Beaten Like a Dead Dog

Three hundred Spirit Crystals, three Core Condensing Pills, a few stalks of Yin Soul Grass picked up from the White Bone Cave, and over a hundred Spirit Crystals and miscellaneous items obtained from the three assassin brothers.

"Feed."

Qin Yuan fed all the resources into the System one by one.

The Spirit Crystals turned into streams of light and merged into the panel, the Core Condensing Pills disappeared, the Yin Soul Grass withered, and the miscellaneous items turned to dust…

[Feed Successful. Upgrade Progress +30%]

[Feed Successful. Upgrade Progress +9%]

[Feed Successful…]

Finally, the panel stopped at:

[System of Gaining Twenty Years of Cultivation Per Day]

[Current Level: 2 (47/5000)]

[Cultivation Storage: 0/60 years]

Only 47 points were added, and the 5000 points needed for the next upgrade seemed impossibly far away.

But Qin Yuan wasn't in a hurry—the qualitative change brought about by the System's upgrade was far greater than imagined.

Twenty years per day, and it could accumulate for three days. This meant that if he wanted to, he could unleash sixty years of cultivation all at once to break through a bottleneck when needed!

This was his true trump card.

He put away the remaining scattered materials, sat down cross-legged, and began to consolidate his Foundation Establishment Stage level three realm.

Time flowed by quietly.

For the next two days, Qin Yuan didn't leave his residence.

Every midnight, twenty years of cultivation arrived on schedule. He didn't rush to break through to higher realms, but instead used most of his cultivation to consolidate his foundation, widen his meridians, and temper his physical body.

Each layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage required a massive accumulation of spiritual energy. It took ordinary cultivators anywhere from three to ten years to go from Foundation Establishment Stage level one to level two.

And going from level two to level three would take even double the time.

But Qin Yuan had the System.

On the first day, he completely digested the twenty years of cultivation, and his realm steadily advanced from the peak of Foundation Establishment Stage level two to Foundation Establishment Stage level four.

On the second day, another twenty years of cultivation surged in. This time, he no longer suppressed himself, guiding the surging spiritual energy to break through the barriers!

Foundation Establishment Stage level four broken!

Foundation Establishment Stage level five broken!

Foundation Establishment Stage level six!

The torrent of cultivation gradually subsided only when he reached the peak of Foundation Establishment Stage level six.

Three layers broken in two days!

If this speed were to spread, it would be enough to shake the entire cultivation world of Qingzhou.

One had to know that the fastest Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation record in the history of the Xuan Yuan Sect was held by the current Sect Master—it took him a full twelve years to go from Foundation Establishment Stage level one to level six.

Qin Yuan had only taken two days.

He opened his eyes, feeling the surging power within his body. The total amount of spiritual energy at Foundation Establishment Stage level six was more than eight times that of Foundation Establishment Stage level one. His Qi Sea had expanded to an area of ten feet, and his liquid spiritual energy rippled like a lake.

His Spiritual Sense range had expanded to five hundred feet, with every detail clearly visible. He could even "see" an Outer Sect disciple in the next room secretly practicing a flawed martial art, with every mistake and omission perfectly clear.

"That's about enough."

Qin Yuan got up and changed into a clean grey robe—still the attire of an Outer Sect disciple. He pushed open the door and walked towards the martial arts arena for the Outer Sect Competition.

Today was the day to settle old scores.

The Xuan Yuan Sect's Outer Sect Competition was held once every three years and was the most important opportunity for Outer Sect disciples to leap into the dragon's gate.

The martial arts arena was set up on a huge platform halfway up the main peak, and it was crowded with people.

Over a thousand Outer Sect disciples gathered below the stage, some nervous, some excited, some apprehensive.

Elders from various peaks and Inner Sect elites sat on the high platform, including Liu Zhenshan of the Third Peak and Elder Li of the Seventh Peak.

The atmosphere was lively, yet carried a sense of repression.

Because everyone knew that although the Outer Sect Competition was nominally a competition among Outer Sect disciples, the real highlight was the segment where Outer Sect disciples challenged Inner Sect disciples—that was the moment that determined their fate.

"Did you hear? This year, over a dozen Outer Sect disciples at Level 10 Qi Condensation or above are going to challenge the Inner Sect!"

