Testing Combat Strength

Star Pavilion was located in the Outer Sect region, very far from the Inner Sect region where Imperial Peak stood.

Even with Uncle Fu flying them there, it would take an hour to arrive.

Yet neither Xiao Yun nor Lin Xiaoya felt the slightest impatience along the way.

That was because the scenery within Chaos Holy Land was simply too beautiful. Mountain after mountain below them was shrouded in mist, steeped in immortal aura, with breathtaking scenery that gathered the very essence of heaven and earth.

"Wow, this place is so beautiful! Once I can fly, I'm definitely going to explore our Chaos Holy Land properly." Lin Xiaoya chirped away beside them like a joyous lark.

Uncle Fu smiled. "Once you enter the third realm of cultivation, the Divine Bridge Realm, you can condense divine sense and ride a sword through the air."

As they spoke, they had already entered the Outer Sect region. There were very few experts here, and none could soar through clouds and mist like Uncle Fu. Just as he had said, they flew one by one atop their swords, streaking through the void.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Streams of sword light crisscrossed heaven and earth, free and unrestrained, utterly dashing.

Lin Xiaoya watched with a face full of envy, her large dark eyes brimming with longing.

Xiao Yun wore the same yearning expression.

It had to be said, watching those Chaos Holy Land disciples stand with their hands behind their backs, swords beneath their feet as they soared freely through the sky, was simply exhilarating.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the clouds ahead parted, and an enormous plaza appeared before the three of them.

Xiao Yun also saw a massive pavilion standing within the plaza, immortal light swirling around it. It towered into the clouds, majestic and magnificent, with an extraordinary air.

"This is Star Pavilion!" Uncle Fu laughed as he led Xiao Yun and Lin Xiaoya down onto the plaza.

The plaza was packed with people, several thousand in all, all lined up to enter Star Pavilion.

Uncle Fu frowned and shook his head. "Normally, few people come to Star Pavilion. This time, so many have come because quite a few new disciples were admitted yesterday, and they are here to choose combat techniques."

"Let's line up first. I'm not in a hurry anyway," Xiao Yun said with a smile.

Uncle Fu nodded.

However, just then, a burst of lively commotion came from ahead.

"Fifty thousand jin of force, at the great completion stage of Body Refining! This boy only entered the sect yesterday, yet he reached the great completion stage of Body Refining in a single day. With such talent, he may become a prospective Holy Son in the future."

An envious voice came from the front.

Lin Xiaoya's eyes immediately lit up. Fond of excitement, she said eagerly, "Master, Senior Brother, let's hurry over and take a look! It sounds like someone is testing their combat strength over there."

Uncle Fu smiled faintly. "There is a stone stele before Star Pavilion for testing combat strength, specially intended for new disciples in the Body Refining Realm. But with the Young Master's strength, there is no need for him to test himself."

"Master, Senior Brother may not need to test himself, but I can!" Lin Xiaoya pouted. After saying that, she grabbed Xiao Yun and ran ahead.

Uncle Fu shook his head helplessly and could only follow.

Before long, the three of them saw an enormous stone stele. It shimmered with flowing light, runes spreading across its surface. Like an ancient primordial beast, it stood towering beside Star Pavilion.

Beneath the stone stele, a young man wore a smug expression, looking incomparably proud.

That was because the number fifty-one thousand was displayed on the stone stele.

The people around him exclaimed in admiration and continuously praised the young man beneath the stele, making him even more arrogant.

Lin Xiaoya curled her lips, her pretty face filled with disdain. She muttered, "Isn't it just fifty thousand jin? What's so impressive about that? I can do it too!"

A middle-aged man nearby glanced at Lin Xiaoya and said with a laugh, "Little girl, don't boast so shamelessly. Fifty thousand jin of force means reaching the great completion stage of the Body Refining Realm. Only some geniuses can possess such strength immediately after Foundation Establishment."

"Exactly! Little girl, you don't understand anything, so don't spout nonsense!"

"Where did this little brat come from? She has no knowledge at all."

"Long hair, short wit indeed!"

The people around them all began criticizing her as well.

Lin Xiaoya's little face immediately turned red with anger. She bared her teeth at the crowd, even revealing her two adorable little canine teeth. But she looked so cute that she had no intimidation whatsoever.

The young man beneath the stone stele was also drawn over by the commotion. Looking at Lin Xiaoya, he sneered. "I know you. Your name is Lin Xiaoya. Yesterday, you rang the Chaos Bell three times, while I rang it four times. Your talent is inferior to mine, yet you dare boast before me? You truly know neither heaven nor earth—arrogant to the extreme."

Lin Xiaoya was not one to swallow her anger. She immediately strode before the young man and snapped, "Isn't it just fifty thousand jin? What's so impressive about that? This young lady will test herself and show you!"

"Please." The young man extended a hand and stepped aside like a gentleman. Yet his face was full of mockery; clearly, he did not believe Lin Xiaoya could produce a number greater than fifty thousand jin.

"Hmph, open your dog eyes wide and watch!" Lin Xiaoya huffed. She then walked to the stone stele, raised her little fist, and slammed it fiercely into the stele before her.

The crowd also stared curiously at the stone stele.

As Lin Xiaoya's punch struck, silver light immediately spread across the stone stele, enveloping it entirely.

"It's silver light!"

"How is that possible? Silver light only appears when someone strikes with more than fifty thousand jin of force!"

"Could this little girl have also reached the great completion stage of the Body Refining Realm?"

The crowd was instantly stunned at the silver light on the stone stele, their faces filled with disbelief.

The young man beside them also revealed a look of shock and disbelief.

He had seen it clearly yesterday. This Lin Xiaoya had only rung the Chaos Bell three times, so her talent was surely inferior to his. How could she have reached the great completion stage of the Body Refining Realm immediately after Foundation Establishment?

As doubts swirled through the young man's mind, the silver light on the stele faded, revealing a string of numbers—fifty-eight thousand!

It was still within the fifty-thousand range, but it exceeded that young man's result by a full seven thousand jin of force.

The crowd immediately erupted in admiration, all of them praising Lin Xiaoya and making the little girl extremely happy.

As for the young man, upon seeing the number on the stone stele, he had already slipped shamefacedly into the crowd to hide, too embarrassed to face anyone.

Lin Xiaoya returned proudly and giggled at Uncle Fu. "Master, I didn't embarrass you, did I?"

Uncle Fu sternly rebuked her, "As cultivators, how can we harbor the desire to show off? You are so lacking in composure. When we return, write the character 'steady' ten thousand times for me."

"Oh!" Lin Xiaoya immediately pouted unhappily.

Just then, as the crowd looked toward Lin Xiaoya, they noticed Xiao Yun beside her as well. Cries of surprise immediately rang out.

"It's the Divine Son!"

"What Divine Son? It's Xiao Yun. He isn't the Divine Son anymore."

"Is he the one who gave up his status as Divine Son? He looks so ordinary. Could it be that the Holy Lord discovered his mediocrity and stripped him of his position as Divine Son?"

"That is certainly possible. How could a dignified Divine Son simply give up his position? I think he may have cheated during yesterday's trial, which was why he rang the Chaos Bell nine times. Later, the Holy Lord must have discovered it."

"He came too. He should have already undergone Foundation Establishment. I wonder how much force he possesses."

"I think even ten thousand jin would be difficult for him to reach. After all, the Chaos Scripture is extremely difficult to cultivate. I heard that even entering the first layer takes a month."

Amid the murmurs, Xiao Yun felt pairs of eyes turning toward him—some curious, others mocking.