“At that time, those students from the Holy Academy were laughing at me, saying that I was unaware of the heights of heaven, that I was ignorant, that I was too much of an idiot. They said that the Heavenly Demon Ridge was just a small place in the middle of nowhere, and that a Luo Xu had come out two hundred years ago, and that in another two hundred years, there wouldn’t be a second Luo Xu.”
“At the very beginning, I naturally didn’t believe their words, and only thought of cultivating a supreme heavenly pride, sending him into the Holy Academy, and beating those condescending fellows in the Holy Academy to death.”
“It’s just a pity that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.”
“Fifty years have passed, and the Heavenly Demon Ridge has produced some extremely talented seedlings, some of whom are even a bit better than both Si Xingkong and Zhang Tiangui, but, compared to those heroes in the Sacred Courtyard, they’re still too far behind. Although, there are also two of them, who entered the Sacred Courtyard, I have told them all to never tell anyone that they are my disciples.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Is Pavilion Master worried that they are being suppressed by your former enemies?”
Lei Jing nodded and said, “If one’s talent isn’t high enough, entering the Sacred Courtyard would be like a stone being thrown into the sea, not even able to make a bubble, let alone stirring up a storm in the Sacred Courtyard. With those two’s talent, to be able to defend themselves in the Holy Academy is already pretty good.”
“Later on, as I got older, I stopped being as impulsive as before, and a lot of my passion wore off in time. In the end, I suddenly felt that even if I did meet a supreme genius, would it really be good to send him into the Sacred Courtyard and tell others that it was my Lei Jing’s disciple? Would it harm him instead?”
“After thinking of this, the last bit of passion I had was gone, and in my heart, I thought, it’s been fifty years since then, who still remembers your Lei Jing’s grandiose words in the beginning? Besides, martial artists coming out of a small place like the Heavenly Demon Ridge are indeed no match for the heirs of those Half-Saint Families and Saint Sectors. This is fate, when you are born, you are destined to be inferior to others.”
“However, when you appeared, I seemed to see hope again.”
“With your talent, even if you were to be placed in the Holy Academy, you would definitely belong to the first-rate level. If you are able to make a name for yourself in the Sacred Academy, in the future, I will be able to step into the Sacred Academy again with a raised eyebrow, grab the sleeves of those old classmates who used to be there, and stare at their nostrils and tell them that you are my Lei Jing’s disciple. I, Lei Jing, am back again as I said I would be!”
Zhang Ruochen said, “So, that one thing that Pavilion Master wants me to do, is this?”
“What? Regret?” Lei Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I’m afraid that Pavilion Master’s former enemies are now also towering great figures. Isn’t Pavilion Master afraid that I will also be struck and retaliated against by your original enemies in the Sacred Courtyard?”
Hearing Zhang Ruochen’s words, Lei Jing didn’t feel surprised in the slightest, instead, he was very understanding.
He was able to say this openly and honestly, but he had actually prepared himself mentally that he would be rejected by Zhang Ruochen.
Lei Jing exhaled a long breath and said, “You can choose to reject it, after all, it wouldn’t have been of any benefit to you, instead, it could have caused a killing disaster.”
Fifty years had passed, Lei Jing’s mentality had changed greatly, no longer relying on a rush of hot-blooded energy to charge forward all the time like before, and ultimately crashing his head into the ground.
As people got older, they considered more things!
From his bosom, Lei Jing took out an ice jade box and handed it to Zhang Ruochen, saying, “In the box, there is a five hundred year old Ice Domain Snow Lotus, taking it will help you break through to the Earth Extremity Realm Grand Extremity Position. Cultivate hard, whether you enter the Holy Academy or not in the future, the competition is brutal.”
After saying this, Lei Jing was about to leave.
“Wait!”
Zhang Ruochen held the ice jade box and said, “I originally owed Pavilion Master a favour and promised to do something for him. Since I’ve already promised, how can there be any reason to go back on my promise?”
Lei Jing’s eyes lit up as he said, “You’ve decided to be a disciple of the old man? To enter the Sacred Academy as a disciple of the Old Man? Are you not afraid of being met with hostility from the Saint Sect?”
Zhang Ruochen laughed, “Since ancient times, the Cold Sect and the Sacred Clan have been opposites. Even though I am a prince, to the heirs of those Saint Clans, a prince of an inferior county is no different from a pauper. Even if I don’t enter the Holy Academy as a disciple of the Pavilion Master, won’t I be met with hostility?”
Lei Jing let out a loud laugh and patted his hands on Zhang Ruochen’s shoulders, saying, “Don’t worry, with your natural talent, even if you enter the Sacred Academy in the future, you’ll be valued by the top echelons of the Sacred Academy. Even the Saint Sect would not dare to deal with you easily.”
“Do you know why the old man said at that time that he would only accept you as a disciple if you were able to reach the top 100 of the Earth Ranking?”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Because, only by reaching the top one hundred of the ‘Earth Ranking’ would you be taken seriously by the higher echelons of the Sacred Academy. Only then, will my safety, be guaranteed.”
“That’s right.”
Lei Jing said, “However, I didn’t expect that not only do you possess the strength of the top one hundred of the 《Earth Ranking》, but in the future, you even have the hope of striking the top ten of the 《Earth Ranking》, no, it’s very hopeful.”
“Zhang Ruochen, don’t go to the third practical test first, first refine the Ice Domain Snow Lotus and break through the realm.”
