However, compared to the change in his Spiritual Level, Yang Xiao's Heaven and Earth Origin Flame in his Qi Sea seemed somewhat lacking.
It had only just broken through.
Barely reaching the Early Stage of the Yellow Flame Realm.
'The Yellow Flame Realm is the final realm of Mortal Fire, offering three opportunities to temper one's body and spirit. The first chance comes at the Early-Yellow Flame Peak. If I can reach that stage, even if my Spiritual Level doesn't break through to the Void Observation Realm, my physique will still be able to reach the level of an Upper-Grade Spiritual Body.'
Looking at the yellow flame within his body, an idea struck Yang Xiao. He retrieved several crimson pills from his Storage Ring.
These were the Fire Element Pills he had accumulated, as well as the Spirit Medicines he had previously obtained in the Earth Flame Cave.
Yang Xiao refined all of these Spirit Medicines into Fire Element Pills.
Then, he refined those Fire Element Pills into a single King-level Fire Essence Pill.
With his current Spiritual Level at the Observing Micro High Peak, he was fully capable of refining a King-level Fire Essence Pill at the Peak of Third Grade.
However, once a pill reached the King Level, raising it even a single grade became an incredibly difficult task.
Yang Xiao exhausted all the resources he had, but only managed to create a single King-level Fire Essence Pill at the Peak of Second-Grade.
He swallowed it.
The Yellow Flame within him swelled, but it didn't reach the Early-Yellow Flame Peak. Instead, it settled at the middle tier of the Early Stage. At the same time, Yang Xiao's cultivation finally stepped into the Martial Grandmaster Realm, reaching a level comparable to the Martial Grandmaster Second Layer Peak.
However, Yang Xiao was slightly disappointed with this level of progress.
'It seems that after stepping into the Yellow Flame Realm, improving the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame has become even more difficult. To break through to the Early-Yellow Flame Peak, I'll probably need at least ten more of those azure lotuses from before.'
Ten Medicine Kings of the Ancient Spirit Medicine Level.
That was no easy task.
Still, after breaking through to the Yellow Flame Realm, Yang Xiao's overall strength had improved tremendously. Even the True Greater Yang Fire within him had been elevated to the Lower Eighth Grade.
The advancement of his True Greater Yang Fire immediately triggered a chain reaction within Yang Xiao's body.
Within the Divine Power Seed he had just successfully condensed, the Secret Patterns, which were originally only equivalent to Upper Ninth Grade, instantly transformed. Just like his True Greater Yang Fire, they became Lower Eighth Grade.
Immediately, both his Vajra Indestructible Body and the Attack Power of the True Greater Yang Fire itself were significantly enhanced.
Previously, Yang Xiao's defense could only block a Tier Seven Martial Saint.
But now, once he activated his Divine Technique, let alone a Tier Seven, even Tier Eight or Tier Nine Martial Saints would not necessarily be able to harm him.
The increase was more than tenfold!
One could tell just by looking at how the Nine Nether Evil Qi around him was completely unable to cause him any harm.
By stepping into the Yellow Flame Realm, Yang Xiao had finally reached the pinnacle of the Celestial Cloud Region.
At least, in terms of defense, he was unparalleled.
He no longer feared anyone.
'Now, even if I run into that girl again, she probably won't be able to hurt me. My Attack Power is a bit lacking, but it should be no worse than a Tier Six Martial Saint's... For now, though, I should first see what secrets this Nine Nether Earth Rift holds…'
His strength having risen dramatically, Yang Xiao was overjoyed. His interest in the secrets within the Nine Nether Evil Qi was piqued, and with a thought, he immediately headed deeper into the Nine Nether Earth Rift.
He wanted to see what the source of this Nine Nether Evil Qi looked like.
At the same time, he also wanted to test just how much of the Nine Nether Evil Qi's power his Vajra Indestructible Divine Technique could withstand.
...
"It's been almost a month. Why isn't that guy out yet?"
Meanwhile, outside the veil of Nine Nether Evil Qi, Yue Lingxi wrinkled her pretty nose in annoyance.
The Profound Sun Order was a critically important item to her.
