Chapter 707: Breakthrough, Peak of Innate Realm!

The existence of the Imperial Dragon Decree was an absolute secret to Xue Feng, and he had never mentioned it to any other faction…

The reason was simple: while he had no interest in the decree itself, he was deeply intrigued by the rare treasures hidden inside. If he had revealed this secret to others, he would have only been able to exchange the information for a single rare item—not even a fraction of the treasures within. Compared to the factions in the ancient city, his Divine Guardian Temple couldn’t even make it into the top thirty. His current achievements were built upon numerous fortuitous encounters, but without any real backing, no matter how strong he became, he would always stand alone.

His decision to trust Xiao Yufan was simply a gamble. If he won, he would be entitled to a share—30 percent of the treasures linked to the Imperial Dragon Decree. Even if he lost, he had still gained four purple wisteria flowers, which were more than enough to make the risk worthwhile.

With too many eyes watching during the day, Xiao Yufan and the others naturally couldn’t head to the back mountains to retrieve the decree. They had to wait for a moonless, windy night to make their move.

Ye Kong, Xie Yuan, and others showed a bit of conscience, finding a place for Xiao Yufan and the two girls to rest. Though the accommodation was extremely simple, it was sufficient for a brief respite.

The existence of the Imperial Dragon Order was an absolute secret to Xue Feng, yet he had never disclosed it to any other factions…

The reason was simple: although he wasn’t interested in the Imperial Dragon Order itself, he was deeply intrigued by the rare treasures it contained. If he revealed this secret to others, he could at most exchange it for one rare item, but he would never be able to claim the promised thirty percent share.

Compared to the factions within the ancient city, the Guardian Temple he belonged to couldn’t even rank in the top thirty. It was only through numerous fortuitous encounters that he had achieved his current status. However, without substantial backing, no matter how strong he was, he couldn’t stand alone.

Choosing to trust Xiao Yufan was merely a gamble. If he won, he would gain a thirty percent share of the treasures accompanying the Imperial Dragon Order. Even if he lost, he still obtained four wisteria flowers, which wasn’t a devastating loss.

During the day, with so many eyes around, it was inconvenient for Xiao Yufan and his companions to head to the back mountain to retrieve the Imperial Dragon Order. Thus, they had to wait until nightfall, under the cover of darkness, to make their move.

Ye Kong and Xie Yuan, showing some decency, had arranged accommodations for Xiao Yufan and the two women. Though the lodgings were extremely simple, they were sufficient for a temporary stay.

“At the initial stage of the Innate Realm, my strength is indeed not as impressive as I thought in this mysterious land!”

Upon entering the ancient city, Xiao Yufan realized that his strength wasn’t as formidable as he had imagined.

Whether it was Xue Feng or the individuals who had been tailing them since they entered the city, all of them were at the peak of the Innate Realm. In such a small ancient city, there were so many powerful figures. It was evident how strong the younger generation of experts in this mysterious land must be.

“If my strength isn’t enough, then I must break through!”

After a long while, Xiao Yufan slowly exhaled a turbid breath, and the aura he had been suppressing suddenly surged. From the moment they set foot on the desolate island, he had been holding back his breakthrough momentum, as there hadn’t been enough time for him to advance. But now, the time had come.

Over the past few days, carrying the Heavenly Burial Flower with him had greatly benefited his spirit. Combined with the prolonged tension, his breakthrough became a natural progression. After about half an hour, he had truly stepped into the mid-stage of the Innate Realm.

A flash of red light appeared, and a petal of the Heavenly Burial Flower materialized in Xiao Yufan’s hand. Now that he had reached the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, he decided to push forward and fully step into the peak of the Innate Realm. He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Breaking through two realms in succession not only placed a significant strain on his body but also risked leaving him with severe aftereffects, much like Ye Kong.

However, for Xiao Yufan, it wouldn’t be as severe. With the aid of the Heavenly Burial Flower’s medicinal power, reaching the peak of the Innate Realm in one go was not an insurmountable task, though it might require a bit more effort.

Since it was about enhancing his strength, Xiao Yufan was willing to invest that extra effort.

Having come to this realization, Xiao Yufan’s eyes slowly closed again. After swallowing the Heavenly Burial Flower petal, it transformed into a cool stream of energy, gradually flowing through his entire body.

