Chapter 247 The Mystical Elm Segment The Elder Makes a Furious Move

Yu Xian raised his hand, and amidst the scattered flesh and blood, a storage pouch flew into his palm.

At the same time, the Jade Spirit Bangle returned to his finger, spinning with a faint luster. Though it had dimmed from battle damage, it would recover with some nurturing spirit energy.

As for the broken corpse, Yu Xian waved his hand. The Fire Flood Dragon emerged and incinerated everything to ashes before he turned back toward his original position.

Inside the beast pouch, Yu Xian once again checked on the Cloud Heron.

Its blood essence was severely depleted. Though three tier-4 healing pills had stabilized its life force, the injuries were far too serious. The bird had fallen into a deep coma.

Even if it recovered slowly in the future, it would never return to its former strength. It was… crippled.

“Rest easy. You’re not finished yet,” Yu Xian whispered through the soul-link. “I’ll find a tier-6 beast pill and restore you.”

Though the Cloud Heron lay unconscious, it seemed to feel its master’s resolve. It did not wake but fell into an even deeper sleep, peaceful and still.

Beside it, the little phoenix cat paced anxiously. It didn’t know what had happened outside, but it understood that the Cloud Heron had been severely wounded protecting their master. Though it often mocked the bird for being stupid, the cat couldn’t help feeling concerned. If the silly bird died, it too would be heartbroken.

Yu Xian watched a moment longer, then withdrew his consciousness.

Outside, he had returned to his original position.

He knew it was impossible to guard against the next person who entered.

The seventh participant would also be informed of his location by that old rat. Whether they came to the central peak, the rocky ridge, or Yin-Yang Lake—it didn’t matter. Yu Xian couldn’t intercept them all.

Now that the Cloud Heron was injured and couldn’t fly, what should he do about the next opponent?

Let them drag it out?

Absolutely not!

Yu Xian’s face was blank, but a chilling light flickered in his eyes.

There was only one option left—get stronger. No matter the cost, he had to become stronger again!

But how?

He had no more tier-5 pills to consume. And relying on spirit stones would be too slow—what could he accomplish in ten hours?

“Elm Spirit Mother…”

He murmured softly, as if deciding something monumental.

He still had one hidden ace that could drastically raise his strength in a short time—the Elm Segment gifted by the great elm tree.

Yu Xian had obtained this log segment on the fourth floor of the Golden Scale Pavilion. He’d planned to use it during the condensation of his Golden Core as a final trump card.

After all, even the roots of the elm tree had greatly boosted his cultivation. How much stronger must this actual trunk segment be?

To outsiders, it was merely a piece of tier-6 spiritual wood.

But to Yu Xian, it was a final gift from the elm tree spirit—something only he could absorb.

He had originally saved it for the ideal moment—his Core Formation. But now… there was no choice.

Meanwhile, Elder Mo was growing frantic.

Had Yu Xian only reached the late Foundation Establishment stage, things might still be manageable. But now that he was at peak Foundation Establishment, and a body cultivator?

Any other peak Foundation cultivators entering would be slaughtered!

This trial couldn’t be prolonged any further.

Furiously, Elder Mo raised his hand, ready to strike Yu Xian down.

But before his palm could fall—

“How dare you, old dog!? I’ve been prepared for this!”

Fuwen’an bellowed and pointed a finger.

“Wind!”

At once, all the wind within the secret realm froze.

“What!?”

Yu Xian instantly sensed a terrifying aura descending. A murderous force so overwhelming it left no room for resistance!

A top-level expert had just made a move—there was no way to dodge it!

He raised his head sharply. A mass of fearsome energy was crashing toward him—certain death!

But just before it struck, a massive shield of wind appeared hundreds of meters in front of him, thick and vast!

Boom!!

The terrifying force slammed into the wind shield, unleashing a world-shaking explosion!

The entire Xuantian Secret Realm trembled violently—it was ancient and unstable, and this attack nearly shattered it!

“Even if this trial is abandoned, I will kill this cheating brat as punishment!” Elder Mo roared.

“You think I can’t protect him!?” Fuwen’an replied coldly. “I’ll protect him until you die!!”

He prepared to retaliate.

But then, something strange occurred—

Time slowed.

Their hands, once lightning fast, now lifted as slowly as crawling turtles.

Both elders showed expressions of shock—then fear!

“Roooar…”

A deep, beastly sound—part ox, part wild creature—reverberated throughout the entire secret realm.

Yu Xian, meanwhile, sat quietly. He had fully absorbed the last of the elm segment’s essence and solidified his peak Foundation Establishment stage.

He opened his eyes and exhaled gently.

“Elm Mother… thank you.”

He had expected the elm wood to be useful—but not this useful.

Reaching peak Foundation Establishment from mid-stage was something that took some cultivators ten, twenty, even thirty years!

And yet, this one segment had helped him cross that chasm with no backlash—just pure nourishment.

He had saved decades of effort.

He pushed aside his emotions and began consolidating his newly gained cultivation.

He had nine and a half hours left—just enough to fully stabilize this realm.

And after that…

No one would escape.

No one would delay him again.

When time passed and the next two Foundation Establishment cultivators entered, both Elder Mo and Fuwen’an looked calm on the surface.

Elder Mo was confident—he had secretly passed instructions. The next Blood River disciple would waste time and head to the Stone Ridge.

With Yu Xian’s Cloud Heron crippled, how could he possibly catch up?

They would drag the trial out—even if they lost, they’d ensure Yu Xian failed by default.

But when Elder Mo looked at Yu Xian again—

He froze.

He blinked once. Then rubbed his eyes. Then stared again in disbelief.

“Fuwen’an! You’ve broken the rules!!”

Fuwen’an frowned. “What nonsense are you shouting now?”

“You call yourself righteous? What kind of bullshit honor is this!?” Elder Mo pointed furiously at Yu Xian. “What trick did you use to let him reach peak Foundation Establishment in just ten hours!?”

Fuwen’an was momentarily stunned, then narrowed his eyes at Yu Xian.

Indeed—this was no longer late Foundation Establishment.

This was peak.

How was that possible?

Yu Xian had just reached late stage after two years and many thousands of spirit stones.

How had he now jumped another full stage!?

Fuwen’an quickly recovered and said coldly, “I’ve been with you this whole time. You saw we were watching each other. I broke no rules. Maybe he used some secret technique to temporarily raise his realm—why are you so surprised?”

“Bullshit!! You used some trick I don’t know about!” Elder Mo snarled. “You’ve broken the rules! This trial is over! We’ll discuss the secret realm’s ownership another time. If not, Blood River Sect will bring out our Nascent Soul elders! Let’s see if your sect dares face them!”

But Yu Xian felt no regrets.

Timing was just a concept.

Sure, using the elm wood at Core Formation might have raised his success rate by 50%.

But if he never survived to reach Core Formation, what use was it?

When it’s time to act, you act. No hesitation.

Now, with nine hours of stabilization behind him, Yu Xian had truly reached the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment.

The elm wood had not only given him a breakthrough—it had transformed his entire cultivation foundation.

His spiritual sea had expanded to forty-five zhang (150 meters), something that would normally take years.

In that sea now stood a massive green jade platform—upon which a five-zhang tall elm tree swayed in spiritual wind.

This tree wasn’t the original great elm.

It was his.

His visualization. His Core Seed.

One day, it would form his Dao, his Laws, his Golden Core.

And for now…

No one could delay him any longer.