"Yu En’s claw skills are indeed impressive," spoke Yang Wang, one of the Four Great Dharma Kings of the Black Hawk Sect, known as the ’White Eyebrow Eagle King’.

’Nine-Clawed Dragon King’ Yu En mastered nine claw skills, while Yang Wang specialized in the ’Eagle Claw’.

"Lu Wanwan’s Qinggong movement technique is quite adept, comparable to Ding Xiang from the last tournament," laughed Hui Zhenzi, one of the Three Saints of Wuji Palace, known as ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’.

Hui Zhenzi, renowned for being the best in Qinggong until Yan Chuan and Ding Xiang had proven themselves.

"Mo Yunjian’s saber skills are commendable," said Gongsun Diying, the Second City Lord of Wushan City and a member of the ’Wushan Double Masters’ known as ’Cloud-climbing Hand’. He also practiced with sabers.

"Wan Yiming, that young man fits my taste!" Xin Zhuang, one of the Eight Great Vajra of Eight Phases Mountain, excelled in Cross Refining, and ’Little Mountain God’ Wan Yiming was the only one among the newcomers to be acclaimed as a genius with such skills.

The second generation of Cang Mountain Sword Discussion talented newcomers included—

’Tai Chi Boxing’ Yu Jinpeng.

’Baji Fist’ Jin Yutang.

’Nine-Clawed Dragon King’ Yu En.

’River Flying Flower’ Lu Wanwan.

’White-Clothed God Ear’ Guli.

’Linglong Jade Hand’ Yu Shengyan.

’Little Mountain God’ Wan Yiming.

’Floral Saber’ Mo Yunjian.

...

The masters spoke one by one, not directly stating their intentions to take on disciples, but the implication was clear - they were marking their interests, afraid of losing face if these individuals refused to acknowledge them.

However, with these masters speaking out, and even colliding at times, they were only focusing on the newcomers, adding perhaps Gao Changyi and Shi Qingke from the lower ranks of last year’s discussion.

As for Yu Jinpeng, Jin Yutang, even Yu Shengyan and Guli, nobody ’claimed’ them.

Moreover, this year’s top-tier and second-tier veterans of the Sword Discussion who stood out—

Peng Fannian, Ban Xianfu, Jing Bao, Wang Ge, Fu Yunzhan, Ma Hongniang.

Liu Xin, Guo Xi, Zhuge Zhen, Cai Ru’an, Chi Gao, Shen Xia.

No one chose them.

Everyone tacitly avoided them.

It was peculiar.

Yet normal.

All the masters present were aware that in just a year, the huge advancement of these first-generation talents in the Sword Discussion was all due to the guidance of Yan Chuan.

Under Yan Chuan’s mentorship, they made rapid progress in a year, dominating the second Sword Discussion, their ambitions sky-high, even while contemporaries like Ding Xiang, Situ Fei, Ying Jifeng, Luo Qi were proving Dao, aiming for Innate, likely dismissing these old fellows altogether.

Want to recruit them as disciples?

No, no, no!

Better not to bring humiliation upon oneself.

These individuals had been spoiled by Yan Chuan; although they were ideal candidates for disciples, winning them over was unthinkable!

Rather than embarrassing oneself knowing it’s futile, it was better to focus efforts on the second generation of newcomers.

These individuals had limited exposure, plus the reputation of these elders preceded them, and with their age, aptitude, prestige, and background, it offered some hope of persuading one or two to become disciples, joining the sect.

"So that’s what it’s about!" Yang Wang glanced around, and suddenly became enlightened: "Getting Sword Lord to recruit Yu Shengyan and Master Xiao Luo to recruit Guli was just a setup, to bring the topic to the forefront and have the masters present split the second generation newcomers before City Lord Yan arrives! After all, once City Lord Yan comes, with his martial arts lectures and guidance, everyone raves about it, who would still want to become our disciples? This is preventing City Lord Yan from stepping in!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

High in the clouds.

The masters were silent.

The Emperor Yan said nothing.

The atmosphere was awkward!

...

"Eh?"

"What’s going on?"

Ding Xiang arrived just in time, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

Chen Ze laughed, "The Eagle King was just joking, everyone is picking disciples."

Luo Qi also laughed, "In this Sword Discussion, there is a newcomer referred to as ’River Flying Flower’ named Lu Wanwan, whose Qinggong movement technique is not inferior to that of Junior Sister in the past. Junior Sister, are you interested in taking a disciple? However, if you want this disciple, you’ll have to compete with Elder Hui Zhenzi."

