Chapter 1999 - Seventh-Level Profound Immortal Realm

Liu Wuxie kept his breakthrough within the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron to prevent a greater disturbance. Millions of immortal stones crumbled under his power, dissolving into streams of liquid energy. Within just fifteen minutes, he had fully dissolved the Cloud Mist Pearl King and sent its energy into the Desolate World as mist.

"Now for the breakthrough," Liu Wuxie murmured, the gateway to the seventh-level Profound Immortal Realm appearing before him.

An immense aura surged from his body, snuffing out the surrounding flames and leaving a vacuum in their place. He made no use of the mysterious axe imprint this time. Instead, the creation energy gathered within the Desolate World assumed the shape of a yellow divine dragon and slammed into the gate to the seventh-level Profound Immortal Realm.

The collision brought the sound of the gate breaking to Liu Wuxie's ears. Countless fragments tumbled into the Desolate World's depths. Before long, movement within the ancient soul sea drew his consciousness inward.

He discovered that the ancient soul sea had grown much clearer, yet it still barred his divine sense. When he attempted to probe it with his divine sense, his soul sea would be torn apart in an instant.

Every drop of liquid energy in the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron poured into the Desolate World under his direction. More than a thousand Primal Chaos Crystals broke apart, flooding that world with primal chaos energy.

Less than half a breath carried his cultivation to the late phase of the seventh-level Profound Immortal Realm. The Cloud Mist Pearl King alone had made such swift progress possible. Without it, he would have needed far more time to complete the breakthrough.

Midnight had long since passed, but Long Ying had not retired. She still stood in her courtyard, gazing toward Liu Wuxie's courtyard while Long Yuanxiong cultivated on the bed.

"Strange... I can't sense any aura in that room..." Long Ying murmured.

Her cultivation as a Great Golden Immortal gave her a formidable divine sense, more than capable of reaching Liu Wuxie's courtyard. She had personally watched him enter. How could he have vanished without leaving any trace after stepping into his room?

Only when the first pale glow of dawn spread across the eastern sky did Long Ying finally look away. An entire night had passed without her realizing it. She returned to her room so her brother would not get the wrong idea if he came outside.

......

Meanwhile, Liu Wuxie completed 360 cycles of the Desolate Devouring Art before bringing his cultivation to an end.

"What a feeling!" he exclaimed, exhilarated.

With his entry into the seventh-level Profound Immortal Realm, he had reached the late phase of the Profound Immortal Realm. Another tremendous transformation in his combat strength would follow.

Liu Wuxie emerged from the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron into his room. Some stiffness lingered after the night's cultivation, and he stretched his limbs to ease it. Sharp cracks and pops sounded throughout his body, their rumble resembling muffled thunder. Nourishment from the Cloud Mist Pearl King had further refined his physique.

Impurities coated his skin in a thin film. As he circulated his immortal energy, that residue crumbled to ash and disappeared.

"It's time to leave," he muttered.

His business at Cloud Mist Manor was complete, and he had reached the seventh-level Profound Immortal Realm. This journey had rewarded him beyond his expectations. Only the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion still troubled him, and resolving that matter would be no easy task.

The Chai Clan's hardships had been genuine, yet its loyalty to the Azure Jade Palace remained firm. The Mountain Guardian Sect, however, sided with whoever offered the greatest benefits, leaving its allegiance to either the Azure Jade Palace or the Heavenly Alliance uncertain.

Now that he held the Mountain Guardian Sect's lifeline, handling it would become much simpler. All that remained was to wait. Liu Wuxie believed the sect would start panicking once the Crimson Cloudstones stopped arriving.

Regarding the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion, he was almost certain it had already allied with the Heavenly Alliance.

Yun Zhong personally escorted the three to the gates of Cloud Mist Manor.

"May fate let us meet again, Manor Lord Yun," Liu Wuxie replied, cupping his hands. Should the opportunity present itself, he would visit Cloud Mist Manor again.

Opposing the Heavenly Alliance alone lay beyond him, and he knew it. Resistance would require forces of his own in the celestial realm, which he had to build as quickly as possible.

"Until next time," Yun Zhong replied, returning the gesture with cupped hands.

Together, Liu Wuxie, Long Yuanxiong, and Long Ying made their way down the stone steps.

"Where were you last night?" Long Ying suddenly asked before they had reached the mountain's foot.

"What are you talking about?" Liu Wuxie asked, utterly confused.

"I watched you go back to your room last night. How did you disappear after that?" Long Ying asked. She had no patience for beating around the bush. Having stood in the courtyard all night, she was certain Liu Wuxie had mysteriously vanished after entering his room.

"I can't speak about that," Liu Wuxie replied, shaking his head. The Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron was a trump card he could not reveal to anyone else.

Her close attention surprised him as well. In the future, he would have to reduce the frequency of entering the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron.

"Where will you go now? Are you returning to the Azure Jade Palace?" Long Ying asked, setting aside her earlier question. Everyone possessed secrets. She had only asked out of curiosity.

"I'm going to Mulberry Sea City," Liu Wuxie answered truthfully.

He still had reason to visit Mulberry Sea City. Tomorrow, the Chai Clan would harvest its immortal rice, and he suspected the three clans would spare no effort to ruin it.

"That's where we're going as well," Long Yuanxiong replied.

A nod was Liu Wuxie's only response. The siblings had come out of the sect to train, so naturally they would remain away for some time. Events of all kinds unfolded daily in a major city like Mulberry Sea City, making it an ideal setting for Long Yuanxiong to broaden his horizons.

"Brother Liu, what do you need to do in Mulberry Sea City? If you have no plans, why don't we train together?" Long Yuanxiong asked, noticing his silence.

