Chapter 293: Rapid Progress
Winter faded and spring arrived. With the first wisp of faintly warm breeze, another year had quietly passed.
Spring went and autumn came, with withered yellow leaves. Sixteen whole months had already passed since Yun Che's "fall."
Even the most brilliant light will gradually dim as time flows away. Although Yun Che's radiance was but a flash in the pan, the influence he left behind was enduring. Though it was no longer as fervent as at the very beginning, the name "Yun Che" still occasionally echoed through every corner of the Cang Feng Empire. And for those young profound practitioners without sect backgrounds yet harboring beautiful fantasies, he had become something akin to a spiritual faith.
Tian Jian Villa.
Four in the morning, the sky was just barely brightening. A youth clad in light sword-wear stepped onto the Sword Control Platform under the dim light. The moment his foot touched the first brick of the platform, a longsword radiating an eerie light descended from the sky into his hand, dancing wildly as his arm moved.
Ling Jie was now a seventeen-year-old youth. His face had lost some of its childishness and gained some fortitude, and his gaze had become as sharp as a sword. His profound strength had now reached the ninth level of the Spirit Xuan Realm, only a single step away from the peak of the Spirit Xuan Realm. Moreover, his sword intent and sword heart were becoming increasingly masterful.
The Tian Yuan Sword swirled in his hand, creating dizzying rings of flowing light. With the dance of his hand and the sword, the surrounding airflow became massively chaotic, and the flight trajectories of the flying swords above the Sword Control Platform all showed significant changes. His talent was universally acknowledged to surpass that of Ling Yun. At the same time, he was even more hardworking than Ling Yun. After the ranking battle, he had never left Tian Jian Villa. Every day began with sword practice and ended with sword practice, his strength steadily approaching Ling Yun.
In comparison, Ling Yun had been troubled by inner demons during this period, making very little progress.
And his inner demons were largely due to Xia Qingyue, and partly due to Yun Che.
Amidst the howling sword aura, the sky above the Sword Control Platform grew brighter. Finally, the first ray of sunlight shot down from the east. At that moment, the Tian Yuan Sword transformed into a blinding streak of flowing light, soaring through the air. It stirred up a vacuum zone dozens of zhang wide among the swarm of flying swords, then swiftly descended back into its sheath.
"Huff!"
Ling Jie let out a long breath and plopped down on the ground. Wiping his sweat-drenched forehead, he stared blankly at the towering Xing Tian Sword. After a long while, he exhaled a heavy breath of turbid air and muttered to himself, "Boss, you had no sect background, yet you could become so powerful. You must have put in unimaginable effort. I heard that before the ranking battle, you even stayed in the most dangerous Death Wasteland for a full half year... Sigh, after the ranking battle, I originally planned to sneak out and look for you. Even if the Fen Tian Sect was hunting you, I could have fled with you. That kind of experience would definitely have been exciting, thrilling, and stimulating, and it would have let me truly grow up. But I never expected that just after I acknowledged you as my boss, I wouldn't even have the chance to train with you... Huff! Heaven is really too unfair."
Ling Jie turned his head, looking toward the direction of the Cangfeng Imperial City in the west, and whispered, "I wonder how Princess Sister is doing now..."
Cangfeng Imperial City, Lan Yue Palace.
"Princess Highness, the Fen Tian Sect has sent a message. Young Sect Master Fen Juecheng has set the wedding date with Your Highness. Seven days from now, at 8:45 AM, Young Sect Master Fen Juecheng will come to Lan Yue Palace to marry the princess. Third Prince has already ordered preparations to begin."
Cang Yue stood quietly by the lotus pond in the courtyard, her beautiful eyes fixed on the withering lotus petals. Beside her, a palace maid was reporting respectfully.
After the maid finished, Cang Yue's expression remained calm. She nodded and said faintly, "I understand. You may withdraw... Wait! Does my imperial father know about the wedding date being set?"
"Reporting to the princess, His Majesty has not yet woken up until now, so he does not know."
