To the Fourth Domain!

Gradually, the sword spirit's agitated thoughts settled into calm. Only this time, she did not sever the threads of affection within her heart. Since they had shown signs of regrowing even after she had severed them, her mindset had shifted to calm acceptance instead. With the corners of her lips curving slightly upward, she took a long, deep look at Li Guanqi. Yet deep down, she knew that in this lifetime... she might never be anything more than an artifact spirit. As she gently closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembled faintly with that realization. For now, she could only bury these feelings deep within her heart. After all, Li Guanqi had not yet ascended to the Immortal Realm! When she opened her eyes once more, the sword spirit had regained her former aloofness and cold pride. This time, she had not chosen to ignore the feelings in her heart. Instead, she had chosen to face them squarely and accept them. Yet right now, she had to suppress everything within her; her foremost goal was to aid Li Guanqi in stepping foot into the Immortal Realm!! Looking at the Seven-Turn Nirvana Pagoda before him, Li Guanqi said in a deep voice, "From now on, we will heal our injuries, fight, and improve ourselves in here! Besides, you've all slain quite a few descended immortals by now. There should be a good amount of points recorded in your identity jade slips. Take a look and see if you want to exchange them for any cultivation methods or secret manuals." Hearing this, everyone nodded slightly and began browsing through the techniques in their jade slips. In the end, everyone made the bitter discovery that even if they converted their points into immortal crystals, they still couldn't afford any high-tier techniques. They had no choice but to give up. Afterward, they sat cross-legged on the ground and began nursing their wounds. Meng Wanshu looked toward the second level of the Nirvana Pagoda, her eyes glowing with keen interest. "I want to go in and take a look!" Li Guanqi smiled faintly and said softly, "All right. Be careful in there. If you can't hold out, just come out." The corners of Meng Wanshu's eyes crinkled with a warm smile; she nodded and stepped into the second level! Ye Feng rubbed his hands together eagerly, prompting Li Guanqi to roll his eyes and bark, "No betting!" Left with no other option, everyone abandoned the idea, though they still exchanged telepathic messages speculating on how long Meng Wanshu could last. Recalling their own experiences, Cao Yan, Xiao Chen, and the others believed Meng Wanshu could hold out for at least four breaths! While everyone was talking, Li Guanqi kept his eyes fixed on the second level. Four breaths passed!! Just as everyone was filled with astonishment, a graceful figure was flung out of the second-level space in an instant!! A flicker of concern crossed Li Guanqi's eyes. In a flash, he reached out and caught Meng Wanshu around the waist. Seeing her slightly pale face, he asked with immediate concern, "Are you all right?" Though Meng Wanshu's aura fluctuated slightly, her beautiful eyes stared at the tall tower, shining brilliantly! "What an ingenious immortal artifact!! The flow of time... fifteen times faster!! What a terrifying immortal artifact! This is..." Facing Meng Wanshu's inquiring gaze in his arms, Li Guanqi did not evade or deny it. He simply gave her a slight nod. Meng Wanshu stood up, pursing her lips as a clear hint of jealousy flashed through her eyes. Li Guanqi rubbed his nose, at a loss for words. Yet at that moment, Meng Wanshu stood before the Nirvana Pagoda and stared at it for a long while before sending a quiet telepathic message: "When my father forged a spirit treasure, who knows how much effort it cost him, and the time required was measured in years. For her... to forge such a terrifying immortal artifact in so short a time, it certainly couldn't have been easy." Hearing Meng Wanshu's sigh of admiration, Li Guanqi couldn't tell what she meant. Meng Wanshu said nothing more after that, though the look she cast toward the tower was rather complicated. Finally, she let out a sigh. After recovering a bit of her primal energy, she stepped back into the Nirvana Pagoda!! Before long, everyone had mostly recovered from their injuries and entered the Nirvana Pagoda one after another. At that moment, Ye Feng ambled over to Li Guanqi's side and asked quietly, "Big Brother, what was that matter you mentioned earlier? I'm dying of curiosity!" Li Guanqi gave a faint smile, patted his shoulder, and said softly, "You'll find out before long." With that, Li Guanqi laughed heartily and strode into the top level of the Nirvana Pagoda!! Everyone embarked on mad, sleepless battles!! Especially after witnessing the state Ye Mohan and the others were in, each of them felt a surge of unyielding drive held tightly in their chests. Inspiration welled up like a spring in Gu Li's mind; one inscribed talisman after another was created by his hands!! In the midst of fighting against 'himself', he was able to hold out for longer and longer. Moreover, during this period, Gu Li also taught his concealment techniques to Tang Ru. Naturally, Gu Li had asked Wu Mian beforehand. This way, Gu Li wouldn't need to divide his attention to protect Tang Ru in future battles. Everyone's improvement was visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. Yet for them, those seven days were effectively over a hundred days!! Whether in primal energy reserves or combat experience, everyone had undergone a qualitative leap! On the final day, Li Guanqi even held out on the topmost floor for a full day before finally meeting defeat!! Which meant... The last time Li Guanqi entered the Nirvana Pagoda, he had engaged in continuous, sleepless slaughter against 'himself' for a full fifteen days!! Though it was only fifteen days, Li Guanqi felt it was even more terrifying than the three years he had spent in God Burial Valley back then. The slaughter within was entirely undisturbed—nothing but pure, relentless combat! Technique, tactical maneuvering, and exploiting every advantage one created for oneself! When Li Guanqi reappeared in midair, his aura was weak to the utmost extreme. The battle inside had virtually drained all of his primal energy and spiritual sense. In the end, he had still lost! Yet... holding out for such an astonishing length of time remained a height far beyond the reach of the others. Supporting Li Guanqi, Meng Wanshu muttered in gentle reproach, "Why must you push yourself so desperately!" Li Guanqi smiled faintly, then sat cross-legged on the ground to begin recovering from his injuries. Furthermore, after slightly recovering his spiritual sense, he began to obsessively review every moment of his battle. Not only that, but as he analyzed the fight, he was also integrating and mastering all the power he currently possessed!! That bold plan from earlier gradually grew clearer in his mind as well. After a long while, everyone began waking one by one from their meditative states. At that moment, Li Guanqi snapped his eyes open!! A violent arc of lightning flashed deep within his pure white pupils, and he exhaled a breath of turbid air as he slowly rose to his feet! Everyone stared at the current Li Guanqi in disbelief. His cultivation had already climbed to the peak of the Mahayana realm! The surging pressure of his aura left them thoroughly shaken. Li Guanqi had improved far too quickly... When Li Guanqi immersed himself heart and soul into cultivation and comprehension, even Meng Wanshu, who was a Frost Master herself, felt inferior! The Ethereal Dao Body, supreme talent and comprehension! This was precisely why Su Xuan had chosen to seal Li Guanqi's Ethereal Dao Body early on back then! If Li Guanqi had possessed such comprehension and talent from the very beginning of his cultivation journey, he inevitably would have grown arrogant and developed an unstable foundation. A sharp gleam flashed across Ye Feng's eyes, and he asked in a deep voice, "Big Brother, are you planning to head out?" Li Guanqi changed into a pristine, moon-white robe, tidied his appearance, and turned to look back at everyone. "Yes. I'm going to the Fourth Domain!"