The residence allocated to the Northern Territory remained illuminated when Feng Li and Feng Xue finally returned from the streets of Guan Capital. The sky above the Capital had already begun darkening, yet the city itself showed little intention of sleeping. Even from within the residence, distant sounds occasionally drifted through the night, carrying the movements of carriages, cultivators, and the countless people who still occupied the enormous streets outside.
The walk through the market had given Feng Li considerably more to think about than he had initially expected. Guan Capital was not merely larger than Emerald City. The difference between the two places had revealed itself through countless details, from the cultivation resources displayed openly upon ordinary stalls to the casual manner in which Yuan Stones changed hands between cultivators. The wider world possessed its own rules, and Feng Li had only just begun seeing them.
Feng Xue walked beside him as they entered the courtyard, her attention briefly moving toward the surrounding residences where several participants from the Northern Territory could still be seen. Some had immediately returned to their rooms to cultivate, apparently unwilling to waste even a moment before the Martial Intake Challenge began, while others remained gathered within the courtyard discussing the Capital and the young geniuses they had encountered since arriving.
Their return did not attract much attention. Most of those present had already grown accustomed to seeing Feng Li and Feng Xue together, and after spending the day walking through Guan Capital, Feng Xue appeared considerably more relaxed than she had when they first entered the city. She slowed her steps slightly before looking toward him and asked, "You are going to cultivate tonight, aren't you?" Although she phrased it as a question, her expression suggested that she had already reached the answer herself.
Feng Li glanced at her and allowed a faint smile to appear on his face. "You say that as though I have another plan." Feng Xue immediately looked at him with an expression that made it clear she found his response entirely predictable. "I know you well enough to know that you would not walk around Guan Capital, discover that everyone here possesses more resources than we do, and then peacefully go to sleep." For a moment, Feng Li could not immediately argue with her reasoning, and when Feng Xue noticed his silence, a trace of amusement appeared in her eyes.
"I was right." Feng Li shook his head slightly. "You make it sound as though I have been personally offended by Yuan Stones." Feng Xue did not hesitate. "You asked someone whether she accepted gold." "That was a reasonable question," Feng Li replied, but Feng Xue merely continued, "It was a question that made you discover how poor we are." Feng Li could only shake his head with an expression of mild helplessness. "We are not poor. We simply possess the wrong currency."
That answer finally made Feng Xue smile, but before either of them could continue the conversation, footsteps approached from the other side of the courtyard. One of the older participants from the Northern Territory passed nearby while speaking with another young cultivator, and several words from their conversation caused both Feng Li and Feng Xue to turn their attention toward them. "The challenge begins tomorrow," the young man was saying. "The elders have already received confirmation." Feng Xue's expression changed immediately, while Feng Li also looked toward the two cultivators.
When the young man noticed them listening, he didn't seem particularly surprised and asked, "You did not know?" Feng Xue shook her head slightly. "We were outside." Understanding appeared on the young man's face as he explained, "The Martial Intake Challenge begins the day after tomorrow. Everyone is expected to gather before sunrise, and the details of the first stage will apparently be announced after all the selected participants have assembled."
Feng Li nodded slightly and thanked him before the young man returned the gesture and continued on his way. Feng Li and Feng Xue were left standing quietly within the courtyard as the meaning of those words gradually settled between them. The journey to Guan Capital had felt long, and the days since their arrival had passed quickly, yet the competition they had travelled all this way to participate in was suddenly only a day away.
Feng Xue looked toward the darkening sky beyond the walls of the residence and quietly said, "The day after tomorrow." Feng Li followed her gaze before answering, "Yes." After a brief silence, Feng Xue turned back toward him. "You were planning to cultivate before the competition." Feng Li nodded. "I still am." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "There is only one day left."
A faint smile appeared on Feng Li's face, and Feng Xue stared at him for a moment before slowly understanding that he clearly had his own plans. There were things surrounding Feng Li that she did not understand, and although she had long stopped attempting to uncover every mystery connected to him, she could still recognize the expression he wore whenever he had already made a decision. "You have your own way of dealing with it," she finally said.
