You Had Another Sudden Comprehension?

"You're saying Xiao Chen only got sixty-five points?"

"The news is absolutely true?"

"You go get busy. I need some quiet."

Su Wanqing's lovely brows drew together. She could not understand this intelligence.

She had seen that huge bag of Points Jade Tokens with her own eyes.

In any Branch Academy, Xiao Chen could have unquestionably taken first place and received a Mysterious-grade Spell.

Yet he had chosen not to do so. He had not even competed for the top three.

Where something was abnormal, there had to be a Demon.

Su Wanqing had reason to believe that Xiao Chen's deliberate abandonment of the Mysterious-grade Spell had a deeper reason behind it.

As one of the buyers, it was not difficult for her to guess that those missing Points Jade Tokens had likely been exchanged for Spirit Stones.

"Law, wealth, companions, and land—under what circumstances would someone abandon law and choose wealth?"

"There is only one truth!"

"Unless Xiao Chen suddenly became an idiot, it means he has already dismissed Mysterious-grade Spells as beneath him!"

Su Wanqing murmured to herself, quickly working out the basic logic behind it.

Thus, she reached a conclusion. "He has a better spell!"

In a sense, Su Wanqing had guessed correctly. Xiao Chen had indeed chosen a spell that was better for him.

It was just that the direction of her guess had gone somewhat astray.

Smack!

Su Wanqing clapped her hands together. "Now it all makes sense."

She recalled her shock when she had inspected the pangolin's wound after Xiao Chen left. "No wonder it could completely pierce through a Spirit Beast. So he was using an Earth-grade Spell."

At the time, she had been unable to understand when Fireball Art had become so powerful. Now, everything lined up.

Then she thought of the news that Xiao Chen had been trapped at Qi Refining First Layer for three years, only to suddenly break through and consecutively experience "Sudden Comprehension" to enter Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

Su Wanqing concluded, "That so-called 'Sudden Comprehension' is only a facade. He must have encountered some kind of fortuitous opportunity!"

There were often such tales in the Cultivation World: a young man accidentally obtained the legacy left behind by some senior expert, became a completely different person from then on, soared into the heavens, and became one who rode the tides of an era.

Following that line of thought, she made a guess. "If it truly is some powerful inheritance, Xiao Chen's cultivation speed will be very fast from now on."

Verifying this guess would not be difficult.

Su Wanqing summoned another clan member. "Help me keep an eye on a disciple named Xiao Chen from Branch 2. If there is any news, tell me immediately."

The clan member was somewhat confused. Why had the young lady suddenly become so concerned about a male cultivator? "Miss, he is only a Qi Refining Fifth Layer cultivator. What is so special about him?"

"No, no, no. He is only temporarily at Qi Refining Fifth Layer."

Su Wanqing shook her head and raised one finger. "One month. Just watch him for one month. I have a feeling that Xiao Chen will break through to the 6th level of Qi Refining within a month."

Hearing this, the clan member's eyes widened in astonishment. "Yes, Miss. I'll go watch him right away."

Three days later.

Most of the disciples still relied on walking as they made their way back to the Li Fire Sect.

The sect's reason this time was that one had to see things through from beginning to end. Since they had walked there, they should walk back as well.

It was also a form of training. They should cherish such opportunities for growth.

Hearing Elder Jiang speak so righteously, Xiao Chen had almost believed half of it.

Then he saw those Inner Sect Disciples who had come to set up stalls actually board the returning Flying Boat.

This was clearly unequal treatment. They were clearly being treated as outsiders. No wonder they were called Outer Sect Disciples.

The day after they returned.

Manager Chen organized an additional Exchange Meeting specifically to share and summarize the experience from this Trial. "If anyone has questions, feel free to ask."

Li Shidi shot to his feet. "Manager, I would like Junior Brother Xiao to explain how he was able to kill so many Spirit Beasts at the 6th level of Qi Refining."

