The four brilliant pillars of energy floating over Celestial Mirror City lasted for a while longer before finally dissipating. However, the commotion that was caused continued to reverberate around the city.

Within a manor in the inner part of the city, Diwu Mingxuan stood in the center of the garden with his hands behind his back. Numerous mentors from the Divine Sun Ancient College were watching him from a corridor not far away, cheering and applauding him.

Song Jing's crimson fan lightly flapped in his hands as he appeared by Diwu Mingxuan's side, his face revealing a trace of envy. "Congratulations, Mentor Diwu. You've forged yet another Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried and have progressed yet again on the Path of Ascension."

Although Song Jing was an upper eighth-grade Duke and his strength would be considered top-class regardless of where he went in the inner divine continents, he did not dare to slight the newly minted sixth-grade Duke with three Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfrieds. After all, Song Jing understood that with this breakthrough, Diwu Mingxuan's true strength had become even more terrifying, possibly even capable of emerging victorious against a veteran expert like himself.

Diwu Mingxuan's gaze retracted from the distance where the three pillars of light were dissipating and he sighed. "My progress on the Path of Ascension has already been severed. Unless I find an incredible opportunity and reforge my three nine-pillar Duke Bergfrieds, I have no hope of becoming a Transcendent Duke."

He only had three Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfrieds, and a Transcendent Duke required at least four more. It would be impossible for him to continue down that path even if he obtained three more Ten-Pillars as he progressed.

Furthermore, he didn't have any hope of achieving that.

He was most clear that the most recent Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried he had forged had only been possible due to an opportunity gifted to him by his teacher, the Radiant King. And that would only happen once.

Song Jing paused momentarily before consoling him. "Although being a Transcendent Duke is a sort of glory, you've forged a robust foundation, so you will still step into the ranks of Kings even if you don't continue down this path. You have a great and bright future ahead, no worse than the Path of Ascension."

If his foundation and backing were similar to Diwu Mingxuan's, he was sure he would wake up from his dreams laughing at the sheer absurdness of this thought.

Diwu Mingxuan did not answer. The path of the Transcendent Duke was always the path of supreme power. Even if he became a Heavenly Emperor in the future, the Heavenly Emperors who had come from the Path of Ascension were much stronger than those who hadn't. That was the true pinnacle of might.

However, this was rarely ever seen. With Song Jing's experience, he could not possibly fathom the sheer difference in might. Even Diwu Mingxuan had only heard about it from his teacher once.

"Jiang Qing'e has obtained yet another Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried," Diwu Mingxuan said slowly with a hint of fear in his expression.

He had chosen to break through with the opportunity gifted to him by the Radiant King, only because he felt looming terror from Jiang Qing'e's presence.

His goal was to obtain the Light Transcendent Art within the Celestial Mirror Martial Exchange. This was the mission his teacher had tasked him with... or perhaps it was considered his trial.

If he could obtain the Light Transcendent Art, his understanding of cultivation would take a step forward and it would allow him to progress further through the King Stages. At that point, the Radiant King would provide even more nurturing and support. Thus, the Light Transcendent Art was something he had to obtain at all costs.

Jiang Qing'e also had three ninth-grade light resonances and thus, the art was also a humongous opportunity for her. It was inevitable that they would clash over this in time.

"Fourth-grade Transcendent..." Diwu Mingxuan's gaze flickered and he then turned to speak with Song Jing.

"Mentor Song Jing, I might need you to intercept some rabble in the Celestial Mirror Martial Exchange for me."

Song Jing's crimson fan lightly fluttered, bringing about gusts of blistering heat as he smiled. "You can rest assured that I won't let anyone disturb you."

Diwu Mingxuan nodded in thanks, then his gaze was once again directed towards the area where the pillars of light had vanished.

"Jiang Qing'e, the Light Transcendent Art will be a battle over our futures. I will definitely not let you win,"

he thought to himself.

......

The majestic and dense energy undulations continued to ripple within the cultivation chamber.

