Celestial Refining Divine Scripture

"This is absolutely insane. How did he manage to do that?"

"Could it be that he already possesses the strength of the Celestial Immortal Realm?"

Zhou Tai muttered the words, and everyone around him shuddered.

First-grade Immortal Armament, Celestial Immortal strength?

This is just crazy.

So crazy that you’d sooner believe a sow could climb a tree than trust your own eyes.

"Hmph, strength of the Celestial Immortal Realm isn’t so easily attained."

"Unless he forges a Ninth Grade Immortal Foundation and breaks through True Immortal, there’s a chance; watching him absorb the Golden Immortal Marrow, barely holding out—even if it’s just a moment, his body is pushed to the limit, battered, and with that unstable aura, he’s far short of Celestial Immortal Realm."

"He must’ve used some special treasure or technique to collect or suppress the power of the Golden Immortal Marrow, not truly refined and absorbed it."

Yang Yuan’s remarks made sense, and everyone nodded, thoughtful.

Xu Yang was just as surprised; he hadn’t expected Yang Yuan’s insight to be so sharp.

In such a short time, he could spot so much.

Still, he wasn’t wrong!

Of course, it’s no big deal if he can’t refine it now.

So long as he doesn’t waste the power of that Immortal Marrow, that’s enough.

With a day left, swallowing the Celestial Immortal Realm’s Marrow and storing it in the Divine Cauldron, the Purest Essence Qi gained would far surpass the True Immortal Realm.

Then...

Xu Yang ignored the others, quietly absorbing.

Each time Immortal Marrow entered his body, the shock to his bones refined his physique bit by bit. By the last day, he could almost bear the shock without a change of expression.

The benefits were self-evident!

The final day ended.

Chi Ning entered the cavern, eyes narrowing.

"Celestial Immortal Realm?"

He gasped, nearly thinking he’d hallucinated.

Once he saw clearly, his heart roiled, and he thought of Hong Wei.

What a pity!

Even as an outsider, Chi Ning felt bad for Hong Wei—he’d missed out on a massive treasure mountain.

Chi Ning smiled wryly, then swiftly composed himself and led everyone out of the cavern.

"The Fourth Elder is waiting for you on the Inner Peak. Go at once."

"It’s actually the Fourth Elder leading the team..." Xu Yang’s eyes widened in surprise.

The Fourth Elder was Duan Tianyang’s master.

During the rookie competition, Xu Yang had eliminated Duan Tianyang on the spot—not only costing him the guaranteed seed disciple spot, but also slapping the Fourth Elder square in the face.

Granted, with Dan Qi as a backer, he didn’t need to turn to Dan Qi for everything.

For a Golden Immortal powerhouse, if he dislikes someone, making trouble is child’s play.

Unless the Fourth Elder is truly tolerant... but Xu Yang didn’t dare to be sure about that.

The other seed disciples all shot Xu Yang odd looks.

Evidently, they’d all remembered that scene from that day.

"This time we’re heading to the Ice and Snow Immortal Palace; the Fourth Elder is a Golden Immortal, he probably won’t stoop to targeting a junior." Ji Hong patted Xu Yang’s shoulder and spoke quietly.

That may be, but Xu Yang was already on guard, ready for any trouble.

No harm in being careful.

A moment later...

Summit of Inner Peak.

The Fourth Elder stood, hands clasped behind his back.

Seventeen seed disciples gathered.

Fourth Elder’s face was unreadable; he didn’t even glance at Xu Yang, but said blandly, "This time, we’re here under invitation from Ice and Snow Immortal Palace. The details weren’t disclosed, but I suspect it involves their newly ranked Immortal Pride List disciple, Liou Xueyan."

"Plus representatives from Hongtian Guiyuan Sect—the top geniuses from all three North Province great sects will be present, so expect fierce competition. You’re the finest talents of Black Fire Immortal Mountain; be prepared, and don’t disgrace our Immortal Sect."

All responded solemnly.

Fourth Elder nodded slightly and swept his sleeve.

Whoosh!

The sky suddenly darkened.

A vast black cloud appeared out of nowhere, shrouding the summit of Inner Peak.

An astonishing pressure surged downward, enough to make one’s skin crawl!

