Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

The Martial Arts Arena fell silent in an instant.

Only the sound of Chen Qing's breathing remained, along with the almost tangible pillar of vital energy steaming from his body.

He slowly lowered his spear and stood still, feeling the vitality still surging within him and the slight ache in his arms. He let out a long, slow breath.

The battle had been thoroughly exhilarating, pushing the fusion of his Flesh Body and Spear Technique to new heights.

Chen Qing exhaled and decided not to climb any higher.

Even as the Purple Light in his mind flared, sending waves of intense longing and agitation through him, he forcibly suppressed the impulse.

'The thirty-first floor is enough.'

Chen Qing's mind was perfectly clear.

He knew the thirty-second floor would be far more difficult; the Guardian Puppet's strength would likely leap to an entirely new level.

The fact that Lu Chenming had stopped his record at the thirty-first floor didn't necessarily mean that was his limit; it was more likely a strategic concealment.

'I've only just entered Late-stage Astral Force. Even though my power has surged, it's not wise to reveal all my trump cards. Matching Lu Chenming's record will display sufficient potential and strength to draw the Sect's attention, without prematurely exposing my full capabilities and becoming a target for everyone.'

With this in mind, he began to walk slowly out of the Celestial Treasure Tower.

...

Outside the Celestial Treasure Tower, the crowd gathered in the square had grown even larger.

All eyes were fixed intently on the tower itself and the massive stone monument that displayed the records.

The light for the thirtieth floor lit up soon after Chen Qing entered, indicating he had passed it without much delay.

"The thirtieth floor lit up!"

"As expected. With Brother Chen's ability to defeat Han Xiong, the thirtieth floor was never going to be a problem."

"This was expected. Now we'll see about the thirty-first floor..."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, unsurprised by this result.

After all, Chen Qing had a record of reaching the twenty-ninth floor a year ago. After his battle on the Seven-Star Platform and nearly a year of secluded cultivation, passing the thirtieth was a natural progression.

Wan Shangyi and Qian Baole stood side-by-side, their expressions calm.

Wan Shangyi commented lightly, "The thirtieth floor is the threshold, but the thirty-first is the true watershed. Junior Sister He Shuang passed because she merged her Three True Astrals and has a profound foundation. Junior Brother Chen is strong, but the thirty-first floor... is not so simple."

His words carried a hint of uncertainty.

After all, it was a well-known fact that Chen Qing's Cultivation was still shallow due to his youth.

Qian Baole nodded slightly, seemingly in agreement with Wan Shangyi.

The thirty-first floor!?

Meng Qianxue gazed at the Celestial Treasure Tower, her beautiful eyes alight with anticipation.

Standing a short distance away, Wu Anren unconsciously clenched his fists, his sharp gaze fixed on the tower.

He had attempted the thirty-first floor five times, giving his all on every occasion, only to fall short at the final moment. He knew its difficulty all too well.

He Shuang reaching it first had already put immense pressure on him. If Chen Qing also...

Just as his thoughts began to churn—

On the stone monument, the number representing the floor behind Chen Qing's name suddenly jumped!

Thirty-one!

"He's on the thirty-first floor!"

"Quick! Send word back to the Peak immediately! Chen Qing has cleared the thirty-first floor!"

Immediately, the expressions of several figures in the crowd changed drastically. Without a moment's hesitation, they turned and shot off in all directions like arrows loosed from a bow!

These figures mostly belonged to the various factions within the Sect, or were disciples with close ties to certain families and Peaks.

They knew full well the meaning behind this information—it represented a near-certain qualification for True Inheritance, and could even affect the future balance of power within the Sect!

A genuine wave of amazement spread through the remaining disciples, and the atmosphere grew palpably tense, charged with an Undercurrent Swell of unspoken implications.

With this concrete achievement, Chen Qing had once again proven his potential.

Wu Anren stared at the glaring number "Thirty-one." His pupils contracted, and his chest heaved slightly.

He took a deep breath, his tightly clenched fists slowly uncurling as an immense pressure settled over him.

Wu Anren took one last, deep look toward the exit of the Celestial Treasure Tower. Without lingering, he turned, parted the crowd, and silently left the square.

