Episode 15

Rumors of Chen Xuan coming to the Yan Clan to divorce Yan Ruo and the one-year agreement fight quickly spread throughout the Chen Dynasty, attracting the attention of many powerful figures.

After that, even more, shocking news came. Yan Ruo joined the Azure Sea Sect and became the personal disciple of the Azure Sea Sect Leader.

This news further made people mock Chen Xuan and turned him into a laughingstock, but the Chen Xuan they were talking about right now was unaware of the rumors outside. At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged inside his room, gray-white clouds swirling around his body as he continuously filled his dantian.

"This is it, the Ninth Stage barrier. I will break through in one go!" Chen Xuan gritted his teeth and intensified the momentum of absorbing the energy of heaven and earth.

When the Qi energy accumulated to its peak and the Qi vortex within his dantian had filled the entire space, the walls of his dantian trembled, and the Qi seethed within.

Bang!

A loud noise echoed inside the room, shaking some furniture to the ground.

"Huff!" Chen Xuan let out a turbid breath, clenching both his fists, and a pleasant bone-cracking sound was heard.

Ninth Stage Body Refining Realm!!

Chen Xuan had finally broken through, a delighted smile spreading across his lips. This result had also greatly surprised him. Generally, on the Martial Artist Continent, it would take 15 to 20 years to advance from the First to the Ninth Stage of the Body Refining Realm, and for the talented ones, it could be shortened to five to ten years.

In his previous life, Chen Xuan also took ten years to progress from the First to the Ninth Stage of Body Refining, and at that time, he was considered the number one genius in the entire Martial Artist Continent.

But in this life, he managed to advance from the Third to the Ninth Stage of Body Refining in just three short months. This achievement had shattered the records of those before him.

Achieving this was certainly inseparable from the sacred body he possessed in this life. He would definitely reach that legendary realm.

...

...

The day of the Strength Assessment had arrived.

The sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly. Chen Xuan looked at his reflection in the mirror. He was currently wearing a black robe, his hair tied in a ponytail. His handsome face appeared brighter and full of energy, his eyes shining with determination.

Creak!

The door of the Han Pavilion slid open, and Chen Xuan stepped out of the house, standing under the sunlight. Taking a deep breath, Chen Xuan walked towards the training ground.

On the training ground, all the young nobles and princes had gathered in the square. On the high platform at the front of the courtyard, Chen Wang sat calmly on the throne, with Neng Tian standing to his left with an upright posture. On his right sat a middle-aged woman in a phoenix robe. She was Consort Ren Yuan, the leader of the harem and mother of the Fourth Prince.

While on the left side of the platform, eight concubines sat quietly, Lin Sua being one of them.

At this moment, Jia Lin, the mother of Chen Oyu, sneered at Lin Sua. "It seems someone's son hasn't arrived yet. Is he afraid to show up?"

"Hehe, maybe the kid knows he can't possibly pass and is afraid of embarrassing himself." Hua Mei, the Seventh Concubine and mother of Chen Jiang, added in a mocking tone.

"If this child doesn't come, then someone should prepare to leave the Chen Royal Palace today!" The Fifth Concubine, Feng Xian, mother of Chen Fan, smiled slyly.

Lin Sua sat calmly, ignoring the taunts of the two women. At this moment, she was lost in her own thoughts.

"Your Majesty, everyone has arrived. It's time to begin the Strength Assessment!" The eunuch beside him whispered into Chen Wang's ear.

"Where is Chen Xuan?" Chen Wang frowned.

"No need to wait, Your Majesty. That child won't..." The Queen wanted to say that Chen Xuan wouldn't come, but before she could finish her sentence, a voice rang out in the square.

"I, Chen Xuan, have arrived. My apologies for making Your Majesty wait!"

Everyone in the square immediately turned towards the source of the voice. There, a handsome young man in a black robe walked towards the crowd in the square with steady steps.

"Tsk, good, you've come. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the chance to cripple you!" Chen Oyu's eyes gleamed cruelly.

"You've finally arrived. Now I don't have to bother looking for you!" Chen Chunsang said in a deep voice, hatred emanating from his eyes.

"Alright, since everyone is here, let's begin the event!" Chen Wang declared.

Dong!

Dong!

Dong!

The sound of drums echoed throughout the square, and in the middle of it, a ten-meter-tall stone platform slowly emerged from the ground. It was the stone used to test one's cultivation level.

The testing stone had ten levels, and each level had its own corresponding color symbol. For example:

"Level one: White (First Stage Body Refining)"

"Level two: Orange (Second Stage Body Refining)"

"Level three: Yellow (Third Stage Body Refining)"

"Level four: Green (Fourth Stage Body Refining)"

"Level five: Blue (Fifth Stage Body Refining)"

"Level six: Purple (Sixth Stage Body Refining)"

"Level seven: Red (Seventh Stage Body Refining)"

"Level eight: Bronze (Eighth Stage Body Refining)"

"Level nine: Silver (Ninth Stage Body Refining)"

"Level ten: Gold (Qi Condensation)"

A middle-aged man stood beside the stone platform. He was Wang Nian, the guard who was always in charge of testing the nobles and princes every year.

Wang Nian bowed towards Chen Wang on the platform and then looked at the crowd in the square. He then said in a loud voice, "Today is the day when all the nobles and princes test their cultivation levels on the testing stone. As usual, the rules of the Strength Assessment are very simple. First to Sixth Stage is considered low-level strength, and Seventh to Ninth Stage is considered high-level strength. Those whose strength does not reach the high-level will lose their qualifications to enter the next test."

The Strength Assessment had two stages:

"First Stage: Cultivation Test!"

"Second Stage: Combat Test!"

However, those who did not pass the first stage would lose their qualifications to enter the second round.

"The Strength Assessment begins!!" Wang Nian announced.

A myriad of expressions appeared on the faces of the crowd in the square. Those who were confident in their strength remained calm or arrogant, their chests puffed out as they stepped forward. Meanwhile, those who doubted their strength had pale faces and trembled slightly.

Chen Xuan stood alone in a corner, his back leaning against a wall. His expression was calm, and his eyes held a hint of indifference as he observed the scene.

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