As the sect grand competition gradually approaches its end, a repressive atmosphere permeates the air. Disciples from various peaks are in intense preparations. Some are secluded in their cave dwellings for cultivation, while others are repeatedly practicing their secret techniques on the martial arts arena. For those disciples who performed outstandingly in the previous rounds, the upcoming finals will be the moment to showcase their ultimate strength. In these few days, Lin Tian increasingly feels an invisible pressure. Whenever he walks within the sect, he can always sense the various gazes from the surrounding disciples, including admiration, jealousy, and even hostility. Lin Tian understands that behind these gazes, perhaps there are more complex thoughts hidden. "It seems that as the grand competition progresses, some originally hidden conflicts have begun to surface." Lin Tian silently ponders in his heart. He knows that his performance in the grand competition has drawn the attention of some people, especially those inner sect disciples with a high status within the sect. They will never easily allow an outer sect disciple to stand out in the grand competition. To avoid causing more unnecessary troubles, Lin Tian decides to temporarily reduce his outings and focus on cultivation within his cave dwelling. Every morning, he still wakes up early to conduct basic meditation and breathing exercises to maintain the fullness and smoothness of his spiritual energy. One day, just as Lin Tian finishes his morning cultivation and is about to head to the sect cafeteria for a meal, he suddenly senses an abnormal fluctuation of spiritual energy outside his cave dwelling. Lin Tian stops vigilantly, and his divine sense quickly extends out, only to discover that several inner sect disciples are standing outside the cave entrance. "It seems that someone doesn't want me to cultivate peacefully." Lin Tian frowns slightly, a hint of coldness flashing through his heart. He knows that these inner sect disciples are clearly not here to exchange pleasantries with him. They are probably here to test his strength or even to suppress his momentum in advance. Lin Tian slowly walks out of the cave dwelling, looking calmly at the several inner sect disciples. Their expressions carry a hint of provocation, clearly coming prepared. "Junior Brother Lin, we've heard that your performance in the grand competition has been extremely outstanding. We, several senior brothers, have specially come to seek your advice. I wonder if Junior Brother Lin is willing to oblige?" One of the leading disciples speaks up. Although his tone is somewhat respectful, his eyes reveal a hint of ill will. Lin Tian smiles faintly, already understanding the other party's intention in his heart. Struggles within the sect never come openly. Especially during such an important grand competition, these inner sect disciples are clearly unwilling to see an outer sect disciple steal the limelight. Thus, they adopt this "sparring" method, attempting to weaken his strength before the competition. "Several senior brothers are too kind. Lin Tian naturally dare not be negligent." Lin Tian's tone is calm, but he has already made preparations in his heart. He knows that this "seeking advice" will by no means be simple. If he is the slightest bit careless, he might find himself in a disadvantageous position in the upcoming grand competition. As Lin Tian's words fall, the several inner sect disciples exchange glances with each other and then reveal smiles. They clearly do not take Lin Tian seriously and believe that with their numerical advantage, they can suppress Lin Tian. "In that case, let's begin." The leading disciple sneers and then urges the spiritual energy within his body. A spirit sword in his hand suddenly unsheathes, and the sword light flashes, directly aiming at Lin Tian. Lin Tian, upon seeing this, remains expressionless and quickly makes hand seals. The power of thunder within his body instantly circulates, and the spirit sword flashes with a dazzling thunder light. The two forces collide in the air, emitting a deafening explosion. When the other disciples see that Lin Tian responds with ease, they no longer hesitate and all make their moves. They have clearly discussed beforehand, attempting to outnumber him and suppress Lin Tian with their combined offensive. Lin Tian's figure quickly retreats, and his gaze calmly observes the opponent's offensive. He knows that although these inner sect disciples are powerful, their teamwork is clearly insufficient, and inevitable flaws are exposed when they join forces. Sure enough, as several rounds of attacks unfold, Lin Tian quickly discovers a loophole in one of them. Without hesitation, he seizes the opportunity and quickly counterattacks. A force of thunder suddenly strikes out, directly targeting the vital point of that disciple. "Puff!" The disciple is caught off guard, is struck by the thunder, spits out a mouthful of blood, and his body immediately flies backward, heavily landing on the ground. His face turns pale, clearly having suffered serious injuries. The other disciples, upon seeing this, their expressions change drastically. They did not expect that Lin Tian could counterattack successfully in such a situation, and a sense of dread arises in their hearts. "It seems that several senior brothers are not focused enough." Lin Tian says indifferently, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm. His gaze coldly sweeps over the remaining disciples, bringing them tremendous pressure. The leading disciple's face darkens. He knows that continuing the fight might not lead to a favorable outcome, so he says no more, snorts coldly, puts