I Was Forced To Marry The Phoenix Empress-Chapter 126: Demonstrating to Elder Lei
Finally resting his back on the bed, Yi Chen called up his status panel to check his progress so far.
=== Godly Cultivator System ===
Name: Yi Chen
Age: 18 years
Strength: 150 -> 180
Qi Pool: 0 / 330 [Recovery Time: 24 days]
Cultivation: Fifth Level of [Meridian Refinement Stage]
Qi Nature: Fire
Innate Ability: Eye of Truth Lv1 [Progress: 920 / 100,000 EXP]
[Cultivation Arsenal]
=========== End ===========
He was currently at the Fifth Level of Meridian Refinement Stage.
’Consistency really makes many good coincidences happen,’ Yi Chen chuckled the next moment.
It was just yesterday that he advanced to the Fifth Level, and today he has reached the comprehension threshold required to create those four rings.
However, just when Yi Chen was revelling in this coincidence, he was suddenly reminded of his cultivation speed, which had drastically reduced after his advancement, making him sigh in disappointment.
After cultivating for six hours today, his Qi pool was completely dried up, but despite that, the targeted meridian was only halfway refined, clearly indicating that from now on it would take him two days to refine one meridian.
’Hopefully I’ll get that 10x cultivation speed buff again in the future...’ Yi Chen thought to himself before bringing his attention to his system panel.
The next moment, he willed for the Cultivation Arsenal to be opened.
======Cultivation Arsenal ======
#Weapon Arts
1) Basic Swordsmanship [Progress: 923.5 / 1000]
#Cultivation Arts
1) Crimson Fire Arts [Comprehension: 70%]
#System Items
1) 10x Comprehension Speed [Activated: 21 days left]
============ END ===========
The 10x Comprehension buff has clearly helped him greatly in the last two months.
Not only was his comprehension percentage able to reach 70%, which enabled him to form those rings of fire, but his basic swordsmanship proficiency has also increased greatly, and he was just on the brink of reaching a thousand points.
’I wonder what would happen when I reach a thousand points...’ Yi Chen thought to himself as right now, apart from being able to use the sword much more easily and conveniently, he couldn’t feel much of a difference.
Finally putting the status panel aside, he closed his eyes. After a tiring and fruitful day, it was finally time for him to sleep and get his well-deserved rest.
The next morning, Yi Chen woke up completely refreshed.
After helping Qin Yao with the regular housework like usual and having their breakfast together, the two of them soon arrived in the courtyard where Elder Lei was sitting like usual under the banyan tree.
’It’s best to tell me now rather than after the lessons,’
With this thought, instead of sitting down on the mat below, Yi Chen made his way towards Elder Lei and stopped just a few steps away.
"What is it?" Elder Lei, who had his eyes closed all along, calmly opened his eyes and looked towards Yi Chen.
"I’ve attained the required proficiency to form the ring now," Yi Chen said the next moment.
Since there were around five days left to meet the deadline, Yi Chen had expected there not to be much of a reaction to Elder Lei’s expression.
And just like he had anticipated, Elder Lei just nodded at the news and said, "Alright, demonstrate it to me."
’Hehe...I can finally see a gobsmacked expression on that stonelike face...’
Yi Chen snickered in his mind in anticipation, and the very next instant, four rings made up of fire, each the size of his head was conjured out of nowhere and began revolving around his body.
Qin Yao, who was observing everything from the side, couldn’t help but cover his eyes because of the intense light as the admiration in his heart for Yi Chen further increased.
’Brother Chen was really able to do it!’
Just like Yi Chen, he too had been trying to create those rings. Not because of any deadline, but just out of curiosity and because of his desire not fall behind Yi Chen.
However, despite putting in a lot of effort in the following three months, there was no progress in this direction for him.
Therefore, seeing Yi Chen successfully demonstrating not one but four of those fire rings right in front of his eyes had filled his heart with nothing but praise for him.
A gaze filled with worship began taking root in Qin Yao’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Yi Chen’s gaze was firmly focused on Elder Lei’s expression.
However, to his dismay, not a single wrinkle had appeared on that stonelike face of Elder Lei. The only subtle change that he was able to witness was a momentary rise of his brows for a second when the four rings had made their presence known.
