Chapter 5

After the pills had been distributed, the newly inducted disciples each received another jade slip containing the cultivation method for the Body Forging Realm, as well as some basic knowledge about the holy land.

"Remember this: when you return to your residences, press the jade slip against your forehead, and you will be able to obtain the information within."

"In three days, all servants are to gather at Servant Plaza to be assigned tasks. Outer sect disciples should focus on cultivation and need not concern themselves with worldly matters."

The Outer Sect Elder's words reached every person's ears.

At that moment, the difference in talent and status was displayed in all its fullness.

Servants had to work. The holy land did not support idlers, while outer sect disciples had no such need and could simply devote themselves to cultivation.

Without saying much more, the Outer Sect Elder swiftly dismissed everyone.

"Did you see that, Lin Xuan? This is the gap between you and me. Forget that you're a worthless body—if you had even third- or fourth-grade talent, with your days packed full of tasks, you could forget about ever finding time to cultivate."

"And me? In less than three days, I'll be able to kill you with a single finger."

As they dispersed, Zhang Tao once again spewed arrogant words.

"Phew..."

Lin Xuan, who had not wanted to cause any further trouble, suddenly closed in on Zhang Tao at an astonishing speed.

The next second, the Pig Slaughtering Blade appeared in his hand and pressed directly against Zhang Tao's throat.

Before Zhang Tao could react, intense pain immediately stabbed into his soul, and scarlet blood dripped down.

"Impudence!"

Just as Lin Xuan intended to finish Zhang Tao with one slash, an immense pressure descended upon him. His blade could advance no farther, not even an inch.

"Bastard!"

Zhang Tao abruptly retreated, his eyes blazing with fury.

Lin Xuan merely stared at him coldly, the killing intent in his eyes so thick it could not be dissolved.

At that moment, a figure flashed into view. The Outer Sect Elder stood before Lin Xuan, his eyes filled with rage.

"You dare attack a fellow disciple? Are you courting death?"

True Qi surged around him, his majesty unmatched.

Only then did Lin Xuan truly experience the terror of a cultivator.

It was as though what stood before him was not a person, but a towering mountain. That dreadful oppression made any thought of resistance impossible.

"I don't want to die. That is why I must kill anyone who threatens me."

Lin Xuan spoke with difficulty, yet he showed no fear beneath the Outer Sect Elder's imposing gaze.

He was gambling—gambling that Liu Ruyan's lingering might remained, gambling that this Outer Sect Elder would not dare do anything to him.

Yu Bing's every action had been enough to show that there was an enormous backer behind him.

The Outer Sect Elder's gaze grew colder and colder, but in the end, he withdrew his pressure and said indifferently, "Private fighting between fellow disciples is forbidden. Since you have only just entered the sect, I will let this matter pass. Once."

The corner of Lin Xuan's mouth curled up. He knew he had won his gamble. Liu Ruyan's lingering might could intimidate countless people, including this Outer Sect Elder.

It was just a pity he had not been able to slaughter Zhang Tao directly.

"Elder, you can't let him go! He was trying to kill me just now!"

Zhang Tao was shocked and furious as he shrieked.

The Outer Sect Elder gave him a bland glance and casually said, "In three days, you may step onto the Life and Death Arena. That is where fellow disciples settle their grudges. Other than on the Life and Death Arena, private fighting is forbidden. Violators... beheaded!"

With that, the Outer Sect Elder's figure turned into an illusion and vanished without a trace.

"Three days?"

"Good, good, good, Lin Xuan. Let you live for another three days. Three days from now will be your day of death. I'll be waiting for you on the Life and Death Arena."

After leaving behind that threat, Zhang Tao hurried away.

The pain in his neck was simply too severe. He needed to treat it at once; Lin Xuan's slash had shown absolutely no mercy.

If the Outer Sect Elder had acted one second later, Zhang Tao felt that he would already have gone to meet his great-grandmother.

At this moment, boundless killing intent filled his heart.

"Trash!"

