After returning to his cave dwelling from the martial arts arena, although Lin Tian emerged victorious in the confrontation with Zhou Yan, his mood was far from relaxed. Through this battle, he deeply realized that the struggles within the sect were not just on the surface; the undercurrents and fierce battles hidden beneath were even more intense. After returning to the cave dwelling, Lin Tian did not immediately start cultivating but stood at the entrance, looking into the distant horizon and contemplating. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on his face, reflecting a solemn expression. "The strength of Zhou Yan should not be underestimated, and there might be more powerful forces behind him." Lin Tian muttered to himself in a low voice. He understood that each disciple within the sect had certain backings. Especially for disciples like Zhou Yan, who came from a prestigious family, there was not only a powerful family behind him but also potentially connections to the high-ranking members within the sect. This victory, seemingly earning Lin Tian prestige within the sect on the surface, in reality, might have brought him more troubles. Those who previously ignored or gave him cold looks might now pay more attention to him and even take actions to suppress his growth. "It seems that in the coming period, I must be even more cautious." Lin Tian warned himself inwardly. He knew that as the sect grand competition approached, the situation became increasingly complex. A slightest carelessness could lead him to a point of no return. In the following days, Lin Tian changed his usual style of conduct and became even more low-key. He no longer appeared frequently in the sect's square or martial arts arena but chose to seclude himself in the cave dwelling for quiet cultivation, devoting himself to improving his cultivation. After returning to the cave dwelling, Lin Tian began to wholeheartedly engage in the cultivation of secret techniques. He knew that with the approaching sect grand competition, enhancing his own strength was of the utmost importance. He re-examined the "Nine Heavens Thunder Rune" obtained in the secret realm, carefully pondering the mysteries within. This thunder-based secret technique was extremely powerful but also fraught with dangers. A slightest misstep could lead to a backlash on himself, even resulting in the loss of all cultivation. "The power of thunder is inherently violent and difficult to tame. But if it can be completely controlled, it will undoubtedly give a significant advantage in battles." Lin Tian silently recited in his heart and decided to delve deeper into this secret technique. He began to gradually increase the intensity of his cultivation. Every day, he sat in the cave dwelling, sensing the power of thunder between heaven and earth, and then introduced these forces into his body to fuse with his own spiritual energy. Each cultivation session was accompanied by intense pain. The feeling of thunder raging within his body was like countless steel needles piercing through his flesh and blood. However, Lin Tian did not back down because of this. He gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and persisted in his cultivation. As time passed, his control over the power of thunder gradually became proficient, and the operation of his spiritual energy also became smoother. "It seems that after these hardships, my comprehension of the 'Nine Heavens Thunder Rune' has deepened even more." After the cultivation ended, Lin Tian felt the circulation of the power of thunder within his body and felt secretly gratified in his heart. Although the process of cultivation was extremely arduous, his cultivation had also significantly improved through this tempering. In his spare time from cultivation, Lin Tian also turned his attention to another treasure obtained in the secret realm - an ancient jade slip. This jade slip was engraved with complex runes, seemingly recording a long-lost array. "If I can interpret the array in this jade slip, it might bring a greater improvement to my strength." Lin Tian calculated inwardly and immediately began his research on the jade slip. However, the interpretation process of this jade slip was not smooth. The runes in the jade slip were extremely complex, and even mixed with many ancient characters that Lin Tian had never seen before. Although Lin Tian had a certain foundation in arrays, facing such profound content, he still found it rather challenging. "It seems that this jade slip cannot be fully comprehended in a short time. It must be taken step by step." Lin Tian decided to adopt a steady and sure strategy, starting from the most fundamental parts of the jade slip and gradually uncovering its mysteries. In the following days, Lin Tian cultivated the "Nine Heavens Thunder Rune" while researching the array in the jade slip. He combined the two to gradually enhance his combat ability. Just as Lin Tian was concentrating on his cultivation, the turmoil outside was escalating. Since his victory in the confrontation with Zhou Yan, various rumors began to spread within the sect. "Have you heard? That kid Lin Tian actually won in the confrontation with Senior Brother Zhou Yan!" "So what? Senior Brother Zhou Yan is not someone who will easily admit defeat. Before this grand competition, he definitely won't let it go!" "Perhaps Lin Tian will become the next target to be suppressed. After all, he is just an outer sect disciple with no background." These discussions continuously reached Lin Tian's ears, but he remained calm. He knew that the struggles within the sect were complex and ever-changing. Behind these rumors might hide deeper conspiracies. He did not want to be influenced by these distractions nor be distracted because of them. However, the development of events did not go as he wished. One day, while Lin Tian was cultivating in