C22 Zhang Ye's Fury!

Lin Tian tirelessly circulated the Dragon Gate Breathing Technique, solidifying his realm with each passing moment.

In what seemed like a mere instant, half a month had flown by. Just as the Inner Sect Test was about to commence, Lin Tian, seated in meditation within his courtyard room, abruptly opened his eyes.

"Dragon Gate Breathing! Ascend, Dragon Form!"

With a roar!

As Lin Tian's inner shout echoed, a sound akin to a dragon's cry emanated from within him, causing his body to burst forth with energy. His fist unleashed a powerful blow into the air, stirring the courtyard's atmosphere into a frenzy. The rising currents even took on the ethereal form of a celestial dragon, its head thrashing and tail lashing.

As the Qi Dragon ascended, the room was webbed with cracks. Thankfully, Lin Tian ceased channeling his Inner Strength just in time, dissipating the Qi Dragon before any real damage was done.

With the Qi Dragon gone, Lin Tian exhaled deeply, his face breaking into a satisfied grin.

"Excellent! I've achieved full harmony between my internal and external forces, reaching the pinnacle of Martial Artist Stage Level One. My next objective is to advance through Levels Two and Three within the next half month, aiming for the summit of the Initial Stage. But that will have to wait until after the assessment."

Lin Tian was aware that the Martial Artist Stage was segmented into nine levels, with every third level marking a significant milestone: the Initial Stage, Middle Stage, and High Stage.

For most martial cultivators, advancing through these stages was a formidable challenge. Yet, with the aid of his Peerless Spirit Body and the Black Tortoise Stone, Lin Tian was confident he could make swift progress. For others, ascending from Level One to Level Three could take a year or two at least.

"Now, at the peak of Martial Cultivator Level One, I'm well-prepared to pass the test. Plus, my combat strength is nearing that of the Martial Artist Middle Stage. I can't wait to see the looks on the faces of the Ye and Zhang family members—they'll be priceless."

A cold chuckle escaped Lin Tian as he envisioned the reaction of Ye Hong and the Ye family's elite.

"I need to rest up now; tomorrow, I'll dive straight into the Inner Sect Test!"

With that thought crossing his mind, Lin Tian settled into a cross-legged position.

At the Celestial Dragon Sect's Outer Sect, within the Ye family estate's grand hall, the atmosphere was tense.

"Ye Dao, the Inner Sect Test is upon us. Have you taken care of all the necessary connections?" Ye Hong, the Ye family Patriarch, asked with a frosty edge to his voice.

"Rest assured, Patriarch. I've distributed all the requisite favors," Ye Dao responded promptly, nodding. "The Zhang family, in particular, has assured us they won't make things easy for Lin Tian."

"Hmph, the Zhang family? Considering Lin Tian killed their Zhang Zhong and crippled Zhang Ye, it's only natural they'd want to settle the score with him," Ye Hong remarked with a cold huff. "But we can't put our full trust in them. They're Zhangs, and we're Yes. Who knows what schemes they might be concocting behind our backs? They might even attempt to win Lin Tian over, especially since Zhao Danhua sees potential in him."

"You're absolutely right, Patriarch," Ye Dao agreed. "That's why I've already reached out to Young Master Hsing. He should be arriving shortly, I'm sure."

"Young Master Hsing is on his way?" Ye Hong's eyes sparkled with interest. Just then, a chuckle echoed from outside the living room. "Ha, Father, I've returned. I'm up to speed on the situation. You want Lin Tian taken care of, right? Leave it to me; I won't disappoint."

Following the voice, a young man clad in white entered through the living room doors.

This was Ye Hsing, one of the Ye family's most gifted youths.

"Ye Hsing!" Ye Hong's face broke into a smile upon seeing the young man. "Tell me, how has your training journey been?"

Grinning, Ye Hsing replied, "It went exceptionally well. I've reached the peak of Martial Artist Stage Level One, and in the Divine Dragon Mountain Range's Demonic Beast Domain, I've slain no fewer than ten Human Level Demonic Beasts. I'm confident about passing this test and advancing to the Martial Artist Middle Stage within six months. As for Lin Tian, he's no match for me."

