Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Strands of Blood Qi!

At the Martial Arts Arena, after the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples ranking was announced, more and more people gathered.

Many people discovered that Lu Tianqing's name had vanished.

That "freak" who had long monopolized the title of "number one in the Outer Sect" was gone.

There were two possible reasons for a name to disappear.

One was death.

When a person died, everything became empty.

The second... was advancing to the Inner Sect!

Once someone advanced to the Inner Sect and became an Inner Sect disciple, they naturally no longer took part in the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples rankings.

"I just heard some news. Senior Brother Lu Tianqing has advanced to the Inner Sect..."

Suddenly, someone spoke.

"Advanced to the Inner Sect? No wonder Lu Tianqing's name isn't among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples."

"By my reckoning, Lu Tianqing is nearly sixteen. If he doesn't want to become an overage disciple, he has to advance to the Inner Sect before turning sixteen. That makes sense."

"Looking at it this way, Zhang Su practically 'lay down' his way to the top as number one in the Outer Sect..."

"Zhang Su is indeed very strong. Even Bai Junze was no match for him. But Lu Tianqing is different. If Lu Tianqing hadn't taken the initiative to advance to the Inner Sect, Zhang Su probably would never have been able to claim the top spot in the Outer Sect!"

Many Outer Sect disciples discussed it animatedly.

Zhang Su had risen to prominence only recently, but his rise had been forceful.

Yet in the hearts of these Outer Sect disciples, Lu Tianqing was still number one in the Outer Sect!

As for the battle between Zhang Su and Lu Tianqing, since it had been a closed-door sparring match, no one besides the few people from Jinyu Peak knew what had happened.

Regardless, Zhang Su's ascent to number one in the Outer Sect was huge news, and it quickly spread throughout the Guiyuan Sect.

For a time, Zhang Su's reputation soared!

After all, being one of the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples and being number one in the Outer Sect were worlds apart in terms of influence.

Qingquan Prefecture, the Gu Family.

Gu Ying found things rather strange lately.

The Gu Family's business had suddenly improved.

Their business partners had all increased their cooperation with the Gu Family.

Some even deliberately or inadvertently yielded profits to the Gu Family.

Whenever Gu Ying went to negotiate business, everything went exceptionally smoothly, and she encountered almost no obstacles.

This left Gu Ying bewildered.

Since when had doing business become so easy?

"Miss, the Zhen Family head has come to pay a visit."

At that moment, a servant came to report.

"The Zhen Family head?"

Gu Ying was somewhat startled.

Not long ago, the Zhen Family of Baifeng Prefecture had been obstructing the Gu Family's business.

If Zhang Su had not become one of the Guiyuan Sect's Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples, the Gu Family's business in Baifeng Prefecture would likely have been completely ruined.

Why had the Zhen Family head specifically come to Qingquan Prefecture to pay them a visit now?

"Show the Zhen Family head in."

"Yes, Miss."

Gu Ying went to the reception hall.

Soon, the Zhen Family head arrived as well.

The Zhen Family head was a middle-aged man dressed in a green robe. Upon entering the reception hall, he smiled and said, "Greetings, Miss Gu. I have come this time on behalf of the Zhen Family to offer an apology to Miss Gu."

"This is the sincerity of my Zhen Family!"

With a wave of the Zhen Family head's hand, a Zhen Family servant immediately presented a list.

Gu Ying examined it closely, and her expression gradually changed.

This list was actually a list of cooperation agreements between the Zhen Family and the Gu Family.

The list was long. If the Gu Family agreed, their business in Baifeng Prefecture would henceforth proceed without hindrance.

Yet Gu Ying was not particularly pleased. Instead, she frowned and asked, "Patriarch Zhen, what does this mean?"

Gu Ying knew that the Gu Family had overcome its previous crisis because Zhang Su had become one of the Guiyuan Sect's Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples.

But while the Guiyuan Sect's Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples could make the Zhen Family wary, it was absolutely not enough to make them humble themselves so completely, come to the Gu Family of their own accord, and seek to resolve their conflict.

The Zhen Family head was slightly taken aback. He asked in surprise, "Miss Gu, you haven't heard the news from the Guiyuan Sect?"

"What new news has come from the Guiyuan Sect?"

Gu Ying now realized that there must have been new developments at the Guiyuan Sect.

However, after the Gu Family's decline, even their intelligence-gathering capabilities had dwindled to almost nothing.

The Zhen Family head was filled with envy, but he still said, "News has come from the Guiyuan Sect. Young Master Zhang Su, whom the Gu Family sponsored, has risen to first place among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples! He has truly caused a sensation throughout the Guiyuan Sect..."

"What? Young Master Zhang is already number one in the Outer Sect?"

Gu Ying's eyes widened.

