The news that Zhao Xing had been gravely injured and his life was hanging by a thread was being kept under semi-sealed status.
The order for Wei Tianchen's elimination had been publicly released, citing his possession of dangerous forbidden substances.
Within Great Zhou, only Ji Si knew the full picture. No one else had any clue.
The majority of Great Zhou's main forces were stationed in the Wangliang Star Region along the Langping Path, coordinating with the Wuye Army of the Northern River Legion.
A unit under Xia Jing's command had just encountered an unexpected battle.
In the void, a star continent ten thousand li in length drifted out from the chaotic spatial currents. It was lined with banners and filled with demonic energy. All sorts of crude and massive war machinery were deployed at the continent's edge. A vast number of wolf demons stood armed and armored, fully battle-ready.
They had appeared with no warning. By the time Xia Jing noticed them, they were already extremely close.
"That's the Demon King Pang Qi from the Heavenly Demon Nation. Dao Domain Realm of Life and Death. Roughly eighty thousand demon troops," Lu Ying glanced ahead and spoke to the person beside him.
"Any Demon Kings at the Reincarnation Realm?" Xia Jing asked.
"None," Lu Ying shook his head.
"Kill!" Xia Jing didn't waste time with talk. With a wave of his hand, light burst behind him, shooting out like command arrows and enveloping every soldier on the continent.
At that moment, Great Zhou's unique blood-essence battle formation rapidly took shape. A majestic figure appeared above the formation barrier—it was none other than Xia Jing.
The Mechanist formation only managed to fire three rounds of Sky Net Cannons before they had to stop.
There was no time to deploy large Dao Soldiers in a sudden skirmish. The situation quickly escalated into a full-on landing operation.
"Kill!"
Long Xiao's sword case unsheathed behind him. Over ten thousand golden swords flew out, forming a Minor Thousand Sword Formation. Around a thousand sword cultivators behind him unsheathed their swords in unison.
The Minor Thousand Sword Formation expanded into a Grand Thousand Sword Formation!
The star continent in space seemed to transform into a massive sword and launched the first strike.
"Void Winds."
Just as Long Xiao moved, Shennong Order Holder Heng Yuan behind him immediately led the Heavenly Timing Sect's Shennongs to unleash a group technique.
One by one, green whirlwinds surged from the chaotic spatial currents, some forming on the continent's periphery to create a defense line of Heavenly Timing.
These whirlwinds absorbed the incoming demon weapons and redirected them deep into the void.
"Pffft! Pffft! Pffft! Pffft!"
On the demon race's star continent, a group of slender wolf-headed spellcasters coughed up blood. They were all cultivators at the Five Elements Dao Domain Realm, responsible for maintaining the defense barrier. Now they were suffering backlash as human sword cultivators pierced the first layer of the defense.
"Roar!"
The great demon king Pang Qi unleashed his manifestation—a massive silver-white wolf head appeared at the front of the star continent, biting down on Long Xiao's blue-gold sword.
The offensive momentum stalled!
"Void Winds—go!"
Heng Yuan cast his spell again. A portion of the Void Winds turned into azure dragons, merging into Long Xiao's Grand Thousand Sword Formation.
With the fierce wind's support, the blue-gold sword regained speed and pierced through seven layers of the demon army's defensive formation.
The wolf head was impaled. The golden sword cut through all defenses, leaving a deep pit in the demon's star continent.
It was like piercing a hole through the atmosphere—an opening formed in the green barrier. A blue-gold tunnel now served as the landing route.
"Black Armor Army—charge with me!"
Xia Jing roared. Behind him, a thousand troops clad in black armor and riding giant dragons responded immediately.
"Roar!!"
The Black Armor Army leapt from the edge of the continent and dove into the tunnel.
In front of Lu Ying, several star mirrors embedded themselves into the ground.
Mechanical peaks across the Eastern Continent suddenly toppled sideways and transformed into massive drills surrounded by Yin and Yang energy, glowing brightly.
Even after this, Lu Ying still didn't feel secure. He stomped the ground.
A pulse spread into the earth.
"Chen Shijie! Impact in three quarters of an hour! Prepare for 'Land Submersion'!"
"Got it." A voice echoed from beneath the earth—Chen Shijie's voice.
