hearing the two elders¡¯ words, the crowd gradually calmed down. just then, more streaks of light swiftly approached. this time, the arrivals had a weaker aura, mostly at the foundation establishment and golden core stages. however, they appeared young, and their ages seemed not that old. some wore the attire of outer sect disciples, while others wore the clothes of core disciples and direct disciples. they were all silk peak¡¯s disciples. after those disciples arrived, they glanced at the numerous elders and then turned their gaze toward the interior of the peak admission hall. inside, there were three individuals. they had all seen the servant disciple, disregarding him. they had also seen mr. xiao and likewise ignored him. the only person they hadn¡¯t seen before was the handsome young man. among silk peak¡¯s disciples, they were all geniuses. naturally, their intelligence wasn¡¯t low. they began to speculate and exchanged hushed whispers. ¡°who is that youngster?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know, but he seems impressive. the elders must be here for him.¡± ¡°i can tell¡­¡± ¡°i think i know who he is.¡± a handsome young golden core cultivator, with a refined appearance, raised an eyebrow and looked at lu yi. ¡°who is he?¡± one by one, the disciples looked at the person who spoke, full of curiosity. ¡°he¡¯s probably the champion of the recent outer sect grand competition, lu yi.¡± the golden core cultivator sized up lu yi, his eyes carrying curiosity and exploration. ¡°the outer sect grand competition? champion? what on earth is that?¡± the disciples were confused, their expressions a bit bewildered. ¡°no¡­ brother nangong, are you kidding? we know what kind of place was the outer sect, and just being able to enter silk peak is already quite difficult. now you¡¯re telling me all these elders came here together to recruit someone?¡± a young girl couldn¡¯t help but complain. ¡°yeah, brother nangong, you must be joking with us,¡± another golden core disciple said, equally dumbfounded. nangong moyu rolled his eyes in speechless exasperation and said, ¡°don¡¯t you get it? this guy¡¯s talent surpasses everyone present.¡± all the disciples were speechless. ¡°nangong moyu, do you even realize what nonsense you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°yeah, i don¡¯t believe it. even among us in the sect, we¡¯re not the highest in talent, but we¡¯re definitely among the best, right? he has even better talent than us? he¡¯s just an outer sect disciple.¡± nangong moyu let out a long sigh, ¡°you guys really don¡¯t understand. this guy has reached the level 7 qi refiner stage and comprehended sword intent.¡± countless disciples were astonished. the atmosphere suddenly became silent, the expressions of the disciples stiff, and the scene turned a bit awkward. all the disciples slowly turned their heads and looked at lu yi, their gazes like they were looking at a monster. Chapter 40 translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation ¡°comprehending the conception of the qi refiner stage?!¡± ¡°wow¡­ no wonder so many elders are here. could it be that such a guy actually came from the outer sect?!¡± the disciples were in utter shock. at this moment, dongwang lian and the others had already entered the hall. mr. xiao quickly greeted, ¡°esteemed elders.¡± lu yi also greeted, ¡°greetings, esteemed elders.¡± the elders nodded at lu yi with gentle smiles. ¡°young man, welcome to silk peak.¡± ¡°young man, perform well in the assessment. i have high hopes for you!¡± then, they turned to mr. xiao, and dongwang lian said, ¡°mr. xiao, isn¡¯t it time to start the assessment?¡± under the intense gaze of the nascent soul powerhouses, mr. xiao felt a bit nervous. he nodded repeatedly, ¡°of course, elder dongwang.¡± mr. xiao looked at lu yi and smiled. he said, ¡°lu yi, the peak initiation assessment of silk peak is the most challenging among the twelve peaks of the sect. according to the peak master¡¯s intention, we value quality over quantity in terms of our disciples. we use limited resources to cultivate those who are truly worth it¡­ however, while it¡¯s difficult for ordinary disciples, it¡¯s likely just a formality for you. generally, the disciples who enter the inner sect have no issues with their talent in cultivation. therefore, our peak initiation assessment mainly evaluates two aspects, comprehension and combat capability. the comprehension assessment involves comprehending a set of arts.¡± while speaking, mr. xiao turned his hand, revealing a book. he said, ¡°lu yi, this is the qi refiner art, nine shadow sword. it¡¯s a relatively high-level art among qi refiner arts. your task is to master this art within two hours.¡± lu yi took the book, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. he said, ¡°i understand.¡± it was said that the assessment for becoming silk peak¡¯s disciples was difficult. two hours was not a lot of time. even for a qi refiner art, it wasn¡¯t easy to master it within four hours. meanwhile, lu yi thought to himself, ¡®i need to read through the nine shadow sword manual.¡¯ task: read through the nine shadow sword manual (0/1) reward: nine shadow sword level + 1 accept: yes / no as lu yi expected and he felt quite pleased. he only needed to read through it to achieve the goal. the difficulty was practically non-existent. at that moment, lu yi thought of something and self-spoke again, ¡°i want to pass the peak initiation assessment of silk peak.