As the city below shrank, resembling mere ants, and finally disappeared from view, Ling Yun spread his arms wide, thoroughly enjoying the experience. "So this is what flying feels like. It's incredible."
At that moment, his resolve to grow stronger solidified even further. Once he reached the Cave Heaven realm, he would be able to fly freely through the skies, his lifespan extended to a thousand years. But cultivation was a fierce struggle, akin to battling the heavens, and filled with hardships.
Countless cultivators were stuck at the Foundation Establishment realm, unable to break through, eventually turning to dust. Those who couldn't join a dynasty or sect fared even worse, some never even reaching the Qi Refinement stage.
Ling Yun himself had relied on a combination of his system's support and relentless effort to get where he was now.
Nearby, Cui Huahua was also deep in thought, eagerly anticipating her future. After completing this sect mission, her accumulated points would allow her to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. She had been stuck at the Ninth Level of Foundation Establishment for over three hundred years, with only about a hundred years left to live.
"Sister Cui, is the entrance exam for Sword Sect difficult?" a man in his twenties asked in a coquettish voice.
There were about thirty passengers in total aboard the flying spirit beast, three of whom were men, including Ling Yun, while the rest were women.
"You'll see for yourself when the time comes," Cui Huahua replied curtly, uninterested in engaging with the man. Engaging with men would only serve to slow her sword speed.
"I wonder how many trials there are in the exam?" Ling Yun muttered softly to himself.
"There are three trials. Don't worry, they're not particularly dangerous," Cui Huahua responded, hearing Ling Yun's question and answering it with a patient tone.
Ling Yun hadn't expected her to reply, given her otherwise aloof demeanor. "Thank you, Sister Cui."
The other man, who had been speaking earlier, now sat feeling embarrassed, feeling out of place.
"No problem," Cui Huahua said, before asking, "By the way, how old are you, and what's your cultivation level?"
Ling Yun answered honestly, knowing that his capabilities would be exposed during the trials anyway. "I'm fourteen years old, and I'm at the Fourth Level of Foundation Establishment."
Cui Huahua nearly lost her balance at his words. A fourteen-year-old at the Fourth Level of Foundation Establishment? At fourteen, she had been peeking at the widow next door bathing! The comparison stung.
"Well, with such talent, your entry into Sword Sect is practically guaranteed," she said, before falling silent, clearly feeling the blow to her self-esteem.
Everyone else stared at Ling Yun like he was some sort of rare creature. The highest cultivation among them was at the First Level of Foundation Establishment, and that woman was over fifty years old.
The jealousy the other man had initially felt disappeared completely. They were simply not on the same level.
Ling Yun, however, was puzzled. Was cultivation really that difficult?
After all, he had intentionally slowed his progress because the system had warned him about the dangers of rushing ahead and destabilizing his foundation. If he hadn't held back, he could have been at the Eighth or Ninth Level of Foundation Establishment by now.
"Hello, Daoist Ling, I'm Jian Mei," said a well-dressed woman nearby, who seemed to come from a wealthy family.
"Hello," Ling Yun responded politely, nodding his head.
Soon, one by one, the passengers introduced themselves to Ling Yun, each hoping to build some sort of connection with him.
By the time they had all finished, Ling Yun's neck was sore from all the nodding.
Jian Mei wanted to continue the conversation, but seeing Ling Yun close his eyes to meditate, she held back.
Perhaps inspired by his focus, the others also stopped chatting and began meditating, hoping to make use of the long journey.
And so, they flew for two months.
During that time, they would occasionally stop at towns for food and other necessities. After all, only cultivators who had reached the Divine Soul realm and achieved harmony with nature could avoid eating.
Just when Ling Yun thought their journey would be peaceful all the way to Sword Sect, trouble found them while they were eating at an inn.
"Well, well, why the mask, pretty boy? Take it off and show me your face," a woman with bangs said, eyeing Ling Yun with lust as she approached him with her followers. Judging by her demeanor, she, too, was headed to Sword Sect for the recruitment trials.
Cui Huahua and the other Sword Sect disciple present showed no signs of intervening, likely seeing this as a test for Ling Yun.
"Daoist Cui, looks like your people are about to suffer a loss," teased another Sword Sect disciple sitting in a nearby building.
"Daoist Si, I wouldn't be so sure," Cui Huahua replied with a smile, recalling Ling Yun's ruthless techniques.
"Oh?" Daoist Si responded, intrigued.
…
"Where's that dog barking? Did you hear that, sisters?" Jian Mei asked, pretending to look around in confusion.
"Sounds like a dog to me too, a pretty lecherous one at that!" one of the other women joked.
Ling Yun remained silent. This was not the moment for him to step in. If he fought now, it might make Jian Mei and the others feel like they needed his protection, insulting their abilities and pride. He understood that, sometimes, women valued their independence, just as men did.
"Shut up and slap her!" the woman with bangs barked, raising her hand to strike Jian Mei.
Foundation Establishment, Third Level!
Jian Mei didn't back down. This was about pride, and she couldn't afford to show weakness. She clenched her teeth and struck back with all her might.
Bang!
Unsurprisingly, Jian Mei was sent flying, caught by one of her companions before she hit the ground. Still, she had suffered internal injuries.
"Damn it! Sisters, let's take her down together!" Jian Mei rallied her friends, initiating a group fight.
Soon, the room was filled with chaos, as fists and kicks flew from both sides.
However, the gap in cultivation was evident, and numbers couldn't compensate. It didn't take long for Jian Mei and her group to end up with bruised faces and bleeding noses.
"Enough!" Ling Yun finally stood up, timing his intervention perfectly to maintain the dignity of his companions while preventing further injury.
"Oh, changed your mind, pretty boy?" the bangs woman sneered. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you have the time of your life. You'll be begging for more," she said, licking her lips in a disgusting display.
"You talk too much," Ling Yun said, and in the next instant, he unleashed a vicious kick right between her legs.
"Aaahhh!"
Her scream was bloodcurdling, as if she were experiencing the worst kind of torture.
Ling Yun showed no mercy, following up with his infamous "breast punch" technique, delivering blows to each of her followers.
The sound of pigs being slaughtered echoed through the inn, drawing a crowd of onlookers.
But Ling Yun wasn't done. Just as they began to recover from the pain, he would land another round of precise blows.
"Stop! Please, no more!" the bangs woman begged, her face twisted in agony. The pain was far worse than death.
Without acknowledging her plea, Ling Yun delivered another low blow, causing her to collapse once again.
As he prepared to launch a fourth round of attacks, Cui Huahua and the other Sword Sect disciple finally stepped in.
"Daoist Ling, please, show some mercy," they said, arriving just in time.