X-Dragon Era

In Yan Qingying's view, once loyalty was declared, even the loss of life couldn't change that commitment. However, these two scoundrels, just because they climbed to a high position, immediately started to look down on others. For the sake of a better future and prospects, they changed their colors instantly. Such people truly deserved to die!

Intense anger surged wave after wave within her chest, brewing, accumulating, and if it were possible, she wished she could turn around immediately, return to the dining hall, and execute those two traitors with the cruelest methods in front of everyone. But she couldn't do that because Xin Yun clearly didn't wish for it to happen.

Her body trembling lightly, Yan Qingying stayed silent, and finally… when her anger reached a critical point, her mind became a whirlpool of confusion. Her fists clenched tightly, her teeth gritted, and then…in a millisecond, she heard a distinct cracking sound in her brain; following that…a cool stream of air emerged from the center of her mind, spreading outwards uncontrollably.

Sensing the change in Yan Qingying, Xin Yun and Yi Luo Xiang were first shocked, then overjoyed. It was obvious Yan Qingying had fortuitously entered the path of breakthrough under the push of some unknown emotion. Although the time was brief, she had successfully broken through the Gold tier and become a Crystal tier warrior, although her realm was not yet stable.

Seeing this scene, Xin Yun said nothing and immediately activated the Taiji Diagram. With a flash of gold light, the three of them disappeared from the entrance of the dining hall and rushed back to Pot Middle Sky.

In the following week, none of them returned to the academy for classes. Whether it was Yi Luo Xiang or Yan Qingying, both had just broken through to the Crystal tier and needed some time to stabilize. It wasn't until a week later that the three of them returned to the academy. Although their realms were not yet fully solid, the remainder of the stabilization process could be managed during their spare time.

When the three of them hurried back to the academy, there was not much time left before the annual promotion test at the end of the year. However... Xin Yun and the others were clearly not in a hurry to move on to the Fourth Grade Segment this year. After all... even though they had been in the Third-Year Phase for one or two years, the actual time they spent in classes there was minimal, so they hadn't really learned much. It was evidently not suitable for them to advance to the next phase yet.

With the help of Innate Rank Five Array master Kongtong Seal, Yi Luo Xiang and Yan Qingying's strengths had already caught up to the mainstream standard. In the entire Third-Year Phase, they were already among the stronger practitioners. Of course... this 'strength' referred only to their tiers. In practice, a real fight was another matter entirely. Throughout the entire Third-Year Phase, there were hardly any who could withstand one or two moves from them in combat without being skillfully defeated, maybe even none at all! Not even Speedy Slash and Ke Zhan could manage it.

After breaking through to a new realm, the new combat technique Yan Qingying comprehended was the Fear Ripple. Once initiated, the technique would spread spirit ripples filled with a terrifying aura from her body, wave upon wave, endlessly. Anyone affected by the Fear Ripple would suffer a spiritual attack of fear, and the effectiveness would vary depending on the differences in strength between parties.

After finishing their daytime classes, the three would return to Pot Middle Sky to rest and cultivate. The environment there was ideal, with spiritual energy so dense it was on the verge of condensing—there was no better place for cultivation.

Worth mentioning was that every evening, Luo Fu would join everyone for live combat training. Xin Yun, Yi Luo Xiang, and Yan Qingying formed one team, with Luo Fu on his own team, and they would spar. With the Kongtong Seal present, there was no need to hold back, and therefore, the training was extremely effective with everyone fighting as if their lives depended on it.

"Clang! Clang! Clang..." With three successive strikes, Luo Fu slashed three Illusory Spiders into pieces, while at the same time, the nearly hundred-meter-long Silver sword of the Steel Giant Dragon moved without wind, sweeping up and down in an automated dance, cutting the rest of the True Illusions into dust with a single sweep.

It had to be said that once Luo Fu pulled someone into close quarters, he was practically invincible. Aside from the Thousand Feather Greatsword in his hands, the nearly hundred-meter-long, one hundred and eight thousand strands of Silver swords atop his head acted as though they were one hundred and eight thousand Treasure Swords, delivering such a dense barrage of attacks that they were unstoppable and undefendable, overwhelming an opponent in an instant.

"Clang!" In mid-air, a fierce metallic sound echoed as Luo Fu, wielding his sword with one hand, clashed hard with Xin Yun. Under Xin Yun's full power, the Azure Dragon Sabre, condensed from dragon scales, struck heavily onto Luo Fu's Thousand Feather Greatsword. Then...in the moment before Luo Fu's silver sword technique could strike, it disintegrated into myriad water droplets that scattered across the sky. At the same time...miles away, these water droplets rapidly condensed, forming Xin Yun and Yinglong's true bodies.

"Stop!" Having caught Xin Yun's full-force strike, Luo Fu frowned and abruptly raised his hand to call a halt. Clearly...he had noticed something rather troubling.

After all, this was only training, not a real life-or-death duel, so… as soon as Luo Fu called for a stop, everyone immediately ceased fighting and, guiding their respective Giant Dragons, gathered around Luo Fu.

Frowning deeply, Luo Fu looked at the Azure Dragon Sabre that Yinglong was gripping in reverse grip and shook his head, "Sect Master, although your sabre seems quite domineering, it is not suited for you."

"Hmm?" Hearing Luo Fu's words, Xin Yun looked confusedly at him, wondering why he would say that.