"That is usually the case," Feng Li replied. Feng Xue sighed softly, her earlier amusement returning slightly. "Sometimes I wonder whether asking you questions is useful." Feng Li looked toward her. "It depends on the question." "And the answer?" she asked immediately. "That depends on whether I want to answer." Feng Xue stared at him for several moments before shaking her head. "You really have become troublesome." Feng Li smiled faintly. "Have I?"
Despite the amusement remaining between them, Feng Xue gradually became serious again. "Whatever you are planning to do, do not push yourself too far. Tomorrow is important." Feng Li looked at her quietly. Her words were simple, but the concern behind them was genuine, and he understood that she was not simply speaking because of the Martial Intake Challenge.
They had both experienced enough since leaving Emerald City to understand that even the strongest cultivator could not always afford to be careless. "I know," Feng Li replied. Feng Xue nodded, and although she did not say much more, there were certain things between them that no longer required unnecessary explanations. "Then I will see you the day after tomorrow in the morning. Rest well." Feng Li nodded. "You too." With that, Feng Xue turned and walked toward her room, while Feng Li remained within the courtyard until she disappeared.
Only after Feng Xue had left did Feng Li return to his own residence. The moment the door closed behind him, the sounds of the outside world gradually became distant, and the quietness of the room allowed his thoughts to settle. Feng Li stood silently for several breaths before he entered the Nine Floor Divine Pagoda. The familiar sensation immediately surrounded him, and the world before his eyes changed.
The Second Floor of the Nine Floor Divine Pagoda remained as vast and mysterious as Feng Li remembered. The moment he entered, the difference between the Pagoda and the outside world became immediately apparent. The enormous space seemed almost endless, extending far beyond what the exterior of the Pagoda should have been capable of containing, while an ancient silence filled everything around him. Yet Feng Li could immediately sense that the silence was not truly empty. It possessed a strange vitality, as though the entire Second Floor existed according to its own ancient rhythm. Qi essence permeated the surrounding space.
It did not rush violently through the air like an uncontrolled storm, nor did it resemble the ordinary spiritual Qi he absorbed outside the Pagoda. The energy here was calmer and considerably purer, with faint currents of spiritual essence drifting through the enormous space like translucent mist before occasionally gathering and separating again.
Feng Li stood quietly for a moment while observing his surroundings before the mysterious elder's voice eventually appeared within the ancient silence. "So, you have finally come to understand that endlessly advancing is not always a sign of intelligence." Feng Li looked toward the space before him and smiled faintly. "Senior, you make it sound as though I have spent my entire life recklessly breaking through." The elder gave a disdainful snort. "You have not spent your entire life cultivating long enough for that to become possible. But considering what you have already managed to do in such a short period of time, I believe I am entitled to worry."
Feng Li's smile deepened slightly. "Senior worries about me?" The mysterious elder immediately became silent, and Feng Li could almost imagine the expression the old man would have worn if he possessed a visible body before him. After a brief pause, the elder finally replied, "Do not become pleased with yourself, brat. If you destroy your foundation, who will I have left to listen to?"
"That is a rather touching reason," Feng Li said with a faint laugh, only for the elder to immediately respond, "Silence." Feng Li's laughter briefly disturbed the ancient stillness surrounding him, but after a moment, the amusement in his expression gradually faded. "My cultivation has advanced quickly," he said seriously. "Some of it came through my own cultivation, while some of it came through circumstances and battle.
My body has also been placed under pressure repeatedly. Before entering the Martial Intake Challenge, I do not want to continue moving forward with power that has not completely settled." The mysterious elder did not immediately respond, and when his voice finally returned, the usual sarcasm within it had faded slightly. "That is the correct way to think."
Feng Li nodded. "Then six days should be enough." The elder gave a low hum before replying, "Enough to stabilize what you have gained. Do not misunderstand stabilization for weakness, however. A stable foundation does not mean your cultivation becomes slower. It means that when you eventually move forward again, the ground beneath your feet will not collapse."
Feng Li's eyes became thoughtful because that was precisely what he wanted. Outside, only a single day remained before the Martial Intake Challenge began, but inside the Pagoda, he possessed six days, and those six days were more than enough for him to carefully settle everything he had gained.
