Chapter 680 - 360: Returning to the Spiritual Realm, Fang Hao’s Breakthrough (Part 2)
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The small stone house in the Wu Country Royal Palace, Li Xuan took note of, is the place where the secrets of the Taicang Domain can be understood.
Once his strength further increases, or after he has thoroughly comprehended the Book of Taicang, he will make another trip here.
The small stone house was silent and unremarkable, with no abnormalities, and that mysterious voice did not appear again; it seemed as though it was unaware that Li Xuan had ever visited.
Canglan Island.
Upon returning from the Wu Country Royal Palace, Li Xuan devoted even more time to the Dao Principles of the Book of Taicang, striving to thoroughly engrave all the principles in his memory as soon as possible.
Of course, he also took the time to ponder the Divine Skill Martial Code and the techniques of the Fifth Door of Martial Arts.
The Martial Arts of the Void-breaking Realm above and the subsequent techniques of the Great Sun Stellar Indestructible Body were also being continuously perfected.
"Xu Yan has reached the Divine Skill Realm and has gained insight into the techniques of the Void-breaking Realm Martial Arts. The Martial Arts techniques above the Void-breaking Realm should also be compiled as soon as possible and passed on to him in my spare time," Li Xuan mused.
Li Xuan pondered; he had already determined the direction of his cultivation after the Void-breaking Realm, waiting only to perfect the theoretical framework of Martial Arts techniques.
"Fang Hao should be close to breaking through as well, right?"
Li Xuan pondered; less than a month remained until the opening of the Divine Bridge.
Xu Yan returned from outside, spending time with his parents. He had arranged everything in the Great Wilderness, and his parents' safety would no longer be an issue.
This farewell, who knows what year he will return.
"Yan'er has grown up, and it's time for him to walk his own path," Mother Xu said indulgently.
"Mother need not worry, Canglan Island is very safe, too. The Formation is quite interesting—mother has been putting thought into it, trying to set up that what's-it-called Teleportation Formation at the earliest opportunity."
Mother Xu wasn't too saddened by the farewell; she had already known Xu Yan would be venturing into a more expansive world.
"Mother doesn't ask for much, just for Yan'er to be safe during his travels," she said.
Xu Yan nodded, "Don't worry, Mother, I have a lot of experience and won't encounter danger; with Master as my support, even if there are old fellows, they can't threaten me."
Mother Xu nodded.
Only ten days were left until the opening of the Divine Bridge.
Xu Yan left behind a large stock of cultivation resources for his parents, along with two Flying Boats and a Divine Origin Avatar.
In silence, Li Xuan had transformed the Divine Origin Avatar originally left to Xu Junhe and the others into a Divine Ability Jade Talisman, imbued with the power of the Void-breaking Realm.
With this talisman, even the Immortal Heavenly Venerable's descent could be safely countered.
"Red Cat, you might be too heavy to hold when you come back next time!" Mother Xu said somewhat reluctantly as she stroked Red Cat's chubby head.
"Meow meow!"
Red Cat's paw moved, and a line of text appeared.
"Can hold, definitely can hold!"
Mother Xu happily rubbed its head again.
The Evergreen Pavilion's Flying Ship soared into the sky, turning into a streak of light that disappeared into the horizon.
In the northern part of the Domain, where the gate to the Spiritual Realm is located.
The barrier to the Spiritual Realm had been reinforced by Li Xuan so that even the Immortal Heavenly Venerable would have a difficult time crossing it.
Xu Yan and the others looked back at the Great Wilderness, not knowing when they would return to their native land again.
"The path of Martial Arts is long and arduous, and to have companions who can accompany you to the very end is a fortunate thing in life. True power brings loneliness, for invincibility is always lonely," Li Xuan said quietly.
"Yes, Master!"
The disciples felt a tremor in their hearts and hastily responded with respect.
"So it turns out, Master's seclusion in the Border Wilderness was due to the loneliness of being invincible and having no companions left—because Master was too strong.
"Invincibility is always lonely. Master has been lonely for too long. After much contemplation in silence, he finally chose to take me as a disciple and re-enter the world to live freely!" Xu Yan thought to himself, realizing that the reason Master had secluded himself in the small mountain village and taken him as a disciple was due to his prolonged loneliness.
Amidst deep contemplation, he felt it was fate that had brought them together, which is why he took him as a disciple, leaving the small mountain village, and began mingling with the world once again.
In front of the Flying Boat, space tore open, and they entered the void once more, with Xu Yan, Meng Chong, and Su Lingxiu hastily refocusing their minds to comprehend the mysteries of Void-breaking.
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In Hongzhou, prodigies of the Spiritual Realm and top powerhouses gathered.
Wu Tianan looked out over the Azure Sea, his eyes full of anticipation. Could the person he was seeking be on the other side of the Divine Bridge?
Fang Hao and Moon Changming had also arrived in Hongzhou. Now that the major situation in the Spiritual Realm had been settled, even the arrival of strong warriors from beyond the Divine Bridge could not change it.
