I tricked you into thinking you had the makings of an emperor, but you actually did it?

If he's not going, he's not going. There's no special reason; the Spirit Treasury isn't in Shen Ming's current plans.

He appreciated the kindness of his seven senior brothers and sisters.

However, learning to say no is also one of the things we need to learn in life.

Shen Ming wasn't a dull or rigid person. He knew that his senior brothers and sisters would be unhappy about it, but that was other people's feelings.

The Seven Swords of Xuantian were indeed unhappy. They had followed Xie Tianjian's advice and rushed over excitedly, wanting to take this junior brother on his adventures, but he didn't appreciate it!

"Junior Brother Shen, are you afraid of the dangers of the Spiritual Treasury? Cultivators can't rely solely on talent and hard work. If you're afraid to fight others, how will you compete with the Divine Child in the future!"

Ziyun Jian Ling Xueyan couldn't hold back any longer and began to use provocation.

"Snow Goose!"

Yi Jifeng, wielding the Long Rainbow Sword, immediately rebuked him, but didn't continue speaking, observing Shen Ming's reaction out of the corner of his eye.

The Spirit Realm is not like a forbidden zone of life, and it is not a place of certain death, but it is still fraught with danger.

Even among disciples of sects, heinous acts of murder and robbery can occur.

If there were no risk, eight out of ten true disciples would have gone out.

Shen Ming wasn't angry. When faced with a provocation, the best course of action is to ignore it.

"Senior brothers and sisters, I'm planning to break through to the next realm, but my time and energy are limited," Shen Ming said.

Yi Jifeng could not hide his disappointment, while the other six swordsmen either sighed or shook their heads.

“No need to apologize. We couldn’t just abduct you against your will by suddenly showing up here,” Yi Jifeng said.

"Then we'll take our leave." Qin Churan, the Ice Soul Sword expert, lost interest.

The Seven Swords of Xuantian departed aboard a large flying boat.

After flying out of the Xiaoyao Peak area, Ling Xueyan said, "He just broke through to the second level of the Innate Realm, and it is the time for him to fight. How could he directly go into seclusion to break through again? It is clearly an excuse out of fear."

“There’s no need to be so rude. Some martial arts fanatics are like that. Their minds are focused on studying techniques and martial arts. They find more satisfaction in comprehending the profound mysteries than in defeating powerful enemies,” Yi Jifeng said.

As the leader of the Seven Swords of Xuantian, one should still maintain a certain level of decorum, even if one feels uncomfortable inside.

“But he’s a sword cultivator. What kind of sword cultivator stays at home and works in seclusion? How can he compete for the title of God’s Child?” another swordsman said.

"Alright, if he doesn't want to go, then so be it. We'll go instead," Qin Churan said.

……

Not long after the Seven Swords of Xuantian left, two more people visited Xiaoyao Peak.

"Why are you here?" Shen Ming asked, beaming with joy.

The two who arrived were Ni Die and Zhang Haoran. After becoming true disciples, the two went into seclusion on Mount Ling to cultivate and break through to the second stage of the Innate Realm.

It has been less than two months in total, and I still haven't succeeded; I'm still stuck at the Profound Realm.

Knowing about Shen Ming's many remarkable achievements these past few days, Ni Die and Zhang Haoran were somewhat reserved when they arrived at Xiaoyao Peak.

Shen Ming's progress is truly astonishing; he has widened the gap to such a great extent in the blink of an eye.

To them, they were already a superior being.

However, seeing the smile on Shen Ming's face, the two were relieved.

Knowing that Shen Ming hadn't changed, he wouldn't look down on others because of their cultivation level or status.

“We’re going to Lingzang, are you coming?” Zhang Haoran asked.

“You haven’t even reached the second stage of the Innate Realm yet. Isn’t that too much of a stretch?” Shen Ming said bluntly.

"That's precisely why we're going," Zhang Haoran said.

They must seize opportunities, otherwise they will fade into obscurity and become just another nameless figure among the many true disciples in the inner region.

"And you?" Shen Ming asked Ni Die.

Zhang Haoran's personality makes this unsurprising.

Shen Ming didn't have the impression that Ni Die was that radical.

“Senior Brother Shen Ming, I am an orphan, and I must seize every opportunity,” Ni Die said.

