"That kid's entered the Scripture Library. How far do you think he'll get?"
"How far? If you ask me, he won't even reach the basement, otherwise he'd be at negative one."
In the Taiyi True Ruins, a group of elders were discussing and evaluating.
When the head of Cultivation Transmission Peak mentioned "negative one," everyone burst into laughter.
Even the usually serious and earnest sect master couldn't help but crack a smile, trying hard to suppress his laughter.
Of course, though the words were harsh, they weren't entirely unreasonable.
After all, the cultivation techniques practiced by preparatory disciples are the simplest, without even a grade, not even qualifying to be placed on the first floor of the Scripture Library.
They're purely transitional, meant to be discarded after stepping into the Body Tempering Realm.
Ordinary people can master them in three months.
Those with slightly better natural talent can do it in one or two months, or even faster.
But according to Outer Peak Deacon Yang Wu, Ning Fan had been practicing for a full six months without even touching the threshold of the Body Tempering Realm. His natural talent was truly hard to look at.
Calling him "negative one" wasn't really an exaggeration.
Just as everyone was chatting and laughing, suddenly, the figure on the first floor moved.
Everyone present was a high-level cultivator, and although Ning Fan was inside the pavilion, it didn't block their sight.
So this movement immediately caught everyone's attention.
"What does he want to do?"
"Could he be trying to climb to the second floor of the Scripture Library?"
"This thief, not only did he steal the sect's contribution points, but now he wants to steal high-grade cultivation techniques. How greedy!"
"Heh, why bother with him? He'll never make it up the stairs to the second floor in his lifetime!"
"Indeed! This kid has no chance of climbing the stairs!"
The elders and true inheritors looked on with faces of either pity or ridicule.
Even the Holy Son of Taiyi True Sect shook his head indifferently.
This little thief thought the sect was empty and acted recklessly, not realizing that every move he made was being watched by everyone.
Now, he still foolishly dreams of stepping onto the second floor of the Scripture Library. It's truly pitiful and laughable!
So, in this strange atmosphere, everyone watched as the figure climbed the stairs.
His steps were light and smooth.
Even at the end of the staircase, he encountered no resistance.
The surrounding voices suddenly quieted.
Everyone watched this scene, and an absurd thought involuntarily popped into their minds.
Could it be?
Was he really—
Before the thought could settle, the figure in the pavilion had already taken the last step and lightly stepped onto the second floor!
Instantly, everyone fell silent.
The head of Cultivation Transmission Peak furrowed his brows.
This kid actually made it to the second floor?
Could it be that he actually had some talent and wasn't completely useless?
But why couldn't he master a simple foundational cultivation technique after practicing for half a year?
The sect master and the elders exchanged subtle glances and said nothing more.
Making it to the second floor merely indicated that Ning Fan had some talent, which wasn't much in the sect.
But the problem was, they had been influenced by Yang Wu's information and had watched Ning Fan pour a million contribution points into his token, leading to a very poor impression of him.
They had just unkindly mocked and ridiculed him.
They had confidently declared that he was only fit to stay at "negative one."
Yet now, this scene was a bit of a slap in the face.
Naturally, they wouldn't say anything more, and they all tacitly fell silent.
Ning Fan was unaware of the drama unfolding above him.
After reaching the second floor, he wandered around, casually flipping through some cultivation techniques, finding them all quite ordinary.
The best was only of Black Grade level.
It seemed he needed to keep going up.
With that thought, Ning Fan began to climb again.
As he moved, everyone above furrowed their brows.
Daring to go higher?
Was he unaware of the rules of the Scripture Library, or was he just blindly confident?
Amidst their doubts, they watched Ning Fan stride confidently, giving them no time to think, and in the blink of an eye, he stepped onto the third floor!
This time, everyone became genuinely interested.
Their prejudices were mostly put aside.
Even the sect master was pondering in secret.
It's said that human nature is inherently good.
If this kid truly had talent, he could be spared from death, and after some punishment, he could be well taught.
