The first golden rays of dawn spilled over the peaks of Azure Cloud Sect, bathing the outer sect’s simple cottages and stone paths in a soft, warm glow. The crisp morning air carried the faint scent of pine and spiritual grass, rousing the outer sect disciples from their slumber. The quiet of the night was quickly replaced by the rustle of robes and low chatter, and the rumors that had spread like wildfire the previous evening were now on every tongue, growing more exaggerated by the minute.

Lin Mo pushed open the door of his hut, and the fresh morning wind brushed against his face, carrying with it a surge of spiritual energy that felt far more tangible than it had just a day ago. He took a slow breath, and the spiritual energy flowed into his meridians smoothly, merging with the surging power in his dantian. The faint exhaustion from overnight cultivation vanished instantly, leaving him feeling lighter and more energetic than ever before. He glanced down at his hands, now firm and steady, and the faint glow of the Six Paths Immortal Root lingered just beneath his skin, hidden from prying eyes.

He had no intention of staying cooped up in his hut. To truly master the Heavenly Immortal Art, he needed to absorb more concentrated spiritual energy and test the limits of his newfound cultivation. The outer sect’s Spirit Stream Valley, a small valley brimming with slightly denser spiritual energy, was his destination. He tucked the jade slip deep into his robes, adjusted his plain outer sect robe, and set off along the stone path, his steps calm and steady, no longer hunched or hesitant as he once was.

As he walked, the disciples passing by all stopped and stared at him, their eyes filled with disbelief, fear, and curiosity. Whispers followed him everywhere he went.

“That’s Lin Mo, the trash who couldn’t cultivate before!”

“He really beat Wang Hu yesterday… look at his posture, he’s completely different!”

“Is he really a Qi Refining realm cultivator now? How is that possible?”

Lin Mo ignored all the stares and murmurs, his gaze fixed ahead. He had endured years of insults and contempt, and these fleeting glances meant nothing to him now. But not everyone was willing to let him be. Just as he reached the entrance to Spirit Stream Valley, a group of burly disciples blocked his path, their faces twisted with anger and malice. Leading them was a young man with a scar across his cheek, his eyes blazing with rage—this was Wang Hu’s cousin, Wang Chao, a mid-stage Qi Refining disciple who had long bullied others alongside Wang Hu.

“Lin Mo! You dare to show your face after hurting my cousin?” Wang Chao shouted, stepping forward and glaring at Lin Mo. His hands clenched into fists, and a faint wisp of spiritual energy swirled around his knuckles. “You think you can get away with beating him? Today, I’ll teach you a lesson for daring to provoke the Wang family!”

The surrounding disciples gasped and stepped back, eager to watch the fight. Most thought Lin Mo had only just stepped into Qi Refining by chance, and he would never be a match for Wang Chao, who had been in the mid-stage for months.

Lin Mo stopped walking, his expression calm and unruffled. He looked at Wang Chao indifferently, his deep eyes showing no trace of fear. “Wang Hu provoked me first. I only defended myself. If you know what’s good for you, step aside.”

His voice was steady, but it carried an invisible pressure that made Wang Chao falter for a moment. Enraged by the hesitation, Wang Chao roared and lunged forward, his fist wrapped in spiritual energy, aiming straight for Lin Mo’s chest. The speed and power of the punch were enough to knock an ordinary early-stage Qi Refining disciple to the ground.

The onlookers held their breath, waiting to see Lin Mo get knocked down. But in the next second, something shocking happened. Lin Mo’s body moved slightly, dodging the punch with effortless speed, as if he had predicted Wang Chao’s every move. Before Wang Chao could react, Lin Mo raised his hand lightly, and a wisp of pure, overwhelming spiritual energy shot out from his fingertip. It hit Wang Chao’s shoulder gently, but the force was unstoppable.

Wang Chao let out a painful cry, his body flying backward like a broken kite, crashing into the stone wall of the valley and sliding to the ground. He clutched his shoulder, his face pale with pain, and stared at Lin Mo in utter terror. He could not feel any spiritual energy resistance in his meridians—Lin Mo’s power had completely suppressed his own.

“You… you’re not just early-stage Qi Refining…” Wang Chao stammered, his voice trembling.

The surrounding disciples were frozen in shock, their mouths hanging open. No one dared to whisper anymore. They looked at Lin Mo as if seeing a stranger. This was not the useless trash they knew; this was a powerful cultivator they could not fathom.

Lin Mo did not spare Wang Chao another glance. He stepped into Spirit Stream Valley and found a quiet stone bench to sit on, closing his eyes to absorb the denser spiritual energy. As he circulated the Heavenly Immortal Art, the spiritual energy in the valley rushed toward him, forming a faint vortex around his body.

High above the outer sect, hidden in the clouds, the white-bearded elder from the Scripture Hall stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes fixed on Lin Mo in Spirit Stream Valley. A faint smile played on his lips, and his eyes were filled with deep approval. “A Six Paths Immortal Root, paired with the Heavenly Immortal Art… the storm is indeed coming. But this child has a steady heart. He will not be easily destroyed.”

He turned and vanished into the clouds, his movements silent as a ghost. Meanwhile, in the inner sect of Azure Cloud Sect, in a magnificent hall, several elders sensed the unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy in the outer sect and frowned, sending their spiritual senses to investigate.

Lin Mo remained unaware of the eyes watching him from all sides. He focused entirely on his cultivation, knowing that this small victory was just the beginning. The path of immortality was long and treacherous, and more enemies and challenges lay ahead. But with the Heavenly Immortal Art in his grasp, he was ready to face whatever came next, and shine brighter than ever in the Azure Cloud Sect.