Breakthrough to Qi Refining Realm

Upon arriving at the scene of the struggle, he saw five people being besieged by a pack of demon wolves.

Among them was none other than Princess Zixue, whom he had previously encountered at the Four Seasons Apothecary.

Last time, Princess Zixue, Zhu Tingting, had been wearing a purple dress; this time, she was clad in deep black combat gear. Under the assault of the wolf pack, the five of them were in dire straits.

However, Zhu Tingting remained calm, showing not a hint of panic, while the guards beside her were frantically screaming for help.

Zhou Cheng was surprised. What was Princess Zixue doing in the Green Demon Mountain Range in the middle of the night? Furthermore, the guards she brought were not particularly strong, likely only at the sixth or seventh level of Qi Refining.

There were many demon wolves—sixty or seventy of them—and with the five of them surrounded in the center, escape was impossible.

Zhou Cheng signaled to Qin Meng. Understanding the intent, Qin Meng soared into the air, landed before the wolves, and swung his long saber.

Instantly, a peerless blade of light streaked across the night sky like a meteor.

Several cries of agony rang out as a number of demon wolves were sent flying; by the time they hit the ground, their heads were rolling everywhere.

Princess Zixue and her four companions stared at Qin Meng, who had descended from the sky, in a daze.

Qin Meng's movements were swift and precise, like a rabbit startled by a hawk. With every swing of his blade, he claimed the heads of several wolves. Soon, all sixty or seventy demon wolves lay dead on the ground.

The speed was so great that the five of them could barely keep track.

Blood splattered everywhere.

Having dealt with the wolves, Qin Meng prepared to leave. Recovering from his shock, Princess Zixue cupped her hands in gratitude. "Many thanks to the senior for your life-saving intervention. May I ask for your honorable name?"

"If you wish to thank someone, thank my young master." Qin Meng leaped back to Zhou Cheng's side.

Princess Zixue and her group looked toward the distant Zhou Cheng and Lin Ru. Because Zhou Cheng was wearing the Demon God Garment, which surged with demonic energy, they could not clearly make out his appearance.

As for Qin Meng and the others, they were all wearing masks.

"Let's go." Zhou Cheng leaped up, and with a few flashes, he vanished into the night.

Qin Meng, Lin Ru, Jiang Chen, and the others followed closely behind.

Princess Zixue stared at the spot where Zhou Cheng had disappeared, filled with wonder and suspicion.

The senior with the long saber who had just saved her was likely an Xiantian Grandmaster, yet he addressed this mysterious person as "Young Master"!

Which family did this young master belong to, that he had an Xiantian Grandmaster following and protecting him?

One had to know that Xiantian Grandmasters were noble figures; even she, the daughter of Prince Rong, did not have one by her side.

"Could that young master be the Young Master of the Demonic Cult?" one of her guards speculated in shock.

The Demonic Cult's Young Master, Nan Qinghe, son of the Prince of Southern Ming, was hailed as the number one talent of the younger generation in the Great Feng Dynasty. At seventeen, he was already a tenth-level Qi Refining expert.

Nan Qinghe was always accompanied by several Xiantian experts.

Moreover, Nan Qinghe never showed his true face to others.

Princess Zixue did not speak, but she knew for certain that this person could not be Nan Qinghe.

After leaving, Zhou Cheng arrived at a mountain cave.

Having spent several hours in the gale-force winds of the cave, Zhou Cheng's Wind-Facing Willow Steps finally reached the stage of perfection.

Thanks to the Azure Dragon and White Tiger divine beasts, Zhou Cheng's Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist had also long since reached the stage of perfection, meaning all three of his martial arts had now attained that level.

However, after reaching perfection, Zhou Cheng discovered that the cave's gales were no longer effective for practicing the Wind-Facing Willow Steps.

"Due to the Wind-Facing Willow Steps reaching the stage of perfection, the gale is no longer effective. Only a storm can increase the cultivation speed of the Wind-Facing Willow Steps."

The system provided a reminder.

A storm?

Zhou Cheng was speechless.

Gales were already hard to find; where was he supposed to find a storm?

The next day.

Abbot Huineng came to the Zhou Mansion, but this time, he did not speak of Buddhist dharma; instead, he came to bid Zhou Cheng farewell.