Ye Hong chuckled and gave a nod of approval. "That's my boy, well done! But Ye Hsing, when you encounter Lin Tian, don't rush to kill him. First, check if he's carrying any treasures. He claims to have been aided by Great Master Zhao Danhua, yet something about it doesn't sit right with me. We need to thoroughly probe his true capabilities."

"Father, I understand. I'm quite curious about Lin Tian myself," Ye Hsing replied with a grin. "He was nothing but a nobody before, and his sudden rise suggests he's hiding something."

"And I bet Brother Jian would find him intriguing too," Ye Hsing continued, his smile widening. "Dad, I've always aimed to outdo Brother Jian. If Lin Tian really has any treasures, they might just end up in my hands. How else am I supposed to compete with Brother Jian in the future?"

"Haha, excellent. If you can take that kid down, all his possessions are yours," Ye Hong laughed heartily, nodding in agreement.

"As for Ye Jian, I'm confident he won't raise any objections," Ye Hong added.

Ye Hsing's response came with a smile, but his eyes betrayed a surge of competitive spirit.

The 'Brother Jian' he referred to was none other than the Ye family's Eldest Young Master, Ye Jian, the family's brightest talent. At just twelve, he had awakened his Spirit Body and reached the pinnacle of Martial Cultivator Level One. Now, at sixteen, he had already ascended to Martial Cultivator Level Seven, the High Stage.

Ye Jian was undoubtedly the Ye family's central prodigy, and his presence had greatly contributed to the family's smooth progress within the Outer Sect. Ye Hsing held his elder brother in high regard but was equally driven to surpass him.

"Lin Tian, oh Lin Tian, I do hope you possess some earth-shattering secrets," Ye Hsing mused, a fierce determination in his gaze. "Only then can I reap substantial benefits from you."

As Ye Hsing's thoughts swirled with intense resolve, elsewhere, within the Inner Sect of the Celestial Dragon Sect, the Martial Lecture Hall bustled with activity.

The Martial Lecture Hall served as a sanctuary for Inner Sect disciples to train and spar. It was also a place where, occasionally, Outer Sect disciples were permitted to visit.

The Outer Sect disciples who had the privilege of being here were primarily from Celestial Dragon City and the prominent families within the Celestial Dragon Sect's Inner Sect. Leveraging their privileged status, they gained access to this place and the opportunity to mingle with the Inner Sect disciples.

At present, in the Martial Lecture Hall, a group of elegantly dressed young men and women were gathered around a young man, showering him with words of praise, their gazes reflecting sheer admiration.

"Hehe, Senior Brother Xu Zhan, you truly live up to your reputation. Silent until you strike, and when you do, it's nothing short of astonishing. Just a year ago, you were a mere Martial Apprentice Level Six, having only just awakened your Spirit Body. Yet now, a mere year later, you've soared to Martial Artist Level Five, reaching the Martial Artist Middle Stage in one fell swoop. This upcoming exam will surely be a breeze for you, Senior Brother Xu Zhan. And once you pass, you'll step straight into the Imperial Court and secure an official title. The sky's the limit for you."

"Absolutely, Senior Brother Xu Zhan is a credit to the Inner Sect's Xu family. I've always said it—the direct descendants of the Xu family are unparalleled geniuses!"

Flattery filled the air, swelling the pride of the young man in blue at the center of it all. He grinned and responded, "Thank you for your kind words, Junior Brothers and Sisters. I promise to give this exam my all and not disappoint any of you."

"Without a doubt. Reaching Martial Cultivator Level Five is already enough to qualify as an Inner Sect disciple. And Senior Brother Xu, you've advanced even beyond that to the middle tier of the Martial Artist Stage."

"Senior Brother Xu, your future is undoubtedly bright. We can only hope that when you reach new heights, you'll remember to lift us up with you."

Amidst another wave of adulation, Xu Zhan couldn't help but laugh heartily, "Well said, well said. I won't forget the support from all my Junior Brothers and Sisters. Should I achieve any measure of success in the days to come, I will surely share in the triumphs and tribulations with all of you."

