Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm

Everyone was stunned by this dark horse that had appeared out of nowhere. They had no mind to look at the ranking of the disciples' overall strength in clearing and ascending the levels of the Divine Wood Realm, displayed on the scroll afterward.

The crowd in the square buzzed with discussion, while the hidden Guiyuan Sect elders above the square all wore grave expressions.

After this secret realm contest ended, they discovered while inspecting the realm that the terrifying pressure on the tenth level of the Divine Wood had vanished...

The secret realm's tenth level had always been an excellent place for major cultivation sects to bring their beloved disciples and juniors for training. From this day forth, it was gone for good.

Not many people had reached the tenth level.

There had only been a little over twenty. As for which disciple had damaged this ancient trial ground, they had no way of knowing.

One of the somewhat younger elders thought for a moment and said, "Senior brothers, since we know every disciple who entered the tenth level, why not question them one by one?"

He Wuwei, who had kept his eyes closed all this while, opened them at those words. His gaze fell upon the man as he slowly said, "The Divine Wood Realm has always belonged to the entire cultivation world, not to our Guiyuan Sect alone. In what capacity would we question the younger generation? Wouldn't bullying the weak with strength make a mockery of propriety? So be it. After more than ten thousand years, it was all a destined fate. Let it be..."

Having said that, He Wuwei rode away on the Azure Phoenix.

The other elders exchanged looks and departed as well. Only two elders seated on the backs of great white tigers remained. They stayed where they were, looking down at the black-robed young man sprawled limply in his chair as they whispered among themselves.

"So first place really was that little Golden Core?"

"That's truly bizarre. I thought he was just talking big."

"The Immortal Residence actually gave up Elder He and chose him? Emmmmm... that's genuinely a little outrageous."

The Joint Grand Tournament finally came to an end.

The results of this competition spread throughout the cultivation world through countless channels. The outstanding achievements of four disciples caused the name of the Nine-Clear Haoran Sect to ring loudly across the cultivation world overnight.

After resting at the inn for two days, Chu Zeming prepared to lead his junior brothers back to the sect.

Outside the inn, the spirit beast carriage had already been prepared.

Before they could set out, Chu Zeming heard a crisp, haughty voice. "Hey, I heard you got first place this time."

Chu Zeming raised his eyes. The Guiyuan Sect's eldest young lady stood not far away in a pale blue, wide-sleeved firefly-patterned dress, a jade flute hanging at her waist as she spoke to him.

Chu Zeming gestured for everyone to board the carriage before turning his gaze toward Yan Xin.

"Is something the matter?"

His tone was as calm as still water.

Yan Xin pouted and said, "I know I was wrong. After I went back that day, Father scolded me and even confined me for several days. I came to apologize to you today!"

Chu Zeming raised his brows and smiled. "I don't stoop to the level of little girls."

Yan Xin snorted, her face flushing slightly as she turned away awkwardly. "I'm not a little girl. I'm already fifteen."

Chu Zeming neither confirmed nor denied it.

She had not even reached the age of full criminal responsibility. If she was not a little girl, what was she?

With a wave of his hand, Chu Zeming prepared to board the carriage.

Yan Xin suddenly called out again. "Um! Do you want to stay in the Guiyuan Sect? I can ask Father to take you in as a direct disciple..."

Chu Zeming paused halfway into the carriage and turned to smile at Yan Xin. "No need. I prefer my own sect."

Although Ling Yunzi was nothing special, Chu Zeming had no plans to change sects for the time being.

"You don't know what's good for you." Yan Xin was somewhat annoyed. She stamped her foot and left.

Xuan Mo stood beside Chu Zeming, watching the Guiyuan Sect's eldest young lady storm off with an unfriendly look in his eyes. Frowning, he asked, "Senior Brother, does... Yan Xin like you?"

Chu Zeming was taken aback.

