C659 Becoming Famous in One Battle!

"The person who just flashed by, that was the God of Plagues from Darkmoon City?"

A cluster of women from the Cloud Water Sect fixed their gaze on the Evil Cauldron hovering in the void, the fleeting glimpse of Yu Yuan seared into their minds.

They seemed unusually thrilled and astonished, as if they relished the world being thrown into disarray.

"Did you see how he burst out of Chu Jing's Spectral Umbrella? And did you spot the hole torn through the fabric of the umbrella?"

"No way! How on earth did he manage to puncture the Spectral Umbrella?"

"Chu Jing is a contender for the next Sect Master of the Spirit Void Sect, with a wealth of arcane methods and a trove of treasures at his disposal. How could he be bested by Yu Yuan?"

"It's inconceivable!"

It wasn't just the Cloud Water Sect; numerous other sects and powerhouses, including the elite scions of the empire's great families, were all abuzz with discussion as they observed the Evil Cauldron from the desert below.

Prior to this, Yu Yuan's name was well-known, but it wasn't synonymous with profound cultivation or formidable combat prowess.

Yu Yuan's fame was largely tied to the magical artifacts he possessed and the catastrophic upheavals that seemed to follow him, rather than his own martial abilities.

Lacking the backing of a sect and only loosely connected to the Demon Palace through Yu Zhu, many saw him as a mere fluke.

A man of humble origins and modest cultivation, he had only managed to carve out a reputation for himself on the Profound Sky Continent through sheer luck and the Evil Cauldron.

But now, having witnessed him tear through the Spectral Umbrella and leave Chu Jing looking worse for wear, everyone was forced to acknowledge that this rising star from Darkmoon City indeed wielded combat strength befitting his burgeoning fame.

The Spirit Void Sect was on the cusp of ascending to the ranks of an upper sect, with Chu Jing as a prime candidate for the next Sect Master!

Armed with the Spectral Umbrella, at the level of the Yin God Stage, and surrounded by priceless treasures, yet he still couldn't secure a victory over Yu Yuan!

This was the most compelling evidence of all!

With a whoosh inside the cauldron's world, Yu Yuan watched the Life Altar emerge from the Xuan Gate acupoint, devouring the finger and then retreating back into his body.

He was completely drained, his body drenched in sweat, more fatigued than he had ever been before.

This battle had been the most intense he had ever experienced since his rebirth.

The formidable adversary, his equal in strength, delivered a shock that stirred his heart and mind profoundly.

As he tuned into the subtle shifts within his body, a sudden, deep understanding dawned on him: such battles were invaluable for pushing the boundaries of his cultivation and fortifying his physique.

For cultivators, honing their skills through combat surpassed all else!

With this thought, he retrieved a Soul Accumulating Pill from his Mustard Seed Bracelet, along with a Spirit Returning Pill he had swiftly refined. Swallowing them, he quickly activated their effects with his internal energy.

Once he sensed the medicine's power dispersing and the Spiritual Power and Spiritual Sense coalescing within the microcosm of his dantian and the sea of his consciousness, he steadied himself.

In the next instant, his form trembled slightly.

He acutely felt his nearly depleted body, starved of Spiritual Power and Spiritual Sense, eagerly assimilating the pellet's potency.

The pill's digestion rate was astonishing, far outpacing his expectations, at least seven or eight times faster than usual.

"Battle nourishes battle. After each fight, once my Spiritual Power and Spiritual Sense are spent, the reborn and refined energies seem even more pure and concentrated!" Yu Yuan's epiphany shed light on why those fabled warriors of battle achieved breakthroughs so rapidly.

"Yu Yuan!"

"Yu Yuan!"

Outside the cauldron, the voices of Zhao Yafu, Kong Banbi, and Zhan Tianxiang grew increasingly insistent.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth and emerged from the cauldron, immediately catching sight of the Fallen Star Eyes, Lau Ying, and then Zhao Yafu, Kong Banbi, and the rest.

Lau Ying's gaze held an affection he hadn't shown before, and Yu Yuan felt it resonate within him.

"Young man, you never cease to amaze me!"

Zhan Tianxiang swooped in and gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder, inadvertently sending a bewildered Yu Yuan tumbling back into the Evil Cauldron.

"Ah!"