"As far as I know, Junior Brother Xiao was clearly only at Qi Refining Fifth Layer, yet he handed in several Spirit Beast Jade Tokens from Spirit Beasts at the 6th level of Qi Refining."

After the top ten had been announced, some disciples had immediately suspected that Xiao Chen had secretly cheated and played tricks.

This Li Shidi was one of them.

Now, he stared at Xiao Chen with an unmistakably questioning look.

Manager Chen turned and directly called on him. "Xiao Chen, then share with us how you managed to strive upstream during this Trial and kill a large number of Spirit Beasts at the 6th level of Qi Refining while only at Qi Refining Fifth Layer."

This question also stirred some curiosity in him.

"First, let me correct you. You should be calling me Senior Brother now."

Xiao Chen stood up. He first released the aura of the 6th level of Qi Refining toward Li Shidi, then calmly replied, "In response to Manager Chen, this disciple merely fought normally."

"You broke through! When?"

Manager Chen was immediately startled. He promptly released his Spiritual Sense to inspect him carefully, only to discover that the Xiao Chen before him had become a genuine cultivator at the 6th level of Qi Refining.

"In response to Manager Chen, I fortunately broke through midway through this Trial."

Xiao Chen's answer took a clever turn.

Although he had actually broken through after crossing the mountain range, the Trial had not ended at that point, so it was still correct to call it midway through the Trial.

But Manager Chen automatically understood it as Xiao Chen having chosen to break through midway through crossing the mountain range.

His face darkened at once. "Nonsense! Have I not told you that you must find a safe place to break through?"

He then glanced at the completely uninjured Xiao Chen. His expression eased somewhat, but his brows remained furrowed. "It is naturally a good thing that you succeeded in breaking through, but this habit is unacceptable."

"You encountered no danger this time. Can you guarantee that you will be so lucky next time? What do I usually teach you? Go back and copy the sect's Disciple Code once. Hand it in to me the day after tomorrow."

Only after habitually finishing his reprimand did Manager Chen belatedly realize something. He stood there staring at Xiao Chen in a daze for quite a while.

The senior and junior brothers below had already begun whispering among themselves.

This was too outrageous!

Ordinarily, after entering the outer sect, a cultivator who could reach the 6th level of Qi Refining within three years was already considered a promising seedling with relatively fast cultivation.

Xiao Chen had only been here for half a year at most. How had he suddenly reached the 6th level of Qi Refining?

Was this reasonable?

No, don't tell me you had another Sudden Comprehension?

Manager Chen had the same question. "Don't tell me you had another Sudden Comprehension?"

"Mhm." Xiao Chen's expression remained unchanged as he nodded calmly. "While fighting Spirit Beasts in the mountain range, I suddenly gained some additional insights."

That was not exactly a lie. He had truly felt Hextech's power firsthand. One Fireball insta-killed one Spirit Beast—farming Spirit Stones felt amazing!

Insights gained in battle were also a kind of insight.

Yet after he gave that answer, another uproar broke out.

The senior and junior brothers looked at one another, all finding it hard to believe.

Other people could not achieve Sudden Comprehension even once in their entire lives. How could someone achieve it three times in a single year?

Was this normal?

Was there still any justice in heaven?

Everyone else was cultivating painstakingly, while he could break through whenever he said he would. Then what did all their hard work even amount to?

Manager Chen was also dumbfounded and somewhat unable to believe it.

But Sudden Comprehension truly had no universal pattern or standard. No one had ever stipulated that one could not achieve Sudden Comprehension more than twice in a year.

Besides, only this explanation made sense.

Xiao Chen had a Low-Grade Wood Spiritual Root and cultivated a Yellow-grade Technique. If he had not truly achieved Sudden Comprehension, how could he have improved so quickly?

Only Sudden Comprehension could explain such Breakthrough Speed.

At that thought, the way Manager Chen looked at Xiao Chen changed completely.

He rose directly to his feet and walked over to Xiao Chen.