Great Luo Academy.
Upper Academy.
Those able to listen to the Dao here were all outstanding disciples of Great Luo, and half of them were second-generation disciples from wealthy households, truly the cream of the crop.
Li Zhang's appearance stirred everyone's curiosity.
"Eldest Senior Brother? Which Eldest Senior Brother?"
"Which Eldest Senior Brother is it?"
"What realm is he at? Hurry up and tell us."
"What realm could he possibly be at? Could he surpass Senior Brother Aoxue's realm?"
"He has only been in the sect for three years. What realm could he have reached?"
The disciples all spoke up. What Li Zhang had said left them deeply curious.
"Hmph, you frogs at the bottom of a well."
Li Zhang spoke, mocking everyone.
"Hey, Li Zhang, what do you mean by that? Was I wrong? He entered the sect three years ago. No matter how formidable he is, he is probably at most at Core Formation, right?"
"I don't think he has even reached Core Formation!"
"That may not be so. You have not seen that senior brother's bearing. I think that Eldest Senior Brother must have profound cultivation."
"Exactly, exactly! You are just jealous and envious. Little Sister Hongrou and I were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of Eldest Senior Brother. He was like a Fallen Immortal, peerless in talent, an unparalleled figure of his generation."
"What realm is he actually at? The Heaven's Secret Sect Master once said that our senior brother was the most talented person in the history of the Immortal Cultivation World. Core Formation seems unlikely. He is probably at Golden Core, right?"
Everyone discussed it. Some dismissed it, while others found it unfathomably profound.
"What realm is he at, exactly? Hurry up and tell us. Why keep us in suspense?"
Someone could not help asking, their curiosity thoroughly stirred.
Seeing how impatient everyone was, Li Zhang lowered his voice.
"I'm telling you, I heard this from my father. You absolutely, absolutely, absolutely must keep it secret. Do not let it slip, or my father will definitely give me trouble. Understand?"
Li Zhang looked extremely mysterious. Originally, he had wanted to say Liu Qingfeng had told him, but on second thought, everyone knew he and Liu Qingfeng were rivals. It would be rather embarrassing to admit he had heard the news from Liu Qingfeng, so he simply said it came from his father.
That made it seem more convincing.
"Don't worry, don't worry. We definitely will not say anything!"
"Rest assured. Don't you know what kind of people we are?"
"Just say it already. Do you have to be so mysterious?"
Everyone acted unconcerned on the surface, but inwardly, each was more curious than the last.
"Then I'll tell you. That Eldest Senior Brother has already broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm."
Li Zhang spoke with a solemn expression.
"Hiss! Nascent Soul?"
"The Nascent Soul Realm?"
"That's impossible, isn't it?"
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
"He reached Nascent Soul after entering the sect for only three years?"
"You're lying to me, right?"
"Li Zhang, that joke isn't funny."
"The Nascent Soul Realm? Eldest Senior Brother is truly amazing."
"He is actually at the Nascent Soul Realm. Eldest Senior Brother is truly amazing."
"I knew it. No wonder the Heaven's Secret Sect Master called him the number one prodigy in the Immortal Cultivation World. His reputation truly was well deserved."
Within the Upper Academy, some immediately refused to believe it, most of them men. Yet some did believe it, most of them women.
"You don't believe it? Heh, that is why I say you are frogs at the bottom of a well."
Li Zhang mocked them directly, then continued, "Why would I lie to you for no reason? And my father told me this himself. Besides, let me ask you a few questions."
"First, the Sect Leader's cultivation is as profound as creation itself, and he will very likely ascend soon. Such a person has witnessed seas turn to mulberry fields and weathered countless great storms. Why would he take Eldest Senior Brother as his disciple?"
"Second, many experts from holy lands wanted to take that Eldest Senior Brother as their disciple that day. Do you not know that?"
"Most importantly, the Heaven's Secret Sect Master dared to say such things. Have you not considered the mysteries behind it?"
"And the most important point of all: strange phenomena of heaven and earth often appear atop Red Peak. Some days ago, when Eldest Senior Brother broke through, golden lotuses filled the sky and light blazed for thousands of feet. Let me ask you, when reading ancient records, did you not see that peerless prodigies would bring forth heavenly phenomena when transcending tribulation and ascending?"
"Who is Eldest Senior Brother? His aptitude is number one under heaven. So what if he broke through to Nascent Soul in three years?"
