161: Chapter 161 The Bright Moon Rises, the Green Stone Peril

Chapter 161: Bright Moon Attained, Qingshi in Danger (Requesting Subscriptions)

He slowly exhaled a long, turbid breath; that breath even carried a faint hint of electrical sparks as it dissipated into the air.

With a focused mind, he called up the familiar information panel:

[Name: Li Wen]

[Age: 21 years old]

[Realm: Flying Star Rank Late Stage (Level 39.8)]

[Class: Scholar Iv13 (40→86440/409600)]

[Technique: Blade Technique - soul realm (10%), Xuanqiong Five Styles (Star Gallop 50%)]

[Cultivation Technique: Nine Heavens Divine Body - Ninth Layer (100%), God-Shocking Sting - Fourth Layer (100%)]

Three years.

Looking back to this day three years ago, he was just a novice Martial Artist who had just entered the path of martial arts, ignorant and full of curiosity.

And now, he already stood on the threshold of the Flying Star Rank Late Stage, only a single step away from that higher level, the Bright Moon Rank God-Fiend Realm.

The speed of this advancement broke the long-sealed promotion records of Kindling University that had stood for centuries.

The core supporting this terrifying improvement was precisely his technique Realm and Primordial Spirit layers, which were far ahead of his Physical Body Realm.

It is a consensus in the martial arts world that when the technique Realm stands above the Physical Body, as long as the Foundation is deep enough and resources are sufficient, the Physical Body's improvement will follow naturally like water flowing in a channel, making it difficult to encounter a true Bottleneck.

This is also why martial arts cultivators regard technique Realm as the Foundation.

Even so, Li Wen's Physical Body's leap in speed still far surpassed all geniuses of the same generation.

The reason for this, aside from his Blade Technique Realm having reached the "soul realm," was more importantly the Primordial Spirit Power within him that surpassed what a Flying Star Rank could imagine—Third Layer Primordial Spirit.

This is typically a hallmark possessed only by powerhouses who have stepped into the King-rank Domain.

Li Wen, possessing the Foundation of a King-rank Primordial Spirit, naturally found the promotion of his Flying Star Rank Physical Body to be smoother than anyone else could compare to.

Even if others had infinite resources piled up, they would likely find it hard to endure the violent transformation driven by that level of power, let alone digest and absorb it.

Compared to the soaring Physical Body Rank, his progress in the path of technique was equally striking.

Three years ago, he was still polishing the Peak of his Intent; now, he has reached the Blade Soul Realm, truly stepping across the threshold that countless Great Sun Realm God-Fiends struggle to find.

Currently, in the entire Kindling University, since Ling Feng went down the mountain, the only two Disciples to have pushed their Blade Technique to the soul realm are Li Wen and that Sun Rui, who possesses startling Comprehension Ability.

Sun Rui was worthy of his title of "Peerless Comprehension"; not only did he follow closely behind Li Wen to reach the Ninth Layer Perfection of the Nine Heavens Divine Body, but he also broke through to the Blade Soul Realm several months ago.

The two were collectively known as the "Two Prides of Nine Heavens," their brilliance shining upon their peers.

However, Li Wen's reputation was even more illustrious.

It was for no other reason than the ranking list symbolizing the top-tier combat power of the Flying Star Rank on Blue Star—the flying star ranking.

The top spot on the list was clearly engraved with the name "Li Wen."

And while Sun Rui was strong, he was currently only ranked in the forties, even falling behind Gu Yan.

This gap also became a mystery lingering in Sun Rui's heart.

He thought to himself that he had also promoted to Flying Star with the status of Ninth Layer Perfection, and his Blade Technique Realm was nearly identical to Li Wen's; even if his Physical Body Realm was slightly inferior, compared to Li Wen's track record at the same Physical Body Realm, he was still not as good.

He still remembered when he first entered Flying Star, Li Wen had boldly charged into 75th place, while he himself hadn't even touched the threshold of the top hundred at that time.

He had specifically asked Li Wen for the key to it.

Li Wen did not reveal the earth-shattering secret of condensing the Primordial Spirit in advance; he would never disclose this secret to a third person.

Facing Sun Rui's confusion, Li Wen calmly attributed it to one point—being a "Technique Awakened."

Combined with Li Wen's monstrous Battle Intuition, this explanation convinced Sun Rui.

He also believed that only the special potential of an Awakened that can be triggered in battle, combined with top-tier intuition, could create such overwhelming combat performance.

The thoughts about Sun Rui in his mind flashed and vanished.

