Outside the mountains of Canglan Sect.
Two figures were approaching Canglan Sect from different directions.
"Second Senior Brother?"
"Little Junior... No, now it’s Third Junior Brother."
The two young figures conversed across the air, eventually converging at one point and continuing toward Canglan Sect.
"Second Senior Brother, did you also receive Master’s letter?"
"If not for receiving Master’s letter, why would I be rushing back to the sect at this time?" Liang Hanyang smiled slightly, "What do you think about our little junior brother?"
"Master mentioned in the letter that our little junior brother is an extraordinary talent, coming from a barren martial arts island beyond the Eastern Sea. Master didn’t mention much else, but I am curious about this little junior brother, so I made a special trip back to witness his breakthrough to the Innate Realm."
Third Junior Brother Chai Daoqi smiled as he spoke. Master had mentioned the junior brother’s breakthrough to the Innate Realm in the letter, but didn’t require them to rush back, merely suggesting that they could return if they had the time to witness it.
"I feel the same."
Liang Hanyang and Chai Daoqi exchanged glances and laughed together.
It’s not often that a disciple catches Master’s eye, especially one from the desolate martial arts islands beyond the Eastern Sea, which made them very curious about this little junior brother.
As for breaking through to the Innate Realm before the age of twenty, that’s not considered rare. More than half of the direct disciples of Canglan Sect had already reached the Innate Realm before turning twenty. The two of them had also entered the Innate Realm before twenty.
"According to Master’s letter, the junior brother will start breaking through today, and he should be able to step into the Innate Realm by tomorrow. Second Senior Brother, why don’t we take a walk down there first?"
"Let’s hold off for now. Although it will take some time for the junior brother to break through, I can use this time to consult Master about some doubts I have in the martial arts."
Liang Hanyang understood what the Third Junior Brother meant. Canglan Sect not only had its disciples but also Canglan City.
Canglan City is the largest city in the Canglan Domain, located on the plains beyond the mountains.
Disciples like them who had been outside the sect usually chose to take a stroll around Canglan City first upon returning. There were many good places in the city to visit.
But today, Liang Hanyang wasn’t in the mood. His return was not just out of curiosity about the junior brother, but also due to a bottleneck in his cultivation that he wanted to consult Master about.
"Alright then, we’ll wait for the junior brother to break through to the Innate Realm, and then I’ll take him to Canglan City to celebrate."
"If you’re not afraid of Master finding out and punishing you, you can certainly do that."
Liang Hanyang glanced at his junior brother. The Third Junior Brother was usually fine in other respects, but he was quite indulged.
Canglan City’s places of leisure had seen quite a bit of the Third Junior Brother, and he’d been punished by Master for it more than once.
"Master is harsh with words but soft at heart, he wouldn’t truly punish me severely."
Chai Daoqi chuckled. Compared to having a beauty in his arms, he could endure a little punishment.
"Master doesn’t punish you severely because he knows your nature and your martial arts cultivation progress hasn’t been impeded. But if you take the junior brother to those places..."
Liang Hanyang smiled slightly, which caught Chai Daoqi off guard. He’d forgotten about this matter.
Master was used to his indulgent habits, but if he took the junior brother along, Master might indeed take serious action.
Forget it.
Better to take the junior brother to broaden his horizons another day, away from the sect.
...
...
In the courtyard.
At this moment, Lin Chen could feel the changes happening within his body. That blue energy would spontaneously appear with each collision of Qi Blood, then begin to flow back into his limbs, once again widening his meridians.
Innate Power!
Lin Chen felt a sense of joy in his heart. He finally refined the Innate Power, and the reason this Innate Power was blue is that he is a disciple of Canglan Sect, cultivating the Canglan Force.
This Innate Power directly transformed into Canglan Force.
But this was not the end. As the Innate Power thoroughly washed through his body, the transformed Innate Power surged toward the Divine Soul figure in his Dantian.
The originally pure and transparent Divine Soul figure began to solidify at this moment...
Everything in the surrounding courtyard, even without opening his eyes, became increasingly clear in Lin Chen’s perception. He could even sense his Master’s breathing rhythm at this moment.
The Innate Realm is not just a transformation of the body, but also a transformation of the Divine Soul.
There was a thunderous sound echoing.
Like the rumbling of awakening, the revival of all things.
At this moment, Lin Chen’s sense of euphoria continued to climb. He could feel the changes and improvements in both his body and Divine Soul.
When this sense of euphoria reached its peak, Lin Chen opened his eyes.
A majestic aura swept out from his body towards the surroundings of the courtyard, causing the trees to rustle and many tables and chairs to shake.
The Innate Realm, he had finally stepped into it at this moment.
Du Xiaofeng, seeing the demeanor Lin Chen displayed upon opening his eyes, showed a look of satisfaction in his aged eyes.
It took a total of three two-hour periods to step from the First Grade into the Innate Realm. If this were to spread, it would surely shock those little fellows in the sect.
And it’s not just those little fellows; even he himself found it somewhat incredible.
Although breaking through into the Innate Realm quickly doesn’t mean the subsequent cultivation progress in that realm will necessarily outpace those who did so more slowly, it did break the record among the Canglan Sect disciples, which is something to be proud of.
