Second Layer

Only about twenty percent of the Earth Spirit Spring water remained. Xu Yan drew up the jade bottle and drained the spring water within in a single gulp!

Rumble—

Vast earthly essence and flawless spiritual power surged through his body.

His physique was no longer comparable to what it had been during the Qi Exhalation stage. He swiftly refined the remaining Earth Spirit Spring water, then circulated the Eight-Nine Profound Art, gathering his bodily qi into a mighty torrent that thundered toward his chest.

There lay the Primordial Spirit Vein, where the Danzhong Pass was located.

According to the Eight-Nine Profound Art, the second barrier he needed to break through was the Danzhong Pass in his chest. It was where the qi and blood of the heart and lungs converged. Once this barrier was opened, his heart's blood would flourish, his entire body of sinews and bones would be nourished, his strength would move as his will commanded, and vitality would brim within him.

A spirit meridian running through his body trembled slightly. Within the Primordial Spirit Vein, winds and clouds changed color as thunder and torrential rain crashed together. Black spiritual power billowed out like an immense fog.

Xu Yan's body rumbled like a great drum!

Boom!

The torrent of qi gathered from throughout his body fiercely battered the Danzhong Pass.

Half an hour later, Xu Yan ceased his technique. His entire body was soaked through with cold sweat, and he panted heavily.

That barrier had loosened considerably.

After resting for half an incense stick's time, Xu Yan's gaze shifted. He gripped the bottle of Dragon Breath Pills, removed its wooden stopper, and an ancient pill fragrance spread through the air. Xu Yan gently poured out one pill.

The Dragon Breath Pill in his palm was no larger than a thumb and encircled by a faint golden pattern. The qi, blood, and Mystic Qi contained within it were like a vast sea, enough to make one's heart pound in alarm.

"After the accumulation of endless years, it has become a supreme Pulse Opening pill. I do not know how potent it is, but it will be enough to carry me through the second barrier."

Xu Yan drew a deep breath and steadied his mind.

The instant he swallowed the pill, thunder erupted within his body, like an ancient dragon roaring.

Within a vast palace cave abode somewhere in Spirit-Sealing City, disciples of Nine Star Kui Island had gathered.

Inside a side chamber.

Murong Yan sat cross-legged on the foremost meditation cushion, a jade Fate Inscription clutched in his hand, his mind restless.

Before long, hurried footsteps sounded outside. A black-robed disciple rushed in, and Murong Yan immediately rose from his cushion, stepping down as he impatiently asked, "Did you find anything?"

The black-robed disciple slapped his Qiankun Bag, and a Great Banner shot out. "The three of them died on the Mountain-Range Trail in the Initial Land. Using the Soul-Absorbing Banner, I gathered the traces of Dharma power from within a thousand zhang."

"Good. Give it to me!"

Murong Yan narrowed his eyes.

He had previously suggested to Huangfu Ziyang that they investigate the cause of the three men's deaths, but that young master simply did not care whether disciples from collateral branches lived or died.

If they had been ordinary disciples, then dead was dead. Murong Yan would not have bothered going to such lengths. But one of the three had been his clansman. No matter what, after leaving this place, he had to give the family an explanation. The man could not be allowed to die so unclearly.

"I also found the three of their Qiankun Bags there. They bore traces of the Fire Element Dao Method."

The black-robed disciple then produced three utterly empty Qiankun Bags from who knew where.

"Bring those over as well."

Without wasting time, Murong Yan brought out the Fate Inscription, the Soul-Absorbing Banner, and the three men's Qiankun Bags. Seated cross-legged on the meditation cushion, he immediately performed a Mystic Gate technique.

His immense divine sense burst forth. Murong Yan was at the fifth level of Pulse Opening, and his divine sense was particularly formidable. It seemed he had cultivated some Dao scripture related to divine sense.

Spiritual radiance gathered at his Niwan Palace. A pair of Spirit Eyes turned incomparably clear, as though they could see through all things.

Half an hour later, he abruptly withdrew his technique.

"Brother Yan, did you see anything?"

