Chapter 0999: Grand Perfection

Li Luo was currently standing atop a golden lotus throne in the skies above the Golden Dew Platform. His three Heavenly Pearls were giving off scintillating light, looking as dazzling as stars.

He had undoubtedly become the most handsome sight on the platform. Half the crowd was dazed, whilst the others were astonished. They had never seen anyone directly reaching the three-pearl tier upon breaking through. This only occurred once in a blue moon.

Li Luo's expression was calm as he inspected the dense resonant power flowing within his body. Then a hint of satisfaction could be seen in his eyes.

This breakthrough had met his expectations.

Others might have felt shocked, but he took it as a matter of fact. He had borrowed the aid of the Golden Dew Platform's baptism, consumed a Nine Orifices Dipper Smelting Pill, and, most importantly, had built a sturdy foundation over a long period of time.

He had made sure to reach the extreme end of every step before he progressed. In terms of potential and foundation, he was not inferior to anyone. If not for the fact that he was afraid of increasing his cultivation level too quickly, he could have even easily entered the four-pearl tier by now. Not only that, it wasn't only his resonant power that had taken a leap forward.

When he inspected his body, all three of his resonant palaces were shining with a brilliant radiance.

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Lower eighth-grade waterlight resonance, lower eighth-grade woodearth resonance, and upper seventh-grade Thunder Dragon resonance.

Mighty and majestic resonant power flowed within each resonant palace, and it was countless times stronger than before his breakthrough.

Additionally, his body now contained the Enigmatic Auric Halo.

Li Luo could feel the presence of the Auric Halo whenever he swept his senses through his body, proving that it was not an illusion of the mind. Although he didn't know where this thing had come from, it brought him many benefits. Namely, this was the merging of the Acquired Resonance Flame with his resonant power. The Acquired Resonance Flame was alight in the middle of the Auric Halo. It had become a little different from the past, as it would only appear when he activated the Acquired Resonance Godly Forging Art.

However, it looked like the flame had been born from the Auric Halo itself, entrenched in the middle and slowly swaying.

Whenever Li Luo activated his resonant power, the small ball of Acquired Resonance Flame would generate countless small motes of flame that would fuse with his resonant power and ignite it.

This gave it the effect of burning up other resonant power when they came into contact.

This special effect would give his future opponents a huge headache. At the very least, it would increase the rate at which his opponents consumed their resonant power.

Li Luo remembered that Jiang Qing'e's light resonant power possessed a purification power. Whenever they fought, he had to take precautions over his own resonant power being purified, increasing the rate at which it was consumed, making it tricky to deal with her.

He then attempted to activate the Auric Halo within his body, but to no avail. He temporarily shelved this matter and would spend more time researching it in the future.

"It looks like there is some golden smoke left over."

As he continued to inspect his body, he noticed that there were left over bits of golden smoke. It was helpful in evolving his resonances, but after the baptism was complete, it seemed as though his resonances had developed a resistance towards it and there would be little effect in doing so.

Thus, he raised his head and turned towards Li Jingtao and Li Fengyi. With a deep sigh, he flicked his finger, and the remaining tendrils of golden smoke were drawn out of his body and directed towards Li Fengyi.

Li Jingtao and Deng Fengxian had upper eighth-grade resonances, and the difficulty of elevating them any further was massive. The gap to the ninth-grade was a chasm few could cross. Li Fengyi, on the other hand, only had a lower eighth-grade resonance, so the remnant golden smoke might be helpful in pushing her over the edge after the baptism.

At the same time he smiled and reminded her, "Second Sister, receive it."

Li Fengyi looked at the golden smoke that was funneled towards her and fell into a daze. Hearing Li Luo's voice caused her eyes to light up, then she inhaled deeply and absorbed the smoke.

With the golden smoke entering her, Li Fengyi could feel her own resonance coming to life and clamoring for it. She was unable to evolve her resonance during the baptism, but it had definitely reached a climactic point. With the additional golden smoke from Li Luo coming to assist her, she could feel her resonance breaking through that final barrier.

Crimson light fluctuated behind her body, where a meandering manifestation of a dragon appeared, coiled up and ready to strike.

Upper eighth-grade Scarlet Dragon resonance.