Chen Ze and Luo Qi changed the subject.

The awkward atmosphere was instantly shattered.

Yang Wang, knowing he had revealed the shortcomings of everyone, incited public outrage, kept his mouth shut and observed silently, saying nothing.

Yang Wang remained silent.

Finally, the scene was harmonious.

Over here, Ding Xiang hadn’t yet responded, when behind her, ’Flying Bodhisattva’ Situ Fei arrived elegantly, her eyes fixed only on Ding Xiang: "Junior Sister’s Qinggong is impressive!"

Situ Fei was not flattering Ding Xiang this time. They had departed from Ci State’s Star Gate connected to Tan Valley Realm simultaneously, Situ Fei being Innate Fourth Layer, while Ding Xiang was only Innate First Layer, with a stark difference in cultivation, yet Situ Fei couldn’t surpass Ding Xiang.

Innate Fourth Layer couldn’t surpass Innate First Layer!

It was evident Ding Xiang’s Qinggong movement technique had truly been imparted by Yan Chuan.

"Sister gave me quite a scare!" Ding Xiang thought her Qinggong wasn’t weak against others, but Situ Fei’s advancement frightened her: "Already reached Fourth Layer!"

Indeed!

Already reached Fourth Layer!

The crowd was amazed. What kind of monstrous figures emerged from the first Sword Discussion?

’Sword Lord’ Chen Ze had just entered Innate not long ago, yet could slay the veteran master Shen Gongtu.

’Enchanting Demon’ Ding Xiang, though Innate First Layer, achieved an incredible level in Qinggong movement. When she arrived, many veteran masters there didn’t even react in time.

’Flying Bodhisattva’ Situ Fei was even more outrageous, having proven Dao for only so long, starting the same day as Yan Chuan, barely over six months, yet in a mere half-year, she broke through four layers, reaching the First-Rank Peak?

The masters present looked at Chen Ze, then Ding Xiang, and finally Situ Fei, almost doubting whether years of cultivation were all in vain!

The difference between people is sometimes greater than that between humans and dogs!

At the summit of Cang Mountain.

With the arrival of new innate masters, the first batch of Sword Discussion geniuses like Chen Ze, Luo Qi, Ding Xiang, and Situ Fei, the atmosphere in the cloud became increasingly lively.

Counting them.

Seven people from the first Sword Discussion had proven Dao, excluding Ying Jifeng, leaving only Yan Chuan and Wang Zhengyi absent.

Initially, it was thought that Chen Ze and four others arrived early, and Yan Chuan and Wang Zhengyi would follow shortly.

But they did not.

One day, two days.

Three days, five days.

Until six or seven days passed, Yan Chuan did not come, and Wang Zhengyi did not come.

Great Yan Hongwu, June 20, the first day of the second phase of the second Cang Mountain Sword Discussion.

The two of them had still not arrived.

...

Yan Chuan and Wang Zhengyi were very busy.

First, Wang Zhengyi—

His ’Monkey King Avatar’ always stayed with Yan Chuan, inseparable, serving as Yan Chuan’s retreat, not to be used lightly.

The ’Alligator Beast Avatar’ was still trapped within the Hunxi Territory of the Jinze Region, outside Nanxiong City, in the Ten Dragon Pond of Nanyue Lake, suffering but finding joy, dedicated to refining the ’Fire Bud Crystal’.

As for his true self.

Publicly, he was in the Tan Valley Realm, but in reality, with the Tan Valley Realm located within the Mountain and Sea Realm, where Great Experts fly and escape, it might not be safe. Wang Zhengyi, being cautious, spent most of his time in the Great Yan, hiding in the Suanzao Mountain, ready to travel between Great Yan and Tan Valley Realm, always prepared to assist Yan Chuan.

’Monkey King Avatar’, often asleep.

True self, often asleep.

Only the ’Alligator Beast Avatar’ focused on cultivation.

The Ten Dragon Pond of Nanyue Lake was renowned for its ’Nine Lives and One Death’, yet Wang Zhengyi staying in it discovered: "The water is a thousand feet deep, piercingly cold, able to neutralize the irritable heat and fire energy while refining ’Fire Bud Crystal’, allowing me to advance rapidly."

Out of error, came a stroke of luck!

Misfortune turned to fortune!

