Forging a Supreme Foundation!

Lu Tianqing still had not come back to his senses.

To him, this was simply too shocking.

After all, he had struggled in the Outer Sect for years, trying every possible method to achieve a Second Limit Break and cultivate a thousand strands of Blood Qi.

Unfortunately, every attempt had ended in failure.

In the end, he had no choice but to cultivate Internal Force before turning sixteen and advance into the Inner Sect.

In this regard, he was a failure.

Yet Zhang Su had succeeded!

A thousand strands of Blood Qi!

And it seemed he had already generated Internal Force.

Lu Tianqing took a deep breath, his voice trembling. "Junior Brother Zhang, have you generated Internal Force?"

"Yes. I also have to thank Senior Brother Lu for letting me experience true Internal Force. Otherwise, I probably would have needed another three to five days to generate it."

"..."

Lu Tianqing fell silent.

Zhang Su generating Internal Force actually had little to do with him.

Even without him, Zhang Su would have generated Internal Force.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhang, on generating Internal Force. Your promotion to the Inner Sect is just around the corner!"

Only after a long while did Lu Tianqing speak.

The moment he opened his mouth, he offered Zhang Su congratulations.

Lu Tianqing was actually very envious of Zhang Su.

Although he too had generated Internal Force, and had done so earlier than Zhang Su.

There were still differences between one person's Internal Force and another's.

Internal Force generated after a Second Limit Break was naturally more powerful, and it also forged a deep foundation. The two could not be mentioned in the same breath.

The only pity was that Zhang Su was overage.

Being overage was a major problem.

Martial arts emphasized speed.

The faster, the better.

The faster one progressed, the younger one was, and the greater one's hope of breaking through to the Innate Realm.

The Innate Realm... one could establish a sect and become an overlord of a region!

The Guiyuan Sect could intimidate all directions precisely because it had Innate Realm experts standing guard.

If a martial artist failed to reach the Innate Realm by sixty, they basically had no chance left.

Every purpose behind the Guiyuan Sect's selection of talented disciples was for that tiny sliver of hope of reaching the Innate Realm!

Overage disciples were equivalent to falling behind on the path toward the Innate Realm.

One step behind, every step behind!

In the eyes of the Guiyuan Sect's upper ranks, overage disciples were not truly worth nurturing.

However, overage disciples could still enter the Inner Sect.

After generating Internal Force, as long as they could pass the Combat Assessment, they could become Inner Sect disciples.

This was also the sect's only opportunity left for those overage disciples.

"When does Junior Brother Zhang plan to take the Combat Assessment?"

Lu Tianqing asked.

"No rush. It won't be too late to go after learning the specific details of the Combat Assessment."

Zhang Su was not anxious.

He had confidence in his own strength, but he still needed to understand the Combat Assessment first.

He could not attend the assessment blind as a bat.

"If Junior Brother Zhang has any questions, you may come find me in the Inner Sect."

After saying that, Lu Tianqing rose and took his leave.

Watching Lu Tianqing's retreating figure disappear, Zhang Su weighed things in his heart.

This Lu Tianqing was very proud.

Yet precisely because he was too proud, Zhang Su defeating him once had instead earned Lu Tianqing's recognition.

A person like this had a pure heart and was worth befriending deeply.

Zhang Su remained on Jinyu Peak, continuing to stabilize his realm.

In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.

The Outer Sect remained calm and uneventful.

There were no rumors at all about Zhang Su's "Second Limit Break," "thousand strands of Blood Qi," or "generation of Internal Force."

This showed that Lu Tianqing had indeed kept his mouth shut and had not leaked a single word.

"Without an Internal Force-level cultivation method, the efficiency of converting Internal Force is very low..."

Zhang Su muttered softly.

Over the past few days, he had been doing his utmost to convert Blood Qi into Internal Force.

This Internal Force was condensed from Blood Qi. In theory, the stronger the Blood Qi, the easier it was to convert Internal Force.

But this was the crudest method of conversion.

To convert it faster, or even make the converted Internal Force stronger, he still needed to cultivate an Internal Force-level cultivation method.

However, the Guiyuan Sect had regulations: all Internal Force-level martial arts could only be exchanged by Inner Sect disciples.

Even those Outer Sect stewards at the Internal Force level had to render meritorious service to the sect before they could use Contribution Points to exchange for Internal Force-level martial arts.

Zhang Su focused his attention and checked the System Panel.

Host: Zhang Su (Early Stage)

Cultivation Base: Mingjin

Yangji Blood Nourishing Technique: Compatibility Rate 100% (Perfected Realm)

Compatibility Points: 3

On the System Panel, Zhang Su's Cultivation Base had already risen from the Blood Qi Realm Ninth Layer to "Early Mingjin."

