Chapter 361: Returning to the Spirit Realm, Fang Hao's Breakthrough

Chapter 361: Returning to the Spirit Realm, Fang Hao's Breakthrough

Wu Huang left with satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with determination as he resolved to undergo intense cultivation before settling the score with Qi Huang.

"Just you wait, Qi Huang! I'll be back!" Wu Huang declared fervently.

Xu Junhe looked on, perplexed by Wu Huang's newfound fervor. What had the elder said to inspire such determination?

Li Xuan, holding the Grand Cyan Book, fell into deep thought. Was the mysterious voice in the small stone house truly the owner of the book? Would he be in danger if he chose to visit the stone house himself? Undoubtedly, the owner of the Grand Cyan Book was far more powerful than he was at present.

"The voice has disappeared. Did it perish, or did it deliberately avoid Wu Huang? According to Wu Huang, the voice seemed to be restrained and lacked freedom.

"If that's the case, there shouldn't be any danger. I'll take a look; perhaps I can uncover the secrets of the Grand Cyan Heavens and Earth."

With that decision made, Li Xuan vanished from his original spot and reappeared in the palace of the Wu Kingdom, his gaze fixed on a particular palace.

"There's nothing unusual here," Li Xuan frowned, unable to detect any anomalies. The laws and principles of the Grand Cyan Heavens and Earth appeared normal, with no signs of seals or restraints binding a powerful being.

"Has it truly disappeared, or is my current strength insufficient to perceive it?" Li Xuan wondered, deep in thought.

According to Wu Huang, the owner of that voice seemed unable to perceive anything beyond the small stone house.

"I'll go in and take a look," Li Xuan decided.

A figure emerged from within him and entered the palace—it was the Divine Martial True Form!

This was the first time Li Xuan had used his Divine Martial True Form. Even if there were dangers within the small stone house, destroying this true form wouldn't affect him in the slightest.

Li Xuan altered the aura of the Divine Martial True Form to differentiate it from his own, preventing anyone from tracing it back to his original body.

Caution was still necessary!

Li Xuan concealed his aura, appearing no different from an ordinary person as he sat in a tavern within the capital city of the Wu Kingdom.

The Divine Martial True Form stealthily entered the palace and soon located the quaint little stone house. Without hesitation, it stepped inside.

Once inside, Li Xuan spoke, "Show yourself; I'd like to meet you."

Silence greeted him.

Unperturbed, Li Xuan revealed his true form, his gaze piercing as he sought to uncover the secrets within the stone house.

The small stone house was unremarkable, built from ordinary stones. It seemed that even a slightly stronger breeze could reduce it to rubble.

"There's something unusual about this stone house," Li Xuan soon realized.

While the stone house itself was plain, the stones had once been imbued with the power of the Grand Cyan Principles. However, with that power now dissipated, the stone house appeared ordinary.

Most powerful beings probably wouldn't have noticed this subtlety, but it didn't escape Li Xuan's keen eyes. His understanding of the Grand Cyan Principles, though not fully mastered, was extensive, and he was intimately familiar with their power.

"The nearly imperceptible traces of the Principles suggest that they disappeared not long ago and were deliberately hidden. If they had vanished long ago, no traces would remain," Li Xuan deduced.

He reasoned that if the power of the Grand Cyan Principles within the stone house had dissipated long ago, there would be no remnants left behind, regardless of his familiarity with that power.

"The Grand Cyan Principles must have disappeared when I manipulated the Grand Desolate Heaven and Earth's laws to increase the Grand Desolate spiritual energy. The owner of the stone house must have sensed the artificial disturbance and chosen to hide," Li Xuan concluded.

He understood why the owner hadn't responded to Wu Huang's visit—they were deliberately avoiding company.

"Why hide from me? I mean you no harm. I'm merely seeking a conversation to pass the time. Haven't you grown lonely after spending so much time here alone?

"I've known of your presence for a while now. I came today on a whim, hoping to chat. There's no need to hide," Li Xuan said with a smile.

There was no response from within the stone house.

Unbothered, Li Xuan sighed and said, "Very well, if you don't wish to meet, then perhaps another day."

After his words, the stone house remained silent, and Li Xuan turned to leave, vanishing in an instant.

Upon the return of the Divine Martial True Form, Li Xuan paused in thought before departing.

He was now certain that the being within the stone house, even if it were the owner of the Grand Cyan Book, did not pose a threat. It seemed they were restrained and unable to act.

However, with his current strength, he couldn't pinpoint the being's exact location.

"If this truly is the owner of the Grand Cyan Book, and their power is restrained to this extent, then the situation is more complex than I anticipated. With my current strength, it's best to remain cautious," Li Xuan mused.

Even if the owner of the Grand Cyan Book couldn't threaten him due to their restraints, the being who had bound them surely could. Once they became aware of Li Xuan's presence, they would undoubtedly take action.

