Xu Ping'an emerged from the Sword Transformation Pool and also saw the auspicious clouds in the sky.
"Breaking through to the Extreme Realm Third Layer really does attract celestial phenomena, but it's just the Extreme Realm of the Qi and Blood Realm, nothing to fuss over," Xu Ping'an felt completely unperturbed.
In his previous life, he was a Twelfth Rank Immortal Emperor; how could he be excited by a mere celestial event?
"However, Wang Tianyu has repeatedly tried to kill me; I must eliminate him as soon as possible," Xu Ping'an muttered to himself.
He naturally wasn't afraid of Wang Tianyu, but if his little aunt were to get hurt, that was something he could not accept.
"And there's Zhou Mengyue as well; this woman is cunning and malicious, she definitely can't be left alone," Xu Ping'an thought as he quickly headed toward the outer sect courtyard.
He had been away for a full eight days and had no idea how his aunt was faring.
...
Meanwhile, as Xu Ping'an was hurrying back to the courtyard, inside the residence where Zhou Mengyue was staying.
"Damn it, Xu Ping'an actually didn't die! Even a Second Rank Superior Grade Bone Dissolving Pill couldn't kill him? And that waste, Li Tianyuan, actually died at Xu Ping'an's hands," Wang Tianyu cursed furiously.
As soon as Xu Ping'an left the Sword Pool, he had received the news.
Learning that Xu Ping'an was not dead, his heart was filled with extreme rage.
Zhou Mengyue, who was nearby, looked up to the sky after hearing this, her brows furrowing tightly.
"Xu Ping'an was able to kill Li Tianyuan; could it be that his cultivation has broken through to the Sea-Splitting Realm?" Zhou Mengyue asked.
"No, my people said that he's still in the Qi and Blood Realm, and there's no sign of opening a Pill Sea,"
Wang Tianyu let out a slight sigh of relief, the only good news.
"Idiot. If Xu Ping'an can kill Li Tianyuan of the Sea-Splitting Realm while still in the Qi and Blood Realm, the threat he poses is likely even greater. We absolutely cannot let him stay any longer; we must kill him quickly, or else once he enters the Sea-Splitting Realm, you won't be his match," Zhou Mengyue said, berating Wang Tianyu as she saw his expression.
Wang Tianyu furrowed his brow but felt that Zhou Mengyue's words made sense.
"Don't worry, Mengyue, tomorrow is the sect's annual Wilderness Forest trial. I will take action myself; he will surely die and will not have the chance to step into the Sea-Splitting Realm," Wang Tianyu quickly promised.
"Then what are you waiting for? Go do it, why are you still here?" Zhou Mengyue said coldly.
Wang Tianyu wanted to say something more, but ultimately, he chose to leave.
He always felt that Zhou Mengyue's attitude toward him had changed, becoming somewhat colder.
"Maybe she's just in a bad mood for the moment, all because of Xu Ping'an."
Wang Tianyu thought, then clenched his fist, a surge of murderous intent emerging.
This time, he must kill him, ensuring he had no chance of turning things around, and then he left with long strides.
What Wang Tianyu didn't know was that the look Zhou Mengyue gave him as he left was identical to the one she had given Xu Ping'an that night.
"A waste, not even comparable to Xu Ping'an. Now that I'm at the Fourth Layer of the Sea-Splitting Realm, and in a few days, I'll reach the Fifth Layer. How could you, Wang Tianyu, be worthy of me? Only someone who can provoke a celestial event, this shocking talent, is a fitting match for me, Zhou Mengyue."
Zhou Mengyue looked at the auspicious clouds in the sky, her gaze filled with pride as she spoke to herself.
...
"Little Aunt, why are you crying?"
As soon as Xu Ping'an returned to the courtyard, he saw Su Chan crying inside and hurriedly approached to ask.
Hearing Xu Ping'an's voice, Su Chan immediately ran over and hugged him.
Xu Ping'an was at first startled, then could only smile wryly.
"I was just in closed-door cultivation, and I told you about it beforehand," Xu Ping'an said with a smile.