Once he broke through the realm, Zhang Ruochen’s strength would definitely increase greatly again, and at that time, it wouldn’t just be as simple as just entering the one hundredth position of the 《Earth Rankings》.
Zhang Ruochen slowly opened the Ice Jade Box, and a cold and icy aura emanated from the box, immediately causing the temperature in the surrounding air to plummet.
In the box, a crystal clear snow lotus was placed, as if it had been carved from emerald, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.
“A total of five petals, it really is a five hundred year old Ice Domain Snow Lotus.”
Zhang Ruochen revealed a joyful expression as he plucked one of the snow lotus petals and took it into his mouth.
The petal, like a slim piece of ice crystal, melted instantly after entering the mouth, turning into a stream of ice that surged into the abdomen.
The medicinal power of the Ice Domain Snow Lotus was so dense that almost instantly, it filled all the meridians in Zhang Ruochen’s entire body, as if it was freezing the True Qi.
Immediately, Zhang Ruochen sat on the ground with his hands clasped together and raised them above his head as he silently recited the third layer of the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture, and the Spirit Flame True Qi in his body slowly travelled through his meridians.
Generally speaking, a five hundred year old Ice Domain Snow Lotus could already be used to help an Earthly Extreme Realm Grand Circle martial artist impact the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
However, Zhang Ruochen’s natural talent far exceeded that of an ordinary martial artist, and the resources needed to break through the realm were naturally more.
Using the Ice Domain Snow Lotus and using it to impact the Earth Extremity Realm Grand Extremity was just right.
Zhang Ruochen’s refining speed was extremely fast, and it almost only took an hour to refine the medicinal power of one petal.
Five hours passed and five petals were completely absorbed by him.
The true qi in his body swelled to the extreme.
With just the naked eye, one could see strands of spiritual snake-like aura flowing around his body.
Next, Zhang Ruochen picked up the lotus seed of the Snow Lotus and swallowed it into his stomach for the final sprint.
“He’s only impacting the Earth Extremity Realm’s Great Extremity Position, but he needs to consume so many resources, it’s really not something that an ordinary martial artist can compare to.”
Lei Jing originally thought that Zhang Ruochen only needed to refine five snow lotus petals to break through, but now the situation was completely out of his expectation.
Zhang Ruochen had taken the lotus seeds of the Ice Domain Snow Lotus, and it seemed that it was still not enough to satisfy the demand, and he needed more energy in order to break through the realm.
“He is already at the most critical moment for a breakthrough!”
Lei Jing took out a drop of Holy Liquid and looked towards Zhang Ruochen.
The Saint Liquid, like a brilliant star, was suspended at his fingertips.
Lei Jing pointed out with one finger and struck the holy liquid towards Zhang Ruochen’s brow.
The Divine Martial Seal in Zhang Ruochen’s brow emerged, surprisingly quickly absorbing the drop of Holy Liquid.
“Boom!”
The Qi Sea in Zhang Ruochen’s brow centre let out a soft sound and immediately expanded seventeen times.
Finally, in one fell swoop, he broke through to the Earth Extremity Realm Great Extremity Position.
The aura that was originally wandering around Zhang Ruochen’s body was as if it was attracted by a force, rapidly surging towards Zhang Ruochen’s brow centre and into the Qi Sea.
A moment later, Zhang Ruochen stood up again and tried to move his muscles and bones, feeling so full of power that even if a Heavenly Extremity Realm martial artist stood in front of him, he would be able to send them flying with a slap.
This kind of feeling, too good!
“Many thanks, Master, for stepping in to help.” Zhang Ruochen arched his hand and bowed.
In fact, what Lei Jing was able to teach Zhang Ruochen was very limited, but the other party had indeed helped Zhang Ruochen a lot and deserved Zhang Ruochen’s bow.
Although there was no reality of master and disciple, there was a sense of master and disciple.
Lei Jing laughed, “Zhang Ruochen, do you want to test strength and speed again?”
“No need, I can probably tell how strong I am now.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Lei Jing said, “Do you intend to challenge the number one position on the Earth Ranking for the third practical test?”
“The hundredth position.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Lei Jing was slightly stunned and said, “Didn’t you already defeat her in the second match?”
“I want to try, now, and need to defeat her with a few moves.” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Fine! You make your own decision!” Lei Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen once again entered the testing chamber and once again saw the hundredth position on The Earth Ranking, Yan Qingdao.
Carrying a battle sword, Yan Qingdao stepped out from the stone wall and stared at Zhang Ruochen, saying, “Why is it you again?”
“In the previous battle, I was unable to tell the winner from the loser, so naturally, I will continue to challenge you.” Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Qingdao’s eyes went cold as she said, “Good! In the previous battle, I didn’t expect you to possess a high-grade battle weapon, and that’s why I was cut off by your battle sword. When we fight again, we will definitely not let you get away with it again. The realm of the Sword Mind is not necessarily without a way to crack it.”
Any martial artist who was able to enter the top one hundred of the Earth Ranking was almost always able to reign supreme in their part of the region, unrivalled in the younger generation.
Yan Qingdao was the same, never having tasted a single defeat since childhood.
She was very confident in her own strength, even if she was facing a martial artist who had attained the Sword Heart Passage.
Yan Qingdao stood horizontally with her sword, her arm gently lifting, forming a starting move that seemed to be about attacking, but also seemed to be about defending, leaving people puzzled.
After an earlier encounter, both of them understood each other well enough to choose their fighting style with ease.
