Chapter 180: Another Breakthrough

【Pang Bo: So satisfying! Watching this has got me pumped! @Xiao Yan, I should've gone over there to show off instead!】

【Han Li: @Xiao Yan, a Sanxingdou Sect member challenging a Seven-Star Great Dou Master? You're way more outrageous than I am!】

【Pang Bo: Xiao Yan: Nalan Yanran, how about I give you another thirty years? By the time you see me again, I'll probably already be a Dou Emperor!】

【Ye Chen: Enemies I've defeated never again count as rivals to me! I'll give you time to catch up—until you can no longer even see my horizon!】

【Pang Bo: Well said! Now I declare this quote mine!】

【Pang Bo: After I defeat the Holy Sect's Holy Sons and Holy Daughters next time, I'll say this!】

【Han Li: @Pang Bo, I think Ye Fan would suit this quote better—you're still missing something!】

【Pang Bo: @Han Li, you insolent fool! When I become an Emperor, I'll repay today's humiliation!】

【Yue Buqun: Am I the only one who thinks Nalan Yanran has great luck?】

【Meng Huan: Actually, Nalan Yanran's luck is pretty good too! Though her engagement with Xiao Yan was broken off, they still share deep ties—after all, her master is Yun Yun, the sect leader of Yunlan Sect, and her relationship with Xiao Yan is anything but ordinary!】

【Pang Bo: True! In the original novel, Nalan Yanran always stuck with Yun Yun and even reached an extremely high realm!】

【Pang Bo: @Xiao Yan, you really ought to give Nalan Yanran a proper lesson—after all, you're her grandmaster!】

Looking at the chat log, Xiao Yan felt utterly speechless.

It has to be said, when group friends have nothing serious to do, when they chat they can think of absolutely anything.

And on the other side…

After witnessing the terrifying aura erupting from Xiao Yan, everyone around froze.

"This is impossible!"

Nalan Yanran, blasted away by Xiao Yan's Dou Qi, suffered no injury—but she stood rooted to the spot, stunned.

Star Dou Zong!

Every word Xiao Yan spoke rang like a great bell inside her mind.

She refused to believe it, yet the aura radiating from Xiao Yan was undeniably real!

Even her master, the Dou Huang powerhouse Yun Yun, had never unleashed such terrifying pressure!

"How is this possible?"

Ge Ye, who had visited Xiao's family before, now stared in disbelief at the scene before him.

"Impossible! At his age, even with heavenly talent, he absolutely—absolutely could not have reached the Star Dou Zong realm!"

At this moment, Ge Ye's whole body trembled: "Could the terrifying pressure I sensed back then have come from Xiao Yan himself?"

After the wedding rejection incident, he had already suspected Xiao's family harbored a hidden powerhouse.

So upon returning to his sect, he immediately reported it—even the Grand Elder Yun Leng personally led the delegation this time.

But he never imagined the hidden powerhouse of Xiao's family would be a Star Dou Zong—a Star Dou Zong even Yunlan Sect had never possessed!

And even more astonishingly, this unimaginable Star Dou Zong was none other than Xiao Yan, the same age as Nalan Yanran!

"This is impossible!"

Yun Leng, the Grand Elder of Yunlan Sect, stood frozen, his mind reeling with shock.

Among everyone present, excluding Xiao Yan, he was the highest in realm.

Precisely because of this, he understood better than anyone just how terrifying Xiao Yan truly was.

He refused to believe it!

He wanted to test him, to see if Xiao Yan was merely a paper tiger—but he dared not make a single move.

While the Yunlan Sect members were stunned and fearful, the Xiao family members were stunned yet elated.

"Young Clan Head is invincible!"

"Young Clan Head!"

"Young Clan Head is number one under heaven!"

After a moment of silence, deafening shouts erupted.

All the Xiao clan members present now stared at Xiao Yan with overwhelming excitement, especially the younger generation, whose eyes burned with fervent adoration.

Even Clan Leader Xiao Zhan now gazed at his son with intense emotion.

He had anticipated Xiao Yan's strength would be formidable, even suspected he might have reached Late Dou Ling—or perhaps even Dou Wang…

But he never imagined Xiao Yan had broken through to the Star Dou Zong realm!

This was simply too unbelievable—even if he told others, no one would believe him!

