38: A difference of two hundred years!

Although he mocked Zhang Yang for being foolish, how could he pass up such a god-given opportunity to weaken a powerful rival?

The price of eight hundred Purple Sun Pills in exchange for the chance to heavily injure a strong competitor.

In his view, it was simply a once-in-a-millennium bargain.

However, to invite those old fellows who had suffered in the Spirit Aperture Realm for one or two hundred years and were still meticulously studying the martial dao to take action personally, the price required was far from being as simple as just eight hundred Purple Sun Pills.

The resources needed for behind-the-scenes arrangements and promises would be a staggering figure.

Only those Core Disciples with real strength and background to charge for the top ten of this Inner Sect Grand Competition would have such boldness and capital to operate this matter.

What these old Disciples stuck in the Spirit Aperture Realm sought all their lives was nothing more than breaking through to the Profound Core Realm to extend their Lifespan by another two hundred years.

Unfortunately, after the age of thirty, the Innate Qi dissipates, leaving only Acquired turbid Qi; by common logic, the martial path is already severed.

Yet, the Great Dao is fifty, and Heaven's Evolution is forty-nine; there still exists a sliver of a faint chance!

That is to use the hand of a great power to forcibly condense a False Core!

Although this False Core can grant the Lifespan of the Profound Core Realm, its combat power is only half of it.

Even if it's only half, it is already far beyond what an ordinary Spirit Aperture Realm Ninth Level can contend with.

It's just that this method requires a person of great Divine Ability in the Nascent Transformation Realm to personally take action and enlighten them.

How could such a figure help a Spirit Aperture Realm, especially one who couldn't even break through to the Profound Core Realm?

Only those geniuses with hope for the top ten can have their backgrounds invite Infant Transformation Realm Martial Artists... At midnight, all was silent.

Inside the quiet room, Zhang Yang, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes.

In an instant, the nine great Spirit Apertures in his body seemed like nine brilliant suns, booming as they lit up!

"Ninth Spirit Aperture!"

The corners of Zhang Yang's mouth curled slightly as he felt the unprecedented abundance of power in his body.

Now, he only needed to fill these apertures with a massive amount of true essence and then find an opportunity to knock on the door of the Profound Core Realm!

"But this Saber Intent..."

Zhang Yang closed his eyes again, his mind sinking into the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, carefully comprehending that Concept as sharp as a blade.

According to his estimation, to push this sixth-level Saber Intent to the seventh-level Realm, it would take at least ten days of hard work.

The gap between the sixth and seventh levels was like a natural chasm; its difficulty seemed to far exceed the sum of the previous six levels!

Even with the assistance of Senior Jiang Dao's notes and the fact that he could increase his Saber Intent comprehension just by visualizing a precious saber.

Adding these two conditions together, it would still take several dozen days to possibly break through from the sixth level to the seventh.

"Too slow!"

Zhang Yang's sword-like brows furrowed slightly; it was still too slow!

At such a speed, when would he be able to break through the Saber Intent to the ninth level!

Breaking through from sixth-level Saber Intent to seventh-level in just a few dozen days, yet Zhang Yang seemed unsatisfied?

If anyone else heard this, they would undoubtedly think Zhang Yang had lost his mind.

Breaking through from sixth-level Saber Intent to seventh-level and still complaining that dozens of days is slow?

One must know how many Profound Core Realm Martial Artists, even if they exhaust five hundred years of Lifespan, still find it difficult to cross this barrier!

Even the true Prodigies within the Clear Wind Sect often need to spend ten or even dozens of years to cross this natural chasm!

"Continue to Cultivate!"

Zhang Yang no longer hesitated, grabbed a handful of Purple Sun Pills—at least twenty of them—and swallowed them all.

Since he had reached the Spirit Aperture Realm Ninth Level, the urgent task was to fill this newly opened Ninth Spirit Aperture with majestic true essence; the amount of Purple Sun Pills needed was definitely not small.

The next morning, as the golden crow rose for the first time, ten thousand zhang of rosy light splashed over Xuan Yuan Peak.

Zhang Yang stepped down from the peak with steady strides, his figure bathed in the morning light, heading toward the Sect's Martial Arts Stage to fulfill yesterday's appointment.

Waiting for challenges from all directions!

Along the way, countless Disciples cast various gazes: curiosity, envy, mockery, and gloating, all intertwined.

Everyone wanted to see exactly what kind of madman dared to claim he would accept all challenges from those of the same level.

However, when Zhang Yang's calm and rippleless yet implicitly sharp gaze swept over them, those Disciples with strange expressions couldn't help but lower their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

Zhang Yang treated the surrounding discussions like a breeze passing his ears, taking one step at a time directly toward the Martial Arts Stage.

At this moment, the area around the Martial Arts Stage was already boiling with people due to Zhang Yang's shocking words yesterday; it was a dense, black mass of bobbing heads, and the noise was deafening.

Countless Disciples waited with bated breath just to witness today's battle.

