While Lin Xuan was in seclusion to cultivate and improve, his performance in the dueling arena spread throughout the entire Flowing Cloud Sect.
Lin Xuan, a new disciple who had only joined the sect a little over a month ago, had not only set various records in the outer sect, claiming the top spot, but had also broken through multiple realms, reaching the Qi Transformation stage and entering the inner sect.
That wasn't all. In the inner sect dueling arena, Lin Xuan had consecutively defeated several veteran experts among the ordinary inner sect disciples, including Shen Anran, who was at the peak of the Qi Transformation stage.
Even Chen Xiao, an elite inner sect disciple, was stirred and came, unleashing a half-completed blade intent.
Yet, even so, he still lost, defeated by Lin Xuan's one-tenth sword intent.
Everyone who heard this was stunned, utterly shocked, and couldn't believe it.
A new disciple like Lin Xuan could actually defeat an inner sect elite and comprehend a tenth of an intent?
How was that possible?
This wasn't just unheard of in the Flowing Cloud Sect; even in the entire Cangyuan Kingdom, had any Qi Transformation stage cultivator ever achieved this?
The crowd simply couldn't bring themselves to believe it.
But this event had occurred in full view of everyone.
At the time, there were hundreds of inner sect disciples in the dueling arena, along with several late-stage Condensation Whirlpool realm stewards present.
Even Chen Xiao, the person directly involved, had voluntarily admitted it.
How could so many people be fabricating this for Lin Xuan?
Such prestige wasn't even possessed by the true disciples.
Let alone Lin Xuan, a new disciple who had only been in the sect for a little over a month, likely not even familiar with much of the sect's internal workings, and couldn't have built up any such influence.
So, were these rumors true?
Had Lin Xuan really displayed such combat power, along with a one-tenth sword intent?
Instantly, everyone was even more astounded.
To achieve such terrifying progress in such a short time, just how strong was Lin Xuan's talent?
Probably no one in the entire Flowing Cloud Sect could compare, right?
The crowd was deeply shaken by Lin Xuan's talent, unable to contain themselves.
Lin Xuan's reputation spread once again, even reaching the ears of true disciples and high-ranking sect officials.
He was even quietly hailed as the number one genius of the Flowing Cloud Sect.
However, despite Lin Xuan's strength and his many record-breaking feats, he was still at the Qi Transformation stage, an ordinary inner sect disciple.
He was still far from matching the true disciples.
So, these claims only circulated in private, without being openly and publicly proclaimed.
......
Lin Xuan was unaware of all this.
Inside the cultivation chamber, after spending several hours absorbing and merging the treasures he had copied from Wang Xufeng, he began cultivating the *Golden Scale Barbarian Elephant Art* and consuming a large number of spirit stones to boost his cultivation.
Time slowly passed.
Unknowingly, another five days went by.
In the cultivation chamber.
*Roar!*
A low growl, like that of a dragon or an elephant, echoed out, and a terrifying aura, as if it could distort the void, slowly spread.
But strangely, before it could touch the four walls, it dissipated on its own.
It left no impact, only air turned to fine dust filling the room.
On the cushion, Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening as he looked at the void before him.
*Whoosh!*
"Divine Copy System."
"Host: Lin Xuan."
"Realm: Qi Transformation stage, seventh layer."
"Talents: Spiritual-grade cultivation talent, Supreme-grade talents (Speed, Strength), Top-grade talents (Blade Dao, Sword Dao), Top-grade elemental talents (Sharp Metal, Gale, Crimson Fire), Upper-grade elemental talents (Thick Earth, Azure Wood, Heavy Water), Mid-grade elemental talents (Frost Ice, Lightning)."
"Martial Arts: Golden Scale Barbarian Elephant Art (Unknown, Incomplete, Beginner), Hunyuan Art (Seventh-grade, Lower, Minor Success), Sunrise Blade Technique (Seventh-grade, Lower, Major Success), Fierce Wind Sword Art (Sixth-grade, Upper, Major Success), Barbarian Elephant Art (Sixth-grade, Upper, Major Success), Overlord Fist (Sixth-grade, Upper, Major Success), Surging Wave Palm (Sixth-grade, Upper, Major Success), Sky-Rending Leg (Sixth-grade, Upper, Major Success), Shadow-Like Movement Art (Sixth-grade, Upper, Major Success)."
"Intent: Four-tenths Blade Intent, Two-tenths Sword Intent, Three-tenths Wind Intent, One-tenth Metal Intent, Half-tenth Fire Intent."
"Energy Points: 867,000."
"Personal Space: 170."
Lin Xuan scanned the attribute panel before him from top to bottom.
"Qi Transformation stage, seventh layer—that's considered late-stage Qi Transformation."
Lin Xuan murmured softly.
In five days, breaking through three layers from the fourth to the seventh layer of the Qi Transformation stage.
To other martial artists, this cultivation speed would be considered extremely fast.
But for Lin Xuan, it was too slow.
Previously, he had only taken seven days to leap from the fourth layer of the Qi Gathering stage to the fourth layer of the Qi Transformation stage.
That far surpassed this time.
Not to mention, this time he had also merged various talents copied from Wang Xufeng.
In terms of talent, he had already reached the top tier of the Flowing Cloud Sect, likely unmatched by anyone.
However, Lin Xuan didn't care about that.
His gaze continued downward.
Looking at the *Golden Scale Barbarian Elephant Art* at the top of the 'Martial Arts' column, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
"*Golden Scale Barbarian Elephant Art*, you're really tough!"
Lin Xuan muttered, this time to himself.
Indeed, this seclusion was longer, his talents had improved significantly, but the growth in his cultivation had sharply decreased.
The reason lay in the *Golden Scale Barbarian Elephant Art*.
Over these five days, most of his time and the majority of his spirit stones were consumed by this art.
That's why he only advanced three layers.
But to Lin Xuan's surprise, despite investing so much, the cultivation of the *Golden Scale Barbarian Elephant Art* still hadn't reached the beginner stage.
What the attribute panel recorded was merely the initial comprehension.
This body-tempering martial art was different from others; comprehension was one thing, but the key was to train the physique, to make the body's strength reach a certain level, before it could be considered mastered.
This comprehension came from Wang Xufeng's decades of insight, but actually training the body was far from simple.
In fact, the difficulty far exceeded expectations.
Five days, consuming thousands of spirit stones, and still not meeting the beginner standard.
Still, it wasn't without gains.
Lin Xuan clenched his fist and threw a punch.
*Whoosh! Whoosh!*
A terrifying sound of air bursting echoed through the air.
This was the manifestation of explosive power.
"Five hundred thousand jin of strength."
Lin Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
He then ran his fingertip across his skin.
*Screech, screech, screech...*
A grating sound like metal scraping came forth.
But it left no mark at all, not even a white trace.
"With this defense, probably no martial artist below the late-stage Condensation Whirlpool realm could cause any damage, right?"
Lin Xuan nodded slightly.
These were the effects of cultivating the *Golden Scale Barbarian Elephant Art*.
Five hundred thousand jin of strength, along with a greatly enhanced defense.
He had originally trained in several body-tempering martial arts, but his overall strength was less than one hundred thousand jin.
Generally, only Condensation Whirlpool realm martial artists who had deeply cultivated body-tempering arts could reach one hundred thousand jin of strength.
One could imagine how terrifying five hundred thousand jin was.
Even if he didn't use other martial arts or mobilize his true qi, just wielding this five hundred thousand jin of strength, he could easily suppress a peak Condensation Whirlpool realm cultivator, let alone an Opening Spirit realm one.
And that's not even mentioning his formidable defense.