The entire third floor was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
All eyes were focused on Ye Xiu, who was now bathed in dazzling golden light.
Everyone was stunned. Ye Xiu had only been practicing the Golden Fist technique for less than three breaths, yet a layer of eye-catching golden radiance had suddenly erupted from his fists.
This was just too freaking bizarre.
Martial arts techniques were divided into Entry Level, Intermediate Level, Advanced Level, Perfection Level, and Great Perfection Level.
The Golden Fist was a top-tier Yellow-grade martial art that only those at the Star Force realm could cultivate and master. What's more, even prodigies at the Star Force realm would take at least a month just to reach the Entry Level.
Yet Ye Xiu had directly leapt four major levels in just three breaths to attain the Great Perfection level.
This guy was simply demonic!
After the golden light faded away, Ye Xiu casually tossed the Golden Fist technique manual back onto the bookshelf without even glancing at it, completely indifferent to the reactions of everyone else.
After everything that had happened these past two days, things like this no longer surprised him. Not to mention, Elder Jing Yuan's expression was even more exaggerated than the others'.
As Ye Xiu turned around, he saw Elder Jing Yuan staring wide-eyed with his mouth agape.
Ye Xiu couldn't help but chuckle. Elder Jing Yuan, I'm really sorry, but I've thought about it carefully - the martial arts on the third floor don't seem challenging enough for me. They lack difficulty.
Lack difficulty?
Could the martial arts on the third floor possibly pose any difficulty for Ye Xiu?
As if! Who had ever heard of someone directly cultivating the techniques in the Heavenly Treasure Pagoda, and even attaining Great Perfection within a few breaths? This was simply preposterous!
Elder Jing Yuan was stunned for a moment. Compared to his attitude when he first saw Ye Xiu, he was clearly much more amiable now.
"No problem, no problem. It's your own ability that allowed you to reach the third floor."
Ye Xiu laughed. "Then I'll continue."
Elder Jing Yuan was taken aback again. This brat can still comprehend more?
He couldn't bear to leave. Smiling, he nodded and watched as Ye Xiu walked over to another bookshelf.
This time, Ye Xiu flipped open a body movement technique manual called Shadow steps.
Rustle.
The moment Ye Xiu opened up Shadow Steps, it was as if a strange force had suddenly pulled him out. Immediately after, no less than ten afterimages appeared as gales swept through the room. Then the afterimages converged back into one and Ye Xiu was standing steadily in place again.
Everyone's hair was blown astray by the fierce winds as they stared dumbfounded at Ye Xiu.
Ten afterimages!
He had attained Great Perfection in Shadow Steps too!
Heavens, were they dreaming today? What was happening in this world? How could someone like this exist?
Elder Jing Yuan was petrified, completely stupefied. In his few hundred years of life, he had only seen someone like this once!
This was truly freakish!
While everyone was still shocked and awed, an extremely scorching wave of heat abruptly rose within the third floor. Everyone looked over to see a cluster of raging flames instantly ignite in the palm of Ye Xiu's hand!
Everyone almost forgot to breathe.
It was the Fire Cloud Palm, and it was at Great Perfection level too!
What astonished them even more was that one needed to be at the Star Force realm, where the vigor of one's Star Force could take on substantial form, in order to produce something like actual tangible flames with their palm. It was clearly impossible for Ye Xiu to be at the Star Force realm yet, but flames had nevertheless appeared in his hands!
This was truly freaking insane!
With a flick of his finger, Elder Jing Yuan, who had been paralyzed in shock just a moment ago, suddenly cried out. Before he could finish speaking, a cluster of intense flames had already shot towards the bookshelf.
In an instant, the flames ignited and spread fiercely across the bookshelf.
"Crap, that's too fierce! I've gone overboard!" Ye Xiu exclaimed in shock and rushed over, trying to put out the fire.
But at this moment, Elder Jing Yuan scooped out a ball of water that splashed onto the raging flames about to burn the shelf down.
Everyone looked towards Elder Jing Yuan. It seemed Ye Xiu wouldn't be let off easy this time.
Elder Jing Yuan was known for having the worst temper of all the elders. He treasured these martial arts techniques more than his life. If someone damaged them even a little, even accidentally, they wouldn't get off with anything less than a severe beating that would leave them bedridden for months.
Ye Xiu scratched his head awkwardly as he looked at Elder Jing Yuan's seemingly furious expression. He gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Elder Jing Yuan, I really didn't do it on purpose. I truly didn't expect it to be so powerful."
Since it was his own mistake, there was nothing Ye Xiu could do.
Just when everyone expected Ye Xiu was about to suffer misfortune, Elder Jing Yuan walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder, a kindly smile on his face, like a doting father. "It's nothing, it's nothing. What's the big deal, especially when our Heavenly Treasure Pagoda has more than one copy of these techniques."
The crowd:
What the heck, this is way too unfair! They knew disciples who were bedridden for months just for accidentally ripping the corner of a page. Yet Elder Jing Yuan's attitude towards Ye Xiu made them wonder if this was still the same hot-tempered elder as before?
Ye Xiu also hadn't expected the seemingly rigid and stern Elder Jing Yuan to be so courteous.
"Alright, don't worry about these trivial matters. I'll take care of the damaged manuals. You go ahead and continue." Elder Jing Yuan said kindly with a smile.
"Sounds good, I'll go take a look then." Ye Xiu was quite frank as he turned and walked away.
Elder Jing Yuan sighed. Just as he was about to tidy up the manuals in front of him, a surge of water came sweeping down and drenched a whole shelf of manuals.
Ye Xiu was taken aback for a moment. He had actually minimized his power to the smallest possible output, but he had still underestimated the might of the Whirlpool Fist technique at Great Perfection level.
A pained look flashed through Elder Jing Yuan's eyes, but he valued Ye Xiu's talent for martial arts more than these techniques. He could only bear with it and guffawed, "No problem, no problem, you go on."
Ye Xiu smiled and nodded before walking towards another area.
Then those martial arts techniques really suffered. The sounds of crashes and bangs rang out continuously. By now, everyone present was completely stiff from shock.
In just over a dozen top-tier Yellow-grade martial arts, it took even the most talented geniuses months of grinding to master each one. But in Ye Xiu's hands, not a single technique took more than three seconds to attain Great Perfection!
Seeing Ye Xiu easily master these techniques made them doubt whether they themselves were just too intellectually deficient?
This was just too freaking ridiculous!
After he was done, Ye Xiu did not intend to continue cultivating.
His current strength had visibly grown, but it probably still hadn't reached 900,000 jin.
Also, continuing to cultivate more techniques wouldn't do much to further boost his strength substantially.
Relying solely on martial arts techniques was no longer sufficient to satisfy his need for greater power.
"Elder Jing Yuan, want me to help tidy things up here?" Ye Xiu walked up to Elder Jing Yuan and surveyed the once neat and tidy third floor, now messed up with shelves overturned and askew everywhere. He felt very apologetic. He truly hadn't expected his might to be so great.
Elder Jing Yuan was startled for a moment, then revealed that kindly smile again. "It's no big deal. You go back and focus on your cultivation. Leave this to me."
"Then I'll have to trouble Elder Jing Yuan." Ye Xiu didn't stand on ceremony and immediately left. After all, he was pressed for time to get stronger and shouldn't waste any time here.
Elder Jing Yuan watched Ye Xiu's departing back. He was puzzled. Since this brat was so powerful, how could the Nine Elders have relegated him to the outer sect? It made no sense at all.