Xu Taiping had not expected the present situation either.
Just now, after Prefect Qiu finished announcing the result of the contest, he suddenly had the sensation that some shackle binding him had been undone.
Then all the True Essence within his body began surging back into his cinnabar heart.
At the same time, the mental method of his Cloud-Riding Art began circulating on its own, drawing in vast amounts of spiritual energy from heaven and earth.
Though caught somewhat off guard, Xu Taiping knew very well that this could happen under only one circumstance-
A breakthrough.
Only during a breakthrough could a mental method such as the Cloud-Riding Art absorb so much spiritual energy from heaven and earth without first refining it.
That was because the absorbed spiritual energy would not merge into the cinnabar heart. Instead, it would transform into "pill fire" within the cultivator's body and roast the cinnabar heart, ultimately completing the most important step in breaking through to Spirit Refining-refining the pill embryo.
But did breaking through to the Spirit Refining realm not require a month of secluded cultivation first, to clear the mind of all distracting thoughts?
As he tried to control the Cloud-Riding Art and halt the breakthrough, Xu Taiping was deeply puzzled.
Wait, Emperor Youyun's blessing earlier-a spotless Dao heart, perfection in Mystic Understanding, all wounds and pain healed... Wasn't that preparing me to break through to the Spirit Refining realm?
Could that divine sense of Emperor Youyun have wanted me to break through to the Spirit Refining realm immediately?
As thoughts raced through his mind, Xu Taiping suddenly realized something.
At first, breaking through had never even occurred to him, so he had paid little attention to the first two phrases of Emperor Youyun's blessing. He had felt that having his injuries