Xu Qingyao pinned Ning Chen’s cards with bombs using her upper body, relying solely on the latter half to exert force.
At first, it was merely the ticking of a second hand—but soon, it escalated into the rhythmic pounding of a nun striking a temple bell.
Ning Chen reached out, splitting the bombs blocking his vision into two jokers, pushing them apart in a V-shape to clear his line of sight.
His lips twitched as he couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure this is how you’ll break through?”
Xu Qingyao’s breathing grew heavier. “Mmm… How would I know if I don’t try? The reserves from earlier definitely weren’t… enough… Ah…”
Her delicate brows, previously furrowed, were now forced to relax as her movements grew increasingly unrestrained.
At the same time, spiritual energy swirled around her. She began multitasking—operating her cultivation technique to amplify absorption, rapidly drawing in the lingering nectar of the gods.
Xu Qingyao’s formation only took in and never released.
Over the years, her yang energy had suffered almost no depletion.
Otherwise, she would never have progressed from the peak of the Golden Core stage to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage with just a single purple-grade constitution.
Given her current aptitude, her advancement could only be described as meteoric.
Even without bottlenecks, breaking through to the Divine Transformation stage was no easy feat.
Back then, Liu Ruyan had to accumulate an entire bellyful of reserves before barely succeeding.
Even though the quality of Ning Chen’s yang energy had now doubled, achieving a breakthrough in one go was still impossible.
Soon, the yang energy in her body was completely exhausted—yet she remained far from success.
Liu Ruyan desperately maintained her breakthrough state with her cultivation technique while her lower half executed an endless array of maneuvers—sudden contractions, spiraling ascents—nothing was off the table.
Ning Chen, too, focused solely on cooperating.
To accelerate his own progress, he gripped the sponge tightly, extracting postures from within.
In this deliberate symphony of harmony, Ning Chen managed to deliver another precious supplement just before her breakthrough state faded.
Like timely rain, this bounty revived withering crops.
But Xu Qingyao, long accustomed to calculating precipitation, quickly estimated the amount—and her heart sank.
Though this nourishment might barely push her into the Divine Transformation stage, it lacked the surplus energy needed to nurture her divine soul. The crops still wouldn’t fully mature.
With this realization, she pleaded in a trembling voice, “Nephew~ Hurry… One more dose!”
“But…” Ning Chen hesitated. “Won’t this force you out of your cultivation state?”
A deep blush spread from Xu Qingyao’s face down to her neck.
Her intoxicating fragrance wafted through the air.
Though her eyes were hazy, they burned with determination.
“Mmm… How would I know if I don’t try? I’ll seal my five senses. Nephew, just go all out… Leave the rest… Ah~ to fate.”
At worst, even if she failed, she was already close enough to the threshold to try again later.
With that thought, she continued, “So don’t hold back! Just one more round—fast and hard! Just once!”
Ning Chen opened his mouth. “But…”
Wouldn’t it be safer to wait for the next attempt?
He strongly suspected this woman was just chasing thrills.
“No buts! Master~” Her sultry voice rippled like water.
If she put it that way, he could no longer restrain himself!
This time, it was Xu Qingyao’s turn to feel the world spin.
Regaining her senses, she hastily reinforced her five senses with spiritual barriers.
The next moment, the tolling of the bell echoed like an ancient hymn.
Perhaps because it was too familiar—or too intense—
For some reason, as the spiritual energy continued converting yang energy,
The very seal she had placed on her five senses began to be treated as a bottleneck by the surging power.
Her confidence had stemmed from relying on this sealing method!
But if the seal broke, she couldn’t guarantee she’d last!
Horrified, she tried to mobilize more spiritual energy to reinforce the barrier.
But the yang energy of the Supreme Pure Yang Physique was the purest force in existence.
It could nourish all things—yet also merge with them, seeping in unnoticed.
The more spiritual energy she summoned, the faster the seal crumbled.
She should have applied the seal externally, like the one on her lower abdomen!
Xu Qingyao’s face paled. Gritting her teeth, her body stiffened as she braced for impact.
Finally, the fragile seal shattered completely.
The pent-up sensations surged forth like a collapsing dam.
Even with mental preparation, Xu Qingyao was instantly overwhelmed by the tidal wave, robbed of all thought.
Fortunately, the remaining spiritual energy autonomously guided the yang energy’s conversion, continuing the charge toward the new realm.
Meanwhile, ethereal, siren-like cries rose and fell like the tides.
Accompanied by the ancient bell’s toll.
Xu Qingyao finally understood fear and tried to plead for mercy.
But the violent turbulence trapped all words in her throat.
By now, Ning Chen was already past the point of no return.
Xu Qingyao had long since lost herself.
Breaking through to Divine Transformation—she never remembered it being .
Thankfully, her subconscious kept the spiritual energy circulating, preventing the breakthrough ritual from halting.
Xu Qingyao assumed the most devout posture to receive the heavenly river.
Ascending to the peak!
An intangible barrier shattered.
Xu Qingyao’s aura erupted in a violent surge.
Ning Chen, having regained control over his lower half, couldn’t help but marvel—she’d actually succeeded!
But seeing her collapsed like a lifeless dog, eyes rolled back, he smacked her in frustration.
His voice was cold and urgent. “Why aren’t you cultivating yet?” Did she want to waste the state?
Once a divine soul solidified, refining its quality afterward would be near impossible!
Xu Qingyao, still lost in the afterglow, snapped back to reality—only for the sudden stimulation to send another aftershock through her body.
Yet she still processed Ning Chen’s words.
Amidst her joy, she didn’t neglect her duty.
Summoning her last reserves of strength, Xu Qingyao began the final step.
Meanwhile, Liu Ruyan, leading the sect’s female cultivators back, noticed the tribulation clouds gathering above the Demon-Sealing Tower from afar.
Dark and oppressive, they circled aimlessly—unable to find their target.
In the end, they dispersed unwillingly.
A rainbow bridge descended from the heavens, bathing the land in radiant light.
A gift from the heavens—and a welcome to their return.
In the sixteenth year of the Qinglian Sect’s reformation, Grand Elder Xu Qingyao achieved her breakthrough.
The third Divine Transformation expert had emerged.