C415 Seventh Refinement!

Time slipped away like water through one's fingers.

Before I knew it, half a month had elapsed since the trials in the Ember Waters commenced.

The seabed was devoid of remarkable wonders, and no notable conflicts had broken out; tranquility reigned supreme.

Lau Ying, leading the Silver Moon Sect's trial participants, utilized the mystical Fallen Star Eyes but found little to impress herself or meet the Sect's expectations.

The haul of special stones and crystals were all too common, items the Silver Moon Sect's treasury had long possessed.

Even with the Fallen Star Eyes' magic, nothing of significance could be detected within the Ember Waters, leading Lau Ying to suspect that the other trial-takers would likely have no better fortune.

"Half a month already... Where is Yu Yuan?"

Enveloped in brilliant starlight, she glided through the water with the grace of a naiad, the Fallen Star Eyes at her chest twinkling amidst the seagrass.

The Silver Moon Sect's trial-takers scattered, searching as thoroughly as they could.

Her enthusiasm for the Ember Waters' trial had waned, giving way to boredom.

In such moments, her thoughts drifted to Yu Yuan.

Upon their farewell, Yu Yuan had promised to rejoin them shortly.

Yet, as the days turned to weeks, there was still no word from him.

Had it not been for the glimpses of Tang Cann, Lim Zhuyun, and others through the Fallen Star Eyes, she might have feared that Tang Cann had encountered Yu Yuan and done away with him beneath the waves.

Bound by the edicts of the Devil Palace and Demon Palace, she restrained the full might of the Fallen Star Eyes, limiting her search for Yu Yuan's movements.

Without his initiative to draw near, his whereabouts remained a mystery to her.

"That guy is always so enigmatic. Could he have stumbled upon something in the ancient lands?" Lau Ying pondered, reflecting on their brief acquaintance. "His actions in the Absence Relic were consistently startling, each with profound intent. He didn't seek out the new Fallen Star Eyes' landing site, as lured by the Devil Palace and Demon Palace. Instead, he's fixated on the old territories..."

The more she dwelled on it, the more earnest Lau Ying became. With her Fallen Star Eyes, she had meticulously scoured the surrounding area, finding nothing of note to justify a major upheaval. The Ember Waters trial had lost its luster for her.

Specks of starlight scattered from the energy shield she was within as she projected her voice to the sect's trial participants. "Feel free to explore this sector. The Devil Palace and Demon Palace's senior cultivators are monitoring the area. Stay within these bounds, and you'll be safe. Yu Yuan, who descended with us, has been silent for half a month. I'm going to check on him."

After issuing her guidance, Lau Ying tapped into the Fallen Star Eyes' power. A cascade of brilliant starlight enveloped her, cloaking her graceful, underwater form in a veil of celestial light as she sped towards the last known location of Yu Yuan.

...

Resting on the ocean floor was a dark blue star fragment, its faint glow serene in the still waters. Yan Lu, Wu Pei, Hu Tianyang, Sheh Si, and three other Devil Palace trialists gazed upon the massive extraterrestrial rock, imposing as a hill.

"There's no sign of unusual energy fluctuations," commented a Devil Palace cultivator from the Kingdom of Driliwyr, in the early stages of the Penetrating Stage. An orange orb of light hovered above him, repelling the seawater and allowing him to breathe with ease, without the need to process the water's oxygen through his eight extraordinary meridians.

This was Fei Yi, scion of a prominent Driliwyr family, handpicked for training in the Devil Palace. In contrast to Wu Pei and Yan Lu, who hailed from the Profound Sky Continent, Fei Yi had set out from the Devil Palace on the Quietus Continent. As the eldest and a senior brother, he held a certain authority among them. He and Wu Pei had long been acquainted.

Fei Yi turned away from the meteorite, addressing the group with a calm voice, "Junior brothers and sisters, remember that every celestial fragment that falls to our realm is subject to thorough scrutiny. The truly valuable ones, those harboring hidden treasures, are invariably claimed by the powerful cultivators who guard the heavens."

"Anything of value that falls into the Ember Waters will be detected by the vigilant Lord Heixun and Raven Lord. Should they find something appealing, it will undergo a second round of extraction, becoming part of the collections of the Demon Palace and the Demon Palace. The third round involves a search by the three upper sects, along with members of the Demon Palace and the Demon Palace."

"The likelihood of finding any magical items is slim. Throughout the history of the Ember Waters trials, it's rare—maybe one or two instances out of ten—where someone stumbles upon something truly unique."

