The Zhuo Ling Qi was a strange essence, refined by the Old Fisherman using his second-rank authority as a Dragon-Fishing cultivator. It was drawn from the void, its raw power ground down and purified.
Though it resembled pure primal qi, it carried within it a faint trace of spatial Dao, allowing Spiritual Constructs that had never left their realm to come into early contact with the power of the void.
On the path of cultivation, once a cultivator reached the fifth rank, they were required to begin sensing and wielding the void's strength.
To ascend to the Star-Seizing Realm, one had to project their power beyond the boundaries of their world, attune with the stars, and leave behind an anchor in the void that marked their existence.
At the upper three ranks, mastery over void power was not just useful, it was indispensable.
Thus, this Zhuo Ling Qi was considered one of the most precious resources for forging the Dao.
The quarter bowl Jing Qian had obtained was by no means meager enough to temper five Spiritual Constructs.
He divided it into three portions: one for the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal, one for the Qingping Sword Casket, and one infused into the Xili Seal within his inner Void World.
Then he focused his mind upon the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal, carefully probing this fundamental Spiritual Construct reborn through a Heavenly Mandate.
Once the Zhuo Ling Qi fused into it, the strange seal felt as though a hidden membrane had been stripped away, and it interacted with Jing Qian with newfound clarity.
The bottleneck it had faced as a Root of Self-Quest was suddenly broken.
Previously, limited by Jing Qian's cultivation, the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal could only rise as high as the eighth rank.
But after being washed by Zhuo Ling Qi, that restriction no longer applied. So long as Jing Qian possessed the strength and resources, he could now elevate the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal beyond his own current level.
Immediately, the void aura within the Zhuo Ling Qi surged forth.
After the Ghost Seal had been reborn as the Heavenly Mandate Yanfu Seal, the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal now doubled the empowerment it granted to the six great Life Patterns imprinted upon it.
Each Pattern's powers were fundamentally enhanced, proving the supreme rank of a Heavenly Mandate Seal.
Beyond that, the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal bestowed Jing Qian with a peculiar authority: the ability to connect with a certain cave-heaven.
Yet that cave-heaven remained sealed, inaccessible to his current cultivation. For now, he could only wait until he was stronger.
The void aura contained within the Zhuo Ling Qi was completely consumed by the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal.
With that infusion, the Spiritual Construct leapt straight into the seventh rank.
For most Spiritual Constructs, the void attribute would be priceless. But for Jing Qian, who already wielded the Heavenly Mandate Sumeru, such spatial mastery was almost trivial.
Through Sumeru, he could not only grasp void power in depth, but he had already ventured into the void itself and even crossed paths with the entity known as No-Eyes.
That was a level most fifth-rank Earth Fiends could never touch.
Thus, the Zhuo Ling Qi's true value for the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal lay only in breaking its upper limit.
Once Jing Qian had fully refined the first portion, he immediately turned his focus to the Qingping Sword Casket, beginning another cycle of tempering.
Across the seven battles, the Sword Casket had earned great merit. It was the cornerstone of his ability to cut down foes far beyond his realm.
After all, none of his opponents had fought with only their own cultivation. Every one of them had fought with cheat-like inheritances, children of great sects.
In that company of scions, Jing Qian was a true grassroots upstart, with no elder backing him. Without the Qingping Sword Casket raising his limits, his outcome might have been no better than Ling Mingji's.
The Sword Casket's potential was nearly boundless. In the seven battles, Jing Qian had not once touched its upper limit.
His final sword, born from the destruction of his Void World, had genuinely reached the third rank.
Though such a strike was one he could never reproduce in the mortal world, it proved the terrifying depth of the Sword Casket.
It could absorb all his power, resonated perfectly with the cultivation path of the Yanfu Dao, and was the very foundation of his strength.
Now, as the Sword Casket absorbed Zhuo Ling Qi, it too shattered its bottleneck as a Root of Self-Quest, its ceiling pushed higher.
