Once that was over, Su Zimo no longer paid attention to the sect competition in the square. Gripping spirit stones in both hands, he calmed down and recovered spirit energy.

Even though he had expended his spirit and mental energy completely to refine Blood Quencher, his cultivation realm that was stuck for a long time was also showing signs of breaking through!

Currently, Su Zimo was at late-stage Foundation Establishment, a single step away from perfected Foundation Establishment!

Nearing noon, the weapon refinement segment was concluded and the names on the Weapon Ranking were out.

Xue Yi did not manage to leave his name on the Weapon Ranking. However, he gained some insights from Su Zimo’s weapon refinement process and had successfully refined a middle-grade spirit weapon as well. As such, he was extremely elated.

In another ten years, he would have a chance to contend for a spot on the Weapon Ranking as well!

A mysterious light surged through the Weapon Ranking jade pillar in the northwestern corner, causing names to surface one after another – Su Zimo’s was at the top.

After the competition for the Weapon Ranking was over, there was a short break before the competition for the Talisman Ranking.

Leng Rou was the one Ethereal Peak was sending out for the Talisman Ranking competition.

She was not weak to begin with and was already a three meridian Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Furthermore, she had a strong talent in terms of talisman crafting and was the only from Ethereal Peak who had a shot at leaving a name on the Talisman Ranking.

Indeed, after the Talisman Ranking segment was over, Leng Rou managed to suppress all the other cultivators and her name was at the top of the jade pillar in the southwest corner!

Right from the beginning, Leng Rou had already attracted much attention given her cold and aloof appearance that made her look like a fairy descending on the mortal realm. Now that she had obtained the first spot on the Talisman Ranking, she naturally drew even more admiration from everyone else.

Xue Yi smiled. “Congratulations, Junior Sister Leng.”

“You’re so amazing! You’re taking a number one spot just like bro!” Little fatty raised his thumb and praised.

“Yes,” Leng Rou replied with an indifferent expression, as though even obtaining number one on the Talisman Ranking did nothing to stir her heart.

For some reason, Shen Mengqi felt upset when she caught sight of that.

Spectator area.

Many Golden Cores congratulated and toasted Xuan Yi and Liu Hui one after another.

“Congratulations, congratulations!”

“Number one on two ranking lists! That’s Ethereal Peak for you.”

Xuan Yi pretended to be reserved and replied humbly, “Not at all. It’s just luck, haha!”

Even though he said that, Xuan Yi was long overjoyed and his face was shining brightly.

Liu Hui added, “We didn’t bring many disciples this time round. There’s not much hope left for the Elixir and Spirit Rankings.”

“That’s not true, fellow Daoist. The fact that Ethereal Peak has obtained number one in two ranking lists is more than enough to make you guys famous through the entire Great Zhou Dynasty after the sect competition!” A Golden Core replied hurriedly.

In reality, Xuan Yi and Liu Hui understood that the fact that they obtained number one on two ranking lists was only part of the reason why these Golden Cores were coming forth to congratulate them – the main reason was due to Su Zimo.

Most cultivators would still want to be on good terms with a Weapon Refinement Master who could refine perfect spirit weapons.

True Fire Sect had tried to assassinate Su Zimo countless times – that was a blood feud and was difficult to resolve.

Perfected Being Cang Lang and Su Zimo’s grudge was even deeper.

Perfected Being Cang Lang of Iridescent Clouds Palace, Sima Zhi and everyone else from True Fire Sect were expressionless. Their eyes would flash with occasional cold glints when they looked at Su Zimo and they would exchange glances between one another, seemingly plotting something.

Perfected Being Yun Shan of Southern Mountains Sect frowned in deep thought.

Right then, Su Zimo, who was initially resting with his eyes closed, shuddered and his aura rose sharply. The spirit energy within his body surged and spewed out!

“Hmm?”

Everyone felt it and turned to their sides.

It was a breakthrough?

Perfected Foundation Establishment!

Xuan Yi and Liu Hui were delighted and nodded repeatedly.

Su Zimo was still not opening his eyes after a while as his spirit energy surged and was almost gathering a storm. Instead of calming down, things were getting more intense!

“This is…”

“He’s unlocking the spirit meridians directly!”

Throughout history, there had always been monstrous geniuses with exceptional talent that could make use of the momentum of breaking through to perfected Foundation Establishment to unlock spirit meridians.

Of course, that was something extremely difficult to achieve and only a rare few people could unlock their spirit meridians while breaking through to perfected stage.

Even if they were in possession of heaven or variant spirit roots, it was still difficult to achieve unless they cultivated some unique secret skills.

Perfected Being Cang Lang’s heart skipped a beat.

This was an extremely rare opportunity. If he could secretly interrupt Su Zimo’s breakthrough process and injure his foundation severely, the latter’s cultivation path in the future would be ruined!

Foundation Establishment, as the name suggests, was the process of building a foundation. It was the most important and that was why there was the saying of unlocking eight meridians.

The more meridians one unlocked, the more stable their foundation would be and the greater their chances of breaking through to Golden Core realm or even producing Golden Core phenomenons.

If there was a problem with the process of Foundation Establishment, that would be equivalent to crippling one’s path of cultivation by half.

Just as Perfected Being Cang Lang was pondering over it, the emperor suddenly waved his sleeves. Su Zimo was dragged along with his chair to the emperor’s side before being let down gently.

Throughout the entire process, Su Zimo was not disturbed in the slightest bit.

The emperor’s intention was clear – he was warning those with ulterior motives that they should not harbor designs on Su Zimo!

Expressionlessly, the emperor looked towards Iridescent Clouds Palace.

Perfected Being Cang Lang felt guilty and pulled away the moment he met gazes with the emperor.

Boom!

Suddenly, a dull thud sounded from Su Zimo’s body. Under the cover of his green robes, a spirit meridian shone brightly and appeared indistinctly.

Within just a few dozens of seconds, he had unlocked a spirit meridian!

Xuan Yi nodded silently.

That was the benefit of cultivating Ethereal Peak Foundation Establishment. In the past, there were even people in the sect who managed to unlcok two spirit meridians at one go when breaking through to perfected Foundation Establishment!

A look of approval flashed across the emperor’s eyes as he nodded.

A moment later, the aura in Su Zimo’s body was still rising and spirit energy gushed through his spirit meridian like a tidal wave.

“This…”

“Could he be trying to unlock the second spirit meridian?”

“Ethereal Peak’s three major secret skills are truly impressive.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Explosions sounded from Su Zimo’s body repeatedly.

Indeed, his spirit energy surged like a tsunami in a terrifying manner and was charging towards a second spirit meridian!

Each time his spirit energy coursed through, his meridians would expand.

The meridians in his body were like river channels.

If his initial spirit energy was compared to a stream, it was now like a massive river with a surging momentum after it was expanded!

Boom!

Yet another dull thud.

A second meridian appeared.

“He did it!”

Xuan Yi clenched his fists and cheered softly.

As the spirit energy in Su Zimo’s body gradually calmed down, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

All of a sudden!

An even more terrifying aura burst forth and a third spirit meridian appeared faintly beneath his green robes!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The charging was still continuing.

The retraction earlier on was merely to accumulate strength. Once the accumulation was done, it would burst forth for a third spirit meridian in an even more ferocious manner!

This time, even Xuan Yi was flabbergasted.

Was he trying to unlock three spirit meridians in one go?

The emperor’s mouth opened slightly as shock flashed across his eyes.

Gu Xi looked over as well, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.

What spirit root did that Su Zimo possess?

How could the spirit energy that he had cultivated be so pure?