Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Solo Breakthrough, Charging into Crystallization

"Master, can I eat her?"

Gazing at He Muyun, Jiaojiao’s ruby eyes gleamed with an unusual glint.

In her eyes, a Crystal Realm cultivator was a delectable tonic!

And as Jiaojiao spoke...

HISS.

A Nine Netherworld wind began to blow. Its frigid aura chilled He Muyun’s entire body, and a bone-piercing chill crept up her spine.

In a mere instant.

He Muyun felt as if everything around her was receding and dimming.

It was as if she were in a dream, the world around her suddenly shattering and dissolving into darkness.

The deck beneath her feet seemed to transform into an abyss.

And she was plunging endlessly into it.

Time... space... it all seemed to lose meaning...

Magical Power... Divine Sense... she couldn’t summon any of the powers she relied on...

Despair welled up within her.

"That’s enough, Jiaojiao. You can’t eat this one."

Su Ye’s calm voice suddenly rang out, shattering the dead silence.

SWISH.

The darkness vanished, and He Muyun found herself standing on the deck once more.

The ship spirit, Jiaojiao—exquisite as a doll with her black hair, blood-red eyes, and regal robes—retracted her sharp, shark-like teeth. She pouted at He Muyun, her eyes filled with regret.

By now, the back of He Muyun’s pink dress was drenched in sweat, and her chest heaved violently.

She looked as wretched as someone who had just been fished out of the sea!

’This monster...’

As she stared at Jiaojiao, an unspeakable terror welled up in He Muyun’s heart.

Aboard the Ghostly Flood Dragon, facing Jiaojiao, she couldn’t even think of escaping.

This new ship spirit...

On this spirit ship, she was like a god in her own divine kingdom, leaving He Muyun utterly powerless to resist!

At this thought, He Muyun instinctively edged closer to Su Ye.

Aboard this spirit ship, facing a monster like Jiaojiao, only Su Ye could make her feel safe.

"You’re not to eat anything without my permission..." Su Ye said sternly, ruffling Jiaojiao’s hair.

If he just let her run wild...

This little ship spirit, armed with the power of the Ghostly Flood Dragon, would probably devour every living creature in the Cyan Profound Sect’s waters...

"Awhh..."

At Su Ye’s words, Jiaojiao’s ruby eyes grew misty, as if she had been grievously wronged.

"I know, Master..." she said, her voice thick with grievance.

"Be a good girl, and I’ll get you a treat later..."

Su Ye placated the little ship spirit with a vague promise.

After calming Jiaojiao down, Su Ye prepared for his next task!

Which was...

—to break through to the Crystal Realm!

"Jiaojiao... and He. Please stand guard for me."

Su Ye said with a polite smile.

"Don’t worry, Master! You can count on Jiaojiao!"

Jiaojiao promised, patting her little chest.

’Hiyah! Hah!’

’Any evil will become a ghost devoured by me, Jiaojiao!’

He Muyun, on the other hand, was stunned.

It took her a moment to process what he’d said.

"What?"

"Mr. Su... you’re planning to break through to the Crystal Realm?"

A panicked expression appeared on He Muyun’s face when she realized what Su Ye was planning.

Her expression turned grave as she asked nervously.

"Mr. Su... do you have a Spiritual Object for your breakthrough?"

"None."

"Huh?"

"A Secret Technique to aid the breakthrough and increase your chances of success?"

"None of those either."

"Then... what about recorded insights on the breakthrough?"

"None at all."

Su Ye answered truthfully, his expression perfectly calm.

He really didn’t have any of the things He Muyun had mentioned.

"But... Mr. Su, you..."

He Muyun’s expression was one of stunned disbelief after hearing his answers.

’What is going on?’

’No Spiritual Object for the breakthrough.’

’No Secret Technique for the breakthrough.’

’No recorded insights either?’

’Even a Spirit Vein... well, I guess he barely has one of those.’

The Spiritual Energy Concentration at the VIP port of Weiyuan Immortal City was at the peak of the second tier.

