The Second Trial

All that remained were the pills: one bottle contained Qi Replenishing Pills for the Zhen Qi Realm, which could instantly restore the true qi in one's dantian.

There were quite a few pills in the bottle—more than a dozen.

Next were some healing pills. Only the last bottle was somewhat special.

It contained only a single pill. Its color was crimson, and after examining it for a long while, Lu Ming confirmed that it was a Berserk Pill, which had circulated far and wide.

After taking it, one could unleash the body's potential and instantly raise one's strength by a level.

However, it could only last for less than half an hour, after which one would become extremely weak.

It could be said that this was a life-saving pill for critical moments.

Unfortunately, Lu Ming had acted too quickly, leaving the other side no chance to take it.

After carefully putting it away, Lu Ming hurried along at full speed. Finally, at noon the next day, he returned to the sect.

After returning the horse, he walked into the Mission Hall.

He had just been preparing to submit his mission when a commotion suddenly broke out.

"Look, Senior Brother Feng Chao, who accepted a five-star, two-rank mission, is back."

Lu Ming looked over at the sound and indeed saw a cold-eyed youth covered in blood stride into the hall.

"Do you think Senior Brother Feng Chao succeeded in his mission?"

"Whether he succeeded or not, the fact that he managed to return after facing the Yanshan Bandits is already remarkable."

"..."

Everyone chattered among themselves. Feng Chao seemed not to hear them. However, when he suddenly passed a man holding a folding fan, he paused and said coldly:

"After the inner-sect competition in more than a year, I'll definitely surpass you."

The man holding the folding fan paused, then nodded with a smile. "I'll be waiting."

He then walked away.

"That's Senior Brother Wei Yu, ranked eighth." Someone recognized the man with the folding fan.

"Just as the rumors say—gentle as jade." A female disciple's eyes brimmed with spring.

"Don't let his appearance fool you. When he strikes, he doesn't hold back. Who knows how many people outside have died beneath that iron fan of his?"

A male disciple beside her spoke with a hint of jealousy.

"Hmph, they were all villains who deserved to die."

Lu Ming happened to overhear the argument and helplessly shut his ears. Just then, another cry of surprise rang out. It turned out that after verification, Feng Chao had indeed completed his mission.

In other words, with his own strength and entirely alone, he had wiped out one late-stage Zhen Qi Realm cultivator, several early- and mid-stage Zhen Qi Realm cultivators, and more than twenty bandits in the Nei Qi Realm.

Such strength could not be underestimated.

Lu Ming privately wondered whether he could accomplish the same. If he added his Saber Intent Prototype and went all out, he should be able to do it as well.

However, if he refined the Iron Elephant Art to the second stage, he would be much safer—and it would also be much easier.

After all, he had heard that this bandit group possessed powerful bows and crossbows.

Even late-stage Zhen Qi Realm cultivators would not dare to ignore such weapons.

Amid the crowd's exclamations, Feng Chao left again, while Lu Ming continued to submit his mission.

"Not bad. One strike, one kill—clean and decisive."

Looking at the corpse of Yu Yuan that Lu Ming had brought out, the elder responsible for rechecking and registering the mission compared it with the portrait and praised him.

To avoid dirtying his Storage Ring, Lu Ming had not allowed the saber qi from the Soul Chasing Style to burst out of Yu Yuan's body. Instead, it had swept through him internally.

Thus, Yu Yuan's corpse appeared to have only a single wound and remained nearly intact.

"Your mission is complete. Here is your reward. Count it."

"Thank you, Elder."

Lu Ming accepted it without counting and directly stored it in his storage pouch. After all, the sect had no reason to shortchange him over such a small amount.

With the reward and what he had seized this time, Lu Ming was wealthy again.

Thus, he was in no hurry to accept another mission. Instead, he went to purchase spiritual medicine and raise his Iron Elephant Art to the second stage first.

"It's you. You came back after completing the mission?"

When he reached the hall's entrance, he happened to run into the disciple from last time—the one who had said Lu Ming "couldn't handle it."

"That's right."

Lu Ming nodded.

"I really couldn't tell. You hadn't even reached the peak of the early Zhen Qi Realm, yet you managed to kill Yu Yuan so quickly."

The man was somewhat surprised. He then cupped his fists and said:

"You Feng, ranked five hundred sixty-first among the inner sect disciples. May I ask your name?"