away his spirit sword, and signals the others to stop. "Junior Brother Lin is truly skilled. Let's end it here for today. I hope to see your outstanding performance in the grand competition." The leading disciple forces out a smile and then hurriedly leads the several injured companions away. Lin Tian watches them leave, the coldness on his face gradually dissipates, and he returns to calmness. He knows that this is only a small test. The real challenge lies in the upcoming grand competition. After this minor disturbance, Lin Tian has a clearer understanding of his situation within the sect. Although he has temporarily gained the upper hand in the grand competition, this does not mean he can be complacent. The various forces within the sect are intricately intertwined, and behind each competition might hide greater conspiracies and crises. Lin Tian decides to continue in-depth cultivation in the following days, striving to enhance his strength as much as possible to prepare for the upcoming finals. He returns to his cave dwelling, sits in the spirit-gathering array, and begins to silently circulate his spiritual energy. "Now, I have reached the peak of the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. But to be sure of victory in the grand competition, I must make further progress." Lin Tian silently ponders in his heart. He knows that breaking through the realm is not an overnight achievement. However, in the upcoming competition, any improvement in strength might become the key to determining the outcome. Lin Tian continues to cultivate the "Nine Heavens Thunder Rune". This secret technique has already exerted powerful force in his hands, but he knows that his control over it still needs improvement. Especially when facing enemies, how to apply the power of thunder more flexibly and combine it with other secret techniques is the direction he needs to focus on. For several consecutive days, Lin Tian is secluded in his cave dwelling for cultivation. The disturbances outside seem to be completely cast aside by him. His mind is completely immersed in cultivation. As the power of thunder continuously circulates within his body, his understanding of the thunder rune becomes increasingly profound. One day, while Lin Tian is cultivating in the spirit-gathering array, he suddenly senses a subtle change in the circulation of his spiritual energy within his body. This change is extremely faint, but it allows him to keen perceive a hint of a breakthrough opportunity. "Could it be... the opportunity to break through?" Lin Tian's heart trembles. He then wastes no time and quickly enters a deeper state of cultivation. He knows that this opportunity is fleeting. If not seized, he might miss this breakthrough opportunity. As Lin Tian's mind continuously sinks into his body, he feels that the fluctuation of spiritual energy gradually intensifies, as if condensing into an invisible barrier within his body. Lin Tian knows that this is precisely the bottleneck of the Foundation Establishment stage. Only by breaking through this barrier can he smoothly enter the next realm. Lin Tian silently recites the incantation of the thunder rune in his heart. The power of thunder within his body begins to gradually condense. He focuses all his mind on that barrier, attempting to break it through the impact of thunder. "Boom!" There is a muffled sound within his body, as if a barrier is torn apart by the power of thunder. Lin Tian's body suddenly trembles, and the spiritual energy within his body instantly surges, as if finding a new flow direction. The power of thunder rushes within his body, as if having its own life, continuously strengthening his cultivation. "Success!" Lin Tian is overjoyed in his heart. He knows that he has finally broken through the bottleneck of the middle stage of Foundation Establishment and successfully entered the later stage. With the improvement of his cultivation, Lin Tian's momentum also undergoes a significant change. He feels that the circulation of spiritual energy within his body becomes smoother, and the power of thunder has also been greatly enhanced. Now, whether in terms of attack power or defense, he has made a qualitative leap. "It seems that the outcome of this seclusion exceeds expectations." Lin Tian slowly opens his eyes, a glint of confidence flashing through his gaze. He knows that with his current cultivation, even when facing stronger opponents in the upcoming finals of the grand competition, he has more confidence. Lin Tian walks out of the cave dwelling, feeling the gentle morning breeze brushing against his face, his heart filled with strength. He knows that the upcoming moment will be the decisive juncture of fate, and he has made thorough preparations for it. As the finals of the sect grand competition draw near, the atmosphere within the entire sect becomes increasingly tense. Disciples are all making final preparations on the eve of the competition. Some even choose to seclude themselves beside the sect's spirit spring to strive for the best performance in the finals. After his breakthrough, Lin Tian also feels an unprecedented sense of oppression. This oppression not only comes from external competition but also from internal expectations and challenges. He knows that the finals will be an unprecedented test. Both his strength and state of mind will undergo great tempering. "The opponents in the finals are likely to be those top disciples within the sect." Lin Tian silently ponders in his heart. He knows that these top disciples rarely make a move on ordinary days, but their strength should not be underestimated. Especially in this competition related to sect resources and status, they will