318: Time flies, five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Since taking Mu Tai and Gao Panshan as his underlings, the two have been diligent, fully utilizing their roles.

On weekdays, they acted as Ling Peng's spokesmen, responsible for collecting resources and handling various trivial matters.

While Ling Peng was engrossed in Cultivation, they guarded the courtyard entrance, blocking all visitors.

Even Disciples from the Pavilion Master Lineage were absolutely forbidden from entering.

"We are truly sorry, Senior Brother Ling is currently in seclusion."

"If you have anything to contribute, just hand it over to the two of us."

"Alright, please trouble yourselves to pass this on to Junior Brother Ling for me."

The visitor, helpless, took out a Treasure Box from their embrace and handed it to the two people before turning and leaving.

"It seems we'll have to find another way to approach him."

Inside the courtyard, Ling Peng sat cross-legged, Cultivating.

He knew that too many eyes were on him, and he couldn't act too outrageously, lest he attract disaster.

Ling Peng first spent a large amount of star stones to increase his Cultivation Multiplier, and then seriously studied a Formation to conceal the Cultivation Phenomena generated during Cultivation.

Day one: 100x multiplier. He Cultivated the Dao of Formations and became a Bronze Skin Realm Formation Master.

Day two: 118x multiplier. He Cultivated the Dao of Formations and became an Iron Bone Realm Formation Master.

Day three: 96x multiplier. He Cultivated the Dao of Formations and became a Golden Body Realm Formation Master.

Day four: 121x multiplier. He Cultivated the Dao of Formations, and his Golden Body Realm Formation attainment greatly improved.

Day five: 276x multiplier. He Cultivated the Dao of Formations, successfully entering the ranks of Starlight Realm Formation Masters.

After this, Ling Peng switched to Cultivating his Cultivation Technique and Realm.

One day, the Formation was suddenly triggered.

Ling Peng, who was sitting cross-legged and Cultivating, instantly opened his eyes. In a flash, he sensed the visitor's aura, and his taut nerves immediately relaxed.

"So, Revered Master has arrived."

Tad-da. He saw a pair of fair, beautiful legs enter his sight first, followed immediately by Shen Li's figure appearing before him.

Ling Peng hurriedly stood up to greet her, his face full of smiles, and respectfully bowed to Shen Li.

"Revered Master, why have you come? Your Disciple failed to greet you properly."

"Could it be that Revered Master missed this Disciple too much and specially came here?"

Shen Li glared fiercely at Ling Peng. "Shut up! You only say such irritating things."

She came this time to warn Ling Peng and make him stop the matter of "Voluntary Donations."

In the Cultivation World, one values mental clarity and unimpeded thoughts. Owing too many favors that are hard to repay could lead to trouble if it causes difficulty in passing the Heart-Questioning Tribulation.

Having said that, Shen Li casually tossed out a Storage Pouch.

"There are five thousand star stones in here, given to you in advance. Hurry up and tell your people to stop."

Hearing this, Ling Peng was secretly astonished, realizing there was such a concept involved.

He immediately agreed and promptly used a Spell to inform Mu Tai and Gao Panshan.

"How has this Formation become somewhat different?"

"Replying to Revered Master, this Disciple had nothing to do, so I casually modified it."

As soon as he said this, Shen Li instantly began to Doubt Life Itself.

Nothing to do, so you casually modified the Formation?

You have talent not only in Cultivation but also in Formations?

Calm down, calm down. The other party isn't a normal Cultivator; he's a Prodigy.

Shen Li raised her hand and waved, and an ancient Jade Slip floated in front of Ling Peng.

"This is the experience left behind by a Senior in our sect who specialized in Formations. It contains many explanations regarding the Dao of Formations."

"Since you are interested in Formations, take it and study it."

Ling Peng carefully accepted the Jade Slip with both hands, his eyes full of surprise and gratitude: "Thank you, Revered Master, for your great kindness."

Shen Li nodded slightly, her gaze falling on the Formation Ling Peng had set up, and she instructed, "Although the Dao of Formations is good, the Cultivation Realm is the way to longevity."

"Also, the Human Race's actions have become increasingly frequent recently. Unless absolutely necessary, do not go outside."

"Understood, Disciple will strictly follow Revered Master's teachings!"

In fact, Shen Li's words were slightly redundant. She didn't know that Ling Peng had no intention of going out at all.

Simply because the outside world was too dangerous, Ling Peng dared not run around before he was strong enough.

To be honest, he was extremely afraid of death and dared not relax his vigilance day or night.

Previously, when interacting with Second Senior Sister Su Jing, he maintained vigilance throughout.

The Dao of Cultivation requires persistent, diligent effort.

Half a year later, he Broke through to the Starlight Realm Middle Stage, defeated a Veteran Disciple, and reached the ninety-ninth rank on the Starlight Ranking.

In the past six months, Ling Peng's rapid progress attracted the attention of the Tianxing Martial Pavilion and even many surrounding powers.

However, as the star stones were used up, Ling Peng returned to his previous state.

The weather is bad today, no Cultivation.

I'm in a bad mood today, no Cultivation.

I'm not feeling well today, no Cultivation.

There was nothing he could do. He couldn't get star stones to refresh the System, so he could only hope the System would refresh a high multiplier.

"Junior Brother Ling, what's wrong with you? Why are you indulging yourself again?"

The Highest Rank Senior Brother was heartbroken and furious at his lack of effort.

"Alright, Highest Rank Senior Brother, I know."

