[In the first year, you painstakingly and diligently cultivated the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique, but your talent was too poor, and your progress was negligible. However, thanks to the Body Tempering Pill, your physical body was strengthened to a certain extent.]
[In the second year, you painstakingly and diligently cultivated the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique, but your talent was too poor, and your progress was negligible...]
[In the third year, you painstakingly and diligently cultivated the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique, but your talent was too poor, and your progress was negligible...]
[In the fourth year, you painstakingly and diligently cultivated the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique, but your talent was too poor...]
Lin Changkong stared at the simulation on the panel, his face covered in black lines.
No, brother?
Was this really how it was going to play? At least change the wording. Having every line be exactly the same was too disheartening.
[In the fifteenth year, after years upon years of persistence, you finally reached the peak of Qi Gathering First Level, but breaking through became even more difficult.]
[In the sixteenth year, you began rigorously cultivating your physical body to see whether you could forge a different path, while also diligently practicing saber techniques.]
[In the twenty-fifth year, your Wind Breaking Saber reached the Perfection Realm.]
[...]
[In the fiftieth year, you finally broke through the barrier. The Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique achieved major success, and you stepped into Qi Gathering Second Level.]
[In the seventy-second year, you reached the peak of Qi Gathering Second Level. Your Wind Breaking Saber advanced further and reached the Transcendent Realm.]
[In the ninetieth year, after prolonged tempering of your physical body, you raised its strength to a level capable of rivaling Qi Gathering Realm power.]
[In the hundredth year, you finally advanced another step. The Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique reached perfection, and you attained Qi Gathering Third Level.]
[Name: Lin Changkong] [Realm: Qi Gathering Third Level] [Physical Body: Comparable to Qi Gathering Second Level, worthy of being called a humanoid bulldozer] [Techniques: Vajra Body Refining Technique (Second Rank, Transcendent); Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique (Third Rank, Perfection)] [Martial Arts: Eight Extremes Collapse Fist (First Rank, Transcendent); Wind Breaking Saber (Second Rank, Transcendent)]
To him, those hundred years had passed in the flick of a finger.
To outsiders, he had gone from Qi Gathering First Level to Qi Gathering Third Level in the blink of an eye.
He was unquestionably a super genius, with Emperor's Bearing.
"But there's an extra physical body section now, and its strength even rivals Qi Gathering Second Level. That's an unexpected delight."
"Stacking the Transcendent Realm Wind Breaking Saber with the Perfection Realm Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique... Hmm, they can't be underestimated!"
Lin Changkong clenched his fist. Crimson Flame Spiritual Energy burst from his body like blazing fire and gathered around his fist, radiating a violent, scorching aura. It was more than twice as powerful as yesterday.
Moreover, reaching the Perfection Realm in the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique had made his Crimson Flame Spiritual Energy exceptionally pure. His combat strength would absolutely far surpass that of ordinary people at the same realm.
After all, no one else could cultivate the Crimson Flame Blood Fiend Technique to the Perfection Realm while only at Qi Gathering Second Level like he had.
He walked over to the mirror and took a look. His body had clearly grown more robust, muscles bulging beneath bronze-colored skin that exuded a sense of power.
Yet he was not one of those huge, ugly blocks of muscle. Instead, his body had sleek, streamlined contours.
Simply put: powerful and handsome!
"Junior Brother Lin, why haven't you come out yet? Today is the new disciples' meet-and-greet. Don't be late."
Hong Ye's voice came from outside. Lin Changkong collected his thoughts and walked out.
He saw Hong Ye standing at the door, smiling at him. Her fiery-red robes resembled a blazing flame, and paired with her simple, capable attire, she was beautiful without losing her stately air.
"Good morning, Senior Sister Hong Ye."
Hong Ye reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Good morning, Junior Brother Lin. Eh..."
"Why do you seem so much sturdier than yesterday?"
As she spoke, she even reached out and felt Lin Changkong's chest. Sensing the solid muscles beneath her fingers, Hong Ye's eyes widened. "How is your physical body so strong?"
Lin Changkong said solemnly, "Senior Sister, you may not know this, but I practice Spirit and Body Dual Cultivation. As a Body Cultivator, isn't it normal for my physical body to be a little stronger?"
Hong Ye's eyes widened even further. "Spirit and Body Dual Cultivation? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"You didn't ask sooner, either."
"So just how strong is your physical body now?"
"It's nothing special. It can probably rival Qi Gathering Second Level."
Hong Ye looked at him in disbelief, her gaze turning into a tangled mess of envy, jealousy, and resentment.
