Strength Returned to Its Peak, Accumulating with Every Passing Moment
Time flows slowly, and several months have quietly passed.
The annual outer disciple assessment of the Ancient Path Holy Land officially commenced as scheduled at the Central Martial Arts Arena.
The vast martial arts training square is wide and flat. The bluestone slabs have stood for thousands of years, bearing witness to the cultivation and martial arts competitions of countless disciples, and are imbued with a profound aura of the Great Dao.
Today, a thousand outer disciples have gathered here, standing in neat rows, in a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the annual cultivation level test and qualification assessment.
On the high platform, several stewards in charge of the outer sect's regulations sat upright, their expressions dignified.
The force-measuring stone and Law Sensing Formation, essential for the assessment, are still placed in front of the platform. These two magical artifacts operate continuously year-round, accurately and without error, and can truly measure the cultivation level of each disciple without the slightest deviation.
The assessment proceeded steadily according to the established order, with the outer disciples taking turns to be tested.
The vast majority of disciples' cultivation levels remained steadily between the Fifth Tier and Sixth Tier.
Disciples who can reach the Late Stage of the Sixth Tier are already considered among the best in the outer sect.
Occasionally, a few exceptionally talented Sixth Tier Peak Stage disciples would appear, earning the approval of the deacons on the stage.
Compared to the ordinary outer disciples, the difference in cultivation levels across the entire training ground was immediately apparent.
Soon, it was Chen Du's turn to step forward for the assessment.
With a calm expression and steady steps, he walked out of the queue and slowly approached the force-measuring stone.
There was no deliberate build-up of power, no exaggerated opening move; he simply raised his palm casually and delivered a light, understated punch.
A dull thud resounded, simple and unremarkable.
But the next second, a burst of spiritual light shone on the dark and heavy surface of the force-measuring stone, and the scale representing cultivation level rapidly increased, breaking through the Sixth Tier limit all the way, and finally settling steadily above the Seventh Tier scale.
In an instant, the noisy training ground fell into dead silence.
The wind blew across the square, and the entire place fell silent.
All the disciples' eyes were fixed on the strength-testing stone, their eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
After a brief silence, the entire training ground erupted in chatter, with whispers rising and falling, echoing in all directions.
Countless people whispered among themselves, their eyes fixed on Chen Du, their hearts filled with shock and confusion.
The steward on the platform also changed his expression, immediately got up and walked down from the platform, and personally came to the measuring stone to verify the data.
He carefully examined the condition of the ritual implement and confirmed that the measuring stone was intact and the readings were accurate and valid.
He then gestured for Chen Du to step into the Law Sensing Formation to verify his cultivation foundation once again.
A pale aura of law enveloped Chen Du, and the formation rapidly activated. The final manifestation of his cultivation level was still a solid Seventh Tier cultivation, with a firm foundation and solid laws, without the slightest trace of pretense or falsehood.
The deacon's face showed undisguised approval. He reached out and gently patted Chen Du's shoulder, his tone full of admiration.
"Good. Among the outer disciples, those who can steadily cultivate to the Seventh Tier at your age can be counted on one hand. You have a solid foundation and a calm temperament. Continue to cultivate diligently, and you have a great chance of making it into the inner sect."
This assessment carries significant weight.
Chen Du bowed slightly, thanked him calmly, then turned and silently retreated back into the group. His expression was calm, without the slightest arrogance or pride, as if breaking through to the Seventh Tier was just a trivial matter to him.
However, his calm demeanor drew a variety of complex and varied glances from those around him.
Many outer disciples who were on good terms with him immediately stepped forward, cupped their hands in congratulations, and greeted him with warm smiles and flattery.
However, upon closer inspection, one can discover that deep in their eyes lies a hint of undisguised sourness and jealousy.
Some arrogant disciples stood far away on the outside of the crowd, watching coldly with a slight smirk on their lips, whispering to their companions in hushed tones.
His words were full of resentment, and he secretly speculated that Chen Du must have taken a shortcut unknown to others, or had some kind of extraordinary encounter or opportunity.
Many disciples with mediocre talent, who were stuck at the Fifth Tier or Sixth Tier for years, silently lowered their heads and remained silent.
Their clenched hands and tense jawline betrayed their resentment and envy.
The news spread much faster than people imagined.
Before Chen Du could even return to his outer courtyard, the news had already reached the old servants' quarters.
