For the next half-month, the Cultivation Room hardly knew a moment of peace.
The roar of clashing Magic and the hum of surging Spiritual Power became the room’s only soundtrack.
Chu Bai and Wang Qingli engaged in high-intensity sparring within the confined space.
From their initial guided exchanges to later all-out offense and defense, their synergy grew stronger and stronger. But it was Chu Bai’s rate of progress that left Wang Qingli’s heart pounding in shock.
"Again!"
In the center of the training grounds, Chu Bai let out a sharp cry, his body moving like a flash of lightning.
A ball of crimson flame suddenly erupted beneath his feet. He moved as if teleporting, leaving an afterimage as he instantly crossed several dozen feet to close in on Wang Qingli’s flank.
This was his *Fire Step Ascension*, a technique he had just brought to the Skilled Level.
’So fast!’
Wang Qingli’s pupils constricted as she instinctively raised her thick Turtle Shell Earth Shield.
This time, however, Chu Bai’s attack wasn’t a simple straight punch or a Spirit Water Needle.
He extended a single hand, Cloud Qi swirling in his palm. His seemingly light and airy strike landed on the Earth Shield without making a sound.
In the next instant, the supposedly indestructible Earth Shield rippled violently, like the surface of water.
An incredibly bizarre force traveled along the shield’s surface. It not only neutralized the shield’s rebounding force with ease, but also snaked upward like a persistent vine, attempting to lock onto Wang Qingli’s wrist.
*Formless Cloud Hand*!
’How is this possible?!’
Wang Qingli’s expression changed drastically. She felt as if her Protective Spiritual Light were made of paper in the face of this Cloud Qi.
That force, a perfect blend of hard and soft, made her struggle on the defense for the very first time.
She quickly changed tactics, forcing Chu Bai back with several Earth Spikes to create some distance.
Wang Qingli steadied herself, letting out a long breath. Gazing at the calm and composed young man opposite her, her mind was in turmoil.
’It’s only been half a month!’
Half a month ago, while Chu Bai’s Cloud Hand had been exquisite, she’d considered it merely at the Mastery level. It would have taken him considerable effort to break through her defense.
But now, the variation and power contained within that palm strike had taken a quantum leap.
For offense, it could manifest as Vajra Palm Power, capable of shattering stone. For defense, it could become the Finger-Encompassing Soft Force, able to discharge immense power. For control, it was like the omnipresent Cloud Mist Lock Chain.
Balanced in both offense and defense, it was incredibly difficult to handle.
And when she factored in his unpredictable and ever-changing *Fire Step Ascension* Body Technique, now seamlessly integrated into his fighting style...
A thought arose in Wang Qingli’s mind—one she could hardly believe herself:
’His combat prowess... is it already on par with mine? Is he... even on the verge of surpassing me?’
She was, after all, at the Third-Layer Perfection of Qi Cultivation. She was renowned for her defense and ranked securely among the top twenty masters in her third year.
And Chu Bai?
He had been at the school for less than a year, and his Cultivation had only recently broken through to the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation.
’One year of his progress for three of mine?’
’Is he even human?’
Wang Qingli even felt that the pressure she now felt from Chu Bai was nearly on par with Lü Qing, that muscle-bound madman with the Giant Sword.
’No, it must be an illusion.’
Wang Qingli took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. ’Junior Brother Chu may have a wide array of techniques, but his Cultivation has yet to reach Perfection for his current Realm. There should still be a gap in his total Magical Power and reserves.’
’If they were in the same year, Lü Qing would be no match for him.’
At this thought, a spark of fighting spirit ignited in Wang Qingli’s eyes.
She specialized in Earth Defense, and combined with her unique Counterattack techniques, she held a major advantage in wars of attrition.
The Immortal Official Examination was the final chance for the Daoist School’s third-years. If she didn’t give it her all, she wouldn’t just be failing her years of bitter training—she’d also be left so far in the dust by this freakishly talented junior brother that she wouldn’t even be able to see his shadow.
’I can’t slack off either!’
They exchanged dozens more blows until their Spiritual Power was depleted, at which point they each retreated to a corner for Breath Regulation.
However, only enough time for an incense stick to burn had passed.
When Wang Qingli, having just recovered half of her Magical Power, opened her eyes to resume her training, she was met with a sight that left her speechless.
On the other side of the room, Chu Bai was already on his feet.
He wasn’t resting. Instead, he had resumed his tedious Magic Technique practice.
She watched him form hand seals over and over, one grayish-green Rejuvenation Seal after another materializing on his body before fading away.
’His Spiritual Power... is it fully restored already?’
The corner of Wang Qingli’s mouth twitched.
Little did she know that Chu Bai, who possessed the Perfection Level *Guiyuan Technique* and the Little Five Elements Cycle, had a ridiculously fast recovery speed.
Combined with the boost from the Spirit Gathering Array in this Class A Cultivation Room, he almost never reached a state of complete Spiritual Power depletion.
’In just half a month, he brought two Magic Techniques to the Skilled Level...’
Watching that tireless figure, Wang Qingli could feel nothing but admiration.
"Junior Brother, I’m out of Pills. I need to go back to my room for a resupply. I’ll be right back."
Wang Qingli said to Chu Bai, helplessly shaking her empty pill bottle.
Over the past half-month, just to keep up with Chu Bai’s monstrous stamina, her Pill consumption had tripled.
"Alright." Chu Bai nodded and watched her leave.
As the

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