491: A seed

After a long while, Wan Hai finally recovered, his voice slightly hoarse as he spoke: 'That person just now was Ye Mao; it seems he has broken through to some kind of Realm.'

A companion behind him looked confused and couldn't help but ask: 'It was indeed Ye Mao, but why didn't he attack us?'

Wan Hai was equally puzzled by this.

He knew clearly that the relationship between Ye Mao and Bai Guang was extraordinary; they were as close as brothers and always acted in unison.

However, in the previous standoff, Bai Guang had taken the leading role, while Ye Mao had not directly participated in the conflict. This unusual behavior filled Wan Hai's heart with questions.

Bai Guang had not lost consciousness. The moment Ye Mao appeared, he had keenly sensed an aura from him that was completely different from before—thicker, deeper, as if breathing in unison with heaven and earth.

At present, the two had left the Yuan Ling Universe and were positioned on the edge of a shattered Void Realm. Bai Guang steadied himself, looking intensely at Ye Mao, his tone full of disbelief: 'You... broke through?'

Ye Mao only gave a faint 'Mm,' his brows slightly furrowed, his mind having already sunk deep into his Sea of Consciousness.

He remembered clearly that just a moment ago, when he was preparing to strike, a strand of strange conscious fluctuation had emerged in his Sea of Consciousness, vanishing in a flash like an undercurrent.

But now, no matter how carefully he searched, that strand of newborn consciousness seemed to have completely melted into his vast Divine Thought, leaving no trace to follow.

After several futile attempts, Ye Mao finally lifted his eyelids and looked at the bewildered Bai Guang, speaking slowly: 'Second Brother, I Cultivated the Cultivation Technique I obtained from that mysterious ruin back then, and successfully broke through to the Supreme Realm. Although the process was smooth, there seemed to be something wrong with it. I am not sure if that trace of anomaly was real or an illusion.'

Bai Guang naturally had an impression of that Cultivation Technique. When they explored that secret place together back then, he had also inspected that Legacy, only to find that its methods conflicted with his own Dao, making it impossible to Cultivate. At their Realm, switching Cultivation Techniques was tantamount to acting in a Heaven-Defying manner; almost no one dared to try.

Precisely because of this, when Bai Guang looked at Ye Mao again, the shock in his eyes deepened, and his tone even carried a hint of urgency: 'You actually switched to that Cultivation Technique... and in such a short time, broke into the Supreme Realm?'

Ye Mao nodded, remaining silent with a solemn expression.

At this moment, Bai Guang seemed to have truly digested Ye Mao's previous words; he suddenly lifted his head, his tone carrying a bit of urgency: 'Anomaly? What exactly is this anomaly you speak of?'

Ye Mao pondered for a while, his eyes slightly hesitant, and said in a low voice: 'Just now, the moment I was about to attack those people in the Yuan Ling Universe, a strange voice suddenly came into my mind, telling me to save my strength. At that instant, I clearly felt the circulation of my Qi suddenly stall, as if bound by some invisible force, making it difficult to mobilize my full power.'

Bai Guang had originally wanted to press Ye Mao on why he ultimately didn't attack, but Ye Mao seemed to have already anticipated his question, stating the answer in advance and leaving him momentarily speechless.

Bai Guang frowned tightly, and after pondering for a moment, said: 'This matter is not simple. Let us return to the Blue Star Universe first and deliberate on it.'

Ye Mao also nodded in agreement, then circulated his Qi, and a radiance surged from his hand, carrying the two of them quickly across the Void Realm, speeding toward the direction of the Blue Star Universe.

Xie Nanqiao no longer refused to let Wan Hai and the others enter the Yuan Ling Universe this time.

The previous battle had clearly shown that the stance held by Wan Hai and his group was consistent with the Yuan Ling Universe, and they had even helped at a critical moment; this sincerity could no longer be questioned by her.

Although Wan Hai and his group were eager to return to their respective Star Domains or Secret Realms, Ye Mao's sudden Breakthrough had disrupted all their plans.

The aura of that entity shrouded the entire Void Realm, making no one dare to act rashly.

They knew clearly that leaving the protection of the Yuan Ling Universe at this time was tantamount to seeking their own deaths.

In comparison, within the Yuan Ling Universe, there was Xie Nanqiao, who held a supreme treasure, presiding over it.

Although she seemed cold and reticent, her combat power was unfathomable, and the strength she displayed in the previous great battle made Wan Hai and the others feel awe.

Therefore, after weighing their options, Wan Hai and his group ultimately chose to follow Xie Nanqiao, stepping into the depths of the Yuan Ling Universe, and were guided to the Heavenly Palace to stay temporarily.

The Heavenly Palace was grand and magnificent, with Dao rhymes circulating; it was clearly a Holy Land extremely suitable for Cultivators to stay and recuperate.

At this time, Xun Xiuyuan was still in seclusion.

Dao patterns swirled around him, and his aura was approaching Perfection; he was at the final critical moment of fusing the tenth cosmic core.

Interestingly, a 'cheater' who rose rapidly by the power of the System, while having terrifying Cultivation speed, was far inferior to the level reached by Xie Nanqiao's self-Breakthrough in terms of understanding the Dao Realm.

Comparing the two, one could see even more clearly the terrifying nature of Xie Nanqiao's talent—not only was her Foundation solid, but her understanding of the Laws of the Universe was so profound it was nearly Dao itself, as if she were born in sync with this Great Dao.

Kun Xu's figure silently condensed in the forest again, not even disturbing the wind as his sleeves brushed past.

He looked at Kayu, who was standing quietly opposite him, a half-smile appearing on the corners of his lips, and said softly: 'That kid named Ye Mao has already broken through to the Supreme Realm.'

Hearing this, a flash of uncontrollable joy appeared in Kayu's eyes, yet he still forced himself to remain calm, leaning his body slightly forward, and asked in a low voice: 'How is it? To what extent is his strength exactly? Can he open the passage?'

Kun Xu shook his head gently, his expression carrying a bit of playfulness: 'I planted a seed in his Sea of Consciousness, and now is not yet the time for harvest. As long as he continues to Cultivate along his current path, within a few months, I will surely be able to completely control him.'

He paused slightly, his tone revealing a hint of certainty: 'With his cultivation at the initial stage of the Supreme Realm, opening the passage... should not be a problem.'

Kayu turned around involuntarily, his gaze passing through the layered branches and leaves, looking toward the passage exit in the distance that was surrounded by countless giant trees.

Those ancient trees were arranged very unnaturally, as if they were a huge and ancient natural Formation, and in the deepest part of the Formation, an unsettling aura faintly emanated—that was an old ghost at the Peak of the Supreme Realm who had been sleeping for who knows how many years.

Kayu muttered in a low voice, as if asking himself or reminiscing: 'Back when we risked taking that path, I wonder if any other Fellow Daoists managed to escape successfully?'

Kun Xu was in a good mood at this time, rarely letting out a low laugh, his voice carrying a bit of mockery and pride: 'Although the strength of you and me combined cannot be called the best in the Universe, it is not something ordinary Cultivators can reach. We did not encounter the most troublesome Lady Jin and Daoist Quan in the Blue Star Great Universe, but they must have encountered them. Do you think... they can easily pass through?'

Kayu's face stiffened instantly, as if the terrifying methods of those two entities appeared before his eyes, and he couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile: 'What you say... is likely close to the truth.'