Li Wen withdrew his gaze and hid the panel.

True Essence circulated within his body, and a warm breath instantly brushed over his entire body; the steaming sweat quietly dissipated, leaving only a refreshing vitality.

He stepped toward the quiet room.

The body that had just activated its True Essence was currently in its most active state.

Today's Physical Body cultivation should be carried out at this time.

He had been stuck at level 39.8 for some time, and that subtle sense of a Bottleneck had gradually become thin and blurred in Li Wen's perception.

An intuition told him that the Breakthrough would be today.

Inside the quiet room, Li Wen sat cross-legged and focused his mind.

After a moment of regulating his breathing, he took out a Medicinal Pill that glowed with inner light and emitted a vast vitality, swallowing it without hesitation.

The pill melted in his mouth, like a warm spiritual spring flowing down his throat, quickly turning into an incomparable torrent of pure energy that permeated his entire body.

"Boom!"

The Cultivation Technique operated accordingly.

The Mind-Cultivation Technique of "Nine Heavens Divine Body - Ninth Layer Perfection Chapter" was like starting a precise and powerful engine, instantly bringing this torrent under control.

The Foundation forged by the Ninth Layer Perfection showed overwhelming dominance at this moment, as the vast True Essence surged from his Dantian and Sea of Consciousness, flowing along the complex paths unique to the Divine Body.

Every heavenly cycle circulation was like the pulse deep within the earth, steady and powerful; the surging True Essence and the essence of the Medicinal Pill merged perfectly, washing through the meridians and acupoints of his entire body again and again, reinforcing every inch of flesh and bone.

There was no pain of collision, only a sense of fullness as if water were overflowing.

As if a vast river had accumulated enough water and was naturally seeking the next section of the riverbed.

An invisible and tough barrier, which felt like solid ice in Li Wen's perception, began to emit a subtle and clear "crack" under the continuous impact of this warm current of True Essence.

Cracks quietly appeared and spread.

The medicinal power was completely ignited, and the True Essence wave reached its Peak.

At a certain moment, that barrier shattered silently, as if a snow Peak had quietly collapsed under the sunlight.

A broader space of power opened up before his eyes.

A vast and profound power erupted from the body's Origin; wherever it passed, the bones seemed to become denser, the explosive power hidden within the muscles grew exponentially, and the blood surged like a great river.

The body emitted a slight and comfortable vibration, and every cell was cheering.

[Physical Body Level +0.1]

[Realm: Flying Star Rank Peak (Level 39.9)]

Deep eyes opened, flashing with divine light before returning to a warm and profound depth.

Li Wen felt the power within his body that had leaped to a new height, and a faint gleam of satisfaction flashed across his calm face.

Flying Star Rank Peak, a natural progression.

At this point, he already stood at the absolute summit of this Realm, only a single step away from that Bright Moon Realm.

Just as Li Wen was in the Grade-A Number 1 Courtyard of Nine Heavens Peak, having just stabilized at the Flying Star Rank Peak.

Ten thousand miles away, outside Qingshi County town.

Deep underground about dozens of miles outside the county town, space quietly distorted.

Silently and without a sound, a special "gate" appeared.

It only had a sleek, cold metallic threshold; the center of the door frame was not a passage, but a slowly rotating star map as deep as the night.

This was the Interstellar Gate.

As soon as this Interstellar Gate appeared, it began to spontaneously absorb the surrounding spatial energy.

Accompanying the continuous absorption of spatial power, the rotation speed of the massive star map in the door frame maintained a constant frequency.

And the size of the Interstellar Gate, with the replenishment of energy, slowly expanded toward the surroundings at a speed that was hard to detect with the naked eye but was clearly unmistakable.

At the moment it took shape, the star map rotating in the center of the threshold acted like an efficient spatial shredder and teleporter.

The surrounding dense and heavy strata of earth and stone seemed to be wiped away by an invisible giant hand, vanishing silently in large patches, forcibly carving out a spherical space underground; the Interstellar Gate suspended in the core of this space.

And these earth and stones that vanished out of thin air did not perish; instead, they were pulled by the coordinates at the other end of the star map, instantly crossing the endless void and being transported to another vast and dangerous world—the Monster Realm.

In some equally uninhabited deep underground area of the Monster Realm, almost simultaneously, an Interstellar Gate condensed out of thin air.

In the star map in the center of its threshold, mud and stones from deep beneath Blue Star's Qingshi County were continuously pouring out and piling up.

At this moment, the deep underground of both worlds was extremely silent.

