Chapter 537: Chapter 175: The Limit, Sister Yan’s Six Ghosts Ghost Realm, Zhao Chunxin Advances to Fifth Grade

"Try again..."

...

In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed.

The end of the snow season at Cloud Mountain Path.

Li Yuan strolled through the corridors of Chenxi Manor.

During this period, he even ventured to the Frozen Soil to attempt forming the "Dragon Breath Blade Domain," but failed.

This failure was a complete failure, a failure with not even the slightest progress.

However, he did not come away empty-handed.

In repeated failures, he found the root cause of his failure: insufficient control over the "Domain."

In other words, this was caused by having "never truly stepped into the Fourth Grade."

His control of the "Domain" was entirely based on a temporary breakthrough.

Being able to construct the "Nine-Nine Eighty-One Formless Body-Breaking Blade Qi" was already extremely difficult.

And the "Dragon Breath Blade Domain" was obviously a more profound, intricate power.

This power must be built upon a truly stable "Domain," not a temporary breakthrough "Domain."

"Another bottleneck."

Li Yuan sighed.

He still remembered the bottleneck when he was stuck at Fifth Grade, waiting for the Talisman Seed to mature;

He also remembered the bottleneck when he was stuck at Sixth Grade, frantically searching everywhere for a Visualization Image;

He remembered the initial bottleneck without a cultivation skill, trying every possible way to join the Blood Saber Sect for cultivation.

And now, evidently... he had clearly pushed the main forces he could absorb and break through to the extreme.

He now needed to fight.

Achieving Fifth Grade Perfection and entering Fourth Grade is simple and straightforward—it’s combat.

In combat, power transforms, naturally leading to a breakthrough.

However, this kind of combat requires "real killing," and "bullying the weak" obviously won’t do.

And Li Yuan has always disliked such slaughter, especially now, whom should he kill? Should he first choose to join between the "Five Elements Forces" and the "Lotus Sect," and then kill?

He doesn’t particularly like this style, as it could easily lead to becoming mired and difficult to extricate oneself.

For a long time...

Li Yuan couldn’t come up with a good idea.

He thought for a moment, murmured, "Better go obtain some Talisman Seeds first. Over the years, more should have matured, right?"

...

...

North of Shanbao County, by the side of Silver Creek.

The creek water sparkling with ripples.

Wendao Palace, splendid and magnificent.

The palace occupied a vast area, resembling a giant golden lion crouching in the sunlight, shimmering with dazzling brilliance all over.

Over the years, Wendao Palace had undergone several expansions, with taverns, garment workshops, and even brothels inside, truly an independent marketplace.

Inside Wendao Palace, bustling crowds, an atmosphere rich in martial pursuits.

In the hustle and bustle, people moving like flowing water and horses like dragons, resembling a bustling market, but what people discussed wasn’t common transactions, but martial arts.

...

"Tomorrow, I can go see the ’Gentleman Riding a Deer Painting.’

"Congratulations, Brother Gu, why not celebrate at Drunken Land Building today?"

"After I’ve visualized it, if I gain insight, it won’t be too late to drink, haha."

...

"This blade technique, I can’t quite grasp the essence, in what way should I execute it correctly? After thinking it over, it’s still lack of experience, hence I came to spar with Brother Hou."

"Brother Wang, you’re too kind, I too have an interest in sparring."

"Please!"

"Please!"

...

"I heard our lineage was passed down by a Sword Immortal from the mysterious lands of the East Sea."

"I know, I know, the Fengbo Immortal Realm, right."

"Yes, Demon Blade, Overlord Blade, Absolute Blade, each having its own exquisiteness, I wonder which sword skill I will master."

"Whichever it is, it will be enviable~"

"Hmm, little sister is right, I should diligently cultivate, and leave the road ahead to fate."

...

"Brother Cao, it seems what suits me is the ’Overlord Blade,’ in the future, our paths will likely differ."

"Heh, Brother Cao is as rigid as ever, though I’m more suited for the ’Demon Blade,’ but..."

"Righteous and evil can’t coexist, we part ways here."

...

Various conversations resonated in Wendao Palace.

This place was like a small social world.

It was indeed so.

The Lotus Sect and the Emperor sent many young people here, implementing a "competitive system," where the talented would receive more resources, which also fueled the martial artists’ enthusiasm for cultivation.

Yet, no one knew it was a colossal lie.

Except for Zhao Chunxin and Yang Teng.

They were the two instructors of Wendao Palace.

Because they remained clear-headed, they also received abundant resources tilted by the Lotus Sect and the Emperor, rapidly advancing them towards Fifth Grade. After all, both the Lotus Sect and the Emperor were very curious about what this mysterious cultivation skill would look like when advancing to Fifth Grade.

Now, fourteen years had passed in a blink.

Both Zhao Chunxin and Yang Teng had achieved significant advancement through their daily focused cultivation.

The two possessed considerable talent, both now reaching the Peak of Grade Six.

At this moment, Zhao Chunxin was walking the streets of Wendao Palace.

Formerly Li Yuan’s Senior Sister Zhao, she still had a robust physique, with a scar on her left cheek near her mouth twisted like a centipede, adding a fierceness to her appearance.

As she walked, her clothes billowed, wrapping around muscles like blocks of iron.

And around her, everyone paid their respects, reverently chanting "Instructor Zhao."

But Zhao Chunxin seemed distracted.

She kept pondering that day’s event.

’Who was it that awakened me and Yang Teng from madness?

Why are only Yang Teng and I awake?’

She pondered, yet couldn’t find an answer.

Soon, she arrived at the gates of Wendao Palace.

The doors opened.

A Lotus Sect disciple guarding the tower beside the gate smiled and said, "Instructor Zhao, are you going to sweep the graves again?"