Chapter 1322: Finally Becoming a Divine King
Under the barrier from Shen Xi, Yun Che fell from the air. In his excitement, he inadvertently trampled a patch of spirit flowers below.
He immediately crouched down, channeling Light Profound Force in his hand. As a layer of white light covered the broken flowers, they quickly straightened like awakened beings, radiating even more vigorous life than before. The half-closed buds also slowly bloomed.
The surrounding flowers and grass began to sway gently, striving to gather toward Yun Che.
As the white light on his hand faded, he reflected on this completely subconscious action and silently touched the tip of his nose: *When did I become so kind-hearted that I would immediately save even a single flower or blade of grass…*
He had known for a long time that Dark Profound Force could influence a person's temperament.
Clearly, Light Profound Force, which existed as a special counterpart to Dark Profound Force with completely opposite properties, also subtly influenced one's temperament—and this influence was entirely contrary to that of Dark Profound Force.
As for the matter of bearing Dark Profound Force, Yun Che absolutely dared not let Shen Xi know. All living beings in the Eastern, Western, and Southern Divine Realms hated Dark Profound Force as if it were their mortal enemy, let alone Shen Xi, who possessed Light Profound Force.
Yun Che was certain that if Shen Xi knew he carried Dark Profound Force, not only would she stop treating him so well… she might even slap him to death.
Suppressing the excitement and agitation in his heart, Yun Che approached Shen Xi and He Ling, then said respectfully, "Senior Shen Xi."
During these ten months, he had dual cultivated with Shen Xi for three hours each day without a single day's interruption. No one had ever dared to hope to touch even a fingertip of her immortal jade-like body, yet he could enjoy desecrating it for prolonged periods every day. After this time, his familiarity with Shen Xi's jade-like body could be said to surpass that with any other woman…
But once he left that bamboo house, every time he faced Shen Xi, he was exceedingly respectful, not daring the slightest offense.
When it came to women, Yun Che had always been audacious. Back in the Illusion Demon Realm, he had teased even the Little Demon Empress, who had just slaughtered nine clans… and the moment he reunited with Xia Qingyue, he dared to let his hands wander.
However, Shen Xi's ethereal immortal grace and sacred dignity made Yun Che, outside of dual cultivation, unable to conjure even a trace of desecration in his heart. In her presence, he not only behaved himself but even dared not look directly into her eyes.
Shen Xi extended her snow-white hand, taking the spiritual liquid from He Ling's hand: "Yun Che, go calm your energy and blood, then come to the bamboo house."
"Huh?" Yun Che was startled, then said with some difficulty, "Um… haven't we already dual cultivated today?"
Although He Ling had long known what Yun Che and Shen Xi did for three hours each day in the bamboo house, hearing the words "dual cultivation" directly from Yun Che's mouth made the Wood Spirit maiden's tender cheeks flush with rosy clouds, and she hurriedly averted her gaze.
"It has nothing to do with dual cultivation." Shen Xi's beautiful eyes were clear and sacred: "Over these ten months, you have completely refined my Yuan Yin. Coupled with your own progress and the peace of your state of mind, the time has come."
"Today, I will help you achieve the Divine King realm!"
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The transparent barrier of the Reincarnation Forbidden Land was covered with a very thin layer of white light. Although it was only a minor change, it completely isolated everything. Even if the Dragon Emperor were to come, he would immediately know that Shen Xi was undoubtedly engaged in some major undertaking that could not be disturbed, and would never forcibly break through.
He Ling stood among the myriad flowers, gazing from afar at the small bamboo house, her hands nervously intertwined.
The exterior of the bamboo house appeared no different from usual, but the internal space had undergone a tremendous transformation.
This was a world of pale white. Apart from Yun Che and Shen Xi sitting facing each other, there was nothing else, nor could an end be seen. Yet within this pale world, an invisible current bearing a vast aura surged soundlessly, like the omen of an approaching hurricane.
And this aura did not come from Shen Xi, but from Yun Che.
Guided by Shen Xi's power, Yun Che's Profound Force was constantly being released outward. However, this released Profound Force did not dissipate but lingered around him, as if confined by something, forming patches of invisible Profound Force clouds shrouding Yun Che's side.
Soon, all his Profound Force had been drawn out, leaving his Profound Vein World completely empty.
This kind of guidance and consumption was fundamentally different from ordinary depletion. It did not bring Yun Che any sense of fatigue; instead, it made his spirit calmer.
After a long silence, Shen Xi finally made a move. With the wave of her jade hand, all the Profound Force clouds slowly descended, converging toward Yun Che's body, and compressed bit by bit during the gathering. In the end, they formed an invisible giant cocoon enveloping Yun Che's entire body.
"These Profound Forces are the accumulation of your entire life," came Shen Xi's light, dreamlike voice beside Yun Che's ear. "Carefully recall every change from your very first wisp of Profound Force to the present, especially each qualitative transformation at every level."
"…" Yun Che's eyes were tightly shut, silent and still.
"Entering the Divine Path from the Mortal Path is a qualitative leap from mortal Profound Force to divine. Stepping into the Divine King realm, however, is the true qualitative transformation of Profound Force within the Divine Path. Achieving Divine King status also signifies that you have officially entered the higher echelons of the Divine Realm, qualifying you to become a regional hegemon, or even the king of a realm."
"Experience all the changes well!"
The Divine King realm—how many cultivators dare not even hope for it in their lifetimes? Countless cultivators possess unparalleled prodigious talent, achieving the Divine Spirit Realm in a mere hundred years or even decades, only to get stuck at the bottleneck of becoming a Divine King, exhausting their entire lives without breaking through.
