Chapter 1605: Chapter 58: Divine Wonders Above the Clouds, Return to the Royal Capital! (Part 2)

He looked again at Chen Canghai and Jing Wuming.

"You two, take care on the way!"

Chen Canghai and Jing Wuming cupped their fists toward Shen Wenyan at the same time. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The next moment.

The two of them instantly turned into afterimages and disappeared before their eyes.

...

On the other side.

The Immortal Crane shot straight into the azure vault of heaven. Moments later, it pierced through the vast sea of clouds and rose above the cloud layer.

The sky was clear, the cloud sea surging like snowy waves.

The blazing great sun hung high in the east, pouring down endless light and heat.

Jiang Ning sat cross-legged on the Immortal Crane’s back, feeling the purer and more intense essence of sunlight in the high sky. His Heart Spirit stirred slightly as he sat cross-legged on the crane’s back, his gaze fixed on the lofty space above the distant eastern sun.

Unlike on the ground, up above the clouds he felt that the world was filled everywhere with boiling Sun Essence Qi.

His mind moved slightly; facing the direction of the great sun, he slowly drew a breath.

In an instant.

Like a whale swallowing, he saw threads of crimson radiance in heaven and earth gather out of thin air and converge toward his mouth.

So strong!!

His heart gave a jolt.

He immediately felt his five viscera boiling, as if blazing fire were frying oil.

Compared to last time, the intensity was several times greater, he knew not how many.

The next moment.

He felt that the obscure, cold aura within his organs was being rapidly driven out.

Warmth flowed through his body, and fine beads of sweat pooled on his forehead.

Behind him, Ji Mingyue gazed at Jiang Ning’s back and suddenly saw crimson radiance jetting from every pore on his body, forming a halo that rippled outward.

She looked at this scene that resembled a god descending, her pupils trembling slightly.

On the way to Guangning Prefecture last time, Jiang Ning had been breathing in and out the Essence Qi of the sun all along, and she had seen it with her own eyes.

But at that time, Jiang Ning had not revealed any particular divinity; he looked utterly ordinary, extremely commonplace.

This time, however, phenomena manifested, as if he were a god.

"His progress... is so fast!" Ji Mingyue muttered in her heart, quietly watching Jiang Ning Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun.

At this moment, the halo spreading from Jiang Ning’s body displayed seven colors—that was the layering of a rainbow.

Yet right now, his insides were incomparably fierce; his five viscera and six bowels all seemed to be burning with raging flames.

[Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +101]

[Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +103]

[Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +99]

[...]

Hints appeared one after another, and only when the turbulent heat within him subsided did he slowly open his eyes.

[Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Four-time Break Limit 6211/50000) (trait: Longevity Species (Deep Purple) Pure Yang Body (Deep Purple) Great Sun Furnace (Deep Purple))

"What high efficiency!"

Looking at the progress on the panel, a trace of confidence flashed in his eyes.

"It’s several times higher than before. At this rate, at most a single day above the clouds and the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill will be able to advance another step!"

"With the functions of the five viscera strengthened, the qi sea naturally rises. When qi rises, ’Essence’ and ’Spirit’ naturally brim over!"

He said to himself inwardly.

Then he once more faced the distant eastern sun and slowly drew a breath.

The void ahead instantly boiled; wisp after wisp of crimson radiance condensed out of thin air and once again converged toward his abdomen, like a whale swallowing and devouring.

He understood that the reason he now had such an effect,

was because of the blessing of this trait, Whale Swallow.

It was precisely the blessings of one trait after another that allowed him to gradually become extraordinary, to stand out from the crowd, to grow increasingly different, so that even among the heaven’s proud sons he still stood out like a crane among chickens.

But he understood even more that precisely because of this, he needed to be all the more cautious.

A tree that stands out in the forest is sure to be destroyed by the wind—this is an eternal truth.

Especially standing where he was now, a single misstep, and it would be eternal damnation.

Once the world learned of his true potential, he did not know how much malice would erupt against him.

Thinking this over, he quietly felt the functions of his five viscera and six bowels, circulated the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, and slowly sensed the tempering of his organs by the Great Sun Essence Qi.

Feeling his body grow little by little, his heart was incomparably tranquil.

...

Two days later.

"Over there is the Royal Capital!!" Ji Mingyue stood at the crane’s neck, looking at the city wall crawling on the distant ground like a moving Black Dragon, her eyes bright.

