The day before the sect tournament.
Azure Cloud Hall.
After finishing the sect's affairs, Li Mofan sent a message to Su Yun, telling him to come to the hall at once.
Before long, Su Yun entered the hall and bowed in greeting. "Your disciple Su Yun pays his respects to Master."
He had already carefully concealed his aura, perfectly suppressing it to the eighth level of Qi Refining.
Li Mofan instinctively swept him with his spiritual sense.
In the next moment, his face broke into a delighted grin, his eyes full of astonishment and disbelief.
"Eighth level?!"
He couldn't help exclaiming.
A little over a month ago, Su Yun had been only at the fifth level of Qi Refining.
In just over thirty days, he had broken through three levels in a row, reaching the eighth!
The further one advanced, the harder it became to break through.
For ordinary cultivators, advancing from the seventh to the eighth level of Qi Refining often took years of arduous cultivation.
But Su Yun only seemed to break through faster the further he went.
Unbelievable!
It was simply outrageous!
Li Mofan had lived for several centuries and seen countless prodigies.
But he had never heard of anyone breaking through as quickly as Su Yun.
Even as the sect master, someone who had weathered countless storms, he couldn't help feeling a trace of envy.
A Heaven Spirit Root truly was Heaven's favored child.
Suppressing the shock in his heart, he smiled and spoke.
"Good, good. Three breakthroughs in a little over a month, and you're already at the eighth level. That's enough to astonish everyone. It seems you really have what it takes to compete for a Secret Realm spot in this tournament."
Su Yun bowed slightly. "Your disciple will give it his all."
Li Mofan nodded.
"I called you here today for something else, too. Your senior brother and second senior sister have returned from their travels today. I'll introduce you to one another. You'll be family from now on, so you should look out for each other. They'll be here soon. Wait a little while."
Su Yun stood quietly to one side, waiting in silence.
Before long, two figures entered Azure Cloud Hall, one after the other.
The man in front wore a blue robe. His features were composed, his brows and eyes strong and proper, and his aura was weighty yet restrained.
The spiritual energy around him was steady as a mountain. He was clearly at the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
He was Li Mofan's eldest disciple, Xiao Fan.
The woman following close behind wore a pale yellow dress. She was pretty, with lively eyes and a faint smile at the corners of her mouth. She seemed cheerful and outgoing, her eyes brimming with vivacity and energy.
She, too, was at the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
The second senior sister, Ye Yurou.
As soon as the two entered, their gazes fell on Su Yun, curiosity flickering in their eyes.
Li Mofan rose with a smile and introduced them to each other.
He first turned to Su Yun and gestured toward the two of them.
"Su Yun, this is your eldest senior brother, Xiao Fan, and your second senior sister, Ye Yurou. These two senior disciples of yours are exceptionally talented. They spend most of their time traveling and training, and have extensive practical experience. They're among the top figures of our Azure Cloud Sect's younger generation."
Then he turned to Xiao Fan and Ye Yurou and introduced Su Yun with a smile.
"Fan'er, Yurou, this is my newly accepted personal disciple, Su Yun. He has a metal-type Heaven Spirit Root. He's been in the sect for less than four months, and he's already at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Look after this junior brother of yours."
Those few short sentences conveyed a great deal.
Less than four months in the sect, the eighth level of Qi Refining, a Heaven Spirit Root, and the sect master's personal disciple.
A flicker of surprise passed through Xiao Fan and Ye Yurou's eyes at the same time.
Even the two of them, who were used to seeing geniuses, were startled by such speed.
Xiao Fan stepped forward first and nodded slightly. "Hello, junior brother. I'm Xiao Fan. If you ever have questions about cultivation or run into trouble while you're out, come to me."
Ye Yurou's eyes lit up. She looked Su Yun up and down, then teased him with a smile.
"Wow, junior brother, you're amazing! Eighth level in four months—you were so much faster than we were back then. If you ever run into an opponent you can't handle, just come to your senior sister. I'll protect you!"
Su Yun cupped his hands slightly, his manners impeccable.
"Greetings, eldest senior brother and second senior sister. I hope you'll both guide me in the future."
After the brief introductions, the atmosphere relaxed.
Li Mofan's smile faded, his expression turning solemn as he spoke gravely.
"Fan'er, Yurou, there's something I need to tell you. After returning this time, don't go out to train again."
