The Witch Spawn's confusion lasted only a heartbeat before his lips curved into something that might have been a smile. If smiles could freeze blood in veins.
"Fascinating," he murmured, his voice carrying the casual interest of a scholar examining an intriguing specimen.
"Clone techniques? Shadow doubles? Or perhaps..."
His blackish eyes gleamed as his spiritual perception detected that both Ye Xians possessed identical auras.
But that should have been impossible. Aura was as unique as a soul's fingerprint, impossible to replicate unless the boy possessed an artifact capable of duplicating spiritual aura. He had used such an artifact himself to copy Ye Feng's aura and remain within the Ye Clan for a decade, deceiving everyone around him. Or perhaps the boy was using a top grade technique.
"Something far more interesting."
---
A little earlier...
Deep beneath the chaos above, Ye Xian was channeling the forbidden Reverse Taiji Formation. His cultivation surged at a rate that defied all natural law.
Fourth stage of the Element Disciple Realm... breakthrough.
Fifth stage... breakthrough.
Sixth stage... breakthrough.
Each advancement sent ripples through his meridians as profound energy surged through his body like a raging torrent. The ki stones around him crumbled to dust, their essence flowing into him in streams of pure light.
Seventhstage... Eighth... Ninth...
The final barrier to the Element Master Realm loomed before him. When his spiritual perception suddenly flared in alarm. The remaining ki stones had dwindled to barely ten percent, forcefully drained by the WitchSpawn's formation above.
Time was running out.
Seeing this, he hastened the process, aware that the WitchSpawn had accelerated his plans. Gritting his teeth, Ye Xian forced the breakthrough, compressing what should have taken years into mere moments.
BOOM!
Element Mastar Realm!
The sound of shattering limitations echoed through his soul as he ascended into the Element Master Realm. Warm, pure energy flooded every fiber of his being, muscles, bones, tendons, and meridians all transformed, becoming vessels worthy of true power.
But the transformation did not end there. Deep within his consciousness, the second seal of the Reverse Taiji technique shattered like glass, releasing secrets that had been locked away since ancient times.
As Aureliana had told him, the seals would open at certain cultivation milestones, and upon reaching the Element Master Realm, the second had now been automatically released.
Sheng Qianying watched in stunned silence, her ocean-blue eyes wide with disbelief. What she was witnessing shouldn't have been possible. Ye Xian had ascended from the 3rd stage of the Ki Warrior Realm to the Element Disciple Realm, and then all the way to the Element Master Realm, two entire major realms crossed in under an hour.
It was the stuff of legends, the kind of feat that defied common sense. For a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming.
Her soul trembled at the impossibility, but she forced herself to remain calm, unwilling to let the shock form heart demons. Still, a smile tugged at her lips as she silently acknowledged Ye Xian for what he was a true monster in cultivation.
If others had witnessed this, she thought, they would have questioned everything they had achieved in years, decades, or even centuries. A young man breaking through two major realms in under an hour was not just rare. It was incomprehensible.
The sheer amount of ki stones Ye Xian had consumed was staggering enough to elevate dozens of cultivators at his previous level all the way to the Sentinel Realm.
As Sheng Qianying looked around, she realized most of the ki stones had vanished, utterly devoured by his breakthrough.
Ye Xian's eyes snapped open. Power coursed through his veins like liquid lightning, demanding release. The very air around him vibrated with barely contained energy.
His gaze found Sheng Qianying, who was still staring at him with an expression of beautiful bewilderment. Suddenly, the underground chamber trembled as the battle above reached its crescendo, cracks spider-webbing across the ceiling.
In one fluid motion, Ye Xian appeared before Sheng Qianying and pulled her into his embrace. Her surprised gasp was cut short as his lips claimed hers. Her ocean-blue eyes widened, but she didn't resist.
Their mouths moved in sync, tongues entwining as a current of profound ki flowed through her. Along with it came three precious techniques, seared gently into her mind like sacred imprints.
When they finally parted, Sheng Qianying's cheeks flushed crimson. "What did you just—"
She paused, eyes narrowing slightly as waves of information surged through her mind. The kiss had carried more than emotion, three distinct techniques had been imprinted into her consciousness through his profound ki.
"What's this?" she asked softly, still nestled in his embrace, feeling his strong arms around her waist.
