Ice Heart Art! Soul-Capturing Rod! Blood-Devouring Bead!

In the blink of an eye.

Three months passed just like that.

Early in the morning, a burst of chirping voices drifted along the path leading to the Back Mountain.

"Ji Changfeng, what's your cultivation level now?"

"Take a guess?"

"How dare you! You should call me Senior Sister!"

"Mm-hmm, Senior Sister, take a guess?"

"Ahhh! Ji Changfeng, you're so annoying!"

Tian Ling'er carried a woodcutter's axe in her hand. She glared at Ji Changfeng and stamped her feet in anger.

Zhang Xiaofan, standing nearby, also wore a simple, honest smile.

Senior Sister was so cute~

Ji Changfeng smiled. "You really want to know?"

"Mm-hmm!" Tian Ling'er nodded eagerly, her eyes full of anticipation.

Ji Changfeng's cultivation journey was practically legendary within the Qingyun Sect. He had reached the first layer of the Jade Purity Realm overnight, then the second layer in less than half a month...

Now, three months had passed.

No one knew exactly how far Ji Changfeng's cultivation had progressed.

Not even Tian Buyi and his wife knew.

The entire Qingyun Sect was curious about it.

It could practically be considered the hottest topic of discussion in the whole Qingyun Sect...

The last time Tian Ling'er had gone to Xiaozhu Peak with Su Ru, quite a few senior sisters had grabbed her and questioned her about it.

They said Ji Changfeng would be Junior Sister Lu's strongest rival in the future, so they had to gather intelligence properly...

Thus, the senior sisters of Xiaozhu Peak had entrusted Tian Ling'er with this task.

Tian Ling'er had also met the "Junior Sister Lu" they spoke of. She was an extremely aloof senior sister, probably only a little older than Tian Ling'er herself...

Senior Sister Lu carried a sapphire-blue divine sword at all times. It was said to be the legendary Nine Heavens Divine Weapon—the Heavenly Ya Divine Sword?!

Lu Xueqi had no interest in anything else.

Her daily routine consisted of sword practice and cultivation.

But there were exceptions.

For instance, whenever Tian Ling'er went to Xiaozhu Peak, Lu Xueqi would stand quietly to one side and listen as the senior sisters questioned Tian Ling'er about Ji Changfeng...

According to the senior sisters, as well as their master, True Master Shuiyue, that Ji Changfeng was bound to become her rival in the future.

Therefore.

While Lu Xueqi felt unwilling to accept it.

She had also developed a slight interest in Ji Changfeng.

Of course.

Ji Changfeng knew nothing about this.

"It's not impossible to tell you, Senior Sister, but you have to agree to one small request." Ji Changfeng said with a smile.

"What request?" Little Ling'er blinked her eyes.

She looked at Ji Changfeng expectantly.

She was just waiting to learn his exact cultivation level from him, so she could show off the next time she went to Xiaozhu Peak.

After all, she was just a little girl.

With all those senior sisters coaxing and praising her, she no longer cared about anything else.

All she wanted was to show off.

"Help me ask Master's wife whether she can take me along next time she goes to Xiaozhu Peak."

Ji Changfeng spoke mysteriously.

"Huh?!"

"You want to go to Xiaozhu Peak too?"

Tian Ling'er's eyes widened.

Though she was young.

She understood one thing.

That was—Xiaozhu Peak forbade all men from entering!

"That's right." Ji Changfeng nodded.

Tian Ling'er was just a little girl. What could she possibly understand?

Ji Changfeng coaxed her, "I just want to see Moon-Gazing Platform, one of the Seven Sceneries of Qingyun. Help me ask Master's wife if she can take me along?"

"As long as you agree to this condition."

"I'll tell you my cultivation level."

Wanting to see Moon-Gazing Platform was true.

But...

Moon-Gazing Platform was not the main reason Ji Changfeng wanted to go to Xiaozhu Peak.

No.

That wasn't quite right.

He wanted to see Moon-Gazing Platform, then take a look at the girl upon it while he was there...

Right!

That was it!

The scenery was the main thing. Everything else was incidental.

Tian Ling'er hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "I can ask Mother for you, but I don't know whether she'll agree in the end."

"It's fine. As long as you ask her," Ji Changfeng said casually.

If he could go, he would go.

If not, then forget it.

He was only a little curious.

"Fine!"

"Now hurry up and tell me, what cultivation level are you at?"

Tian Ling'er blinked eagerly.

Zhang Xiaofan, beside her, was also rather curious.

Ji Changfeng smiled faintly and stopped keeping them in suspense. "Jade Pure Fourth Layer!"

As soon as he spoke.

To keep Tian Ling'er from doubting him.

Ji Changfeng deliberately used the signature ability of the Jade Pure Fourth Layer—Object Levitation!

"Whoosh!"

An invisible force slowly lifted the woodcutter's axe in Ji Changfeng's hand, making it dance continuously through the air.

"Huh?!"

Tian Ling'er's eyes widened.

Jade Pure Fourth Layer?

He had already reached the Jade Pure Fourth Layer?

By the count of it, Ji Changfeng had been cultivating for less than half a year, right?

He had reached the Jade Pure Fourth Layer in just four months?

This...

Was it real?

