Chapter 537: Breakthrough to Tier Six

"Vice Director Ge, did you say the academy’s sacred ground?"

Elder Dong and Elder Yao looked astonished.

A forbidden ground... and a sacred ground?

Seeing their expressions, Ye Xuan’s interest was piqued.

"That’s right. The forbidden ground I mentioned is the very same sacred ground you speak of."

"The sacred ground is real? I thought it was just a rumor. Besides, isn’t its location a secret known only to the successive directors?" Elder Dong asked, completely shocked.

Even he, the head of the Soul Refining department, had only heard whispers about this sacred ground.

Legend had it that Gale Light Academy possessed a sacred ground where the treasures obtained by its strongest experts throughout history were stored—countless secret Cultivation Techniques, Profound Soldiers, and Profound Treasures.

The purpose of this sacred ground was supposedly to preserve the academy’s strength. If Gale Light Academy ever fell into decline or faced a crisis, it could rise again by relying on the treasures within.

However, this had always been just a rumor within Gale Light Academy. No one had ever actually seen the sacred ground.

What made it seem even more like a mere legend was that this so-called sacred ground had never once appeared during the academy’s several moments of crisis.

Thus, in the hearts of countless students and instructors, the sacred ground was just a comforting rumor, nothing more.

So, upon hearing Ge Puzi mention a forbidden ground, Elder Yao and Elder Dong were immediately taken aback.

"The sacred ground you speak of is indeed just a rumor. However, Gale Light Academy does have a forbidden ground. This place isn’t what the legends say—a vault for treasures from past experts. Instead, it was established by the academy’s very first founder."

"According to the records, the founder placed an earth-shattering treasure inside. But for hundreds of years, none of the academy’s successive directors have been able to open this forbidden ground."

"Of course, Director Huangfu Xiuming was the one who told me all this. As for the forbidden ground’s exact location, not even I know."

"I wonder if the Profound Mystery Sect has come for this forbidden ground."

Ge Puzi recounted everything he knew.

Ye Xuan’s thoughts stirred.

The Dream Realm Plain wasn’t a particularly large region on the Celestial Profound Continent, and its factions weren’t especially powerful. As a result, Ye Xuan hadn’t paid much attention to Gale Light Academy at first. He had only come here initially for the cultivation resources.

But after entering the academy, he discovered that this place was anything but ordinary.

The inner courtyard, with its Trial Pagoda, Illusion Realm chamber, and secret realms, made it clear to Ye Xuan that Gale Light Academy’s first founder was an extraordinary figure.

Even in the Profound Domain, Ye Xuan had never seen a treasure like the Trial Pagoda.

A forbidden ground left behind by such a person was indeed a tempting prospect.

Of course, this was all just speculation. Ye Xuan didn’t know what the Profound Mystery Sect’s true objective was either.

"If the Profound Mystery Sect truly has an objective, they definitely won’t give up so easily," Vice Director Ge said gravely, his face etched with worry.

With Director Huangfu Xiuming gone, nearly all the pressure had fallen on his shoulders.

Of course, while he was the vice director, there were others in the academy, so he wouldn’t be fighting all alone.

After that, the two sides talked for a long while.

After learning of the connection between Ye Xuan and Director Huangfu Xiuming, Ge Puzi and the others treated him with markedly more respect.

But with Director Huangfu Xiuming’s whereabouts unknown, a sense of worry hung over their conversation.

"Young Master Ye, your attainments in Alchemy are so profound. How about we discuss it sometime?"

"Ahem, Young Master Ye, I’d also like to study the path of Soul Refining with you."

Elder Yao and Elder Dong said one after another.

It had to be said that after learning Ye Xuan had received guidance from Huangfu Xiuming and witnessing his terrifying skill earlier, the two no longer saw him as a student, but as an equal—a powerful expert.

"When there’s a chance,"

Ye Xuan readily agreed. He held Elder Dong and Elder Yao in high regard.

’Their proposal intrigues me. With the Profound Mystery Sect posing such a threat, if Elder Dong and the others prove trustworthy, I could help them achieve a breakthrough. That way, we’d have a better chance against our formidable foe, the Profound Mystery Sect. But now is clearly not the time.’

After talking for nearly an hour, Ye Xuan finally took his leave.

"Xuan Ye, are you alright?"

Seeing Ye Xuan walk out unharmed, Dongfang Zisi, who had been waiting anxiously outside, hurried over.

"What could happen to me?" Ye Xuan said with a carefree smile.

Only then did Dongfang Zisi’s heart finally settle.

The two returned to the courtyard together. Just as they were about to part ways, Ye Xuan suddenly called out to Dongfang Zisi.

"Take this Gumo Menglan Pill and consume it."

Ye Xuan placed a Gumo Menglan Pill in her hand.

"No, I can’t. This is too valuable."

Dongfang Zisi waved her hands in refusal. She had heard about the effects of the Gumo Menglan Pill; a Pill that defied the heavens like this was incredibly valuable.

"Valuable? This Gumo Menglan Pill is perfect for you. Besides, I have so many that I can’t use them all. It would be a waste to leave it with me. What’s more, you were my assistant today, so just consider this your payment."

