203: Breaking out of the hole

"How is Brother Shi?"

Ning Yuan came to Min Rou's side and asked.

Min Rou put down the handkerchief in her hand, stood up cautiously, and said with her head lowered, "He's much better, and his breathing has stabilized."

"That's good. There's still half a pool here that hasn't been buried, and there's fresh water inside. Junior Sister Min Rou can go wash up."

"Ah?"

Hearing this, Min Rou's whole body tensed up. She couldn't help but look up at Ning Yuan, her eyes filled with panic. "Big Brother Yue, we can't continue like this. Especially now that Senior Brother's life is hanging in the balance, we can't..."

"Junior Sister, what are you talking about? I only said for you to help Brother Shi clean his wounds with fresh water, and your own wounds as well. Junior Sister, what were you thinking?"

Ning Yuan said, wearing a faint, knowing smile.

"Ah?"

"I see..."

Min Rou looked embarrassed; she had clearly thought he wanted to continue doing those things to her.

Now that she realized she had overthought and misunderstood, she was so embarrassed she could curl her toes through the floor.

After Min Rou left, Ning Yuan checked Shi Qing's injuries, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

In fact, at this time, if Ning Yuan simply ignored him, Shi Qing would definitely not be able to survive.

But who told him to be so kind-hearted?

"Brother Shi, oh Brother Shi. I slept with your wife and saved your life, so we're even. I believe that even if you find out about this in the future, you will surely be grateful for my kindness."

"Rest assured; I will bring you both back to the Central Plains safely."

Ning Yuan whispered to himself.

Then, Ning Yuan came to the exit piled high with rocks and slowly circulated his power... Meanwhile, outside.

The crowd was still in total chaos.

"Since the Tai Xuan Sutra has been destroyed and Yue Buqun, who mastered it, is sealed inside the cave, I don't see any point in wasting more time here. We can return to the Central Plains."

"I haven't been back for over thirty years. I don't know what the situation is with my sect now."

Someone suggested loudly.

"That's right. The divine skill is lost. What's the point of staying here? Let's prepare to go back. I want to see what the current Jianghu is like."

Others chimed in as well.

Returning home in wealth and honor is like wearing silk in the dark if no one sees it.

Before, they were only here for the Tai Xuan Sutra, so they were unwilling to leave.

Now that the Tai Xuan Sutra was destroyed, their obsession was gone, and they naturally wanted to return to their own sects.

With their strength, their appearance in the Jianghu would surely cause a massive uproar.

"That Yue Buqun destroyed my divine skill. He's dead, but Huashan is still there. When I return to the Central Plains, I'll go to Huashan!"

Someone said angrily.

"Exactly! That Yue Buqun was too greedy. He obtained the divine skill but refused to share it with us. He even practiced a Demonic Technique, intending to absorb our Internal Energy. He's more demonic than the Demonic Path itself! If he had handed over the technique smoothly, how could a conflict have broken out? How could the Tai Xuan Sutra have been destroyed?"

"It's all Yue Buqun's fault!"

Many agreed, shifting all responsibility onto Ning Yuan's head, not mentioning at all that it was their own preemptive sneak attack that caused this turn of events.

Dragon and Island Master Mu watched all this with grim faces, but said nothing more at the moment.

Because everything was already beyond repair.

What happened could not be undone.

Just thinking about years of research going down the drain made their hearts ache.

Their eyes were red.

And the people around them continued.

"Since everyone feels this way, then when we return to the Central Plains, let's go to Huashan together to demand justice. If it weren't for Yue Buqun, how could so many experts from various sects have been trapped inside?"

"Yue Buqun caused the deaths of so many sect experts; Huashan must pay the price."

Xie Wenbao raised his arm and shouted loudly.

Just then, a calm voice came from behind, "Who wants my Huashan to pay the price?"

As the voice reached them, everyone present was stunned. Then, the pile of rocks behind them exploded. Powerful True Qi swept through like a hurricane, making their clothes flutter violently.

Immediately after, the pitch-black cave entrance reappeared before everyone's eyes.

A figure slowly stepped out from the darkness.

"It's you!"

"Yue Buqun!"

"You're actually not dead?"

Seeing that Yue Buqun had actually broken through the rubble and walked out of the sealed cave, everyone was first shocked, then filled with wild joy.

Yue Buqun being alive meant the Tai Xuan Sutra was not lost.

As long as they could capture him, they could still obtain the Tai Xuan Sutra—and the complete version at that.

Even Dragon and Island Master Mu showed looks of pleasant surprise.

It was hard to stay calm.

From loss to gain, everything happened so suddenly.

"To think a mere cave-in could kill me, you really look down on me too much."

