Lingxi Breakthrough

Shi Wanshan opened his mouth, but his throat felt stuffed with cotton.

"I... well... that is... I just thought..."

His eyes darted, his mind racing with images of Xiao Ruobai's overwhelming divine halberd techniques, Fang Hanyu's unfathomable Chaos Sword Intent, and Ling Xi's astonishingly bizarre methods...

Then he looked at Gu Changge, who had casually elevated someone's talent right before his eyes...

The words "I want to become your disciple too" rolled on the tip of his tongue again and again.

But seeing Gu Changge's status as his junior brother, considering his own position as the master of Qingyue Peak, and his age, an immense sense of shame erupted like a volcano, instantly drowning those unrealistic fantasies and impulses.

The shameless words reached his lips but were swallowed back down!

"N-nothing!"

Shi Wanshan suddenly waved his hand, as if trying to brush away something unclean, his voice becoming rapid and flustered, almost incoherent.

"I was just... just asking casually! Yes, just asking! Changge, don't take it to heart!

There are matters at the sect; those little brats on Qingyue Peak are still waiting for me to drill them! I'm leaving now!"

With that, he didn't even dare to meet Gu Changge's somewhat puzzled gaze. He practically fled in panic.

His figure turned into a somewhat hasty and awkward earth-yellow streak of light, vanishing instantly into the horizon at a speed more than twice as fast as when he had arrived.

Gu Changge watched the direction Shi Wanshan had practically "bolted" off in, furrowing his brow slightly with genuine confusion.

This senior brother's behavior today was truly strange.

After everyone had dispersed, he stayed behind, hesitating and stammering about taking on disciples. When asked if he had discovered a promising talent, he was evasive and then fled in panic...

That expression wasn't the excitement of finding a genius; it looked more like he had done something shameful.

"Could it be that while training his physique, his Qi and blood impacted his sea of consciousness, causing mental disturbance and erratic behavior?"

Gu Changge speculated silently, thinking this might be the only reasonable explanation.

Senior Brother Shi was straightforward by nature; being so hesitant today was truly unusual.

"I need to find an opportunity to remind Senior Brother Xuanyangzi to keep an eye on Senior Brother Shi's condition, or perhaps give him a few pills to clear his mind and calm his spirit."

Gu Changge shook his head, attributing the matter to a possible minor deviation in Shi Wanshan's cultivation. He didn't dwell on it, merely finding his senior brother's behavior a bit inexplicable.

On the other side, Shi Wanshan flew back to his Qingyue Peak in one breath, activated the cave's protective formations, and only after confirming no one was around did he let out a long sigh.

He collapsed onto a stone chair, feeling his face burn and his heart pound like a drum.

Recalling his embarrassing performance on Purple Bamboo Peak, especially that absurd thought that had nearly slipped out, and Gu Changge's clear, confused gaze, he wished he could crawl into a hole!

"Slap!"

He suddenly raised his hand and gave his own cheek—muscular and hard as refined iron—a light but crisp slap.

"Shi Wanshan, you bastard! Have you no shame left?!"

He cursed himself under his breath, his face filled with chagrin, lingering fear, and deep shame.

"That's your junior brother! Your own junior brother! And you wanted to become his disciple? Is your head filled with the forged iron lumps of Qingyue Peak?!"

"If Xuanyangzi finds out, if Junior Brother Ye and the others find out, if the whole sect finds out... how can I show my face?! The face of Qingyue Peak would be utterly disgraced! Even the ancestral founder would rise from his grave to whip me!"

The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt. He wished he could turn back time and strangle that foolish thought in its cradle.

"Pah! Getting more foolish as I age!"

Meanwhile, deep beneath the earth.

In that secret space sealed by ancient formations, the Dao resonance of deathly stillness and devouring continued to spread silently.

Ling Xi sat cross-legged before the massive ancient Qilin skeleton, her eyes slightly closed, her aura faintly resonating with the devouring force of the space. Countless insights into devouring surged toward her like a tidal wave.

Her vast experience as an emperor in a past life, combined with Gu Changge's seemingly casual yet profoundly enlightening guidance, now collided with, merged into, and resonated with the most primal and overpowering form of devouring essence from the ancient Taotie.

