Under Sister Qin's pleas, Hong Yu could only compromise. He agreed to participate in the upcoming trial in the Celestial Essence Secret Realm on behalf of the Royal Family as a Royal Guest Scholar.
Firstly, Sister Qin had always taken care of him, so it was impossible for Hong Yu to stand by and do nothing when she needed help.
The second reason was, of course, the pressure from the Blood Killing Tower.
This legendary organization, the number one assassin group in the Southern Ten Nations which even the Guiyuan Sect couldn't suppress, was like a heavy stone hanging over his heart.
Although he had easily defeated and driven off the three assassins last ti, it didn't an Hong Yu could ignore the Blood Killing Tower's power.
Assassins sent rely to test his strength already had Early-Stage Celestial Soul Realm Cultivation. If his Ice Divine Blade hadn't grown stronger and his cultivation hadn't improved by reaching the Fifth Refinent of the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*, he would have had to pay a steep price to escape their assassination, even if he could have managed it.
Right now, his most urgent need was to increase his strength.
'The Celestial Essence Secret Realm is clearly an excellent choice!'
The final reason was the Southern Ten Nations Alliance summit.
To participate in such a grand event, he needed a legitimate status.
Returning to the Cyan Nether Sword Sect was obviously out of the question.
That being the case, obtaining a spot to attend the summit through the Qin Kingdom was a good option.
After all, as the strongest nation in the Southern Ten Nations Alliance, the Qin Kingdom's Royal Family controlled so of the slots for the summit, separate from the Guiyuan Sect.
When Hong Yu made this request, Sister Qin agreed with almost no hesitation.
The conflict between the royal authority of the Qin Kingdom and the Guiyuan Sect was intensifying. They were already at odds over control of the Celestial Essence Secret Realm, let alone an opportunity to build prestige like the Southern Ten Nations Alliance summit.
Although Hong Yu's strength was only at the Peak of Earth Soul Realm, his potential was imnse.
Just looking at the *Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit* he practiced, and now that he had also obtained the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*, as long as he had ti to break through, he would likely deliver a dazzling performance even at the Southern Ten Nations Alliance.
For the Qin Kingdom, this was all upside and no downside!
"Little Brother Hong Yu, I don't know how I can ever thank you!" Sister Qin said, her eyes red as she looked at him.
Hong Yu shook his head and chuckled. "Sister Qin, you're being too formal. You took great care of back in Shishui City!"
Sister Qin bit her lip slightly. Her alluring, rosy lips parted as she asked, "Little Brother Hong Yu, do you have any requests? If you do, tell now. I'll go see my father the King later and ask him on your behalf!"
Hong Yu thought for a mont...
'The Qin Kingdom is swimming in wealth, and the Royal Family controls more than half of it. I need a lot of Spirit dicine to advance my *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*.'
'Besides, to reach the Ninth Refinent of the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*, my current Spiritual Power isn't enough.'
With this in mind, Hong Yu asked, "Sister Qin, I'm in urgent need of Spirit dicine that can enhance Spiritual Power. It would also be best if you could find so high-grade Spirit dicine or Spirit Pills."
"You're going to cultivate the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*? What refinent have you reached?" Sister Qin asked, a glint in her eyes.
Hong Yu rubbed his nose. "I've already completed the first five refinents."
"HISS!"
Sister Qin gasped, staring at Hong Yu in astonishnt as if sizing up a monster. "You really are a monster! Not only did you cultivate the *Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit* to the Peak Realm, but you've only had the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents* for five days! You completed the first five refinents in just five days..."
It was no wonder Sister Qin was so shocked.
Ever since obtaining the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*, many powerful experts in the Royal Family's history had attempted to cultivate this profound Cultivation Technique.
Among them were even so top-tier geniuses!
But...
How could Secret Techniques like the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents* and the *Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit*, which had been renowned for centuries, be so easily mastered?
