CHAPTER 442: CHAPTER 442, FENG YUYAN’S CONSTITUTION

"Reporting to the Hall Master, based on the intelligence images transmitted back, this person is Chu Ming, the foremost Tianjiao of the Celestial Travel Sect and the direct disciple of Qingxuan King. He has defeated the Tianjiao of the Profound List, Qin Guan, Hu Xueqi, and Wei Zheng. It is estimated that his ranking on this year’s Profound List should be between the 20th and 30th positions."

Beside the beautiful woman in palace attire stood an elderly man in a gray robe with graying hair. He was the Grand Elder of the Ice Profound Hall, Bing Yan.

The beautiful woman in palace attire seated at the highest position was the Hall Master of the Ice Profound Hall, Bing Xuan.

Bing Xuan, the youngest Hall Master in the history of the Ice Profound Hall, was herself once a Tianjiao of the Profound List in her youth, with a ranking not low. Now, at just over fifty years old, she was already a formidable expert of the Eighth Layer in the Realm of Transcendence and had incomparably profound swordsmanship, earning her the title of Ice Spin Sword Sect.

"Your intelligence is wrong."

Bing Xuan’s azure gaze deepened; she spoke softly to Bing Yan, both of them communicating through voice transmission, unnoticed by others.

"Where is it wrong?"

Confusion filled Bing Yan’s eyes. The Ice Profound Hall, securely occupying the top position in the Ice Profound Domain, had its own intelligence organization, which, though not as formidable as the Life and Death Palace, had intelligence with at least 90% credibility.

"You underestimated his strength. This year’s Profound List, he can at least rank in the top twenty. As for the exact position, that remains uncertain."

Bing Xuan’s lips moved slightly as she transmitted the message to Bing Yan.

Simultaneously, a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes. It seemed like a veil of mist shrouded Chu Ming, rendering her investigations completely blocked. Her assessment of Chu Ming’s power was but a speculation.

"How can this be?!"

A flicker of astonishment crossed Bing Yan’s eyes. The Celestial Realm was merely a remote minor domain, and the quality and quantity of its Tianjiao paled in comparison to major domains like the Ice Profound Domain and Sword Domain.

In the twenty years of Profound List competitions, no one from the Celestial Travel Sect had ever ranked. The previous Profound List contests saw the top twenty dominated by major domains close to the Central Divine Domain like the Sword Domain, Fire Domain, Chifeng Domain, and Thunder Marsh Domain.

Despite his disbelief, Bing Xuan’s discerning eye weighed heavily against his doubts.

"If Feng’Er were to unite with him, it wouldn’t be a bad choice, alas..."

A touch of sorrow appeared in Bing Xuan’s eyes. Generally speaking, talent has a degree of heritability; the offspring of Tianjiao often inherit their parents’ talents.

"With Feng’Er’s physique, I suppose she won’t live past thirty!"

Bing Yan’s face also looked grave. The issue of Feng Yuyan’s physique had always troubled the high echelons of the Ice Profound Hall, but resolving this issue was no simple feat.

"Finding rare treasures like the Nine Phoenix Flower Lotus, which has been extinct for a millennium on the continent, is difficult even for our Ice Profound Hall."

Bing Xuan sighed softly, with a tinge of sorrow on her face. As Feng Yuyan’s master, she had watched Feng Yuyan grow up and already considered her as her own daughter. Feng Yuyan’s physical condition had always weighed on her heart.

...

"The strength of the Inner Sect disciples in Ice Profound Hall is quite impressive."

After observing for an hour, Chu Ming said mildly to Feng Yuyan beside him.

"Naturally. The Ice Profound Domain counts as a major domain, and each year, at least thirty to forty million Tianjiao aspire to join the Ice Profound Hall. The disciples selected from these talents are naturally outstanding."

The slightest trace of pride appeared on Feng Yuyan’s face, but it vanished quickly.

After half a day, the Inner Sect competition concluded, and the Inner Sect disciples went to eat, while Chu Ming and Feng Yuyan returned to the small courtyard.

Back in the room, closing the door, Chu Ming continued to comprehend the Second Layer of the Blood Burning Technique. After days of comprehension, he had cultivated the Second Layer of the Blood Burning Technique to Great Success, nearing Perfection.

On this day, while cultivating, a fiery red light emanated from Chu Ming’s body, his blood began to boil rapidly. He slightly opened his eyes, and at that moment, the spiritual power within his body surged by 30%. Once erupted, its destructive power would also increase by 30%.

"Finally, the Second Layer of the Blood Burning Technique has reached Perfection."

Chu Ming exhaled slowly, his boiling blood gradually cooling. In that brief moment, his blood had evaporated by 1%, and though 1% may seem little, given Chu Ming’s current body refining power, that 1% of vigor was substantial.

Although the Blood Burning Technique was extraordinary, Chu Ming understood its weaknesses. Being only a high-tier Profound Level Secret Technique, it might be effective for the first five layers of the Guiyuan Realm but would gradually become less effective as his power grew. By the Sixth Layer of the Guiyuan Realm, its augmentative effects would be negligible.

"It’s time to find an opportunity to break through to the Guiyuan Realm!"

Chu Ming murmured. His spiritual cultivation was still too weak, and his ambitions in the Profound List competition were high. Breaking through to the Guiyuan Realm was only the first step in rivaling the top Tianjiao of the Eastern Hundred Domains.

Grasping two middle grade spirit stones in his hands, he quietly recited the Pure Essence Sword Qi Technique of the Tenth Layer. The surging spiritual power flowed through his meridians and ultimately converged in his dantian.

For half a month, Chu Ming continued his secluded cultivation, consuming many middle grade spirit stones. His spiritual cultivation had grown slightly, and he even sensed the barrier of the Guiyuan Realm. However, breaking through that barrier was not so simple.

"It seems I must first deduce the Eleventh Layer of the Pure Essence Sword Qi Technique to break through to the Guiyuan Realm."

Awakening from his thoughts, Chu Ming silently recited, deducing the Eleventh Layer of the cultivation technique. This not only enhanced his cultivation speed but also his understanding of martial arts.

During this half month, Feng Yuyan visited Chu Ming several times, inviting him out, but he refused, using cultivation as his excuse.

Setting aside cultivation, Chu Ming pushed his soul power to the limit, and began deducing the Eleventh Layer of the Pure Essence Sword Qi Technique. In his mind, auroras sparkled, transforming into countless points of light, and each thread of comprehension flashed past like a movie.

Deducing the Eleventh Layer of the Pure Essence Sword Qi Technique was not simple. The Tenth Layer was equivalent to a middle-grade Earth Level cultivation technique, while the Eleventh Layer bordered on high-grade Earth Level.

Chu Ming’s first task was to refine each layer of the Pure Essence Sword Qi Technique starting from the First Layer. Initially, the Pure Essence Sword Qi Technique was merely a top-tier Profound Level technique, which had significant defects in meridian operation.

With Chu Ming’s original soul power, compensating for these shortcomings would require considerable time. But with his increasing power, his soul power also enhanced, now making the task less cumbersome.