Profound Heaven Soul Sovereign

A quarter of an hour later, Ye Xuan opened his eyes and stood up, a hint of joy on his face.

"Ten days of bitter cultivation... Not only did I break through to the Earth Martial Artist realm, but I even raised my cultivation to the Second Layer Earth Martial Artist. My Soul Power also went from Mid-Third Grade to the Peak of Third Grade, and my physical strength has increased tremendously."

"It’s a shame. If I’d had enough materials, my Soul Power might have broken through to the Fourth Grade in one go. What a pity."

If anyone else heard him complain after advancing a Great Realm and a minor realm, on top of his Soul Power also advancing a minor realm, they would surely hunt him across the entire continent out of pure jealousy.

SQUEAK SQUEAK!

The Little Purple Mink at his side danced with joy, as if to say it had also benefited greatly from Ye Xuan’s cultivation session. It narrowed its small eyes like a fox.

Ye Xuan left the cultivation room. Instead of going out immediately, he refined a few more items before changing into a clean set of clothes and walking out of the refining room.

Outside the refining room, Zhao Jing and the others were already waiting.

"Master Ye Xuan, how did..."

Before Zhao Jing could finish, the entire group’s eyes went wide.

"You... Master Ye Xuan, you broke through to the Second Layer Earth Martial Artist?"

The group stared, their mouths agape as if they’d tried to swallow a watermelon, completely unable to close them.

When Ye Xuan had spoken with them earlier, he hadn’t concealed his aura. Thus, Zhao Jing, Chu Yunfei, and Yang An could all sense that his cultivation was at the Third Layer Martial Artist realm.

But they never expected that after just ten days, Ye Xuan would reappear as a Second Layer Earth Martial Artist. The shock left them utterly speechless.

’From a Third Layer Martial Artist to a Second Layer Earth Martial Artist in just ten short days... Is that speed even human?!’

"Just a lucky break," Ye Xuan said with a faint smile, retracting his aura at the same time.

’A lucky break?!’

The group nearly coughed up blood. If Ye Xuan breaking through two levels in ten days—including an entire Great Realm—could be called a "lucky break," then every other Martial Artist might as well go find a block of tofu and smash their head against it.

But what shocked them even more was that after Ye Xuan retracted his aura, they couldn’t discern his true level at all.

They exchanged glances, and looks of sheer horror appeared in the eyes of Chu Yunfei and the others.

Who were they? They were all Fifth Tier Martial Sect experts, the most powerful group of people in the entire Liuyun Kingdom! Yet they couldn’t see through the true level of an Earth Martial Artist like Ye Xuan. It was something they had not only never seen but never even heard of before.

In that moment, the air of mystery around Ye Xuan thickened.

Off to the side, Hua Luoxuan was secretly snickering.

’He wondered what expressions Zhao Jing and the others would make if they knew that it had only taken "Young Master Xuan" two years to go from a Martial Artist who had only opened his first meridian to a Tier Three Earth Martial Artist.’

"Master Ye Xuan, can we begin?" Zhao Jing asked, his face full of anxiety.

Ye Xuan nodded.

Soon, the group arrived at Zhao Jing’s bedchambers.

This was one of the most secluded places in the royal palace. Aside from Zhao Jing himself, normally no one dared to enter.

RIP!

Ye Xuan ripped open the clothes on Zhao Jing’s chest.

A faint black dot appeared before everyone.

"Your Majesty, in a moment, you don’t need to do anything but watch. However, the process might be somewhat painful. You must endure it as best you can."

Zhao Jing nodded, his expression tense but his gaze firm.

Ye Xuan took out the Yin Kui Wood and placed it in a jade box in front of Zhao Jing’s chest. Then, he produced a porcelain vial and, under the puzzled gazes of Yang An and the others, dripped a few drops of a colorless liquid he had refined earlier onto the Yin Kui Wood.

"This is the Sacred Essence Heart Liquid I refined. Only when soaked in it will the Yin Kui Wood release its sinister Yin energy. Everyone, step back a bit. The sinister Yin power within the Yin Kui Wood is terrifying; an ordinary person would find it difficult to withstand."

Before Ye Xuan had even finished speaking, the small, black, tadpole-like markings on the originally gray Yin Kui Wood seemed to come to life and swim about. Gradually, the entire piece of Yin Kui Wood turned a deep crimson-black, and a terrifyingly sinister Yin power flowed out.

This sinister Yin power was so dreadful that its mere aura made Yang An and the others recoil in pain, unable to bear it.

Among the crowd, only Chu Yunfei, whose strength had reached the Third Layer of the Martial Sect realm, could barely withstand it.

The only other person unaffected was Ye Xuan.

His gaze was fixed unwaveringly on Zhao Jing’s chest.

"AH!"

Zhao Jing, being closest to the Yin Kui Wood, was plunged into excruciating pain. Veins bulged all over his body, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Your Majesty, endure it," Ye Xuan urged in a low shout.

Suddenly, Zhao Jing’s body jolted violently. The small black dot on his chest began to squirm, and a soul-deep agony spread throughout his entire body.

He felt a tiny living creature burrowing inside him, like a red-hot iron needle twisting in the acupoint over his heart.

