Ling stood in the clearing while assessing the damage in the area to gauge how strong he had become since the last time he fought with the Four Winged Eagle.
"My strength has grown quite significantly since six months ago. One step at the time, and I will reach Sage Realm maybe in ten years or so."
Ling decided to leave the area before the commotion luring the nearby Spirit Beasts onto his location.
He was able to get out of the Red Zone as the dawn broke. Bathing the forest with golden rays of sunrise. He then took his time to rest at the mysterious lake which had helped him to cultivate for the past year.
After he vanquished the apex predator in the Green and Yellow Zone, this lake had become a neutral spot, no Spirit Beasts dared to visit this place when Ling does his meditation here.
Ling had entered the trance state, his mind was already inside his Sea of Consciousness.
He stood on the surface of the boundless and vast mirror like water. If it wasn't a small ripple on the water when he walked, he couldn't tell the difference between up and down.
The time passage in this mind dimension was much faster than the real world. Just like when you are having a dream for days in the field but in reality, it was just a matter of minutes.
At the end of the day, cultivation speed of one person was not determined by how much resources, or what pills that they had consumed, it truly relies on how adept ones could comprehend the law of nature and grasp the secret to attain immortality.
Surge of Qi Energy seeped inside through his corporeal body, sending a tingling feeling to him while he's inside the Sea of Consciousness.
"No… I must not hurry. I have to strengthen my dantian first rather than filling it up with more Pure Yang Qi. It will only backfire on me if I don't have a strong foundation yet!"
Ling did the right thing here. Some may have cultivated the Qi but most of them forgot that their body is, but just a vessel for energy that they used in the battle.
The young boy opened his eyes in the real world as he gained back his consciousness. He had spent about 100 days inside the Sea Of Consciousness and had broken through to the Second Stage Earth Realm.
From which he attained so much wisdom and knowledge during that time. He clenched his fist, feeling the profound strength coursing through veins.
"Second Stage Earth Realm! With this strength, I can take on two Peak Stage Body Foundation Cultivators and be able to challenge one stage higher than my current cultivation stage!"
Ling looked at the clear sky while calculating the position of the moon relative to the star's constellation; he then found that he had spent at least four days in meditation.
Filled with determination and confidence, he hurried to return to the academy, attending the Opening Ceremony of the annual tournament. He's aware that Fang Zheng would be furious if he came late.
As the dawn broke, he arrived at the Grand Courtyard, blending himself with the other ninety nine students who had been selected to participate in the tournament and had been waiting for the Dean of the Royal Academy to make his appearance.
The current four Headmasters of each House in the Academy also make their appearance, seating at the top balcony of their respective pagoda.
Qiqi came to Ling's side when she saw him. "You're almost late, Brother Ling! Where have you been?"
Her presence was very thin like usual. If Ling was still at First Stage Earth Realm, he couldn't possibly perceive her at all.
"I just returned from my training," Ling says, curtly.
"Training?"
Sniff, sniff, sniff.
Qiqi inspects Ling's body by sniffing and touching his hand. Her old habit since she's a toddler was still intact. She was but a vixen girl after all.
"Wait… No way! You have broken through to the Second Stage Earth Realm already?!"
"Sshh! Don't be so loud!" Ling muffled her mouth with his palm.
Her impulsive words made the other participants fix their attention towards Ling.
"Am I hearing it right? Second Stage Earth Realm? No way, he must be bluffing!" one of the senior students was pessimistic, upon hearing it.
The Youngest Prince, Jiang Feng, overheard it also. "Ling Zhao, was it? If it's true… then he would be a formidable ally! I have to use him properly in this tournament!"
Other students murmured to each other, discussing whether it was true or not. Their collective minds soon came together to eliminate Ling in the early hour of the tournament.
All sorts of devilish eyes glanced at him. Like a bunch of hungry demons they were.
Ling, however, returned their gaze with his fierceful killing aura. Causing them to yield and almost pissing themselves.
"I am sorry… Brother Ling." Qiqi's eyes were wide open, apologizing for her mistake.
Ling let out a heavy sigh. "It can't be helped anymore. But be careful next time. Otherwise, I don't want to be around you anymore."
"I promise, I will be very careful next time." said Qiqi as she rubbing her teary eyes.
"Fine, fine… I understand." Ling blushed a bit when Qiqi's face was very close to him. "Your face is too close."
Qiqi backed off immediately, wearing the same expression as him. The other students were jealous seeing how close the two were.
"The tournament is about to begin and yet these love birds are having a love quarrel! Shameless!"
"Hmph! Just you see, Ling Zhao! I will take your girlfriend from you, hehe!"
Before everything escalated, Fang Zhen finally made his grand appearance in the sky.
A wave of applause and cheers erupted from the audience, echoing throughout the arena. Fang Zheng's piercing gaze swept across the faces of the participants before him.
Suddenly, an ancient device was erected from beneath the ground in the middle of the grand courtyard. A huge dome of light spread out, enveloping the whole grand courtyard and entrapping the participants inside a Dome of Illusion.
"Only the strongest shall come out from the illusion and emerge as the victor!"
Fang Zheng shouted aloud to announce the participants who had been entrapped inside the illusion.
On the other hand, his vicious nature made the other students who were not selected to participate shuddered in fear. They questioned their decision to be enrolled in the Royal Academy after that.