Chapter 48: Before the Breakthrough, Blood Calamity

Over the span of three months, Lin Heng fully refined all the cultivation resources accumulated by the sect over the past decade, as well as those generously provided by the various elders, converting them into his own reserve of vital essence.

However, it was still not quite enough; there was still some distance to go before breaking through to the Celestial Realm.

"I still need five hundred portions of the Nine-Turn Essence Pills. If possible, it would be best to prepare a few more to prevent any accidents during the breakthrough."

Lin Heng spoke to his master, Xiao Rang, stating his requirements.

"It seems we have no choice but to forcefully mature those heavenly treasures. Disciple, just wait patiently for a few months."

Xiao Rang replied.

The location of the Cloud Sword Palace's mountain gate was inherently a place of outstanding natural beauty, with various heavenly treasures growing naturally in many parts of the mountains.

Usually, these heavenly treasures grew freely. Although Cloud Sword Palace martial artists would provide nutrients to cultivate them, they only chose the most cost-effective methods—saving money while the cultivation speed was far from maximized.

Now, however, Lin Heng was in urgent need of vital essence to make his breakthrough, so they had to spare no expense to forcefully mature these heavenly treasures.

Not only at the Cloud Sword Palace mountain gate, but also at the former sites of the Heavenly Star Valley and Frost City, there were many heavenly treasures that could be accelerated. These treasures would now be forced to fruit as quickly as possible, and after harvesting their seeds, they would be made available for Lin Heng's use.

A conservative estimate of the cost for forcefully maturing a single portion of these heavenly treasures was two million silver taels.

This was because it consumed numerous secondary precious herbs and the flesh and blood of exotic beasts as fertilizer, coming at an astronomical cost and even impacting the supply of cultivation resources for low- and mid-tier martial artists. Yet, the efficacy of these accelerated treasures might not even be superior.

Although Xiao Rang was always finding ways to spend money, he would never waste it on such unnecessary things. Yet, at this moment, he had no other choice.

Lin Heng's priority in the Cloud Sword Palace was absolute!

"I will have to trouble Master."

Lin Heng nodded in agreement, then sat cross-legged in meditation to sort out his vital energy, spirit, and focus, stabilizing his aura, which had become somewhat restless from ingesting too many medicinal pills over the past three months.

The vital blood surged and circulated within his body, continuously absorbing and refining the primordial Qi of heaven and earth to temper his spirit and essence, thereby accumulating an even deeper foundation.

Thus, another three months passed quickly.

The first batch of forcefully matured heavenly treasures, along with the Nine-Turn Essence Pills refined from materials scavenged and collected across the entire Lan Continent, were delivered before Lin Heng.

He continued to refine these pills and heavenly treasures, strengthening his vital essence and transforming it into the foundation for his breakthrough.

At the same time, he awaited the delivery of the second batch of cultivation resources.

Finally, after his twenty-seventh birthday, Lin Heng had thoroughly accumulated enough vital essence required to break through to the Celestial Realm.

"I am about to make my breakthrough now. I must ask Master to guard me."

Having completed the preparations prior to his breakthrough, Lin Heng sought out his master, Xiao Rang, and made his request.

When breaking through to the Celestial Realm, one would experience an unprecedented grand transformation, comparable to being born anew from the womb.

His body would shed its mortal shell and undergo a complete bone-cleansing evolution, advancing to an entirely new level of life. However, during the process of this breakthrough, Lin Heng would lose all ability to protect himself. Moreover, because the breakthrough would draw in a massive amount of heaven and earth Qi, creating a tremendous commotion was inevitable.

At this time, he could only rely on the protection provided by the sect.

"Disciple, break through with peace of mind. Master will fortify the area around the mountain gate tightly."

"The various elders of the sect will also lend their full support to your breakthrough."

Xiao Rang assured him.

Lin Heng had been watched by the various elders as he grew up, and he had never been stingy in sharing the fruits of his martial arts attainments. This was the exact reason why, when he needed cultivation resources to break through to the Celestial Realm, his fellow sect members poured out their utmost support for him.

Once this breakthrough to the Celestial Realm succeeded, everyone would benefit for a lifetime.

Subsequently, Xiao Rang began to busy himself with making arrangements for Lin Heng's breakthrough.

All the low- and mid-tier martial artists in the sect were given a holiday and arranged to temporarily reside in Misty City—the city closest to the Cloud Sword Palace's mountain gate—for a period of time to prevent them from remaining within the mountain gate and disturbing Lin Heng's breakthrough.

Experts at the Grandmaster realm were all mobilized to patrol throughout the Cloud Sword Mountain Range, preventing any powerful individuals from sneaking in and interfering with Lin Heng's breakthrough.

As for the main hall area of the mountain gate, it was guarded by Xiao Rang alongside all the Great Grandmasters of the sect to prevent any unexpected incidents.

"Hmm? Where has Supreme Elder Shen Shuheng gone?"

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion, but at the very last step, an accident occurred.

Supreme Elder Shen Shuheng was a Cloud Sword Palace expert at the Great Grandmaster realm, and also the master of the spiritual planting elder Zhang Ya. Usually, he no longer concerned himself with worldly affairs and merely cultivated in seclusion.

Logically speaking, he should have been present within the mountain gate at this moment.

For a momentous event like Lin Heng breaking through to the Celestial Realm, it was utterly impossible for him to be absent, as this concerned his hopes of extending his lifespan, given his advanced age.

"Master went out three days ago to gather medicinal herbs for the Young Master."

"By all rights, he should be back by now. Could something have happened to him?"

Zhang Ya spoke up, explaining the reason.

Three days ago, news came through the Cloud Sword Palace's intelligence network that multicolored divine light had emanated from the depths of the Northern Sea, suspected to be the emergence of a supreme treasure.

In order to aid Lin Heng in breaking through to the Celestial Realm, Shen Shuheng decided to go out and retrieve it for him.

Although the Cloud Sword Palace mountain gate was tens of thousands of miles away from the Northern Sea, with a Great Grandmaster's speed, three days was more than enough time to harvest the medicine and return.

"A blood calamity! A blood calamity has occurred!"

"Supreme Elder Shen Shuheng has fallen into the sea of blood."

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Just as they were talking about Shen Shuheng, news regarding him was transmitted back.

However, it was far from good news.

A blood calamity had broken out within the Northern Sea waters, and that multicolored light was merely a lure, enticing surrounding living creatures to gather toward it.

And then, they were swallowed by the boundless sea of blood.

Shen Shuheng was originally a cultivation powerhouse of the third heaven of the Great Grandmaster realm. Over the past decade, relying on Lin Heng's "Boundless Ocean Divine Art" for cultivation, his profound accumulation had erupted, propelling him straight to the seventh heaven of the Great Grandmaster realm. His cultivation had already become sufficient to be called a supreme Great Grandmaster in this era.

Yet, a few days ago, this supreme Great Grandmaster was swallowed by the sea of blood without even stirring up a ripple.

As it devoured more and more living creatures, the sea of blood continuously expanded. By now, it had landed on the northern continent of the Lan Continent, in the region that originally belonged to Frost City. Everything along its path was reduced to lifelessness, showing signs of wanting to devour the entire world.

"Master!"

Zhang Ya wept with sorrow.

With her master's cultivation breaking through and his lifespan vastly increased, she had thought this benevolent elder would be able to accompany her for a long time to come. Never did she expect that disaster would strike so suddenly.

"No matter. Give me one day to complete my breakthrough, and I will go and resolve this blood calamity."

Lin Heng had also heard the news. He spoke in a calm tone, then closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, beginning his breakthrough to the Celestial Realm.