"What? Late stage of Qi Condensation?"
"How?"
"No way. Wasn't he only at the early stage a month ago? How could he advance this fast?"
Sure enough, after sensing Zhiran's aura, the disciples around him were shocked beyond belief.
They couldn't believe their eyes. They never thought someone who had been weaker than them could reach a height they couldn't in such a short time.
"Is he… gaslighting us or what?"
Some still couldn't believe it, even after feeling the fierce aura radiating from his body.
"Can you write my name on the list now? I'm quite busy, you see."
Seeing that the disciple in front of him was still in shock, Zhiran spoke, clearly a little annoyed. He didn't want to waste time listening to these nobodies.
"Oh… yes, sorry, sorry. I'll write it immediately."
The young disciple snapped out of his daze after Zhiran's words and hurriedly wrote his name on the list.
He didn't want to irritate Zhiran any further. After all, this guy was already at the late stage of Qi Condensation.
No matter what, to him, Zhiran was a genius. Why offend someone like that for no reason?
As for the suspicion that he might have faked his aura, he dismissed the thought. Nobody would dare lie to the Divine Cauldron Sect.
Besides, his realm would be exposed during the fight in the inner trial anyway. Why suspect him unnecessarily?
"Sir Zhiran, your name is on the list now. Take this jade token, and when the competition starts, hand it to the guard before entering the trial grounds."
"The competition will begin in the afternoon at the Outer Sect Arena. Best of luck. I hope you make it into the inner sect."
The youth respectfully handed the jade token, carved with Zhiran's name, to him and even offered his best wishes.
After learning his true realm, his attitude changed completely all of a sudden.
It was a clear reflection of how this cultivation world worked. Only when you have strength will people respect and value you.
"Okay, thank you!"
Zhiran nodded at the guy before turning around and leaving right after. Now that he had already registered, all that remained was the fight.
A fight for hegemony. Well, although it was extreme, both were the same for him.
"So, you are indeed in the late stage of Qi Condensation. How did you do that?"
Just as Zhiran left the crowd, intending to go straight to the arena and wait, he heard a sweet voice from behind.
"Ruyue?"
When he turned around, he saw a graceful lady looking at him with surprise and scrutiny.
"Zhiran, you have learned to hide things from me. You weren't like that before."
Su Ruyue said again, clearly upset that he had hidden his realm from her.
Her pouting lips and the way she stood with her hands on her waist, accentuating her big breasts, made her look just as stunning as before.
"When did I hide? It is just…you never ask."
Zhiran smiled and stepped a little closer, walking alongside her toward the arena.
"It seems you also entered the late stage of Qi Condensation. Congratulations!"
He said as he could already feel her realm, not that she was hiding it anyway.
"Hehe…yeah, I was lucky. Fortunately, I entered this stage before the competition. Now I hope I can enter the inner sect."
Ruyue spoke hopefully with a smile on her face, though she knew it was probably impossible.
After all, she had just entered this realm, while many others were already here, some at even higher levels.
Her chances were very low.
"Don't worry. You'll get in for sure. Believe me."
Surprisingly, while she was in doubt, Zhiran seemed sure as he affirmed her with a serious tone.
For a moment, even Ruyue didn't know whether he was saying it to console her or if he really knew.
"Did you register your name?"
Zhiran suddenly asked, not wanting to delve into this issue.
"Yeah, and I saw you registering it too."
Su Ruyue nodded, then looked at him with a little bit of worry on her face,
"But…are you sure this is a good choice? I heard that Wu Zhen got out of his seclusion and was quite angry at you beating up his brother. If he meets you in a match, he might do something bad to you."
She said while gauging his reaction. After all, Wu Zhen was a top-level genius in the outer sect, and it seemed he had reached the Ninth level of Qi condensation this time.
If he met Zhiran in a match, although he couldn't kill, there was no guarantee he wouldn't do some outrageous to him in anger.
"Why? Are you worried about me?"
But Zhiran didn't really take those words to his heart. After all, he was also in the same realm, and his combat power wasn't so bad.
Rather, he looked at Ruyue with a smirk and teased her lightly. He didn't know why, but he liked provoking this girl whenever he saw her.
"W-wha…who is worried about you? Zhiran, can you please stop daydreaming? I am just saying it for your own good."
Su Ruyue saw him teasing her and immediately shook her head. She then couldn't help but pout in anger.
Here she was thinking about his well-being, and he had to tease her all of a sudden?
'When did he become like this?'
She couldn't help but think this while looking at Zhiran's smiling face.
"Haha… don't worry, I have my own plans. Besides, didn't I say I would top this trial so that I can have you? How can I be afraid of any Wu Zhen?"
Mo Zhiran laughed at the pouting girl in front and, to the surprise of Ruyue, suddenly hugged her willow waist and whispered in her ear,
"You just get ready to be mine, Ruyue. I won't let you go at that time."
"W-what… what are you doing?"
Zhiran's movement was so sudden and instant that Ruyue was caught off guard. Before she could react, she was already in his arms, listening to his breathy voice right before her ear.
Suddenly, her entire face, down to the tips of her ears, turned pitch red with shame.
Su Ruyue never thought Zhiran was audacious enough to hug her in full view of the public.
Previously, he did it when they were alone, and she didn't say much. But now…
"You…l-leave me…"
After getting out of Zhiran's arms swiftly, Ruyue was about to get angry and scold this abominable, smiling childhood friend of hers, when a cold, emotionless voice interrupted both of them.
"What are you two doing?"