Murong Yan's brows furrowed slightly. After a brief moment of thought, he said, "The traces of Dharma power are mottled. All five-element spiritual arts are present. It appears there was more than one person."

"The three of them were not weak. It would have been difficult for one person to kill them," the black-robed disciple said.

"In the coming days, keep an eye on cultivators traveling in groups within the city, especially Daoists with Fire Element spirit meridians above the third level of Pulse Opening," Murong Yan said solemnly.

At dawn the next day, a scarlet sun slowly rose from the distant heavens.

Yan Qihu had just awakened from meditation when he heard booming sounds of Dharma power coming from the cave abode next to his, shaking like great drums.

He immediately got up and walked outside.

He found several Rogue Cultivators lingering before Xu Yan's cave abode, with Yao Yu among them.

"What are you all doing outside Brother Xu's cave abode?" Yan Qihu asked, his eyes widening.

"Half-Immortal Xu seems to be breaking through," one Rogue Cultivator said.

"Didn't Brother Xu just reach Pulse Opening? How long has it even been?"

Yan Qihu was startled.

As far as he knew, Xu Yan had only reached Pulse Opening after entering the Immortal Treasury. Only a few days had passed, yet he was already about to make another breakthrough.

Yao Yu narrowed her long, slender eyes and curled her lips. "Little Brother Xu has received guidance from the Dharma King. His talent and innate physique are both exceptional. How could he be compared to Rogue Cultivators like us?"

No sooner had she spoken than another roar came from Xu Yan's cave abode. It sounded like a dragon's cry, raising goosebumps all over their bodies.

After the dragon's cry, Xu Yan let out a long exhalation from within.

The vital currents of heaven and earth converged like rolling torrents from all directions. Then came the stillness of half an incense stick's time.

Yan Qihu knocked on the door and softly asked, "Brother Xu?"

"Fellow Dao brothers, allow me to wash up first."

Xu Yan spoke slowly from within the cave abode.

His body ached faintly at the moment, and the veins beneath his skin bulged. Particularly in the center of his chest, the veins spread like a spiderweb. The pattern of that spirit meridian was filled with domineering blackness, becoming ever purer and more translucent.

Every level of Pulse Opening was a process of shedding one's mortal frame and exchanging one's bones.

The Danzhong Pass was the barrier of qi and blood in the chest. After breaking through it, Xu Yan felt that his physical strength had increased enormously. His Mystic Qi had risen by roughly twenty percent, and his divine sense had also improved slightly.

He was now at the second level of Pulse Opening.

One incense stick later, Xu Yan had finished washing up. After straightening his faded Taiji Fish Daoist Robe, he slowly stepped out of his cave abode.

"Congratulations, Little Brother Xu. Your cultivation has advanced once more!" Yao Yu said with cupped hands.

Quite a few Rogue Cultivators also offered scattered congratulations.

Anyone could see that at Xu Yan's age, with such cultivation, once he entered the Dao Academy, his future accomplishments would surely be remarkable. He might even have a chance to cultivate in the Divine Land.

If they did not befriend such a promising prospect now and build good relations, they would have no chance later. These shrewd Rogue Cultivators naturally understood this well.

After everyone made their preparations, they passed through Spirit-Sealing City under Fang Che's lead and arrived at the rear gate.

The group of fifteen stopped beneath the high walls and gazed out over the boundless land.

They had split into five teams, and naturally needed to search separately for the Ancient Teleportation Arrays.

Xu Yan focused slightly, quietly releasing his divine sense to cover the sixty zhang of land ahead. After reaching the second level of Pulse Opening, his divine sense could now extend that far.

Not the slightest shift in the vital currents of heaven and earth escaped Xu Yan's notice.

"The place where a Teleportation Array lies is bound to have an unusual flow of all phenomena between heaven and earth. Either the vital currents will be extremely dense, entirely absent, or thoroughly chaotic..."

Xu Yan pondered inwardly as he made his deductions.

"Everyone, the three of us will go take a look to the southeast."

Xu Yan said to the others.

"Brother Xu, be exceedingly careful," Fang Che said.

With that, Xu Yan, Yan Qihu, and Yao Yu rode their Mystic Qi and sped toward the southeast.