It was the most crucial part of the mission her Master had assigned. If she couldn't get it, she would fail. And if she failed the mission, she wouldn't be able to go back.
The thought made Yue Lingxi furious.
'It's all that damn guy's fault! But what do I do now?'
Her anger subsided, replaced by a nagging worry.
'That guy... he didn't die in there, did he?'
Yue Lingxi was getting frantic.
She, a prodigy blessed by the heavens, was on the cusp of becoming the supreme Saintess of the Holy Palace once this mission was complete. After that, no one would be able to challenge her status.
Yet here she was, in this remote place, getting bested by some backwater brat.
He'd even taken the Profound Sun Order.
Yue Lingxi was absolutely livid.
And then there was that... blending of their auras.
The moment she thought of it, Yue Lingxi's face turned beet red.
She was both furious and flustered.
'If that brat really died in there... should I go save him?'
Yue Lingxi immediately shook her head. 'That brat is so detestable, I'm not saving him! But... the Profound Sun Order can't be lost in there!'
As if having found a perfectly reasonable excuse, Yue Lingxi raised her head and stared at the Nine Nether Evil Qi before her.
This stuff was terrifying.
It wasn't something she could withstand.
'Should I try using my Nine Yin Qi to disperse it? Damn it! If Master hadn't forbidden me from using Divine Power Realm strength here, how could I, a Saintess, be in such a sorry state?'
But despite her words, Yue Lingxi still raised a hand and sent a palm strike toward the Nine Nether Evil Qi.
With that one strike, Yue Lingxi saw some of the Nine Nether Evil Qi actually disperse.
Moreover,
She sensed that the Evil Qi's corrosive assault on her was not as terrifying as before.
'What's going on? My Nine Yin Qi clearly hasn't transformed; it has only barely reached the Seventh Grade. It's impossible for it to resist the Nine Nether Evil Qi. So why? Why wasn't much of it consumed this time?'
Yue Lingxi was utterly baffled.
Although her cultivation was sealed, forcing her to rely on the strength of a True Intent Peak cultivator, she couldn't even use her true Divine Techniques. All she could muster were some Pseudo Divine Techniques.
However, her Heart Spirit Power was extremely strong, allowing her to easily sense that her Nine Yin Qi seemed to have undergone some sort of change.
Normally, the most terrifying aspect of the Nine Nether Evil Qi was its insidious, all-pervasive nature, its ability to infiltrate anything.
It could invade flesh and blood not only through contact, but could even infiltrate something as intangible as one's Heart Spirit.
Let alone the Nine Yin Qi within her body.
That was why, although Yue Lingxi had thought of using her Nine Yin Qi to disperse the Nine Nether Evil Qi, she would sever her Heart Spirit connection to it the instant she felt the Evil Qi begin to invade.
This way, despite the greater consumption, it was still a viable method for entering.
But now, Yue Lingxi suddenly discovered something.
The Nine Yin Qi she had just unleashed seemed to be immune. It hadn't been corroded much—no, that wasn't right. It was completely unaffected by the Evil Qi's assault.
'Could it be... because of that brat?'
A flash of joy crossed Yue Lingxi's face, only to be replaced by a blush.
Because thinking of that brat reminded Yue Lingxi of what had happened between them.
The blending of their auras.
For no reason at all, Yang Xiao's face appeared in her mind, and she couldn't help but grind her teeth in anger.
'That damn guy, he's so infuriating! He's bullying me just because he has the Profound Sun Order! Infuriating!'
At this moment, however, Yue Lingxi had completely forgotten something.
It was she who had attacked Yang Xiao first.
This had provoked his animosity and led him to retaliate.
She only felt that this guy, Yang Xiao, was utterly detestable.
Soon, however, a smirk appeared on her face. 'Now that my Nine Yin Qi can block this Evil Qi... hmph, hmph. Let's see where you can hide now, you brat!'
Meanwhile, Yang Xiao would never have imagined that because their auras had blended, he wasn't the only one who had benefited. Yue Lingxi had also gained the ability to enter the Nine Nether Evil Qi and was about to come find him.
If he had known, he would have been filled with endless regret.
*(Author's Note: Chapter four is here. Please add this to your collection!)*