Divine Root Bone

The unusual phenomenon at the bone-testing platform was strictly sealed off by the sect's higher-ups. The records only listed Zhang Yang as having superior-grade aptitude, and everyone in the Southern Region believed that superior-grade was his limit. No one knew that he possessed divine-grade aptitude, far surpassing even the highest grade. Divine-grade aptitude completely overwhelms ordinary talent in terms of spiritual energy absorption, physical strength, and spiritual perception, giving him terrifying confidence in cross-realm battles.

Five days later, the Qingyun Sect's new disciple competition officially began. The arena on the front mountain was bustling with noise. The sect leader and the seven Foundation Establishment elders sat on the high platform, while two spies from the Black Fiend Demon Sect hid in the dense forest in the distance, secretly observing the movements inside the arena.

After the draw for the competition was completed, the list of opponents for the first round was announced. Zhang Yang's first opponent was a male disciple named Jin Ren, who was also at the fifth level of Qi Refining.

The Jin man was burly and cultivated a purely forceful martial art. Confident that he was on par with Zhang Yang in terms of cultivation level, he stepped onto the stage with an arrogant expression: "A battle between equals? I'll see just how capable you are, the one rumored to have been exceptionally admitted to the inner sect!"

Before the words were finished, the bell of the arena rang. A gentle breeze swirled around the golden man as he channeled his fifth level of Qi Refining spiritual power. His heavy punch, accompanied by a strong wind, slammed straight into Zhang Yang's face. This was the aura of a standard fifth level Qi Refining cultivator, capable of only causing spiritual power stagnation and suppression against cultivators at the first to third levels of Qi Refining.

In Zhang Yang's eyes, all the flaws in his opponent's moves were detected by his divine soul, and his speed was as slow as a snail. He didn't need to exert his full spiritual power at all; he only mobilized 30% of his original power, sidestepped the attack, and lightly struck out with one palm.

Pure and unadulterated spiritual energy erupted, and the spiritual energy foundation brought by the divine-grade root bone far exceeded that of others of the same level. The moment the two spiritual energies collided, the vortex around the golden man shattered, and the spiritual energy in his meridians instantly became disordered and out of control.

Bang!

A muffled thud exploded, and the golden man was struck as if by a heavy hammer. He couldn't even withstand a complete attack and his body flew several feet backward, crashing heavily to the edge of the arena. His chest heaved with blood and qi, and he lost the ability to fight again.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

"Both are at the fifth level of Qi Refining, how can there be such a huge difference? They couldn't even withstand a single move!"

"Even though they're both mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, the depth of his spiritual power is on a completely different level!"

The two scouts in the dense forest raised their eyebrows slightly, a strange feeling rising in their hearts, but they still regarded Zhang Yang as a top genius among those with superior physical attributes and did not be too wary.

After a short break, the second round of battles began. The female disciple Liu Qinghe took the stage. Her cultivation level was at the late stage of the seventh level of Qi Refining, and she had already stepped into the third level of the Qi Refining realm.

According to the rules of suppressing lower-level cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm, the seventh to ninth levels are the last three levels. Spiritual energy permeates the flesh and blood, and a faint glow appears on the surface of the body. The aura emanating from the body can suppress cultivators in the middle and early stages of Qi Refining over a large area. When circulating spiritual power, it will cause the meridians of cultivators in the early to middle stages of Qi Refining to become sluggish and blocked. Ordinary cultivators in the fifth level of Qi Refining will find it difficult to breathe smoothly when they get close to her.

Liu Qinghe slowly walked onto the arena, her body enveloped in a layer of shimmering white light. A faint pressure spread out, covering the entire bluestone platform. The disciples below, all at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining, instinctively retreated, their spiritual energy circulation noticeably sluggish. Her gaze fell on Zhang Yang, her tone resolute: "I am already a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. Under the suppression of my divine might, your spiritual energy cannot be smoothly mobilized. Admit defeat now to avoid physical suffering."

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Qinghe's body emitted a burst of light, and the suppressive aura exclusive to late-stage Qi Refining surged towards Zhang Yang, attempting to lock down the Qi vortex within his body.

But then, something unbelievable happened—

The overwhelming pressure descended upon Zhang Yang, but it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, failing to cause the slightest stagnation in his spiritual energy. His divine-grade innate bone structure was an inherent barrier, and the suppressive force of an ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator could not shake his meridians and dantian at all.

Liu Qinghe was taken aback, her heart filled with doubt and uncertainty. No longer holding back, she flashed and her body condensed into several spiritual blades, which attacked Zhang Yang from all directions. The strength of her body, which was infused with spiritual energy, made her attacks extremely sharp.

Zhang Yang remained calm. His body, tempered by divine-grade bone structure, was as hard as refined iron. Despite being struck by several spiritual blades, only a few specks of white light splashed from his body, leaving no trace of injury. He took a light step, his figure instantly closing in on Liu Qinghe. A wisp of spiritual energy, refined to its extreme, condensed at his fingertips, gently touched the vortex of energy in her dantian.

The protective glow on Liu Qinghe's body instantly shattered, and the three layers of stable spiritual power foundation were shattered by the blow. The pale white mist around her body quickly dissipated, and her spiritual power was completely disordered. She staggered back more than ten steps, her pretty face pale, and she could no longer muster any strength.

A Qi Refining Level 5 cultivator, spanning two realms, defeated a Qi Refining Level 7 late stage cultivator, and then a cultivator at the last three levels!

The entire arena erupted in chaos. All the disciples instantly realized that this was something no ordinary high-grade talent could accomplish.

"The might of the latter three heavens couldn't suppress him? His physical body can even withstand seven layers of spiritual blades!"

"A superior-grade root bone could never defeat a cultivator at the third level of the cultivation realm, even after crossing two realms. This is clearly the terrifying combat power of someone with an extremely high-grade root bone!"

On the high platform, the seven elders exchanged glances and sighed inwardly. Even with their efforts to suppress nine-tenths of their original essence, the power overflowing from their top-grade aptitude still far exceeded the limits of the Southern Region's talent.

Currently, all that is known is that it is of the highest quality.

In the distant dense forest, the two black-clad spies shuddered, their faces losing all their previous disdain and replaced by extreme solemnity.

"Something's not right! We misread it!"

"The last three levels of Qi Refining possess an innate divine might. Ordinary cultivators at the fifth level of superior-grade root bone would experience a loss of spiritual energy upon approaching him, yet he is completely unaffected by this suppression and can even crush them with a counterattack!"

"His spiritual energy purity, physical strength, and spiritual reaction are all above average. This isn't just a top-tier talent; he's a hidden genius!"

"A minor sect on the southern border is hiding a young man with exceptional talent and potential, capable of defeating a cultivator at the third level of cultivation while crossing two realms. This matter is of utmost importance and we must immediately return to the main altar to report to the sect leader!"

The two quickly divided the tasks: one continued to lie in ambush in the dense forest to monitor the subsequent battles on the arena, while the other transformed into a black shadow and, under the cover of the forest, swiftly escaped from the Qingyun Mountains and rushed to the Black Fiend Sect overnight to deliver a message. A crisis targeting Zhang Yang and the Qingyun Sect had quietly begun.

On the dueling platform, Zhang Yang stood quietly in the center of the arena, with only a faint breeze around him, deliberately concealing most of his innate power. However, the mere tip of the iceberg he revealed was enough to sweep aside cultivators of the same level and those at the third level of the reverse cultivation, making him the undisputed top expert in this year's Newcomer Competition.