One truly could not judge a person by appearances. Lu Ming had not expected this man's ranking to be even higher than Chu Yunxiao's.

He also cupped his fists. "Lu Ming, ranked one thousand and first among the inner sect disciples."

At present, he was the fifth from the bottom, with only the four people who had passed the assessment alongside him ranked below him.

Of course, some people had certainly passed the assessment during this period, but he had not gone to check.

"That low?"

You Feng was startled again. Normally, someone capable of killing a peak early-stage Zhen Qi Realm cultivator should not have such a low ranking.

Then he suddenly understood and asked, "You're a disciple who only recently passed the assessment, right?"

Lu Ming nodded. "I only passed the assessment some time ago."

"Then you're truly bold. You actually dared to accept a mission so soon. You remind me of the Senior Disciple Brother of the inner sect."

"He also accepted missions like mad not long after entering the inner sect."

You Feng said.

"Senior Disciple Brother?"

That title sounded rather unfamiliar.

"The one ranked first among the inner sect disciples. Below the Core Disciples, he's the boss, which is why everyone calls him Senior Disciple Brother."

The two chatted as they walked.

Lu Ming then learned about this Senior Disciple Brother. His name was Chi Xuan, and he mainly cultivated sword techniques.

It was said that his swordsmanship had already reached a realm so mysterious that it seemed to defy gods and ghosts. Though his attacks were clearly slow, they were impossible to guard against.

Many people had fought him, only to lose inexplicably at his hands.

Moreover, an elder had commented that he was highly likely to comprehend Sword Intent.

"Slow in appearance, yet fast in reality?"

Since he had never witnessed it personally, Lu Ming could not say exactly what it was.

"All right, that's enough for today. If there's a team mission in the future, I'll call you."

After chatting for quite some time, You Feng took his leave.

"Then see you next time."

Lu Ming parted ways with him and headed toward the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion.

In the blink of an eye, another half month passed.

In the courtyard, Cui Bai asked again to confirm, "You're sure you want me to circulate my true qi and punch you?"

"Certain."

Lu Ming nodded solemnly. He then planted his feet in a horse stance and bared his chest.

"Then here I go."

Seeing this, Cui Bai did not hesitate either. He circulated his true qi and punched Lu Ming in the chest. Of course, afraid he might lose control, he only dared to use thirty percent of his strength.

Bang!

A dull sound rang out. Lu Ming's body did not move at all, and a force of recoil suddenly surged from his skin, sending Cui Bai staggering backward.

"Hiss, your Iron Elephant Art really is no ordinary technique."

After steadying himself, Cui Bai rubbed his somewhat numb hand.

After sensing the condition within his body, Lu Ming said, "Use a little more strength."

"Again?" Cui Bai was stunned, then said, "All right. This time I'll use fifty percent."

Another punch came. This time, Lu Ming's body swayed slightly, but he was still unharmed.

Then Cui Bai used seventy percent of his strength, and finally his full strength. Lu Ming merely retreated several steps and was not injured internally.

"You're a real freak. The force of my full-strength punch still couldn't break through your protective true qi. This Iron Elephant Art truly is extraordinary."

Cui Bai's arm had gone completely numb.

Lu Ming straightened his robes and said, "Once your cultivation rises, I won't be able to withstand it."

He truly was not lying. Based on his estimate, although he had cultivated the Iron Elephant Art to the second stage, at most he could withstand attacks from the mid-stage Zhen Qi Realm.

If he wanted to withstand late-stage Zhen Qi Realm attacks, he would need to cultivate it to the third stage—a realm where the dragon and elephant converged and the inner and outer aspects became one.

"That's still plenty freakish."

After spending so much time with Lu Ming, Cui Bai had already grown numb to his cultivation speed.

They had clearly entered the inner sect together, yet Lu Ming could already accept missions, while Cui Bai had not even fully learned the two martial techniques he had obtained from the Wuji Mountain Range.

"Don't rush. Take it slowly."

Lu Ming offered him a word of comfort.

Cui Bai smiled. "I figured it out a long time ago. If I compare myself to you, I'll probably die of frustration sooner or later, so I'll follow my own pace."

"That's for the best." Lu Ming smiled as well. Since Cui Bai could remain so open-minded, he believed there would be no major obstacles to his improvement.

After all, his state of mind was untroubled.

Cui Bai took his leave and went off to cultivate alone. Lu Ming also began practicing the leg and palm techniques he had just obtained.