Wang Feng observed meditating Su Yan, the Qi in her body appeared to be chaotic, but contained as it was concentrated in a few certain places — her 9 meridians.
It has been a few hours since Wang Feng and Su Yan and talked, throughout which Wang Feng had told her about the new cultivation path.
After that, Wang Feng had urged Su Yan to revolve her energy according to the Body Tempering techniques he provided her with.
Wang Feng guided her and told her to strengthen her current Meridians and condense Pulses to connect her meridians.
The process wasn't as slow as Wang Feng had expected.
It was to be known that within the MORTAL Realms — from Body Forging Realm to Nascent Soul Realm — the higher the strength of an individual, the faster they will be able to change their cultivation path.
At these stages, the body, Qi, and soul remained malleable—capable of being reshaped and refined without severe backlash. One's foundation had not yet solidified to the extent that it resisted change.
In essence, for cultivators within these early realms, transitioning to a new path posed little danger. The only true requirement was the willingness to undergo further refinement—this time in accordance with the principles of the new cultivation system.
For example, within the Body Forging Realm, a cultivator would need to condense additional meridian pulses—a task that required control and effort, but not insurmountable talent. In the Qi Sea Realm or Foundation Establishment Realm, the cultivator would need to purify and restructure their Qi, tempering it until it aligned fully with the new system.
It is only when one goes beyond Nascent Soul that they will face limitations because of the a few fundamental differences in the two paths.
But the same couldn't be said about the Hidden Stages he had made in the new Cultivation Path. These Hidden Stages could not be achieved without time and resources.
Taking Body Forging Realm as an example. When one transitions from the old cultivation path to this new one, they need to strengthen their 9 meridians before condensing pulses using Qi between them. This process is easy because the 9 meridians are already open.
But to achieve the Hidden Stages, one would need to find and force open the additional 3 Meridians. Which aren't even stated in the old cultivation path.
Wang Feng had wanted Su Yan to first start her transition before accepting the inheritance because he knew that the .... process of this inheritance might give her an appropriate source of energy to push her transition speed much further.
He wanted her to atleast reach Peak 9th Stage Body Forging Realm, so that when she receives the energy through dual cultivation, she could use that energy to push open her hidden meridians in one go.
Another reason was: he wasn't sure if Su Yan had the qualifications to open all three hidden meridians in her body if she doesn't have the Phoenix Empress Source.
For insurance purposes, he had only told her to connect her current meridians with pulses and not rush towards Qi Sea Realm. This was because once she had passed the Body Forging Realm without opening her hidden meridians, she will loose the qualifications to do that later on.
After all, it was already too good that any person can change their cultivation paths without any serious drawback. If they could go back and forth the realms.... It would be too heaven defying.
Seeing that Su Yan was progressing smoothly, Wang Feng shifted his gaze toward the two orbs still suspended in the void. He wasn't concerned about the time they were taking—nor was he anxious about losing the inheritance sources. From the memories he retained, this secret realm had remained open for a long while even after the inheritance had been claimed in the original timeline.
But...
Something was nagging at the edge of Wang Feng's mind. An uneasy feeling born from his unusual preception and instincts. As if he was forgetting something of great importance.
Something that should have remembered but didn't...
Lost in his thoughts, Wang Feng continued looking at the Golden Colored Orb with frowning brows for a few minutes.
'just what is this feeling....', he thought as this feeling suddenly intensified many times over. Making him solemn.
Something was wrong
There shouldn't be something that he could forget, not when he had this intense of a feeling.
He recked his mind, closing his eyes shut as he went through all of his memories, but still couldn't come up with a reason.
That is until—
His eyes shot open with shock and tripidation. His body shook and he gulped, 'this... Just what.... Haaah'
He suddenly turned and walked towards the two orbs. He stood a respective 10 meters of distance from the two orbs—
Before he suddenly bowed with cupped hands.
"Junior Wang Feng greets the Golden Dragon Emperor. Ice Phoenix Empress!"
Wang Feng's voice echoed in the halls of the palace.
There was no response...
But Wang Feng didn't move from his place. He stayed like that...
One minute...
Two minutes...
Five minutes...
Fifteen minutes...
"Sigh... what a stubborn little human.", And finally after half an hour of staying in that position, a voice echoed throughout the hall, causing the air to buzz.
The voice was deep, masculine. It held a sense of power and authority as if the voice belonged to an immensely powerful and ancient being.
Wang Feng smiled and looked up, right under the orbs. Where now two figures stood next to each other.
