Chapter 255: Assisting a Breakthrough

Jiang Li was in disbelief. "Outer God? Sister Luo is an Outer God?"

Zhou Qingchen froze, pausing his application of healing ointment to his, Jiang Li's, and Han Duping's knees.

"The one inhabiting Ning Yao in the Solitary Mountain Range? How could she be an Outer God?" he asked in shock.

"An Outer God?" The other survivors were equally baffled.

The earlier display of power had deeply shaken them all.

It was one thing if a high-ranking Outer God was possessing her body, but for Luo Hongyan herself to be an Outer God...

"How could a human body possibly bear the power of an Outer God?" The gaunt Han Zhiyuan gazed despondently at the sky where Luo Hongyan had vanished. "She killed our Cult Leader. If she's truly an Outer God...what did the Blood Spirit Sect do back then?"

Ling Meiyu murmured, "She spared us because of Pang Jian."

"She has to be an Outer God." Li Yuqing nodded as she explained, "A person possessed by an Outer God wouldn't have retained their original consciousness, nor would they care about Pang Jian's pleas or feelings.

"The only logical explanation for this is if she was originally an Outer God. If this is true, it just proves she's more terrifying and difficult to deal with than expected.

"Pang Jian, that woman named Luo Hongyan is far more complicated than you think. If I'm not mistaken, she's likely always been an Outer God. A normal human body could never withstand her divine might!

"Han Zhiyuan, you're the Vice Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple. How much do you know about her?" Li Yuqing questioned.

Noticing her gaze, Han Zhiyuan silently put away his written will and responded with a frown. "Even our late Cult Leader didn't know much about her. The Cult Leader before him also didn't say much about her.

"He only mentioned that she must be eternally sealed within that fan and never allowed to escape."

Li Yuqing appeared even more puzzled. "It seems I'll need to go to the Second World to ask about her."

"She was completely normal while we were with her. Nothing like the Outer Gods you described," Jiang Li quietly remarked.

"You have no idea. Some Outer Gods have multiple facets, even multiple personalities." Li Yuqing sighed, a cloud of worry appearing on her brow. "The person you knew might only be one of her personalities. As she regains her power, other personalities may emerge, potentially overshadowing the one you knew."

"Multiple facets? Multiple personalities?" Jiang Li was confused.

The others also looked bewildered.

Li Yuqing did not offer further explanation and instead flew into the sky, breaking through some sort of barrier in the restricted area to gaze down at Spirit Offering.

After observing for a moment, she descended and said, "There are no more Outer Gods in Spirit Offering. The few that survived have already left, though I'm unsure where they went."

She then turned to Pang Jian.

"Pang Jian, Spirit Offering should be safe now, so you don't have to worry about the others' safety. I'm heading to the Second World soon and can take you along if you want to join me."

Pang Jian hesitated.

If he went to the Second World, he would be taken to the Sword Pavilion and become the Pavilion Master's personal disciple.

However, he still had yet to fully master his divine sense, and Zhou Qingchen, Jiang Li, and the others were seriously injured.

Pang Jian's silent reluctance was enough of an answer for Li Yuqing.

"In that case, wait for someone from the Sword Pavilion to come and escort you," she said with a gentle nod.

With that, she soared into the sky once more and headed straight for the Second World without the aid of a flying vessel.

"The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect possesses such powerful spirit artifacts! No wonder they've remained unshakable in the First World for so many years!"

"She's so young and already so terrifying. She's sure to achieve godhood in the future!"

"This is what a true heaven's chosen should be!"

The surviving rogue cultivators sighed as they watched her disappearing figure.

Pang Jian was also lost in thought.

Li Yuqing's combat prowess could slay Outer Gods. Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan had become a high-ranking Outer God.

His mind was in turmoil as he processed these revelations.

"An Outer God..." The silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi stared at the sky for a long time, unable to snap out of her daze.

"Everyone, please wait. I'll check the situation in the restricted area first!" Ling Meiyu of the Star River Alliance flew into the sky and released a large prism, which cast light onto Spirit Offering.

She carefully observed the images within the prism, searching for any signs of abnormalities, but saw no traces of Outer Gods.

After a while, the tension in her brows eased. "It seems the Outer Gods are truly gone. Everyone, you can leave now. Be careful."

With that, Ling Meiyu hastily led the members of the Star River Alliance out, eager to leave the restricted area and contact the upper-world sects to deal with the remaining Outer Gods.

The members of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple also departed with heavy hearts.

Lian Feng approached as the representation of the rogue cultivators to express his gratitude to Pang Jian before leaving. "Thank you for your help, Pang Jian."

Soon, only Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and their group remained with Pang Jian.

Zhou Qingchen's kneecaps had since healed thanks to the healing ointment. Slowly standing, he curiously asked, "Pang Jian, how do you know the young lady from the Li Family? Was it through Li Jie?"

"Sort of." Pang Jian nodded without revealing the truth. "Big Brother Zhou, what's your cultivation at?"

