36: Breakthrough to the Condensation Realm

As the sun dipped, only the hum of Spiritual Qi flowing remained in the purple bamboo forest of Zizhu Peak.

A day passed quietly in focused Cultivation, and as twilight painted the horizon of Zizhu Peak red, everyone's aura surged, undergoing a complete transformation.

Shi Wanshan clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within his body. The King Realm Peak's pressure was contained, deep as an abyss.

He gazed at the faint golden Spiritual Light swirling in his palm, his eyes filled with disbelief—this progress was more substantial than what he had gained from ten years of secluded Cultivation.

Xuan Yangzi, with his eyes slightly closed, had wisps of Saint Realm aura swirling around his fingertips, and the Spiritual Qi around him surged like a mighty river.

He could clearly perceive the invisible barrier between the King Realm and the Saint Realm, and it now showed signs of loosening.

The threshold to the Saint Realm, untouched by anyone in the entire Profound Domain for tens of thousands of years, was now within his grasp in a single day on Zizhu Peak. This miracle made his fingertips tremble slightly.

Shi Jingxian and Lin Mochen stood side by side, the Spiritual Qi within their bodies condensed to the extreme of Core Formation Realm Peak.

Everyone looked at each other in silence, their eyes shimmering with shock and ecstasy.

What they gained on Zizhu Peak this day far exceeded the sum of their decades of arduous Cultivation, as if an invisible hand had paved their path of Cultivation completely.

"It's getting late, we should head back."

Xuan Yangzi was the first to break the silence, rising and cupping his hands towards Gu Changge.

"Many thanks for Junior Brother Changge's hospitality today. We will remember this kindness."

Shi Wanshan also quickly rose with his two disciples and bowed.

"Brother Changge, great kindness requires no words of thanks. In the future, should you have any requests, everyone on Qingyue Peak will not hesitate to face death!"

Shi Jingxian and Lin Mochen also bowed, "Many thanks for Junior Martial Uncle Gu's assistance!"

Gu Changge waved his hand, "Be careful on your way."

Everyone turned and left. Not long after they split up outside Zizhu Peak, Xuan Yangzi seemed to sense something and turned back.

"Junior Brother Changge, is there anything else..."

Gu Changge took out a jade bottle and a brocade box from his sleeve and handed them to Xuan Yangzi.

"Inside is a Nine Revolutions Golden Pill and a bottle of Innate Spirit Marrow. As for how to use them, that's up to you as Sect Master."

Xuan Yangzi was stunned, looking down at the items in his hand, then his eyes burst with astonishing light.

He tightly gripped the jade bottle and brocade box, bowing deeply to Gu Changge, "Junior Brother Changge, I..."

"Go," Gu Changge interrupted him.

Xuan Yangzi said no more, nodded solemnly, and turned to leave.

Watching their retreating figures, Gu Changge curved his lips into a faint smile and turned back to the bamboo house.

By the time Gu Changge passed through the light portal, night had already enveloped the valley.

As soon as he stepped into the Ten Thousand Mountains, he heard the crisp clang of metal ahead, mixed with the sharp hissing of a Yao Beast.

Following the sound, he saw Xiao Ruobai entangled in a fight with a giant python covered in green scales.

The green-scaled python was ten zhang long, its scales gleamed with a cold luster, and it flicked its forked tongue. Each swing of its tail carried enough force to send boulders flying. It was a Vicious Beast at the Core Formation Realm Peak.

The young man was shirtless, his bronze skin covered in wounds of varying depths. The deepest one stretched from his shoulder blade to his waist, flesh exposed, yet it didn't affect his movements in the slightest.

The common iron saber in his hand was already blunted, but he gripped it tightly, moving around the python's body with Shadow Step, his figure as agile as the wind.

"Now!"

Xiao Ruobai seized the moment when the green-scaled python raised its head to flick its tongue, suddenly ducking low. The saber's edge cut a cold arc along the ground, precisely striking the giant python's vitals.

The crisp sound of scales shattering was accompanied by a spray of foul-smelling blood. The green-scaled python cried out in pain, its massive body twisting wildly, stirring up a flurry of fallen leaves.

Gu Changge stood on the mountain rock, quietly observing. Under his Eye of Illusory Breaking, the golden War Qi within the young man's body was undergoing an astonishing transformation.

The War Qi, originally like a stream, had now converged into a river, purified of all Impurities through repeated battles, becoming as condensed as liquid gold. Each circulation caused a subtle hum in his Meridians.

This was the four hundred and forty-second Core Formation Realm Yao Beast he had slain.

In just two days, Xiao Ruobai's battle intuition and control over War Qi had been completely reborn.

The green-scaled python, in its death throes, coiled tightly around Xiao Ruobai, its immense strength almost crushing the young man's bones.

Xiao Ruobai's face was flushed, but he suddenly grinned, a fierce glint in his eyes.

He actually let go of the saber hilt, gripping the python's scales with both hands, pouring all his War Qi into his fingertips, and forcefully tore open a gap!

"Break!"

War Qi surged into the gap, and the green-scaled python let out a mournful wail. The constricting force suddenly loosened.

