"Ancient Sky Realm!?"
"The highest possible of them all!"
In the entire history of Xiang Lan Nation, no one has ever reached the Ancient Sky Realm. Just so suddenly, Yang Xue Yi said that Feng Ao Xiu was an Ancient Sky Realm. Although there's no real proof, they could not help but be interested.
"That's nonsense! He just can't be an Ancient Sky Realm, that stuff only appeared in the legend!"
"Yeah! Would Lady Xue Yi please explain?"
As the two Feng Cheng Hong's men refuted Yang Xue Yi, she nodded and replied back with another question.
"This is the only possible explanation... Otherwise, no one can explain the circumstances behind Young Master Ao Xiu's action."
"Huh... What does his cultivation level get anything to do with his cowardly action?"
"Yeah! In fact, if he's an Ancient Sky Realm, there should be no reason to be hiding or being late..."
The two men were arguing, but it was interrupted by a laugh from the corner.
"Hahahaa! I see, as expected of my daughter!" Yang Wen Jia smiled proudly. Then, he soon explained, "He's hiding because he's having a breakthrough!!"
"Hiding to make a breakthrough... Ah! I see!"
"So that's what happened! Such good luck in such bad timing..."
It was only a simple sentence, but it just explained everything from the top.
Breakthrough is a state where one can improve the cultivation level to the next level. They only need to cultivate like usual, focus their Qi to the newly opened meridian, and their power will improve by leaps and bounds.
How easy it might be sound, it was a very delicate process. If you feel like you're having a breakthrough, you may not hold it for long at most two to three days, then you have to cultivate and increase your cultivation level right away. Otherwise, your body will explode from the uncontainable burst of Qi.
One might argue that they should do it right away since a breakthrough process was fast with no side effect. However, that statement only holds true for a breakthrough at the lower level.
A breakthrough to the Power Soul Realm and Abstract Spirit Realm took less than a minute each time. If you're interrupted, nothing will happen, and you can do it again.
Yet, things starting to get rough on breakthrough to Dream Mortal Realm since it took a few minutes. And, if you're interrupted, there's a chance your cultivation level will be decreased. On Iron Mortal Realm, it took about five to ten minutes, and there's a good chance of having your meridian broken once interrupted.
The higher the level, the longer it took, and the higher the risk if interrupted. That's why most people would move to a safer place before making a breakthrough.
If that's true, it was not weird if Feng Ao Xiu hides to cultivate. Although rumour said that for an Ancient Mortal Realm or higher, it would take days just for a single breakthrough, but it's Feng Ao Xiu we're talking about. Common sense won't work on him. He only needs a few hours to advance into the Ancient Sky Realm.
They, especially the Feng Clan, would not want their Second Young Master to be interrupted, at least not while he's having a breakthrough.
They could not imagine an enemy would disturb and make the Second Young Master suffer an injury and have his meridian broken. Then, Feng Ao Xiu would become a no good, not a cultivator, otherwise known as trash. It would be the worst-case scenario, wouldn't it?
So, everything was solved. Feng Ao Xiu came late plus he's also hiding because he's having a breakthrough. That would also explain why he could defeat Ma Zhong, an Ancient Earth Realm easily.
"Congratulations!!"
"I, the First Elder, could not be any happier! I never thought it would come so soon. The Feng Clan has finally reached its peak!"
"Second Young Master, now you've become a living legend of Xiang Lan Nation!"
The father-son duo looked at each other with their mouth opened wide. The two blinked at a fast rate, no one could tell how many times they did it in just a few seconds.
Then, Feng Ao Xiu shook himself, before speaking with a shaky voice.
"Haha... Fairy Xue Yi is right..."
Feng Cheng Hong's men could only just dejectedly turn around and gave up.
"I think Master Cheng Hong has no more hope..."
"Yeah! We should stop supporting him..."
As the two men make their decisions, Yang Wen Jia shouted loudly, "More cheers for Feng Ao Xiu!!"
"Yeah!!!"
In one of the dark corners, Feng Ao Xiu's older cousin, Feng Zhi Yan looked on with enraged eyes. The praises and admiration directed to Feng Ao Xiu made him want to vomit. The extreme jealousy that he felt permeated through the inside of his bones.
Seeing his son beside him leaking out uncontrollable emotions, Feng Cheng Hong calmed him down.
"Zhi Yan, calm down! Don't forget, we still have that plan we're talking about..."
"Ugh... Father is right. I should not let it get to me." Feng Zhi Yan said, "But, I can't stay here either... I can't wait another day, I think I should go and visit Master Jun right away."
Feng Cheng Hong nodded. "Yeah, you should do that!"
Feng Zhi Yan quickly stands up and head towards Jun Yin Ying's residence. Yet somehow he got a bad feeling and suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?" asked Feng Cheng Hong.
"Eh... Ah... Nothing..." Feng Zhi Yan regained himself quickly and continued walking.
"Wait!" This time, it's Feng Cheng Hong who said something as if his parental instinct was working in full mode.
"Yes, father. What's the matter?"
Feng Cheng Hong himself got confused at his action. He shook himself for a moment before he said, "Ah... Umm... Be careful."
After he nodded at his father words, Feng Zhi Yan quickly left and headed for Jun Yin Ying.
***
"Feng Zhi Yan greets Master!"
"Nice to meet you Disciple Zhi Yan. I'm glad you made the right choice!" Jun Yin Ying smiled as if an angel would. "Now, let's go meet your martial brothers."
"Eh... I'm not the only one?"
"Other than Disciple Ao Xiu, you have three other martial brothers. The same as you, they also applied today. Come and let's go meet with them!"
As he goes inside, Feng Zhi Yan creased his eyebrow. The three people were someone he knew. In fact, they were two guards and a servant from the Feng Clan.
Never mind the two guards, the servant was only in the Sixth Stage of Power Soul Realm.
[What is this!? Did she give an invitation to be her disciple that easily? It's... like selling cabbage in the market for free.]
"I'm happy today! I still can't believe that I got four wonderful disciples in one day!" She smiled and said. "While you four can introduce each other. Let me prepare a training menu suitable for all of you!"