"Could it be that the ancestral power has awakened within Yan'er?" Xiao Zhan glanced subtly at Xiao Xun'er beside him, then thought silently.

As Clan Leader, he knew the Xiao family's origins better than anyone—he even held a piece of the Tuo She Gu Di Jade!

As one of the ancient imperial clans, the Xiao family would have rivaled other imperial clans in power—if not for an ancestor who exhausted the clan's Dou Emperor bloodline in his attempt to break through to Dou Emperor.

In Xiao Zhan's eyes, Xiao Yan's rapid breakthrough to Star Dou Zong could only be explained by the awakening of ancestral power.

Thinking this, Xiao Zhan quickly formed a thought: "The Xiao clan's revival now rests on Yan'er. It's time to tell him everything—the Tuo She Gu Di Jade, and the full truth of our clan!"

Xiao Xun'er's heart was equally stunned.

In truth, Xiao Xun'er was perhaps the one who understood Xiao Yan best—she even knew a powerful being with a Tian Jing Great Perfection soul guided him.

After all, when Yao Chen's soul broke through, her guardian Ling Ying had witnessed it firsthand—and had even been wounded by Yao Chen's soul.

She had also been aware of Xiao Yan's breakthrough into Dou Wang.

But after Xiao Yan fused Hai Xin Flame and Bone Spirit Cold Fire, he never again revealed his full power, so she naturally didn't know his exact realm.

Now, seeing Xiao Yan display such unbelievable strength, Xiao Xun'er was equally stunned and delighted.

Stunned, because she couldn't fathom how he had broken through—no matter how supreme a genius with Dou Emperor bloodline, no one could reach Star Dou Zong in such a short time;

Delighted, because the stronger Xiao Yan became, the greater the chance they could be together in the future!

……

In the arena, Xiao Yan heard the shouts of the Xiao family members, then with a thought, the terrifying aura before him vanished instantly.

Next, Xiao Yan merely lifted his hand slightly, and all surrounding shouts ceased abruptly.

He ignored Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye, walking straight to Yun Leng, the Grand Elder of the Yun Lan Sect, who had been shaken by his aura: "Grand Elder Yun Leng, are you satisfied with this duel?"

"I… I…"

Faced with Xiao Yan's question, Yun Leng now lacked even the courage to answer.

"Please convey this to your sect's leader, Yun Yun!"

Xiao Yan said calmly: "I will personally visit the Yun Lan Sect in the future!"

"No!"

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Yun Leng, who had just been stunned, snapped back to his senses.

If Xiao Yan truly came to visit the Yun Lan Sect, the sect would be finished!

Even a Star Dou Zong alone, the Yun Lan Sect might still have a chance to cope!

But the Imperial Family of the Jia Ma Empire has long been eyeing the Yun Lan Sect—should Xiao Yan strike at them, they would surely kick them while they're down, and the Yun Lan Sect might be utterly annihilated!

【Pang Bo: @Xiao Yan, look how terrified Yun Leng is? He doesn't know your relationship with Yun Yun, or he'd be thrilled right now!】

【Han Li: @Xiao Yan, I think you should delay visiting the Yun Lan Sect—for now, there are members of the Soul Hall there. Though your current strength can handle it, something unexpected might still happen!】

【Xiao Yan: Thank you, Brother Han, I'll think carefully about this!】

At this moment, Yun Leng, standing before Xiao Yan, wore a fawning smile and said: "Xiao Yan… Sir, this matter was indeed the Yun Lan Sect's fault. Please give us some time—we will surely give you a satisfactory reply!"

"Very well!"

Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then said: "Have your sect leader come personally to apologize!"

"This…"

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's demand, Yun Leng froze for a moment, then gritted his teeth and agreed: "Fine! As you wish, Sir!"

【Pang Bo: @Xiao Yan, you're not after the wine—you're after the pitcher! @Han Li, learn from him!】

【Han Li: Xiao Yan is too cunning—I'm nothing like him!】

【Pang Bo: Nothing like him? How's Zi Ling doing now?】

【Han Li: This… it's just different!】

Watching the group chat, Xiao Yan found it amusing.

Yet he didn't forget real-world matters—after sending off the three from the Yun Lan Sect, he quickly discussed with his father relocating the family to the Black Corner Domain for development.