Lin Xuan casually spat out two words and headed straight toward the servants' resting area.

"Tsk, that kid sure is decisive."

"What use is that? In three days, he'll definitely die! He dared make an enemy of an outer sect disciple. Does he not know how vast the difference is between immortals and mortals?"

"Let's go. In three days, we'll watch a good show."

At that moment, everyone looked toward the direction Lin Xuan had left with pity.

Not a single person thought highly of him.

In the Azure Cloud Realm, cultivation had four major realms: the Mortal Realm, the Transcendent Realm, the Core Formation Realm, and the Undying Realm.

Each major realm was further divided into four minor realms.

The Mortal Realm was the first step upon the immortal path. Its four minor realms were Body Forging, Blood Refining, Bone Tempering, and Meridian Opening. Each minor realm was further divided according to strength into the early stage, middle stage, late stage, and peak stage.

After completing cultivation in the four minor realms, one could attempt to open the dantian and step into the Transcendent Realm.

Although the Body Forging Realm was merely the first minor realm of the Mortal Realm, it was still far beyond anything ordinary mortals could compare to.

Zhang Tao had fifth-grade talent. After consuming a Body Forging Pill, he would immediately be able to reach that realm.

As for Lin Xuan, he was merely a worthless body. Even someone with third- or fourth-grade talent could not reach the Body Forging Realm within three days.

Therefore, to everyone present, Lin Xuan was already a dead man.

Yet Lin Xuan knew nothing of any of this. He had already returned to the servants' resting area and entered a cramped private hut.

He had completely cast everything from before to the back of his mind. Sitting cross-legged, he pressed the jade slip against his forehead.

In that instant, a vast amount of knowledge poured into his mind. He skipped over the common knowledge and threw himself wholeheartedly into the cultivation art, the Divine Firmament Body Tempering Art.

This was the foundational method of the Divine Firmament Holy Land, yet for ordinary people to obtain it was still as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

Several minutes later, Lin Xuan put down the jade slip, his expression somewhat strange.

"So this is what talent means? The Divine Firmament Body Tempering Art is such a basic method, yet it seems so obscure and difficult for me to understand. I'm afraid it'll take at least two months to fully grasp."

A trace of helplessness crossed Lin Xuan's face, but he did not lose heart.

He had not forgotten that he possessed the Soul Suppressing Pagoda. That was his greatest trump card.

With a thought, Lin Xuan's consciousness entered the first level of the Soul Suppressing Pagoda, into the virtual space of Myriad Ages in an Instant.

Sitting cross-legged, Lin Xuan began directly interpreting the Divine Firmament Body Tempering Art within his mind.

Myriad Ages in an Instant—one year within the tower was no more than an instant in the outside world.

When Lin Xuan opened his eyes again, he had already completely mastered the Divine Firmament Body Tempering Art. At the same time, the blood and qi within his body began to tremble violently.

"I used up one stored year. It took two months to fully comprehend the Divine Firmament Body Tempering Art, then I cultivated for ten months. At last, I have stirred the power of blood and qi."

"Now, as long as I take the Body Strengthening Pill, I can shatter the barrier between immortals and mortals and enter the Body Forging Realm in one fell swoop."

Lin Xuan murmured to himself. He was now immensely grateful that, after crossing over, he had immediately slaughtered pigs, forcibly seized decades of time, and crazily tempered his body until it could advance no further.

Otherwise, with his talent, even with a Body Strengthening Pill, who knew how many years it would take him to stir the power of blood and qi and enter the first realm of the immortal path.

"Let's begin!"

Steadying his mind, Lin Xuan took out the Body Strengthening Pill and swallowed it.

The pill melted the moment it entered his mouth, carrying a strong herbal taste. Waves of power surged madly into his limbs and bones.

His originally restless blood and qi immediately began to boil beneath that power.

"Rumble..."

An instant later, a heaven-shaking explosion erupted within Lin Xuan's body.

At that moment, a brand-new world unfolded before Lin Xuan's eyes...