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Du Yuying went to a place called the Tomb of Heaven and Man. Li Xuan couldn't help but think, where Ziyun went, could it also be the Tomb of Heaven and Man?

So far, there are no martial artists in the Inner Domain who have reached the level of Heaven and Man.

It seems that the conditions to become a martial artist of Heaven and Man are not met. The specific reasons are unknown.

"If it's really the Tomb of Heaven and Man, Xuyan should be able to know why there are no martial artists of Heaven and Man in the Inner Domain after this trip," Li Xuan thought to himself.

After Xuyan left, Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan, following Li Xuan's guidance on swordsmanship, also bid farewell and went back to Sword Saint Cliff to continue their arduous cultivation.

They also brought back some elixirs needed to refine the Heaven and Earth Bridge for martial cultivation.

The main cultivation method of Sword Saint Cliff is swordsmanship. There is no conflict with the martial arts of the Inner Domain and the Great Wilderness as long as it can enhance swordsmanship and be beneficial to the comprehension of swordsmanship. They cultivate whichever martial art that serves the purpose.

This is also the reason why Xie Lingfeng, the genius of Sword Saint Cliff, can cultivate other martial arts without any psychological burden.

The cultivation method of Sword Saint Cliff is born for swordsmanship. Passed down to this day, the techniques have long evolved from the original ones. They have been continuously researched by generation after generation to find techniques more suitable for swordsmanship and capable of unleashing its power.

As Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan left, except for the alchemy room which was slightly lively, the whole island of Canglan remained calm and tranquil.

Occasionally, Li Xuan would row on the Cang River, fish until nightfall, enjoying his leisure time.

Meanwhile, a storm was brewing in the Inner Domain.

In the Purple Cloud Country, atop a high mountain, there stood an ice tower in the center of a lake.

The ice tower was crystal clear and exuded a chilling atmosphere. The person living in the ice tower, however, wore thin clothes. With a graceful figure, she walked among the ice, her snow-white skin contrasting with the crystalline ice, painting a beautiful picture.

At the top of the ice tower, a seductive woman lay on an ice chair, draped in thin veils. Beside her, two young maidens, also scantily clad, curled up against her, their petite bodies trembling in the cold wind.

A figure approached slowly. Even as he walked, he continued to carve, with wood chips flying off his hand.

"Ice Maiden, you haven't changed a bit," the Demon Boy sighed as he stood atop the ice tower.

"You old thing, what are you here for?" the Ice Maiden withdrew a hand dripping with liquid, coldly looking at the Demon Boy.

As she withdrew her hand, the petite bodies that were curled up against her, trembling in the cold, became flushed, and began to convulse. As the convulsions grew more intense, their petite bodies suddenly began to wither.

The seductive woman, at this moment, became even more seductive. Her skin became even whiter, the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes disappeared, and she seemed ten years younger all of a sudden.

The other petite body curled up against her, trembling more and more violently, opened her mouth as if to beg for mercy, but couldn't produce a sound.

Slowly, their skin turned red, their bodies convulsed, and eventually, they withered away.

The Demon Butcher silently watched this scene. The Ice Maiden was indeed aging and needed to consume the essence of young girls to maintain her youthful appearance and tender skin.

Two women in white veils ascended the ice tower and took the bodies away.

The Ice Maiden reclined in an indecent posture on the chair, facing the Demon Boy with a rosy smirk on her seductive face, a hint of mockery in her eyes.

"Demon Boy, are you useless now?" she taunted.

The hand the Demon Boy was carving with paused, his facial muscles twitching a few times. Looking at the Ice Maiden under the light veil, he fell silent for a moment.

Approaching the realm of Martial Arts Grandmaster, and useless now?

Indeed, he was useless now.

He was really old, yet he didn't feel even a slight urge, not even a bit!

"Useless!" the Ice Maiden mocked.

The Demon Boy reached into his pocket and took out a scroll, placing it on the Ice Maiden's chest, saying softly, "Ice Maiden, when you hear that I'm dead, burn this scroll, then use the power of martial arts to activate the jade bead hidden inside."

The Ice Maiden looked at the scroll in silence.

The Demon Boy turned and left, saying, "If I'm not dead, both you and I have a chance to enter the Spirit Realm. If I die, follow my instructions, burn the scroll, activate the jade bead, and find your own opportunity to enter the Spirit Realm."

The Ice Maiden suddenly stood up, "What are you going to do?"

"Don't get involved. We'll need someone eventually to avenge us. Keep that scroll safe," the Demon Boy shook his head.

Watching the old figure of the Demon Boy disappear into the sky, the Ice Maiden looked at the scroll in her hand in silence for a long time, then suddenly said, "Bring me two young girls."

"Yes!" a woman's voice replied from inside the ice tower.

In the Imperial Study of the Daxue Country.