his cave dwelling, he suddenly received a messenger talisman. After opening the messenger talisman, Lin Tian's expression slightly changed, and then he put away the talisman and walked out of the cave dwelling. It turned out that the message in the messenger talisman was that after being injured, Zhou Yan had actually joined forces with several Inner Sect disciples and was preparing to have a "friendly sparring" with Lin Tian before the sect grand competition. On the surface, it seemed like a sparring session, but Lin Tian understood that this sparring was likely not simple. "It seems that some things are inevitable." Lin Tian sighed and decided to face this challenge. He knew that the struggles within the sect were always a contest of strength. Since the other party had initiated the provocation, he must be fully prepared. On the second day after receiving the messenger talisman, Lin Tian headed to the sect's martial arts arena. At this time, many disciples had already gathered on the arena. They had obviously heard about this "sparring" and had come to watch. Lin Tian walked into the martial arts arena and calmly scanned the area with his gaze. Zhou Yan was already standing in the center, and beside him were several Inner Sect disciples. Among them, one person was particularly noticeable. That person was tall and had a stern expression. It was Senior Brother Li Daoqian, who was quite prestigious within the Inner Sect. "Junior Brother Lin, I heard that you have been in the limelight recently. How about us brothers having a spar with you to see how your cultivation has progressed during this period?" Li Daoqian's tone was plain, but there was a hint of coldness in his gaze. Lin Tian knew that this so-called "sparring" was not a simple competition but a test and suppression of strength. Although Li Daoqian's tone was calm, in fact, he had already regarded Lin Tian as a potential threat. "Since Senior Brothers have such an interest, Lin Tian will naturally accompany." Lin Tian responded neither humbly nor arrogantly. He knew that he could not retreat at this moment. Otherwise, it would not only affect his reputation but also put him at a disadvantage in the upcoming sect grand competition. With Li Daoqian's order, several Inner Sect disciples simultaneously launched attacks on Lin Tian. They were clearly well-prepared. As soon as they made their moves, they used their most proficient spells. Amidst the flashes of spiritual light, Lin Tian was already surrounded by several powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy. Lin Tian had already anticipated that the other party would join forces to attack, so he was not flustered. He quickly made hand seals, and the spiritual energy within his body instantly circulated. Then, his figure swayed and dodged several incoming attacks. However, the other party's offensive did not stop. Seeing Lin Tian's agile evasion, Li Daoqian snorted coldly and suddenly swung his spirit sword. The sword aura was like a rainbow, directly aiming at Lin Tian's face. At the same time, Zhou Yan also attacked from the other side, making hand seals and summoning a huge flame beast that pounced towards Lin Tian. "Truly difficult to handle." Lin Tian thought inwardly. Facing such a combined offensive, he did not dare to be the slightest bit careless. Then he made hand seals again, and a force of thunder instantly condensed in his palm, fiercely blasting towards the flame beast. "Boom!" The thunder and the flame collided in the air, emitting a deafening explosion. The flame beast was hit by the power of thunder and instantly collapsed. And Lin Tian took the opportunity to quickly retreat, pulling away from the opponent. Seeing this, a hint of appreciation flashed in Li Daoqian's eyes, but he did not stop his offensive. Instead, he continued to urge his spiritual energy, and the spirit sword in his hand swung out again. This time, the sword aura was mixed with a powerful force of ice, and the temperature around suddenly dropped. Even small ice crystals began to condense in the air. "Ice Sword Technique!" Lin Tian recognized this sword technique and was slightly startled in his heart. This Ice Sword Technique was an advanced sword technique within the sect, extremely powerful. Especially when executed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was extremely difficult to resist. However, Lin Tian did not panic because of this. He quickly circulated his spiritual energy and simultaneously injected the power of thunder in his hand into his body. Then, he suddenly made a move to meet the sword aura. "Boom!" With a loud explosion, the thunder and the ice collided in the air, immediately bursting out with a dazzling light. The two forces counteracted each other and eventually turned into a chaotic energy storm in the air, rapidly spreading out. Lin Tian's figure was shaken back several steps in the explosion, but he quickly steadied himself, and his gaze remained calm. He knew that Li Daoqian's strength was far above Zhou Yan's. If he wanted to win in this battle, he must find the opponent's weakness. "Senior Brothers are indeed powerful, but Lin Tian is not without the ability to fight back." Lin Tian sneered and then once again urged his spiritual energy. This time, he concentrated all the power of the "Nine Heavens Thunder Rune" in his hand, preparing to launch a powerful counterattack. The battle gradually reached a white-hot stage. The confrontation between Lin Tian and several Inner Sect disciples had reached an extreme state. Li Daoqian's Ice Sword Technique was extremely powerful, and Zhou Yan and others also continuously launched attacks from the side, attempting to suppress Lin Tian's counterattack. However, Lin Tian did not retreat because of this. He clearly knew that this battle for him was not only a contest of strength but also a tempering of his state of mind. Facing