Splitting the Heave

“Crash!” After the ice boulder crumbled, a frosty wind swept across Shang Xia’s body, causing him to shiver slightly.

After the world origin within the ice boulder was refined by his Crimson Soul Tablet, the Spirit of Winter that caused all sorts of trouble earlier lost its protection.

Shang Xia quickly weakened the Spirit of Winter before trapping it in the Spirit Extermination Gourd in his hands.

A ray of milky white radiance emerged from the opening of the Spirit Extermination Gourd all of a sudden as it tried to blind Shang Xia.

With a cold snort, Shang Xia opened his mouth to release a breath of hot air at the ray of freezing light. The milky light seemed to have met its greatest fear in life as it shrank by several times to become a snowflake that fell towards the land.

“It’s actually the Spirit of Winter. Hahaha! You can probably be named the Spirit of Snow.” Shang Xia chuckled to himself.

Reaching out slightly, he trapped the fleeing Spirit of Snow in space as it tried to struggle free in mid air. 

After entering the Four Constellation Realm, Shang Xia gained the ability to manipulate space however he wished. His ability to control space was leagues ahead of what he managed to accomplish in the Martial Intent Realm. In the past, he was barely able to affect space. Now, he could control it according to his will.

Reaching for a spirit sealing bottle, Shang Xia casually popped the cap before shoving the Spirit of Snow into it. When he was done, he sealed the bottle casually.

Next, he brought out a spirit suppressing case and did the same to the maple leaf that contained the Falling Leaf Extermination Origin. 

When Shang Xia killed his enemies in the past, he didn’t manage to gain a lot of treasures he could make use of. He would get lucky occasionally and receive something he required for his breakthrough. However, the number of spirit sealing bottles, spirit suppression cases, spirit restraining pouches, and items similar to those were plentiful.

Opening up a path in space to the fallen pavilion where he first encountered the Hundred Flowers Essence Extermination Origin, he kept the remaining extermination origin in his Spirit Extermination Gourd. Staring at the various herbs around, Shang Xia had a great battle with his sense of reason before finally suppressing his greed. Realizing that leaving those herbs would be for the best, he started to make his way down to the lake.

The ball in the middle of the lake seemed to have shrunken slightly, and Shang Xia didn’t store it like the other extermination origins. This time, he brought out a copper bowl that scooped up some water along with the ball of Mirroring Sun Extermination Origin.

Before Shang Xia tried to refine the Mirroring Sun Extermination Origin, it had always been living quietly under the lake. As such, Shang Xia figured that keeping it in the same water was a great way to keep it sealed.

With all four extermination origins collected, Shang Xia decided that it was time for some self evaluation. Comparing himself to Martial Extermination Realm experts of the Azure Origin World, Shang Xia discovered that he had two great advantages. He held an advantage over them in the sense that he was able to perfect his advancement medicine with the help of his Crimson Soul Tablet. The other was that he already gathered all 4 extermination origins when breaking through.

His speed of cultivation might be lowered in the foreseeable future as he had to refine all 4 extermination origins at once, but he wouldn’t face a bottleneck before he reached the large completion stage. Also, he didn’t need to waste his time looking for other extermination origins!

Since he had completed what he set out to do, Shang Xia found no reason to remain on the Yuxi Peak any longer.

Releasing his divine sense to observe the situation around him, Shang Xia discovered that his divine sense had also undergone some sort of transformation. The feeling he had was different from before.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t examine the difference in his divine sense closely at the moment as he discovered an exchange that was taking place several miles away.

A ray of reddish-gold lightning emerged from his palm and it sliced open the space before him. Stepping through the opening he created, Shang Xia’s figure disappeared instantly.

Several miles away from the Yuxi Peak, Ge Qingzhu and Zhang Haogu were facing Yan Su’er and a Martial Extermination Realm expert from the Changbai Holy Land.

