Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

Yu Luoning was stunned, her gaze instinctively drifting towards the masses below.

Huh? That's strange.

How did these people turn out so badly?

Some were covered in jet-black scales, some had sharp horns on their heads, and some were covered in bone spurs...

They're all cute-looking, but they look like ghosts.

Are these monsters? They seem to be an even more ancient and exotic species than monsters.

Yu Luoning subconsciously took a step back. Although she was only watching this scene in her sea of ​​consciousness, she was unable to move. The scenes were automatically pushed towards her, and there was no way to escape.

The sound waves surged so powerfully that they nearly shattered her consciousness.

The next moment, the silver-haired man standing in mid-air moved, his eyes, which seemed to see through the abyss, staring straight at Yu Luoning.

Yu Luoning froze, her breath seemingly stuck.

No, this must be her sea of ​​consciousness, right? Why is this man looking at her?

Yu Luoning's heart skipped a beat. Those eyes carried an ancient, almost divine pressure, and she felt her entire sea of ​​consciousness tremble.

The next moment, the image in his mind shattered.

Her entire sea of ​​consciousness trembled violently, and the recoil force hurled her back to the real world.

"It's over," Yu Luoning thought to herself.

The next moment she fell into darkness.

After an unknown amount of time, Yu Luoning slowly opened her eyes.

She was still in the coffin, the lid still closed.

The dark aura surrounding Guanzhong seems to have dissipated.

Strange, my dantian is completely clear?

Is this... Foundation Establishment?

No, how could that be? Didn't she fail after being seen by those eyes?

Yu Luoning didn't dare to think about it. She quickly lifted the coffin lid, climbed out of the coffin, and collapsed onto the stone ground, panting heavily.

The coffin was still standing beside him.

After calming down for a while, Yu Luoning recalled the scene she had just seen in her mind.

Her expression slowly changed as she suddenly realized something terrifying.

The person I just saw in my mind's eye, wasn't that the former owner of the coffin she buried?

Was he actually the king of an ancient, exotic species in his lifetime?

And she stole someone else's house.

The mouse's round eyes blinked, and it looked at Yu Luoning with a blank expression.

The words of blessing stuck in my throat.

The mouse hesitated, "Master, what's wrong? Isn't reaching Foundation Establishment a good thing? Why are you unhappy?"

Yu Luoning didn't reply, only managing a wry smile.

She seems to have gotten herself into serious trouble; she stole the coffin of the ancient demon king.

~

Meanwhile, the cracks in Xiling have been sealed by the combined efforts of the elders.

In the Shura Sea, where the Dongbao Continent meets the outside world, the sea is filled with howling winds and towering turbid waves.

Tens of thousands of cultivators stood suspended in mid-air, staring intently at this once barren land.

Standing before them, above this barren land, were only two people.

One of them was Cheng Min, the sect leader of the Dongbao Upper Sect. His face was somewhat pale, and he stared at the group of cultivators from other regions with a gloomy gaze.

Beside him stood a handsome, otherworldly man dressed in purple.

"Stay here and don't move." Cui Xiu glanced at Cheng Min.

The next second, he took a step forward, and the previously suppressed cold aura around him burst out like a monstrous wave.

Without the constraints of the Heavenly Dao's restrictions on the mainland, the evil thoughts within him were no longer hidden.

The space within a radius of a thousand miles instantly froze; it was an absolute domain belonging exclusively to Mahayana cultivators.

A phantom of an Asura emerged from behind Cui Xiu, its purple eyes sweeping over the cultivators from other realms.

His voice was light and clear, and the consciousness of every cultivator from the outer realms was stirred at that moment.

"The fortune of the Eastern Treasure Continent has just begun, and my seeds have not yet matured. Anyone who crosses the boundary within a hundred years will be killed without mercy."

"Hmph, you are quite domineering. The opportunities of the Great Dao are meant for the capable. Why do you think you can monopolize one continent while trying to sever the immortal destiny of all living beings?" The speaker was a young prodigy clad in golden armor. He held his spiritual sword, his eyebrows raised arrogantly, and his tone disdainful.

Cui Xiu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Oh? You're not convinced?"

"That's right, I am Sun Lin from the Sun family of Tianqi in the Cloud Sky Continent..."

Cui Xiu glanced at him, her lips slightly upturned, and a murderous intent materialized. In the next instant, without any move, the golden-armored youth didn't even show a look of fear before his body suddenly exploded, like a blooming blood-red flower mist.

"Lin'er!" The old man beside the golden-armored youth suddenly trembled and shouted to the sky. He stared at Cui Xiu with hatred in his eyes.

