The existence of the Imperial Dragon Order was a secret to Xue Feng, a secret he had never revealed to any other faction…
The reason was simple. Although he had no interest in the Imperial Dragon Order itself, he was deeply intrigued by the rare treasures hidden within it. If he had shared this secret with others, he could only exchange this information for a single treasure, never obtaining even a third of the total.
Compared to the factions within the ancient city, the Guardian Divine Temple he belonged to couldn’t even rank among the top thirty. His current achievements were all due to numerous fortunate encounters, but without a powerful backing, no matter how strong he was, he remained a solitary tree unable to withstand a storm.
His decision to trust Xiao Yufan was merely a gamble. If he won, he would be entitled to a third share of the many treasures within the Imperial Dragon Order. Even if he lost, he had still gained four purple jacaranda flowers—hardly a loss worth spitting blood over.
With too many eyes watching during the day, Xiao Yufan and the others naturally couldn’t head to the back mountains to retrieve the Imperial Dragon Order. They had no choice but to wait until nightfall, when the moon was dark and the wind high, before making their move.
Ye Kong, Xie Yuan, and others showed a bit of conscience, finding Xiao Yufan and the two girls a place to rest. Though extremely modest, it was sufficient for a brief respite.
“Being at the initial stage of the先天realm, in this mysterious land, is indeed somewhat insufficient!”
Only after entering the ancient city did Xiao Yufan realize that his strength wasn’t as formidable as he had imagined.
Whether it was Xue Feng or the few individuals who had been watching them since their arrival in the city, all of them were at the peak of the先天 realm. The sheer concentration of experts in such a small, ancient city clearly illustrated how remarkably powerful the younger generation was throughout the entire mysterious land.
“If my strength isn’t enough, then I’ll just break through!”
After a long while, Xiao Yufan slowly exhaled a mouthful of stale air, and his aura suddenly surged. Since the moment they had arrived on the island, he had been suppressing his breakthrough, as he hadn’t had the luxury of time. But now, the time had come.
In these past few days, he had carried the Sky Burial Flower with him, which had greatly benefited his mind and spirit. Combined with the prolonged mental tension, his breakthrough had come naturally. About half an hour later, he had officially entered the middle stage of the先天 realm.
A streak of red light flashed, and a petal of the Sky Burial Flower appeared in Xiao Yufan’s hand. Now that he had reached the middle stage of the先天 realm, he might as well push forward relentlessly and advance fully to the peak stage of the先天 realm. This day had been long awaited.
Successively breaking through two realms not only greatly drained the body but also risked serious aftereffects, as had happened to Ye Kong.
However, for Xiao Yufan, the consequences would not be so severe. Assisted by the medicinal power of the Sky Burial Flower petal, advancing to the peak of the先天 realm was certainly no insurmountable task—it would just require a bit more effort.
If it meant enhancing his strength, Xiao Yufan was more than willing to invest that effort.
With this thought settled, Xiao Yufan slowly closed his eyes again. After swallowing the petal of the Sky Burial Flower, it transformed into a cool stream flowing through his body.
The Imperial Dragon True Technique roared into action, faintly echoing with dragon-like roars. Fortunately, in this quiet place, no one could hear. A golden halo wrapped around Xiao Yufan like a giant cocoon, and the fluctuating aura seemed capable of tearing space itself.
No one knew how much time had passed. As night gradually fell, Xiao Yufan still showed no sign of emerging from cultivation.
“Why hasn’t Brother Xiao come out yet?”
Since they had agreed to act at night, Xue Feng arrived early at Xiao Yufan’s resting place, only to find no sign of him. His brows furrowed.
“He’s in seclusion. He might need a little more time. Please, Brother Xue, wait just a bit longer!”
Cheng Ying’s lips curved into a beautiful smile as her eyes glanced toward the silent room, speaking softly.
“Just a bit more waiting—it’s fine. I’ve been eyeing that place for days; I won’t mind a little extra time!”
He chuckled dryly. Looking into Cheng Ying’s beautiful eyes, he felt too embarrassed to suspect that Xiao Yufan might be secretly sneaking to the back mountains behind his back. After all, he didn’t really know Xiao Yufan or his character.
“Words may say one thing, but thoughts might be another. Don’t worry, Brother Fan is definitely not like what you’re thinking!”
Yu Xuan saw the expression on Xue Feng’s face and couldn’t help but pout. This guy really thought everyone was scheming against him. If Xiao Yufan had truly wanted to go behind his back, he would’ve already slipped silently into the mountains earlier.
Yu Xuan’s words left Xue Feng momentarily speechless. He turned his head away, pretending he hadn’t thought anything at all.
Just as the atmosphere grew awkward, Xue Feng and the two girls suddenly sensed a surge of powerful aura. Their gazes instantly turned toward Xiao Yufan’s room.
“The aura of the peak先天 realm? How is that possible? This morning, he was still at the initial stage of the先天 realm…”
Xue Feng was the first to realize, but then his face turned completely shocked. He knew very well how difficult it was to advance even a single step within the先天 realm. For Xiao Yufan to leap so impossibly across stages was simply unbelievable.
If that weren’t shocking enough, the loud dragon-like roar and the accompanying soul-pressure completely changed his expression.
At the same time, the entire ancient city perceived the ripple of that aura. However, apart from a few individuals capable of identifying its precise origin, others could only sigh in belated realization, understanding that another supreme先天 realm expert had likely arisen in this mysterious land.
His eyes gleaming with a strange light, Xue Feng’s lips twitched. Was this even human? Having just reached the peak of the先天 realm, yet his aura was even slightly stronger than Xue Feng’s.
After all, just half a day ago, Xiao Yufan’s strength hadn’t even been worth his notice. The reason he had chosen to cooperate with Xiao Yufan was mainly due to the strength of the two girls…
But now, he felt his decision had been absolutely correct. Even if the fierce beast guarding the Imperial Dragon Order was already halfway into the Enlightened Realm, it would gain nothing by opposing them.
“Haha, sorry to keep Brother Xue waiting. Let’s head out now!”
As Xue Feng was lost in thought, Xiao Yufan’s bold voice rang out. A figure flashed, and Xiao Yufan already stood before him.
Thanks to the Sky Burial Flower, he had successfully advanced to the peak of the先天 realm, which delighted Xiao Yufan. Feeling the immense inner energy surging through his body, gradually transforming into true inner force, a smile unconsciously spread across his face.
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