A blue-hued desert stretched for hundreds of miles in every direction, its vast expanse of azure sand extending as far as the eye could see. The desolate landscape was disturbed by two powerful forces clashing over a precious treasure.
"Screech!"
An ear-piercing cry reverberated across a massive desert plateau, its entire structure shaking with every thunderous explosion.
A Four-Star Gold-rank demon beast, the Blue Sand Armored Mantis, was locked in a fierce battle against a white-furred, ancient-looking Wind Dragon Blood Buffalo.
The latter was an invader that had appeared out of nowhere, attempting to steal the mantis's most treasured possession: the Heaven Breaker Heart Crystal Fungus.
WHOOSH!
BOOM!
The Wind Dragon Blood Buffalo dodged as the Blue Sand Armored Mantis swung down one of its six-foot-long sickles.
Chen Zhenlong, in his demon spirit form, let out a furious roar before unleashing a Wind Slash toward the mantis's exposed left side.
The attack struck its unprotected joints, tearing through them.
SPLASH!
SIZZLE!
Green, corrosive blood splattered across the battlefield, sizzling against the ground with its sheer acidity.
"Xiao Hui?!"
Chen Zhenlong's complexion paled as he watched the boy narrowly evade the sudden shower of corrosive blood. He instinctively called out to Xue Hui through their communication soul technique.
Xue Hui flashed him an okay sign before returning to his task of retrieving the Heaven Breaker Heart Crystal Fungus from the demon beast's nest.
Hanging from Xue Hui's waist was the Demon Concealing Lamp. Its thin veil of smoke concealed his presence from the Blue Sand Armored Mantis, allowing him to sneak toward the nest and steal the treasured fungus unnoticed.
The battle had been raging for nearly three minutes. Despite his cultivation, Chen Zhenlong found the mantis's hardened carapace a serious challenge to overcome.
Fortunately, the beast had yet to break through to Black Gold Rank and shed its old shell for a far stronger carapace. Had it already reached that stage, Chen Zhenlong alone would have struggled to defeat it.
They had also arrived at the perfect time, as the Heaven Breaker Heart Crystal Fungus was showing signs of ripening.
Their plan was simple: Chen Zhenlong would keep the mantis occupied while Xue Hui sneaked into its nest and stole the treasure.
"I GOT IT!"
Before the Blue Sand Armored Mantis could turn toward the source of the voice, Chen Zhenlong unleashed a concentrated blast of white wind from his maw.
The attack struck the mantis squarely in the head.
Dazed by the impact, the beast staggered and shook its head, struggling with a momentary loss of vision.
Once the haze cleared, the Blue Sand Armored Mantis frantically searched its surroundings for its enemy and his small companion.
They were gone.
Worse still, the Heaven Breaker Heart Crystal Fungus it had guarded for twenty-five years had been stolen.
Rage surged from the depths of its core as the mantis released a heaven-shaking screech. Its furious howl echoed across the vast expanse of the Blue Hue Desert.
With bloodshot eyes, it beat its wings at an incredible speed, producing an ear-piercing whine with every flap. Violent gusts of wind swept across the plateau.
The massive mantis leaped from the desert plateau and soared into the sky, pursuing the direction in which it believed the human and his companion had fled.
For the first time in many years, it abandoned its nest.
Meanwhile, on the hidden side of the desert plateau, a small face cautiously peeked out from the surface of the rock, watching as the giant Blue Sand Armored Mantis disappeared over the horizon.
"It flew away. It'll probably take a month or two before that demon beast gives up searching and returns."
Xue Hui pulled his head back into the Sacred Jade Room.
Inside, he saw Chen Linlin approaching her father with a glass of water in her hands.
Chen Zhenlong thanked his daughter and drained the glass in one go, leaving a little water trickling down his jaw.
"I can't believe how sturdy that giant mantis was. Even my strongest Wind Blast, delivered head-on, wasn't enough to finish it off," he remarked, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
This journey had been an eye-opener for Chen Zhenlong.
As the second-strongest Demon Spiritualist in Glory City, surpassed only by Lord Ye Mo, he had always believed his strength placed him among the city's most formidable experts.
Unless he faced a Legend-rank demon beast, he had assumed that few opponents of a lower rank could threaten him in a one-on-one battle.
Yet, time and again, his encounters with demon beasts had forced him to unleash his full strength, even when his opponents were of a lower rank.
The giant mantis they had just fought had survived his ultimate attack without sustaining a fatal injury.
Chen Zhenlong let out a dejected sigh. His pride had taken a considerable blow, and an unfamiliar sense of helplessness weighed on him.
From the beginning of their journey, he had done little more than follow Xue Hui's lead.
The boy had guided them through dangerous territories, gathered precious treasures, and refined pills to keep them safe.
He had even fought an entire army of demon beasts alone in Wu Zhen Yi's ruins and emerged victorious, obtaining the very treasures they had been seeking.
Thanks to Xue Hui, his daughter had also been freed from the poison that once plagued her.
Through it all, Chen Zhenlong had mostly stood on the sidelines, watching as the boy handled one challenge after another.
"Forget it, Lord Patriarch," Xue Hui said, seeing through his thoughts.
"That giant mantis has one of the highest defensive capabilities among demon beasts," he continued, drawing Chen Zhenlong's attention. "We're lucky it's only Gold Rank. If it were one rank higher, even a Legend-rank expert would have a hard time dealing with it."
Whether they had defeated the Blue Sand Armored Mantis mattered little to Xue Hui.
What mattered most was that they had successfully obtained its treasure.
