Several days earlier, before the news of Bai Ling's appointment spread throughout Cloud Mist Market, Lin Sheng and his group had gathered within a private courtyard after emerging from their respective periods of seclusion.
The beast tide had long since ended while the atmosphere within the Training Center had gradually shifted from survival and reconstruction back toward cultivation and competition.
Everyone knew what was coming.
Xuan Gang.
The realm that separated ordinary martial artists from true experts.
A realm capable of allowing one to establish a clan, guard a market, or become a respected figure throughout an entire province.
At this stage, resources still mattered.
Comprehension still mattered.
Talent still mattered.
Yet another factor became increasingly important.
Time.
Currently, several stone tables had been arranged beneath a spirit willow tree as the group sat together exchanging experiences regarding acupoint cultivation.
For martial artists, reaching Peak Innate was not simply about accumulating more True Qi.
Rather—
It was about opening acupoints.
The first three acupoints were relatively easy.
With enough resources and guidance, even mediocre martial artists could eventually open them.
The fourth.
The fifth.
The sixth.
Those required more effort.
Yet they remained within the realm of possibility.
However—
Everything changed after the sixth.
The difficulty of opening acupoints increased exponentially.
The seventh acupoint was harder than the first six combined.
The eighth was harder than the seventh.
The ninth was considered a genuine bottleneck for countless martial artists.
As for the tenth—
Most Innate martial artists would never even sense its existence.
At this point, ordinary True Qi became insufficient.
Only True Essence could affect these deeper acupoints.
After all, the hidden acupoints were located closer to the body's origins and required an incredibly pure energy source before they could be opened.
Even then—
Opening them remained difficult.
Because acupoints were connected to vitality.
The younger a martial artist was, the easier the process became.
The older they became, the more their body's potential gradually declined.
Eventually, the acupoints would begin weakening.
Closing.
Decaying.
This was one of the greatest differences between martial cultivation and immortal cultivation.
Foundation Establishment cultivators could still attempt breakthroughs even after reaching sixty years old.
Some exceptionally fortunate individuals even succeeded much later.
Martial artists, however, rarely possessed such luxury.
Once they reached forty-five or fifty years old without entering Xuan Gang, their future became increasingly bleak.
The opened acupoints would gradually weaken due to insufficient vitality.
The body itself would begin rejecting further advancement.
Thus—
Many martial artists considered fifty years old the true deadline.
Lin Xiaolu sighed slightly before speaking.
"At the very least, martial artists like us who possess complete inheritances have excellent foundations."
The others nodded.
This was undeniable.
Compared to rogue cultivators and wandering martial artists, those trained within the Training Center possessed superior scriptures, resources and guidance.
The difference became even more obvious at the Innate Realm.
Opening additional acupoints not only improved future cultivation potential but also directly increased combat power.
The more acupoints opened—
The stronger one's foundation.
The denser one's True Essence.
The more terrifying one's explosive strength.
This was especially true regarding the tenth acupoint.
Many martial artists spent years attempting to open it before advancing to Xuan Gang.
The long-term benefits were enormous.
Of course—
Opening acupoints required more than just resources.
Comprehension also played a major role.
The higher the proficiency of one's Innate True Scripture, the faster True Essence could be condensed and circulated.
The group naturally began discussing cultivation proficiency.
For most trainees, reaching Proficient level wasn't particularly difficult.
Training Center resources ensured that.
Mastery represented another level entirely.
Minor Achievement required genuine talent.
As for Major Achievement—
Only the most gifted trainees could achieve such a feat while still within the Innate Realm.
After comparing notes, the results quickly became obvious.
Lin Xiaolu smiled bitterly.
"Looks like I'm still behind."
Currently, she and Zhao Feng had reached Mastery.
Meanwhile—
Lou Han and Lin Shou had already entered Minor Achievement.
The difference might sound small.
Yet everyone present understood the significance.
Minor Achievement represented a qualitative transformation.
A level where one's understanding began touching the true essence of a cultivation method.
Naturally—
Nobody found Lin Shou's achievement surprising.
He possessed a Yang Body.
His Innate True Scripture was practically tailor-made for him.
Cultivating it felt as natural as breathing.
His progress had always exceeded that of ordinary martial artists.
However—
Lou Han was different.
His physique wasn't particularly special.
His resources were inferior.
Yet somehow—
His cultivation speed remained terrifying.
The reason was obvious.
Comprehension.
Diligence.
Persistence.
He possessed all three in abundance.
As the discussion continued, Lin Sheng quietly observed Lou Han.
His Mental Field had become far more powerful after reaching Late Stage Entering Samadhi and thus subtle details that once escaped his notice now appeared clearly before him.
The moment his perception brushed against Lou Han—
His expression changed slightly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The aura surrounding Lou Han had changed.
Previously, Lou Han's cultivation felt like a blazing sun.
Bright.
Explosive.
Violent.
Yet now another characteristic existed within it.
Sharpness.
Radiance.
An edge capable of cutting through obstacles.
It resembled a sword hidden within sunlight.
The sensation was subtle.
Almost impossible for ordinary people to notice.
Yet Lin Sheng's perception had already surpassed most Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Thus he sensed it immediately.
His eyes narrowed.
Two scriptures.
Lou Han was cultivating two Innate True Scriptures simultaneously.
More importantly—
They weren't conflicting.
Normally, such a thing was suicidal.
Different cultivation methods possessed different circulation pathways.
