After guarding the gates for a hundred years, I drove the Heavenly Saint to madness.

Guang Chengzi was defeated.

This news spread like wildfire, not only shaking the entire world but also causing a dramatic change in the situation outside Jiepai Pass.

The Xiqi army, which was originally stationed thirty miles away, broke camp overnight.

The army retreated for a full three hundred li before setting up camp again in a strategic location backed by Mount Qi.

The camp gates were tightly shut, a sign of truce was hung high, and the scouts huddled inside the camp, not daring to even peek out.

Inside Jiepai Pass, however, there was a sense of triumph and pride.

"Have you heard? That old man Guang Chengzi was sent flying by our commander's seal!"

"That's right, I saw it with my own eyes! That streak of light disappeared in a flash, faster than a shooting star!"

The soldiers defending the city gathered together, describing their heroic deeds that day with great enthusiasm.

Even those mortals who originally held reverence for the gods had their fear largely dissipated, replaced by a radiance of confidence.

As Xiao Wuji walked through the city, watching the people gradually regain their confidence, he couldn't help but nod in approval.

"General."

Xu Gai followed behind, holding a bamboo scroll in his hands: "This is a list of the expenses incurred in repairing the city wall these past few days, as well as the materials for the formation..."

"No need to save money."

Xiao Wuji casually tossed out a storage ring: "There are 100,000 spirit crystals and 3,000 catties of star sand inside. Thicken the base of that Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation by another three feet."

"Yes!" Xu Gai took the ring, his back ramrod straight.

Xiao Wuji looked up at the sky.

This peace is all too rare. The Chan Sect has suffered such a great loss; they will certainly not let this go. The next attack will likely be a truly devastating one.

But before that...

"It's time to accept the biggest gift."

……

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it has been the thirtieth day of guarding the pass.

This day marks the first full moon.

Early morning, in a secret room of the General's Mansion.

Xiao Wuji bathed and changed his clothes, then burned incense and sat quietly.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have successfully defended Jiepai Pass for thirty days.]

[The first full moon milestone has been achieved.]

[Grand Prize Giveaway: One Nine-Turn Golden Elixir!]

hum-

As the system notification sound faded, a golden pill appeared out of thin air and hovered in the center of the secret room.

When this elixir first appeared in the world, it did not cause any earth-shattering phenomena, nor did it spread its medicinal fragrance.

It floated there quietly, as unassuming as an ordinary golden bead.

However, if one were to examine it closely with divine sense, one would discover that there were nine faintly flowing patterns on the surface of the pill, each pattern seemingly containing the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, which was the ultimate explanation of the Dao of Alchemy.

Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.

If an ordinary person ingests it, they can instantly cultivate into a Great Luo Golden Immortal without any side effects.

For cultivators, it is an unparalleled sacred object for perfecting their foundation and comprehending the Great Dao.

"nice one."

Without hesitation, Xiao Wuji reached out, plucked the golden pill, and put it in his mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth. Xiao Wuji felt as if he had drunk a mouthful of warm spring water, a warm current sliding down his throat and spreading throughout his body.

The medicinal effect is so gentle, as gentle as spring rain nourishing all things.

It silently seeped into every inch of Xiao Wuji's flesh, every bone, and even the deepest part of his soul.

The slight instability in his foundation caused by the rapid breakthrough, and the hidden injuries caused by forcibly activating the great formation, were all soothed and filled by this gentle medicinal power at this moment.

Xiao Wuji closed his eyes, his breathing becoming long and deep.

The five elements within the body begin to rotate slowly, increasing in speed yet becoming more stable.

Taiyi Golden Immortal: Early Stage...Middle Stage...Late Stage...

Improving one's cultivation level became as simple and natural as eating and drinking at this moment.

No tribulation lightning descended because this was originally a pill refined by the Sage Taiqing in accordance with the Heavenly Dao, and the Heavenly Dao approved of it, so there was no need for tribulation.

I don't know how much time passed.

It could be three days, or it could be five days.