"Not bad. From today, you are an Innate Martial Artist. You’ve now entered the hall on the Martial Path."
Du Xiaofeng stroked his beard and smiled, and Lin Chen also revealed a smile: "Thank you, Master, for your guidance."
"Having just entered the Innate Realm, you should take some time here to fully comprehend it. Hmm... I have some matters to attend to,"
Du Xiaofeng squinted his old eyes, as if sensing something, and turned to leave the courtyard.
Hearing his master’s words, Lin Chen did not refuse. However, he didn’t rush to experience his current strength. Instead, he silently recited a sentence in his heart, summoning the panel.
When he condensed the first trace of Innate Power, the panel automatically popped up, indicating he had stepped into the Innate Realm.
According to his estimation, once he entered the Innate Realm, there should be a major update on the panel.
From Opening the Acupoints initially, to subsequently Refining the Viscera, to Entering the Grade, every major realm breakthrough prompted a significant update to the panel.
[Host: Lin Chen]
[Realm: Innate First Realm]
[Based on the host’s Martial Path journey from Ninth Grade to First Grade, the system panel is settling accounts...]
A familiar settlement.
Although he regretted not witnessing the panel’s changes firsthand, Lin Chen was still filled with anticipation.
...
Outside the courtyard, after Du Xiaofeng walked out, he took a few strides and was a hundred feet away.
"Master!"
Just approaching were Liang Hanyang and Chai Daoqi. Seeing their master’s figure, they stopped in astonishment.
"Master, why did you personally come to greet me and Second Senior Brother? This makes me feel overwhelmed."
Chai Daoqi chuckled, and Du Xiaofeng raised his hand and slapped Chai Daoqi’s head, saying angrily:
"Personally greet you? Do you think you’re worthy, you brat? You’ve been away for five years, and you’re still in the Innate Second Realm. Haven’t you made any progress at all? Have you been wasting time with women?"
Hearing this, Chai Daoqi felt wronged. When he left the sect five years ago, he had just broken through to the Innate Second Realm. How could he break through to the Innate Third Realm in just five years?
Moreover, it’s not like he hasn’t made any progress. He’s now one of the outstanding figures in the Innate Second Realm.
Chai Daoqi had a premonition that his master’s attitude towards him had changed. He wasn’t as doting as before.
As the youngest disciple, although his master often scolded him, he was also the most cherished.
"Master, isn’t Junior Brother currently breaking through to the Innate Realm? Aren’t you protecting him?"
Liang Hanyang, seeing his Third Junior Brother in trouble, spoke up to help.
"Your Junior Brother doesn’t need me to protect him."
"Master, if you’re not protecting Junior Brother, what if something happens?"
"Shut your crow’s mouth," Du Xiaofeng glared with his old eyes. "Your Junior Brother has already successfully stepped into the Innate Realm."
"Stepped into the Innate Realm?"
Liang Hanyang and Chai Daoqi were both stunned. Their master had written yesterday, saying Junior Brother was beginning to break through. They rushed back overnight upon receiving the letter, and by their calculations, it had only been a few two-hour periods since Junior Brother’s breakthrough today.
"Master, did you deliberately deceive us in the letter? Junior Brother had begun breaking through to the Innate Realm a while ago?"
Smack!
Chai Daoqi rubbed the back of his head, his face full of grievance after getting hit by his master again.
The Innate Second Realm expert, well-regarded outside and a direct disciple and steward of the Canglan Sect Elder, amounted to nothing in the eyes of his master.
"Your Junior Brother just started breaking through to the Innate Realm this morning, and it took three two-hour periods. I stopped you because your Junior Brother is consolidating his realm now, and I don’t want you to disturb him."
"Three two-hour periods?"
Liang Hanyang was shocked. His breakthrough into the Innate Realm had taken a total of fourteen two-hour periods, and even then, it was considered good.
"You two can go wherever you want now; come back in another two-hour period."
Du Xiaofeng waved his hand dismissively and left in irritation, leaving Liang Hanyang and Chai Daoqi looking at each other in bewilderment.
"Second Senior Brother, I’ve had a bad feeling all the way here that something was going to happen. Now I finally understand. My premonition was correct; I’ve fallen out of favor with Master."
"Junior Brother is younger and more capable than you. If you don’t fall out of favor, who will?" Liang Hanyang smiled. "Third Junior Brother, when you return to the sect, keep your head down and don’t cause any trouble that falls into Master’s hands, or it won’t be as easy as before to get off the hook."
"Second Senior Brother, don’t gloat; even though I’ve fallen out of favor, that means you will face stricter discipline from Master. Think about it: Junior Brother has now taken my place in Master’s heart, and my former position in Master’s heart is equivalent to yours. Second Senior Brother, you’ve automatically upgraded to the Senior Brother’s status..."
Liang Hanyang’s smile froze. Whenever he thought of Master’s strict requirements for the Senior Brother, he felt that Master had always been quite lenient with him.
PS: The third update came late; it’s being sent now. I’m asking for a monthly ticket in celebration of stepping into the Innate Realm, and I wish success to fellow readers taking exams... Forget it, no blessings, since it’s late at night, and those still reading instead of preparing for exams won’t achieve much anyway.