Cultivation: I Have a Skill Level Panel

「Several days later」

Gu Yun streaked across the vast sea of clouds on his Escape Light, returning to the Profound Celestial Sect and heading toward the Inner Sect.

It was early morning. The sun slowly rose in the east, painting the sky with a magnificent dawn and casting boundless, golden rays of light.

The sunrise set the riverside flowers ablaze with a color redder than fire, and the spring river flowed a shade of green deeper than indigo.

He gazed down at the mountains, rivers, and endless forests. The trees, nourished by Spiritual Qi, were lush and verdant, with ancient specimens reaching for the heavens.

It had been a long time since he’d last seen this view, so long it felt like seasons had passed in a blink. Gu Yun couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

’The idle clouds reflect in the tranquil pond, the days stretch on. Things change and the stars realign; how many autumns have gone by?’

Soon, Gu Yun transformed into a streak of lightning and shot toward the Inner Sect’s Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to report on the Demon Fiend-slaying mission, which had long since ended in failure.

No one could have expected that the Demon Fiend was actually an incredibly powerful King Demon Fiend in its juvenile stage.

’I wonder what became of Pang Qingyun and Zhuge Wuwo in their fight against the Black Flood Dragon and the Demon Giant Tree,’ he thought.

He soon arrived before a great hall. A plaque above the entrance was inscribed with three large, golden words: Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

As he stepped inside, Gu Yun’s presence—clad in white robes, with a handsome face and an aura as deep as an abyss—immediately drew the attention of a junior sister on duty. She was exceptionally beautiful, with a kind and understanding air.

She took the initiative to approach him.

"Senior Brother, are you here to accept a mission? If you’re looking for one with a... satisfying process, I’m your girl~"

Gu Yun glanced at the junior sister, noting she was at the Spiritual Martial Realm Ninth Layer.

He shook his head wryly. "My mission was a failure. I’m just here to report it."

"Oh, I see. In that case, please follow me, Senior Brother~" the junior sister said sweetly.

And so, Gu Yun’s first mission as an Inner Sect disciple ended in utter failure.

And yet, the things he had experienced were more thrilling than anything he’d encountered since joining the Sect.

The Chaotic Star Sea, the Demon Giant Tree, the Canglan Sea Region, the Black Flame Sword Sect, the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, the Ancient Nether Sect, the ruins of a powerful expert...

Gu Yun followed closely behind the junior sister and completed the necessary procedures in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

As he was leaving, the junior sister made a point of giving Gu Yun her Communication Talisman.

She told him to visit her residence when he was free so he could... give her some pointers.

Soon after,

Gu Yun arrived at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in the Profound Celestial Sect’s Inner Sect Marketplace to sell the corpse of the Scorching Heaven-Devouring Python he had acquired.

It sold for the astronomical price of 10,000 Spirit Stones, far exceeding his expectations. He was also given a VIP ticket to an auction the Hundred Treasures Pavilion would be holding in three days.

Gu Yun was pleased, of course, but he hadn’t yet decided if he would attend.

Afterward, Gu Yun spent some of his new wealth in the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, purchasing some True Spirit Pills and Alchemy Materials used by True Martial Realm Cultivators to advance their Cultivation.

After that,

Gu Yun left the Sect’s Marketplace.

He transformed into a streak of light and departed.

On his way, he passed a bustling sect arena square.

Two Cultivators at the True Martial First Layer Early Stage were locked in a fierce battle on the arena stage.

BOOM!

A tremendous boom shook the entire arena square, making it feel as if it were swaying in a violent storm.

Even with the protection of the arena’s Defense Array, the Half-Step True Martial Cultivators below the stage were still terrified, involuntarily backing away.

Gale-force winds from the collision swept out in all directions, prompting the surrounding Cultivators to break into a heated debate over who had the upper hand.

’Huh? It’s them!’

Gu Yun looked closer and realized the two True Martial Realm First Layer Early Stage Cultivators on the stage were none other than...

...Situ Qingtian and Shangguan Jian. ’I can’t believe they broke through to the True Martial Realm in just two years,’ he thought.

’Their auras aren’t stable yet, so they must have just broken through. Most of the disciples who joined the Inner Sect with them are only at the Half-Step True Martial realm now.’

On the arena stage,

Shangguan Jian stared coldly at Situ Qingtian. Since his recent breakthrough to the True Martial Realm, the Sword Spirit Bone within him had fully awakened, causing his power to skyrocket.

That was why he now dared to challenge Situ Qingtian, a former top-ten Outer Sect disciple he had never been able to defeat.