Xiao Fan and Ye Yurou both froze.
Li Mofan continued.
Lately, demonic cultivators have been stirring frequently throughout Spirit Province.
In Nether Province, the demonic path has already launched an all-out war. The other provinces are also roiling beneath the surface.
After lying low for a century, demonic forces like Ghost Fire Sect and Joyous Union Sect may well rise again.
Spirit Province won't be peaceful in the days ahead.
As the pillars of our sect's younger generation, the two of you must remain in the sect, consolidate your cultivation, and be prepared to face a great war at any moment.
Xiao Fan's expression turned grave. "Your disciple understands. I will obey your instructions, Master. I'll remain in the sect, consolidate my cultivation, and protect the sect."
The smile vanished from Ye Yurou's face, and she nodded firmly.
"Rest assured, Master. I understand what's at stake."
The next day, just as dawn broke.
Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!
Three deep, resonant peals of the sect bell rang out across the Azure Cloud Mountains.
The bells' solemn toll pierced the clouds and mist, sweeping over every courtyard and every place of cultivation.
The Azure Cloud Sect, quiet for many days, awoke all at once.
Every disciple in seclusion emerged. Outer sect disciples, inner sect disciples, menial disciples, and stewards all set out.
In front of the main peak stood an enormous martial arts plaza.
Ten martial stages stood in neat rows at the center of the plaza.
The stone platforms stood about a zhang high, open on all sides, and each ring was equipped with a basic protective formation.
It could soften the impact of techniques and prevent the aftershocks of battle from injuring the watching disciples.
With all ten rings hosting matches at once, the tournament could proceed twice as quickly, enough to accommodate the entire sect.
The sky gradually brightened, and the morning sun rose.
Dense crowds streamed in from every direction.
Thousands of outer sect disciples and hundreds of inner sect disciples arrived, while stewards from the various halls and elders leading their teams took their places in the viewing stands on either side.
The stream of people kept pouring in, filling the vast plaza in an instant.
The tiers of viewing stands were packed, with not a single seat left empty.
The area around the plaza was so crowded that not even a drop of water could pass through.
Voices roared, and the clamor soared into the sky.
This was the Azure Cloud Sect's grandest event, held once every five years.
Not a single disciple wanted to miss it.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the ten rings at the center.
All around the plaza, talk and speculation rose and fell in wave after wave.
"The tournament day is finally here! I've been holding it in for two months, waiting for this day!"
"This tournament is different. The Magneto Secret Realm opens right afterward, so the spots are incredibly precious!"
"Don't get your hopes up. There are only twenty Secret Realm spots, and all the sect's top geniuses are competing. Ordinary disciples won't get one."
Amid the crowd, the disciples whispered to one another, their excitement at its peak.
Some listed the leading contenders, some analyzed their rivals' strengths, some were tense and apprehensive, and others were brimming with ambition.
Quite a few disciples had gathered to speculate about who would top the tournament.
"I bet the outer sect's eldest senior brother, Lin Chen, will take first place! He's at the perfected ninth level of Qi Refining, with one foot already in Foundation Establishment. He'll crush anyone at his level!"
"..."
This sect tournament was divided into two parts: the outer sect competition and the inner sect competition.
The entry requirements were extremely strict.
Every disciple who could take the stage was a core disciple at the seventh, eighth, or ninth level of Qi Refining.
Almost none of the low-level disciples below the seventh level of Qi Refining had signed up.
It wasn't that they didn't want to compete. They simply weren't qualified.
They would be crushed in an instant if they went up there, making fools of themselves for nothing. They were better off watching and learning from the matches.
At the same time, every outer sect competitor was under fifty years old.
This was an ironclad rule accepted by the Azure Cloud Sect and the entire cultivation world.
For cultivators, fifty was the watershed for one's vital energy and blood.
If someone was over fifty and still trapped at Qi Refining, unable to break through to Foundation Establishment,
it proved their Dao Path was limited and their talent had reached its ceiling. They were unlikely to achieve much in their lifetime.
Such disciples would no longer be given the sect's cultivation resources.
They would be assigned duties as a group: either sent to manage the sect's businesses in mortal cities or stationed at spirit fields, medicinal gardens, or mines to perform miscellaneous duties and stand guard.
So every competitor on the stages today was a young elite.
They were all the future hope of the Azure Cloud Sect.
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