Wang Zhengyi’s ’Alligator Beast Avatar’, initially entering the ’Ten Dragon Pond’ out of desperation, found safety but unexpectedly discovered it to be the perfect place to refine the ’Fire Bud Crystal’.

"While outside, at most I could refine a little more than two and less than three a month."

"Yet inside the Ten Dragon Pond, the increase is more than tenfold!"

"Entered the Ten Dragon Pond on March 13, during which I was refining the fifth Fire Bud Crystal, but in these short three months, I have refined the 99th Fire Bud Crystal!"

March 13!

June 20!

In just over three months, Wang Zhengyi’s refining of Fire Bud Crystals was approaching a hundred, based on the count—

"99 Crystals!"

"Thirteen Layers of Physique!"

Yan Chuan was speechless.

He truly admired Wang Zhengyi’s luck; escaping death, seeking life amidst danger, finding such an opportunity, three months, 99 crystals, Wang Zhengyi refining Fire Bud Crystals in the Ten Dragon Pond even matched Yan Chuan’s fast training with the ’Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield’ Third Form ’Golden River’.

Yan Chuan underwent body refinement, through life and death.

Wang Zhengyi, however, in Ten Dragon Pond experienced the Ice and Fire Ninth Heaven, enjoying it immensely.

Comparing people is infuriating!

Truly, there is no sense of fairness.

"Haha!" Wang Zhengyi also felt fortunate: "I originally thought to come out early, but now I don’t want to. If I stay in the Ten Dragon Pond for another three months or even deeper, perhaps I could refine all 211 Fire Bud Crystals without three months, achieving the Sixth Rank Physique. By then, even the Fu Family, without the War God, couldn’t harm me in the slightest!"

Wang Zhengyi enjoyed staying in the Ten Dragon Pond and didn’t want to come out.

Yan Chuan shook his head: "Even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to."

The natural arrays of the Ten Dragon Pond were dense and intricate, formed naturally, difficult to unravel even by Array Masters, though Array Grandmasters might have a chance.

But in the Jinze Region, unaware of the War God’s situation, only Zhonghang Lu of Wuji Palace in Danhu Realm’s Five Blessings City stood as an Array Grandmaster in open sight.

Inviting her over?

Extremely difficult!

"Even when Old Wang achieves a Sixth Rank Physique, he might still be stuck in the Ten Dragon Pond." Yan Chuan, seeing Wang Zhengyi’s proud smile, didn’t have the heart to break it.

The Ten Dragon Pond was a treasure ground, as well as a perilous ground.

A Sixth Rank Physique could be invincible, but if stuck inside the Ten Dragon Pond unable to leave, whether at the First Rank or Sixth Rank, even if granted a Tenth Rank Physique, what use would it be?

Just finding joy amidst suffering!

After chatting briefly with Wang Zhengyi, over here, the ’Monkey King Avatar’ closed its eyes, a look of peace, Wang Zhengyi’s main consciousness returning to the ’Alligator Beast Avatar’, continuing the Ice and Fire Nine Heavens to refine the Fire Bud Crystal.

And Yan Chuan—

"I am invincible!"

...

This year, April 1st, due to having his identity exposed by the Wanxiang Pavilion, Yan Chuan, feeling both angry and humiliated, resolved to strive with determination, embarking on the development of the true skill ’72 Transformations’.

From April to May, and now June nearly done, in over two months, almost three months, inspired by the ’Mad Demon Saber Technique’, Yan Chuan had successively created the Innate Chapter of ’72 Transformations’—

"’72 Transformations’ Innate Chapter First Form, ’Skin and Flesh Transformation’!"

"’72 Transformations’ Innate Chapter Second Form, ’Muscle and Bone Transformation’!"

"’72 Transformations’ Innate Chapter Third Form, ’Cultivation Transformation’!"

"’72 Transformations’ Innate Chapter Fourth Form, ’Qi Blood Transformation’!"

"’72 Transformations’ Innate Chapter Fifth Form, ’Yin Yang Transformation’!"

"’72 Transformations’ Innate Chapter Sixth Form, ’Divine Soul Transformation’!"

’Skin and Flesh Transformation’, ’Muscle and Bone Transformation’, ’Cultivation Transformation’, ’Qi Blood Transformation’, ’Yin Yang Transformation’, ’Divine Soul Transformation’!

These are the six forms of the Innate Chapter in ’72 Transformations’.

...