Plus, with Jiaojiao in charge...

The Ghostly Flood Dragon’s Array could gather Spiritual Qi, pushing the concentration in this area to barely reach the third tier.

And that was largely thanks to the sea of trees and the Beast Tide.

With the massive casualties among the cultivators in Weiyuan Immortal City, there were far fewer people drawing on the Spiritual Qi.

Making it much easier to draw in the ownerless Spiritual Qi.

But... even with all that.

He Muyun’s brow furrowed tightly. ’To ascend to the Crystal Realm with just a third-tier Spirit Vein and nothing else?’

’Even for someone with Circulation Magical Power, isn’t this completely insane?’

He Muyun recalled her own breakthrough to the Crystal Realm.

She had the fourth-tier Spirit Vein of Jade Dew Island at the Cyan Profound Sect’s main gate.

She had a Spiritual Object for the breakthrough, purchased from the distant Outer Sea.

She had the recorded insights of generations of masters from the sect’s Scripture Pavilion, and the meticulous guidance of her father, Tianhe...

She even used a Crystal Secret Skill.

Even with all that, her breakthrough had nearly failed, almost costing her her life and cultivation!

It just went to show how incredibly difficult it was to advance to the Crystal Realm!

"Mr. Su! Be rational!" He Muyun urged.

"I have a Crystal Secret Skill and my own experience with the breakthrough. I can give them to you, free of charge..."

"With your talent, a Secret Technique, and some insights, you’d have a much better chance of succeeding..."

Su Ye paid her no mind, stating lightly.

"We cultivators should advance with courage and diligence. Relying on external aids... I disdain such things!"

"With my power, success is guaranteed!"

Su Ye’s words overflowed with absolute confidence!

With that, he sat cross-legged on the deck, began to circulate his energy, and started his push for the Crystal Realm.

VMMMM!

Winds howled and clouds roiled. The very heavens seemed to shift as the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi grew restless.

For dozens of miles in every direction, the ambient Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was stirred by an invisible force!

A forced breakthrough!

Pushing for the Crystal Realm!

"Wait, Mr. Su, you..." He Muyun’s expression was pained.

She felt utterly helpless.

To be honest, she was hoping Su Ye’s breakthrough would fail and that he would die from the backlash.

Then, she would be free!

The problem was...

He Muyun glanced at Jiaojiao, the little ship spirit standing nearby.

According to Su Ye’s orders, she was now supposed to guard the Ghostly Flood Dragon with Jiaojiao and protect him during his breakthrough.

Cultivators were selfish by nature.

He Muyun knew that if she were in Su Ye’s position, she would have done the same.

But if Su Ye’s breakthrough failed and he died from the backlash...

...then this monstrous ship spirit would be completely unrestrained...

’She would probably turn me into Muyun sashimi on the spot!’

HISS...

He Muyun shuddered at the thought.

Her hand secretly formed the signs for a Technique, ready to burn her blood essence and activate an Escape Technique at a moment’s notice.

She had to try, to avoid becoming sashimi!

After all, from He Muyun’s perspective, Su Ye’s chances of success were practically nil.

The odds were stacked too heavily against him!

In fact, there were almost no favorable conditions at all!

However, the reality was the complete opposite of her prediction!

VMMMM!

The Spiritual Qi converged, rapidly forming a funnel-shaped vortex!

The brilliant Spiritual Qi Clouds expanded continuously, spreading for dozens of miles in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea!

ROAR.

The almost tangible Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surged downward!

Su Ye sat cross-legged, his eyes slightly downcast. His expression was calm and serene as he endured the influx of Spiritual Qi!

An azure light swirled around him, and the spiritual pressure he radiated was immense and powerful!

"This... he’s doing it so easily?" He Muyun looked on, dumbfounded.

She could see that Su Ye’s breakthrough was proceeding with incredible ease; he was already more than halfway done!

His utter composure couldn’t help but make her wonder.

’Was the feeling of treading on thin ice I experienced during my own breakthrough just an illusion?’