Ling Peng, lying on the bed, rolled over and continued sleeping.

The Highest Rank Senior Brother had visited, and naturally, Revered Master Shen Li had also visited, but she was rendered speechless by his two sentences.

"No rush, Revered Master, there are still ninety-nine years left."

"Hehe, could it be that Revered Master is already impatient?"

"Hmph, This Seat won't bother with you anymore."

Gradually, all the surrounding powers learned that there was a Prodigy in the Tianxing Martial Pavilion who loved to slack off.

Although he possessed extraordinary talent, he loved to slack off.

It was precisely because of this that the gazes focused on Ling Peng gradually dissipated.

Time flies; five years passed in a flash.

At the Tianxing Martial Pavilion, on the Disciple Arena.

The scorching sun hung high. The Tianxing Martial Pavilion Disciple Arena was surrounded by a dense crowd, with cheers and discussions intertwined.

Ling Peng, wearing a Daoist Robe, stood on the arena stage, his sleeves fluttering in the breeze.

Opposite him was Chu Hanxiao, one of Elder Shen's Personal Disciples at the Tianxing Martial Pavilion.

At this moment, Chu Hanxiao's gaze was like a hawk's as he stared at Ling Peng, his eyes full of disdain.

He truly couldn't understand why the opponent, a slacker ranked ninety-ninth, dared to directly Challenge Above One's Rank against him, who was ranked twentieth.

One must know that in the past five years, Chu Hanxiao had worked extremely hard to improve his Disciple ranking and strength.

"Today, I will let you know the strength of the twentieth rank on the Starlight Ranking!"

Chu Hanxiao roared and attacked first. Starlight surged around him, transforming into a ferocious Star Spirit Dragon that lunged toward Ling Peng with the momentum of a thunderbolt.

Seeing this, the crowd below the stage collectively gasped.

Ling Peng was unhurried, a smile playing on his lips. Brilliant starlight enveloped him, and with a raised hand, a Starlight Barrier instantly condensed, firmly blocking the opponent's Move.

With a bang, the collision shockwave exploded.

Afterward, his figure flashed, moving like a phantom across the arena. The Magical Artifact at his waist was unsheathed and stabbed fiercely toward Chu Hanxiao.

Chu Hanxiao's pupils suddenly contracted; clearly, he hadn't expected Ling Peng to possess such strength.

In a battle between Cultivators, the superior and inferior can often be determined in the first Move.

Chu Hanxiao no longer acted carelessly, circulating his Cultivation base to respond with full strength.

But Ling Peng's sword strike, wrapped in five years of Cultivation refinement, had astonishing power. With a "rumble," dust filled the sky.

"What a powerful strike! That is the Major Achievement Mu Frost Splendor Sword Technique!"

Someone in the audience recognized the Cultivation Technique Ling Peng was using.

But that wasn't the end of it. Ling Peng subsequently used many other Cultivation Techniques, all of which had also reached the Major Achievement Realm.

Everyone originally thought this battle would be a Fierce Struggle Between Equals, but they didn't expect Chu Hanxiao to be completely suppressed.

After the intense battle, the victor was decided, and Ling Peng successfully ascended to the twentieth-ranked seat.

He sheathed his sword, turned around, and walked straight out of the Martial Arts Field.

That same night, Ling Peng snuck into the Pavilion Master's Hall where Revered Master resided.

"Revered Master, your favorite Disciple is here~"

"Huh? Revered Master, you've changed your attire?"

Over the past five years, he had frequently loitered around the Pavilion Master's Hall using various excuses and methods, and Shen Li was already accustomed to it.

Moreover, because she truly couldn't stand his lecherous gaze, she had to change her style of dress, covering herself completely, so Ling Peng no longer had beautiful legs to admire.

Returning to the present, after successfully receiving fifteen thousand star stones, Ling Peng's depression over not having beautiful legs to look at was finally swept away.

Three thousand star stones for one Ten-pull refresh. A Ten-pull refresh could basically yield a three-hundred-fold acceleration.

With these fifteen thousand star stones, Ling Peng was confident he could Break through to the Starlight Realm Late Stage.

"Um... Revered Master, if I manage to climb to the nineteenth rank on the Starlight Ranking, will there be a reward?"

If possible, Ling Peng wouldn't mind slowly challenging others to gain more rewards.

"Heh heh, you Unfilial Disciple, don't think This Seat doesn't know that you've been hiding your true strength."

"For the first place, This Seat will only reward you ten thousand star stones."

"Fine! Ten thousand it is!"

Afterward, Ling Peng left the Pavilion Master's Hall and returned to his courtyard to continue devoting himself to Cultivation... As Ling Peng was fully absorbed in Cultivation, the pattern of the bronze eye quietly lit up on his forehead.

Li Jinian's Clone, which was the System's true body possessing him, appeared.

He sensed the situation of the other "Artificial Fellow Countrymen" in the Light Mark Great World and couldn't help but secretly marvel.

In just five short years, the number of "Artificial Fellow Countrymen" created by the main body had decreased from twenty to fifteen.

Except for Ling Peng, whose personality was set to be timid and lustful, the other "Artificial Fellow Countrymen" had all encountered major crises to varying degrees.

Only Ling Peng, due to his inherently timid nature, never dared to step out of the Tianxing Martial Pavilion and had encountered almost no danger.

But this situation would soon change, because signs of a great war between the Human Race and the Star Soul Clan were gradually emerging, needing only that final push...