With an icy expression, Shangguan Jian hovered in the air, longsword in hand, and unleashed a devastating slash.

The Sword Qi screamed through the air, tearing at space itself. It transformed into a river of silver light, like a falling star, as the overwhelmingly powerful attack shot toward Situ Qingtian.

Situ Qingtian snorted.

"You’re courting death!"

His Fire Spirit Body erupted, and fierce flames instantly engulfed him, seemingly distorting the very space around him.

The scorching heat swept outward, turning the area into a fiery crucible. Finally, the flames coalesced in the air, forming a massive fist of fire.

It shot toward the beam of sword light with the speed of a thunderbolt.

BOOM!

An explosion of True Martial Realm power erupted above the stage. Fiery red flames and translucent, razor-sharp sword light intertwined.

However, the sharp beam of light sliced through the fist of fire and continued hurtling toward Situ Qingtian.

This took Situ Qingtian by surprise. He immediately threw another Flame Fist to obliterate the sword light.

But in that instant, Shangguan Jian had already teleported above Situ Qingtian. He slashed down, and his Sword Qi erupted, transforming into a white Flood Dragon that lunged toward his opponent!

Staring at the sword light above him, Situ Qingtian’s pupils shrank. "What!"

A beam of sword light suddenly flared to life above the arena. It fell like a river of stars, streaking across the sky and tearing through space as it descended upon him.

Situ Qingtian’s fingers flew through a series of hand seals, and a Fire Shield condensed from True Yuan instantly materialized ten feet in front of him.

BAM! The Fire Shield successfully blocked the attack.

Situ Qingtian’s expression grew serious. "You’re not bad."

After speaking, his fingers flew through more hand seals. He activated some unknown Secret Technique, and the True Yuan in his body began to surge dramatically, radiating a terrifying aura.

With a wave of his hand, a Top Grade Magical Artifact—a Battle Halberd—appeared in his grip. In a flash, he shot toward Shangguan Jian in the air above.

He swept the halberd forward, wreathed in overwhelming flames and carrying the force of a collapsing mountain.

Shangguan Jian’s eyes were like ice. He met the attack with a slash of his own longsword.

SCREEECH!

The two incomparably powerful attacks collided in an instant, letting out a piercing roar!

The figures of Shangguan Jian and Situ Qingtian vanished once more, flickering across the sky at lightning speed.

The two terrifying figures shattered the air with each clash. The True Yuan erupting from their bodies sent shockwaves radiating in all directions.

"Amazing! They’re true geniuses!"

"I can’t even follow their movements. All I see are flashes of light, and I have no idea how many moves they’ve exchanged," a disciple below the stage commented. He had been in the Inner Sect for two years but was still at the Spiritual Martial Ninth Layer Late Stage.

"Truly incredible. I never thought they’d break through to the True Martial Realm so quickly."

"As expected of prodigies with the Fire Spirit Body and Sword Spirit Bone!"

The surrounding disciples marveled.

Some also brought up that the reason for Shangguan Jian’s challenge was related to Situ Qingtian having defeated Gu Yun in the Outer Sect competition two years ago.

"Gu Yun... two years have passed. I wonder if he’s broken through to the True Martial Realm yet?" mused one of the disciples who was still at the Half-Step True Martial realm after two years in the Inner Sect.

"Gu Yun doesn’t have a Fire Spirit Body or a Sword Spirit Bone, or any other special constitution. How could he possibly break through to the True Martial Realm so quickly?"

"But he beat Shangguan Jian back in the Outer Sect competition. If Shangguan Jian can reach the True Martial Realm, why couldn’t he?"

"You aren’t him, so how could you possibly know?"

The crowd of Cultivators bickered back and forth like common mortals.

Up on the stage,

Situ Qingtian spotted a slight opening in Shangguan Jian’s defense. Instantly, the flames enveloping him surged into his Battle Halberd.

He then swung it in a wide arc toward Shangguan Jian, carrying both the weight of a crashing mountain and the speed of a lightning strike.

’Not good!’ Shangguan Jian thought in alarm. He was unable to withstand the mountain-crushing force.

He was sent flying like a cannonball, shooting off the arena stage at extreme speed.

CRASH! Shangguan Jian slammed into the ground below the stage, the impact sending out a tremor and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Situ Qingtian brandished his Battle Halberd and boomed with arrogance, "Anyone I defeat is destined to forever gaze upon my back."

"Oh, is that so? In that case, I’d like to ask for a lesson myself."

A cheerful voice called down from high above.

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