Shen Ming was taken aback. The reason he didn't understand the two of them was because he had preconceived notions.

He has the Golden Peach Spirit Tree and the Jiang family to back him up in the future, so he doesn't care about the Spirit Treasury.

The opportunities in the Spiritual Treasury are nothing compared to the minuscule amount in the Jiang family's treasure vault.

However, Ni Die's words about being an orphan touched him.

The struggle for supremacy is fierce, and the strong reign supreme—that's how cruel it is.

If you don't want to blend into the crowd, then risk your life!

Shen Ming straightened his back and said, "May martial arts prosper!"

Yes, he still has no intention of going to Lingzang.

If one travels with others out of sympathy or with the intention of taking care of them, it would be an insult to both of them.

Ni Die and Zhang Haoran were somewhat flattered, followed by a feeling of inexplicable emotion.

The two men's reactions contrasted sharply with those of the Seven Swords of Xuantian.

Immediately afterwards, Ni Die and Zhang Haoran left together.

Watching their retreating figures, Shen Ming had a thought: in this world, any parting could be a final farewell.

"I should get really drunk," Shen Ming muttered to himself.

Zhang Haoran stopped after flying a short distance.

"What's wrong, Senior Brother Zhang?" Ni Die asked.

"We should have a good drink."

Zhang Haoran smiled and shook his head, then continued piloting the flying boat away.

……

Three days later, Shen Ming was fast asleep under the Golden Peach Spirit Tree.

Practicing the "Moon Spirit Technique" for nine consecutive nights severely depleted my energy.

These days, he has complained more than once that the Su family ancestors were a bunch of good-for-nothings, and that when he becomes a great power in the future, he will do everything he can to perfect this cultivation technique.

No, the Palm Heaven Bottle, which creates the full effect, doesn't need to be seen as an absorber and converter.

That said, Shen Ming lay quietly beneath the Golden Peach Spirit Tree, amidst the falling snow and utter tranquility.

With a thud, something hit my head.

He raised his head blankly, his gaze slowly moving downwards, and when he saw the golden peach lying quietly on the grass, his breath caught in his throat.

Its golden color is like the dazzling sun, and the plump fruit exudes an enticing aroma.

Shen Ming recognized it at a glance: a century-old golden peach!

The process was faster than he had anticipated. The two Heavenly Bottles on his body were completely shattered, and he had originally planned to ask Su Yu'er for another one.

This time, I won't take it for nothing; I'll repay you with a golden peach.

I didn’t expect it! I didn’t expect it!

Nine century-old golden peaches, each comparable to a heavenly elixir.

They've already started falling off on their own; if we don't pick them soon, they'll rot on the ground.

Shen Ming removed all the items and put them into his storage bag.

Next, the process was almost exactly the same as when I broke through to the second realm last time.

Shen Ming entered the cave, put down the Dragon-Slaying Stone, activated the meditation chamber's restrictions, and quickly consumed a century-old golden peach.

The Five Divine Treasures can be understood as five bottles, and martial artists must fill each bottle to the brim.

Based on the degree of abundance of divine treasures, it is divided into early stage, middle stage, late stage, and Great Perfection.

A martial artist who has just broken through to the second level of the Innate Realm is not even considered to be in the initial stage; they can only be said to have just entered the field.

This time it wasn't a breakthrough to a higher realm; there was no earth-shattering movement.

After consuming a century-old golden peach, Shen Ming's cultivation level directly advanced from the beginner stage to the mid-stage.

Without hesitation, Shen Ming used another century-old golden peach to break through to the later stage.

His bold style remained unchanged as he continued to eat the third one.

This time, however, instead of achieving the desired perfection, I felt nauseous.

The next moment, Shen Ming lost control and spat out most of the golden peach, leaving it on the ground as a useless piece of trash.

If the other disciples saw this scene, their hearts would bleed; it was simply a waste of talent.

Faced with this situation, Shen Ming decided to consult the Transmission Elder.

As soon as I stepped out of the cave, I saw flying boats everywhere in the sky, coming and going constantly, and I could hear the loud tolling of bells one after another.

"Senior brother, what happened?" Shen Ming stopped a passing disciple and asked.

"Something has happened at Lingzang! It was a trap set by the demonic path, and disciples from the three major sects have fallen into it, suffering heavy casualties!"