Chapter 623 - 299: Xuanshuang Realm

Chapter 623: Chapter 299: Xuanshuang Realm

Duanmu Xi stood atop the giant wave, perfectly still. Her expression was calm, but a storm raged in her heart.

Their brief exchange had shown her the full extent of Chen Cheng’s terrifying power.

If she hadn’t brought out her Pseudo-Spiritual Artifact, the Jade Sea Shell, at the last moment, she feared a single punch from Chen Cheng’s Second Layer Rising Dragon Realm would have injured her.

Even after using the Jade Sea Shell, she had only managed to gain a slight advantage and force him back.

In a life-or-death battle, she couldn’t do a thing to him!

And this was in Jishui Lake, where she held every geographical advantage!

To be unable to defeat Chen Cheng decisively even under these conditions showed just how monstrously strong he was!

"I always thought the heritage of the Great Dao Sect’s Four Symbols Peak was full of turtles like that Fatty Ke, who only know how to take a beating without fighting back. But seeing the Second Layer Realm of the True Dragon Lineage today, I realize I was prejudiced. You are far stronger than Fatty Ke."

Duanmu Xi smiled faintly and gave Chen Cheng a cupped-fist salute.

"True Disciple Duanmu is also very strong, especially in the water." Chen Cheng nodded slightly, returning the gesture.

The fight had started for no good reason, but it had been an enlightening experience to witness the methods of a True Disciple from another Major Sect.

True Disciples of Major Sects were not to be underestimated, and those ranked on the Earth List were even less to be trifled with.

If he hadn’t been so powerful himself, anyone else would have long since been crushed by Duanmu Xi!

"With your strength, Brother Chen, I’m sure you’ll be entering the Fog Concealment Cave Mansion. We’ll meet again!"

With that, Duanmu Xi slowly sank with the giant wave beneath her feet, disappearing into the lake.

’The Gui Water Realm is truly profound. She must be cultivating in Jishui Lake as well.’

Chen Cheng shook his head slightly, then returned to Mu Xiaowan and Shen Qingshuang’s side in a few leaps.

"Brother Cheng, are you all right?" Mu Xiaowan asked with concern.

"I’m fine," Chen Cheng said gently. "Let’s go. We’ll get lunch at the Drunken Immortal Tower."

...

In the days that followed, Chen Cheng continued to go to Jishui Lake every day to cultivate his Gui Water Realm.

With the dense Gui Water Aura of Jishui Lake, aided by a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object like the Water Element Pearl, his Cultivation Progress advanced at a tremendous pace!

Time flew by, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Rumors spread that the Fog Concealment Cave Mansion was about to open. True Disciples from the various Major Sects began arriving in Linji City one after another, including two more from the Great Dao Sect.

These two were Xiao Yingluo, a True Disciple of Xuanjian Peak, and Qi Jianming, a True Disciple of Five Elements Peak. Their Martial Arts Power wasn’t particularly strong, having only just reached the Organ Refining Realm.

However, they came from illustrious backgrounds—the renowned Xiao and Qi Families of Su State City.

Their family elders were all Elder Level figures in the Great Dao Sect.

Chen Cheng, however, remained immersed in cultivating the Martial Dao.

Another ten days or so passed, bringing them to the beginning of the sixth month.

On this day, a steady, drizzling rain fell endlessly, shrouding the vast Jishui Lake in a hazy mist.

Chen Cheng stood on the lake’s surface, a curtain of water held up around him. The raindrops struck the curtain, merged with it, and then flowed back into the lake.

The Water Element Pearl in his hand also emanated waves of Gui Water Realm aura, which dispersed from the water curtain, causing the Gui Water Aura for several yards around him to become so dense it appeared as a nearly solid mist.

The heavy rain hammered the lake’s surface, creating a dense TAP, TAP, TAP. The sound was soothing, and Chen Cheng unconsciously entered a focused state, forgetting both himself and the world around him.

His Cultivation Progress skyrocketed, and notifications appeared frequently on his panel.

[Gui Water Realm Cultivation Progress increased.]

...

An unknown amount of time passed before Chen Cheng suddenly raised his hand. The external Gui Water Aura surged through the water curtain and poured into the Water Element Pearl.

The Water Element Pearl slowly turned a brilliant turquoise, then shifted to a deep, inky green. The Gui Water Aura within it had reached its absolute peak of concentration!

’My First Layer Gui Water Realm has finally reached Perfection. The timing, the location, and my own condition are all perfect. The Water Element Pearl has also reached its most condensed state. It’s time to try fusing the Realms.’

Chen Cheng once again fell into a state of deep concentration.

[Realm fusion progress increased.]

...

「An hour later.」

[Skills: Xuanshuang Realm (Second Layer Realm 1/500,000)]

An understanding bloomed in Chen Cheng’s mind. The Qi Blood Power in his body surged, and he pointed forward.

The surrounding mist instantly solidified into countless translucent ice crystals. Within these crystals, wisps of dark water vapor faintly swirled.