Different attributes.
Different principles.
Attempting to cultivate multiple scriptures often resulted in spiritual deviation.
Yet Lou Han's aura remained stable.
Harmonious.
Balanced.
As though the two scriptures had begun merging together.
Not fully.
Not yet.
But enough to shock Lin Sheng.
The Chip immediately began analyzing.
Unfortunately—
The available data remained insufficient.
Still—
One conclusion quickly appeared.
[Compatibility between cultivation methods detected.]
[Possible fusion pathway established.]
Lin Sheng remained silent.
This discovery only deepened the mystery surrounding Lou Han's strange condition.
Before, his abnormality had primarily enhanced comprehension.
Now—
It appeared capable of influencing cultivation itself.
Whatever existed within Lou Han's body was clearly far from ordinary.
Meanwhile, the discussion continued.
Currently, the entire group stood near Peak Innate.
Lin Shou had opened ten acupoints.
Lou Han had opened ten as well.
Lin Xiaolu and Zhao Feng were approaching that threshold.
As for Lin Sheng—
He had already surpassed it.
Within his body, twelve acupoints continuously circulated True Essence.
The traditional nine primary acupoints had long been filled.
Even the tenth hidden acupoint had already been opened.
The eleventh.
The twelfth.
Both had been discovered through a combination of Mental Field exploration and the Chip's calculations.
Opening them had required enormous effort.
That was the primary reason he remained at Peak Innate despite possessing sufficient accumulation for advancement.
Had he followed the conventional path—
He could have attempted Xuan Gang months ago.
Instead—
He chose perfection.
Now, all twelve acupoints contained dense True Essence.
Especially the twelfth.
It had nearly reached saturation.
One final step remained.
The group continued exchanging experiences when suddenly—
Everyone froze.
A powerful pressure erupted from the distance.
Boom!
The surrounding spiritual qi trembled.
The sky itself seemed to shudder.
All conversations instantly stopped.
Every martial artist within the Training Center looked toward the same direction.
The cultivation rooms.
More specifically—
The highest-grade cultivation chamber within the Yi Region.
A brilliant pillar of Gang Qi surged upward.
Like a dragon ascending into the heavens.
The pressure spread throughout the market.
Many Innate martial artists immediately stood up.
Shock filled their eyes.
Someone had broken through.
Xuan Gang.
A genuine Xuan Gang Martial Master had finally appeared among the trainees.
The pillar continued rising.
Three zhang.
Four zhang.
Five zhang.
Then—
Almost six zhang.
The surrounding cultivators collectively inhaled sharply.
Six zhang.
Such a phenomenon represented an astonishing foundation.
The taller the Gang Qi pillar during breakthrough—
The stronger the accumulated foundation.
A six-zhang manifestation meant that the individual possessed extraordinary potential even among Xuan Gang experts.
Lin Xiaolu muttered softly.
"Who is it?"
Everyone already knew the answer.
Only one person within the Training Center possessed such qualifications.
A few moments later—
The pressure gradually receded.
The cultivation room doors slowly opened.
Step.
Step.
Step.
A figure emerged.
Long hair.
Cold expression.
Spear at her side.
Bai Ling.
Her aura had completely transformed.
Before, she resembled an immovable mountain.
Now—
She felt like a mountain wrapped in storm clouds.
The newly condensed Gang Qi naturally radiated from her body, creating a pressure that caused nearby Innate martial artists to instinctively lower their heads.
She had succeeded.
The first among all trainees.
The first Xuan Gang Martial Master.
The newly appointed Guardian of Phoenix Ridge Market.
Almost immediately, numerous figures arrived.
Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Alliance representatives.
Market officials.
Even several mentors appeared.
Congratulations echoed endlessly.
"Congratulations on advancing to Xuan Gang."
"Congratulations, Guardian Bai."
"Phoenix Ridge Market will surely prosper under your leadership."
Everyone understood why these people came.
Relationships.
Favors.
Future investments.
Phoenix Ridge Market might currently be damaged but it still controlled a Rank-2 Spiritual Vein.
Any future cooperation would produce enormous benefits.
Building goodwill now cost little.
The rewards later could be substantial.
Even Guardian Zhao personally appeared.
His presence instantly elevated the significance of the occasion.
Not long afterward—
Another familiar figure arrived.
The stern martial expert responsible for law enforcement.
Wang Zhenshan.
His scarred face rarely displayed emotion.
Yet even he offered congratulations.
After all—
Xuan Gang experts were no longer trainees.
They were equals.
Individuals qualified to stand alongside the market's true powerhouses.
Meanwhile, Lin Sheng and his group exchanged glances.
Regardless of personal feelings—
Etiquette demanded congratulations.
Thus they prepared gifts.
Lin Xiaolu offered spirit herbs.
Zhao Feng offered a rare sword crystal.
Lou Han gifted several medicinal materials.
Lin Shou contributed a fire-attributed ore.
As for Lin Sheng—
He selected a special metal ore obtained during the beast tide.
The material possessed extraordinary conductivity and durability.
Perfect for refining into a spear or reinforcing an existing weapon.
Not overly expensive.
Yet valuable enough to demonstrate sincerity.
When Bai Ling's gaze briefly landed on the gift, a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.
She naturally recognized the ore.
It was not something easily obtained.
Their eyes met briefly.
Then both looked away.
No hostility, no friendship, only mutual acknowledgment.