Startled by his own reaction, Zhan Tianxiang, bathed in a golden aura, hastily backed away and called out, "Yu Yuan, what's going on?"

"He's spent from the battle with Chu Jing, drained of Spiritual Power and Spiritual Sense," Kong Banbi observed with clarity. As the Evil Cauldron finally settled to the ground and Yu Yuan slowly reemerged, he added, "After all, Chu Jing is of the Yin God Stage, a whole major realm above him."

As he spoke, gasps of astonishment and looks of shock rippled through the crowd.

It dawned on everyone that Chu Jing was not only of noble birth, with the Spirit Void Taoist in his corner, but he also surpassed Yu Yuan by an entire major realm.

And yet, he hadn't managed to defeat Yu Yuan, even appearing to be at a disadvantage?

Hou Tianzhao of the Red Devil Sect and Lin Yue of the Blood God Cult inhaled sharply, feeling the pressure emanating from Yu Yuan.

Stepping away from the Evil Cauldron, Yu Yuan stood on the cool sand, surveying the dozens of young men from various sects arrayed in a circle around him.

Nearly all were at the Profound Break or Penetrating Stages, with only a few older ones having reached the Yin God Stage.

They kept their distance, their eyes shining unusually bright in the night, likely employing some secret technique to scrutinize him closely.

Clearly, they had a keen interest in Yu Yuan; otherwise, they wouldn't have infused their Spiritual Sense into their eyes to observe him from afar.

Fortunately, it seemed they were wary of something, as they refrained from projecting their Spiritual Sense directly onto him for a more detailed examination.

"Yu Yuan, why did you have to engage in battle with Chu Jing?"

Kong Banbi furrowed his brow, his concern appearing genuine. "I'm familiar with Chu Jing's character and tactics. He doesn't pick fights without reason. But once he does, it's a fight to the death. You don't have any bad blood with him or the Spirit Void Sect, do you?"

"There is some," Yu Yuan replied quietly.

Kong Banbi caught the hint from Yu Yuan's brief response and wisely chose not to probe further.

With so many people around, he understood that it wasn't the place for Yu Yuan to elaborate.

"I'm going to the Fallen Star Eyes to recalibrate. Once I'm in better shape, we can discuss more."

Yu Yuan offered a smile and a nod to Zhao Yafu, Zhan Tianxiang, and the more distant Lin Yue and Hou Tianzhao, before soaring into the Fallen Star Eyes.

Those from the various sects who had little acquaintance with him had seen the Evil Cauldron and met him in person, departing contentedly.

As they left, they continued to quietly speculate about his clash with Chu Jing.

After this battle, Yu Yuan's name would ring even louder across the Profound Sky Continent, and even among the youth of the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents.

He had earned this reputation through his own strength!

In his fight with Chu Jing, he demonstrated to all that he possessed the power to stand toe-to-toe with the core disciples of the major sects!

...

"Keep what you know about Taoist Yeyin to yourself. It's best not to speak of it."

Seated on a crescent moon-shaped stone platform at the heart of the Fallen Star Eyes, Liu Ying's gaze shone like brilliant stars as she looked deeply at him, her lips curved in a soft smile. "You truly are a stubborn ox! To think you'd dare to provoke Chu Jing and even go as far as to openly defy him."

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Yu Yuan responded.

"His future could be as the Master of the Spirit Void Sect. They're on track to become an upper sect, surpassing even our Silver Moon Sect in strength," Lau Ying said with a sidelong glance, then shyly lowered her head, "This star stone pendant doesn't serve me any purpose anymore. You didn't need to do that."

"Neither Chu Jing nor Qi Jinghai should dictate your choices. Who you fancy is your own affair. Chu Jing has no right to manipulate you using me," Yu Yuan declared firmly, "Besides, he isn't the Master of the Spirit Void Sect yet."

"And as for the future, if he meets an untimely end, there won't be a future to speak of."

"History is littered with tales of promising individuals, favored by all, who met unexpected ends."

Kong Banbi and Lau Ying had made it abundantly clear: becoming an enemy of someone like Chu Jing meant a relentless feud.

With that in mind, Yu Yuan resolved to eliminate Chu Jing at all costs.

He would not allow him the chance to ascend as the Master of the Spirit Void Sect!

...