Chapter 4

Just as the scene around Ou Yang Jingjing's body appeared, it was like a halo around her, shining so brilliantly. The gazes that were originally only admiring Ou Yang Jingjing's beauty turned into exclamations of amazement at this moment!

Even Lin Nan, who was at the sixth level of the Foundation Establishment stage, had the smugness and pride on his face wiped away at this moment. When he looked at Ou Yang Jingjing, there was an added sense of inexplicable reverence.

Even Xi Chenzi, who was below the pillar, was the same. His seated body suddenly trembled slightly, and the tea in his mouth was gulped down with a gurgle. Looking at Ou Yang Jingjing, his lips moved slightly as he pondered, "Unprecedented!"

And the middle-aged man who announced the results, upon seeing this scene, suddenly widened his eyes. Accompanied by a collective intake of breath, he finally took heavy steps forward and announced in the loudest voice in the venue: "Ou Yang Jingjing, eighth level of the Foundation Establishment stage, passed!"

Ou Yang Jingjing smiled faintly and slowly retracted her hand.

"Ou Yang Jingjing, congratulations. You have passed the strength test. Judging from the white lines you displayed just now, it might not be long before you become a cultivator at the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment stage. After breaking through the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment stage, you will reach the Grotto Profound Realm. At that time, you will have your own sword, and with your pure soul, you will sense and cultivate your own sword spirit, becoming a sword cultivator..."

When Ou Yang Jingjing was about to leave, the middle-aged man beside her said respectfully.

Ou Yang Jingjing smiled faintly, bowed in gratitude, and without saying much, walked down from the stone platform, directly reaching Bai Shi's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, watching one cultivator after another walk up to the stone platform.

As Ou Yang Jingjing and Bai Shi stood shoulder to shoulder, many people cast envious glances, and some even used vicious looks to hint that Bai Shi should stay away from Ou Yang Jingjing.

But Bai Shi did not pay attention to these looks. Instead, he smiled bitterly in response to Ou Yang Jingjing's words and said, "It's still the same... After today, I will leave Xi Chen Village and go to Dong Chen Village."

Ou Yang Jingjing first felt a moment of disappointment, then showed a somewhat bitter smile and said, "That's fine. Dong Chen Village isn't far from Xi Chen Village. When I have time, I'll come to see you. And when you have time, you should also come to see Jingjing."

Ou Yang Jingjing spoke with a playful tone.

Bai Shi smiled in understanding, looking at the beautiful face that could calm his heart, and nodded, affirming, "Definitely."

In fact, no one knew what had happened between Bai Shi and Ou Yang Jingjing. Their relationship was not based on Ou Yang Jingjing's sympathy for Bai Shi. To be precise, it was a few months ago, one night at the stream in the back mountain, when a few disciples were secretly watching Jingjing bathe, and Bai Shi discovered them. As a result, Bai Shi was beaten up and misunderstood by Ou Yang Jingjing. After the misunderstanding was cleared, their relationship gradually grew closer.

Time passed quickly in casual conversation, and the entire strength test was gradually coming to an end, with the last one being Bai Shi.

When the name "Bai Shi" was called out on the stone platform, almost everyone's gaze turned to Bai Shi, making him quite uncomfortable at this moment.

"Hehe... This yard sweeper also deserves to be so close to Jingjing." When Bai Shi appeared before their eyes, they also saw Jingjing. Those who had always favored Jingjing naturally felt quite unhappy when they saw Bai Shi so close to her.

"Waste is still waste... Look at his cowardly appearance; he will definitely still be at the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage, just like last year."

Bai Shi did not pay attention to what these people said. After his gaze turned to the stone platform, he took a deep breath and, as he took a step forward, saw Ou Yang Jingjing's smile.

In Ou Yang Jingjing's smile, Bai Shi seemed to have boundless motivation. He smiled faintly, though with a hint of bitterness, and finally walked towards the stone platform.

Xi Chenzi's expression was somewhat solemn. He watched Bai Shi walk up without saying a word. The middle-aged man, however, remained calm. When Bai Shi reached his side, he patted Bai Shi's shoulder and comforted him, "It's okay to fail. There are many who fail. You can choose to cultivate other weapons; you don't have to cultivate a sword."

Bai Shi looked up at the middle-aged man and smiled bitterly. He was very clear that he had not even broken through the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage, and cultivating any weapon would be useless.

