Chapter 604: Breaking Through to the Earthly Demon General Realm

To prepare for breaking through to the Earthly Demon General Realm, Li Luo spent two extra days in preparation.

During these two days, he adjusted himself to the most perfect state, his Xiang force fully saturated and surging vigorously within his body.

Two days later, he no longer hesitated and directly initiated the most important breakthrough of his life so far.

Inside the Golden Chamber, Li Luo sat cross-legged at the center.

At the edges of the Golden Chamber stood four figures watching—Jiang Jiang Qinge, Niu Niu Biaobiao, Cai Wei, and Yan Yan Lingqing—all of whom understood the importance of this breakthrough, so they had all put aside their affairs and come to observe.

"This guy actually plans to push for the Earthly Demon General Realm before the One-Star Academy even ends… What ambition. If he succeeds, he'll shatter the records of the Sacred Zhu Xuan Star Academy." Yan Yan Lingqing gazed at the young boy seated at the center of the Golden Chamber, eyes closed and awaiting his moment, unable to suppress a sigh.

"Mm, his cultivation speed far surpasses mine when I was in the One-Star Academy." Jiang Jiang Qinge nodded slightly.

Yan Yan Lingqing shot her a glare. "Your cultivation is so secretive—who can possibly understand it? I heard you're planning to challenge the Seven Star Pillars by month's end. Are you aiming for the Heavenly Gang General Realm?"

"The Seven Star Pillars aren't hard." Jiang Jiang Qinge said.

Yan Yan Lingqing covered her eyes. "Jiang Jiang Qinge, can you stop pretending? The Seven Star Pillars are the highest honor any student at the Sacred Zhu Xuan Star Academy can achieve—how isn't that hard?"

"Then who do you plan to challenge? Right now, the weakest among the Seven Star Pillars is Si Si Tianming—I think he's the best choice."

The Seven Star Pillars represent the peak of student strength in the academy—not only a symbol of status and honor, but also carrying real benefits: only those who earn this title may remain at the academy for one additional year after graduating from the Four-Star Academy, during which the academy grants them vast cultivation resources, and even allows them to participate in high-level academy councils, their status rivaling or surpassing even some Gold Radiance Instructors.

Thus, many outstanding Four-Star Academy students covet the position of the Seven Star Pillars.

Of course, the academy treats the Seven Star Pillars so generously because it sees their potential and aims to eventually transform them into academy instructors, fully integrating them as the academy's strength.

This isn't surprising—over half of the academy's Purple Radiance Instructors were once Seven Star Pillars in their student days.

"You should still avoid the senior students among the Seven Star Pillars," Yan Yan Lingqing warned.

Currently, Gong Gong Shenjun and the Princess are the strongest among the Seven Star Pillars, yet neither are seniors—they are genuine Four-Star Academy students, demonstrating just how powerful they are, having surpassed their seniors despite being a year behind.

Aside from these two, only Si Si Tianming and Ye Ye Chengying are Four-Star Academy students; the other three are all seniors. Yan Yan Lingqing's meaning was clear: Jiang Jiang Qinge should avoid Gong Gong Shenjun, the Princess, and the three seniors, and instead choose one from Si Si Tianming or Ye Ye Chengying to challenge.

Jiang Jiang Qinge's eyes flickered slightly, but she gave no reply to Yan Yan Lingqing's suggestion.

"We'll see," she said.

"Jiang Qinge, can the Deputy Head succeed in breaking through?" Cai Wei asked, worried.

"Strictly speaking, his attempt to break through to the Earthly Demon General Realm now is indeed premature. Though he possesses Dual Xiangs, if he waited a few more months, and broke through after entering the Two-Star Academy next year, everything would proceed smoothly." Jiang Jiang Qinge paused thoughtfully.

"Huh?" Cai Wei immediately tensed up.

"There's no choice—the Academy Sacrifice is less than a month away. Li Luo definitely wants to break through before then, so he can contribute during the ceremony," Yan Yan Lingqing sighed.

"But there's no need to be pessimistic. Li Luo has good fortune—he obtained a 'Sacred Tree Spirit Crystal.' With it, his success rate will greatly increase. Moreover, his Dual Xiangs have evolved again; right now, his Xiang force reserves have reached the peak of the Xiang Master Realm." Jiang Jiang Qinge reassured her.