One belonged to a male. The man had a tall and lean body with compact muscles, around 2.3 meters of height. He had a youthful face and deep golden eyes. He had long Black hair. Two horns extended from either side of his skull like a dragon. He was wearing a set of black colored changsen with golden dragon embroideried on it. The man was surrounded by a mystical, warm and ancient aura.
The other belonged to a female. She had a slander but full figure, her height was around 2 meters. Her face was heart shaped and she had Icy Blue eyes. She had long slivery hair. She was wearing a White Qipao with blue colored Phoenix embroideried on it. Her aura also held the same mystical and ancient aspect. The only exception being that her aura was cold, unlike the male.
Wang Feng's contracted and his body shook lightly before he controlled himself.
He had been right!!
These two monsters were somehow still in the world of living!!
He inwardly sighed in relief, 'fortunately these two are just remant thoughts.'
"Get up.", A cold, yet oddly soothing voice entered his ears, calming both heart and mind. Wang Feng slowly looked up to see the woman with icy eyes and white hair as he straightened himself.
The golden-haired man floated forward, watching him with interest. "Hmm... quite the perception and knowledge you have, young man. To sense and recognize the two of us."
The pair had been observing Wang Feng—and everyone else who had stepped onto the golden steps. Even when Wang Feng was speaking to Su Yan, these two had listened to every word. So, his earlier call didn't truly surprise them.
Goosebumps rose on Wang Feng's skin. The man's voice carried an indescribable edge that stirred his instincts. Taking a slow breath, Wang Feng composed himself and offered a humble smile, though he remained silent for a moment.
They seemed to expect a response, but Wang Feng sensed no malice from them. Finally, he spoke, "This junior simply made a lucky guess. I thought that beings as powerful as seniors might have left behind their will in this place."
Though his tone was modest, his words carried deeper meaning. He understood that these two, being mere remnant wills nearing the end of their existence, couldn't truly harm him.
Surprise flashed in their eyes. The woman gave him a pointed look, "Oh? You believe this seat incapable of doing anything to an ant like you?"
With that, she released a wave of spiritual pressure that bore down on Wang Feng.
Even as near-fading remnants, beings at the 9th Step Open Heaven Realm could still exert frightening soul power.
Wang Feng gritted his teeth under the crushing force. His mind screamed, but his body stood firm, "If Senior truly intended to harm this junior, she would've done so already. But... this junior senses no malice."
He spoke respectfully, his tone unwavering.
The man suddenly burst into laughter, "Haha! What an interesting kid! I wouldn't regret entrusting my source to someone like you." Then, he sighed with a hint of pity, "Too bad... his destiny doesn't lie with my Divine Beast Race."
Wang Feng froze. His mind rattled as he looked at the young man with shock and confusion. 'what? My destiny isn't with divine beasts race? Does that mean I won't get the source.'
His eyes narrowed, 'No. He said that the source will fall on me but my destiny isn't with divine beasts... Wait — this guy can actually sense destiny!?', he thought to himself before he caught onto the crux of the matter, making his eyes widen.
'but... Do those beings at their level have the ability to sense destiny? They shouldn't right? After all, there was no mention of this in the original timeline...', Wang Feng's heart trembled as he thought of this. He suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Meanwhile, the Dragon Emperor will seemed unaware of his inner turmoil. His voice was calm and straightforward, "Anyway, young man. You called us out earlier. Why was that?"
Wang Feng snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the two, talking a long breath internally. He looked at them seriously as spoke, ""This junior has a few questions… if seniors would be willing to indulge me."
Seeing the two nod, Wang Feng asked, "This secret realm… it doesn't feel ordinary. The rules that govern it seem far more advanced—almost like a higher-level world. And yet… the power within it is weaker than that of the outside world. Why is that?"
The two wills were again shocked. They looked at each other, both thinking of the same thing, 'thsi kid! He even felt all this with his cultivation!?'
The Dragon Emperor sighed internally, though his voice remained composed—tinged with a faint melancholy, "That is indeed the case. This world is of a higher grade than the small dimension you come from. To be precise, this 'secret realm' is a broken fragment of an Inner Universe World. During a time of great calamity, many of the nearly-extinct races embedded contingency measures—safe havens—in case they failed to overcome that disaster."
The Phoenix Empress picked up the tale, her voice gentle yet solemn, "At the time of our deaths, my husband and I sealed our sources within this fractured universe realm. We then cast it far away—beyond the chaos—for preservation… but alas."
Wang Feng was once again shocked and dumbfounded at the words he was hearing.
A counter-measures!?
Nearly Every Race!?