"But..."

"What, are we still going to be so formal with each other?"

Ye Xuan’s last sentence finally moved Dongfang Zisi. Her face flushed as she involuntarily accepted the Gumo Menglan Pill.

A Pill that could help her, a Tier Five Third Layer Martial Sect, break through to the Tier Six Martial Venerable realm in one go was, needless to say, incredibly alluring to Dongfang Zisi.

After parting with Dongfang Zisi, Ye Xuan returned to his cultivation chamber alone.

He sat cross-legged and began to circulate the Nine Profound Prideful World Art.

One cycle.

Two cycles.

Three cycles...

After nearly four hours, when Ye Xuan felt his condition had been adjusted to its peak, he quickly took out a Gumo Menglan Pill and placed it in his mouth.

BOOM!

The moment the dark blue Gumo Menglan Pill entered his mouth, a dense medicinal power erupted within his body. This potent energy flowed like a river, circulating through him and spreading to every limb and bone.

This power originated from his heart’s acupoint and began to gradually permeate the ten main Profound Veins in his body.

Ye Xuan knew very well that every realm breakthrough began with the transformation of one’s Profound Veins. The moment all ten of his Profound Veins were reforged by the Gumo Menglan Pill would be the moment he stepped into the realm of a Tier Six Martial Venerable.

As his Profound Veins were being transformed, the Gumo Menglan Pill’s medicinal power gradually weakened.

Two hours later, the Gumo Menglan Pill’s power was about to dissipate completely, yet Ye Xuan had only managed to transform nine of his Profound Veins. The tenth, the Celestial Vein, had not yet been permeated by the medicinal power.

"What’s going on?" Ye Xuan frowned.

Logically, the power of a single Gumo Menglan Pill should be more than enough for any Tier Five Third Layer Martial Sect to break through; there shouldn’t be a shortage of medicinal power. What’s more, his was an Upper Grade pill, making this situation even more unlikely.

’All the records in the world only speak of nine Profound Veins. I only opened this tenth Celestial Vein because I cultivate the Nine Profound Prideful World Art. Could that be the reason?’

Although Ye Xuan was puzzled, he didn’t dare to hesitate for a moment. He immediately swallowed another Gumo Menglan Pill.

The fading medicinal power surged once more, gradually seeping into his tenth Profound Vein.

’With only one Profound Vein left to open,’ Ye Xuan thought, ’another Gumo Menglan Pill should be more than enough.’

But to his surprise, the power from the second Gumo Menglan Pill was exhausted after transforming only half of the Celestial Vein.

Ye Xuan had no choice but to consume yet another Gumo Menglan Pill.

Only after he took the third Gumo Menglan Pill was his tenth Celestial Vein finally and completely transformed.

VMMMM!

When all ten Profound Veins had been completely transformed, a terrifying aura immediately erupted from Ye Xuan’s body.

Ye Xuan could clearly feel that due to the change in his Profound Veins, the Tier Five Profound Power within him was beginning to convert into Tier Six Profound Power.

He frantically circulated his Nine Profound Prideful World Art, absorbing the ambient Profound Qi from the heavens and earth.

Strand by strand, his Tier Five Profound Power was continuously converted into Tier Six Profound Power.

An hour later, all the Profound Power in Ye Xuan’s body had finally been converted into Tier Six Profound Power.

A sensation of immense power welled up in his mind.

"I’ve finally broken through to Tier Six."

Ye Xuan could clearly feel his strength increasing rapidly. After his Profound Power transformed, his cells, bones, organs, blood, and muscles all began to undergo their own transformations, one by one.

A ravenous hunger filled his mind.

Ye Xuan knew this was because his body’s evolution had consumed a massive amount of energy that had not been promptly replenished.

For an ordinary Martial Artist, this might have been a major problem, but for Ye Xuan, it was nothing at all.

While circulating the Nine Profound Prideful World Art, he quickly took out and swallowed numerous Pills to replenish his Profound Power. At the same time, he materialized several mid-grade Profound Stones in his hand and began to refine them.

A vast amount of Profound Power gathered in his body, remolding his physical form and strengthening his meridians.

This process was much slower than the breakthrough itself.

Time passed. Ye Xuan continuously absorbed energy from the Pills, Profound Stones, and the ambient Profound Qi of the world, converting it into his own pure Profound Power.

A full three days later, feeling saturated, Ye Xuan finally stopped absorbing energy.

He opened his eyes, and a startling, cold gleam shot out from them.

As he stood up, the surging power in his body made the very air in the cultivation chamber tremble faintly.

"Tier Six Second Layer! I actually broke through all the way to Tier Six Second Layer!"

Feeling the immense power within him, Ye Xuan couldn’t help but exclaim in pleasant surprise.

This was a result he hadn’t anticipated.

However, after taking stock of what he had consumed, Ye Xuan couldn’t help but give a wry smile.

In three days of frantic absorption, he had gone through over a hundred Fifth Grade Pills, nearly thirty newly-refined Sixth Grade Pills, and more than a thousand mid-grade Profound Stones.