Gu Qingli returned to the Gu household, her heart filled with quiet satisfaction. Yet she had no intention of relying solely on Shao Yan's assistance.
Having already reached the level of an Eight-Star Grand Warrior, with her strength long since refined and accumulated, she was now fully prepared to attempt a breakthrough to the Ninth Star.
The Grand Warrior Pill she had previously obtained from the Patriarch had remained unused—carefully preserved for a decisive moment such as this. Though the pill offered a sixty percent chance of advancement, Gu Qingli had chosen to wait, determined to make the most of its potent energy and not let a trace go to waste.
Night had settled peacefully over the Gu residence. The modest courtyard belonging to her small family of three was cloaked in serene stillness.
Clad in flowing white robes, Gu Qingli sat cross-legged atop her bed, and with a swift motion, placed the Grand Warrior Pill upon her tongue.
It dissolved instantly.
The moment it entered her body, its medicinal power surged forth like a torrent of molten heat, flooding her limbs and bones in an overwhelming wave.
The pill's potency lived up to its formidable reputation—transforming rapidly into blazing streams of energy that roared through her meridians with unstoppable force.
Such overwhelming energy was nothing short of tyrannical.
No wonder it was famed for aiding cultivators in breaching their limits.
The immense power coursed wildly through her frame, still untamed and unclaimed. Beads of cold sweat gathered upon her pale, porcelain forehead, and her face turned ashen, nearly translucent.
This was the moment of truth—where endurance would determine everything.
With sufficient resolve, the breakthrough was within her grasp.
A closer look revealed that faint glimmers of azure light were pulsing rhythmically across her body.
As this was her first time consuming a cultivation pill, her body absorbed the essence with remarkable efficiency. The frenzied energy within was swiftly subdued by sheer force of will.
Then came the slow, deliberate process of refining.
Though pills offered a shortcut, maintaining a solid foundation was essential. Gu Qingli knew that only by tempering her true energy over time could she ensure her future path remained unwavering.
Thus, she calmed her mind and focused wholly on the delicate, repeated act of purification.
Time passed, minute by quiet minute.
Gradually, the swelling ache in her muscles faded, and the chaotic energy began to settle, flowing with newfound serenity through her meridians.
Then, as the power reached its critical mass, a sharp, crystalline sound echoed within the room—
—like the shattering of glass.
In that instant, a brilliant surge of emerald light erupted from Gu Qingli's body, illuminating the entire chamber with its radiant glow.
She slowly opened her eyes, and within their depths, a luminous green light flickered—far richer and deeper than before. Warmth flooded her body, leaving her bathed in comfort and ease.
The atmosphere trembled subtly. Beneath her, a resplendent silver halo took form, shimmering with the profound breath of heaven and earth.
As it materialized, the halo cast its silvery brilliance across the room, enveloping it completely in divine light.
Within that ethereal circle, the green radiance shone ever brighter—until it suffused the space entirely.
Then, as the ambient energy continued to coalesce, two silver longswords gradually emerged within the ring. Between them, a single, blazing character took shape—
Nine.
A serene smile blossomed across Gu Qingli's face.
She had succeeded.
She had ascended to the rank of a Nine-Star Grand Warrior.
If news of a twelve-year-old achieving such a feat were to spread, it would surely leave the world dumbfounded. On the vast and ancient Shen'gu Continent, such unparalleled genius was exceedingly rare—nothing short of legendary.