If an outer disciple could unleash twenty-seven strands of Blaze-Thunder Force with the Blaze Thunder Art, it wouldn't be surprising.
After all, the basic requirement for the Inner Gate examination was the Fifth Layer of the Innate Realm and Minor Art Success in one Immortal Art.
But if this matter concerned Gu Qingfeng, it couldn't help but astonish people.
Li Ziheng seemed to realize something and demanded, "How dare you steal and learn my Yunxia Sect's Immortal Art!"
"What do you mean by that?"
Gu Qingfeng stood there quietly, his calm and indifferent face still wearing a gentle, casual smile like a spring breeze. "How have I stolen and learned an Immortal Art?"
"This Blaze Thunder Art was created by the founding ancestor of our Yunxia Sect. Non-sect disciples are forbidden from practicing it. You've only been at Yunxia Sect for a few days, and you've only been an outer disciple for three days. If you hadn't stolen and learned the Blaze Thunder Art before, how could you have cultivated it to Minor Success?"
"Elder Li, I was the one who gave the Blaze Thunder Art to Gu Qingfeng three days ago. I can testify to that."
Fei Kui stepped forward and responded truthfully.
"Hmph! Fei Kui! What do you mean by that? Are you saying he cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to Minor Success in just three short days? Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"
Fei Kui didn't respond this time. Even the humble smile at the corner of his mouth disappeared, replaced by a look of bewilderment. Because he too couldn't figure out how Gu Qingfeng had cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to Minor Success. If it really was three days...
That was simply impossible. No one could do it. No one...
But if Gu Qingfeng had practiced the Blaze Thunder Art before, that also seemed impossible, right?
If that were the case, why would the old master have sent him to deliver those cultivation manuals? Wouldn't that be redundant?
He didn't understand. Truly didn't understand.
Gu Qingfeng looked at Li Ziheng and smiled. "The Blaze Thunder Art is just a simple spell. What's so surprising about cultivating it to Minor Success in three days?"
"Hahaha! A simple spell? And cultivating it to Minor Success in three days? What arrogance!"
Li Ziheng laughed heartily, glaring furiously at Gu Qingfeng, his expression rather ferocious. He roared angrily, "Do you dare claim you truly used only three days to cultivate the Blaze Thunder Art to Minor Success?"
"Why wouldn't I dare?"
Clad in snow-white robes, Gu Qingfeng stood with his hands behind his back. His tall, straight posture was like a solitary peak or a lone sword. His plain expression held neither sorrow nor joy, only a faint casualness. His deep, dark eyes were as still as a silent sea—a stillness so profound it was frightening, as if even the collapse of the heavens could not disturb this tranquility.
"Minor Success is nothing. Even Great Achievement would be insignificant."
Hearing 'Great Achievement,' Li Ziheng laughed even more scornfully and angrily. "With you?"
"With me."
"A Foundation Establishment failure dares to boast shamelessly before me? Truly ignorant of life and death! And 'Great Achievement would be insignificant'? Hahaha! The ignorance of the fearless is utterly laughable..." Before he could finish, Gu Qingfeng slightly raised his hand. Light flickered at his fingertips. With a snap of two fingers, a fiery thunderbolt suddenly appeared in the air—the Blaze Thunder Art. It was also two meters long, but different in that this Blaze Thunder contained thirty-six strands of Blaze-Thunder Force.
Thirty-six strands of Blaze-Thunder Force...
That was already Great Achievement.
Heavens! He really had cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to Great Achievement.
"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean I can't."
Gu Qingfeng spoke lightly. With another wave of his hand, another thunderclap erupted. This thunderbolt was also the Blaze Thunder Art, also two meters long, but different in that it contained forty-five strands of Blaze-Thunder Force.
Heavens! Forty-five strands of Blaze-Thunder Force.
"How much do you truly know of the Immortal Dao? How much do you understand of Immortal Arts?"
As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng waved his hand and unleashed another Blaze Thunder Art. This Blaze Thunder exploded, and when the crowd looked over, it contained a full fifty-four strands of Blaze-Thunder Force.
"You...!" Li Ziheng's face turned ashen, his expression utterly ugly. Pointing at Gu Qingfeng, his eyes wide with rage and humiliation.
Beside him, True Being Feixue also frowned deeply, gazing at him with suspicion and surprise.
She was like this, and Elder Rende was also quite astonished.