Taking out the Heaven Breaker Heart Crystal Fungus, he examined its glassy surface and nearly heart-shaped appearance.
Chen Linlin stepped closer, gasping in wonder as she studied the unusual plant.
She cautiously raised a small finger and poked the fungus.
Her eyes sparkled with amazement when she discovered that, despite resembling a delicate glass sculpture, it was as soft and tender as an ordinary plant.
"What is this for, anyway?" she asked curiously.
Earlier, after entering the Blue Hue Desert, Xue Hui and Chen Zhenlong had decided to call it a day and find a safe place to rest.
Xue Hui took out the Sacred Jade Room, activated its concealment ability, and burrowed it deep into a massive rock formation, hiding it completely from outside threats, particularly the demon beasts that roamed the desert at night.
Once the three of them had settled inside, Xue Hui did what he always did: he headed back outside to explore.
Ever since obtaining the Sacred Jade Room, he had made a habit of surveying the surrounding area alone.
At first, Chen Linlin and her father had strongly opposed the idea. The outside world was far too dangerous for someone to wander around casually. However, remembering that Xue Hui was the same person who had guided them safely through countless dangers, they eventually relented.
Besides, he never returned empty-handed.
Whether it was a rare plant, a mysterious stone, or even the remains of a demon beast, he would bring something back and store it in his interspatial ring, claiming that it might prove useful someday.
Chen Linlin had once burst into laughter when her father jokingly called Xue Hui a "treasure gremlin," given the boy's habit of searching for valuable items whenever he had the chance.
They had been particularly surprised when he returned from the top of a desert plateau and announced that he had discovered something extraordinary.
Neither of them could understand how he had managed to scale the towering formation and return in such a short time.
This time, however, the treasure he had discovered was guarded by a Gold-rank demon beast. Recognizing that he might need help, Xue Hui had asked Chen Zhenlong to accompany him.
After extensive planning and a night's rest, the trio set out for the mantis's nest.
They climbed the desert plateau and searched for a suitable place to conceal the Sacred Jade Room.
Once Chen Linlin was safely settled inside and reassured that everything would be fine, Xue Hui and Chen Zhenlong continued to the summit to confront the beast.
Their plan was straightforward. Chen Zhenlong would engage the Blue Sand Armored Mantis head-on while Xue Hui used the Demon Concealing Lamp to approach its nest undetected and steal the treasure.
Now, their plan had succeeded, and the prize was finally in their hands.
Chen Linlin carefully held the fungus, making sure not to drop it.
Standing beside her, Xue Hui examined the crystal-like treasure.
"This is called the Heaven Breaker Heart Crystal Fungus. If I use it as the primary ingredient, I can concoct a pill that will help Lord Patriarch break through to Legend Rank."
Upon hearing those words, Chen Zhenlong, who had been wallowing in self-doubt, abruptly shot to his feet.
His usually stern and composed expression twisted into one of utter disbelief. His eyes widened, his jaw dropped, and even his hair seemed to stand on end.
The implications of Xue Hui's words struck him like a bolt of thunder.
If he could break through to Legend Rank, it would mean a complete transformation in his strength and cultivation.
Reaching that realm would not only elevate his personal power but also give him a chance to change the outcome of the catastrophic disaster destined to befall Glory City in the future.
Given the significance of such a breakthrough, no one could blame Chen Zhenlong for losing his composure.
"I-Is that really possible, Xiao Hui?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Ignoring the patriarch's stunned expression, Xue Hui nodded confidently.
"Yup! I just need to seclude myself for a while. Refining a Heaven-Defying Pill like this requires my full concentration."
With that, Xue Hui excused himself and headed to an empty room inside the Sacred Jade Room, leaving Chen Linlin and her father alone.
Since Xue Hui had requested privacy while refining the pill, neither of them could watch the process. With nothing else to do, father and daughter decided to get some rest.
Easier said than done, at least for Chen Zhenlong.
His heart refused to settle after everything that had happened, and Xue Hui's words kept echoing in his mind.
Me? A Legend-rank Demon Spiritualist?
The thought seemed almost impossible.
Chen Zhenlong let out a quiet sigh. There was little point in overthinking the matter, so he pushed his doubts aside, closed his eyes, and forced himself to sleep.
Three days passed, yet Xue Hui remained in seclusion.
Chen Zhenlong spent the time cultivating, taking the opportunity to properly consolidate his cultivation after a long period without adequate rest.
Chen Linlin also kept herself occupied, exploring the spacious interior of the Sacred Jade Room.
Although the enchantments on her Fuzhuang Box prevented her from feeling uncomfortable while lying inside it, she still preferred having a wide, open space where she could move around freely.
She had even learned to prepare a simple meal. It was nowhere near as delicious as Xue Hui's cooking, but she was delighted to be able to make something herself.
CLICK.
WHOOSH!
Like a sudden breeze, a rich, earthy aroma filled the room, carrying the scent of fresh leaves and a faint trace of lightning.
The small opening from which the fragrance emerged widened, releasing a wave of dense medicinal energy that spread throughout the room.
Xue Hui stepped out, looking exhausted. However, the satisfied smirk on his face made the outcome of his pill refinement clear.
"I've done it."
In his small hand was a bottle containing a single yellowish, almost translucent pill that emitted a faint golden glow.
"The Realm Breaker Soul Ascendant Pill."
Chen Zhenlong and Chen Linlin stared at the pill in awe, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Neither of them spoke, yet both were thinking the same thing.
Could this pill truly help someone break through to Legend Rank?
End of Chapter 22