A dozen or so li southwest of Sword Intent Valley lay a hidden cave.
The cave entrance was concealed by vines and was only wide enough for one person to pass through sideways, yet inside was a whole new world.
Several Luminous Pearls emitting a faint glow were embedded in the rock wall, illuminating the small space.
The air was filled with a faint dampness, mixed with the barely perceptible fragrance of spirit herbs.
Bai Ye sat cross-legged on a bluestone platform in the center of the cave, the hem of his blue-gray robe stained with flecks of dark-red blood.
He had spat it out after his internal organs were injured by the aftershock of force when he took a blow from a Profound Comprehension Realm expert head-on.
He raised a hand and wiped away the blood remaining at the corner of his mouth. His fingertips were cold, and his eyes were like blades tempered in ice, radiating bone-chilling coldness.
"Profound Comprehension Realm... truly worthy of its reputation."
He murmured in a low voice, a dull pain still pulsing faintly in his chest.
"That old bastard's Spiritual Energy could actually draw upon the Heavenly Law, even briefly binding space... Black Mountain Sect, I'll remember this grudge."
Back in Sword Intent Valley, if he had not relied on the physique tempered by the Golden Spirit Grass to withstand half the impact, and then borrowed that momentum to escape with the extreme speed of Wind Chasing Shadow Stepping,
he would probably have already been reduced to minced meat beneath that heaven-shrouding giant palm!
An ordinary Peak Primordial Core cultivator would have had every meridian shattered and their soul scattered if they had taken such a blow!
Yet he had only suffered minor injuries to his internal organs, and even his foundation had remained unmoved.
This was the foundation forged by six Heavenly Dao Boons and the tempering effects of the Golden Spirit Grass!
He took a lustrous white porcelain bottle from his storage bag and poured out a pill that was emerald green from head to toe.
The pill was slightly cool in his hand, with faint Spiritual Energy swirling across its surface. It was the third-grade healing medicine Spring Return Dew, given to him by the Bai Family.
Bai Ye put the pill into his mouth. It melted instantly, transforming into a gentle medicinal power that slid down his throat into his abdomen and slowly spread out.
He closed his eyes and circulated the Azure Cloud Art, guiding the medicinal power toward his damaged internal organs.
Wherever the medicinal power passed, the burning pain gradually faded. His damaged meridians seemed to be soaking in warm water, recovering bit by bit.
After roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn,
he suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. Faint black mist accompanied that breath, and the injuries to his internal organs had completely healed.
"I'll comprehend the Heaven Tier Inheritance first."
A sharp glint flashed through Bai Ye's eyes.
The pressure of the Profound Comprehension Realm had made him understand that only by increasing his strength as quickly as possible could he truly establish himself in this Secret Realm fraught with danger.
He raised a hand and pressed it to his brow. Two golden streams of light instantly appeared in his Sea of Consciousness—the Heaven Tier Inheritance he had obtained from Sword Intent Valley!
The Heaven Tier middle-grade cultivation technique, Purple Firmament Sword Scripture!
And the Heaven Tier middle-grade Martial Skill, Nine Forms of Sky Slaying!
The Azure Cloud Art he cultivated was only Profound Grade Peak, though it was the Azure Cloud Sect's treasured foundation and was more than enough to support a cultivator's advancement to the peak of the Profound Comprehension Realm.
It could even be considered a top-tier cultivation technique throughout the entire Azure State.
Yet compared with the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture, it was like a firefly beside the bright moon!
According to records from the sect, in the past several thousand years, the forces throughout the entire Wild Domain capable of mastering a Heaven Tier cultivation technique could be counted on one hand!
"I wonder how the Heavenly Dao Boon drawn by a Heaven Tier cultivation technique will differ."
Bai Ye's heart was filled with anticipation.
He drew a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, and focused all his attention on the golden stream of light containing the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture.
Ten Thousand Times Comprehension instantly activated!
In his Sea of Consciousness, the runes within the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture seemed to come alive, slowly unfolding.
The obscure principles of the sword, the profound circulation pathways of Spiritual Energy, and the methods for resonating with the sword intent of Heaven and Earth...
What would normally take years or even decades to comprehend became as clear as palm lines viewed in one's hand before Ten Thousand Times Comprehension!
Every word and every rune in the sword scripture transformed into tangible sword shadows, practicing, dissecting, and merging within his Sea of Consciousness!
In less than half an incense stick's time, he had grasped the core framework of the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture!
After another incense stick's time, the Spiritual Energy within his body began circulating on its own according to the sword scripture's pathways, producing a subtle resonance with the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth around him!
When the first wisp of golden sword intent spilled from his fingertip, his cultivation realm in the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture had quietly reached Peak Mastery!
BOOM—!
Almost at the instant his realm broke through, a crack suddenly split open at the top of the cave!
A Golden Portal three meters wide appeared from thin air, more dazzling than any previous portal created by a Heavenly Dao Boon!
Countless essences of Heaven and Earth, so dense they were almost liquid, poured down like a waterfall, enveloping Bai Ye completely!
The essences of Heaven and Earth surged into his body, bringing an unprecedented impact!
Bai Ye's meridians were forcibly widened several times over. His originally condensed Spiritual Energy began to undergo a qualitative transformation, faintly taking on a trace of golden sword intent!
His Sea of Consciousness expanded as well, his soul became even more condensed, and his perception of the Heavenly Law grew several times sharper!
Only after a full half-incense stick's time did the Golden Portal slowly close.
The essences of Heaven and Earth had been completely absorbed by Bai Ye!
Just then, a thunderous rumble suddenly rang out from within the cave!
Above Bai Ye's head, a pale-cyan Spiritual Energy vortex quietly appeared. At first, it was only about ten zhang across, but in the blink of an eye, it expanded to a thousand zhang!
Like a colossal pillar connecting Heaven and Earth, it madly devoured the surrounding Spiritual Energy!
The trees outside the cave were stirred by the Spiritual Energy vortex, their branches and leaves shaking violently. Even the gravel on the ground was swept into the air, creating a scene so terrifying it made one's hair stand on end!
"What is this... the commotion of a breakthrough?"
Several cultivators searching for spirit herbs several li away were startled by the phenomenon. They all looked up, their faces filled with shock.
"My heavens! The scale of this Spiritual Energy vortex... could someone be breaking through to the Profound Comprehension Realm?"
"A Primordial Core Realm cultivator breaking through to the Profound Comprehension Realm can actually cause such a huge disturbance? What kind of heaven-defying talent does that require?"
"I wonder which faction's prodigy it is. To break through to the Profound Comprehension Realm inside the Secret Realm—what incredible luck!"
Amid the discussion, many cultivators gazed toward the Spiritual Energy vortex, their eyes filled with envy and awe.
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