Jiang Qing'e and Lu Qing'er were the first to slowly open their eyes, and they were full of joy. Forging yet another Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried was extremely important to them.

When they sensed each other awakening, their gazes temporarily interlocked before they turned and glanced at Li Luo. They could see that his eyes were shut, but in front of him was a five-colored clay basin containing soil that emanated a mysterious aura. A Heavenly Thunder Bamboo shoot was growing inside it. At the same time, the third Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried above Li Luo's head began to shrink, spinning smoothly. Strands of different types of energy were flowing down from the Duke Bergfried.

This energy contained minor traces of source origin undulations.

Meanwhile, a small ball of flames was burning between Li Luo's palms, and the strands of energy were flowing into it and being refined.

A while later, wisps of Divine Mist emerged from the flames, directed towards the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo shoot.

As the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo shoot absorbed this energy, it gradually became much thicker and the thunder energy around it began to roar.

"What is he doing?" Lu Qing'er asked curiously.

Jiang Qing'e was well aware that the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo shoot was condensed from Li Jingzhe's remnant aura. Furthermore, Li Luo had once told her that nurturing the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo required him to utilize Absolute Resonance Qi. Absolute Resonance Qi was refined from the Myriad Resonances Flame with transcendent aura, containing source origin energy as its ingredient. The thicker the transcendent aura, the denser the refined Absolute Resonance Qi.

When a Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried was first forged, the resonances would create a unique energy similar to source origin energy. This was what they termed "transcendent aura." Transcendent aura would gradually infuse itself and meld with the Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried, strengthening its foundation.

"He is doing something very important to him." Jiang Qing'e explained it simply. It wasn't appropriate for her to tell Lu Qing'er that the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo shoot was the form that Li Luo's grandpa had taken to be reborn.

Lu Qing'er didn't ask further and merely watched quietly.

However, after a while, both their expressions shifted slightly. They could sense an inexplicable suction force coming from the flame in Li Luo's palms. "Oh?" Jiang Qing'e's gaze turned as her recently forged Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried had materialized yet again. The sacred and pure transcendent aura that slowly flowed around her Duke Bergfried seemed to be on the cusp of surging towards the flame in Li Luo's hands.

Jiang Qing'e was not only surprised but overjoyed to see this. It showed that the transcendent aura that was created from her Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried was also desired by the Myriad Resonances Flame.

If this transcendent aura could be absorbed by the flame, didn't that mean that Li Luo could refine even more Absolute Resonance Qi for the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo to take in?

She greatly respected Li Jingzhe, and the elderly man had doted on and lavished the two of them with unrequited affection and love. He had also chosen to sacrifice himself in order to protect them.

Thus, Jiang Qing'e didn't hesitate for a moment to stretch out her slender palm and grasp Li Luo's hand. The Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried above her began to direct the transcendent aura into the Myriad Resonances Flame.

With Jiang Qing'e's assistance, the Absolute Resonance Qi that was refined had become much denser.

Li Luo opened his eyes in surprise when he noticed this. When he saw what Jiang Qing'e was doing, he beamed radiantly.

At the same time, he thought to himself,

"Grandpa, your grandson and granddaughter are doing their best to help you revive."

Right at this moment, another person squatted down beside him. It was Lu Qing'er. Her elegant features gave off a cold impression, but she stretched out her jade-like hand and grabbed Li Luo's free hand. Her frozen Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried began to give off its own transcendent aura that entered the flames as well.

Li Luo was a little taken aback, and he hurriedly said, "Qing'er, transcendent aura is very precious. You should use it to solidify and strengthen your Duke Bergfried."

Lu Qing'er coolly replied, "You've helped me forge a Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfried, so isn't it fine for me to return the favor by giving you some transcendent aura?"

This left him speechless. He dryly smiled and nodded. The cultivation chamber turned quiet once again. The only sounds that could be heard were the low rumblings of thunder that the growing Heavenly Thunder Bamboo occasionally emitted.