182: Stabilize cultivation

The Perfection of an Earth Rank Cultivation Technique already involves a preliminary understanding of the Laws of Heaven and Earth.

Although the System could instantly grant the Realm of Perfection, the ultimate truths of Heaven and Earth contained within it...

...still required Yao Delong to carefully comprehend and digest them himself.

He immersed himself in that mysterious and profound Divine Soul Sword Dao. Within his Sea of Consciousness...

...the Pure Yang Giant Sword and the pitch-black Heart Sword complemented each other—one bright and one dark, one hot and one cold—forming a strange balance.

As for the "Eight Desolations Prison Suppression Art," its Perfection required drawing upon Earth Vein Malevolent Qi to temper the body.

This could not be achieved through secluded meditation in a quiet room, so it could only be temporarily set aside.

When Yao Delong had preliminary digested the Profound Truth of the Perfection of "Heart Sword Without Trace,"

And slowly withdrew from his deep-level comprehension, he gradually opened his eyes.

Countless tiny, invisible sword shadows seemed to flash and vanish within his eyes, before returning to a deep calm.

He calculated the time with his fingers, his heart tightening slightly: "More than half a month has actually passed!"

The Inner Sect Disciple ranking competition had long since begun!

"Fortunately, the ranking challenges for Core Disciples are usually saved for the final grand finale."

Yao Delong rose to his feet, and a series of explosive pops like roasting beans rang out from the bones throughout his body.

An indescribable sense of terrifying power surged within his body.

He did not deliberately restrain himself. Having spent half a month in seclusion to bring several Earth Rank Legacies to Perfection,

The aura overflowing from the sudden surge in power was like a dormant volcano that had just awakened.

Carrying the blazing heat that could incinerate all things and the sharpness that could tear through space, it naturally diffused outward.

He pushed open the heavy stone door of the quiet room and stepped out.

Boom—!

An invisible pressure, a mixture of several terrifying auras,

Swept through the entire courtyard like a bursting flood!

That was not something Yao Delong had intentionally released, but rather an aura that naturally dissipated...

...because he had just broken through and his power was not yet fully restrained!

In the courtyard, those few Qi Condensation Stage Outer Sect Disciples who were sweeping felt their vision suddenly go black!

In their perception, it was as if a terrifying sun, burning with golden-red flames and capable of incinerating rivers, had descended out of thin air!

It also felt as if countless pitch-black fist shadows capable of tearing space and golden-red sword light capable of incinerating all things were rushing toward them like a violent storm!

Even more terrifyingly, an invisible, bone-chilling sharpness,

Like the sharpest needle, pierced directly into the depths of their Souls, bringing indescribable fear and stinging pain!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The several people didn't even let out a groan; their legs gave way as if struck by an invisible giant hammer.

They instantly collapsed to the ground, their faces as pale as paper, their bodies soaked in cold sweat as if they had just been fished out of water.

Their bodies shook uncontrollably like sieves, and even breathing became extremely difficult.

The gaze with which they looked at Yao Delong was filled with boundless fear and awe,

As if what they saw was not a person, but a god-demon who had stepped out of ancient lava and ruled over destruction!

"Yao... Senior Brother Yao..."

The one in the lead had teeth chattering, and his voice was as weak as a mosquito's buzz, nearly fainting away.

Yao Delong frowned slightly and immediately shifted his thoughts.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, the "yanshen fetus" shimmered with divine light, and that unintentionally dissipated terrifying aura instantly withdrew into his body like a receding tide.

It was restrained within the golden-red sun-like Golden Core deep in his Dantian, and within the hidden Pure Yang Sword Domain that extended ten feet around him.

The suffocating pressure in the courtyard suddenly vanished.

The several Outer Sect Disciples only then felt like drowning people being rescued, gasping for breath in large gulps.

With lingering fear, their eyes looking at Yao Delong were still filled with deep awe.

"Get up." Yao Delong's voice was flat, yet it carried an unquestionable majesty.

"Has anyone come looking for me these past few days?"

The several people hurriedly struggled to climb up, bowing their heads and not daring to look directly at him.

The leading Disciple's voice was still somewhat trembling as he respectfully replied:

"Re... Reporting to Senior Brother Yao, besides... besides Elder Liu from the Hall of Deacons coming personally the day before yesterday..."

"...to notify you that the Inner Sect Core Disciple ranking assessment will be held in three days at the Main Peak Plaza,"

"...and that you must attend on time, no one else has come looking for you."