"And I also have another 'Sacred Tree Spirit Crystal,' along with the 'Nourishing Spirit Pill' sent by Lü Qing'er. This pill is of little use to me—I kept it solely in case Li Luo's Xiang force runs out, so I can give it to him."

Hearing this, Cai Wei relaxed slightly.

Meanwhile, as the three girls at the edge conversed, Li Luo, seated at the center of the Golden Chamber, opened his eyes—his gaze calm, like a deep pool.

"It's time to begin," he murmured, sensing the surging Xiang force within, then glancing at Jiang Jiang Qinge and the others.

Without hesitation, he brought his hands together, forming a seal with his fingertips.

Boom!

In that instant, the previously docile Xiang force within his two Xiang Palaces became as frenzied as if doused in a Mania Powder—boiling violently, surging upward like colossal whips, smashing directly against the walls of their respective Xiang Palaces with brutal force.

Boom boom!

The Xiang force hammered the Xiang Palaces, causing them to tremble violently, as if internal organs had been injured, dark red hues beginning to seep through.

Li Luo's face twisted faintly with pain—after all, the Xiang Palaces were his very foundation; now, with Xiang force raging inside them, the agony was immense.

But Li Luo knew this was an unavoidable step in breaking through to the Earthly Demon General Realm.

The first stage of the Earthly Demon General Realm is the Earthly Demon Palace Stage.

This stage involves transforming one's own Xiang Palace.

Simply put, it means refining the Xiang Palace to become tougher, larger, and capable of holding far greater Xiang force—but most importantly, it must be hammered until it can withstand the influx of Earthly Demon energy. Earthly Demon energy is the hallmark of the Earthly Demon General Realm.

It is a unique energy that drifts through heaven and earth; only when one's strength reaches a certain threshold can one perceive and extract it from ambient energy. Earthly Demon energy is extremely ferocious, yet possesses the power to refine and strengthen the Xiang Palace. Thus, to successfully enter the Earthly Demon Palace Stage, one must first perceive this Earthly Demon energy in the heavens and earth, then separate and extract it, integrating it into the body to reinforce the Xiang Palace.

"Not enough!"

Li Luo focused his spirit—he still could not perceive the Earthly Demon energy in the heavens and earth. This meant the Xiang Palace's membrane had not yet ruptured enough, for the first perception of Earthly Demon energy required actively tearing open the Xiang Palace membrane, integrating its substance into one's Xiang force, and finally achieving rebirth through the mindset of "breaking to rebuild."

Li Luo paused briefly, then flicked his tongue—the 'Sacred Tree Spirit Crystal' he had been holding beneath it shot out, and he bit down hard, shattering it.

The instant the Sacred Tree Spirit Crystal shattered, a vast, pure energy surged into Li Luo's body like a flood through his throat.

This energy was extremely gentle, requiring no refinement—Li Luo merely thought, and it flowed into his Xiang Palaces, where his own Xiang force guided it to slam against the Xiang Palace membranes. The tremors intensified, and the dark red aura seeping out grew denser.

Waves of agony spread relentlessly through his body.

Cold sweat soaked Li Luo's back.

Yet he had no intention of giving up—he focused his spirit, shutting out all external disturbances, his mind filled only with the sound of Xiang force surging, and the thunderous clang of Xiang force crashing against the Xiang Palace membranes.

The impacts continued without pause.

At the edge of the Golden Chamber, Jiang Jiang Qinge and the others stared without blinking at Li Luo, whose body trembled faintly. They could see the sweat dripping from his forehead—Jiang Jiang Qinge's expression remained calm, but her hands clenched tightly.

She had been there before—she understood the agony Li Luo endured now. But this was the path—cultivation demanded shattering one's former comfort, climbing toward peaks; only by repeatedly tearing apart weakness could true, unbreakable scales grow.

Time passed slowly in this torturous state.

At one moment, as Li Luo felt his head begin to spin, his spirit suddenly trembled—his perception extended, and within the ambient energy surrounding him, he seemed to "see" a slow-flowing thread of energy.

This energy glowed a pale red, distinct from all others, radiating a wild, turbulent aura like a furious serpent.

The moment Li Luo sensed this unique energy, a surge of uncontrollable joy erupted within his heart.

For this energy—was the Earthly Demon energy he had longed for.

It had finally appeared.