The sun hung high in the sky, illuminating the earth.

  Outside the Mixed Heaven Dao Institute's disciple hall, a long dragon-like queue stretched out, surrounded by many observers.

  "So many people."

  "I ted. There are at least two hundred disciples ier three transformations of body refi."

  "Ugh... I'm still at the sixth transformation. If you give me half a month, I'll definitely break through to the seventh transformation."

  "Stop dreaming. Today is the preliminary sing, and tomorrow we'll head to Mixed Heave for the formal assessment. Not even ara day is avaible, let alone half a month."

  The surrounding crowd looked on with envy.

  Although passing the preliminary si further assessment at Mixed Heave, it was still an opportunity.

  Even if ultimately elimihey would have been to Mixed Heave - unlike some who might never get such a their entire lives.

  Suddenly, the crowd stirred, people parting like they were making way for royalty.

  "Quick, make way! Young Master Ye Yunqi is ing!"

  "Young Master Ye Yunqi, you're the most powerful!"

  "Young Master Ye Yunqi, I want to bear your children!"

  Excited cries erupted, with many female disciples screaming frantically.

  A youth in a dark green long robe, carrying a long bde on his back, walked with an arrogant demeanor, looking down ohing. A girl in a white long dress with a sword at her waist hung onto his arm, smiling brilliantly.

  Female disciples stared at Yang Xuening with eyes burning with jealousy, wishing to take her pce.

  Ye Yunqi brought Yang Xuening directly into the disciple hall, bypassing the queue and quickly passing the preliminary sing.

  "Let's go," Ye Yunqi casually said to Yang Xuening.

  "Brother Yun, won't you take a look?" she asked.

  Ye Yunqi snorted with a ugh, not answering, his gaze disdainful.

  "Ihere's nothing worth seeing. pared to Brother Yun, they're all trash," Yang Xuening instantly uood.

  Their unbridled versation reached others' ears, causing many to furrow their brows, yet they could only endure in silence.

  Havied the previous chief disciple in one move, Ye Yunqi had proven his strength aablished himself as invincible in the body refi realm.

  Time passed slowly, and the long queue gradually diminished.

  "Where are Ye Huai and Ye Yao?"

  A Ye family member frowned and asked.

  "They left the Dao Institute half a month ago. No one knows where they went."

  "We must search. Su important matter ot be taken lightly."

  As evening approached and the su paihe sky, the long queue outside the disciple hall had long since disappeared, with most of the surrounding disciples dispersed.

  Li Xiood at the disciple hall entrance, her spirited face filled with ay, sing the horizon.

  "Why hasn't he appeared yet?"

  "Could something have happened..."

  As this thought crossed her mind, Li Xingyue's heart raced, a sense of unease growing from deep within.

  Anxiously pag, Li Xingyue's eyes suddenly fixed on a familiar figure. The figure's robes were tattered, covered in dust, rushing toward her.

  " Feng, you've finally arrived."

  Her anxious expression transformed into joy. She hurried forward, her long ponytail boung happily.

  "Instructor, long time no see," Feng said, his face weathered but with a genuine smile.

  Having spent over ten days ien Thousand Trees Forest, walking the liween life ah, it felt like months had passed.

  "Have you broken through to the seventh body refi?" Li Xingyue immediately asked. Seeing Feng nod, she urgently said, "Quick, the preliminary sing is about to end. Hurry aer!"

  Feng rushed into the disciple hall.

  "Sword Martial Branch disciple Feing to participate in the Mixed Heave examination," he annouo the elderly man behind a square table.

  " Feng, how long have you been in the institute?" the elder asked.

  "Disciple has been in the institute for six years," Feng responded quickly.

  " Feng... from the family of Ling Mountain City, ehe Dao Institute at twelve, now in his sixth year, currently eighteen years old..."

  An assistant immediately retrieved the corresponding disciple records, firming Feng's age and identity.

  "Activate your visceral power," the elder trated, his gaze falling on Feng with a peing light, as if trying to see through his body. "Not bad. Your power is robust and enduring, clearly visceral power. You're qualified. Remember, gather at the disciple hall entra the first hour of dawn tomorrow. Late arrivals will be disqualified."

  "Uood," Feng responded solemnly.

  " Feng, well done!" Li Xingyue happily patted his shoulder.

  "Did not disappoint," Feng smiled in response.

  "Where did you go?" Li Xingyue, curious about his tattered and dusty appearance, asked.

  "Ten Thousand Trees Forest," Feng replied.

  Recalling his time in the forest, fag multiple dangers, he privately marveled at how his cultivation and strength had signifitly improved.