The calm on the faces of Wan Shangyi and Qian Baole was also broken, replaced by unconcealed astonishment.

With a SNAP, Qian Baole flicked open his folding fan, only to snap it shut again. "He actually made it through?" he asked, his tone laced with disbelief.

Wan Shangyi's gaze was profound as he said slowly, "We all underestimated him. It seems his gains during his half-year guard duty at the Black Water Abyss Prison far exceeded our imagination. It wasn't just his Body Refining; his True Astral Cultivation and Martial Techniques have likely made huge strides as well."

His tone carried a hint of gravity; Chen Qing's speed of advancement had clearly surpassed his prior estimations.

Just then, the glowing portal at the entrance to the Celestial Treasure Tower wavered, and Chen Qing's figure slowly emerged.

His expression was calm, his aura completely withdrawn.

"Brother Chen!"

Zhu Yu was the first to rush over, his face beaming with excitement. "Congratulations on clearing the thirty-first floor, Brother!"

Chen Qing gave him a slight nod, his own face remaining perfectly calm.

Just then, a graceful figure in pale yellow approached. It was Meng Qianxue.

Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she gave him a radiant smile. "Junior Brother Chen, you really are full of surprises. Congratulations! The thirty-first floor is the true threshold for True Inheritance."

Her voice carried a note of sincere admiration.

'I know,' Meng Qianxue thought, 'that the depth of combat prowess Chen Qing just displayed is already on par with mine.'

'More importantly, he's so young; his potential is nowhere near its peak. As long as he continues to cultivate steadily, a True Inheritance position will be well within his grasp in due time.'

Chen Qing cupped his hands, his tone even. "You're too kind, Senior Sister Meng."

At almost the same moment, Wan Shangyi and Qian Baole walked over together.

Wan Shangyi wore a warm smile and was the first to speak. "Your attempt on the tower was truly impressive, Junior Brother Chen. I wonder, are you planning to press on further?"

His words were an overture of goodwill, but they also held a probing undertone.

Chen Qing's expression remained unchanged as he gave them a polite fist-and-palm salute. "During this climb, I became aware of some of my own shortcomings. I need to consolidate my Cultivation before I consider anything else."

As he spoke, several familiar disciples from Xu Wang Mountain also gathered around, offering their congratulations with voices full of admiration and envy.

Chen Qing nodded to each of them in turn, his attitude neither cold nor overly enthusiastic.

After a few brief pleasantries, Chen Qing said to Zhu Yu, "Let's go."

Then, under the varied gazes of the onlookers, he and Zhu Yu walked away, gradually disappearing into the distance.

Only after Chen Qing's back had disappeared from view did Wan Shangyi slowly retract his gaze.

Beside him, Qian Baole asked in a low voice, "Brother Wan, in your opinion, now that Chen Qing has revealed his strength by clearing the thirty-first floor, do you think he'll... get any ideas about challenging Brother Lu?"

Hearing this, Wan Shangyi shook his head. "Absolutely not. Unless Chen Qing has gone mad and is looking to humiliate himself."

"It's true that Chen Qing cleared the thirty-first floor. It's astonishing, and it's enough to prove his boundless potential. The True Martial Lineage's investment in him was not wasted. But don't forget what happened with Junior Sister He Shuang. She merged her Three True Astrals and has a profound foundation, and she also cleared the thirty-first floor. The result? She couldn't last a hundred moves against Brother Lu before she was defeated. And what about Junior Sister Meng Qianxue? She also reached the thirty-first floor and used every trick in the book when she challenged him. In the end, didn't she also return in defeat?"

"Brother Lu has been immersed in the Astral Force Perfection realm for nearly eight years. The purity and depth of his Nine Heavens True Astral make him a paragon among his peers. What's more, his Saber Momentum has reached the Great Success Realm, where the complex has been simplified to its essence. He is not an obstacle that can be overcome with extraordinary talent or one or two Unparalleled Martial Arts alone. What Chen Qing needs most right now is time to let his foundation settle. He needs to steadily advance to the Perfection realm, and perhaps even glimpse the True Essence Realm, not rashly challenge an immovable mountain."

Qian Baole nodded, listening to Wan Shangyi's clear and logical analysis. "You're absolutely right, Brother."

...