Feng Li walked deeper into the Second Floor before eventually stopping at a place where the surrounding Qi essence was particularly dense. He did not immediately sit down. Instead, he remained standing quietly for several breaths, allowing his mind to settle completely. The events of recent days gradually passed through his thoughts, including the selection within Emerald City, Yun Li's arrival, the invitation from the Myriad Dao Sect, the journey toward Guan Capital, the young geniuses he had already encountered, the vastness of the Capital, and finally the strange fragment Fatty Chen had bought for him.
Each memory appeared briefly before becoming distant. Feng Li did not suppress them forcefully. Instead, he allowed his thoughts to settle naturally, and when his mind finally became calm, the distractions that had followed him into the Pagoda had already disappeared.
He slowly sat down cross-legged, allowing his breathing to become steady. The Second Floor gradually returned to complete silence, and then, above Feng Li's head, the Heaven Soul began to manifest. A milky-white cloud-like presence appeared in the air, its existence carrying a mysterious and profound feeling that did not belong to ordinary cultivation. At first, it remained calm, hovering silently above Feng Li without releasing any obvious power. Then it began rotating.
The movement was slow at first, almost gentle, and the surrounding Qi essence did not immediately react. However, as the Heaven Soul continued turning, the faintest current of spiritual essence moved toward Feng Li, followed by another and then more as the Qi essence within the Second Floor gradually began changing direction.
Feng Li remained completely motionless, his eyes closed and his consciousness already entering a deep state of meditation. The Heaven Soul's rotation continued accelerating, and its suction gradually became stronger. The gentle currents of Qi essence soon transformed into streams, while more and more spiritual essence was drawn toward the milky-white vortex above Feng Li's head before entering his body through the profound connection between the Heaven Soul and himself.
The moment the first wave of refined energy entered Feng Li's body, his golden meridians began responding. A faint golden light appeared beneath his skin as the Qi essence flowed through his internal pathways, travelling across the golden meridians before gradually changing. The originally colourless spiritual essence transformed into golden energy carrying a deeper and considerably more ancient aura than ordinary Qi.
The process continued without interruption. More Qi essence entered through the Heaven Soul, and more golden energy was refined within Feng Li's body. The Heaven Soul above his head rotated faster, its suction gradually becoming terrifying as Qi essence within a considerable distance began moving toward him at an increasing speed. The peaceful atmosphere of the Second Floor was slowly disturbed by the immense gathering of spiritual energy, but Feng Li did not allow himself to become careless.
His purpose was not to force his cultivation toward the next rank. Instead, he carefully guided the golden energy through his body, refusing to allow the enormous amount of refined Qi to accumulate chaotically. He circulated it repeatedly through his meridians, allowing every complete cycle to make the energy smoother, more refined, and more firmly connected to his foundation.
The Qi continued travelling through the pathways of his body before eventually entering his Immortal Core. Within that profound internal foundation, the golden energy churned continuously as it was compressed, refined, and purified. The enormous amount of energy Feng Li had accumulated through his recent cultivation and battles gradually began responding to the newly refined essence, while his foundation, which had remained powerful but still carried traces of rapid advancement, slowly began settling beneath the continuous refinement.
The process was not dramatic in the way an ordinary breakthrough would have been. In truth, it was considerably more difficult than simply forcing himself into a higher realm because Feng Li had to resist the natural pressure building within his cultivation.
Several times, the enormous amount of Qi essence gathered within him seemed to push toward advancement. His aura trembled faintly, and the barrier separating his current realm from the next stage became increasingly clear. Yet whenever the pressure approached its peak, Feng Li suppressed it. He refused to allow the accumulated power to rush forward, instead drawing it back, refining it once more, and circulating it through his body again.
The mysterious elder watched silently for a long time before his voice eventually appeared within Feng Li's consciousness. "Good. Most young cultivators would feel that pressure and become excited. They would believe a breakthrough standing before them is something that must immediately be seized." Feng Li did not respond because his concentration remained completely focused upon the golden energy moving through his body.
The elder continued, "But power taken before its foundation is prepared often becomes debt. Eventually, cultivation demands payment." His words entered Feng Li's mind but did not disturb his concentration. Time continued passing within the Second Floor, while the Qi essence continued gathering around him. Eventually, the internal foundations within Feng Li's body also began responding.
