Chapter 248: The Guiyuan Sect Elders Are Stunned: Gang Force Already?

He knew that at a time like this, the more one panicked, the more easily things could go wrong.

Some people felt that if they just gritted their teeth and endured, they could still get by.

But in reality, both the Three Sects Alliance and the Jingyuan Sect knew full well that these peaceful days would not last long.

Perhaps for a few months.

Perhaps for a year.

War between the Three Sects Alliance and the Jingyuan Sect would likely break out again.

「Three more months passed in the blink of an eye.」

It was a bright, sunny day.

The great hall of the Guiyuan Sect was packed with Postnatal Realm Elders.

All were present, including the Ten Great Martial Vein Masters.

The great hall, built atop a mountain peak, was grand and imposing.

The doors to the hall stood open, and a mountain breeze carrying a hint of a chill blew in from outside.

Sect Leader Meng Shouzhen sat at the head of the hall, dressed in a deep cyan robe and wearing a Jade Crown.

His expression was solemn.

The Ten Great Martial Vein Masters were seated in rows on either side of the hall.

Every one of them wore a grave expression.

The numerous Postnatal Realm Elders sat in the rows behind them.

Zhao Qianfeng was also present.

He was seated in the back row of the Elders’ section, wearing a gray robe. His complexion was ruddy, and he seemed to be in good spirits.

The burly, loud-voiced Wang Dakui sat beside him, chatting with the person next to them.

Meng Shouzhen surveyed the great hall, his gaze sweeping over every face before he spoke in a heavy tone. “I have summoned you all today to discuss a matter concerning the Upper Sect. The day of the Upper Sect’s triennial disciple recruitment is fast approaching. Please review the list of disciples nominated to participate in the selection. If you have any objections, we can discuss them further.”

With that, Meng Shouzhen produced a list from his sleeve and handed it to Elder Tang Tianwen, who was beside him.

Tang Tianwen took the list and began passing it to each of the Elders in the hall.

The Elders examined it carefully.

The list contained a series of names, each followed by their Cultivation and age.

To be recruited by the Upper Sect, disciples had to be at least in the Postnatal Realm and under the age of forty.

The requirements were actually quite lenient.

The Guiyuan Sect required its own True Disciples to be under thirty.

However, while the Upper Sect’s initial criteria were lenient, the standards for selection were incredibly high.

In the past, the Guiyuan Sect had sent many disciples to the Upper Sect, but not a single one had managed to remain there.

Almost all of them failed.

Even the Celestial Prides were no exception.

Those disciples were, for the most part, eliminated during the selection process.

“Now that everyone has seen it, are there any additions or objections?”

Meng Shouzhen asked once the list had made its rounds.

His gaze swept across their faces, awaiting the Elders’ replies.

Just then, Tuoba Cangshu, the Master of Thousand Mechanism Peak, frowned and asked, “Sect Leader, don’t we always send only ten disciples to the Upper Sect’s selection? Why has Zhang Su’s name been added? While it’s true that Zhang Su is a Celestial Pride of the Inner Sect and exceptionally talented, the minimum requirement for the Upper Sect is the Postnatal Realm. Zhang Su is only at the Embracing Pill stage…”

Tuoba Cangshu’s tone was measured, but his question was pointed.

This was a question on most of the Elders’ minds as well.

They had all seen Zhang Su’s name when they received the list.

No one denied that Zhang Su was a Celestial Pride of the Inner Sect.

But the minimum requirement to be recruited by the Upper Sect was the Postnatal Realm.

Zhang Su wasn’t even at the Postnatal Realm. How could he possibly go?

It would be a wasted trip; he had no chance of passing the selection.

“Embracing Pill? That was five months ago. Three months ago, Zhang Su had already cultivated the Pure Yang Nine Combinations Divine Skill to the Seven-in-One stage and broken through to Gang Force. Now that another three months have passed, he has likely reached Inner Gang and is not far from the Peak of Gang Force.”

Meng Shouzhen paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask Elder Zhao.”

All eyes in the hall instantly fell on Zhao Qianfeng.

Zhao Qianfeng was seated in the back rows of the Elders’ section.

Seeing all eyes on him, he nodded and said in a heavy voice, “What the Sect Leader says is true. Three months ago, Zhang Su did indeed break through to Gang Force. As for now… he has been in seclusion for three months. Even I don’t know for sure if he has reached Inner Gang.”

Zhao Qianfeng’s tone was calm, but a hint of pride shone in his eyes.

Zhang Su was his disciple.

When a disciple is successful, it brings honor to their master.

The moment Zhao Qianfeng finished speaking, the great hall erupted in a clamor of discussion.

Many of the Elders were reeling in shock.

They exchanged glances, their expressions still dazed.

‘He’s already at Gang Force?’

‘And that was three months ago.’

‘At that point, only two months had passed since the Three Sects’ exchange tournament.’

‘Zhang Su had actually reached Seven-in-One and broken through to Gang Force already?’

After all, what Zhang Su was cultivating was no ordinary Martial Art.

It was the Pure Yang Nine Combinations Divine Skill, one of the Guiyuan Sect’s Supreme Secret Transmissions.

Every Divine Technique was notoriously difficult to cultivate.

But in Zhang Su’s hands, this Divine Technique seemed to pose no challenge at all.

It was simply… unbelievable!

“He reached Gang Force three months ago? I remember that during the Three Sects’ exchange tournament, Zhang Su had only just reached the Embracing Pill stage. To go from Embracing Pill to Gang Force in two months? That speed…”

The Master of Yishui Peak, Lu Cangfeng, shook his head, his tone filled with utter disbelief.

“Two months, from Embracing Pill to Gang Force—what kind of Cultivation speed is that? I remember it took Yu Hualong about a year to go from Embracing Pill to Gang Force, and that was already considered incredibly fast. But Zhang Su… two months?”

Zhong Wangji, the Master of Cyan Wood Peak, also spoke up.

He was Yu Hualong’s master, so he knew better than anyone how fast Yu Hualong’s Cultivation was.

Yu Hualong was already outstanding, but compared to Zhang Su, he still fell far short.