"This junior disciple, have you not yet chosen a suitable technique? I have one here that might meet your needs?"
An aged voice came from behind.
Lin Xuan's heart jolted with alarm. He had not sensed this person's approach at all—this was definitely a Qi Opening realm expert, or even a higher-level powerhouse. Yet he kept his composure, turning around to look.
He saw an old man in white robes, his face lined with wrinkles and hair fully white, walking toward him. But what drew Lin Xuan's attention even more was the old man's attribute panel.
*Swish!*
"Name: Wang Xufeng." "Cultivation: Qi Opening Realm Peak." "Talents: Spiritual-grade Cultivation Talent, Supreme-grade Strength Talent, Supreme-grade Speed Talent, Supreme-grade Blade Talent, High-grade Gale Attribute Talent, Supreme-grade Sharp Metal Attribute Talent, Supreme-grade Crimson Fire Attribute Talent, High-grade Thick Earth Attribute Talent." "Martial Arts: Rising Sun Blade Art (Seventh-rank Lower Grade, Mastery), Crimson Flame Sky-Splitting Palm (Seventh-rank Lower Grade, Mastery), Metal-Shattering Mountain-Crushing Fist (Seventh-rank Lower Grade, Mastery), Wind-Traveling Ten-Thousand-Mile Step (Seventh-rank Lower Grade, Mastery)... Golden Scale Brutal Elephant Art (Unknown, Incomplete, Beginner)..." "Intent: 40% Blade Intent, 40% Metal Intent, 40% Fire Intent, 30% Wind Intent, 20% Earth Intent." "Carried Treasures: None."
Staring at this attribute panel, Lin Xuan's pupils instantly dilated, his heart shaken. The treasures listed here were abundant, surpassing even the true disciple Xu Anlan by several notches.
After a single breath, Lin Xuan barely managed to calm himself. His expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was ecstatic.
With so many high-grade treasures before him, there was no way he would let them go. However, he couldn't help worrying whether his energy points would be enough.
Immediately, Lin Xuan opened his own attribute panel and scanned it.
"Only 700,000 energy points?"
Lin Xuan's expression tightened. It had been seven days since the outer sect competition. During this time, he had made a show of himself, breaking several sect records and shaking the entire sect. Earning 700,000 energy points in such a short period was already impressive.
But right now, Lin Xuan was far from satisfied. Because these energy points were nowhere near enough!
Seventh-rank martial arts, Spiritual-grade talents, and 40% Intent were all seventh-rank treasures. Copying one cost 100,000 energy points. This attribute panel contained dozens of seventh-rank treasures. 700,000 energy points were far too few to copy many.
Lin Xuan felt a pang of frustration. So many treasures lay before him, yet he couldn't claim them all—it was deeply irritating. But there was no help for it.
Who could he blame for not having enough energy points?
It seemed he would need to stir up something big next, ideally shaking the entire Flowing Cloud Sect, or even the entire Cangyuan Kingdom, to earn sufficient energy points. That way, he could avoid running into this situation again.
Lin Xuan resolved inwardly. For now, he would have to reluctantly let go of some treasures and choose the more important ones.
Lin Xuan's gaze turned contemplative. A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind.
Soon, he made his decision.
Talents determined a martial artist's potential and future, while also aiding in boosting strength. They were the most crucial treasures—none could be missed.
Next came Intent. Intent directly enhanced combat power. Once Intent was unleashed, strength skyrocketed by leaps and bounds, so he needed to copy a few of those as well.
Additionally, among the martial arts, there were a few he fancied and could consider.
With that, Lin Xuan focused his mind.
*Ding! Consumed 100,000 energy points. Copy successful. Obtained [Spiritual-grade Cultivation Talent].*
"..."
*Ding! Consumed 100,000 energy points. Copy successful. Obtained [40% Blade Intent].*
"..."
*Ding! Consumed 100,000 energy points. Copy successful. Obtained [Rising Sun Blade Art (Seventh-rank Lower Grade, Mastery)].*
"..."
*Ding! Copy failed!*
In an instant, Lin Xuan had nearly finished copying the treasures he wanted. But before he could complete it, a cold, clear prompt sounded.
"Copy failed?"
Lin Xuan's heart jolted. The last time he had a copy failure was when he tried to copy Lin Shiyun's special physique, the Spirit Resonance Body. Now, it had failed again.
This time, the target was the white-robed old man's *Golden Scale Brutal Elephant Art*—a technique of unknown rank, incomplete, and the only one at just the Beginner level.
Intrigued by this clearly mysterious martial art, Lin Xuan had planned to copy it and take a look. He had originally treated it as a seventh-rank treasure.
But the result was a failure.
And failure only happened for one reason: insufficient energy points. Or rather, its rank exceeded what the corresponding energy points could copy.
Yet he had treated it as a seventh-rank treasure—and still failed!
Lin Xuan's heart shook again, his expression turning to shock.
"Could it be... this martial art is at least eighth-rank?"
Lin Xuan murmured to himself. In an instant, his shock deepened.
Though he had only recently joined the sect, during his time as an outer disciple, he had browsed some miscellaneous records on the first floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion. He had gained a fair understanding of the Flowing Cloud Sect, the Cangyuan Kingdom, and the entire Red Sun Domain.
In the entire Flowing Cloud Sect, the highest-rank martial art was likely only seventh-rank. And the Flowing Cloud Sect was one of the four great sects of the Cangyuan Kingdom, rivaling even the royal family—a top-tier power in the kingdom.
Similarly, the Flowing Cloud Sect was one of the Four Kingdoms and Eleven Sects of the Red Sun Domain, a leading force across the entire domain. Other major powers, even if slightly stronger, wouldn't be too far ahead.
In other words, an eighth-rank martial art would be the pinnacle in the entire Red Sun Domain, rare enough to count on one hand. It might not even exist for certain.
But now, this mysterious *Golden Scale Brutal Elephant Art* was at least eighth-rank. How could he not be utterly astounded?!
Staring at the white-robed old man's attribute panel, Lin Xuan instantly made a decision.
Copy this *Golden Scale Brutal Elephant Art*!
He had just over 200,000 energy points left, enough to copy two seventh-rank treasures. He had originally planned to copy another seventh-rank martial art and one 40% Intent.
But now, he changed his mind—he would copy the *Golden Scale Brutal Elephant Art*!
This art was at least eighth-rank, incomplete, and of unknown rank. Its value was unimaginable—likely the most precious martial art in the entire Red Sun Domain. If he could master it, dominating the domain might not be difficult.
Such an opportunity was extremely rare. If he missed it now, he might never get another chance.
With that, Lin Xuan focused his mind again. His only worry was that 200,000 energy points might not be enough.
*Ding! Consumed 200,000 energy points. Copy successful. Obtained [Golden Scale Brutal Elephant Art (Unknown, Incomplete, Beginner)].*
Fortunately, the cold system prompt sounded, dispelling Lin Xuan's concerns. It seemed that, at least in its incomplete state, the system treated the *Golden Scale Brutal Elephant Art* as an eighth-rank treasure.