By the morning of the third day, Su Yang had finally emerged from the mountain ranges.
The past two days had been exhausting.
His clothes had suffered several tears, his body carried a few minor wounds, and the soles of his boots were covered in mud. Yet compared to when he had left home, Su Yang's aura had undergone a subtle transformation.
Two days of fighting spirit beasts had sharpened him.
His cultivation realm had still not broken through, but his physique, movement technique, saber foundation, and battle instincts had improved tremendously.
More importantly, he had learned how different real combat was from training alone.
Every spirit beast fought to kill.
There were no rules.
No mercy.
No second chances.
Su Yang had survived, and each battle had made him stronger.
After walking for another two hours, he eventually reached a small roadside town situated along one of the major routes leading toward the Moonshade Region.
The difference was immediately noticeable.
People were everywhere.
Young cultivators carrying swords, sabers, spears, and various other weapons crowded the streets.
Merchants shouted from roadside stalls.
Carriages entered and left continuously.
Su Yang quickly understood the reason.
The Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect's disciple admission was approaching.
He wasn't the only person heading there.
Su Yang found a carriage driver traveling toward the Moonshade Region, negotiated the price, and climbed aboard.
"Moonshade Region?" the driver confirmed.
Su Yang nodded.
"As close to the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect as you can take me."
The driver laughed.
"Another one!"
Su Yang raised an eyebrow.
"Another?"
"Young man, haven't you looked around?"
The driver pointed toward the road.
"Almost half the youngsters traveling this route are heading toward the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect."
Su Yang glanced around.
The driver wasn't exaggerating.
Many of the young cultivators carried sabers.
Some traveled alone.
Others were accompanied by family members, servants, or guards.
Su Yang settled into his seat.
"Let's go."
The driver cracked the reins.
The horses moved.
Several hours passed peacefully.
But as they drew closer to the Moonshade Region, traffic became increasingly heavy.
One carriage became three.
Three became ten.
Before long, dozens of carriages were traveling along the same road.
Eventually, the road became completely packed.
Carriages slowed to a crawl.
Some cultivators became impatient and continued on foot.
Su Yang opened his eyes.
He had spent most of the journey quietly cultivating.
He looked ahead.
Carriages stretched farther than he could see.
"So many people?"
The driver laughed.
"You haven't seen anything yet. Wait until we reach the sect."
Su Yang nodded.
With nothing else to do, he leaned against the carriage and waited.
That was when a loud voice came from nearby.
"Make way!"
Several people turned.
A luxurious carriage decorated with silver patterns approached from behind.
Two powerful horses pulled it, while several guards rode alongside.
The carriage stopped because of the congestion.
Its curtain opened.
A young man stepped outside.
He appeared around twenty years old.
His robes were expensive, and a jade ornament hung from his waist. A beautifully decorated saber rested behind him.
His expression carried the unmistakable arrogance of someone accustomed to being treated as important.
Someone nearby whispered,
"Isn't that Lu Chen?"
Another person immediately looked over.
"You know him?"
"Of course! He's from the Lu Clan."
"The Lu Clan?"
Several expressions changed.
The Lu Clan possessed considerable influence within one of the nearby cities.
Lu Chen heard the whispers.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
He stepped down from his carriage.
Since everyone was waiting anyway, several young cultivators naturally gathered around him.
"Young Master Lu, are you also participating in the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect's admission?"
Lu Chen smiled.
"Naturally."
A young cultivator immediately cupped his hands.
"With Young Master Lu's talent, entering the sect should be easy."
Lu Chen laughed.
"I wouldn't say easy."
His tone suggested the exact opposite.
Someone asked,
"Has Young Master Lu visited the sect before?"
Lu Chen's smile widened.
"My elder sister is already a disciple of the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect."
"What?!"
The surrounding youngsters became excited.
"Your sister is already inside?"
Lu Chen nodded casually.
"She entered several years ago."
The way he spoke made it seem insignificant.
But everyone around him immediately became more respectful.
Having a family member inside the sect was an enormous advantage.
"Young Master Lu truly comes from an extraordinary family."
"Perhaps Senior Brother Lu can look after us after we enter."
"Young Master Lu, if we all become disciples, please don't forget us."
The praises came one after another.
Lu Chen clearly enjoyed them.
His chin lifted slightly.
"Don't worry. If you encounter difficulties after entering the sect, mention my name."
The surrounding youngsters became even more enthusiastic.
Su Yang watched everything from his carriage.
Then he lost interest.
He closed his eyes again.
Unfortunately, Lu Chen noticed.
Almost everyone around him was trying to establish a relationship with him.
Everyone except one person.
Lu Chen's gaze landed on Su Yang.
"You."
Su Yang didn't respond.
Lu Chen frowned.
"You in the carriage."
Su Yang slowly opened his eyes.
"What?"
Lu Chen's expression darkened slightly at his indifferent tone.
"You're also going to the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect?"
"Yes."
"What cultivation?"
Su Yang looked at him.
He didn't see any reason to answer.
But after a moment, he casually replied,
"Fourth Level of the Spirit Realm."
The surroundings became quiet.