The Emperor of Daxue looked at the man in red robe and blue face, his expression changing, and said hoarsely, "My Daxue Country doesn't want to perish like this!"

The man in the red robe and blue face smiled, saying, "Your Majesty, don't you want to break through the realm beyond Grandmaster? This is not just the matter of your Daxue Country this time.

"The Gate of the Spirit Realm, the realm of Heaven and Man, the opportunity lies in Canglan Island, on Suling Xiu."

The Emperor of Daxue stood up suddenly, shocked, "What did you say? The Gate of the Spirit Realm? The realm of Heaven and Man?"

Grandmaster is already the peak of the Inner Domain's martial arts, this is already a consensus.

Even though a half-step to Heaven and Man is still considered Grandmaster, it's just a step forward.

But it's truly reached its limit.

Unable to advance any further.

The road ahead lies within the Gate of the Spirit Realm.

"On Canglan Island, that person is probably the true martial arts expert. Suling Xiu is the opportunity to enter the Gate of the Spirit Realm.

"In this Inner Domain, how can the numerous Grandmasters give up their future paths just because of one martial arts expert?"

The man in the red robe and blue face said coldly.

"A martial arts expert?" The Emperor of Daxue was greatly shocked. No wonder dozens of peak Grandmasters were all killed, with none escaping.

"Bringing together the strength of all Grandmasters, striving for an opportunity, forcing the martial arts expert to compromise, or even—killing the martial arts expert to open the Gate of the Spirit Realm!"

A hint of madness appeared

 in the eyes of the man in the red robe and blue face.

"No matter how strong the martial arts expert is, they cannot suppress the entire world alone. Even if we, the half-step to Heaven and Man, all take action!"

The man in the red robe and blue face said somewhat crazily.

"Good! My Daxue Country will spare no effort!" exclaimed the Emperor of Daxue.

"The Gate of the Spirit Realm, the realm of Heaven and Man, spread this news far and wide, let the forces of the Inner Domain gather, and see how this Heaven and Man fares!" the man in the red robe and blue face said solemnly.

In the Inner Domain, many powerful forces and Grandmasters received a message: beyond the Grandmaster realm, there lies a path in martial arts.

Opening the Gate of the Spirit Realm, entering the realm of Heaven and Man!

And the Master of Changqing Pavilion, Su Lingxiu, is the key to opening the Gate of the Spirit Realm. On Canglan Island, there is a martial artist of Heaven and Man who controls Su Lingxiu and seeks to monopolize the Gate of the Spirit Realm.

To seize Canglan Island, surrender Su Lingxiu, and share the opportunity of the Gate of the Spirit Realm with the world, opening the path of martial arts beyond the Grandmaster realm!

The news of the Gate of the Spirit Realm and the realm of Heaven and Man spread widely under the impetus of many forces in the Inner Domain, becoming increasingly known to more and more Grandmasters.

Canglan Island became the center of attention in the Inner Domain.

Su Lingxiu was also seen as the key to opening the Gate of the Spirit Realm!

Many powerful forces converged, and Grandmasters from all over the Inner Domain gathered. At this moment, even certain peak Grandmasters who were thought to have died suddenly appeared.

The notorious Demon Boy, the remaining Demon Lords of the Demon Sect, all appeared one after another.

The Empress Dowager of Daxue Country, though old and frail, with little life left, also emerged from the imperial mausoleum.

A half-step to Heaven and Man also appeared from the Yan Kingdom's royal family.

The former Emperor of Purple Cloud Country also emerged one after another, each one a once renowned powerhouse.

The martial arts world of the Inner Domain was shaken!

Countless Grandmasters were shocked, but also invigorated, vowing to force Canglan Island to surrender and share the opportunity of the Gate of the Spirit Realm!

One powerful force after another, one prominent family after another, all powerful individuals emerged one after another, as if the overall situation of the Inner Domain had already formed, ready to suppress Canglan Island with the momentum of the world.

At the Seven Stars Academy, Bai Yunkong sat under an ancient tea tree, silently sipping tea.

Two figures approached.

"Master, regarding the Gate of the Spirit Realm and the realm of Heaven and Man, what should our Seven Stars Academy do?"

Bai Yunkong said coldly, "The principle of our Seven Stars Academy is not to interfere in the disputes of the martial arts world. Have you forgotten?"

"This is not a dispute of the martial arts world; this concerns the future path of martial arts!"

One person said solemnly.

"The future path has always been there. The Gate of the Spirit Realm is elusive. Who can enter it? Can entering the gate make one a Heaven and Man? Can a first-grade martial artist become a Grandmaster? Can a Grandmaster martial artist become a Great Grandmaster?

"The principle of the Seven Stars Academy cannot be violated."

Bai Yunkong said solemnly.

"Master, if we don't take a risk, we won't have any chance. I'm not willing to give up!"

"Yes, if we don't take a chance, we'll have nothing to regret!"

The two said solemnly.

