Chapter 86: My Rapid Progress to the Third Layer Peak!
After the two geniuses from the Zhou family took their turn, the entire reform team from the Zhou family entered the formation, one by one.
“Mid-third layer.”
“Mid-third layer.”
“Early-third layer.”
…
First came a series of third-layer cultivators, ranging from mid-third layer to early-third layer, with no late-third layer.
Then, there were peak second-layer, late second-layer, mid-second layer, and early second-layer cultivators, with none below the second layer.
After this round of testing, the discussions among the Zheng and Ning family cultivators quieted down considerably. Many Zheng family cultivators became serious, while most of the Ning family cultivators looked even more disheartened.
Though the Zhou family’s reform team had fewer members, they were very elite.
Next, it was the Zheng family’s turn.
Zheng Jian, without hesitation, was the first to enter the testing formation.
“Third-layer peak,” the elder announced loudly.
“Oh!!” The Zheng family cultivators cheered, creating a much louder uproar than the Zhou family’s.
It seemed they were competing in this manner.
Many young Zhou family cultivators watched silently, most of them with calm expressions.
**In the reception hall.**
The Zhou family head praised, “The Zheng family’s unity and prosperity are truly enviable, all thanks to your excellent management, Brother Zheng.”
The Zheng family head laughed heartily, not showing modesty: “Like forging steel, it takes hundreds of hammer strikes to achieve tight unity and create good weapons.”
The Zheng family cultivators made a lot of noise, sometimes cheering, sometimes teasing each other.
It was obvious that the Zhou family cultivators had tested their cultivation levels in advance, entering the formation in order of their cultivation levels.
The Zheng family did not do this.
This resulted in unpredictable outcomes for each Zheng family cultivator who entered.
When a cultivator achieved a good result, they cheered; when the result was not ideal, they teased, but not harshly.
This positive competitive atmosphere made the Ning family head secretly envious.
“My Ning family used to be like this too.”
“Unfortunately, we suffered heavy losses during migration. After entering the city, the branch families rebelled, forcing us to adopt a policy of strengthening the main family and weakening the branches.”
“Sigh, only when the main family grows stronger in both quality and quantity can we gradually loosen our grip on the branches and cultivate a good family culture.”
The Ning family head, who had been in his position for many years, was well aware of the internal problems of the family.
But he had no choice.
He was from the main family, and his background determined his stance.
He couldn’t betray the main family to support the branches. The branch family cultivators wouldn’t accept him, and the main family cultivators would overthrow him.
“Every family has its difficulties,” the Ning family head thought to himself.
He knew his reform team’s situation well. Most of them were at the first layer of Qi Refining, and the upcoming test results would surely be dismal.
Next, it was the Ning family’s turn.
With a cold face and the worried gazes of the Ning family behind her, Ning Xiaohui walked into the testing formation.
“Third-layer peak,” the elder announced.
The Ning family cultivators also burst into cheers.
Zheng Jian and Zhou Zhendeep looked at Ning Xiaohui, who walked out of the formation still with a cold face, exuding arrogance.
**In the reception hall.**
The Zheng family head looked at the Ning family head: “Your Ning Xiaohui hasn’t been reforming for long, yet she’s already reached the third-layer peak?”
The Zhou family head also looked over, showing interest.
The Ning family head stroked his beard and smiled. He had been waiting for this moment, pretending to be indifferent as he said, “My family realized late the great gap with the Lava Immortal Palace, so I requested our ancestor’s permission to use a talisman from our family treasury, called the Flowing Cloud Talisman.”
“When making this talisman, our sage used water from an iceberg spring, which contains a trace of heaven and earth’s spirituality. Therefore, it can help cultivators practice together, providing some assistance.”
The Zhou family head smiled, praising the Ning family, thinking that they indeed had a deep foundation.
The Zheng family head said, “Brother Ning, our two families should indeed get closer. To be honest, our family is currently forging a magic weapon and urgently needs extreme cold tempering methods. Since your family comes from the North Wind Country, could you lend a hand?”
The Ning family head stroked his beard: “Of course, of course.”
But he felt a tinge of regret.
The Flowing Cloud Talisman, endowed with spirituality, could help cultivators practice together effectively but had a limited number of uses.
If they could create a Jumping Mountain Pass Talisman, endowed with spirituality, according to Ning family secrets, the two talismans could interact, nourishing and supplementing each other’s spirituality. Although the accumulation would be slow, by strictly limiting the number of uses, they could achieve a cyclical utilization.