In fact, because of the sheer immensity of sword qi housed within, the Sword Casket underwent a direct metamorphosis, leaping to the seventh rank outright.
Jing Qian could clearly sense that the primal sword qi within had grown once more.
The divine abilities inscribed upon the Sword Casket were likewise greatly strengthened.
His combat power had risen in a way that could be plainly felt.
As for the void aura contained in this share of Zhuo Ling Qi for Jing Qian, who already wielded Sumeru, it held little value. He simply infused it into the Sword Casket's inner space, expanding its capacity.
With that, both the Revolving Heavenly Son Seal and the Qingping Sword Casket had been refined by the Zhuo Ling Qi, transforming the gains of Zhuo Ling Cave-Heaven into tangible strength.
Truly, these two Spiritual Constructs were mighty enough to be held back only by his cultivation, not their own limits.
Jing Qian shifted his divine sense and entered the Stele of Fate's space once more.
With two of his Spiritual Constructs having just advanced, it was time to find a good target to test their newfound power.
Outside the safe zone, the great demon Qiongqi still lay curled up, eyes closed, quietly resting.
After his trial in the Zhuo Ling Cave-Heaven, Jing Qian realized how much he had been underestimating himself. The rebirth ability of the Stele of Fate was not unlike the resurrection mechanics of the Doctrinal Victory illusion.
If he had pushed himself to his true limits earlier, he might already have slain this Qiongqi beneath his sword!
Now, in the stele's domain, he attempted to recreate the strongest sword strike he had unleashed in his duel with Ying Hao.
Step by step, he detonated his powers, yet he quickly discovered that the two Outer-Moon Spiritual Constructs could not manifest within this space.
The Stele of Fate rejected any beings with independent consciousness.
Lacking that material, he couldn't fully reproduce his strongest sword.
Still, against a passive, unresisting fourth-rank Qiongqi, Jing Qian's combined detonation of his two Spiritual Constructs and his inner Void Realm was more than enough to carve it down with ease.
In an instant, a flood of life essence surged into his soul, expanding his limits once again.
Even more precious was a sliver of the great beast's memory, extracted from the Qiongqi's projection and absorbed into Jing Qian's mind.
"Oh?"
"Interesting."
The knowledge hidden within that memory intrigued him greatly. He recorded it down at once.
Then, without lingering, he slipped back out of the stele space and plunged into his Void Realm.
The moment he arrived, vibrant qi currents gathered eagerly around his body, as though welcoming their master home.
Since fusing with the Origin Qi of Yin, this inner world now possessed its own independent Qi source, an astonishing change.
By concentration alone, its qi density had already surpassed that of the Hunzou Prefecture.
This pleased Jing Qian greatly. This was his foundation, after all.
Yet before he could savor the transformation, his attention was pulled elsewhere.
In one corner of the realm, the raccoon cat Xi Li was rolling miserably on the ground, crying loudly.
The moment it saw Jing Qian, it rushed over to complain:
"Master! That damned sprout you planted isn't just stealing our qi, it even stole the share of Zhuo Ling Qi that was rightfully mine, meow!"
"I'm furious! I risked my life in the Cave-Heaven and spilled blood; those spoils should be mine too!"
"Master, you can't just let this slide!"
Suppressing a frown, Jing Qian walked over to the Yin Hollow, where the "gifted" Spiritual Construct had been planted.
This was no ordinary seedling; it was the offspring of a second-rank Void Mother Tree, a status beyond imagination.
With his current strength, he could only worship it like a living ancestor, not control it.
Now, after devouring Xi Li's share of Zhuo Ling Qi, the Good Corn had changed visibly.
Once just an inch tall, it had grown to over three inches.
At its crown, a crystal-clear cob had formed barely the size of a fingertip.
And there, nestled upon it, was a single corn kernel.
The sprout swayed from side to side above the qi core, wriggling shamelessly.