As the sound arrived, the eastern side of the continent shed its rocky covering, revealing layers of pitch-black metallic peaks.
"Damn it… they actually managed to use eight corner peaks from the Interlayer Mountain Range to reinforce their star continent fortress. This must be Great Zhou's main force."
Seeing the blackened inverted peaks embedded deep into the void, Pang Qi instantly realized—this skirmish was not between equals.
To integrate the Interlayer Mountains into a star continent base, only Great Zhou's elite forces in the Northern River Legion had that capability.
"Break out!"
Pang Qi made an immediate decision to abandon the small star continent base.
Numerous Dao Domain cultivators gave up trying to evacuate with the star continent and instead retrieved their own Daofields to escape via realm vessels.
"They're already fleeing? Wolf demons really are slippery," Xia Jing chuckled when he saw seven or eight realm vessels lift off from the western side of the demon star continent.
"Chase them down! Don't let them escape!"
"The commanding general carries the biggest loot!"
Half a month later, in a shattered starbelt—
Thud~
The corpse of a massive silver-white celestial wolf crashed into a meteorite.
Seeing Pang Qi slain, Xia Jing glanced at Ye Yukong, who was now missing half an arm.
"All done. Report casualties from each division."
At that moment, Long Xiao landed on the meteorite, looking anxious.
"Xia Jing, did you see Aotian and the others?"
"No. Weren't Aotian and the rest following you?" Xia Jing was puzzled.
The Mountain Cat Aotian, Blue Hound Xiaotian, and the Upside-Down Goat Huantian had all been fighting alongside Long Xiao.
"They're gone!" Long Xiao's face fell. "If something happened, how am I supposed to face Zhao Xing?"
"Don't panic. They might just be off clearing the battlefield somewhere," Xia Jing tried to reassure him. "They're only at the Third Realm of Origin. Where could they even run off to?"
"Woof woof!"
"Meow!"
In the Heavenly Demon Nation—
Long ago, the ancestral gods of the demon race—those of the Heavenly Demon Nation, the Cangyue Demon Kingdom, the Wanhe Beast Kingdom, and the Devouring Star Beast Kingdom—had once fused their own Daos with that of the Xuanling Star Domain.
And back then, they had established a very specific rule:
Reception.
When beasts break through the Ascension Realm, Origin Realm, or Dao Domain Realm, a void passageway appears, guiding them to the territories of various demon nations.
These days, though, that guiding effect has weakened. By the time a breakthrough reaches the Dao Domain Realm, it can no longer draw in spirit beasts from the human territories.
Right now, near a gray-yellow realm star in the Wangliang Star Region along Langping Path—
Whoosh whoosh whoosh~
Three figures were darting through shattered stars. Suddenly, they entered a region where the spiritual energy index rose sharply.
"Meow?" A large cat with powerful limbs, sleek black-golden fur, and a metallic sheen paused, letting out a confused cry.
"Woof woof?" Beside it, a huge dog wreathed in red flame-like energy, and a pink-furred little goat also came to a stop.
Buzz~ Suddenly, three beams of spiritual energy condensed from the void, so dense they began forming liquid-like patterns. All three pets—Mountain Cat Aotian, Blue Hound Xiaotian, and Spirit Illusion Goat Huantian—were frozen in place.
Then, they began to break through uncontrollably.
The next moment, the beams extended deeper into the void and landed on the steps of a dark red palace. The three beasts' projected forms blurred.
Inside that dark red palace, a black mountain goat emerged. Its curved horns looked like they held both the sun and the moon.
It froze when it saw the three projections in the beams.
"How strange."
"That karmic battle among the humans—what was really going on? I got pulled into it too… yet the ones I ended up receiving were three spirit pets?"
This black goat, clearly at the Reincarnation Emperor level, sank into thought.
Moments later, it came to a realization.
"Looks like I only got the scraps. No idea what those human powerhouses were fighting for in the first place."
"Oh well, these three little ones are still demon race beings. I'll bring them back to the Demon God Temple first."
In the City of Scholars, after Zuo Qiyu handed Zhao Xing over to the designated scholar in charge, he initially planned to go rest.
