Time passed swiftly, and three months had elapsed since the commotion caused by the Blood Ravine Cave incident subsided.
As for Li Xuan, the protagonist of the event, his closed-door cultivation after returning to his courtyard had also lasted for three months. Some team members, after breaking through their cultivation realms, had now emerged from their respective residences.
Although each person possessed five Tai Yuan Fruits, their foundations differed, making it impossible for them to maintain Li Xuan's level of uninterrupted seclusion for breakthroughs.
Furthermore, with the disciple trial date drawing nearer, an undercurrent of restlessness stirred within the hearts of some team members. Each passing day saw another member emerging from their dwelling.
With less than a week remaining until the disciple trial, Gong Hanfeng and Qiu Jiuzhen also emerged from their seclusion.
Following Gong Hanfeng and Qiu Jiuzhen's emergence, Wen Qing and the others naturally gravitated towards them. After exchanging pleasantries, everyone's gaze turned towards Li Xuan's pavilion, as he was the only leader in the entire team who had yet to emerge from seclusion.
"Leader Li's foundation is truly stable. He has been in seclusion for over three months, yet there are no signs of him breaking through. In these three months, I even took three days off," Gong Hanfeng remarked, looking at Li Xuan's pavilion with a sigh of admiration.
"Perhaps that is why he was able to defeat us, and even survive at the bottom of the Blood Ravine Cave," Qiu Jiuzhen echoed, nodding slightly with a pensive expression.
Gong Hanfeng agreed with a nod, then turned to Qiu Jiuzhen and asked, "Looking at Leader Li, do you think he might miss the disciple trial?"
Qiu Jiuzhen immediately shook his head, "Although time passes like a fleeting white horse for us Spirit Masters in seclusion, Leader Li knows the importance of the disciple trial for our entire team. Judging by the timeline, he should emerge within these few days."
"Leader Li has been in seclusion for so long. I wonder how much his strength will have improved upon emerging this time. Brother Qiu, do you think Leader Li could have reached the advanced peak of the Boundless Realm?" Wen Qing asked, turning to Qiu Jiuzhen.
Qiu Jiuzhen nodded slightly. "Although Leader Li only recently entered the advanced Boundless Realm, his foundation and accumulation are far beyond our ability to compare. Moreover, since returning from the Blood Ravine Cave, Leader Li's foundation seems even more stable than before."
"With the aid of the Tai Yuan Fruits and the spirit formation here, it should be easy for him to reach the peak. However, the peak of the Boundless Realm itself has three tiers. For most, reaching the third tier is already difficult, and reaching the sixth tier is extremely rare."
"Even I can barely be considered to be at the fifth tier. As for the ninth tier, it is reserved for the absolute prodigies among prodigies. Leader Li, I believe he should at least be at the sixth tier."
"The sixth tier, that means the foundation of his dantian and sea of qi surpasses that of most people. I wonder how profound the divine mansion formed at the limit of the ninth tier would be," Wen Qing mused with a sigh.
"Beyond the sixth tier, even within our Wood Pavilion, there are no more than fifty individuals. Such existences form top-grade divine mansions. As for the ninth tier, in the entire Tianyi Domain over ten thousand years, only our Great Venerable has achieved it."
"Forming a ninth-tier divine mansion requires continuous accumulation and innate talent. If he had enough time, coupled with the resources of the Tianyi Pavilion, I believe Leader Li could at least reach the eighth tier," Qiu Jiuzhen contemplated.
"The eighth tier, that is only one step below Great Venerable Li Yi!" Wen Qing and the others were astonished. Yet, excitement also flickered across their faces.
Even if Li Xuan did not reach the eighth tier, it demonstrated his potential and strength. Being able to follow such a leader, coupled with Li Xuan's previously displayed conduct, had already fostered a sense of belonging among them.
The strong had always been revered by the world!
"There are still five days until the disciple trial. Let's use this time to consolidate and familiarize ourselves with our strength."
"Although everyone has made some breakthroughs during this seclusion, other teams have likely done the same. To secure a portion of the benefits in this disciple trial, we must give our all. As the saying goes, sharpening a spear just before battle ensures it gleams."
"And if Leader Li emerges, he will surely be pleased with everyone's efforts," Gong Hanfeng said to the group after a period of casual conversation.
"Brother Gong is absolutely right! In this disciple trial, we will give our utmost!" Wen Qing and the others immediately bowed their fists in agreement. With that, they each returned to their respective dwellings.
"Brother Qiu, are you truly only at the fifth tier?" After Wen Qing, Bai Xinghan, and the others departed, Gong Hanfeng asked Qiu Jiuzhen with a hint of doubt.
Qiu Jiuzhen smiled and replied, "Then where do you think I should be?"
Gong Hanfeng shrugged. "I reached the fourth tier in these three months, and I don't believe your foundation is worse than mine. While accumulating such depth is not an overnight feat, with the Tai Yuan Fruits and the Wood Pavilion's spirit formation, we have had significant advantages."
"Three months of seclusion are enough to offset several years of arduous cultivation. In my opinion, Brother Qiu should have already reached the sixth tier."
"You didn't notice. Your discernment isn't bad. That's right, I did indeed reach the sixth tier in these three months. However, I only recently broke through, and my foundation is not yet completely stable."
"Furthermore, all five Tai Yuan Fruits have been consumed. Otherwise, I might have delayed my emergence by a day or two," Qiu Jiuzhen nodded slightly.
"Tsk tsk, the sixth tier. Brother Qiu, you'll have to take care of me more in the future. Besides Leader Li, you are now the strongest in our team. Once you enter the Divine Transformation Realm, you'll likely be much stronger than the leaders of other teams," Gong Hanfeng said excitedly.
"Who can say for sure about the Divine Transformation Realm? Moreover, I have a feeling that my sixth tier might be my limit. Unless I encounter another fortuitous encounter, I'm afraid I won't be able to advance further in this life. As for you, your future achievements might not necessarily be lower than mine."
"We'll see who takes care of whom then. Besides, we are all under Leader Li's command now. If something were to happen, do you think Leader Li would abandon you?" Qiu Jiuzhen said with a wry smile.
"Hehe, that's true." Gong Hanfeng recalled the scene where Li Xuan unhesitatingly jumped into the depths of the Blood Ravine Cave when Bai Xinghan was pulled in. He nodded in agreement and smiled.
"Alright, let's go and consolidate our cultivation as well. It seems we won't be able to wait for Leader Li today," Qiu Jiuzhen said after glancing at Li Xuan's pavilion again.
"Okay." Gong Hanfeng withdrew his gaze and nodded.
Within the pavilion, Li Xuan, who was sitting cross-legged, was engulfed in a surge of spiritual light. Around his body, the ten Tai Yuan Fruits that were originally present were now all gone. Within his sea of qi, nine golden ripples, akin to water patterns, flashed and dimmed, stirring the tide of spiritual energy.
If Qiu Jiuzhen and Gong Hanfeng could see this, they would be astonished. For each of these golden ripples represented a tier.
Li Xuan's secluded cultivation of over three months had actually reached the ninth tier!