209: The smoothest breakthrough, the twelfth realm! Preparing for the supreme

A month later, at noon, Jiang Yan suddenly pushed open Qin Wangchuan's door, his chest still heaving violently, and his cuffs still carried the lingering scent of thunder and fire.

His eyes gleamed, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement: "Big Brother, I succeeded! The Myriad Tribulation Thunder Furnace has officially reached the introductory level; I've mastered it!"

"And I've Broken Through to the Eight Realm!"

"It's the Eight Realm!"

"I can now possess a Domain!"

Possessing a Domain in the Lower Realm was an invincible existence.

Inside the room, Qin Wangchuan stood with his back to him, facing the window, a cutting Talisman having just formed under his brush.

This was a new Talisman created by sealing one of his own strikes into it.

Although the process was not smooth, it had at least succeeded.

Hearing the commotion, Qin Wangchuan did not turn around, merely giving a very soft "Mm" to indicate he knew.

It was then that Jiang Yan noticed something unusual—

Golden light threads, faint yet distinct, flowed around Qin Wangchuan, lingering like morning mist.

Sunlight streamed through the half-open window, and for a moment, it was hard to tell whether the daylight was brighter or the light threads on him were more dazzling.

Moreover, Big Brother had, for the first time, not set up his stall today.

A thought flashed through his mind, and Jiang Yan tentatively asked: "Big Brother... you, you've also Broken Through?"

"Mm."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Jiang Yan's eyes widened abruptly, and he didn't react for a moment: "When did this happen? You were just... last night..."

"I Broke Through after waking up," Qin Wangchuan said, then peeled the Talisman from the Talisman plate.

After examining it carefully, he nodded in satisfaction.

Some Cultivators retained the habit of sleeping, and Qin Wangchuan was one of them.

His gaze fixed on the Talisman, he didn't notice Jiang Yan's wide-eyed stare behind him.

His small head was filled with immense shock.

Jiang Yan recalled how he had spent the past month—not only was he beaten half to death, but several times he coughed up three liters of blood from the backlash of the thunder and fire, nearly severing his Meridians, just to barely achieve a Breakthrough.

But Big Brother actually... so silently... "Damn it..." Jiang Yan muttered to himself, unconsciously scratching his head, "Is the gap between Lower Realm people and Upper Realm people really that big?"

Jiang Yan naturally didn't know that Qin Wangchuan's talent had long surpassed the boundaries of the Upper and Lower Realms, reaching another dimension.

Currently, the Twelfth Realm: Half-Supreme.

This Realm itself had nothing special about it; everything was so natural, merely a transition to the next crucial Realm.

The only thing to note was the need to find some Heaven And Earth Treasure to refine the Divine Soul.

The Thirteenth Realm, Supreme—that was the true watershed.

Only by stepping into the Supreme Realm would the actions of proclaiming to Heaven And Earth during the Heaven And Earth Realm become useful.

Based on the effect of the proclamation, it would trigger the resonance of Heaven And Earth, condensing the Heaven And Earth Law that stood between Heaven And Earth.

Of course, not everyone could succeed.

How many astonishingly talented individuals stopped here, unable to condense a Dharma Aspect throughout their lives, forever trapped in the Half-Supreme Realm.

And once successful, it was considered truly having a way to establish oneself in this world.

"Boom—!"

A sudden loud noise interrupted the two of them.

The entire inn shook violently, the window frames buzzed, and a violent surge of spiritual energy swept across the city like a tide.

Jiang Yan stumbled, steadying himself on a table, and looked out the window with a look of surprise and uncertainty: "What's going on?"

Qin Wangchuan finally turned around, his gaze sweeping across the sky outside the window: "Strong Cultivators are fighting." He sensed it briefly, his tone firm, "The Qi is sharp but lacks sustained power; it's a young Prodigy. It might be one of your future opponents."

"Me?" Jiang Yan pointed at his own nose, his face falling, "Just by listening to the commotion, I know I can't win..."

"You have to fight even if you can't win," Qin Wangchuan's tone was calm and unwavering, "You can only win."

"Then... what if I lose?"

"Then I'll come."

The three words were spoken lightly, but Jiang Yan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Why did that sound a bit terrifying?

A moment later, a cautious knock came from outside the door.

The waiter's voice came through the door: "Honored guests, please forgive the fright! That was the commotion caused by the extermination of the neighboring Thousand Puppet Sect. The innkeeper specifically instructed me to explain to each room that there is no danger, so please rest assured."

Qin Wangchuan thought for a moment and called the waiter in.