On the Monster Realm side, there was no Yao Race activity nearby; this abruptly appearing gate, along with the otherworldly earth and stone it brought, went unnoticed for the time being.

On the Blue Star Qingshi County side, the secret buried deep underground was likewise perfectly concealed by the heavy rock layers, known to no one.

Inside Qingshi County town, the summer morning carried a hint of coolness.

On the streets, people began their day's life as usual; the aroma of breakfast spread, and the laughter of children was crisp.

A peaceful and harmonious scene, completely unaware that a destructive time bomb had been quietly activated dozens of miles away, buried deep underground, slowly counting down.

The scene shifts to the regional center city not far from Qingshi County—Changning City.

In the bustling downtown area, inside an unremarkable, low building resembling an ordinary hangar or a small research institute, was hidden the true guardian core of the entire Changning City.

Inside one of the quiet rooms sat a middle-aged man with an aura as profound and steady as mountains and seas.

His eyes were tightly closed, and vast yet restrained energy fluctuations circulated around him—this was the defense person in charge of Changning City, a Bright Moon Realm Peak God-Fiend.

In several rooms next door, there were also five God-Fiends whose strength was slightly inferior but had also reached the Bright Moon Realm Late Stage; the six of them together constituted the top-tier defensive force for Changning City and its surrounding areas.

In the core monitoring hall connected to their quiet rooms, a massive light screen occupying an entire wall was running silently.

The screen clearly showed a satellite map centered on Changning City, with the light dots for each county flashing different colors according to their safety levels.

At this moment, the light dot representing Qingshi County was steadily emitting a soft green light symbolizing safety.

The appearance of the Interstellar Gate and its weak initial spatial fluctuations were not yet enough to penetrate the heavy soil layers and the long spatial distance to touch the monitoring network's alarm line set by the guardian God-Fiends.

Danger lurked beneath the calm.

Time passed, several days went by, and it arrived at the morning of June 5th, Galactic Year 229.

In the Grade-A Number 1 Courtyard of Nine Heavens Peak, Li Wen slowly opened his eyes from deep meditation.

After several days of continuous consolidation cultivation, the surging power within his body had completely stabilized at the Flying Star Rank Peak level.

Today, he would officially launch an assault toward the Bright Moon Realm.

For him, the only threshold for breaking through from the Flying Star Peak to the Bright Moon Realm was the depth of his comprehension of "Intent."

With his technique Realm having already entered the "Blade Soul Realm," there was absolutely no reason for this Breakthrough itself to fail.

But the composure and caution in Li Wen's character made him always maintain the utmost importance.

Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit; he would not allow himself to be even slightly negligent in any detail.

——

After washing up and having a simple high-energy breakfast, Li Wen strolled to the spacious courtyard Martial Arts Field.

He habitually raised his hand, and an invisible pulling force was emitted from the void; a specially made practice long saber hanging on a distant weapon rack hummed and instantly fell into his palm.

It felt slightly heavy in his hand, a familiar sensation.

Without any earth-shattering eruption, Li Wen just stood there quietly.

His thoughts sank into his Dantian, and the Realm of the Saber Soul unfolded invisibly.

Then, he began to practice some exquisite basic saber techniques from the "Profound Vault Rainbow Silence Chapter."

Blade light suddenly flared!

First, it was extremely slow, every inch of its trajectory clearly visible; the blade seemed to be dragging a thousand-pound weight as it pushed through the air with difficulty, emitting a low sound like muffled thunder, containing an incredibly condensed sense of power.

This was the control over the limits of power.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Immediately after, the blade light suddenly accelerated! It transformed into a dazzling waterfall of purple and silver light.

Countless blade shadows, swift as thunder, crisscrossed the Martial Arts Field in layers, yet every single strike landed with absolute precision on its intended trajectory, never missing once.

The air was sliced at high speed, emitting a continuous, sharp hissing sound.

Then, the Intent changed again! At times, it was like the Nine Heavens galaxy pouring down, grand and majestic; at other times, it resembled a ray of aurora piercing through the night, condensed to the extreme, silent yet containing ultimate penetrating power.

The blade light shifted between reality and illusion, carrying an elusive rhythm, as if practicing some subtle connection between space and time.

Finally, he sheathed his blade and stood still.

All the surging Saber Intent, the surging True Qi, and the massive Primordial Spirit Power instantly retracted completely, as if they had never appeared.

Only the crisscrossing faint scratches on the Martial Arts Field floor and the weak energy ripples not yet fully dissipated in the air indicated the intensity of the practice just now.

