Time flew, and September passed.Over these past several months, the ongoing conflict between the Sky Burial and Duskfiend Sects had effectively transformed into a rivalry between two young geniuses — Julian and Kieran.The two refused to concede an inch to each other. Today you set a new record, tomorrow I surpass it.Yet both had reached the same ceiling — killing mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators was as far as either could push.Increasingly envious of one another, both eventually challenged late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators directly.The outcome was predictable — both returned battered and doubly wounded, though the attempts only further cemented their reputations as true geniuses.Managing to escape a late-stage cultivator's pursuit while only at early-stage Foundation Establishment was, after all, a genuine skill in itself."Makes me want to measure myself against these two young geniuses. Or better yet — once they've both reached the peak of Foundatio

Suddenly, Silas found himself standing in a vast, endless world, covered head to toe in blood, on the very verge of death.That desperate, defiant voice, filled with refusal, seemed somehow to be his own.Then, understanding struck him all at once.Right — this is the inner tribulation that accompanies a breakthrough. Thunder can be avoided outright, but inner demons cannot be so easily guarded against."I've hung myself out to dry here for far too long — any lingering demonic impulses of mine should have long since faded on their own."Silas's body shuddered once, and the illusion shattered apart entirely.He'd spent all these years single-mindedly focused, never once growing close to any woman, never once putting on airs or acting the bully — how could he possibly harbor any inner demons worth speaking of?Next, the three paths — spirit, energy, and soul — advanced together in perfect unison, transforming and evolving as one.The miniature figure of his primordial spirit emerged ful

Relying on her lingering status as a true disciple's former handmaiden, she'd cultivated a small circle of friends among the outer sect's Qi training cultivators, including one particularly sycophantic sixth-level cultivator who doted on her attentively.Goddess Seraphina, ironically, had inadvertently done Selina a favor — Selina's own perceived status as a "true handmaiden" had grown several times more valuable in the aftermath of that reputation.Selina began inviting her Qi training friends up to Skypillar Mountain almost daily, occasionally wandering suspiciously close to the female cultivator's courtyard. It genuinely seemed as though she intended to force a change of ownership eventually.Finally, ten days later, the female cultivator stopped venturing out entirely, content simply tending to the flowers and plants within her own courtyard.Selina, unable to hold back any longer, marched straight to the courtyard with a whole entourage of outer sect friends in tow."I've taken a

Staring down at his severed arm, Tobias's face twisted into something feral, howling in agony.The onlookers gathered around visibly recoiled at the sight.Though every one of them was an inner sect true disciple, well accustomed to witnessing life and death firsthand, watching a fellow true disciple get tortured like this by a true monarch still sent a genuine chill down their spines, as though they'd felt it themselves.The cultivator stepped closer, looking down at Tobias, now finally silent, and said:"If you hadn't kept running your mouth, none of this would have happened."Hearing this, Tobias gritted his teeth but didn't dare utter another word.Above, the handful of true monarchs watching could no longer stand by idly — Tobias was, after all, still a friend of theirs."Senior Sister!" They descended and bowed respectfully toward the female cultivator.The cultivator glanced at them, mildly surprised — but these true disciples felt like thorns pressed against her back, and thei

Hearing this, Silas backed away rapidly, hands raised protectively in front of himself, wearing a distinctly wary expression. "Could it be that Senior Sister intends to get me drunk, just to take advantage of me?"╮(╯_╰)╭ Jasmine thought."A mere mortal, and this narcissistic? Senior Sister has plenty of admirers chasing after her, I'll have you know — I genuinely look down on you for that." Jasmine sneered.In truth, she'd simply wanted some company for a drink, mostly to vent about life's frustrations.After a few rounds, the neighbor herself ended up thoroughly drunk, slumped over asleep at the table.Silas studied his neighbor — remarkably fit, perfectly proportioned — and silently recited the Heart-Clearing Mantra to himself: We remain self-reliant and composed. A pretty face only slows down my sword-drawing speed.[Regarding that story about the goddess getting drunk at my house that year, and me carrying her home...]Time flew by once more, another year passing.Silas quietly a