Chapter 536: Chapter 252: A Method to Break Through to the Seventh Layer of the True Master Realm

After leaving Tingtai Garden, Jiang Che went straight to find Bao Da.

After all, although Bao Da’s cultivation was average, he was quite good at gathering information.

Through some casual conversation, Jiang Che finally got a general understanding of the situation outside.

It turned out that over the past year, the competition among the True Inheritor Candidates hadn’t stopped; instead, it had grown even more intense.

The three at the top of the pack—Ji Lingfeng, Xing Lie, and Chu Yun—had attempted to challenge the tower multiple times.

Although they still couldn’t overcome the insurmountable barrier of the Thirty-Ninth Layer, rumor had it they were infinitely close to clearing it. They were in a state where they could achieve a breakthrough at any moment and cross the threshold.

Meanwhile, the number one ranked senior sister from Shadow Killing Peak, Fu Yue, had also finally recovered from her injuries.

The first thing she did after her return was to challenge the Demon Suppression Tower again, and, without any suspense, she once again cleared the Thirty-Ninth Layer.

This act was meant to be a declaration to the entire Sect—

She was still the undisputed number one Candidate.

She had returned to her peak!

However, perhaps the lesson from last time was too bitter.

This time, she didn’t rashly challenge the Ninth True Inheritor, Cao Ge, again. Instead, she chose to lie low and build up her strength.

Aside from these four geniuses standing at the apex, the other high-ranking Candidates were also caught in a frenzy of internal competition.

Currently, there were three people who had reached the Thirty-Seventh Layer, five who had reached the Thirty-Sixth, and fourteen who had reached the Thirty-Fifth.

Further down, the numbers for the Thirty-Fourth and Thirty-Three Layer began to swell dramatically.

The main bulk of the True Inheritor Candidates were currently concentrated at the bottleneck of the Thirty-Three Layer.

And what surprised Jiang Che was that even the Guardian Beast Soul of the Demon Suppression Tower’s Thirty-Three Layer had already reached the strength of the Thirteenth Layer of the True Master Realm!

While it wasn’t some freakish variant with an Ancient Bloodline, it was by no means something an ordinary disciple could contend with!

This also gave Jiang Che a clearer understanding of the True Inheritor Candidates’ strength.

And the reason everyone’s achievements were so impressive was also very simple:

According to the unwritten rules of the Myriad Phenomena Dao Sect, typically only senior elites whose cultivation had reached the Tenth Layer of the True Master Realm or above were qualified to be nominated as True Inheritor Candidates.

Someone like Jiang Che—who was only at the Entry Level for a year and whose cultivation had just scraped the threshold of the Mid Stage True Master Realm—had been specially approved purely because Vein Master Wu Wei valued his potential.

Of course, the Sect had a long history, and it wasn’t as if there had never been geniuses like Jiang Che who were promoted despite their low Realm.

But ultimately, they were as rare as a phoenix feather or a qilin’s horn.

"By the way, Brother Jiang..."

Bao Da, who was chatting idly with Jiang Che, suddenly became hesitant when he brought up the matter of the True Inheritor Candidates.

"What is it? Is there something else?" Jiang Che glanced at him and asked casually.

Bao Da hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said:

"Actually... there have been some bad rumors about you in the Sect recently."

"Oh?" Jiang Che’s eyebrow twitched slightly. "What kind of rumors?"

Bao Da said indignantly, "It’s just sour grapes! They’re all spreading it around in private, saying you’re only here because of your connection to Vein Master Wu Wei, that you got the spot as a True Inheritor Candidate through the back door!"

"They’re saying your Realm is too low and that you don’t deserve this position at all."

"Some people have even started a betting pool, wagering that if you challenge the tower, you definitely won’t make it past the Tenth Layer! They’re calling you the most worthless Candidate in the history of our Myriad Phenomena Dao Sect!"

At this point, Bao Da cautiously glanced at Jiang Che’s expression and hurriedly tried to console him:

"Brother Jiang, don’t be angry, and don’t take it to heart. These guys have too much time on their hands. They just haven’t seen what you can do! The day you show them a thing or two, you’ll scare them to death!"

To Bao Da’s surprise, Jiang Che didn’t show the slightest hint of anger.

On the contrary, he just gave a faint smile, his expression as calm as still water:

"It’s nothing. It’s only human nature."

"After all, compared to those senior brothers who are at the Tenth Layer of the True Master Realm at a minimum, my Realm really is a bit lacking."

"It’s normal to be doubted."

Seeing Jiang Che so magnanimous, Bao Da breathed a sigh of relief, feeling even more admiration in his heart.

Now that’s what you call perspective!

"Alright, don’t pay any mind to those rumors. Focusing on cultivation is what really matters."

Jiang Che patted Bao Da’s shoulder. After chatting for a few more moments, the two parted ways at a fork in the road.

As Jiang Che walked on, the smile on his face gradually faded.

While it was true he didn’t care about the gossip, that didn’t mean he felt no sense of crisis.

’This status as a True Inheritor Candidate brings great benefits, but it also comes with corresponding obligations.’

’The Sect won’t let me just leisurely take its resources and remain in seclusion forever. Sooner or later, some mandatory assessment or trial mission will be assigned.’

’These missions for the True Inheritor Candidates will definitely not be easy. They’re bound to be life-threatening!’

’If I’m still only at the Sixth Layer of the True Master Realm, no matter how many tricks I have up my sleeve, I’ll inevitably find myself stretched thin when facing a crisis of that level.’

Moreover, besides the internal pressure from the Sect, the outside world was also fraught with peril.

’And then there are the Giant Spirit Assassins from the Great Yan Kingdom... those guys could show up again at any time.’

’Last time it was the Ninth Layer of the True Master Realm. What about next time? The Tenth Layer of the True Master Realm? Or even Half-Step True Mastery?’

’Or even... those True Mastery Realm Giant Spirit Martial Artists known as Giant Spirit War Gods!’

’And on top of that, there’s the Black Magic Disaster that True Master Xuan Yang predicted...’

At this thought, a chill ran through Jiang Che’s heart.

’I can’t delay any longer!’

’Since simple seclusion isn’t enough to break through the bottleneck of the Seventh Layer of the True Master Realm...’

’Maybe... I should go ask Senior Brother Song?’

’As someone who’s been through it before, he’s sure to have a lot of experience!’

Having made up his mind, Jiang Che no longer hesitated.

He turned and walked straight along the familiar mountain path toward Tingfeng Pavilion.

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