Perhaps Xia Xingchen's prayers had taken effect.
Huahua's entry through the barrier gate had not gone smoothly — it had been exceedingly difficult.
Just as Chu Feng had predicted, there was not only a second layer beyond it, but a third and a fourth as well.
And the difficulty of each layer had increased.
Huahua had now arrived before the fourth obstacle, but at this point, she had lost her confidence.
She could not find the optimal way to dismantle the formation and could only deploy the best barrier she was capable of creating.
But even she knew that compared to Chu Feng's formations, hers fell far short.
She could only rely on her own cultivation to wear it down, but it was grueling.
Under normal circumstances, Huahua might truly have been unable to break through the fourth layer.
However, she knew that Chu Feng would very likely break through it.
If Chu Feng made it through and she didn't, it would be far too humiliating.
This unwillingness to lose to someone younger granted her a resolve stronger than she had ever known.
Yet the difficulty of the fourth layer was simply too immense. Even with her resolve exceeding anything before, she could barely hold on.
"No — losing to Jie Ranqing would be one thing, but how can I lose to her son?"
"I'm a True Dragon Spirit World Master now, for heaven's sake. How can I lose to a mere Divine Robe Spirit World Master?"
"Never mind what outsiders would say if word got out — even I couldn't accept it myself."
"No, no — I can't fall here. I have to get through. I have to get through."
Just as her consciousness was gradually blurring, Huahua — unwilling to accept defeat — erupted into a wild roar.
This was the first time she had pushed the power of her barrier to such desperate extremes, continuing even as her life was put in genuine danger.
She believed one thing: Chu Feng would make it through.
If Chu Feng could get through but she couldn't, she felt that all her years of cultivation would have been for nothing.
Even if it cost her life, she would give it everything she had.
And under the support of this conviction, Huahua's body began to change.
Her heart nearly stopped beating.
Her cultivation nearly dissipated.
Her soul nearly perished.
Her life nearly came to an end.
Had this happened before, the moment she sensed such a feeling, she would have immediately stopped.
But this time, she disregarded death entirely and pressed on regardless.
*Thud-thud—* *Crack—* Suddenly, Huahua heard a series of complex sounds emanating from within her body.
It was like something breaking free from an egg, like a cacophony of drums beating as one.
The sounds vanished in an instant.
But at the same time, a tremendous surge of barrier power erupted from within her.
In that moment, Huahua was overcome with ecstasy.
Her mind had not only become perfectly clear — she could also feel the transformation in her power.
Her realm had not changed; she was still a seventh-rank True Dragon. But her barrier arts had undergone a sublime elevation, now rivaling those of an eighth-rank True Dragon.
It was her bloodline power. Under the support of that unwavering conviction and triggered by the brush with death, her barrier bloodline had awakened, granting her barrier combat strength that could fight an entire rank above her own.
Huahua was wild with joy.
This was an unexpected blessing, but such a surprise was of immense importance to Huahua.
It could even be said to surpass any treasure in value.
This was the breakthrough she had always wanted to achieve.
With the awakening of her bloodline power, Huahua's condition not only fully recovered, but before long, the fourth-layer barrier blocking her path shattered and dispersed.
As the seven-colored barrier power scattered into nothingness, she took a step forward, and everything opened up before her. The underground palace corridor once again appeared in her sight.
Just as she had expected, there was a figure standing within the corridor.
Chu Feng!