At this moment, however, Zhao Jing stopped screaming. He endured the intense pain, his eyes bloodshot. He clenched his jaw, and bead-sized drops of sweat rolled down his face, his gaze filled with absolute resolve.

A small black spot gradually bulged on his chest. Suddenly—

PFFT!

The black spot burst through Zhao Jing’s skin. It was a black worm, the size of a sesame seed, with a single eye on its forehead that made it look particularly sinister and cold.

Everyone who witnessed this felt a cold sweat break out on their own skin.

Zhao Jing himself was covered in dense goosebumps.

Attracted by the sinister Yin energy emanating from the Yin Kui Wood, the little black worm landed on its surface. Its serrated jaws gnawed, quickly drilling a small hole and entering the wood’s interior.

Ye Xuan suddenly took out another porcelain vial and poured out some transparent liquid. The liquid fell onto the Yin Kui Wood, and the entire block was instantly frozen in a layer of transparent crystal.

At the same time, he formed a Hand Skill, releasing streams of powerful Soul Power to seal the Yin Kui Wood. With a SNAP, he closed the jade box.

The surface of the jade box was engraved with complex Spirit Patterns, sealing it completely and imprisoning what was inside.

"Phew!"

"It’s finally a success."

Ye Xuan put away the jade box. "This Heart-Eating Worm, under my seal, cannot escape the Yin Kui Wood. It has already fallen into a deep slumber."

"Your Majesty, how do you feel?"

Yang An and the others quickly gathered around.

"I..." Zhao Jing touched his chest. The pain that had plagued him for nearly twenty years was gone, replaced by a feeling of complete comfort that spread through his entire body. It was as if every part of him felt natural and at ease again.

Ye Xuan smiled faintly. "Your Majesty, you can try to circulate your Martial Soul and Profound Qi."

With a thought, a phantom image of a mink-like creature appeared above Zhao Jing’s head. HUMMMMM, four star-rings materialized, pulsing up and down and emitting a surging Martial Soul aura.

It was actually a Four-Stars Martial Soul.

Tears streamed down Zhao Jing’s aged face in an instant, his heart filled with a thousand emotions.

For over a decade, he had been unable to summon his Martial Soul. Now, he could finally release it once more.

With a simple gesture, a powerful force spread out. The terrifying might of a First Layer Martial Sect was spontaneously released.

What surprised Zhao Jing even more was that after the cold, sinister power in his body vanished, his long-suppressed Profound Power began to stir, as if eager to advance to a higher level.

PFFT!

He focused his will, and his surging Profound Power circulated fiercely. Originally a First Layer Martial Sect, he instantly broke through to the Second Layer! His power continued to climb until it reached the limit of the Second Layer, stopping just one step away from the Third Layer.

This sudden turn of events left Zhao Jing completely stunned.

It wasn’t just Zhao Jing; Chu Yunfei and the others were also dumbfounded, barely able to believe what was happening before their eyes.

Only Ye Xuan was still smiling. "Your Majesty, although the Heart-Eating Worm restricted the development of your Profound Power, for the past twenty years your Profound Power was also constantly strengthening itself by fighting against it. Once the Heart-Eating Worm was gone, your Profound Power was like a dragon returning to the sea. The breakthrough was only natural."

Ye Xuan’s explanation made everyone come to a sudden realization.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Our heartiest congratulations!" Yang An and the others immediately began congratulating him, their faces wreathed in smiles.

"Hahaha." A thrilled smile, unseen for decades, appeared on Zhao Jing’s face. He strode quickly to Ye Xuan and, under everyone’s watchful eyes, gave him a deep bow. His face was full of gratitude. "Master Ye Xuan, if not for you, I might have died without even knowing it. You are not only my, Zhao Jing’s, benefactor, but the benefactor of my entire Liuyun Kingdom! Therefore, from this day forward, you shall be the National Preceptor of my Liuyun Kingdom. You may enter and leave the royal palace freely and need not kneel before anyone."

"National Preceptor?"

’Does the Liuyun Kingdom even have such a position?’ Yang An and the others wondered.

"This National Preceptor is a new position I have established. In the kingdom, it is second only to myself. What do you think, Master Ye Xuan?"

After this period of observation, Zhao Jing was filled with immense admiration for Ye Xuan. With his discerning eye, he could naturally see that a figure like Ye Xuan would one day soar to the heavens. That was why he wanted to find a way to keep Ye Xuan in the Liuyun Kingdom.

"Your Majesty, there is no need for the title of National Preceptor."

Ye Xuan didn’t care for such empty titles. Besides, he knew he wouldn’t stay in the Liuyun Kingdom forever and would leave sooner or later. This position of National Preceptor was meaningless to him.

Yang An and the others were flabbergasted. They never would have imagined that Ye Xuan would actually refuse Zhao Jing’s bestowal.

’This is the National Preceptor! Judging by His Majesty’s description, it’s a position absolutely superior to any other official rank, even more distinguished than the head of the court Alchemists.’

If anyone else had been appointed to this position, Yang An would certainly have felt disgruntled. But after their previous interactions, he was completely won over by Ye Xuan, so he didn’t feel that way at all.

He just hadn’t expected Ye Xuan to refuse so unceremoniously.

Zhao Jing gave a wry smile, a hint of bitterness in his expression.

It seemed he had long anticipated this outcome.