Chapter 190: Breaking Through the Four Realms

On the nodes of the ancient road, there exist some ancient cultivator cave dwellings.

Their existence leads many Lan Xing people to speculate that Lan Xing's ascension is probably not the first time.

In ancient times, Lan Xing might have undergone ascension as well, but no one knows why it failed.

It failed but did not disintegrate, nor did it become a civilization's tombstone.

The reason for this is unknown to anyone.

This also happens to confirm some situations, such as the stories and legendary creatures that exist on Lan Xing, which can be seen on the Starry Sky Ancient Road.

Like the blood clan, which is exactly the same as the vampires of Western legend.

The monster clan is roughly similar to the monsters of Eastern legend.

Inside these ancient cultivator cave dwellings, there might be nothing, or there might be something.

As for the origin of these ancient cultivator cave dwellings, there are also some speculations.

For example, some speculate that some ancient cultivators felt the ancient road nodes were more suitable for them, so they stayed there to cultivate and even reproduce.

On some ancient road nodes, one can also see remnants of civilizations, which might have been left by them.

The star gates that Barbara spoke of may possibly have originated from this.

Some ancient cultivators chose to take root at the nodes of the Starry Sky Ancient Road, then built star gates to travel back and forth.

Of course, few people know about the star gates; this is Lu Xun's speculation.

Regarding the ancient cultivator cave dwellings, there is another theory.

Some say that the ancient Starry Sky Road in the past might not have been used for planetary ascension, but rather the strong ones of each planet went to walk the Starry Sky Road themselves.

However, these strong ones could not reach the end.

Finally, the homeworlds of the various races had no recourse, so the Heavenly Dao had to awaken and choose to go on the path itself.

In short, there are all kinds of theories.

What the truth actually is,

currently remains unknown to anyone.

"Let's go take a look first."

Since we've discovered the ancient cultivator cave dwellings, Lu Xun naturally wants to go check the situation.

That place is quite far from where he is.

He brought the two women and rushed all the way to that underground space.

Along the way, Lu Xun also happened to gain some spoils.

One day later, the three reached the area above the underground space.

This area has many volcanoes.

Inside the volcanoes, there are large numbers of starry sky alien species active.

"Be careful."

Lu Xun dealt with some, and also proactively avoided an extremely large volcano.

Because inside there is a group of extremely strong alien species, the strongest gave Lu Xun the feeling of being at the Six Realms level.

After more than an hour, Lu Xun found the entrance to the underground.

That passage looks quite ordinary, just a simple earthen cave.

Inside it winds and twists, being quite complex.

Who would have thought that at a depth of several kilometers below lies an ancient cultivator cave dwelling.

Seeing Lu Xun head underground, Chu Youqing and Murong Wan were curious but did not question him.

Chu Youqing need not be said; she blindly trusts Lu Xun.

Although Murong Wan says she is not mindless, she has sufficient confidence in Lu Xun.

"Lu Xun, what's down there?"

"You'll know when you go."

"Oh."

The three thus continued downward.

After several hours, finally, the ahead opened up.

An underground cavern appeared.

Inside the cavern, a magma river flowed slowly.

"Wow, fire crystal."

Chu Youqing discovered fire crystal.

This is something of higher grade than fire energy stone, and its value is not small.

"Lu Xun, is this a lava tree? The fruit I ate last time in the volcano was of this kind."

There are many good things in this underground space.

Chu Youqing actually encountered again the fruit she had eaten last time.

After returning last time, Chu Youqing checked a lot of materials and knew that the tree of that fruit is called the lava tree.

It grows specifically in magma.

"The Dark Energy is so rich... there should be a formation here."

Lu Xun, on the other hand, made another discovery.

At such depth underground, the Dark Energy is more than ten times denser than on the surface.

This is clearly abnormal,

Lu Xun feels that it is very likely related to that ancient cultivator cave dwelling.

With a thought of his, he absorbed all the Dark Energy passing through the area.

It's better to absorb these Dark Energies than not.

Thus, the three of them entered the space where the huge magma lake lay.

This space is huge, its length and width spanning several tens of kilometers.