"I'm in the late stage of the Innate Realm," Zhou Qingchen replied with a hint of embarrassment and self-consciousness on his slightly stubbled face. "I've always known my talent is only average in the Fourth World. I'm nothing compared to the truly outstanding figures of the upper worlds."

Li Yuqing's display had made Zhou Qingchen feel rather insignificant.

"Don't be too discouraged. The Li Family girl comes from a background that few can match. She also has extraordinary talent and wields divine artifacts," Zhao Yuanqi said with a determined gleam in her eyes. "The path of cultivation is long. Breaking through quickly in the early stages doesn't guarantee prominence in the end.

"Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect was already at the late stage of the Profound Abode Realm, but he still died in Spirit Offering.

"Not to mention, many geniuses eventually became stuck in a certain cultivation realm for decades—even centuries. We're still young, so don't underestimate yourself!"

Zhou Yuanqi's last sentence was directed both at Zhou Qingchen and at herself.

Li Yuqing had slain an Outer God, and Luo Hongyan could be an Outer God. These two figures had stirred a sense of defeat into the silver-haired girl known as the genius of the Red Mountain Sect.

Seeing Jiang Li and Han Duping still applying healing ointment to their knees, Pang Jian turned to Zhou Qingchen and said, " Big Brother Zhou, let's talk somewhere else."

"Oh, alright."

Although Zhou Qingchen was puzzled, he followed Pang Jian as they slowly walked away.

Han Duping sat on the ground to apply ointment to his knee and said to Gao Yuan and Han Ting, "You two are lucky to have met Pang Jian in the Third World."

The two rogue cultivators absentmindedly murmured in agreement.

The pair had not fully recovered from their worship of Luo Hongyan under her overwhelming divine might and were still slightly dazed.

Meanwhile, in the spot where Pang Jian and Li Yuqing had previously conversed, Pang Jian softly said, "Big Brother Zhou, I'd like to assist you in breaking through to the next realm."

"Breaking through to the Profound Abode Realm? Isn't that just about nourishing the sea of consciousness and waiting for a wisp of divine sense to emerge? Can such a breakthrough be assisted?" Zhou Qingchen asked in surprise.

"I have a way," Pang Jian reassured before moving behind Zhou Qingchen.

Placing a hand on Zhou Qingchen's crown, Pang Jian slowly channeled the life energy from the five leaves into Zhou Qingchen's sea of consciousness.

Threads of green life energy streamed into Zhou Qingchen's sea of consciousness and sank into his acupoints.

"I accidentally acquired an energy that can enhance one's potential. It'll help you quickly cultivate divine sense. Please keep this a secret," Pang Jian said as he channeled life energy into Zhou Qingchen.

Zhou Qingchen's face lit up with joy when he felt the wondrous effects of life energy. "You must've had some amazing encounters since leaving Eight Trigrams City!"

He finally understood why the Sword Pavilion had notified the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple that Pang Jian was to be taken in as the Pavilion Master's personal disciple.

In the following days, Pang Jian and the others roamed Spirit Offering but found no trace of Outer Gods or heretical cultivators.

They too decided to leave the restricted area.

One day, after passing through a stone forest and exiting Spirit Offering, a gleam of excitement flashed in Zhou Qingchen's eyes.

He sat down, took out two spirit jades, and started cultivating silently.

Before long, a wisp of divine sense emerged from the depths of his sea of consciousness.

"The Profound Abode Realm! Pang Jian, I've formed my first strand of divine sense!" he exclaimed ecstatically.

He had successfully broken through after half a month of Pang Jian's regular infusion of life energy!

"Congratulations, Big Brother Zhou," Pang Jian sincerely offered his congratulations.

"You two..." Watching the exchange of knowing glances between them, Zhao Yuanqi suspiciously asked, "You didn't cultivate some kind of demonic technique, right? You shouldn't have broken through this quickly, even with the help of a Divine Origin Pearl!"

"You don't have to feel pressured. I've already turned twenty," Zhou Qingchen said with a grin.

In the Third World, the greatest marker of exceptional talent was the ability to reach Profound Abode Realm before turning twenty.

"Pressure? What pressure could you possibly give me? I'm just worried you've strayed to the demonic path!" Zhao Yuanqi scoffed proudly. "I forgot to mention, I recently broke through again. I'm now in the late stage of the Profound Abode Realm!"

"The late stage?" Jiang Li exclaimed excitedly, "One more step and you'll be at the Spirit Condensation Realm. You'll be eligible to become an elder of our sect!"

"Very impressive!" Han Duping and Gao Yuan praised.

"What's so special about that?" The silver-haired girl sighed with a hint of melancholy. "There's always someone stronger. You've seen it for yourselves. Besides, Sister Jiang, becoming an elder of the Red Mountain Sect isn't my goal.

"Pang Jian, my goal is the Second World as well, and it won't be long before I get there!"