Moments later, Xia Jie's Divine Soul returned to his Physical Body, and Yuan Ming and Xi Ying flew swiftly over, respectfully saluting Xia Jie in unison.

"Congratulations, Senior, on advancing to the Ghost Witch Realm."

"No need for formalities." Xia Jie smiled faintly, without showing any hint of pride.

He raised his hand slightly, and an invisible Soul Power gently lifted Yuan Ming and Xi Ying.

At this moment, Xia Jie's aura was completely different from before, with his eyes shining brightly.

Yuan Ming met his gaze for a moment, only to feel a sharp pain in his eyes, almost bringing tears.

At the same time, Yuan Ming felt his own Soul Power continuously draining, and a wave of unfounded dread welled up inside him.

It was as if some unknown danger lurked around, watching him closely, seeking a flaw for a fatal strike.

Xi Ying seemed to sense the same pressure; Xia Jie observed this but said nothing, only dimming the light in his eyes slightly.

Instantly, Yuan Ming and Xi Ying felt the pressure reduce drastically, relaxing significantly.

Only then did Yuan Ming realize that the oppressive feeling was indeed the soul domain effect formed after Xia Jie's advancement to the Ghost Witch.

"The Bright Moon Goddess's power has not been completely exhausted. I need to continue absorbing it. But your strengths are still shallow, and your accumulation is insufficient; reaching this stage is your limit. Staying longer might risk losing control. You should wait outside the Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace," Xia Jie said.

Yuan Ming and Xi Ying did not argue, having just sensed their limits.

At this moment, Xia Jie looked at Xi Ying, his eyes flashing with light.

He pointed his finger, and a wisp of grey smoke emerged from Xi Ying's body, dissipating into the air.

"I've undone the soul-binding spell on you; Bright Moon Palace won't suspect you. As for Xizhuang Yuan and others, I'll handle them by altering their memories, so you needn't worry," Xia Jie said.

Upon hearing this, Xi Ying immediately thanked Xia Jie.

"Senior, are you planning to take this opportunity to advance to the Witch God Realm?" Yuan Ming hesitated slightly and asked.

"Indeed. The Domain War is imminent, and the Demon Clan is formidable. Even if we gain one tael more Ghost Witches, the power disparity remains enormous, with slim chances of victory. Only by achieving Witch God can one completely reverse the war and vanquish the Demon Clan," Xia Jie's expression turned stern.

"Isn't this a bit too risky? Senior has just broken through to Ghost Witch and is still shallow in accumulation. Relying solely on the Bright Moon Goddess's power…" Yuan Ming showed concern.

"There is never an absolute certainty in the world. I know the hope of success is slim, but as long as hope is not zero, it's worth a try. If I retreat now, I might regret it immensely later," Xia Jie shook his head gently, his eyes displaying determination and resolve.

"Senior, is there really a need to take such a risk? Even if one doesn't attempt it, preserving strength to fight the Demon Clan later is not without hope of victory. If failure occurs, not only is prior effort wasted, but everything might revert back to square one," Yuan Ming sighed, his eyes revealing worry.

"The worst result is merely maintaining the status quo. Besides, you and Xi Ying have improved your cultivation through this event; whether successful or not, it's not in vain. Once the war starts, lives will be lost; if I can provide Chuyun a slender chance with my power, it's a worthwhile trade," Xia Jie laughed heartily, waving a hand, sending Yuan Ming and Xi Ying out of the Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace.

The two stood not far away, looking towards the Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace, exchanging a glance filled with both helplessness and admiration for Xia Jie.

Just then, a surge of black light erupted from the depths of the Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace, pouring out from the crevice.

The outside sky instantly turned somber, with rolling Yin Qi seemingly crushing the purple light inside the mountain range.

The astonishing aura waves instantly spread throughout the Wentian Secret Realm, as if some terrifying force was awakening.

"This commotion… is too loud," Yuan Ming said in surprise.

"Senior Xia Jie has just advanced to Ghost Witch and is not yet familiar with controlling this power. Now fully absorbing the Bright Moon Goddess's power, he might already be struggling to control it," Xi Ying said with a serious expression, her concern evident.

"We can't leave things like this; it will certainly attract attention from others. If it's just people from other domains it's manageable, but if the Level 7 Demon Beast is drawn here, it will surely affect Senior. We cannot just leave," Yuan Ming said with furrowed brows.

"You're right, with our current strength, although we cannot repel them, we can at least delay for a while," Xi Ying nodded in agreement.

As Yuan Ming nodded, he suddenly changed his expression, raising his hand, and the Shura Palace appeared out of thin air.

"What's wrong?" Xi Ying asked immediately.

"The Enlightenment Pill is about to be refined. I must go check the situation. You guard outside; if there is danger, enter the Shura Palace. Even Level 7 Demon Beast cannot break inside," Yuan Ming spoke quickly, his demeanor tense.

After speaking, he flashed away into the Shura Palace, leaving Xi Ying guarding outside.

...

In the Heavenly Slaughter Fire Domain, scorching Flames danced through the air, seemingly warping the air itself.

The Youtian Fire Phoenix spread her wings, the fiery feathers glittering in the sunlight, as she gracefully returned to the meeting place with Qingluan.