"I appreciate the invitation, but I still have business to take care of," Liu Wuxie replied, turning down the offer. Resources were what he needed; experience was not something he lacked. This so-called training served inexperienced cultivators and disciples newly admitted to the sect.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" Long Yuanxiong asked.

Long Yuanxiong was equally curious about Liu Wuxie as his sister. The events at Cloud Mist Manor had once again compelled them to reconsider what they knew of him.

"You're offering to help? I can't pay you. Would you both still be willing?" Liu Wuxie asked. Their assistance was exactly what he needed, though he had hesitated to request it. Employing a Great Golden Immortal would demand a price well beyond what he could currently afford.

"Tell us what you want us to do," Long Yuanxiong replied, rolling his eyes at Liu Wuxie. Years of decline might have diminished the Longyuan Clan, but its members had not been reduced to earning cultivation resources through missions.

" I need your help to capture someone tonight," Liu Wuxie said, with a mysterious smile. His original plan had been to call at the branch and request Zheng Ruhai's assistance. Having Long Yuanxiong and Long Ying with him would simplify matters considerably.

"Who are we going to capture?” Long Ying asked with a frown. Liu Wuxie seemed to grow more difficult to understand by the moment.

"You'll know who it is tonight," Liu Wuxie replied, leaving the matter unexplained.

"And if their cultivation is higher than mine?" Long Ying asked.

He had yet to tell them who their target was. Asking them to capture an Immortal King, for instance, would be absurd.

"There's no need for concern. This person's cultivation is far below both of yours," Liu Wuxie said, reassuring the siblings.

Once they had descended from the mountain range, the three set off toward the teleportation array. Using it would reduce the return journey to Mulberry Sea City to only an hour.

"We're being followed," Long Ying said, coming to a stop as murderous intent radiated from her.

The mountain was scarcely behind them, and they had yet to enter the city. Already, someone had set their sights on them.

"A few clowns, that's all," Liu Wuxie replied.

He had sensed their pursuers earlier and deliberately kept them from being exposed. Many cultivators had chosen to spend the night at Cloud Mist Manor. They clearly intended to ambush him and take the Cloud Mist Pearl King.

On a distant hill, several figures appeared. They had left before dawn to get ahead of Liu Wuxie and had been waiting for him for two hours.

"You've got some nerve calling us clowns, brat!" Yu Yan said grimly. Murderous intent rolled from him toward Liu Wuxie like a tidal wave.

Outside Cloud Mist Manor, Liu Wuxie no longer had the spiritual array to attack them. Two fifth-level Great Golden Immortals and three peak Golden Immortals made up their group, giving them strength far beyond that of Liu Wuxie and the siblings.

"Liu Wuxie, surrender the Cloud Mist Pearl King without resisting. Then I might consider letting all of you die painlessly," Pei Zhongyi said, a sinister smile curling up his lips. Taking the pearl from Liu Wuxie was the very reason they had waited here.

"You have the nerve to ambush disciples of the Azure Jade Palace!" Long Yuanxiong barked. Should the three of them die here, the Azure Jade Palace would never let these men go unpunished.

"We've sealed off the whole place already. Give up quietly and save us the effort," Yu Yan said. He was desperate enough to go to any lengths to obtain the Cloud Mist Pearl King. They were rogue cultivators, so after killing the three, they could simply flee the region.

Vast as the Celestial Weave Domain was, even the Azure Jade Palace, a superpower, could not make its influence reach every part of the celestial realm.

"Let's end this quickly, before anything complicates matters," Pei Zhongyi urged.

"Very well. I'll join Brother Pei against the woman, while you three deal with the other two. Once we've taken the Cloud Mist Pearl King, we'll share it among ourselves," Yu Yan said, nodding.

By joining forces, the two Great Golden Immortals felt certain they could kill Long Ying.

"Brother, look for an opening and escape," Long Ying said. She meant to hold back all five men, sacrificing her own life to give her brother a way out.

"I'm staying," Long Yuanxiong said, summoning his broadsword. He meant to fight beside his elder sister.

"None of you will leave this place today!" Pei Zhongyi roared. He lunged toward Long Ying like an eagle swooping from the sky.

"What a pity that such a beauty has to die here," Yu Yan remarked, following close behind. Their combined advance caught Long Ying in a pincer attack.

"Go to your sister's aid, Brother Long," Liu Wuxie said, just as Long Yuanxiong prepared to strike. He wanted him to support Long Ying while leaving the three Golden Immortals to him.

A good chance of reaching the eighth-level Profound Immortal Realm awaited Liu Wuxie if he could refine the two Great Golden Immortals.

"Brother Liu... what are you..." Long Yuanxiong asked, baffled by the decision. Cloud Mist Manor was behind them now. How could Liu Wuxie contend with three Golden Immortals without the spiritual array? Killing all three without its aid was an absurd notion.

"Do what I tell you," Liu Wuxie said.

There was no time for an explanation. Despite Long Ying's formidable strength, she could handle only one of the opponents. Keeping the other occupied would allow Long Yuanxiong to relieve a considerable part of her burden.

With a nod, Long Yuanxiong chose to place his trust in him. Surely, he believed, Liu Wuxie still had a trump card to play.

Meanwhile, Liu Wuxie readied himself to act as the Bloodthirst Blade materialized in his hand.

"Die, Liu Wuxie!" the three Golden Immortals roared. They closed the distance at blinding speed, a single charge bringing them within ten meters of him. Golden Immortal strength gave every movement crushing force.

"Take care of them, Blackie," Liu Wuxie said. He had no intention of taking on the three Golden Immortals himself and instead summoned Blackie from the Desolate World.

After spending the past two days cooped up, Blackie was beginning to regret its agreement with Liu Wuxie. The mistake was clear to it now. It should never have insisted on helping him with one task a day. Without work, there was no food, and two days of hunger had brought it to the brink of madness.