Several servants who had worked alongside the original owner, Zhang Shun, and had gotten along fairly well with him, blocked the only way to pass at the crossroads early on.
The crowd's faces were filled with genuine joy as they gathered around him. Some patted his shoulder, while others gently punched his chest, their voices excited and eager.
"Zhang Shun, you're really something! You've turned things around in just a few months!"
"Seventh Tier cultivation, that's top-tier even in the entire outer sect. If you ever succeed and enter the inner sect, never forget your old brothers who've suffered alongside you!"
The crowd was bustling and noisy, with congratulatory voices everywhere.
But beneath the surface of the excitement, undercurrents still lurk.
At the back of the crowd, several servants who had once coldly bullied Zhang Shun or secretly ostracized him wore stiff smiles, but their eyes were full of gloom and resentment.
Looking at the completely transformed Chen Du, they felt a mix of emotions, a bittersweet blend of regret and jealousy.
The three leaders, Wang Toutou and his companions, whose cultivation had already been crippled and who had been expelled from the holy land, were trembling with rage upon hearing the news of Chen Du's breakthrough to the Seventh Tier. They gritted their teeth, their hearts filled with resentment and unwillingness.
But now they are crippled, unable to even approach the gate of the Ancient Path Holy Land. They can only stand far outside the courtyard wall, gazing at the bustling scene inside, unable to do anything.
They could only rage in vain, watching helplessly as the little people they had once bullied rose step by step to heights they could never reach.
Chen Du observed the subtle shifts in everyone's thoughts and feelings, but remained indifferent to them from beginning to end.
To him, the jealousy, envy, flattery, and resentment of the world were nothing but insignificant dust.
He bid farewell to everyone and went straight back to his outer courtyard. He closed the door tightly, shutting out all the noise and disturbances from the outside world, and completely calmed his mind to continue his secluded cultivation.
At this moment, he was no longer the newly promoted outer disciple who needed to deliberately hide his abilities and suppress his cultivation level just a few months ago.
After being tempered by the Thunder Abyss Pill, and after the enlightenment and refinement of the Sealed Ruins, coupled with his tireless cultivation day and night, his physical cultivation level has been completely restored to the Fourteenth Tier level.
The Soul Heart deep within the sea of consciousness is condensed and profound, with the real and the illusory intertwined, almost transforming into a physical entity, and has become extremely stable.
His Fundamental Law of Thunder, recognized as a second-tier foundation, has been thoroughly cleansed by the power of thunderous medicine, and is now deeply rooted in his flesh, blood, and soul, more solid and profound than ever before.
The fortune of a single Nine-Turn Thunder Abyss Soul Tempering Pill is equivalent to that of countless trillions of years of arduous cultivation by an ordinary top cultivator.
In addition, there is the complementary nourishment of the two Fourteenth Tier cultivation techniques, "The Nine Heavens Thunder Abyss True Explanation" and "The Record of the Great Void Burning Heaven," as well as the protection of the Great Void Burning Heaven Seal.
In the cultivation room, Chen Du sat cross-legged on a futon, simultaneously activating the Fundamental Law of Thunder and the unique Dao Resonance of Thunder Abyss.
Dark purple, pure lightning surged and churned within his sea of consciousness, strands of lightning power coursing through his meridians, tempering his flesh and blood, and refining his soul.
The two thunder laws, though originating from the same source, each possess their own sharp edge, intermingling and reinforcing each other, constantly filling in the gaps and solidifying the foundation of the Great Dao.
A moment later, all the lightning subsided, and all was calm.
On the surface, he still maintains a stable Seventh Tier cultivation.
The progress is smooth and normal, consistent with the growth pattern of all gifted disciples, and will not arouse any suspicion.
Secretly, his Fourteenth Tier Dao foundation had already been solidified to the extreme, the barriers were loosening, and he could break through to a higher realm at any time.
However, Chen Du was very clear-headed and not in a hurry to break through in time.
The Ancient Path Holy Land has unfathomable depths. The limit of this Deification Realm is as high as the Sixteenth Tier, and there must be a supreme ancestor of the Sixteenth Tier guarding it.
He is now Lie Dormant and steadily growing, progressing step by step without haste.
First, secure a spot in the inner sect, then gradually delve into the core area of the holy land, explore more ancient sites, and uncover deeper opportunities from the heavens.
Accumulate knowledge and experience before unleashing it; conceal your talents and remain humble.
His path to rise has only just begun to unfold steadily.