"Fortunately, I placed my bet in advance..." He squinted, his face full of pride, "My luck is still as good as ever."

Recalling the Heavenly Dao Qi he accidentally obtained during Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t help but sigh, "It really was a great help..."

...

At the same time, inside a temporarily opened cave!

"Cough... cough cough..."

Zhou Qing suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face pale, even breathing brought a tearing pain.

Although supported by the Four Flowers Gathering at the Crown and the overwhelming vitality from the Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystal, the mere act of killing twenty strong opponents of the same rank had already pushed his Spiritual Power, Divine Sense, and physical body to their limits.

Not to mention the last moment resisting the full-strength strike of the Spirit Severing Realm!

When that finger fell, his internal organs were almost shattered, bones broken, and meridians torn.

If it weren’t for the Nirvana Power unleashed from Divine Techniques of Demon-Suppressing Golden Bone and Blood Phoenix and Golden Crow at the brink of life and death, forcing him to hold onto his last breath, he might’ve perished instantly.

But even so, he was already at the end of his rope.

But faced with the not-yet-dissipated Spirit Slash shadow, he still stood up.

With a will almost like obsession, squeezing every last bit of potential from his body, forcibly fusing eight thousand Spirit Seals and Thunder, he unleashed an attack that surpassed his realm.

If it were someone else, they would’ve already died of exhaustion under the siege of Nangong Lu and others.

Even if they miraculously survived, facing the Spirit Severing split soul’s ultimate kill, they would have no power to retaliate.

But he is Zhou Qing.

A madman who emerged from insignificance, breaking the norm time and again, surpassing limits time and again.

"How could I possibly... be willing to die here..."

It was this obsession that allowed him, at the edge of physical collapse and Divine Soul dispersal, to still unleash his final strength.

But the cost was drastic.

At this moment, he was like an oil-dried lamp, especially the aftermath of forcibly invoking "Thunder Seal Unity" had fully erupted.

Spiritual Power in his meridians was depleted, as if his internal organs had been scorched by fire.

Even his sea of consciousness showed signs of drying due to overexertion, and his Primordial Spirit was covered in web-like cracks.

Luckily, the four-colored flower rooted in his sea of consciousness continually emitted radiance, autonomously repairing the damage to his Primordial Spirit.

The Yin Yang Skills from a mighty figure of the Starry Battlefield operated at high speed, Yin and Yang Qi nourishing his shattered meridians like a gentle stream.

The Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystal dispersed while killing those Nangong Family Divinity Transformation Realm Perfection elites, also transformed into strands of Blood Qi, endlessly replenishing his exhausted vitality.

Inarguably, experiencing and realizing so many Divinity Transformation Intent Realms, coupled with this extreme battle, brought unimaginable benefits to Zhou Qing.

Every struggle at the edge of life and death made his Dao Heart more resilient, and his control over power more exquisite.

Even so, complete recovery would take a long time.

Likewise, after confirming Zhou Qing was not currently in mortal danger, both Ghost Mastiff and Luo Lingling alternated between guarding and healing.

...

Time slipped quietly by, half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Only then did Zhou Qing truly recover his composure.

All Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals had been absorbed completely, even about a hundred Top-Grade Spirit Stones had been used up.

His aura gradually stabilized, no longer as chaotic and weak as it initially was, but faintly exuded an oppressive might.

That was, the aura of the Spirit Severing Realm.

Although only a trace, it truly existed.

Now, he sat cross-legged in the center of the cave mansion, surrounded by a faint purple-golden glow.

Each breath seemed to resonate with the world, causing the surrounding Spiritual Qi to tremble slightly.

His Primordial Spirit was no longer dim, instead more solid than before his injuries.

A mysterious pattern faintly appeared on his brow, resembling both Thunder and an Array Seal, emitting an awe-inspiring force.

"This aura..."

Two months earlier, Luo Lingling and Ghost Mastiff, who had already recovered, exchanged glances full of shock, but soon transformed into ecstasy.

They hadn’t expected this day to arrive so quickly, none dared to make a sound to disturb, simply waited quietly.

Long after, this aura gradually restrained itself. When Zhou Qing opened his eyes, it seemed thousands of Thunder were extinguished and reborn within them.

He looked down at his palm, lightly clenched—

"Boom!"

The air inside the cave mansion suddenly exploded, a tiny spatial rift flashed in his palm and disappeared.

"Still a little short!"

He muttered to himself, a trace of regret in his voice.

This half-year of life and death trial allowed him to touch the threshold of the Spirit Severing Realm, but ultimately he was a step away from the turning point.

Still, this was already plenty.

He had once leveraged the strength of Xuanyuan Shuo, who was mid-stage Spirit Severing Realm, personally experiencing two attacks.

The differently perceived Intent Realm Jade Scrolls from the Lu sisters had already been thoroughly comprehended by him on the way to the Imperial City.

Coupled with the natural restraint of Demon-Suppressing Golden Bone against obsession, the heaven-defying enlightenment from Four Flowers Gathering at the Crown, and the Dao charm nourishment from the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree.....

He was actually six times sure for the upcoming Spirit Slash!

But —

It wasn’t enough!

"Must accumulate enough Wood Attribute Spirit Stones quickly, completely ascend to Fourth-level Array Master!" Zhou Qing’s eyes flickered.

Once successful, he would be able to set up the "Nine Revolutions Spirit Condensing Array" from Master Xuanqing’s legacy that greatly benefits Spirit Severing breakthroughs.

This array helps cultivators stabilize the Primordial Spirit and harmonize Yin and Yang during breakthroughs, elevating the success rate to over ninety percent!

If he could trigger a [Good Fortune Sticker] as well, it’d be even better, directly raising the probability to tenfold.

Otherwise, once Spirit Slash fails, the consequences are unthinkable. The past example set by senior Lu Yuanjiu is evident, truly a fate worse than death.

Even more terrifying is the risk of perishing!

"Now is not the time..." He took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in his heart.