"But you were gone for a full eight days. Do you know how worried I was? I thought you..." the little aunt said, agitated.
"I'm not so easy to kill. There, there, little aunt. I've made a breakthrough now; I won't die easily," Xu Ping'an said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, the little aunt's face flushed with embarrassment as she let go of Xu Ping'an, realizing that in her haste she had embraced him.
Xu Ping'an could also feel his aunt's soft, delicate body and the faint scent of her fragrance, his heart fluttering with unruly thoughts.
Although they had no blood relation, she was still nominally his aunt, and ultimately there were some boundaries he felt he couldn't cross.
"By the way, aunt, tomorrow the Sect has a Wilderness Forest trial, which requires going into the forest to slay demon beasts. The trial will last for ten days, and I might need to be out for another ten days," Xu Ping'an suddenly remembered something and spoke up.
"Ten days?" Su Chan's brow furrowed immediately, and she seemed to look quite upset.
"What's wrong?" Xu Ping'an asked.
"No... it's nothing, just be careful during the trial," Su Chan hurriedly said.
"Don't worry, it's just a minor trial, no threat to me," Xu Ping'an said with a laugh.
Su Chan nodded, but her face remained without a smile.
Xu Ping'an didn't think much of it, assuming Su Chan was only worried about him.
After comforting her a few words, he went on to continue training in the Thunder Triple Layer Technique in the courtyard.
Now that he had fully mastered the First Layer Dark Energy, if he could master the Second Layer Inner Strength, his power would increase significantly.
By then, there wouldn't be many under the Fifth Layer Realm of the Sea-Splitting Realm who could stand against him.
Furthermore, Xu Ping'an planned to train in a movement technique called the Ghost Cloud Step.
This was one of the few basic Battle Techniques he could remember.
Like the Thunder Triple Layer Technique, it was also a Second Rank Superior Grade Combat Technique.
If he could master it, it would be sufficient to deal with adversaries.
Under the moonlight of the night, Xu Ping'an continuously swung his sword in the courtyard, attempting to master Inner Strength.
At the same time, he was also training in the Ghost Cloud Step, multitasking, something that would be impossible for an ordinary person.
However, Xu Ping'an who was reincarnated and starting over, managed to integrate them perfectly.
Having spent the night, Xu Ping'an had also mastered the Inner Strength, however, he had not yet reached the level of Great Accomplishment; he still needed to polish it through actual combat.
As for the Ghost Cloud Step, he had already mastered it proficiently, only one step away from full mastery.
Combat Techniques are divided into stages: beginner, proficient, master, great accomplishment, and the final stage of reaching the divine state.
Typically, for a disciple of the Sea-Splitting Realm to become proficient in a Second Rank basic Combat Technique, it would take at least several months.
But Xu Ping'an only took one night to master two Combat Techniques, which shows how incredibly perceptive he is.
...
The next morning, Xu Ping'an bid farewell to Su Chan and set out for the back mountain of the Sect.
The back mountain of Beichen Sword Sect bordered the outskirts of the Wilderness Forest, hence entry for the trial was simply through the back mountain.
This trial was not only for the Outer Sect disciples but also for the Inner Sect disciples and elite disciples.
The distinction between the Outer and Inner Sect was simple: stepping into the Sea-Splitting Realm was the requirement for eligibility to ascend to the Inner Sect.
The distinction between Inner Sect disciples and elite disciples was also straightforward.
Any who reached the Ninth Layer of the Sea-Splitting Realm were eligible to become an elite disciple.
Currently, Beichen Sword Sect had ten elite disciples, over a hundred Inner Sect disciples, and over eight hundred Outer Sect disciples.
For this trial, except for some disciples who were out on missions, the majority had to participate.
Meaning, nearly a thousand people were to join this trial.
Since Xu Ping'an had not yet entered the Sea-Splitting Realm, he was still considered an Outer Sect disciple.
At this moment, nearly a thousand disciples had gathered on the back mountain.
Xu Ping'an was among them, but his gaze was drawn to several figures standing out in front of the crowd.