Bai Yunkong looked at them, sighed, and said, "The opportunity is not far away, and Heaven and Man is not the only path. This is all I have to say. Do as you see fit!"

"Master, you're too stubborn. I won't miss this opportunity!"

"Master, sticking to principles, it's up to you!"

After the two finished speaking, they turned and left.

Bai Yunkong tapped his fingers on the table, seeming to hesitate whether to make a decision.

A senior, with white hair and a red face but no signs of aging except for his black eye sockets, walked over.

"What's there to hesitate about? The principle of our Seven Stars Academy must not be violated. Anyone who violates the principle is not one of us."

Bai Yunkong smiled bitterly, "You're not the Master, it's easy for you to say. Well, those who don't stick to their principles don't need to stay."

On this day, Bai Yunkong, the Master of the Seven Stars Academy, expelled two deputy masters from the academy and expelled anyone who wanted to participate in the siege of Canglan Island from the Seven Stars Academy!

And on this day, one by one, Grandmasters left the Seven Stars Academy. More than half of the former instructors familiar to the students were gone.

The Gate of the Spirit Realm, the realm of Heaven and Man, was too tempting for martial artists.

Even facing a true martial arts expert, under the gathering momentum of the Grandmasters of the world, any fear in their hearts had been cast aside.

Even their blood boiled with excitement, as if they were young martial artists again, aiming to kill a Heaven and Man, open the Gate of the Spirit Realm, and become famous in the history of martial arts!

In the northern region, known as the edge of the Inner Domain, the landscape was vast and white as far as the eye could see. Peaks stood at the end, and even if one crossed the peaks, they would find themselves in another part of the Inner Domain.

This was the end. The true cold and desolate land where even Grandmaster martial artists dared not linger for too long.

One of the peaks had been hollowed out for the most part, with buildings built into the mountainside, pavilions, towers, and gardens all present.

In a garden built into the mountain, warm as spring, every flower and plant was a spiritual medicine, and one could even see a five-grade spiritual medicine, the Heavenly Droplet Marrow.

At this moment, in the garden, there were a dozen figures sitting. The one leading them wore a purple crown, was elegant and easy-going, and held an abacus in his hand.

Among these dozen people, two of them were the half-step to Heaven and Man from the Tianbao Pavilion who had appeared in Tieshan County.

"This is the grandest gathering of martial artists since the establishment of the Alliance to Eliminate Demons by the former Inner Domain Dynasty many years ago.

"You two have seen him before; what do you think?" 

All eyes turned to the two who had gone to Tieshan County.

"I cannot say whether he is a martial arts expert, but he gives me an unfathomable feeling!"

One person said solemnly.

"With just a lift of his hand, he killed Ku Jue. He directly destroyed his spiritual consciousness. Such methods, I'm afraid even the former Demon Lord didn't possess!"

Another person sighed.

The man in the purple crown nodded, self-deprecatingly smiling, "Everyone wants to enter the Gate of the Spirit Realm, but little do they know, it's not easy to enter. Martial artists from the Inner Domain who enter are no more than pigs and dogs."

Everyone present fell silent.

"Master, what's the situation with Su Lingxiu?"

One person asked curiously.

The man in the purple crown remained silent for a while, then said in a deep voice, "The one who passed the mission to the Hidden Pavilion is not him, but his bloodline. The matter of the Hidden Pavilion is also a task passed on by people from the Spirit Realm."

Everyone present was stunned, recalling the dashing young man from twenty years ago who claimed to be visiting the Inner Domain for leisure and was personally received by the Master at the time, showing great respect.

"If he's of that bloodline, why did the Hidden Pavilion kill Su Zhen?"

One person asked in confusion.

The man in the purple crown pondered for a moment and said, "The one who passed the mission to the Hidden Pavilion wasn't him. This matter is too deep to be discussed by you and me."

Then he sneered and said, "The Lord of the Hidden Pavilion thought that by completing the mission and entering the Gate of the Spirit Realm, he could become a Heaven and Man? Even if he becomes a pig or a dog, he won't have his chance!"

The others fell silent. The Master had entered the Gate of the Spirit Realm, but he hadn't become a martial arts expert. It seemed he had become a dog for certain people in the Spirit Realm?

To go to the Spirit Realm and become a dog or stay in the Inner Domain and be above all, they naturally had their choices. As for whether they could break this situation, they felt they didn't have the ability.

In their minds, an image of a young man emerged. Perhaps he could break this situation by entering the Gate of the Spirit Realm?

Xu Yan!

At the Sword Saint Cliff, a group of Grandmasters gathered.

Xie Lingfeng, who was in closed-door cultivation, was on the verge of understanding the Sword Dao. He felt that he was not far from the realm of Sword Insight. Even half of his foot had stepped into the realm of Sword Insight when he was called out by the urgent arrival of Hu Shan.

(End of this chapter)