So Furious He Coughed Up Blood

Xu Yan silently praised the aroma. It was far richer than that of the spirit food he had eaten at Separation Valley Market.

After withdrawing his Redfire Burning Art spell, he slowly opened the furnace lid.

An extraordinary fragrance immediately wafted into his face and swiftly spread through the area in front of the Alchemy Hall.

The rogue cultivators grew restless the moment they caught its scent.

"Damn! How can it smell so good? It smells way better than the spirit food I ate at Spirit Sword Market!" A fat rogue cultivator swallowed, his face full of disbelief.

"What a waste of heaven's treasures! But... it really does smell amazing!" A rogue cultivator watched Xu Yan's movements covetously, curiosity written across his face.

"As expected of a top-grade first-tier spirit beast! Just smelling it makes this old man feel as though he's about to break through!" An elderly rogue cultivator at the third layer of Qi Refining stared at the Pill Furnace with shining eyes.

"Exactly! I feel the same way!"

By now, the richly dressed old man's face had turned livid. His chest felt blocked, and his entire body began to tremble.

Xu Yan's actions had utterly shattered his hopes. Thinking of the decades of painstaking effort he had poured into the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad, the richly dressed old man felt the world spin around him, his body swaying unsteadily.

Xu Yan had no attention to spare for their reactions. At that moment, the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad inside the Pill Furnace had captured his entire focus.

Inside the Pill Furnace, the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad's once emerald-green body had been roasted golden by the flames, its fat sizzling.

He beckoned with one hand, and the thoroughly cooked Jade-Eyed Cold Toad landed in his grasp. Then he tore off a golden hind leg and stuffed it into his mouth.

He had roasted the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad until it was wonderfully crisp. A few light chews filled his mouth with an extraordinary fragrance. After he swallowed, it quickly turned into a warm current that surged toward his dantian.

It really is better than the spirit food at Separation Valley Market! Xu Yan was delighted. A single hind leg in his belly made him feel as though he was about to break through.

He had already reached the barrier to his breakthrough. Now, with his thoughts flowing freely and the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad's flesh containing abundant spiritual energy, his dantian began to stir.

As though struck by a flash of inspiration, Xu Yan knew that the moment to break through had arrived.

Without another word, he sat cross-legged, seized the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad with both hands, and began to feast.

Xu Yan's crude, straightforward way of eating stunned the rogue cultivators. In their minds, the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad's flesh was comparable to medicinal pills. It should have been divided into several portions and consumed slowly to break through cultivation bottlenecks.

Watching the cold-faced cultivator swallow his Jade-Eyed Cold Toad bit by bit, the richly dressed old man's eyes nearly spat fire. But after glancing at the two blue-robed Foundation Establishment cultivators, he helplessly relaxed the fists clenched beneath his robes.

With those two Foundation Establishment cultivators present, he had no chance whatsoever to act.

"Huh? Is Master Lin about to break through?"

Just then, another commotion rose among the rogue cultivators.

Hearing this, the richly dressed old man turned his gaze back to Xu Yan. The latter sat cross-legged, his aura climbing steadily!

At the sight, the richly dressed old man naturally understood what was happening.

Thinking of how this cold-faced cultivator was making a powerful breakthrough after devouring his beloved spirit beast, he felt his head swim. A surge of blood rushed toward his head, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood before fainting on the spot.

The richly dressed old man's collapse caused little stir. Everyone's attention was fixed on the black-robed cultivator sitting cross-legged in front of the Alchemy Hall.

Xu Yan sat cross-legged, his aura already at its peak. Attempting a breakthrough in front of everyone carried some risk, so upon sensing the breakthrough, he had quietly transmitted a message to Gu Xiao with his divine sense. He was willing to accept fewer Spirit Stones in payment if Gu Xiao would guard him during his breakthrough.

Gu Xiao agreed without the slightest hesitation.

After setting Gu Feng down, Gu Xiao slowly walked over to stand before Xu Yan. He looked around and cupped his hands. "Master Lin saved my son's life, making him my benefactor. Now that Master Lin is on the verge of a breakthrough, I ask all fellow Daoists to refrain from any untoward actions. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no courtesy."

With that, Gu Xiao sat cross-legged in front of Xu Yan, and his aura at the seventh layer of Qi Refining abruptly surged to its limit!

None of the rogue cultivators made a move upon hearing this. After witnessing Xu Yan roast the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad, many rogue cultivators harboring ulterior motives had secretly sighed.

Besides, these rogue cultivators dared not make any trouble within the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. Doing so would be a slap in the alliance's face. Those two blue-robed Foundation Establishment cultivators were not to be trifled with.

Xu Yan's breakthrough naturally caught the interest of the two blue-robed cultivators as well.

Both were Foundation Establishment cultivators, with far keener eyes than these rogue cultivators. As Xu Yan circulated his cultivation technique, they recognized at a glance that he practiced the Spirit Guiding Art, the most widespread and ordinary technique in the Cultivation World.

In front of the Alchemy Hall, Xu Yan had drawn all his attention inward. His breakthrough had now reached its most critical stage. Perhaps because the Jade-Eyed Cold Toad contained such abundant spiritual energy, the breakthrough proceeded with exceptional speed.

Boom!

An explosive rumble came from his dantian, and a more powerful aura emerged from his body.

The fourth layer of Qi Refining!

Xu Yan rejoiced inwardly. This breakthrough had come as naturally as water flowing into a completed channel, and his thoughts flowed freely.

Slowly circulating his technique, he felt his more powerful magic power.

Then Xu Yan stood and bowed to Gu Xiao. "Thank you for guarding me, Master Gu."

A smile flashed across Gu Xiao's dark face. "Congratulations on your breakthrough, fellow Daoist. With these two seniors here maintaining order, I was merely going through the motions. I wouldn't dare claim any credit."

Gu Xiao's words surprised Xu Yan. He had not expected this outwardly simple, honest-looking man to possess such a deft mind. Quickly catching on, he bowed respectfully to the two blue-robed cultivators. "Thank you, seniors, for maintaining order here and allowing this junior to break through smoothly."

Everyone liked hearing pleasant words. The two blue-robed Foundation Establishment cultivators had cultivated for over a century and naturally understood what the rogue cultivator before them was thinking. He merely wanted to build good relations with the Rogue Cultivator Alliance's cultivators.

They nodded in acknowledgment.

Seemingly wishing to offer Xu Yan a little guidance, the blue-robed Foundation Establishment cultivator who had maintained order earlier spoke slowly. "I see that you practice the Spirit Guiding Art. It is an exceedingly ordinary technique. If you wish to reach Foundation Establishment successfully, you would do well to switch techniques sooner rather than later."

Seeing that the blue-robed cultivator intended to guide him, Xu Yan felt delighted, even though he knew it was because of the Spirit Stones. He bowed respectfully, then cupped his hands. "This junior was just planning to switch cultivation techniques. Please offer me your guidance, senior."

The blue-robed Foundation Establishment cultivator merely replied in an indifferent tone, "Now that you've earned quite a few Spirit Stones, you can take a look around the Alliance Technique Inheritance Hall. Otherwise, as word of today's events spreads, people with ulterior motives are certain to set their sights on you."

The blue-robed Foundation Establishment cultivator made no attempt to veil his words. The rogue cultivators all looked embarrassed upon hearing them.

"Thank you, senior." Xu Yan bent forward and bowed to him.