But shortly after, he changed his mind. Turning to Feng Chen, he asked, "Wait—when exactly will Scholar Bowe appear?"
Feng Chen replied, "Grand Elder said he'll emerge from seclusion in three days. He'll personally conduct the first stage of ancient treatment on Zhao Xing to extend his survival."
"Oh." Zuo Qiyu nodded. "Can I observe from the side?"
"This…" Feng Chen hesitated for a second.
Zuo Qiyu continued, "After all, he's a genius of our Primordial Realm. Primordial Hill has strongly insisted that his safety be ensured."
"It's not that we don't trust the City of Scholars—just want to reassure those who care about him."
Feng Chen nodded in understanding. "I get it. But I'll need to ask Scholar Bowe first."
"Alright, I'll wait for your message."
Zuo Qiyu hadn't changed his mind out of kindness—it was because Zhao Xing had complained to Lord Lushan.
He didn't want to go through some secret treatment alone. At the very least, someone had to be present to observe.
Deep down, Zhao Xing didn't trust Bowe.
That guy had taken in a bunch of discarded scholars as subordinates and even secretly supported a group of demonic path scholars.
How could Zhao Xing rest easy, handing his true body over to someone like that, without anyone watching?
At Zhao Xing's firm request, Lord Lushan agreed. So Zuo Qiyu followed Feng Chen into a tall inner tower of the City of Scholars to wait.
Three days later, good news arrived.
"Zhao Xing, Bowe agreed to let Zuo Qiyu oversee the whole process."
"Right now, your true body is about to be placed in the Tenfold Cold Ice Coffin."
"The City of Scholars has been very cooperative—I think you were worrying too much."
Lord Lushan pointed at the star mirror. At that moment, Feng Chen's people were carrying the ice coffin, and he and Zuo Qiyu had already arrived in a world of snow and ice.
Snowflakes danced through the air. It looked freezing cold. Amid the white expanse, an icy crystal corridor stretched out.
It led toward an expansive glacier.
"What's wrong with my simulacrum?" Zhao Xing saw his replica changing constantly. Blood-colored vein-like marks writhed across its face.
His replica was expanding and cracking. The wounds split open and appeared completely dry.
At the same time, his residual soul felt a burning pain.
Before the Straw Puppet Technique completed its soul-splitting, Zhao Xing's remnant soul was still connected to his soul core and continued to be affected.
"Zuo Qiyu relayed the City of Scholars' assessment—they said your soul is undergoing decay."
"Your technique body is no longer under soul control and is reverting to your original physique."
"The Tenfold Cold Ice Coffin is a natural divine artifact. Though it's aged, and not as powerful as in the past, it can suppress the True Spirit Heavenly Poison within you and buy more treatment time."
"How much time can it buy?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Feng Chen said… around three hundred years at most," Lord Lushan replied. "If it can't be resolved in that time, then it's truly hopeless."
Three hundred years? Zhao Xing exhaled in relief.
In his past life, he remembered that martial artist had survived for about the same length of time.
That famous martial sect warrior was at the Reincarnation Emperor level—Zhao Xing was only at the Dao Domain Realm of Life and Death.
Under the True Spirit Heavenly Poison, everyone was equal.
Even with the Tenfold Cold Ice Coffin, at most it could delay death by three hundred years.
"If the True Spirit Heavenly Poison is already this terrifying… then what kind of level must the Desolate God Poison that Fan Qianrou suppressed be?"
Thinking about it now, that Seven-Star Dou Cabinet taken by the ancient physician really was dangerous.
"Wei Tianchen didn't get the Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method. I wonder if he can even open the deepest layer of the Seven-Star Dou Cabinet," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Now that his life had been extended for three centuries, he had room to think about other matters.
Like… getting the Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method from the Seven-Star Dou Cabinet.
"Could that be the key to unlocking the final layer of the cabinet?"
Zhao Xing began studying carefully.
But the truth wasn't what he had imagined.
The Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method didn't seem to be a technique for unlocking anything, but rather a sealing technique for anchoring power!
"So clever." Zhao Xing's remnant soul marveled aloud as he studied the method. "It's actually a method to strengthen one's technique body!"
"Of course. Fan Qianrou was willing to give her life to seal the Desolate God Poison—why would she leave a method to unseal it?"