In the center of the magma lake lies an island several kilometers across, and the Li Huo Palace stands upon it.

"Wow, Lu Xun, how come there is a palace there?"

Chu Youqing and Murong Wan saw the Li Huo Palace from afar, both somewhat startled.

"This should be an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling."

"An ancient cultivator's cave dwelling... no wonder there are so many good things here, Lu Xun—look at the edge of the magma lake, there are many lava trees and fire crystals."

Besides her astonishment, Chu Youqing discovered that treasures lay scattered everywhere in this area.

By the magma lake, there is not just one lava tree, but fire crystals scattered all over the ground.

"You wait here, I'll go over first to check the situation—by the way, don't touch anything by the lake yet, stay farther from the lake; I sense something inside."

Lu Xun said.

"All right, Lu Xun."

The two women stepped back a bit.

Lu Xun then stepped onto his flying sword and flew toward the island in the lake's center.

"biu~"

As he flew to the middle of the magma lake, suddenly a long tongue shot out from within the lake, heading straight for Lu Xun.

Lu Xun had been on guard; the Crimson Armor Shield instantly appeared below to block it.

But the tongue was too ferocious, shattering the Crimson Armor Shield outright.

Fortunately, Lu Xun distorted space, blocking the tongue for a moment.

Just that moment, Lu Xun's figure vanished.

He directly used spatial teleportation.

After several consecutive teleports, Lu Xun appeared on the island in the lake's center.

"Huh, Lu Xun, how did you come back?"

"What's going on?"

Then Lu Xun discovered that he had been sent back to the shore.

Seeing Lu Xun return, Chu Youqing and Murong Wan both felt strange.

"Sure enough, there is a formation; wait here, I'll go check again."

"Mm!"

The two women nodded.

Lu Xun went over again.

This time, he directly used spatial teleportation, without disturbing whatever was in the magma lake.

After teleporting to the island's center, Lu Xun did not go onto the island but flew high up to observe.

"Dark Energy is converging here..."

After observing for a while, Lu Xun discovered that Dark Energy was converging toward the Li Huo Palace.

This also caused the Dark Energy around the Li Huo Palace to become extremely dense.

This formation is probably quite sophisticated.

The reason is simple.

Where does all this Dark Energy underground come from?

Lan Xing's Dark Energy Tide is formed by Lan Xing drawing in Dark Energy from who knows how large an area.

Although the Li Huo Palace is far smaller than Lan Xing, the Dark Energy around it is so dense that it remains continuously dense.

There is only one possibility.

The formation of the Li Huo Palace should be something like a Gathering Energy Formation.

The area covered by this formation is absolutely extraordinarily vast.

Only thus can it bring such dense Dark Energy.

Probably, it is precisely because of these Dark Energies that the Li Huo Palace's formation can keep running.

"The ancient cultivator who left this cave dwelling is incredible—his cultivation must be immensely powerful, his formation expertise likely formidable as well... I don't know if he is still alive."

Lu Xun thought.

After thinking, Lu Xun tried again, but still found he could not enter the island's center.

As soon as he entered, he would be sent to the edge of the magma lake.

He tried from various angles several times, to no avail.

"Can't get in."

Lu Xun felt helpless.

This ancient cultivator's cave dwelling looks anything but simple; there might be good things inside—too bad we can't get in.

"Perhaps we could do it this way..."

Lu Xun suddenly had an idea.

Thinking of this, he returned to the two women, took out a formation device and set it up, then took out an alchemy furnace.

"Lu Xun, what are you doing?"

Chu Youqing was curious.

Soon, she knew.

Lu Xun wanted to make pills.

"Ah? Lu Xun, you actually can make pills???"

Chu Youqing looked astonished.

Not only her,

Murong Wan was equally astonished.

"Just a little."

Lu Xun was very humble.

He took out the materials and quickly began refining.

The materials he had bought earlier were now put to use.

After only a short half-day, a pill was refined by Lu Xun.

"Chu Youqing, take it and seize the time to cultivate."

He handed the pill to Chu Youqing.

This pill was precisely made by Lu Xun using the fire spirit fruit, equivalent to a mature fire spirit fruit.

