Chapter 53: Three-Inch Half-Fist Seal

  Boom!

  What made everyone's jaw drop was that no one saw what happened, the middle-aged manager who had been furious just now was suddenly lifted up and slammed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

  Only those five outer sect managers slowly put down their arms that were wrapped around their chests, and the gazes they directed at Li Chen were filled with solemnity.

  "Bastard!"

  In front of so many people, losing such a big face, the middle-aged manager just thought it was his own carelessness. A carp jumped up and flipped over, ignoring the pain in its body, and suddenly pounced on Li Chen again.

  This time, with a change of fist and palm, he suddenly used his martial skills, bringing up an even more majestic gust of wind than before.

  But he went quickly, and stopped even faster. The ferocious look on his face turned into shock as dawn approached, and finally became fear. He pointed at Lichun, stuttering: "Y-you... you are... Li... Lichun!"

  It was at that moment when he made his move, a strong gust of wind blew through Li Chen's messy hair in front, revealing the hideous birthmark covering his left eye.

  What is meant by "good news doesn't spread far, but bad news travels a thousand miles" - although it was only the work of one short night, the fact that Li Chen and the elite disciple Zhang Chulang had fought to a draw had already spread throughout Nan Yun Peak, and there were even signs that it would spread to the entire Xuan Yun Sect.

  This middle-aged man's internal energy is only at the eighth level, and relying on his many years of experience in martial arts, he can at most match up against an ordinary ninth-level internal energy martial artist.

  But after that casual toss earlier, he clearly knew he was no match for the young man in front of him.

  "Disciple Lei Chen, has seen the manager!"

  Li Chen rubbed his nose awkwardly, secretly thinking he wasn't that scary either.

  He just admitted it, all the disciples on the square took a cold breath, and even the five managers changed their faces.

  But more are those outer door disciples, one by one rubbing their fists and palms, with hidden excitement, as if they want to challenge Li Chen, truly like a newborn calf not fearing tigers.

  But thinking of Li Chen easily knocking down a foreign player, this excitement suddenly disappeared without a trace.

  "Cough...cough..."

  The middle-aged manager almost fainted from being scared by his respectful appearance.

  "Next!"

  Fortunately, at this moment, a majestic and powerful voice came from the main hall, instantly giving him a way to cover up: "Hmm, very good, I'm delighted that my Southern Institute has produced a talent like you, go!"

  For the middle-aged steward's disorderly arrangement, letting Li Chen go in first was a method that none of the disciples had any objections to, and they all looked at Li Chen with reverence in their eyes.

  Among the outer door disciples of Nan Yunfeng, Li Chen's name was not the first time they had heard it. Even those who entered the outer door disciple ranks within this year had also heard a lot about him.

  Of course, what was said most was how he was not afraid of the outside court manager Feng Luming and took action to teach him a lesson.

  "Thanks for your help!"

  Li Chen slightly nodded his head and strode towards the inner hall.

  He didn't just come here to enter the outer gate, but also to enter the inner gate at once, so as to avoid having to wait another month.

  Under the gaze of everyone with different expressions, Li Chen walked into the inner hall, took a glance around and then headed to the left.

  This great hall covers an area of over a hundred square feet, with two iron pillars on each side, about the height of a person and a foot wide, in dark blue-black color, which is actually the Phantom Iron used to test the internal strength of warriors.

  "Name, age, cultivation!"

  By the side of the iron spirit, two old men with solemn faces stood, another old man sat beside a table and chair, holding a pen and ink, recording something, without even lifting his head.

  "Li Chen, fifteen years and three months old, Inner Breath Realm Ninth Layer!"

  Li Chen walked forward and bowed his head in greeting.

  "Say it again?"

  It was not just the two old men standing there, but also the old man holding the pen suddenly looked up, his eyes revealing a shocked expression.

  Li Chen respectfully repeated himself once again.

  "Are you sure? Not seventeen or eighteen?"

  An old man said in a cold voice.

