"Steward, I should have met the standard by now, right?"
Chen Yu felt guilty under his gaze.
After advancing to the Meridian Passage Stage, his senses further amplified, and he vaguely sensed the powerful inner breath within the middle-aged steward, surpassing both himself and even Le Feng by a whole level.
This person's cultivation likely reached the peak of the Organ Refining Stage.
"My surname is Liu, just call me Deacon Liu. Chen Yu, how long have you been practicing the Cloud Evil Fist?"
The middle-aged steward smiled.
Chen Yu was taken aback, wondering why this middle-aged steward suddenly became polite.
In fact, that punch just now was quite casual, and he hadn't really used his full strength.
"About half a month."
Chen Yu couldn't hide it since he had only obtained the secret manual not long ago.
"Just half a month, and you've already started with the Cloud Evil Fist and reached such a level?"
Deacon Liu looked utterly astonished.
The Cloud Evil Fist had a high requirement for aptitude, and the practice had certain risks. Otherwise, as a branch of the sect's foundational Cultivation Technique, it wouldn't just require a few contribution points.
Reaching this level in half a month with the Cloud Evil Fist could be considered genius.
After a moment, Deacon Liu registered Chen Yu's information, establishing his status as an Outer Disciple.
Then, Chen Yu received a new token and two sets of new clothing.
The token was a new Identity Token.
The new clothes had slight differences in details from the original ones.
These all signified that Chen Yu had truly become a member of the Yunyue Sect.
Beyond establishing his formal disciple status, Chen Yu had to go home for a month, applied with Deacon Liu, and got the approval.
After Chen Yu left,
the middle-aged steward took out a thick book and began to look through it.
"At the entry, he was just of ordinary 'Half Spirit Body' aptitude, and it took him three years to barely break through to the Meridian Passage Stage. Strange, really strange..."
Deacon Liu had a face of contemplation.
Yet such an aptitude could master the Cloud Evil Fist preliminarily in just half a month.
...
Walking out of the Outer Sect Central Hall, Chen Yu felt elated, with an urge to shout to the heavens.
After three years, his wish was finally realized!
"However, as an Outer Disciple, I'm just a member of the lowest tier of the sect, without any real status. Next, my goal is to enter the Inner Sect!"
Chen Yu made a determined decision.
A scene of the "slender girl" dying unreasonably appeared in his mind.
The death of the slender girl didn't draw the slightest attention from the sect; until now, many disciples didn't know whether she was alive or dead.
Outer Disciples were too insignificant!
Only by becoming an Inner Sect Disciple could one gain the sect's attention and resource allocation, even getting more privileges and opportunities.
Regardless of power, status, or future prospects, becoming an Inner Disciple was a threshold that must be crossed.
The Central Hall was at the peak of the outer sect mountain.
When Chen Yu was descending the mountain, some others were ascending, dealing with various matters.
Among them, many were there to apply for leave to return home.
Tread! Tread!
A green-clothed youth around fifteen or sixteen leaped up the mountain, with a light and agile step.
"Senior Brother Wang!"
Nearby, several youths greeted him.
This green-clothed youth had well-defined facial features and was fairly handsome, carrying a calm smile, evidently well-liked among his peers.
"Hmm? It's Wang Lingyun..."
Chen Yu, while going down the mountain, cast his gaze toward the green-clothed youth.
These days he had been in hard training, rarely seen Wang Lingyun, nor had he been troubled by him.
What Chen Yu didn't know was,
Wang Lingyun had also been in deep retreat.
"This time the closed-door training finally bore some fruit. However, to make a good showing at the 'Outer Sect Competition,' it's not enough. I need to visit the family to demand more resources."
Wang Lingyun was pondering in his heart.
There were more than two months left for the Outer Sect Competition to start; recently his thoughts focused on this.
"Senior Brother Wang."
A faint yet familiar voice came from the mountain peak.
"Mm, alright..."
Wang Lingyun responded unconsciously, used to many greeting him along the way.
But the next moment, he felt something amiss, looking upward.
"Chen Yu?"
Wang Lingyun's face turned heavy with disbelief.
In the past, Wang often troubled Chen Yu, who would usually avoid him or be extremely cautious upon seeing him.
This time, it was completely different.
Chen Yu unexpectedly took the initiative to greet him.
"Oh? I see, Junior Brother Chen has already ascended to the Meridian Passage Stage."
Wang Lingyun's gaze swept over Chen Yu's new clothes.
After becoming a formal disciple, Chen Yu changed into new standard clothes, differing slightly in detail.
This scene naturally darkened Wang Lingyun's heart.
He had tried hard to beat Chen Yu out of the sect but ultimately failed, allowing Chen Yu to break through the Meridian Passage Stage.
"Pardon my foolishness for just breaking through to the Meridian Passage, disappointing Senior Brother Wang..."
Chen Yu said with a hint of a smile.
"Hmph! Don't act all pretentious here! Don't think that breaking through the Meridian Passage Stage puts you on the same level as me."
Wang Lingyun snorted coldly.
"Is that so? I was just hoping to learn some of Senior Brother Wang's high techniques."
Chen Yu suddenly shifted the topic.
What?
Wang Lingyun almost thought he misheard it.
Swish!
In the next moment, the opposite Chen Yu's figure flickered and a punch came crashing toward him.
He attacked as he spoke!
Chen Yu's sudden punch startled Wang Lingyun, and some nearby disciples looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Facing this scene,
Wang Lingyun, after a moment of amazement, smirked with ridicule.
"Iron Cloud Claw!"
