Outer Sect Disciple

As soon as Lu Ren entered the Nameless Treasure Pagoda, he took out the Fire Spirit Sword and began to cultivate.

Although his cultivation time was equivalent to money that could be purchased, Lu Ren didn't want to waste a single second.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Ren began his monotonous and tedious cultivation.

Circulate energy, step, swing sword.

Lu Ren, with one burst of effort, unleashed the first stance, Traces in Motion, and the second stance, Unwavering, of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill.

Immediately after, he began cultivating the third stance, Thunderclap.

Once mastered, this move was enough to rival a Human Tier High-grade sword skill.

After a full seven years of arduous cultivation, Lu Ren had finally achieved a preliminary mastery of the third stance, Thunderclap, of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill. With this sword strike, the sword skill was like thunder, not only incredibly fast but also immensely powerful, at least three times stronger than the second stance, Unwavering.

If Chu Feiyang were to use the Melding Sword technique of the Ghostly Sword Style, Lu Ren was fully confident he could defeat Chu Feiyang with Thunderclap.

However, Lu Ren didn't immediately move on to the fourth stance. Instead, he focused on thoroughly familiarizing himself with this sword strike.

In the blink of an eye, another three months passed.

Within the space of Heaven and Earth Law, a figure pointed his sword at a massive rock opposite him. Sword light, like thunder, emanated outwards, incredibly brilliant.

The incredibly sturdy giant rock developed dense, spiderweb-like cracks.

Then, with a gentle puff of air from Lu Ren, the giant rock crumbled into pieces of rubble.

"Finally, I've completely mastered it!"

With the Spiritual Energy in his Spiritual Apertures depleted, Lu Ren felt his strength waning, but he didn't care at all. He looked at the rubble on the ground with satisfaction, a contented smile on his face.

This sword strike was comparable to a Human Tier High-grade sword skill cultivated to perfection.

Lu Ren didn't rest at all and continued to cultivate the fourth stance of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill, Stormy Downpour.

According to Yun Qingyao, the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill was created by her observing celestial phenomena, and currently, it only had four stances. If a fifth stance could be created, it would possess the power of a Yellow Tier Low-grade Martial Skill.

Lu Ren believed he lacked talent and comprehension, so he could only rely on arduous cultivation. He hoped his master would create a fifth stance himself and then pass it down to him.

He knew he would never be able to cultivate such a profound sword skill on his own.

The fourth stance of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill, Stormy Downpour, lived up to its name. The sword skill swept out like a tempestuous storm, its attacks incredibly fierce, making it almost impossible to defend against once unleashed.

Lu Ren believed that once he mastered this move, any Martial Artist with seven Spiritual Apertures opened would be instantly killed with a single sword strike. Even against someone with eight Spiritual Apertures opened, as long as they underestimated him, he could still defeat them.

This sword strike was comparable to a Human Tier High-grade sword skill at perfection!

One had to wonder, how many Martial Artists in the Aperture Opening Realm could cultivate a Human Tier High-grade sword skill to perfection?

In the blink of an eye!

Ten years passed in a flash.

In a vast, ethereal space, a young man in cultivation clothes wielded the Fire Spirit Sword, continuously swinging it. Sword light surged like a stormy downpour, striking a massive rock.

Bang bang bang bang!

After the sword light passed, the rock, ten feet long and wide, was riddled with holes like a sieve.

Hoo!

Lu Ren let out a light breath and said, "After seventeen years of arduous cultivation, I've actually mastered the other two sword techniques. If I encounter Chu Feiyang again, I can defeat him with ease!"

"However, he was just an introductory disciple, not worth mentioning. I will encounter more formidable geniuses in the future!"

Lu Ren believed that with the Nameless Treasure Pagoda and years of hard work, he could also become a genius. But the Xuanhuang Continent was never short of geniuses. Even his master was only considered a top genius in the Jiangyun Kingdom.

Although he had cultivated the sword techniques taught by his master, it was far from enough.

His close-combat martial skills and movement techniques were simply not up to par. Even if a Yellow Tier Low-grade Martial Skill was cultivated to perfection, its power was inferior to that of a Human Tier High-grade Martial Skill.