Ning Yuan walked among the crowd with his hands behind his back, while those around him exchanged glances and tacitly surrounded him.

They were clearly worried he would run away.

But Ning Yuan completely ignored these movements.

Now that he had reached the Aperture Condensation Realm, his strength had more than doubled compared to before.

"Good, it's great that you're alive. Hand over the Tai Xuan Sutra, and we can spare your life."

Someone stood out, pointed a sword at Ning Yuan, and shouted.

Ning Yuan couldn't help but sneer upon hearing this. "With just you lot? You think you're worthy?"

Ning Yuan was completely dismissive.

This caused everyone present to show expressions of shock and anger.

"What a junior! Truly arrogant and ignorant. Before, it was only the cave that limited our performance. Now, I'll let you know how to respect your Seniors!"

An old man suddenly jumped out and struck down with a palm.

"A frog at the bottom of a well dares to clamor?"

Ning Yuan's face was cold. He raised his hand and sucked the old man close, activating the Bei Ming Divine Skill, instantly draining all his power.

Then, with a casual toss, the old man was thrown onto the rocks, leaving a bloodstain, no longer breathing.

With just one move, he easily killed a first-rate expert.

He displayed a terrifying level of strength.

"What a Yue Buqun! As a member of a prestigious righteous sect, your actions are so ruthless and heartless, no different from the Demonic Path. No wonder you practice a Demonic Technique; you've already fallen into demonhood. Fellow martial artists, there's no need for Jianghu rules when dealing with a demonic scoundrel. Everyone, attack together!"

As someone raised a blade and shouted, the crowd snapped out of it, immediately steeled their resolve, and charged at Ning Yuan.

Because they all knew they had no way back now.

By attacking earlier and interrupting his enlightenment, the grudge was now one that could only end in death.

There was absolutely no room for reconciliation.

At this moment, even the people from Shaolin and Wudang had no choice but to continue their attack.

"Headmaster Yue, as long as you cripple your Demonic Technique now, it's not too late."

Great Master Miaodi said solemnly.

"Hmph! Bald donkey..."

Ning Yuan didn't bother to hide it anymore. On this deserted and isolated Xia Ke Island, he had no need to continue pretending. "None of you are leaving today."

Ning Yuan made no secret of his intentions.

"Aren't you all pursuing the supreme Realm of martial arts? Today, I'll show you what the Dao is!"

Ning Yuan opened his eyes. At this moment, everything before him became incredibly slow. Even those charging at him seemed to be moving at several times slower speed in his eyes, their bodies full of openings.

Ning Yuan poured True Qi into his longsword, and his figure flashed past in an instant.

Immediately, there was a chorus of miserable howls.

Along the way, not a single person could block one of his sword strikes.

Because everyone's movements were slowed down several times in his eyes, Ning Yuan could easily break through and strike their openings.

"What's happening?"

"Why did I fall in just the blink of an eye?"

The crowd lying on the ground spoke in disbelief.

Their eyes were wide, filled with shock, unable to believe it.

"I couldn't even block a single move. He's actually this strong? Is this the power of the Tai Xuan Sutra?"

Everyone showed expressions of shock.

Now that Ning Yuan had learned the Tai Xuan Sutra, the sword techniques, palm techniques, and even lightness skills within it naturally increased his strength by an unknown amount.

His movement became even faster, no less than when he practiced Lingbo Microstep in Tianlong, and perhaps even superior in its own way.

His speed could be compared to Dongfang Bubai's world-renowned speed.

And his sword techniques were also more concise and swift.

"The sword techniques from the Tai Xuan Sutra!"

Miaodi, as well as Dragon, Island Master Mu, and the others, all had burning looks in their eyes.

Hadn't they spent all these years on Xia Ke Island studying just for the Tai Xuan Sutra?

Now someone was using the martial arts from the Tai Xuan Sutra, and they were so exquisite that it made their hearts surge with excitement and intense longing.

"Miaodi, you hypocrites! You ruined my enlightenment. This grudge will only end in death. Die!"

Ning Yuan spread his arms and circulated the Bei Ming Divine Skill with all his might. The Internal Energy of the martial artists around him, who had been heavily injured and knocked down, was all extracted by him out of thin air.

After the enlightenment from the Tai Xuan Sutra, Ning Yuan's Bei Ming Divine Skill had already undergone a transformation, far surpassing its previous state.

Its power had long since exceeded the original version.

"Stop him! He's absorbing their power. Once he absorbs it, his strength will become even more terrifying."

Miaodi immediately shouted a warning.

"He's practicing the Star Absorbing Skill. The Star Absorbing Skill cannot neutralize so many different types of True Qi at once... Yue Buqun, you've brought this death upon yourself! You're too arrogant, too conceited!"