"Everything you do, say, and think is just like those ordinary cultivators. They might not even reach Qi Refinement in three years, while we can reach Foundation Establishment in three years at the very least. If you told an ordinary cultivator that you reached Foundation Establishment in three years, would he believe you?"
"He absolutely would not, because he does not understand, does not comprehend, does not know. And you do not believe it either. Why? Because you do not understand, do not comprehend, do not know. That is why you are looking at the sky from the bottom of a well, frogs at the bottom of a well. Do you admit it?"
Li Zhang spoke with fragrant eloquence and righteous conviction, leaving this group of disciples utterly stunned.
"Now that you put it that way, it really does make sense."
"Yes, yes, yes. I saw the heavenly phenomena at Red Peak with my own eyes some days ago."
"Li Zhang usually likes to fool around, but he has never liked spouting nonsense. I think this is true."
"Of course it is true. Otherwise, why would Senior Sister Ziyun be so deeply in love with Eldest Senior Brother? Have you overlooked that?"
Everyone instantly and inexplicably believed Li Zhang's words.
Some still harbored doubts, but they did not dare voice them, afraid the others would humiliate them as frogs at the bottom of a well.
"I'm telling you, do not spread this matter around. Absolutely, absolutely do not spread it around, or my father will definitely give me trouble."
At the end, Li Zhang spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Don't worry, don't worry. We absolutely will not say anything."
"Yes, yes, yes. What kind of person am I? Does Senior Brother Li not know? My lips are sealed tight as a jar."
"Sealed tight as a jar, sealed tight as a jar."
Everyone nodded repeatedly, promising they absolutely would not say anything.
Li Zhang nodded, then swept his gaze over the crowd. When he noticed that some outstanding disciples who usually competed with him had suddenly fallen silent and looked dejected, he inexplicably felt much better.
Ah!
Wonderful!
In high spirits, Li Zhang left the Upper Academy directly.
Soon after, the Upper Academy disciples gradually departed as well.
Then, half an hour later.
Throughout Great Luo Holy Land, voices rang out one after another.
"Have you heard? The Sect Leader's final disciple has already reached the Nascent Soul Realm!"
"It is absolutely true. I heard it from a certain elder, so do not go spreading it around."
"Eldest Senior Brother has reached Body Integration! Eldest Senior Brother has reached Body Integration! You still don't know? You really are a frog at the bottom of a well!"
"What? Which Eldest Senior Brother? Eldest Senior Brother from Red Peak, of course. Who else could it be?"
"Shocking news, shocking news! The Pill Hall Hall Master just said it personally: Eldest Senior Brother of our Great Luo Holy Land has already transcended tribulation. The heavenly phenomenon that appeared over Red Peak some days ago was Eldest Senior Brother successfully transcending tribulation. His cultivation is now as profound as creation itself, and he will ascend before long."
"What? You ask where I heard the news? Didn't I already say it? The Pill Hall Hall Master said it."
"Hiss, the Supreme Elder personally said that Eldest Senior Brother of Red Peak has cultivation as profound as creation itself. He transcended tribulation long ago, his cultivation has reached Mahayana, and he will ascend within the next two days, accomplishing the unprecedented and unsurpassable feat of ascending in three years."
"My heavens, Eldest Senior Brother will ascend tomorrow!!!!!!!! Tomorrow, at the Da Luo Grand Ceremony, Eldest Senior Brother will perform a daytime ascension for us to see. Do not miss it, everyone."
"What? Eldest Senior Brother has already become an immortal? I knew it! No wonder Senior Sister Ziyun likes Eldest Senior Brother, and no wonder the Sect Leader took Eldest Senior Brother as his final disciple. So Eldest Senior Brother has already become an immortal."
"You may not believe this, but Eldest Senior Brother is the reincarnation of the founding patriarch of Great Luo Holy Land, descended to the mortal world."
Rumors sprang up everywhere.
On this day, the entirety of Great Luo Holy Land was thoroughly thrown into a frenzy.
Meanwhile, in a certain corner of Great Luo.
Several disciples secretly left, then lit an incense stick in a shadowy corner and muttered.
"Urgent report, urgent report. Lu Changsheng, the final disciple of Qingyun Sect Leader of Great Luo Holy Land, possesses formidable cultivation. Preliminary assessment places him at the Tribulation Transcendence Realm. Sect, be on guard. Sect, be on guard."
Rumors spread everywhere.
Yet atop Red Peak.
Lu Changsheng wrote out a new pill formula with a smile on his face, feeling quite pleased.
Meanwhile, the news also reached the ears of Great Luo's upper echelons.
Before you continue