"She used her own seven exquisite hearts to seal the poison. The anchoring seal itself reinforced those seven apertures."
"So naturally, this is a technique to strengthen the law-based body!"
Zhao Xing was ecstatic. A secret art left behind by someone at the Godhood Realm had to offer immense divine benefits.
Physicians also followed the path of techniques. This kind of technique-body strengthening method was exactly what he needed.
"If it were some martial artist's golden battle secret art, I wouldn't be able to train in it right now anyway. After all, this Straw Puppet avatar isn't a true physical body."
"Even if my original body recovers, I could only use it as reference."
"But this is cultivation of a technique body. It doesn't involve digging into divine potential within the flesh and blood. It's essentially a way to manipulate mana."
After a few months of studying, Zhao Xing developed some preliminary understanding.
"This current avatar I'm using is one of Zuo Qiyu's old silkworm-based constructs. Material-wise, it's not much weaker than the one I blew up before."
"The only difference is the structure."
Since he had practiced the same Straw Puppet technique, Zhao Xing's remnant soul could reside in the Silken Straw Puppet's body. But to truly control it, he had to fine-tune it to suit himself.
So for the next few months, Zhao Xing worked with complete focus, shaping the puppet into his own form until he achieved full control.
Once he reached that stage, he began studying the Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method in earnest.
"Yuu~"
As Zhao Xing activated the memories of the sealing method and officially began cultivating it, his remnant soul suddenly felt as if it had arrived in another dimension.
A streak of white light appeared, then started to split into seven distinct colors, like seven mighty rivers branching off endlessly.
"So the first step of the Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method… is to master this 'seven-colored mana'?"
"This is way too deep. Even a single color of mana seems to hold infinite laws—metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, time, space, light, darkness, death, life… it feels like everything is contained within!"
"So this is the Godhood Realm's supreme art?"
"Divine power is truly a realm beyond reach for mortals."
Zhao Xing couldn't calm his heart.
Right now, his feeling was like a mortal witnessing the splendor of the universe for the first time.
He couldn't understand it, but he was deeply shaken.
"Calm down!"
Zhao Xing took a deep breath and forced down his excitement.
He broke free from his awe, raised his head, and glanced at the star mirror—two and a half years had passed already.
"These divine-level techniques are too profound. I got lost in it for a moment and that much time slipped by. If I truly immerse myself, that might not be a good thing."
Too profound a path can sap one's spirit. It's easy to exhaust the mind and die from mental collapse.
Zhao Xing's remnant soul wasn't strong to begin with. In the face of this secret art, he had to be cautious.
Fan Qianrou's technique also involved karmic laws—he couldn't even describe them clearly, let alone articulate them. If anything happened to his remnant soul, others probably wouldn't even know the cause.
"Seven-colored mana contains countless laws. I can't just study it randomly—I need a strategy."
Fan Qianrou's Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method clearly assumed the discoverer would also be at the Godhood Realm, so there was no breakdown or instruction—just a full package of information delivered all at once.
If one were at the Godhood Realm, they could instantly understand it, master it, and use it to strengthen her final exquisite heart.
It never accounted for someone at the Dao Domain Realm of Life and Death receiving it.
"Of all these endless laws, I'll just take one scoop!"
"Thanks to Gu Luohe's guidance, what I'm best at is the Law of Life!"
"So I'll interpret the secret method through a single path—the Law of Life."
"If studying Fan Qianrou's sealing method is like solving a grand problem, then I choose to solve it using the avenue of Life."
"With this, I'll strive to understand her entire secret method."
Having chosen his direction, Zhao Xing calmed his mind and resumed his meditation.
He cast aside all external perceptions, keeping only his sense of the Law of Life as he dove into comprehension once more.
White divine power flickered like light, froze before him, then split into seven colors.
The seven-colored mana surged like a massive flood, dividing and rushing past. Soon, Zhao Xing's view was filled with nothing but a world of mana.
When he opened his eyes again, another two and a half years had gone by.
By now, more scholars had gathered around the Tenfold Cold Ice Coffin, pointing at his true body, seemingly discussing possible treatments.
[You have studied the 'Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method' and gained 1 point of proficiency.]
[Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method: Mana Chapter]
[Progress: 1/???]
Of course, the remnant soul could see the interface too. Zhao Xing glanced at the log and smiled faintly.
"Not bad. I'm on the right path."
"Even though the seven-colored mana still filled the world, leaving me with no foothold and draining my mind…"
"That's not a problem with the method—it's because my remnant soul is too weak."
The soul power of his remnant was naturally far inferior to his true body. Even if the quality was the same, the quantity was lacking.
"At first, I could interpret it using the Law of Life, but the remnant soul couldn't endure it and soon fell into chaos."
This state of chaos during comprehension meant that he seemed to grasp a lot of information—but none of it made coherent sense or yielded usable insight.
In other words, he wasted a lot of time in blind effort.
Also, the proficiency cap had shown a question mark, indicating this technique's level—and its limit—was incredibly high.
The progress bar also represented the approximate time it would take to learn a technique. And based on the current situation...
Just 1 point of proficiency had cost him five years. At this rate, with Zhao Xing's remaining lifespan, he might never master it before death.
"If I can't solve this problem, I might never finish learning it," Zhao Xing thought, quickly coming up with three ideas.
"One, use soul-type treasures—like the Soul Spirit Fruit from the Primordial Realm—to replenish what I lose."
"Two, keep cultivating the 'Reincarnation' secret method that Qing Yuzi gave me. It might toughen the remnant soul and help me last longer."
"Three, willpower-based methods. I got overwhelmed by the sight of so many laws—this counts as a mental challenge. Strengthen my mind, reduce spiritual drain, and maybe I can endure longer."
After thinking it through, Zhao Xing ultimately ruled out the second option.
Because at that moment, the scholars had already begun treatments on his true body. Cultivating the Reincarnation method might cause unknown effects on the body.
After all, the divine poison in his true spirit touched the soul itself.
Even though he was wary of Bowe and didn't want him knowing his remnant soul was still out there, he shouldn't make trouble for him. His life still depended on that man.
Besides, Lord Lushan and the Five Venom Emperor might not agree to let him fool around either.
"You want Soul Spirit Fruit? That makes sense. Using it to stabilize your remnant soul isn't a problem," Lord Lushan said.
"But why do you want to cultivate willpower divine abilities?" Lord Lushan frowned. "You've finally got a chance at survival. Don't do anything reckless."
Zhao Xing explained for a long time, but Lord Lushan still wouldn't agree.
Left with no choice, he played his final card.
"Martial Uncle, this poison I carry—Scholar City only recorded one case of it. The odds of success are slim."
"If I'm not saved even a hundred years from now… I might be gone for good."
"The [Tenfold Cold Ice Coffin] is already affecting my remnant soul. My thinking has grown sluggish. I don't want to muddle through the next three hundred years in a daze."
"Martial Uncle, I want to spend the last of my life finishing a theoretical manuscript… to complete A Theory on the Origins of the Triassic Boundary Mountains in the Mesozoic and contribute something—however small—to Primordial Hill…"
A Theory on the Origins of the Triassic Boundary Mountains in the Mesozoic and Zhao Clan's Eight Methods on Earth Mutation were both foundational writings within The Dao Manifest: Universal Earth Mutation Theory.
Lord Lushan clearly understood what Zhao Xing was aiming for.
However, getting a theoretical manuscript accepted into the archives took a long process.
Originally, Zhao Xing had a good chance of finishing it. But now—
Zhao Xing's speech nearly brought Lord Lushan to tears.
What a promising disciple! Even on the verge of death, still thinking about writing laws of geological mutation and shining light on Primordial Hill.
And now—brought to this miserable state by Wei Tianchen!
Looking at Zhao Xing's fragile form, Lord Lushan felt hatred toward the Gu Medicine branch so deep that even the seas couldn't wash it away.
Eyes red, he said, "Alright. Martial Uncle agrees. Whatever you need, I'll find it for you."
"But you mustn't talk about dying anymore. Scholar City's Fortune Elder Bowe—he's a genius beyond all scholars of past and present. You do have hope!"
"Yes." Zhao Xing bowed deeply. "This disciple will do his best to live."
From then on, Lord Lushan became Zhao Xing's full-time provider.