Yet facing Yun Che, whose Profound Force had just reached the peak of the Divine Spirit Realm, Shen Xi's words were incredibly calm and assured, as if in her eyes, his upcoming level breakthrough was not an attempt but an inevitability.
Shen Xi's voice gradually faded away. At that moment, the layer of Profound Force surrounding Yun Che suddenly erupted into chaos, transforming into countless torrents of Profound Force that surged back into his empty Profound Vein.
***Boom!* ------**
Within Yun Che's Profound Vein World, a sustained thunderous roar resounded.
It was like the collapse of ten thousand mountains, like the ravaging of countless storms, like the eruption of innumerable volcanoes… The once peaceful Profound Vein World fell into utter chaos. The incoming Profound Force twisted and shattered layer by layer. This upheaval did not gradually subside but intensified with every passing moment… The originally surging and mighty Profound Force was shattered into countless fragments, scattering endless Profound Light.
In the end, more and more cracks began to spread across the space of the entire Profound Vein World until they filled it completely. If this continued, Yun Che's Profound Vein World seemed on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
However, Yun Che's expression was remarkably calm.
At times, he felt as if he were immersed in an erupting volcano; at others, buried within a raging sea of lightning; then falling into an endless dark abyss… Yet his heart and soul remained placid without a single ripple. He silently perceived the changes in his Profound Force, his Profound Vein, and the entire world.
***Bam… crack!!* ------**
The Profound Vein World, at this moment, finally shattered into pieces.
Within the shattered Profound Vein World, countless broken Profound Lights shimmered, like stars scattered across the night sky.
At the same instant, Shen Xi's beautiful eyes opened. The prepared drop of spiritual liquid, with the light touch of her jade finger, made contact with the center of Yun Che's chest, then silently sank in.
Like a withered plant receiving a drop of celestial dew from the heavens, the briefly silent Profound Vein World suddenly released an extraordinary vitality… In an instant, ten thousand stars danced within the Profound Vein World, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged into countless torrents, like ten thousand birds paying homage to the phoenix, surging into Yun Che's body.
Within the Reincarnation Forbidden Land, gusts of wind suddenly arose. These gusts all rushed into the bamboo house that had been quiet for so long, growing increasingly violent with no sign of stopping. The Wood Spirit maiden stared blankly, deep astonishment written on her face.
In the pale world, Yun Che's expression remained calm, without the slightest change from beginning to end. His hair flew high, and his entire body flowed with a strange luster—it was the pure radiance of Profound Force, yet far more dazzling and brilliant than any Profound Light Yun Che had ever released.
Spiritual energy still surged, and the Profound Light on his body gradually intensified. His whole being was like a blazing sun in the sky, difficult to look at directly.
Yun Che's expression finally began to shift… His perception had changed—his perception of Profound Force, of his body, and of the world. A never-before-felt aura surged within his Profound Veins, then slowly spread throughout his entire body, clear down to every tiny wrinkle of his skin.
Finally, at a certain moment, his eyes opened.
***Boom!* ------**
A thunderous roar, like an azure dragon roaring through the sky. Profound Light burst from Yun Che's body, and a terrifyingly immense wave of force erupted from him. The pale world shook violently under this wave, twisting in clearly visible distortions.
Shen Xi's plain clothes and long hair were swept up by the force wave. Her beautiful eyes opened, meeting Yun Che's gaze. Her exquisite lips slightly pursed, and a fleeting smile appeared like a dream from a celestial realm, leaving Yun Che dazed for a long time… Then he suddenly rose and threw himself onto Shen Xi.
The rebirth of his state of mind left him no time to rebuild his reverence for Shen Xi's sacred aura.
"You…"
Unwilling to be awakened from this beautiful illusion by her voice, he bit down on Shen Xi's slightly parted lips, then roughly tore open her upper garment. As the torn cloth danced in the wind, her graceful curves were completely revealed… For the first time, he was so domineering and forceful with Shen Xi, forgetting her identity and the consequences.
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That drop of spiritual liquid was not what enabled Yun Che's breakthrough; rather, it accelerated the process. Otherwise, the leap from the Divine Spirit Realm to the Divine King Realm, given Yun Che's unique Profound Veins, might have taken ten or even dozens of days.
He Ling waited quietly outside. When the aura finally stabilized, her gaze fixed in tense anticipation, yet she waited a long time without seeing Yun Che and Shen Xi emerge… After a full hour, the long-closed bamboo door was finally pushed open.
Yun Che slowly walked out, stepping into the depths of He Ling's eyes.
He seemed to have changed into a new set of Ice Phoenix snow robes, emanating a subtle, "unstained" aura. His presence had become restrained; from him, He Ling could hardly sense any Profound Force at all. Even his gaze had lost its former sharpness, becoming exceptionally gentle… and behind that gentleness was an unfathomable depth.
Behind Yun Che, Shen Xi also stepped out—and for the first time, Shen Xi left the bamboo house after Yun Che. Her original plain white long dress had also been replaced with a pure white snow robe. But He Ling didn't immediately notice these obvious anomalies. She looked at Yun Che, her beautiful eyes overflowing with brilliance: "Did… did it succeed?"
"Mm." Yun Che nodded with a smile, feeling the power flowing through him—a vastness and might so unimaginable that he still felt a deep sense of unreality.
It had been only a year since he achieved the Divine Spirit Realm under the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation.
In one year, he had completed another level breakthrough that others would not dare to hope for in a lifetime… stepping into the Divine King realm!