Chapter 22
Inside the grand chariot, Xiao Ming sat with his eyes closed, exuding an aura of calm. Beside him, Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei were practically glued to his sides. The two girls had been adamant about accompanying him, their determination leaving Xiao Ming with no room to argue.
Seeing their pleading eyes and stubborn expressions, he could only sigh inwardly. Why are they so attached to me? Despite his misgivings, he let them join the journey.
The sisters were brimming with excitement. In their entire lives, they hadn't even dared to dream of riding a chariot pulled by nine transcendence-level dragons. But now, thanks to Xiao Ming, they were living that dream.
"Brother Ming, this is so amazing!" Xiao Rui exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as she admired the majestic dragons soaring ahead.
"Indeed, it feels like we're in a storybook," Xiao Mei added, her voice full of awe.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ming appeared calm, his expression serene, but within his mind, he was analyzing his attribute panel.
Name: Xiao Ming
Identity: Young master of the Xiao family; Core disciple of the Divine Blue Sect
Cultivation: First stage of Spirit Ascension
Physique: Immortal Bones, Devil's Heart
Destiny: 10,010
Luck Points: 700 (Black)
Items: Oblivion Jade Pendant, Nine Abyss Soul-Locking Mirror
System Draws Available: 2
After briefly glancing at his attributes, Xiao Ming focused on the two unused system draws. With a bit of deliberation, he decided to use one and save the other for later.
'System, draw a lottery for me,' he commanded internally.
Ding!
Drawing lottery...
Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received a Level-Up Card.
Level-Up Card: Allows the user to break through their current realm. The extent of the breakthrough depends on the user's luck.
Xiao Ming's forehead twitched upon reading the description. Taking a deep breath to suppress his frustration, he asked calmly, "System, what do you mean by 'depends on luck'?"
Ding!
Answer: If the user has exceptionally good luck, they can break through major realms. However, if their luck is poor, they might barely achieve a minor breakthrough.
Hearing this, Xiao Ming's gaze shifted back to his status panel, particularly his luck points.
Luck Points: 560 (Black)
"__" Xiao Ming felt his lips twitch as he stared at his abysmal luck. Does even a breakthrough card require luck? He sighed, feeling both helpless and amused.
Still, he held onto a sliver of hope. "System, is there any way to increase the probability of a successful breakthrough?"
Ding!
Answer: The host can use luck points to boost the probability of success.
"Use all my luck points to maximize the probability," Xiao Ming instructed without hesitation.
Luck points were valuable, but Xiao Ming had discovered a peculiar pattern in recent days. Whenever he shared close moments with Xiao Rui, especially romantic ones, his luck points would increase slightly. While the gains were modest compared to altering the plot or outsmarting protagonists, it was still a reliable source.
If I attract more women like Xiao Rui... wouldn't that mean an endless supply of luck points? Xiao Ming's thoughts momentarily wandered to a certain snowy-haired beauty, but he quickly reined himself in. Focus. First, let's deal with this breakthrough.
Activating the Level-Up Card, Xiao Ming felt a surge of energy coursing through his body.
Crack!
A sound like shattering chains echoed within him as a storm of spiritual qi erupted from his body.
Outside the chariot, the area within a hundred-mile radius was swept up in a whirlwind of energy. The nine dragons pulling the chariot roared in unison, their majestic voices reverberating through the heavens.
Elder Su, who had been silently guarding the chariot, was dumbfounded. "What's going on? I've been watching him since we left the Xiao family's mansion. He hasn't cultivated even once! How is this happening?"
Before Elder Su could process the situation, another crack resounded, followed by another and another. The sound of breaking chains came in rapid succession, each one accompanied by an intensifying surge of energy.
The spiritual qi storm grew more ferocious, expanding its reach to a thousand-kilometer radius. The sky above darkened as the massive whirlpool of energy seemed to converge upon the chariot.
Inside the chariot, Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei clung to each other, their faces pale with shfull of eve
"Brother Ming... What's happening to him?" Xiao Rui whispered, her voice trembling.
"I don't know, but it's... terrifying," Xiao Mei replied, her eyes wide as she watched the storm outside.
An entire hour passed before the chaos finally subsided. The storm dissipated, leaving an eerie calm in its wake.
Xiao Ming slowly opened his eyes. A faint golden light surrounded his body, the residual energy of his breakthrough lingering like a protective shroud. He exhaled softly, yet the air seemed to tremble with power.
The chariot beneath him bore scorch marks, evidence of the overwhelming energy that had been unleashed.
"So this is the realm of Peak Soul Ascension," Xiao Ming murmured, clenching his fists as he felt the immense power coursing through his veins.
Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei stared at him in awe. Though they had witnessed Xiao Ming's breakthroughs before, this was unlike anything they had ever seen. To break through eight small realms in just an hour... it was beyond comprehension.
Elder Su, who had been watching from a distance, felt his jaw slacken. He recalled the years it had taken him to reach Peak Soul Ascension from the first stage. Comparing himself to Xiao Ming, he couldn't help but feel a sense of futility.
"Well, if we count all his recent breakthroughs..." Elder Su trailed off, shaking his head. It's better not to think about it. The comparison is too depressing.
Noticing Elder Su's complicated expression, Xiao Rui asked, "Elder Su, is something wrong with Brother Ming's breakthrough? Why do you look so troubled?"
Hearing her concern, Xiao Mei also turned to Elder Su with worry in her eyes.
Elder Su sighed inwardly. Damn, Why did I agree to protect this monster? Does he even need protection? His thoughts grew even more bitter as he glanced at the two beautiful girls doting on Xiao Ming. And over that, this guy has such caring and beautiful sisters. It feels like my youth was wasted in cultivation.
Outwardly, however, Elder Su adjusted his expression and replied, "There's nothing wrong. I'm just... surprised. To think he was a second-stage Core Formation cultivator two weeks ago, and now he's at the Peak of Soul Ascension. I've never heard of such rapid progress."
Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei gasped in admiration.
Elder Su continued, "Xiao Ming, while rapid progress is good, you must ensure your foundation is stable. A solid foundation is essential for—" He stopped mid-sentence, recalling how Xiao Ming had killed Wei Zhen, a transcendence-level cultivator, while only at the first stage of Soul Ascension. If that isn't a solid foundation, I don't know what is.
Seeing Elder Su's hesitation, Xiao Ming smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Elder Su. My breakthroughs are the result of a few epiphanies. Perhaps that's why my cultivation improved so quickly."
"__"
"...A few epiphanies?" Elder Su felt his Dao heart tremble. As a sword cultivator, he had spent decades searching for enlightenment, yet here was Xiao Ming claiming to have achieved a few epiphanies' casually.
Taking a deep breath, Elder Su steadied himself. From now on, I'll just treat this guy as an anomaly. Without another word, he vanished into the distance.
Meanwhile, Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei looked at Xiao Ming with even more admiration, their eyes sparkling like stars.
Soon, the chariot reached Divine Blue City. The towering walls of the city stretched endlessly into the horizon, bustling with life and energy. Xiao Rui and Xiao Mei were captivated by its grandeur, their excitement reigniting as they chattered about the sights.
Unbeknownst to them, sinister figures awaited Xiao Ming's arrival at the Divine Blue Sect, their intentions anything but kind.