  "You should know that if you lie about your age, according to our sect's rules, you will be expelled from the sect and your cultivation will be abolished!"

  Looking at Li Chen's six-foot-tall body, another old man also disbelieved.

  "Every word of my disciples is true, without a single false statement!"

  Li Chen had no choice but to say it again seriously, and that tone was almost like swearing an oath.

  It's no wonder that after eating a year's worth of Yunli fruit in the ancient Cangshan Mountains, without even seeing a bit of meat, he actually grew an entire head taller.

  Looks just like an adult.

  "Since you are a 9th-level cultivator, come over here. If it's found out that you lied about your age, I won't forgive you!"

  The old man who held the pen stood up and led the way to another room in the main hall, with the two old men flanking Li Chen behind him.

  On the other side of the outer gate, there were also three old men observing a young disciple in green clothes cultivating.

  Boom!

  Only to see the young man exhale and shout, sinking his waist and standing up straight, a fierce punch struck the Phantom Iron, leaving behind a faint fist mark that disappeared without a trace in just a few breaths.

  "Unqualified!"

  The old man standing there said indifferently.

  Upon hearing these words, the young man left with his head hung low in dejection. The old man holding a brush quickly jotted down something.

  "Old Liu, come and feel this kid's bones, see how old he is this year!"

  The four men walked up close, and the old man with the pen said directly.

  "Do you still need to feel the bones? The nasal bone is square and round, the Tian Ting is hard and straight, the skeleton has taken shape, and it's already 18 years old. Old Zhang, are you getting old and muddled, unable to do this job?"

  That somewhat thin old man with a brush in his hand glanced up at dawn and said faintly.

  "Good kid, the old man almost got fooled by your serious look, and I really thought my eyes were getting blurry with age! It turns out you're cheating me!"

  The old man who held the pen suddenly became enraged and was about to join hands with two others to beat up Li Chen.

  "Wait!"

  Lao Liu reached out and stopped him, staring at Li Chen up and down: "Young man, what kind of spiritual fruit have you eaten?"

  Li Chen finally let out a sigh of relief and said: "This young man has had the fortune to eat several Cloud Pear Fruits!"

  He didn't just eat a few, he completely had them as his meal, it's just that he was afraid these white-haired old men couldn't take it, so he didn't dare to tell the truth.

  "Come here and let me take a look. No wonder! Cloud pear fruit indeed has the effect of strengthening the body, solidifying the meridians!"

  Old Liu immediately pulled over Li Chen's arm and carefully examined his shoulder and chin before nodding.

  Everyone nodded in understanding upon hearing this.

  "Kid, the old man misunderstood you. Alright, since you said you have achieved inner breath nine-layer cultivation, let's test it here. If you pass, the old man will directly let you enter the inner gate. This bit of face, a few old friends will still give!"

  Old Zhang smiled awkwardly.

  "Thank you, senior!"

  Li Chen's face showed a smile, these old men although acted impulsively, but they were also genuine.

  Without hesitation, he turned around and walked up to the Phantom Iron, circulated his inner breath, and punched out with his right fist.

  Boom!

  The ghostly iron thread didn't move at all, but in the spot where his fist had been withdrawn, a deep and obvious fist mark suddenly appeared.

  "Three inches and a half, calcination of true realm!"

  Several old men took a light breath, widened their six pairs of old eyes, and even rubbed their eyeballs to make sure they hadn't misseen.

  Under everyone's gaze, it took more than a dozen breaths for the fist mark to slowly dissipate, this is the effect of Huanling Iron.

  The four-layered boundary of internal energy, a skilled internal energy practitioner can leave marks on it, which will disappear with one breath.

  Neigong practitioners at the seventh level can retain their internal energy for half an inch, which will dissipate after three breaths. Practitioners at the ninth level can retain it for one inch.

  As for the realm of true refinement, it is enough to leave behind three inches, and after a dozen breaths or so, the traces will disperse.