"The so-called trial is merely about distinguishing various extraterrestrial oddities like rare stones, precious crystals, and exotic flora at the bottom of the sea. These items are commonplace in their native realms, and thus, hold little value here in the Ember Waters. They are certainly not the rare treasures one might hope for."

Fei Yi led the way with these words, moving on to another location.

Yet, mere moments after they had swum a dozen meters away, the large dark blue rock they had left behind emitted a slightly brighter glow.

But they failed to notice.

"Boom!"

The orange pearl atop Fei Yi's head burst without warning.

Shards of orange crystal sprayed out, narrowly missing Sheh Si and Hu Tianyang, who were close by.

The Demon Palace group turned their attention sharply to him.

Fei Yi, visibly taken aback and clearly surprised, quickly cast a Devil Spell to rewrap himself in spiritual energy, then spoke in a hushed tone, "This Spirit Sensing Pearl isn't of the highest grade. Its purpose is to detect powerful energy fluctuations, like the intense vitality of living beings or formidable souls."

"But..."

Fei Yi hesitated, then continued, "It shouldn't have exploded! Whatever caused this Spirit Sensing Pearl to shatter must be a fearsome entity! It's impossible, there's no chance of it! Every celestial fragment that has arrived from beyond has been meticulously scanned by the great cultivators with their soul senses. No living being could have made it into the Boundless Land!"

...

In the Alien Realm.

Yu Yuan, engrossed in his cultivation, remained oblivious to the outside world and indifferent to all external affairs.

Nine "miniature suns" hovered in the void, ceaselessly drawing in Sun Essence Fire, melting it down bit by bit, and channeling it into the Yellow Court Little World to cultivate his dantian.

The Sun Essence Fire's potent flame energy merged seamlessly with the spiritual energy of this Alien Realm. Once it was absorbed into the lower dantian, the transformative impact on the Yellow Court Little World was nothing short of astonishing.

The Yellow Court Little World was being ceaselessly expanded, its capacity pushed to the limit.

A mere pond transformed into a pool, then swelled into a vast lake!

The Yellow Court Little World grew increasingly expansive and immense.

Without realizing it, the assistance of the Sun Essence Fire, coupled with the plentiful spiritual energy of the Alien Realm and his own exceptional talent for cultivation, brought Yu Yuan's Yellow Court Little World through its sixth refinement.

The seventh refinement commenced without pause, further opening up the Yellow Court Little World.

Those capable of refining the Yellow Court Acupoints seven times could, in the future, have the potential to forge their main soul into a Primordial Spirit and step into the ultimate realm!

Such a feat was not just rare on the Profound Sky Continent, but also on the Heavenly Source Continent and the Quietus Continent—a mark of true genius!

Individuals of this caliber were highly sought after by the Demon Palace, the Demon Palace, and the upper sects. Once discovered, they would be swiftly inducted and cultivated as core disciples.

Yu Yuan, now undertaking the seventh refinement of his Yellow Court, was already something of a miracle.

Before venturing into the Ember Waters and this Alien Realm, he had completed the fifth refinement of the Yellow Court, his aptitude on par with the likes of Yan Lu, Su Yan, and Lim Zhuyun, making him a prominent figure on the Profound Sky Continent.

To the Raven Lord of the Black Xuan Continent, however, he was merely commonplace.

After all, the Quietus Continent was teeming with practitioners who had achieved the fifth refinement of the Yellow Court, hardly meriting special attention.

But the seventh refinement was an entirely different matter.

Yu Yuan, fully aware of his own cultivation prowess, was elated by his talent and thus redoubled his efforts.

He was eager to discover whether the seventh refinement was his peak, or if he could possibly advance even further.

Amidst his arduous cultivation, a faint tremor jolted him awake.

Bewildered from the long practice, he looked around in confusion, "What's happened? Why is there a tremor in this small world of the Alien Realm?"

The pupils of the Asura from the Dark Domain, like this place, seemed to be tiny worlds unto themselves.

In such miniature realms, it was highly unlikely for earthquakes to occur, for instability was rare.

Yu Yuan scanned his surroundings and then noticed the towering stone pillars quivering once again.

Indeed, he could distinctly feel the earth beneath him vibrating.

At that moment, in the sky where the sun and moon hung high, a spectacle unfolded above the leaden clouds.

Enormous fish bones, beyond imagination, emerged like the ribs of an umbrella at the deepest part of the celestial dome, faintly visible behind the grayish backdrop.

"This Alien Realm isn't a small world carved out by a mighty cultivator, but... the belly of a fish!"

Yu Yuan was jolted by the revelation, awakening to the truth in an instant.

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