’Is this the best reaction I could get out of him...’
Feeling disappointed, he soon collapsed the fire rings and looked, waiting for Elder Lei’s response.
"Good," Elder Lei nodded the next moment, said while standing up from his spot, "You’ve exceeded my requirements."
As Elder Lei finished these words, Yi Chen, who was unable to hold himself back, suddenly asked.
"Why...just why were you not surprised at all? Did you know that I would be able to create four rings instead of one?"
Usually, Yi Chen wouldn’t dare to ask such questions to Elder Lei because of his strict disposition.
However, after seeing that his months-long desire, which he had been using as a fuel to push his comprehension to 70% in these past two months, failed to be met, he just had to ask that question.
Hearing Yi Chen’s childlike question, Elder Lei answered without a second thought, "You’re wrong. I was surprised. Though it wasn’t by much."
"Why is that then?" Yi Chen asked.
He was clearly a little aggrieved now that his months-long plan to get a big reaction out of Elder Lei had failed.
"You’ve been staying here with me for almost three months now. In just this small time frame, I’ve seen you jump from the First Level of Meridian Refinement Stage to the Fifth.
This speed of cultivation has never been seen or heard of.
So, you tell, after witnessing something like that, will I really be awestruck by your forming four rings instead of one? At most, I was impressed."
"This..."
It was only now that Yi Chen realised that he had totally missed out on this point.
Elder Lei could easily gauge his cultivation level during this period, so he had already been aware of his abnormally high cultivation speed.
’Looks like it’s just not in my fate to see any other reaction on that face of his...’ Yi Chen internally sighed in defeat at this realisation.
The next moment, they heard a huge exclamation by Qin Yao.
"What! Is Brother Chen already a Fifth Level Meridian Refinement Stage Cultivator?
Even after continuously using the spirit stones which Yi Chen had been providing him without restraint, Qin Yao had only managed to break through to the Third Level in these past few months.
He was already very proud of this achievement, but when he heard that during the same period, Brother Chen had jumped from the First Level to the Fifth! This was totally mind-boggling for him, and no matter in which way he looked at it, he was unable to make sense of such speed.
’...Forget it. At this pace It’s just useless for me to compete with him.’ Qin Yao thought to himself.
"Well, I was too focused on cultivating during this period, so I didn’t inform you about it. I only reached the Fifth Level the day before yesterday," Yi Chen explained.
"I see..." Qin Yao could just nod blankly at these words. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
It was at that moment that Elder Lei’s steps attracted both their attention.
Turning towards the sound of steps, they soon noticed him moving towards the residence’s gate.
As if to answer their doubts, Elder Lei stopped briefly and, slightly turning his head towards Yi Chen, said, "What are you standing there for? Let’s go."
"...go? Go where?" Yi Chen couldn’t help but ask when he heard those words.
"Where else? To get you registered as an external disciple, of course. Only then will I be able to nominate you for the Azure Sect’s entrance test," Elder Lei answered the next moment.
"Oh!" Yi Chen quickly nodded in understanding and soon followed after him, giving a nod to Qin Yao.
Since Elder Lei’s residence was on the easternmost corner of the Feng Clan’s territory, they had to walk quite a bit towards the centre, where the administrative buildings were.
’Now that I think of it, it’s my first time spending time alone with Elder Lei...’ Yi Chen couldn’t help but feel awkward as this thought rose in his mind.
Although he had been learning under Elder Lei for such a long time, there had not been many instances where they had talked. The longest had been when he was lectured by him in the middle for taking things too lightly.
’Uhm...Should I talk? Or should I not?’
’...if I don’t, then would it seem impolite? But what should I even talk to him about?’
’Should I just start by asking for his favourite colour? It should work, right?’
As Yi Chen was battling with these thoughts in his mind, Elder Lei, who had been walking beside him, suddenly asked.
"Do you know who created the Crimson Fire Arts?"
"Hmm," At this sudden question, Yi Chen couldn’t help but furrow his brows a little.
He didn’t know the answer, but not wanting to say no, he tried to guess, "Uhm...was it not the founder of the Feng Clan?"