"I must try to enter the Tuoshe Cave Mansion. Tuoshe Ancient God was able to become an Emperor with a second-grade Bloodline; there must be secrets hidden there!"

Lu Ren mused inwardly.

If his Bloodline couldn't be improved, he might not even be able to break through to the Spirit Stream Realm. Even if he did, how could he fight others with only low-grade Human Tier Martial Skills?

This martial arts exchange competition had made him deeply aware of the gap in martial skills.

The next morning, Lu Ren headed to the Martial Hall.

Elder Zhu Tie saw Lu Ren approaching and led him to a side hall of the Martial Hall.

"Choose five sets of outer disciple uniforms according to your build!"

Elder Zhu Tie opened a cabinet and said to Lu Ren.

Lu Ren looked closely and saw stacks of Qingyun-colored cultivation robes piled inside.

Lu Ren changed into a Qingyun robe, holding four other robes in his hands, and registered as an outer disciple in front of Elder Zhu Tie.

Elder Zhu Tie took out a token, engraved Lu Ren's name on it, and then tossed it to Lu Ren. "This is your outer disciple identity token. Drip your blood on it to represent your identity as an outer disciple of the Qingyun Sect!"

This outer disciple identity token contained a formation. Once the disciple died, the formation would automatically shatter, destroying the token.

Therefore, only the holder of the disciple token could represent their identity; others could not impersonate them.

"From today onwards, you are an outer disciple of the Qingyun Sect!"

Elder Zhu Tie announced.

"Finally, I'm an outer disciple!"

Lu Ren felt a surge of excitement.

There was a significant difference between outer disciples and introductory disciples.

Introductory disciples were like temporary workers, liable to be kicked out at any moment. Outer disciples, however, were considered official members. Even if their cultivation realm stopped improving, they wouldn't be expelled from the sect.

Furthermore, outer disciples held a noble status and were respected wherever they went.

"Lu Ren, let's go. I'll take you to the outer sect!"

After speaking, Elder Zhu Tie led Lu Ren toward the outer sect area.

The outer sect area consisted of a single mountain peak, Tianzi Mountain.

This Tianzi Mountain stretched for several miles, with over a dozen large and small peaks!

At this moment, Elder Zhu Tie, following an iron chain bridge, brought Lu Ren to the summit of Tianzi Mountain.

Along the way, pavilions and grand structures dotted the landscape. In comparison, the introductory area was simply rudimentary.

Walking through the outer sect area, Lu Ren even felt as though he had arrived in paradise.

During their journey, Lu Ren observed numerous senior brothers and sisters with powerful auras practicing martial skills. They were almost all uniformly practicing Human Tier High-grade Martial Skills, and some even used Yellow Tier Low-grade Martial Skills.

Soon, under Elder Zhu Tie's guidance, Lu Ren followed a mountain path to the mountainside of Tianzi Mountain, where numerous villas had also been constructed.

"The air here is so peculiar! Breathing it in makes me feel refreshed and invigorated!"

Lu Ren exclaimed in amazement.

Elder Zhu Tie smiled and explained, "This isn't just air; it's Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy. Outer disciples have all advanced to the Spirit Stream Realm, allowing them to forgo grains and directly absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy to sustain their bodies' energy!"

"So that's how it is!"

Lu Ren nodded.

Following behind Elder Zhu Tie, Lu Ren arrived at a cultivation villa.

The cultivation villas for outer disciples occupied at least twice the area of those for introductory disciples. Moreover, each outer disciple had their own individual villa, a level of treatment incomparable to that of introductory disciples.

"This is your cultivation villa. Although you've become an outer disciple, you don't yet possess the strength of an outer disciple. Focus on improving your strength first and break through to the Spirit Stream Realm!"

Elder Zhu Tie reminded him before leaving.

However, with a Scrap Bloodline, it was doubtful he would ever reach the Spirit Stream Realm.

As soon as Elder Zhu Tie left, Yun Qingyao entered, smiling. "Disciple, congratulations on becoming an outer disciple. You no longer need to worry about being expelled from the sect. With your master here, no one in the outer sect will dare to bully you!"

"Thank you, Master!"

Lu Ren cupped his hands in greeting and then asked, "Then, Master, do you agree to me going to the Tuoshe Cave Mansion?"