339: Ling Xi Breakthrough

Shi Wanshan opened his mouth, his throat feeling as if it was stuffed with cotton.

"I... that... well... I just... thought..."

His eyes flickered, and in his mind, he frantically replayed Xiao Ruobai’s overbearing and peerless God of War Halberd Technique, Fang Hanyu’s unfathomably deep Chaos Sword Intent, and Ling Xi’s astonishingly bizarre methods... Then he looked at Gu Changge’s peerless technique of casually improving Aptitude right before his eyes... The words “I also want to take you as my Revered Master” rolled around on his tongue.

But seeing Gu Changge’s status as a Junior Brother, and considering his own position as the Peak Lord of Qingyue Peak and his age, a huge sense of shame erupted like a volcano, instantly submerging that unrealistic fantasy and impulse.

Those shameless words, once at the tip of his tongue, were forcefully swallowed back down!

"No... nothing!"

Shi Wanshan suddenly waved his hand, as if to ward off something unclean, his tone becoming hurried and flustered, almost incoherent.

"I was just, just asking casually! Yes, just asking casually! Changge, don't take it to heart!

The Sect still has matters, and those little brats on Qingyue Peak are waiting for me to drill them! I'll be leaving first!"

After speaking, he didn't even dare to look at Gu Changge’s slightly puzzled gaze, almost fleeing in disarray.

His figure transformed into a somewhat hasty and disheveled earthy-yellow stream of light, instantly vanishing into the horizon. His speed was more than double what it had been when he arrived.

Gu Changge watched the direction Shi Wanshan had almost “scurried” off to, frowning slightly, a genuine trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

This Senior Brother’s behavior today was truly strange.

After everyone dispersed, he stayed behind alone, hesitantly asking about taking disciples. When I asked if he had found any talented individuals, he was vague and left in a hurry... His expression wasn't one of excitement at finding a Genius, but rather like he had done something guilty?

"Could it be that when he was Body Refining, his Qi and blood clashed with his Sea of Consciousness, causing his mind to be unsettled and his words and actions to be abnormal recently?"

Gu Changge secretly speculated, feeling that this might be the only reasonable explanation.

Senior Brother Shi has a straightforward nature, so his current hesitation is truly unusual.

"It seems I need to find an opportunity to remind Senior Brother Xuan Yangzi to pay attention to Senior Brother Shi's condition, or perhaps give him a few Medicinal Pills for calming the mind and concentrating the spirit."

Gu Changge shook his head, attributing the matter to Shi Wanshan possibly having a small mishap in his Cultivation, and did not delve deeper, merely feeling that this Senior Brother was indeed somewhat inexplicable today.

On the other side, Shi Wanshan flew back to his Qingyue Peak in one breath, activated the Immortal Cave Restriction, and only after confirming no one was around did he let out a long sigh of relief.

He slumped onto a stone chair, feeling his face burning and his heart pounding like a drum.

Recalling his disgraceful appearance at Zizhu Peak just now, especially that absurd thought that almost slipped out.

And Gu Changge’s clear, confused eyes, he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into!

"Clap!"

He suddenly raised his hand and gave his muscular, iron-hard cheek a not-too-light, not-too-heavy slap, producing a crisp sound.

"Shi Wanshan, oh Shi Wanshan! Do you still have any shame left, you bastard?!"

He cursed himself in a low voice, his face filled with vexation, lingering fear, and deep shame.

"That's your Junior Brother! Your own Junior Brother! And you actually wanted to be your Junior Brother's disciple. Is your brain filled with Qingyue Peak's profound iron lumps?!"

"If Senior Brother Xuan Yangzi knew, if Junior Brother Ye and the others knew, if the entire Sect knew... would I still have any face left?!

Qingyue Peak's reputation would be completely ruined by me! Even the Ancestral Master would jump out of his grave to whip me!"

The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt, wishing he could turn back time and nip that foolish thought in the bud.

"Bah! I'm truly getting worse with age!"

Meanwhile, deep underground.

In that hidden space sealed by an ancient Formation, the Dao Rhyme of stillness and Devouring still silently permeated.

Ling Xi sat cross-legged before the massive ancient Taotie remains, her eyes slightly closed. Her aura faintly resonated with the Devouring power of this space, and countless insights into Devouring surged in like a tide.

Her vast experience as a Great Emperor in her previous life, and Revered Master Gu Changge’s seemingly casual yet Dao-pointing guidance, were now constantly colliding, merging, and verifying with the most primitive and overbearing true intent of Devouring, originating from the ancient Taotie.