Li Luo smiled. "That last bit of golden smoke was perfect in assisting her with stepping through the door completely."

This was meant for Li Jingtao to hear.

Li Jingtao, on the other hand, put on a genial smile and waved his hand, demonstrating that he didn't mind. He understood that his own resonance grade was high enough and that bringing it to the next stage would require more than another round of the Golden Dew Platform's baptism.

Li Fuling and the rest felt envious upon seeing this. However, they understood the relationship between Li Fengyi and Li Luo. They were extremely close and thus, no one could not feel dissatisfied over it.

After giving away that prized opportunity, Li Luo arrived by Li Lingjing's side and glanced over at the gloomy-looking individuals from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao with a grin. "You guys don't look very happy."

When faced with his mocking gaze, they reciprocated with coldness. Li Luo might have been in the process of undergoing a breakthrough, but he could sense that Zhao Yan and the rest were out to disrupt his fated opportunity. If not for Li Lingjing's advancement to the nine-pearl tier and her protection, he would have been ruined by these bastards.

Zhao Yan broodingly stared at Li Luo as he indifferently said, "You are an uncommon prodigy. Be wary of your smarts leading you to a premature death."

"I don't know when I will die, but I feel that you geniuses from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao need to leave something for me before you go." Li Luo smirked as a trace of killing intent surfaced within his eyes.

The Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao had constantly targeted them with one deadly scheme after another, and now that he had finally leaped ahead in strength, entering the three-pearl tier, he naturally felt the need to avenge those enmities.

They couldn't let the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao keep flaunting their power before them. It would eventually damage their own prestige and curb their sides' spirit.

"Cousin Lingjing, can you block this fellow for me?" Li Luo asked.

The nine pearls of light behind Li Lingjing immediately began to revolve at a high speed, causing a wave of resonant power to be released from her body.

"Leave him to me." She didn't say more, directly taking a step forward as her body transformed into a beam of brilliant light, shooting towards Zhao Yan. With her staff in hand, she waved it and caused sky-covering amounts of poisonous light to appear around it before smashing downwards onto him.

"Hmph! Do you actually think I'm afraid of you?" Zhao Yan coldly snorted.

The gigantic, coiled- up Golden Armored Crocodile in the sky transformed into a beam of glittering light that descended upon Zhao Yan's body. It transformed into a suit of impenetrable golden armor, and a giant crocodile mouth could be seen protruding out of the chest piece.

The appearance of the Golden Crocodile Suit caused terrifying fluctuations of resonant power to roll off Zhao Yan's body. His every motion seemed to stimulate the worldly natural energy around him.

He then barreled towards Li Lingjing as gratuitous amounts of energy undulations bombarded the Golden Dew Platform with every clash.

The moment the two started exchanging blows, Li Luo rushed towards Zhao Shenjiang.

Zhao Shenjiang malevolently glared at Li Luo as he grasped the heavy spear in his hand tightly. Behind him, his four Heavenly Pearls began to spin rapidly, sucking in worldly natural energy.

"Li Luo, don't think you're the only one who has experienced a major boost in strength."

Li Luo completely ignored his provocations, only slicing apart the void with the ancient blade in his hand. The void was rent apart, and a draconic cry coupled with the sound of rushing water could be heard.

Zhao Shenjiang smirked. "Li Luo, do you really think that the three-pearl tier is that amazing? That a mere Communion-grade Duke Art can deal with me? You think too highly of yourself."

As the void split apart, a gigantic, black dragon emerged with an ebony river trailing right behind, radiating a chilliness that could freeze even the air around it.

The only issue was that the black dragon did not rush towards Zhao Shenjiang. Instead, it opened its maw and inhaled deeply, sucking up all of the water around it.

After the river was consumed, it let out another deafening roar. Its originally inky scales gave off a dusky, mysterious glow that condensed into special runes.

At the same time, the black dragon grew in size, and its fangs and claws glinted with an indescribable sharpness.

A simple movement from it would tear a dark rift through the void.

The black dragon's might had increased exponentially.

Not too far away, Jiang Wanyu let out a shocked gasp and her eyes turned round.

"This is... the dragon and water fusing as one. The Underworld River's Black Dragon Banner has reached the realm of Grand Perfection!"