Chapter 53

Peng!

What made everyone almost drop their jaws was that no one saw what happened. The originally aggressive middle-aged steward was suddenly thrown to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Only the five outer sect stewards slowly lowered their arms, which they had crossed in front of their chests, and their gazes towards Li Chen were filled with solemnity.

"Damn it!"

In front of so many people, losing such a big face, the middle-aged steward, thinking it was just a moment of carelessness, flipped up and got to his feet, ignoring the pain in his body, and lunged at Li Chen again.

This time, as his fists and palms changed, he clearly used martial techniques, bringing about a more powerful gust of wind than before.

But he moved fast, and stopped even faster. The ferocity on his face turned to surprise as he approached Li Chen, and finally to fear. Pointing at Li Chen, he stammered, "You... you... are... Li... Li Chen!"

It turned out that in the instant he attacked, the wind blew away the hair covering Li Chen's forehead, revealing the hideous birthmark that covered his left eye.

Good news doesn't go out, but bad news travels a thousand miles. Although it was just one night, the news that Li Chen had fought to a draw with elite disciple Zhang Chulong had already spread throughout Nanyun Peak, and there were signs that it would spread throughout the entire Xuanyun Sect.

The middle-aged steward was only at the eighth level of Inner Breath, and with the martial techniques he had honed over many years, he could at most match an ordinary ninth-level Inner Breath realm martial artist.

But after that casual throw, he clearly knew that he was no match for the young man in front of him.

"Disciple Li Chen, I greet you, Steward!"

Li Chen awkwardly touched his nose, secretly feeling that he wasn't that terrifying.

Seeing him admit it, all the disciples on the square drew a sharp breath. Even the five stewards couldn't help but change their expressions.

But more so were the outer sect disciples, who were rubbing their hands in excitement, seemingly eager to challenge Li Chen, truly showing no fear of a new bull.

But thinking of how Li Chen easily knocked down an outer sect steward, this excitement immediately vanished without a trace.

"Cough, cough..."

The middle-aged steward was almost frightened by his respectful appearance.

"Next!"

Fortunately, at this moment, a voice with full energy came from inside the hall, giving him a way to cover up: "Hmm, very good, I am very pleased that we have a genius like you among our South Courtyard registered disciples. Go on!"

For the middle-aged steward to disrupt the order and let Li Chen go in first, none of the registered disciples had any objections, all looking at Li Chen with admiration.

In the outer sect disciples of Nanyun Peak, Li Chen's name was not the first they had heard. Even those who had entered the outer sect in the past year had heard much about him.

Of course, what was most often mentioned was how he was not afraid of the outer court steward Feng Luming and punished him.

"Thank you, Steward, for your leniency!"

Li Chen gave a slight bow and strode into the inner hall.

He had not come just to enter the outer sect, but to enter the inner sect in one go, to save the month of waiting.

Under the varied gazes of the crowd, Li Chen entered the inner hall and, with a glance, headed to the left.

The hall covered an area of about a hundred feet, with two green-black iron pillars, each about as tall as a person and a foot wide, standing on either side. These were the Spirit Iron pillars used to test the strength of Inner Breath realm martial artists.

"Name, age, cultivation!"

Beside the Spirit Iron pillars stood two stern-faced elders, and another elder sat at a table, pen in hand, recording something, not even looking up as he spoke.

"Li Chen, fifteen years and three months, ninth level of Inner Breath!"

Li Chen approached and bowed.

"Say that again?"

Not only the two standing elders, but the elder with the pen suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock.

Li Chen respectfully repeated it again.

"Are you sure? Not seventeen or eighteen?"

One of the elders said coldly.

"You should know that lying about your age will result in the abolition of your cultivation and expulsion from the sect according to the sect rules!"

Seeing Li Chen's height of about six feet, another elder also didn't believe it.

"Every word I say is true, without a single lie!"

Li Chen had to repeat it again seriously, almost swearing an oath.

It wasn't his fault. After eating cloud pear fruit in the Ancient Cang Mountains for a year without seeing any meat, who knew it would make him grow so tall.

He looked like an adult.

"Since you are at the ninth level of cultivation, come over here. If it turns out you lied about your age, I will not forgive you!"

The elder with the pen stood up and led the way to the other side of the hall, the two elders flanking Li Chen.

On the other side, where the outer sect disciples were being tested, three elders were observing the cultivation of a blue-robed disciple.

Peng!

The young man exhaled, bent his waist, and struck the Spirit Iron with a powerful punch, leaving a faint fist mark that disappeared in just a few breaths.

"Unqualified!"

The standing elder said indifferently.

Hearing this, the young man left dejectedly, and the elder with the pen quickly recorded something.

"Old Liu, come and check this boy's bones to see how old he is!"

The four of them approached, and the elder with the pen said straightforwardly.

"Do I need to check his bones? His nose is square, his forehead is hard, and his bones are fully formed, already eighteen years old. Old Zhang, are you senile and can't do this job anymore?"

The slightly lean elder with the pen glanced at Li Chen and said indifferently.

"Good boy, you almost fooled me with your serious look. I thought I was getting old and my eyes were failing. It turns out you were lying to me!"

The elder with the pen was suddenly furious and was about to team up with the other two to beat Li Chen.

"Wait!"

Old Liu held him back, staring at Li Chen up and down. "Boy, what kind of spirit fruit have you eaten?"

Li Chen, who was about to resist, relaxed and said, "By chance, I ate a few cloud pear fruits!"

Actually, he had eaten them as food, but he didn't dare to tell the truth to these white-haired elders.

"You come here, let the old man take a look. No wonder, it can't be wrong. Cloud pear fruits have the effect of strengthening the body and solidifying the meridians!"

Old Liu immediately pulled Li Chen's arm, carefully examined his shoulder and chin, and then nodded.

Hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding.

"Boy, the old man misunderstood you. Since you say you are at the ninth level of Inner Breath, let's test you here. If you pass, the old man will directly let you into the inner sect. These old friends will give me some face!"

Old Zhang smiled awkwardly.

"Thank you, Senior!"

Li Chen smiled. Although these old men were a bit rash, they were genuine.

Without hesitation, he turned and walked to the Spirit Iron, gathered his Inner Breath, and struck it with his right fist.

Peng!

The Spirit Iron did not move, but where his fist had struck, a deep indentation appeared.

"Three and a half inches, True Refinement Realm!"

The old men drew a sharp breath, their six old eyes wide open, even rubbing their eyes to make sure they hadn't seen wrong.

Under the gaze of everyone, it took several breaths for the fist mark to slowly flatten, which was the effect of the Spirit Iron.

A fourth-level Inner Breath realm martial artist, proficient in Inner Breath, can leave a mark that disappears in one breath.

A seventh-level Inner Breath realm martial artist, proficient in Inner Breath, can leave a half-inch mark that disappears in three breaths, and a ninth-level Inner Breath realm martial artist can leave a one-inch mark.

As for the True Refinement Realm, it can leave a three-inch mark that takes several breaths to disappear.