Top-grade Spirit Stones and Three Great Geniuses

The realms of cultivation began with the Qi Refining Realm, followed by Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul Realm.

Then came Spirit Transformation.

Those in the Spirit Transformation Realm could commune with the primordial energy of heaven and earth, wielding peerless might. It was a major transformation on the path of cultivation.

Their strength far surpassed that of the Nascent Soul Realm—it was like the distance between heaven and earth!

Beyond Spirit Transformation came the three realms of Void Refinement, Mysterious Mastery, and Great Vehicle.

Void Refinement was one thing, but in the present cultivation world, Mysterious Mastery Realm cultivators were already rare. Reaching such an achievement made one a powerhouse of a region, worthy of being called a great expert.

As for Great Vehicle Realm ancestors?

They were even more extraordinary.

Because he had always kept a low profile within the sect, Lin Xiaoyao did not know much about the outside world.

But at least within the Feathering Sect, there was not a single Great Vehicle Realm cultivator openly known to exist.

As for whether any were lurking in secret, that was not something an insignificant nobody like him could investigate.

Above that, before becoming an immortal, only one hurdle remained: Tribulation Transcendence.

Moreover, the Tribulation Transcendence Realm differed from the realms before it.

The previous realms could generally be divided into early stage, middle stage, and late stage.

Further still, there was the so-called Great Perfection above the late stage.

Tribulation Transcendence, however, was different.

It had no further divisions, nor did it contain any minor realms.

It was simply... Tribulation Transcendence.

At that stage, if one could overcome the tribulation of ascension, one could soar into the clouds and ascend, becoming a true immortal.

That was an existence looked up to by countless cultivators.

Of course, Lin Xiaoyao knew that immortals were not the end of cultivation.

There were still many realms beyond.

Only by attaining the Saint Fruit Position could one command the Three Thousand Great Daos and discern endless laws.

Thus, the road was long and far; his own path of cultivation still stretched endlessly ahead.

Still, his efforts over the past five years had finally yielded a small reward.

In Lin Xiaoyao's eyes, the Mysterious Mastery Realm was not particularly high.

Yet it already placed him on equal footing with the Feathering Sect's leader.

No, he was still slightly inferior. Master Green Feather was at the Mysterious Mastery Middle Stage.

Of course, this small gap in realm meant nothing to Lin Xiaoyao.

Just as when he had first entered the Spirit Transformation Realm, he had been able to command the primordial energy of heaven and earth as easily as moving his own arm.

Moreover, the area he could control was more than a hundred times greater than that of an ordinary Spirit Transformation cultivator.

By the same reasoning, with the Saint Fruit Position, the higher he climbed, the greater the gap between him and cultivators of the same realm would become.

Forget one-on-one. Even if Master Green Feather joined forces with the other Mysterious Mastery Realm elders and chief seats of the Feathering Sect and charged him together—

They would be nothing but a joke before him.

He could wipe them out with a casual wave of his hand.

Time passed unnoticed in the mountains, yet five years was not a short span.

During that time, the Feathering Sect had opened its gates again and accepted another batch of disciples.

The youths who had entered the sect alongside Lin Xiaoyao had all made progress as well.

Some geniuses had begun to reveal their brilliance, displaying their talent before everyone.

For example, the delicate and spirited little girl who had once innocently asked upon entering the sect whether no one from the sect had become immortal for thousands of years.

Five years had passed. Though the girl was still young, she had shone with dazzling brilliance, reaching the Foundation Establishment Late Stage in only five short years.

She was merely one step away from forming her Golden Core!

Such speed was simply earth-shattering, enough to rival some of the peerless geniuses who had appeared throughout the Feathering Sect's long history.

Even her master, Master Green Feather, had lavished her with praise, saying that his youngest disciple possessed innate wisdom and would surely surpass him in the future.

Even if she could not soar into the clouds and ascend to become an immortal, attaining the status of a Great Vehicle Realm ancestor was definitely within her grasp.

Aside from this girl, there were other extraordinary disciples as well.

For instance, Luo Xiaoyan and Liu Shumei.

They were slightly older than the delicate little girl, but they were only just over twenty. After five years in the sect, both had successfully reached Foundation Establishment and were nearly at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

Such cultivation speed could not be called earth-shattering, but it was enough to earn them the title of geniuses.

The other disciples also pressed forward bravely and cultivated diligently. Quite a few had likewise begun to stand out.

Of course, the immortal path was difficult. Not everyone could advance with fierce momentum.

Many disciples cultivated slowly and were still circling around the sixth or seventh layer of the Qi Refining Realm.

After five years, that was the normal cultivation speed for ordinary disciples.

And in the eyes of outsiders, Lin Xiaoyao was one of them.

Naturally, this was deliberate on his part. He neither stood out nor fell behind.

Only by blending in among the vast majority could he properly remain an insignificant nobody.

Unlike those dazzling geniuses whose every movement drew attention, Lin Xiaoyao rather enjoyed his current life.

Every day, he swept the Founder's Shrine. Every few days, he arranged offerings. The rest of his time was entirely his to use as he pleased.

He checked in, collected rewards, and watched his cultivation grow day after day.

Though he was still far from recovering the magical power that matched the realm of a Saint, he found joy in each day.

As for the world outside, he did occasionally yearn for it.

But curiosity was curiosity. Lin Xiaoyao would never go out there. The current cultivation world was far from peaceful, filled with countless fiends and demons, slaughter and strife.

If he went outside, he would likely have to remain on edge at all times. How could that compare to the safety of lying low within the sect?

"System, check me in."

"Congratulations, Host. Check-in successful. You have received one thousand Top-grade Spirit Stones. Would you like to claim them now?"

"Claim them."

Lin Xiaoyao did not hesitate, but neither did his face show any delight.

Though Spirit Stones of the highest grade were objects of desperate desire to other cultivators, they were of little use to him.

After accumulating rewards from check-ins over the years, he had gathered no fewer than a hundred thousand of them.

He remembered that on one occasion, he had checked in and received thirty thousand in a single go.

Without exception, he had piled them all inside the System Space.

The items he had gained from checking in over the past five years were too numerous to count, and those he could not use had already piled up like mountains within the System Space.

Though the space was boundlessly vast, Lin Xiaoyao was still somewhat troubled.

How could he avoid exposing his identity, remain an insignificant nobody within the sect, quietly show off and earn everyone's admiration, while also bestowing the things he did not need upon others?

Lin Xiaoyao already had an idea in mind, but it was not yet mature. He would have to try it later before deciding whether to proceed that way.

As those thoughts flashed through his mind, Lin Xiaoyao suddenly raised his head.

Boom!

A tremendous crash rang in his ears.

Within a radius of several hundred miles, the entire Feathering Sect headquarters began to shake violently.

Crack, crack, crack...

Broken stones rained down without end as the earth trembled and the mountains swayed.

Spiritual light flashed, then immediately went out. The sect-protecting grand formation had just been about to activate, but its core had been destroyed with lightning speed before anyone could react.

At once, the vast Feathering Sect was left completely undefended.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

The sound of air tearing apart erupted.

Streaks of startling light shot into the sky one after another.

The sudden change had come without warning, but the Feathering Sect's great figures reacted with remarkable speed.

Aside from the few elders and chief seats undergoing life-and-death seclusion, everyone else immediately cast aside whatever they were doing and emerged to investigate.