Since he didn't find anything useful, Ling Chen put the books back in their place and headed towards the exit of the hall. As for the inner hall, he had no intentions of visiting it right now.
To enter the inner hall, the basic requirement was attaining the third layer of the Qi Condensation Realm. The Ling Family had set this rule to prevent the younger generation from overreaching. Only those who reached the third layer of Qi Condensation Realm could enter the Spirit Hall's inner hall to select a Spirit Art.
Yes, Spirit Art.
Inside the inner hall, what was most abundant were Spirit Arts, while Spiritual Techniques were relatively rare. After all, a cultivator could use a single Spiritual Technique for a long time once obtained.
However, Spirit Arts were different. Once successfully cultivated, they could only be used during combat.
Moreover, as one's cultivation level improved, the power of Spirit Arts would become weaker, so cultivators would strive for more powerful Spirit Arts.
Generally speaking, the main reason most cultivators entered the Spirit Hall was to seek Spirit Arts.
Ling Chen didn't have any Spirit Arts in his possession; when his father was suddenly taken away, he did not leave anything behind except for that cyan Jade Pendant.
Not even a Spiritual Technique.
The things he said to Ling Tianfeng earlier were just to cover up his special constitution. After all, the ability to cultivate automatically without a Spiritual Technique was shockingly unheard of!
"Ling Chen?"
However, as soon as he stepped out of the outer hall, a voice came from the left.
"Hmm?"
Ling Chen turned his head to look, and saw a young man dressed in a white robe approaching him. Recognizing the visitor, he frowned slightly and said, "Ling Xuan?"
The white-robed youth, Ling Xuan, looked at Ling Chen with a mocking expression and said, "What's the matter? You, a waste who can't even cultivate, also delude yourself with the thought of selecting Spirit Arts in the Spirit Hall?"
Ling Chen glanced at Ling Xuan, and an information inexplicably flashed in his mind: Qi Condensation Realm third layer!
He instantly became puzzled.
It was understandable for him to detect Ling Feng's cultivation level since his own was higher. But now, he was clearly only at the late stage of Qi Condensation Realm second layer, how could he sense Ling Xuan's cultivation level?
No mistake, Ling Xuan had indeed reached the early stage of the Qi Condensation Realm third layer.
Just last night, he had successfully advanced, and after stabilizing his cultivation this morning, he couldn't wait to enter the Spirit Hall's inner hall to select a Spirit Art.
To think that upon his arrival, he would bump into this waste.
Seeing the state Ling Chen was in, the corner of Ling Xuan's mouth curled up, and he spoke again with a scornful tone, "What? Didn't make it into the inner hall, huh? Aren't you the one with impressive talent? How did reaching the Peak of Physical Body Realm at fourteen help you? Aren't you just an earlier failure?"
Their generation had been suppressed too harshly by Ling Chen's performance; he was two years younger than they were, yet his cultivation was not much different from theirs.
Now, seeing Ling Chen in such a sorry state, it was natural for them to say a few words to mock him and to vent their frustration.
"It seems that this doesn't concern you, does it?"
Ling Chen retorted.
Even though he recognized the other party's cultivation level, he still had no intention to strike. After all, below the third layer of Qi Condensation Realm, one's cultivation level was almost the standard for measuring strength. His cultivation was clearly lower than Ling Xuan's, so he naturally did not want to engage in a fight and suffer the loss.
"Doesn't concern me? How does it not concern me? Your being garbage brings shame to the Ling Family, tell me how it does not concern me?"
Ling Xuan held his head up high and sneered.
He was somewhat impressed with himself, having come up with such a good excuse on the spot.
Ling Chen frowned, this guy was doing this on purpose!
"Forget it, I won't make it difficult for you! How about this, come, apologize to me first?"
Ling Xuan said with a laugh.
His demeanor was as if he was bestowing a great favor upon Ling Chen.
Ling Chen shook his head and said, "I will not apologize."
Putting aside the fact that he was not garbage, even if he were, why would he apologize? Why should Ling Chen apologize for the insults Ling Xuan received? If you're capable, fight back yourself and make others shut up!
"Oh, quite the backbone you have there!"
Ling Xuan gave a toothy grin and said, "Fine, you won't apologize, right? Perfect, I just advanced to the third layer of Qi Condensation Realm, let me use you for some practice!"
"You really reached the third layer of Qi Condensation Realm?"
Ling Chen was taken aback.
His sense was actually correct.
"What, you're scared now?"
Ling Xuan chuckled and said, "If you kneel down and apologize, I'll let you go!"
"You're dreaming!"