undoubtedly go all out. Just as Lin Tian is making the final preparations for the finals, a messenger talisman suddenly flies into his cave dwelling. Lin Tian opens it and discovers that it is a message from a sect elder, requesting him to come to the sect's main hall. Lin Tian's heart stirs, knowing that this is likely related to the upcoming finals. He quickly tidies up his clothes and rushes to the sect's main hall. Inside the main hall, several sect elders are already seated, their expressions carrying a hint of solemnity. After Lin Tian walks into the hall, he immediately senses a solemn atmosphere. "Lin Tian, your performance in this grand competition has been remarkable but has also drawn much attention." The leading elder speaks up, his tone carrying a hint of warning. Lin Tian's heart shudders and he quickly bows respectfully, "This disciple is dull. Please enlighten me, elder." "You must understand that struggles within the sect are never merely about competitions. Especially in this grand competition, various forces have made their moves, vying for resources and status. Your progress thus far has proven your strength but has also touched the interests of some people." The elder says earnestly. Lin Tian, upon hearing this, immediately understands the elder's intention. He knows that although his performance has won the appreciation of many, it has inevitably attracted some jealousy and hostility. Especially those disciples with backgrounds and backings, they are unwilling to see an outer sect disciple stand out in the grand competition. "This disciple understands and will be cautious." Lin Tian says in a low voice. He knows that in the upcoming finals, he must be even more careful and be prepared to deal with all kinds of possible conspiracies and ambushes. The elder nods and then says, "Summoning you here this time, apart from warning you to be careful, there is another important matter. The finals of this grand competition will be held in the 'Heavenly Cloud Secret Realm' of the sect. This secret realm is an extremely special cultivation place within the sect, filled with all kinds of rare beasts and powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy, but it is also full of unknown dangers." "Heavenly Cloud Secret Realm?" Lin Tian's heart trembles. He did not expect that the sect would choose such a dangerous place for the finals. The elder notices Lin Tian's confusion and explains, "Although the Heavenly Cloud Secret Realm is fraught with dangers, it is also an excellent place for tempering. Only in such an extreme environment can disciples truly showcase their strength. The sect elders unanimously believe that such an environment can truly select the most outstanding disciples." Lin Tian nods silently, his heart filled with anticipation and tension for the upcoming finals. He knows that the challenges in the Heavenly Cloud Secret Realm will be unprecedented, but it is precisely in such challenges that true strong practitioners can be forged. The elder finally warns, "You must remember that after entering the secret realm, everything must prioritize survival. Although the finals are important, life is even more important. The sect needs living strong practitioners, not disciples who sacrifice their lives for momentary victory or defeat." Lin Tian's heart shudders and he nods solemnly. He knows that the elder's warning is not aimless. The dangers in the Heavenly Cloud Secret Realm are clearly beyond imagination. After leaving the main hall, Lin Tian's mood becomes even heavier. He knows that the environment of the finals will be extremely severe, but he has no way back. For the status and resources within the sect and for his own cultivation path, he must go all out and meet this unprecedented challenge. After returning to his cave dwelling, Lin Tian immediately begins to make the final preparations for the upcoming finals. He knows that the Heavenly Cloud Secret Realm is full of unknown dangers and he must be fully prepared to deal with all kinds of emergencies. First, Lin Tian carefully examines his storage bag to ensure that the pills, talismans, and various cultivation resources are all complete. These things might become important safeguards for his survival in the secret realm and not a single item can be overlooked. Next, Lin Tian rehearses the "Nine Heavens Thunder Rune" once again. He knows that this secret technique is his greatest reliance in battles. But in the secret realm, he might encounter various special environments, and the application of the power of thunder also needs to be flexible and not limited to a certain form. Finally, Lin Tian enters the spirit-gathering array once again for a deep-level cultivation. He hopes that before the finals, his cultivation can have some further improvement. Even a slight breakthrough might play a decisive role at a critical moment. After the cultivation ends, Lin Tian stands outside the cave dwelling, looking towards the distant horizon, a glint of determination flashing through his eyes. He knows that the upcoming challenges will be even more severe, but he has made all preparations for it. "No matter what lies ahead, I will persevere to the end." Lin Tian secretly swears in his heart. He knows that the finals in the Heavenly Cloud Secret Realm will be a huge test on his path of cultivating immortality and a crucial step towards a higher realm. Only by standing out in this finals can he establish a firm footing within the sect and lay a solid foundation for his future cultivation path. As night gradually falls, Lin Tian puts aside the distractions in his heart and prepares to meditate once again in the cave dwelling, awaiting the arrival of the finals tomorrow.