Looking back at the history of the Qin Kingdom, the person who reached the highest level in the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents* had nearly exhausted a century's worth of the Royal Family's stored Spirit dicine just to force their way to the Eighth Refinent. Even so, it took that genius a full five years to reach that realm.
As for the ti it took him to reach the Fifth Refinent, that was a full two years.
Yet Hong Yu had reached that realm in only five days, and without any external support.
'He can only be described as a genius!'
Sister Qin couldn't help but feel excited. Cultivating the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents* and the *Nine Refinents of the Primordial Spirit* would grant combat power far exceeding that of ordinary experts.
If Hong Yu could use this to break through to the Celestial Soul Realm, he might even be able to put up a fight against Zheng Tian.
At this thought, Sister Qin's final reservations vanished. She bit her lip and said, "Alright, wait here. I'll go discuss it with my father the King!"
"Okay!"
Hong Yu nodded with a smile.
Sister Qin moved with light, graceful steps, a faint pink blush coloring her delicate face as she jogged out in excitent.
Not long after she left the room, Aunt Leng appeared before her. "Princess, how did it go? Did he agree?"
Sister Qin was startled for a mont, then nodded. "He agreed!"
"That's wonderful!"
Aunt Leng clearly let out a sigh of relief. "With his strength, talent, and his status as the champion of the Young Spiritual Craftsman Competition, as long as he can help the Royal Family achieve victory in the Celestial Essence Secret Realm trial, I believe your father the King will definitely not force you to marry Zheng Tian anymore."
Sister Qin nodded excitedly. "Aunt Leng, I just asked Hong Yu. His *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents* has actually reached the Fifth Refinent!"
"Oh, the Fifth Refinent. That's quite a fa—wait a minute..."
Aunt Leng's eyes widened in utter disbelief. "Wh-what did you say? The Fifth Refinent of the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*? My heavens, he's only had it for five days, right? Reaching the fifth level in five days... th-this boy is a complete Demon Fiend! Once he breaks through to the Celestial Soul Realm, I'm afraid he'll be able to contend with Zheng Tian!"
"He just asked to help him get so Spirit dicine. I was just about to go and request it from my father the King!"
"Good, I'll go with you!"
...
「Half an hour later.」
An excited and thrilled Sister Qin returned with a simple, ancient-looking Storage Ring.
The mont she saw Hong Yu, she smiled mysteriously. "Little brother, guess what goodies I brought you?"
"Hm? Sister Qin, are you talking about the ring in your hand?" Hong Yu asked.
Sister Qin grinned. "That's right, this is it! Hehe, do you know what's inside?"
Though she was asking a question, she didn't wait for Hong Yu to reply and continued on her own, "I've already spoken with my father the King, and he agreed. And... this Storage Ring is filled with everything you need—fifty million Gold Coins' worth of Spirit dicine and Spirit Pills, plus the Spirit dicine you need to enhance your Spiritual Power, and more."
Sister Qin took out a Golden Spirit Plate and waved it. "This Spirit Plate represents your status as a Royal Guest Scholar. With it, you can mobilize any Qin Kingdom troops of up to ten thousand n at any ti. You can also move freely throughout the Royal Palace, though of course, so forbidden areas are off-limits!"
"Troops of up to ten thousand n?" Hong Yu said, stunned.
Sister Qin nodded. "You can even mobilize mbers of the Qin Kingdom's strongest military unit, the Tiger and Wolf Corps!"
"Good grief!"
Hong Yu couldn't help but be flabbergasted.
The Tiger and Wolf Corps was an elite unit infamous throughout the entire Southern Ten Nations Alliance. Ten thousand soldiers from the Tiger and Wolf Corps could probably crush one hundred thousand of the Fengyue Kingdom's Royal City Guard.
'The King of the Qin Kingdom actually gave this much authority. It seems the Guiyuan Sect has really pushed them to their limit.'
Hong Yu took the Storage Ring and said, "Sister Qin, I'd like to go into seclusion here for two days. Call when the Celestial Essence Secret Realm opens in two days."
