Chapter 4

In the martial arts building of the Dual Saber Sect.

Watching the old man with white hair leave, Li Ke's expression grew increasingly gloomy, his heart cooling to the bottom of the valley.

"Seventh-rank martial soul, it turns out to be the lowest rank of martial soul!"

Such a reality was something Li Ke could hardly bear. After the Martial Formation Realm, cultivation mainly focused on the martial soul, which was completely different from the Qi Condensation Realm, where cultivation primarily depended on one's talent.

Cultivating the martial soul, the rank of the martial soul was the most important. This was similar to the talent in the Qi Condensation Realm; the higher the rank of the martial soul, the less time it took to cultivate, and the greater the future achievements. The lower the rank of the martial soul, the longer it took to cultivate, and the lower the future achievements.

A seventh-rank martial soul, the lowest rank of martial soul on the Divine Armament Continent, had seen very few martial practitioners break through the constraints of the Martial Formation Realm over countless years.

Li Ke's heart was filled with indescribable bitterness. He had reached the ninth level of the Qi Condensation Realm twice, all for this day, but the result before him...

"Ultimately, I'm still a waste!"

Muttering to himself, Li Ke walked out the door with a blank expression.

After enduring for one and a half years, training hard, enduring cold glances, and experiencing life and death multiple times... but all of this resulted in such an outcome, it was unwillingness, helplessness... it was the indomitable spirit in his heart.

Outside the martial arts building, the atmosphere was extremely tense, almost to the point of being unbearable.

Li Ke, a youth who had endured for one and a half years, had advanced from the first level of the Qi Condensation Realm to the late ninth level in just two years. Such a terrifying cultivation speed was unmatched by the entire Dual Saber Sect, the entire Cold State, and the entire Southern Heaven Dynasty, with no one able to match it.

Such terrifying talent directly alarmed the entire Dual Saber Sect, from the Sect Leader Yi Dai, the thirteen major elders, the various managers, the four thousand disciples, to the six thousand miscellaneous servants...

"Screech!"

The sound of the door opening instantly drew the attention of countless people. All eyes from the entire Dual Saber Sect turned to him.

The wooden door of the martial arts building slowly opened, and Li Ke, dressed in white, walked out. He looked up, first in surprise, but then with a calm and disappointed expression.

"Li Ke, how did it go? Your..." Elder Ximen Wushuang asked anxiously, a question that was on everyone's mind at that moment.

But Li Ke ignored him, passing by the few people without any expression.

"What's going on?" Ximen Wushuang was taken aback, looking at Li Ke's departing back, and then at Yi Dai and the others with a puzzled expression.

"I don't know!" Yi Dai's face darkened, already guessing the answer to some extent. He flicked his sleeve and hurriedly walked into the martial arts building, followed by all the elders.

"Brother..." Ling Yun called out worriedly, seeing Li Ke's disappointed face.

Li Ke waved his hand and said in a low voice, "I'm fine, I'll go back first!"

...

After returning to the outer gate's private courtyard, Li Ke fell onto the bed and fell asleep immediately. Two years of cultivation had accumulated too much in his body—tiredness, injuries, pain, and the deep-seated determination buried in his heart, all of which made him think about how to return strongly to the place that had abandoned him. Now, his long-held dream had been realized, which should have been a good start, but reality was so cruel, like dodging a punch only to be hit from behind!

This made his life lose much of its luster for a moment.

He slept very soundly, very soundly...

...

"Brother, you're awake?"

Li Ke slept for a whole day and night, only waking up in the afternoon of the next day. A familiar voice came from his ear—none other than his best brother, Ling Yun.

He closed his eyes tightly, feeling that his entire body ached terribly, and his limbs were barely under control. After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, feeling much more comfortable.

"Brother, are you okay?"

Ling Yun asked with great concern. After Li Ke left in a gloomy mood yesterday, the Sect Leader and the thirteen elders of the Dual Saber Sect immediately rushed into the martial arts building. Subsequently, the news of Li Ke's red seventh-rank flying knife martial soul spread throughout the entire Dual Saber Sect.

A red seventh-rank flying knife martial soul was almost the worst of all martial souls. The flying knife had too little power, and even if one reached the Martial Formation Realm and could release the martial soul for long-distance attacks, the power was still not strong enough. Unless one had the opportunity to be refined by the most miraculous heaven and earth energy on the Divine Armament Continent, making the martial soul more fierce and powerful.

However, heaven and earth energy was extremely rare, and even on the entire Divine Armament Continent, it was hard to come by.

The Dual Saber Sect was still in heated discussion about Li Ke's martial soul. Some were speechless, some were amazed, and some were disappointed, but the most common reaction was excitement.

Many inner gate disciples were already eager to try to dampen Li Ke's spirit.

"I'm fine!" Li Ke waved his hand. Two years of intense cultivation had kept him in a highly tense state. Yesterday's disappointment made him relax both mentally and physically. After a deep sleep, his mindset became much calmer.

"What does it matter if it's a seventh-rank martial soul? Will I, Li Ke, be defeated by such a problem? What others cannot do, I, Li Ke, must do, and I must succeed!"

After waking up, Li Ke's ambitious heart burned again.

"I've experienced being framed, losing my qi in one night, and being expelled from my family. I've cultivated the ninth level of the Qi Condensation Realm twice. I'm not afraid of these things. What else should I be afraid of?"

"It's just that the rank of my martial soul is a bit low. Is that a big deal for me?"

"Techniques, martial arts, body techniques... what the Dual Saber Sect doesn't have, I do!"

At this moment, Li Ke thought of many past events, the details of what had happened to him, the clan members who had framed him, the relatives who had driven him away, and the humiliations he had endured over the past two years. These memories made his resolve even stronger.

"Brother Yun, how long have I been sleeping?"

"One day and one night!"

"What did the sect say about my seventh-rank martial soul?" Li Ke's lips were slightly bitter, originally hoping for a rise, but now faced with such a situation.

Ling Yun thought for a moment, his face looking somewhat difficult. He hesitated about whether to speak.

"Brother Yun, just say it. If I can't handle such a small storm, my future achievements will only stop at the Martial Formation Realm!" Li Ke's face became serious, his determination already set, and he no longer cared about the sect's arrangements for him.

"Right! That's my brother!" Ling Yun was inspired by Li Ke's words, his face firm, and he said heavily, "Brother has a bright future. What does a small matter like this matter? Although the seventh-rank martial soul is a bit low, there are still people on the Divine Armament Continent who have broken through the constraints of the Martial Formation Realm. Ling Yun believes that Brother can definitely do it!"

Li Ke's face relaxed, and he chuckled, "Brother Yun, I've experienced such ups and downs twice. Only you have stood by me. This kindness, I, Li Ke, will never forget. Now, quickly tell me how the sect has arranged for me."

Ling Yun nodded, a flash of anger in his eyes, and said resentfully, "The sect sent a message this morning, assigning Brother to the inner gate's Iron Horse House—training iron horses!"

"Ha ha..." Hearing this arrangement, Li Ke showed no reaction, not a trace of anger, but instead smiled calmly.

This made Ling Yun feel strange, and he asked softly, "Brother, are you okay?"

For such a result, if Li Ke said he wasn't angry, it would be a lie. But even if he was angry, what could he do?

"You will eventually regret what you have done!"

Li Ke thought bitterly.