“The two of you should have seen whatever you came here to see. How long do you plan on staying?” Ge Qingzhu asked in annoyance.

Because of the huge disturbance on the Yuxi Peak due to Shang Xia’s breakthrough, almost everyone in the battlefield between the two worlds learned about the abnormal situation happening on the Yuxi Peak.

Every time a slight fluctuation appeared, Yan Su’er and the Martial Extermination Realm expert from the Changbai Holy Land would appear, causing Ge Qingzhu and Zhang Haogu endless annoyance. Shang Xia’s breakthrough wasn’t as short as it seemed anyway. He used several days to complete the 49 cycles of refinement, and the two experts from the Azure Spiritual World would come every day.

Yan Su’er’s gaze didn’t leave the Yuxi Peak as she chuckled happily, “Oh? Things are different this time. I’m afraid the little friend you’re hiding on the Yuxi Peak succeeded. He should be coming out about now.” 

A flash of joy appeared in Ge Qingzhu’s eyes, but he managed to hide from Yan Su’er and the Martial Extermination Realm expert from the Changbai Holy Land. Without a change in expression, he tried to change the topic. “Matriarch Yan’s cultivation is profound indeed. I’m sure you have already entered the large completion stage of the Martial Extermination Realm. This Junior is a little curious. Why would the four great races of the Liao Continent and the Changbai Holy Land allow you to remain in the battlefield between the two worlds? Why didn’t they send you over to that place along with the rest? Won’t they be missing out on an extremely strong expert this way?” 

Yan Su’er smiled and didn’t seem to realize that Ge Qingzhu was trying to shift the conversation. She sighed helplessly, “It’s unfortunate for us, no doubt. But as the only worthless Martial Extermination Realm expert in my race, I have to stay behind. It’s a shame…” 

Pressing his lips together, Ge Qingzhu was too lazy to respond to her nonsensical remarks. If a large completion stage Martial Extermination Realm could be considered worthless, what was he, a first layer Martial Extermination Realm?

Zhang Haogu quickly stepped up and asked, “It’s just a breakthrough to the Martial Extermination Realm. What’s the big fuss? If Matriarch Yan is so concerned about the breakthrough, I’ll personally bring them over for a meeting later. What’s the point of coming over here every day?” 

Before Yan Su’er could say anything, Wei Yunyang, the elder of the Changbai Holy Land who was beside her, spoke up. “There’s no need for us to beat about the bush anyway. Our experts might not have entered the Yuxi Peak in the past, but we can guess what’s inside. The person who is breaking through has to be using a new method if they can make use of the chaotic extermination qi in there to do so. It’s difficult for us to see something so special and we’re definitely not going to hole up somewhere and miss it.” 

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At the very least, Ge Qingzhu had some respect for Yan Su’er. The same couldn’t be said for the elder of the Changbai Holy Land. Turning to Wei Yunyang, Ge Qingzhu snorted coldly, “Heh, do you think you can learn how to break through just by observing the surroundings of the Yuxi Peak? The cultivation systems of our worlds are completely different. Even if we taught you our way to break through from the Martial Intent Realm to the Martial Extermination Realm, do you dare to teach your disciples?!”

Ge Qingzhu’s words actually gave Wei Yunyang the confirmation he wanted, but Ge Qingzhu couldn’t care less. After all, with the huge commotion Shang Xia caused, there wasn’t a need to mention Martial Extermination Realm realm experts. Even some Martial Intent Realm disciples would be able to tell that Shang Xia’s way of advancement was different from others.

Wei Yunyang continued, “Oh? I’ll do it. Teach me your secrets to break through and I’ll have a god at it. Are you sure it won’t be of use to us?” 

“Enough… You two…” Zhang Haogu interrupted them with a dry cough when all four of them discovered spatial fluctuations around them.

A look of joy appeared on Ge Qingzhu’s face. “He’s here!” 

The words barely left his lips when a bolt of reddish-gold lightning emerged from the void.

