"Uncle-Master, is there a problem?"
Chen Shuangbai looked at this senior uncle with some confusion and asked him this question.
Feng Yuan Deacon Feng then realized that his behavior had been somewhat impolite. He straightened his robes slightly, but still could not suppress the turbulent emotions surging within him.
The Abyss Suppression Hall contains the books of outer sect disciples who went to guard various places, and he had just flipped through Chen Shuangbai's records.
The record clearly states that before leaving the mountain gate, Chen Shuangbai had a cultivation level of the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer Refining.
In just three years, he leaped from the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, breaking through three barriers, including the crucial bottleneck Middle Qi Refining Stage!
What does this mean?
Ordinary outer sect disciples can cultivate peacefully within the sect with ample resources, and being able to advance one level in three years is already considered outstanding.
And Chen Shuangbai, in such a remote place, needing to attend to worldly affairs and deal with complex situations, has actually made such progress?!
"This... Martial Nephew Chen, you..."
For a moment, Deacon Feng was speechless.
This cultivation speed has surpassed that of most outer sect disciples, and can even be said to rival those geniuses with top-tier aptitude!
And at the very least, they need to be at least Class A qualified!
Between the Middle Qi Refining Stage and Late Qi Refining Stage, there is actually an invisible bottleneck, and this bottleneck alone has troubled countless outer disciples with second-grade aptitude.
There's a saying among ordinary people, "Even a hero can be brought down by a penny."
In the cultivation world, even a single talent can stifle and kill countless geniuses.
Deacon Feng's gaze toward Chen Shuangbai had shifted from admiration to shock, and even a hint of disbelief.
He was at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, but failed to break through to Foundation Establishment. His potential was exhausted, and he could not make any further progress in his life, trapped and dying at this level.
Left with no other choice, he had to find this important task within the sect.
This is partly due to their unwillingness to give up, wanting to rely on merit points to exchange for another Foundation Establishment Pill and try to break through to the Foundation Establishment again, and partly to accumulate resources for their loved ones or descendants.
But how old is Chen Shuangbai now?
He flipped through Chen Shuangbai's records, which stated that he entered the mountain sect at the age of sixteen, cultivated in seclusion in the mountains for five years, and then went out to guard the area for three years, which is eight years in total. He is now twenty-five years old!
Before the age of thirty, the probability of successfully Foundation Establishment is about 60%.
Before the age of fifty, the probability of successfully Foundation Establishment is about 30%, but after the age of fifty... that means the potential is completely cut off, and one will never make any progress in life.
Deacon Feng remained silent for a long time before taking a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and sitting back down at his desk, but his eyes were now completely different.
Previously, he admired a capable disciple; now, he values someone who is highly likely to successfully Foundation Establishment and become a pillar of the sect in the future.
"Nephew, your potential is extraordinary. I hereby congratulate you on your promotion to the inner sect, ranking among the top, and that you will one day become Foundation Establishment cultivator and enjoy the path to immortality!"
Chen Shuangbai noticed the changes in Deacon Feng's expression.
Although this person was several minor realms higher than him and he couldn't sense the other's emotions, Chen Shuangbai was not surprised by the change in his expression.
because...
This was exactly what he had expected.
Because the envoys for the merit assessment have not yet completed their inspections, some garrison commanders have not yet returned to the mountain. Chen Shuangbai will have to wait until everyone is present before coming to the Abyss Suppression Hall. Only then can the list of those promoted to inner sect be announced.
Chen Shuangbai was not in a hurry. After thanking his senior uncle, he rode the wind and first went to the book cave of the Scripture Transmission Hall.
He promised Book Spirit that he would come to find him as soon as he returned to the mountain.
The Book Spirit Zhang Yin is a special Foundation Establishment who cannot be separated from the Book Cave. However, it provided a great deal of help to Chen Shuangbai when he was still a junior disciple in the Early Qi Refining. Chen Shuangbai is not an ungrateful person.
The disciples guarding the book cave have changed batch after batch, and Chen Shuangbai doesn't recognize the two fellow disciples currently guarding the entrance.
Only after verifying his identity and jade token, as was customary, did the disciple guarding the cave allow him to enter.
The Book Cave can be entered at will, but the various books containing Divine Ability Law Technique and spells are all priced, with different amounts of Merit Points required. Moreover, the spiritual peak where the Book Cave is located is embedded in the entire mountain-protecting formation, and once there is any disturbance, the intruder will be reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye.
As soon as Chen Shuangbai entered the cave, the books throughout the entire cave suddenly began to rustle and make a clattering sound.
"Young man, you're back!"
The little Book Spirit's figure was exactly the same as it had been three years ago. Chen Shuangbai looked at her, bowed, and said, "Yes, Zhang Yin, I'm returning to the mountain."
The Book Spirit was very happy.
Confined to its Book Collection Cave and unable to venture out, it was quite bored most of the time. Finding Chen Shuangbai interesting, it took the initiative to befriend him, which brought it some amusement.
But Chen Shuangbai was away guarding the area for three years, and it lost its only friend to talk to. How boring it must have been!
Now it's all right, he's back.
Chen Shuangbai, understanding the implied meaning from the music, took out a stack of martial arts novels from his Storage Bag and presented them, saying, "Rest assured, sir, although I have been away, I have never forgotten your preferences."
The Book Spirit cheered happily, but immediately remembered her identity, coughed twice, and put on a serious expression, "Ahem, you... did very well!"
Chen Shuangbai found its appearance amusing.
If it had a tail, it would probably be wagging its tail nonstop right now.
Chen Shuangbai came to the Book Collection Cave this time.
The first reason was to solidify the friendship with the Book Spirit, and the second was to inquire whether anything had happened within the sect during the three years I was away from the mountain gate.
Having obtained a new storybook, the Book Spirit naturally shared everything he knew.
Chen Shuangbai asked, "My lord, I overheard at the Flowing Immortal Market outside the sect that the senior brothers of the Evil Hunting Hall seem to have already gotten involved in the struggle between the Empty Sword Sect and the Heart-Eroding Stronghold?"
The little Book Spirit conjured a small long table and a grand chair, and sat on it, flipping through the new storybooks from the Zhao Kingdom while telling Chen Shuangbai about the changes within the sect.
"Yes, that's true."
Chen Shuangbai then asked, "What are the sect's plans...?"
Book Spirit in her hand, her small figure swaying on the armchair, a hint of seriousness appearing on her tender face as she said, "The sect must have this plan."
"But so far they've been relatively restrained, only diverting some disciples from the Evil Hunting Hall and the Jade Guarding Hall to aid their fellow disciples in the Empty Sword Sect under the guise of an alliance. They haven't completely committed themselves yet."
Chen Shuangbai's expression hardened slightly.
"The news you heard at Flowing Immortal Market is true."
"A year ago, the Empty Sword Sect and the Heart-Eroding Stronghold went to war. The two sides fought fiercely over the mine they were vying for. Afterwards, the Heart-Eroding Beasts repeatedly invaded our three states, and even committed the evil deeds of wiping out villages and clans on more than one occasion, collecting large amounts of mortal Essence Blood and souls to refine Devil Cultivator Law Artifact..."
Chen Shuangbai's heart sank.
Collecting Essence Blood to create souls, refining evil magical Law Artifact... No matter which one it is, it is unacceptable for the Jade Spring Sect, which seeks peace and stability. No wonder the sect's higher-ups already have their own ideas.