Tian Ling, now determined, quickly made his way to the vortex of the Mist Mythic Realm. As he passed through it, the system echoed in his mind as usual.

[You have entered the Mist Mythic Realm. The elemental Qi of mist here is extremely dense.]

"Just what I expected. The mist here is incredibly thick," he muttered, glancing around at his surroundings.

The Mist Mythic Realm was shrouded in a thick fog that seemed almost alive. The mist elemental Qi mingled with the environment, forming a dense layer. Each breath Tian Ling took felt like it carried extra weight, making even the simple act of breathing difficult. The eerie silence around him felt unsettling, as if the very mist muffled the sounds of the realm. He could barely see more than a few paces ahead, and a slight tension settled over his body.

"I need to find a place with a higher concentration of Qi, since there don't seem to be many disciples around here," Tian Ling concluded, moving cautiously towards the center of the realm, trusting his instincts.

Finally, he found a spot with dense Qi and sat in a lotus position, closing his eyes to begin his cultivation.

Six months passed quickly as Tian Ling absorbed the mist Qi.

[Progress in absorbing mist elemental Qi: 52%.]

"It's progressing much faster thanks to the density of Qi here," Tian Ling remarked, feeling the steady increase in his strength.

However, deep inside, a faint unease grew within him. "Even though my strength is increasing, I feel like I'm distancing myself more and more from others. Will this path lead me to a lonely fate?" He shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. It was time to focus.

As Tian Ling concentrated on his cultivation, in an area restricted to elite disciples, five disciples were engaged in conversation. They were Lei Guan, Wei Jian, Kai Ren, Lian Yu, and Zhou Li.

"Tsk, how did you manage to get beaten by a junior?" Kai Ren's voice dripped with mockery and judgment.

"Hey, even if he lost, he's not weaker than us," Wei Jian retorted.

"You guys say that because you didn't fight him. The feeling I had when battling him... It was like facing the Master herself," Lei Guan said, his expression serious and thoughtful.

"Then why hasn't he become an elite disciple yet?" Zhou Li asked, puzzled.

"I don't know. The Master hasn’t said much since he joined the Inner Sect," Lei Guan replied, still deep in thought.

Kai Ren crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. He had always been competitive and desired the recognition Tian Ling was receiving, but he would never admit it aloud. "He may be strong now, but strength without control is useless," he thought, trying to convince himself.

"And what do you think we should do?" Lian Yu asked, watching Lei Guan closely.

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"I’m not sure if the five of us together could take him down. But in any case, we're all disciples of the same sect. It doesn't make sense to plot against him," Lei Guan replied, trying to maintain his prudence.

"I agree. If he joins the next internal battle, he'll probably become an elite disciple," Lian Yu stated with a hint of admiration.

"So, let's just let things be. After all, we're on the same side," Wei Jian concluded, sounding resolute.

They all agreed, though Lei Guan frowned, dark thoughts circling in his mind. "Let things be? He humiliated me, and that's it? I can't accept this..."

Seven more months passed quickly. Tian Ling slowly opened his eyes.

[Progress in absorbing mist elemental Qi: complete!]

"I absorbed everything in just over a year. It was much faster than I expected. Now, only three cores remain," he said, clenching his fists, feeling the surge in his strength.

"Strange... I feel stronger, but I haven’t broken through to another minor realm," he reflected, a bit disappointed. However, as he realized his strength continued to grow, he shrugged and turned his attention to the future.

With that, Tian Ling headed toward the vortex and left the Mist Mythic Realm, returning to the sect.

"I think I'll take a walk around the sect. I didn't realize it, but I’ve been here for several years and have barely explored the place," he murmured, hopping onto his sword and flying toward the central island to explore.

Upon arriving, he was surprised.

"The Dark Sect attacked several times in recent years? I remember the Master asked me if I wanted to go to the borders to help defend against them. Good thing I didn’t go... If I had, I wouldn’t have had time to cultivate," he reflected as he walked, observing the disciples around him.

He analyzed several disciples, but none of them seemed to have a special bloodline. Everything seemed normal until a thought struck him:

"So far, the only high-grade spiritual root I've seen was the Sect Master's. It even had the word 'perfected' next to it. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but it was probably enhanced by pills. Are high-grade spiritual roots that rare?"

As he walked and pondered, a subtle aura approached from behind, coming dangerously close to his neck.

"Finally found you," said a sweet yet cold voice in his ear, making him flinch for a moment.

"Oh, Sister Yu Meilin, were you looking for me?" he asked, admiring Yu Meilin. She was a true beauty, with sky-blue hair and eyes of the same color, a slender figure, and a dignified posture. She wore a white robe with blue details, symbolizing the sect, and her hair was neatly tied up.

Tian Ling had matured in some ways and had already decided that Jin Yu would be his first dao companion, but... "If I’m strong enough, why settle for just one?" he thought for a moment, then quickly reprimanded himself. "What am I thinking? Sister Yu Meilin is cold and only cares about cultivation. I’m losing my sense." While he was lost in thought, she asked:

"Yes, I was. I wanted to know your current cultivation level," she said, staring directly at him, while thinking, "I still can’t see beyond his cultivation... but I’m already at the fourth level of the Spiritual Core Realm."

Tian Ling hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should be honest. He was worried she might take offense since when they entered the Inner Sect together, her cultivation had been higher. But after thinking it through, he decided to be truthful.

"I’m at the fifth level of the Spiritual Core Realm, Sister," he replied calmly.

"Fifth level? So fast?" Her eyes sparkled as she stared at him.

"Sister? Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes, sorry. I thought I was the genius of this generation, but it seems I’m falling behind you, hehe," she said, giving him a soft smile that left Tian Ling momentarily stunned. "Her smile is beautiful," he thought.

"Thanks for the compliment, Sister, but I'd love to be 'behind' you," he teased, not expecting her reaction.

"Huh? Huh? Huh?" She turned as red as a pepper, visibly flustered.

"I-I was joking, Sister! Don’t take it seriously!" he quickly said, trying to explain himself.

Before he could finish, she ran off, leaving Tian Ling even more bewildered.

"Did I go too far with the joke?" Tian Ling wondered, worried that he might have upset her.

"I’ll look for her later to apologize... But for now, I need to focus on my cultivation. Three cores still remain. It’s time to head to the Ice Mythic Realm," he thought, clenching his fists, determined to return to his cultivation.