"Three techniques," he whispered against her ear, his arms still encircling her waist. "Master them. But never share the first two with anyone, your life may depend on it."
Sheng Qianying nodded silently, her mind still absorbing the weight of what had just been given to her.
Both of them looked up as deep cracks webbed across the underground ceiling, the aftermath of the raging battle above.
Suddenly, the ceiling ruptured with a deafening roar. Chunks of stone rained down as a battered figure plummeted through the opening. Ahmose Tiaa crashed to the ground, her black flames flickering weakly as debris buried her unconscious form.
Moments later, a monstrous figure descended with terrifying grace. Eight feet tall, blue-skinned, powerfully built, and radiating malevolence. His eyes, black as midnight, locked onto them with cold intent.
Ye Xian's expression hardened. Without speaking, he sent a swift ki transmission to Sheng Qianying while simultaneously activating his technique.
SHROUDED AURA TRIAD ILLUSION.
His figure blurred and split into two. One remained beside Sheng Qianying, standing protectively. The other slipped away into the shadows, weaving behind the blue skinned monster with silent, ghost like movement.
His figure wavered like a mirage before splitting into two identical forms. One illusion bearing his exact aura, and the original, whose presence vanished completely.
It was a top-grade technique so refined that even Sentinel Realm experts would struggle to detect the deception.
The WitchSpawn's gaze remained locked on Sheng Qianying, lustful and unblinking. So focused was he on her that he failed to notice Ye Xian slipping silently behind him.
The Shrouded Aura Triad Illusion allowed Ye Xian to project a perfect copy while concealing his true form. His real aura was entirely hidden, undetectable unless he actively unleashed his profound ki.
Power from his recent breakthrough surged through his body—raw strength that could rival even Sentinel Realm cultivators. Every muscle fiber tensed with explosive force as he drew back his arm.
Then he struck.
His fist crashed forward like a falling mountain, unleashing a shockwave that split the air.
BOOM!
The WitchSpawn's body flew across the chamber, slamming into the wall with a thunderous crash. His vision flickered black as rubble rained down around him as he stood to his feet, genuine confusion flickering across his ancient features.
When his vision cleared, surprised greeted him.
There were two Ye Xians. One stood near Sheng Qianying, while the other, the one who had struck him, stood ready for battle with clenched fists.
The Witch Spawn slowly rose to his feet, brushing debris from his blue skin. Not a single drop of blood marred his form.
Ye Xian's devastating punch had left only minor scratches across his head, testament to the vast gulf between their realms.
"Impressive bastard," he sneered, voice laced with cold amusement.
"Two realms apart, and yet you left a mark. That should be impossible... unless you're some kind of abnormal bastard."
His blackish eyes studied the two Ye Xians with the calculating gaze of a predator reassessing its prey. The boy's technique was flawless, even his Sentinel Realm spiritual perception couldn't distinguish which was real and which was illusion.
More importantly, that strike had carried genuine power. Raw strength that could indeed rival a Sentinel Realm cultivator.
"Bastard! What did you do with my ki stones?".
The WitchSpawn growled. He had stored hundreds of thousands of ki stones in this chamber for the white dome and spatial gate, and aside from himself and Ahmose Tiaa, who now lay unconscious. Only Ye Xian and Sheng Qianying had been present. It could only be them.
"Didn't your parents teach you manners? If you want something, try saying 'please'."
Ye Xian said. Even if he had told the WitchSpawn that he used hundreds of thousands of ki stones to boost his cultivation,who would believe such insanity? Hundreds of thousands of ki stones enough to raise a dozen cultivators to the Sentinel Realm, used by one man alone.
"Bastard... you've just made the kind of mistake you don't get to make twice."
Rage and humiliation burned within him.
His carefully laid plans shattered.
The Witch Spawn's aura began to shift, growing denser and more oppressive. The very air around him seemed to thicken, becoming difficult to breathe. His presence expanded outward like a crushing weight, pressing down on everything in the chamber.
"You've shown me you're worth taking seriously, bastard."
His muscles bulged as profound ki coursed through his merged body. The combination of his original power with Principal Feng's absorbed cultivation created a synergy that transcended normal Sentinel Realm strength. Dark veins pulsed beneath his blue skin as he accessed the full depth of his abilities.
The minor scratches on his head began to fade as his enhanced regeneration kicked in, erasing even the superficial damage Ye Xian had managed to inflict.