A Shocking Revelation

Standing at the edge of the crowd, Leng Qiu felt her heart jolt.

"The Third Layer?" A rare look of astonishment appeared on Leng Qiu's cool face.

How was that possible?

Just days ago in the underground training hall, he clearly had not even touched the threshold of the Second Layer. He had even put on a show of being distracted and unable to control himself in front of her!

Could it be... Leng Qiu gritted her teeth. Was he holding back the whole time he sparred with me?

Anger surged through her.

She was a mighty Nu River Realm cultivator who had humbled herself to train him personally, and that brat had dared to hide his strength right under her nose?

He had even taken the opportunity to...

Remembering the way Lu Zhen's gaze had wandered back then, Leng Qiu seethed.

What nerve. The next time we spar in private, I'll give him a proper scolding!

But then she thought again.

On the screen, Lu Zhen's name now stood high at the top of the rankings.

If he took first place in the overall special training rankings, the merit and rewards she would receive from the sect as team leader would be considerable. They might even save her ten years of cultivation in the Nu River Realm.

Leng Qiu forced down that trace of embarrassment and anger, and resignation flashed through her eyes.

Fine.

For the sake of the sect's generous reward... Leng Qiu gave a silent huff. I'll scold him a little less when the time comes.

Outside the Black-Yellow Pagoda, everyone stared wide-eyed at the golden overall rankings screen hanging in midair.

[Name: Lu Zhen]

[Mystic Tower Progress: Fourth Floor, First Trial]

"He... he passed?"

"The seventh trial of the third floor... he got