"In this world, strength truly is the ultimate truth!"

Returning to his dormitory, Lu Ren was filled with emotion.

If he hadn't been stronger than Xiao Huohuo, he might have remained in the dark about the Fire Spirit Sword.

"If Master finds out I sold her Fire Spirit Sword, she might blame me. No matter, I'll focus on improving my strength first!"

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"Let's return the martial techniques first!"

Holding three manuals in his hand, Lu Ren left the courtyard.

Upon arriving at the Martial Arts Pavilion, the elder in charge immediately recognized Lu Ren and asked, "Lu Ren, how has your martial technique training been this past month?"

"Just so-so. I'm here to return the manuals!"

Lu Ren smiled and handed over the three manuals.

The elder looked at the manuals in front of him and guessed that Lu Ren had given up on training martial techniques. After all, with a trash-grade bloodline, he had no talent for cultivation. Being able to open the first Spirit Aperture was already a blessing from the immortals.

To train in martial techniques, it would take at least three to five years of hard work to even get started.

"I told you, you can return these three martial techniques anytime. Why not keep trying?"

The elder asked curiously.

Lu Ren smiled calmly and said, "I've been working very hard on my training!"

He had trained diligently for eighty-two years. Who could compare to his effort?

"You call this effort?"

The elder was slightly angry and said, "I'm only giving you a chance because of Elder Yun and because you have a trash-grade bloodline. Yet, after only a month of training, you're returning the martial techniques. With poor talent and no effort, you'll be kicked out of the sect sooner or later!"

"But I've already mastered all three martial techniques!"

Lu Ren replied and then walked away.

If the elder knew that not only had he mastered all three techniques, but two were perfected and one was at mastery level, he would be shocked.

Moreover, he had opened six Spirit Apertures.

After Lu Ren left, the elder shook his head, feeling somewhat disappointed in Lu Ren. It was hard to receive the blessing of the immortals and open a Spirit Aperture to become a martial artist, yet he didn't cherish it.

"Elder Qiu, what did Lu Ren come to the Martial Arts Pavilion for?"

At this moment, Yun Qingyao walked in.

Because of Lu Ren, she was already in a bad mood. She came to the Martial Arts Pavilion to borrow some sword manuals to perfect her self-created sword technique, but unexpectedly ran into Lu Ren.

However, she deliberately avoided Lu Ren, not wanting to have too much interaction with him.

"So it's Elder Yun!"

The elder in charge was instantly angered and scolded, "Your disciple lacks ambition. It's hard enough to open a Spirit Aperture; he should be training hard. Yet, he returned the three martial techniques he borrowed from me after only a month!"

"Only trained for a month?"

Yun Qingyao was taken aback and then lamented, "His bloodline is trash-grade. Now that he's opened a Spirit Aperture, if he trains hard in martial techniques, he might still reach the Spirit Stream Realm."

Thinking of this, Yun Qingyao sighed deeply, feeling it was a pity for Lu Ren.

She had planned to teach Lu Ren well, but with such a mindset, it would be hard for him to achieve anything.

...

Returning to the courtyard, Lu Ren was thinking about making money. He had planned to make a fortune with the Fire Spirit Sword, earning eighty-eight thousand copper coins each month, equivalent to over twenty years of training time.

Now that this source of income was cut off, he had to find other ways to make money.

"If I train for another twenty years, I should be able to perfect the Spirit Cat Steps and open the seventh Spirit Aperture!"

Lu Ren was eager to open the seventh Spirit Aperture and then advance to the Spirit Stream Realm.

As far as he knew, even the most talented entry-level disciples would take three to five months to possibly advance to the Spirit Stream Realm, pass the assessment, and become an Outer Disciple.

Entry-level disciples risk being expelled from the sect, but Outer Disciples are different. Even if their cultivation doesn't progress, they remain Outer Disciples.

Therefore, Lu Ren was eager to advance to the Spirit Stream Realm.

But a clever woman can't cook without rice!

He needed money, a lot of money.

At least tens of thousands of copper coins would be needed to perfect the Spirit Cat Steps.

"Training?"

Lu Ren suddenly remembered the description in the Disciple Rules.

Entry-level disciples who have opened more than six Spirit Apertures can take on tasks to earn contribution points. With contribution points, they can borrow high-grade Mortal Rank martial techniques from the Martial Arts Pavilion and purchase some cultivation resources within the sect.

However, there are risks in taking on tasks, especially for new entry-level disciples who are weak and inexperienced. They can only join the teams of older disciples, treating it as training and earning some spoils.

Of course, the most important part of doing tasks is to hone oneself.

No matter how well martial techniques are trained, without actual combat, they are meaningless and cannot be converted into combat power.

"Now that I've perfected two martial techniques, and the Spirit Cat Steps are at mastery level, it's time to test my strength in actual combat!"

Thinking of this, Lu Ren headed across the iron chain bridge to another mountain peak.

The Outer Disciple area of the Azure Cloud Sect had three peaks.

One peak had only the disciples' courtyards and dining hall, another had the Martial Hall and Martial Arts Pavilion, and the other had the Contribution Hall.

When Lu Ren arrived at the square in front of the Contribution Hall, he saw many disciples gathered there, most of them in groups of two or three, exuding strong auras.

"These people should be the older Outer Disciples!"

Lu Ren speculated to himself.

Outer Disciples like them, if they haven't reached the Spirit Stream Realm within three years of opening a Spirit Aperture, will also be expelled from the sect.

At this moment, in a corner of the square, a group of disciples was gathered in a circle.

In the center of the circle stood a petite girl, her delicate face framed by a blue training outfit that accentuated her proud figure.

Beside the girl stood two young men, both with excited expressions.

"Sister Qin Yu, recruit me. I promise to be obedient and just cheer you on!"

"Sister Qin Yu, you know my talent. I've been here for two years and only opened three Spirit Apertures!"

"Recruit me, I'll just be dead weight!"

As Lu Ren squeezed into the circle, he heard the commotion.

Curious, Lu Ren asked a senior brother beside him, "Senior brother, who is she?"

The senior brother glanced at Lu Ren and said, "You're a new disciple, aren't you? You don't even know Sister Qin Yu?"

"I am indeed a new disciple. Who is Sister Qin Yu?"

Lu Ren smiled.

"Sister Qin Yu is the number one talent among the entry-level disciples!"

The senior brother replied.

Lu Ren was puzzled, "If she's a talent, shouldn't she have become an Outer Disciple by now?"

"What do you know? Sister Qin Yu could have entered the Spirit Aperture Realm long ago, but she's aiming to break the limit and open the eighth Spirit Aperture!"

The senior brother finished, his face showing admiration.

"The eighth Spirit Aperture!"

Lu Ren was completely stunned. Aren't there only seven Spirit Apertures in a martial artist's body?

"Yes!"

The senior brother nodded and said, "This time, Sister Qin Yu plans to take three weaker disciples for training to hone her combat skills. She's already recruited two, just one more to go!"

"Why take three weaker disciples?"

Lu Ren was curious.

The senior brother replied, "Entry-level disciples must form a four-person team to take on tasks. With Sister Qin Yu's strength, taking three strong ones would be no challenge."

"No wonder!"

Lu Ren nodded slightly, realizing, "So these disciples are competing to be the weakest!"