Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

As soon as these words were spoken, the private room fell silent.

Everyone present had different expressions, but a flicker of shock and complexity passed through the depths of their eyes.

Wan Shangyi hailed from the Nine Heavens Lineage, so his source of information was highly credible.

Even if this was just a rumor deliberately spread by Lu Chenming to further intimidate them, the other candidates, everyone knew that with the profound foundation he had spent nearly eight years honing, he was indeed only a step away from the True Essence Realm.

Once he successfully broke through, the gulf between a True Disciple and an Inner Sect Disciple would become an impassable chasm. For them to challenge him then would be nothing short of a fool’s dream.

Unless a True Disciple unexpectedly fell in battle or automatically retired upon reaching the age of sixty... But looking at the current top ten True Disciples, even the eldest was still several years away from sixty, right in the prime of their Martial Arts journey—their golden years.

Thinking of the near-invincible power Lu Chenming had displayed within the Astral Force Realm, a sense of powerlessness spread through the hearts of many.

It was an absolute advantage built over nearly eight years, founded upon a Supreme Heart Method and forged through countless life-and-death battles and constant refinement—not something that could be easily overcome.

Qian Baole shook his head, snapped his folding fan shut, and sighed. "Brother Lu’s strength is unfathomable, and the depth of his foundation is beyond our reach. To challenge him within the Astral Force Realm and seize a True Inheritance seat... Difficult, as difficult as ascending to the heavens! The way I see it, we’d be better off focusing on ourselves and breaking through to the True Essence Realm as soon as possible. That’s the correct path. Even if we aren’t True Disciples by then, the status and influence of a True Essence Realm Elder within the Sect far surpasses that of an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple."

His words voiced the thoughts of many present.

If they couldn’t reach the True Essence Realm, then even as True Successor Candidates, their futures would be bleak, and they would ultimately fade into obscurity.

"Yes, Brother Lu... within the Astral Force Realm, I’m afraid he’s already peerless."

Even Wu Anren had to admit this reality now.

He considered his own Swordsmanship to have progressed rapidly, having already fused two types of Momentum. But facing Lu Chenming’s immensely dense Nine Heavens True Astral and terrifyingly simplified Saber Momentum, he still felt it was an insurmountable gap.

Meng Qianxue nodded and added, "This is also the other reason I invited you all here. Since the hope of challenging Brother Lu in the short term is slim, why don’t we share our experiences and insights on breaking through to the True Essence Realm? By comparing notes, perhaps we can avoid some detours."

"The position of a True Disciple is glorious, of course, but Martial Arts is a long journey. Breaking through to the True Essence Realm is the foundation."

After her major defeat, she had clearly adjusted her mindset and set her sights on a more distant goal.

Everyone present nodded in agreement.

Faced with the practically immovable mountain that was Lu Chenming, they all tacitly chose a more pragmatic path: giving up the unrealistic idea of a short-term challenge, and instead consolidating their own Cultivation, accumulating their foundations, and focusing all their efforts on breaking through to the True Essence Realm.

First, they would ensure they could step into a higher Realm and join the Sect’s upper echelons, and only then plan for the future.

If a True Disciple seat really did open up in the future, their chances of seizing it would naturally be much greater with a True Essence Realm Cultivation.

Wan Shangyi’s gaze swept casually over everyone present. With a warm smile on his face, he echoed the group’s discussion, but he seemed to be carefully observing each person’s reaction, his true intentions hidden.

Qian Baole, Wu Anren, Meng Qianxue, and even the silent Han Xiong—these few were all of a similar mind. They believed challenging Lu Chenming was no longer realistic; consolidating their own strength and seeking a breakthrough to the True Essence Realm was the long-term plan.

Han Xiong, in particular, knew well that since he had only just recovered from his injuries, he would need to spend more time than the others accumulating his strength and making up for lost ground.

Meanwhile, Liu Yun sat to one side, listening to the conversation with a faint smile on her face, yet a flash of ineffable complexity and bitterness flickered in the depths of her eyes.

Only she knew that just three months ago, in her eagerness for success and with insufficient preparation, she had secretly tried to break through to the True Essence Realm. She had come close to success but ultimately failed. Not only did she not break through, but she had also damaged the foundation of her Dantian.

Without some heaven-sent opportunity, she feared she would never reach the True Essence Realm in this lifetime.

She kept this news a deathly secret, not daring to leak the slightest hint. If it were exposed, she would likely be unable to hold on to her position as a True Successor Candidate, and all the prestige and connections she had built up over the years would be washed away.

Right now, she was calculating how to use her remaining time and status as a "candidate" to plan an escape route for herself, shifting her focus to building power in other areas.

Luo Qianjue was the calmest one among them.

He had only recently been promoted to a candidate, and his Cultivation was still in a period of consolidation and improvement. He held no unrealistic fantasies about the distant, unattainable seat of a True Disciple.

His goal was clear: for now, he just wanted to keep his feet on the ground, consolidate his Late-stage Astral Force Cultivation, and polish his Saber Technique.

As for Lu Chenming, he felt a sense of reverence but had no intention of challenging him, at least not in the short term.

His path was one of steady, step-by-step accumulation.

He Shuang didn’t say much, her cool and distant face revealing little emotion.

She had just experienced defeat in her own challenge and had the most direct understanding of Lu Chenming’s power.

She would occasionally exchange a few words with Wu Anren and Meng Qianxue about their insights on refining True Astral and on Mental Refinement, but she spent more time listening and thinking.

Chen Qing sat to one side, quietly listening to everyone’s conversation.

Clearly, under Lu Chenming’s powerful deterrence, most of these former rivals had temporarily given up the idea of a direct challenge, opting instead for a more long-term strategy.

Just then, Meng Qianxue turned her gaze to Chen Qing and asked with a smile, "Junior Brother Chen, you seem to have been keeping to yourself lately. I wonder if you’ve had any new insights in your cultivation?"

Hearing this, Chen Qing set down his teacup, smiled faintly, and said, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister Meng. I have indeed been spending most of my time recently consolidating my Cultivation and refining my True Astral, striving to take another step forward in my Realm."

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