The Heavenly Rank Flying Boat's speed far surpassed ordinary escape arts.
The mountains and rivers along the way rapidly receded, turning into blurred afterimages.
Five days later.
The flying boat arrived within Dao State.
Dao State was the center of the Wild Domain, utterly different from Azure State.
Looking out, one could see dense spiritual energy lingering among the endless mountain ranges. It had even condensed into a faint mist that coiled around the mountainsides.
Rare spirit herbs could be found everywhere in some majestic mountains. Some had grown for a thousand years, radiating alluring spiritual light.
Countless cultivators also flew on swords between the great cities, coming and going amid a scene of prosperity.
The concentration of spiritual energy here was more than twice that of ordinary regions in Azure State.
Some core areas even reached three times the concentration.
Numerous Saint-grade Spirit Veins stretched across the land, giving rise to countless top-tier powers!
"Dao State, the absolute core of the Wild Domain..."
Bai Ye stood on the flying boat's deck, gazing at the scenery below as he thought to himself.
As far as he knew, Dao State's territory was vast, equal in area to the combined territories of Azure State, Cloud State, and five other surrounding states.
Top-tier powers stood everywhere within its borders. A force like the Azure Cloud Sect, with only five cultivators in the Nascent Soul Realm, probably would not even rank among the top hundred.
Another day passed.
At last, a majestic giant city appeared on the horizon.
The Demon Extermination Holy City!
The flying boat slowly drew closer, and the Holy City's full appearance grew increasingly clear.
It was not a city in the traditional sense, but a colossal fortress stretching across a thousand miles!
Its length and width exceeded three thousand miles, while its height surpassed thirty miles. The city walls were built from dark "Demon-Slaying Stone," a type of stone that could block Demonic Energy and naturally suppress the Devil Race.
The surface of the city was carved with densely packed Golden Runes. The runes flowed like living creatures, brightening and dimming from time to time, completely enveloping the hundreds of Abyssal Fissures within the city.
Those fissures crisscrossed one another, scattered across the plains beneath the Holy City.
The small fissures were only a few dozen yards wide, while the largest stretched for a hundred miles and spanned dozens of miles in width!
Black Demonic Energy occasionally surged from within the fissures. It coiled around them, forming patches of black mist that even sunlight could not penetrate.
From time to time, several shrill howls emerged from the fissures, making one's heart tremble.
The larger the fissure, the stronger the Devil Race creatures that emerged from it. It was said that during the last invasion, a Devil Race commander capable of contending with a Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator had crawled out of the hundred-mile-wide Main Fissure.
"So this is the Demon Extermination Holy City? Truly extraordinary."
Bai Ye gazed at the magnificent fortress and sighed softly.
The runes on the city walls, the aura of the Demon-Slaying Stone, and the Demonic Energy permeating the fissures all gave off a heavy sense of oppression.
"Bai Ye, this is your first time seeing the Holy City, right?"
The Second Elder walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder with a smile. A trace of reminiscence showed in his eyes. "When I came here for the first time, I was even more shocked than you."
"Although this Holy City is magnificent, it was built atop the countless dead bodies of cultivators. Every invasion has buried countless people here."
He paused, his tone turning solemn. "Once we reach the Holy City, remember not to act on your own. In particular, do not approach those great fissures. The Devil Race within them is not something you should face."
Bai Ye nodded lightly.
The Second Elder was worried that he was young and hot-blooded, and would try to put on a brave front when facing the Devil Race.
The flying boat eventually landed on a giant platform beneath the Holy City.
At this moment.
The platform was already packed with flying boats of all kinds. Clearly, other forces had arrived earlier.
Soon, a young cultivator in a golden robe flew out from within the Holy City.
He looked to be only in his twenties, yet he radiated the solid aura of the Late Profound Comprehension.
The golden totem of the Wasteland Heaven Divine Sect was embroidered on his robe. His steps were steady and his gaze sharp; one look was enough to tell that he was a Core Disciple carefully nurtured by his sect.
"I am Qin Feng, an Inner Disciple of the Wasteland Heaven Divine Sect. I am responsible for registering the cultivators sent by each sect to provide support."
The young man walked up to Su Wenxuan, clasped his hands, and bowed. His tone was respectful yet dignified. "Sect Master, please present your sect token and register your numbers and cultivation levels so that I can arrange accommodations."
This was the Demon Extermination Holy City's established practice. Every support team had to register for the records so that arrangements could be made.
Su Wenxuan took out the Azure Cloud Sect's token. After Qin Feng accepted it and checked it, he took out a jade talisman to record the information, then led everyone toward the interior of the Holy City.
