Time flowed like water. Days became weeks. Weeks became months. The once unfamiliar Azure Cloud Sect had gradually become home to Di Tian. His life settled into a simple routine. Wake up. Eat. Accept an easy sect mission. Complete it. Return before sunset. Sleep. Repeat. To everyone else... He looked like one of the least ambitious Outer Disciples in the sect. He never fought over rankings. He never challenged anyone in the arena. He never joined cliques. He never sought the attention of elders. Even during lectures, he could often be seen sitting quietly at the back with half-closed eyes. Some disciples even joked that Di Tian had mistaken the Azure Cloud Sect for a retirement home. Only his three roommates knew one thing. Every few weeks... His aura became stronger. No one knew how. --- The missions Di Tian accepted were almost embarrassingly simple. Gather Spirit Dew from the eastern forest. Collect medicinal herbs from the foothills. Deliver supplies to nearby villages under the sect's protection. Patrol the mountain roads. Feed the sect's Spirit Cranes. They paid little. But they were safe. Most importantly... They allowed him to steadily earn contribution points. Unlike many disciples, Di Tian rarely spent them. He saved almost everything. Whenever he accumulated enough... He visited the Pill Hall. --- Over the past three months... He had purchased several Qi Gathering Pills. Although the system cultivated continuously... Pills still accelerated cultivation by increasing the amount of spiritual qi his body could refine. The system made perfect use of every medicinal effect. Not a single strand of spiritual qi was wasted. Di Tian discovered another advantage. Ordinary disciples often lost nearly half the effectiveness of a pill due to imperfect refinement. His system wasted nothing. Every pill produced its maximum effect. That alone made every contribution point worth earning. --- His trips into the secluded valley also became more frequent. Every few days... He would disappear into the mountains. There... He practiced his techniques against boulders, ancient trees, and occasionally low-level spirit beasts. No spectators. No applause. No unnecessary attention. He preferred it that way. Each visit improved his control. Each battle increased his confidence. The valley had gradually become covered with shattered stone and enormous craters. If another disciple stumbled upon it... They would likely believe two Inner Disciples had fought there. --- Three months quietly passed. The six-month assessment... Was almost here. Only... Three days remained. --- That morning... Di Tian slowly opened his eyes. The system immediately displayed his current status. --- Host: Di Tian Spirit Root: Heaven-grade Lightning Spirit Root Qi Cultivation: Eighth Stage Qi Gathering (Peak) Body Cultivation: Heavenly Thunder Physique - Small Success (92%) --- Techniques Basic Qi Gathering Art - Low Mortal Rank - Perfection Mountain Splitting Palm - Low Mortal Rank - Perfection Cloud Step - Low Mortal Rank - Perfection Heavenly Thunder Physique - Low Mortal Rank - Small Success (92%) --- Remaining Technique Slots Slot Five: Empty --- Di Tian looked at the screen. "So..." "I'm almost at the Ninth Stage." According to the system... At his current speed... He would naturally break through before the assessment. He smiled faintly. Perfect timing. --- Outside... His roommates were already discussing the examination. Lin Hai looked nervous. "I've finally reached the Sixth Stage." "I think I have a chance of entering the top three hundred." Zhao Ming sighed. "I barely reached the Fourth Stage." "The Inner Sect is impossible this year." Sun Wei smiled bitterly. "I only broke through to the Third Stage yesterday." "I'll just gain experience." Di Tian quietly ate his breakfast. Lin Hai suddenly looked at him. "What about you?" Di Tian shrugged. "I've improved a little." The three rolled their eyes. Whenever Di Tian said "a little"... It usually meant something ridiculous. --- Over the past six months... Their cultivation progress had become increasingly different. --- Lin Hai Spirit Root: Dual Metal-Wind Spirit Root Current Cultivation: Sixth Stage Qi Gathering Mountain Splitting Palm: Great Success Cloud Step: Great Success One of the strongest new disciples. --- Zhao Ming Spirit Root: Three-Element Spirit Root (Fire, Earth, Wood) Current Cultivation: Fourth Stage Qi Gathering Mountain Splitting Palm: Small Success Cloud Step: Small Success Steady progress. --- Sun Wei Spirit Root: Four-Element Spirit Root Current Cultivation: Third Stage Qi Gathering Mountain Splitting Palm: Small Success Cloud Step: Beginner Slow... But determined. --- Among the new disciples... Several names had begun attracting attention. A disciple with a Single Fire Spirit Root had already reached the Seventh Stage Qi Gathering. Another with a Dual Water-Wood Spirit Root stood at the Sixth Stage. Rumors even spoke of an Outer Disciple from another courtyard who possessed a Single Earth Spirit Root and had stepped into the Eighth Stage only yesterday. Such geniuses were expected to shine during the assessment. No one... Mentioned Di Tian. He had never displayed his true cultivation. Whenever he accepted missions... He deliberately suppressed his aura. Whenever he sparred... He politely declined. Whenever people asked his cultivation... He simply smiled. The image he had carefully built over six months remained unchanged. A lazy disciple. Friendly. Easygoing. Unambitious. Harmless. Exactly as he wanted. --- That afternoon... He accepted one final herb-gathering mission. As he walked toward the eastern forest with his hands behind his head... He couldn't help smiling. "Three more days." "After that..." "I suppose I'll have to stop pretending." Far away... At the center of the Outer Sect... The enormous Ranking Monument gleamed beneath the afternoon sun. Soon... Every disciple would gather there. Every genius would compete. Every elder would watch. And for the first time since entering the Azure Cloud Sect... The name Di Tian would finally begin to attract attention.

Chapter 12: Three Days Remaining