At this moment, Xiang Wentian said with wild joy.

"You fool! Can't you see that what he's practicing is not the Star Absorbing Skill? Even if it was, it isn't anymore!"

Daoist Tianxu barked out a rebuke, shouting in shock and anger.

"What?"

Xiang Wentian stood frozen; his limited perspective made it difficult for him to see through it.

"The Star Absorbing Skill might not have such power, and it certainly couldn't absorb so many people's power at once. But the Tai Xuan Sutra is incredibly profound. Who knows what he has realized from it?"

Daoist Yucha explained with a solemn expression.

Only then did Xiang Wentian realize, his face turning pale. "How can this be..."

"Could it be that he eliminated the side effects of the Star Absorbing Skill?"

As Ren Woxing's confidant, although Xiang Wentian hadn't practiced the Star Absorbing Skill, he had seen and heard enough to understand some of it.

Now seeing Ning Yuan extracting the power of a dozen people simultaneously without any discomfort, it was obvious that his technique had long since exceeded the limits of the Star Absorbing Skill.

"Quickly, stop him!"

Others also began to attack at this moment.

But Ning Yuan only sneered. He raised his hand and struck out with a palm, his energy surging out like crashing waves.

The powerful impact directly sent several top experts flying, coughing up blood.

"What terrifying cultivation! This, this, this has already exceeded..."

Miaodi and the others' eyes widened.

They were all super-first-rate experts, the top combat power in this world.

Even if someone was stronger than them, there wouldn't be too big a gap. They could still gauge the depth and see the other person's Realm.

But now, the person across from them was like an abyss, with no bottom in sight.

This had long since exceeded their vision and their understanding.

"Could it be..."

At this moment, Long and Island Master Mu seemed to realize something. Their eyes suddenly widened, showing shock. "Could it be that he has truly broken through the limits of martial arts and entered a completely new Domain?"

"Yes, that's the only possibility. That's the only explanation."

"If he hadn't broken through to such a level, it would be impossible to deal with these people so easily."

Long and Island Master Mu's faces became excited.

Wasn't the limit of martial arts what they had been pursuing all their lives?

Wasn't it to use the Tai Xuan Sutra to glimpse a higher level and broaden their horizons, so they could die without regrets?

Now, they hadn't reached it themselves, but they saw that someone else had.

Ning Yuan now used his finger as a sword. With a wave of his hand, thousands of Sword Qi crisscrossed, sweeping in all directions.

Even with super-first-rate cultivation like Miaodi's, they only lasted for three breaths before being heavily wounded.

"Is this... is this the Realm above martial arts!"

Daoist Tianxu's eyes bulged. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and spoke with difficulty.

"This is the dao entry!"

Ning Yuan stood before Daoist Tianxu, looking down at them, and said indifferently, "If it weren't for you, I should have realized an even higher Realm. Do you now know exactly what kind of mistake you've made?"

Ning Yuan said coldly.

The conception of the Tai Xuan Sutra was extremely high, allowing one to enter a different height. Such an Opportunity was something that could be sought but not easily found.

But now, everything was gone.

The anger accumulated in Ning Yuan's heart still couldn't be fully vented even now.

"So that's how it is!"

Miaodi and the others smiled bitterly.

They all lowered their heads.

They clearly understood that such an Opportunity was rare and precious.

They also understood why the other person was so angry.

Now, everything was beyond repair.

There was no longer any possibility of turning back for them.

A short while later.

Ning Yuan came before Dragon and Island Master Mu.

At this moment, their expressions were extremely complicated.

"Two Island Masters."

Ning Yuan looked at them with a faint smile and then said, "In any case, I must thank you both for your help."

"Your Excellency is too kind. We failed to stop them from attacking you and interrupted your enlightenment; we are truly ashamed."

Island Master Mu said immediately.

After all, regarding their mindset at the time, although neither side explicitly stated it, everyone was smart and knew exactly what was going on.

Since the other party hadn't broken this thin layer of pretense, the two of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

With the strength the other party had displayed, even if the two of them joined forces, they would be no match for him.

No, it should be said that they wondered how many moves they could even last against him together.

Thinking of this, both of them wanted to cry but had no tears.

To think they had been on Xia Ke Island for years, respected by all, with no one as their equal.

Now, in just a few short days, there had been such an earth-shaking change.

The Xia Ke Island they had painstakingly built was now essentially reduced to nothing.

The Tai Xuan Sutra was also gone.

The magnitude of the loss was beyond words.

"Hahaha..."

Ning Yuan chuckled. "Rest assured, Island Masters. You did not take action, so I will certainly not involve you. As for the Tai Xuan Sutra..."