He remembered his encounter with that Nether Ghost Disaster Bat and remembered the description of both it's corpse along with that of the Imperial Wisdom Peach.
So those were placed here by other beings for preservation?
The bat, he could understand—its corpse, aura, and legacy clearly belonged to some forgotten ancient beast race.
But the peach?
That, he still didn't quite grasp.
Before he could think further, the Dragon Emperor spoke again—his next words pulling Wang Feng from his spiraling thoughts.
"Unfortunately... This place has stayed in the void for so long that it has become unstable... It might not last more than a few decades.", the emperor smiled ruefully.
'not last more than a few decades? Is that why it wasn't mentioned in the original timeline after the inheritance was taken away.', Wang Feng wondered with a slight frown.
Wang Feng suddenly asked, "Senior… is there any way to preserve this realm?"
The dragon emperor chuckled, "of course there is. But, the premise is that this world is absorbed into a person's internal world or is placed in a separate place other than the endless void."
Wang Feng's mind froze before he cursed internally. Both of these were not something that he could achieve within a few simple decades.
He frowned and he thought of an alternative.
Dragon Emperor looked at him with interest before he shook his head, "is there anything else you want to know?"
Wang Feng back at him and asked, "then, can I enter this secret realm after I leave now?"
Phoenix Empress spoke this time, "that could only be possible if you have the power to tear open an opening in space from the other side. Along with having a physique that can bear the blunt of the backlash you will receive by forcing open this place, you would need atleast a physique comparable to that of a Tier 7 or 8 monster beast."
Wang Feng fell silent.
A physique comparable to Tier 7 meant Saint Realm
Tier 8 meant Saint King Realm.
Not to mention that monster beasts have a much stronger Physique than that of humans.
'this... Might be achievable because of my cultivation path.', he thought, after all his new path was different; including body tempering multiple times, meaning that the body's of new path cultivators would be much stronger than that of old path cultivators.
He sighed and looked back at the two.It was now that he noticed something: the two will remnants were a bit illusionary now.
The two wills smiled at each other, knowing that their moment of final rest was near them, the two didn't feel distress or anything negative.
All they felt was peace and acceptance.
They could finally desipate from this life and enter samsara.
Wang Feng looked at the two and his words stuck in his throat. He finally shook his head and asked one final question, or more like a request.
Wang Feng's face turned a little red as he asked, "umm.. I don't want to be rude or anything... But, does senior has some storage artifact. You know, like a space ring.", by the end of this, Wang Feng looked to the side, feeling slightly embarrassed for asking about any resources from will remnants.
The two blinked and blinked. Before the dragon emperor suddenly started laughing out loud. Even the Phoenix Empress also giggled while covering her mouth.
"Hahaha, what a greedy brat.", Dragon Emperor laughed as he looked at Wang Feng teasingly, "you're already about to receive this seat's source. But you want more? You know even those at 8th and 9th Stage Open Heaven would pay their entire fortunes to have this source~"
Wang Feng got even more embarrassed and scratched his neck. After all, his request truly was a little over the top.
The dragon emperor chuckled and waves his hand, "whatever. Consider this a reward for making us laugh in our final moments brat.", golden and blue glimmers shone appeared behind the Dragon and Phoenix sources, both lights faded and revealed small circular objects within.
Phoenix Empress spoke, "those are high grade space rings, they used to belong to me and my husband. Although they don't have much, it should be enough for you and the little girl over there to cultivate for a long time."
Dragon Emperor continued, "you and the girl will get the rings after you two have accepted the inheritance."
Wang Feng looked at the two floating rings before he took a deep breath and looked at the two, bowing deeply and said, "thank you seniors."
The two smiled before they grabbed each other's hands and slowly started dissolving into the void. "You have a month till you are sent out from the secret realm...", Dragon Emperor's fading voice echoed into Wang Feng's ears
Wang Feng looked wide eyes before he chuckled wearily and bid them farewell, "Farewell, Seniors."
After the two faded, Wang Feng stood silently for a few minutes, thinking about a few parts of his knowledge.
He then shook his head and returned back to Su Yan, watching as he felt her aura turn more and more solid.
Two more hours passed and Su Yan slowly opened her eyes, looking at Wang Feng who was sitting in front of her. A shadow of a smile appeared on her lips.
Wang Feng smiled as well. He stood up and offered her his hand, "shell we start, madame?~"
Su Yan's cheeks turned red as she took a deep breath and extended her hand towards his, "mhm.", she just nodded and started walking towards the floating sources.
The two sat down on the cultivation mats and looked at each other one last time, before they closed their eyes and started running their cultivation techniques.