33: A genius who has accumulated knowledge and experience before unleashing their full potential?

The Grand Elder's voice, filled with excitement and urgency, resonated like a great bell in the silent chamber, making Lin Ye's eardrums buzz.

In that instant, Lin Ye felt as if he was being stared at by an awakened ancient beast, every inch of his skin experiencing an unprecedented immense pressure!

If he answered well, all his previous inconsistencies would receive a perfect explanation, and from then on, he would be free to soar.

If he answered poorly, the greatest secret about his System might be exposed, even a tiny clue, before this unfathomable Outer Sect Grand Elder, bringing endless trouble!

His mind raced at this moment, going over the prepared explanation in his heart once more.

Immediately, his already “frightened” face appropriately showed a hint of “grievance” and “bitterness.”

“Thump!”

Lin Ye's knees buckled, and he once again knelt on the ground, but this time, it wasn't out of fear, but out of “excitement.”

“Grand Elder!” His voice was choked with sobs, full of long-suppressed emotions, “Disciple… Disciple being able to reach this point… it was all out of desperation!”

“Oh?” Elder Zhang saw his reaction, and the glint in his eyes intensified. He didn't immediately tell Lin Ye to get up, but said with interest, “Continue.”

Lin Ye seemed to have found a window for confession. While wiping away “non-existent” tears with his sleeve, he spoke intermittently with a heavy nasal tone:

“Grand Elder, please understand! When Disciple first entered the Sect, my Spiritual Root was tested as inferior, and my speed in sensing Spiritual Qi was as slow as a crawling turtle. Disciple cultivated the basic Cultivation Technique issued by the Sect for three months, but the Spiritual Qi in my Dantian was still empty, with almost no progress!”

“Disciple knew that I was not material for Cultivation, and my heart was already in despair. With the year-end assessment approaching, Disciple did not want to be expelled from the Sect and become a useless person (a useless person), so… so I could only find another way!”

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Elder Zhang's expression.

Elder Zhang remained expressionless, merely listening calmly, signaling him to continue.

Lin Ye's heart settled, knowing that his explanation had hit the mark. He continued to speak with “indignation”:

“Disciple… Disciple inadvertently discovered a tattered Cultivation Technique called the Golden Bell Shield in the Scripture Pavilion. That Cultivation Technique said that this method required no Spiritual Root, no talent, only great perseverance, and one could Cultivate a body of copper skin and iron bones, possessing considerable combat power.”

“At that time, Disciple felt like I had grasped the last straw! I thought, since the path of Immortality was hopeless, then I would walk the Martial Dao! No matter how hard or tiring, Disciple accepted it!”

“So, Disciple exchanged for that Cultivation Technique. But… but Disciple never expected that the method of Cultivation for that Cultivation Technique would be so… painful!”

Lin Ye's body shivered cooperatively, and his face showed a “fear” that was unbearable to recall.

“That Cultivation Technique requires one to constantly stimulate their own Qi and blood, day and night, to impact the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones all over the body! Each Cultivation session was like being pierced simultaneously by thousands of steel needles, or like being cut by a dull knife, agonizing to the point of wanting to die! Disciple almost fainted several times from being unable to bear the pain!”

These words were half-true, half-false. The pain was endured by the System in the background for him. But he perfectly attributed this “credit” to himself.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Elder Zhang's usually unruffled face finally showed a hint of emotion.

As an Outer Sect Grand Elder, he had seen countless Geniuses, but a Disciple like this, who, after the path of Immortality was cut off, could still possess such perseverance and turn to the more arduous and even more distant path of Body Refining, was something he had only seen once in his life!

“Disciple's Aptitude is dull, and I don't understand any profound techniques,” Lin Ye continued, lowering his stance to the absolute lowest, “Disciple only knows one clumsy method, and that is… to Cultivate!”

“The chores arranged by the Sect, chopping wood, carrying water, splitting stones… to others, they are hard labor. But to Disciple, this is the best Cultivation! Every swing of the axe, every burden carried, is a tempering of Disciple's Physical Body! Disciple relied on this clumsiest, most foolish method, combining the pain of Body Refining with daily labor, and only then… only then did I barely manage to get the Golden Bell Shield to an introductory level!”

“As for the Iron Sand Palm, it's the same principle. Disciple practiced day after day, dedicating all my free time to it, and only then… only then did I fortunately achieve a tiny bit of success.”

After speaking, Lin Ye was already “choking with sobs.” He heavily kowtowed to Elder Zhang, choking out:

“Everything Disciple said is true! Disciple being able to reach this point is entirely due to a stubbornness of not wanting to give up, not wanting to die, enduring it all! I beg the Grand Elder to investigate clearly!”

Silence.

The entire chamber fell into a long silence.

