Breaking Through to Dou Wang, Refining the Sea Heart Flame

Yao Lao was secretly marveling when, from the corner of his eye, he caught Xiao Yan looking eager to give it a try.

His eyelid twitched violently, and even his tone turned uncertain. "Don't tell me you're going to eat that thing?"

At those words, Xiao Yan nodded smugly.

The side effects of the Life Devouring Pill might be a deadly harbinger for others, but for Xiao Yan, who had the Horse and Dog Talismans-two great life-saving talismans-in hand, they were practically nonexistent.

You want to drain my life force? Ask my Horse Talisman first.

"Don't do anything reckless! Just devour Heavenly Flames and cultivate properly. Why insist on eating something that'll drain your future?" Seeing how eager Xiao Yan looked, Yao Lao hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

He truly hadn't expected the usually composed Xiao Yan to actually intend to take such an extremely dangerous shortcut.

After all, he didn't fully understand the heaven-defying abilities of Xiao Yan's Talismans. He assumed the young man had acted on a momentary impulse, and couldn't help speaking more sharply in his anxiety.

"Don't worry, Teacher. I never do anything unless I'm completely certain. I wouldn't joke around with my cultivation prospects." Xiao Yan smiled reassuringly.

He couldn't explain the Talismans' origins and principles to Yao Lao very clearly, but he only needed his teacher to know that he never made a losing deal.

At those words, Yao Lao recalled the endless, utterly inexplicable, mysterious abilities Xiao Yan possessed, and the taut string of anxiety in his heart finally slackened a little.

Xiao Yan first carefully gathered the pile of bones and buried them. Only then did he put the Life Devouring Pill in his mouth, sit cross-legged, and begin refining its immense medicinal power.

Before long, the aura around Xiao Yan began to rise by leaps and bounds at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Six-Star Dou Ling... Seven-Star... Eight-Star... In the blink of an eye, he had reached Peak Dou Ling.

After pausing briefly at this threshold, a crisp sound rang out from within him, as if some kind of barrier had been completely shattered.

The solid shackles between Dou Ling and Dou Wang broke apart with a resounding crack.

Xiao Yan's aura surged like a burst dam, and his cultivation steadily entered One-Star Dou Wang.

Boom! An explosion rang out behind him. The Purple Cloud Wings spread open uncontrollably, then were slowly enveloped by a layer of green Dou Qi. The two began to undergo a wondrous fusion.

At the same time, the Life Devouring Pill's overbearing side effect began to take hold.

An invisible force frantically devoured Xiao Yan's life essence. Under its erosion, a strand of hair at his temple slowly turned white at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Yet the moment the side effect took hold, the noble Horse began to show its power.

A warm, gentle current welled up from within Xiao Yan and slowly flowed through his limbs and bones. Wherever it passed, the life force that had been devoured seemed to spring back to life like withered wood in spring, and the whitening strand of hair returned to its original color in the blink of an eye.

"Unbelievable!" Yao Lao watched the entire process clearly from the side. Even with his broad experience, he couldn't help exclaiming in shock.

Xiao Yan's ability was worthy of being called a divine skill.

Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, stood up, and stretched his limbs. Immediately, a string of crisp cracking sounds rang out from all over his body.

"This feeling of breaking through... it really is addictive!" Feeling the earth-shaking changes within him, he smiled with satisfaction.

"Brat, how do you feel now?" Yao Lao hurried over and asked with concern.

"Great. Really great." Xiao Yan clenched his fists, felt the surging power within him, and couldn't hide his excitement.

"This Life Devouring Pill really is overbearing!" Yao Lao, who had witnessed the entire process, couldn't help letting out a heartfelt sigh.

Pills that could directly cross two major cultivation realms were truly rare across the continent.

"Yeah. With this, I'll be able to mass-produce Dou Wang experts in the future!" Xiao Yan held the scroll recording the Life Devouring Pill Recipe, his smile stretching almost from ear to ear.

At those words, Yao Lao stroked his beard and imagined the scene for a moment. He, too, couldn't help sucking in a breath of cold air.

Xiao Yan was secretly planning his grand ambitions for building a faction in the future when the Talismans arrived just then.

A brilliant golden light flashed across his eyes, and wisps of scorching flame began to burn deep within his pupils.

Laser Eyes. This was the power of the Pig Talisman.

"Holy crap, brat, what kind of talent is that now?" Yao Lao sensed the change in Xiao Yan's eyes and couldn't help exclaiming.

"I call it Laser Eyes." Xiao Yan grinned and carefully controlled its output. Two scorching lasers suddenly shot from his eyes and slammed into the rock wall opposite.

With a tremendous boom, a huge crater was instantly blasted into the hard rock wall, and the entire cave shook violently several times.

And that was with him deliberately suppressing its power. If he unleashed it at full strength, the damage would only be even more horrifying.

Yao Lao was repeatedly amazed by the inexplicable new talents Xiao Yan revealed from time to time.

After getting familiar with the Pig Talisman, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to the deep-blue Sea Heart Flame.

Next came devouring the Sea Heart Flame.

He made no preparations and had no auxiliary Pills. He intended to directly forcefully devour and refine this Heavenly Flame.

Yao Lao didn't even dare look for long at this near-suicidal method of devouring. After hurriedly laying a Restriction at the cave entrance, he quickly retreated outside and waited quietly.

Days passed, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.

During this long and agonizing stretch of time, Xiao Yan relied entirely on his own will to endure.

At last, after half a month of silence, the cave gave off a long-awaited sound.

Yao Lao, keeping watch outside, immediately caught the disturbance. A pleased smile appeared on his face as he stroked his beard.

He'd succeeded.

Then, under Yao Lao's gaze, a completely renewed Xiao Yan slowly walked out of the cave, a powerful aura emanating from him.

"Peak Dou Wang!" Sensing his current cultivation, Yao Lao cried out in delight.

Xiao Yan nodded, his face full of unconcealed pride.

He was very satisfied with what he had gained from this seclusion.

After devouring the Sea Heart Flame, his cultivation had surged all the way to Peak Dou Wang. He was only one final barrier away from Dou Emperor.

With the Inner Academy selection imminent, there was no way he could break through to Dou Emperor in time. He decided to leave seclusion first and wait until after entering the Inner Academy to find a suitable opportunity to break through in one go.

Besides his leap in cultivation, his soul realm had also advanced to Mortal Realm Great Perfection.

His physical strength had surged to a truly terrifying level as well.

With his body as it was now, he could rival a Peak Sixth-Tier Magical Beast.

As for the Flame Mantra, it had successfully evolved to the Early Earth Tier.

Everything had now been settled, and the day of the Inner Academy selection was drawing near.

"Time to return to the academy!" Xiao Yan looked toward Jia Nan Academy, anticipation showing on his face.

He didn't delay any longer. His Dou Qi Wings abruptly spread behind him, and his whole body transformed into a streak of light as he sped toward Jia Nan Academy.