Each One More Prodigy Than the Last

Yan Yun’s Cavern Heaven was indeed extraordinary; she could not only draw power from the outside world but also unleash the energy within her own body through it.

The extent of her power depended entirely on how much energy her internal poison pills had stored.

Since she rarely expended it, her reserves were truly immense.

“Damn it, how can this demon’s power be even more profound than mine, a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator?” Wang Yu cursed under his breath, swiftly changing his tactics.

The myriad sword lights swirling around him rapidly converged, forming a colossal azure treasured sword.

“I refuse to believe it.

Heavenly Origin Sword Art, shatter!”

The might of this single strike was markedly superior to the dispersed sword lights that preceded it.

Yan Yun had no intention of remaining on the defensive.

A golden talisman materialized in her hand.

“Heh heh, behold my talisman treasure.”

Yan Yun channeled her power, activating the talisman.

Countless tiny golden swords erupted from it, piercing through the wall of poison and surging towards Wang Yu’s massive sword.

As the torrent of golden swords struck the tip of the colossal sword, the azure blade resisted for a mere three seconds before beginning to shatter into fragments.

“A talisman treasure? This is a top-grade Tier 3 Golden Light Talisman!” After his spell was brutally broken, Wang Yu immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then turned and fled.

He simply could not withstand the assault of a top-grade Tier 3 talisman treasure.

“Shameless, utterly shameless!

To use such a powerful talisman treasure, this isn’t fair!”

Someone cried out.

Yan Yun ignored their protests, instead manipulating the talisman treasure to pursue Wang Yu.

After running for some time, Wang Yu realized he was about to be overtaken by the sword rain.

He hastily conjured a shield artifact to block in front of him.

However, the grade of his defensive artifact was clearly insufficient to withstand the talisman treasure’s attack.

It promptly exploded, causing him to spit out another mouthful of blood and plummet from the sky.

Yet, the sky-filling sword rain did not cease its assault.

“No! I surrender, I surrender!”

Terrified, the man quickly shouted his surrender.

The moment he conceded, the sword rain halted, its golden blades retracting and vanishing back into the talisman treasure before Yan Yun.

This particular talisman treasure could be used three times before self-destructing.

As Wang Yu had surrendered, a referee who had been observing the battle immediately transported him out.

Had this been a life-and-death struggle, he would have been dead, thus naturally unable to continue participating in the event.

“Despicable!

This is unfair!

How are we supposed to fight like this?” Witnessing a Great Perfection Realm cultivator so easily defeated, the onlookers were understandably incensed.

Their shouts were futile, for by the rules, this was considered fair.

Indeed, their protests were useless, as the rules for this round explicitly stated no restrictions on methods.

“Hmph! I thought she was so formidable, but she’s merely relying on external aids.

Even if she passes the first round with external power, how will she cope with the subsequent rounds?” Qingxuanzi’s face grew exceptionally grim upon seeing his disciple lose so easily.

Upon hearing this, Yunshuang immediately retorted with a sarcastic remark.

“This person must be a direct disciple of your Azure Nether Sect, correct?

Participating in such an event, Fellow Daoist Qingxuan, did you not prepare any tricks for him?”

These words left Qingxuanzi and the other members of the Azure Nether Sect momentarily speechless.

They had grievances they couldn’t voice.

In truth, Wang Yu possessed several Spirit Transformation Realm artifacts.

Both the shield he used earlier and the sword in his hand were high-grade Spirit Transformation Realm artifacts.

One for attack, one for defense—for a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, this was already considered a high-tier setup.

However, Wang Yu was not considered among the top disciples of the Azure Nether Sect in this event.

The true elites had not participated in the encirclement of Yan Yun; they merely observed from afar.

This was Qingxuanzi’s directive: they had to first ensure their own advancement, leaving these less favorable tasks to others.

“Hmph! What’s there to be angry about over a mere top-grade Tier 3 talisman?

If not for the Sect Master forbidding us from participating, this maiden could defeat her in an instant!” a displeased female disciple of the Azure Nether Sect huffed.

“Don’t be careless.

This woman surely has more tricks up her sleeve.

Let them wear her down; the Sect Master never intended to eliminate her anyway,” another male Azure Nether Sect cultivator added.

After defeating her first challenger, Yan Yun, brimming with arrogance, issued another challenge: “Is there anyone else?

How about this, if one isn’t enough, I’ll allow two of you to come at once.”

These words immediately incited some hot-headed young cultivators.

“Then we shall grant your wish, Junior Sister, let’s go together!” A male disciple from another sect called out to his junior sister.

Both of them flew simultaneously towards Yan Yun.

With an air of nonchalance, Yan Yun conjured another talisman treasure—this time, a Heavenly Thunder Talisman.

The moment they approached, two bolts of lightning shot forth from the talisman, striking both individuals with unerring accuracy.

The two shrieked in agony as the lightning coursed through them.

Once they were sufficiently incapacitated, Yan Yun retrieved her talisman treasure.

Electrocuted on the spot, they plummeted from the sky and were thus eliminated.

Both were Lesser Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators, yet their performance was inferior to the Great Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator who had fallen earlier.

“Is there more?

Bring as many as you wish.

Don’t worry, I may not have much else, but I certainly have plenty of treasures,” Yan Yun declared, revealing an array of various talisman treasures in her hands.

This sight infuriated the onlookers; with so many talisman treasures, how could they possibly challenge her?

“Demoness, you only rely on these treasures!

Do you dare to fight me without using any artifacts?” someone shouted.

Yan Yun’s eyes gleamed at his words.

