Chapter 295: A Five Star Supreme, Chu Changhe
"This lightning is too powerful!"
In the secluded courtyard of Tianlan Sect's rear mountain, Xiao Tiance sighed in amazement. The searing pain coursing through his body forced him to focus his mind and endure the agony.
With his Dou Di level physical strength, he shouldn't have been harmed by this lightning. Yet, it had injured him a mystery he couldn't immediately unravel.
"No use dwelling on it now," he thought. Though wounded, his injuries were not serious. More importantly, he wanted to determine if he could truly ascend to the Supreme Realm without cultivating a Supreme Avatar.
He increased the intensity of his internal cultivation technique, rapidly drawing the surrounding Ling Qi into his body.
The Transformation of Dou Qi
Moments later, Xiao Tiance noticed a surprising change. The Dou Qi within his body, which had previously resisted merging with Ling Qi, was now being assimilated at an astonishing speed.
Though puzzled by this development, he felt a strong intuition: once all his Dou Qi was converted into Ling Qi, his lingering doubts would be resolved.
With renewed determination, he concentrated fully on the process.
Half a Month Later
Fifteen days passed in a blur. Xiao Tiance suddenly opened his eyes, a commanding aura radiating from his deep gaze.
"I never expected it... The assimilation of Dou Qi into Ling Qi is just the first step toward entering the Supreme Realm."
His aura surged continuously, and the immense Ling Qi within him began to crystallize. At the same time, the massive Ling Qi vortex that had hovered over the courtyard for days was completely absorbed into his body.
Yet his aura didn't wane. Instead, it continued to grow explosively.
An hour later, his power stabilized. Xiao Tiance had broken through to the Five Star Supreme level placing him in the mid Supreme tier, where the rankings were divided as follows:
Early Supreme: One Star to Four Star
Mid Supreme: Five Star to Seven Star
Late Supreme: Eight Star to Nine Star
After weeks of effort, he had regained a portion of his former strength. However, he considered the progress frustratingly slow.
The Revelation of Two Systems
Still, the breakthrough brought some clarity. Despite lacking a Supreme Avatar cultivation method, Xiao Tiance had confirmed his ability to reach the Supreme Realm.
He also began to understand that the Great Thousand World and the Dou Qi Continent were two distinct cultivation systems.
"I remember reading in The Great Ruler that neither Xiao Yan nor Lin Dong ever cultivated a Supreme Avatar.
If I follow the principle of shared origins, I should eventually recover my full strength, even without cultivating a Supreme Avatar. After all, my previous strength had already reached the Earth Supreme level."
With this realization, Xiao Tiance's confidence grew.
Tidying Up
He glanced at the lightning damaged roof of the courtyard and retrieved fresh clothes and shoes from his storage ring. As for his singed hair, it was easily regrown. With his injuries already healed, he soon restored his appearance.
Just then, he noticed the arrival of several powerful presences outside the courtyard. Among them was an unfamiliar figure radiating significant strength.
Xiao Tiance stepped out to find Bai Lan, Chu Jiaoyu, and an imposing elder waiting for him. The elder's aura suggested he was at the Two Star Supreme level, though clearly far weaker than Xiao Tiance's current power.
Shock and Awe
As the door opened, Bai Lan, Chu Jiaoyu, and the elder felt the overwhelming pressure of Xiao Tiance's aura.
"A Five Star Supreme... Why is such a powerful figure here?"
The elder, Chu Changhe, could scarcely believe his senses. Xiao Tiance hadn't concealed his aura, making his strength evident to those present.
Recognizing his inferiority, Chu Changhe immediately greeted Xiao Tiance with great respect.
"Greetings, Lord Tiance." Bai Lan, Chu Jiaoyu, and Chu Changhe bowed deeply.
Xiao Tiance nodded, his tone calm but authoritative. "Come in."
He turned and re entered the courtyard. The three followed quickly, though none dared comment on the courtyard's battered state. Hosting a Supreme powerhouse was an honor beyond measure.
Introductions and Gratitude
Once seated, Xiao Tiance addressed Bai Lan. "White Sect Master, my apologies for the damage to your courtyard."
Bai Lan quickly waved off the concern. "Lord Tiance, please think nothing of it. A mere courtyard is of no importance."
Satisfied, Xiao Tiance turned his attention to the elder. Before introductions could be made, the elder rose and bowed deeply.
"Chu Changhe, Inner Sect Elder of Lingqiong Academy, greets Lord Xiao Tiance."
Xiao Tiance noted Chu Changhe's respectful demeanor. Despite being backed by the powerful Lingqiong Academy and its parent sect, the mighty Tianqiong Academy, Chu Changhe remained humble.
Xiao Tiance returned the courtesy with a nod. "Elder Chu is too polite. Thanks to Sect Master Bai and Vice Sect Master Chu, I was able to recover my strength here. I'm truly grateful."
The trio exchanged glances, humbled by Xiao Tiance's words. They dared not take credit for merely providing a place to stay.
Plans for Repayment
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xiao Tiance decided not to dwell further on formalities. He disliked owing favors and had already begun formulating ways to repay the Tianlan Sect.
For now, he turned his focus to understanding the region's dynamics and planning his next steps.
Chu Changhe smiled and respectfully clasped his hands. "Allow me to congratulate you, Lord Tiance, on the recovery of your strength. Truly a cause for celebration!"
Xiao Tiance smiled faintly but shook his head with a sigh. "Thank you, Elder Chu. However, these past half months have been far too short. My strength has only recovered a small portion, not worth celebrating."
"What?" Chu Changhe exclaimed in shock. "You've reached the Five Star Supreme level, yet your strength is still not fully recovered? What level did your power reach at your peak?"