Wang Lingyun pushed his arm forward, the iron claw tore through the air, and sharp inner breath whistled, vaguely visible as a cold ray.
Bang! Slam!
Chen Yu's punch, filled with inner breath, clashed against the Iron Cloud Claw.
At once, he felt a fierce, sharp inner breath rebounding sharply, making his palm ache with stiffness.
Hmm?
Chen Yu had gained no advantage with his initial punch.
"Eh! Mid-stage Meridian Passage?"
Chen Yu took a light breath and calmed his blood, glancing at Wang Lingyun with surprise.
Although he hadn't exhibited the Cloud Evil Fist Technique with that punch earlier, he had not held back much in terms of inner breath.
He initially thought such an attack should suppress an Early-stage Meridian Passage.
To his surprise, Wang Lingyun had advanced to Mid-stage Meridian Passage.
In Mid-stage Meridian Passage, the intensity and volume of inner breath saw significant increments compared to the early stage, with expanded meridians and improved constitution.
Yet...
The truly surprised party was still Wang Lingyun.
"Is this kid really newly broke into the Meridian Passage Stage? Why is his inner breath so strong!"
Wang Lingyun swayed slightly in his place.
He only felt a sinister, overbearingly powerful breath coming at him, forceful enough to make his blood churn.
"Haha! Let's go again—"
Failing with the first punch, Chen Yu instead laughed heartily.
Iron Plow Fist!
This time, Chen Yu's assault grew even more ferocious, his pair of iron fists whirled, as if pear petal iron blasts erupted in the air with whistling inner breaths.
"How has this guy become so strong!"
Wang Lingyun only felt a violent rainstorm of iron pears surmounting him, his very breath sinking.
The inner breath condensed by the Cloud Evil Heart Method, combined with the Great Success Realm of the Iron Plow Fist, pushed Chen Yu's assault to a new level.
Boom! Boom! Slam!
Instantaneously, the two exchanged a dozen moves mid-hill.
Some observing disciples nearby looked dumbstruck, unable to react.
"When did Chen Yu break into the Meridian Passage and even fight Wang Lingyun to a stalemate?"
"The Iron Plow Fist at Great Success should not possess such strength."
These disciples were more inclined to marvel at Chen Yu's display of power.
After all, no one expected Chen Yu to master the near top-tier ferocious Cloud Evil Fist, with condensed inner breath surpassing regular peers.
In every bout, Wang Lingyun felt stifled.
Facing him directly, Chen Yu showed no fear, his momentum growing wilder, his power likened to a savage beast.
Soon, thirty moves elapsed.
Wang Lingyun's hands, akin to iron claws, felt numb, and the subsequent clashes rendered him suppressed.
Originally,
he intended to rely on the Mid-stage Meridian Passage cultivation, with prolonged breath, to eventually wear out Chen Yu. Now it seemed unfeasible.
He unknowingly observed the youth opposite, appearing so towering and formidable, stirring helplessness within him.
He even had the illusion, doubting if Chen Yu was deliberately using him to hone himself.
This feeling wasn't misplaced.
Having just broken through the Meridian Passage not long ago, Chen Yu, eager from the experience, naturally would not let Wang Lingyun slip by.
After sixty moves,
Wang Lingyun shifted his strategy, ceased direct clashes with Chen Yu, and employed a movement technique, opting for guerilla tactics.
Whoosh, thud!
Chen Yu's subsequent punches mostly flew into thin air.
"Swimming Fish Body Technique."
Wang Lingyun maneuvered like a flexible swimming fish, circling around Chen Yu without engaging directly.
Though Chen Yu's offensive remained fierce, the opponent merely avoided direct combat.
"This guy actually practiced a mid-tier movement martial art..."
Chen Yu was slightly surprised.
Fully exerted, Chen Yu could still elevate his strength and speed. But, the opponent's technique relied on skill.
With no huge disparity, breaking through the technique wasn't easy.
"Now I cannot expose the Cloud Evil Fist, better reserve some strength."
Chen Yu halted his assault.
Looking forward to the "Outer Sect Competition" in over two months, he intended to fight for victory.
Exposing his true potential prematurely wasn't advisable before the competition.
Seeing Chen Yu halt, Wang Lingyun exhaled deeply, sweat beading upon his forehead.
"I've seen Senior Brother Wang's technique. Let's battle another day!"
Leaving these words, Chen Yu turned and headed down the mountain.
As he watched his departing figure, some Outer Sect disciples nearby wore looks of confusion, whispering among themselves.
"Chen Yu, how did you progress so much with your aptitude? You must hold some secret, don't make me catch an opportunity!"
Wang Lingyun gritted his teeth, an ominous glint in his eyes.
...
Fifteen minutes later, Chen Yu descended the mountain gate.
This time, he didn't hire any mounts within the sect, traveling on foot instead.
Not only walking, but he also specifically chose sparsely populated routes.
At a secluded foot of the mountain,
Chen Yu took out a secret manual from his bundle, precisely the Cloud Stepping obtained from Le Feng.
"This Cloud Stepping should be more advanced than Wang Lingyun's Swimming Fish Body Technique."
Chen Yu's lips curved into a smile.
The earlier battle made him realize the importance of movement technique.
And this Cloud Stepping, as he saw Le Feng perform, had once saved the slender girl in midair and injured the Iron Brown Bear with a foot.
Thus,
on the journey, Chen Yu practiced Cloud Stepping while traveling.
Five days later,
he finally arrived back in Xiangyang City, and that Cloud Stepping surprisingly reached the Small Success Realm smoothly!