906: Chapter 907 Breakthrough to the Late Stage of Void Refinement

After this incident, the invisible barrier between the two seemed to have been quietly melted away by the blending energies of ice and fire. Although there were still not many words, the awkwardness permeating the air had quietly receded, replaced by a tacit understanding—a subtle atmosphere tinged with a bit of shyness and more of a novel sense of exploration.

Yao Delong continued to focus on absorbing the essence of the spirit spring, while Xue Shushu stood guard by his side. Occasionally, her gaze swept over the cross-legged figure, and in her cold eyes, there was a hint of softness and... curiosity that even she hadn't noticed.

Within the Spirit Spring Grotto-Heaven, the dense mist seemed to be stirred by an invisible force, swirling around Yao Delong and forming visible spiritual qi vortices!

Xue Shushu stood guard to the side, her cold eyes now filled with an irrepressible amazement. She clearly perceived that the speed at which this man's aura was climbing simply defied common sense!

There seemed to be a bottomless pit inside him, frantically devouring the pure energy contained in the spirit spring—energy sufficient for an ordinary Demon King to absorb for months or even years!

What shook her heart even more was the occasional trace of Origin aura that escaped; it was pure, vast, and carried an ancient and profound charm. It was clearly the Power of Origin growing stronger! This was by no means the phenomenon of an ordinary Breakthrough!

‘His Foundation... is actually this terrifying?’ Waves of shock surged in Xue Shushu's heart. As a top-tier Prodigy herself, she knew the importance of one's Foundation. The deeper the Foundation, the harder it was to break through, but the strength after the Breakthrough would far exceed those of the same rank!

The Foundation and depth Yao Delong was displaying now even made her, a Mid-stage Demon Emperor, feel a hint of horror! No wonder her father said he had cultivated for less than five hundred years... he was simply a monster!

As for Yao Delong himself, he was immersed in an unprecedented 'cheat-like' experience.

The Yin-Yang Harmony System acted like the most efficient energy black hole, directly converting the massive amount of Sky Fox spirit spring essence pouring into his body into the purest Yin-Yang Origin energy, without him needing to bother with refining or purifying it!

Even more absurdly, the System had already 'instilled' the Law and Profound Truths of the subsequent Void Refining Stage from the Rosy Seal Yin Yang Art to Perfection! All he had to do now was use the surging energy to fill the cultivation Realm barriers that had already been lit up by 'knowledge points' and were only missing 'experience points'!

Coupled with the assistance of the soft, feminine qi naturally emitted by Xue Shushu's Pure Yin Primordial Body—which perfectly complemented his Cultivation Technique—the entire cultivation process was as smooth as water flowing into a channel!

Time flew by amidst the surging energy.

Xue Shushu watched with her own eyes as Yao Delong's aura, as if riding a rocket, surged from the threshold of a newly entered High-stage Demon King all the way through the barriers of a Peak Demon King with unstoppable force! That speed made her, a 'Genius' who once had to Cultivate bitterly for months here to break through, feel utterly eclipsed!

Finally, at dawn on the second day, as the first rays of morning light pierced through the dense mist of the grotto-heaven and fell upon the spirit spring...

Boom—!

A vast and boundless aura, like a volcano that had slept for ten thousand years suddenly erupting, shot up from within Yao Delong's body without warning!

The entire Spirit Spring Grotto-Heaven shook violently! The dense mist was instantly dispersed by the violent aura! The essence gushing from the spring's eye was pulled by this force, transforming into a pillar of crystalline light that circled Yao Delong's body!

A pressure far exceeding that of an ordinary Late Void Refining Stage expert swept out like an invisible storm, carrying a deep, scorching sharpness that seemed capable of melting all things!

“It's done!” Yao Delong snapped his eyes open. Two flashes of solid golden light flickered deep in his pupils before vanishing. The power within his body surged like an ocean; with every movement, he felt as if he could tear through space! Late Void Refining Stage! The essence of his power had leaped once again!

With a thought, he quietly circulated the Thousand Mechanisms Formless Art. After deliberately simulating a restraint, the aura he emitted steadied at the level of a 'Peak Demon King'—heavy and solid, as if he could touch the threshold of a Demon Emperor at any time! This 'disguise' was enough to deceive the vast majority of Demon Emperors.

“Phew...” He exhaled a long breath of turbid qi, as if expelling all the accumulated Impurities from his body. He felt transparent throughout, thoroughly refreshed! This Heavenly Fox Spirit Spring truly lived up to its reputation! Combined with the System and Xue Shushu's 'power bank' effect, this Breakthrough felt incredibly satisfying!

“Delong... how do you feel?” A cold voice, carrying a trace of subtle concern, rang out.

Xue Shushu had approached the spring at some unknown point, her beautiful eyes fixed on him without blinking, the shock deep in her gaze not yet fully dissipated. In just one day and night, from High-stage Demon King to the Peak Demon King Realm? This speed was enough to shock the world!

Yao Delong grinned, revealing two rows of neat white teeth, in high spirits. He nimbly took out a brand-new black Daoist robe from his storage ring and put it on. His figure was tall and straight, and under the backdrop of the vast power following his Breakthrough, his temperament appeared even more gallant and extraordinary.

He looked at Xue Shushu, his eyes bright with sincere gratitude: “Haha, great! Better than ever! This Heavenly Fox Spirit Spring is truly extraordinary! To be able to break through smoothly this time, I really have to thank you, Shushu... for your help as my Protector!”

He deliberately paused slightly on the word 'help,' his gaze sweeping over the jade-like hand she had placed on his palm with a hint of a playful smile.

Xue Shushu naturally caught the teasing in his words, and a flush of red once again climbed onto her cold, pretty face. But this time, she didn't shy away in annoyance; she merely averted her gaze slightly. Her voice, however, came through clearly: “It's good that you broke through. Let's go, it's time to head back.” Her tone was calm, yet lacked the previous aloofness.

Yao Delong's heart stirred, and the smile on his face grew wider. This time, he didn't follow behind as he had when they arrived. Instead, he very naturally stepped forward to walk side-by-side with Xue Shushu.

Leaving the Spirit Spring Grotto-Heaven, they were once again bathed in the morning light of the outside world. The air was fresh, and the grass and trees carried a fragrant scent. As the two walked back along the path they had come by, the atmosphere was many times more harmonious than before.

Yao Delong felt the cold fragrance of the beauty beside him and the faint sense of intimacy. Looking at that delicate, jade-carved hand hidden under her sleeve, a bold thought sprang up in his mind: ‘After the Breakthrough, shouldn't my courage grow a bit as well?’

With hardly any hesitation, he slowed his pace slightly. His right hand reached out with natural, indisputable assertiveness and directly grasped Xue Shushu's slightly cool, yet soft and smooth left hand!

“Hmm?!” Xue Shushu's delicate body trembled violently! It was as if she had been hit by a faint electric current!

She instinctively wanted to pull away, but Yao Delong's palm was broad and warm, carrying a strange sense of power that completely enveloped her small hand. That feeling... she actually didn't hate it? Instead, there was an inexplicable sense of security and being cared for.

She looked up at Yao Delong with embarrassment and a trace of panic, only to crash into a pair of eyes filled with laughter, honesty, and a hint of dominance. That look seemed to say: We are Dao Companions, what's wrong with holding hands?