156: Giant Eyes Escape

[Eighty-Second Year,]

[You Cultivated diligently inside the pagoda for twenty years, finally training the “Spirit Erosion Palm” to the Minor Achievement Realm.]

[You felt that the power of the “Spirit Erosion Palm” had increased two to three times after reaching Minor Achievement, which should be more than enough to deal with Cultivators of the same Realm.]

[Eighty-Fifth Year,]

[You were immersed in Cultivation when you suddenly sensed abnormal activity coming from the time-space pagoda.]

[With a thought, you immediately stepped outside the pagoda and saw numerous strange phenomena in the sky—the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi transformed into rolling dense fog, surging madly into the pagoda like a vortex.]

[This phenomenon was a sign that someone was undergoing a Nascent Soul Breakthrough, and they were achieving the Breakthrough by consuming a nascent soul transformation pill.]

[You immediately determined that this must be Zhong Linger undergoing the Nascent Soul Breakthrough.]

[She had Cultivated for nearly three hundred years inside the pagoda, and given her Aptitude, it was indeed time for her to form a Nascent Soul.]

[You did not return to the secret chamber but continued observing outside the pagoda.]

[Because you needed to confirm if it was her.]

[This phenomenon lasted for about ten days before slowly dissipating.]

[Just then—]

[A woman walked out of the pagoda, her eyes filled with confidence and arrogance, and Nascent Soul Qi radiating from her body. It was Zhong Linger.]

[She paused slightly upon seeing you, then smiled and walked over, nodding gently: “Fellow Daoist Qin is here too?”]

[You replied with a smile: “Yes, I just finished my seclusion and was preparing to return to Tianshu City.”]

[She nodded: “Then we are not heading the same way. I received orders from the Second Elder and must immediately rush to Qingming Hall.”]

[After speaking, she brushed past you and departed straight away.]

[You merely smiled. You had long been aware of her opportunistic nature.]

[You had no interest in arguing with a mere pawn for the time being, so you immediately set off on your spirit boat back to Tianshu City.]

[Half a month later, as the spirit boat entered Tianshu City, you flew directly toward the Tianshu Pavilion floating in the sky.]

[At the same time, the voice of the candle dragons eye echoed in your mind: “Kid, what's the situation?”]

[“Senior, how long would it take a Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator to refine the grotto-heaven magical treasure, the qingming mirror?”]

[“About a month,” the candle dragons eye answered directly.]

[You quickly began calculating—]

[The journey back took exactly half a month. It would take another half a month to trick the Tianshu Pavilion Protector into going to Qingming Hall. When the Protector arrived, he would run right into the truth.]

[“Senior, I'm going to lure the Protector away now. Once he leaves, I will release you,” you immediately replied to the candle dragons eye.]

[“Good, good, good, ha ha ha...” The candle dragons eye's tone was extremely excited.]

[A moment later, you arrived at the eighth floor of Tianshu Pavilion, the location where the Tianshu Pavilion Protector usually resided.]

[You were stopped by the guards and had no choice but to cup your hands and call out: “Lord Protector, the Second Elder sent me to request that you make a trip to Qingming Hall.”]

[Suddenly—]

[With a “buzz,” ripples appeared in the space before you, and a figure materialized in front of your eyes.]

[You stood with cupped hands, head bowed, motionless.]

[This elegant young man was the Protector responsible for guarding Tianshu Pavilion, and also one of the eight Protectors of the Liu Clan Immortal Family. His name was Liu Suifeng.]

[You had long guessed that Liu Suifeng and Liu Jinfeng had an unusual relationship; you thought they might be siblings.]

[As for Liu Suifeng's Realm, you couldn't sense it at all. He was like an untouchable breeze, invisible and traceless, as if he didn't exist.]

[You knew without having to think that his Realm was far above Liu Jinfeng's.]

[You sighed inwardly that the Liu Clan Immortal Family was truly too powerful.]

[If all eight Protectors possessed strength like Liu Suifeng's, then they would indeed be like towering trees in the entire Immortal Domain, impossible to shake.]

[No wonder other powers dared not offend the Liu Clan Immortal Family; trying to overthrow them was simply like an ant trying to shake a great tree.]

[Liu Suifeng glanced at you and smiled: “You are the promising young man Feng'er often mentions?”]

[“Thank you for your appreciation, Lord Commander. Your subordinate is extremely grateful.” You straightened up, feigning utmost respect with a serious voice.]

[Liu Suifeng looked at you, nodded slightly, and sighed softly: “It's a pity that Feng'er has become increasingly haggard over the years due to Ru Yan's death. I hope she can let go after this incident.”]

[After speaking, he raised his hand and lightly sliced the space beside him. A spatial rift immediately opened, from which a terrifying and heart-stopping aura surged out, sending a chill through your body.]

[Before you could react, he had already stepped into the Void Realm, and the rift closed, as if everything that just happened was merely an illusion.]

[You forcefully suppressed the shock in your heart and slowly walked toward the ninth floor, simultaneously using Divine Sense to transmit a message to the candle dragons eye: “Are the guards under control?”]

[The excited laughter of the candle dragons eye immediately rang out: “Ha ha ha, good kid! You even tricked Liu Suifeng!”]

[It added: “Don't worry, hurry up and come up!”]

[You thought of a question and asked: “Compared to Liu Suifeng, who is stronger?”]

[“Nonsense! In my peak period, he was like an ant before me,” the candle dragons eye's voice carried a hint of anger.]

[You wisely chose not to press the matter, especially since the current strength of the “candle dragons eye” was less than one-tenth of its peak.]

[When you arrived at the ninth floor, you found all the guards standing motionless, their eyes hazy, as if trapped in an illusion.]

[Without hesitation, you quickly walked into the center of the main hall—where a massive Formation was slowly operating, emitting heart-stopping energy fluctuations.]

[At the center of the Formation, the “candle dragons eye” was wide open, staring at you, its gaze full of anticipation.]

[“Quickly... use the immortal slaying sword...” The candle dragons eye's tone revealed immense longing.]

[You raised your hand without hesitation, summoned the immortal slaying sword, and shouted: “Senior, lend me a hand!”]

[“Rest assured!” The candle dragons eye's voice trembled slightly.]

[“Lonely Slaying Annihilation!” You fully circulated your Cultivation Technique and roared!]

[At the same time, the mighty power of the candle dragons eye poured into your body from above your head. You felt your body was about to burst.]

[Immediately afterward, this power merged with you and the immortal slaying sword in your hand.]

[In an instant—]

[“Zheng—!”]

[The immortal slaying sword let out an unprecedented clear chime, its sound carrying endless excitement and killing intent.]

[The moment the two powers merged, you and the immortal slaying sword became one, transforming into a brilliant stream of light, fine as silk.]

[Wherever the stream of light passed, the spatial barrier was sliced open like tofu, and terrifying energy liquid flowed within the rift.]

[The sharp stream of light effortlessly cut through the entire great Formation. Tianshu Pavilion began to shake violently under the impact of the immortal slaying sword Intent.]

[The previously powerful defensive runes flashed wildly, then shattered like colored glaze.]

[The candle dragons eye instantly escaped captivity, soared into the sky, and burst into earth-shattering laughter: “Ha ha ha... This old man is finally free...”]

[“Emperor Yan! Liu Tianxing! You imprisoned this Venerable One for tens of thousands of years! Now that I am free today, I will surely make you pay the price!”]

[“Ha ha ha...!”]

[Its laughter rolled like thunder, causing the Cultivators in the city to feel their Qi and blood churn and their eardrums rupture!]