Flying Rainbow Mountain Range

"Third Uncle, Xiao Chen's spiritual root may be a little poor, but his comprehension is excellent. I think he has potential and is worth cultivating."

After the Exchange Meeting ended, Manager Chen sought out Outer Sect Elder Chen Tianyang the next day and expressed his appreciation for Xiao Chen.

"Zhi'an, I know you want to personally cultivate a few promising seedlings, but don't be too hasty. This little fellow you mentioned has a Mixed Wood Spiritual Root?"

"Yes, Third Uncle, although he—"

"Ah, Zhi'an, this Wood Spiritual Root is suited neither for alchemy nor artifact refining. He simply doesn't fit with our Chen Family. Does he have any formidable master or lineage?"

"Probably not. I checked. He cultivates the Yellow-grade Technique distributed by the Branch Academy."

"Then he has no value. Same as always—arrange things for the Family Disciples first and focus our resources on cultivating them."

Chen Tianyang made the final call. "The Outer Sect Trial will be held before long anyway. If he wants extra resource support, it will depend on how he performs in the trial. He can fight for it himself."

"If you don't make things difficult for him, that is already his good fortune. If fortune truly rests upon him, he will naturally seize the opportunity."

Meanwhile, news that Xiao Chen had attained Sudden Comprehension twice in succession within just half a year also spread to the Other Branches, stirring considerable discussion among the Outer Sect Disciples.

"First there was Lin Ping'an, always picking up Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Now there's Xiao Chen, who actually attained Sudden Comprehension twice in a row. When will it be my turn?"

"Hey, who do you think will become an Inner Sect Disciple first, those two? I heard Lin Ping'an is already at the 6th level of Qi Refining. He's practically there."

"Not necessarily. He only got there through good luck, and that doesn't count. Cultivation not earned through one's own training leaves an unstable foundation. I reckon he'll be stuck for three to five years."

"Those two are blessed, unlike us. I went down the mountain yesterday and saw an Inner Sect senior brother selling pills at the foot of the mountain. He earned several Spirit Stones in no time at all. I'm so jealous!"

"Who isn't? I just wonder when we'll finally be able to join the Inner Sect and learn the Hundred Arts of Cultivation."

"The Arena Competition is next month, right? Think you have a shot at fighting for an Inner Sect Seed spot first?"

"Forget it, stop making fun of me. How could I possibly be a match for those senior brothers?"

"Hey, look. Isn't that Xiao Chen from Branch 2? Is he really meditating in the Spirit Field?"

At their words, the group looked over and indeed saw Xiao Chen sitting cross-legged beneath a Willow Tree beside the Spirit Field, circulating his technique after casting the Small Cloud and Rain Spell.

Ever since the Exchange Meeting, perhaps because those stories had been rather classic, or perhaps because Xiao Chen's own breakthrough had drawn attention.

In any case, quite a few disciples would whisper among themselves and point at Xiao Chen whenever they passed by.

At first, he was somewhat unaccustomed to it, but he was soon forced to adapt.

After all, everyone had some sense of propriety. They only discussed him from afar; no one came up to strike up a conversation.

Xiao Chen simply pretended not to see or hear them. Sure enough, after just a few days, everyone forgot about it, and he returned to his dull cultivation life.

Manager Chen did come to ask him, "Do you want to change techniques? I can make the decision and let you choose a Mysterious-grade technique again."

Xiao Chen refused without hesitation. "Thank you for your concern, Manager, but this disciple feels that the technique I have is quite good as well. I won't trouble you."

He had tested it privately. Hextech truly only worked on Yellow-grade Techniques; it did not even work on the unranked Basic Breathing Technique.

After casting the Small Cloud and Rain Spell, if he used the Basic Breathing Technique to recover Mana, the speed became incomparably slow. He estimated it would take two hours.

Under such circumstances, especially after growing accustomed to the rapid circulation of spiritual energy and the swift progress it brought.

Even if someone gave him a Heaven- or Earth-grade Technique for free, he would not trade it now.

Manager Chen found it somewhat regrettable. As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he likewise knew the inside details of this year's changes to the trial. What Jiang Sixuan could guess, he could think of as well.

He had originally wanted to make things easier for Xiao Chen by letting him switch to a better technique.

Unfortunately, the other party seemed to have swallowed a weight and set his heart like iron, insisting on the Yang Qi Breathing Technique. There was nothing to be done.

He could hardly openly reveal internal information to a Qi Refining Realm disciple. That would be far too against the rules.

Over the next half month or so, Xiao Chen consumed two bottles of Qi Nourishing Pills in succession.

He could already feel that he had touched the threshold of the 6th level of Qi Refining. He was only a little short of crossing that line.

Unfortunately, before he could break through, the sect announced this year's trial reforms three days in advance.

All Outer Sect Disciples had to set out three days early and head for the Flying Rainbow Mountain Range, where this year's Outer Sect Trial would be held.

"Ah, a total of eight hundred li? We have to travel on foot? If we don't arrive within three days, we forfeit?"

Xiao Chen was rather speechless upon hearing this. Was this considered the first test?

The sect clearly had large Flying Boats. As an Immortal Seedling brought over from a small mountain village back then, Xiao Chen had even ridden one before.

It did not fly very high, but it was extremely fast, and all sorts of incomprehensible patterns flashed upon it.

Yet now that he had become a cultivator, he could no longer enjoy such treatment and could only wave goodbye to Manager Chen at the sect gate.

Manager Chen was clearly a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and could fly on a sword himself, yet he had a Flying Boat to ride.

The parched died of drought, while the flooded drowned in water.

In truth, the distance was not that great. It might be somewhat difficult for mortals, but Outer Sect Disciples were all cultivators.

Traveling three hundred li in a day was not much of a problem.

What he feared was that the competition might already begin quietly on the road.

After all, arriving late meant forfeiting. Someone might get crooked ideas, and that could be troublesome.

The sect's High-Level members should logically have considered such a possibility, but no one could say for certain whether this was intentional.

"Senior Brother Xiao, we're planning to travel together. Would you like to join us?"

Jiang Sixuan suddenly took the initiative to invite Xiao Chen along.

Three people had already gathered behind her, including Ye Fei, as well as another male cultivator and female cultivator.

The female cultivator looked somewhat familiar. Xiao Chen had seen her at White Jade Teahouse before; she was Jiang Sixuan's friend.

The other male cultivator also looked familiar. He seemed to be one of the seven current 6th level Qi Refining cultivators in Branch 2.

He was likewise one of the strongest contenders in this trial.

Whether considering her status or the makeup of this temporary team, Jiang Sixuan had no need to worry about mishaps along the way.

Yet she still invited Xiao Chen to set out with them, even though she had already decided in her heart to reduce contact with him in the future.

After all, as an outstanding Jiang Family descendant, she had received strict training, especially in the ways of human relationships and worldly conduct.

Many people knew that the three of them had entered the Branch Academy together, and that they had even attended a celebratory banquet back then. She could not act distant so quickly.

Therefore, a courteous invitation was necessary.

"Sure!" Xiao Chen agreed on the spot.

Jiang Sixuan's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly, then she revealed a smile. "That's wonderful. I hope all five of us can make it into the top ten this time."

Xiao Chen nodded. "I'll borrow your auspicious words."

Sure enough, the journey afterward was smooth sailing, without a single mishap.

At noon on the third day, the five of them successfully reached the gathering point on the outskirts of the Flying Rainbow Mountain Range.