Stronger from Earth

Chapter 217 216: Breakthrough

"Flowers in an Instant!"

He once again cast the divine technique. These Hell Ants had formidable physiques, each one comparable to the defense of the Human Immortal Realm, making physical attacks seemingly ineffective.

Thousands upon thousands of colorful petals fell, instantly merging into the bodies of the Hell Ants. One by one, their bodies stiffened, and then they plummeted down with thuds.

After a dozen breaths, they finally returned to normal movement.

"It didn't have the expected effect. Their talent for devouring energy is terrifying," Wang Xuan's eyes were piercing as he noted the limited effect of Flowers in an Instant on these Hell Ants.

From him extended over a dozen energy threads, pulling everyone away swiftly. Lin Xi and Wulin, both in the Dharma Body Realm, could still maintain clarity of mind, while some Divinity Transformation cultivators had not yet fainted. As for the disciples at the Early-Sky Control Stage in the Earth Immortal First Realm, they all lost consciousness.

He glanced at the two Human Immortals, both bleeding from their orifices, their faces grimacing in pain, suffering not just physical but also soul damage.

"Go!"

The Celestial Treasure Boots under Wang Xuan's feet erupted, allowing him to traverse the air as if it were the ground, rapidly increasing his speed by eighty percent, easily breaking the sound barrier as he swiftly took everyone away.

He couldn't help but look back; the swarm of ants was as vast as mountains and seas, their numbers astonishingly large. With such a group of Hell Ants, any creature without absolute strength to crush them would have to avoid them.

If the massive ant queen weren't so far away, it might directly hinder their actions; its Spiritual Power was terrifying.

After flying a few thousand miles, they finally halted their steps.

Lin Xi and Wulin were the first to recover. Beforehand, they had no issues protecting themselves, but when it came to saving others, they were out of their depth. At this moment, they looked anxiously at the two Human Immortal disciples, noticing that even Chen Qingniu and others had suffered slight spiritual harm.

"Wang Xuan, are their lives in danger? Can the soul injuries be healed?"

If their future cultivation is affected, it would indeed be troublesome.

"I don't know either," Wang Xuan shook his head, administering soul-nourishing pills to the two to heal their injuries.

After some time, apart from the two Human Immortal disciples, everyone else woke up, relatively unscathed. Although Chen Qingniu and others had splitting headaches, they would be fine after a few days of rest.

Chen Qingniu took a deep breath and, still shaken by the swarm of Hell Ants, said, "How is that swarm so dangerous? Their exoskeletons are incredibly tough, and their strength is immense. Each one can single-handedly challenge Divine Treasure and Vajra Cultivators, and with thousands upon thousands of them, they're unstoppable.

They are unafraid of physical attacks, feed on energy, magic is ineffective, and with the ant queen's soul attacks, it's the perfect combination."

Had it not been for Wang Xuan's quick thinking, just a slight delay would have allowed the Hell Ants to exhaust them to death.

In critical moments, Wang Xuan, unflinching in the face of danger, demonstrated his extraordinary nature. The ant queen's powerful soul attack did interfere with him, but it didn't affect his combat power or mind.

Today's events left them deeply indebted to Wang Xuan.

"Let's head back. Junior Sister Lin Qingsu and Junior Brother Zhou He are heavily injured and need to see a skilled doctor," Wang Xuan said solemnly.

The encounter just now was truly perilous.

The two Human Immortal disciples with brain and soul injuries received immediate treatment from skilled Medical Dao cultivators upon exiting the Gate of the World, though it would take ten days to half a month for complete recovery.

The group began to rest and reflect on their gains and losses from their two to three months in the Hell Realm.

Upon returning to the Mother Star, their tense nerves relaxed, and some even fell into a deep sleep, something unimaginable in the Hell Realm.

Indulging in food, drink, and play was their way of unwinding.

The murderous aura and bloodthirsty gaze they carried gradually faded, leaving behind a pure and intense killing intent. When the mind to kill rose, the aura of iron and blood and grim determination made others instinctively fearful.

"You all didn't come back for such a long time, I thought you'd all perished in there," Monk Mingxin remarked, noting the unusual demeanor of Wang Xuan and his companions.

The murderous intent on them, the unleashed instinct to kill, was more thorough than other teams, and their prolonged stay in the Hell Realm made them somewhat unfit for the Mother Star.

"Isn't it a bigger gain this way?" Wang Xuan smiled.

Upon returning, he adjusted his state the quickest, nearly indistinguishable from how he was before entering the Hell Realm, clearly separating his ruthless side from his rational and calm side.

