Chapter 2853

The first-level duel had waited a full five months before finally hosting a match.

Before the duel, Lie Xuan sighed helplessly. "If I can't pass in one go, I don't know how many months I'll have to wait for the next one."

Yun Xi saw Lie Xuan’s bored look and smiled lightly. "It doesn't matter. Waiting is also a form of training."

Lie Xuan tilted her head to look at Yun Xi. Yun Xi nodded slightly at her, then said, "I mean that sincerely."

Lie Xuan thought for a moment, then said, "Actually, I know this principle. I understand that as cultivators, we have endless lives. But I still wish I could finish everything in front of me sooner. So, I hope to pass it all in one go."

"A thin person can't become fat in one bite," Yun Xi told Lie Xuan.

"I know you are impatient to wait. This is also one of the characteristics of your battle path. You demand decisiveness in everything. But every encounter is different. Whether you pass or not is not important. What matters is that you can comprehend different mysteries within it." Yun Xi explained patiently to Lie Xuan.

Lie Xuan tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then said, "I understand."

"Since you understand, don't overthink it. Do your best, believe in yourself. Even if you don't succeed this time, you can still learn from the experience." Yun Xi poured himself a cup of tea and spoke slowly.

Lie Xuan looked at Yun Xi, tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then nodded. "What you said makes sense. Actually, I think the same way. I just can't help complaining sometimes."

"It's fine. You should complain to me." Yun Xi smiled lightly. "Who asked you to be my wife?"

"Who is your wife? I'm not talking to you anymore." Lie Xuan felt a bit embarrassed by Yun Xi's teasing. She glared at her and then turned around to go back to her room.

As expected, Lie Xuan did not pass the Hundred-Person Trial on her first attempt.

Although Lie Xuan had already reached the Soul Formation stage, there were still the Void Transformation and Void Movement stages after it. This time, a late-stage Void Transformation cultivator had appeared.

Of course, Lie Xuan had experience fighting against higher levels, but she still failed in the end.

Although she failed, Lie Xuan gained a lot.

"Although there were only forty-three rounds, I feel I can digest this for two years," Lie Xuan said.

"Then go into seclusion," Yun Xi said with a smile.

Lie Xuan immediately ran off excitedly to enter seclusion.

Yun Xi did not stop her. Instead, he continued to run the shop as usual, watching everything outside.

Days seemed very plain and calm. In fact, many people in nearby shops were puzzled.

Yun Xi's bookstore seemed to have no business at all, yet he opened and closed it every day. No one knew what he was doing.

In this confusion, two years passed unnoticed.

In two years, the outside world changed significantly. The cultivation world also entered a season of replacing old sects with new ones.

It was said that the Sect Master of Tianxin Sect was now succeeded by Niu Xinping.

After taking practice chamber, Niu Xinping's first action was to investigate the death of her brother several years ago.

Yun Xi watched the people outside every day and naturally heard the news.

Although he didn't need to go out, he could know a lot of information from outside. Yun Xi found that sitting by the window was indeed beneficial.

Of course, besides Tianxin Sect changing its Sect Master, the Alliance Leader of the Strategist Alliance also changed.

It was said that the former Alliance Leader, Zhu Zhibin, had ascended to the Immortal Realm with his wife, giving the position to Wang Lanxuan.

Yun Xi remembered what the Immortal Emperor had told him earlier: Wang Lanxuan would succeed. He just didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Yun Xi only entrusted the cultivation world's bird express service to send his gift to Wang Lanxuan. He did not go himself.

Days remained calm. Another year passed, and Lie Xuan finally emerged from seclusion.

The first thing Lie Xuan did after coming out was to register for the duel platform.

During Lie Xuan's three-year seclusion, the duel platform had only opened three times, once a year.

Lie Xuan didn't know when her registration would be activated, but since she was going to participate, registering early was good.

Fortunately, Lie Xuan's luck was decent this time. One month after registering, she received notice that she could participate in the duel.

The three years of seclusion were not in vain. Lie Xuan truly passed the Hundred-Person Challenge in one go this time.

Lie Xuan's smooth success was a very important event in the cultivation world, as no cultivator had successfully passed the first-level duel in fifty years.

The appearance of Lie Xuan naturally made the experts of various sects in the cultivation world curious. Just as they were curious, they received challenge letters one after another.

Yun Xi managed the bookstore and took Lie Xuan to challenge the experts of various sects.

After this round, another fifty years passed.

Fifty years of time allowed Yun Xi's state of mind to truly sublimate. So, when the Immortal Emperor came to take Lie Xuan, he felt reluctant but did not stop her.

"We will reunite in the Immortal Realm," Yun Xi said to Lie Xuan.

Lie Xuan actually didn't want to leave Yun Xi, but she knew that if she wanted to walk side by side with Yun Xi, she had to go to the Outer Battlefield.