He stood there pondering for a while, then slowly and firmly shook his head. "It's not affection. I hit her; she doesn't have enough time to hate me, much less like me. I got first place this time. Perhaps she listened to her father and saw my potential and aptitude, so she came to recruit me into her sect."

Xuan Mo wanted to say that some people only got more excited the more you hit them.

But then he heard Chu Zeming add, "Besides, I don't like immature little girls."

Swallowing the words at his lips, Xuan Mo changed his tune. "Senior Brother is wise."

Inside the carriage, Yue Lian, who had been pricking up his ears to listen to the people outside, quietly let out a breath of relief.

He did not like little girls, so he presumably liked big boys.

Sitting on the "bed" Senior Brother had specially prepared for him in the main hall, Yue Lian was in an excellent mood.

At this time, none of the disciples had returned to their respective rooms.

Because Yue Lian had previously given them Spiritual Marrow, they had formed a fixed impression of their junior brother as beautiful and kind-hearted. Seeing him sit alone on that rickety chair-bed, all of them felt somewhat guilty. Wu Qi was about to go over and ask whether he wanted to switch rooms, with Wu Qi sleeping in the hall, when the next moment he saw Yue Lian very consciously lie down on the bed, cover himself with the blanket, and softly hum a tune.

The disciples: "..."

He seemed to be enjoying it very much.

Better not disturb Junior Brother.

The Cracked Four-Legged Beast set off, dragging the luxurious carriage behind it and trailing a long tail through the clouds in the sky... The Nine-Clear Haoran Sect had achieved excellent results this time, and everyone was in high spirits on the journey back.

News traveled faster than people.

Before Chu Zeming's group had even reached the sect, the sect had already learned the tournament results through other channels.

Within a secluded hall of the sect, Ling Yunzi and the elders sat high above as they listened to a disciple report the news he had gathered.

As he heard the disciple list, one by one, the names of those who had earned rankings, a faint smile appeared on Ling Yunzi's cold and aloof face.

The divination he had sought before the ancestral hall had not been false. Ever since Yue Lian entered the sect, the sect's fortune had gradually improved. Ten people had gone to the Joint Grand Tournament, and four had obtained rankings. Not to mention that two had reached the Divine Wood Realm's tenth level and cleared the entire Divine Wood Realm in less than ten days.

Ling Yunzi felt that it was fortunate he had brought Yue Lian back to the sect.

In past years, this would have been something they would not even dare dream of.

Qin Elder did not know what the sect master was thinking. He happily looked at the other elders beside him, unable to conceal his excitement.

"Four, four! Zeming even took first place! Wonderful!"

"This generation of disciples has limitless prospects!"

"Senior Brother Qin, you no longer need to worry that our sect's upcoming recruitment ceremony will have no disciples, hahaha..."

While the elders chatted happily, a disciple entered from outside the hall. "Reporting to Sect Master and Elders, the senior brothers have returned from Cangzhou and are currently waiting in the main hall."

"Let's go at once."

At those words, Ling Yunzi rose first, and only then did the others follow.

Inside the Nine-Clear Haoran Sect's main hall.

Chu Zeming and his nine junior brothers had already waited for quite some time.

Voices came from afar. Ling Yunzi, dressed in white, his expression cold as a flower blooming atop a mountain peak, approached from outside the hall with the elders.

Ling Yunzi merely cast the group an indifferent glance before his gaze landed on Yue Lian.

"Lian'er, you've worked hard. Were you hurt?"

Ling Yunzi seemed not to have anyone else in his eyes, his heart occupied solely by Yue Lian. Qin Elder, following behind him, stiffened. Anger immediately rose in his heart, but for the sake of appearances, he did not erupt on the spot.

Suppressing his dissatisfaction with the sect master, Qin Elder bypassed Ling Yunzi and went to the other disciples, forcefully patting their shoulders. "As expected of the future pillars of our Nine-Clear Haoran Sect! Those who did not earn a ranking in this tournament need not be sad either. The other elders and I have prepared a small reward for you. Though they are not especially precious, they represent our heartfelt intentions. Strive to make greater efforts next time, and all of you should learn from your Eldest Senior Brother!"

