Twenty days later.
Originally tasked with guarding the perimeter, Yao Feng had retreated several kilometers away.
He truly did not dare to remain too close to Li Xun.
The aura of destruction emanating from Li Xun was too terrifying. Even a slight touch made Yao Feng feel as if his entire body were disintegrating.
It was the purest form of destruction—nothing could withstand it.
Even one's soul would be utterly obliterated.
"This is terrifying. Could Li Xun possibly break through to the Divine Power Realm right here in the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm?" Yao Feng murmured to himself.
As he thought before, cultivating to the peak of the Profound Elixir Realm within two years was already astounding. But reaching the Divine Power Realm within the same timeframe was an entirely different level of achievement.
If Li Xun truly broke through, no amount of praise or accolades could adequately describe his brilliance.
Elsewhere, Qin Xueyi stood, cold and serene as an immortal. Her white robes, pure as snow, remained untainted by the dust of the world. Perched atop a mountaintop, she resembled a celestial snow lotus swaying gently in the wind.
After merging with the Vermilion Bird's blood, her strength had risen to the mid-stage of the Profound Elixir Realm. This rate of cultivation was nothing short of extraordinary.
Initially, upon finishing her cultivation, she had been eager to share her joy with Li Xun.
But when she saw his current state, she fell silent.
Was this truly the same Li Xun she knew?
They had known each other for only half a year, yet Li Xun's accomplishments had utterly overturned her understanding of cultivation. At the Profound Elixir Realm, he had already touched upon the Law of Destruction.
If this were made public, even the ancient lineages would find it impossible to remain indifferent.
A faint thrum resounded.
Seated cross-legged in the void, Li Xun suddenly opened his eyes. A tremendous aura burst forth, surging toward the heavens and suppressing the underworld.
He resembled a divine being or demon lord. Radiating sun-like power, he seemed to command the heavens and earth to tremble before him. The aura of destruction surrounding him was overwhelming, sending chills down the spines of anyone who felt it.
Yao Feng immediately fled over ten miles away. Even from his previous position, it had been far too close. That mere aura alone had made him feel as if he were about to collapse to his knees.
"Peak of the Profound Elixir Realm?"
Li Xun's eyes flickered open, and within their depths were terrifying scenes of stars, moons, and suns collapsing into ruin. He seemed like a divine ruler, capable of obliterating worlds with a single word.
"Since I've already reached this point, I might as well break through completely!"
He saw no reason to suppress his cultivation. It was pointless. His foundation was already incomparably solid, so continuing to hold back would serve no purpose.
Why bother competing with other so-called prodigies who were far beneath him?
To Li Xun, they were insignificant. His sights were now set on the true talents—ancient paragons like the Crown Prince and Third Princess of the Great Zhou Empire, or senior elders from other powerful sects.
Without hesitation, a terrifying aura erupted from within him.
The wilderness trembled, and the skies roared. Around him, the Great Dao manifested, with myriad divine radiances descending to envelop him, making him appear like an immortal king.
Every movement exuded the power to destroy heaven and earth.
Seated in the void, his entire being radiated an endless divine brilliance, like a great sun illuminating thousands of miles of the sky.
The sheer might of the Divine Power Realm was revealed without reservation.
Instantly, it blanketed the entire void.
Everyone who sensed this aura trembled uncontrollably, an inexplicable fear welling up in their hearts.
"My heavens! What is happening? Why does it feel like I'm sensing the aura of someone at the Divine Power Realm?"
"Impossible! The Phoenix Origin Secret Realm is filled with Profound Elixir Realm experts. How could there be someone at the Divine Power Realm? Could I have misperceived it?"
"No, it's unmistakable. This is definitely the aura of the Divine Power Realm! And the direction it's coming from... isn't that where the Vermilion Bird's blood was discovered earlier?"
"Who else is still in that area?"
"I think it's Brother Li Xun, Brother Yao Feng, and that mysterious woman who was setting up formations..."
