C2695
C2695
Meanwhile, Xian Hu was peacefully cultivating in the valley, where the vibrant environment greatly enhanced his growth. His gourd could even absorb the surrounding spiritual energy and then nourish Xian Hu in return, effectively doubling his cultivation speed—a truly remarkable phenomenon.
Months passed, yet Jiang Fann remained unseen. Within the unique space of the inner valley, he continued to absorb spiritual energy at an astonishing rate, rapidly advancing to the eighth level of the Mortal Separating Stage. Remarkably, there was still about a third of the spiritual energy left in this space.
Floating before Jiang Fann was another page of the Divine Spell, no longer the Heavenly King chapter but the Transcendence chapter. A few days ago, he had mastered the Heavenly King chapter, and now he planned to devote all his energy to the Transcendence chapter. Only he understood the full implications of this endeavor.
With the power of the Innate Dao Fruit enhancing him, the complex Transcendence chapter became increasingly dynamic. Jiang Fann began to comprehend it bit by bit, all while continuing to elevate his own cultivation.
Jiang Fann continued to refine his body through the harmonious balance of energies, rapidly advancing his cultivation. Despite expending a significant amount of spiritual strength, he remained unfazed. A week later, his cultivation level rose again, reaching the ninth tier of the Mortal Separating Stage. On the same day, he mastered the introductory level of the intricate Chapter of Pill Dao, leaving him in a state of exhilaration.
He extended his awareness to sense the surroundings and assessed the remaining spiritual strength in the space. Then, he turned to Gu Xie. "The power here is enough for me to break through to the Reincarnation Stage! I don't plan to waste any time. Take the token from the Sacred Hall Academy and head there with Xian Hu and Wan Chengfeng. There's no need to wait for me here; it's a waste of your time as well."
Gu Xie was shocked, clearly not expecting Jiang Fann to say this. "I am willing to stand guard until you complete your breakthrough!"
Jiang Fann explained, "Due to the Creation Spell of Heaven and Earth, I won't hit any bottlenecks this time and will directly break through to the Reincarnation Stage. However, it's been too short a time since my last major breakthrough, and I haven't fought much. I've relied solely on the power of the Divine Spell to advance, so my state will inevitably be unstable afterward. I might need to retreat for a long time to stabilize my cultivation."
Gu Xie said, "Time isn't an issue; I can wait."
Jiang Fann shook his head. "When I was at the Mortal Separating Stage, it took me ten years to stabilize my realm. The Reincarnation Stage will take even longer. With Xiao Ai and Lin Zhan as my guardians, I'll be fine. I'll set up a protective formation once I break through. This inner valley is a perfect place to train, and no one will disturb me here. Come closer."
Gu Xie was puzzled, not understanding Jiang Fann's intention. Without hesitation, Jiang Fann touched Gu Xie's forehead with his fingertip.
In the next moment, Gu Xie's whole body trembled, and she felt their connection slowly weakening. In just a few moments, she could no longer sense Jiang Fann's thoughts. She stood there, stunned, her eyes unexpectedly welling up with tears.
"Master... you don't want me anymore..." she murmured, shocked to find herself crying. She touched her cheek in disbelief, surprised by her own tears. Once a royal of the Bone Realm, she had merged with the blood of the three realms to take human form, now indistinguishable from any other person.
Jiang Fann had never seen Gu Xie like this before and felt a pang of guilt. After all, Gu Xie had been with him for a long time, saving him countless times. He spoke gently, "I believe our relationship has long surpassed that of master and servant. You've shed your demonic nature, and I trust you to train on your own. You don't need to focus all your energy on me."
"Follow my last command: take Wan Chengfeng and the others to the Sacred Hall Academy and hand them over to that guy, Jiang Shuai. Whatever they achieve in the future will be up to them."
"I'm going into seclusion for possibly decades, which isn't fair to you or them. If you want to continue helping me, you need to improve your skills quickly. Who knows, by the time I come out, you might not be able to keep up with me."
Hearing Jiang Fann's words, Gu Xie said sadly, "I can follow your orders, but I hope you'll accept me as your master again. I want to stay by your side forever..."
Jiang Fann replied, "I've already given you your freedom. If you want to help me, it doesn't have to be a master-servant relationship. We're friends, after all."
Gu Xie shook his head earnestly, then decisively signed a contract himself, infusing it with his true blood and binding it to Jiang Fann.
"Today, I, Gu Xie, vow to be Jiang Fann's Daoist Protector, using my true blood as the medium, never to betray, never to..."
Jiang Fann was surprised by Gu Xie's determination, not even having the chance to dissuade him, his eyes filled with helplessness.
After completing the Daoist Protector contract, Gu Xie frowned slightly, clearly still not satisfied.
"This flawed contract can't sense your thoughts, which will affect our combat synergy!"
