Chapter 7

Meng Chuan couldn't help but try again. In an instant, his body, mind, and skills merged as one, and he moved forward with the blade, leaving behind a series of afterimages and dazzling flashes of sword light in the training ground.

Fast! Flickering!

This was the characteristic of the secret technique 'Three Autumn Leaves.'

His movements were fast and flickering! His sword technique was also fast and flickering!

After performing it over ten times, Meng Chuan finally stopped, barely suppressing his excitement: "Three Autumn Leaves, one leaf falls, and three autumns pass! I finally understand! I finally understand!

"I have finally reached the first major realm of sword technique—Unity Realm!"

"I, Meng Chuan, have the potential to become a divine being!"

Meng Chuan was truly excited.

At the age of eleven, he began practicing the Falling Leaf Sword.

It has been four years.

During these four years, he never slacked off, training with all his might because he knew very well that there were many who performed excellently in the foundational stage of sword techniques, and every Dao Academy had some. Combined, the eight major Dao Academies had even more. Among these excellent practitioners, nine out of ten would get stuck at the threshold of the Unity Realm for a long time, gradually becoming mediocre, and it would be a great achievement for them to reach the Flawless Realm in their lifetime.

But this was never Meng Chuan's goal. He wanted to become a divine being! His hard work and dedication had only one goal—divine being!

He couldn't forget when, at the age of six, he was tied to his father's back, and his father fled while fighting the demon race. In a critical moment, his mother even took the initiative to attack, delaying the demons.

All for his son to escape!

On his father's back, he saw his mother being overwhelmed by more demons. At that moment, Meng Chuan cried his heart out, and his father, tears streaming down his face, didn't look back and fled with all his might. Finally... Meng Chuan survived.

"Training must start as early as possible. Ordinary human bodies reach their peak at the age of twenty, then gradually decline."

Meng Chuan thought to himself, "The current first genius of Dongning Prefecture, Mei Yuanzhi, comprehended a secret technique at the age of fifteen. Just a month ago, at the age of twenty, he comprehended the 'Ice Momentum.' He can even live and train inside the Yuyang Palace."

Mei Yuanzhi, originally from an ordinary family in Dongning Prefecture, had a mother who was a maid and a father who was only at the Transcendence Realm.

But when Mei Yuanzhi comprehended a secret technique at the age of fifteen, it shocked the Dao Academy, which immediately provided him with strong support. The divine families also wanted to marry their daughters to him, but Mei Yuanzhi was devoted to his training and wasn't tempted by the divine families... Finally, on the twelfth day of the first lunar month this year, Mei Yuanzhi comprehended the 'Ice Momentum.' At the age of twenty, he narrowly comprehended 'Momentum,' and this year he has a chance to compete and a slight hope of entering the most ancient cultivation place, 'Yuanchu Mountain.'

According to the rules of Yuanchu Mountain, one must not exceed the age of twenty to participate in the entrance examination.

If one hasn't comprehended 'Momentum' by the age of twenty, they don't even have the资格 to participate in the entrance examination!

"Reaching the Unity Realm is just the first step. There are still many thresholds to cross, such as 'Sword Momentum' and 'Condensing the Core.' I cannot slack off," Meng Chuan said to himself, looking around. The training ground was very quiet, with only him there, and the trees and flowers were already green.

"What a coincidence," Meng Chuan realized. "Today is February 27th, and I broke through the day before the internal selection for the Dao Academy."

Sometimes, things just happen this way.

...

The next day, early morning.

Meng Chuan and Liu July were having breakfast.

Now, the entire Meng family was focusing on cultivating the younger generation, even inviting Flawless Realm cultivators from outside to train Meng Chuan. The Flawless Realm expert 'Meng Dajiang,' who had comprehended Sword Momentum, naturally had to play his part. He had been living in the ancestral home recently, teaching a large number of young members of the clan. As for Meng Chuan... he had received so much guidance from his father that he was already familiar with his father's methods.

Liu July's father, 'Liu Yebai,' was quite mysterious and spent most of the year outside.

"Ah Chuan, today is the internal selection for the Dao Academy. It's also your turn today," Liu July said proudly. "I've already secured a spot."

"I will also secure a spot this year," Meng Chuan said with a smile.

"Are you that confident?" Liu July laughed. "You haven't even reached the peak of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm, yet you're confident of being in the top three of the Dao Academy?"

"What if I win?" Meng Chuan asked.

Liu July looked at Meng Chuan carefully and then laughed, "If you win, I'll cook dinner for you for a month. But if you don't secure a spot, hehe, you have to give me your 'Horse Picture'! Dare to bet?"

Meng Chuan laughed.

His painting skills had long surpassed the best painters in Dongning Prefecture, partly due to the scarcity of painters.