Even if they had used conspiracies and tricks to restrain the owner, their strength must be formidable. With his current strength, he might not be able to match them.

Moreover, the occupant of the stone house might not even be the owner of the Grand Cyan Book but rather a being sealed by the owner. If that were the case, it would be even more terrifying.

"Perhaps after I fully comprehend the Grand Cyan Book and master the origin of the Grand Cyan Heavens and Earth's Principles, I'll be able to locate them," Li Xuan speculated.

His strength wasn't sufficient—that was the crux of the matter.

"Only by transcending the Heavens and Earth can one truly have the confidence to face any challenge," Li Xuan took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation.

He was not yet truly invincible.

Li Xuan made a mental note of the small stone house within the Wu Kingdom's palace, recognizing it as a place that held secrets to the Grand Cyan Heavens and Earth.

He resolved to return once his strength improved further or after he had thoroughly comprehended the Grand Cyan Book.

The small stone house remained silent and unremarkable, with no signs of anything unusual. Even the mysterious voice failed to make an appearance, seemingly unaware of Li Xuan's visit.

* * *

Canglan Island.

Upon his return from the Wu Kingdom's palace, Li Xuan dedicated more time to comprehending the Grand Cyan Book's Principles, striving to commit all of them to memory.

Of course, he also continued to study the Divine Martial Compendium and the fifth gate of the Martial Arts.

He refined the martial arts for the realm beyond the Void Breaking realm, as well as the subsequent martial arts for the Grand Solar, Stellar, and Unbreakable Body.

"Xu Yan has reached the Divine Sense realm and has comprehended the martial arts for the Void Breaking realm. I should quickly compile the martial arts for the subsequent realms and teach them to him when I have the chance," Li Xuan pondered.

He had already decided on the direction of cultivation for the post-Void Breaking realm and was working on perfecting the framework of the martial arts theory and techniques.

"Fang Hao should be close to his breakthrough as well," Li Xuan mused. With less than a month remaining until the opening of the Divine Bridge, he anticipated Fang Hao's imminent breakthrough.

Xu Yan, after his return, spent time with his parents. Li Xuan had made all the necessary arrangements for the Grand Desolate world, ensuring the safety of Xu Yan's parents.

As they parted ways, no one knew when they would meet again.

"Our son has grown up and is ready to forge his own path," Xu Yan's mother said dotingly.

"Don't worry, Mother. Canglan Island is also very safe. I find the arrays fascinating, and Mother is putting her heart into studying them. Hopefully, she can set up a teleportation array soon," Xu Yan reassured her.

Xu Yan's mother didn't display much sadness at their parting, as she had long known that her son would one day venture into a broader world.

There were only ten days left until the Divine Bridge opened.

Xu Yan left his parents with a large number of cultivation resources, two flying boats, and a divine avatar.

Unbeknownst to them, Li Xuan had secretly transformed the divine avatars he had given to Xu Junhe and the others into divine talismans, imbuing them with the power of the Breakthrough Void.

With these talismans, even the descent of an Immortal Venerable would ensure their safety.

"Xiao Hu, by the next time you come back, I might not be able to pick you up anymore!" Xu's mother ruffled Xiao Hu's fluffy head affectionately, a hint of reluctance in her eyes.

"Meow!" Xiao Hu waved his paws, and a line of words appeared.

"I'll be able to pick you up, definitely!"

His mother smiled and ruffled his head again, her eyes sparkling with joy.

The Longqing Pavilion's flying boat soared into the sky and transformed into a beam of light, disappearing into the horizon.

In the land of Cangbei, where the portal to the Spirit Realm was located, Li Xuan had reinforced the barrier, making it impregnable even to Immortal Venerables.

Xu Yan and the others turned back to look at the vast wilderness, not knowing when they would be able to return to their homeland again.

"The path of martial arts is long and arduous, and the journey you are about to embark on is filled with challenges. To have companions walking alongside you to the very end is a blessing. True strength often comes with loneliness, for invincibility breeds solitude," Li Xuan said calmly.

"Yes, Master!" the disciples replied, their hearts trembling at his words.

"So, Master, was your seclusion in the remote wilderness due to the loneliness of invincibility? Did you have no peers because you were too strong?" Xu Yan asked, a realization dawning on him.

"Invincibility breeds solitude. Master, you've endured loneliness for too long. Your stillness turned to desire for action, and that's why you took me as your disciple and re-entered the world, embracing freedom!" Xu Yan exclaimed, piecing together the reasons behind Li Xuan's actions.

The flying boat tore through the void, and Xu Yan, Meng Chong, and Su Lingxiu focused their minds once more, sensing the intricacies of breaking through the void.

...

In Hongzhou, the pride of the Spirit Realm gathered, along with its top powerhouses.