"Do not disturb imperial father. Let him rest well. Tell him after he wakes up." Cang Yue said softly.
"Yes, this servant withdraws."
As the maid withdrew, a hearty laughter rang out: "Hahahaha! Royal Sister, congratulations, really congratulations!"
Cang Yue turned around, looking with a half-smile at the languidly approaching Third Prince Cang Shuo: "You seem even happier than I am about my marriage to Fen Juecheng."
"Naturally," Cang Shuo said with a beaming smile. "Juecheng is a true dragon among men. Within the Cang Feng Empire, few can compare to him. And royal sister, with your heavenly beauty and noble status, you two are a perfect match made in heaven. Juecheng and I are close friends, and you are my only royal sister. The union of you two naturally makes me very happy. Hahahaha."
Cang Yue lightly raised her lips and smiled, saying, "Since you're so happy, then let me leave all the wedding matters on my side to you, royal brother. I'm sure you will take great pleasure in it."
Since returning from Tian Jian Villa, Cang Yue's personality had undergone a huge change. This change was clearly felt by those around her. Yun Che's fall did not seem to have dealt her a heavy blow. After returning to the palace, she spent most of her time by Cang Wanhe's side. Her manner of conduct also seemed to have changed into a different person. She no longer retreated, avoided, or compromised. Instead, she became extremely tough and decisive. In the name of Cang Wanhe, amid the imperial smoke stirred up by Cang Lin and Cang Suo, she managed to firmly stabilize most of the neutral forces. Although she was powerless to stop the struggles between Cang Lin and Cang Shuo or the ambitions of the Xiao Sect and the Fen Tian Sect, she largely prevented the imperial clouds from spreading further. This was already an extremely remarkable result.
Over a year of running around had also made Cang Yue's personality increasingly tough. Even in her eyes, there began to flicker a chilling light that made people's hearts tremble.
"Of course, no problem!" Cang Shuo agreed readily. Cang Yue marrying Fen Juecheng was nothing but beneficial and harmless to him. He had been waiting for this day for far too long.
"In that case, I'll leave everything to you, royal brother... Also, please remind Fen Juecheng several times. On the day he comes to the imperial palace to marry me, the betrothal gifts he brings must include the 'Burning Soul Flower.' Without seeing the Burning Soul Flower, don't even think about me returning to the Fen Tian Sect with him." Cang Yue's delicate brows tightened as she spoke resolutely.
"On this point, royal sister can be completely at ease. With Juecheng's sincere feelings for you, let alone a mere Burning Soul Flower, even if you wanted the stars in the sky, he would unhesitatingly pluck them for you." Cang Shuo said with a chuckle, looking like he was in an exceptionally good mood today.
"I hope everything is as you say. I'm going to see imperial father. If you're interested in this Lan Yue Palace, feel free to do as you please."
With that, Cang Yue turned and left without paying any more attention to Cang Shuo.
Stepping out of Lan Yue Palace, Cang Yue's pace slowed. She looked up at the sky, hand over her chest. All the forcibly maintained sharpness in her eyes vanished, becoming hazy as mist. Softly, she murmured to herself, "Junior Brother Yun, I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long... Wait for me for a few more days, okay... In another seven days, I can go keep you company..."
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Below the Sword Control Platform of Tian Jian Villa, a fierce battle was nearing its end.
Boom! Bang! Ding! Clang! Ssss...
Sounds of collision, explosions, and tearing echoed deafeningly in this enclosed space.
Yun Che's heavy sword swung in wide arcs. Every time he brought it down, it would stir up a startling storm of profound energy. Meanwhile, the cyan profound energy was ever-changing and extremely sharp. In terms of attack power, it was in no way inferior to Yun Che's heavy sword. After thousands of collisions, Yun Che was covered in wounds, but he grew fiercer as he fought, as if he were a wild beast whose ferocity had been fully awakened.
Yun Canghai watched Yun Che's battle with the profound energy, continuously nodding, his eyes full of amazement.
During the sixteen months here, Yun Che's profound strength had progressed by leaps and bounds.