"Perhaps becoming a spell cultivator is not bad," the middle-aged man continued when he saw that Bai Shi did not speak.

Bai Shi was very clear that a spell cultivator was a type of cultivator who did not use any weapons but was proficient in fist techniques. Although such cultivators had a perfect set of techniques, they had no internal energy. Dealing with weak people was not a problem, but if they encountered a true cultivator, they would be defeated in one move.

Taking a deep breath, Bai Shi suddenly felt a sense of solemnity he had never felt before. Although he had already prepared to leave Xi Chen Village, he was indeed reluctant when the time came, especially for Ou Yang Jingjing, the girl who often haunted his dreams. At this moment, he felt as if he was indeed not worthy of Ou Yang Jingjing, as others said.

After calming his emotions, when Bai Shi appeared on the stone platform, the onlookers did not remain silent. Before Bai Shi even closed his eyes, various comments about him began.

Of course, among these comments, there was obvious ridicule.

Although Bai Shi did not want to pay attention to these ridicules, they still sounded harsh after hearing them for a while.

After calming his emotions, Bai Shi slowly closed his eyes. The moment his eyes were completely closed, he did not rush to extend his palm but murmured some incantations he had read in the library in his heart.

"The so-called cultivation power is a manifestation of consciousness when the mind is focused..."

Bai Shi tried to make every cell in his body jump quickly, making his blood and qi surge and generate a force that circulated through his muscles.

Bai Shi did not just sweep the floor; in his free time, he also focused on cultivation like other cultivators. However, over the years, he had discovered a problem. When he concentrated all his strength and tried to release it, his wrist seemed to be blocked, preventing the force from breaking out of his body.

This was the reason he had been stuck at the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage for so long.

"Hurry up, what are you doing up there... If you haven't really reached the fourth level of the Foundation Establishment stage, then get out of Xi Chen Village."

Seeing Bai Shi so close to Ou Yang Jingjing, some jealous people began to ridicule him loudly.

"What kind of person are you to deceive food and drink in our Xi Chen Village? Are you so shameless?"

One by one, harsh ridicule filled Bai Shi's ears. Below the platform, Ou Yang Jingjing heard this and bit her lip, feeling at a loss as to how to help Bai Shi against so many people.

Bai Shi took another deep breath, clenched his fists, and tried to channel his strength. At his wrist, there seemed to be an invisible resistance blocking the force.

"Damn, the same reaction again." Clenching his teeth, Bai Shi cursed inwardly and slowly opened his eyes. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw those ugly faces and then closed his eyes again. He suddenly swung his hand and placed it on the crystal ball.

However, the moment Bai Shi's hand touched the crystal ball, it emitted a faint white light, forming a white energy wave around his body. Within this energy wave, a thin white line slowly wriggled.

And this thin white line was in a phantom state!

"Haha... As expected, this guy is still at the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage."

"Come down quickly, haha, do you want to continue deceiving food and drink in our Xi Chen Village?"

When this scene appeared before everyone, the ridicule immediately spread through their laughter.

Seeing this, Xi Chenzi, who was sitting below the pillar, suddenly changed his expression, leaped up, and jumped onto the stone platform, shouting at the cultivators, "Be quiet!"

Under Xi Chenzi's roar, the scene instantly became silent. After glaring at everyone, Xi Chenzi gently patted Bai Shi's shoulder.

Bai Shi smiled bitterly. He felt a sense of solemnity he had never felt before. He took a deep breath, took two steps forward, and looked at those who ridiculed him, his eyes showing a determination he had never shown before!

He stood straight, looking directly at everyone, as if trying to deeply engrave every face in his mind. He slowly moved his lips, and a loud voice rang out: "I, Bai Shi, will not stay in Xi Chen Village. I will not deceive food and drink in Xi Chen Village as you say. I have my dignity. You can say what you want, but you cannot touch my dignity.

In Xi Chen Village, I sweep the courtyard every day, regardless of wind, rain, sun, or rain, without interruption. I have not received any salary; those are what I deserve. Now, you see that my strength is at the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage, but the world changes. Who knows what will happen in the future, just as you do not know why the stars fall from the sky.

What you see is just the surface. Just like your current cultivation, you cannot achieve great things...

But I believe that in two years, I will defeat all those who ridicule me now. Li Ning said, everything is possible!"

Bai Shi's words fell, and he turned resolutely, facing the uproar and dissatisfaction in the venue, and walked down the stone platform with determination.

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