After Rong Jiaojiao went into seclusion for half a month, spiritual clouds began to gather above the courtyard where Mo Bai lived. The spiritual clouds surged like a turbulent sea, wave after wave, layer upon layer, enveloping the entire courtyard in a hazy halo.
In the small courtyard where Mo Bai lived, his eyes were closed, and his spiritual energy surged like a tide, constantly impacting the thin bottleneck.
His aura grew stronger and stronger, and the surrounding air began to tremble slightly, as if it would be torn apart by his powerful spiritual energy at any moment.
Taking a deep breath, Mo Bai concentrated all his spiritual power into one point and suddenly let out a low roar. That powerful spiritual power was like a sharp arrow, instantly piercing through the bottleneck and rushing towards a higher realm.
In an instant, the spiritual clouds above the courtyard suddenly became violent, like a startled beast, rolling wildly. Rays of colorful light shot out from the clouds, piercing through all obstacles and falling on Mo Bai.
Immediately afterwards, golden runes descended from the sky, swirling around Mo Bai's body. These runes emitted a dazzling light, as if they possessed boundless power.
Mo Bai's aura reached its peak at this moment. He slowly opened his eyes, which flashed with an unprecedented light. A powerful aura emanated from him, causing everything around him to tremble.
"Success!" Mo Bai's lips curled up, and he could feel the powerful force within his body.
However, in a flash, he found himself in a grand auditorium, which was decorated in a luxurious and festive manner.
He was happily holding Rong Jiaojiao's hand, walking step by step toward his parents in the hall. Just as they were about to perform the wedding ceremony, Jun Yuangui suddenly appeared and slapped him away with a palm.
Then he snatched Rong Jiaojiao from his hands, and Rong Jiaojiao followed Jun Yuangui away without looking back, leaving him alone like a useless dead dog, lying on the ground with bloodshot eyes and one hand outstretched, just watching them leave and disappear.
Above the white courtyard, the colorful spiritual mist instantly turned into a thick, black fog, which continued to grow darker.
In Mo Bai's illusion, Mo Bai watched everything unfold with a clear mind.
Watching the entire Jun family act like fools, not knowing how to stop it, and seeing Mo Bai in the illusion watching the bride being taken away like a helpless idiot, and then, after they disappeared, he went berserk and slashed his family members with his sword.
Mo Bai was so angry he almost laughed. How much did this inner demon look down on him to make him so pathetic and vulnerable?
He sneered, and a sharp, blood-red blade suddenly materialized in his hand, which he slashed without hesitation at everything in the illusion.
"A mere inner demon dares to disturb my Dao heart?"
With a sweep of the blade, the illusion shattered like a mirror.
The thick, dark fog suddenly paused, then receded like a tide, replaced by a bright, clear moon. Its cool light shone down and illuminated Mo Bai's body.
He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and cold, and his aura became completely stable—he had achieved the Celestial Master Realm!
At the very moment Mo Bai broke through, above the time array where Lin Xiaoman was in seclusion at the Starry Sky Sect, colorful spiritual clouds began to surge.
Within the Time Array where Lin Xiaoman was in seclusion, spiritual energy surged in wildly, forming a visible vortex within the array.
Her white clothes fluttered wildly as the spiritual energy surged through them, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead, clearly indicating that she had encountered a major obstacle at a crucial moment in her breakthrough.
Outside the Time Array, Zhao Yuntian and the elders of the Starry Sky Sect stood guard with solemn expressions.
The elder stroked his beard and said in a low voice, "This child's spiritual energy fluctuations are unusual. Could it be the work of a demon in his heart?"
Before the words were finished, the colorful spiritual clouds above the Time Array suddenly twisted strangely, turning into hideous ghost faces that emitted piercing screams.
In the illusion, Lin Xiaoman found herself in a boundless pool of blood.
One by one, her seniors and comrades died in front of her to protect her, but all she knew was to be afraid and hide.
The scene shifts, and she is surrounded by countless severed limbs and familiar faces—her comrades-in-arms, the predecessors who protected them, all dying before her eyes.
She was all alone, facing her fellow cultivators who were gradually turning into blood, and the vast army of demons.
In reality, the Time Array trembled violently, and cracks began to appear in its patterns. Seeing that the array was about to collapse, the Grand Elder made a decisive move, forming hand seals and channeling spiritual power: "Activate the Mountain Protection Array to protect the array's core!" The other elders followed suit, and nine beams of light shot into the sky, forming a sturdy protective shield outside the Time Array.
In the illusion, Lin Xiaoman suddenly laughed, her laughter filled with disdain: "So this is my inner demon. I, Lin Xiaoman, wouldn't dare say I'm fearless, but I'm certainly not one to cling to life!"
Her eyes suddenly sharpened like an eagle's, and her spiritual power erupted: "Now that I have embarked on the path of cultivation, I have long since disregarded life and death. How could I be frightened by such an illusion!"
She forced blood from her fingertips, drawing a mysterious rune in the void.
The runes shimmered with a dazzling golden light, reflecting her resolute gaze.
"I, Lin Xiaoman, swear by my blood today—" Her voice echoed in the illusion, "If that day truly comes, I will fight to the last drop of blood, and I will never betray the sacrifice of any comrade!"
The blood talisman suddenly exploded, transforming into countless starlight.
The starlight pierced through the illusion of the blood pool like sharp arrows, each one striking a demonic phantom with pinpoint accuracy.
Outside the illusion, the ghostly cloud above the Time Array suddenly let out a shrill scream and disintegrated under the impact of starlight.
At the same time, the spiritual power that had been dormant within Lin Xiaoman's body for a long time finally broke through its shackles and surged out like a cascading river.
A dazzling spiritual light rose from Lin Xiaoman's body, and nine golden halos similar to those of Rong Jiaojiao and Mo Bai slowly emerged. The unique Daoist aura of the Celestial Master Realm spread outward from the center of the Time Array.
The protective array of the Starry Sky Sect rippled under the impact of the oppressive force, but it could not hide the joy in the eyes of the elders. Several seal holders had finally broken through to the Celestial Master realm.
From now on, their safety will be more guaranteed.
The Grand Elder transmitted his voice to Lin Xiaoman: "Young friend Lin, there are still spirit stones left in the formation. You should continue to consolidate your cultivation and wait until it is stable before leaving seclusion."
Lin Xiaoman's voice came from inside the formation: "Thank you, Grand Elder, and thank you to all the senior protectors!"
Lin Xiaoman sat down cross-legged again, closed her eyes and focused her mind, meticulously sorting and integrating the spiritual energy around her body, allowing it to flow smoothly through her meridians, further stabilizing her Heavenly Master realm cultivation.
Within the Time Array, the vortex of spiritual energy gradually subsided, transforming into soft spiritual light, like twinkling stars surrounding her and nourishing her spiritual roots.
At the same time, Mo Bai also recovered from the shock of the breakthrough. He stood up, feeling the surging power within his body, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
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