186: The power of the Azure Mist, the two beauties make progress

On the cloud-shrouded mountain Peak, Qu Feiyan's emotions gradually calmed, but the dependence and affection in her charming eyes as she looked at Lin Xuan grew even stronger. Su Wanqing and Gongsun Yu tacitly acted as guardians on the side, simultaneously digesting the insights from the recent battle against the Blood Lotus Cult.

"Lin Xuan," Su Wanqing said coldly, a hint of contemplation in her icy eyes, "The fact that Xue Qingtian made such a straightforward oath at the end, besides being wary of your strength, I fear... it also has to do with the Qinglan Sect."

Hearing this, Lin Xuan nodded slightly. He naturally understood the crux of the matter. Although he had left the Qinglan Sect to travel, the fact that he originated from there could not be changed. As one of the giants of the Righteous Path in the Eastern Region, the Qinglan Sect possessed formidable strength. Within the Sect, there were not only powerhouses like Supreme Elder Yuheng who were touching the edge of the Soul Transformation, but also several elders at the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Although the Blood Lotus Cult was a major Demonic Path Sect, if they truly completely broke ties with the Qinglan Sect and triggered a full-scale war between the major Righteous and Demonic Sects, the consequences were definitely not something Xue Qingtian was willing to bear. To gamble the survival of the entire Sect for a defected Saintess (even if her strength had greatly increased now) and the possible favor of the Guixu Cult—Xue Qingtian could calculate that account clearly.

"He dares not gamble on whether the Qinglan Sect would stand up for me, and he is even less willing to become the vanguard and cannon fodder for the conflict between the Guixu Cult and me, or even the Qinglan Sect." Lin Xuan pointed out the key, "A temporary retreat is the wisest choice for him."

"That's letting them off lightly!" Gongsun Yu still felt indignant and waved her small fist.

Qu Feiyan leaned against Lin Xuan and said softly: "This is already the best result. The prime culprit has been executed, and I can consider this as having vented my anger. Lin Xuan, thank you." She knew that if it weren't for the dual deterrence of Lin Xuan's terrifying strength and his Qinglan Sect background, it would never have gone so smoothly.

Lin Xuan gently patted her hand and cast his gaze into the distance: "The Blood Lotus Cult is merely a minor irritation; the real trouble is the Guixu Cult. We ruined their layout within the Blood Lotus Cult, and they will absolutely not let it rest."

His thoughts stirred, and the "netherworld token" that had caused so many issues appeared in his hand. The token remained ice-cold, and the patterns on its surface shimmered with a ghostly light under the sunlight. "This object is the key. We must figure out its origin and function as soon as possible, otherwise, we will always be passive."

Just as he was deep in thought, the System notification sounded:

【 Ding! Detected that team member Qu Feiyan's state of mind has reached Perfection, the hidden dangers in her Bloodline have been completely eliminated, and her years of accumulation have finally burst forth; her cultivation has reached a critical point! 】

【 Detected that team member Su Wanqing's compatibility with the ninth-tier Immortal Artifact 'frost silence sword' has greatly increased, the potential of her Supreme Yin Body is continuously being stimulated, and her cultivation has reached a critical point! 】

【 Suggestion: Provide sufficient Spiritual Qi and guardianship to help them Breakthrough to the Peak of the Late Golden Core Stage. 】

Lin Xuan's spirits lifted; this was an unexpected joy. He immediately took out a large amount of High-Grade Spirit Stone and Medicinal Pill for advancing cultivation and stabilizing the Realm, and divided them among the two women.

"Wanqing, Feiyan, your aura is full and your Bottleneck has arrived; use this opportunity to Breakthrough to the Peak of the Late Golden Core Stage. Xiao Yu and I will stand guard for you."

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan looked at each other, both seeing the determination and anticipation in the other's eyes. They knew deeply that if they wanted to keep up with Lin Xuan's footsteps and not become a burden in the future confrontation with the Guixu Cult, improving their strength was urgent. Especially for Qu Feiyan, after her Bloodline was purified, her past accumulation had completely exploded, and the Breakthrough was a matter of course.

The two women said no more, each finding a flat piece of ground, setting up simple Restrictions, and began their seclusion to Breakthrough the Bottleneck.

Lin Xuan and Gongsun Yu stood guard on the perimeter. Lin Xuan even used his Divine Sense as a primal nascent soul to shroud the surroundings; any movement could not escape his perception.

Days passed.

The moonlight around Su Wanqing grew increasingly intense, with the frost silence sword floating above her head, shedding clear radiance. It blended perfectly with the Taiyin Power in her body, and her aura, like the moon at its zenith, climbed steadily and firmly.

Qu Feiyan was wrapped in a huge, pure, and deep blood lotus. As the petals opened and closed, it greedily and efficiently devoured massive amounts of Spiritual Qi. Her magic power, which had become purer and more profound due to the purification of her Bloodline, was constantly being refined and compressed, launching an assault towards the limit of the Golden Core Stage.

Half a month later, two powerful auras shot into the sky almost simultaneously!

One was cold like the moon, freezing the mountains and forests; the frost silence sword emitted a joyful, clear ring!

One was enchanting and fiery, the blood lotus bloomed, faintly carrying a trace of the purity of Nirvana and rebirth!

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan opened their eyes one after another, internal energy contained within. The spiritual power around their bodies was surging and harmonious; they had successfully stepped into the Peak of the Late Golden Core Stage! From the great Dao of the Nascent Soul, only the final accumulation and opportunity remained!

"Congratulations, Senior Sister Su! Congratulations, Sister Qu!" Gongsun Yu called out happily.

Lin Xuan also showed a gratified smile: "Good! With this, our confidence has increased a bit more."

Su Wanqing nodded slightly, feeling the increasingly majestic and pure Taiyin Power within her and the close connection with the frost silence sword that was almost like a Bloodline bond; a sharp glint flashed in her icy eyes. Qu Feiyan was even more radiant like a flower; the joy of successfully breaking through and the feeling of stability standing beside Lin Xuan intertwined, making her look glowing. As her charming eyes shifted, her allure surpassed the past.

Thus, the core combat power of Lin Xuan's team improved once again. Lin Xuan was at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, his combat power unfathomable; Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan had both reached the Peak of the Late Golden Core Stage, holding heavy treasures, with strength sufficient to contend with ordinary Early Nascent Soul Stage cultivators; Gongsun Yu was at the Mid-stage Golden Core, and the Chaos Thunder Gang had huge potential.

However, just as the four of them felt a bit excited about the increase in strength, the netherworld token in Lin Xuan's arms transmitted a vibration that was even clearer and more urgent than before, without any warning. A few strange, dark patterns that had not appeared before even emerged on the surface of the token!

A vague sense of attraction faintly pointed in a specific direction.

Lin Xuan's expression tightened. He gripped the token and said in a deep voice: "It seems it does not want to let us be at peace for too long. The shadow of the Guixu Cult has approached again."