375: Chapter 375 No, I'm afraid I need to test if you're really in the early stage of the Saint Realm.

Xu Ruyu put away the beast skin blueprints and was about to speak of leaving the Transmission Monument Forest when the Taihao Clan suddenly reached out to stop him.

“Wait.”

Xu Ruyu was startled. “Senior, is there something else?”

The Taihao Clan stared at him with a hint of suspicion in her eyes, sizing him up for a long while before suddenly laughing.

There was a touch of craftiness, a bit of unwillingness, and a hint of eagerness in that smile.

“Xiao Yuer, I still don’t believe it.”

Xu Ruyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “Senior, I already said I made a Breakthrough...”

“What you say doesn't count.” The Taihao Clan waved her hand and circled him. “Do you even believe it yourself? Three days ago, you were only at the Qi Refinement Stage, and three days later, you're in the Early Saint Realm? Why does that sound like a fairy tale to me?”

Xu Ruyu looked at her helplessly.

Yue Ling gently tugged at the Taihao Clan’s sleeve from the side. “Taihao, stop messing around. Ruyu really did break through; I saw it with my own eyes.”

The Taihao Clan brushed her hand away, her eyes still fixed on Xu Ruyu. “Saw it with your own eyes? Master, you personally saw him break through to the Saint Realm?”

“I’ve been here with you the whole time, so why didn't I see it?”

Yue Ling shook her head, knowing that the Taihao Clan definitely wanted to fight again.

“That’s just seeing; you haven't tried fighting him, have you?” The Taihao Clan chuckled and clapped her hands. “Xiao Yuer, how about this: let's have a fight right here.”

“I am a genuine, bona fide Early Saint Realm.”

“If you can fight me to a draw, wouldn't that prove you're also in the Early Saint Realm?”

Yue Ling glared at her and scolded, “Senior Taihao! The Transmission Monument Forest is a place of quiet cultivation. How can you start a fight here?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. This place is very spacious, and those monuments are sturdy; they won't break.” The Taihao Clan waved her hand dismissively, her gaze never leaving Xu Ruyu. “Even if they do break, so what? These useless people haven't understood a single thing from these transmission monuments in a thousand years; keeping them is just a waste.”

“Don't worry, I'm here. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility.”

“Well? Do you dare?”

Xu Ruyu looked at her and remained silent for two seconds.

He had originally intended to refuse.

Having just broken through, his Realm was not yet fully stable, so fighting at this time was not a wise move.

But seeing the eager light in the Taihao Clan’s eyes, he suddenly felt a bit tempted as well.

To be honest, he also wanted to know exactly how strong he was now.

After the Breakthrough, he only felt that the energy within his body had become incredibly pure, but he had no concept of how much his specific combat power had increased.

The Taihao Clan was in the Early Saint Realm and was also an Artifact Refiner; her strength was likely greater than that of an ordinary Saint Realm.

If he could test his strength against her, it would be a good opportunity.

And...

He glanced at the Taihao Clan, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Although this Senior said she didn't believe him, she was probably itching to find an excuse to fight him.

“Alright.”

Xu Ruyu nodded.

Yue Ling was taken aback and was about to say something, but Xu Ruyu had already turned to look at her and said softly, “It's fine, just a spar.”

“I also want to know what level I have reached now.”

Yue Ling looked at him, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes, but she eventually nodded gently.

“Then be careful.”

“Mhm.”

Seeing that Xu Ruyu had agreed, the Taihao Clan’s eyes immediately lit up.

She took a few steps back, took a stance, and cupped her fists. “Xiao Yuer, let's agree beforehand: this is just a spar, so stop at the right moment.”

“I won't use lethal moves, and you shouldn't hold anything back either.”

Xu Ruyu also cupped his fists. “Don't worry, Senior, I will do my best.”

“Then—begin!”

Before the Taihao Clan’s voice had even faded, she had already disappeared from where she stood.

In the next instant, she appeared behind Xu Ruyu and struck down with a palm.

This palm seemed casual, but wherever the palm wind passed, the air emitted a sharp sonic boom.

She was in the Early Saint Realm and an Artifact Refiner; her Physical Body was already much stronger than that of an ordinary Cultivator. The power of this palm was enough to shatter a small mountain.

Xu Ruyu didn't even turn his head; his figure swayed slightly, directly evading the palm strike.

The Taihao Clan’s palm missed, but she wasn't surprised.

Her feet shifted, and her figure disappeared again. This time, she appeared at Xu Ruyu’s side, a whip kick sweeping across.

The wind from the kick whistled like a giant blade cutting down.

Xu Ruyu still didn't turn around; he simply raised his left hand and blocked it effortlessly.

“Bang!”

A dull thud echoed as the energy dissipated in all directions.

The Taihao Clan’s kick swept against his arm, but it felt like she had kicked an iron mountain; the counter-force made her leg feel a bit numb.

Startled, she quickly took a few steps back to create some distance.

Xu Ruyu turned around, looked at her, and smiled slightly. “Senior, shall we end the testing here?”

The Taihao Clan narrowed her eyes.

Although she hadn't used her full strength just now, she had used fifty to sixty percent of it.

Any ordinary Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator would have been sent flying by her long ago.

But Xu Ruyu was fine; he hadn't even turned his head and had easily blocked it.

This kid... really broke through?

“End? Xiao Yuer, with such good skills, how can we end without a satisfying fight?”

“Since you truly have the power to fight me, then I won't be polite!”

The Taihao Clan took a deep breath, and the source energy within her body suddenly erupted.

A majestic aura soared from her body into the sky, and the surrounding air was compressed into a solid state by this aura.

Her hands formed a seal, and a brilliant light surged from her palms, transforming into a giant light sword that slashed down toward Xu Ruyu’s head.

For this strike, she used eighty percent of her power.

Wherever the light sword passed, space seemed to be torn apart, leaving behind a pitch-black crack.

Xu Ruyu looked up at the descending light sword, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes. He raised his right hand, fingers spread, and the source energy in his body instantly surged out, condensing into a dazzling light ball in his palm.

The light ball wasn't large, only about the size of a fist, but the energy contained within it was so pure it was startling.

“Go.”

Xu Ruyu gave it a gentle push.

The light ball flew out and met the light sword.

“Boom!”

The moment the two collided, the entire Transmission Monument Forest trembled violently.

Violent energy swept in all directions, and the Array Pattern on several nearby monuments flickered a few times before neutralizing the energy.

The dust settled.

The Taihao Clan’s light sword had vanished, while Xu Ruyu’s light ball still hovered in mid-air, though it was slightly smaller than before.

The Taihao Clan’s pupils constricted.

Her eighty-percent-power sword strike had been blocked just like that?

And that light ball... what was that thing? Why was the energy pure to such an extent?

Xu Ruyu reached out, and the light ball flew back into his palm, merging into his body.

He looked at the Taihao Clan, still smiling. “Senior, do you want to continue?”