The entire blade practice process lasted about half an hour.

Li Wen did not pursue extreme performance; he was simply adjusting with focus, letting his spirit, energy, and essence resonate in harmony, ensuring every inch of his flesh and every wisp of True Qi were active at their optimal state.

After practicing, Li Wen flicked his wrist.

Clang! The practice long blade flew back with absolute precision to its original position on the weapon rack, remaining perfectly still.

Without any hesitation, he turned and walked toward the passage leading to the quiet room.

The quiet room was sparsely furnished, containing only a meditation cushion and a small energy supply array.

Li Wen sat cross-legged on the cushion, raised his hand, and took out a Medicinal Pill the size of a pigeon egg, wreathed in dense purple Qi and starlight—the Bright Moon Breakthrough Pill.

He swallowed it without hesitation.

The pill melted upon contact with his mouth, and a massive, irresistible torrent of energy—cool yet domineering—instantly erupted, sweeping through his limbs and bones and rushing into his Dantian Qi Sea.

Li Wen dared not be careless and immediately activated the Breakthrough secret technique of the "Nine Heavens Divine Body · Ninth Layer Perfection Chapter".

As the Mind-Cultivation Technique was activated, the True Qi in his body, like elite soldiers commanded by a king, immediately began to circulate at high speed.

The vast True Qi, with the Dantian as the core, formed a huge vortex of power expanding from the inside out.

At the same time, in his Sea of Consciousness, the three-layered Primordial Spirit halo shone brightly, and Mental Energy permeated through his body, firmly controlling the changes in every trace of power within him, ensuring it surged according to the predetermined path.

The "Star Core" at the very core of his Dantian, representing the Peak power of the Flying Star Rank, was currently undergoing drastic changes due to the combined effect of the Mind-Cultivation Technique and the pill energy.

The Star Core, originally stable, condensed, and slowly rotating like a miniature celestial body, began to expand, soften, and deform under the dual impact of the immense energy and the profound Mind-Cultivation Technique.

Just like refined iron in a furnace being melted by high heat into flowing liquid metal, brilliant starlight and purple lightning Evil Qi intertwined and dissipated from within.

Immediately after, the liquid energy core began to contract inward and reshape.

Under the dual guidance of True Qi and Mental Energy, the form gradually stretched and extended—finally, it gathered and solidified into a crescent moon with a perfect arc and inner luster.

This crescent moon only outlined about a quarter of a circle, with sharp, hook-like ends, its arc elegant and full of power.

Its entire body presented a deep purple-gold color, with countless tiny silver lightning patterns flowing on the surface, while the core seemed to hide an infinitely compressed starry sky, with specks of starlight flickering within.

After the crescent moon formed, it did not remain still.

At the center of Li Wen's Dantian Qi Sea, it slowly rotated with a constant and irresistible rhythm.

With every rotation, the Dantian space seemed to be expanded and consolidated by an invisible force, becoming more vast and solid.

The vast and boundless Bright Moon Realm True Qi was continuously generated and flowed out from this crescent moon, scouring his entire body, merging internally and externally with his purple-gold Divine Body, undergoing a deeper level of Fusion and strengthening.

The entire Breakthrough process lasted over an hour.

When that purple-gold crescent moon hung stably in the center of the Dantian, no longer flickering violently and maintaining a constant rotation.

An aura, more powerful and boundless than before, naturally emanated from deep within Li Wen's body, instantly filling the entire quiet room.

"Success! Bright Moon Realm!"

Li Wen felt neither sadness nor joy, only a sense of realization that everything had fallen into place.

He slowly opened his eyes, a purple light flashing and vanishing within them, appearing even deeper and more restrained.

He immediately looked inward at himself.

The total amount and density of his True Qi had surged by nearly three times compared to the Peak of the Flying Star Rank!

Moreover, the flow was smoother, the contained energy level was higher, carrying a hint of the coldness, heaviness, and domineering nature belonging to the Bright Moon Realm.

Every flow of True Qi seemed to carry a slight resonance with space.

His Sea of Consciousness was broader and brighter, the three-layered Primordial Spirit halo became more solid and brilliant, his perception range surged, and his mastery over himself and the surrounding environment reached a more subtle level.

Under the nourishment of the new level of True Qi, his Nine Heavens Divine Body Ninth Layer Perfection physique was like refined steel being reforged, the blood and power contained within reaching a higher level, and every cell in his body was greedily absorbing the transformative power brought by the purple-gold Bright Moon True Qi.