Cui Xiu sneered, "What? Aren't you going to avenge your precious grandson? As long as you cross the center line of this Asura Sea, I'll give you your chance to make a move."

"But do you dare? This place is shrouded in the laws of the Eastern Treasure Continent. Your cultivation at the peak of the Integration Realm will be suppressed to the Nascent Soul Realm if you cross the line."

The old man was pale; he could feel the terrifying repulsive force emanating from the continent ahead.

Damn it, the earth's veins are churning, and magical treasures that have been underground for millions of years are appearing in the world. These are all opportunities, but unfortunately, they can only watch from the sidelines.

"This is so unfair! The laws of the Eastern Treasure Continent only suppress cultivation, not seal off the entire continent. This means we all have the opportunity to enter. How dare you cut off the immortal paths of the other eight regions all by yourself?"

The surrounding cultivators echoed, "That's right! We're willing to suppress our cultivation, and even swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao not to interfere with the sects and families of the Eastern Treasure Continent, and not to kill innocent people indiscriminately. Why shouldn't we be allowed in?"

Cui Xiu's eyes turned cold, and her tone became menacing.

"Because... I am the rule. If you want to enter, you can pay tribute according to the rules, one Aurora Spirit Stone per person, otherwise forget it."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces turned pale.

That's outrageous! One Aurora Spirit Stone per person? Why doesn't he just rob them?

The outer continent has more abundant spiritual energy and resources than the Dongbao continent, so cultivators in the outer continent generally have higher cultivation levels than those in the Dongbao continent.

But that doesn't mean they can easily produce Aurora Stones.

Aurora Spirit Stones can only be produced in the spiritual caves of the Asura Sea Abyss. The energy contained in a single Aurora Spirit Stone is equivalent to the entire wealth of a small sect.

Such a treasure, all for the sake of obtaining an entry ticket.

Everyone gritted their teeth, cursing inwardly.

Cui Xiu was not in a hurry. He left behind a formation and then departed.

"This formation can only be passed by placing the Aurora Spirit Stone in the center. Please consider this carefully."

The opposing cultivators looked at each other, their faces turning pale.

Meanwhile, Cui Xiu had already arrived in the direction of Yu Luoning's family compound.

In the family quarters, Yu Luoning had just shed her illusory facade.

After passing through customs, her nerves had been on edge the whole time, and she could only breathe a sigh of relief now.

The Foundation Establishment cultivation was still silently circulating within her body, but she could clearly feel that her physical body was much stronger than before.

She dared not use the immortal coffin again.

She felt a pang of heartache at having such a wonderful item sitting idle.

Cui Xiu threw out that ancient demon king back then.

I wonder if the other person is really dead?

What if that person comes back? Or what if his subordinates are looking for his coffin?

Never mind, let's talk about it next time we see Choi Soo.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. The footsteps were heavy and chaotic, and Yu Luoning's heart skipped a beat. Before she could get up, the courtyard gate was already pushed open, and when she looked up again, Shi Shangxu was already standing at the door.

His blue robe was no longer recognizable as its original color, and was covered in bloodstains.

Shi Shangxu looked at her, his eyes veiled in a light mist, filled with an unyielding sorrow.

Yu Luoning was stunned. The next moment, Shi Shangxu rushed over and pulled her into his arms.

"Ningning..."

His head was buried deep in Yu Luoning's neck, and his breathing seemed to be trembling.

Yu Luoning immediately realized what had happened, her nose tingled, and she reached out to hug him back.

"Cousin, what happened? Wasn't there a great victory on the battlefield?"

Shi Shangxu paused for a few breaths, his whole body trembled slightly, and his voice was suppressed.

"Senior Brother Forestry... has fallen. To save me..."

Yu Luoning's pupils contracted.

She had only met that senior once, but she remembered him.

That day, when Shi Shangxu went to Jianfeng via the Minglu Road, Senior Brother Lin gently patted Shi Shangxu's shoulder and said, "Miss Luoning, there's no need to be so reserved."

Even though they had only met once, Yu Luoning could tell that among the senior brothers of Sword Peak, Lin Ye was the most steady and gentle.

But now such a gentle and kind person has passed away.

At this moment, Yu Luoning couldn't say a word; she could only silently hold Shi Shangxu tightly.

She had originally planned to return to Fengqi Town quietly today, but thankfully, she didn't set off immediately.

Yu Luoning couldn't imagine what Shi Shangxu would do if she left today and returned to find the courtyard empty.

At this moment, Yu Luoning couldn't say anything; all she could do was hold him tightly and offer comfort.