"Okay, then I won't disturb you!"
Sister Qin nodded repeatedly.
After the door closed, Hong Yu sat cross-legged on the bed, took a deep breath, and began to absorb the Spirit dicine from the Storage Ring.
He pushed the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents* to its limit. Each ti his Spiritual Power struck his Upper Dantian, it would shatter the Celestial Soul he had painstakingly condensed. Through repeated attempts, Hong Yu's *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents* steadily improved step by step.
「anwhile...」
Inside the Blood Killing Tower, Wang Fei raged, "How does your Blood Killing Tower conduct its business? Didn't you say you'd take his head within seven days? That little bastard Hong Yu has already run off to the Royal Palace..."
"What's the rush? The Blood Killing Tower said seven days, and we ant seven days. It's only the fifth day," a hoarse voice said calmly from the darkness.
Wang Fei said angrily, "If he hides in the Royal Palace forever, how will you kill him?"
"Rest assured, we have received news that he will represent the Royal Family in the Celestial Essence Secret Realm trial in two days. The Blood Killing Tower will dispatch three of our elite assassins to deal with him. This ti, there is absolutely no chance he will survive," the person in the darkness said with extre composure.
"The Celestial Essence Secret Realm? Aren't only people from the Royal Family and the Guiyuan Sect allowed in? How will your Blood Killing Tower get inside?"
"Hahaha, is there any place in the vast Southern Ten Nations that the assassins of the Blood Killing Tower cannot infiltrate? Now, you may leave. Once Hong Yu enters the Celestial Essence Secret Realm, he will not be coming back. After Hong Yu is dead, you can naturally deal with that Beichen Feng however you please."
...
「Within the Guiyuan Sect.」
A cold glint flickered in Wang Ba's eyes. He looked at the young man before him, whose face was full of cold fury, and said indifferently, "Are you certain that Hong Yu is participating in the Celestial Essence Secret Realm trial as a Royal Guest Scholar?"
"Yes. That bastard not only crippled Second Junior Brother, but I've also heard he's gotten very close to the Third Princess, Qin Qin. He's simply courting death."
The cold-faced young man sneered sinisterly.
Wang Ba narrowed his eyes. "In that case, once you're inside the Celestial Essence Secret Realm, do as you see fit! The Royal Family has controlled the Celestial Essence Secret Realm for long enough!"
"This disciple understands!"
The cold-faced young man laughed grimly, a blade-like glint in his eyes. 'Hong Yu, oh Hong Yu, no one is allowed to touch a woman I, Zheng Tian, have set my sights on. Heh heh heh, the Celestial Essence Secret Realm will be your grave!'
An icy aura suddenly erupted from Zheng Tian's body, converging above his head to form a ferocious blue Ice Dragon. As it soared into the air, a small lake several dozen square ters behind him instantly froze over, turning into a sheet of smooth ice.
The small fish swimming inside were also frozen solid within the ice.
Just the eruption of his aura possessed such power. Zheng Tian's strength had truly reached an unfathomable level!
...
Ti flew by like a fleeting shadow, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
On this day, Hong Yu was cultivating in his room.
Streams of energy flowed into his body. In front of him were rows of bottles and jars, the Spirit dicine and Spirit Pills within all converted into energy and absorbed by him.
Within Hong Yu's Upper Dantian, his Celestial Soul had already condensed eight Crystal Cores. The mont he reached nine Crystal Cores would be when he broke through to the Celestial Soul Realm.
However...
Even after consuming all the Spirit dicine and Spirit Pills, he was still unable to condense the ninth Crystal Core.
"HUU..."
Hong Yu let out a long breath, a trace of regret in his eyes. 'The Ninth Refinent is simply too difficult. The energy it requires is almost equal to the sum of the first eight refinents combined.'
Hong Yu looked out the window, his eyes glittering with a sharp light.
'The Celestial Essence Secret Realm... it's finally about to open!'
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