His display of power earlier was precisely to make this easier.

And indeed, after witnessing Xiao Yan's astonishing power, Xiao Zhan and the three Xiao clan elders agreed without hesitation.

To others in the group chat, these matters were dull—they naturally stopped paying attention, and Xiao Yan simply turned off the livestream.

…

In the Shengguo of Lu Qingshan, in the Swallowed Star world.

Watching Xiao Yan complete a three-year pact utterly different from the original story, Lu Qingshan felt profound emotion.

In the original, Xiao Yan was only a Great Dou Shi when he fulfilled the three-year pact—he struggled to defeat Nalan Yanran, let alone face others of the Yun Lan Sect.

Now, even Yun Shan, who had just emerged from seclusion after reaching Star Dou Zong, could not possibly match Xiao Yan, let alone Yao Chen, whose soul had reached Relying on the Heavenly Realm's peak and possessed Dou Sheng power.

"It seems everyone's strength is rising rapidly!"

Lu Qingshan thought inwardly: "Then I certainly cannot fall behind! Fortunately, I just exchanged some points from Cao Cao, adding to my reserves!"

"There's still time before the Four Divine Generals open—I should be able to accumulate more points before then."

"Moreover, I've already built up considerable accumulation—why not meditate on the Chaos Stele again? Perhaps I can use this chance to elevate my comprehension of the Time Primordial Law to the level of the Celestial Bridge's Nineteenth Level!"

Thinking this, Lu Qingshan's second body, long secluded in Chaos City, left his residence and swiftly headed toward the meditation chamber before the Thunder Chaos Stele.

This time, Lu Qingshan arrived at a fortunate moment—the Thunder Chaos Stele was idle. After greeting its guardian, Elder Kandeli, he entered the meditation chamber without delay.

Upon entering the Thunder Chaos Stele meditation chamber, Lu Qingshan wasted not a single moment, quickly found a suitable spot, sat cross-legged, activated the "Enlightenment Boost" function within the group chat, and began meditating on the seventh illustration of the Thunder Chaos Stele.

The seventh illustration depicted a strange beast, representing the complete Time Primordial Law—once fully comprehended, one could attain the complete Time Primordial Law and enter the Venerable Realm.

Of course, Lu Qingshan still had some distance to go before reaching the Celestial Bridge's Nineteenth Level of comprehension, let alone fully mastering the complete Time Primordial Law.

Immediately, Lu Qingshan focused all his spirit on one of the beast's hooves.

It represented a sub-branch of the Time Primordial Law's three branches: "Time Instantaneous Pause." If Lu Qingshan fully comprehended it, combined with his prior "Time Regional Pause," he might unlock the complete "Time Pause."

Thus, Lu Qingshan diligently studied "Time Instantaneous Pause," soon becoming utterly immersed in meditation, unaware of time's passage.

…

One day, two days, three days, four days…

On the fifth day of Lu Qingshan's meditation on the Thunder Chaos Stele…

"Hahaha!"

"This is 'Time Instantaneous Pause'!"

Lu Qingshan, seated cross-legged on the ground, finally opened his eyes, a smile forming on his face.

At that moment, a strange sensation surged in his mind—a satisfaction born of reaching a certain depth of Law comprehension.

Thus, Lu Qingshan had fully mastered both major sub-branches of Time Pause.

"Excellent!"

Feeling the power of "Time Regional Pause" and "Time Instantaneous Pause" within his mind, Lu Qingshan felt deep emotion: "Since I began cultivation, eighteen million years have passed!"

"Through such an immense span of time, even with the rare opportunity of the Multiverse Group Chat, I never slackened—always striving, never resting. Now, I've broken through again!"

"Celestial Bridge's Nineteenth Level Law Comprehension!"

Lu Qingshan thought inwardly: "Though I cannot compare to true prodigies, among humanity's many Wang Bu-Xiu, I can hold my head high."

Know that Lu Qingshan's senior brother, Lei Huanwang, trained for countless eons under their master Lei Huanwang, and received guidance from Venerable Yao Guang—yet he has only just passed the Celestial Bridge's Nineteenth Level!

"But..."

After a brief moment of joy, Lu Qingshan immediately snapped back to focus: "I still have two days left to contemplate the Thunder Chaos Stele—I must seize this time and continue my contemplation. Even if I can't fully comprehend complete time suspension, even slight progress is excellent!"

