This battle, slaying many in the Merging Realm, yielded significant maturity, and for Li Che, this was the greatest gain.

However, after the Dao Fruit reached Level 8, it became increasingly difficult to progress further.

A slight movement in his heart.

Before his eyes, the golden light appeared slowly, like condensed smoke.

[Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (Level 8, 93%)]

After breaking through to the Profound Immortal, the maturity requirement of the Dao Fruit grew even higher.

Slaying those in the Merging Realm now provided much less maturity for the Dao Fruit.

The maturity acquisition of the Dao Fruit is related to Li Che’s own combat power.

If he defeated stronger opponents while being weaker, his Dao Fruit maturity would increase more.

Now that he became a Profound Immortal, slaying those in the Merging Realm barely increased the maturity at all.

However, better than nothing.

"Soon."

Li Che’s eyes were bright, nearing the threshold of transformation, causing his heart to surge with excitement.

Boom——!!!

On the Seventh Island.

The deities watching the battle were already chilled to the bone, quickly fleeing towards the Transmission Array Platform.

However, Li Che and Tuoba Long had little interest in these deities who had ignited the divine fire.

They were even too lazy to take action.

As the battle concluded, Li Che took a glance, sat cross-legged, using the fervent divine cultivation after slaying those in the Merging Realm with Xi Xi.

Then, with a gentle smile, he refrained from disturbing the children.

Turning, he walked with Tuoba Long towards the direction of the eighth teleportation platform.

Both had a large number of Divine Treasure Orders in hand, certainly enough to exchange for ample resources.

They strolled together on the Seventh Island, passing through the dense blood mist to reach the array platform.

Li Che glanced at Tuoba Long, "Earth Village isn’t weak, not inferior to the Ten Ancient Villages. You should know the situation of the Daughter of Prison Lotus... why do you still protect her?"

Walking side by side, Li Che inquired of Tuoba Long.

Tuoba Long, hearing this, smiled, "Xi Xi was brought back by the Elder Ye. In truth, at that time, we didn’t know Xi Xi was the Daughter of Prison Lotus."

"If we had known then that Xi Xi was the Daughter of Prison Lotus... with the Elder Ye’s temperament, he probably would still have saved her."

"Mainly, seeing the little girl at that time, injured, mentally shocked, and in slumber, the Elder Ye truly couldn’t just leave a nine-year-old girl to die."

Tuoba Long sighed.

"After Elder Ye brought Xi Xi back to the Ancient Village, the chief sensed Xi Xi’s uniqueness, feeling the power of the curse on her, determining she was the Daughter of Prison Lotus."

"But at that time, our Earth Village could not abandon Xi Xi, throwing a sleeping little girl into extremely dangerous lands was inhumane."

"The chief, ultimately compassionate, decided to save Xi Xi with the Elder Ye."

Li Che, hearing Tuoba Long’s explanation, immediately understood in his heart.

"But... rescuing the Daughter of Prison Lotus means bringing doom upon Earth Village, doesn’t that make you regret it?"

Li Che asked.

"Regret... even the Elder Ye regrets it now."

"Because of saving the Daughter of Prison Lotus, Earth Village became a target, and now, it is heard that the three Great Gods Camps have organized an army to break Earth Village."

"Perhaps... we’ve traded for a lot of resources on this trip, but we might not make it back to the village."

Tuoba Long said in silence.

"But letting a nine-year-old girl like Xi Xi sacrifice herself for the safety of Earth Village isn’t something we cultivators from Earth Village can bear!"

"Earth Village won’t abandon any child!"

Tuoba Long spoke with passion, his fighting spirit soaring.

"At Earth Village now, the strong from the three Great Gods Camps have begun their campaign, Ji Shaohao, Shi Shaokya, and Fu Shaosi, the powerful commanders of the three Divine Beings with the Immortal First Generation bloodline, it’s bound to be dangerous."

Li Che spoke up.

Tuoba Long suddenly quieted down, a little silent.

He let out a long sigh.

"I heard that those ancient village aces want to disturb Xi Xi’s will, making her feel guilty, fall, and accept the Prison Lotus Curse..."

"But this matter is roughly true."

Tuoba Long’s voice seemed hoarse.

Suddenly, Tuoba Long looked at Li Che, his eyes gleaming, "Brother, your strength isn’t weak. Might I trouble you to look after the Daughter of Prison Lotus for us at Earth Village in the future?"

"By the way, besides Xi Xi, there are Tuoba Xiu and Tuoba Li... they are considered the bloodline of Earth Village, hoping for their continuation."

"After the Thousand Village Divine Gambling Battle, I will return to Earth Village with the Elder Ye to fight the final battle!"

"Originally, after the Thousand Village Divine Gambling Battle, Elder Ye planned to return on his own, but... now that we have your help in caring for the Daughter of Prison Lotus, I... naturally can’t be a deserter!"

Tuoba Long was filled with fighting spirit, no fear in his eyes.

Li Che took a deep breath, feeling mixed emotions in his heart.

Earth Village is indeed different from the other ancient villages...

However, Li Che thought there must be deeper reasons.

Li Che looked at Tuoba Long, slightly furrowing his brows, "You protect the Daughter of Prison Lotus so much; there must be a deeper reason, right?"

Tuoba Long, hearing this, hesitated for a moment.

"Perhaps this could be a reason..."

"The chief once said, Earth Village... originated from the ’Prison Lotus Land’, began with the first Divine Tide, ancestors once followed the first-generation Daughter of Prison Lotus."

"But later... the Daughter of Prison Lotus fell, and Earth Village was moved out of Prison Lotus Land by our ancestors because if Earth Village continued to stay in Prison Lotus Land, it would perish with the end of a Divine Tide due to the Prison Lotus Curse!"