When Jing Qian drew near, before he could even speak, the Good Corn suddenly opened its mouth:
"So, you are this generation's Yanfu Heir?"
"My father sent me here to aid you on your path to Dao."
"He and Lord No-Eyes are waiting for you in the Western Heaven."
"Work hard when you've cultivated enough to fish the void, you'll join them."
The little thing's voice was soft, like an infant's babble, yet its tone was full of paternal weight, as though lecturing him.
Jing Qian studied the strange, lively Spiritual Construct and probed its inner reserves. Its power was laughably meager, barely eighth rank, weaker even than Xi Li.
He asked bluntly:
"And who is your father? What qualifications do you have to 'aid me on my Dao'?"
The Good Corn twisted its tiny stalk proudly and said:
"You mean you don't know who my father is?"
"He is none other than the greatest guardian spirit of the Yanfu Dao, ranked in the sacred nursery just behind the Other-Shore Flower, the Ghost Vine, the Lotus of the Yellow Springs, the Blood Bodhi Seed, the Infernal Flame Banyan."
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Jing Qian cut it off, exasperated. Clearly, this little corn sprout wasn't very bright; its boasting was almost exposing its father's mediocrity.
If it had to list half a dozen names ranked above its father before getting to him, then the "True Corn" was hardly a peak existence.
"Just tell me about your father. Spare me the bragging."
The Good Corn, annoyed at being interrupted, pouted but finally said:
"My father, the True Corn, is a second-rank immortal root. He followed Lord No-Eyes across the Northern and Western Heavens, burning, plundering, killing, ravishing, looting, committing every imaginable atrocity!"
If you don't know how to use idioms properly, best not to try...
"I've inherited my father's true teachings. I can produce Good Corn Seeds, the finest bait for fishing the void."
"Doesn't matter if it's great demons, devils, fairies, or buddhas, they'll all bite!"
"I've already eaten one dose of your Zhuo Ling Qi, and in return, I've produced a seed for you. Not bad, right? Pretty capable, eh?"
"Very capable, no one more capable than you!"
In Jing Qian's mind, the little corn sprout's intelligence rating had already fallen below Xi Li's. But when it came to humoring it, he could spin lies without hesitation.
The sprout wriggled proudly and pressed on:
"So, when do we start fishing? Where's your rod and tackle?"
"This'll be my very first time fishing the void, there's bound to be good luck!"
"My dad said there's a 'newbie protection period'. Works like a charm!"
"Oh, and you'll have to give me a proper set of domain coordinates, otherwise it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. My mana won't last long enough without it, and no fish will ever bite."
The sprout was practically trembling with excitement.
But clearly, it had no idea how things really stood. Jing Qian, this so-called Yanfu Heir was just bluffing. Fishing the void was a lofty art passed down only by rank-two powers. He hadn't even begun to learn it.
He scoffed aloud:
"Fishing the void? That's a technique only rank-two beings can manage. You think you're qualified to dabble in that? What's next, using yourself as the bait?"
The little sprout bristled, clearly insulted:
"What nonsense! Among the countless races of the heavens and worlds, none know fishing better than my clan!"
Jing Qian couldn't quite refute that. He hadn't fished much himself, but even he knew that corn made decent bait.
At that moment, the Good Corn summoned every shred of mana in its body. With great effort, it squeezed out a strange booklet and tossed it toward him.
Jing Qian quickly pulled it in with his Worldly Insight technique. As the book merged into his sea of consciousness, words flashed across his mind:
"Rivers, Lakes, and Seas: 177 Case Studies of Fishing the Void by True Corn the Great Sage."
"Those who eat my flesh, ease my burdens;
Those who know my heart, hook dragons and catch phoenixes."
Before he could study it closely, the little sprout piped up again:
"This is one of our clan's greatest treasures. My father gave it to me when I left home. Now it's yours. Study it well, and you'll understand the depth of our heritage."
Clownish or not, the sprout wasn't wrong; the manual was extraordinary.