Everything depended on strength, and his master's strength was invincible.
"What kind of place is beyond the Divine Bridge?"
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Fang Hao curiously spoke up.
Xie Tianheng and his wife Fu Yun came over, and Fu Yun said, "The other side of the Divine Bridge is the Divine Realm. According to the records in ancient tomes, it is close to the central area of the Domain, but specific information is not known."
Divine Realm!
"What power does Yuntian Azure Sea City belong to in the Divine Realm?"
Fang Hao asked curiously.
The Transcendent Spirit Sect of the Spiritual Realm was subordinate to a certain Sect of the Divine Realm, which was why they could govern the Spiritual Realm, seeking and nurturing Spirit Body Prodigies for their superior Sect.
These secrets were known to them as powerful beings.
"I'm not too sure myself; Yuntian Azure Sea City and the Sea Spirit Tribe, we both belong to the same Upper Sect. Only my father and the leader of the Sea Spirit Tribe would know."
Fu Yun shook her head.
Fang Hao did not continue to ask and instead, his figure moved toward the Azure Sea. He was about to break through.
Moon Changming hurriedly followed.
In a certain area of the Azure Sea, a Great Formation was set up. Fang Hao took a deep breath as the Domain's momentum converged, and the Azure Sea stirred up towering waves. Today, he was going to break through.
"Is that Fang Hao?"
"What is he doing, is he trying to break through?"
"How strong will Fang Hao be after his breakthrough?"
The Thousand Martial Lord, the Yuling Mansion Lord, and Lord Leiyun all frowned as they looked toward the turbulent area of the Azure Sea.
Now, they had no other concerns since after all, Fang Hao's master was an immensely formidable being. Even the Upper Sect to which they belonged would probably dare not offend him.
Given this, the only option was to seek good relations and resolve any grievances.
The surging waves continued. The Domain's power gathered, and the power of Principle converged. Above the Firmament, it seemed as if mysterious patterns were forming.
Fang Hao sat cross-legged, the power of the Domain infused into his body, the Domain Qimen Patterns condensing. The first one took shape, shimmering with radiance and possessing a divine and mysterious power.
This Qimen Pattern was different from the previous ones as if it was a Principle Pattern, a nascent form of the Qimen Martial Arts Rule.
"The Martial Arts my senior brothers practice result in Divine Abilities manifesting by themselves when breaking through to the Divine Skill Realm. Divine Abilities are the Principles of a Martial Artist. My Qimen Pattern, too, is like a Divine Ability, belonging to the Principles of Qimen Martial Art."
"This is a Divine Ability Pattern!"
Fang Hao had an epiphany in his mind. He was now condensing Divine Ability Patterns upon his breakthrough.
Once the Divine Ability Pattern was formed, it could exhibit the profound mysticism of Divine Skills when employing the Domain Qimen Strategies.
The Divine Ability Pattern continued to condense, and the second Divine Ability Pattern was formed.
One Divine Ability Pattern allowed the casting of one Domain Qimen Strategy with the subtlety of a Divine Skill, and two Divine Ability Patterns enabled the casting of two Domain Qimen Strategies with Divine Skill power.
The breakthrough continued, and Divine Ability Patterns kept condensing.
The Abyss of the Azure Sea, the most dangerous place in the Azure Sea and where divine items were born.
But due to the extreme danger, to this day, no one dares to delve deep into the Abyss.
Those who entered the Abyss have not returned alive.
Even Xu Yan's Divine Origin Avatar could not make it into the depths of the Abyss, nor could he uncover its secrets.
At this moment, at the bottom of the Abyss, a streak of blood light emerged.
This blood light surged from a dark and gloomy cave.
Heavenly Grotto!
The blood light kept emerging, the dark Heavenly Grotto turned into a faint blood color, and looking into the grotto, one could see blood waves raging, as if they were boiling and bursting with blood bubbles.
Boom!
The waters of the Azure Sea remained outside the Heavenly Grotto, while inside, the blood waves churned as if boiling with the blood light continuously growing stronger.
In a moment, figures began to appear within the blood waves.
Though these figures appeared no different from humans, their skin was blood red, as if drenched in fresh blood, and their aura emanated a sanguinary intent.
If someone familiar with them were present, they would recognize these faces as the powerful explorers who once entered the Abyss of the Azure Sea and then disappeared without a trace.
Their eyes were a pale red as they looked up from the grotto, toward the billowing waves of the Azure Sea, as if waiting for the right moment.
Gurgle!
In the blood waves of the Heavenly Grotto, waves suddenly surged as the individuals formed a circle, watching respectfully toward the source of the turbulence.
Pop!
A head emerged.
Blood-red hair, a ghastly pale visage, a fine line of blood at the center of the brows, eyes crimson as blood, holding a blood-red long knife in hand.
A slender figure rose from the blood waves, standing atop them and looking out from the grotto, a cold smile playing on his lips.