Forced to Marry a Female Billionaire CEO-Chapter 579: Breakthrough Success?

I knew it would be like this, I just knew it!

Seeing Xu Ke begin his breakthrough, Shi Hongda felt a pain so sharp he could hardly breathe, like a knife twisting in his heart. Back at the auction, he knew that if Xu Ke obtained the Jade Mountain Lotus, a breakthrough would be a natural consequence. So, he had been ecstatic when Xu Ke risked his life, swallowing the Jade Mountain Lotus to use its medicinal power against Han Wang. Although Shi Hongda had been worried Xu Ke might die from the potent medicine, he also immediately realized something. This time, Xu Ke has definitely wasted the precious Jade Mountain Lotus.

Because no Acquired Martial Artist could possibly wolf down a Jade Mountain Lotus and successfully absorb its medicinal power to break through. Frankly, it would be a miracle just to survive eating it raw, let alone break through.

But now, Xu Ke had slapped him hard across the face with the truth—he could break through even after swallowing it whole, and even while being beaten.

Shi Hongda looked as if he was mourning his own parents, overcome with despair.

Beside him, Bai Qian'er and the other two were stunned.

Bai Qian'er gasped in shock, "He broke through just like that? Doesn't that mean he'll reach the Innate realm by twenty-five?"

Hearing this, Fang Caizhe's heart skipped a beat, and his expression turned exceedingly ugly. Just then, both of them heard Duan Zhuo'er muttering to himself.

Damn it all, you can level up just by taking some medicine and getting beaten up? Is there really such a sweet deal in this world?

Suddenly, Duan Zhuo'er wanted to ask his father to mobilize the entire clan to find another Jade Mountain Lotus, then come find Xu Ke to give him a beating too...

Reaching the Innate realm in just two months? Isn't that way too fast?

The palms of the Yin and Yang Elders were slick with sweat. They had never even heard of a breakthrough speed like this; it was like riding a rocket.

BOOM—

Just then, another roar echoed from within Xu Ke's body, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, making people's hearts tremble with instinctive fear.

Everyone turned pale with fright once more. Damn it all, does breaking through to the Innate realm have to be so over-the-top?

Tang Yingchang was the most frightened of all. He was the closest, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he watched Xu Ke's face twitch with every thunderous roar. I've never heard of anyone's breakthrough to the Innate realm being as loud as a thunderstorm!

No one could have guessed that at this moment, having expelled all the medicinal power, Xu Ke was now locked in a desperate struggle with the thin remnants of Dragon Essence. The recent commotion was the sound of him subduing it. Tang Yingchang had only dispersed the medicinal power, not the Dragon Essence. Xu Ke still had to rely on his own strength to conquer it.

But one thing made him extremely uneasy. From when he had treated Zhou Hongsheng, he knew that Dragon Essence could absorb the life force of others to strengthen itself. And now, it seemed the Dragon Essence inside him had absorbed a considerable amount of power from being entangled with the medicinal energy for so long. Despite this, the difficulty of subduing it was less than it might have been. But one thing made Xu Ke feel fortunate: he had thankfully beaten a great deal of the Dragon Essence out of himself during his fight with Han Wang. This meant that while the Dragon Essence remaining in his body was potent, there wasn't much of it left.

With his current cultivation at the Acquired Great Perfection stage, he just needed to spend a bit more time to suppress it completely.

「Just then.」

"Brother Ye, quickly, help me stop his breakthrough!"

Seeing the huge commotion Xu Ke's breakthrough was causing, Han Wang could no longer sit still. He had to interrupt him! Xu Ke was already a handful as an Acquired Martial Artist, managing to injure him by borrowing the medicine's power. If Xu Ke truly reached the Innate realm, wouldn't he be able to thrash him like a dog? He would never allow such a thing to happen!

Besides, even ignoring the fact that Xu Ke could already harm him, the very idea of a twenty-five-year-old Innate Martial Artist was reason enough for Han Wang to stop his breakthrough.

