About an hour later.
A purple "mansion" had taken shape in his dantian.
It wasn't a physical structure, but one formed from purple spiritual energy refined to the utmost and profound Dao rhythms. Its outline was ancient and simple, purple qi swirling around it as it emanated an immense, vast, and steadfast aura.
A High-Grade Purple Mansion, complete!
Almost the instant the Purple Mansion successfully condensed, a phenomenon arose of its own accord.
Centered on Chen Xuan's cave abode, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within several miles abruptly stirred to life. Like countless rivers flowing into the sea, it surged toward the cave abode, forming a visible tide of spiritual energy.
In the sky, layered clouds of pale purple had gathered at some point. As the sea of clouds roiled, faint rosy light shone through. Though it wasn't like the phenomenon that had appeared when he established a Heavenly Dao Foundation.
Yet this scene of spiritual energy converging and purple clouds heralding good fortune was in no way inferior to the phenomenon of Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment. Its appearance clearly heralded the birth of a High-Grade Purple Mansion.
When the strongest foundations appeared—Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment and a High-Grade Purple Mansion—the cultivator would receive heaven and earth's congratulations, giving rise to such phenomena.
On Danxiao Peak, the first to sense something amiss were the Nascent Soul Realm Supreme Elder and several Purple Mansion Realm elders.
They raised their heads from their respective cave abodes or places of duty, gazing toward the mountain where Chen Xuan's cave abode stood and sensing the unique aura of a Purple Mansion and the stir in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
"Someone else broke through to the Purple Mansion Realm? This aura, this phenomenon... it's a High-Grade Purple Mansion?"
"Judging by the direction, it should be one of our Danxiao disciples."
"Do we know which nephew-disciple broke through?"
"That location belongs to Nephew-Disciple Chen Xuan."
The elder in charge of the Danxiao Peak Affairs Office recalled something and exclaimed in surprise.
As a disciple who had established a Heavenly Dao Foundation, Chen Xuan had naturally left an impression on him.
Yang Shougui was also startled. "Chen Xuan? How did he form a Purple Mansion so quickly—and a High-Grade Purple Mansion, at that? It doesn't make sense. Could the Myriad Dao Stele really have made a mistake?"
Yang Shougui was deeply uncertain. He was starting to wonder whether Chen Xuan might truly have a special constitution that simply hadn't been detected.
Otherwise, how could he explain Chen Xuan forming a High-Grade Purple Mansion as soon as he broke through?
Even among the many Purple Mansion Realm elders in the sect who possessed Spirit Bodies, most had formed only a Middle-Grade Purple Mansion when they broke through. They'd only later refined it to High-Grade by obtaining Purple Qi Source Crystals again.
"Peak Master, who is this Nephew-Disciple Chen Xuan?"
A Purple Mansion Realm elder who didn't know Chen Xuan asked curiously.
The Supreme Elder of Danxiao Peak had also noticed their conversation and had been listening. He, too, was somewhat curious as to why Yang Shougui was so surprised.
Yang Shougui immediately recounted Chen Xuan's story.
Everyone else listened with disbelief written all over their faces.
"A Mortal Body cultivator? Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment? High-Grade Purple Mansion? The Myriad Dao Stele really didn't make a mistake?"
"We can say his Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment came from good luck—he happened upon Heavenly Dao Qi. But how do you explain a High-Grade Purple Mansion?"
"If he truly has a Mortal Body, then he'd need nine Purple Qi Source Crystals to form a High-Grade Purple Mansion all at once. Could he really have had an opportunity outside the sect and obtained nine Purple Qi Source Crystals in one go?"
They discussed the matter among themselves.
Before long, the Danxiao Peak Supreme Elder's voice rang in their ears.
"There's no need to discuss this further. Shougui, once Chen Xuan finishes breaking through, bring him to see me."
At the Supreme Elder's words, the Purple Mansion Realm elders immediately fell silent.
Yang Shougui looked in a certain direction and cupped his hands. "Yes."
Meanwhile, when the phenomenon of Chen Xuan's Purple Mansion appeared, cultivators on the other peaks had all seen it.