Number one in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect!

Naturally, Gu Ying knew how great the influence of that title was.

It meant suppressing all ten thousand-plus disciples of the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect.

What unparalleled glory was that?

The Zhen Family head fell silent.

He had investigated the Gu Family's sponsorship of Zhang Su in detail.

Back then, Gu Ying had indeed possessed boldness and vision.

But how long had Gu Ying been sponsoring Zhang Su?

She had not spent much silver, yet Zhang Su had directly "erupted."

He had defeated Luo Feng and Bai Junze one after another.

And now, he had even ascended to the top as number one in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect!

He was truly envious.

The Gu Family had done nothing, yet they had directly "won while lying down."

Gu Ying quickly came back to her senses as well.

"Someone, go and send Young Master Zhang Su five thousand taels of silver as a congratulatory gift."

"Yes, Miss."

Gu Ying let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

She had to firmly seize hold of Zhang Su. He was the greatest opportunity for both her and the entire Gu Family!

The Su Family, reception hall of the First Branch.

Uncle Guan hurried into the front hall, tears streaming down his aged face as he said in a trembling voice, "Young Master, Young Madam, Second Young Master... he has risen to number one in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect!"

"What?"

Zhang Chen and Su Zhenzhen instantly widened their eyes.

"The news sent back from the Guiyuan Sect is absolutely true..."

Uncle Guan took out a carrier pigeon message and handed it to Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen and Su Zhenzhen examined it carefully.

Sure enough, it recorded in detail how Zhang Su had risen to number one in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect!

"Number one in the Outer Sect... Hahaha, my second brother is number one in the Outer Sect!"

Zhang Chen burst into laughter.

There were over ten thousand disciples in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect.

Every single one of them could be considered a martial arts genius.

At the very least, they were one in a hundred.

But now?

Zhang Su had suppressed every disciple in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect.

What an honor was that?

Su Zhenzhen was also very happy. Smiling, she said, "Second Brother truly is no ordinary person. In all of Qingquan Prefecture, Second Brother is the first martial artist capable of reaching the top as number one in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect!"

"Husband, Second Brother's talent for martial arts is so outstanding, and he has built such mighty renown. Who would dare touch the Su Family's goods in the future? Husband, conducting business will become much easier for you as well."

Zhang Chen nodded. "That's right. Let alone now that Second Brother has become number one in the Outer Sect, even when he was merely one of the Guiyuan Sect's Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples before, no one dared touch the goods of my Su Family."

"Even the Wei Family has restrained itself considerably. Now, we keep to our own waters and do not interfere with one another."

Zhang Chen paused, then said to Uncle Guan, "Uncle Guan, trouble yourself with another trip to the Guiyuan Sect. Deliver ten thousand taels of silver to Second Brother, so he won't need to worry about silver and can focus wholeheartedly on martial arts. Everything must give way to martial arts training!"

"Yes, Young Master."

Uncle Guan immediately turned and left.

Guiyuan Sect, Jinyu Peak.

The impact of Zhang Su's ascent to number one in the Outer Sect was still spreading.

Yet Zhang Su remained remarkably calm.

Because his focus had never been on such empty fame as being number one in the Outer Sect.

What he cared about was his own Cultivation Base!

"Nine hundred and ninety-nine strands of Blood Qi... I have truly reached the limit!"

Zhang Su murmured softly.

In truth, he had already condensed nine hundred and ninety-nine strands of Blood Qi yesterday.

He had continued trying to cultivate for an entire day.

But no matter how he cultivated, his Blood Qi could not increase by even the slightest trace.

Zhang Su understood that going from nine hundred and ninety-nine strands of Blood Qi to one thousand might seem like adding only a single strand of Blood Qi, but it was actually the Second Limit Break of the Human Limit!

The Second Limit Break was exponentially more difficult.

Even for someone as exceptionally gifted as Lu Tianqing, it was fraught with countless hardships.

In the end, even Lu Tianqing had failed to achieve the Second Limit Break.

"If I want to achieve the Second Limit Break and condense one thousand strands of Blood Qi, I can only cultivate another peerless divine art to the Perfected Realm..."

Zhang Su murmured softly.

The difficulty was simply too great.

Even Lu Tianqing had been unable to accomplish it.

Lu Tianqing had at most cultivated his second peerless divine art to the Major Accomplishment Realm.

It seemed as though there was only a tiny gap between them, but in truth, they were worlds apart!

But Zhang Su was different.

Wasn't it just a second peerless divine art?

Easy!

He had now saved up ten Compatibility Points.

Was he really afraid he couldn't master a second peerless divine art?

Thus, Zhang Su stopped hesitating. He immediately rose and left Jinyu Peak, heading straight for the Scripture Pavilion!