Chapter 55 Breakthrough

Lu Qingyun was naturally very concerned about this point. After all, as a cultivator, what he cared about most was how to improve his cultivation realm.

Now it seemed that things were not quite that simple, but he would never give up easily!

Lu Qingyun looked ahead earnestly, holding his own thoughts on everything happening before him.

However, things often turned out contrary to one's wishes.

The Azure Dragon before him clearly knew what kind of realm he could attain, yet simply refused to say.

The Azure Dragon even spoke with a feigned air of mystery.

"My choice of you naturally has its reasons. You are extremely intelligent and a rare genius in this world. I already have some understanding of how you advance your cultivation."

"Yet, that extremely marvelous and profound power within your body is something I seem to have never witnessed before. Still, this power is entirely beneficial to you, and at the very least, it will not harm you..."

Lu Qingyun did not offer any explanation. Was he supposed to reveal that he possessed a heaven-defying system within him? If he said that, even the Azure Dragon probably wouldn't be able to comprehend it, right?

Lu Qingyun said faintly, "The power within my body is indeed quite special, and I cannot explain it to you in great detail. However, I know for a fact that you certainly understand how much I can improve my cultivation."

"We are symbiotic now. What good could it possibly do you if you refuse to tell me? Clarifying everything to me right now and making things a bit easier for me shouldn't that also be a good thing for you?"

Lu Qingyun's mind remained exceptionally clear, because he knew what he needed to do and what kind of person he wanted to become better than anyone else.

There was no need to dwell on how powerful the Azure Dragon before him was; just moments ago, Lu Qingyun had utilized its power to effortlessly eliminate such a formidable fierce beast.

No matter who it was, resistance against such might was entirely futile.

Aboard the massive vessel, there were not only experts like Elder Hong, but also even more tyrannical presences.

The Azure Dragon remained silent once more, its colossal body merely continuing to coil and circle within the sky.

Even though this was clearly Lu Qingyun's sea of consciousness, he had somehow managed to create an environment that felt entirely identical to the outside world.

Right at this moment, Elder Hong had already brought Lu Qingyun rushing outward and into the ship's cabin.

The colossal vessel was simply too vast; even with the swift footwork of someone like Elder Hong, it still took a considerable amount of time to traverse.

Walking deep into the innermost recesses of the ship, Elder Hong spoke earnestly to those who had followed him.

"No one is permitted to enter this place, nor is anyone even allowed to know of its existence. Your presence here is already an exception; you must go no further."

"That fellow is extremely eccentric. If he is provoked, it will bring us no benefit whatsoever. Even after cooperating with him for so many years, I still cannot grasp his temperament."

Although Elder Hong was not speaking ill of someone behind their back, his words were entirely normal, for such was the bare truth.

Meng Tianhai and the others had no choice but to stand right there and await Elder Hong's return!

Carrying Lu Qingyun in his arms, Elder Hong stepped into one of the designated chambers.

Everyone waited anxiously at the door, for this was a situation none of them wished to witness.

Although Lu Qingyun was still unconscious at the moment, his condition was actually fairly decent, as he was persistently cultivating within his sea of consciousness.

As for what was happening in the outside world, Lu Qingyun was largely unaware!

By the time Elder Hong brought him into that chamber, the room was enveloped in absolute darkness.

Mere entry into this chamber immediately induced a sense of profound oppression, making it difficult to even breathe properly.

Naturally, Lu Qingyun felt no such sensation, as he remained entirely cut off from the external reality.

Following Elder Hong's arrival, an elderly man clad in black robes slowly sat up upon a bed of stone.

Upon rising, he furrowed his brows and demanded, "Why have you brought him to me? His current condition is quite good. Surely you don't think he's about to die, do you?"

Indeed, Lu Qingyun's aura was extremely feeble at the moment, and his complexion was utterly pale. The sight of him truly gave off an ominous feeling.

Listening to this fellow's remarks, Elder Hong wore an extremely unsightly expression as he retorted.