Xiao Ruobai seized the opportunity to break free, picked up the iron saber from the ground, and plunged it into the giant python's vital spot.

The Yao Beast was completely dead, its body slumping softly.

Xiao Ruobai collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, sweat mixed with blood soaking the soil beneath him, yet unable to hide the bright gleam in his eyes.

Just then, he suddenly felt the War Qi within him begin to stir, like ignited gunpowder, wildly impacting an invisible barrier along his Meridians.

"He's about to Breakthrough?"

Gu Changge raised an eyebrow.

The War God Body was completely activated through life-and-death tempering, coupled with the previous medicinal power of the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill and the Spiritual Qi nourishment from Zizhu Peak. This Breakthrough was now a matter of course.

Xiao Ruobai also noticed the change and quickly sat cross-legged, circulating the War Gods Stratagem to guide his War Qi.

The golden War Qi surged like a tide against the Core Formation Realm barrier. Each impact caused excruciating pain in his Meridians, as if they were tearing, but it also made the War Qi purer.

An hour later, Xiao Ruobai suddenly opened his eyes, golden light flashing in them, and the pressure of the Core Formation Realm Early Stage emanated from him.

"Master."

Xiao Ruobai rose and bowed, his voice hoarse but filled with unconcealed excitement.

At this moment, the wounds on his body had scabbed over under the nourishment of War Qi. His formerly scrawny body now had a more refined physique, and the timidity in his brows was replaced by a fierce killing intent.

Standing in the morning light, he was like a battle saber just revealing its edge.

Gu Changge walked down the slope and flicked out a drop of Innate Spirit Marrow.

"Core Formation is just the beginning. The remaining fifty-eight, continue. However, next are Purple Mansion Realm Yao Beasts."

With a flick of his finger, the invisible barrier at the edge of the mountain range expanded outwards, and the powerful pressure of Purple Mansion Realm Yao Beasts surged like a tide.

Xiao Ruobai caught the Spiritual Marrow, and the Golden Core in his Dantian suddenly spun, his War Qi instantly condensing several times over.

He gripped his iron saber tightly and looked up to see a striped giant tiger charging out of the dense forest. It was over three zhang long, its fur burning with an ethereal fire—a Nether Tiger at the Purple Mansion Early Stage.

This tiger had a black king's mark on its forehead, exposed fangs, and each step it took caused the ground to tremble slightly. It had clearly developed intelligence and was scrutinizing Xiao Ruobai with a discerning gaze.

"Just in time!"

Xiao Ruobai roared softly, activating Shadow Step. His figure ghosted around the tiger's side, and the iron saber, imbued with golden War Qi, slashed directly at the tiger's waist.

The Nether Tiger reacted incredibly fast, twisting its body and swiping its paw to meet the long saber.

The crisp clash of saber light and tiger paw exploded in the forest. Xiao Ruobai felt a sharp pain in his arm, and the long saber almost flew from his grasp.

He used the momentum to leap back, landing steadily beside a tree trunk a zhang away. Looking at the deep claw mark on the saber, visible to the bone, his Adam's apple bobbed—the strength of a Purple Mansion Realm Yao Beast was several times more formidable than that of a Core Formation Realm one.

When the Nether Tiger landed, it shook the dead leaves into a flurry. The black king's mark on its forehead glowed coldly, its amber vertical pupils locked onto Xiao Ruobai, and the saliva dripping from its mouth corroded small pits in the ground.

It slowly paced, its Purple Mansion Realm Spiritual Qi pressing down tangibly, making the air thick. It clearly didn't put this Core Formation Realm human in its eyes.

Xiao Ruobai took a deep breath, and the War God Body within him suddenly emitted a scorching throb.

Golden War Qi surged along his Meridians, each circulation causing a subtle hum in his muscles and bones. His right arm, which had been numb from the impact, rapidly regained sensation under the nourishment of War Qi.

He gripped his iron saber tightly, its edge emitting a faint golden light—this was the unique manifestation of War Qi from the War God Body. Without external aid, it could grant common iron the power to break defenses.

He no longer rushed to attack, but instead pushed Shadow Step to its limit.

His figure moved around the Nether Tiger, sometimes using tree trunks for cover to avoid the tiger's sweeping tail, sometimes stepping on branches and leaves to dodge the tiger's pouncing claws.

Each dodge was perfectly timed, neither intimidated by the Yao Beast's pressure nor losing the distance for a counterattack.

The Nether Tiger grew agitated by this evasive fighting style, suddenly roaring with its head thrown back. The Purple Mansion Realm Spiritual Qi stirred up a fierce wind, causing the surrounding trees to rustle loudly.

It slammed all four paws into the ground, its massive body pouncing like an arrow from a bowstring. A foul-smelling wind, laden with killing intent, rushed towards him.

Just at this critical moment, Xiao Ruobai's War God Body was completely activated.

Golden War Qi condensed into intricate patterns on his skin. His originally somewhat slender body erupted with strength disproportionate to his size.

Instead of retreating, he advanced, ducking to avoid the Nether Tiger's gaping maw. The iron saber in his hand slashed upwards along the curve of the tiger's belly.

This single strike condensed all his War Qi, the saber wind tearing through the air with a resolute, unyielding force.