The Ten Decalight Beasts within his dantian gradually awakened, their enormous forms remaining ethereal and mysterious within the profound internal space. Their response to the refined golden essence was immediate, and one after another, they began absorbing the energy that entered Feng Li's internal world.
Their presence immediately placed additional pressure upon the cultivation process, causing the Heaven Soul above Feng Li to respond. Its rotation accelerated once more, and the Qi essence surrounding Feng Li surged toward it. What had begun as gentle streams eventually became powerful currents converging toward the Heaven Soul, while the spiritual mist surrounding the Second Floor was visibly drawn toward him. Feng Li's body remained completely still throughout the process, but inside him, an enormous cycle continued without rest.
The Heaven Soul absorbed the surrounding Qi essence, his golden meridians transformed it, the Immortal Core refined it, and the Ten Decalight Beasts consumed the energy that entered his internal world. Through it all, Feng Li continued suppressing every attempt by his cultivation to advance prematurely until the entire process of stabilization gradually became a battle against his own accumulated power.
Time passed within the Second Floor, and eventually Feng Li stopped counting it. At first, the cultivation process had been violent. Qi essence gathered toward him in enormous quantities while the Heaven Soul continued accelerating in response to the demands created by his internal foundations. Gradually, however, the situation began changing. The golden Qi circulating through Feng Li's meridians became calmer, and the pressure that had repeatedly attempted to force a breakthrough slowly weakened.
It was not because Feng Li had lost power. Instead, that power was finally settling into its proper place. What had previously been accumulated energy became refined energy, what had been restless became stable, and what had been powerful but difficult to control gradually became increasingly obedient.
Feng Li remained within the same meditative position as the days passed. The mysterious elder occasionally observed him in silence, and there were moments when the old man seemed as though he wanted to speak, only to remain quiet again. The Second Floor's Qi essence continued nourishing Feng Li, while his Heavenly Indestructible Divine Physique also responded subtly to the sustained pressure of cultivation.
The refined energy moving through his body did not simply pass through his meridians before disappearing into his internal foundations. Traces of that profound essence were absorbed by his flesh, while his muscles and bones endured the continuous pressure created by the circulation of such enormous energy.
His body gradually became more compact beneath the constant refinement, while his bones carried a faint golden lustre beneath the surface and the strength hidden within his flesh quietly increased. There was no violent advancement and no painful reconstruction like the earlier stages of cultivating the Heavenly Indestructible Divine Physique.
This was nourishment rather than transformation, a quiet strengthening born from six days of sustained cultivation and the immense pressure his body endured while supporting the circulation of such profound energy. The mysterious elder eventually broke the silence and said, "You are learning restraint."
Feng Li's eyes remained closed as a faint smile appeared on his face. "Senior makes that sound unusual." The elder did not hesitate before replying, "It is unusual." Feng Li smiled slightly more. "Perhaps I should be offended." "You are too busy cultivating," the elder replied, and Feng Li could not help responding, "Senior was the one speaking." The mysterious elder gave a dissatisfied snort. "You could have ignored me." Feng Li remained calm. "I could have."
The elder was silent for a moment before finally replying, "Do not become distracted." Feng Li's smile gradually disappeared as his consciousness returned completely to the circulation within his body. The elder also became silent again, although there was still a trace of amusement hidden within that silence.
By the time Feng Li finally opened his eyes, the Second Floor had returned to its original calmness. The Heaven Soul had disappeared, the enormous currents of Qi essence were gone, and the ancient spiritual mist once again drifted peacefully through the vast space. Feng Li remained seated for several moments, his expression calm as he slowly breathed before allowing his consciousness to examine his body.
The difference was immediately clear. His cultivation had not advanced, and he remained within the same realm, yet the feeling was entirely different. The golden Qi within his meridians moved with a smoothness it had not possessed before, while the power accumulated within his Immortal Core had settled completely.
