Without delay, Wu Yuan began practicing the Dragon Marrow Cleansing Technique, a method far more challenging than the Tiger Leopard Bone Training Technique. Though it was difficult, it allowed him to stimulate his internal organs at a deep level.
Soon, Wu Yuan found himself drenched in sweat.
Blood-red mist! Spiritual qi! Wu Yuan cultivated diligently, absorbing the ambient spiritual qi around him. The effects of the blood-red mist had diminished since Wu Yuan’s one-armed punch broke through the 800,000 catties threshold, but he could still absorb it in small quantities. Thus, his reserves of the mist remained abundant.
Hum~ Wu Yuan’s physical constitution steadily improved. Repeatedly practicing the Dragon Marrow Cleansing Technique, he could sense his internal organs nearing their limits.
Sitting down in the lotus position, he stopped absorbing the spiritual qi. Before him, a transparent crystal materialized out of thin air. The crystal, the size of a millstone, emitted an incredibly potent spiritual qi, hundreds or thousands of times more concentrated than what was produced by the spirit-gathering array. This was the Luminous Immortal Soil!
My body has been greatly stimulated; this is an opportunity for growth. Whether I absorb the spiritual qi or spiritual liquid, it’s too slow. Wu Yuan recalled the teachings of the Realm Master.
To a cultivator, what was the most precious resource? Time! One should never take their lifespan for granted. Cultivation was an uphill battle. Even if one could live for 10,000 years, each day was still precious. Only by progressing rapidly could the summit be within reach. Employing the Luminous Immortal Soil would only save him a day or two, but it was still worthwhile.
Guided by Wu Yuan’s formidable Soul Force, a substantial amount of pure energy contained within the Luminous Immortal Soil was assimilated into his body. Wu Yuan’s physical form underwent a radical transformation, gobbling up the energy like a voracious beast. Muscles, bones, skin, membranes, flesh, and blood all experienced a continuous metamorphosis. It was an evolution taken to extremes!
1.1 million catties! 1.2 million catties!…1.4 million catties!…1.8 million catties!
Wu Yuan’s single-arm strength crept ever closer to his human limits, increasing by several tens of thousands of catties with each passing day.
In terms of burst strength, Wu Yuan could now unleash a short-range punch with six million catties of force! It was enough to sweep through first and second-stage Qi Sea cultivators!
Summer reached its zenith. Billowing clouds shrouded the peak of Archeldritch Mountain, obscuring it from view.
Black Pagoda! Visualization! Wu Yuan sat cross-legged within the meditation chamber, his consciousness converging in on his upper dantian lobe as he Visualized the black pagoda.
Even now, he was not any closer to uncovering the mysteries behind the black pagoda. However, the act of Visualizing the black pagoda had propelled the growth of his soul, which advanced at an alarming pace. His rate of progress showed no signs of slowing, but rather began to speed up. It was truly astonishing!
My Soul Force has reached a range of ten li. Wu Yuan perceived the swift growth of his soul. It was due in part to the strengthening of his physical body reflecting on his soul’s development, but the main factor was still the Visualization of the black pagoda.
…
It was the onset of autumn. Just as dawn broke on the horizon, the hills were adorned in a tapestry of red and yellow, as if the very forests were dyed in layers of gold!
Atop Archeldritch Peak.
The solidity of the land is the wellspring of all life, accommodating all organisms. Wu Yuan reclined against a colossal boulder, focusing on the vastness of the world and sensing the grandeur of the land, boundless and limitless.
When Wu Yuan was not tempering his body, he spent most of his remaining time comprehending the Dao. Over the course of more than a year, streams of earthy-yellow light began to materialize around him. These were not actual qi currents, but the manifestation of the fusion of the profundity of the land and heaven and earth’s power!
The Domain stage appears to be within close reach.
