How can I have a heart of a demonic god in my body?!

On the opposite mountain peak, a disciple suddenly shouted, "Chen Yu is out."

Chen Yu was taken aback by this scene. Since when had he garnered such attention?

He looked down and saw a challenge letter stuck into the ground not far away.

"Zhang Chen? Challenging me?"

Chen Yu was stunned again, with many doubts popping up in his mind.

He simply ignored Zhang Chen, but did the other party really need to get so angry and issue a challenge letter? It's simply madness.

However, the strength of this senior disciple Zhang Chen was undeniable.

Back then, he fought Sun Tianlong and completely suppressed him, winning easily.

Chen Yu had won in the gambling match with one move, also because the opponent underestimated him, while Chen Yu took the initiative and capitalized on his greatest advantage.

"Although I don't know Zhang Chen's current strength, I should breakthrough to the mid-stage Condensed Star first."

Chen Yu left directly.

He quickly arrived at the top of a mountain, where it had been flattened, and a platform stood with ten stout pillars, each five hundred zhang tall, reaching into the sky.

These ten pillars, crystalline like jade throughout, seemed to have water light flowing inside, exquisite beyond compare.

This is the "Skyward Platform," a special venue built specifically for breakthroughs in cultivation.

At this moment, three of the pillars' tops were quietly occupied, while the other seven were vacant.

"Skyward Platform, one day of use costs three thousand contribution points."

A steward in charge of the Skyward Platform told Chen Yu.

Chen Yu paid the three thousand contribution points, his body soaring up and landing on one of the jade pillars.

Immediately, a cool and gentle mist rose from beneath his feet, enveloping Chen Yu completely.

All of this was Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, and the mist seemed to be about to liquefy, slightly wetting Chen Yu's clothes.

Moreover, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi emitted from within the jade pillars would not disperse outward, wrapping around Chen Yu like a sphere.

As soon as the "Nine Revolutions Bright Star Technique" was activated, Chen Yu felt the primordial power within him rapidly circulate, moving at two to three times the usual speed.

And here, the abundant qi seemed inexhaustible, allowing Chen Yu to cultivate without worry.

...

The news of Chen Yu coming out instantly spread throughout the disciple resident area, causing a great sensation, as if something big had happened.

In fact, the rumors about him and Lin Yuxuan had shown signs of fading away over the past year.

But with Chen Yu's emergence, most people's accumulated depression and anger suddenly erupted.

"That brat finally came out. He sure can hide, staying in his cave mansion for a whole year."

"Hurry and inform Zhang Chen, he issued a challenge to Chen Yu. Brother Zhang is so devoted to Lin Yuxuan, every now and then, for half a year, he went to declare war in front of Chen Yu's cave mansion. Of course, I don't think Brother Zhang deserves Lin Yuxuan, but I have even less faith in Chen Yu."

"Chen Yu, that coward, hid for a whole year and didn't have the courage to stand out and explain things clearly, leaving Junior Sister Lin in a very awkward position. He's too weak and pathetic, how could Junior Sister Lin like such trash."

Lin Tianfeng had been watching Chen Yu all along because the matter had blown up so much that even figures on the Heavenly Martial List were alarmed, beyond his expectations.

For a period, Lin Tianfeng also shut himself in and didn't take further action.

"Chen Yu, you really can hide, but do you think the storm has passed?"

Lin Tianfeng sneered.

He got up and left the cave mansion to find Lin Yuxuan.

He wanted Lin Yuxuan to see Chen Yu's embarrassing and incompetent appearance.

"He came out?"

Upon hearing this from Lin Tianfeng's mouth, Lin Yuxuan was both delighted and annoyed.

Happy because Chen Yu stood out, and the other party wanted to refute the rumors?

Even if that's not the case, she also wanted to understand Chen Yu's attitude and thoughts clearly.

To react appropriately to challenges is better than Chen Yu hiding and saying nothing.

"What does his coming out have to do with me?"

Lin Yuxuan had no good feelings towards Chen Yu, even wanting to break off the engagement. With rumors about her and Chen Yu everywhere, she could only respond to Lin Tianfeng like this.

She really couldn't go see Chen Yu, or things would get even more complicated.

Of course, deep down, she wanted to see how Chen Yu would handle these rumors.

Lin Tianfeng observed Lin Yuxuan's resentful demeanor, and in his eyes, Lin Yuxuan was angry at Chen Yu for hiding for a year, thinking it's because she cared about him, thus the anger.

Lin Tianfeng's heart was filled with envy and jealousy.

Meanwhile.

Zhang Chen's cave mansion was visited by several people.

"What? Chen Yu came out?"

Zhang Chen's expression froze for a moment.

Recently, he hadn't gone to declare war on Chen Yu, believing that Chen Yu was definitely not responding, thus shutting himself in and ignoring him.

So, Zhang Chen had completely given up. After all, Chen Yu was the Sect Master's Disciple, and he couldn't go too far.

And as time passed, the embarrassment he suffered at Chen Yu's hands, both internally and in others' eyes, gradually faded.

Zhang Chen no longer felt such a strong need to reclaim his dignity and the cave mansion.

"Zhang Chen, didn't you already issue a challenge to Chen Yu? Go challenge him quickly, don't let him run away again!"

A friend urged with a look poised for a spectacle.

"Hmm, for Lin Yuxuan, I will definitely not let him escape."

Zhang Chen declared righteously.

The challenge letter had already been issued, so he could only continue on.

Reclaiming the cave mansion and dignity would be a good thing, and it might even make his goddess see him in a new light.

Elsewhere.

Geng Handong, ranked ninety-nine on the Heavenly Martial List, suddenly opened his cave mansion.

Boom!

A cold storm gusted forth.