Others, even Chen Qingniu, found the line blurred between survival and living after spending too long in the Hell Realm, often opting for violence as the first resort when encountering an issue.

Returning to the Mother Star, Wang Xuan's insights into the planet grew even clearer. Previously, immersed within, he hadn't noticed the difference, but after returning from the Hell Realm, the disparity was stark.

"The Heaven and Earth Essence Qi on the Mother Star is incredibly rich, perfect for my cultivation. In the Hell Realm, one couldn't speak of rapid cultivation; just not regressing required the help of Spiritual Objects."

As he readjusted to Earth, he realized his body was somewhat different from before entering the Hell Realm, his flesh and blood having absorbed some of the unique energy particles from the Hell Realm.

Inhaling and exhaling Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, he simultaneously initiated internal and external circulations, with Demonic Qi energy particles continuously being expelled until they were entirely eliminated.

Feeling utterly refreshed, he stretched lazily, sensing the bottleneck of his cultivation level, merely needing a slight push to break through. The trials in the Hell Realm were indeed rewarding for them.

Taking out the Spirit Medicine harvested in the Hell Realm, he set up the furnace for alchemy. Entering the Earth Immortal Realm, he hadn't done much alchemy and found his skills somewhat rusty.

After spending considerable time, he produced several batches of top-grade pills, mostly enhancing strength and defense. Consuming them greatly increased physique, with flesh activity experiencing a leap.

Wang Xuan distributed some, and the group was satisfied with the harvest. Were it another Pill Master, no matter how they split the pills, they wouldn't get such a share.

Lin Xi consumed a pill, with Demon Blood Spirit Fruit as the primary ingredient, to enhance his flesh activity and body. After refining it, his flesh continued to evolve and strengthen.

After a long time, he finally let out a long breath, feeling utterly refreshed.

"Wang Xuan, your pills are simply unparalleled," he joked. "Eating the fruit alone wouldn't have one-third of the effect of a single top-grade pill."

Yet, each of them received two pills, with the effect of sharing the pills being twice that of consuming the fruit, which was quite significant.

"Indeed, Wang Xuan, you're very generous. Other Pill Masters, even at their best, can only produce such pills, but you gave them all to us.

I imagine you kept little for yourself. As a Pill Master, you didn't even charge us a fee," Wulin remarked.

Wang Xuan smiled, "As long as you all are satisfied."

Clearly, what he did went beyond satisfaction; they felt almost embarrassed, as if they'd taken advantage of him.

They just didn't know; Wang Xuan could produce two top-grade pills from a single Demon Blood Spirit Fruit, with one batch even being Super Grade.

With his level of alchemy, even after distributing a significant portion to his companions, he ended up with the majority, including five Super Grade pills—such is the power of a high-level Pill Master.

He wouldn't share this with others, not because he was greedy, but because it was his own capability creating added value, within his rightful earnings without a shred of guilt.

Chen Qingniu glanced at Wang Xuan; even he didn't know how many pills his junior had crafted from those raw materials.

This was a Pill Master's secret.

Chen Qingniu took out the two pills, consumed, and refined them, his flesh continuously strengthening, his aura rising, attracting Wang Xuan's attention.

"Is he about to break through?" Wang Xuan wondered.

Soon enough, Chen Qingniu's aura kept intensifying, slowing at a peak, but then suddenly surged.

Wang Xuan knew that Chen Qingniu had broken through to the Peak of Sky Control stage, and once he consolidated his foundation to inability to progress further at this level, he could attempt to strive for the Divinity Transformation Realm.

"Junior, I am already at the Earth Immortal First Realm Peak, while you're still treading on the spot," Chen Qingniu's delight was apparent in his wagging tail.

Wang Xuan feigned indifference, "Still can't beat me."

"That's unfair!" Just when Chen Qingniu was savoring his advancement, Wang Xuan's remark dashed his joy.

His level at the Peak of Sky Control still wasn't a match for Wang Xuan, who was at the Early-Sky Control Stage; it seemed absurd.

"Look at them," Wang Xuan gestured. Among the thirteen-person team, plenty who took the pills were breaking through, with Chen Qingniu not being the first.

Indeed, apart from Lin Xi, others began breaking through one after another, their gains from the Hell Realm trials now manifesting.

Chen Qingniu: ...

"I'm about to break through as well," Wang Xuan stated.

He retrieved five or six top-grade pills, downed them, and started refining to break through.

With others breaking through, if he didn't as well, it'd seem odd, wouldn't it?

To make himself appear "normal," he should also advance his cultivation level.