At this moment, Jiang Ning had long since risen to his feet.

The howling wind scattered Ji Mingyue’s long hair.

Her black hair was lifted by the gale, like a waterfall hanging across the sky.

Her long dress was also blown up halfway by the wind, constantly flapping against his body.

Beneath the long dress was a pair of plain white trousers clinging tightly to her legs.

Looking at her back, Jiang Ning showed a faint smile.

For him to have come this far, he could not do without Ji Mingyue’s support.

Nor could he do without Ji Minghao’s help back then.

On this journey, many people had helped him.

He had always kept that in mind.

Then he opened the panel.

[Source Points]: 12.8

Compared to two days ago, the Source Points had not changed much, only increasing by 0.1.

[Divine Power]: 217/8788

[Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Four-time Break Limit 50000/50000) (trait: Longevity Species (Deep Purple) Pure Yang Body (Deep Purple) Great Sun Furnace (Deep Purple))

The greatest changes were naturally the buildup of Divine Power and the progress of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill.

Over two hundred strands of Divine Power could already cover nearly half of his arm.

Where Divine Power covered, the flesh was indestructible, his strength soared, and it was exceedingly extraordinary.

This was Essence, Qi, and Spirit condensed, highly unified, and transformed into a higher level of power.

Every increment in Divine Power had a definite impact on his strength.

The thicker the accumulation, the more any technique could unleash greater might, combining offense and defense in one.

Aside from that, the progress of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was gratifying.

Several hours ago, the progress of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill had already reached its current Perfection.

Now, what the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill lacked to reach the next realm was only the catalysis of Source Points.

"The breakthrough of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill requires twenty Source Points, while the breakthrough of the Vajra Immortal Body requires fifty, still short over sixty points."

Looking at the barely more than ten points on the panel, an urgency rose in his heart.

These two Cultivation Techniques were both at the peerless level.

Each breakthrough gave his strength a considerable boost.

While the Martial Arts Realm was foremost, the grade and realm of Cultivation Techniques were likewise not to be underestimated.

"After entering the city, I must first find a way to pile up Source Points. If both the Vajra Immortal Body and the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill complete their breakthroughs, then my strength will become even greater."

"Strength is the confidence that lets me stand firm!"

He spoke to himself inwardly.

The Immortal Crane skimmed through the air and descended directly at the gate of the Royal Capital.

"Greetings, Marquis, greetings, Princess!!"

As the Immortal Crane landed, it had already drawn the attention of the city-guarding soldiers. A small squad of men hurried over at once, the crowd parting in commotion.

"Open the gate, enter the city!" Ji Mingyue leaped down from the Immortal Crane, her tender face bearing the dignity of the Imperial Family.

"Yes, Princess!!" The Colonel guarding the city bowed his head in respect.

Then he waved his hand toward the soldiers guarding the central main gate behind him.

"Open the gate!!"

As his voice fell.

Ka-ka——

The sound of gears and bearings turning and iron chains rolling echoed from the heart of the city wall. The thick black central gate slowly opened, producing a rumbling roar as it scraped against the ground.

As members of the Imperial Family, they entered the city through the central main gate; this was the rule and etiquette of the Imperial Family.

Once the central main gate fully opened,

Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue stepped shoulder to shoulder into the Royal Capital.

The Immortal Crane from the Imperial Family hopped and skipped along behind Jiang Ning, passing through the several-zhang-wide gate tunnel and disappearing from the crowd’s view.

Only after Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue had gone far did noise rise again at the city gate.

"This Dongling Marquis actually chose to return at this time. Could it be that the rumors in the city are true?" someone whispered.

"Perhaps they are true. That one might really have already coughed up blood and fallen unconscious." someone whispered, his words carrying implication.

"If that’s so, does it mean the heavens over the Royal Capital are about to change?"

"If it’s true, then perhaps the heavens are about to change very soon!"

"..."

Voices of discussion rose and fell at the city gate.

Soon after, shadowy figures slipped away in the dark, and news began spreading rapidly.

For a time, undercurrents surged in the Royal Capital.

"Returning to the Royal Capital like this will definitely draw attention from all sides." Ji Mingyue glanced back, then at the dark alleys on both sides, and spoke.

"It doesn’t matter." Jiang Ning said calmly, "Since we’re back, they’ll find out sooner or later."