"What's the point? The lowest Inner Sect disciples are at Foundation Establishment Stage. Challenging Foundation Establishment at Qi Condensation is suicide, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily. Last year, an Outer Sect senior brother at Great Perfection of the Twelfth Layer of Qi Condensation, with his exquisite swordsmanship, managed to force a draw against an Inner Sect senior brother at Foundation Establishment Stage level one, and was thus admitted into the Inner Sect… with special dispensation."

"That was just a draw! If they really fought, a Foundation Establishment cultivator has an endless supply of spiritual energy and can wear down a Qi Condensation cultivator to death."

Amidst the discussions, the competition officially began.

The first few rounds were contests between Outer Sect disciples, selecting the top twenty who would then be eligible to challenge Inner Sect disciples. The matches were fierce, but the elders in the viewing area were mostly uninterested—no matter how strong an Outer Sect disciple was, they were still at the Qi Condensation Stage and unworthy of their attention.

Qin Yuan did not sign up for the first few rounds.

He stood at the edge of the crowd, like a reef, the surrounding clamor seemingly irrelevant to him. Not until the top twenty were decided did the steward presiding over the grand competition announce loudly, "The challenge segment begins! Outer Sect disciples may challenge Inner Sect disciples arbitrarily, life or death is irrelevant!"

Silence fell over the arena.

The twenty Outer Sect disciples who had distinguished themselves exchanged glances, but not a single one dared to speak first.

On the high platform, Liu Feng leaned back lazily in his chair, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

Beside him sat several Inner Sect disciples from the Third Peak, chatting in low voices. Their gazes swept over the Outer Sect disciples below, filled with condescending disdain.

"A bunch of trash," Liu Feng sneered. "Don't even have the courage to challenge."

Just then, a figure pushed through the crowd and walked into the arena.

A grey robe, plain and simple, with an ordinary iron sword hanging from his waist.

It was Qin Yuan.

All eyes in the arena instantly focused on him.

"It's him! The Qin Yuan who beat up Zhao Hu three days ago!"

"I heard he used the Third Peak's name to participate in the competition and even won?"

"What's the point of winning? That was the Seventh Peak underestimating him! Today is a real fight to the death!"

Amidst the murmurs, Qin Yuan looked up and faced Liu Feng on the high platform.

"Liu Feng, an Inner Sect disciple of the Third Peak," his voice was not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire venue. "Do you dare to come down and fight?"

Dead silence.

Then, an even greater uproar erupted!

"Is he crazy?! Challenging Liu Feng directly?!"

"Liu Feng is at the fourth level of Foundation Establishment! He's a top talent among the younger generation of the Third Peak!"

"I heard this Qin Yuan has a grudge against Liu Feng, I didn't expect him to actually dare to challenge him in the grand competition..."

On the high platform, the smile on Liu Feng's face froze. He slowly sat up straight, staring at Qin Yuan in the arena, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"An ignorant fool," he muttered, then stood up and leaped off the platform, landing lightly about ten feet in front of Qin Yuan.

"Qin Yuan," Liu Feng tilted his head, his smile cruel. "I was planning to find you anyway, I didn't expect you to deliver yourself to my doorstep. Good, it saves me trouble."

He sized Qin Yuan up, then suddenly frowned--he couldn't see through Qin Yuan's cultivation!

But then he thought, he must be using some kind of technique to conceal his aura, or perhaps a forbidden art that burns lifespan, making his aura unstable.

"You think you can fight me by forcefully increasing your power with some forbidden art?" Liu Feng sneered. "Today, I'll let you know what the true Foundation Establishment Stage is!"

Qin Yuan looked at him calmly. "I said I would kill you. That promise still stands."

"Hahahaha!" Liu Feng burst into laughter, as if he had heard the greatest joke. "Kill me? With your abilities? Qin Yuan, let me tell you, I've already caught the attention of the Peak Master and have the qualifications to aim for Direct Disciple, even True Disciple! As for you, an Outer Sect Labor Disciple, you're not even fit to carry my shoes!"

He paused, his voice suddenly turning sharp. "Today, I will cripple your cultivation, break your limbs, and make you crawl out of the Xuan Yuan Sect like a dog!"