Brothers and sisters, give me some more Monthly Tickets please! Little Mo usually doesn't ask for these, just shouting a bit at the start and end of the month.
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At the bottom of Dragon Valley, Yang Kai stood quietly in place, as if immersed in an ocean of heaven and earth energy, merging himself within it. The sensation was exquisitely subtle, something Yang Kai had never experienced before.
The power within his body constantly climbed, quickly reaching a peak level, yet there was still no sign of stopping. It continued its frantic ascent, breaking through its original limits.
Yang Kai knew clearly that this was a breakthrough.
It had been several years since his last advancement. During the wait for the Golden Dragon's devouring, Yang Kai had not neglected his own Cultivation, and he had gained much insight and understanding during the alchemy process.
It could be said that this breakthrough was completely natural, arriving without the slightest obstruction.
Heaven and earth's might descended upon him, tempering Yang Kai's already extraordinarily solid physique and refining the true essence within his body. Flesh and blood churned and flowed; every part of his being overflowed with unimaginable strength.
Yang Kai was wild with joy.
He completely opened his mind and body, assuming a completely unguarded posture to welcome the baptism of heaven and earth's might during the breakthrough.
Most martial artists, when breaking through, would use their true essence or an Artifact to guard their bodies, lest they be injured by the heavens' power during the process.
While this method was extremely safe, it consequently reduced the potential benefits.
Yang Kai had no need to do any such thing. This was the advantage of a powerful physical body – the stronger it became, the more robust it grew, and the greater the benefits received, creating a virtuous cycle. This was why every martial artist placed such importance on their foundation; a solid foundation meant increasingly obvious benefits in the future.
Yang Kai's foundation was as solid as gold and stone.
He casually glanced at Sun Yu, who was protected and shielded by the Haotian Shield and that silver leaf, confirming that he would not be affected by this. Yang Kai then set his mind at ease.
Terror-inducing might from heaven and earth struck down from the sky like lightning. The earth quaked and the mountains shook, as if a doomsday scene had manifested. The members of the Dragon Phoenix Manor guarding the valley entrance all changed dramatically in expression, their eyelids twitching wildly.
Having witnessed such destructive power, no one dared guarantee that Sun Yu could return safely.
Chen Zhou and Ling Jian were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, wanting to rush to the valley floor to see for themselves. Yet they feared their rash approach might disturb Sun Yu, leaving them torn and full of worry, their faces etched with distress.
Just at this moment, Xiao Ling, who had been dispatched to arrange deployments, returned with a report. The nearby Freezing Sky Realm had indeed been alerted, and their experts had come out in full force. Led by two experts at the initial stage of the Transcendent Realm, they were heading towards Dragon Valley.
Chen Zhou's face turned cold, a sharp, frigid light flashing deep within his eyes, sharp and cold as a blade's edge.
Since the decline of the Dragon Phoenix Manor, this Freezing Sky Realm had risen to prominence. Usually, the two factions had frequent minor conflicts, but since both had Transcendent Realm experts presiding, while small disputes were constant, large-scale battles to the death had never truly erupted.
Everyone knew that if a battle of too great a scale occurred, no one would emerge with any benefit.
Although the Dragon Phoenix Manor had only Chen Zhou as its Transcendent Realm expert, if a real fight broke out, the Freezing Sky Realm could not afford to sustain too heavy a loss.
And this time, their aggressive approach made their intentions clear, something Chen Zhou understood perfectly.
"Elder Ling, I'll leave things in your care for now. If Sun Yu manages to return safely... take him far away from Dragon Phoenix Manor. Tell him that the revival of our manor will depend on him."
"Manor Master!" Ling Jian's expression shifted, a vague understanding dawning on him about what Chen Zhou intended to do.
"Xiao Ling, Tingyi, come with me to meet the enemy! I want to see what they're truly capable of, storming our Dragon Phoenix Manor!" Chen Zhou roared fiercely. His figure swayed as he shot off into the distance.
Xiao Ling and Yu Tingyi hurried to follow.
At the valley entrance, Ling Jian was soon left all alone.
Staring down toward the bottom of the valley, he grew as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, stomping his foot. "That brat still won't come out — he's going to give this old man a heart attack."
Deep within the valley, waves of heavenly and earthly power hammered down without cease. Yang Kai welcomed every single one, absorbing them all, a look of exhilaration surging across his face.
This situation persisted for a full hour before the gathering heavenly and earthly power gradually thinned, and the terrifying energy that had shrouded the skies above Dragon Valley finally dissipated.
An invisible wave of force erupted outward in all directions from Yang Kai's body.
In that instant, Yang Kai felt impossibly light. A sensation of pure, overwhelming comfort spread from every inch of his skin and flesh. As he lightly clenched his fist, power surged quietly within.
His spiritual sense expanded, its range reaching far beyond before, perceiving the world in far greater detail.
Transcendent Realm, third layer.
Only a single minor level separated him from the Transcendent Realm.
Dozens of miles away, people were fighting — fighting to the death. Waves of powerful auras belonging to Transcendent Realm experts washed over him, drawing a frown from Yang Kai. He had no idea what was happening out there.
Putting aside the affairs of outsiders for the moment, Yang Kai lowered his head to examine himself.
The golden dragon pattern that should have resided on his back now seemed to possess a life of its own, ceaselessly gliding across Yang Kai's skin — from his back to his chest — a bizarre sight to behold.
Moreover, this golden dragon pattern now contained a vast, almost unimaginable reservoir of energy, a force so great that even Yang Kai himself felt a shudder of fear in his heart.