Ice and water coexisted, but it was not a simple coexistence. It carried an extreme chill and the penetrating, corrosive power of the Gui Water Realm.

At Chen Cheng’s command, the ice crystals transformed into chains that weaved and extended through the rain. They were incredibly tough and could unleash a terrifying power capable of melting gold and corroding iron.

Enveloped in the aura of the Xuanshuang Realm, as if covered by a layer of transparent ice, Chen Cheng sank into the lake. He moved through the water with complete freedom, like a flood dragon returning to the sea!

The nearby lake water then abruptly froze into hard ice, but Chen Cheng’s body could still easily break through it, weaving through the ice as if he had become one with it—a spirit of the ice!

After a long while, Chen Cheng leaped out of the lake and landed lightly on the surface. Beneath his feet, the water once again froze into transparent ice crystals.

Sensing the power within the ice crystals, a faint smile appeared on Chen Cheng’s face.

’The profundity of this Xuanshuang Realm is in no way inferior to the Second Layer Realm that Duanmu Xi used.

Its power is also much greater, reaching a value of around two thousand in an environment like Jishui Lake.

Not bad at all!’

He summoned his panel to check it.

[Skills: True Intent of Heaven and Earth (Small Success 5,035/50,000)]

’The value for my True Intent of Heaven and Earth shot up by over a thousand points. That’s pretty good!’

Looking toward the center of the lake, Chen Cheng’s gaze gradually deepened.

These past few days, Duanmu Xi had been cultivating in that area.

’Duanmu Xi has cultivated two Second Layer Realms, so she has probably also touched the threshold of the True Intent of Heaven and Earth.

Combined with her Jade Sea Shell and the geographical advantage in the water, her true combat power is extremely high.

But now that I’ve cultivated the Xuanshuang Realm, she no longer has a geographical advantage in the water. With just the True Intent of Heaven and Earth, I should be able to defeat her easily.’

Muttering to himself, Chen Cheng prepared to head back.

Just then, a giant turtle shell, several yards high, came speeding across the lake’s surface from a distance.

Ke Dali, his figure like a human mountain of flesh, stood on the turtle’s back, waving at Chen Cheng from afar.

Chen Cheng frowned slightly. He maintained the water curtain with his First Layer Gui Water Realm and condensed a wave to support his feet as he moved to meet Ke Dali.

"Whoa! Junior Brother Chen, you actually cultivated the Gui Water Realm!"

Ke Dali exclaimed in shock as they drew closer.

"It’s just the First Layer Realm. Not much use."

Chen Cheng replied casually, carefully examining the enormous turtle shell Ke Dali had formed from his Mountain-Suppressing Xuanwu Armor.

The turtle shell was brimming with Spirituality. Not only could it travel swiftly across the lake, but it also faintly generated ripples that protected Ke Dali within.

"The Gui Water Realm is not easy to cultivate. The fact that you’ve managed to cultivate the First Layer Realm already makes you incredibly strong," Ke Dali said seriously.

Not wanting to reveal too much, Chen Cheng quickly changed the subject. "Senior Brother Ke, did you need me for something?"

Ke Dali chuckled. "Today, Xiao Zhenchuan, Qi Zhenchuan, and I are meeting on the Xiao Family’s painted boat on Jishui Lake.

I knew you were cultivating here, so I came over to invite you and introduce you to them."

After arriving in Linji City, Xiao Yingluo and Qi Jianming had been in secluded cultivation at their respective family residences, cultivating the Martial Dao.

Chen Cheng was busy with his own cultivation, and having heard that the two were rather arrogant, he couldn’t be bothered to go meet them.

"Is the Fog Concealment Cave Mansion about to open?" Chen Cheng asked.

Ke Dali nodded. "The Sect Guardians from all the sects have gone to check. The cave mansion should open in about half a month.

Xiao Zhenchuan and Qi Zhenchuan are both planning to enter. I thought we should discuss things beforehand so we can look out for each other inside."

"Alright," Chen Cheng nodded.

Entering the cave mansion would inevitably involve fighting and competing with the True Disciples of other sects. Having fellow True Disciples from his own sect to watch his back was naturally better than going it alone.

"Junior Brother Chen, come on up. I’ll give you a ride," Ke Dali gestured.

Chen Cheng didn’t stand on ceremony and leaped nimbly onto the back of the turtle shell.

The moment he steadied himself, he felt the turtle shell draw upon the Heaven and Earth Origin Qi, forming an Array that enveloped him.

The Array’s power was clearly not fully unleashed, but its Qi Mechanism was as Rock-Solid and indestructible as a boulder. He feared that even a Realm Power with a value of five or six thousand would be unable to break through it.

If the Array’s power were fully unleashed, it could indeed withstand an attack from an Innate Realm Expert.

"Senior Brother Ke, is this the Array Qi Mechanism of a Spiritual Artifact?" Chen Cheng asked, visibly moved.