Time passed slowly. It seemed as if millions of years had passed, but it also seemed as if only an instant had passed.
Just as Ye Chen felt that he was about to be completely submerged in darkness, his body relaxed. The darkness in front of him receded like a tide, and a wisp of light blossomed in his eyes.
"Where is this place?"
When Ye Chen completely woke up, he opened his eyes and looked around in confusion.
At this moment, he was standing on an incomparably vast piece of flat land, surrounded by countless towering stone pillars that reached into the clouds. And this piece of flat land that covered an area of more than a hundred acres was actually laid flat on top of a floating mountain peak that rose into the air!
"This isn't Ascension Palace. How did I suddenly come here?"
Ye Chen's gaze swept across and discovered that there were thousands of youths standing around him. They were all below the age of sixteen, and all of them were sitting cross-legged. They held a huge brush in their hands and were constantly drawing in the air.
Buzz! Buzz!
Buzz! Wherever the tip of the brush swept past, there would be waves of light floating, causing the entire flat ground to appear somewhat dazzling.
Immediately after, Ye Chen discovered to his surprise that he had actually turned into a thin youth in linen clothes. He was also holding a brush in his hand. The True Origin in his body seemed to be out of his control as it poured into the brush, causing the tip of the brush to emit a dazzling white light.
At the center of the flat ground stood a white-clothed old man. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's as he said coldly, "From today onwards, you are all under the Array Faction and have become the outer sect disciples of the Array Faction. The Array Faction is the strongest Origin Array Faction. As long as you display sufficient talent, we will not be stingy with our resources. We will definitely nurture you into the most outstanding Array Inscription Masters!"
"The time limit for becoming an outer sect disciple is a total of three years. Within these three years, you will all practice the Array Faction's basic cultivation method, 99 Array Inscription Techniques. As long as you can successfully set up a level one array inscription within three years, you will become an inner sect disciple. If you successfully set up a level three array inscription, you will become a core disciple."
"Now, all of you begin practicing immediately!"
The old man's voice was like a clap of thunder that could be transmitted into the minds of all the youths. They all lowered their heads and silently sketched, ignoring everything in the outside world. Only Ye Chen still did not know what was going on and stood there in a daze.
"Xuanyuan Xiu, why are you still standing there? Start practicing immediately!"
The old man's voice was suddenly heard with a hint of greeting. Soon after, Ye Chen only felt a human figure flash before his eyes. The old man, who was a hundred meters away, appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye. He looked down at Ye Chen as if he was looking at an ant.
"Xuanyuan Xiu, yesterday when you entered the Sect, you spoke arrogantly. You said that you must become the Sect Leader of the Array Faction and become a supreme level nine array inscription master. Now, you are ignoring my words. Could it be that you think that the 99 Array Inscription Techniques are too low level and are unwilling to practice it?"
After he finished speaking, the old man spread out his hands and true energy surged out from his body. Using his finger as a pen, he sketched up and down in the air. In a moment, an array inscription that was emitting cold air appeared in front of him. The array inscription trembled slightly and suddenly, a strange python filled with cold air rushed out and pounced forward.
"Dodge!"
Ye Chen subconsciously used the Dragon Soars the Nine Heavens, but just as he lifted his feet, he discovered that his body was so weak. There was no dragon's roar, no dragon's aura. He had become like an ordinary person and could only watch as the cold python pounced on him.
Boom!
His body was violently sent flying. As soon as he landed, Ye Chen spat out mouthfuls of blood. This feeling was incomparably real. It was not a dream.
"From today onwards, I will check on your progress every day. You only have two choices. Either you become an inner disciple within three years, or you will be beaten to death by me within three years."
After the old man said this, he strode away from the flat ground.
The surrounding youths did not even open their eyes to watch this scene. They still had their heads down and were inscribing array inscriptions. It was as if they were numb to this and were used to it.
From this day onwards, Ye Chen lived in the Array Faction with the identity of Xuanyuan Xiu.
The old man also fulfilled his promise and checked on Ye Chen's cultivation progress every day. If there was a slight delay, he would directly attack. If it was light, he would fall to the ground and spit out blood. If it was heavy, his bones would be broken. Even if Ye Chen's will was as firm as a rock, he could not bear it.
Day after day, year after year, time flew by like a white steed. Soon, a full five years had passed.
The boring and arduous cultivation life gradually obliterated Ye Chen's ego. The name Ye Chen seemed to have become an extremely distant thing. As for him, in these five years, bit by bit, his memories were obliterated. In the end, he completely disappeared.
He seemed to have completely become Xuanyuan Xiu. Among the new disciples of the Array Faction, he was the most talented peerless genius!
Five years of torture allowed him to completely grasp the essence of the 99 Array Inscriptions Technique. He could easily inscribe a level one array inscription. He was even more proficient than many inner disciples. The old man also took him in as his last disciple and selflessly taught him all the array inscription techniques.
In the seventh year, he finally inscribed a level three array inscription and became the youngest core disciple in the history of the Array Faction. Even the Sect Leader of the Array Faction took good care of him.
After that, time flew by.
In the tenth year, he became a level four array inscription master and became the Deacon of the Array Faction. He was in charge of all the affairs of the inner and outer sects. Any disciple who saw him had to nod and greet him respectfully.
In the thirteenth year, he became a level five array inscription master and was conferred as the Guest Elder of the Array Faction. He was in the limelight.
In the fifteenth year, the Array Faction was attacked. In the battle against the other factions, Xuanyuan Xiu killed seven Primordial Chaos Realm experts by himself. In the end, when he was besieged by a hundred strong enemies, he broke through with his blood and stepped into the supreme Saint Realm. At the same time, he inscribed a level six array inscription and killed all the enemies.
In the twentieth year, the Sect Leader of the Array Faction died from his injuries. Xuanyuan Xiu became the Sect Leader of the Array Faction. He led the Array Faction and began to frantically expand. He annexed the ten great factions one after another. At its peak, the number of disciples in the Array Faction reached a million. No one dared to invade the Array Faction.
In the twenty-fifth year, Xuanyuan Xiu entered the Array Faction's secret territory and obtained the legacy of the Sect Leader of the Array Faction. He successfully stepped into the ranks of a level seven array inscription master. In this year, he was only forty-two years old, but he was already an all-powerful peerless expert. His cultivation had already reached the Void Piercing Realm!
In the same year, Xuanyuan Xiu obtained a second-rate Grandmist Spiritual Treasure, the Ascension Palace, from an expert's cave.
In the cave, Xuanyuan Xiu cut open his palm and poured his blood into the Ascension Palace. In an instant, the Ascension Palace blossomed with brilliance. Within the brilliance, an enticing voice slowly entered his mind.
"Xuanyuan Xiu, your talent has been exhausted. It will be difficult for you to make any progress in the future. You will not be able to fulfill your great wish of becoming a level nine array inscription master. As long as you are willing to fuse your soul into the Ascension Palace and become the artifact spirit of the Ascension Palace, I can push you up the altar and become the only level nine array inscription master in the ancient world."
Hearing this voice, Xuanyuan Xiu's eyes became hollow. His body trembled slightly. He stepped forward step by step and was about to fuse into the endless brilliance.
Roar!
At this moment, a strange sound suddenly rang out in his mind.