Beyond the crater, the wind howled incessantly, raging fiercely. Near the mountain pass, two elderly figures stood motionless beneath the stone pavilion, hands resting at their sides. "Already two and a half months..." Jin Shi frowned, gazing intently into the crater. The Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool, once overflowing, had now dwindled to a mere shallow depth. The once vibrant red liquid had grown paler, resembling ordinary lake water, and its energy had weakened so much that it could no longer be absorbed. Upon hearing this, Jin Gu smiled faintly, then hesitated, saying, "Could there be a problem? The Heavenly Mountain fire toxin beneath is so intense that even I hesitate to venture deep." "Unlikely. Though the fire toxin is fierce, it poses little threat to the unique fires." Jin Shi shook his head, speaking in a solemn tone, yet for some reason, his voice lacked the confidence one might expect. Xiao Yan had been immersed in the Blood Lake of Tian Shan for nearly two months—time had passed far too long. The fire toxin at the lake's depths was exceptionally potent; even Jin Shi himself had not dared to remain there for such an extended period. Though Xiao Yan possessed the unique Flame Spirit, his current status remained only that of a Nine-Star Battle Sovereign. As for Nalan Yanran, she had only stayed in the blood pool for three days—due to her internal energy reaching saturation—before she had to emerge and then waited nearly two months at Tianmu Mountain for Xiao Yan, eventually having to leave. Thus, at present, Tianmu Mountain likely has only Xiao Yan without any news. "If no news comes by today, I'll descend to the bottom of the blood pool to find out what has happened there," said Jin Shi, after a long pause. Though he knew the depths of the pool were not easily accessible, his internal fire toxin still required Xiao Yan's intervention, so he had no choice but to make the journey. Upon hearing this, Jin Gu nodded with a sense of resignation—there was little else they could do. "Boom!" Just as Jin Gu nodded, a sudden surge of energy erupted throughout the surrounding area of the volcano, causing the energy of the realm to ripple violently. And as that thunderous roar echoed, it seemed the energies throughout the surrounding heavens and earth were suddenly drawn toward the volcanic crater, gathering wildly. Jin and Shi gazed closely and discovered that these energies were converging precisely at the location of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond! Jin Gu was stunned and said, then suddenly remembered something, his eyes widening as he stared at Jin Shi in shock, "This guy... is he really about to break through to the Battle Sect level?" A strange glow passed through Jin Shi's eyes, and after a moment, he gently nodded, saying, "I believe so. This is truly remarkable—though the Tian Shan Blood Pond does indeed have some beneficial effects on helping individuals overcome their breakthrough bottlenecks, I've never seen anyone successfully break through while still within the pond. If this story spreads, the appeal of the Tian Shan Blood Pond will surely surge even further." "That explains why he's been down there for so long—his intention has always been to make a decisive breakthrough to the Battle Sect level. However, this method seems feasible only for those who possess the unique fire. The fire poison beneath the pond is simply too formidable." "However, the commotion caused during his breakthrough was quite substantial—the tremors here have shaken the very realm so profoundly that even some Douzong cultivators within a thousand li should surely feel it..." Jin Gu took a moment to chew thoughtfully. Jin Shi nodded, his gaze fixed steadily on the blood pool, a quiet sense of relief washing over him. As long as Xiao Yan was unharmed, the fire toxin within him must be settling well. This sudden development naturally drew the attention of the entire Shijin Mouse Clan on Tianmù Mountain. Countless pairs of astonished eyes turned upward, gazing at the turbulent, tangible energy swirling in the sky—the subtle yet pervasive pressure radiating from it sent even the slightly weaker Shijin Mouse cultivators feeling a sense of awe and trepidation. As time passed, the changes in the heavens did not diminish but grew more intense, eventually appearing as if countless ribbons of vibrant color were continuously sweeping down from the sky. With ever-increasing surges of energy flowing into the blood pool, a mighty aura began to rise slowly from its depths, like a great dragon stirring to life. This aura was so powerful that even Jinshi and Jin Gu Valley themselves were slightly moved. "This aura... it doesn't seem to match the level of a just-attained Douzong cultivator," Jinshi murmured, expressing his curiosity. "Indeed, merely this aura is no weaker than that of an ordinary one-star Dao Sect master. However, it's not out of the question that this peak strength is achieved precisely at the moment of his breakthrough—perhaps it will gradually subside once the breakthrough is complete." Jin Shi nodded. The aura swiftly spread and diffused, rapidly enveloping the entire Tianmu Mountain. Under such a powerful presence, aside from a few exceptionally strong individuals like Jin Shi, everyone else felt a growing wave of fear spreading through their hearts. Many of the unformed, gold-eating mice panicked, squeaking in agitation. As the commotion on Tianmu Mountain intensified and the aura emanating from the depths of the Blood Pond grew stronger, a growing number of powerful cultivators within a thousand li radius of the mountain began to sense the change, their eyes all turning toward the Tianmu Mountain region. "This aura... is someone else breaking through to the Dao Sect level, isn't it? The direction seems to point specifically toward Tianmu Mountain." Could it be another member of the Gold-Mousetail Clan? "These people truly have good fortune—this way, the Gold-Mousetail Clan's strength is once again bolstered. "The Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond is indeed a remarkable asset. Perhaps next time, we should also send some of our disciples to try their luck. "... At the peak of Tianmu Mountain, energy surged across the sky, and the vortex above the pond spun faster and faster, its waves crashing violently against the surrounding stone walls with thunderous roars. Moreover, due to the shifting energies of heaven and earth, thick clouds gathered above the summit, transforming the previously bright, sunny sky into a dense, overcast one. As for the changes in the sky, Jin Shi and Jin Gu were entirely unconcerned; their eyes remained fixed intently on the blood pool. In their senses, it seemed the absorption occurring at the pool’s depths had also reached its peak. "It's coming out..." Jin Shi said suddenly, his voice firm as he watched the water vortex spinning faster and faster. Boom! The moment his words fell, the surface of the water erupted violently—like countless bombs had been dropped—sending up towering water jets that surged skyward, bursting into splendor as if a downpour had begun beneath Tianmu Mountain. The water jets surged forth in overwhelming volume. Then, suddenly, a clear, resonant cry—like a crane's call—burst from the depths of the blood pool, carrying a surge of powerful qi, breaking through the surface and soaring straight into the heavens! Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. A clear, resonant roar, as if stirring the very heavens and earth, sent water jets erupting, space warping, and even the entire Tianmu Mountain trembling. Cracks radiating like a spiderweb swiftly spread around the volcanic crater, echoing with a deafening, continuous roar. Under the watchful gaze of countless eyes, the rain curtain stretching across the sky seemed to be gently parted by an invisible hand, automatically splitting open to reveal a celestial pathway. Between the rain curtain that had split asunder, a slender figure emerged slowly, his feet lightly resting upon the void, his body straight as a spear. The mighty aura radiating from within him surged forth like a celestial sword, piercing straight through the endless heavens above. "An Immortal Combatant..." Feeling the sheer strength of this aura, whispers of awe and admiration rose throughout the entire Tianmu Mountain Range.