He did not rush to test it, but sat quietly on the meditation cushion for about a quarter of an hour, letting the surging power initially settle and straighten out.

Subsequently, Li Wen stood up.

The aura fluctuation after the Breakthrough had been restrained by him without a single leak.

He walked toward the Martial Arts Field again, his steps steady and powerful, his heart filled with a hint of desire and anticipation to verify his new power.

With a grasp into the Void Realm, the long blade was in his hand.

No brewing, no gathering of momentum, not even using any Saber Intent.

He simply mobilized the newly born Bright Moon Realm True Qi within him, following the most instinctive and smooth force-exerting trajectory, and casually slashed a blade toward a specially made alloy target ten meters away used for testing strike intensity.

Ssh—!

A blade light, purely composed of refined purple True Qi, instantly crossed the space.

Boom! A dull explosion, far louder than when he was practicing earlier, rang out.

On that target, which was capable of withstanding ordinary attacks from the Early Stage of the Bright Moon Realm, a blade mark several inches deep with extremely smooth and flat edges appeared in the center, and the powerful impact even caused it to shift backward by an inch.

"A casual slash, and the power has more than doubled—" Li Wen silently felt it, a ripple of joy in his heart, but deeper was a clarity of cognition.

He clearly realized that as the Realm continuously improves, the higher one goes, the gap in strength between Realms is no longer a linear increase, but skyrockets exponentially.

"Looking back, before reaching the Flying Star Rank, relying on Intent, I could easily kill Yao Beasts of the Super Martial Artist Rank across two major tiers—at that time, the huge gap in technique Realm was enough to bridge the chasm of cultivation Realms." Li Wen muttered to himself, analyzing his current state.

"But now, with my Bright Moon Realm Early Stage cultivation, Blade Soul Realm technique attainment, plus the Nine Heavens Divine Body at Ninth Layer Perfection—if I don't use Primordial Spirit Power, purely relying on Blade Technique and Physical Body—"

"I estimate I can at most clash with an ordinary Bright Moon Realm Peak, most likely resulting in a stalemate. If I encounter a Bright Moon Realm Peak opponent who is also in the soul realm—" Li Wen shook his head slightly, "The outcome is hard to predict, and even if I could win, it would inevitably be brutal and difficult."

"As for crossing another major Realm to challenge Great Sun Realm gods/demons?" A trace of gravity flashed in Li Wen's eyes, "That is no different from seeking death. The mere gap in the total amount and quality of True Qi is like an insurmountable chasm."

"However—" Li Wen's confidence rose, "I have the Primordial Spirit!"

"If I don't use the God-Shocking Sting, but only fuse the Primordial Spirit Power into the True Qi, making the attack carry powerful Mental Energy suppression and armor-piercing capabilities—"

Li Wen estimated, "I should have the qualification to maneuver and even briefly contend with a Great Sun Realm Early Stage god/demon. If the opponent's technique Realm is ordinary, it is not impossible to have a chance of victory."

"If I completely fuse the Primordial Spirit Power into my Physical Body and fully erupt in a short time—" Li Wen felt that looming terrifying potential, "Strength, speed, defense, and recovery would all skyrocket to an unimaginable level—I should be able to shake or even suppress an ordinary Great Sun Realm Late Stage god/demon."

He then soberly added the key limiting condition: "Of course, these are all estimated on the premise that the opponent has not comprehended the Dao Realm—"

""soul realm" and the true Dao Realm—"

In Li Wen's mind, the stone walls in the Blade Dao Legacy area recording vast "Dao" marks appeared, "That is a fundamental gap in life level and the essence of power. A Great Sun Realm god/demon who has comprehended the Dao Realm, even if only in the Early Stage, possesses a dimensional crushing advantage over us in the soul realm in terms of power application and rule control. Such an existence, I fear, would only need one move to easily dismantle all the means I am now proud of."

The improvement in strength brought joy, but this clarity, bordering on cruelty, kept Li Wen's state of mind unprecedentedly clear and calm.

Breaking through to the Bright Moon Realm is not the end, but rather the starting point to a higher and more difficult level.

The road under his feet remains long.

And thousands of miles away, that slowly expanding Interstellar Gate, as well as the potential incidents that might occur in the Monster Realm at any time, all indicate that this period of peaceful cultivation may not last long.

In the virtual world, above the vast and boundless Galaxy Square, hung ranking lists symbolizing different Realms.

The flying star ranking was the most dazzling, and its top position had long been engraved with Li Wen's name, a symbol representing the limit of the younger generation.

