A year passed like the wind. For cultivators, it was like the blink of an eye. Tian Ling, who had been in seclusion, slowly opened his eyes.

"Incredible, sixth level of the Foundation... I'm progressing so quickly," he thought, excited about his rapid advancement. It was truly unprecedented, and he was thrilled.

He looked at his hands and clenched his fists tightly. He could feel the energy flowing within him, as if he were about to explode at any moment.

"I'll break through in no more than three years!" he declared with a firm and determined gaze.

As he prepared to return to his cultivation, a sweet voice echoed from outside his cave-dwelling, breaking the silence.

"Brother, are you there?" It was Jin Yu.

"Sister? What are you doing here?" Tian Ling asked, a little confused. Jin Yu hadn’t visited him for some time, and he even thought she had forgotten about him. Suddenly, a thought popped into his mind: "I want to see Jin Yu's screen." As soon as he finished the thought, a screen appeared beside her.

[NAME: JIN YU

INNER DISCIPLE OF THE SERENE MIST SECT

AGE: 33 YEARS

REALM: FIRST LEVEL OF FOUNDATION

SPIRITUAL ROOT: AVERAGE

BLOODLINE: HEIR OF THE IMMORTAL PALACE OF THE UPPER REALM, REINCARNATED

AFFINITY: SHE THINKS YOU'RE VERY HANDSOME AND WANTS YOU AS HER DAO COMPANION. HOWEVER, BECAUSE YOU WERE INITIALLY ASSESSED WITH A LOWER SPIRITUAL ROOT, SHE REGRETTED IT. NOW THAT YOU ARE SHOWING TALENT, SHE IS VERY INTERESTED IN YOU.]

"Well, I am really handsome, but she wants me as her Dao companion just because of that? And what is this bloodline? Scary... Upper Realm..." Tian Ling dove into deep thoughts. He wasn’t modest about his appearance, which carried the charm of an immortal, but what shocked him the most was the mention of her bloodline. "Upper Realm? How does that even fit into our reality?" He was intrigued.

"Brother?" Jin Yu asked, noticing Tian Ling’s confused expression while he stared at her.

"Oh, sorry, sister. I got lost in thought. But, what are you doing here again?" He quickly recomposed himself and questioned Jin Yu.

"The Inner Sect Battle is coming. There are several treasures as prizes, and it could elevate your position within the sect. Do you want to participate with me?" Jin Yu asked, though she couldn’t help but think, "He really is handsome, but that doesn’t matter... Why can't I see through his cultivation? Is he already at the second level of Foundation?"

"Inner Sect Battle?" Suddenly, Tian Ling remembered the battle in the Outer Sect and the defeat he once suffered. He wasn’t sad about it, but he didn’t want to be defeated again. He knew he wasn’t at the right level to participate in this battle.

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"No, sister. I just want to cultivate in peace. Maybe I'll participate in the future, but now is not the right time," he said calmly, while thinking, "Better to stay away from trouble... the focus is on cultivation."

"I understand... But, brother, what is your current cultivation realm?" she asked, her face showing curiosity and anticipation.

Tian Ling thought for a moment: "She's still at the first level of Foundation. If I say I'm at the sixth, will I offend her?" He pondered for a while but decided that being truthful was the best option. "Being talented isn’t a crime."

"I'm at the sixth level of Foundation."

"Sixth level?" She asked, shocked by Tian Ling's rapid progression. "What kind of talent is this? Isn't this too fast?" She couldn’t help but be amazed.

"I'll return to my cultivation unless there's something else, sister," Tian Ling said in a firm tone. He really wanted to get back to his training.

"Oh, right, of course," she responded quickly, recomposing herself.

They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Tian Ling returned to his cave-dwelling. He sat in a lotus position and thought, "Upper Realm... The legends say that after reaching the peak of cultivation in the Mortal Realm, we can transcend to the Upper Realm. But, due to the lack of Qi in the Mortal Realm, few people reach that level. Can I do it? I better not think about it too much, it’s still too far away." He slowly closed his eyes, concentrating, and returned to his cultivation.

Meanwhile, Jin Yu quickly made her way to Elder Mei Lianhua. Over the years, they had grown very close. Jin Yu admired her master greatly, and Mei Lianhua valued her talented disciples. Jin Yu was considered a talent among the elder’s disciples. Tian Ling, on the other hand, hadn’t visited his master since joining the sect, focusing solely on cultivation, so she naturally didn’t know about his current cultivation level.

"Master, do you know what level brother Tian Ling's cultivation is at?" Jin Yu asked excitedly.

"When he joined, he was already at the first or second level of Foundation. So, he should be at the third level by now, or close to it," Mei Lianhua replied as she slowly opened her eyes.

"I just saw him, Master. He’s already at the sixth level of Foundation."

"What? Sixth?" Mei Lianhua was astonished. This kind of talent could already be compared to the elite of the sect, disciples nurtured specifically by the Sect Master.

"That's right, Master. I think he’ll break through very soon. Maybe before the age of fifty. He’s a genius," Jin Yu said proudly.

"Incredible. Have him come visit me the next time you see him," the master replied, calming herself and returning to her cultivation.

Her disciple nodded and quickly left to return to her own training. Meanwhile, the Sect Master was in conversation with one of the elders.

"Sect Master, the Mystic Realm has been experiencing some problems lately. Don’t you think we should send some disciples there?" Elder Qin Luhao asked, with a worried expression.

The Sect Master pondered for a moment before responding:

"Tell each elder to send a disciple from the Golden Core Realm to guard the entrance to the Mystic Realm. And don’t allow anyone to enter without an elder’s permission."

"Understood, Sect Master," Qin Luhao said as he left the room.

Once he had left, Elder Qin Luhao headed to his palace, sat in a lotus position, and took out a jade medallion engraved with the figure of a dragon. He quickly injected his Qi into it, and a voice came from the medallion.

"Qin Luhao, how are the preparations?" It was Bai Jian, the Master of the Dark Sect.

"Everything is going according to plan. I will send the disciples responsible for the array to take care of the entrance to the Mystic Realm."

"Very well. We are counting on you. Don’t disappoint us."

The transmission ended, and he stored the medallion away.