Bai Ye Breaks Through to Tong Xuan

About a dozen miles southwest of Sword Intent Valley, a hidden cave lay concealed.

The entrance was veiled by vines, allowing only one person to squeeze through sideways, but inside, it opened into a hidden paradise.

Several faintly glowing Luminous Pearls were embedded in the rock walls, illuminating the modest space.

The air carried a faint dampness, mingled with a barely perceptible scent of spirit herbs.

Bai Ye sat cross-legged on a blue stone platform in the center of the cave, the hem of his gray robe stained with dark red bloodstains.

This was from the blood he had coughed up earlier when he forcibly withstood a strike from the Profound Comprehension Realm, his internal organs shaken by the residual Spiritual Energy.

He raised a hand to wipe the remaining blood from the corner of his mouth, his fingertips icy cold, his eyes like blades tempered in frost, radiating a bone-chilling coldness.

"The Profound Comprehension Realm... lives up to its reputation."

He murmured under his breath, a dull ache still throbbing in his chest.

"That old bastard's Spiritual Energy could even draw upon the laws of heaven and earth, briefly locking down space itself... Black Mountain Sect, I'll remember this debt."

Back in Sword Intent Valley, if he hadn't relied on his body, tempered by the Golden Spirit Grass, to endure half the impact, and used the extreme speed of 'Wind Chasing Shadow Stepping' to escape by seizing the moment, he would have surely been ground into meat paste under that sky-covering giant palm!

An ordinary Peak Primordial Core cultivator, struck by such a blow, would have had their meridians shattered and their soul scattered!

Yet he now only suffered minor injuries to his internal organs, with his foundation untouched.

This was the depth brought by six Heavenly Dao Boons and the tempering of the Golden Spirit Grass!

He took a pure white porcelain bottle from his Storage Bag and poured out a single emerald-green pill.

The pill was cool to the touch, its surface wrapped in a faint aura of Spiritual Energy—it was the third-grade healing pill 'Spring Return Dew' given by the Bai Family.

Bai Ye placed the pill in his mouth; it dissolved instantly, turning into a warm medicinal force that slid down his throat into his abdomen, spreading slowly.

He closed his eyes, activated the Azure Cloud Art, and guided the medicinal power toward his damaged internal organs.

Where the medicinal force passed, the searing pain gradually faded, and the injured meridians felt as if soaked in warm water, recovering bit by bit.

After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, he suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled a turbid breath, tinged with faint black mist. The injuries to his internal organs were now fully healed.

"First, I'll comprehend the Heaven Tier Inheritance."

A sharp glint flashed in Bai Ye's eyes.

The oppressive pressure of the Profound Comprehension Realm made him understand that only by swiftly raising his strength could he truly stand firm in this perilous Secret Realm.

He raised a hand to press against his brow, and in his sea of consciousness, two streams of golden light appeared—the Heaven Tier Inheritance he had obtained from Sword Intent Valley!

The Heaven Tier mid-grade cultivation method, Purple Firmament Sword Scripture!

And the Heaven Tier mid-grade Martial Skill, Nine Forms of Sky Slaying!

The Azure Cloud Art he currently practiced was only Profound Grade Peak, the Azure Cloud Sect's ultimate foundation, enough to support a cultivator's training up to the peak of the Profound Comprehension Realm.

Throughout the entire Azure State, it was considered a top-tier cultivation method.

But compared to the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture, it was like a firefly against the bright moon!

According to records from the sect, over the past few thousand years, the number of forces in the entire Wild Domain that could wield a Heaven Tier cultivation method could be counted on one hand!

"I wonder what the Heavenly Dao Boon drawn by a Heaven Tier method will be like."

Bai Ye's heart was full of anticipation.

He took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and focused all his attention on the golden light of the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture.

Ten Thousand Times Comprehension activated instantly!

In his sea of consciousness, the runes of the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture came alive, slowly unfolding.

Obscure sword principles, arcane routes for Spiritual Energy circulation, methods to resonate with the sword intent of heaven and earth...

What would normally take years or even decades to comprehend was now as clear as reading the lines on his palm under Ten Thousand Times Comprehension!

Every word, every rune in the scripture transformed into tangible sword shadows, practicing, dissecting, and merging in his sea of consciousness!

In less than half the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, he had grasped the core principles of the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture!

After another stick of incense, the Spiritual Energy in his body had spontaneously begun circulating along the scripture's path, creating a subtle resonance with the surrounding heaven and earth's spiritual energy!

When the first wisp of golden sword intent seeped from his fingertip, the cultivation realm of the Purple Firmament Sword Scripture had quietly reached Peak Mastery!

Boom--!

The moment his realm broke through, a crack suddenly tore open in the cave's ceiling!

A golden opening, three meters wide, materialized out of thin air, far more dazzling than any previous Heavenly Dao Boon opening!

Countless heavenly essences, so dense they were nearly liquid, poured down like a waterfall, enveloping Bai Ye entirely!

The heavenly essences surged into his body, bringing an unprecedented impact!

Bai Ye's meridians were forcibly widened several times over, and his once-condensed Spiritual Energy began to undergo a qualitative change, faintly tinged with a golden sword intent!

His sea of consciousness expanded as well, his soul became more refined, and his perception of the laws of heaven and earth sharpened several times over!

A full half-incense stick later, the golden opening slowly closed.

The essence of heaven and earth was completely absorbed by Bai Ye!

Just then, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from within the cave!

Above Bai Ye's head, a faint azure spiritual energy vortex quietly emerged. At first, it was only about ten feet across, but in the blink of an eye, it expanded to a thousand feet!

Like a colossal pillar connecting heaven and earth, it madly devoured the surrounding spiritual energy!

The trees outside the cave were caught in the vortex of spiritual energy, their branches and leaves shaking violently. Even the gravel on the ground was swept into the air—a scene of sheer terror!

"Is this... the commotion of a breakthrough?"

Several miles away, a few cultivators searching for spirit herbs were startled by this anomaly. They looked up one after another, their faces full of shock.

"My god! The scale of that spiritual energy vortex... could someone be breaking through to the Profound Comprehension Realm?"

"Breaking through from the Primordial Core Realm to the Profound Comprehension Realm, and it stirs up such a huge disturbance? What kind of heaven-defying talent must that be?"

"I wonder which faction's prodigy it is, to actually break through to the Profound Comprehension Realm inside the Secret Realm. What incredible luck!"

Amid the murmurs of discussion, many cultivators gazed toward the direction of the spiritual energy vortex, their eyes filled with envy and awe.