"The mysterious woman is only at the peak of the Spirit Meridian Realm. It's impossible for her to directly break through to the Divine Power Realm. Yao Feng, as the leader of the Spirit Sword Valley team, is indeed extraordinary, but he's still far from reaching that level."
"If it's neither of them... then there's only one possibility left!"
Many people sensed the aura of Li Xun's breakthrough. After some careful consideration, they arrived at a shocking conclusion: there was a 99% chance that the person breaking through was Li Xun himself!
Li Xun's strength had already placed him in a league of his own among the numerous prodigies. Now, he had jumped directly from the late Profound Elixir Realm to the Divine Power Realm.
That kind of power was almost unimaginable.
Previously, many of his peers couldn't even withstand a single move from Li Xun. Now, having reached this stage, it was likely that even if they all joined forces, they wouldn't be able to endure a single strike.
What kind of monster had Profound Sun Sect nurtured?
Only two years!
In just two years, he had reached the early stage of the Divine Power Realm.
What about twenty years from now? Wouldn't he have already become a Saint?
<+>
"Congratulations, Young Master Li."
A soft voice rang out nearby.
Qin Xueyi, who had always been cold and aloof, now stood beside Li Xun. Like a fairy, her bright smile and radiant charm seemed to gather all the world's beauty into one figure. Her sparkling teeth and lively aura made her captivating beyond words.
"I've saved your life again. Don't you think it's time you started calling me husband?"
Li Xun retracted his overwhelming aura and stood calmly in the sky. Although he no longer exuded power, his transcendent demeanor naturally drew people's admiration.
"Such nonsense."
Qin Xueyi rolled her eyes at him, her ethereal beauty brightening the entire space.
With a graceful wave of her hand, she produced an ancient storage ring and handed it to Li Xun, smiling gently. "To thank you for saving my life, here's a treasure I've specially prepared for you."
"Oh?"
Li Xun raised an eyebrow and glanced at the ring. Smiling faintly, he remarked, "In my homeland, giving someone a ring has a special meaning."
"Your homeland?"
Qin Xueyi looked puzzled. She knew that Li Xun was born in Tianyuan City, a place she had visited before. Since when did Tianyuan City have such traditions about giving rings?
"Indeed."
Li Xun did not elaborate further. He casually accepted the ring and examined it with his spiritual sense, discovering a puppet within.
The puppet's material was unknown, but its surface glimmered with an indestructible sheen. Moreover, it faintly emanated the aura of someone at the Life and Death Realm.
"This treasure of yours is far too valuable for me," Li Xun said.
A puppet at the Life and Death Realm was, in some respects, even more terrifying than a living expert of the same level. It had no fear of death, and when fully unleashed, not even an equal opponent would dare face it head-on.
Additionally, the materials used to craft such a puppet were often immensely rare. Breaking its defenses was exceedingly difficult for someone of the same level.
Its combination of formidable strength and impregnable defenses meant that dealing with such a puppet typically required multiple people working together—or an opponent of a higher realm.
Only then could it be completely destroyed.
"It's just a puppet. Compared to the Vermilion Bird's blood, it's nothing. Without your help, I might not have been able to secure the Vermilion Bird's blood this time," Qin Xueyi said softly.
Although her array formations were excellent, she wouldn't have been able to fend off so many opponents working together. Even dealing with the Prince of the Great Chu Dynasty alone was difficult, not to mention the other prodigies present.
Under such circumstances, not only would acquiring the Vermilion Bird's blood have been impossible, but even escaping unscathed would have been a challenge.
"That was just a trivial matter," Li Xun replied with a smile.
In the distance, Yao Feng, who had rushed over from over ten miles away, gradually came to a stop.
Initially, he had intended to congratulate Li Xun.
But seeing the two of them standing together, like a pair of heavenly beings, he wisely chose not to approach.
<+>
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