When he first started, Wu Yuan was a little impatient, yet as he delved deeper into the profundity of the land, he became increasingly engrossed, unable to extricate himself. He truly found joy in lying down, quietly attuning himself to the profundity of the land. And with a tranquil state of mind, the cultivation of his body also accelerated.
…
Early spring of yet another year.
Deep within a mountain range, approximately 200 li from Cloudhill, a region spanning nearly 100 li had been designated as a forbidden zone by the Cloudstride Sect, prohibiting entry from passers-by.
Two figures floated high above the center of this mountain range. One was draped in regal purple robes, reminiscent of a noble lady, while the other wore black robes. Both looked at the mountain range below them. Standing approximately 10 li apart on the mountain range were two figures. One wore black battle armor, the other was garbed in earthy-yellow armor.
“Who do you believe will emerge victorious this time?” Bu Yu asked softly.
“It’s hard to say. Wu Yuan’s progress has been alarmingly swift,” Huan Jian mused. “Even with the strength of a third-stage Qi Sea cultivator, the ancestor may struggle to withstand his onslaught.”
Bu Yu and Huan Jian had both successfully unlocked their Qi Seas.
Boom! The earthy-yellow figure burst forth, crossing six li in the blink of an eye. The earth trembled beneath their feet, as the devastating shockwave carved a trench into the terrain, hurling rocks into disarray. Trees? They had long disappeared from this mountain range.
Boom! The figure in black armor responded by charging forth as well, covering several li in an instant. A chorus of golden radiance erupted around him.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! An army of gleaming, golden swords engulfed the sky. Then, they lunged toward the earthy-yellow figure.
Like an apparition, the earthy yellow figure twisted and flickered, somehow managing to dodge the storm of golden light without losing any speed. In the blink of an eye, he had closed the distance with the black-armored figure.
An earthy yellow blade ray flashed, as heavy as a thousand mountains. It whistled several li across the sky, heading straight for the figure in black armor. The black-armored figure retreated swiftly. Engaging in close combat with a body refiner? That was a death wish.
“Hundred Swords.” As the black-armored figure retreated, he formed a hand seal. Countless streams of light converged into a single terrifying sword light, then flew towards the earthy-yellow figure. It was an artifact!
Clang! Clang! Clang! The flying sword artifact was agile and unpredictable, attacking the earthy-yellow figure from all angles. The earthy yellow figure blocked the attack with his battle saber, but the onslaught reduced his speed, and he couldn’t keep up with his opponent for a brief moment.
“What a refined flying sword art!” Huan Jian marveled in a deep voice.
“Telekinesis.” Bu Yu said.
They had already started practicing the Telekinesis Art, but their execution was far from Fang Xia’s level.
“The battle saber in Wu Yuan’s hand is an eighth-grade spirit weapon newly forged by the ancestor. It’s far stronger than the Sunfury Saber,” Huan Jian said in a low voice. “Moreover, Wu Yuan’s body technique has grown stronger compared to a month ago.”
“Mm,” Bu Yu nodded slightly and sighed. “The rate of Wu Yuan’s progress is truly astonishing, he hasn’t even stepped into the Communion phase.”
Even the thought of it was enough to send goosebumps throughout their skin. He hadn’t even become a true transcendent, yet he was already this strong. Once he truly transcended mortality, what kind of transformation would his strength undergo?
In the midst of the exchange between Bu Yu and Huan Jian, the outcome of the battle below was determined.
Swoosh! The flying sword artifact gradually lost its vigor after countless fierce collisions, its essentia depleted to the last drop. Meanwhile, the figure in earthy yellow didn’t look the slightest bit tired. Clutching his saber, he exuded an indomitable aura.
Seizing the instant that the flying sword returned to its owner, the figure in earthy yellow sprang into action. With a mighty slash, a giant crevice several li long was slashed open. The black armored figure had no way to avoid the attack!
Swiftly, he propelled himself into the air, narrowly evading the blade ray. A chuckle escaped his lips as he conceded, “I admit defeat.”