After all, being able to reach the third floor and traverse the Boundless Forest Ocean showed that he had some redeeming qualities.
Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly noticed that Ning Fan, who had stepped onto the third floor, didn't stop.
He continued to climb!
He took the stairs two at a time, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the fourth floor.
This time, everyone became serious.
Among the true inheritors, there was a stir of commotion.
Because those ranked at the bottom of the true inheritors had only reached the fourth floor back in their day.
They had relied on various life-and-death opportunities to stand out among the Three Thousand Six Hundred Inner Disciples and become one of the Seventy-Two True Inheritors!
Now, this ant-like Outer Gate Preparatory Disciple had also stepped onto the fourth floor of the Scripture Library. Didn't that mean he also had a chance at this "luck"?
"Hmph, a bunch of tail-enders, seeing a mud-legged person they looked down on before reaching the fourth floor, and they lose their Dao Heart. We proper true inheritors, which of us doesn't have the talent of the fifth or sixth floor?"
"At such heights, even if Ning Fan dies of exhaustion, he won't make it up!"
A top-ranked true inheritor sneered at the commotion.
Clearly, the favored geniuses of Taiyi True Sect had no small amount of pride.
"He's on the fifth floor!"
Suddenly, someone exclaimed in a low voice.
"What?"
The elite disciple who had just boasted of being a proper true inheritor was stunned.
His cultivation wasn't as deep as the elders, and when he finally mustered the strength to see through the roof, Ning Fan had already reached the sixth floor.
The disciple was immediately dumbfounded, rubbing his eyes carefully to confirm he wasn't mistaken, and his face turned pale as he stumbled back a step.
The tail-end true inheritors immediately burst into laughter.
He had spoken so confidently before, but now seeing an insignificant mud-legged person easily reach the sixth floor, wasn't his Dao Heart also disturbed?
Unlike the commotion among the true inheritors, the elders were deathly silent.
The sixth floor?
This Outer Gate Preparatory Disciple Ning Fan had actually reached the sixth floor of the Scripture Library?
Everyone found it hard to believe!
It must be known that many of the sect's high-level members present, like Elder Li of Tiangong Peak, had only reached the sixth floor in their youth!
Could little Ning Fan really have the potential of an elder?
Was it true?
The high-level members were filled with doubt.
Elder of Tianji Peak directly asked, "Junior Brother Xu, has the law of your Scripture Library failed?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the head of Cultivation Transmission Peak immediately shook his head.
He said firmly, "Impossible! The Scripture Library was personally crafted by the Founder. Unlike today's Taiyi True Ruins, it can't be interfered with, and there's no way the law could fail!"
"Then how do you explain Ning Fan reaching the sixth floor?"
"This..."
Hearing the question, the head of Cultivation Transmission Peak couldn't come up with an answer.
It was truly unbelievable that a preparatory disciple who had practiced for half a year without touching the threshold of the Body Tempering Realm suddenly reached the sixth floor of the Scripture Library.
He could naturally hide his talents, but the possibility was extremely low.
Because when natural talent reaches a certain level, it can't be hidden.
With the qualifications to reach the sixth floor, even with a little effort, one could easily master the foundational cultivation technique to perfection.
And if he had a special physique, he wouldn't even need to practice. Just by unconsciously absorbing the essence of the sun and moon and spiritual qi every day, he could naturally be pushed into the cultivation path and become a Body Tempering Realm cultivator.
So Ning Fan's situation was truly baffling.
The sect master, however, wasn't pondering these things.
His eyes no longer held hostility, but rather a sense of appreciation for talent.
"With such talent, if taught well, his future is limitless, and becoming a true inheritor is almost certain.
As for the previous matter of taking contribution points... he's just a mortal, with a low status, and it's normal for him not to know about our sect's Taiyi True Ruins.
From a mortal's perspective, when sect members suddenly disappear, everything becomes ownerless, and taking some for personal use is understandable."
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan