Time passed silently in seclusion.
In the second year, Su Qingyue came again.
She wanted to tell Gu Qing that two more of the Star Spirit Physiques who entered with them had been crippled by outer sect disciples and died from their injuries.
But Gu Qing still had not emerged.
She hesitated, then spoke with Ji Ning.
Yet after pouring her heart out, she did not feel the relief or lightness she usually did.
Instead, there was a strange, awkward emotion.
"You will get used to it. Cultivation has always been defying the heavens, fighting fate, seizing destiny. A single misstep means death and the Dao extinguished.
"There are as many cultivators as grains of sand in a river, all striving for longevity and freedom. But since ancient times, how many have truly attained it?"
Ji Ning's voice was calm, yet carried bitterness and desolation.
"What you say is true, Senior."
Su Qingyue listened, silent as she looked at Gu Qing's sealed cave.
After a long while, she left without a word.
"Senior Brother really is a cultivation fanatic. I must not slacken either." She resolved to go into seclusion for a year and study the Lunar Dao Scripture.
A year later, she broke through to the Profound Core Realm, even solidifying her foundation. Her combat power became peerless, invincible among her peers.
Thus she succeeded the title of Saintess.
Her fame spread through the Star Temple, and countless suitors pursued her.
Even renowned prodigies offered to become her followers.
But she ignored them all, instead coming alone once more to Gu Qing's cave.
In three years, she had visited often. Every time she sat quietly outside, her heart grew calm.
"If only Senior Brother came out. He would surely listen to my stories," Su Qingyue whispered as she gazed at the cave hidden in misty arrays.
She murmured in her heart: "Senior Brother, the Star Temple is vast, boundless, filled with countless secret realms and small worlds. I entered several, fraught with danger, and was gravely injured. If not for the treasures Master gave me, I would never have returned.
"And… all the others who came with us are dead, except one. I hear he married an elder's daughter.
"I became Saintess… many pursue me, but I like none.
"I can refuse everyone—except the Sacred Son. He is too troublesome, and I do not know how to drive him away. He sends me cultivation resources again and again. At first I returned them, but the more I refused, the more he sent. Finally, in anger, I threw them to Honghong.
"You do not know who Honghong is, Senior Brother? She is my little pet pig, pink and plump, very cute…"
"This girl… has she made this place her heart's refuge?" Ji Ning thought, watching Su Qingyue's changes, faintly envious.
With her broad experience, she saw clearly.
The girl was alone and uncertain, unconsciously taking Gu Qing as her support.
After all, they were fellow disciples. In time, they might accompany each other for life and become Dao partners.
Dao partners were not necessarily husband and wife.
They could be kindred spirits, fellow disciples bound in trust, even close as master and kin.
They were companions upon the path of cultivation.
Boom—!
Just as Su Qingyue rose to leave, the heavens thundered. Chaos energy surged, golden lotuses bloomed in the void, Dao sounds lingered.
Stars were born and perished in the chaos.
"What is happening?"
"What phenomenon is this? Has someone awakened a divine body?"
"Huh, why has the vision vanished? Did the awakening fail?"
Disciples of the Star Temple muttered, secretly delighted.
A failed awakening meant one less rival, making their own brilliance shine brighter.
But the high elders knew this was no failure.
A Saint-realm power had deliberately veiled the heavenly signs.
Just as when someone awakened the Starry Cosmos Divine Body, the vision vanished swiftly under concealment.
Those ancient monsters were secretly nurturing peerless prodigies.
"Senior Ji Ning, has Senior Brother achieved perfection?" Su Qingyue asked in delight.
"It should be so," Ji Ning said, her calm face betraying excitement.
"This boy's physique has transformed. Compared to the Starry Cosmos Divine Body, there is now a chaos vision as well."
"Does anyone know what he has become?"
"Old Ancestor, you've lived the longest and cultivated the highest. Surely you know?"
"…"
What did longevity have to do with this?
It was not as though they had never read the library.
He pondered a while, then asked, "Zhimeng, did you give him a Star Fruit?"
The sly fox… Zhimeng paused, then replied, "Yes. Could it be related to the Star Fruit?"
Excellent—she had tossed the ball back.
He thought, then spoke: "As is well known, above supreme physiques are forbidden physiques. This looks very much like the Chaos Star Body. Do you all agree?"
That "as is well known" was particularly shrewd.
They knew well enough about forbidden physiques, yet still played along.
"Old Ancestor speaks truly."
"Then have we not cultivated a peerless, unique Chaos Star Body?"
After a moment of silence, everyone nodded in agreement.
"Hahaha, good! In this golden age, destiny rests with our Star Temple."
"Zhimeng, you must spare no effort in raising him," the Old Ancestor solemnly instructed.