As Zhang Yang's figure appeared, the noisy crowd fell silent in an instant, then spontaneously parted to both sides, making a straight path.

Zhang Yang looked straight ahead, stepping onto the center of the Martial Arts Stage one step at a time, standing under the gaze of thousands.

Facing countless gazes—some burning, some scrutinizing, or some hostile—his expression remained indifferent as he slowly spoke, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone present:

"Are there any challengers today? Zhang Yang is here, waiting for one hour!"

"This old man will come to meet you!"

Before his voice finished, a vigorous low shout rang out.

A person walked out from the crowd, wearing the Clear Wind Sect inner Sect attire, but with hair as white as snow and a slightly thin, withered frame.

However, his eyes flashed with brilliant light as they opened and closed, full of spirit, completely unlike a dying old man; instead, they revealed a sharpness that had settled after experiencing the vicissitudes of life!

"It's him! They even managed to invite him! Zhang Yang is in big trouble now!" someone in the crowd immediately exclaimed, obviously recognizing the old man's identity.

"Who is it? Exactly which sacred being is this?" more Disciples who were unaware asked urgently.

"Cang Lingchuan!" someone stated the old man's name one word at a time, instantly drawing countless inquisitive gazes, eager to know the details.

"Cang Lingchuan is a veteran Disciple who has stayed within our Clear Wind Sect for nearly two hundred years!" the informed person looked around and explained with a solemn tone.

"Two hundred years?!"

As soon as these words came out, the whole place was in an uproar, with sounds of shock echoing everywhere.

One must know that for ordinary Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artists, if there is no hope of breaking through to Xuandan, most choose to leave the Sect and return to the secular world to enjoy a position of honor.

Those who can bitterly guard the Sect for nearly two hundred years are as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns!

"Correct! A full two hundred years!"

The informed person continued, "Since he passed thirty and confirmed that his path to Xuandan was severed, he resolutely stayed in the Sect!"

"During these two hundred years, not only did he not sink into decadence, but he was also single-minded and obsessed with the martial dao!"

"He has fully comprehended hundreds of Saber Techniques in the Sect's Scripture Pavilion, practicing them all to the Great Perfection Realm!"

"Furthermore, in his lonely tempering, he understood Saber Intent on his own!"

Hearing this explanation, even Zhang Yang on the stage couldn't help but develop a bit of interest in this white-haired old man before him.

To think that there truly was such a person in the world who, despite the path ahead being cut off, could hack through thorns on a side path and stubbornly study the martial dao for nearly two hundred years with a mortal posture!

As if sensing Zhang Yang's gaze, Cang Lingchuan looked up, meeting Zhang Yang's eyes, and a faint smile actually tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Just then, the figure of Elder Wang, who was hosting the duel, flickered and appeared between the two.

Cang Lingchuan casually threw a jade box to Elder Wang.

"The rules are fully known, no need for more words." Elder Wang nodded calmly, his gaze toward Cang Lingchuan also carrying a hint of solemnity.

He had also heard of this "old Disciple's" strength; it was extraordinary and not something an ordinary Spirit Aperture Realm could match.

"Little friend, I'm sorry. I am entrusted by others and must fulfill my duty!" Cang Lingchuan turned to Zhang Yang, his voice raspy but every word clear.

"No matter." Zhang Yang's expression remained calm as usual. "Whatever means you have, just use them."

Spirit Aperture Realm Ninth Level is still Spirit Aperture Realm Ninth Level! True essence has its upper limit; no matter how many years one Cultivates,

The true essence in Cang Lingchuan's body wouldn't have that large of a gap compared to the current Zhang Yang.

As for the proficiency of Martial Skills?

Zhang Yang's heart was even more like a well of still water.

A mere few hundred Saber Techniques at Perfection? How many more than a thousand various Saber Technique Martial Skills had he, Zhang Yang, already reached the Perfection Realm in?

Furthermore, he had long ago melted the essence of various Saber Techniques into one furnace, taking their spirit and discarding the dregs to create Sovereign Extreme Heaven Severing!

If there was a gap, there was only one point: the experience of combat and killing accumulated over two hundred years!

That experience of fighting for life and death with people countless times and fighting bloody battles with Yao Beasts was the most precious wealth time had bestowed upon Cang Lingchuan, and it was also the only point Zhang Yang needed to take seriously at this moment.

However, this was exactly one of his purposes for making those arrogant remarks and accepting challenges!

Besides those Purple Sun Pills, he needed this tempering of real blades and spears even more, to nourish battle with battle and refine himself!

As for getting injured?

Zhang Yang shook his head; with the Perfection Realm of the Myriad Thunder Induction Body Art operating, thunder light flowed faintly beneath his muscles and skin, bringing with it an unparalleled physique sufficient to look down upon the Profound Core Realm!

A mere clash at the Spirit Aperture Realm level—even if the opponent's experience was even more seasoned—how could they shake this body that was nearly invincible in the Profound Core Realm?