"What do you mean by that? His current condition is perilous in the extreme—is that not a problem? Given how critical the situation was, it was one thing for you not to intervene then, but are you refusing to help even now?"

"He is of paramount importance to us right now; he has already become a hero in the hearts of everyone. If we do not assist him at this juncture, we will become the targets of public condemnation!"

Elder Hong's words were not without reason. Everything Lu Qingyun had previously displayed was inextricably linked to their very fates.

Had Lu Qingyun failed to resolve the Sea Emperor Beast, they would have inevitably been implicated.

After a brief moment of reflection, the black-robed elderly man slowly spoke.

"What you say does make sense. However, the boy is completely fine right now—what exactly do you expect me to do?"

Clearly, the black-robed elder possessed a certain mastery of medicine, and his words naturally commanded a degree of trust.

After all, Elder Hong was a figure of formidable strength himself; he would never shoot arrows at random, nor would he choose someone untrustworthy and devoid of capability.

Most importantly, Lu Qingyun currently served a vital purpose and was far from being just an ordinary youth.

In truth, Elder Hong's inner thoughts were quite the opposite, for he held Lu Qingyun in extremely high regard.

Yet, through years of acquaintance, Elder Hong naturally understood the precise methods required to prompt the black-robed elder into action.

The very reason he spoke as he did was precisely for this purpose; otherwise, how could this black-robed elder ever be persuaded to act?

The black-robed elder began a meticulous examination, naturally channeling his spiritual energy in the process, which inevitably drew a much greater resistance.

With extreme astonishment, the black-robed elder exclaimed, "Such an overbearing power! I have truly never witnessed a force so tyrannical before. How could such formidable power possibly reside within a young man?"

Elder Hong stood nearby and remarked earnestly, "This youth is indeed extraordinary. He possesses the exceptionally formidable Azure Dragon Martial Soul. I am unaware of which family he hails from, nor do I know if he belongs to any sect."

"Yet, by all logic, someone with such innate talent ought to be carefully nurtured rather than sent out to temper himself at such an early age. This is something I find quite incomprehensible..."

Whether it was a sect or a family, possessing a youth of such immense talent should logically warrant absolute protection.

Only by doing so could they ensure his safety, and through proper cultivation, he would undoubtedly bring them tremendous benefits.

The emergence of an individual with such formidable strength within a family was a definitive catalyst for the family's rise.

Possessing such a person was absolute honor for a family and glory for a sect.

Allowing him out to experience trials so early meant that any accident would represent an irreparable loss to his lineage.

In reality, when Lu Qingyun first set out, he had never anticipated encountering so many twists and turns. His initial venture into the Wind and Cloud Gorge was merely intended to precede a return to his family.

After all, there were people waiting for him within the family clan. Regardless of whether their mutual affection was genuine or feigned, certain realities existed and could not be avoided.

Yet, the eruption of so many unforeseen events had undeniably brought about profound changes, exerting a massive influence upon him.

One could even say that the entire trajectory of his life had undergone a drastic transformation!

The black-robed elder slowly muttered, "If this brat were my own descendant, I would never let him leave like this. With such terrifying talent, I would want nothing more than to hide him away forever!"

"After nurturing him for a few decades and letting him out then, he would inevitably cause a massive sensation. Relying on his strength, I could also bask in a great deal of his glory."

With that, the black-robed elder ceased speaking and withdrew his spiritual energy.

No one knew what his true thoughts were, and Elder Hong asked him with a hint of perplexity, "Are you just going to drop it? Are we simply going to let him fend for himself?"

Hearing this, the black-robed elder chuckled, shook his head, and said, "Heh, what do you mean by letting him fend for himself? You've seen his current state—surely you must have attempted to probe him yourself?"

"With our level of strength, there is simply no way to contend with it. Let alone examining his physical condition, if we were to probe any further, chances are we would both end up dead!"

The black-robed elder was certainly not talking nonsense; he possessed a deep comprehension of the matter.

Furthermore, he had just been slighted by the terrifying power of the Azure Dragon, though fortunately his mindset remained largely unaffected, allowing him to accept such disdain.

