Inspector Arrives, Stepping Into the Profound Realm!

In the Great Yu Dynasty, Pei Province, the Demon Slayer Division.

"Senior Brother Ling Yan, you're supposed to be back today after passing the Profound Realm trial, right?"

"Counting the days, it really should be these few days."

"At twenty-two years old, he was appointed as an Inspector, and now three years later, he's entered the third realm of the Martial Path. His future is limitless!"

"Everyone, you can't just call him Senior Brother anymore this time!"

"Why not?"

"You have to call him Lord Ling Yan!"

"Oh, right, right, right!"

As they were chatting, a young man with a stern face stood firm before the gates of the Demon Slayer Division.

Although he wore ordinary clothes, an extraordinary aura made the two gatekeepers dare not be disrespectful.

"May I ask who you are..."

The young man's expression was blank. He casually tossed out a token.

The two gatekeepers took it and their faces immediately turned ashen.

"I was blind and didn't recognize you as an Inspector. I beg your forgiveness."

"Lord Ling Yan, please come in quickly!"

Ling Yan nodded, passed the two men, and headed straight for a side hall of the Demon Slayer Division.

Inside the side hall, a middle-aged man with a gentle demeanor sat in the main seat.

He lightly lifted the lid of the gaiwan beside him, releasing a faint aroma of tea.

Ling Yan walked up to the middle-aged man and knelt to perform a ceremony: "Master, I have not failed in my mission!"

The middle-aged man took a sip of tea, a gentle smile on his face: "You're back."

"Let me see the target of your trial."

Ling Yan nodded: "Master, please come with me to the courtyard."

The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow slightly. Hmph, it's quite a big one!

He then got up and walked into the training courtyard where the disciples practiced.

The disciples, who were practicing intensely, stopped their movements and bowed.

They then saw Ling Yan following behind the middle-aged man.

Their faces immediately lit up with surprise!

"Senior Brother Ling Yan is back!"

"What Senior Brother Ling Yan? You have to call him Lord Ling Yan now!"

"The Master has a smile on his face, so Lord Ling Yan must have successfully passed the trial!"

"Hiss—A Profound Realm martial artist at twenty-five! That must rank highly in the entire Great Yu Dynasty, right?"

"This time, Lord Miaoyin probably won't refuse Lord Ling Yan's pursuit anymore."

"That's not a certainty! Lord Ling Yan is indeed exceptionally talented, but Lord Miaoyin is a true monstrous talent!"

The group chatted in low voices, watching the two walk past. They noticed the two stop in front of an open space.

"Huh? Why have Master and Lord Ling Yan stopped?"

As soon as the words left their mouths, everyone heard a loud "boom."

The ground shook violently, and dust billowed into the air.

Everyone reflexively closed their eyes.

When the dust slowly settled, they opened their eyes to look again.

"Holy crap!"

"What is this!"

"A Profound... Profound Realm Demon King!?"

Everyone was dumbfounded, stunned into silence by the sight before them.

A multicolored snake several stories high was coiled into a circle, piled in the center of the open space.

Even though it had been dead for a long time, one could feel a terrifying power emanating from its massive body.

The giant snake corpse was covered in ferocious and terrifying blade marks.

Has Senior Brother Ling Yan grown to this extent?

He could even slay a Demon King like this!

The middle-aged man chuckled: "Not bad. It's a relatively troublesome serpentine Demon King within the Profound Realm."

Ling Yan bowed: "Master, you flatter me. I still have a long way to go."

Despite that, a hint of pride flashed in his eyes.

"Since you're back, just do your part. I've managed to get you a task inspecting a subordinate city."

Ling Yan showed a flicker of surprise. Managed?

Inspecting a subordinate city was part of his duties as an Inspector. What was there to manage?

And who was his master?

He was second only to the General of the Pei Province Demon Slayer Division!

For such a person to have to "manage" a task of inspecting a subordinate city?

"The Commander is very fond of his niece and is afraid I'll run off with her!"

The middle-aged man chuckled, "I spent quite a bit of effort to get him to agree to let you and Si Miaoyin inspect together."

Upon hearing this, Ling Yan could no longer hide his delight. "Disciple thanks Master!"

Puchi—

The blade was withdrawn from the demon's body, bringing with it a spray of bright red blood.

The massive Bear Demon's eyes gradually lost their light as it heavily crashed to the ground.

[Killed a third-layer Apex Realm Bear Demon, gained 30 Demon Points!]

"Hoo—"

Letting out a long breath, Li Xuanxiao turned to look at the ground behind him.

