Investment Return System, Start by taking Demon Empress as a Disciple

Chapter 183: Ao Lan's Tribulation

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this Chen Daoxuan frowned and decisively shook his head.

"Impossible. The hidden issues you had in your body were caused by the cultivation technique you practiced back then. Since you've cultivated the Chaos Heavenly Demon Scripture that I taught you, there's no possibility of any hidden issues remaining. Even if you break through quickly, you won't have any hidden issues.

"At most, when you break through too quickly, you might not fully utilize your strength."

Chen Daoxuan spoke with confidence, utterly disbelieving that Yanran could have any lingering issues from her cultivation.

The Chaos Heavenly Demon Scripture was not some mediocre lower-level cultivation technique. If cultivating it quickly left behind hidden issues, then how could Chen Daoxuan, as a Master, still have any credibility?

"…I see..."

Upon hearing her Master's words, Leng Yanran's mouth twitched, and after a moment of silence, she could only helplessly reply.

"If there are no hidden issues, why are you feeling so disappointed?"

Seeing her crestfallen expression, Chen Daoxuan's mouth twitched as well. Was this disciple of his not quite normal? However, he didn't dwell on it too much and simply reclined on his enlightening vine chair, basking in the warmth and resting.

Winter was perfect for sleeping…

Li Yourong's eyes gleamed, and she followed suit, proactively giving her Master's shoulders a light massage.

Seeing her younger sister's actions, Leng Yanran decided to join in. She moved to Chen Daoxuan's side, providing a gentle massage as well.

"Tsk, this is the life!"

Chen Daoxuan felt the service from his two disciples and naturally reveled in it.

"Master… Is the massage comfortable, Master?"

Seeing the satisfied expression on her Master's face, Li Yourong asked in a hushed voice.

"Mmm, not bad."

Chen Daoxuan nodded.

"Then… Could you maybe reward Yourong with a Sacred Beast Egg in advance? Yourong also wants to raise a little pet!"

Li Yourong asked cautiously. Ever since her senior sister got the Little Vermilion Bird, she had been longing for a pet of her own. Not the kind for eating, of course.

"Tsk, no wonder you're so well-behaved today. So you've been waiting here for me, huh? No, you'll have to break through to the Annihilation Realm first before I prepare one for you."

Chen Daoxuan scoffed and decisively rejected Yourong's request.

It wasn't that he didn't want to reward her early. A Sacred Beast Egg might be worth tens of thousands of system points, but even in the system's marketplace, they were quite pricey. It would be better to wait until she reached the Annihilation Realm and get a system reward for free.

"Oh…"

Yourong pouted, fell silent, and continued her hand movements. However, she increased the pressure slightly, as if venting her frustration. But for her Master, the change in pressure didn't make much of a difference…

Soon after, Ao Lan emerged from the main hall. Seeing the harmonious scene of Master and disciples, she didn't disturb them. She smiled and headed straight for the Tower of Enlightenment.

Inside the tower, she laid out the various precious materials provided by Chen Daoxuan and examined them closely.

"These items given by the Master… They can truly be called divine treasures. Even if I hadn't escaped to the Northern Domain back then and had stayed at home, I probably wouldn't have these divine treasures!"

Looking at the numerous heavenly treasures before her, Ao Lan was dumbfounded. Especially the bottle of ancient dragon's blood; even separated by the jade bottle, she had an irresistible urge to quickly absorb and refine it. It was as if it held immense benefits for her!

However, she didn't immediately consume it upon arrival. Instead, she selected other heavenly treasures to use first.

Inside the Tower of Enlightenment, the fifty days passed quickly. Her realm had not only returned from plummeting to the Eighth Heaven of the Heaven Gate Realm but had even advanced to the Ninth Heaven of the Heaven Gate Realm. In fact, she had become significantly stronger in all aspects compared to before her seclusion in the Dragon's Den.

This breakthrough to the Tribulation Crossing Realm was already within her grasp!

Among the heavenly treasures before her, only half a bottle of Marrow-Cleansing Elixir, a bottle of ancient dragon blood, and the precious second-stage Gold Core remained.

Without hesitation, Ao Lan finally chose to open the bottle containing the dragon blood.

The moment the bottle stopper was removed, a golden dragon shadow burst forth from the bottle. After a resounding dragon's roar, the shadow slowly dissipated into the air.

"A pure-blooded golden dragon!"

Upon seeing the dragon shadow, Ao Lan gasped in disbelief.

In the current dragon race, a pure-blooded golden dragon was an unheard-of rarity. Even if a descendant occasionally exhibited a slight trace of golden scales, they would be considered a prodigy among the dragons.

But this was pure-blooded golden dragon blood!

Ao Lan's mind reeled for a moment. According to the dragon race's records, the last known pure-blooded golden dragon had likely existed nearly a million years ago, long before the separation between the mortal and immortal realms.

And for someone to produce this pure-blooded dragon blood, did it not mean that they had existed for at least a million years? Moreover, they must have possessed the power to suppress a pure-blooded golden dragon, otherwise, how could they have acquired its blood?

A pure-blooded golden dragon was said to be at the Immortal Realm upon birth, and it didn't need to undergo the Tribulation Crossing process. Just what kind of existence was the person who could acquire golden dragon blood?

"It feels like a dream, so unreal…"

Ao Lan murmured to herself, finding it hard to believe that she could become that person's partner.

However, she didn't have time to dwell on her emotions. If dragon blood was exposed for too long, its essence would gradually dissipate.

Placing the jade bottle to her lips, she tilted her head back and swallowed the entire contents.

Immediately, she felt her body heat up, her own dragon blood seemed to boil under the influence of the golden dragon blood, becoming even more refined. Even her blood had started to take on a faint golden hue.

The effect of the ancient dragon blood on her was immensely profound.

Without hesitation, she began to directly assail the Tribulation Crossing Realm in one go.

Eighty-one days later, before Ao Lan stood only a few empty bottles. Even the remaining half bottle of Marrow-Cleansing Elixir and the second-stage Gold Core had been consumed.

Meanwhile, her realm had successfully broken through the Tribulation Crossing Realm, reaching not just one but three levels beyond.

"Is this the power of the Tribulation Crossing Realm? My perception of the laws has become countless times clearer. At the Third Heaven of the Tribulation Crossing Realm, although I haven't completely assimilated the effects of the final Gold Core, about thirty percent or so still needs to be digested slowly."

Ao Lan was surprised by the breakthrough she had achieved. She had initially thought that breaking through to the Tribulation Crossing Realm within ten years would be quite good. However, calculating the time, it hadn't even been half a year, and she had not only crossed the Tribulation but had reached the Third Heaven of the Tribulation Crossing Realm.

When she had attempted to break through to the Tribulation Crossing Realm in the Illusory Void Mountain, she had secluded herself for a hundred years and ultimately failed. While there were circumstances involving the Pavilion master's Heavenly Tribulation, even the effect of the ancient dragon blood had caused her bloodline to show signs of reversion.

Now, the reason for her easy breakthrough was clear.

It was all due to having Pavilion Master as her backing—unyieldingly strong!