The young crowd continued their effusive praise, while at a distance, Zhang Ye from the Zhang family wore a look of deep displeasure.

Zhang Ye and Xu Zhan were once considered equal in genius, their reputations in the Inner Sect neck and neck. But after Lin Tian crippled his cultivation, Zhang Ye had only managed to regain some ground with his family's resources. Now, standing in Xu Zhan's shadow, he felt a chasm between them. How could he possibly be at ease?

At that moment, his hatred for Lin Tian was intense, almost to the point of wanting to flay Lin Tian alive and completely devour him!

"Ah... greetings, Senior Brother Xu."

Once Xu Zhan had his fill of pride and began to take his leave from the young men and women, Zhang Ye didn't hesitate to follow him.

"Hmm? Junior Brother Zhang?"

Xu Zhan paused, a smile quickly spreading across his face. "Do you need something?"

At those words, Zhang Ye felt the veins on his forehead throb with frustration.

Junior brother!

He used to be addressed as senior brother by Xu Zhan every single day! And now, he was being demoted to junior brother!

But there was nothing he could do about it. The reality was that Xu Zhan had advanced to the Martial Artist Middle Stage, while even at his best, he had only reached Martial Cultivator Level One. At most, he might break through to Level Two. So when Xu Zhan called him junior brother, what choice did he have but to bear it?

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Ye bowed with a fist-in-palm salute to Xu Zhan, "Senior Brother, I indeed come seeking your assistance with a matter."

Xu Zhan chuckled knowingly, "I have a hunch about what Junior Brother Xu might need help with. It's about Lin Tian, isn't it?"

He continued with a knowing look, "I've heard that Junior Brother Zhang recently suffered a significant setback at Lin Tian's hands, even losing your cultivation, right? Junior Brother Xu, are you asking me to help you get revenge?"

Zhang Ye's body shook at the words, but he quickly composed himself and bowed his head, "Senior Brother Xu's insight is unparalleled. Indeed, that is what I seek."

Xu Zhan nodded, his eyes glinting with shrewdness, "Junior Brother Zhang, to be honest, you don't really need my help with this. Your Zhang family has plenty of talents who could easily stand up for you."

Zhang Ye's expression darkened, "That kid has ties with Great Master Zhao Danhua from the Pill Tower. My family is somewhat wary of that connection."

"And what makes Junior Brother Zhang think that the Xu family wouldn't have similar reservations?" Xu Zhan asked, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Junior Brother Zhang, I don't mean to be harsh, but aren't you being a bit too naive?"

"I assure you, I'm not that naive."

Zhang Ye cut off Xu Zhan mid-sentence with a grave tone, "I wouldn't seek out Senior Brother Xu without good reason. Here's the thing..."

Words poured out of Zhang Ye as he swiftly relayed the details of his encounter with Lin Tian. He then posed the question to Xu Zhan, "Senior Brother Xu, as someone with discernment, do you really believe that Lin Tian could make such rapid progress in a month, gaining considerable strength solely with Great Master Zhao Danhua's assistance? I have my doubts. After all, Great Master Zhao is merely a Great Alchemist."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhan lapsed into silence.

Eventually, Xu Zhan's gaze sharpened, and he responded with a chuckle, "You do raise a compelling point, Junior Brother Zhang. Very well, I give you my word—if I cross paths with this youngster, I'll assess his true capabilities. And naturally, if the opportunity arises, I'll lend you a hand in dealing with him, Junior Brother Zhang."

"Many thanks, Senior Brother Xu!"

Zhang Ye bowed with clasped fists in thanks. Xu Zhan returned the gesture with another smile, "Think nothing of it. You've recovered from your setback, Junior Brother Zhang, and with your talent, I have no doubt you'll make a swift comeback. We'll have plenty of interactions in the future, so of course, I'm happy to offer my assistance."

While Zhang Ye inwardly sneered at the exchange, his face was the picture of thankfulness as he expressed his sincere appreciation, "I'm truly grateful, Senior Brother Xu."