Ge Qingzhu might not understand the full implications of what was happening, but he discovered that the other three wore serious looks on their faces.

As a frown made its way onto his face, he eventually discovered what he missed. 

Space manipulation…

As the main lightning bolt disappeared, tiny arcs flickered through the air as it turned into a stable opening in the void.

The faces of all four Martial Extermination Realm experts changed instantly.

A newly advanced Martial Extermination Realm expert should be familiarizing himself with his newfound strength. It was possible to affect space with their attacks after entering the Martial Extermination Realm, but one would only be able to travel through space after a period of acclimatization. 

From how a spatial passage was formed, none of them could believe they were looking at a newly advanced Martial Extermination Realm expert.

Regardless of whatever shock they were experiencing, it didn’t take long for Shang Xia’s figure to emerge from the spatial tunnel he created.

“It’s you!” Yan Su’er felt something click in her mind after seeing Shang Xia. “That piece of Crimson Crystal Valley Brewer's Yeast went to you?” 

Shang Xia looked at the four of them again and ensured that a battle wasn’t going to break out before replying. “Many thanks for the help, Senior Yan.” A smile appeared on his face as he spoke.

Yan Su’er glanced at Wei Yunyang for a second before snorting coldly, “There’s no need for your cheap tricks here. You can’t affect the relationship of our races with the Changbai Holy Land with a mere thanks. Anyway, it’s just a rank four treasure or two. It’s not like we made a loss trading it with you.” 

“I’m afraid you didn’t refine a single extermination origin to step into the Martial Extermination Realm, right?” A foreign voice interrupted them all of a sudden.

Shang Xia’s gaze landed on Wei Yunyang but he didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he looked at Wei Yunyang from head to toe while sizing him up.

Who would have thought that Wei Yunyang’s expression would turn ugly as Shang Xia examined him? He could feel a sense of pressure coming from the youngster and he felt his divine sense being suppressed.

He thought to himself: Was that really a newly advanced Martial Extermination Realm?!

Before Shang Xia could say anything, Ge Qingzhu coughed lightly and made the introductions. 

Gasping lightly, Shang Xia responded, “Oh, it’s an Inner Sect Elder of the Changbai Holy Land! Hehe, you’re not the first Inner Sect Elder I’ve met.” 

Snorting coldly, Wei Yunyang turned his head away. He obviously knew what Shang Xia meant by that.

From what he learned, Huang Yunxiang and Qi Yunxiu’s disappearance had something to do with the youngster before him. 

Wait… 

Thinking about how Shang Xia had a hand in their deaths when he was only in the Martial Intent Realm, Wei Yunyang’s expression changed drastically. The Martial Intent Realm disciple was now a Martial Extermination Realm expert!

“Enough!” Yan Su’er tapped her staff lightly in the air and seemed to create a formless barrier around Wei Yunyang. It stopped Shang Xia’s divine sense suppression and allowed Wei Yunyang to heave a sigh of relief.

Shang Xia might be stronger than experts of the same level, but facing an old monster like Yan Su’er, he would lose in both experience and strength.

“Alright, now that we’ve met and cleared up some of our doubts, there’s no need for us to remain here. Congratulations on getting a unique Martial Extermination Realm expert in your ranks.” Yan Su’er muttered before turning to leave. She took a few steps in mid air and her body started to fade into the void.

Wei Yunyang’s cultivation level was far from Yan Su’er and he couldn’t mimic her actions. He retreated backwards while keeping an eye on all three of them. After retreating for a thousand feet, he turned around to tear a passage through space to leave.

Now that they had left, Shang Xia turned to Ge Qingzhu and Zhang Haogu as he cupped his fists in gratitude. “Many thanks for protecting this disciple during my breakthrough! Do you know how long I was on the Yuxi Peak for?” 

Ge Qingzhu waved his hand casually in response. “Let’s not sweat the small stuff now. Tell me, how far can you extend your divine perception?”