Jiang Fann said, "With our level of understanding, even without that connection, we can work together perfectly. Being a Daoist Protector isn't so bad."
Gu Xie knew Jiang Fann would never accept her as his master. Though it saddened her, she had no choice but to follow his arrangements. She had witnessed the transformation in Jiang Fann's power after he broke through the Mortal Separating Stage. If he reached the Reincarnation Stage, his strength would undoubtedly soar. She needed to continue enhancing her own abilities to keep supporting him, and the advanced world where the Sanctum Academy was located was the best choice.
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She took the token of Sanctum Academy from Jiang Fann and stood up, saying, "Master, I'll be waiting for you in the advanced world. Make sure to come soon."
Jiang Fann replied, "Alright, once my level is stable, I'll head there immediately. You have the location of the Sanctum Academy world, right? Xiao Mo should have marked it for you."
Gu Xie nodded. "Xiao Mo gave it to me a while ago, along with the marker for the Longevity World."
"Head there with all your strength, and keep an eye on Wan Chengfeng and the others!"
With that, Jiang Fann released a portion of his spiritual strength, allowing Lin Zhan and Xiao Ai to set up a formation around him for his upcoming seclusion.
Reluctantly, Gu Xie bid farewell to Jiang Fann and retraced her steps, effortlessly breaking through the barrier between the Immortal Valley and the Inner Valley with sheer force, then entering the Immortal Valley. She extended her spiritual sense, locking onto the nearby Xian Hu, but also alerting the experts of the Immortal Valley.
The aura that day was so intense that even the masters of the valley dared not act rashly. They could only observe from the shadows, trying to discern the newcomer's intentions.
"Van Chengfeng!" Gu Xie's voice echoed through the valley, completely disregarding the other practitioners present. Xian Hu stood beside Gu Xie, equally puzzled. It had been months, and yet Jiang Fann hadn't appeared with Gu Xie.
Van Chengfeng had been training with his father when he heard Gu Xie's call. He quickly got to his feet.
"Where do you think you're going? Planning another escape?" his father asked with a knowing grin.
Van Chengfeng chuckled. "This time, I'm not sneaking out. I'm leaving openly. You can't stop someone at the level of a master!"
His father gave him a playful kick. "How long do you plan to disappear this time?"
Van Chengfeng hesitated, unsure how to explain, but he decided to be honest to ease his father's worries. "To be straight with you, I'm heading to the higher world where the Sanctum Academy is. I don't know how long it will take, but when I return, I'll have reached the level of a master. I'll rely on my own skills."
"The Sanctum Academy! How did you get involved with such a powerful group? Did someone important notice your talent?"
Wan Chengfeng shook his head decisively. "I've wasted two hundred years already. What big shot would take notice of me? I just got lucky with an opportunity to go there. Enough with the sentimental stuff, Dad. A real man sets his sights far and wide. As a cultivator, my ultimate goal is to reach the pinnacle of power. Even the highest heavens can't hold me back. I'm leaving now."
With that, Wan Chengfeng left his home without looking back or saying goodbye.
After finding Gu Xie, Wan Chengfeng was full of questions, ready to ask about Jiang Fann's situation. But before he could speak, Gu Xie tore through space, whisking them both away.
In the starry sea, Gu Xie used his spiritual strength to protect Xian Hu and Wan Chengfeng. Only then did Wan Chengfeng ask, "What's going on? Where's Jiang Fann?"
Gu Xie's next words left Xian Hu and Wan Chengfeng utterly shocked. "The master is attempting to break through to the Reincarnation Stage. He'll undergo a tribulation and then retreat to stabilize his realm. It'll take a long time, so he asked me to take you to the higher world where the Sanctum Academy is located. He doesn't want to waste your time. Traveling through the starry sea with me will take about a year. You can continue your cultivation as usual, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
...
Six months later, the weather in the inner valley of the Immortal Valley suddenly changed dramatically. The barriers of the valley shook, leaving the cultivators inside utterly astonished.
The clan leader stared at the vibrating barrier, frowning. "What on earth is happening in the valley? Why is there such a force that even affects us?"
A cultivator nearby whispered, "Should we open the barrier? I could go in and check things out."
"No way! The valley is already dangerous, and now is definitely not the time to venture in. You mustn't act recklessly. Instead, inform the clan to stay alert. If anything major happens, evacuate immediately!"
"Got it! I'll take care of it right away."
In the valley, the cultivators awoke from their meditation, not daring to be careless. Deep within the valley, a prominent figure sensed the situation and was equally shocked. He immediately dispatched the giant to descend the mountain and investigate.
As the giant reached the foot of the mountain, he could see storm clouds gathering in the sky from afar—a sign of a heavenly tribulation forming.
Just a short while ago, Jiang Fann had successfully broken through, officially stepping into the Reincarnation Stage, and this tribulation was the result of his breakthrough.