All broke through together!

"Senior Brother Ye, only the seven of us Core Disciples have made it here. I'm afraid the others have all been eliminated."

Below, Zi Yun spoke slowly.

In the past, all the Core Disciples had been able to reach the eighth level, but some unexpected mishap had apparently occurred this time, and three Core Disciples had suffered elimination.

"Mm."

Ye Qin glanced at the Core Disciples beside her.

"Everyone, as Core Disciples of the Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace, we are destined to devote ourselves to it!"

"Those from the other great Dao Provinces will come looking for trouble. When that happens, the reputation of the Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace will rest on the seven of us."

"The Palace Master said that anyone who clears the ninth level will have a chance to enter that place!"

"Entering that place would be a tremendous opportunity!"

"But there are only three spots."

Looking at the disciples below, Ye Qin said earnestly, "The Palace Master has great expectations of us. We absolutely cannot let the Palace Master down. Do you understand?"

"Senior Brother Ye is right. We will spare no effort to reach the final level. We are willing to represent the Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace and challenge the sects of the other great Dao Provinces!"

"Glory to our Grand Mystic Dao Province! Glory to our Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace!"

Below, the Core Disciples shouted excitedly, their spirits soaring.

"Mm, excellent, excellent!"

Ye Qin nodded slightly, a glint flashing through her eyes. Looking across the empty eighth level, she finally said, "Do you know that this eighth level is different from the others? Here, every step we take subjects us to unimaginable pressure!"

"And under this pressure, our breakthroughs will come naturally, without any effort!"

Ye Qin spoke calmly, striding with the bearing of a dragon and a tiger.

Boom!

In an instant, the aura within her surged violently. Before the others could finish reacting in surprise, she broke through an entire stage right before their eyes.

The eighth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm!

Their mouths fell slightly open in astonishment, but they said nothing more.

Because at that moment, they, too, felt the urge to break through!

With no time to ponder the reason, they broke through as they walked, their auras growing incomparably powerful one after another.

Those who had made it here were already at the third stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, but as they continued, all their cultivation levels began to rise.

Some even broke through two stages in succession, leaving them wild with joy!

In the outside world, someone in the Purple Mansion Realm might only break through once a year, but here, that restriction on time seemed not to exist.

Here, their breakthroughs came as swiftly as riding a rocket!

A hint of astonishment crossed Zi Yun's face.

Boom!

He had been at the third stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, yet he broke through to the fifth stage on the spot!

Breaking through two stages in succession left Zi Yun flushed and ecstatic!

When he first entered, he had only just reached the Purple Mansion Realm. Now, he had already broken through five stages!

"As expected of the Palace Master's Nine-Level Palace. It truly is incomparably wondrous!"

He marveled again and again, the joy in his heart spilling across his face!

"Heh."

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zi Yun."

Beside him, a Core Disciple looked as though he were gritting his teeth.

When he first entered, he had been at the second stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, yet even now, he had only broken through a single stage!

Could it be just because I'm older?

Jiang Du felt rather resentful, but he dared not say much in front of Ye Qin.

Who among those who entered had not enjoyed the opportunity to break through two or three stages?

He alone was the exception, barely managing to break through one stage here!

He had not originally ranked at the bottom among the Core Disciples, but now he had fallen straight to the bottom. How could he not be angry?

But angry and frustrated as he was, he still dared not truly lose his temper.

"Heh, Junior Brother Jiang, we know you feel dissatisfied, but you can't blame anyone else for your own talent, can you?"

Ye Qin narrowed her eyes slightly and spoke with a cheerful smile.

Since entering, she had broken through nearly five stages and gained the most benefits.

Already the foremost Core Disciple as well as the leader of the three Holy Sons, she appeared particularly pleased with herself.

By comparison, Jiang Du felt far more distressed.

Not daring to offend Ye Qin, Jiang Du could only wave his hand slightly. "Senior Brother Ye, what are you saying? Naturally, I wouldn't dare harbor any dissatisfaction. Being able to break through at all is already an opportunity for me. This is simply my lot in life. I can't blame anyone else!"

On the surface, he chuckled amiably, but inwardly, he grumbled incessantly.

Fine, you have status and standing. You've broken through five stages in a row since coming in, and now you still have the nerve to come console me?

If I had opportunities like yours, I wouldn't have to be like this either.

Although that was what he thought, Jiang Du was no fool. Only by passing through the eighth level and reaching the legendary ninth level might he truly leap through the dragon gate like a carp!

"Everyone, have you all finished breaking through?"

At that moment, Ye Qin advanced one steady step at a time, an unfathomably mysterious aura rumbling within her!

"Senior Brother Ye, may I ask what stage you've reached?"

As she approached Zi Yun, he instinctively held his breath, an inexplicable trace of fear rising within him.

Ye Qin smiled faintly, brimming with pride. "I have now successfully entered the ninth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. My cultivation has reached the same level as an ordinary elder!"

Everyone was astonished to hear this.

"What?"

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Ye! Congratulations! You truly deserve to lead the Core Disciples. Your talent alone is enough to make us all envious!"

At her words, everyone froze briefly before immediately cupping their fists in congratulations.

The strongest of the others was only at the sixth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, yet Ye Qin had now left them far behind.

What had initially been a gap of one or two stages had now become three or four.

Ye Qin merely nodded in satisfaction.

"All right, everyone, you also have a chance of reaching the ninth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. But as your senior, let me make this clear beforehand. Although a slight gap has emerged between our cultivation levels..."

"I am still your senior, still the eldest among you Core Disciples. Although I am one of the three Holy Sons, I am just like you. Your senior is human, too."

"I hope none of you will harbor dissatisfaction. Being your senior isn't easy for me either!"

Listening to Ye Qin's affected sincerity, Jiang Du grumbled inwardly, but he still had to greet her with a smiling face.

Of course, just how much of that smile was genuine and how much was false remained unknown.

"Senior, please, after you!"

Up ahead, Zi Yun made a slight gesture of invitation.

"We owe our rapid breakthroughs in the Purple Mansion Realm to your great kindness, Senior. Please, after you."

Ye Qin nodded in satisfaction. Looking at Zi Yun, she said softly, "Junior Brother Zi Yun, are you a disciple of Elder Bai, Bai Jie?"

"That's right. I am Elder Bai's eldest disciple."