Outer Sect Disciple

The moment he entered the Nameless Treasure Pagoda, Lu Ren took out the Fire Spirit Sword and began training.

Although his training time could practically be bought with money, Lu Ren did not want to waste even a second.

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

Circulating his energy, stepping forward, swinging his sword.

In one burst of effort, Lu Ren performed the first form of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill, Traces in Motion, and the second form, Unscattered.

Immediately afterward, he began practicing the third form, Thunderous Movement.

Once mastered, this move would be enough to rival a Human Tier High-grade Martial Skill sword art.

After seven full years of grueling cultivation, Lu Ren finally gained an initial grasp of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill's third form, Thunderous Movement. Once this sword was unleashed, the sword technique was like thunder—its speed was not only incredibly fast, but its power was also formidable, at least three times stronger than the second form, Unscattered.

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

However, Lu Ren did not immediately start cultivating the fourth form. Instead, he thoroughly familiarized himself with this strike.

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

Within the Heaven and Earth Law space, a figure pointed his sword at a giant boulder before him. Sword light like crackling thunder spread forth, incomparably dazzling.

Dense cracks appeared across the incomparably sturdy boulder.

Then, Lu Ren blew out a breath, and the boulder scattered into chunks of broken stone.

"I've finally mastered it completely!"

The spiritual energy within his Spiritual Apertures had been exhausted, and Lu Ren felt his strength failing. Yet he did not care in the slightest. Looking at the shattered stones on the ground with satisfaction, a pleased smile appeared on his face.

This strike was enough to rival a Human Tier High-grade Martial Skill sword technique cultivated to great mastery.

Without resting at all, Lu Ren continued cultivating the fourth form of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill, Stormy Downpour.

According to Yun Qingyao, she had created the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill after observing celestial phenomena. At present, it only had four forms. If she could create a fifth form, its power would be enough to reach that of a Yellow Tier Low-grade Martial Skill.

Lu Ren knew that he had no talent and no exceptional comprehension. He could only rely on bitter training, hoping that his master would create a fifth form and pass it on to him.

It was absolutely impossible for him to cultivate such a profound sword technique on his own.

The fourth form of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill, Stormy Downpour, lived up to its name. The sword force swept forth like a raging wind and torrential rain, its attacks exceptionally violent. Once unleashed, it was almost impossible to resist.

Lu Ren believed that as long as he mastered this move, he could absolutely kill a Martial Artist who had opened seven Spiritual Apertures with a single sword. Even against someone who had opened eight Spiritual Apertures, as long as the opponent underestimated him, he could still defeat them.

This strike rivaled a Human Tier High-grade Martial Skill sword technique cultivated to perfection!

How many Martial Artists in the Aperture Opening Realm could cultivate a Human Tier High-grade Martial Skill sword technique to perfection?

In the blink of an eye!

Ten years flashed by.

Within the ethereal, illusory space, the youth wore training clothes and held the Fire Spirit Sword, continuously swinging it. Sword light swept out like a stormy downpour, striking toward a massive boulder.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

After the sword light passed, the boulder, one zhang in both length and width, had been beaten directly into a sieve.

Whew!

Lu Ren let out a light breath and said, "After seventeen years of bitter cultivation, I actually mastered the other two sword forms. If I were to meet Chu Feiyang again, I could defeat him with ease!"

"Still, he's merely a disciple who just entered the sect—not worth mentioning. In the future, I'll encounter even stronger geniuses!"

Lu Ren believed that, with the Nameless Treasure Pagoda and so many years of bitter cultivation, he too could become a genius. But the Xuanhuang Continent lacked nothing more than geniuses. Even his master could only be considered a top genius within Jiangyun Kingdom.

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

His close-combat martial skills and movement techniques were simply not worth looking at. Even if Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills were cultivated to perfection, their power could not compare to Human Tier High-grade Martial Skills.

"I must explore the Tuoshe Cave Mansion. Ancient Emperor Tuoshe was able to become an emperor with a Second-grade Bloodline—he must have hidden some secret!"

Lu Ren pondered inwardly.

If his bloodline could not be improved, he feared he would not even be able to break through to the Spirit Stream Realm. Even if he did break through to the Spirit Stream Realm, how could he fight others using only Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills?

This sparring exchange competition had made him deeply realize the gap between martial skills.

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

When Elder Zhu Tie saw Lu Ren approaching, he brought him to a side hall of the Martial Hall.

"Choose five sets of outer sect disciple robes according to your size!"

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

Lu Ren took a closer look and saw that it was filled with sets of Qingyun-colored training robes.

Lu Ren changed into a set of Qingyun robes, held four more sets in his arms, and registered as an outer sect disciple before Elder Zhu Tie.

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

This outer sect identity token contained an array. Once a disciple died, the array would automatically shatter and destroy the token.

Therefore, only one holding a disciple token could prove their identity. Ordinary people could not impersonate them.

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

Elder Zhu Tie announced.

"I've finally become an outer sect disciple!"

Lu Ren felt somewhat excited.

There was a vast difference between outer sect disciples and newly admitted disciples.

Newly admitted disciples were like temporary workers, liable to be kicked out at any time. Outer sect disciples, meanwhile, were considered official workers. Even if their cultivation no longer improved, they would not be expelled from the sect.

Moreover, outer sect disciples held a highly respected status. When they went outside, they would also be treated with respect.

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

After saying that, Elder Zhu Tie led Lu Ren toward the outer sect region.

The outer sect region contained only one mountain: Tianzi Mountain.

Tianzi Mountain stretched for several li, with more than a dozen peaks large and small!

At this moment, Elder Zhu Tie had already led Lu Ren along the Iron Chain Bridge to the summit of Tianzi Mountain.

Along the way stood pavilions, terraces, towers, and grand buildings. Compared to this, the newly admitted disciple area was simply crude and shabby.

As he walked through the outer sect region, Lu Ren even felt as though he had entered paradise.

Along the way, Lu Ren saw senior brothers and sisters with powerful auras cultivating martial skills. Nearly all of them practiced Human Tier High-grade Martial Skills, and some even practiced Yellow Tier Low-grade Martial Skills.

Before long, under Elder Zhu Tie's guidance, Lu Ren followed the mountain path to the middle of Tianzi Mountain, where rows of courtyard residences had likewise been built.

"The air here is so strange. Just breathing it makes me feel refreshed and clear-headed!"

Lu Ren exclaimed in amazement.

Elder Zhu Tie smiled and explained, "This isn't air. This is Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy. Outer sect disciples have all advanced to the Spirit Stream Realm and can forgo food. By directly absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, they can maintain their bodies' energy!"

"So that's how it is!"

Lu Ren nodded.

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

An outer sect disciple's cultivation courtyard covered at least twice the area of one belonging to a newly admitted disciple. Moreover, every disciple had a private cultivation courtyard. The treatment was simply beyond comparison with that of newly admitted disciples.

"This is your cultivation courtyard. Although you've become an outer sect disciple, you still do not possess an outer sect disciple's strength. Raise your strength first and strive to reach the Spirit Stream Realm!"

After offering that reminder, Elder Zhu Tie left directly.

However, with a Scrap Bloodline, he likely would never cultivate to the Spirit Stream Realm.

Elder Zhu Tie had barely left when Yun Qingyao entered, smiling. "Disciple, congratulations on becoming an outer sect 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 bully you!"

"Thank you, Master!"

Lu Ren clasped his hands, then asked, "Then, Master, do you agree to let me go to the Tuoshe Cave Mansion?"