"Rest assured, Old Ancestor, I know my priorities," Zhimeng replied, though inwardly speechless.
It was simply the Starry Cosmos Divine Body evolving further, producing a rare vision.
Why spout nonsense about a forbidden physique? Could they not admit ignorance?
These old fossils, hiding in their coffins to evade heavenly tribulation, had nothing better to do but boast until their lies reached the heavens.
Still, Gu Qing's talent indeed seemed worthy of bearing this era's destiny.
Inside the secluded cave, Gu Qing completed his nirvana, then summoned his foster father and pulled up his attribute panel.
[Name] Gu Qing
[Realm] Profound Core Realm, First Level
[Physique] Supreme Dao Bone, Chaos Star Body (Evolving… twelve percent)
[Talent] Innate Dao Seed, Unparalleled Through the Ages
[Fate Pattern] Variable
[Fate Number] Unknown
[Fortune] One hundred and five thousand
[Martial Skills] Lone Goose Halberd Art, Primordial Unity Halberd Art, Tiger Soul Halberd Art, Wandering Dragon Movement, Breath-Concealing Technique
[Innate Divine Abilities] Chaos Treasure Seal, Yin-Yang Wheel, Star-Plucking Hand
[Treasures] Golden Tiger Halberd, Tiger Soul Halberd, Reincarnation Halberd, Heaven and Earth Sword
[Techniques] Chaos Undying Scripture (Newly Created)
"Three years in seclusion, such immense harvests," Gu Qing thought, satisfied.
In the first year, he absorbed all the treasure liquid.
He broke through to the ninth level of the Purple Mansion Realm, while his divine sea and Undying Heavenly Art true essence had accumulated to the volume of one hundred spirit pools.
The Starry Cosmos Codex true essence likewise reached one hundred layers.
The Yin-Yang origin energy amassed to one thousand layers.
Meanwhile, his physique transformed, his resilience comparable to a yellow-grade artifact.
Even his Dao Bone evolved.
Seeing such a foundation, Gu Qing decisively merged his techniques.
Yet fusing three supreme divine arts was no easy task. Each alone demanded a lifetime of study.
Fortunately, his Dao Bone aided him, immersing him in the vast ocean of the Great Dao, always in a state of enlightenment, pushing the fusion forward.
Within a year, he integrated the Yin-Yang Dao Song, the Undying Heavenly Art, and the Starry Cosmos Codex.
Though only at an initial stage, it would be enough to support cultivation up to the Spirit Refining Realm.
In the final year, he underwent nirvana, shedding the old shell and transforming into the Chaos Star Body.
Thus he awakened his innate divine abilities: Chaos Treasure Seal, Yin-Yang Wheel, and Star-Plucking Hand.
Each arose from the three divine arts, naturally manifesting during his transformation.
They were now his innate talents, like abilities one was born with.
The Chaos Treasure Seal held boundless power, able to devour all, refine the life's learning of others as his own, suppress space-time, and stand above all Dao. It was nearly an invincible divine art.
The Yin-Yang Wheel could sweep across all things, assimilating them into Yin-Yang origin.
The Star-Plucking Hand could cross endless space-time, seize stars and moons, and strike down foes.
Looking inward, Gu Qing saw in his boundless dantian a chaos-colored core floating amidst swirling chaotic qi, radiating mysterious Dao rhythm, ancient and profound, like the source of the Great Dao itself.
His Chaos Core could merge any attribute technique, unleash any divine ability, and always with power greater than the original.
He withdrew his gaze and sent a voice transmission: "He Ni, have you rebuilt your body?"
"Not yet, but soon—no more than three months," He Ni's ethereal voice replied, tinged with joy.
"Then I wish you success in advance."
"Yes… all thanks to the treasure liquid you gave me…"
Gu Qing only smiled. If thanks were due, he owed her instead.
For the Small-Thousand Sword Art was an unparalleled divine art, far beyond what mere resources could trade for.
He changed the subject. "He Ni, is the Small-Thousand Sword Art your innate divine ability? If it is inconvenient to answer, forget I asked."
"It is not," He Ni said calmly.
"Then if I cultivate it, can I awaken a sword-path innate divine ability?" Gu Qing asked, somewhat disappointed.
If the Three Thousand Sword Art had been an innate divine ability, then by cultivating it, his next nirvana might have birthed three thousand apertures and caves, nurturing peerless swords.
"You will!" He Ni replied firmly, then explained:
"In truth, once the Small-Thousand Sword Art reaches minor completion, it is no different from an innate divine ability. Man and sword become one. As your cultivation rises, its power grows in tandem."
Hearing this, Gu Qing understood. This was truly a heaven-defying art.
And with his nirvana method, able to break and remake himself, he might one day evolve it into his own innate divine ability, nurturing a supreme divine sword.
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