Chapter 7: Promotion, Investment, Secret Realm

Profound-Rank Low-Grade Artifact, the Azure Luan Sword.

Watching Xiao Fan hand over the artifact, you were inwardly shocked.

A Qi Refining cultivator, yet he could produce a Profound-Rank Artifact.

You had investigated Xiao Fan's background, and you knew he could not possibly have this kind of strength.

Then the origin of this artifact was definitely a problem!

As if seeing through your thoughts, Xiao Fan began to explain. "To be honest, this Azure Luan Sword was snatched from someone else's hands."

"But rest assured, its owner is already dead."

In the end, you accepted the treasured sword.

Watching Xiao Fan's departing figure, you could not help but sigh. "In one year, he went from Qi Refining Fourth Layer to Qi Refining Seventh Layer. This cultivation speed is almost catching up to mine!"

In the second year of your tenure as Outer Sect Deacon, conflict broke out among the Outer Sect disciples once again.

You arrived in time, saving Li Chen, who only had Qi Refining Second Layer cultivation.

Li Chen was deeply grateful to you, and expressed his desire to take you as his Master.

You refused, and at the same time introduced him to Xiao Fan, who was also an Outer Sect disciple.

"A year apart, and you're already at Qi Refining Ninth Layer!" Seeing Xiao Fan again, you were once again shocked by his cultivation speed.

After learning of your purpose, Xiao Fan agreed without the slightest hesitation.

The two had similar experiences, and you believed they would definitely get along very well.

"I want to kill Zhao Ritian." Xiao Fan transmitted to you. He wanted to ask you for advice on how to handle it.

"Matters outside the sect are none of my concern." You gave a veiled reminder.

A month later, Zhao Ritian left the sect to do a mission, and unfortunately met his end.

Xiao Fan found you, and gave you three hundred low-grade spirit stones.

In the third year, after bitter cultivation day and night, you finally broke through to Foundation Establishment Second Layer.

That same year, Xiao Fan broke through Qi Refining Ninth Layer, reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and successfully entered the Inner Sect.

In the fourth year, Li Chen, whose cultivation had reached Qi Refining Eighth Layer, found you, to express his gratitude for saving his life back then.

Before leaving, he left behind five hundred low-grade spirit stones.

You began selecting promising disciples among the Outer Sect disciples and investing in them.

In the sixth year, Liu Ruyan and Li Chen both broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, successfully entering the Inner Sect.

You were happy for their breakthroughs.

After becoming Inner Sect disciples, the two of them, like Xiao Fan, vanished without a trace.

In the eighth year, you, who had no cultivation resources to speak of, relying only on daily breathing in spiritual qi, finally broke through to Foundation Establishment Third Layer.

In the tenth year, over these years you had sponsored five Outer Sect disciples. In the end, only two reached Foundation Establishment cultivation and successfully entered the Inner Sect.

The other three disciples died on sect missions.

In the twentieth year, your cultivation broke through to Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer, and your sword arts, Jinghong, the Blood Escape Art, and the Palm Technique Descending from the Heavens, successfully reached the Minor Completion Stage.

Your strength was drastically enhanced, but since you had basically never made a move, you did not know exactly how strong you really were.

You sponsored another ten Outer Sect disciples. In the end, only three disciples survived, and their cultivation broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, entering the Inner Sect.

On this day, Li Chen, whom you had not seen for over ten years, found you.

After so many years apart, you discovered that his cultivation had long since surpassed yours, reaching Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer!

Due to body refining, his physique had also become more robust. He was no longer the child who was bullied by everyone back then.

The only pity was that his left arm was gone!

"Senior Brother, long time no see." After so many years apart, although his cultivation was already above yours, Li Chen was still very respectful to you.

You took out a pot of spirit wine, and the two of you drank and chatted.

From Li Chen's mouth, you learned of their experiences over these years.

Not long after entering the Inner Sect, the Five Great Sects discovered an ancient Secret Realm. After discussion among the higher-ups of each sect, they finally dispatched Foundation Establishment cultivators from within the sect to explore it.

And Xiao Fan, Liu Ruyan, and Li Chen were fortunate enough to be selected to participate in the Secret Realm.

And that trip lasted fourteen years!

Only then did you realize why, over all these years, there had been no news of them at all.

"Then your arm…" You could not help but ask.

"It was chopped off by someone from the Cloud Mist Sect while fighting for resources in the Secret Realm." Li Chen smiled bitterly, then added, "An arm for a life. A fair trade."

"It's fine. Once your cultivation reaches the Golden Core stage, you can regrow severed limbs." You comforted him.

Li Chen was silent. He sighed, wanting to speak but hesitating.

You signaled for him to speak freely.

Li Chen downed the spirit wine in his cup in one gulp, and shouted loudly, "I, have no hope of Golden Core!"

Only then did you learn that back when they had just entered the Foundation Establishment stage, in order to survive in the Secret Realm, Li Chen had cultivated a demonic art, forcibly raising his cultivation to Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer at the cost of squeezing out his own potential.

With his potential wrung dry, Li Chen had no hope of Golden Core in this life!

You could not help but feel regret for Li Chen.

"Ah, it's just not being able to form a Golden Core, nothing serious." Li Chen instead comforted you, "From now on, I'll come to the Outer Sect to keep Senior Brother company."

Having said that, Li Chen took out the Outer Sect Deacon token and handed it to you to see.

Only then did you realize that he had already applied to become an Outer Sect Deacon.

"Enough about me. Let me tell you some good news. Senior Brother Xiao Fan is preparing to break through to the Golden Core stage!" Li Chen's face was full of envy. "From now on, we'll have an Elder as our backing, hahahaha!"

Hearing this, you were also happy for Xiao Fan. After experiencing so many life-and-death battles, being able to raise his cultivation so quickly was what he deserved.

At the same time, you thought of another matter. The Heavenly Lightning Body-Refining Art.

This Profound-rank high-grade body-refining technique, because it required being struck by lightning, had left you unable to even get started all this time.

And Xiao Fan was about to break through to the Golden Core stage, which would draw down heavenly tribulation…

You felt this was an opportunity.

It was just that you had not been in contact with Xiao Fan for over ten years, and you did not know whether he would be willing to help.

You told Li Chen your idea. Hearing this, Li Chen patted his chest and vouched for you. "Rest assured, Senior Brother. For such a small matter, Senior Brother Xiao Fan will definitely agree."

As if afraid you would not believe him, Li Chen took out another storage bag and handed it to you.

"Senior Brother Xiao Fan is preparing to attack the Golden Core and temporarily cannot spare himself to come, so this is his gift to you."

You took the storage bag and opened it to look.

Three hundred mid-grade spirit stones, thirty Origin-Nourishing Pills. These were pills with even better effects than Qi Gathering Pills, and they had no side effects at all.

A Profound-rank low-grade technique, the Breath-Concealing Art. It could hide one's cultivation, and none below a higher cultivation realm could see through it. ......