The inside of the Holy City was far more spacious than imagined. It had none of the streets and houses common to ordinary cities, instead resembling a stretch of mountain land that had been developed.
Numerous Cave Mansions had been carved into the rolling slopes.
Courtyards had been built in the secluded valleys.
Even the interiors of some enormous boulders had been hollowed out and transformed into cultivation chambers.
The air was filled with a faint aura formed from interwoven spiritual and Demonic Energy. From time to time, disciples of the Wasteland Heaven Divine Sect could be seen patrolling. All of them possessed cultivation at the Profound Comprehension Realm or above, their auras refined and their guard strict.
Just as Bai Ye followed the others through a valley, a system prompt suddenly rang out in his Sea of Consciousness: "A special location, 'Demon Extermination Holy City,' has been detected. You may sign in."
"Sign in." Bai Ye silently intoned in his heart.
"Ding! The host has signed in at the Demon Extermination Holy City, triggering a super reward!"
"Congratulations, host. You have obtained a True God Ninth-Rank Pill—the Nine Revolutions Pure Water Divine Pill!"
A pale-blue pill appeared out of thin air in Bai Ye's storage ring.
He probed it with his Spiritual Sense, and delight immediately filled his heart!
The Nine Revolutions Pure Water Divine Pill could actually directly raise one's cultivation by two minor realms before the late stage of the True God Realm!
He was currently at the third level of the True God Realm. After taking it, he could directly break through to the fifth level of the True God Realm without any need for a long period of accumulation!
Qin Feng led the Azure Cloud Sect's group to a courtyard built against the mountain.
A pale-green Spirit Gathering Array surrounded the courtyard, with High-grade Spirit Stones embedded at its array core to continuously provide abundant spiritual energy.
"This is the residence arranged for the Azure Cloud Sect. Every small courtyard has an independent Quiet Chamber and cultivation array, so you may choose freely."
After Qin Feng finished explaining, he clasped his hands in farewell and went to receive the other forces.
Bai Ye chose a small courtyard toward the back. Several hardy Spirit Condensing Grass plants grew within it.
The Quiet Chamber was located in the depths of the courtyard. Its walls were built from soundproof Mystic Sound Stone, making it highly suitable for secluded cultivation.
He entered the Quiet Chamber, raised his hand, and laid down several Concealment Arrays and defensive arrays, cutting off every aura from the outside world.
Then he sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and took out the Nine Revolutions Pure Water Divine Pill.
The pill felt slightly cool in his hand. Faint blue water vapor lingered across its surface, radiating a pure divine origin aura.
Bai Ye did not hesitate and sent the pill into his mouth.
The pill melted the instant it entered his mouth, transforming into a warm, gentle blue divine origin that slid down his throat and rapidly spread through his limbs and bones.
He immediately circulated the Chaos Sword Canon, guiding the divine origin toward the Divine Origin Apertures in his dantian.
Wherever the divine origin passed, the previously dormant Divine Origin Apertures suddenly lit up. The three Divine Origin Apertures accelerated at once, transforming the divine origin into pure Divine Power!
Within his Sea of Consciousness, the True God Dharma Form trembled along with it. The Divine Rule surrounding its body grew increasingly dense, as if it were about to resonate with heaven and earth.
An hour later, the divine origin had completely fused into his body. The barrier of the third level of the True God Realm shattered with a boom, and he smoothly broke through to the fourth level of the True God Realm!
Another hour passed, and the barrier of the fourth level of the True God Realm likewise collapsed. His cultivation steadily rose to the fifth level of the True God Realm!
"Whoosh..."
Bai Ye slowly opened his eyes, and a streak of blue divine radiance flashed through them.
He sensed the Divine Power surging within his body, and delight surfaced in his eyes.
The Divine Power of the fifth level of the True God Realm was a full three times stronger than that of the third level!
His Divine Origin Apertures had also increased from three to five, accelerating the conversion of Divine Power!
The True God Dharma Form had grown to five hundred zhang. The Divine Rule surrounding it had become increasingly solid, and with a single thought, he could draw upon the power of heaven and earth within a thousand-mile radius!
"The farther one advances in the True God Realm, the more difficult breakthroughs become. For an ordinary True God Realm cultivator to raise their cultivation by two minor realms, the required time is measured in millennia."
"Without the Nine Revolutions Pure Water Divine Pill, it would probably have taken me several decades to break through. As expected, resources are crucial on the path of cultivation."
Bai Ye sighed inwardly.
He did not stop and continued circulating his cultivation method, consolidating his cultivation at the fifth level of the True God Realm.
The Divine Origin Apertures operated increasingly smoothly, while Divine Power flowed freely through his meridians.
Half a month later, he had completely stabilized his realm, and his aura had become deep and restrained.
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