Besides the pill, Lu Xun also gave her a large amount of Dark Energy.

Before coming, he had already extracted all the Dark Energy from the card.

"Oh."

Chu Youqing didn't know what Lu Xun intended to do, but she obediently swallowed it.

Lu Xun continued refining pills.

After another short half-day, he succeeded in refining.

"Aunt, this pill should help you open your Foot Aperture; you cultivate too, I'll think of a way to enter this cave dwelling."

Lu Xun handed the pill to Murong Wan.

Murong Wan took it, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Now she highly doubted whether the pill Lu Xun gave her was actually made by himself.

Lu Xun... actually knows how to make pills, and he's so skilled at it.

Murong Wan appeared calm on the surface, but inside she was overcome by tumultuous waves.

In her eyes, Lu Xun became ever more unique and miraculous.

In the end, she said nothing.

Instead, after taking the pill, she silently began to cultivate.

Seeing them cultivating, Lu Xun moved and left.

Soon, he returned to the outside of the Heart Lake Island.

Then, Lu Xun began to absorb Dark Energy with all his might.

Yes,

Lu Xun's idea was simple: absorb all the Dark Energy gathered by this formation.

Such rich Dark Energy is hard to come by elsewhere.

This in itself represents a kind of fortuitous encounter.

So, Lu Xun prepared to spend some time here, absorbing more Dark Energy.

After he absorbed the Dark Energy, the formation here on Heart Lake Island had no energy replenishment.

Given the size of this formation, once there is no replenishment, Lu Xun can try to consume its reserves.

This formation will then be broken by Lu Xun.

"I'm really a genius."

Lu Xun gave his own method a thumbs-up.

Whether it will actually work, Lu Xun really doesn't know.

After all, his knowledge of formations is limited.

But even if it doesn't work, he won't lose out.

Anyway, Chu Youqing and Murong Wan need some time to digest these days' gains.

【Chu Youqing broke through Condensed Origin Ninth Layer, you gain...】

The effect of that pill was extraordinarily good.

Moreover, the environment of the Scarlet Flame Continent was extremely suitable for Chu Youqing; after just one day, she broke through Condensed Origin Ninth Layer.

Lu Xun's strength continued to soar upward.

【Chu Youqing broke through Condensed Origin Tenth Layer, you gain...】

After another two days, Chu Youqing broke through another layer.

This rise, she couldn't stop.

Condensed Origin Eleventh Layer, Twelfth Layer, Thirteenth Layer.... Chu Youqing is still rising.

【Murong Wan reached the Foot Aperture...】

After a few days, Murong Wan welcomed a breakthrough.

She opened her Foot Aperture, and in just two days she opened nine apertures in succession, directly breaking into the Fourth Layer of the Third Realm.

In terms of divine abilities, Murong Wan obtained Shrink Ground to an Inch and Divine Foot Ability.

After these two divine abilities were returned, they became even more terrifying.

Besides these, there are also basic abilities like Void Treading Step that are similarly returned; for example, Void Treading Step becomes Gang Treading Step, not only increasing hang time but also usable in the void of outer space.

Lu Xun also awakened a new divine ability.

Carrying mountains, surpassing seas.

The meaning of carrying Mount Tai and straddling the North Sea.

This divine ability focuses on strength, granting Lu Xun's legs extremely terrifying power; it is an attack-type foot aperture divine ability.

【Bai Ling broke through the eighth layer of Qi Gathering, you gain forty times Bai Ling's harvest.】

That day, Bai Ling's side also received a harvest.

Her eighth layer of Qi Gathering, even with a fortyfold return, does not count as much benefit to Lu Xun; it only lets Lu Xun break through one layer.

【You have reached the limit in the Condensing Origin Realm, and are about to break through to the fourth realm.】

After another return, finally, Lu Xun reached the limit in the Condensing Origin Realm.

At this point, he had already reached forty-two layers of Condensing Origin.

The returning heat flow continued to arrive.

Lu Xun's cultivation on the Immortal Path officially broke through to the fourth realm, which is the Spirit Tranquility Realm.