Within the immortal radiance was a celestial lotus, enshrouded in five-colored clouds and water ripples.

The immortal light gleamed pure, lotus leaves sparkling, as if sculpted from jade—extraordinary and divine!

"Hahaha, it’s an illusion."

"The immortal elixir is an illusion, everything here merely manifests what once was!"

"Xu Yang, you’re happy too soon. Even if you’re tenth place, there’s no way you’ll obtain that immortal elixir—it’s all fake."

...

Within the Five Elements Celestial Realm team, bursts of laughter and mockery erupted instantly.

This, without doubt, felt the most satisfying after losing face just moments ago.

An illusory immortal elixir, dispersing into thin air just like the nine before!

Their expressions were strange, but except for the War King Clan, Daqian and their allies, the rest were inwardly relieved.

If I can’t have it, neither can you!

Xu Yang’s gloomy face froze abruptly.

But the illusory immortal elixir merely trembled; it didn’t collapse. Instead, it transformed into a beam of immortal light, darting toward him like lightning.

"This... Could it be?"

Just as Xu Yang’s thought arose, a sky-shaking, flawless force surged out before him, flooding everything.

Immortal light rained down; clouds and water swirled sixfold.

The crystalline immortal lotus appeared, just two feet from his eyes, condensing inch by inch into reality.

Xu Yang instinctively reached out to grasp it.

Buzz!

He grasped a handful—and it was real and solid.

Everyone around froze, dumbfounded by the sight.

In the next instant—

A tidal wave of ecstatic cheers swept across the world.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Who said the immortal elixir was fake? Stand up, I’ll smash your face in!"

"Open your damned eyes and take a good look—this is a real immortal elixir!"

"Happy too soon? Who the hell just said that? Looks like it’s you all who were happy too soon!"

"Congrats, Mr. Xu!"

...

The face-slapping came so fast—

many people couldn’t even react in time.

But the War King Clan’s mocking, unrestrained laughter made the Five Elements Celestial Realm’s faces turn black as the bottom of a pot.

Shocked and panicked, infuriated and stifled, frustrated and furious!

An illusory celestial lotus, but upon meeting a real Immortal Soldier Order, it manifested as reality—great fortune gained!

Just one person’s difference!

At that thought, everyone in Five Elements Celestial Realm and Xiao Ming felt even worse inside.

The War King Clan’s arrogant, brash faces made people want to rush up and slaughter them all!

Xu Yang glanced at Xiao Ming, who turned dark-faced and strode out the mountain gate.

But the others had said everything already; he had no words left.

Xu Yang’s gaze went to the immortal elixir—his eyes instantly burned with passion.

This immortal elixir—what a formidable aura.

Just holding it made him feel as if he dwelled amid clouds and mist, mountain and water, his mind clear and spirit refreshed.

And it gave him a feeling a thousand—even ten thousand—times stronger than ordinary immortal qi.

Just then, heaven and earth suddenly twisted.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!

Countless clusters of immortal light appeared out of thin air, converging like clouds, magnificently grand.

"So much immortal light!"

"Hss...could this be immortal qi irrigation?"

Everyone shuddered, eyes wide, faces blazing with excitement.

While immortal qi irrigation couldn’t match an immortal elixir, such a spectacle made them all forget Xu Yang’s win for a moment.

After all, no matter how precious it was, it wasn’t theirs to get.

But this immortal qi irrigation—all survivors could receive it.

In a heartbeat—

Waves of immortal radiance flashed like lightning, lunging toward each person below.

It seemed to match each one’s Immortal Soldier Order and kill count, selecting on its own.

Some light was great, some small!

The strong and the weak, instantly clear!

Swish, swish, swish!!

Grand and surging, the world roiled and flowed.

Immortal light filled the heavens, shining brilliantly in the Nine Skies!

Among them, the largest cluster resembled a cloud of immortality, hovering above the War King Clan’s group and rushing toward Xu Yang.

All around, their faces glowed with envy.

Killed the most, won the elixir, and now even the immortal qi irrigation was the strongest.

One step ahead, step after step surpassing everyone else!

"This is the confidence I have to surpass Xiao Ming!"

Xu Yang licked his lips, immediately putting away the elixir and sitting cross-legged on the ground.

Whoosh!

Immortal light poured down, submerging him.

