"He won?"
Gazing at the Situ Brothers scattered and fallen below the arena stage, the crowd of over a hundred thousand people fell silent for a long mont before finally erupting.
The cheers grew louder and louder, one wave cresting over the last...
"Holy shit, Hong Yu actually won?"
"Those were the Situ Brothers! He really beat them? And he made it look so easy?"
"From now on, Hong Yu is my idol. Goddamn, to have that kind of combat power at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm... he's definitely idol material!"
"Fucking hell! Who the hell was it that said Hong Yu was a fallen genius? Step forward! I'll have a few words with you..."
After this battle, Hong Yu's fa skyrocketed. His prestige even surpassed that of Guo Fei, the number one expert on the Earth List.
On the path of martial arts, why was there a saying that all those below the Earth Soul Realm were re ants?
The most crucial reason was that starting from the Earth Soul Realm, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within the body would solidify, condensing in the Lower Dantian to form a Lifebound Primordial Spirit. This Lifebound Primordial Spirit would then connect with the Primordial Vein, essentially forcing open a channel between the Primordial Vein and the Lower Dantian.
This process was far from being as simple as just breaking through a ridian.
If one could reach the Earth Soul Realm just by breaking through ridians, then Earth Soul Realm powerhouses wouldn't be so rare.
For every ten thousand ordinary people, about one Essence Realm Martial Artist would erge. And for every ten thousand Essence Realm Martial Artists, only about three or four could break through to the Earth Soul Realm.
It was for this very reason that any Essence Realm Martial Artist who could defeat an Earth Soul Realm powerhouse would be hailed as a genius.
But such geniuses, capable of fighting across realms, were exceptionally rare.
The appearance of every single one would beco the focus of everyone's attention.
As for soone like Hong Yu, who at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm could fight against two Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm powerhouses at once, they were called a Demon Fiend.
The disciples of the Sword Sect were extrely strict and sparing in their use of the term "Demon Fiend."
For example, among the more than twelve thousand Core Disciples of the vast Inner Sect, only three had earned the title of Demon Fiend.
There was the elusive Chief Disciple, who was like a divine dragon showing its head but never its tail; and the first and second-ranked True Disciples, Feng Xue Xin and Hong Renjie.
Now, one more person had been added to that list!
'Impossible. How could he be so strong?'
Inside the pavilion, Guo Fei's face was a mask of blank disbelief. His tightly clenched fists were already soaked with sweat as he shook his head. 'It's impossible. Even when Hong Renjie was at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm, he was only able to fight a single Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm powerhouse to a standstill. How could Hong Yu be this powerful?'
Guo Fei found it hard to accept this reality.
All this ti, within the entire Cyan Nether Sword Sect, the only ones he had ever truly taken seriously were the three supre Demon Fiends.
He had many unknown secrets and hidden cards, and in his heart, he had always proclaid himself the number one person beneath those three.
But now...
Hong Yu's appearance had shattered his once-unshakeable confidence again and again.
His gaze flickered erratically, and a vicious, venomous look suddenly flashed in his eyes. He ground his teeth. 'Seeing how anxious Hong Yu was to leave, he must be about to break through to the Earth Soul Realm. Once he breaks through, perhaps even I won't be his match. No, I absolutely will not allow that to happen! I've been enduring for three whole years for this day. I absolutely will not allow anyone to ruin my plans.'
No one knew that in Guo Fei's mind, his goal was not to enter the top one hundred of the Celestial List.
His true objective was the supre position of Chief Disciple!
For this goal, after a fortuitous encounter three years ago that greatly increased his strength, he had held back and hidden his power, even though he had long possessed the ability to challenge for the rank of a True Disciple. He did it all so he could stun everyone at this very mont!
'I was planning to break through to the Celestial Soul Realm later, but it looks like I'll have to move that up. Hong Yu, oh, Hong Yu, just you wait. In three months, right when you're at your most triumphant, I will crush you so completely that you'll never get back up!'
Guo Fei's eyes glinted with a sinister and vicious light. 'But, just in case, I had better make so other preparations.'
Within his body, a strange black lotus seed pod emitted wisps of black airflow that swirled around his entire being.
The aura around him slowly intensified. If Hong Yu were here, he would have been shocked to discover that the aura of Guo Fei, who was rumored to have just recently broken through to the Peak of Earth Soul Realm, was in no way weaker than Hong Renjie's.
「anwhile...」
On the high platform, under the resentful gaze of the Black Robed Elder, Elder Bai put away the precious set of Rhino Horn Chess Pieces and said with a smile, "You don't look very convinced."
"Hmph!"
The Black Robed Elder snorted angrily, "You definitely knew that kid was hiding his true strength. You set up on purpose."
"You were the one who proposed this bet. Old fellow, if you don't court death, you won't die. You brought this loss upon yourself, and now you're blaming ?" Elder Bai said, stroking his beard.
"I..."
The Black Robed Elder opened his mouth but found no way to retort. He pouted in frustration and said angrily, "I'll chalk this loss up to bad luck. But I'm not convinced. Let's make another bet."
"What's the wager?"
"I heard that Hong Yu and Guo Fei agreed to a decisive match in the Inner Sect promotion tournant. Let's bet on the outco. I'll bet that Guo Fei will definitely win. The stake will be this half of a map. How about it?" said the Black Robed Elder.
Elder Bai was taken aback. His eyes suddenly narrowed as he glanced at what the Black Robed Elder was holding. He exclaid, "This... could this be the map to *that* place?"
"That's right."
The Black Robed Elder nodded, a hint of smugness in his voice. "I went to great lengths to obtain this back in the day. So, what do you say? Do you dare to bet with ?"