"That's right! We said we'd let the little beast live, but we never said he could break through!" the Military Spike Assassin shouted and charged forward.

As he and Han Wang moved, Shi Hongda and the Yin and Yang Elders exchanged a look and immediately rushed forward as well. They couldn't just stand by and watch.

"How dare you?!"

Seeing this, Ghost Elder, who was still reeling from Xu Ke's breakthrough, roared in anger. His expression changed dramatically as he took a great stride to stand before them. His True Qi spilled from his body, forming a protective barrier as he fully activated his Iron Shell Divine Skill!

"You dare block us?" Han Wang sneered, raising his palm to strike. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

BANG—

A blast of True Qi shot from a distance, exploding into the ground and carving out a crater.

Everyone turned toward the source of the power. Tang Yingchang's eyes glinted with an icy light. He held up a hand and spoke slowly, "I am here. Who dares to approach?"

His aura was as sharp as a sword's edge. For a moment, it felt as if Tang Yingchang and his sky-piercing aura were the only things between heaven and earth. Everyone's heart lurched in shock. Tang Yingchang's aura was simply too powerful!

But quickly regaining his senses, Shi Hongda grumbled, "Tang Yingchang, who do you think you are? What's with the act? I'm also at Innate Great Perfection..." He couldn't stand that Tang Yingchang, another martial artist at Innate Great Perfection, could act so much more domineering than him.

"Shut up!" Han Wang barked, cutting him off before he could finish.

Shi Hongda froze, turning to glare at Han Wang in anger.

Han Wang's gaze remained fixed on Tang Yingchang as he charged again. "He's stalling for time to let Xu Ke break through! Don't be fooled! He's just one person! How can he stop all of us? He's all bluster and no substance! Get him!"

At his words, the others were startled, then it dawned on them. That's right! There's no way Tang Yingchang can stop us all. And he says, 'Who dares to approach?' He's just putting on a show to stall for time!

Thinking this, they all surged forward, swatting Ghost Elder aside with a casual blow. Ghost Elder cried out in pain.

Poison Elder tried to intervene, but his poisonous insects were blasted apart by their casual attacks, their remains fluttering down like confetti.

As for Duan Zhuo'er and his friends, they could only shout desperately, riddled with anxiety but powerless to do anything.

Only Fang Caizhe grew more and more ecstatic. It's only right for Xu Ke's breakthrough to fail!

Having broken through the obstruction, Han Wang immediately launched a blast of True Qi at Xu Ke from afar. Xu Ke's aura was steadily growing stronger... But unfortunately, Tang Yingchang immediately blocked the attack. The Military Spike Assassin and Shi Hongda launched several more ranged attacks.

Tang Yingchang frantically waved his arms to block them, his brow slick with sweat as he bellowed, "Stop right there!"

As Han Wang had guessed, he was indeed just putting on an act. After spending so much time with Xu Ke, he had picked up a trick or two for feigning importance to stall for time. But at this moment, he was on the verge of tears. How can Xu Ke fool them so easily, while I can't?

All Tang Yingchang could do now was pray for Xu Ke to succeed quickly.

"Get out of the way!" the Military Spike Assassin said coldly, drawing his spike.

In an instant, the Military Spike Assassin was almost upon them. Tang Yingchang's face fell; he couldn't stop him.

「Just then.」

"Don't come any closer," a voice suddenly rang out. "Or your antidote is gone!"

It was Xu Ke's voice. Everyone froze. Tang Yingchang couldn't help but turn back. He saw Xu Ke slowly getting to his feet, his expression placid.

Seeing this, Tang Yingchang was overjoyed. "You succeeded in your breakthrough?"

Shi Hongda's face went rigid, and despair flooded Han Wang's eyes.

Everyone's heart gave a heavy thud. We rushed over so desperately to stop him, and he still managed to break through? Hasn't it been less than three minutes? He actually succeeded?

In that moment, the group of old men almost burst into tears on the spot. Aren't you taking things too far, Xu Ke!