Tian Ling'er wanted to question him.

But after seeing the signature ability of the Jade Pure Fourth Layer.

She fell silent again.

Object Levitation!

This was definitely the Jade Pure Fourth Layer!

Tian Ling'er's little mouth hung open, utterly stunned.

Zhang Xiaofan beside her was the same.

The moment he saw Ji Changfeng use Object Levitation, he was completely dumbfounded...

They had entered Dazhu Peak at the same time, yet Ji Changfeng had already reached the Jade Pure Fourth Layer, while he had not even entered the first layer.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiaofan felt a little dejected.

But only a little.

He did not feel any jealousy.

He only thought that he was too stupid.

"Senior Sister, Little Fan, don't go spreading the news that I've broken through to the Jade Pure Fourth Layer, okay?" Ji Changfeng said with a smile.

He was actually joking. He had long guessed why Tian Ling'er was so eager to ask about his cultivation.

She just wanted to use it to show off.

He only said it to tease Tian Ling'er.

But who would have thought...

After Zhang Xiaofan heard him, his expression became exceptionally resolute.

"Seventh Senior Brother, don't worry!"

"I definitely won't tell anyone!"

Not even if he died.

Ji Changfeng froze at those words.

That was Zhang Xiaofan.

Wasn't it?

Even if he died, he would keep someone else's secret.

"Smack—"

Just then, a pebble suddenly flew over from nearby and, by sheer coincidence, struck Tian Ling'er and Zhang Xiaofan.

"Who was that?!"

Tian Ling'er glared in that direction.

Looking over.

They saw a little monkey holding a pile of small stones, its bright eyes watching them mockingly.

The little monkey's eyes were exceptionally lively. A faint third eye could be seen between its brows, though it had yet to open...

It remained tightly shut.

"Huh?" Ji Changfeng was somewhat surprised.

Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey Xiaohui?

He had actually encountered it here?

"You stinking monkey! Don't run!"

Tian Ling'er angrily chased after Xiaohui.

Zhang Xiaofan was angry too.

It was one thing for him to be stupid.

But that did not mean a monkey could bully him!

"Senior Sister, wait for me!"

The two of them chased after Xiaohui together.

Seeing this, Ji Changfeng leisurely followed behind them.

He already roughly knew what was going to happen.

Sure enough.

By the time Ji Changfeng caught up with Tian Ling'er and the others, they had already reached the depths of the bamboo forest.

A gloomy aura filled the area.

At the same time, a wisp of Ghostly Qi flickered in and out of sight...

"Damn it! Where did that stinking monkey run off to?" Tian Ling'er said angrily, hands on her hips.

"Smack—"

Just then, another small stone flew over.

"Hehehehe!"

Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey Xiaohui hid behind a large tree and made a face at Tian Ling'er and the others.

"You stinking monkey! Stop right there!"

Tian Ling'er grew annoyed.

She continued deeper inside.

"Senior Sister, wait for me!" Zhang Xiaofan followed close behind.

But not long after.

They arrived at a secluded pool.

Whoosh—

As they approached the pool, an invisible ghostly presence suddenly swept toward them, and Tian Ling'er was instantly struck by a wave of dizziness...

"What is this?!"

The moment Tian Ling'er sensed that something was wrong, she collapsed beside the pool.

Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey Xiaohui likewise fainted not far away.

"Senior Sister!" Zhang Xiaofan cried out in alarm.

Panicked and at a loss, he failed to notice anything amiss and rushed straight into the pool's range...

Boom!

The next moment, dizziness washed over him.

Zhang Xiaofan fell straight to the ground, his arm sliced open by a branch.

Drip—

A scarlet bead of blood fell from his chest.

It then rolled to the side of his arm.

Hiss!

The Blood-Devouring Bead, having come into contact with blood, instantly broke its seal and erupted with a powerful surge of Blood Qi.

Seeing this.

Ji Changfeng's expression remained unchanged as he used his spiritual power to move Tian Ling'er out of the pool's range, then moved Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey Xiaohui out as well.

After doing all this.

He simply watched as Zhang Xiaofan "coincidentally" refined a Blood-Refined Artifact.

Rumble!!

The Blood-Devouring Bead erupted with powerful Blood Qi.

In an instant.

The Soul-Capturing Rod at the bottom of the pool was immediately alarmed.

The two top-tier Artifacts collided on the spot.

The Blood-Devouring Bead continuously absorbed Zhang Xiaofan's blood, forcibly suppressing the Soul-Capturing Rod.

But suddenly, the Soul-Capturing Rod erupted with astonishing Ghostly Qi, suppressing the Blood-Devouring Bead in turn...

Hiss, hiss~

The two top-tier Artifacts continuously fused together.

In the end.

The Soul-Devouring Rod, an Artifact even more powerful than the Nine Heavens Divine Weapon, was born!!

You watched two top-tier baleful Artifacts fuse together and gained insight into vicious and baleful qi. Baleful qi causes immense harm to the human body. You created an art capable of warding off vicious and baleful qi—the Ice Heart Art!

A voice from the unseen resounded in Ji Changfeng's mind.

The next moment.

A profound and mysterious state descended upon Ji Changfeng.

Enlightenment!

Enlightenment once again!