Breakthrough? . . .
"What..." Xiao Mufei was left utterly speechless. "Is that an exaggeration? Over seventy in one afternoon?"
The sheer number of victories was staggering, and it left Xiao Mufei astounded.
For someone to engage in over seventy battles and emerge victorious in the span of a single afternoon, Cha Chongxiao had to be significantly more potent than his opponents.
"Every one of them was at level six of the Spirit Origin Stage," the disciple continued, "And it's not merely the speed. I've never witnessed a phenomenon quite like this... He fought against level six disciples, which was reasonable since he's at the same level. But he broke through to level seven while sparring with someone after the seventieth bout! Once he had bested all of the level six opponents, he began taking on disciples at level seven. It's acceptable for him to reach level seven from the upper stage of level six; this would have explained his easy victories over the level six disciples. However, soon after he reached level seven, and before I left, he had already defeated several level seven disciples... I'm at a loss as to what transpired out there..."
Xiao Mufei was incredulous. The information was staggering. He couldn't believe it, and it left him perplexed.
[Cha Chongxiao consumed the inner core of the Golden-scaled Dragon Fish. Yes, he should be slightly stronger than others at the same level, but this... it's too extraordinary! Shouldn't there be a transition period when one ascends to a new level? A time needed for gradual improvement? Why is he rocketing through the ranks like this?]
[This is far from normal...]
"Master, I fear Cha Chongxiao's progress is far from reasonable," the disciple confided, his concern evident. He had been one of the disciples who returned to the sect alongside Cha Chongxiao, and he cared about the well-being of his fellow disciple. He didn't wish for Cha Chongxiao to get into any trouble, as overly aggressive cultivation could lead to grave consequences in the future.
Xiao Mufei shared his concerns. Without hesitation, he produced a jade plate, inscribed his worries upon it, and dispatched it promptly.
The sect had a communication system that made use of a vast magical array, enabling the transmission of information from one individual to another with great ease. Xiao Mufei had sent his message to Zhan Yunfei, as he didn't have the privilege to contact the three old grandmasters. Moreover, like Xiao Mufei, Zhan Yunfei was deeply invested in Cha Chongxiao's well-being.
Zhan Yunfei's response was swift, but it consisted of only a few words: "Quit fretting."
Xiao Mufei was taken aback and rendered momentarily speechless by the blunt reply. He turned to the disciple and said, "Let's just observe what unfolds next. Don't dwell too much on it."
Though Xiao Mufei wasn't entirely reassured, he reached for a purple plate and sent a message to Prime Master Yue Changtian.
The jade plates were tiered in different colors. Purple plates were reserved for messages to the Prime Master, orange plates for the three grandmasters, and yellow plates for elders like Zhan Yunfei. Lower-ranked disciples had no access to the plates. If all disciples could send messages, the sect would be inundated with communication daily.
On the first day Cha Chongxiao joined my group, he effortlessly bested all the disciples at level six of the Spirit Origin Stage and seamlessly ascended to level seven. He continued to dominate level seven disciples. It was undeniable that he stood unrivaled among disciples of the same level.
Before midnight, everyone had retired to their beds. The level seven Spirit Origin Stage disciples who hadn't faced Cha Chongxiao were relieved.
"What a phenomenon! He swept the floor with all level six peers," they exclaimed. "Then he moved on to spar with level seven disciples. It's as if he's unstoppable."
Those who shared his level could only withstand three strikes against him before being unceremoniously removed from the stage.
The stage had essentially become Cha Chongxiao's one-man show.
"Why must there be a prodigy among us? It's baffling," the disciples grumbled.
Living in the same era as a prodigious talent was a source of frustration.
At night, Cha Chongxiao was seated in meditation atop a large tree, absorbing energy from the surrounding environment. He appeared no different from the other disciples, who absorbed the moonlight's energy.
Yet, unknown to them, Cha Chongxiao was actually circulating the East-rising Purple Qi within his dantian.
It marked the official commencement of his cultivation in Qing-Yun Realm during this life. Over the prior three months, the spiritual power in his body had automatically operated, preventing him from engaging in self-cultivation.
The special training he underwent was aimed at fortifying his cultivation foundation, and any training mishap had to be avoided. East-rising Purple Qi was exceedingly potent and unique. If he used it during the training, the results might not have been satisfactory. Thus, he abstained from employing it for the entirety of the four-month training.
During his combats, however, he allowed the East-rising Purple Qi to flow freely. He noticed a substantial influx of spiritual qi from the world, entering his body at an astonishing pace. This was why he experienced a breakthrough to the next level.
When he initially reached level seven, he didn't experience any unusual sensations.
However, as he meditated on the tree, absorbing energy from nature, he gradually began to notice changes.
As he activated the East-rising Purple Qi, his body trembled. Suddenly, spiritual qi surged from his dantian and traversed his entire being. Fresh spiritual qi from around the world flowed towards him with great speed. Not only was he absorbing spiritual qi from the environment, but he was also drawing energy from the moonlight.
During his meditations, he typically counted how many rounds of cultivation he completed. However, this was no longer necessary. Once he initiated the process, the energy flow automatically coursed through his body for several rounds.
Although he hadn't intentionally practiced any of the martial arts techniques he learned from the three grandmasters—Cold Moon Sky, Art of Moon Essence, and Sacred Glow of Moon—his mere operation of the East-rising Purple Qi during meditation had naturally improved these techniques within him.