It was already filled with countless demon corpses.

After leaving Ning'an City, he had been searching for demons to kill everywhere.

Along the way, his Demon Points had been increasing rapidly.

Today, he had even directly destroyed a Bear Demon lair and killed all the demons there!

He opened his personal panel.

Host: Li Xuanxiao
Realm: Apex Realm Layer 8
Cultivation Technique: Evergreen Art (Sublimity Realm), Apex-Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art (Perfection)
Martial Arts: Focused Spirit Slash (Sublimity Realm), Soaring Hawk Nine Steps (Sublimity Realm), Thousand Peaks Ruin Blade (Sublimity Realm), Apex-Silent Heart Sutra (Great Accomplishment)
Demon Points: 475

If it were before, Li Xuanxiao would have felt he had struck it rich.

But after a few upgrades to Apex Realm martial arts and cultivation techniques, he understood that 400+ Demon Points would vanish in the blink of an eye.

Upgrading the Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art from Great Accomplishment to Perfection had cost him a total of 120 Demon Points.

Now, he had no idea how much it would cost to upgrade from Perfection to Sublimity Realm.

The speed at which he earned them was nowhere near the speed at which he spent them!

In the past month, he had cleared out almost all the demons around Ning'an City.

The number of demons he had killed was countless, but unfortunately, most of them were low-level Profound Realm demons, only contributing single-digit Demon Points.

Helpless, he had to venture deeper, and finally, today, he encountered an Apex Realm Bear Demon!

It was indeed better to kill Apex Realm demons; one was worth more than six!

Li Xuanxiao shook the blood off his blade and sheathed it.

He continued to add points.

[Consumed 180 Demon Points, Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art has reached Sublimity Realm!]

Seeing this system notification, Li Xuanxiao's lips twitched slightly.

A single upgrade had instantly drained 180 Demon Points from him. He would need to kill at least six Apex Realm demons to earn that back.

However, the realm advancement that came with the cultivation technique's improvement made him feel much more balanced.

Just as the Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art reached Sublimity Realm, his cultivation also reached the peak of the Apex Realm!

The cost was indeed high, but the speed of leveling up was also incredibly fast!

In less than a month, he had gone from an Apex Realm novice to a seasoned veteran in the late Apex Realm.

If this rate of realm advancement were to get out, it would likely shake the entire Great Yu Dynasty!

"Damn it, just a little bit more..."

Li Xuanxiao was not entirely satisfied. The Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art was indeed not a particularly outstanding Apex Realm cultivation technique.

At the Apex Realm level, it was probably comparable to the Evergreen Art in the Profound Realm.

But then again, it made sense, as it was something Wang Debiao had obtained while traveling the jianghu.

Obtaining an Apex Realm cultivation technique was already a sign of great fortune.

There was nothing to be picky about.

Looking at the remaining Demon Points in his hand, Li Xuanxiao decided to go all out.

He'd upgrade everything!

[Consumed 80 Demon Points. Silent Heart Sutra has reached Perfection Realm!]

[Consumed 180 Demon Points. Silent Heart Sutra has reached Sublimity Realm!]

In an instant, another 260 Demon Points were deducted.

His Demon Points instantly dwindled to just 35.

But in return, all his martial arts and cultivation techniques had reached their highest levels.

His obsessive-compulsive tendencies were satisfied!

Huh?

Something felt off.

Li Xuanxiao sensed a subtle, mysterious change occurring within his body.

An unfathomable aura gradually emanated from him!

"This is..."

After a moment of thought, a bold guess formed in his mind.

"Am I breaking through to the Profound Realm!?"

Li Xuanxiao was both bewildered and pleasantly surprised, but he quickly calmed himself.

He pondered what could have caused such a change.

After much deliberation, only one reason came to mind—

The Silent Heart Sutra, having reached the Sublimity Realm!

He hadn't expected this cultivation technique, which had always been rather unremarkable, to give him such a massive surprise at this moment.

Once martial arts and cultivation techniques reach the Sublimity Realm, they undergo mutations.

These mutations are more apparent in combat-oriented techniques.

However, for techniques like the Silent Heart Sutra, which are more auxiliary and introspective, the mutations are very subtle.

The Silent Heart Sutra, after reaching the Sublimity Realm, must have undergone some change that Li Xuanxiao was unaware of.

And under this change, the breakthrough had begun!

Li Xuanxiao's face lit up with joy. When you think there's no way out, a new path appears!

He was finally about to enter the third realm of the Martial Path!