Unlike now, using a single talisman would deplete its spirituality without recovery.
Fortunately, after Ning Xiaohui restarted her cultivation, she was only in the early stages of Qi Refining, so her consumption of the Flowing Cloud Talisman was minimal.
Using this talisman was unavoidable.
Firstly, on the night of the transmission bell, Ning Xiaohui had fallen asleep from fatigue after making talismans, and had not adapted to the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art tailored for herself. She could only use the summary version understood by others, which was inefficient.
Secondly, her grandmother and other high-ranking elders had fought for many benefits for her.
Thirdly, the Ning family head also considered the competition with the Zhou and Zheng families. If Ning Xiaohui, a leader, had weak cultivation, the Ning family would suffer greatly in the three-family interest distribution.
For all these reasons, the Ning family temporarily integrated the Flowing Cloud Talisman into Ning Xiaohui’s body, helping her with her breathing exercises and mana refinement, leading to rapid progress.
After Ning Xiaohui rejoined the team, the test results of the other Ning family cultivators were not so pleasing.
The good ones had second-layer cultivation, but most were only at the first layer.
This was understandable, as the Ning family had only recently expanded their recruitment.
However, during this three-family joint test, the Zhou family elder’s announcements grew louder, making those first-layer Ning family cultivators feel publicly humiliated.
The young Zheng family cultivators, being full of vigor, sometimes burst into laughter.
The Zhou family cultivators maintained their composure, but their eyes showed increasing disdain.
Ning Xiaohui was so angry that her face turned pale. She looked at the cultivators around her and coldly said, “A bunch of useless trash!”
Ning Chen and Ning Yong returned to the team with defeated expressions; both were at the peak of the first layer.
“Since we began reforming, we have been working tirelessly, day and night, to the limit.”
“I heard that the Zheng and Zhou families provide resources for free, but in our Ning family’s reform team, only the main family enjoys this treatment!”
“Yes, if we had the same treatment and time, we might surpass them.”
Ning Chen and Ning Yong were very dissatisfied.
Ning Zhuo extended his hand, patted their shoulders, and said, “Watch me.”
Amid their puzzled gazes, Ning Zhuo stepped out and entered the testing formation.
The entire martial arts field was buzzing.
By this point, the three families’ quality was evident.
Though the Ning family had many cultivators, most were only at the first layer. With such cases being common, no one expected much from Ning Zhuo.
Yet, the brilliance of the testing formation was exceptionally strong.
The Zhou family elder was stunned. After confirming, he announced loudly with disbelief, “Ning Zhuo, third-layer peak!”
The entire place fell silent.
Many people began asking their companions what they had just heard.
When Ning Zhuo walked out of the formation, he was met with countless gazes.
The sixteen-year-old faced everyone without flinching, smiled slightly, and then walked back to the Ning family team with his head held high.
Numerous eyes followed him, including those of Zhou Zhendeep, Zhou Zhu, Zheng Jian, and others.
“Who is this person? How could he have such cultivation!”
“There’s no mention of him in the information.”
“Could the Ning family have hidden talents?”
Such questions and emotions swirled in everyone’s minds.
Even the heads of the three families were among them.
Normally, they wouldn’t pay this much attention to the family’s Qi Refining stage cultivators.
But now, with the Lava Immortal Palace at the mountain top, Qi Refining cultivators in the family were the main force exploring the palace, so it was essential to take them seriously!
The Zhou family head looked at the Ning family head: “I didn’t expect you to have such a hidden talent, Brother Ning.”
The Ning family head stroked his beard and smiled calmly: “Brother Zhou flatters me.”
He didn’t elaborate, which made the Zhou and Zheng family heads raise their opinions of the Ning family.
They didn’t know that the Ning family head had the same doubts as them!
Ning Zhuo’s return was met with cheers from the Ning family cultivators.
Ning Chen and Ning Yong gathered around with incredulous joy: “Ah Zhuo, how did you suddenly reach the third-layer peak?”
“Yeah, you’re as strong as Ning Xiaohui now!”
Numerous ears perked up, waiting for Ning Zhuo’s answer.
Ning Zhuo smiled slightly: “Maybe I’m just suited for the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art
. Cultivating this method, I progressed quickly, like a river flowing fast, making rapid progress.”
Everyone fell silent.
TL Note:
Name change:
Zhou Zhendeep to Zhou Zhenshen