It hadn't shaken the entire sect, but the emergence of a newly advanced High-Grade Purple Mansion cultivator—especially among the disciples—was enough to draw attention and discussion throughout the sect.
Inside the cave abode, the auspicious purple-cloud phenomenon lasted for about a quarter of an hour before slowly fading.
Chen Xuan slowly opened his eyes, a lustrous purple glimmer in them, his divine light restrained.
Within his dantian, spiritual energy surged like a sea inside that purple-qi-filled mansion. It was more than ten times as vast and condensed as it had been in the Dao Foundation Realm!
At that moment, Chen Xuan radiated the confidence of someone riding high.
He was in an excellent mood after successfully forming a High-Grade Purple Mansion.
In the Azure Cloud Realm's Cloud Sea Sect, a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator was already an elder.
Though his cultivation had broken through,
Chen Xuan wasn't in a hurry to leave. Instead, he began refining his natal magical treasures.
Over the next few days,
he refined the nine flying swords one after another. Each sank into his dantian's Purple Mansion, where it began to be nurtured.
Outside,
Yang Shougui saw that the formation around Chen Xuan's cave abode remained active and that Chen Xuan still hadn't come out. He didn't find it strange.
After all, whether to stabilize one's cultivation or for some other reason, time was needed after a breakthrough.
In any case, it was perfectly normal for a cultivator to remain in seclusion after completing a breakthrough.
So he could only have disciples keep an eye on Chen Xuan's cave abode and notify him when they saw it open.
And so, several days passed.
After refining his natal magical treasures, Chen Xuan finally opened the cave abode, ready to go out.
Now that he'd broken through, he naturally needed to update his status.
He could officially change from a disciple to an elder.
Then there was Lu Yu.
Half a year had passed. Lu Yu might be about to explore the ruins she'd mentioned.
Whether Chen Xuan decided to go or not, he ought to give her an answer.
He'd spent a good deal of time considering it over the past six months.
In the end, he decided to first visit the entrance to the ruins. With his current Purple Mansion Realm cultivation, his Cloud Sea Heaven-Observing Technique should be able to reveal something about them.
In any case, he'd go and take a look before deciding whether to enter.
As soon as Chen Xuan opened his cave abode, the disciple who'd been waiting outside contacted Yang Shougui.
Chen Xuan noticed a Dao Foundation Realm disciple not far outside the cave abode.
He blurred forward and appeared in front of him.
The Dao Foundation Realm disciple cupped his hands and called out, "Greetings, Elder Chen."
Though Chen Xuan hadn't yet been formally appointed an elder, according to sect rules, anyone in the Purple Mansion Realm was an elder.
"You've been waiting outside my cave abode. Is something the matter?"
Chen Xuan nodded slightly as he spoke.
"Elder, my master is the Peak Master of Danxiao Peak. He told me to wait outside and contact him once you came out."
The disciple explained.
As they spoke, a streak of light flew over from the horizon.
It stopped beside them, and Yang Shougui appeared.
Seeing Yang Shougui arrive, the Dao Foundation Realm disciple said a few words and then left.
"Junior Brother Chen, I can hardly believe that in only about a year, you've formed a Purple Mansion too. The young truly surpass their elders."
Yang Shougui looked at Chen Xuan with a sigh.
"Peak Master, I doubt you came just to share a few words of admiration. Is there something you need from me?"
Chen Xuan asked with a smile.
"Haha, just call me Senior Brother. I didn't come because I needed something from you; it's the Supreme Elder of Danxiao Peak who wants to see you."
Yang Shougui said with a soft laugh.
"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, Senior Brother."
Chen Xuan cupped his hands in reply.
He wasn't surprised that the Supreme Elder of Danxiao Peak wanted to see him.
After all, his achievements were astonishing. A Mortal Body cultivator had formed a Purple Mansion in just a few years, establishing a Heavenly Dao Foundation and then forming a High-Grade Purple Mansion. It was only natural that the Supreme Elder would want to meet him.
Before you continue