Internal Force was divided into Mingjin, Anjin, Huajin, Danjin, and Gangjin!

Zhang Su was now a Mingjin martial artist.

A Mingjin martial artist's Internal Force was very weak, and it could not leave the body.

Once it left the body, even if it entered the opponent's body, it would not have much destructive power.

For example, when Zhang Su had previously experienced Lu Tianqing's Internal Force, it had possessed little destructive power.

Mingjin could only act upon one's own muscles, bones, skin, and the like.

When Mingjin erupted, it could make every aspect of one's physical abilities far surpass those of ordinary people.

For Internal Force to possess destructive power, one had to cultivate it to Anjin.

However, Zhang Su was a Mingjin martial artist who had undergone a Second Limit Break.

His Internal Force naturally had its advantages.

First was quantity.

Both were Early Mingjin, but the amount of Internal Force Zhang Su possessed at Early Mingjin was likely comparable to another martial artist's Mid Mingjin.

Then came quality.

If Zhang Su erupted with Mingjin, its supremely hard and supremely yang characteristics would manifest in his physical abilities, allowing his body to erupt with sharper reactions and greater strength.

If he cultivated Anjin, those advantages would become even greater.

This was the Supreme Foundation forged by a Second Limit Break, far surpassing that of other martial artists!

For now, Zhang Su only knew of these two advantages.

But countless geniuses flocked toward a "Second Limit Break" like ducks to water.

Perhaps it had even greater advantages.

It was simply that Zhang Su had yet to cultivate Internal Force-level martial arts, so he did not know.

"Senior Brother, we have learned the specific details of the Combat Assessment."

At that moment, Chu Dachuan and the other two returned.

Over the past few days, Zhang Su had sent the three of them to inquire about the Combat Assessment.

The three had gone through considerable trouble and only now returned.

Zhang Su rose and walked out of the quiet chamber.

"Tell me. What exactly is this Combat Assessment?"

Zhang Su asked.

"Senior Brother Zhang, the Combat Assessment is held in the Inner Sect. If overage Outer Sect disciples generate Internal Force, they must still pass the Combat Assessment before they can advance to become Inner Sect disciples."

"Overage disciples taking the Combat Assessment only need to defeat three puppets of the same realm."

"However, disciples taking the Combat Assessment cannot use Internal Force-level martial skills. Once discovered, they will immediately be disqualified and expelled from the sect."

Zhang Su was somewhat surprised.

Theoretically, only Inner Sect disciples could exchange for Internal Force-level martial arts.

But the identities of Outer Sect disciples were complicated.

For some disciples with deep backgrounds, obtaining some Internal Force martial skills from outside the sect in advance was no difficult matter.

That was why the Guiyuan Sect had such a rule.

If martial artists were not allowed to use Internal Force-level martial skills, they would actually be at a considerable disadvantage against puppets of the same realm.

Not to mention that they had to defeat three same-realm puppets.

However, this was likely also the Guiyuan Sect's purpose.

It was meant to select disciples with powerful combat strength.

After all, most overage disciples had basically exhausted their potential.

The Guiyuan Sect had only one requirement for overage disciples: combat strength!

The stronger their combat strength, the better!

"Good. I roughly understand now. You have worked hard these past few days. Take these Blood Replenishing Pills and cultivate well."

With a wave of his hand, Zhang Su generously gave them some Blood Replenishing Pills.

He no longer lacked Blood Replenishing Pills.

Chu Dachuan and the other two had worked diligently, so Zhang Su naturally had to give them some benefits.

The three were overjoyed.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

They immediately accepted the Blood Replenishing Pills.

"By the way, Senior Brother, if there is anything else you need prepared, you can leave it to us."

Chu Dachuan asked.

"Preparations?"

Zhang Su shook his head.

"There is no need. If I cannot even pass the Combat Assessment, would that not truly confirm the rumors that I, the 'number one of the Outer Sect,' belong to the weakest generation in the history of the Guiyuan Sect?"

He knew that the Outer Sect was spreading rumors that he had become the number one of the Outer Sect by "lying down."

That he had picked up an enormous bargain.

Although he did not care much and would not deliberately explain himself.

He knew clearly in his heart that he had not become number one by "lying down."

He had defeated Lu Tianqing and was the genuine number one of the Outer Sect!

Therefore, he truly did not need to make any further preparations for this Combat Assessment.

"Let's go. We will take the Combat Assessment and advance into the Inner Sect!"

Zhang Su said decisively.

Chu Dachuan and the other two exchanged glances, a trace of excitement flashing through their eyes.

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

Thus, the group of four left Jinyu Peak and headed straight for the Inner Sect.