Ling Chen's face turned icy cold.
This guy, to actually push his luck and demand I kneel and apologize? As a man, he'd rather die standing than live on his knees!
"Oh, then there's nothing to discuss, I have to take action!"
Ling Xuan spread his hands, appearing rather helpless. In his eyes, Ling Chen was like fish on a chopping board, and he was the butcher's knife!
He could handle Ling Chen however he wanted!
This was the confidence of a third-layer Qi Condensation realm cultivator. If he couldn't handle a piece of trash at the peak of the Physical Body Realm, he really didn't deserve to live.
"Kid, let me tell you, today you'll kneel no matter what, voluntarily or not!"
As soon as his words fell, Ling Xuan burst towards Ling Chen with a lunge, and at the same time, his right fist was covered with a layer of green light.
He cultivated a Wind Attribute Spirit Technique, and the spiritual power of this attribute had the effect of increasing speed.
Almost instantly, Ling Xuan's fist seemed to enlarge right before his very eyes.
"I'm going all out!"
Although the opponent was at the third-layer Qi Condensation realm, Ling Chen was not one to sit still and wait for death. Clenching his teeth, the spiritual power within his body burst out wildly, converging on his right fist, instantly swirling with a black light.
"Holy crap, spiritual power?"
Ling Xuan's eyes nearly popped out of his head, luckily, he noticed Ling Chen's spiritual power, otherwise, he might have really been in trouble this time.
As for why this piece of trash, Ling Chen, had spiritual power, that was not what he was considering at the moment.
"Kid, I am at the third-layer Qi Condensation realm!"
Ling Xuan's spiritual power surged out once more, the green light growing even more dazzling! This time, he activated all of his spiritual power.
If his senses hadn't been sharp, he would've fallen for Ling Chen's trick. Unexpectedly, Ling Chen had hidden his strength. Naturally, he now harbored even deeper hatred towards the latter.
"Bang!"
The fists of the two men collided fiercely, producing a dull sound, and then a wave of energy swept outwards in all directions, causing their robes to flap wildly.
"Crack!"
A crisp sound of bone breaking was heard.
Ling Chen was taken aback; he felt no discomfort in his right arm.
When he looked over at Ling Xuan, he saw the latter's face covered in cold sweat, his mouth twitching uncontrollably, and his eyes bulging with terror.
"Ah!"
Ling Xuan's mouth opened, and a scream like that of a slaughtered pig echoed outside the Spirit Hall. Afterward, he collapsed to the ground, clutching his right arm and rolling in pain on the ground.
"What's going on, wasn't I at the late phase of the second-layer Qi Condensation realm?"
Ling Chen was also dumbfounded.
He had thought he was surely in for humiliation today, but unexpectedly, he had won, and not just won, but defeated Ling Xuan, who was at the third-layer Qi Condensation realm.
"I'll be damned, is he faking it?"
Ling Chen stepped forward and kicked Ling Xuan twice, only to be shocked to find that the latter's arm was indeed broken, with fresh blood staining the white sleeve.
At this moment, Ling Chen seemed to understand the power of his Night Moon Saint Body.
Firstly, it seemed that others couldn't see his cultivation level, whether it was Ling Feng, Ling Xuan in front of him, or the Family Head of the Spirit Sea Realm.
Secondly, his spiritual power was very potent.
The spiritual power of the second-layer Qi Condensation realm was even stronger than that of the third-layer.
The shrill screams attracted many people, and when they saw Ling Xuan lying on the ground wailing, they were stunned.
Ling Chen's worthlessness was well-known to everyone, it had spread throughout Guangling City in two days, they couldn't believe that this scene was caused by Ling Chen.
"Hey, waste, who did this?"
Hearing the question, Ling Chen snapped out of it and hurriedly said, "I don't know, he was like this when I got here."
Dropping this sentence, Ling Chen ran towards his residence.
However, after only running a few dozen feet, Ling Chen turned back and, under the watchful eyes of the public, he actually charged into the Spirit Hall.
If he could defeat Ling Xuan of the third-layer Qi Condensation realm, didn't that mean he had cultivation comparable to the third-layer? Then, he should be able to break the protective layer shielding the Guardian Inner Hall, right?
To prevent weaker disciples from entering the Inner Hall, the family laid down a Defensive Spirit Array at the entrance to the Inner Hall, which could withstand attacks from cultivators below the third-layer of the Qi Condensation realm.
Only by reaching the third-layer Qi Condensation realm could one break through the spirit array and enter the Inner Hall.
Soon, Ling Chen passed through the Outer Hall and arrived at the entrance to the Inner Hall.