He was a young waiter in his early twenties, with a simple, honest face and dark skin, as if he had been smoked by stove fire for many years.

"What can I do for you, honored guest?" the waiter asked respectfully.

"I heard there's a Qin Family nearby? What's their reputation like?" Qin Wangchuan asked.

The waiter's face instantly turned pale.

He hurriedly darted into the room, closed the door tightly, and lowered his voice: "Honored guest, be careful with your words! Discussing that Family... could cost you your head!"

Under Jiang Yan's curious gaze, the waiter suddenly leaned in mysteriously, cupping his hands around his mouth as if about to reveal some shocking secret.

Jiang Yan couldn't help but hold his breath and leaned his ear closer.

The next moment.

The waiter suddenly straightened up, laughing loudly: "Just kidding, look how nervous you are!"

"Ouch!" Jiang Yan was startled by the sudden movement and punched him in annoyance, "You!"

It wasn't his fault; Jiang Yan had had a strange expression since he entered, so he instinctively made a joke.

"Haha," the waiter chuckled twice, then said seriously, "Speaking of which, I heard the Qin Family's influence spans across all Realms."

"I haven't been to other Realms, but this branch in the Tongtian Realm is indeed extraordinary."

"A Family establishes a city. Before, there were a few Qin Family members who bullied others with their power, but they quickly disappeared without a trace. If there's any major calamity, you can also ask them for help, which is quite good. It's just..."

The waiter's tone shifted, and he lowered his voice, with a hint of genuine resentment, "A while ago, there was a rumor from who knows where that the Qin Family was opening up their Cultivation Technique to the public. My brothers and I believed it, and we rushed there overnight. As a result, we didn't get the Cultivation Technique and were instead taught a lesson."

Qin Wangchuan became interested, "Oh?"

"This matter caused quite a stir at the time; nine out of ten people who went were like us, getting nowhere." The waiter said, lowering his voice even further, a hint of mystery in his eyes, "But the strange thing is, there were a few people who actually obtained the Cultivation Technique Legacy and were politely invited into the Qin Family!"

Jiang Yan listened intently, unconsciously asking, "Why was that? Were their talents exceptionally good?"

"At first, everyone guessed that," the waiter waved his hand, a 'you're too young' expression on his face, "But later, some people figured it out. Among those few, there were descendants of famous families, Saint of Sects, and even one who came with rare treasures... Don't you think there might be some 'dirty tricks' involved?"

"Dirty tricks?" Jiang Yan blinked in confusion.

The waiter, with a 'you don't understand even this' look, said directly: "It's an internal transaction! On the surface, they say it's an open Legacy, but secretly, they've probably already set the prices!"

After speaking, he remembered something and hurriedly waved his hand, "Hey! I didn't say that! It's what everyone in the neighborhood is saying! Think about it, why do we common folk return empty-handed, while the rich and powerful can receive Cultivation Techniques?"

"There must be something going on inside!"

Listening to the waiter's indignant speculations, a fierce glint flashed in Qin Wangchuan's eyes, but it was not directed at the waiter, but at the rumor of internal transactions itself.

Qin Wangchuan understood that this rumor originated precisely from the restrictions he had personally placed on Chuanliu Pavilion.

This pavilion could not be widely expanded for two reasons:

Firstly, the Three Thousand Continents were too vast; even establishing one in each Realm would be a considerable undertaking.

Secondly, it was too difficult to manage. If you establish it, you must manage it, and if you cannot manage it, it may become a source of disaster.

So, he had thought of a solution back then.

The Qin Family's influence spread throughout the Heavens, like existing channels; and the Cultivation Technique disseminated by Chuanliu Pavilion was like flowing water.

Through the scattered branches of the Qin Family, the Cultivation Technique was sent to various places in each Realm.

It was originally for ease of management.

Unexpectedly, it became a "dirty trick" of favoritism.

And Jiang Yan, listening, had a blank mind.

What Qin Family?

What Cultivation Technique?

The waiter, unaware of their thoughts, sighed, a hint of loneliness in his eyes: "What a pity... They all say the Qin Family originated from the Immortal Realm; if only I could get some scraps..."

At this point, the waiter shook his head, swallowing the rest of his sentence.

Once upon a time, he also had a dream of immortality.

He imagined standing between Heaven And Earth, proclaiming to the world: I have arrived!

But in this bustling Mortal World, that little thought gradually became like an old wind chime hanging under the eaves—only occasionally, when the wind blew, would it emit a few scattered sounds.