The connection between his internal foundations no longer carried the faint instability created by rapid growth and repeated battles, and even his aura had become more restrained. Someone looking at Feng Li might not immediately sense that he had become stronger, and that was because Feng Li had not truly become stronger in the simple sense of increasing his realm. Instead, he had become more complete. His foundation had stabilized. He could feel that although he did not make a reakthrough but, his aura was no less than that of those who were early rank 9 Soul Transformation Realm masters.
Feng Li knew that his Qi cultivation was only one part of his strength. The Heavenly Indestructible Heavenly Physique followed a completely different path, and having reached the late stage of the First Cycle, the strength contained within his body was already comparable to that of an early Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. This power was not Qi that could be exhausted in battle, but strength that had been refined into his flesh, bones, and blood. Still, Feng Li understood that even his physique had its limits, for an attack powerful enough to exceed what his body could endure could still leave him seriously injured.
The mysterious elder's voice eventually appeared again. "Well?" Feng Li slowly stood up and replied, "It is done." The elder immediately asked, "Only now?" Feng Li glanced toward the space around him with a faint smile. "Senior watched me for six days." "I was bored," the elder replied without hesitation. Feng Li raised an eyebrow. "You could have slept." "I do not need sleep." Feng Li's expression remained calm. "Then that sounds unfortunate." Although their talk seemed short these days, the deep understanding they had was very natural.
The elder became silent, while Feng Li's faint smile returned. After several breaths, the mysterious elder finally spoke again. "Your foundation is stable. Do not immediately ruin six days of work by trying to fight someone beyond your cultivation tomorrow." Feng Li's expression became thoughtful before he replied, "I will try."
The elder's voice immediately became suspicious. "Try?" Feng Li smiled slightly. "Senior knows I cannot control who decides to fight me." The mysterious elder snorted. "That has never stopped you from finding trouble." Feng Li looked toward the space around him with complete seriousness. "I believe you are confusing me with someone else." The elder gave another cold snort, while Feng Li laughed quietly.
His gaze eventually shifted as another thought entered his mind. The fragment Fatty Chen had bought for him remained inside his storage space in the pagoda. Feng Li extended his hand, and a moment later, the broken piece of dark metal appeared within his palm. It looked exactly as it had within the market. Dark, corroded, and ancient, it appeared completely ordinary to the eye. Feng Li stared at it, and the mysterious elder immediately became quiet. That change did not escape Feng Li's notice. "Senior?" he asked, but no answer came.
Feng Li examined the fragment again. He had already used his spiritual sense to investigate it before, only to encounter strange resistance. The object had felt unusual, but he had been unable to determine exactly why. Now that his foundation had stabilized, however, his control over his Qi had become considerably smoother. Feng Li allowed a faint strand of golden Qi to emerge from his palm, and the moment it touched the fragment, the atmosphere within the Second Floor changed.
The dark piece of metal trembled violently, causing Feng Li's eyes to narrow. A faint light emerged from beneath the corrosion before ancient lines slowly appeared across its surface. They were not ordinary inscriptions, and Feng Li could not recognize a single one of them. The mysterious elder remained completely silent. "Senior, what is this?" Feng Li asked, but the old man still refused to answer. The lines across the fragment became brighter, and Feng Li immediately attempted to withdraw his Qi. However, the moment had already passed.
The fragment suddenly flashed, illuminating the Second Floor with a strange ancient light. Feng Li instinctively closed his hand, but when the light disappeared, the metal was gone. It had not fallen, shattered, or been thrown away. It had simply vanished. Feng Li's expression changed as he immediately looked down at his right palm, where a mysterious mark had appeared.
The tattoo resembled neither a simple symbol nor an ordinary inscription. Ancient lines curved and connected across the centre of his palm, forming a profound pattern Feng Li could not understand. It was dark at first, but a faint golden light occasionally moved beneath the mark before disappearing again. Feng Li stared at it carefully before sending his spiritual sense toward the tattoo. Nothing happened. He then infused another faint strand of Qi into it, but once again, the mark remained completely silent.
Feng Li frowned slightly before calling out, "Senior." This time, the mysterious elder finally answered. "Yes?" Feng Li slowly raised his right palm. "You know what this is." The elder remained quiet, and that silence was already an answer. Feng Li's eyes narrowed slightly. "Senior, you clearly know something." The mysterious elder's voice carried an almost imperceptible trace of amusement as he replied, "Perhaps." Feng Li continued staring at the mark. "Are you going to tell me?" The elder's answer came immediately. "No."
For several moments, Feng Li simply looked toward the space around him before sighing softly. "That was surprisingly honest." The mysterious elder replied, "I have never claimed otherwise." Feng Li looked down at his palm again. "You could have simply told me that you did not know." The elder immediately asked, "And you would have believed me?" Feng Li considered the question for a moment before answering honestly, "No." "Then why waste both our time?" the elder replied, leaving Feng Li with no immediate response.
The mysterious elder eventually continued, "You cannot decipher it because you are not supposed to decipher it yet." Feng Li's expression became serious. "That sounds like an answer." "It was not." Feng Li's eyes narrowed slightly. "It sounded suspiciously like one." The elder gave a faint snort. "That is because you enjoy imagining things." Feng Li looked at his right palm again. The mark remained completely still, but whatever the fragment had originally been, it had now become part of him. The mysterious elder clearly recognized it, yet he had deliberately chosen not to explain.
Feng Li had known the old man long enough to understand that forcing the matter would achieve nothing. He slowly closed his hand before simply saying, "Fine." The elder seemed slightly surprised. "That easily?" Feng Li's answer was calm. "You will not tell me." "No." "Then eventually I will discover it myself." For several moments, the elder remained quiet before finally giving a faint hum. "That confidence of yours is occasionally tolerable." Feng Li smiled faintly. "Thank you, Senior. I believe that was praise." The elder immediately replied, "Do not become excited."
Feng Li looked once more at his right palm before lowering his hand. The mysterious mark remained with him, silent and ancient, carrying an origin he could not yet understand. However, Feng Li did not allow himself to become consumed by curiosity. Whatever the mark represented, the answer would eventually reveal itself. For now, another matter demanded his attention.
The moment Feng Li returned to the outside world, he immediately sensed the difference. The room was no longer surrounded by the deep quietness of night. Morning had arrived, and sunlight entered through the windows while the sounds coming from outside the residence were entirely different from those he had heard before entering the Pagoda. Footsteps moved through the courtyard, voices carried urgency and anticipation, and the participants from the Northern Territory were clearly already preparing. The Martial Intake Challenge had finally arrived.
Feng Li stood from where he had been sitting, but before he could take more than a few steps, a knock sounded upon his door. Feng Xue's voice followed shortly afterward from outside. "Feng Li?" Feng Li glanced toward the door before replying, "Come in." The door opened, and Feng Xue stepped inside. She was already dressed and prepared for the day ahead, while the expression on her face carried obvious excitement despite the calmness she was attempting to maintain.
"You are awake," Feng Xue said as she looked toward him. Feng Li gave her a calm look. "I would hope so." Feng Xue ignored the response and continued, "Everyone is gathering. The elders have already begun calling people to prepare." Feng Li nodded. "Then we should go." Before moving, however, Feng Xue looked at him carefully for a moment. Something about him seemed different. His aura was quieter and considerably more restrained, although she could not explain exactly why.
"You cultivated the entire time?" she asked. Feng Li smiled faintly. "You could say that." Feng Xue looked at him suspiciously for a moment but did not pursue the matter. "Good. Then you should be ready." Feng Li's gaze briefly moved toward his right palm. The mysterious tattoo had already faded from ordinary sight, becoming almost impossible to notice unless one looked carefully. He slowly closed his hand before looking back toward Feng Xue. "I am."
Feng Xue nodded, and the two of them left the room together. Outside, the residence was already alive with movement as the young geniuses of the Northern Territory gathered one after another. Excitement mixed with tension across their faces as the reality of the coming competition finally settled upon them. Beyond the residence walls stood Guan Capital, while beyond the Capital waited the young geniuses of the other four regions and the countless possibilities the Martial Intake Challenge would bring.
Feng Li walked forward calmly beside Feng Xue. Six days had passed for him within the ancient space of the Nine Floor Divine Pagoda, yet only a single day had passed for everyone else. His foundation had settled, his body had been quietly strengthened, and an unknown mark now rested upon his right palm. The wider world had finally opened its gates before him, and Feng Li was now ready to step through them.