Zhao Xing asked for Soul Spirit Fruit? Lord Lushan went straight to the Five Venom Emperor and transplanted one hundred peak-grade Soul Spirit Trees to Crystal Island.
They were planted in the secluded space where Zhao Xing's remnant soul cultivated.
Zhao Xing asked for willpower divine abilities? Lord Lushan immediately collected countless rare willpower techniques, copied from the vaults of Primordial Hill, the Primordial Realm, the Source Heaven Palace, and the Reincarnation Divine Palace.
Given Zhao Xing's fragile state, every technique Lord Lushan selected was carefully chosen—not necessarily the most powerful, but definitely the most suited to Zhao Xing's current needs.
A dignified Reincarnation Emperor tending to him so thoroughly—Zhao Xing felt deeply grateful.
Once he survived, he vowed to repay Lord Lushan's kindness.
But for now, he didn't really plan to work on any theoretical manuscript.
What he truly wanted was to decode the Seven Aperture Heart Sealing Method.
Zhao Xing's instincts told him this secret art mattered far more.
By the fifth year, his remnant soul's training speed had picked up a little. In the eighth year, Zhao Xing gained his second point of proficiency.
Even with the endless support of Soul Spirit Fruit, Zhao Xing could only progress slightly faster while facing this divine-level technique.
But by the thirtieth year, something new had changed.
"My mental willpower has reached the peak of the First Tier," Zhao Xing realized after repeatedly sharpening himself through many methods. "That's the top level of someone newly entering the Reincarnation Realm."
"At the Dao Domain Realm of Life and Death, I already have ten realms of mana and First Tier willpower."
"Except for the fact that my soul hasn't evolved into a true spirit, and I haven't learned any rebirth techniques… I'm nearly the same as a normal Reincarnation Realm cultivator," Zhao Xing thought.
"But even so, it's still not enough for this divine method."
"If my willpower reaches the peak of the Second Tier, or even the Third Tier, then my cultivation speed might increase significantly."
"If my true body were whole, there would be many ways to speed up my mental breakthrough… but right now, there's no way to rush it."
Zhao Xing now understood that to master a divine method, stronger mental willpower was better.
But as things stood, his rate of improvement was already fast enough, so he calmed his mind and stopped pressing for more.
In the fifty-fifth year, Scholar City's Fortune Elder Bowe finally appeared before the [Tenfold Cold Ice Coffin].
This was his first appearance, having just returned from the Eighth Expansion Realm.
It also meant that treatment for Zhao Xing's true body had entered a critical stage.
"Primordial Envoy," Bowe said as he turned to the supervising Zuo Qiyu.
"Elder of Fortune," Zuo Qiyu greeted him respectfully.
Though Bowe was younger than him, five years ago, Bowe had already announced that he was able to enter the Eighth Expansion Realm!
This meant Bowe had become the first Fortune scholar in nearly a hundred eras among the younger generation to successfully enter the Eighth Expansion Realm.
A Fortune Elder of this level could be considered a demigod, with a status equal to other demigods!
"The preliminary preparations to treat Zhao Xing are complete. Now, I'll take him into the Eighth Expansion Realm." Bowe smiled warmly, with a gentle, approachable air.
"The Eighth Expansion Realm isn't convenient for the envoy to enter. I hope you'll understand."
"Elder, please proceed."
Zuo Qiyu had no reason to object.
The Eighth Expansion Realm was the core of Scholar City, long restricted to only Fortune Elders.
Bringing Zhao Xing in was already a major exception made by Scholar City.
They had come here asking for Scholar City's help in saving a life. How could they possibly make any more unreasonable requests?
"Very well. Envoy, please return to the residence and rest. Once there's good news, I'll have someone inform you immediately."
"Envoy, this way please." Feng Chen gestured to guide Zuo Qiyu.
With that, the Star Mirror's surveillance ended.
Once Zuo Qiyu had left, Bowe glanced at Zhao Xing within the [Tenfold Cold Ice Coffin], then waved his hand—he and the coffin disappeared together.
From that year onward, Zhao Xing could no longer see his true body's condition.
For the next month or two, he fell into a state of vague unease.
Bowe opening the Eighth Expansion Realm was a sign that the scholar deity descent phase had begun.
