577: Chapter 577 Success

“Liu Xuan!”

“Peach Blossom!”

“You two traitors, die with me!!”

Daoist Lord Lihuo's voice, filled with extreme rage, echoed within the Secret Realm. Purple-red flames transformed into a figure with a distorted face, charging desperately toward Peach Blossom's true form.

“You're looking for death!”

With a loud shout from Liu Xuan, a dense net of lightning spread across the entire Star Thunder Pool barrier.

“Boom!”

A pillar of lightning several meters in diameter poured into the Star Secret Realm, accurately striking Daoist Lord Lihuo.

Then, Liu Xuan's true body instantly appeared before him, the vast blood qi of the blood fiend tree heart merging into his body.

With a wave of his hand, a massive black and white hand pressed down toward Daoist Lord Lihuo's remnant soul.

The black and white hand had form but no substance; after passing through Daoist Lord Lihuo's remnant soul, it vanished, appearing to have little power.

But Daoist Lord Lihuo went completely still. A moment later, the flames died out, and the remnant soul turned into ashes and scattered.

Daoist Lord Lihuo was dead!

This was a method originally prepared for Demon Saint Xuanyu, but he hadn't expected to use it on Daoist Lord Lihuo's remnant soul in the end.

'Old geezer, even as a remnant soul you can still cause trouble. You really know how to make a fuss!'

Liu Xuan had kept a sliver of Daoist Lord Lihuo's remnant soul; on one hand, he didn't want his death to attract the attention of the Beast Taming Sect's Main Mountain, and on the other, he planned to try refining it with the Puppet Gu after Peach Blossom's successful Breakthrough.

He hadn't expected that even in a near-death state, the old man would still have tricks up his sleeve, not only being able to temporarily escape the suppression of the Endless Karmic Fire Mirror but also sensing Peach Blossom's Breakthrough state and coming out to cause trouble at the critical moment.

After killing Daoist Lord Lihuo's remnant soul, Liu Xuan quickly looked toward Peach Blossom in the center of the Secret Realm.

Fortunately! Peach Blossom's aura was stable and had not been affected; the Breakthrough process was still proceeding smoothly.

Fifteen minutes later.

The heavens and earth roared as a massive spatial rift tore open above the Star Secret Realm.

Green life force and silver spatial power—two types of Laws—poured frantically from the rift, all converging onto Peach Blossom's true form as a great tree.

The pitch-black trunk lit up with a silver metallic luster, green leaves grew on the branches, and her aura climbed exponentially.

“Buzz~”

As if the Heavenly Sound of the Great Dao rang out, the giant tree gradually transformed into a stunning woman, and Peach Blossom slowly opened her eyes.

In an instant, with the Star Secret Realm as the center, all kinds of plants within a thousand-mile radius sprouted buds, and some withered old trees regained their vitality, as if a spring breeze had blown past.

Afterward, the celestial phenomena gradually subsided, the Spiritual Qi tide returned to calm, and outside the grand formation's barrier, the sky was a deep blue.

“Congratulations to Peach Blossom Demon Lord on ascending to the position of Yao Saint!”

“Congratulations to Peach Blossom Demon Lord on ascending to the position of Yao Saint!”

...

The sounds of congratulations spread outward from the Star Academy, merging together a moment later to resound through the heavens and earth.

Regardless of status or interest, the low-level beings of the Cultivation World naturally worship high-level Cultivators; having witnessed a Soul Transformation Yao Beast successfully break through, the countless onlookers offered their sincere congratulations.

Hearing these congratulations, Demon Saint Xuanyu and Old Daoist Qingxuan looked at each other, both somewhat bewildered.

Peach Blossom really reached Soul Transformation?!

What about Daoist Lord Lihuo?

Daoist Lord Lihuo's aura had flashed briefly just now, and they thought the real business was about to start. They hadn't expected his aura to vanish as soon as it appeared, followed by Peach Blossom's successful Breakthrough and Ascension to Yao Saint.

Now that Peach Blossom had ascended to Hua Shen Demon Saint, did she still count as someone from the Beast Taming Sect? How would the situation in Southern Border develop in the future?

This place is dangerous; it is not suitable to stay for long!

Although Old Daoist Qingxuan and Demon Saint Xuanyu had only come as Dharma Images, the backlash from losing a Dharma Image would not be small.

The situation at the Star Academy was too strange. Since Peach Blossom had already successfully broken through, they didn't dare stay any longer and planned to return first to investigate the situation thoroughly.