On closer inspection, the cloud was wreathed in a thin layer of black flame—truly shocking.

The Fourth Elder stepped into the air, landing atop it.

"Let’s go."

Shua shua shua!!

Everyone ascended onto the fire cloud.

Once inside, Xu Yang realized he felt perfectly comfortable—all the pressure and menace vanished completely.

He couldn’t even sense a trace of that fierce, boiling energy—it was as cool and breezy as standing in the mountains.

He glanced around, inwardly startled.

Absolutely unable to see through it.

This black cloud was either a priceless treasure or a Golden Immortal technique.

Whoosh!

Under the Fourth Elder’s control, the black cloud shot skyward and vanished in an instant.

"Mr. Ji, interested in a spar?"

On the cloud, Yang Yuan suddenly spoke up, staring straight at Ji Hong.

His words made everyone open their eyes wide; even stopped cultivating for the moment.

A spar between Yang Yuan and Ji Hong—this was a major event!

Xu Yang perked up, his gaze sharpening.

The Fourth Elder glanced back and said blandly, "The journey will take four days. Do as you please."

With such permission, everyone grew even more excited.

Ji Hong squinted and smiled, "Back when you joined, Mr. Yang, you lost to me. And in the contest for seed disciple and late-stage True Immortal, you lost again. Even if you’ve made the Immortal Pride List, I’m about to reach middle-stage Celestial Immortal Realm. You must have a lot of confidence to challenge me, Mr. Yang."

Xu Yang’s mouth twitched as he gave Ji Hong a strange look.

This guy didn’t utter a single curse word, but anyone hearing it would be riled up.

Want a spar?

No matter what list you’re on now, you lost to me every time before.

Before the fight even starts, it’s psychological warfare!

Sure enough...

Yang Yuan’s expression darkened, muscles twitching.

Facts are facts—it’s the humiliation he doesn’t wish to remember!

"What, Mr. Ji—are you scared?"

"Heh."

"Make your move."

Ji Hong rose to his feet, walking to the edge of the black cloud, and spoke coolly.

At the same time, a thin barrier of energy rose above the cloud, separating the duel from the other areas.

Yang Yuan’s eyes gleamed sharply as he leapt into the air.

"Careful, Mr. Ji."

Boom!

Black fire erupted skyward, swirling like a thick cloak around Yang Yuan—like a monstrous black serpent, and like a mighty waterfall, tearing through the sky, appearing before Ji Hong in an instant.

"Wind-rolling Fire Cloud Palm!"

The cold shout cracked like thunder, shaking the heavens.

The waterfall of flame condensed into a massive black palm, blazing with fierce Earth Flame Black Fire, striking down hard.

"Seven-foot Immortal Lotus!"

Ji Hong, with an effortless twist of his palm—

Whoosh!

Immortal light flashed; a lotus appeared in midair, around seven feet wide, warping, spreading its leaves to swallow the incoming palm.

Rumble!

The immortal lotus burst apart; the black fire retreated.

The shockwaves surged like tides, but everything was kept in check by the barrier’s constraints.

Even as the energy hadn’t dissipated, the two figures collided like shocks of lightning, exploding with thunderous clashes—immortal light bursting out, wild as a mountain collapsing or waves crashing.

"Such formidable strength!"

"Yang Yuan only recently broke through, but he can nearly go toe-to-toe with Ji Hong."

"Damn, Ji Hong is almost at middle-stage Celestial Immortal Realm; but Yang Yuan hasn’t been harmed by a single attack so far."

"No idea what sort of fortune Yang Yuan found—he’s changed so much."

"Looks like Yang Yuan probably can’t win, though."

...

Xu Yang’s heart was shaken—the power of Celestial Immortal Realm was indeed daunting!

He realized there was still a sizable gap between him and the Celestial Immortal level.

Tempering was the key!

Yang Yuan might seem suppressed, but he was still composed.

For now, even Xu Yang couldn’t tell who had the upper hand.

"Mr. Zhou, do you think Yang Yuan can defeat Mr. Ji?" Xu Yang crowded over to Zhou Tai, asking quietly.

"He’s improved so much," Zhou Tai murmured, then said gravely, "Ji Hong still has the better odds. Even if he wins, though, it won’t be easy—he’ll probably have to pay a price."