But just at a certain moment, the two characters "Li Wen", shining like stars, vanished from the top of the flying star ranking without any warning.

This change was initially noticed only by a few scattered Flying Star Rank Martial Artists who were refreshing the ranking list and paying attention to the rankings.

But the disappearance of the top name was like throwing a giant rock into a calm lake, instantly stirring up surging ripples.

"The top spot is gone?! Where is Li Wen's name?"

"What's going on? Did the System malfunction?"

"Impossible, the flying star ranking has never had such an error!"

After a brief astonishment and discussion, some clear-headed people immediately grasped the key.

A name disappearing from the flying star ranking usually has only two explanations. Death, or a Realm Breakthrough.

Kindling University is the core of Blue Star, the headquarters of Kindling Hall, and the cradle of human powerhouses, the place least likely for accidents to occur.

No one would absurdly think that Li Wen had met with misfortune.

Then there is only one conclusion, and it is shocking enough—Li Wen has broken through.

"It's the Bright Moon Realm! He has broken through to the Bright Moon Realm!" Someone blurted out.

This speculation spread like wildfire.

Soon, some people who knew the Bright Moon Realm and had connections confirmed the news.

Li Wen's name did not disappear but appeared on that Bright Moon ranking list representing a higher Realm.

Usually, a newly advanced Bright Moon Realm Martial Artist finds it very difficult to get directly onto the Bright Moon ranking list.

But before breaking through, Li Wen had already, as a Flying Star Rank Peak, withstood the impact of twenty waves of Yao Race armies in the Flying Star Rank gatekeeper challenge.

This terrifying achievement far exceeded many gods/demons at the end of the Bright Moon ranking list who could only hold out until the nineteenth wave.

Therefore, the System, based on historical best performance records for automatic conversion, directly included him in the ranking sequence of the Bright Moon ranking list the moment he successfully broke through.

When the news of Li Wen breaking through to the Bright Moon Realm was officially confirmed, the entire Kindling University instantly boiled over.

Three years. It only took three years.

From a newcomer to the Martial Arts world, to an Elementary and then Advanced Super Martial Artist just starting their journey, all the way to firmly securing the top spot on the flying star ranking, and finally, stepping into the Bright Moon Realm.

Such speed shattered every promotion record in the hundreds of years since Kindling University was founded.

This wasn't just fast; it overturned people's understanding of the cycle of Martial Arts advancement.

A wave of shock swept through every corner of the campus network like a tsunami, then transformed into various exclamations and discussions that spilled out of the virtual space, flowing into every corner of reality.

Walking down the road, or within the cultivation grounds, whispers about this matter could be heard everywhere.

There were those who felt envious, deeply sensing that the gap between their own Aptitude and his was like a chasm, gazing up at that suffocating height;

There were even more who felt admiration; regardless of their stance or closeness, they could only offer sincere respect for this solid, logic-defying achievement, even if deep down, a sense of anxiety and powerlessness named "catching up" was churning.

When Fang Chenghong finished his day of cultivation and saw the campus news pop up on his communicator, he was stunned for a few seconds.

He stared at the screen, and finally let out a long, deep breath. A smile mixed with exclamation and sincere joy rose to the corners of his mouth, and his fingers tapped out a short but powerful congratulatory message on the virtual keyboard: "Damn, Brother Wen—you've already reached the Bright Moon Realm! Awesome!"

His words lacked his usual playfulness, replaced by a sense of emotion and gratification for an old friend who had once walked side-by-side with him.

On the other side, Du Yun, who had just broken free from the illusion in Jian Xin Hall, still had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead from the overdraft of Mental Energy.

After receiving the news, a complex light flashed in his eyes, a momentary stagnation, which then returned to relief and calmness.

He knew that the cultivation newcomer who had once caused a sensation on the campus network was now spreading his wings and soaring in a higher sky, leaving them, his former peers, far behind.

He closed the light screen. Unlike others who were discussing it heatedly, he just silently sat cross-legged again and closed his eyes. Only his slightly twitching brow showed that the turmoil in his heart was rapidly settling into a more firm motivation.

Meanwhile, in Courtyard No. 2 of Nine Heavens Peak, Sun Rui was cultivating his Blade Technique.

When he stopped his cultivation and received the news about Li Wen's Breakthrough, his muscles tensed for an instant. The light that burst from his eyes was not frustration, but a flame even more intense than quenched refined iron.