Shaolin, the Sun Moon Sword Sect, and the Ten Thousand Stars Sect had finalized plans with the Emperor of Great Feng to eradicate the Demonic Cult, so Abbot Huineng had to return to Shaolin today to make early preparations.

After explaining his purpose, Abbot Huineng said, "Young Master Zhou, if you have leisure in the future, you may come to Shaolin, and this old monk will discuss Buddhist dharma with you again."

He did not mention the matter of taking him as a disciple again.

It was not that Huineng was unwilling, but after these few days of interaction, he felt increasingly that he was not qualified to be Zhou Cheng's master.

Zhou Cheng did not belong to Shaolin.

"I will certainly visit Shaolin in the future to listen to your teachings, Abbot Huineng," Zhou Cheng said, cupping his hands respectfully.

Abbot Huineng smiled. "Good. This old monk will await you at Shaolin, Young Master Zhou." Before leaving, he earnestly urged Zhou Cheng once more to diligently cultivate his Buddhist dharma and not waste his talent.

Zhou Cheng accompanied his parents to see Abbot Huineng, the head of the Martial Monk Hall, and the others out of the mansion.

At noon, Zhou Li and the experts from the Sun Moon Sword Sect also left the Capital City to return to their sect.

Upon learning that Zhou Li would also be participating in the eradication of the Demonic Cult in a few days, Luo Shui held her son's hand tightly, urging him to be careful.

After Abbot Huineng returned to Shaolin, Zhou Cheng resumed his previous training routine: going to Heavenly Dragon Temple during the day, hunting demonic beasts at night, consuming an Ancient Body Refining Pill in the morning, and soaking in a medicinal bath in the evening.

Three days later, his progress in the Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique reached 99.

However, he remained unable to break through the Qi Refining Realm.

Even with Zhou Cheng consuming the Ancient Body Refining Pill, he still could not reach 100.

Two more days passed.

Late at night.

Inside a cave in the Green Demon Mountain Range.

Zhou Cheng sat cross-legged on a stone bed, continuously circulating the Black Tortoise Divine Technique and the Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique.

Just moments ago, his Black Tortoise Divine Technique had also broken through to 99 on the tenth level, and he felt that tonight would be the time he broke through to the Qi Refining Realm.

As Zhou Cheng continued to circulate the Black Tortoise Divine Technique and the Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique, the light radiating from his body grew increasingly intense until the entire cave was illuminated in a golden glow.

Suddenly, a thunderous boom erupted.

Streaks of astonishing golden light shot up into the sky.

The world turned bright.

The entire Green Demon Mountain Range was illuminated as if it were broad daylight.

Everyone and every demonic beast in the Green Demon Mountain Range looked up in shock.

Even in the Capital City, hundreds of miles away, people witnessed this astonishing golden light.

At the Zhou Mansion.

Zhou Wei and Luo Shui were also startled; they rushed out of their courtyard to gaze in the direction of the Green Demon Mountain Range.

Under the bewildered gazes of Zhou Wei, Luo Shui, and countless experts of the Great Feng Dynasty, a massive phantom of the Black Tortoise Divine Beast appeared in the firmament.

The phantom of the Black Tortoise Divine Beast was unimaginably large, suffused with the might of a divine beast.

Immediately following this, a golden Vajra Buddha statue that seemed to support the heavens slowly coalesced in the sky.

As the Vajra appeared, ten thousand Buddhas bowed in reverence.

Profound Sanskrit chants resonated throughout the heavens and earth.

At this moment, in the Great Feng Imperial Palace, the Emperor of Great Feng, Zhu Xuan, stood beside Saint Ancestor Taiming, unable to conceal the shock in his heart.

"Grandfather, look, what is the cause of this celestial phenomenon?" Zhu Xuan asked cautiously, his voice trembling with shock.

Saint Ancestor Taiming did not speak; he vaguely guessed a possibility in his heart, yet he dared not believe it, for it was truly beyond imagination.

After a long while, he slowly said, "It should be someone breaking through a realm, triggering a celestial phenomenon."

"What? A phenomenon caused by breaking through a realm!" Zhu Xuan and the surrounding palace experts were stunned.

"Could it be that someone is breaking through to the King Realm?" Zhu Xuan stammered.