Xian Ni: I will always be a level above Wang Lin!

Chapter 18 Remaining in the Extreme Realm, Departure

Chu Yuan gradually formed a plan in his mind.

Now, Luohe Sect and even the entire Fire Burning Alliance have completely established themselves in Xuanwu Kingdom. The other three major sects all follow Luohe Sect's lead, and the local forces in Xuanwu Kingdom have also been subdued by them. No one dares to have any designs on the Fire Burning Alliance anymore.

His presence here is merely a deterrent; there are no major issues that require his personal attention.

Since that's the case, why not take advantage of this time to go to the Soul Refining Sect and learn the Soul Banner technique? His main body is setting out to comprehend the essence and prepare to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, and even though he is an avatar, he cannot slack off.

Chu Yuan's eyes flickered slightly as he put the Soul-Slaying Pearl back into his storage bag.

This soul banner is just perfect for him.

……

Time flies, and ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Ten years is neither a long nor a short time.

For ordinary people, ten years is enough for a boy to grow into an adult and for a middle-aged person to grow gray hair.

But for cultivators, ten years is just a blink of an eye. A single seclusion, refining a batch of pills, or comprehending a supernatural power may take more than ten years.

However, these ten years were a period of earth-shattering change for Luohemen.

The Luohe Sect's headquarters is no longer comparable to the small, isolated sect it once was.

The mountain gate has been expanded several times over, and the spiritual energy is so abundant that it has almost solidified. Spiritual fields and gardens are scattered throughout the mountains and fields, and the number of disciples has increased from several hundred to several thousand.

Outside the mountain gate, layers upon layers of protective formations stretched out, their restrictive light shining day and night, deterring ordinary cultivators from even approaching.

Today, Luohe Sect has become the largest sect in Xuanwu Kingdom.

This is partly due to Chu Yuan's contribution in plundering ninety percent of the resources of most sects in Xuanwu Kingdom during that battle.

The resources were piled up like mountains, including spirit stones, elixirs, magic treasures, and spiritual materials—everything imaginable was there.

With so many resources, it would be difficult for Luohemen not to become powerful.

But more importantly, Chu Yuan's reputation as the strongest person in Xuanwu Kingdom was an invisible deterrent, preventing those who harbored ill intentions towards Luohe Sect from making any rash moves.

Especially after Chu Yuan's victory over Duanmu Ji became widely known, his reputation and prestige became even more prominent!

On this day, Chu Yuan secluded himself in the main hall.

The palace doors slowly opened, and a white figure walked in from outside.

Lan Ruo was still dressed in a plain white dress, her black hair cascading down her back, and her eyes were covered by a light veil.

Ten years have left no trace on her face; her appearance is exactly the same as it was ten years ago, still as aloof and ethereal as a fairy untouched by worldly affairs.

Her aura was much stronger than it had been ten years ago, clearly indicating that she hadn't been idle all these years and had made considerable progress in her cultivation.

"Fellow Daoist Chu Yuan."

Lan Ruo walked closer, took out a storage bag, and placed it in front of Chu Yuan.

"These are the supplies that the various sects offered this year. I have already counted them, and the numbers are correct."

Chu Yuan opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the storage bag, and nodded slightly.

"Keep half, and use the rest to develop Luohemen."

Lan Ruo nodded and presented the storage bag. Chu Yuan casually took it and put it into his sleeve without even looking at it.

Lan Ruo did not rush to leave, but stood there quietly, her gaze lingering on Chu Yuan for a moment.

She tilted her head slightly, sensing the aura emanating from Chu Yuan, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Another breakthrough?"

Chu Yuan smiled and said calmly, "I made a slight breakthrough."

"So this is the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm?"

Lan Ruo said softly, her tone tinged with emotion.

"Fellow Daoist Chu Yuan is truly exceptionally talented. It only took him a little over ten years to go from Core Formation to the mid-Nascent Soul stage. At this rate, it shouldn't be long before he breaks through to the Deity Transformation stage as well."