¡± task: pass the peak initiation assessment of silk peak reward: a heavenly treasure, water spirit elixir, and a mid-grade magical tool, white spirit belt accept: yes / no lu yi¡¯s eyes brightened, feeling pleasantly surprised, ¡®wow, this assessment comes with such high rewards? though it might not compare to being the first in the grand competition, it was still pretty good!¡¯ lu yi immediately accepted the task. mr. xiao pointed to the cushions in the hall and said, ¡°you can sit on the cushion and comprehend. we won¡¯t disturb you.¡± lu yi nodded with a smile, then went to a nearby cushion, opened the nine shadow sword manual, and began to read. while lu yi was quietly reading, the elders and disciples didn¡¯t disturb him, engaging in silent communication. ¡°it¡¯s starting!¡± ¡°let¡¯s bet, how long do you think it will take for this young man to comprehend it?¡± ¡°aren¡¯t you influenced by the peak master? always betting¡­ i bet an hour. this young man¡¯s cultivation is still low, so it would be much faster if it were someone in the foundation establishment stage.¡± ¡°heh¡­ impossible, right? lu yi comprehended sword intent even though his cultivation is low. even if he¡¯s a bit lower in cultivation, mastering an art shouldn¡¯t take him long. i bet around an hour.¡± ¡°an hour?! that¡¯s impossible! lu yi can¡¯t master the nine shadow sword within half an hour. this art itself is extremely difficult to cultivate. even if this young man has high comprehension, he can¡¯t master it in an hour!¡± ¡°heh, let¡¯s wait and see!¡± ¡°let¡¯s wait and see indeed!¡± ¡­ lu yi took about ten minutes to finish reading the nine shadow sword manual. after finishing, he glanced at the interface and saw that the task to read the manual was already marked as complete. lu yi cheerfully claimed the rewards. immediately, information about the nine shadow sword entered his mind, and he quickly grasped the essence of the technique. lu yi looked at the nine shadow sword (level 1) displayed on the interface and then at the time, unable to help but sigh, ¡®that was too fast.¡¯ suddenly, lu yi felt the kind of vexation that a top student would feel. back in his previous life, there were always some individuals who finished their exams halfway through the allocated time and left the exam hall. it was something that made people envy, jealous, and hate. he didn¡¯t expect he could do it now either. the four-hour assessment had taken lu yi just over ten minutes to complete. this made him feel exceptionally impressive. this situation also caused lu yi some frustration. he thought he was being a bit too ostentatious. lu yi wasn¡¯t a showy person. he glanced through the manual again, pretending to be engrossed in studying it while considering which of the nascent soul elders would be more suitable as his mentor after he succeeded. after a while, the assessment had been ongoing for over half an hour. lu yi felt that it was about time. at this point, getting up shouldn¡¯t be considered too ostentatious. so, lu yi stood up. when the elders and disciples saw lu yi stand up, their eyes lit up with anticipation, and they communicated with each other through messages. ¡°he comprehended it so quickly? it¡¯s only been half an hour. isn¡¯t this too fast?¡± ¡°don¡¯t be hasty. he hasn¡¯t started practicing yet. he needs to cultivate it a few times.¡± ¡°that makes sense¡­ how many times do you think lu yi will cultivate before he masters it?¡± ¡°within ten attempts!¡± ¡°even if that¡¯s the case, he¡¯ll probably master it in about an hour, right?¡± ¡°let¡¯s see.¡± ¡­ as they were discussing, lu yi took out the sword he had previously stored in his interspatial ring, and with a swing of his sword¡­ swoosh! the sword cut through the air, leaving behind a sharp sword shadow. this was the sign of having mastered the nine shadow sword. everyone was shocked and the hall suddenly fell silent. the elders and disciples stared wide-eyed, their gazes fixed on the gradually dissipating sword shadow. then, a disciple exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°he mastered it?! how long has it been?!¡± others were equally surprised. ¡°in just half an hour, he actually mastered the nine shadow sword! what kind of monster is lu yi?!¡± ¡°yes, he didn¡¯t even cultivate it once. did he just read the manual and mentally simulate it in his mind to master it?!¡± ¡°no wonder he comprehended sword intent in the qi refiner stage. his comprehension is beyond human!¡± the disciples exclaimed one after another. even the elders were struck with shock, evident in their gazes. they exchanged glances among themselves. ¡°this level of comprehension¡­¡± ¡°if this young man¡¯s cultivation were at the foundation establishment stage, i wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he comprehended the nine shadow sword in half an hour. however, he¡¯s only at the qi refiner stage!¡± ¡°exactly, with such cultivation, to master the challenging nine shadow sword in just half an hour¡­ it¡¯s truly astonishing.¡± ¡°this comprehension ability might not be inferior to liu ningshuang¡¯s¡­ no, perhaps it¡¯s even slightly superior?¡± a nascent soul elder slowly spoke.