After all, the Azure Dragon wielded a power capable of crushing them utterly; no matter what strength they possessed, resistance was impossible.

That was a form of the purest, most primordial power from ancient times. For cultivators of their current realm, even attempting to peer into it was nothing short of a fool's errand.

Should they cross the Azure Dragon's bottom line, it would only complicate matters further.

After all, the Azure Dragon's might was far too formidable; they were simply no match for it!

To provoke it any further might invite unpredictable calamities.

Meanwhile, Lu Qingyun had completely immersed himself in this state, feeling the transformations within his body as if a breakthrough were imminent.

Most importantly, the rewards granted by the system had not yet arrived; everything at this moment relied entirely upon the power of the Azure Dragon Martial Soul.

Lu Qingyun could distinctly hear the creaking sounds erupting from his own bones and meridians.

Elder Hong and the black-robed elder, who were currently observing him, found these sounds deeply terrifying.

What caused the greatest astonishment was the drastic physical transformation taking place within Lu Qingyun's body.

One could actually witness his bones twisting violently before reassembling themselves shortly after.

The unfolding of these successive spectacles filled even the two veterans with overwhelming shock.

A person's growth and physical development were innate, and the number of times such alterations could occur was severely limited.

Once adulthood was reached, instigating massive physical transformations was truly no simple feat.

Yet Lu Qingyun's bones were currently undergoing astonishing alterations.

His entire body writhed back and forth across the floor continuously, resembling an earthworm severed into two halves.

Lu Qingyun had no inkling of his current physical state, for he felt not the slightest trace of pain.

A smile curled the corners of Lu Qingyun's lips as he slowly spoke.

"As my martial soul, you have always fought shoulder to shoulder with me. Do you not feel aggrieved? I am uncertain whether I can restore you to your former state."

"After all, the current situation is exceptionally peculiar, and I have no idea what will happen next. I can't even guarantee whether I'll be able to keep my life..."

In truth, Lu Qingyun was also testing the waters, entirely unaware of what his physical body looked like to the outside world.

Had he known, he certainly wouldn't have remained so composed—after all, his body was practically twisting into a dough twist.

Yet the fact that he could utter such words with utter calmness made the Azure Dragon find him somewhat amusing.

While the Azure Dragon could not be considered his master, acting as his martial soul meant it had undeniably witnessed his growth.

Once more, the Azure Dragon chuckled and replied, "Heh, I truly have nothing more to say to you. What you need to do right now is quite simple: quiet your mind and cultivate properly."

"Given the current circumstances, if anyone attempts to harm you, I will step in promptly. However, do not rely entirely upon me; I am currently extremely feeble and may plunge into slumber at any moment..."

Lu Qingyun naturally understood the implication behind those words and did not press further.

This was precisely the outcome he desired, for only thus could he feel a degree of relief.

At the very least, it served as a safeguard to protect his safety, which was his paramount desire!

Having obtained a highly satisfactory answer, Lu Qingyun felt an immense surge of joy within his heart.

However, the two individuals inside the chamber were currently dumbfounded.

Lu Qingyun alternated between twisting into grotesque shapes and stretching out to extraordinary lengths—no matter how one looked at it, the sight was profoundly terrifying.

Elder Hong slowly broke the silence. "Are you certain his condition will be fine? Do you really think we shouldn't intervene?"

Elder Hong's eyes were brimming with worry, for such developments entirely surpassed their expectations.

The black-robed elder slowly shook his head, his own gaze reflecting deep concern as he responded.

"I have no idea what his situation is either. I've never encountered a condition like this before. Judging by the present circumstances, he's still breathing, isn't he?"

"In my opinion, as long as he's breathing, it should be fine. As long as he doesn't die, why fuss over the details? What do you think?"

Elder Hong nodded slowly in agreement. "What you say also makes some sense. Let's just wait and see..."

Approximately two hours later, just as those waiting outside the door were growing anxious, Lu Qingyun slowly blinked his eyes open.

"Am I still alive?"