Only Lin Ye's suppressed, “aggrieved” sobs remained.

Elder Zhang stood still. His cloudy old eyes stared intently at the young man kneeling on the ground, and in his gaze, light flickered, with shock, regret, emotion, but more than that, an unprecedented… admiration!

This explanation was simply flawless!

It perfectly answered all the doubts in his heart!

Why was his Spiritual Qi Cultivation weak and unbearable? Because his Spiritual Root was inferior, and the path of Immortality was hopeless!

Why was his Physical Body Foundation as solid as a mountain? Because he was forced by circumstances to switch to the most arduous path of Body Refining!

Why was his combat experience clumsy and poor? Because he didn't understand Moves at all, relying only on brute force to resist, then seizing the opportunity to fight with his only proficient palm technique!

Everything became reasonable!

And behind this “reasonableness,” Elder Zhang saw a young man with mediocre Aptitude, who, when faced with despair, unleashed a moving resilience and indomitable spirit!

This required what kind of powerful Heart-Nature! What kind of tenacious perseverance!

“Alas…”

After a long while, Elder Zhang let out a long sigh, filled with complex meaning.

He slowly walked forward and personally helped Lin Ye, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet.

“Get up, foolish child, you have suffered.”

His voice was unexpectedly gentle.

“Disciple… would not dare.” Lin Ye stood up, “overwhelmed by favor,” still keeping his head down.

“Foolish child, foolish child!” Elder Zhang looked at Lin Ye, his eyes full of regret, “If your Spiritual Root Aptitude could have half… no, one-tenth of your Heart-Nature! Then within the Inner Sect of Qingyun Sect today, there would surely be a place for you! What a pity… what a pity…”

He shook his head, sighing repeatedly, and then, a burning light rekindled in his eyes.

“However! Who says the path of Body Refining cannot reach the heavens and earth! In ancient times, there were also great powers who entered the Dao through martial arts, becoming saints through their Physical Body! That you can, in desperation, break through the illusion and find another path, this Comprehension Ability, this mental fortitude, already far surpasses ordinary people!”

He heavily patted Lin Ye's shoulder, and with a tone full of praise, he said word by word:

“You are not a waste! You are truly someone who accumulates deeply and erupts, with great wisdom appearing as foolishness!”

“Those so-called Geniuses who only rely on Spiritual Root talent but lack any tenacious Heart-Nature are nothing but rubble compared to you! You are the true unpolished jade of my Qingyun Sect!”

Deep accumulation and sudden eruption! Great wisdom appearing as foolishness!

These eight characters of evaluation, like a golden signboard, were personally affixed to Lin Ye by the Outer Sect Grand Elder!

Lin Ye was ecstatic in his heart, knowing that this time, he had bet correctly! He had successfully found a perfect, officially recognized explanation for his incredible strength!

But on his face, he still maintained that “frightened” yet “excited” expression, repeatedly waving his hands and saying, “Disciple… Disciple dare not accept such praise, Disciple is just… just a clumsy person…”

“Hahahaha! What a clumsy person!” Elder Zhang stroked his beard and laughed heartily, clearly in a very good mood, “The path of Cultivation fears those who are overly clever! That you possess this ‘clumsiness’ is your greatest blessing!”

He reined in his smile, his expression becoming serious, and encouraged, “Lin Ye, since you have entered the top ten, you may hold your token and report to the Inner Sect. Within the Inner Sect, Geniuses gather, and resources are abundant, far beyond what the Outer Sect can compare to. This old man hopes that after you enter the Inner Sect, you must remember not to become arrogant because of today's achievements, and even more, not to belittle yourself because of others' criticisms. You must remember, you are walking a unique path! What you must do is guard your Heart-Nature and persist in your ‘clumsiness’ to the end! Do you understand?”

“Disciple… Disciple understands!” Lin Ye nodded heavily, “tears of emotion” shimmering in his eyes, “Disciple will not fail the Grand Elder's high hopes and will certainly continue to work hard!”

“Good! Good! Good!” Elder Zhang said “good” three times in a row, clearly very satisfied with Lin Ye's attitude.

He waved his hand and said, “Go, rest well, and prepare to welcome your new life.”

“Yes! Disciple takes his leave!”

Lin Ye respectfully performed another deep bow, and then, dragging his “weak” body, he slowly, step by step, exited the chamber.

It wasn't until he walked out of the Elder's courtyard and was once again bathed in the warm sunlight that he slowly straightened his back.

He looked back at the majestic courtyard, and the expression of fright, excitement, and gratitude on his face receded like a tide, replaced by a cunning smile hidden deep in his eyes.

“Deep accumulation and sudden eruption? Great wisdom appearing as foolishness?”

He murmured softly, the corner of his mouth curving into an almost imperceptible arc.

“I like this explanation.”