Jing Qian skimmed it and quickly saw that it was packed with detailed cases and practical instructions on fishing the void. For someone like him, completely new to the art, it was invaluable.
According to the book, even with just eighth-rank cultivation, so long as he had a cave-heaven, the Sumeru Heavenly Mandate, and Good Corn for bait, he already had everything needed to begin.
And fishing the void wasn't just some gimmick. For any cultivator, it was the most efficient way to stockpile resources and nourish their cave-heavens. The sooner one learned, the more one catches, the greater the foundation.
Jing Qian had seen the old angler haul up a Qiongqi firsthand. Ever since, he had longed to try it himself. He never expected to encounter such advanced knowledge so soon.
This Good Corn had come at exactly the right time. Its value for his path ahead was immense.
He said:
"Give me some time to study this manual carefully. Then I'll discuss it with you."
"In the meantime, take this domain beacon and fuse it into your seed. For now, this is the only cave-heaven marker I have. If we fish, that's the target we'll use."
The sprout bobbed and answered:
"Then hurry! The more you fish, the faster your cultivation will rise. Oh, and bring me more spirit energy. I'll need plenty to produce more seeds."
Jing Qian ignored that last demand. He simply conjured a spatial beacon and tossed it to the sprout.
This beacon was fresh from the slain Qiongqi enough to directly anchor them to the beast's home domain, sparing endless wandering through the void.
The sprout's newly formed consciousness was still immature. Though born of a Void Mother Tree, it was far from grown.
It accepted the beacon, then promptly fell asleep, rooted at the core of the yin qi, greedily absorbing energy to cultivate.
In time, it would condense more kernels to use as bait. And if even one fishing attempt succeeded, the spoils would easily outweigh the cost.
Jing Qian then turned toward Xi Li, who had been eavesdropping the whole time.
"Don't panic. This little corn's background is formidable. Better you stay on good terms with it, keep it happy."
"As for this dose of Zhuo Ling Qi, refine it quickly this time. Don't let it get stolen again."
With that, he split off a measure of spiritual energy and handed it to the cat.
Xi Li gulped it down and dove straight into the Void Furnace to refine it.
At last, Jing Qian had processed all the gains from the Zhuo Ling Cave-Heaven.
Looking back over the extraordinary journey, his heart surged with excitement.
Among his peers, he had stood his ground, nearly unmatched. A century of effort had forged a powerful foundation.
Now, with no distractions left, he could focus entirely on condensing his Dharma-Manifestation, advancing toward the realm of Dragon Elephant Completion.
Within the Dao Book of the Nether Cycle of Yanfu, the methods for forming the Dharma-Manifestation were countless. Over his hundred years of study, he had already mastered them thoroughly.
With his current foundation, Jing Qian could easily dive into any suitable yin cavern, pick up an ordinary secret art, and condense a dharma-phantasm on the spot.
But if he wanted to form a truly powerful dharma manifestation, one that could keep pushing the limits of his cultivation, he would need to polish himself further.
He still had gaps in his Life Measure, waiting to be filled with the right life patterns.
And for those remaining slots, he already had a clear plan.
Jing Qian pulled up his elaborate personal status screen and fell into thought:
[Host: Jing Qian]
Lifespan: 132 years
Life Measure: 7 taels 6 qian / 11 taels 3 qian
Life Essence: 156 × 5.1 (Azure Wings)
Spiritual Construct: Revolving Heavenly Son Seal, Qingping Sword Casket, Xi Li Divine Seal
Heavenly Patterns: Sumeru, Qingping Edge, Bian Yuan Weiyang, Hell Scroll (21 Ghosts), Yanfu Seal, Origin Qi · Yin
Missing Heavenly Patterns: Worldly Insight, Tushita Furnace
Life Patterns: Flesh-Growing Sprout (Violet), Tidal Surge (Half-Violet), Soul-Weaver (Violet), Ghost Wall (Violet), Ghostly Qi (Violet), Nether Qi (Violet), Lifespan (Half-Gold 8d 6h/day)
Thanks to his three major Spiritual Construct splitting the tally, the actual life patterns consuming his quota were only six:
Origin Qi · Yin – 1 tael 5 qian
Worldly Insight – 1 tael 4 qian
Tidal Surge – 1 tael 2 qian
Soul-Weaver – 1 tael 1 qian
Ghostly Qi – 1 tael 2 qian
Nether Qi – 1 tael 2 qian
This left him with 3 taels 6 qian of unused capacity, enough to condense at least three more life patterns.
