"Father, the Black Dragon Sword for you!"
Lu Yang, beneath his protective cloak, handed the Black Dragon Sword to Lu Tianfeng.
"I still underestimated the might of the Five Elements Mountain people. I never expected their strength to have grown so formidable after all these years. Even with the Black Dragon Sword and Black Dragon Token combined, they cannot be killed!"
Lu Tianfeng's face showed deep worry.
"Father, this is a spirit elixir I refined from the Life Flower. Take it. I sense your cultivation has reached a bottleneck, on the verge of breaking through. Perhaps it can help you achieve it at this crucial moment!"
Lu Yang felt the fluctuations in his father's true qi and immediately presented the elixir.
"Life Flower?"
Lu Tianfeng's eyes lit up with excitement upon seeing the item.
Back in Youdu Prison, Lu Tianfeng had actually wanted to pluck the Life Flower. However, his son had taken a liking to it, so Lu Tianfeng had ceded it to him. He never imagined his son could refine the Life Flower into such a potent spirit elixir, which was far more effective than consuming the flower directly.
"Indeed!"
Lu Tianfeng nodded, took the elixir from Lu Yang's hand, and swallowed it in one gulp.
As the five spirit elixirs entered his body, Lu Tianfeng felt a surge of immense energy and spirit qi coursing through him. Even with his powerful true qi, he couldn't suppress this overwhelming force.
Lu Tianfeng immediately sat cross-legged on the ground, allowing the true qi and energy to flow through his meridians, continuously cleansing his body. Wisps of strange, faint smoke began to rise from his forehead, an uncanny sight.
"The Divine Realm, or Shenjing, is achieved by tearing apart one's soul and then reshaping it into a new one, known as the Divine Soul (Shenhun), to reside within the body. Only with a Divine Soul can one be called a Divine Realm expert!"
To enter the Divine Realm, one must endure immense hardship, tolerate the agony of soul tearing, and reach the pinnacle of their vital energy (qiji) before commencing cultivation for the Divine Realm.
At this moment, Lu Tianfeng's vital energy had ascended to its peak, and he was on the cusp of the Divine Realm's baptism.
Witnessing this, Lu Yang's eyes shone with excitement.
"If Father achieves the Divine Realm, we will still have a chance this time. Otherwise, we are truly no match for the Five Elements Mountain people!"
Lu Yang mused silently.
Meanwhile, the Five Elements Mountain people were not idle. They continued to unleash their Returning Yuan Sword swarm, relentlessly attacking the Heaven Shading Cloak, attempting to breach its defenses time and again. However, each assault seemed to have no effect on the cloak whatsoever.
"Hmm? The material of this Heaven Shading Cloak is truly extraordinary. Even the Returning Yuan Sword swarm is helpless against it. But do you think this means you are safe?"
"Don't forget, we are the Five Elements Mountain people! We have plundered countless treasures over the years. Since the Returning Yuan Sword swarm cannot defeat the Heaven Shading Cloak, let us try the King of Gu, the Golden Silkworm Gu!"
As the Five Elements Mountain people spoke, they produced a black bottle from their person. Upon opening the lid, a corpulent insect instantly emerged from within. The creature was entirely white, with eyes as small as sesame seeds, but they gleamed with an eerie light. Lu Yang felt an immense threat just by glancing at it.
"As expected of the King of Gu, the Golden Silkworm Gu. It is truly exceptional!"
"But can this little thing breach the Heaven Shading Cloak?"
Lu Yang wasn't sure. He stood by his father's side, acting as a guardian, hoping the Heaven Shading Cloak could withstand the Golden Silkworm Gu until his father broke through to the Divine Realm.
The Golden Silkworm Gu sprouted two wings and flew directly onto the Heaven Shading Cloak, its sharp teeth beginning to gnaw away at the fabric, piece by piece.
Initially, Lu Yang believed the Heaven Shading Cloak could resist the Golden Silkworm Gu's gnawing. However, gradually, Lu Yang heard a rustling sound. A gap was being created in the Heaven Shading Cloak by the Golden Silkworm Gu. At this rate, within another hour, the Golden Silkworm Gu would breach the cloak, allowing it to fly inside. And it wouldn't be alone; the Returning Yuan Sword swarm would follow. Lu Yang himself struggled to deal with the Returning Yuan Sword swarm; facing it alongside a Golden Silkworm Gu would mean certain death.
"Father, please hurry and break through! We're running out of time!"
Lu Yang waited anxiously.
At this moment, Lu Tianfeng's face was contorted in extreme agony, clearly undergoing the final step of advancing to the Divine Realm: soul tearing and soul reshaping.
However, Lu Yang had never entered the Divine Realm and had no idea how long the process of soul tearing and reshaping would take. He could only wait here, hoping Lu Tianfeng would ascend to the Divine Realm without incident and then slay the Five Elements Mountain people.
An hour later, Lu Tianfeng's expression remained contorted, indicating his advancement was not yet complete. However, the Golden Silkworm Gu had already created a hole in the Heaven Shading Cloak and burrowed its way inside.
"Haha, truly the King of Gu, the Golden Silkworm Gu! It has finally broken through the Heaven Shading Cloak! Returning Yuan Sword swarm, enter and slay Lu Yang!"
Seeing this, the Five Elements Mountain people cackled sinisterly. With a flick of their finger, the Returning Yuan Sword swarm surged into the cloak.
"What is meant to come will eventually come!"
Lu Yang stood up, staring intently at the Golden Silkworm Gu. At this moment, he knew the true battle for survival had begun. His bloodline surged, pushing his strength to its absolute limit. The Black Dragon Token in his hand flashed with a golden light.
The Golden Silkworm Gu seemed to view Lu Yang as mere prey, emitting a low chirp and then darting towards Lu Yang's body like a streak of light, moving at an incredibly rapid pace. However, the Black Dragon Token was faster. The instant the Golden Silkworm Gu neared Lu Yang, it unleashed a sword strike, hitting the Gu.
The Golden Silkworm Gu was sent reeling backward several meters by the impact of the Black Dragon Token, seemingly unharmed.
"The Golden Silkworm Gu is impervious to blades and spears? Does it have skin of bronze and bones of iron?"
Lu Yang's jaw dropped in astonishment. He couldn't fathom how this Golden Silkworm Gu could be so formidable, rendering the Black Dragon Token incapable of inflicting any damage. It was utterly unbelievable.
"Haha, boy, the Golden Silkworm Gu is refined through the mutual combat of countless poisonous insects! It is impervious to water and fire, and invulnerable to blades and spears. Killing it is simply impossible!"
"Boy, just obediently become food for the Golden Silkworm Gu!"
The Five Elements Mountain people stood not far away, looking at Lu Yang and speaking coldly. As soon as they finished speaking, the Returning Yuan Sword swarm launched itself towards Lu Yang.
Within five minutes, the Returning Yuan Sword swarm and the Black Dragon Token in Lu Yang's hand were locked in combat. Lu Yang was already exhausted. The Returning Yuan Sword pierced his arm, creating a gaping wound from which blood flowed ceaselessly.