As for how this young man before them had unleashed the Blaze Thunder Art with fifty-four strands of Blaze-Thunder Force, he didn't know and also doubted the possibility of the three-day claim. But now it no longer mattered. Even if it wasn't three days, even if he had practiced before, being able to cultivate to this level at such a young age was enough to prove his talent and comprehension were extraordinary.
Although the Blaze Thunder Art was a basic spell of Yunxia Sect, it was created by the founding ancestor. Easy to learn, difficult to master. For a young man in his early twenties to cultivate the Blaze Thunder Art to produce fifty-four strands of Blaze-Thunder Force at this age—forget among outer disciples, even within the Inner Gate, such individuals could be counted on one hand.
"Impossible! Utterly impossible!"
Li Ziheng gnashed his teeth in anger, pointing at Gu Qingfeng and shouting furiously, "He must have stolen and learned it before!"
Gu Qingfeng chuckled softly and said calmly, "The heavens and earth are vast, filled with infinite mysteries. It's fine if you don't know, but you must learn reverence. I've said it before: nothing in this world is absolute. Your ignorance only proves your own lack of knowledge. To think you've cultivated for over two hundred years, yet your vision remains so shallow and your state of mind so impetuous. Should I call you laughable or pitiable?"
"How dare you!"
Li Ziheng immediately flew into a rage, standing up and shouting, "How dare you disrespect this Elder!"
Gu Qingfeng looked at him, just looked, smiling as he looked, and said softly, "If you respect me, I will respect you. If you don't respect me, why should I respect you? What about you is worthy of my respect? Tell me, and if I'm satisfied, I'll respect you a little."
"You!"
Li Ziheng was furious, his face flushed red with anger, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably. Faced with the exceptionally calm Gu Qingfeng, he very much wanted to teach him a lesson, but ultimately did not. Not because he didn't dare, but because he couldn't. After all, this was the examination platform at the Trial Grounds, a solemn place. There were so many disciples around, and most importantly, Elder Rende was here.
The examination continued. The final test: the Dragon Gate.
This test assessed the heart of perseverance.
It wasn't exactly difficult, nor was it simple. It only required willpower.
For Gu Qingfeng, this thing was completely child's play. He passed it easily and casually.
Thus, the examination concluded.
Gu Qingfeng successfully advanced to become an Inner Gate disciple.
Even though Li Ziheng had a thousand reasons to be unwilling and resentful, he had no choice but to agree.
Similarly, True Being Feixue was also unwilling, but more than that, she was suspicious. No matter what, she never expected Gu Qingfeng to come and take the Inner Gate examination, let alone pass it. That pure spiritual power, and the Blaze Thunder Art containing fifty-four strands of Blaze-Thunder Force, etc.—all of it left her deeply suspicious.
Of course, suspicion was one thing. Suspicion did not mean acceptance. But as things stood, Gu Qingfeng becoming an Inner Gate disciple was a foregone conclusion, and she could do nothing about it.
"Gu Qingfeng, don't think that just because you've become an Inner Gate disciple, you've earned my recognition. I tell you, impossible! I've said it before: you are not worthy of my disciple. Never will be."
True Being Feixue's arrogant, heartless, and disdainful voice came through. Gu Qingfeng glanced at her, smiled, a very bright smile.
"And I advise you to learn to be low-key. Don't think that just because you've cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to produce fifty-four strands of Blaze-Thunder Force, you're something special. I tell you, this is nothing. Many disciples in the sect can produce fifty-four strands of Blaze-Thunder Force. They just know how to keep a low profile."
Did the sect really have many disciples who could unleash the Blaze Thunder Art with fifty-four strands of Blaze-Thunder Force?
The answer was no.
Not many at all.
Although the Blaze Thunder Art was a basic Immortal Art of Yunxia Sect and a required subject, any Immortal Art was easy to learn but hard to master. Many might be able to produce three nines twenty-seven strands of Blaze-Thunder Force with the Blaze Thunder Art, and quite a few could produce four nines thirty-six strands. But those who could produce five nines forty-five strands were not many. Between four nines and five nines was a watershed. Those who could produce six nines fifty-four were even fewer—it required high comprehension and perseverance. As for seven nines sixty-three strands...
That was rarer still.
True Being Feixue said this merely to imply that Gu Qingfeng was deliberately showing off.
Gu Qingfeng paid no heed to this. Since he had already passed the examination, he turned to leave.
But just as he stepped off the platform, a sharp shout came from behind!
"Halt!"