Deep within the chaotic star belt, in a natural cave surrounded by fierce winds, the spiritual energy is several times denser than outside. Crystalline spiritual crystals condense on the rock walls, emitting a soft halo.
Xiao Chen sat cross-legged in the center of the cave, his eyes closed, surrounded by a faint blue spiritual energy.
His aura was several times more composed than before, and a faint spear shadow flickered between his brows—after this period of seclusion, he not only successfully broke through to the Dao Inquiry Realm, but the spear intent of that rusty iron spear also became more solid, as if it had merged with his soul, and every move he made carried a sharp edge.
Not far away, Stone was lying on a pile of ferocious beast pelts, snoring loudly. This guy wasn't serious at all during his seclusion; apart from occasionally meditating, he spent most of his time gnawing on the ferocious beast meat and spiritual fruits in his storage bag.
Despite this "rough" cultivation, his physical body has become incredibly strong—his bare arms have muscles that are like cast iron, the scars from the Star Crystal Python scales have long since disappeared, and there seems to be a flowing light beneath his skin, faintly revealing an aura of returning to simplicity.
"call……"
Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes, exhaling a breath of turbid air, carrying a faint impurity. He clenched his fist, feeling the surging spiritual energy within his body, and a faint smile appeared on his lips—the power of the Dao Inquiry Realm was indeed much stronger than that of the Tribulation Transcending Realm. The sense of powerlessness he felt when facing the Creation Realm before had faded considerably.
"Stone, wake up, it's time to go." Xiao Chen patted Stone on the shoulder.
"Hmm... the barbecue is ready?" Shi Tou sat up groggily, rubbed his eyes, and only realized what was happening when he saw Xiao Chen. "Senior Brother, you broke through?"
“Yes, I’ve reached the Dao Realm.” Xiao Chen nodded. “You should also try your current strength.”
Stone grinned, walked to a corner of the cave, and threw a punch at a boulder several meters wide.
"Bang!"
The fist whistled through the air, shattering the boulder into dust that scattered like quicksand. The stone rubbed its fist and chuckled, "It feels...much stronger now!"
The two packed their things and left the cave. The fierce wind was still biting, but it no longer stirred their clothes. They wandered aimlessly, not deliberately choosing a direction, and unknowingly found themselves back outside the city of Windless City.
Several months later, the atmosphere of Windless City had changed.
There were several times more guards at the city gate than before, all of them looking vigilant and conducting much stricter checks. After entering the city, the cultivators on the streets hurried along, their eyes filled with unease, and occasionally one could hear hushed whispers, revealing a tense atmosphere that seemed to be brewing a storm.
“This city… why is it so strange?” Stone scratched his head. “It wasn’t this oppressive when I came here before.”
Xiao Chen also noticed the abnormality, grabbed a vendor carrying a load on a shoulder pole, and handed him a low-grade spirit crystal: "Fellow villager, what's going on in the city? What happened?"
The vendor took the spirit crystal, looked it over, and lowered his voice, saying, "Sir, you must be from out of town. Don't stay in Wufeng City for too long, something big is about to happen!"
"Oh? What is it?" Xiao Chen asked.
"What else could it be? The Bai, Shi, and Tang families are about to fight!" The vendor sighed. "The Shi and Tang families have formed an alliance and are just waiting to make their move against the Bai family!"
Xiao Chen frowned slightly: "Wasn't it a three-way standoff before? Why is it suddenly going to start a fight?"
"It's all because of the Breakthrough Fruit!" the vendor spat. "Last time we came back from the mine, all three families got the fruit. I heard that the Bai family's ancestor ate the fruit and is about to break through to the Dao Proving Realm and enter the Creation Realm! He's just one last step away from stabilizing his realm!"
"This news was leaked by some unscrupulous person, and the Shi and Tang families can't sit still any longer!"
The vendor spoke rapidly, "Their ancestor has been stuck at the peak of the Dao Proving Realm for so many years. Seeing that the Bai family is about to reach the Creation Realm, will the two families still have a way to survive? So they simply formed an alliance and plan to make a move before the Bai family's ancestor breaks through. They would rather die than let the Bai family become the only dominant family!"
Xiao Chen understood. The three major families were already evenly matched, and if any one of them produced someone at the Creation Realm, it would disrupt the balance. The reactions of the Shi and Tang families, though ruthless, were in line with the survival rules of the cultivation world.
"Doesn't the city lord care?" Xiao Chen thought of the city lord who had never shown his face.
"Manage? He'd love for the three families to fight even more fiercely!" the vendor sneered. "The city lord is cunning and calculating. When the three families are both severely injured, he can step in to clean up the mess, annex their businesses and territories, and ultimately benefit himself."
So that's how it is. The city lord was sitting back and watching the tigers fight, hoping to profit from the infighting among the three major families. The waters of Wufeng City run deeper than I imagined.
The two walked forward for a while, passing by the Bai family mansion. They saw that the mansion gate was tightly closed, and many new defensive formations had been added to the courtyard walls. They could vaguely see cultivators patrolling inside the mansion, and the atmosphere was as tense as a taut string.
Meanwhile, the Shi and Tang family mansions not far away were also heavily guarded, with powerful cultivators occasionally coming and going, clearly making their final preparations.
"Senior Brother, should we..." Shi Tou looked at Xiao Chen, still remembering Bai Yiluo's kindness.
Xiao Chen shook his head: "This is a matter between their three major families, and it has nothing to do with us."
He wasn't a saint. Although he had gotten to know the Bai family members, he wasn't about to get involved in their family conflicts. On the path of cultivation, everyone has their own destiny and their own tribulations. Whether the Bai family could overcome this hurdle ultimately depended on themselves.
Just then, the side gate of the Bai family mansion suddenly opened, and a figure in moon-white hurried out—it was Bai Yiluo. She was thinner than before, and her brows showed signs of fatigue, but she still stood up straight, whispering instructions to the guards beside her.
Seemingly noticing Xiao Chen's gaze, Bai Yilu looked up and saw him. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she quickly walked over.
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