Meanwhile, everyone in the Sword Sect’s clearing sat cross-legged, enveloped in splendid immortal qi.

The immortal qi irrigation surged through their bodies, ten times more startling than the immortal qi in the thirty-day training tower, bringing immense refinement and transformation.

As time passed, heaven and earth fell silent—all that remained was radiant immortal light, shining rosily, illuminating the void.

The ruins of the Desolate Heaven Sword Sect looked, for a moment, like rebirth after destruction—fantastic scenes blooming forth, a beauty impossible to describe, tinged with desolation.

Everyone’s aura soared straight up!

Xu Yang’s whole body trembled—this immortal qi was simply too powerful.

Even the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod could hardly keep up with the refining speed.

Body, bones, True Essence Life Fire—all submerged, irrigated and cleansed.

Gradually, he felt himself entering a special state, as if climbing a stairway of ten thousand steps, leading straight to the immortal gate!

In that moment, every bit of refinement and transformation within his body was a step upward, ascending toward the immortal gate.

Thirty days’ training only climbed a hundred steps!

Yet in this brief moment, he surpassed all the progress from those thirty days.

And the immortal qi irrigation continued, unweakened, still fierce.

After about half a day—

The world suddenly trembled with turbulence.

Some had fully absorbed the immortal light, emitting surging auras that tore at the void.

Some at True Monarch Perfection leapt up—their qi exploded outward, spirit marks condensed, and they broke through to Shenxiao.

Some at Shenxiao saw their cultivation skyrocket, advancing leaps and bounds!

"Simply astonishing!"

"I only received a medium amount of immortal qi irrigation, but the effect is hundreds of times what the training tower gave in thirty days!"

"If the immortal way has ten steps, I’ve truly taken the first one now!"

"Look at Xu Yang, he still has so much immortal qi left—damn!"

"This bastard really hit the jackpot. His irrigation is the strongest—even stronger than Xiao Ming’s. Plus he has the immortal elixir!"

...

Everyone watched and compared, in the end most eyes landing on Xu Yang—envious and jealous!

At a certain moment—

Xu Yang finally absorbed it all, slowly opening his eyes.

A vast, domineering aura burst from his body, stirring up wind and clouds!

That aura was already infinitely close to Shenxiao!

"Still not a breakthrough?"

Xue Ming raised his brows in surprise.

Xu Yang exhaled a long breath and shook his head slightly. "Still a little short!"

He looked at Xue Ming, sensing that Xue Ming’s aura had also risen notably.

But to break through to Shenxiao, to reach Heaven-man, there was still a long way to go.

It made sense—between Shenxiao and Heaven-man, the gap in the Spirit Realm was nearly as vast as Celestial Qian.

In the immortal path, that was the gulf between a first-rank and a second-rank Immortal Soldier!

No one in the Spirit Realm possessed a first-rank Immortal Soldier!

"Xu Yang, I’ve finally overtaken you by a step!"

"Shi Hu, you broke through?"

Xu Yang’s eyes flashed with surprise.

At that moment, Shi Hu’s cultivation had reached Shenxiao Realm, becoming a second-rank Immortal Soldier.

Shi Hu wore a look of pride.

He knew that once Xu Yang broke through Shenxiao, he’d definitely be even stronger.

But at least, he’d broken through first—finally surpassing Xu Yang, if only for the first time.

Worth celebrating!

"Congratulations!"

Xu Yang grinned wide.

As for his own breakthrough, he was in no rush at all.

With an immortal elixir even more formidable than the qi irrigation waiting to be refined, his breakthrough would come soon enough!

Scanning into the distance, he found Xiao Ming and saw that he, too, had not broken through.

"That guy’s fused with the Five Elements Spirit God—his irrigation is only a hair less than mine, yet he hasn’t broken through. Looks like he’s planning to accumulate even deeper."

Xu Yang mused.

Logically, Xiao Ming’s previous cultivation had far surpassed others—his foundation and accumulation were absolutely sufficient for the Shenxiao breakthrough.

But Xu Yang didn’t dwell on it.

This time, the advantage gained was enough to close much of the gap with Xiao Ming!

At this moment, everything around rapidly turned illusory, changing visibly to the naked eye.

"Looks like it’s time to return."

Xu Yang stood up abruptly, murmuring to himself.