Then—
"Pfft!"
Someone laughed.
Lu Chen stared at Su Yang before bursting into laughter.
"Fourth Level Spirit Realm?"
Several others joined him.
Su Yang remained expressionless.
Lu Chen shook his head.
"I thought you were some hidden genius with how arrogantly you were sitting there."
He looked Su Yang up and down.
"Fourth Level Spirit Realm and you're going to participate in the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect's disciple admission?"
Su Yang said nothing.
Lu Chen smirked.
"You really don't know how high the heavens are."
A young man beside him immediately agreed.
"Young Master Lu is right."
Another laughed.
"Maybe he thinks the sect accepts anyone who carries a saber."
"Fourth Level Spirit Realm? He'll probably be eliminated before the real examination even begins."
Laughter erupted.
Su Yang remained calm.
After everything he had experienced during the past few days, these childish insults couldn't stir his emotions.
Lu Chen mistook his silence for embarrassment.
"You should turn around while you still can," he said.
"At least you'll save yourself from being humiliated in front of thousands of people."
Su Yang finally looked directly at him.
"Are you finished?"
Lu Chen's smile disappeared.
"What did you say?"
"I asked if you're finished."
Su Yang's voice remained calm.
"If you are, stop blocking the road."
The surroundings fell silent.
Nobody expected him to speak to Lu Chen like that.
Lu Chen stared at him.
"You know who you're speaking to?"
"No."
Su Yang paused.
"And I don't care."
Several people sucked in cold breaths.
Lu Chen's face turned ugly.
"You—"
Su Yang had already stopped paying attention.
He turned toward his carriage driver.
"Is there another route?"
The driver hesitated.
"There is a smaller road ahead. It's rougher, but we can use it to bypass some of this traffic."
"Take it."
The driver looked nervously toward Lu Chen.
"Young master…"
"I'll pay extra."
The driver's hesitation disappeared.
"Of course!"
He immediately pulled the reins.
The carriage began moving toward the side road.
Lu Chen's face became increasingly dark.
This fellow had actually dismissed him.
"Stop!"
Su Yang's carriage continued.
"I'm talking to you!"
Lu Chen stepped forward.
Spiritual energy surged faintly around his body.
His hand moved toward his saber.
The surrounding youngsters quickly backed away.
"Young Master Lu is angry."
"That fellow is finished."
Lu Chen's eyes burned with fury.
For a moment, he genuinely considered attacking.
But then he remembered where they were.
Countless cultivators were traveling toward the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect.
Sect elders and disciples could potentially be among them.
Starting a fight on the road immediately before the admission examination could create unnecessary trouble.
Lu Chen slowly removed his hand from his saber.
"Fine."
He stared at Su Yang's departing carriage.
"You're lucky."
Su Yang didn't even turn around.
That made Lu Chen even angrier.
"You!"
His voice echoed across the road.
"Remember this!"
Su Yang's carriage continued moving.
"If I see you during the disciple admission, I'll make sure you regret your arrogance!"
Several youngsters immediately supported him.
"Young Master Lu, don't waste your anger on someone like that."
"He probably won't even pass the first test."
"Exactly!"
"Someone at the Fourth Level Spirit Realm should know his place."
Another person laughed.
"Perhaps he's running away because he became frightened."
Lu Chen's expression improved slightly.
"Fourth Level Spirit Realm…"
He sneered.
"He'd better pray he doesn't encounter me during the examination."
Inside the departing carriage, Su Yang heard everything.
He simply closed his eyes.
The driver occasionally glanced backward.
After several minutes, he couldn't resist.
"Young man."
"Mhm?"
"Do you know who that was?"
"No."
"Then why did you offend him?"
Su Yang opened one eye.
"I offended him?"
The driver blinked.
Su Yang continued,
"I was sitting quietly. He approached me, questioned me, mocked my cultivation, and threatened me."
The driver opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
When Su Yang put it that way…
He had a point.
Still, the driver shook his head.
"Young cultivators…"
Su Yang closed his eye again.
"You don't need to worry."
The driver sighed and concentrated on the road.
The carriage entered the smaller mountain path.
Su Yang's fingers rested casually against the saber beside him.
Fourth Level Spirit Realm.
That was what everyone saw.
That was what Lu Chen had mocked.
But cultivation realm wasn't everything.
During the past two days, Su Yang had killed spirit beasts whose strength surpassed what ordinary Fourth Level Spirit Realm cultivators could handle.
His Dragon-Tiger physique was continuously strengthening.
His movement technique had improved.
His saber foundation had become increasingly terrifying.
Most importantly, real battles had begun sharpening his instincts.
Su Yang slowly opened his eyes.
There was no anger inside them.
Only cold calmness.
If Lu Chen merely talked, Su Yang couldn't be bothered with him.
But if he actually attacked…
That would be different.
The carriage disappeared farther along the mountain road.
Neither Lu Chen nor the other applicants realized that the young man they had just laughed at was deliberately suppressing himself, patiently building a foundation far stronger than his cultivation realm suggested.
And Su Yang preferred it that way.
In the cultivation world, sometimes being underestimated was far more useful than being admired