Chapter 479 - 242: Pessimism From the Outside World? Second Slot Unlocked! Breaking Through to the Fifth Layer

He then commanded his clone to use Shadow Escape.

The clone vanished instantly, slipping silently into a corner of the room to enter a state of Turtle Breath.

Once that was done, Jiang Che returned to his cross-legged position on the bed.

Next, it was time to handle the "real business" he had temporarily set aside.

He took out the azure Jade Scroll containing the Basic Chapter of the Myriad Phenomena Infinite Dao, reviewing it one more time until he had a perfect grasp of its contents.

He immediately began converting his True Qi.

This process, which would have been extremely difficult for others, was as easy as breathing for Jiang Che, with his profound Martial Arts foundation and peak Comprehension and Root Bone!

Large streams of True Qi from the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique within him were rapidly dismantled and reassembled into the balanced, tranquil, and all-encompassing True Qi of the Myriad Phenomena Infinite Dao!

...

「Three days later.」

As the first rays of dawn once again shone into the room, Jiang Che’s body jolted, and a clear hum resonated from within him.

His aura flowed in perfect, effortless harmony.

[Myriad Phenomena Infinite Dao - Basic Chapter: Second Layer, Entry Level (1/10000)]

’A breakthrough!’

The thought flashed through Jiang Che’s mind.

But this was only the beginning.

Without a moment’s rest, he closed his eyes and continued to push for the third layer!

...

Before long, the second assessment arrived as scheduled.

Just as Bao Da had predicted, Long Yu’er and Liu Yunfei had broken through to the fifth layer.

Bao Da had also steadily reached the third layer.

Most of the other disciples had entered the second layer.

In comparison, while Jiang Che had also broken through to the second layer...

...his achievement seemed paltry in such stark contrast, appearing to confirm the rumors that his potential was exhausted.

Seeing this, Elder Xuan Cheng finally shook his head. The last shred of hope he held for Jiang Che vanished, leaving him utterly disappointed.

...

「Spirit Void Peak.」

Inside a quaint, ancient pavilion, the atmosphere was somber.

Elder Xuan Cheng stood respectfully to the side, reporting the full details of that day’s assessment.

"...And that is the situation."

Elder Xuan Cheng sighed, his voice laced with resignation. "Long Yu’er and Liu Yunfei possess exceptional Talent and have already reached the fifth layer. Bao Da has also reached the third layer; he can be considered promising material. But as for Jiang Che..."

He paused before speaking bluntly, "Master, I believe you may have truly misjudged this time. Jiang Che has only just managed to break through to the second layer. Such progress would be considered below average compared to previous cohorts. He might have a bit of low cunning when it comes to combat, but on the path of cultivation, innate aptitude is a crippling disadvantage. This boy... he holds no further value for us to nurture."

This time, Daoist Wu Wei did not argue.

He held a Go stone between his fingers, hovering it over the board for a long moment before finally placing it down with a soft, crisp CLICK.

"Sigh..."

Daoist Wu Wei let out a soft sigh. "It seems I truly expected too much."

His voice carried a hint of bleakness. "I believed he was a piece of uncut jade that required careful carving. It now seems my expectations were simply too high."

Months of slow progress, even after being granted an Elemental Fusion Vein Protection Pill... This could no longer be explained away as him building a deep foundation for a later burst of progress.

"Forget it."

Daoist Wu Wei waved his hand dismissively. "If it is not fated to be, there is no sense in forcing it."

"Xuan Cheng."

"I am here."

"In the coming days, pay close attention to Long Yu’er and Liu Yunfei." A sharp glint flashed in Daoist Wu Wei’s eyes. "Their Talent and Temperament are both first-rate. Long Yu’er, in particular, possesses a tenacious Divine Soul, making her the perfect heir to our Spirit Void Peak’s legacy. You must find a way to recruit them to our peak. Do not let Heaven-Slaying Peak or Coiling Dragon Peak get to them first. As for that Bao Da, he is also worth watching."

At this, Daoist Wu Wei seemed to recall something else and added,

"Also, regarding the Direct Disciples, I heard that young Ye Guyun is close to breaking through to the Seventh Layer?"

"Yes, Master," Elder Xuan Cheng said respectfully.

"Good. Those few are the foundation of the Sect; we must focus on them." Daoist Wu Wei nodded and casually listed a few more names. "Aside from Ye Guyun, there’s also Xiao Hongxiu and Lin Muyang... Keep an eye on all of them. Once the assessment is over, admit them directly into the Inner Sect for core training."

"Yes! I will follow Master’s decree!"

Elder Xuan Cheng accepted the command.

"Right, there is one more matter I need you to attend to."

Daoist Wu Wei’s gaze drifted toward the churning sea of clouds in the distance, his voice deepening.

"Some time ago, our Sect’s hidden sentinels reported that the claws of the Great Yan Kingdom have reached the borders of our Lingzhou. It is said that several Giant Spirit Martial Artists have forged new identities and are lurking within several of Lingzhou’s large mortal cities. Their intentions are unclear, but it is likely they aim to assassinate our Sect’s talented disciples who are out gaining experience, or perhaps to probe the Sect’s true strength."

At the mention of "Giant Spirit Martial Artist," Elder Xuan Cheng’s expression turned grim.

Those madmen relied on fusing with Beast Blood, trading their very life force for power. Although their methods were scorned by the orthodox path, one could not deny their immense destructive capabilities. And once they disguised themselves as ordinary people, they were exceedingly difficult to detect.

"Master, you mean to say...?"

"You will go," Daoist Wu Wei said, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "You must drag these rats out for me and dispose of them. It would be one thing if they were in another state, but to run rampant in our Lingzhou? How can we allow these barbarians such insolence?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Xuan Cheng hesitated and could not help but ask,

"Master, if I leave the mountain to perform this Exorcism, what will become of the new prospective disciples on Chuyang Peak? The one-year period isn’t over yet, and they still require supervision and guidance..."

After all, he was the one in overall charge of this batch of disciples. If he were to just leave, it would be difficult to account for if anything went wrong, or if the disciples grew lax in their cultivation.

But Daoist Wu Wei simply waved his hand, unconcerned.

"It matters not. The master can only open the door; the path of cultivation must be walked by the individual. The Cultivation Technique has been imparted, and the methods to acquire resources have been explained. The rest of the journey is up to them. If they cannot strive forward without your constant supervision, then with such a Temperament, they are unworthy of entering the Inner Sect of our Myriad Phenomena Dao Sect."