Time flowed slowly.
Inside the cultivation chamber, Lin Xuan's aura steadily and rapidly grew.
While Lin Xuan was in seclusion cultivating, everything that had happened at the Inner Gate Square during the Ranking Tournament spread far and wide.
It became known to everyone.
These matters were, of course, all about the sect's number one genius, Lin Xuan.
Though Lin Xuan had arrived late to the Ranking Tournament, he had made it in time.
His subsequent performance was nothing short of explosive.
First, he challenged Zhang Kuishan, the second-ranked on the Ranking List, whose physical strength dominated the Inner Gate.
With three punches, Lin Xuan overpowered Zhang Kuishan through sheer physical might.
Then, he challenged Chen Yu, the top-ranked on the Ranking List.
Chen Yu revealed his breakthrough to the Spirit Opening Realm.
Yet, even so, he was defeated by Lin Xuan's strongest sword technique.
Lin Xuan took Chen Yu's place, becoming the new top-ranked on the Ranking List.
After the third round of the Ranking Tournament, the Sect Master personally appeared and promoted Lin Xuan, who was still at the Condensation Realm and hadn't even reached its peak, to a True Disciple.
These major events and upheavals at the Ranking Tournament were each more significant and shocking than the last.
Everyone who heard about them was utterly stunned.
Though these stories sounded absurd and unrealistic,
they came from the Inner Gate Square during the Ranking Tournament.
At that time, nearly all Inner Gate disciples were present.
In the end, even the Sect Master showed up.
The Sect Master was the supreme commander of the entire Flowing Cloud Sect, holding an unmatched status—no one dared to joke about him.
This meant it was all true, all fact.
The crowd was even more horrified.
They were awestruck by Lin Xuan's strength and talent.
They could barely process it.
The entire Flowing Cloud Sect was shaken by Lin Xuan.
Lin Xuan's reputation spread once more, unmatched by anyone.
It even extended beyond the Flowing Cloud Sect.
Lin Xuan's fame began to spread throughout the entire Cangyuan Kingdom.
Many True Disciples, upon hearing of him, wanted to meet Lin Xuan.
But they found that Lin Xuan was in seclusion again and not receiving visitors.
They had no choice but to back off.
At the same time, they silently marveled.
No wonder Lin Xuan had achieved such heights—his diligence and hard work in cultivation were something even they couldn't match.
...
Time flowed like water.
Unnoticed, several more days passed.
This day.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed out.
It was heard across nearly every region of the Cangyuan Kingdom.
Major powers, the four great sects, and the royal family all quickly sent people to investigate.
They discovered that the sound came from a wasteland in the eastern part of the Cangyuan Kingdom.
The biggest change on that wasteland was the appearance of a ten-meter-high, three-meter-wide translucent light screen.
After some investigation, the high-ranking members of the major powers understood.
This translucent light screen was actually a door.
Behind this door lay an unknown secret realm.
It was guarded by puppets.
Thus, it was temporarily named the Puppet Secret Realm by the major powers.
Additionally, the high-ranking members discovered that the Puppet Secret Realm had extra restrictions.
It only allowed entry to martial artists under twenty-four years old and below the Spirit Origin Realm.
Those who didn't meet the conditions, no matter how high their cultivation or strong their power, couldn't enter.
One Spirit Origin Realm cultivator tried to force his way in and touched the translucent light screen.
Instantly, without any resistance, he was blasted into a mist of blood.
The high-ranking members of the major powers became extremely cautious and horrified, daring not to make any further moves.
A secret realm, even the lowest level one, contained many treasures.
It might even hold advanced legacies beyond the Spirit Origin Realm.
There was no reason to let it go.
After some deliberation, the high-ranking members of the major powers decided not to interfere.
They would let the younger disciples enter and explore, relying on their own abilities to obtain treasures.
The high-ranking members immediately returned and informed their outstanding younger disciples to explore the secret realm, offering various generous rewards.
Soon, True Disciples or elite direct disciples from the major powers all set out.
Even the high-ranking members of major powers in the Red Sun Domain, in the neighboring country of the Red Flame Kingdom, heard about it and sent their elite disciples.
But since the Puppet Secret Realm was far from the Red Flame Kingdom, the major powers there were a step behind.
The Flowing Cloud Sect was no exception.
Before long, all the True Disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect left together.
Only Lin Xuan, still in seclusion, remained.
However, considering that Lin Xuan was only at the Condensation Realm, not yet the Spirit Opening Realm,
though his combat power was extraordinary, allowing him to defeat Spirit Opening Realm cultivators at the Condensation Realm,
his actual strength among Spirit Opening Realm cultivators wasn't very strong.
In fact, it was quite weak, at the bottom of the Spirit Opening Realm.
Even though Lin Xuan had exceptional talent and boundless potential, unmatched by anyone, his cultivation time was still short.
Compared to the top Spirit Opening Realm genius disciples across the entire Cangyuan Kingdom, his strength fell short.
If he went, he might suffer losses.
If he encountered ill-intentioned people or had bad luck, he could even perish in the Puppet Secret Realm.
That would be a huge loss for the sect.
So, after weighing the options, they decided not to notify Lin Xuan.
Still, one Inner Gate Elder, after some thought, headed toward the courtyard where Lin Xuan lived.
It was the Fifth Elder, who had high hopes for Lin Xuan.
...
At that moment.
Inside the cultivation chamber.
A surging aura, like rolling waves, slowly spread out.
But it quickly receded like the tide.
On the meditation cushion.
Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes, a glint of sharpness flashing through them as he gazed at the void before him.
Swish!
"Divine Copy System."
"Host: Lin Xuan."
"Realm: Spirit Opening Realm, First Layer."
"Talents: Xuan-grade Cultivation Talent, Xuan-grade Alchemy Talent, Spirit-grade Talent (Strength, Blade Path), Supreme-grade Talent (Speed, Sword Path), Supreme-grade Elemental Talents (Sharp Metal, Verdant Wood, Heavy Water, Crimson Fire, Thick Earth, Gale), Extreme-grade Elemental Talents (Frost Ice, Lightning)."
"Martial Arts: Golden Scale Elephant Art (Unknown, Incomplete, Beginner), Chaos Art (Eighth Grade, Lower Tier, Minor Completion), Sunrise Blade Technique (Seventh Grade, Upper Tier, Minor Completion), Falling Lotus Sword Art (Eighth Grade, Lower Tier, Minor Completion), Overwhelming Fist (Eighth Grade, Lower Tier, Minor Completion), Ten Thousand Fold Surging Wave Palm (Seventh Grade, Upper Tier, Minor Completion), Sky-Splitting Leg (Seventh Grade, Upper Tier, Minor Completion), Shadow Following Art (Eighth Grade, Lower Tier, Minor Completion), Flame Control Art (Seventh Grade, Upper Tier, Minor Completion)."
"Intent: Four-tenths Blade Intent, Five-tenths Sword Intent, Four-tenths Wind Intent, Four-tenths Metal Intent, Five-tenths Fire Intent, Three-tenths Earth Intent, Five-tenths Wood Intent, Three-tenths Water Intent."
"Energy Points: 3,275,000."
"Personal Space: 810."
Looking at the attribute panel before him, which had changed considerably,
and sensing the far more surging power within his body compared to before, Lin Xuan nodded slightly, a hint of a smile in his eyes:
"Finally broke through to the Spirit Opening Realm!"
Lin Xuan's lips curled into a slight arc.