There was no jealousy, no resentment, only a soaring fighting spirit that was almost on fire.

Monster Realm · Lion Yao King Territory. On the same timeline, in the Monster Realm countless light-years away from Blue Star, deep in the dark underground.

The Interstellar Gate floated silently, twisting the surrounding space into a state of subtle ripples.

A Super Martial Artist Rank Rat Yao, barely over a meter tall with a shifty-eyed appearance, had dug its way here by following the abnormal fluctuations of spatial energy.

When that gate connecting to the human world reflected in its small, emerald-green eyes, ecstasy instantly overwhelmed it.

"An Interstellar Gate! An Interstellar Gate leading to Blue Star! Haha! My Opportunity has arrived!" The Rat Yao trembled with excitement.

In the Monster Realm, discovering and reporting a newly appeared Interstellar Gate meant an unimaginably rich reward.

At the very least, it was enough for this low-level Rat who had wasted many years at the Super Martial Artist Rank to be reborn.

It immediately turned around, its sharp claws frantically digging through the hard rock and soil, rushing toward the surface.

It didn't care to catch its breath, relying on the sense of direction branded into its Bloodline, and sprinted toward the palace complex at the core of the territory.

After two days and two nights without sleep or rest, when it arrived before the magnificent palace emitting powerful pressure, it was almost exhausted.

It was rudely stopped by several guards at the entrance who were emitting the Demonic Qi of the Flying Star Rank.

"My—My Lord!" The Rat Yao prostrated itself on the ground, its voice shrill and urgent, "This small one has a major military report! I—I found an Interstellar Gate! One leading to Blue Star!"

A red light flashed in the eyes of the leading Flying Star Yao Race, and realizing the severity of the matter, it barked, "Watch it!" and turned to dash deep into the palace.

Before long, the Rat Yao was summoned into the main hall.

At the end of the magnificent and cold hall, a behemoth sat on the throne.

Standing over two zhang tall, with a lion's head and a human body, its golden mane was like burning flames, and the mountain-heavy Demonic Qi filled the entire space. This was the ruler of this vast territory, the Marquis Level Yao King, Shi Li.

The Rat Yao was almost suffocated by that terrifying pressure, prostrate on the ground and not daring to raise its head, incoherently repeating what it had seen underground.

"Oh? An Interstellar Gate leading to Blue Star?" Shi Li's deep, majestic voice rang out, carrying a hint of interest.

As soon as the words fell, the huge figure on the throne instantly disappeared.

When it appeared again, a giant claw covered in hard golden fur had firmly clamped onto the Rat Yao's small neck.

Shi Li took a step, the space seeming to distort slightly, and it disappeared with the Rat Yao as if teleporting.

An hour later, Shi Li was standing in the depths of the underground where the Rat Yao had discovered the gate.

Looking at the fresh traces of dug-up earth and stone on the ground, as well as the Interstellar Gate that was quietly rotating and connecting the two worlds, a flash of violent light passed through Shi Li's eyes.

"Very good." The cold words had just fallen when the giant claw clamping the Rat Yao's neck tightened suddenly.

"Puff!" After the soft sound of breaking bones, the Rat Yao didn't even have time to let out a scream before it was crushed into a mass of blurred flesh and blood, thrown away like trash, leaving only a striking crimson spot on the ground.

The location of this gate was delicate; although it was on the edge of Shi Li's territory, it was too close to the territories of two other Yao Kings of similar strength.

This kind of Opportunity that could bring huge merit must absolutely not be shared.

Shi Li strode to the Interstellar Gate, extended a giant, scale-covered finger, and carefully touched the edge of the gate frame, sensing the size of the gate, the stability of the spatial pathways, and the characteristics of the energy fluctuations.

A moment later, he reached a conclusion: "Small to medium-sized permanent gate, stable state—current passage limit, Bright Moon Realm - Late Stage."

After making the judgment, Shi Li activated his exclusive cross-spatial communication treasure: "Pass on this King's order: All direct elite forces, anyone at the Flying Star Rank - Peak or above, immediately put down all matters in hand, and with the fastest speed, head to the spatial coordinates indicated by this King's imprint to assemble!"

The deep and majestic command spread throughout the territory through the treasure.

A few hours later, the silent underground space was filled with thick and chaotic Demonic Qi.

Nearly twenty Yao Race generals of various forms but fierce auras, generally at the Bright Moon Realm - Middle Stage to Late Stage, as well as nearly a hundred Yao Race elites with murderous expressions and Flying Star Rank auras, knelt before Shi Li in unison, awaiting instructions.