In no time, a fierce wind arose from the distance, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Youtian Fire Phoenix fixed its gaze and saw Qingluan riding a whirlwind swiftly approaching. Behind it, a massive black cloud rolled, emitting a strong demon energy that sent shivers down the spine.

Qingluan flew to Youtian Fire Phoenix's side and asked in confusion, "Why have you returned alone? Where are the other demon beasts?"

Youtian Fire Phoenix sighed lightly and shook its head helplessly, "Don't mention it, those old stubborn ones scoffed at my proposal and are unwilling to join us at all."

At this moment, a low growl suddenly emanated from the black cloud, followed by the emergence of a ferocious giant beast.

It had the body of a goat, yet its four feet were sharp claws. Atop its head were two sharp bone horns, and although it had no eyes or nose, its massive bloody mouth was enough to instill fear.

Under its armpits and on its chest, there grew a fierce human face, its eyes sharp as knives, with remnants of prey's flesh seemingly still in its mouth.

"Taotie, I never expected you to lend us a hand," Youtian Fire Phoenix looked at the giant beast before it, a hint of surprise flashing in its eyes.

"Every time those raiders descend, I lose a great deal of delicious food. This time, I'll definitely teach them a harsh lesson. But first, let's be clear, the bodies of those raiders must belong to me, or else everything is off the table." Taotie snorted.

Youtian Fire Phoenix and Qingluan exchanged a glance, understanding Taotie's temperament. Thus, Youtian Fire Phoenix nodded in agreement, "The bodies are of no use to us, you can take them."

The Three Beasts had just formed an alliance when suddenly, a powerful aura swept from the distance, tightening their hearts.

They all turned their heads towards the direction of the purple mountains.

On the mountains, purple energy swirled, as if some abnormal change was occurring.

"Someone's breaking through? But the aura isn't of a demon tribulation... it's those outsiders!" Youtian Fire Phoenix's expression turned serious immediately.

Taotie laughed instead, his eyes shining with greed, "What's there to fear? If the three of us join forces, could we be afraid of a newly entered Mahayana cultivator? Speaking of which, I've never tasted a Mahayana cultivator before; today might be a chance to see what it's like."

Qingluan also nodded, a cold glint flashing in its eyes, "Taotie is right, we intended to hunt these intruders anyway. Now that their aura has leaked, revealing their location, it saves us some effort. Let's move now, don't delay too long, lest something changes."

Youtian Fire Phoenix and Taotie had no objections, and in the next instant, the Three Beasts simultaneously soared into the air, flying swiftly towards the purple mountains.

...

In a dim valley, two cultivators suddenly soared skyward, their sharp gazes casting far towards the purple mountains.

"Is this the aura of a Ghost Witch? How can it be so vast?" the robust man clad in armor with blood patterns on a black base murmured in confusion.

His entire body's Qi-Blood boiled like molten lava, surging and roaring with an aura as sunny and firm as the sun high in the sky.

Under his feet, two blazing golden beams were like lightning cutting through the void, clearly not relying on mana but his own formidable cultivation to tread this world.

Beside him stood none other than Su Wu.

At this moment, his injuries had healed, and his mana aura surged like ocean waves, having reached the Mahayana Realm, exuding an indescribable majesty in his every movement.

"This aura is indeed strange and still strengthening. Could it be that someone obtained some heaven-defying opportunity here?" Su Wu frowned slightly, uncertainty flashing in his gaze.

The Black-armored Man chuckled, eyes glinting with curiosity and anticipation, "Guessing is futile. Why don't we go over there ourselves to investigate?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wu's gaze flickered slightly, hesitantly glancing at his feet.

But after a moment, as if he decided, he nodded, "The situation in the valley is stable for now. You and I can leave temporarily without affecting the overall situation. This aura is indeed peculiar, and such a commotion, if not investigated, might easily lead to unforeseen events."

...

Inside the Shura Palace, illuminated by firelight, there was a magnificent splendor.

Yuan Ming stepped into the hall where Dian Xiaosan was located and immediately felt a scorching wave of heat rushing at him.

In the hall, flames wove like a Fire Dragon flying around the Complete Heaven Exquisite Tripod, creating an atmosphere both solemn and mysterious.

Dian Xiaosan was currently suspended in mid-air, eyes fixed intently on the Linglong Furnace, so focused that not even Yuan Ming's arrival could distract him for a moment.

Seeing this, Yuan Ming knew it was not the time to disturb, so he turned his gaze to Kong standing quietly not far away and asked, "What's the situation? Did you call me here because there's something you need my help with?"

"No, you just need to wait here for a while. When the Enlightenment Pill is refined and comes out of the furnace, the aura of the Great Way will escape, and you should take the opportunity to absorb it, which will be beneficial for your breakthrough to the Mahayana Realm," Kong replied calmly without turning around.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming understood and stopped asking, silently stepping back to the side.

Time passed slowly and before long, approximately the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, Yuan Ming saw Kong raise his hand, forming a seal to begin employing the Fengtian Secret Technique.

As streams of Desire Power continuously poured into the Complete Heaven Exquisite Tripod, it seemed as if an indistinct sound of chanting was coming from the void, causing Yuan Ming to nervously clench his fist.

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