“Very well.

As long as you don’t use artifacts, I won’t either.

I am a very fair person.”

Having spoken, Yan Yun put away some of the talismans in her hand.

Meanwhile, many of the esteemed elders in the grand hall were left speechless.

“Good heavens, this young lass is truly wealthy!

With so many Tier 3 talisman treasures, these youngsters are in for a rough time.”

“Treasures are, after all, external aids,” an elder said with a smile.

“This old man still wishes to see if this young lass possesses true skill.”

****

On the other side, Jiang Yao, who had been watching the spectacle, began to grow restless.

With no one bothering them, she felt an itch for action.

“Mother, I’m going to find someone to play with too.

Just watching this fellow perform is far too boring.” Leaving these words behind, Jiang Yao flew towards the position of the Azure Nether Sect cultivators.

Seeing Jiang Yao grow restless, Su Muyu likewise found herself unable to sit still.

“Then I shall also go and ‘play’ with the Lin family.

I was just fretting about not having an opportunity for revenge.”

Su Muyu flew towards the Lin family’s location.

At this moment, the Lin family members were being besieged by several aristocratic families from the Royal Capital, particularly the Dai family, who were fiercely determined.

One individual had just secured a stone pillar, but in the next instant, a powerful surge of spiritual energy struck from the side, knocking him off the pillar immediately.

“Who’s there?” The expressions of the other Lin family members changed dramatically.

Su Muyu’s gaze was exceptionally cold.

“Su Muyu, of the Yan family from Qifeng City, has come to seek guidance from the esteemed members of the Lin family in the Royal Capital.”

Even as she spoke, Su Muyu struck another Lin family Cavern Heaven cultivator with a palm, sending him tumbling down.

Upon hearing that it was Yan Yun’s mother, coming to cause trouble, the Lin family members rushed forward to meet her.

Facing the siege of multiple Lin family cultivators, Su Muyu immediately unleashed her Cavern Heaven.

Seven Cavern Heavens materialized, drawing in vast amounts of worldly energy.

Su Muyu’s combat power began to surge rapidly.

“Nine Cavern Heavens? Sect Master Yunshuang, is this also a disciple of your Yunhua Sect?” Dou Ke’s eyes lit up.

Yunshuang chuckled.

“Indeed, this woman is my disciple, and also Yan Yun’s birth mother.

She is one of the prodigious disciples our Yunhua Sect has taken in over the years.”

“Oh? Yan Yun’s birth mother?

No wonder they resemble each other so much; I actually thought they were sisters just now.

This woman is impressive.

Judging by her situation, she must possess some special physique, wouldn’t you agree?” Dou Ke inquired curiously.

“Precisely.

She possesses a rare physique, the Primordial Spirit Body, and is one of the disciples our Yunhua Sect swiftly recommended.”

“Excellent, excellent.

I shall remember her.”

Dou Ke nodded with great satisfaction.

****

On the other side, Jiang Yao directly challenged a disciple from the Azure Nether Sect whose cultivation realm was comparable to hers.

“Jiang Yao of the Yunhua Sect challenges Fellow Daoist.

I humbly request your guidance.”

After declaring her affiliation, a pillar of white light soared from Jiang Yao’s body.

Behind her, ten Cavern Heavens, radiating chilly light, swiftly coalesced, causing her combat power to surge dramatically.

The Azure Nether Sect disciple challenged by Jiang Yao was utterly astonished to see her manifest ten Cavern Heavens.

After adjusting her state, Jiang Yao unleashed a sword strike.

The dazzling sword light engulfed the Azure Nether Sect disciple.

The man had no time to dodge and was forced to endure the blow.

However, against Jiang Yao, a Great Perfection Cavern Heaven Realm cultivator with ten Cavern Heavens, his defenses were swiftly shattered by sheer force.

He spat out a mouthful of blood and tumbled from the stone pillar.

“How can she be so formidable?” The Azure Nether disciple’s face was etched with unwillingness.

He was a Lesser Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, having only broken through after cultivating his Cavern Heaven Realm to Great Perfection, yet he was utterly no match for Jiang Yao.

This merely indicated that the number of Cavern Heavens he had condensed in the Cavern Heaven Realm was too few, resulting in his combat power not being particularly strong after breaking through to the next realm.

In this world’s cultivation system, the cultivation progress in the preceding realm determined the strength of one’s combat power after breaking through.

“Ten Cavern Heavens? This…?” Dou Ke was even more shocked, looking at Yunshuang in disbelief.

Yunshuang, however, knew that Jiang Yao would undoubtedly present everyone with a grand surprise.

“Fellow Daoist Dou, this woman is also my disciple, and concurrently, Yan Yun’s wife.

You see, Yan Yun was originally a man, but transformed into a woman due to cultivating a poison cultivation technique.”

“Again, connected to Yan Yun?

This… isn’t this too much of a coincidence?” Dou Ke found it exceedingly strange.

This family of three were no ordinary individuals; one could say they were all prodigious cultivators.

However, the Righteous Dao Alliance’s attitude towards Yan Yun was rather cold, primarily because of the immense impact Yan Lingyun had caused years ago.

The Righteous Dao Alliance had branded her a demonic cultivator, someone intolerable to them.

Even if Yan Yun hadn’t reached that extreme, she was still somewhat difficult for the Righteous Dao Alliance to accept.

However, Jiang Yao and Su Muyu presented no such issues.

Both cultivated righteous techniques and possessed excellent aptitudes.

Consequently, the Righteous Dao Alliance was eager to reconsider its stance on Yan Yun.