As time went by, the forces of the Barren State were twisted into a group. They were all cultivating in the palace, and so they all advanced rapidly.
Hua Jieyu was the first to make a breakthrough, catching up with Ye Futian and stepping up to the level of mid-level sages. In that battle she and Ye Futian had joined forces. Her understanding had become the deepest it had ever been, and she was able to use the power of a saint within her. After the battle she had once again collapsed. Fortune and misfortune depended on one another, and she made her breakthrough less than a year later.
Of course, Ye Futian himself also advanced quite a lot, and his understanding of rule power grew a bit deeper. He felt that he was not far away from the upper-sage level.