Thinking this, Lu Qingshan quickly calmed his mind and resumed his quiet contemplation of the Time Origin Principle.

Thus, the final two days of contemplation passed in the blink of an eye.

"Boom—"

The bronze giant gate crashed open, yet Lu Qingshan remained lost in contemplation, unaware.

"Come out!"

A voice rang out, directly flooding into the depths of Lu Qingshan's mind.

"Come out!" "Come out!"...

The voice, like a demonic chant, echoed endlessly in Lu Qingshan's mind, growing louder and louder—until even his willpower could not resist, and he soon awakened.

Whizz!

Lu Qingshan cast one last reluctant glance at the Thunder Chaos Stele, but under the relentless urging of the demonic voice in his mind, he could only leave the contemplation chamber—and only then did the demonic voice fade away.

"Boom—"

The ancient bronze gate slowly closed.

After greeting the Chaos Stele's guardian, Elder Kandeli, Lu Qingshan quickly returned to his estate.

Upon returning to his estate, Lu Qingshan neither attempted the Sky-Piercing Bridge nor immediately restructured his divine power—he directly appeared in his meditation chamber and continued his deep cultivation.

He had just finished contemplating the Thunder Chaos Stele, and his mind was naturally filled with countless insights—he had to seize this time to organize, summarize, and absorb them as thoroughly as possible.

Only after half a year did Lu Qingshan slowly open his eyes, ending his seclusion.

"Contemplation can finally be paused for now!"

Lu Qingshan couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "Though I'm still far from fully comprehending time suspension, I've now fully mastered 'Time Region Suspension' and 'Instant Time Suspension.' Now I can use these two as a foundation to restructure my divine power!"

Thinking this, Lu Qingshan activated his intent and immediately began reconstructing the divine power of his second avatar: "Divine power—restructure!"

Splash!

His internal immortal divine power instantly surged, with the Time Origin Principle as the core and the Lightning Origin Principle as the auxiliary—both principles interwoven, continuously enhancing every fraction of divine power within his divine body.

After a brief moment, Lu Qingshan's divine power finally stabilized.

"This power..."

Lu Qingshan carefully sensed it: "It's roughly sixty thousand times the power of a Domain Lord! But my second avatar's life gene level is only two times—so its base power is certainly inferior to my original body!"

You have to know that after breaking through the nineteenth level of the Tongtian Bridge, even a Marrow Immortal with the most ordinary life gene level can raise their base strength to thirty thousand times the World Lord force.

And Lu Qingshan's true body's life gene level is ten times that of ordinary life in the universe, so the base strength naturally reaches three hundred thousand times the World Lord force.

"Once I receive the inheritance of the Four Divine Generals, just the burst of power alone will be able to reach over twenty million times the World Lord force!" Lu Qingshan couldn't help secretly thinking to himself.

Afterwards, he quickly sent his true body on the extraterritorial battlefield back to the God Country, then began reorganizing the divine power of his true body and the Endless Divine Sea avatar.

It is worth mentioning that after millions of years of expansion, even after reorganizing its divine power, the Endless Divine Sea avatar's volume has already exceeded one hundred kilometers.

Although such a volume still cannot compare to those gigantic starry sky beasts, among the many royal clans of the demon race, no one can match it.

And the most important point is that Lu Qingshan has other avatars. Now, just the self-recovery speed of the Endless Divine Sea avatar alone is already enough to support Lu Qingshan's true body frequently burning immortal divine power in combat.

And this is something other life forms with enormous bodies cannot compare to. After all, once they burn immortal divine power, although the burning ratio is less than that of smaller life forms, they still end up consuming their own divine power.

And once divine power is consumed, it takes time to recover, otherwise it will affect one's own strength.

"But my current strength is still not strong enough!"

Lu Qingshan secretly thought: "I'll endure a little longer. Once I cross into the twentieth level of the Tongtian Bridge, that will be the time to rampage across the extraterritorial battlefield!"

Once he fully comprehends Time Stop and raises his law comprehension to the level of the twentieth level of the Tongtian Bridge, combined with his gene level and amplification secret techniques, he will absolutely be one of the top combatants on the extraterritorial battlefield!

(End of Chapter)