"You old coot, you're even willing to wager this? It seems you have a lot of confidence in Guo Fei," Elder Bai said, raising his grizzled eyebrows.
"But of course. Don't forget, Guo Fei is practically my disciple. I imagine you've also noticed that ever since he was driven out of the Outer Sect by Hong Renjie three years ago, Guo Fei's strength has grown at an incredible rate."
Elder Bai nodded.
The Black Robed Elder continued, "That's because he had an extraordinary fortuitous encounter. Three years have passed, so he should have completely absorbed the benefits by now. I'm afraid that by the ti of the Inner Sect promotion tournant, he will beco a true dark horse who will shock the entire sect. Even Hong Renjie and Feng Xue Xin might not be able to suppress him."
"Oh? And what fortuitous encounter was it that gives you such confidence?" Elder Bai asked curiously.
The Black Robed Elder gave a mysterious smile. "The Unjust Death Black Lotus!"
"What? It was *that* thing?"
Elder Bai's pupils contracted abruptly, his usual calm and composure completely gone.
The Black Robed Elder nodded, saying smugly, "So? Do you dare to bet with ?"
Elder Bai hesitated for a mont. An image of Hong Yu surfaced in his mind, and his gaze toward the half-map in the Black Robed Elder's hand burned with fervent desire. He couldn't help but grit his teeth. "Fine. I'll take that bet..."
...
The most significant difference between the Earth Soul Realm and the Essence Realm lies in the Primordial Spirit!
To break through from the Essence Realm to the Earth Soul Realm, one must open the channel between the Primordial Vein and the Lower Dantian, allowing them to fuse and condense a Lifebound Primordial Spirit!
Typically, when an Essence Realm powerhouse breaks through to the Earth Soul Realm, they need to make ample preparations and enter seclusion for several months to succeed.
This was precisely why Hong Yu had been in such a hurry to end the promotion match.
He sprinted all the way to the Cyan Nether Sword Tower, chose a secluded Quiet Chamber on the First Layer, and entered.
The mont the heavy Stone Gate fell shut, Hong Yu could no longer suppress the surging, violent energy within him. With a BOOM, it burst forth from his body, shattering all his clothes.
Hong Yu had no ti to care. He leaped onto the stone bed, completely naked.
WHOOSH!
He flipped his palm over, and the Five-Colored Golden Lotus appeared in his hand.
A five-colored radiance flowed gracefully over the Golden Lotus, carrying with it a sacred and righteous aura.
"Hong Yu, your body's current strength can withstand the dicinal impact of consuming two lotus leaves. Once you break through, it will be enough to propel you to the Mid-stage Earth Soul Realm!" inside the Profound Celestial Tower, Little One reminded him lazily while fiddling with the Five-Colored Golden Lotus, unable to put it down.
Hong Yu nodded.
Little One had already told him how to break through to the Earth Soul Realm and what he needed to pay attention to during the process.
The Five-Colored Golden Lotus was a Fourth-Grade Spirit dicine, and the energy it contained was incredibly potent.
If not for the fact that his strength was insufficient to refine it into a proper dicinal elixir, Hong Yu would have been reluctant to waste such a precious treasure in this crude manner.
However, the situation was urgent, so he had no choice but to make do and consu it directly.
'Breaking through is the most important thing right now. If it's a waste, then so be it!'
GULP!
He stuffed the two lotus leaves into his mouth, chewed a few tis, and forced them down his throat.
The mont the lotus leaves entered his body, they transford into a torrent of scorching energy.
This was the terrifying energy contained within the Five-Colored Golden Lotus. It coursed through Hong Yu's Eight Extraordinary ridians, and everywhere it passed felt like a raging fire burning inside him. The pain was unbearable, as if he were about to be incinerated into ash from the inside out.
"Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique!"
Hong Yu's brow furrowed, and he let out a low cry.
The golden Flowing Light Armor instantly covered his entire body. Even his Eight Extraordinary ridians were coated in a faint golden glow. Protected by this golden light, the pain from the rampaging torrent of energy finally subsided a little. Even so, Hong Yu still felt an agonizing, heart-rending pain.
He couldn't help but sigh in relief. 'It's a good thing I first cultivated the "Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique" to the Fourth Transformation Realm. Otherwise, forget two lotus leaves, consuming just one would have probably destroyed my body.'
BUZZ! BUZZ!
The terrifying energy slowly converged in his Primordial Vein and Lower Dantian.
His nine Qi Vortexes erupted in an instant. Waves of violent energy crashed and raged within his Lower Dantian, causing Hong Yu so much pain he almost passed out.
He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to endure. 'Hang on, just hang on...'
BOOM! BOOM!
The impacts of energy grew stronger and stronger, to the point where each collision felt like a Peak Earth Soul Realm Powerhouse was launching their most ferocious attack inside his body.
Blood continuously trickled from Hong Yu's mouth, then from his seven orifices, and finally, traces of blood seeped from every pore of his body, instantly turning him into a man of blood.
Ti flowed on relentlessly. In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.
During these ten days, the situation inside Hong Yu's body had not eased in the slightest; instead, it showed signs of becoming even more intense.
After tenaciously holding on for ten days, Hong Yu's consciousness was severely depleted and had grown hazy.
His eyes were hollow and vacant. He had reached his limit.
A thick layer of dark red, dried blood caked his entire body, emitting a heavy, tallic stench.
A low, stubborn murmur escaped his lips intermittently. "Can't give up... I must succeed. Yaoyao is still waiting for ..."
"I won't give up."
"No matter who it is, they can't make yield."
"Never give up!"
Another ten days passed in the blink of an eye...
On this day, the assault of the violent energy within his body finally began to calm down.
But before Hong Yu's mind could relax, an unforeseen change occurred unstoppably within his Lower Dantian...
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