The spiritual energy in Hundred Herb Valley was thin, so he needed cultivation resources more than the other disciples.
After his technique and Dao Technique awakened, their effects were truly tremendous.
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In just over two months, with no resources and in a place with such thin spiritual energy as Hundred Herb Valley, his cultivation had still reached the third level of Qi Gathering.
If he were to cultivate somewhere with richer spiritual energy and receive some resources, his cultivation would surely surpass that of the Spirit Body disciples by now.
Seen this way, there was nothing particularly enviable about having a Spirit Body.
Three days later.
Chen Xuan woke early and took out the White Cloud Artifact.
The White Cloud Artifact automatically grew larger, then carried Chen Xuan flying out of the valley.
Before long, Chen Xuan arrived at the plaza outside the Sect Main Hall.
By now, more than a thousand people had gathered in the plaza, most of them new disciples who had joined the sect this year.
[Your technique, "Flowing Cloud Technique," was astonished and began questioning you.]
[How is the spiritual energy here so rich? What kind of godforsaken place were you staying in before?]
[It's bad enough that you're useless. Now you're holding me back, too?]
"It's not that I didn't want to go somewhere with richer spiritual energy. I was assigned to Hundred Herb Valley, that's all."
Chen Xuan thought helplessly.
[Why don't you come here to bum off the spiritual energy every day?]
[All you ever do is drink tea and read books in that lousy place. You're always holding me back!]
Chen Xuan fell silent. He wasn't angry; he'd just realized that, damn it... the technique had a point!
How had he never thought of this before?
Chen Xuan thought with a sigh, I'm still too young! Big Brother really is Big Brother!
[Your technique, "Flowing Cloud Technique," gave a satisfied little snort and began cultivating like mad.]
A hint of a smile appeared on Chen Xuan's face.
Over the past three months, he had more or less figured out a few ways to motivate his techniques and Dao Techniques. This was one of them.
As the light screen descended,
Chen Xuan sensed the spiritual power within him growing at a speed he had never experienced before.
As expected of the place where the Sect Main Hall stood. Compared to Hundred Herb Valley, the spiritual energy here was like heaven and earth.
It seemed he really would have to come here to bum off the spiritual energy more often.
But... if he took first place in this Floating Cloud Trial,
he probably wouldn't even have to come first. Even if he merely made the top hundred, the sect would likely transfer him out of Hundred Herb Valley. They wouldn't let him stay there.
He wasn't afraid to show his talent. The little he had revealed so far didn't amount to much in the Cloud Sea Sect.
Setting aside Saint Bodies, which were too far beyond him, even King Bodies, which were above Spirit Bodies, were said to be able to reach the Spirit Sea Realm in just three months.
The Cloud Sea Sect had several King Body cultivators.
Before long, it was the hour of the Snake.
Three thousand new disciples had gathered in the plaza outside the hall. Besides them, quite a few senior brothers and sisters had come to watch.
Three streaks of light flew out of the hall and landed at its entrance in the plaza.
"Greetings, Elders."
Chen Xuan and the others cupped their hands and called out.
All three were elders of the Cloud Sea Sect. As one of the top sects in the Azure Cloud Realm, the Cloud Sea Sect's elders were all Purple Mansion cultivators of the fourth realm.
The sect even had quite a few Nascent Soul Supreme Elders of the fifth realm.
The three elders nodded slightly.
The middle-aged man at the front spoke. "I imagine you all already know about the Floating Cloud Trial.
"I'll open the secret realm shortly. I won't repeat the rest. Remember, this trial will last only ten days."
After the middle-aged elder finished speaking, he casually waved his hand.
Three thousand Teleportation Talismans flew out of his Storage Bag and landed precisely in the hands of every new disciple.
As Chen Xuan watched the Teleportation Talisman land in his hand, he felt a connection form between himself and the talisman.
The other disciples experienced the same thing.
This talisman was no ordinary item. It could even bind itself to them automatically.
"Take a good look at this. This is the token you'll need to find a way to obtain after entering the secret realm."
The middle-aged elder tossed a token into the air so everyone could see what it looked like.
Finally,
the middle-aged elder took out a small seal and, channeling his spiritual power, opened dozens of entrances to the Floating Cloud Secret Realm around the plaza.
That's right. The Floating Cloud Secret Realm was located right in the Sect Main Hall.
After all, this secret realm had been made for trials for new disciples from the very beginning.
Once the secret realm opened,
the three thousand disciples filed inside.
As they entered, three thousand light screens slowly appeared in midair above the plaza.
Each light screen showed one of the new disciples.
The Floating Cloud Trial wasn't judged solely by the final results.
Naturally, the sect also wanted to see how they performed during the trial.
That was why so many senior brothers and sisters had come to watch.
Every year, the Floating Cloud Trial offered plenty of amusement in those three thousand light screens.
In the middle of a forest,
Chen Xuan's figure abruptly appeared.
When the three thousand disciples entered the Floating Cloud Secret Realm, they were randomly scattered across different locations.
The arrangement ensured that no two disciples ended up together.
However... pure randomness sometimes brought bad luck. A disciple might be teleported straight in front of a demon beast—or even into its lair.
As soon as Chen Xuan got his bearings, he spotted a Black Iron Bear staring straight at him from across the way.
"Roar!"
The Black Iron Bear's fur was black, and its paws were like black iron. It roared and swung a paw down at Chen Xuan.
Chen Xuan immediately used Flowing Cloud Moon-Stepping, his figure retreating three zhang like a phantom.
He had planned to leave right away. After all, he had come to the secret realm to find tokens and take part in the Floating Cloud Trial.
But... in the three months he had been cultivating, he had never fought anyone.
This was the perfect chance to test his current strength.
Chen Xuan used Flowing Cloud Myriad Forms.
Clouds gathered around him, forming several cloud arrows.
Whoosh!
A sharp whistle split the air as the cloud arrows shot straight toward the Black Iron Bear's face.
The arrows were incredibly fast. The Black Iron Bear swung its paws, but it couldn't block them all.
Two arrows struck the bear directly in the eyes, inflicting grievous injuries.
"Roar!"
The Black Iron Bear roared again.
Unlike before, this time its roar was filled with pain, and its voice held barely concealed fury.
Chen Xuan pressed his advantage, gathering the clouds into several long swords and sending them flying toward the Black Iron Bear.
Though its eyes were injured, the Black Iron Bear relied on its hearing and sense of smell to detect the threats around it.
It raised its iron-like paws and swung them wildly, trying to knock the swords away.
But the swords were made of clouds. When swept by the wind from its paws or struck apart, they re-formed nearby and joined the attack once more.
Chen Xuan focused, continuously controlling the cloud swords.
His mastery of Flowing Cloud Myriad Forms had reached the proficient level. What was more, he had discovered that his Dao Technique could help him control it, reducing the difficulty of using it.
That allowed him to guide the swords as they darted and thrust with precision, seeking out gaps in the Black Iron Bear's attacks and weaknesses in its defenses.
At last, when the Black Iron Bear swung its paw with all its might again and exposed its chest, Chen Xuan seized his chance.
A cloud sword flashed forward like lightning. Before the bear could bring its paws back to defend itself, the sword plunged in like a streak of lightning, piercing its throat with pinpoint accuracy.
The Black Iron Bear's massive body stiffened abruptly, then crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.
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