Chu Yuan shook his head, his smile fading, and his tone became more serious: "It's not that simple. The Nascent Soul stage is not the same as the Spirit Transformation stage; the difficulty of breaking through is more than ten times greater."

Lan Ruo chuckled lightly, her tone tinged with a hint of teasing: "Could it be that I could stump you?"

Chu Yuan glanced at her and smiled, "It's not that difficult."

Lan Ruo shook her head and chuckled, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes.

The strongest person in Xuanwu Kingdom in front of me usually appears to be ruthless and cold-hearted, killing without blinking an eye and destroying sects without batting an eye.

But occasionally, he would show this gentle side, making a few jokes and laughing, making people forget his reputation as a "god of death".

Even occasionally, Lan Ruo couldn't help but feel her heart flutter.

She had cultivated Taoism for hundreds of years and had never entertained such thoughts.

For hundreds of years, countless talented young people and outstanding figures have tried to get close to her, but she has rejected them all.

She thought she would never fall in love with anyone in her life and would only walk alone on the path of cultivation.

But Chu Yuan's appearance stirred ripples in her heart.

but……

Lan Ruo sighed inwardly. Chu Yuan's talent was too strong, so strong that she could not even come close to him.

She cultivated for hundreds of years before reaching the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, while Chu Yuan only took a dozen years to go from Core Formation to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

She knew that one day, he would leave her far behind.

There's no need to think about finding a Daoist partner.

Chu Yuan had no idea what Lan Ruo was thinking. He raised his hand, took out a jade slip from his storage bag, and handed it over.

"Oh, by the way, keep this safe."

Lan Ruo took the jade slip and glanced at it.

The jade slip was pure white, with a faint layer of blood-red light flowing across its surface. It was cool to the touch and carried a chilling aura.

"I have stored a wisp of divine consciousness on this. Anyone below the Nascent Soul stage who touches it will die instantly."

Chu Yuan's tone was flat.

"I'm going on a trip soon, and my return date is uncertain. It could be decades, or it could be over a century. This item will ensure that the Luohe Sect can roam freely within the third-level cultivation realm, and no one will dare to offend it."

Lan Ruo tightened her grip on the jade slip slightly and remained silent for a moment.

"it is good."

She spoke softly, her voice calm and devoid of emotion.

Chu Yuan nodded, stood up, and walked out of the cave. Lan Ruo followed behind him, and the two of them walked out of the cave one after the other and stood on the mountain peak.

The mountain wind howled, causing their robes to flutter.

In the distance, there are rolling mountains, shrouded in mist and ethereal beauty.

The disciples of Luohe Sect were busy moving about in the mountains. Some were working in the spiritual fields, some were sparring in the training ground, and some were studying in the scripture pavilion. It was a thriving scene.

"The journey ahead is long; you must not prioritize your own life while you are away."

Lan Ruo gazed into the distance, her voice very soft.

"The cultivation world is extremely dangerous. Although you have the combat power of a Nascent Soul cultivator, there are many powerful figures in the upper-level cultivation countries. A Nascent Soul cultivator is not invincible."

Chu Yuan smiled and turned to look at Lan Ruo.

"rest assured."

"Ancestor Lanruo, don't forget to focus on your cultivation. When I return, I hope you will have broken through to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm."

The two exchanged a smile and then clasped their hands in a respectful gesture.

"Take care of yourself."

"Take care of yourself."

The next moment, Chu Yuan's figure vanished from the spot as if he had never been there.

Only the mountain wind remained, blowing Lanruo's robes and long hair.

Lan Ruo stared intently at the horizon, her gaze distant and lingering for a long time.

She knew long ago that Chu Yuan's ambitions were not limited to this small Xuanwu Kingdom, or even just to this third-level cultivation kingdom.

His goal is a higher realm, a farther place, the path to immortality that countless cultivators dream of.

But she never expected that day would come so soon.

Decades, centuries.

Lan Ruo looked down at the jade slip in her hand, her five fingers clenching slightly.

This was the talisman Chu Yuan left for her, and also his trump card for the Luohe Sect.

She carefully put the jade slip into her storage bag, took one last look at the horizon, and turned to leave.