Chapter 244

This hundred-zhang-long giant centipede was incredibly ferocious, its malevolent aura surging violently.

Outside this realm, unless it was some rare variant, a centipede could never grow to such a size.

But within this Ten Realms Rift, spiritual energy was far too thick—it nourished heaven and earth, giving birth to such ferocious beasts.

Yet Jun Xiaoyao's gaze was calm as he brought down a golden palm imprint.

With a wet thud, the giant centipede, drenched in malevolence, had its skull shattered outright; its long body tumbled from midair, kicking up dust.

"Within the Ten Realms Rift, opportunity and danger coexist. Will you stay by my side, or strike out on your own?"

Jun Xiaoyao looked toward Yi Yu and the others.

Yi Yu paused, about to speak and offer to protect Jun Xiaoyao.

But then he realized—Jun Xiaoyao had no need for their protection.

Thinking this, Yi Yu bowed and said, "I, Yi Yu, wish to venture alone and seek my own opportunity."

Yi Yu was decisive.

Because he bore a blood-deep grudge, his will to grow stronger was even firmer.

Within the Ten Realms Rift, with his strength and fortune, he should obtain his own opportunity.

"What about you?" Jun Xiaoyao turned to Yan Qingying.

Yan Qingying bit her lip slightly; though she longed to stay by Jun Xiaoyao's side,

she knew deep down that Jun Xiaoyao wanted her to venture alone.

As the heir to the Devouring Soul Devil Art, she most needed solitary trials.

"To better assist my lord, Qingying is willing to undergo solitary trials and grow stronger," Yan Qingying said firmly.

She was willing to train and grow stronger solely for Jun Xiaoyao.

This stirred a faint pang of jealousy in Jiang Luoli's heart.

"Good. You are truly the followers I've chosen," Jun Xiaoyao smiled.

Both Yi Yu and Yan Qingying were blessed with great fortune; staying with Jun Xiaoyao would cause them to lose their own opportunities.

If they ventured alone, they stood a far greater chance of being reborn in blood and fire, growing stronger.

Jun Xiaoyao had no use for cowards or freeloaders.

His followers would one day stand beside him as he ruled the world.

After making their decision, Yi Yu and Yan Qingying both bowed to Jun Xiaoyao, then departed decisively.

Jun Xiaoyao turned his head and looked at Jiang Luoli. "And you?"

"Heehee, of course I'm staying with you, Xiao Yao Brother! Don't try using excuses like 'go train alone' or 'you're a Wenshilidehuaduo '—Luoli is sticking with you!"

Jiang Luoli stepped forward, pressing against Jun Xiaoyao, her jade-like arm looping around his, leaving him speechless as he stared at the sky.

"Mother, what kind of trouble have you brought me?" Jun Xiaoyao sighed inwardly.

As Jiang Rou's personally chosen daughter-in-law, only Jiang Luoli could get this close to Jun Xiaoyao.

To other women, Jun Xiaoyao was a cold, distant white moonlight—visible but unattainable.

"Now that I've finally gotten a moment alone with Xiao Yao Brother, how could Luoli ever let go?" Jiang Luoli thought happily.

"Alright, let's go," Jun Xiaoyao paid no mind to Jiang Luoli's little schemes.

For this madly affectionate little loli who craved to cling to him, Jun Xiaoyao could only let her be.

The two began exploring this region.

Within the mountains grew all manner of rare and exotic fruits.

Even holy herbs uncommon in the Immortal Realm were plentiful here.

Jun Xiaoyao and Jiang Luoli casually plucked several.

Along the way, various ferocious beasts appeared, each larger than their counterparts outside.

Such as rats the size of wolves.

Earthworms as thick as pythons.

And bloodthirsty bats as large as giant eagles.

These ancient relics not only dwarfed their external counterparts in size, but were also stronger in power.

Many were ancient relics of the Nirvana and Sky-Piercing realms, all crushed by Jun Xiaoyao with a single palm strike.

After all, few ancient relics could withstand the pressure of billions of catties.

Jiang Luoli, by contrast, strolled leisurely; with Jun Xiaoyao beside her, her sense of security was overwhelming—she had nothing to fear.

Suddenly, she seemed to think of something, tilting her glistening little face toward Jun Xiaoyao. "Xiao Yao Brother, I just realized—the beasts here are all bigger than those outside."

"If I stayed in the Ten Realms Rift forever, would I grow taller and bigger too?"

Hearing Jiang Luoli's bizarre train of thought, Jun Xiaoyao fell silent.

After a long pause, he replied, "You're quite the clever little thing."

"Heehee…" Jiang Luoli stuck out her tongue playfully and grinned.

At that moment, ahead in the mountains, an ancient ruin appeared.

Broken walls, collapsed palaces—ancient beyond measure, clearly not from the recent era.

"An ancient ruin?" Jun Xiaoyao's eyes flickered with interest.

The Ten Realms Rift was a place of opportunity and relics, rarely entered by anyone.

Yet those who did enter and built palaces here must have possessed considerable ability.

Within this ruin, Jun Xiaoyao sensed a site where spiritual energy surged thickly, as if one were being purified, ready for ascension.

"Follow me," Jun Xiaoyao's gaze flickered, and he led Jiang Luoli into the ruin.

Boom!

Jun Xiaoyao smashed open a massive bronze gate with one hand and walked inside.

Along the way, every trap and array he obliterated with a single palm strike.

Bronze golems guarding the ruin were likewise blasted away.

Finally, they reached a grand hall.

In the hall stood a spiritual pool.

The water within was strange—glowing in seven radiant colors, breathtakingly beautiful.

After countless eons, this seven-colored water had not evaporated or faded; instead, it had grown even more concentrated.

"Is this… purification water?" Jiang Luoli gasped.

Though raised in an ancient clan, her horizons were broad; she could identify most treasures at a glance.

"Correct," Jun Xiaoyao smiled faintly.

Purification water was exceedingly rare even in the Immortal Realm.

Not only was its spiritual energy density comparable to a low-grade immortal source,

but it also possessed the rare ability to purify the body.

This purification water was nearly equivalent to the Golden Body Elixir of the Lesser Western Heaven.

In the Immortal Realm, a single drop of purification water was worth as much as a supreme-grade divine source.

Here, the entire pool was filled with it.

"This must be the work of the ancient genius who built this palace," Jun Xiaoyao thought.

This purification water was perfectly suited for the evolution of his Divine Elephant Suppressing Hell Force.

With this purification pool, Jun Xiaoyao was confident he could advance his Divine Elephant Suppressing Hell Force further.

Then he would have greater certainty in his transformation at the Spirit Altar.

Just as Jun Xiaoyao prepared to enter the purification pool,

Jiang Luoli beside him grew shy, her face flushed.

"You little brat… you're thinking…" Jun Xiaoyao nearly forgot he had a little shadow trailing him.

Did she want to enter the pool too?

But there was only one pool.

"Xiao Yao Brother… will you join me?" Jiang Luoli twisted her fingers, lifting her flawless, glistening face.

Her long lashes fluttered.

Her bright, watery eyes shone with pure innocence—yet faintly…

A whisper of subtle seduction lingered.

Jun Xiaoyao cleared his throat.

Was this girl trying to make him commit a crime?