"Elder Liu?"

Yao Delong nodded slightly. It seemed the Sect truly valued the ranking of Core Disciples, even sending an Elder to notify him personally.

He then asked: "Do you know if my Junior Sister Lin Qingxue has finished her seclusion?"

"Senior Sister Lin... has not yet come out of seclusion." The Disciple hurriedly answered.

"Mhm."

Yao Delong gave an acknowledgement, understanding the situation. It seemed his Junior Sister's Breakthrough was still at a critical stage.

"Forget it, I'll go to the Main Peak first to see the situation of the competition."

Yao Delong thought no more and his body flickered, turning into a condensed golden-red stream of light.

He sped away toward the direction of the Main Peak martial arts arena of Luoxia Peak.

This time, he deliberately restrained his aura. Though his escape light was fast...

...it no longer had that terrifying momentum of tearing space, appearing restrained and profound.

At the Yin Yang Sect's Main Peak, the huge plaza halfway up the mountain was already bustling with people and surging with spiritual energy!

Compared to the plaza during the previous selection matches, this place was even more vast, enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people.

Dozens of arenas built from hard Profound Stone and engraved with powerful protective formation runes...

...were distributed evenly like stars in the center of the martial arts arena.

At this moment, intense battles were taking place on most of the arenas, with Sword Qi crisscrossing,

Magic Treasures roaring, and the light of techniques flashing. Cheers and gasps rose and fell one after another, the atmosphere reaching its Peak.

The area around the martial arts arena was packed even tighter by the crowds watching the battles.

Besides the huge number of Outer Sect Disciples and ordinary Inner Sect Disciples,

The most eye-catching areas were the several sections with the best views near the arena area.

The Inner Sect Core Disciple area! Nearly a hundred Core Disciples with steady auras—the lowest being at the Early Golden Core Stage—

Were either sitting or standing, their sharp gazes scanning the battles on each arena,

Occasionally talking in low voices, commenting on the performance of the Disciples in the field.

Yao Delong's gaze swept over and saw several familiar faces:

The Eldest Senior Brother of Spirit Forging Peak, Wu Feng! This person's build was also stalwart.

Though not as exaggerated as the True Disciple Senior Brother Dragon, his muscles were knotted,

And his skin had a bronze metallic luster, clearly showing success in Body Refining.

Another one was Li Ya, whom he had met once before at Tuyao Peak.

Yao Delong scanned the Core Disciple area but did not find Meng Bi.

His gaze passed over the Core Disciple area and landed higher up, on that towering ceremonial high platform.

On the high platform, the nine Peak Masters and Sect Head White Cloud Master sat, their auras deep and profound,

Like nine insurmountable divine mountains.

Slightly below the Peak Masters, near the edge of the high platform, were three independent jade seats.

Seated upon the jade seats were three figures. Although their positions were lower than the Peak Masters,

They were clearly higher than the Elders standing in attendance behind them, highlighting their transcendent status.

On the left jade seat: a young man dressed in a lightning-patterned profound robe.

His face was cold and stern, and purple lightning faintly leaped as his eyes opened and closed. His aura was held back,

Yet he seemed to faintly resonate with the power of thunder between heaven and earth, giving off a sense of overwhelming heavenly might as if he might call down divine punishment at any moment.

He must be that mysterious True Disciple of Thunder Marsh Peak!

On the center jade seat: a woman dressed in a crimson flowing cloud gown.

Her face was stunningly beautiful, and her brow carried a heroic spirit and heat that looked down upon the world,

Like a burning flame rose. She did not deliberately radiate her aura, but sitting there,

The surrounding air slightly distorted due to the high temperature. She was the True Disciple of Chiyan Peak!

On the right jade seat: a woman with an ethereal temperament, wearing a moon-white talisman-patterned Daoist robe.

Her face was clear and beautiful, and her eyes were quiet and deep, as if containing endless stars and mysterious talismans.

As her fingertips moved slightly and unconsciously, tiny talisman light spots, almost invisible to the naked eye, flickered in and out of existence around her,

Exuding a sense of mystery and unpredictability. This was the True Disciple of Zhuàn Zhèn Peak!

Three True Disciples! Like three insurmountable high Peaks,

Just by sitting there, they naturally attracted countless gazes of awe and admiration.

They were the true future of the Yin Yang Sect, the existences standing at the very Peak among the Disciple generation!