At the center of this icy storm stood a figure, unmoved by the fierce winds.

"Chen Yu, you've finally come out. I'll assume you've spent the year in seclusion to withstand at least three moves from me."

Geng Handong wore a stern expression and murmured to himself, "I hope you don't disappoint me."

In the disciples' area, all those who had been paying attention to the goddess Lin Yuxuan were abuzz with excitement.

But although Chen Yu had come out, where exactly had he gone?

At this moment, most people were searching for any trace of Chen Yu.

No one had anticipated that Chen Yu would suddenly stop hiding, not knowing where he'd run off to, and given the vastness of the Heavenly Martial Sect, with not too many people, it wasn't easy to find him.

On the Sky Platform, Chen Yu concentrated fully on breaking through his bottleneck, completely unaware of the great sensation his appearance had caused.

Whoosh whoosh!

Within the jade pillar, enormous waves of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi were continuously being transmitted, forming a white light sphere that completely enveloped him.

The golden blazing sun shone down, making the place where Chen Yu stood gloriously radiant, dazzling in all directions.

The steward responsible for the Sky Platform glanced at Chen Yu's location, revealing a surprised expression: "To show signs of a breakthrough so quickly?"

In a certain instant.

The white light sphere encasing Chen Yu suddenly thinned, revealing his silhouette.

"Succeeded."

The steward sighed softly.

Working here at the Sky Platform, although it's a good job, there are unpleasant things too, like often witnessing others' breakthroughs.

Within Chen Yu's Star Sea, the size of the second Primordial Power Star was slightly larger than the first but unstable, bulging all around.

Apart from the first Primordial Power Star, the subsequent stars' condensation always completed "quantity" first, then "quality."

Overall, completing the first step already counted as a successful breakthrough.

Even if the "quality" didn't meet the standard, Chen Yu was now at the Mid-stage Star Condensation Realm with two condensed Primordial Power Stars.

"Mid-stage Condensed Star."

Chen Yu reflected inwardly.

However, in such a place as the Heavenly Martial Sect, a cultivation Holy Land, Mid-stage Condensed Star wasn't much to speak of.

After indulging in a moment of pride, Chen Yu cautiously reminded himself not to become arrogant.

Next, he practiced the cultivation mental method, stabilizing the Primordial Power Stars, unifying the quality of power from the two stars.

Boom hum!

Beside Chen Yu, on another jade pillar, a white light sphere formed from mist suddenly trembled and spread outward.

"Failed."

Inside, a dark-faced man sighed.

He glanced at Chen Yu's side, noticing the other's successful breakthrough and ongoing consolidation of the Primordial Power Stars, unable to help feeling a bit envious.

But he suddenly noticed something peculiar.

"Isn't that... Chen Yu?"

The dark-faced man had always followed Lin Yuxuan and Chen Yu, even having gone to curse at Chen Yu's cave abode.

"When did this kid come out? I need to inform the others, let Brother Zhang know."

The dark-faced man took out a token and sent out a message.

In just moments, shadowy figures came rushing toward the Sky Platform.

Among them were not only old disciples but also many newly joined disciples.

Of course, these newly joined disciples had been tricked by Chen Yu in the secret realm, now coming to watch the spectacle.

"He broke through?"

Lin Tianfeng and Lin Daowei exchanged a glance, their hearts involuntarily thrilled.

Chen Yu had left them with a shadow, and now that his cultivation broke through, wouldn't his strength be even greater?

Yet in hindsight, even if Chen Yu broke through, it's just Mid-stage Condensed Star; in a place like the Heavenly Martial Sect teeming with powerful geniuses, what did he really count for?

Zhang Chen, who entered the sect twenty years ago as an old disciple, was sufficient to teach Chen Yu a lesson.

"Junior Brother Chen, what is the relationship between you and Lin Yuxuan after all?"

"Regardless of what stage your relationship with Lin Yuxuan has reached, you don't deserve her. You've hidden in the cave abode for a year, leaving Lin Yuxuan to bear everything alone. Your actions are contemptible to us."

"Is your marriage arrangement with Lin Yuxuan real or fake?"

Although the crowd was angry that a beautiful flower was stuck in manure, raging at Chen Yu's actions, they still maintained some semblance of dignity.

On the Sky Platform, Chen Yu furrowed his brows.

Having just battled through a breakthrough, he needed consolidation.

But what was with these people? Dozens gathered around, questioning him, interrupting his cultivation.

"Chen Yu, do you dare accept my challenge?"

A loud shout suddenly echoed, followed by a descending figure, none other than the green-haired Zhang Chen.

Chen Yu's face turned icy, and his brows furrowed even tighter.

This matter truly seemed to be unending.

He suspected that issues about him and Lin Yuxuan had likely been leaked, otherwise why would there be so much hostility drawn to him?

"What business is the matter between me and Lin Yuxuan of yours?"

Chen Yu responded coldly.

Being harassed during cultivation, surrounded and questioned by a mob, his mood couldn't have been good.

"You..."

The crowd was momentarily speechless, surprised by Chen Yu's audacity and dominance.

Moreover, based on Chen Yu's words, it seemed he indeed had a relationship with Lin Yuxuan.

Several male disciples felt as if struck by lightning; if Chen Yu had truly gotten together with Lin Yuxuan, then his behavior and conduct made him thoroughly unworthy in their eyes. How could such rubbish match with Lin Yuxuan?

"Chen Yu, stop being arrogant; fight me if you dare."

Zhang Chen was also provoked.

"Oh? You want to fight me?"

Chen Yu raised an eyebrow.

After a year in seclusion, his cultivation breakthrough left him curious about just how much his strength had grown.

On the other hand, disturbed cultivation meant this place was no longer suitable; he might as well use the battle to consolidate the breakthrough.