the combined attacks of several Inner Sect disciples, he felt that his spiritual energy was rapidly depleting, and his physical strength was gradually approaching its limit. Just at this moment, Li Daoqian swung his sword again. This time, the sword aura was mixed with an even stronger force of ice, as if it wanted to freeze the entire martial arts arena. The sword aura howled as it came, and the air around became bitterly cold. Lin Tian felt that powerful oppressive force and his heart shuddered. He knew that he must make a breakthrough at this moment; otherwise, he would be completely suppressed by the opponent. "The Nine Heavens Thunder Rune, break!" Lin Tian shouted loudly, quickly making hand seals. The spiritual energy within his body instantly boiled, transforming into a huge force of thunder. With his gesture, the thunder force fiercely slashed towards Li Daoqian's sword aura. The two forces collided in the air, emitting a earth-shattering explosion. "Boom!" The thunder and the ice collided fiercely in the air, immediately generating a powerful energy storm. The entire martial arts arena seemed to be torn apart by this force. The fierce wind howled, and the spiritual energy surged. The disciples watching backed away in succession, their faces showing horror. They had never seen such a fierce battle, especially Lin Tian's powerful force of thunder, which shocked them greatly. However, just as this energy storm was about to engulf everything, Lin Tian suddenly felt a strange change in the spiritual energy within his body. Under his guidance, that force of thunder actually began to fuse with the spiritual energy within his body, as if breaking through some kind of restraint and reaching a new realm. "This is..." Lin Tian's heart trembled and he immediately understood. In this fierce battle, he had actually broken through the bottleneck of his cultivation and reached the peak of the middle stage of Foundation Establishment! With the breakthrough in cultivation, Lin Tian's momentum suddenly rose. His gaze became even sharper, and the power of thunder in his hand also increased, as if everything had reached its peak at this moment. Seeing this, Li Daoqian's expression changed drastically. He clearly did not expect that Lin Tian would break through his cultivation during the battle. Such a situation was extremely rare and extremely dangerous. If not stopped in time, Lin Tian might become his greatest threat in the upcoming sect grand competition. "Can't give him a chance anymore!" Li Daoqian's heart shuddered and he decided not to hold back any longer. He quickly urged the spiritual energy within his body, preparing to launch a fatal attack and completely defeat Lin Tian. However, Lin Tian did not give him this opportunity. With the breakthrough in cultivation, Lin Tian's reaction speed and control over spiritual energy reached a new height. The moment Li Daoqian made his move, he quickly launched a counterattack. "Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens!" Lin Tian shouted loudly, and the power of thunder in his hand instantly erupted, transforming into a thunder sword that directly stabbed at Li Daoqian's chest. Seeing this, Li Daoqian hurriedly swung his sword to defend, but that thunder sword was extremely fast, as if penetrating through time and space, and instantly hit his protective spiritual energy. "Boom!" With a loud explosion, Li Daoqian's body suddenly shook and was hit by the power of thunder, retreating several steps. His face turned pale, clearly having suffered serious injuries. Seeing this, Lin Tian did not pursue the victory. Instead, he withdrew the power of thunder and slowly said, "Senior Brother Li, let's end this sparring here." Li Daoqian gritted his teeth. Although unwilling in his heart, he knew that he could no longer continue the fight. Lin Tian's strength far exceeded his expectations. If they continued, he might be completely defeated in full view of everyone. "Humph, Lin Tian, you do have some skills." Li Daoqian said coldly and then turned and left the martial arts arena. The Inner Sect disciples around, seeing this, also followed and left. Lin Tian stood in place, looking at the backs of Li Daoqian and others as they left, and his heart did not relax because of this. He knew that although he had won this battle, the real challenges had just begun. With the departure of Li Daoqian and others, the commotion on the martial arts arena gradually subsided. Although the disciples watching dispersed, the rumors about this battle quickly spread within the sect. After returning to his cave dwelling, Lin Tian began to reflect on the process of this battle. Although he had broken through his cultivation during the battle, he also understood that Li Daoqian and others were not his true opponents. The real challenge was still in the sect grand competition. "The sect grand competition is the key that decides everything." Lin Tian reminded himself inwardly. He knew that this grand competition was not only a contest of strength but also a comprehensive test of state of mind and wisdom. If he wanted to stand out in the grand competition, he must be fully prepared in all aspects. In the following days, Lin Tian continued to cultivate with devotion and strengthened his research on arrays and secret techniques. He gradually combined the "Nine Heavens Thunder Rune" with the array in the jade slip, forming a unique combat style. With the improvement of his cultivation, his control over the power of thunder became even more proficient, and his combat ability significantly increased. However, Lin Tian always had a premonition in his heart, as if a greater storm was approaching. The atmosphere within the sect also became increasingly tense. Disciples were all preparing for the upcoming grand competition, and some latent contradictions and struggles were also brewing in the dark.