The Taotie’s Devouring was a talent, an instinct, a plunder akin to a Law, carrying the savagery and purity of Chaos in its nascent stage.

Her Heaven Devouring Dao Art, however, was about sublimating this instinct, wielding it with her own will, absorbing all Daos, devouring heaven and earth, ultimately achieving the Supreme Devouring Dao.

At this moment, with the ancient insights brought by the Taotie remains, Ling Xi's understanding of the essence of "Devouring" deepened.

Her Devouring power, nourished and stimulated by the Taotie Origin, became more condensed and aggressive.

The efficiency, depth, and ability to strip and assimilate the essence of all things were all improving at an astonishing rate.

After an unknown period, when she felt her comprehension of the Taotie Dao Rhyme reached saturation, she slowly opened her eyes.

In her eyes, scenes of the Universe's creation and destruction, and the return of all Daos to the void, flashed by, incredibly profound.

"Verification complete, it's time to collect it."

Ling Xi no longer hesitated. With a thought, the Heaven Devouring Dao Art operated at full power. She aimed at the dark and pure Taotie Origin, and made a grabbing motion in the air!

"Buzz—!"

The dormant Origin seemed provoked, trembling violently and erupting with a strong will to resist!

It was originally the essence of the ancient Vicious Beast Taotie, containing its ferocity and arrogance from when it was alive. How could it willingly be refined so easily?

The dark golden energy twisted violently, transforming into a ferocious giant mouth phantom, which actually counter-attacked, attempting to tear apart and assimilate Ling Xi’s Devouring power!

"Hmph, a leaderless remnant Origin dares to be presumptuous?"

Ling Xi snorted coldly, a cold light flashing in her eyes. Her Great Emperor will and the overbearing power of the Heaven Devouring Dao Art erupted explosively!

The Devouring vortex in her palm suddenly expanded, its rotation speed rapidly increasing, emitting a Devouring Dao Rhyme even purer and more terrifying than the Taotie Origin itself!

That was the Devouring Dao, forged through countless trials, transcending innate instinct!

"Devour!"

She let out a soft cry, and the Devouring vortex seemed to transform into an invisible black hole, erupting with irresistible suction!

The giant mouth phantom formed by the Taotie Origin let out an unwilling wail, instantly being torn apart and disintegrated. Pure energy and Law fragments, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, were forcibly pulled into the vortex!

The moment the Origin entered her body, Ling Xi's delicate body trembled violently!

Vast, star-sea-like pure energy and the most fundamental Devouring Law fragments exploded within her body, the violent power like a wild Vicious Beast, frantically impacting her Meridians, Qi Sea, and Sea of Consciousness!

This power was too vast and overbearing, far exceeding the limits that an ordinary Heavenly Human Realm cultivator could bear!

"Suppress!"

Ling Xi's expression remained unchanged. Her Great Emperor Divine Sense, like the most solid dam, firmly protected her heart pulse and the core of her Sea of Consciousness. The Heaven Devouring Dao Art operated to its extreme, transforming into countless intricate runic chains, forcibly binding and segmenting the violent energy torrent!

She did not choose to convert all of this massive Origin energy into cultivation.

She understood the importance of a stable Foundation; blindly pursuing Realm advancement was harmful and useless.

Moreover, her vision was more long-term. This pure Taotie Origin was a supreme treasure for Body Refining, honing Divine Abilities, and breaking through higher Bottlenecks. How could she squander it all at once?

Most of the surging Taotie Origin was compressed and condensed by her with supreme methods, forming a dark golden energy crystal, suppressed deep within her Dantian, to be slowly refined later, or used at critical moments.

Only about ten percent of the pure energy was guided out by her, integrating into her limbs and bones, pushing against the cultivation barrier.

"Break!"

With her low shout, that ten percent of energy, like the sharpest chisel, shattered her King Realm Bottleneck!

Early Stage King Realm... Middle Stage... Late Stage... her cultivation soared like a bamboo shoot, rising frantically!

Under the cleansing of this pure Origin, her Physical Body underwent a complete baptism and reconstruction. Every inch of her flesh and blood, every wisp of her Divine Soul, seemed to transform into tiny Devouring vortices, becoming tougher, more inclusive, and more predatory.

When that ten percent of energy was completely absorbed and refined, Ling Xi’s aura violently shook, finally stabilizing at the Peak King Realm!