Chapter 25: The Realm of Excellence, Unprecedented in History

Su Yi's entire body trembled, his mind roaring as if thunderstruck, golden stars bursting before his eyes. Within his dantian, chaos reigned, a sea in utter turmoil. Yet from his inner palace, a surge of whale-devouring true energy, embodying his entire will, rose and struck forward, gathering and subduing countless disparate streams of foreign energy beneath its banner. In sheer quantity, this whale-devouring force was far inferior to the myriad other energies, but its tenacity was unmatched—unmoved in the face of raging tempests like an immovable rock in the sea, it slowly devoured and assimilated its rivals, growing ever stronger.

At that very moment, Su Yi sensed a distant and ethereal realm, where countless spiritual phantasms came rushing forth, launching their fiercest assaults upon him. These illusions took innumerable forms, each conjured from the deepest recesses of his soul, manifesting his most profound weaknesses. Frowning deeply, Su Yi steeled his mind, fiercely defending his spirit against their onslaught.

The third stage of the Whale-Devouring Method marked entry into the ranks of the world’s foremost masters. Though this supreme secret art of the Primordial Demon Sect allowed one to rapidly increase their cultivation by absorbing the inner force of others, breaking through this barrier was no easy feat.

Since the inception of this unparalleled art, throughout centuries, among the most outstanding disciples of the Primordial Demon Sect, there were those who sensed their first trace of energy within half a day, completed their foundation in a month, reached initial mastery of the first stage in three months, achieved perfection in half a year, and ascended to the peak of the second stage in six years. Yet in all history, no more than two had broken through to the third stage within ten years.

To become a first-rate martial expert was to temper and nourish the spirit, refining both inside and out, so that inner strength, body, and mind climbed together toward the summit of perfection. This barrier was crucial to all, whether righteous or demonic; hence, it was known as the Divine Gate.

Legends in the martial world spoke often: "Few enter the Divine Gate in youth; those who do may aspire to the Innate Realm." In other words, if a young prodigy broke through to this level, their chance to ascend to the supreme Innate Realm grew exponentially.

What Su Yi now strove to achieve was to shatter all records, to become the first in history—and perhaps the last—who, within the span of a single night, would leap from Foundation Establishment to breaking through the Divine Gate.

He made this decision for several reasons. First, his body, after a night of harvesting, was surging with energy—such moments of abundance were fleeting, and if missed, who knew how long it would take for the same state to return? Second, the system’s direct transmission of knowledge had made his grasp of each critical point of the Whale-Devouring Method no less than anyone’s; even in attacking such a perilous barrier, he was more than sixty percent confident of success. Even failure would pose little risk, as his thorough understanding of the art would keep him safe from any inner demons.

Most importantly, Su Yi felt an instinctive certainty: the system’s superlative enhancement had not only pushed his strength and speed beyond human limits, but elevated his spirit to heights unattainable by ordinary men. This heightened mind manifested in his piercing perception, and likely also enabled him to perform feats like moving sand and stone with a thought. Otherwise, why would the system have waited until he had undergone these enhancements before allowing him to draw skills?

Relying on sheer willpower to maintain his consciousness, Su Yi’s body quivered, enduring incredible pain.

Time slipped by; how long, he could not say. Suddenly, as if a bolt of lightning flashed through him, countless eddies of true energy surged like a great sea, coursing through his four limbs and bones. The phantasms in his mind shattered, a clear aura rising from his heart’s core and spreading through his being like sweet rain. From his dantian, a vigorous surge of true energy ascended, merging seamlessly with the clear aura.

Qi and spirit united—at last, the third stage of the Whale-Devouring Method had been broken through!

Having finally reaped the fruits of his arduous cultivation, Su Yi rose from bed, left his room, and headed downstairs. Only after asking the innkeeper did he realize it was already late afternoon; this breakthrough had cost him more than five hours.

He ordered food, ate, and returned to his room. After such a long session of cultivation, coupled with a sleepless night, he was utterly exhausted—sleep overtook him as soon as he lay down.

—

An hour later, Su Yi awoke. Having reached the third stage of the Whale-Devouring Method, he now needed but little sleep to fully restore his vigor.

Seated cross-legged, he examined his body inwardly. The whale-devouring true energy had more than doubled, constantly nourishing his flesh, and under the command of his sharpened spirit, his inner power and physical strength now worked in perfect harmony.

Before this breakthrough, his inner power had always lagged behind his physical might; in battle, his inner strength was more a supplement, and he relied mainly on brute force to overcome foes, lacking in finesse and variety. Now, at last, that weakness was gone—inner power and strength were equals, each complementing the other, elevating his combat abilities and granting him new means to face enemies.

Unfortunately, now that he had reached the level of a first-rate expert, the inner strength of third-rate opponents did little for his own growth, useful only for healing wounds. Second-rate experts were not exactly common, either—they formed the mid-ranks of the world’s great powers. Thus, from here on, rapid progress would no longer be possible.

He glanced at the map in his mind; the boat carrying Chiling Xiao’s young heir and his retinue had entered Danrong territory. At their current pace, by the time tonight passed and half a day more, they would cross the great river and reach Jiang Ting—Su Yi’s true task would then begin.

Time for preparation was running short.

Since his cultivation could not be quickly improved, Su Yi turned his thoughts to other ways to increase his strength. He did not know what dangers lay ahead in escorting the young heir, but he understood well that brute force alone would not suffice.

Gradually, a plan began to take shape in his mind.

So, he rose from bed and left the room.

—

Shuifang Street, Zhou Residence.

Nearly forty, Zhou Kui’an paced restlessly, bare-chested, between the hall and the courtyard. Today, he had not visited Widow Li. Before dawn broke, his front door had been pounded upon. After his subordinates reported, he opened the door himself and, after sending them away, welcomed in two young girls. A veteran scoundrel with decades of experience, Zhou Kui’an quickly learned who they were.

After handing the list to Su Yi, Zhou Kui’an had been prepared for the masked man to deal with the villains named. Though surprised that a member of the Primordial Demon Sect would not only "enforce justice" but also take pains to handle the aftermath, he said nothing, merely ordering his men to settle the two girls in.

It was only several hours later, dressed as an investigating constable, that Zhou Kui’an learned from the streets and the authorities what bloody events had truly transpired the previous night.