He knew that the monthly disciple competition three days later was an opportunity for him to establish his position in Qingyun Sect. He would use his strength to shock everyone again, let everyone know that he was qualified to be a direct disciple of Qingyun Sect, and also take this opportunity to sharpen his own strength and pave the way for the next breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
In the quiet Tianlei Cave, Ye Chen sat quietly, surrounded by rich spiritual energy lingering around him. A new chapter of his cultivation path in Qingyun Sect had officially begun, and the road against the heavens was moving forward steadily.
For ordinary outer and inner sect disciples, three days was far from enough to improve their cultivation base significantly. Most of them could only maintain their current state or make minor adjustments to their spiritual power before the competition. But for Ye Chen, who possessed a heaven-defying inheritance and an extremely solid foundation, three days of concentrated seclusion was enough to bring about a remarkable transformation.
Sitting cross-legged on the cold stone ground of Tianlei Cave, Ye Chen closed his eyes slightly, and his mind entered a state of absolute tranquility. The rich spiritual energy in the cave was pulled toward him like a tide, pouring into his limbs and bones through his pores. His meridians were like broad rivers, allowing the spiritual power to flow unimpeded, tempering his physique and strengthening his foundation over and over again.
In his previous life, he had climbed to the peak of the cultivation world, only to fall into the abyss due to betrayal. All those experiences had become his most precious wealth in this life. He understood better than anyone that the more one pursued a higher realm, the more important a stable foundation was. Many geniuses with astonishing talents often fell before the Foundation Establishment Realm or the Golden Core Realm because they pursued speed too eagerly and ignored the polishing of their foundation. Ye Chen would never make such a mistake.
Every breath he took was in harmony with the circulation of spiritual energy between heaven and earth. The ancient cultivation method in his body ran automatically, converting the surrounding spiritual energy into pure and gentle spiritual power, which continuously accumulated in his dantian. The originally calm cyclone of spiritual power in his dantian became more and more condensed, and its rotation speed became faster and faster. A faint golden light loomed in the center of the cyclone, which was a sign that his foundation was becoming incomparably solid.
Occasionally, a faint thunderous sound echoed inside Tianlei Cave. It was not an external thunder, but the sound of spiritual power rushing through his meridians. The special terrain of Tianlei Cave contained a trace of thunder attribute power, which was of great benefit to tempering one's physique and will. Ye Chen silently absorbed this trace of thunder power, allowing it to blend into his bones and muscles, making his physical body far tougher than that of ordinary disciples of the same realm.
He did not rush to attack the realm of Foundation Establishment. Breaking through was not a difficult task for him now, but he wanted to accumulate enough power to achieve the most perfect foundation when he broke through. Only in this way could he go further on the road of cultivation in the future and truly stand at the peak of the world again.
During these three days, the entire Qingyun Sect was also filled with an increasingly strong atmosphere of competition. The monthly disciple competition was not only a stage for disciples to show their strength but also an important criterion for the sect to select outstanding disciples. Those with excellent performance in the competition would be likely to be favored by the elders, receive more cultivation resources, and even be promoted to direct disciples.
Therefore, almost all the inner and outer sect disciples were gearing up, hoping to achieve good results in the competition. Some low-key disciples who had been hiding their strength also began to release their momentum faintly, preparing to surprise everyone.
Of course, among all the topics discussed by the disciples, Ye Chen occupied an absolutely important position.
Not long ago, Ye Chen, who had been regarded as a useless waste, had defeated many powerful opponents in a row in the small-scale trial, showing strength that far exceeded that of ordinary inner sect disciples. His rise was too sudden and too dazzling, which made many people feel incredible and even jealous.
Some disciples believed that Ye Chen's previous performance was just a fluke, and he would definitely show his true colors in the formal disciple competition. Some were full of curiosity about him, wondering how far this once-fallen genius could go. There were also some disciples who had already regarded Ye Chen as a strong enemy and were secretly thinking about how to deal with him in the competition.
However, all the discussions and guesses from the outside world could not affect Ye Chen who was in seclusion. He was like a peerless sword hidden in its scabbard, silently sharpening its edge, waiting for the moment to come out of its sheath and shock the world.
He knew very well that the upcoming disciple competition was just a small test on his road against the heavens. Winning the competition and gaining the status he deserved was only the first step. His real enemies were far more terrifying than these fellow disciples, and his real goal was far higher than the small Qingyun Sect.
But every journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Only by firmly standing in Qingyun Sect, obtaining more resources and higher status, could he continue to move forward, take revenge for the hatred of his previous life, and step onto the peak again.
As time passed, the three days of seclusion ended quietly.
The rich spiritual energy in Tianlei Cave gradually calmed down. Ye Chen, who had been sitting still for a long time, slowly opened his eyes. In an instant, two bright lights shot out from his eyes, like lightning, and then quickly converged, returning to calm.
His temperament had undergone an obvious change. He was still the same young man, but his whole body exuded a calm and profound aura. The spiritual power in his body was more condensed and powerful, and his foundation was as stable as a rock. He was only a hair away from the Foundation Establishment Realm.
A faint smile appeared on Ye Chen's lips.
He could feel that his current strength had improved significantly compared to three days ago. Whether it was the control of spiritual power, the toughness of his physique, or the understanding of martial arts, he had reached a new level.
The monthly disciple competition was about to begin.
He stood up slowly, and his bones made a series of clear and crisp sounds, like the collision of jade and gold. He stretched his body slightly, and the surging power in his body made him feel extremely relaxed and powerful.
"Qingyun Sect disciple competition..." Ye Chen whispered softly, his eyes firm and calm.
This time, he would not hide his strength anymore.
He would use absolute strength to crush all doubts and contempt, shock the entire Qingyun Sect, and let everyone know that the once-fallen genius had returned and was destined to rise again.
He would use this competition to polish his combat experience, push his own limits, and accumulate enough momentum for his upcoming breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The road against the heavens was long and difficult, full of thorns and crises. But Ye Chen was not afraid at all.
He had experienced life and death, tasted betrayal and despair, and now he had a chance to start over. He would grasp this opportunity tightly and move forward bravely, no matter how many strong enemies stood in front of him, no matter how many difficulties blocked his way.
He would step on the bones of his enemies, break through the constraints of heaven and earth, and finally reach the pinnacle of cultivation that no one had ever reached before.
Ye Chen took a step forward and walked out of Tianlei Cave.
The sunlight outside the cave spilled down, falling on his body, plating a layer of golden light on his figure.
A new journey had officially begun.
The stage of the disciple competition was already set, and the curtain was about to rise.