Chapter 241: Peace! Cai Yao’s Breakthrough!

After Chen Xuan gave Cai Yao the gifts, his body became increasingly illusory until it could no longer sustain its existence.

Watching her Master disappear, Cai Yao couldn’t help but feel a little emotional. Fortunately, she knew that what remained here was only a remnant of his power.

It was not her real Master.

Still, inwardly, a trace of reluctance arose in her heart.

She had only just become his disciple.

After waiting for so long, she had finally been able to formally acknowledge him as her Master. Yet before she could even spend much time with him, this remnant power was already about to disappear.

"Don’t worry," Chen Xuan, who was ready to disappear, said.

"I’ll visit you when the time is right again. Until then, you’ll have only yourself to rely on..."

Before Cai Yao could say anything, Chen Xuan’s phantom finally disappeared. The faint pressure that had filled the surroundings also vanished with him.

Cai Yao stared at the spot where Chen Xuan had previously been seated.

For a while, she remained completely motionless. It took several minutes before she finally recovered.

In the end, she clenched her fists, determination flashing across her eyes.

She didn’t blame Chen Xuan for not appearing in his real form.

Instead, she blamed herself.

"I’m afraid Master must be facing some great enemy and is unable to take action frequently. If it hadn’t been for me facing danger, he wouldn’t have appeared."

The more Cai Yao thought about it, the more convinced she became. Her Master had already told her that what appeared before her was only a remnant power.

Perhaps her Master’s enemies were simply too powerful, and he couldn’t waste any time. Perhaps the situation he was facing was far more dangerous than she could imagine.

This made Cai Yao grateful, but also guilty.

Her Master had appeared on the island because of her.

Would this result in some kind of unforeseen change?

Would her Master’s enemies take advantage of this opportunity to deal him a heavy blow?

The thought alone made Cai Yao’s heart tighten.

"It’s all because of me. If I weren’t so weak, why would Master have to step forward and save me?" She gritted her teeth.

She had already known that her strength was insufficient from the moment she faced the turtle.

She had thought that reaching Foundation Establishment was already enough to stand proudly among the cultivators of the island. Yet when she truly encountered a life-and-death crisis, she still needed her Master to save her.

This feeling of helplessness made her even more determined to become stronger.

On the side, sensing its master’s feelings, the white rabbit approached Cai Yao and gently placed its head against her calf as though to comfort her.

Its eyes flashed with a thirst for strength too.

It didn’t want to see Cai Yao like this again. It wanted to become stronger.

Strong enough that the next time Cai Yao encountered danger, it could protect her instead of watching helplessly from the side.

Extreme determination flashed in its eyes.

Then...

Squeebly grabbed the pearl containing the beasts’ Blood Essence and ran off!

It took a while for Cai Yao to react. The moment she processed everything, fury overwhelmed her.

This rabbit had already eaten the previous round of gifts given by her Master. Now, it wanted to steal her Blood Essence too?

Cai Yao could no longer remain calm.

"Squeebly!" she roared, a powerful aura soaring toward the sky.

The white rabbit’s body stiffened. It glanced back at Cai Yao.

Then, without hesitation, it ran even faster.

Cai Yao’s expression became even darker.

"Stop!"

The chase instantly began. Soon, two lights flashed through the island.

--

On the other side, Chen Xuan did not know that Cai Yao had made up some kind of great enemy to explain his absence.

If he did, he would have praised her imagination. Sure enough, it deserved to be an Immortal Body.

Even in such matters, it totally surpassed ordinary cultivators.

Of course, it was impossible to admit the real reason why Chen Xuan had not shown up to meet Cai Yao in person.

It was not because he had some great enemy, nor because he was afraid of something. Rather, it was because he had more important matters to deal with.

For example, the various insights he had gained upon his fusion with the Nine Origins. For another example, the several rewards he had received after accepting Cai Yao as his disciple.

In total, there were many things he had yet to digest.

’I didn’t expect that the Goddess of the Ocean’s trial would have so many benefits. No wonder so many people have been searching for the Jade Treasures...’

Chen Xuan sighed.

In fact, he didn’t know that this was the case only for him. After all, since the challengers would enter an illusion, there would be no way for them to cultivate.

Even if someone possessed extraordinary talent, they couldn’t simply increase their cultivation through several years of ordinary effort.

Only someone like Chen Xuan, who had the System to supply him with rewards, could use the time difference between the two worlds to improve his strength.

This was an advantage that the other challengers simply couldn’t possess.

No matter what, Chen Xuan was filled with confidence. He could be certain that once he left the illusion, his combat prowess would have transformed.

At that point, fighting against Soul Transformation experts would be possible.

Granted, to unleash that potential, he would have to work hard first.

After all, obtaining opportunities was one thing. Turning those opportunities into actual strength was another.

With that thought, Chen Xuan no longer hesitated.

After splitting part of his divine sense and letting it follow Cai Yao, ensuring nothing happened to her, he had his two clones enter cultivation.

One studied the rewards he had received, including the Beast Emperor Codex.

This collection contained an enormous amount of knowledge regarding Beast Taming, and there were countless techniques within it that Chen Xuan had never encountered before.

Although he didn’t necessarily need to become a Beast Taming cultivator, there was no harm in learning more. The more methods one possessed, the more situations one could deal with.

As for the other clone, it focused on the techniques and spells he had mastered, integrating them into his own combat methods.

The cultivation techniques he possessed were already extraordinary.

However, having powerful techniques did not mean that he had perfectly mastered every aspect of them. There was always room for improvement.

Slowly but surely, Chen Xuan felt his strength improve.

His understanding of his own abilities became deeper. His control over Spiritual Energy became smoother.

Even the coordination between his various techniques gradually became more natural.

Soon, he became lost in that sensation, completely forgetting about the outside world.

--

Time slowly passed.

With the threat of the Nascent Soul turtle having disappeared, the turbulent island regained its peace.

No sea beasts dared to attack its shores again, the fate of the giant turtle still fresh in their minds.

As such, the island entered a lull.

Besides the competition between cultivators, there were only a few notable effects.

The cultivators who had survived the previous chaos gradually returned to their normal lives.

Some continued cultivating while others searched for opportunities.

A few even left the island, unwilling to remain in a place where such a terrifying beast had once appeared.

Under such circumstances, the seasons quickly alternated.

Before long, several years had passed.

--

On the top floor of a high building, a lone figure could be seen seated with their eyes closed.

The atmosphere around them was solemn, as though the world itself was preparing for something.

Spiritual Energy slowly gathered around the figure. It entered the cultivator’s body through the pores before circulating through their meridians.

Suddenly...

Bang!

A thunderous cry came from within their body.

Under the cultivator’s control, the liquid Qi within their body began to solidify.

The prototype of a Core formed.

At that moment, their momentum soared into the sky, startling the surrounding cultivators and the beasts flying overhead.

For a second, no one dared to move. The sudden pressure was not particularly overwhelming, but the meaning behind it was completely different.

Another Core Formation cultivator had appeared on the island.

It was only when the momentum finally retreated into the cultivator’s body that the people around them dared to relax.

"Core Formation has finally been achieved," a soft sigh echoed throughout the city.

The figure slowly opened her eyes. A faint smile appeared on her face.

Yet after looking around, that smile gradually faded.

A pair of eyes stared toward the sky, seemingly searching for something. When that familiar figure failed to come, disappointment washed over her.

Cai Yao remained silent for a long time.

Then she slowly lowered her gaze.

"It seems that Master won’t come..."

"Since that’s the case, it’s time to leave the island."

Cai Yao said with some reluctance.

Then, her figure vanished.