Shu Jianyue paused in surprise. Touching the space between her brows, she closed her eyes to sense it and found that the Chiyou Realm Fire had casually drifted around in her Sea of Consciousness before coming to a complete halt right in the center.
“Didn’t they say this Shenhuo is extremely difficult to tame? How come…” it came in all on its own so easily?
The very next moment, she experienced the true terror of the Chiyou Realm Fire.
A splitting headache struck her, as if someone were violently tearing at the nerves in her brain.
Right after, red and black flames surged all around her, swirling in turn as the temperature climbed higher and higher.
Shu Jianyue couldn’t even faint if she wanted to. Bit by bit, she felt her meridians and skin rupture, only to recover and rupture again in a continuous cycle.
She also felt her cultivation slowly rising—Jindan fourth rank, Jindan fifth rank, Jindan sixth rank…
It didn’t stop until reaching the Jindan ninth rank Great Perfection.
Her Mental Power surged upward as well, breaking through the ninth rank and pausing only after touching the bottleneck of Shi-ji.
Yet the agony across her entire body did not cease. The surrounding flames grew increasingly formidable, and the heat soared higher still.
Outside, however, there was not the slightest inkling of what was happening.
By now, Shu Jianyue was completely naked, her hair burned away entirely. Curled up like an infant, she hovered mid-air.
The Jindan suspended in the center of her Sea of Consciousness began to undergo a metamorphosis, gradually transforming into an infant that looked identical to Shu Jianyue.
Dark clouds began to gather outside at this time, yet they lingered without striking down with lightning, quietly dispersing within half a quarter of an hour.
Just like that, without undergoing Dujie, Shu Jianyue’s cultivation abruptly broke through to the Yuanying-qi.
The Yuanying in her Sea of Consciousness opened its eyes, a pair of eyes as deep as an abyss.
Shu Jianyue’s Mental Power also successfully broke through to Shi-ji.
Shi-ji could be considered the max level, yet for certain people, it was still only half-full.
Opening her eyes, Shu Jianyue exhaled a breath of turbid air and drew the surrounding flames back into her Sea of Consciousness. “That was truly invigorating…”
She had nearly reported straight to the underworld.
Taking out a set of clothes from her space, she put them on and touched her head. “Ugh…”
Closing her eyes, she used Lingli as a foundation to regrow her hair, stopping only when it reached her waist.
It was pitch-black and lustrous.
Sensing that the Chiyou Realm Fire had acknowledged a master, Yingmang immediately darted in from outside. Looking at the slightly altered Shu Jianyue, he asked, “How did you do it?”
He knew all too well how difficult the Chiyou Realm Fire was to deal with. How long had this woman been inside, and it had actually acknowledged her as master?
Shu Jianyue shrugged and withdrew the Mental Power in Yingmang’s Sea of Consciousness. “I came in and chatted a bit, and it just darted inside on its own to acknowledge me as master.” As she spoke, she pointed at the center of her brows.
“Can you tell me how to get out now?”
Yingmang stared straight at her for a long while before saying, “The Chiyou Realm Fire is the Realm Core of this Fengjing. Now that you’ve claimed it, you can come and go from this Fengjing as you please.”
This Fengjing existed precisely because of the Chiyou Realm Fire. Whomever it acknowledged as master, this Fengjing naturally belonged to them.
Therefore, he had tried to subdue the Chiyou Realm Fire all these years, but it had never shown itself.
However, Yingmang did not say this aloud, for he had his own selfish motives. If Shu Jianyue found out and demanded that he acknowledge her as master, he wouldn’t be able to refuse.
Who told him to swear an oath upon his Dao Heart in the first place?
“And what about you?” Shu Jianyue raised an eyebrow.
“This Venerable One will naturally continue to guard this Fengjing.” Yingmang coiled back up. Although he wanted to leave as well, now was not the time.
Shu Jianyue glanced at him, thought for a moment, and placed a basket of Sheguo before him. “You should be close to advancing and transforming into a Jiao dragon, right? I hope this can be of help to you.”
Looking at the basket of Spirit Fruits, Yingmang didn’t think much of it. They were merely Spirit Fruits; there were plenty in here.