The Imperial Dragon Technique operated furiously, emitting a faint dragon’s roar. However, in this quiet place, no one could hear it. A golden halo, like a cocoon, enveloped Xiao Yufan, and the fluctuations of his aura seemed as though they could tear the fabric of space.

It was unclear how much time had passed, but the night had grown darker, and there was still no sign of Xiao Yufan emerging…

“Why hasn’t Brother Xiao come out yet?”

Having agreed to act at night, Xue Feng had arrived early at Xiao Yufan’s temporary residence, only to find no trace of him. He frowned in concern.

“He’s in seclusion and might be a bit late. Please wait a little longer, Brother Xue.”

Cheng Ying’s lips curled into a charming smile as her beautiful eyes glanced at the silent room, speaking softly.

“Waiting a bit longer is no problem. I’ve been eyeing that place for several days now; a little more time won’t hurt.”

Xue Feng chuckled awkwardly, his gaze lingering on Cheng Ying’s captivating eyes. He felt too embarrassed to suspect that Xiao Yufan might have sneaked off to the back mountain without him. After all, he wasn’t familiar with Xiao Yufan and didn’t know what kind of person he was.

“That’s easy to say, but who knows what you’re really thinking? Don’t worry, Brother Fan is definitely not the kind of person you imagine.”

Yu Xuan, noticing Xue Feng’s expression, couldn’t help but pout. This guy really thought everyone was out to scheme against him. If Xiao Yufan had truly intended to do so, he would have already slipped away to the back mountain unnoticed.

Stung by Yu Xuan’s words, Xue Feng was momentarily at a loss for words. He could only turn his head to the side, adopting an air of complete innocence.

Just as the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward, Xue Feng and the two women suddenly sensed a surge of powerful aura, their gazes instantly shifting to Xiao Yufan’s room.

“The aura of the peak Innate Realm? How is that possible? This morning, he was only at the initial stage of the Innate Realm…”

Xue Feng was the first to react, but his face quickly filled with astonishment. He knew all too well how difficult it was to advance even a single step within the Innate Realm. For Xiao Yufan to have made such an impossible leap was simply unbelievable.

If that alone wasn’t enough to shock him, then the resounding dragon’s roar and the accompanying soul-shaking pressure completely transformed his expression.

At the same time, the entire ancient city felt the fluctuations of that aura. However, only a few could pinpoint the exact location of its origin. The rest could only sigh in hindsight, realizing that the mysterious land had likely gained another peak Innate Realm expert.

A glimmer of intrigue flashed in Xue Feng’s eyes, and his lips twitched involuntarily. Was this even human? Having just stepped into the peak Innate Realm, Xiao Yufan’s aura was already stronger than his own.

Just half a day ago, Xiao Yufan’s strength hadn’t even caught his attention. The reason he had chosen to cooperate with Xiao Yufan was primarily due to the strength of the two women…

But now, he felt that his decision had been absolutely correct. Even if the beast guarding the Imperial Dragon Order was half a step into the Spiritual Realm, it wouldn’t be able to gain any advantage over them.

“Haha, sorry to keep you waiting, Brother Xue. Let’s get moving!”

While Xue Feng was lost in thought, Xiao Yufan’s bold voice rang out. In a flash, Xiao Yufan appeared before him.

Thanks to the Heavenly Burial Flower, Xiao Yufan had successfully stepped into the peak Innate Realm, filling him with joy. Feeling the vast internal energy within his body gradually transforming into true power, a smile naturally spread across his face…

Whether it was Xue Feng or the few individuals who had been tailing them since they entered the city, all were at the peak of the innate realm. The sheer number of powerful experts in such a small ancient city was staggering, giving a glimpse into the overwhelming strength of the younger generation in this mysterious region.

“If my strength isn’t enough, then I’ll just break through!”

After a long silence, Xiao Yufan slowly exhaled, and suddenly his aura surged violently. Since stepping foot on this island, he had been suppressing his breakthrough, as he hadn’t had the time to focus on it. But now, the moment had come.

In the past few days, he had kept the Sky-Burying Flower close, which had greatly benefited his mind and spirit. Combined with the constant tension, his cultivation had naturally reached the point of advancement. About half an hour later, he had officially entered the middle stage of the innate realm.