According to his plan, he would wait until he acquired the inheritance of Pure Yang Ruins, then choose sword-path life patterns that would vastly increase his combat power.
That was the most fitting path for his long-term development, as confirmed by Worldly Insight.
The Yanfu Dao had given him a solid foundation, but behind it lay terrifying karmic debts.
Only overwhelming strength could cut through those chains.
His goal was clear; he aimed straight at the Academy Sacrificial Banquet!
For him, it was the next great threshold on the path of cultivation, one he could not afford to fail.
He leapt out of the Void Realm, streaking toward Haizhou.
There, a special waterway led directly to Yingdu. He would rest briefly, then head for the imperial capital.
His escape light flew like a dragon, slipping between dimensional layers to mask his trail.
As he sped along, Jing Qian removed the Nine-Linked Heart Ghosts from his body.
Each sub-ghost was linked to a Sumeru beacon, borrowing the power of both Sumeru and Bian Yuan Unending, then scattered in different directions.
Four sped toward the Sea of Resentful Souls, hunting for great ghosts.
Five dived into the deep sea, seeking great sea demons.
His Sumeru life pattern had grown tremendously. It now supported twelve spatial beacons, and the mana cost of shifting between them had dropped by more than ninety percent.
With his current mana reserves and recovery speed, he could cross continents almost freely.
Those nine ghosts were like worker bees sent to gather nectar. Once they found prey, he could leap across continents, harvest the resources, and move on.
It didn't slow down his journey to the imperial capital in the slightest, a perfect two-birds-one-stone strategy.
As he traveled, Jing Qian could feel the ambient qi density rising steadily.
When he was still five thousand li from Haizhou, the spiritual concentration already surpassed that of Hunzhou's prefectural core.
This was the true foundation of the upper continents of the Divine Dynasty
Whether qi density, heritage, resources, or population, everything utterly dwarfed the lower military provinces.
Another three thousand li ahead, Jing Qian dismissed his escape light and landed on the sea. With a flick of the Void Realm, he summoned the Dingyuan and Hunyi ships.
Two ghosts emerged, borrowing the power of the Tidal Surge pattern to steer the vessels forward.
Jing Qian lay stretched on the deck of the Hunyi, pulling out Rivers, Lakes, and Seas: Guerrilla Fishing, carefully studying the art of fishing the void.
The ships sailed on, the qi density still climbing. After a day's voyage, a vast Fate Island rose before him.
From afar, the landmass looked as large as Hunzhou Island, but its depth was in another league altogether.
A colossal Cloud Bamboo, tens of thousands of feet tall, pierced the heavens at the island's heart. Even a hundred li away, one could see it looming against the sky.
Endless terrestrial qi was drawn into its roots, refined into pure spiritual essence, and spread across the entire Purple Bamboo Island.
At the base of the Cloud Bamboo lay the compound of Cihang Monastery.
With his sharp eyes, Jing Qian could see clearly: the bamboo's roots covered the island completely, and countless bamboo houses were built directly upon them.
People lived their lives literally atop the body of this fourth-grade Cloud Bamboo.
Even more striking, a waterfall of unimaginable length poured down from the clouds above, crashing into a lake on the island's southwest.
And that waterfall flowing upward into the sky was none other than the Heavenly River Waterway, the channel that connected Yingdu to all twelve upper continents.
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