Beside him, Bai Lan and Chu Jiaoyu wore similarly astonished expressions.
To them, even reaching the Supreme Realm was an unattainable dream for most cultivators, let alone becoming a Five Star Supreme. Yet Xiao Tiance claimed this was just a fraction of his former strength. How terrifying must he have been at his peak?
Xiao Tiance had unintentionally flaunted his strength, though he had only spoken the truth. His words also served as a subtle warning to Chu Changhe: his background was not one that either Lingqiong Academy or Tianqiong Academy could afford to offend.
The Might of Tianqiong Academy
Xiao Tiance smiled faintly and changed the subject. "I've heard that the strongest person on Tiancang Continent is the head of Tianqiong Academy, correct?"
Chu Changhe nodded. "Indeed. The academy head achieved the Lower Earth Supreme level a century ago. He is widely regarded as the most powerful cultivator on Tiancang Continent."
Xiao Tiance chuckled lightly. "Let me put it this way: even with my current strength, which has yet to recover even 20%, defeating a Lower Earth Supreme wouldn't be much of a challenge."
A Bold Claim
"What?"
Chu Changhe, Bai Lan, and Chu Jiaoyu froze, their faces pale with disbelief. A Five Star Supreme, claiming to easily defeat an Earth Supreme level powerhouse? Such words were beyond audacious it sounded outright impossible.
Yet Xiao Tiance's calm demeanor left them doubting their instincts.
Seeing their stunned expressions, especially Chu Changhe's conflicted mix of doubt and restraint, Xiao Tiance smiled faintly. He didn't bother explaining further. Instead, he casually activated a Grandmaster Level Spirit Array with a mere thought.
"Buzz!"
A vast and intricate Spirit Array instantly enveloped the trio. Though the array remained dormant, its oppressive aura hinted at the immense danger of life and death, rendering the three deeply uneasy.
Shock and Awe
"A... Grandmaster Level Spirit Array?"
Chu Changhe and the others nearly jumped in fright.
The sheer ease with which Xiao Tiance summoned such a high level array only heightened their fear. If he wished, this single array could likely trap and kill an Earth Supreme powerhouse.
Xiao Tiance waved his hand dismissively, and the Spirit Array dissipated instantly.
"Phew..."
Relief washed over Chu Changhe, Bai Lan, and Chu Jiaoyu as cold sweat dripped from their brows. Their earlier doubts evaporated completely, replaced by lingering fear.
For Bai Lan and Chu Jiaoyu, the realization struck hard: had Wu Yun been even slightly disrespectful during his earlier interactions with Xiao Tiance, the Tianlan Sect would likely have been reduced to ashes.
The thought alone made them shudder.
Acknowledging the Unfathomable
Even if Xiao Tiance's earlier claim couldn't be verified, his demonstration of power left no room for doubt.
Chu Changhe, having seen much in his life, knew that even renowned Spirit Array Grandmasters couldn't summon a Grandmaster Level Spirit Array so effortlessly. This level of mastery was simply unfathomable.
Chu Changhe immediately stood and bowed deeply. "Lord Tiance, I was wrong to doubt your words. Please forgive my offense."
Xiao Tiance waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine. Ignorance is not a sin, Elder Chu. Pay it no mind."
His tone shifted. "But tell me, Elder Chu, have you brought any news that might interest me?"
A Mysterious Incident
Chu Changhe hesitated briefly before bowing once more. "Lord Tiance, an unusual event has occurred recently. Whether it is relevant to your interests, I cannot say for certain."
Xiao Tiance's curiosity piqued. "Oh? Go on, Elder Chu."
"Yes, my lord." Chu Changhe explained, **"Upon receiving Jiaoyu's message, I immediately mobilized Lingqiong Academy's network to gather the information you requested. Recently, a peculiar report came from Tianqiong Academy.
In Tianluo Hall's territory, several of their top experts were seen pursuing a powerless young woman. However, she proved incredibly cunning. Just when the experts had gathered to corner her, she suddenly pulled out a jade token and crushed it.
What happened next was astonishing. Without any detectable fluctuation of Ling Qi, a high level Spirit Array was instantly deployed, trapping and killing all the Tianluo Hall experts."**
An Unexpected Clue
Xiao Tiance's expression turned serious as his mind raced.
The jade token Chu Changhe described sounded unmistakably like one of his custom made Spirit Array tokens something no one else could replicate.
This meant the woman in question had to be someone from his group: either Queen Medusa, Gu Xun'er, or Huang Jiuji.
Xiao Tiance quickly ruled out Xun'er and Huang Jiuji. Though Xun'er's Emperor Flame could still be used despite her suppressed strength, it wasn't her style to rely on Spirit Arrays. Huang Jiuji's unmatched speed made her nearly impossible to corner.
That left only Queen Medusa.
Tianluo Hall's Pursuit
Xiao Tiance's gaze sharpened. "Did Tianluo Hall catch this woman?"
Chu Changhe shook his head. "Before I departed for Tiancang North, there were no updates on her capture. However, Tianluo Hall has reportedly mobilized a Supreme powerhouse to ensure her apprehension. It seems they won't rest until she's caught."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance's eyes flashed with cold killing intent. "Tianluo Hall... You'd best not harm her. Otherwise, I'll turn your Hall into a tomb."
A Request
Xiao Tiance turned back to Chu Changhe, his tone calm but firm. "Thank you, Elder Chu, for this information. If I'm correct, this woman is one of mine. I must ask for your assistance with a small favor."
Chu Changhe immediately stood and bowed deeply. "Lord Tiance, you flatter me. Whatever you need, just say the word. If it is within my power, I will not refuse. After all, having a powerhouse like you owe me a favor is an opportunity anyone would welcome."
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