Ling Yunzi had always been cold in his treatment of others, and the disciples were already used to it. Hearing Qin Elder's encouragement, smiles spread across all their faces. Only Chu Zeming was disdainful. Too lazy to watch Ling Yunzi put on an act, fussing over Yue Lian and currying favor, Chu Zeming respectfully reported the circumstances of this Joint Grand Tournament to Qin Elder, then left the hall alone.

Since there was no need to hurry on the journey, the trip back from Cangzhou took somewhat longer than the trip there. With nothing to do in the carriage, Chu Zeming began meditating and cultivating, absorbing the golden light flowing through the meridians throughout his body—the tiny portion of inheritance power that had not been sealed away when it repaired his shattered body on the Divine Wood's tenth level.

There was very little golden light, and absorbing it was exceptionally difficult. Yet with every bit he absorbed, Chu Zeming could clearly feel his cultivation level improve markedly. By now, Chu Zeming had absorbed every last strand of wandering golden light within his body. He was only one final step away from breaking through the peak of the Jindan Stage and advancing into the Nascent Soul Realm.

After leaving the main hall, Chu Zeming returned directly to his residence.

After laying down several thick layers of barriers, Chu Zeming took out the Scarlet Scale Fruit he had obtained from the Crimson Serpent Python in the Divine Wood Realm. His gaze darkened, and then he ate them all. Violent heat surged from within his dantian as the Scarlet Scale Fruits began to take effect.

Chu Zeming hesitated no longer. Borrowing that power, he closed his eyes and began directly assaulting the Nascent Soul Realm.

The transition from the Jindan Stage to the Nascent Soul Realm was a qualitative transformation.

If a Jindan Stage cultivator was killed, death was simply death. A Nascent Soul Cultivator, however, could abandon the fleshly body and escape with the Nascent Soul. Thus, advancing from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul was extraordinarily difficult, requiring immense power to strike at the barrier between realms.

The process was agonizing. Chu Zeming felt as though his body had been thrown into boiling magma. The spiritual power throughout his body went out of control, charging wildly through him. Chu Zeming gritted his teeth and endured. His fingers clutched the cold jade bed tightly, and because he exerted too much force, the bed beneath him began to crack inch by inch.

The Scarlet Scale Fruits' power gradually faded, yet although the barrier within him was tottering, there was still no sign of it breaking. Seeing that his advancement was about to fail, Chu Zeming's expression darkened. He took out the Azure-Blue Pearl he had obtained in the Extreme Sea Secret Realm.

After absorbing the power contained within the Azure-Blue Pearl, Chu Zeming closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and began another round of assault.

After an unknown amount of time, he seemed to hear a crisp crack beside his ear.

The tottering Nascent Soul barrier finally shattered with a roar at that moment, and the imposing aura of a Nascent Soul Realm expert spilled out from Chu Zeming's body.

Perhaps because the golden light from the Divine Wood had cleansed his marrow, Chu Zeming's body did not expel any excess impurities this time. Still, he symbolically took a bath. Feeling refreshed all over, he opened the gates to his residence and suddenly saw more than a dozen law enforcement disciples waiting outside.

"Eldest Senior Brother, the Sect Master requests your presence in the guest reception hall."

Their tone was not particularly pleasant, and Chu Zeming paused slightly.

Following the law enforcement disciples to the guest reception hall, Chu Zeming saw Ling Yunzi seated at the head, his face as cold and expressionless as ice in the twelfth lunar month. In the guest seats beside him sat more than a dozen cultivators dressed in Heavenly Remnant Sect attire. At their head sat an old man in colorful clothes called Scabby Head, while beside him sat the arrogant young Scabby Head, Lu Benxiong.

Upon seeing Chu Zeming enter, Ling Yunzi did not waste a single word. He directly said, "Kneel and apologize to Elder Lu and his son."