Huang Xiao had no idea how much time had passed before he slowly began to sense everything within his meridians again. He discovered that the surging Heavenly Demon True Qi within him had grown even vaster and purer. Most importantly, his True Qi was now circulating through his meridians according to the Fourth Stage's method.
I broke through—the Fourth Stage! Huang Xiao exclaimed inwardly.
He turned to glance at You Lian'er behind him, only to find her looking at him too. Their eyes met, and they stared blankly at each other for quite some time.
Only when a birdcall outside broke the silence did Huang Xiao come back to his senses and hastily avert his gaze. You Lian'er likewise turned her eyes toward a nearby rock wall.
"Ahem..." Huang Xiao did not know why, but the atmosphere suddenly felt rather awkward. It was an inexplicable feeling he could not put into words.
"Have you broken through, young master?" You Lian'er asked, calming the unease in her heart. In fact, she already knew that Huang Xiao had reached the Fourth Stage. At the time, their minds could be said to have been connected, and she could sense everything happening within his meridians.
"Thank you, miss. I was fortunate enough to break through to the Fourth Stage," Huang Xiao said, still grateful.
"This was your own good fortune, young master." You Lian'er did not want to discuss what had just happened any further. "If you wish to attempt the fifth layer in the future, you must properly consolidate your cultivation. Otherwise, even with the Demon-Attracting Formula driving it, you will not be able to break through."
Huang Xiao nodded, then craned his neck to look outside. "Miss, it's already light outside. It seems we've spent several hours here."
"How fortunate. They really