A flash of red light flickered, and a petal of the Sky-Burying Flower appeared in Xiao Yufan’s hand. Now that he had reached the middle stage of the innate realm, he would push forward relentlessly to reach the peak stage. This was a moment he had been waiting for a long time.

Breaking through two realms in succession was not only physically draining, but also carried the risk of serious side effects—just like what had happened to Ye Kong.

However, for Xiao Yufan, the consequences wouldn’t be as severe. With the medicinal power of the Sky-Burying Flower petal aiding him, breaking through to the peak of the innate realm was definitely possible—though it might require a bit more effort.

If it meant increasing his strength, Xiao Yufan was more than willing to invest that effort.

With this thought settled, Xiao Yufan slowly closed his eyes again. As he swallowed the petal, it transformed into a cool stream of energy, flowing gently throughout his body.

The Imperial Dragon True Manual began to circulate furiously, faintly echoing with dragon-like roars. Fortunately, in this quiet place, no one could hear it. A golden halo, like a giant cocoon, wrapped around Xiao Yufan, and the fluctuation of his aura seemed as if it could tear through space itself.

No one knew how much time had passed. As night gradually fell, Xiao Yufan still showed no sign of emerging.

“Why hasn’t Xiao Yufan come out yet?”

Since they had agreed to act at night, Xue Feng arrived early at Xiao Yufan’s resting place, only to find him missing. His brows furrowed.

“He’s in seclusion. He might be a bit late. Please, Xue Feng, wait just a little longer.”

Cheng Ying smiled gently, her beautiful eyes glancing at the silent room as she softly replied.

“Just a little more waiting—it’s fine. I’ve been eyeing that place for days. A little extra time won’t make much of a difference!”

He chuckled, and seeing Cheng Ying’s beautiful eyes, he felt a bit awkward to suspect that Xiao Yufan might be secretly sneaking off to the back mountains behind his back. After all, he didn’t really know Xiao Yufan that well.

“That may be true, but what you think in your heart is another matter. Don’t worry, Brother Fan is definitely not the kind of person you’re imagining!”

Yu Xuan saw the expression on Xue Feng’s face and rolled her eyes. “This guy really thinks everyone is scheming against him. If Xiao Yufan really wanted to do that, he would’ve already gone to the back mountains without a sound.”

Caught off guard by Yu Xuan’s words, Xue Feng didn’t know what to say. He simply turned his head away, pretending he hadn’t thought anything at all.

Just as the atmosphere became a bit awkward, Xue Feng and the two girls suddenly sensed a sudden surge of aura. Their gazes instantly shifted to Xiao Yufan’s room.

“A peak innate realm aura? How is that possible? This morning, he was still at the early stage of the innate realm…”

Xue Feng was the first to react, but then his face turned completely shocked. He knew very well how difficult it was to advance even a single step within the innate realm. For Xiao Yufan to leap so suddenly and dramatically was simply unbelievable.

If that wasn’t shocking enough, the loud dragon-like roar that followed, along with the overwhelming soul pressure, completely changed Xue Feng’s expression.

At the same time, the entire ancient city sensed the fluctuation of this aura. However, only a few could pinpoint its exact origin, while the rest could only sigh in realization—another peak innate realm expert had emerged in this mysterious land.

Xue Feng’s eyes flickered with a strange light, and his lips twitched. Was this guy even human? Just having reached the peak innate realm, and his aura was already slightly stronger than his own.

After all, just half a day ago, Xiao Yufan hadn’t even been worth his attention. The reason he had chosen to ally with him was mainly because of the strength of the two girls.

But now, he felt his decision had been absolutely brilliant. Even if the beast guarding the Imperial Dragon Decree was already on the verge of reaching the Spirit Awakening Realm, it wouldn’t stand a chance against them.

“Haha, sorry to keep you waiting, Brother Xue! Let’s get going!”

As Xue Feng was lost in thought, Xiao Yufan’s bold voice rang out. In a flash, Xiao Yufan had already appeared before him.

Thanks to the Sky-Burying Flower, he had successfully broken through to the peak innate realm, which filled Xiao Yufan with joy. Feeling the immense inner energy flowing through his body, gradually transforming into true inner force, a faint smile appeared on his face.