Shi Li's cold gaze swept over the elite team he had urgently summoned. His deep voice carried unquestionable pressure and undisguised temptation: "On the other side of the passage is the weak human world! It is flesh and blood within reach! It is even more—supreme merit!"

He paused, his tone suddenly rising, "For this King, kill your way over! Whoever can bring back the head of a powerful human Divine Demon, territories, treasures, supreme secret arts—this King will absolutely not be stingy! If there are any who shrink back or delay the military Opportunity—"

A terrifying Evil Qi instantly permeated, enveloping all his subordinates, "Body and soul destroyed!"

A deep and bloodthirsty roar echoed in the underground passage: "Yes! My King!"

The eyes of the Yao horde instantly turned crimson, and their desire for greed and slaughter was completely ignited.

Shi Li looked with satisfaction at his subordinates who had been incited to ferocity, raised his giant claw, pointed at the rotating Interstellar Gate, and issued a clear attack order: "By Rank and batch, target—the world behind the gate, attack!"

Dozens of miles west of Qingshi County. In the depths of the originally dead-silent underground, that Interstellar Gate outlined by star fragments began to vibrate without warning.

Hum—! A deep but highly penetrating hum echoed through the thick rock layers.

The next moment, the outline of the Interstellar Gate suddenly lit up, bursting with blinding strong light sufficient to tear through the absolute darkness.

The pale white light instantly submerged the vast cave space, illuminating the cold, rugged rock walls in sharp detail.

In the center of the light, the star map originally slowly rotating on the surface of the Interstellar Gate suddenly accelerated, twisted, and changed, with complex patterns churning like boiling lava.

Immediately after, the brilliant light suddenly retracted inward, collapsing and disappearing as if swallowed by a behemoth.

The moment the brilliance dissipated, a tall and burly figure stood abruptly before the gate.

This figure was covered in dark golden scales, resembling an upright giant lizard, its thick tail ending like a siege hammer, and the sharp claws on its four limbs flashing with a cold metallic light.

Most eye-catching was the single horn on its forehead with spiral patterns and a tip as sharp as a spear.

An aura belonging solely to a Bright Moon Realm powerhouse exploded outward—that was the ferocity originating from the wilderness, carrying naked desire for destruction.

A storm that felt substantial instantly filled the entire underground space, completely crushing and dispersing the earthy smell that had originally permeated it.

In the center of Changning City, inside the core monitoring hall of a modern building that was heavily guarded and responsible for monitoring spatial fluctuations within thousands of miles.

"Wooo—wooo——wooo——!" A shrill, sharp, and unbuffered alarm sounded like a thunderclap, erupting from the amplification System in the center of the hall, the ear-piercing sound waves almost tearing the eardrums.

The moment the sound started, on the entire huge electronic monitoring screen on the wall, the safe light spot marking the "Qingshi County" coordinate position, which had originally been steadily flashing with a soft green light, flashed crazily within a fraction of a second, rapidly turning into a blinding bright yellow!

"Qingshi County! Yellow Alert! High-energy spatial intrusion signal detected!" A monitoring staff member on duty turned pale, shouting out, their voice slightly distorted due to extreme tension.

This alarm sound was the assembly order!

Almost at the same time the alarm sounded, a heavy alloy door on the side of the monitoring hall was violently burst open with a loud "bang" by a huge force.

Six powerful figures carrying strong winds rushed into the center of the hall instantly like cannonballs fired from a barrel.

Their figures were agile, their auras condensed and powerful; they were the six Bright Moon Realm Divine Demons who guarded the CN region and were on standby to deal with emergencies.

The leading captain, Lin Zhan, had a face as resolute as if carved from rock, and his cultivation had reached the Bright Moon Realm - Peak.

His sharp eagle eyes locked onto the flickering yellow light spot on the screen in the very first instant, and his thick, sword-like eyebrows immediately knitted together.

"A Yellow Alert triggered around a county-level city?" A huge doubt flashed in Lin Zhan's heart; this was illogical.

The conventional threat assessment upper limit for county-level areas was usually a light yellow warning caused by the Flying Star Rank.

However, the instant the thought flashed through his mind—Beep!!!!!!!!

The ear-piercing alarm sound suddenly rose to a new, heart-palpitating, terrifying frequency, almost becoming a continuous screech.

And the light spot representing Qingshi County on the screen, like hot oil thrown into a boiling furnace, suddenly exploded in color, instantly turning from bright yellow into a blinding, extremely dangerous crimson.