  "Ten Thousand Trees Forest!" Li Xingyue excimed, carefully examining Feng for injuries, thely relieved to see none: "Regardless, you've broken through to the seventh body refi. With your sword and body teique skills, you'll likely pass the Mixed Heave examinatio or imes out of ten."

  "Yes," Feng responded without modesty.

  In fact, he was not at the seventh, but the ninth body refi. He had only revealed the seventh level during the sing, which was suffit.

  As they walked, several figures suddenly appeared, blog their path.

  " Feng, where are Ye Huai and Ye Yao?" A youth around twenty years old interrogated sharply, his eyes as keen as a bde, seemingly wanting to slice Feng apart.

  "Why would the Ye family's people have anything to do with Feng?" Li Xiepped forward, coldly ughing.

  "Li Xihis doesn't you," the Ye family youth said harshly, then turned back to Feng: "Speak. Where are Ye Huai and Ye Yao?"

  "How would I know? Perhaps they pyed around on some pleasure boat until they lost tact," Feng responded with a half-smile.

  Revealing that he had killed Ye Huai and Ye Yao now would only provoke the Ye family. It was better to avoid plications.

  "Don't py dumb! Ye Huai and Ye Yao clearly went to the Ten Thousand Trees Forest to kill you..." Another Ye family disciple stepped forward, pointing at Feng angrily.

  Li Xingyue's expression ged dramatically.

  "What? They went to the Ten Thousand Trees Forest to kill me?" Feng feigned shock, then visibly rexed, looking terrified: "Thank goodness I didn't run into them."

  "They might have entered danger ien Thousand Trees Forest and beeen by demonic beasts," Feng specuted.

  "You...!"

  The Ye family disciples gred at Feng.

  "You should hurry and search the Ten Thousand Trees Forest. Maybe you'll find some ued remains in a demonic beast's feces," Feng 'kindly' suggested.

  The Ye family disciples nearly exploded with rage.

  "Capture him and bring him back," one of the Ye family disciples ordered.

  The moment they moved to act, a crisp metallic sound rang out. Li Xingyue's sword was already uhed, the cold bde blog the Ye family disciples.

  "That's enough," Li Xingyue's eyes were razor-sharp, her voice ice-cold.

  "Get out of the way, Li Xihis doesn't you."

  "Do you really think you do anything to me?"

  The Ye family disciples' faces turned ashen.

  "Instructor, you don't o intervene. I want to see how they'll capture me," Feng said coldly. His eyes were ruthlessly sharp, filled with killing ihat made the Ye family disciples' pupils strict, as if falling into an ice cavern.

  "What are you doing?"

  A thunderous roar erupted from ihe disciple hall, shaking everyone's ears.

  "Everyourn to your pces. Anyone who dares to fight will lose their qualification to attend the Mixed Heave examination."

  Expressions ged dramatically.

  The Ye family disciples gred hatefully at Feng before relutly turning away.

  Li Xingyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief as she sheathed her sword.

  "By the way, Feng, did you really not enter Ye Huai and Ye Yao?" Li Xingyue, wanting to ge the subject, casually asked.

  "What do you think?" Feng responded with a slight smile.

  "How would I know?" Li Xitered.

  "I'm going back to take a bath," Feng said to Li Xih a smile: "See you tomorrow m. If we both pass the Mixed Heave examination, I'll treat you to a big meal."

  "It's a deal," Li Xingyue's eyes narrowed, her smile radiant.

  Feng waved and turo leave. Only after his figure disappeared did Li Xiract her gaze, sighing softly. Recalling Feng's previous response, a guess fshed in her mind, but she immediately shook her head: "Impossible..."

  Ba his residence, Feng bathed, the cool water a long-missed fort. He scrubbed yer after yer of grime from his body, revealing white, tight, and incredibly supple skin.

  "This trip to the Ten Thousand Trees Forest allowed me to break through multiple times, initially advang to the ninth body refi. My power is strong enough to surpass most at the ninth body refi," he thought.

  "Moreover, I've improved my Nine Shadow Body to Ten Shadow Illusion Body, learhe Wave Treading eps, mastered the Blood Burning Teique, developed the Wind Shadow Absolute Kill teique, and enhahe Wind Shadow Nine Swords to Wind Shadow Ten Swords..."

  As he scrubbed away the grime, Feally cataloged his gains.

  "How does my current strength pare to Ye Yunqi?" he pondered.

  Against oppos like Ye Huai, he was fident he could kill with a single sword strike. But Ye Yunqi's true strength remained an unknown.

  "I still have twelve crimson-veined fruits. After passing the Mixed Heave examination, I'll ask an alchemist to refihem into breakthrough pills."

  Wheime came, using breakthrough pills to advao the qi aperture realm would undoubtedly cause his strength te dramatically.

  [--------------------------------------------]

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