Liu Xuan reappeared, and watching the departing figures of Old Daoist Qingxuan and Demon Saint Xuanyu, he was in a very good mood.

“Fellow Daoist Ghost King Lian Yue, my wife has just broken through and it is currently inconvenient for her to appear. Please forgive us!”

“Senior, you flatter me!” With Qingxuan and Xuanyu gone, Ghost King Lianyue's attitude toward Liu Xuan became humble again. “Since Fellow Daoist Peach Blossom has already ascended, we are fellow travelers from now on. Once she stabilizes her Realm, I will certainly come to visit.”

Since Peach Blossom Demon Lord had indeed broken through as smoothly as Liu Xuan had said, Ghost King Lianyue had to reconsider the boasts Liu Xuan had made to her earlier.

Old Daoist Qingxuan and Demon Saint Xuanyu couldn't see clearly from outside the barrier during the accident Daoist Lord Lihuo caused just now, but she had seen the gist of it.

Daoist Lord Lihuo had long been suppressed by Liu Xuan, and just now, Liu Xuan had directly killed him!

Killing a Daoist Lord, and a Daoist Lord of the Beast Taming Sect at that—she wouldn't dare be so arrogant, nor would it be so easy to achieve.

Back at Biyou Pool, it was always Demon Saint Xuanyu who took action; she had only added a bit of damage at the very end.

If she really wanted to slay Daoist Lord Lihuo, it would be impossible without paying a price!

How did Liu Xuan turn Daoist Lord Lihuo into a remnant soul, and how did he instantly kill that remnant soul just now?

Ghost King Lianyue understood Liu Xuan's methods less and less. Calling Liu Xuan 'Senior' at the beginning was just a test, but now she felt she had addressed him correctly.

Maintaining a Dharma Image consumed mana. After chatting with Liu Xuan for a few moments, Ghost King Lianyue also intended to take her leave, but she was called back by Liu Xuan.

“Fellow Daoist Ghost King Lian Yue, wait!”

Liu Xuan dismissed the maids around him and walked up to Ghost King Lianyue with only You Ruo. “With Daoist Lord Lihuo dead, the Beast Taming Sect might send people to investigate or even send a Daoist Lord to hold us accountable.”

“I plan to move her to Biyou Pool once Peach Blossom's Realm has stabilized. If we encounter a crisis, I ask for your assistance.”

Without waiting for Ghost King Lianyue to speak, Liu Xuan continued, “Don't worry, the benefits I can give you are far more than what Demon Saint Xuanyu can offer!”

He casually took out a three-thousand-year-old mystic yang soul-condensing flower, just like the one before.

“This spirit flower isn't just available at three thousand years; six-thousand-year and nine-thousand-year ones are nothing to me.”

Placing the mystic yang soul-condensing flower into Ghost King Lianyue's hand, Liu Xuan raised his hand and pulled from the ground, causing a thunder pearl containing a terrifying aura to fly out.

“This item is called the nine heavens thunder source bead, a top-tier rank-five Spirit Treasure. When refined to the highest level, it can control the Lightning Tribulation. If you can Cultivate to the Soul Transformation Peak, it can help you solve the greatest difficulty during Ascension—the Tribulation of Lightning Punishment.”

“Collaborate with me, and you have the hope of becoming the first Ghost Immortal to achieve Ascension!” Liu Xuan stared at Ghost King Lian Yue with burning eyes, like a boss painting a grand vision to coax an employee.

The vision Liu Xuan painted was too grand!

It almost cleared the major obstacles on the path to Ascension for Ghost King Lianyue. Even with her composure, her mind couldn't help but be stirred for a moment.

“Senior, do you have a grudge against the Beast Taming Sect?”

Liu Xuan could produce so many treasures and possessed the strength to kill Daoist Lord Lihuo, yet he chose to seek her out instead of cooperating with the Beast Taming Sect; this already spoke volumes.

The Beast Taming Sect was a top-tier Sect in this world. Ghost King Lianyue feared triggering a large-scale war across the entire Southern Border. If the Laws of heaven and earth collapsed, she would suffer even if she hid in the Black Death Marsh.

“You've misunderstood!” Liu Xuan waved his hand. “Peach Blossom, the entire Liu Family, and I are all part of the Beast Taming Sect. How could we have a grudge against them?”

“Asking for your help is just a precaution, not an intention to oppose the Beast Taming Sect.”

“That's good, then, that's good!” Ghost King Lianyue bowed. “I am at your service, Senior!”