Wu Tiannan gazed towards the azure sea, anticipation shining in his eyes as he wondered if the person he sought was on the other side of the Divine Bridge.

Fang Hao and Yue Changming had also arrived in Hongzhou. With the situation in the Spirit Realm settled, even if powerful beings from the other side of the Divine Bridge arrived, they would be unable to change anything.

Everything depended on one's strength, and there was no denying that their master was invincible.

"What kind of place is on the other side of the Divine Bridge?" Fang Hao asked curiously.

She Tianheng and his wife, Fu Yun, approached, and Fu Yun answered, "The other side is the Divine Realm. According to ancient texts, it is a region close to the central heavens and earth, but specific information remains unknown."

The Divine Realm!

"To whom does Cloud Sky Blue Sea City owe allegiance in the Divine Realm?" Fang Hao inquired further.

The Superlative Spirit Sect in the Spirit Realm was affiliated with a higher sect in the Divine Realm, which was why they could rule over the Spirit Realm and seek out and cultivate spirit body geniuses for their superior sect.

These secrets were known only to the strongest beings.

"I'm not too sure about that. Only my father and the leader of the Sea Spirit Clan know," Fu Yun replied with a shake of her head.

Fang Hao didn't press further and instead turned towards the azure sea, his body moving as he prepared to break through.

Yue Changming followed closely behind.

In a certain area of the azure sea, a grand formation was set up, and Fang Hao took a deep breath as the power of the world surged towards him. The azure sea churned with towering waves as he embarked on his breakthrough.

"Is that Fang Hao?"

"What is he doing? Is he trying to break through?"

"How strong will Fang Hao be after his breakthrough?"

The masters of the Thousand Martial Hall, the Spirit Hall, and the Thunder Cloud Manor furrowed their brows as they gazed upon the turbulent waters where Fang Hao was located.

At this point, they had no other thoughts in mind. After all, Fang Hao's master was a terrifyingly powerful being, and even their superior sect in the Divine Realm might not be able to afford to offend him.

Given this situation, the only option was to forge a friendly relationship and resolve any grudges.

The azure sea roiled with waves as the power of the world converged, and the laws of the world took on a mystical pattern in the sky above.

Fang Hao sat cross-legged, absorbing the power of the world into his body. The mystical patterns of the heavens were being refined, and the first one took shape, radiating a dazzling light and possessing a divine power.

This mystical pattern was different from the previous ones. It resembled a law pattern, a prototype of the laws of the mystical martial arts.

"My senior brothers cultivated martial arts in which their divine abilities were self-generated upon breaking through to the Divine Sense realm. Their divine abilities are the laws of martial artists. This mystical pattern I've refined is also like a divine ability, belonging to the laws of the mystical martial arts.

"This is a Divine Ability Pattern!" Fang Hao realized, understanding that the pattern he was refining during his breakthrough was a Divine Ability Pattern.

Once the Divine Ability Pattern was refined, it could be used to unleash a mystical formation with the power of a divine ability!

Fang Hao continued to refine the Divine Ability Pattern, and soon, a second one took shape.

With one Divine Ability Pattern, he could unleash a mystical formation with the power of a divine ability. With two patterns, he could unleash two formations with divine power.

As his breakthrough continued, Fang Hao refined more Divine Ability Patterns.

The Abyss of the Azure Sea was the most dangerous place in the Azure Sea and was also where divine artifacts were said to be born.

However, due to its extreme peril, no one had dared to venture deep into the abyss.

None who entered the abyss had ever returned alive.

Even Xu Yan's divine avatar had failed to explore the depths of the abyss and uncover its secrets.

At this moment, at the bottom of the abyss, a blood-red light emerged from a dull gray cave.

The Blood Cave!

The blood light continued to surge, turning the dull gray cave into a faint blood color. As far as the eye could see, the cave was filled with blood-red waves, frothing and bubbling as if boiling.

Boom!

The waters of the Azure Sea were kept at bay outside the Blood Cave, while inside, the blood-red waves churned and boiled. The blood light grew stronger and more intense.

Suddenly, figures emerged from the blood-red waves, their bodies blood-red as if soaked in blood, and their auras carrying a hint of bloodthirst.

If one looked closely, they would recognize these figures as those who had entered the Abyss of the Azure Sea in the past but had never returned.

Their eyes, a dull red, now looked towards the outside of the Blood Cave, beyond the azure waves, as if waiting for something.

Suddenly, the blood-red waves churned, and the figures formed a circle, their gazes fixed on the center of the waves.

A head popped out of the waves, its blood-red hair and deathly pale face a stark contrast. A thin, blood-red line marked his brow, and his scarlet eyes held a chilling smile. In his hand, he wielded a blood-red longsword.

His slender form rose from the blood-red waves, standing atop them as he surveyed the world beyond the Blood Cave, a cold smile playing on his lips.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end