Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

The main body continues its secluded cultivation; the Azure Sun Rejuvenation Technique has been completed, and the Nether Soul Crystal can assist in enhancing the level of the divine soul.

Within ten years, it should be no problem for my spiritual cultivation to advance to the peak of Core Formation, or even touch the threshold of Nascent Soul.

As for the Five Sacred Mountains clones, the moment the Fire Spirit Yuan Shield advances to the fourth tier will be the moment the plan to hunt down the Loulan True Monarch will officially begin.

Lin Zhao returned to Tongming Immortal City via the teleportation array.

Stepping out of the teleportation plaza, the sounds of the street rushed towards me. Tongming Immortal City was as prosperous as ever, even more so than before. The main street was teeming with pedestrians, and the shouts of vendors from both sides of the street rose and fell.

However, Lin Zhao noticed some details: the city's defensive array was activated around the clock, and the spiritual light was no longer faint but continuously flowing.

The war between the Nascent Soul factions eventually affected this place.

Lin Zhao did not linger in the Immortal City.

He left the city silently and flew towards the Cangyun Mountain encampment.

In the current great war among cultivators in the Tongming Domain, the three major dynasties near Cangyun Mountain, in order to protect themselves, formed the Tongxuan Sect with Xuanchen Valley as its core.

At this moment, hundreds of miles outside Dingfeng Plain, above a desolate pile of rocks.

Various colors of spiritual light flowed around, and the sounds of magical artifacts colliding could be heard from dozens of miles away.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Tongxuan Sect are facing off against a Foundation Establishment exploration team from the ancient Loulan Kingdom. More than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators are engaged in a fierce battle.

The aftershocks of the spell turned the surrounding area for dozens of miles into ruins, with rocks collapsing, rivers changing course, and the ground covered with scorched marks and deep craters created by the spell.

Luo Yu has grown up. The somewhat reserved boy in the Cangyun Mountain market back then now has sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and moves nimbly on the battlefield.

He wore a blue armor, with blue spiritual light flowing into the shape of armor plates, layer upon layer protecting his body.

Azure Scale Armor – Based on the scales of the Azure Scale Python, this armor is made of spiritual power and is a materialized suit of armor with unparalleled defensive capabilities among spells of the same rank.

Two crimson wings of light unfurled from his back. The wings, thin as cicada wings, extended from his shoulder blades, distorting the surrounding air with their heat.

Burning Wings – Based on the wings of the Firefeather Bird, it grants cultivators the ability to fly at high speeds, and the fire-attribute spells generated by flapping the wings burn enemies.

Luo Yu raised his hand and waved it, and five white claw marks appeared out of thin air. Each claw mark was several feet long and the edges were as sharp as knives.

Luo Yu's aura suddenly subsided, as if someone had veiled his presence, making it impossible for his opponent's divine sense to pinpoint his location.

The Mysterious Concealment Technique – uses spiritual power to interfere with divine sense, blending one's aura into the surrounding environment, so that you cannot sense the presence of the person standing right in front of you.

He used the four secret techniques that Lin Zhao created in Cangyun Mountain back then—Azure Scale Armor, Burning Feather Wings, Sky-Splitting Claw, and Mysterious Concealment Technique.

He faced off against a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator with his late Foundation Establishment cultivation level. The four secret techniques were used freely in his hands, with no gaps between offense and defense.

The opponent's spells were weakened layer by layer when they hit the Azure Scale Armor. He tried to create distance but was caught up by the Burning Feather Wings. He tried to sneak into the shadows to launch a surprise attack, but Luo Yu's figure entered the Mysterious Concealment Technique first and tore apart his protective aura from the side with a claw.

With the final strike, the spiritual light of the four secret techniques erupted from Luo Yu's body at the same instant.

The azure light of the Azure Scale Armor, the crimson light of the Burning Feather Wings, the white light of the Sky-Splitting Claws, and the transparent ripples of the Mysterious Concealment Technique—the four spiritual lights converged together, weaving in mid-air to form a gigantic golden-feathered beast.

The behemoth was fifty feet tall, its entire body constructed of solidified spiritual energy, and every feather seemed to gleam with a metallic luster.

The golden-feathered behemoth raised its head and let out a silent roar. Its wings spread wide, blotting out the sky. With a flap of its golden wings, it tore its opponent and his magical artifact apart.

Not far away, Ye Xiaoxiao was enveloped in five-colored spiritual light, and countless five-element spells poured down like a torrential rain.

She had already broken through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment and forcibly trapped a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.

As the five elements circulated, her spiritual light surged, and five pillars of light shot into the sky, intertwining to form a huge halo, like a five-colored blazing sun hanging in mid-air.

The Five Elements Divine Rings descended with a roar, spinning and crushing the opponent.

Ye Xiaoxiao's actions are now swift and decisive, her eyes have lost some of their gentleness and gained more sharpness, and she has begun to demonstrate the terrifying power of her Five Elements Spiritual Body.

Lin Zhao's niece, Lin You, is also in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, with crimson sword energy crisscrossing a radius of hundreds of feet.

Her sword had no defense, only offense; each sword strike carried scorching flames, leaving long-lasting crimson marks in the air.

Finally, the countless sword energies converged, transforming into a karmic fire sword lotus several tens of feet in size.

A crimson lotus blooms, and layers of sword light unfold like petals, slicing the opponent and his magical weapon to pieces.

Lin You stepped out of the sword lotus, shook his sword, and had an expression on his face that said he hadn't had enough of fighting yet.

All three have broken through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and their combat strength is among the best in the peak of Foundation Establishment.

High in the sky, above a white cloud.

Lin Zhao stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the strong winds high above, watching the scene below with great interest.

Those little guys from before have all grown up and developed their own fighting styles.

Lin Zhao did not go down. He did not come here to see them; he just happened to be passing by.

They have their own path.

-----

On the battlefield below, Ye Xiaoxiao suddenly looked up and gazed at the white clouds high above.

There was nothing there, only a cloud that had been blown away by the wind.

But she still looked for a long time. She hadn't seen him for many years since she disobeyed Lin Zhao and was removed from the list of formal disciples.

Although Lin You repeatedly told her that Lin Zhao intended for her to go out and gain experience, to temper her mind and will, and to break free from all constraints, it was not a real expulsion.

But she was still somewhat uneasy.

Every time I think about it, a voice in my heart says: You didn't do well enough, you're not qualified to be his disciple?

Indeed, the shackles of the heart are the hardest to break.

However, this was the path she chose herself.

Luo Yu landed beside her, followed her gaze to look up at the sky, but saw nothing. He looked away and was about to say a few words of comfort.

Ye Xiaoxiao suddenly turned her head and changed the subject: "I heard you've been getting quite close to several female cultivators lately."

Luo Yu's expression froze for a moment, and a chill ran down his spine.

Ye Xiaoxiao has indeed changed a lot in the past few years, becoming much more sharp-minded—he didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

He quickly assured her that there was absolutely no such thing, and then cleverly shifted the topic to Su Qianxue—she had already begun her seclusion to form her core, and he wondered if she would succeed.

Lin You, who was standing nearby, sheathed her sword and walked over, casually adding, "Sister Su will definitely be fine."

Then they started talking about other things, packing up their loot as they chatted.

None of the three of them wasted any of the storage bags, broken magical artifacts, or even the corpses of cultivators scattered on the battlefield.

Then they transformed into spiritual light and flew towards the Tongxuan Sect's headquarters.