"Yes, we will reunite in the Immortal Realm. I will wait for you," Lie Xuan said seriously.

Yun Xi smiled gently. "Go. When we ascend to the Immortal Realm, we will get married."

"Okay." Over the years, their relationship seemed calm, but it was actually very intense.

"Meijing, take good care of Xuan'er," Yun Xi said seriously.

Yun Xi gave Meijing some instructions.

Meijing came out and nodded. "Yun Xi, rest assured. I will take good care of Lie Xuan."

The Immortal Emperor immediately opened the passage to the Outer Battlefield. "Alright, go. When you break through and ascend, you will reunite in the Immortal Realm."

Yun Xi looked deeply at Lie Xuan, then said seriously, "Xuan'er, go."

Lie Xuan nodded with a smile, turned around, and resolutely walked into the passage.

When Lie Xuan's figure disappeared, the passage closed.

Yun Xi looked up at the sky. The reluctance was bitter, yet seemed to have a hint of sweetness.

"Rest assured. With your talents, you will ascend soon. And your wife is the same. I see her talent is also very good," the Immortal Emperor comforted.

Yun Xi glanced at the Immortal Emperor. "I have never denied my talent."

Then he looked at the Immortal Emperor again. "But I find your comfort very insincere."

"You saw through it," the Immortal Emperor said, unafraid of Yun Xi calling him insincere. "There's no way. If I don't comfort you, it seems unfair to you. So I always have to say a few comforting words. But actually, to be honest, you really don't need my comfort."

"Since you know I don't need your comfort, why did you say that?" Yun Xi asked.

The Immortal Emperor smiled lightly. "There's no way. When I came, my wife instructed me. She said, since you couples are separating, as someone who has been through it, it is always sad. So she asked me to comfort you well."

"Be practical," Yun Xi glanced at the Immortal Emperor. "How about you give me a few immortal or divine artifacts?"

The Immortal Emperor stared at Yun Xi. "What do you mean by practical? What do you need immortal or divine artifacts for?"

Yun Xi smiled slightly. "To use during my tribulation in the future."

Yes, Yun Xi had now entered the early stage of the Mahayana stage. Ascension was only a matter of time.

The Immortal Emperor had to admit that Yun Xi's talent was truly good.

Although his own talent was also very good, his cultivation time was definitely much longer than Yun Xi's.

The Immortal Emperor thought for a moment. "Your cultivation is peaceful, and your lightning tribulation will be peaceful too. Why do you need immortal or divine artifacts?" Although he said this, he still gave three protective items.

These things were useless to him, so it was better to give them to Yun Xi.

Yun Xi did not hesitate and accepted them directly.

After accepting them, he said, "Alright. From today on, I will engage in bitter cultivation and travel until I reach the Tribulation Stage."

The Immortal Emperor nodded. Bitter cultivation was actually the best kind of cultivation, because cultivators who went through bitter cultivation would not produce heart demons, and the chance of accidents during tribulation would be much smaller.

Seeing that Yun Xi seemed prepared, the Immortal Emperor did not give more instructions. He just smiled and left.

From that day on, Yun Xi truly entered a state of bitter cultivation.

She even closed her five senses, allowing herself to cultivate slowly. That stumbling appearance was truly very awkward.

But undeniably, the effect was astonishing.

Ten years passed in a flash. Yun Xi finally welcomed the lightning tribulation for ascension.

How many years had it been since the cultivation world saw a lightning tribulation for ascension? Yun Xi sent invitations through Wang Lanxuan to cultivators of all sects in the world, asking them to come and watch his ascension.

Wang Lanxuan looked at the steady Yun Xi. "You ascend first. Wait for me. Within a hundred years, I will also come to find you."

"Good brother, I will wait for you in the Immortal Realm," Yun Xi said seriously.

Knowing the day of his tribulation and ascension, Yun Xi came to the place he had prepared in advance, surrounded by many spectators.

Yun Xi spoke, "Thank you, fellow Daoists, for coming to witness my tribulation and ascension. To be honest, I originally didn't want to invite you. But the cultivation world has had no one ascend for hundreds of years. Why did this happen? I think you haven't properly self-reflecting on this, have you?"

Yun Xi said calmly, "Some might say, didn't the former Alliance Leader of the Strategist Alliance ascend? I want to say, that Alliance Leader was already able to ascend long ago. He was just suppressing his cultivation to wait for his wife. Do you have such ability?"

"No," Yun Xi said very affirmatively. "Why is this the case? Actually, it's very simple. Because although you are cultivators, you have forgotten the spirit of cultivation. The existence of cultivators is against heaven. Whether to continue moving forward or to live peacefully and confusedly is your business."

Yun Xi said this, then looked at the sky. The clouds in the sky were getting heavier and heavier. "I am entrusted to be loyal to the matter. Today, I remind you: if you have lost the enterprising spirit of cultivators, you are destined not to ascend. If you want to ascend, regain your passion."