"You broke through from the Body Refining Peak to Qi Gathering First Level in half a day, and now you're telling me that you also cultivate your body and that it can even rival the Qi Gathering Realm. Junior Brother, I advise you not to be too cocky!"
Lin Changkong waved his hand. "Look at what you're saying, Senior Sister. I'm not that kind of person."
Hong Ye said, "You practice Spirit and Body Dual Cultivation, and you still dare say you're not cocky?"
Lin Changkong said, "Senior Sister, you misunderstand. I didn't mean that I'm not cocky. I meant that I don't listen to advice, so I still have to be cocky. It's useless even if you try to talk me out of it."
Hong Ye said, "!!!"
"Seriously, Junior Brother, sometimes I really want to punch you."
Hong Ye gritted her teeth, overcome by the urge to rush over, pin Lin Changkong to the ground, and give him a thorough beating.
"Enough. Let's go eat."
She shook her head and sighed inwardly. Sigh, I used to think I was a genius. Who would've thought that before Junior Brother Lin, I'd be such a fool!
Junior Brother Lin's talent is truly something that appears only once in a hundred years!
Lin Changkong followed Hong Ye to the dining hall. It was indeed a dining hall in the world of cultivation; everything they ate was grown in spirit fields and contained spiritual energy. Even eating had nourishing effects.
After eating, Lin Changkong parted ways with Hong Ye.
Hong Ye needed to strive for the qualifications to enter the Inner Sect, so she had been seizing every moment to cultivate madly. Lin Changkong, meanwhile, needed to head to the Outer Sect plaza for the new disciples' meet-and-greet.
The so-called new disciples' meet-and-greet was, plainly put, a chance for all new disciples to get acquainted with one another. Elders would also appear to explain certain matters.
Of course, it also concealed many details. For example, which disciples had backing and which disciples had good talent would all become apparent.
When the time came, small groups would naturally emerge, forming cliques and huddling together for warmth.
Those with backing, especially, would place great importance on this.
But Lin Changkong had no such thoughts. I'm just a plain and unadorned cheat-user. Form cliques and curry favor with others? As if!
Before long, he arrived at the Outer Sect plaza. Lin Changkong swaggered over, casually found a spot, and sat down.
Many people had already gathered in the plaza. Some knew each other and greeted one another from afar, while others proactively approached people to chat and build connections.
A chubby young man walked over, cupped his fists, and said to Lin Changkong, "I am Zhang Dali of the Zhang Family from Wutan City. Brother, you have a dignified appearance, are a man of outstanding talent, handsome and suave, elegant and unrestrained.
"At a glance, you are clearly a dragon among men, surely no ordinary person. May I ask which lineage you come from?"
Lin Changkong said, "I came up from the Servant Courtyard."
Zhang Dali froze, immediately lowered his hands, turned around, and left.
"Sorry to disturb you."
Lin Changkong frowned slightly.
Damn it, isn't that a bit too realistic?
Not long after Zhang Dali left, another female disciple approached and said, "I am Feng Xiaoman of the Feng Family from Fengyun City. I see that you have a dignified appearance, are a man of outstanding talent, handsome and suave, elegant and unrestrained.
"At a glance, you are clearly a dragon among men, surely no ordinary person. May I ask which lineage you come from?"
Lin Changkong said, "Servant Courtyard."
Feng Xiaoman froze, turned around, and left.
"Sorry to disturb you."
Another tall man walked over and cupped his fists. "I am..."
"Servant Courtyard. Get lost."
"Alright."
Without hesitation, "I am" turned around and left, his eyes even carrying a trace of disdain.
Very soon, everyone nearby learned that Lin Changkong was an Outer Sect Disciple who had risen up from the Servant Courtyard.
The Servant Courtyard meant low talent and no particularly strong background. In these people's eyes, he was not worth mentioning.
Thus, the surroundings were bustling with activity, while Lin Changkong's side was exceptionally quiet. Not a single person came over to exchange pleasantries.
Lin Changkong did not care. He was instead happy to have some peace and quiet.
I'm a mighty cheat-user. Do I need to build good relationships with you people? What a joke!
"An elder has arrived."
After some unknown amount of time, a disciple shouted. The people in the plaza immediately fell silent and looked up.
Lin Changkong looked over as well and saw a middle-aged woman walking toward them.
"Luo Qingyi!"
He recognized her at a single glance. The elder who had come to meet the new disciples was actually Luo Qingyi, the woman he had clashed with yesterday.
Luo Qingyi also noticed Lin Changkong. The moment her gaze fell on him, two cold rays shot from her pupils.
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