Now, his profound strength level had reached the sixth level of the Earth Xuan Realm!
Back then, Ling Yun had taken two years to break through from the first level of the Earth Xuan Realm to the third level of the Earth Xuan Realm. And this speed, among his peers, except for Xia Qingyue, had been unmatched by anyone.
But Yun Che had gone from the first level of the Earth Xuan Realm to the sixth level of the Earth Xuan Realm in less than a year!
If Ling Yun knew this, he would probably be so ashamed that he would commit suicide on the spot.
In terms of cultivation speed, Yun Che was more than ten times that of Ling Yun!
Of course, the most fundamental reason for this was the flesh and blood of the Flame Dragon. For profound practitioners of the Cang Feng Empire, even at the highest levels, the dragon meat of a King Xuan-level dragon was a treasure on the level of heavenly treasures. Getting a small piece was extremely difficult. But for Yun Che, he ate it as his daily meal!
And he had been eating it for over a year.
What Yun Che had improved during this time was not just his profound strength. Ever since he had witnessed Yun Canghai's profound energy, Yun Che spent at least six hours each day battling against it. His practical combat ability had also been rapidly improving through this almost crazy sparring and slaughter.
Yun Che had lived two lives, so his combat experience was naturally rich. But no matter how rich it was, it could not compare to Yun Canghai, who had lived for several hundred years. In terms of strength, Yun Canghai might not be Mo Li's match, but in terms of experience, Mo Li was far inferior to Yun Canghai. The guidance Yun Canghai gave him was immensely beneficial.
When Yun Che fought against the profound energy, at first, Yun Canghai suppressed its power to one percent, and it could easily defeat Yun Che. But in less than a month, Yun Che was already able to hold his own against the one-percent-power profound energy. So, Yun Canghai increased its strength from one percent to two percent, then to three percent... four percent... five percent... And now, the profound energy Yun Che faced was one that retained sixty percent of its full power!
The sixty percent power of his profound energy was enough to rival a late-stage Heavenly Xuan level!
Yet now, Yun Che had fought it to a standstill. Thousands of exchanges had not managed to defeat him.
"Heh!"
With a loud shout, Yun Che leaped into the air, transforming into four identical figures in midair... That's right, four! His Star God Remnant Shadow, through countless battles and uses, had successfully broken through to the third level, which could manifest three afterimages!
The afterimages created by the Star God Remnant Shadow were such that not even a person's perception or sight—let alone the profound energy—could distinguish reality from illusion. The profound energy's movement showed a momentary pause. Seizing this tiny opening, Yun Che narrowed his eyes and forcibly activated the third level of the Evil God Art, "Purgatory."
Two crimson lights covered Yun Che's eyes, and the profound energy aura emanating from his body instantly became extremely violent... In the ranking battle, forcibly activating Purgatory, even for just a brief moment, had cost him half his life and left him unconscious for several days. In his current state, forcibly activating Purgatory would naturally not result in such consequences, but it was still extremely uncomfortable. However, if it lasted only a few breaths, he could barely endure it.
"Celestial Wolf Strike!"
The wolf howled, and the terrifying power completely enveloped the profound energy, sealing all its avenues of movement. A huge wolf shadow burst forth from the Dragon Que, violently crashing into the profound energy, deforming it completely... The profound energy held out for just one breath before being sent flying like a leaf swept up by a hurricane, then turned into a streak of green light that returned to Yun Canghai's arm.
Clang!!
The Dragon Que fell to the ground, and Yun Che also fell backward, lying flat, panting heavily, sweat pouring like a waterfall. The prolonged fierce battle had nearly exhausted all his strength, plus the immense burden of activating "Purgatory," he was now left with barely the strength to breathe, not even wanting to move a single little finger.
"This little monster's future achievements are simply unimaginable!" Yun Canghai murmured to himself. His profound energy, retaining sixty percent of its power, had been defeated by him so quickly!
Back then, when Yun Che said he would kill him within two years, he had found it laughable. But now it seemed... his words were not an exaggeration at all!
...