The Path to Inner Sect

Luo Yingkong returned to her cave dwelling, where she diligently practiced the fundamental cultivation methods she had recently acquired.

‘She should have killed Li Yao back then,’ Luo Yingkong mused. ‘I never imagined he would become a core disciple, and I’m certain he’s already delved into investigating those blank memories.’

In the Library Pavilion, she had learned that cultivators were forbidden from indiscriminate slaughter, as such acts would inevitably cloud their state of mind and impede their future cultivation progress.

Naturally, there were exceptions. Certain cultivators engaged in rampant slaughter and theft, committing every conceivable atrocity, yet their cultivation remained unaffected. In fact, they often advanced faster than ordinary cultivators, earning them the moniker of “demonic cultivators.”

These individuals sought only rapid breakthroughs. Lacking resources, they would simply seize them, using malevolent energy to shatter their cultivation bottlenecks. The more they killed, the stronger their malevolent energy became, and the swifter their cultivation progressed.

Luo Yingkong found herself somewhat tempted by this path. She was neither a righteous paragon nor a cold-blooded killer; she simply acted with her own benefit in mind. However, the life of a demonic cultivator was challenging. Without the backing of a sect, they lived like rats scurrying through the streets, reviled by all. After careful consideration, she dismissed the idea.

****

The following day, Li Yuan delivered two Foundation Establishment Pills, prompting Luo Yingkong to immediately enter seclusion.

The sixteenth layer of Qi Condensation was peculiar; she had barely broken through when her progress stalled completely, unable to advance further. To be precise, she had reached the peak immediately after breaking through. Previously, a single Foundation Establishment Pill had allowed her to break through to the sixteenth layer, so she anticipated no major issues this time.

Seated cross-legged within the Thousand Mechanisms Tower, with the Spirit Gathering Formation fully active, Luo Yingkong began practicing the second layer of the Mad Soul Art. Utilizing the potent medicinal properties of the Foundation Establishment Pills to accelerate her progress, her divine sense expanded like a vast sea. Even the Corrupting Butterflies within her cave dwelling sensed it, settling into a tranquil state.

This breakthrough proved slower than her last, taking a full six months and consuming both Foundation Establishment Pills. A massive wave of divine sense radiated outwards, encompassing a radius of thirty li! Nearby cultivators all sensed this surge. After a brief moment of surprise, they paid it no further mind, as this level of divine sense was typical for the Foundation Establishment stage.

What truly astonished them was the unique quality of this divine sense. Any creature enveloped by it felt as though they were soaring through the heavens, their minds refreshed. Jiaofeng, currently in seclusion within his own cave dwelling, did not pay it much attention either.

Within the Thousand Mechanisms Tower, Luo Yingkong’s divine sense flowed back into her like receding water. She stood, stretching her limbs, then lowered her head in contemplation.

‘This aura still isn’t right…’

Luo Yingkong had harbored suspicions, but the truth now lay before her. She had successfully broken through, yet not to the Foundation Establishment stage. Instead, she had reached the seventeenth layer of Qi Condensation!

Just like with the sixteenth layer, she was now stuck at the peak of the seventeenth layer. She speculated that after this breakthrough, there might even be an eighteenth or nineteenth layer… but where would she find so many Foundation Establishment Pills?

She decided to set aside the matter of cultivation for now. She had believed she could achieve Foundation Establishment, never expecting such difficulty. Her current aura was already close to the Foundation Establishment stage, and her divine sense was indistinguishable from an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Only half a year remained until the inner sect assessment. She had heard that Foundation Establishment Pills were among the rewards, so she could not afford to miss it.

Luo Yingkong exited the Thousand Mechanisms Tower and fed the Corrupting Butterflies. Their numbers remained at over a thousand, but their bodies had undergone mutations. Half of the butterflies now bore red markings, while the other half had grown larger, adorned with golden markings. This mutation was likely a result of absorbing the Golden Ape’s blood. These golden-marked butterflies were so strong that just two of them could lift Luo Yingkong.

With nothing pressing to do, Luo Yingkong activated the Muscle Gate Art. She decided to test how long she could maintain it after her breakthrough. To avoid any side effects that might paralyze her body, she returned to the Thousand Mechanisms Tower and practiced the Jade Bone Heart Scripture.

She managed to maintain it for nine hours, a duration that exceeded her expectations. The side effects only lasted for an hour before she fully recovered. She tried again, this time opting for strenuous exercise: lifting a massive boulder and running around a hill. She ran for a full twelve hours before her stamina finally gave out!

The duration had lasted three hours longer than before. This proved that the Muscle Gate Art’s activation time could be trained and extended. After a brief rest, she resumed practicing once more.

****

Half a year passed as swiftly as a single night for cultivators. One day, as Luo Yingkong was watering her spirit herbs, Mo Yuqing called out from outside the formation.

The inner sect assessment had arrived. Luo Yingkong had grown taller, now appearing as a girl of eleven or twelve. Her skin had become translucent like jade bone, a result of her progress. Glancing at Jiaofeng, who was still in seclusion, Luo Yingkong exited the formation alone. To avoid attracting trouble, she suppressed her aura to the peak of the fifteenth layer.

“Junior Sister Luo, the selection begins tomorrow. I’ll take you to the assessment grounds. There, a senior will explain the rules. Please prepare yourself and bring all your magic artifacts.”

“No need, let’s go now,” Luo Yingkong replied with a faint smile.

Mo Yuqing was surprised. “Junior Sister is truly confident. You might have to face multiple outer sect disciples at once… What cultivation technique have you practiced? You seem to have become much younger…”

Luo Yingkong was indeed confident. Her Muscle Gate Art had advanced to the point where she could keep it continuously activated! After several months of diligent practice, her veins no longer protruded when she used it, and her body felt no discomfort whatsoever. It was currently in an active state.

Her Jade Bone Heart Scripture had also made significant progress. Now, she could engage in hand-to-hand combat with Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The two eventually arrived at the training grounds. The area was vast, with a wide arena in the center. Several hundred people had gathered, mostly outer sect disciples in yellow robes. On the competition stage stood several Foundation Establishment elders, including Li Yuan. In addition, there was a Core Formation cultivator—a middle-aged man with a perpetually warm smile. This was the Sect Master.

Luo Yingkong found a spot to sit. Not long after, the Sect Master vanished into the sky, and the Foundation Establishment cultivators began searching for individuals in the arena.

Li Yuan was the first to approach Luo Yingkong, smiling. “Your cultivation has advanced again. This might be a bit unfair to the outer sect disciples this time.”

Luo Yingkong rose, bowed, and awaited his instructions.

“This assessment will take place in the southern rainforest of the sect. There are twenty examiners and two hundred selected disciples, distributed across various locations. The examiners hold tokens. You will be assigned fifteen tokens. Each disciple must acquire two tokens to pass.”

Luo Yingkong quickly grasped the rules. “Isn’t that too simple? Ten participants could team up to defeat one person.”

“Haha,” Li Yuan chuckled. “That’s just the surface. The more tokens a participant obtains, the richer their reward. Collecting ten tokens allows one to bypass the second round and directly become an inner sect disciple. Collecting twenty tokens grants one the status of a core disciple. During this time, participants might also steal from each other. Furthermore, participants may only attack examiners if they initiate a challenge. If no one challenges them, examiners are also responsible for the safety of the participants. If a participant forfeits, the examiner must retrieve their tokens and escort them to a safe area.”

Li Yuan let out a breath. “Those are the basic rules. The assessment begins tomorrow morning and lasts for one week. I will escort you to your waiting location.”