He didn't know whether Bowe had chosen him to be part of it—perhaps even dragged him into it without his consent.
A sense of helplessness surged through him.
Restless and uneasy, he found himself almost completely unable to cultivate for nearly two full months.
That was until, by chance, he overheard news about Ji Si. Ji Si had entered the "Causality Realm" for cultivation and officially become a disciple of the Celestial Master's Manor.
That brought some relief to Zhao Xing's unsettled mind.
"There really is fear between life and death." Thinking back on his mental state from those two months, Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh. "Those two months weren't a waste… it was a kind of training for the heart. And I'm not as fearless as I imagined."
It's easy to see through others, but hard to see through yourself.
After this experience—losing contact with his true body and facing fear of the unknown—Zhao Xing's mindset advanced again, breaking through to the Second Tier level.
Starting from the sixtieth year, his cultivation sped up significantly.
The seven-colored mana no longer made his remnant soul dazed or confused.
He got back as much as he put in.
By the hundredth year, Zhao Xing's mental willpower progressed from early Second Tier to mid-Second Tier.
Using the Path of Life and Death to comprehend seven-colored mana, he had already built up 39 proficiency points.
In the two hundred and ninth year, his mental willpower advanced to the peak of the Second Tier!
By that point, his proficiency had reached 100 points.
And at the moment he hit 100, Zhao Xing's remnant soul suddenly trembled.
The colors of the world faded away, leaving only the blue mana blooming in the sky like a flower.
Zhao Xing opened his eyes in joy and looked at the qi sea in the puppet body.
A wisp of blue mana was coiling there, blooming like a flower.
"It's finally done!"
The blue floral mana was just a single wisp, yet it forcefully expelled the existing mana within Zhao Xing's puppet body.
It gave off an overwhelming sense: either get assimilated, or be destroyed.
"Transform!"
Zhao Xing swallowed a Soul Spirit Fruit to strengthen his control over mana, and began converting the existing mana in his body into blue floral mana.
"Boom—"
Vast amounts of ordinary mana swirled around the blue floral mana within the puppet's dantian, undergoing a complete transformation.
Zhao Xing was dumbfounded.
"This puppet body of mine holds half the mana of my true body—five realms of mana—and all of that only got me two wisps of blue floral mana?"
What did that mean?
Zhao Xing's five realms of mana, if used in battle against a seasoned Reincarnation Realm cultivator, could easily last ten days to half a month.
But if you saw conversion as a single casting, then converting to blue floral mana… drained it all in an instant!
"Fan Qianrou's legacy technique really is divine-level. If I manage to fill my body entirely with blue floral mana, wouldn't my mana reserves be comparable to that of an Emperor-rank cultivator?"
But reality quickly humbled him.
After replenishing his spiritual energy and converting it into regular mana, Zhao Xing found he couldn't continue transforming it again.
Because his remnant soul couldn't handle controlling any more mana.
Still, he wasn't disappointed.
"It's not the technique's fault—it's mine!"
"My soul power is too weak, and my willpower is too low. That's why I can't control the third wisp."
"Alright, let's test its power."
Zhao Xing's training space had no actual combat testing tools, but the puppet body itself could serve as a test dummy.
He removed one rib from the puppet—the material was of upper-grade Origin Divine Weapon level.
"Whoosh—"
Zhao Xing tossed the rib out and used regular mana to cast [Five Finger Mountain].
The rib was unharmed, only slightly bent from the pressure.
Materials of Origin Divine Weapons couldn't be destroyed by cultivators at the Dao Domain Realm.
Even upper-tier materials were difficult for Reincarnation Realm lords to break without help from stronger tools. That was normal.
Next, Zhao Xing used one wisp of blue floral mana.
"Boom!"
The [Five Finger Mountain] hadn't even fully descended before the rib shattered into fragments—then crumbled into fine dust!
"Hiss—" Zhao Xing sucked in a breath. "Using the same [Five Finger Mountain]… blue floral mana actually crushed upper-grade Origin Divine Weapon material like nothing?"
"And I've only barely scratched the surface of one color from the seven-colored mana set… what happens if I master them all?"
"Wei Tianchen, you really caught me at the right time! You, you, you!!"