Xiao Wuji suddenly opened his eyes in the secret room.

For a moment, the void inside the room distorted slightly.

He didn't get up, he just sat there quietly, but the feeling he gave off was completely different.

If he was a sharp sword with its edge fully exposed before, then he is now a bottomless ocean.

Consummation.

No leaks.

Peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm!

At this moment, every bit of magical power within him had been honed to its limit, and he was only one step away from becoming a Great Luo Golden Immortal who transcended the Three Realms—the one step away from enlightenment.

He could break through to the Great Luo realm right now, but in that case, his own power would not have returned to the first tier, and his origins would only be those of an ordinary human. If he were to break through, it would likely shake his foundation, making it a losing proposition.

It would be better to prepare properly and hone his foundation. In any case, with the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation in hand, he is already invincible unless he is a prehistoric overlord. Whether or not he breaks through to the Great Luo realm will not affect his fundamentals.

Xiao Wuji raised his hand, looking at his crystal-clear palm, where five-colored divine light flowed freely between his fingers, no longer showing any trace of worldly affairs.

"Is this the result after the five energies in the chest are fully formed? It is indeed incomparable to before."

He could clearly feel that he was dozens of times stronger now than when he smashed Guang Chengzi a few days ago.

At that time, he needed to borrow the power of the formation and the phantom of Pangu to act ruthlessly.

Now, even without the aid of formations, he dares to go toe-to-toe with Da Luo.

However, before that, he needs to hone his skills and master this power as soon as possible before truly ascending to the Great Luo realm. Only then will he have the confidence to face the immortals of the Chan Sect.

……

The scene shifts to the Xiqi camp.

Despite the bright sunshine, the atmosphere within this vast camp, stretching for hundreds of miles, was extremely oppressive, as if even the air itself had frozen.

"boom!"

A beam of golden light descended crookedly from the sky, crashing heavily onto the open ground in front of the commander's tent, stirring up a cloud of dust.

The soldiers guarding the camp were about to question him when they saw the figure in the dust and smoke. They were so frightened that their knees buckled and they knelt down on the spot.

Where is the Guang Chengzi who used to be, with his purple aura and otherworldly demeanor?

At this moment, Guang Chengzi's hair was disheveled, and his once noble purple robe with the Eight Trigrams was now a tattered rag, dripping blood.

The most horrifying thing was his chest, where a large chunk of flesh had sunk deep, as if it had been smashed by a giant hammer, with the white bones vaguely visible.

"Big...Senior Brother?"

Upon hearing the commotion, Jiang Ziya, along with Yang Jian and the others, rushed out of the command tent. Seeing this scene, everyone gasped in shock, feeling their scalps tingle.

Is this what happens when you're hit head-on by the Heaven-Turning Seal? If Guang Chengzi hadn't been so powerful, this attack would probably have turned him into mincemeat!

"Help me inside."

Guang Chengzi's lips were pale, his voice was hoarse, and every word was laced with blood.

The crowd hurriedly carried him into the commander's tent.

Guang Chengzi trembled as he took out a pill from his bosom and swallowed it. He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing for a long time before the bleeding from his collapsed chest finally stopped, but his face was still so gloomy that it could drip water.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the tent.

There were no angry roars, nor any uncontrolled curses.

Yes, but only a chilling stillness and resentment.

"All of you, step back," Guang Chengzi said coldly.

"Jiang Ziya, summon all disciples and core generals of the Chan Sect to the tent. Now."

A moment later, the candlelight flickered inside the commander's tent.

Jiang Ziya, Yang Jian, Lei Zhenzi, and several generals from Xiqi stood on both sides, not daring to breathe loudly.

Guang Chengzi sat in the commander's seat. Although he was seriously injured, the eerie chill emanating from him made the entire tent feel like it was in an ice cellar.

"That wicked creature is strange." Guang Chengzi's eyes were sinister, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"His formation has become quite powerful; even in my prime, I might not be able to break it through a direct attack."

Jiang Ziya's heart sank: "Senior Brother, then what should we do..."