That night.
After restoring his Dou Qi, Liu Xi immediately sank his mind into his dantian, where the azure lotus trembled violently—on the verge of collapse.
The cause was clear: within that lotus pulsed a mass of milky-white liquid, alive with terrifying waves of energy.
Taking a deep breath, Liu Xi's hand seals shifted, his consciousness sinking deeper into cultivation. With a single thought, the azure lotus cracked open—just a thin fissure at first.
But even an ant hole can collapse a thousand-mile dam. The instant the fissure appeared, the tremendous energy burst forth like a volcano, shattering the seal entirely.
The boundless milky-white liquid vaporized at once, flooding his dantian with endless white mist, rolling and surging like a storm.
"Hngh!"
Liu Xi's face turned pale. Without the lotus's suppression, that immense energy was far beyond what his current 9-Star Dou Zong body could withstand.
Drawing on his powerful Spiritual Power, he forcibly pulled strands of the mist into his meridians, circulating them along the paths of the Nine Nether Ghost Flame Technique. After one full rotation, the refined mist transformed into pure Dou Qi belonging to him.
The newly formed Dou Qi flooded his meridians and seeped into his muscles, blood, and bones, continuously tempering his body's strength, density, and resilience.
Having long reached the peak of 9-Star Dou Zong, Liu Xi had felt that frustrating bottleneck for months—his power unable to rise further, the barrier to Dou Zun unbroken.
But now, with this surge of pure energy, that invisible wall finally cracked. His mind entered a mysterious, ethereal state—neither dream nor waking.
At that very moment, the energy of heaven and earth within the entire Tideborn Pavilion roared to life.
The phenomenon was so intense that it instantly jolted Xiao Yixian from her cultivation. Her eyes snapped open, shock flashing across her delicate face as she sensed the wild fluctuations of natural energy.
"This is… Young Master is breaking through to Dou Zun!"
She stood in an instant, her figure vanishing in a blur as she leapt from her room.
Reaching Liu Xi's door, she could feel the surging energy emanating from within—it was undoubtedly the source.
She moved into the courtyard, sat gracefully upon a nearby chair, and ceased her own cultivation, beginning her silent watch as his guardian.
Before long, Valley Master Luo, Luo Yinzhu, and over a dozen elders of Sound Valley arrived together, drawn by the vast disturbance of heaven and earth caused by Liu Xi's breakthrough.
In a flash, Xiao Yixian appeared before them, blocking their path. Her tone was calm but firm. "Valley Master Luo, my Young Master is in the midst of breaking through to Dou Zun. Please do not disturb him."
The group exchanged startled looks. Liu Xi was still so young—already a Dou Zong, an 8th Tier Alchemist—and now… he was ascending to Dou Zun?
The Dou Zun realm marked the true watershed between ordinary experts and the continent's true elites. Once one crossed that line, they stood among the apex powers of the land.
Even the Four Pavilions were considered "first-class" only because they were each supported by a Dou Zun.
Valley Master Luo gazed toward Liu Xi's direction, her sharp eyes seeming to pierce through walls and distance, observing the energy storm within.
A playful smile curved her lips. Though Liu Xi's Spiritual Power masked his aura from others, she could discern it clearly—he had indeed been at the peak of 9-Star Dou Zong, still some distance from Dou Zun. Yet now he was breaking through directly, which meant he had some hidden aid.
'So this little fellow did gain quite a bit from me after all…'
She smiled softly. "Miss Xiao Yixian, rest assured. No one here harbors ill intent toward your Young Master."
Then her expression turned solemn as she addressed the elders and disciples gathered behind her.
"Everyone, disperse. Until Master Liu emerges from seclusion, no one is to enter or disturb this area. No cultivation, no sparring near here. Master Liu has cured my cold poison—he is an honored guest of Sound Valley. We will not allow any interruption to his breakthrough."
"Yes, Valley Master!"
The chorus of voices rang out respectfully.
Disciples who had gathered out of curiosity quickly withdrew, whispering among themselves with awe and disbelief.
"A Dou Zong and an 8th Tier Alchemist already… and now breaking through to Dou Zun?"
"He's so young—could he really be a disguised elder from some ancient sect?"
"Maybe… but either way, he's terrifying."
Even the elders near Valley Master Luo could not help but glance back repeatedly as they left, their faces pale from the shock.
The First Elder sighed. "The Valley Master's foresight is truly keen. This Master Liu will not remain bound to the 8th Tier level—or even to the Dou Zun realm. To reach 9th Tier Alchemist or even Dou Saint one day is entirely possible. Befriending him early can only bring us benefit."
The Second Elder nodded vigorously. "Indeed, indeed!"
"So true," echoed the Third Elder, trembling slightly.
Valley Master Luo smiled faintly, noticing how Xiao Yixian still stood guard, her expression serene but resolute. Knowing she would not permit anyone to intrude, the Valley Master turned away. "Yinzhu, let's go. He doesn't need us here."
Luo Yinzhu glanced back once at Xiao Yixian and nodded. "Yes, Mother."
Once everyone had departed, Xiao Yixian finally exhaled and returned to the courtyard, continuing her silent vigil.
After Valley Master Luo's command, the entire Tideborn Pavilion was quietly marked as a restricted zone—no disciple dared to approach. Only Xiao Yixian remained, guarding the place day and night.
Ordinarily, a 9-Star Dou Zong would take at least one to three years to accumulate enough strength to truly break through to Dou Zun.
But surprises always came uninvited.
Just one month later—
A colossal wave of energy erupted from within the Tideborn Pavilion, blasting straight toward the heavens. The very air trembled.
Xiao Yixian looked up, eyes wide with joy. "Already? Only a month—and he's truly broken through! That aura… it's real. Young Master has reached 1-Star Dou Zun."
Liu Xi stepped out from the upper floor of the pavilion, walking on air. His body exuded an overwhelming, majestic presence; his eyes burned with pride and exhilaration.
Feeling the torrent of power coursing within him, he grinned. "So this is the strength of a Dou Zun. Compared to the 9-Star Dou Zong stage, my Dou Qi has multiplied more than tenfold."
He looked up as Xiao Yixian flew over, smiling. "Xian'er, you've worked hard. How long was I in seclusion?"
Xiao Yixian smiled gently. "Young Master, not long—about a month."
Liu Xi let out a breath of relief. "Good. Any longer and I'd have missed the Pill Gathering."
A satisfied gleam shone in his eyes. "Valley Master Luo's cold poison truly was a blessing in disguise. It saved me a great deal of time. Now… it's time to head for Holy Pill City."
(End of Chapter)
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