Chapter 828: Rapid Advancement

'Changqing Zhenjun.'

Xueqing Zhenjun recognized the newcomer as Li Rui, the old patriarch of Jinting Small State who had previously declined her invitation.

Her gaze settled on the extraterrestrial demon’s head in Li Rui’s hand.

Obviously.

Just now, when she and Zhong Li had jointly suppressed the True Person–level extraterrestrial demon, Li Rui had cleared away all the lesser demons around them.

Xueqing Zhenjun let out a light snort.

Li Rui had refused her, and she was naturally displeased.

Only then did she turn her gaze back to Zhong Li, a flicker of wariness in her eyes.

Both she and Zhong Li hailed from the Four Supreme Realms, and both were rare True Persons of a single lifetime—inevitable comparisons arose.

Nearly seven or eight out of ten names on the Heavenly Record were reincarnated Dao Lords or True Persons, especially those ancient monsters who were reincarnated Dao Lords—their breakthrough speed was beyond her reach, yet there was no need to compare.

One lifetime alone held the potential to challenge the Dao Lord realm.

Her potential, in some ways, was even higher than that of some Dao Lords, not to mention she was reborn in the Luofu Immortal Realm.

Thus her standards were extremely high; among this batch of Heavenly Record holders, only Zhong Li could meet her eye.

Previously,

she had always held the upper hand over Zhong Li on the Heavenly Record.

But now, seeing Zhong Li’s Dao Seed ability, she felt considerable pressure.

The Confucian arts indeed had their unique strengths.

That technique of words becoming law—though it did not utterly slay the extraterrestrial demon—she knew she could not have accomplished it herself.

'Farewell.'

Xueqing Zhenjun spoke softly, then vanished in a streak of divine light.

She had merely coincidentally encountered Zhong Li and joined forces to suppress the demon—there was no deep connection between them.

After Xueqing Zhenjun left,

Zhong Li finally spoke: 'Changqing Brother, why have you finally decided to emerge?'

A rare jest.

Li Rui smiled slightly: 'Since I came, I might as well lend a hand.'

'So Xueqing Immortal also came to the Outer Heavens.'

Generally speaking, the most elite prodigies were not allowed by their sects to enter the Outer Heavens.

After all, they received the best treatment within their own sects—why risk entering the Outer Heavens to seek rewards from the Elders’ Council?

It was outright backwards.

Zhong Li came to cultivate his character—what was Xueqing Zhenjun’s reason?

'Yes, I didn’t expect it either.'

Zhong Li replied.

Li Rui withdrew his gaze and finally took a full measure of Zhong Li.

'Words become law. The Divine Deer Academy’s ability is truly formidable.'

That move to suppress the extraterrestrial demon—even he found it astonishing.

One must never underestimate the prodigies of the cultivation world.

Zhong Li: 'If you want to learn, I can teach you.'

'Never mind.'

Li Rui waved his hand—he was fundamentally a martial cultivator; even if he wanted to learn, he couldn’t master it.

Fifteen minutes later,

Li Rui and Zhong Li returned together to Tianhuan City.

In the days that followed, while the city’s cultivators remained unaware, Li Rui secretly left the city to slay extraterrestrial demons.

He did not seek excessive kills.

Each time, he killed at most seven or eight extraterrestrial demons before decisively withdrawing.

Accumulated over time, the total was no longer insignificant.

One day,

in the imperial palace of Tianhuan City,

Li Rui sat cross-legged on a cushion, forming a hand seal.

Huh, huh, huh.

Seven or eight pitch-black orbs flew out of his storage pouch, swallowed whole, and landed within his purple mansion.

Almost the instant the orbs appeared,

The Zhuxian Tower at the center of the Immortal Court emitted a series of resonant chimes, drawing the black orbs into its structure.

After roughly one incense stick’s time,

thin streams of blue smoke rose from the tower’s peak.

Seeing the smoke, Li Rui immediately activated the [Changsheng Ting] ability; soon, pure immortal primordial essence flowed out from his Huangting Immortal Realm.

One session was worth months of his arduous cultivation.