The Taotie's devouring was talent, instinct, a predation bordering on natural law—wild and pure like the chaos of creation's dawn.

Her Devouring Heavenly Dao Art, however, aimed to elevate this instinct—to master it with her own will, to devour all Dao, to swallow heaven and earth, and ultimately to achieve the supreme Path of Devouring.

Now, aided by the ancient insights from the Taotie bones, Ling Xi's understanding of the essence of "devouring" grew profound. Her devouring force, nourished and stimulated by the Taotie's essence, became more condensed and aggressive.

The efficiency, depth, and ability to strip and assimilate the very essence of all things improved at a staggering rate.

After an unknown time, when she felt her comprehension of the Taotie's Dao resonance had reached saturation, she slowly opened her eyes.

In her gaze flashed images of cosmic births and deaths, the annihilation of all Daos—profound and deep.

"Verification complete. Time to harvest."

Without hesitation, Ling Xi activated the Devouring Heavenly Dao Art to its fullest, directing it at that dim yet pure mass of Taotie essence. She grasped at the air!

"Buzz—!"

The dormant essence quivered violently, erupting with fierce resistance as if challenged.

It was the crystallized essence of the ancient beast Taotie, containing its innate ferocity and pride. It would not willingly be refined!

The dark-gold energy twisted violently, forming the phantom of a ferocious maw that actually counterattacked, trying to tear apart and assimilate Ling Xi's devouring force!

"Hmph, a mere remnant essence without an owner dares to act insolently?"

Ling Xi snorted coldly, a flash of icy light in her eyes. Her emperor's will and the overbearing might of the Devouring Heavenly Dao Art erupted!

The devouring vortex in her palm abruptly expanded, its rotation speed surging, emitting a devouring Dao resonance even purer and more terrifying than the Taotie essence!

It was the Devouring Dao, refined through countless trials, transcending mere instinct!

"Devour!"

She cried out sharply, the vortex transforming into an invisible black hole, unleashing an irresistible pull!

The phantom maw formed by the Taotie essence let out an unwilling wail, instantly shredded and disintegrated. Pure energy and fragments of law rushed like rivers under the sea into the vortex!

The moment the essence entered her body, Ling Xi's delicate frame shuddered violently!

A torrential, star-sea–like energy and the most primal fragments of the Devouring Law exploded within her! The berserk power, like a wild beast unchained, frantically assaulted her meridians, Qi Sea, and Sea of Consciousness!

The force was too vast and overbearing, far beyond what an ordinary Tianren Realm cultivator could withstand!

"Suppress!"

Unfazed, Ling Xi used her emperor's divine sense as a rock-solid dam, firmly guarding her heart meridian and core consciousness. She pushed the Devouring Heavenly Dao Art to its limit, forming countless intricate runic chains that forcibly bound and tore apart the raging torrent of energy!

She did not choose to convert all this immense essence energy into cultivation power.

She understood the importance of a solid foundation; blindly pursuing rapid advancement in cultivation level would only bring harm without any benefit.

On the other hand, she took a longer view. This pure primordial devouring essence was a supreme divine medicine for tempering the physique, honing mystical abilities, and breaking through higher bottlenecks. How could she squander it all at once?

The majority of the surging devouring essence was compressed and refined by her with supreme methods, forming a dark golden energy crystal. This crystal was sealed deep within her dantian, reserved for slow refinement in the future or for use at a critical moment.

Only about a tenth of the pure energy was channeled out, coursing through her limbs and bones to push against the barriers of her cultivation realm.

“Break!”

With her low shout, that tenth of energy acted like the sharpest chisel, shattering the bottleneck of her King Realm into pieces!

Early King Realm… Mid King Realm… Late King Realm…

Her cultivation level surged unstoppably, climbing wildly!

Under the wash of this pure essence, her body underwent a thorough baptism and reconstruction. Every inch of flesh and blood, every wisp of soul seemed to transform into tiny devouring vortices, becoming tougher, more inclusive, and more predatory.

When that tenth of energy had been completely absorbed and refined, Ling Xi’s aura suddenly surged and stabilized at the peak of the King Realm!