The sun rose over the Outer Sect, casting long shadows across the stone courtyards. Birds chirped lazily, but the usual serenity had vanished.
Everywhere, disciples whispered. Some stared openly at Lin Tian as he walked through the training grounds. Some muttered behind their hands.
"He defeated Qin Hao… and resisted first-layer Qi Condensation…"
"Now he's Layer 6 Body Refinement?!"
"An outer disciple? Impossible!"
Zhou Jie, nursing bruises from the previous fight, scowled from a distance. Beside him, Wu Fan muttered angrily, "We… we can't let him get away with this."
Even the lower-ranked outer disciples stared in awe.
---
In the main hall, a group of outer disciples had gathered to discuss Lin Tian's sudden rise.
"You think he'll fight again today?" one whispered.
"Who knows," another said. "But if he does… it won't be pretty. He's stronger than anyone in the outer sect!"
Lin Tian walked past silently, hearing none of it. His calm demeanor only amplified the whispers.
Perfect, he thought. Curiosity and envy will make them predictable.
---
Later, Su Yan approached him in the training field.
"Lin Tian," she said softly, arms crossed. "Rumors are spreading fast. Some outer disciples are plotting to challenge you together."
Lin Tian's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Let them try," he said calmly. "I'll handle it."
Su Yan tilted her head. "You're not even worried?"
"I don't worry," he said simply. "I adapt."
Mo Xue, leaning against a nearby wall, smirked. "And I like that about you."
Lin Tian glanced at her, eyes sharp. "Good. Keep watching."
---
By midday, a small group of jealous outer disciples had gathered. They challenged Lin Tian openly in the courtyard—a triple-team fight, hoping to humiliate him publicly.
Zhou Jie led them, glaring fiercely.
"You've humiliated us enough," he shouted. "Today, you fall!"
Lin Tian didn't reply. He calmly released his aura. His Body Refinement Layer 6 radiated pressure, subtle but unmistakable.
The outer disciples hesitated, sensing the immense difference in strength.
This will be entertaining, Lin Tian thought, smirking faintly.
---
The fight began.
Zhou Jie rushed forward with brute strength, attempting a head-on attack. Lin Tian sidestepped effortlessly, letting him crash into the courtyard wall.
"Did he… just dodge that?" one disciple whispered.
The second opponent swung a wide kick. Lin Tian caught his leg mid-air, twisted, and sent him flying into a training dummy. The wood splintered loudly.
Boom!
The third disciple hesitated, eyes wide with fear. Lin Tian advanced calmly, aura compressing around him like an invisible steel cage.
"Step back," he said softly.
The disciple panicked and tried to flee, only to be caught in a single sweep of Lin Tian's leg, rolling him across the courtyard.
Three against one. Three defeated in under five minutes.
The crowd erupted—laughter, awe, and murmurs all mixed together.
---
After the fight, Lin Tian sheathed his inner energy, walking calmly through the courtyard.
Su Yan approached, shaking her head. "You make it look so easy. Even when people team up, you dominate."
Lin Tian smiled faintly. "Strength isn't about numbers. It's about control, speed, and precision."
Mo Xue leaned against a stone pillar, watching silently. She tilted her head slightly. "And confidence. You have plenty of that."
Lin Tian's eyes glimmered. "Good. Observers learn faster that way."
---
That evening, Ling Yue arrived at his quarters.
"You've handled Layer 6 remarkably well," she said, eyes serious. "But power attracts danger. The Outer Sect… and beyond, eyes will be on you now."
Lin Tian nodded calmly. "I know. This is only the beginning."
Ling Yue's gaze softened slightly. "Tomorrow, we begin advancing toward the seventh layer. It will test more than your body—it will test your mind and spirit. Are you ready?"
"I've never been more ready," Lin Tian replied.
---
As Lin Tian meditated under the moonlight, two figures watched him silently from a distance—Mo Xue and Su Yan.
Mo Xue whispered, almost to herself: "The sixth layer is stable… but the seventh will change everything. Not just his strength, but the way he interacts with the world."
Su Yan shivered slightly. "He's already drawing attention… I wonder how many people will try to challenge him next."
Lin Tian's eyes glimmered faintly in the moonlight.
Let them come, he thought. I will be ready. Stronger than anyone expects. Unstoppable.
---
The stars glimmered above, indifferent to mortals, yet silent witnesses to a storm rising in the Outer Sect.
Lin Tian stood atop the cliff, wind tugging at his long hair, aura faintly glowing.
"The Outer Sect is only the beginning," he murmured. "Tomorrow… I break through the next layer."