The 'Horse Picture' was Meng Chuan's greatest achievement, a long scroll painting of a hundred horses in various postures, which took him over a year to complete. Liu July had been eyeing it ever since she saw it once. Even Yun Qingping, after seeing it once, offered to trade it for 3,000 taels of silver and two jade pieces. Meng Chuan was reluctant to trade it.

"If I lose, I have to give up the 'Horse Picture,' and if I win, you only cook dinner for a month. Isn't that a bit unfair?" Meng Chuan hesitated.

"A month! Do you dare?" Liu July stared at Meng Chuan.

"It's hard to get you to cook even once normally. Fine, let's bet this time," Meng Chuan said, gritting his teeth. "If I lose, don't regret it."

"You won't regret it either!" Liu July put down her chopsticks and stood up. "I'm going to the Dao Academy. Don't be scared and not come back this noon."

"Don't worry," Meng Chuan said, leisurely drinking his porridge. How could he refuse if July was willing to cook for him for a month?

After eating for a while, Meng Chuan wiped his mouth and walked leisurely toward the Dao Academy.

******

Jinghu Dao Academy.

After Meng Chuan arrived at the Dao Academy, he found that many disciples had gathered in the arena area.

"Senior Brother Meng will definitely win."

"Senior Brother Meng, you will definitely be in the top three."

Many junior disciples were very excited. They all knew today was the internal selection, and the Dao Academy intentionally let them watch the matches between the senior disciples of the Shanshui Tower. Because some senior disciples occasionally gave guidance, many junior disciples supported Meng Chuan.

"Although I also want Senior Brother Meng to win, to be honest, in the past matches of the top ten Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm disciples, Senior Brother Meng has no advantage. His chances of being in the top three are really slim."

"Senior Brothers Wan Mang and Bai Guan, in the recent matches of the top ten disciples, the first place was always decided between them. They will definitely take the spots." Many junior disciples were discussing, some blindly supporting and others analyzing clearly. But they all shared a common point—they were all looking forward to the start of the matches.

The area around the arena was cordoned off, and the watching disciples were not allowed to approach.

Meng Chuan and the others waited, and the instructors checked their weapons to ensure they were not sharpened.

A thin, short man with a wine jar and a strong smell of alcohol walked over.

"Dean."

"Dean."

All the disciples were very respectful, and the twenty-two disciples of the Shanshui Tower bowed respectfully. This was the dean of the Jinghu Dao Academy, Ge Yu. Ge Yu had a bad reputation, being greedy and fond of alcohol, and acted without restraint.

"Good, everyone is here," Ge Yu said, his face flushed and the smell of alcohol strong, but all the disciples were well-behaved, and the instructors and assistants didn't dare to murmur. The first fastest sword in Dongning Prefecture was a real killer.

"There are only six Transcendence Realm disciples, so the selection will be quick," Ge Yu said. "You six will compete first and select the top three."

"Report to the Dean."

A young man bowed, "I and Brother Zhang have just reached the Transcendence Realm and are still in the early stage. We admit our shallow skills and will not participate in this competition."

"Report to the Dean, I have already challenged last night and lost all three matches," a strong, dark-skinned young man said.

"Oh?"

Ge Yu nodded, understanding the disciples' abilities. "Good, since that's the case, the three who will attend the Yuyang Palace Demon Slaying Festival are Wu Qi and the Wei brothers."

"Yes," the three Transcendence Realm disciples, Wu Qi, respectfully responded.

Wu Qi was at the peak of the Transcendence Realm.

The Wei brothers were also in the late stage of the Transcendence Realm, and their advantages were indeed significant.

"There are sixteen Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm disciples in the Shanshui Tower," Ge Yu looked at Meng Chuan and the others. "Each of you can compete. I'll explain the rules: those who are confident can directly go to the arena and face challenges from other disciples. Win five consecutive matches, and you get a spot. Also, if you lose twice, you cannot participate in the competition anymore."

"Good, let's start now," Ge Yu said, taking a big sip from his wine jar.

The sixteen Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm disciples fell silent.

Go to the arena and win five consecutive matches to get a spot? Then, the first one to go to the arena is at a disadvantage!

If two spots are decided and two strong opponents are eliminated, the chances of winning the remaining spots are much higher.

"Who will go first?" Most of the Shanshui Tower Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm disciples looked at two of them, one was the muscular and smiling 'Wan Mang,' and the other was the cold and stern 'Bai Guan.' In the matches of the top ten disciples, the first place was usually decided between them.

"Will you go?" Wan Mang asked, smiling at Bai Guan.

"If you want to go, you can," Bai Guan said coldly.

At this moment—

A figure stepped forward and went up to the arena, it was Meng Chuan.

Meng Chuan glanced at the somewhat surprised fellow disciples below and said, "The first spot will be mine."