Only after he ate them did he realize just how extraordinary these Spirit Fruits were—the bottleneck that had trapped him for so long shattered with a resounding crash.
Shu Jianyue walked out of the cave, looked at the four waiting outside, and said, “We can head out now. I’ll give the three of you one shichen.”
Linglong immediately shook her head. “No need, no need! We’ve already arranged everything we needed to.”
They hadn’t held out much hope to begin with, but never had they imagined it would be this easy. Without them lifting a finger, the problem was solved.
The Bear King and Leopard King were the same, looking at Shu Jianyue in utter amazement. Both could see her cultivation, yet neither understood how she had managed to persuade Yingmang.
Yes, they unanimously believed she had persuaded him, even though they hadn’t seen them speak at all.
Seeing this, Shu Jianyue closed her eyes, preparing to leave.
“Wait, can you… can you add me too?” The Yanliao Xiyi, Yi Dexi, darted over and looked at her pleadingly.
Chaotian looked at him with a frown.
Yi Dexi whooshed right behind Shu Jianyue to hide.
Shu Jianyue glanced sideways at the diminutive figure behind her. She had noticed him when he followed them in, but she just hadn’t paid him any mind. Waving her hand at Chaotian, she said, “One more won’t make a difference. However, I must warn you: once outside, you are not permitted to act as accomplices to evil or bring harm to the innocent.”
“Otherwise, since you were brought out by me, I will naturally be the one to deal with you. Understood?”
The four nodded vigorously.
Seeing this, Shu Jianyue brought them all outside.
The place they emerged was precisely where they had originally entered the Bijing.
Because Shu Jianyue was worried about Yanxi, as soon as she exited the Bijing, she flew toward Fuchenshan.
With quick eyes and agile hands, Linglong grabbed Chaotian, who was just about to follow. “Zunzhe, where do you live? Can we follow you for the time being?”
Chaotian glanced at them. Remembering the guard unit under Tiankong, he brought them back to Fuchenshan.
Tossing them to Tiankong, he ran off.
Tiankong looked at the three before him, his brows knit tight. “What’s going on with you all?”
The Bear King bumped Linglong, completely dumbfounded. Why was there another Super Divine Beast?!
Linglong was also stunned. Were there this many Divine Beasts outside?
“Um, Lord Shenzun, we are…” Oh no, they didn’t even know his name.
The Leopard King rolled his eyes at them, stepped forward, and said, “Shenzun, we wish to seek refuge at Fuchenshan. Another Shenzun brought us here.”
Yi Dexi rolled his eyes around. “Shenzun, Master said we are under her charge.”
Tiankong looked at them for a moment, then led them to the mountainside. “Find a spot yourselves to build houses. Build them however you want. If you don’t know how, just ask the other Lingshou.”
Having said his piece, Tiankong darted off as well.
The four looked at each other in bewilderment. In the end, Linglong ran off to find a transformed Lingshou to inquire.
The moment Shu Jianyue returned home, she saw Yanxi standing at the entrance of the courtyard looking at her. That gaze melted her heart into a puddle of water.
Stepping forward, she picked her up and kissed her. “I’m sorry, Xixi. Mother entered a Bijing by accident, so I couldn’t bring you along in time.”
Yanxi hugged her neck and shook her head. “Xixi, doesn’t blame.” She shared a bit of a telepathic connection with Yuchuan, so she naturally knew they hadn’t abandoned her on purpose.
She had just missed her mother after not seeing her for several days.
“Mother, Yuchuan.” Yes, and she missed Yuchuan too.
“Alright, Mother will take Xixi to find your brother.” Shu Jianyue immediately carried her into the space. There, she saw Yuchuan had climbed onto the Lingshi again. Only a tiny bit of that Lingshi was left after his absorption; looking from the outside, one could even see a moderate-sized black dot in the center of the Lingshi.
Shu Jianyue took a look and didn’t think much of it, merely shaking her head helplessly.
It seemed she would have to find Hunyuan Xianzong to trade for some Lingshi next time. “Yu’er, your sister is here.”
Hearing this, Yuchuan quickly leaped down from the Lingshi and stepped forward to take Yanxi’s hand. “Xixi, look, we together, it’s this.”
Shu Jianyue didn’t quite catch his meaning. “What together?”