Upon returning to Pure Light Peak, Han Ming wasted no time. He immediately gave a command to the system.
"Seal off Pure Light Peak and generate an illusion showing that my disciples and I are in seclusion."
[Command confirmed. Entire area surrounding Pure Light Peak is now sealed. Illusion of seclusion has been generated.]
A faint light swept across the entire peak. After scanning his surroundings, Han Ming opened the system's dimensional space and withdrew all the Emperor-grade pills in his possession.
Without delay, he began refining. One hand reached into the system to retrieve the pills he had just acquired, then he began modifying the formulas subtracting certain elements, adding others, tailoring each concoction to perfectly suit the physique of each of his disciples.
A soul flame flared up in his palm. He controlled the temperature with serene concentration. The fragrance of rare herbs slowly drifted through the air, while faint spiritual mist rose around him like dawn fog.
"Five days… is it?" he murmured softly, his gaze fixed on the blaze dancing before him. "More than enough time to find the hidden tomb."
Once everything was prepared, he vanished into the ground, diving deep beneath Pure Light Peak where the spirit veins flowed. Hundreds of spiritual veins ran beneath the peak, each one teeming with immense energy. He selected the thickest among them and drew it forth from the earth as easily as plucking a blade of grass.
Then, he brought the spirit vein directly into a special dimensional space within the system.
Once inside, Han Ming instantly retrieved every Immortal Spirit Stone he had in storage. The quantity was overwhelming. With one hand extended, he summoned millions of swords of light. In a flash, the blades ground all the Immortal Spirit Stones into a fine dust.
He then split open the spirit vein and poured the powdered Immortal Spirit Stones into it. At once, the vein began expanding as it absorbed the energy. But Han Ming didn't stop there. He brought out all the immortal herbs in his possession and began refining them one by one until they transformed into a mysterious purple-black liquid. The process took quite some time, but eventually, every last herb was liquefied. Han Ming then injected the liquid into the swelling spirit vein.
The vein rapidly expanded, its form shifting from a vein to a root, from a root to a trunk, and before long… a single tree was born at the heart of the system's secret dimension.
[...…..]
[...…..]
[What the hell is this now?!]
Though the tree was not particularly tall, its roots expanded without limit, swiftly spreading to cover nearly the entire space within the system's special dimension.
Han Ming smiled faintly in satisfaction. He stepped closer to the tree and placed his hand upon its trunk, then infused it with a radiant golden object.
The golden light quickly seeped into the trunk, and an immense surge of immortal spiritual energy erupted from within the tree.
Suddenly, an aura of the void spread from Han Ming's body. He closed his eyes steadily, calculating something in his mind.
Whoosh!
Ten pitch-black rifts opened simultaneously in the air before him, each one a passage connected to the Upper World.
Han Ming spoke in a calm, cold tone.
"Send your roots into the void. Then... absorb the power of the Upper World to nourish yourself and the herbs I am about to plant."
At once, massive roots shot into those rifts with incredible speed, piercing through the void like colossal serpents tearing across the sky.
As a result, the immortal spiritual energy within the system's secret dimension surged violently, erupting like a volcanic explosion while Han Ming remained composed with his eyes closed, preparing to sort and classify all the remaining herbs for cultivation within the tree's vast root system.
[...]
[...Do I seriously have to upgrade myself again now...?]
The system's voice echoed, laced with despair. It clenched its metaphorical teeth but dared not let even a whisper reach its host's ears.
One day passed...
Within the special dimension where time flowed sluggishly, Mu Nansi sat cross-legged at the center of a black stone courtyard, immortal spiritual energy circulating steadily around her.
Suddenly, the soft sound of footsteps echoed from the shadows of the realm. An elderly man in a pitch-black robe stepped out slowly and spoke in a solemn tone.
"Granddaughter… the spy you planted within the Wu Clan has likely been discovered by Sui Zimeng."
Mu Nansi slowly opened her eyes, yet there was no hint of shock or rage in her gaze. Instead, her expression was cold and emotionless, like the surface of frozen glass. Her face revealed no feeling whatsoever, and the chill that radiated from her presence was terrifying utterly unlike the woman who had just spoken to Han Ming.
"It doesn't matter, Grandfather. They were never our true target to begin with... all we wanted was Zhou Luocheng's life. Sending that spy was merely a ploy to make them overthink. And besides, scapegoats are never in short supply."
She paused briefly, then turned to look at the old man and asked, "By the way, Grandfather... is the annihilation formation ready?"
The old man gave a faint smile. But there was no warmth in that smile at all. On the contrary, it was colder than a winter wind.
"It's ready."
Mu Nansi slowly rose to her feet, her long robe fluttering softly in the lingering air currents of her power. She nodded lightly to the old man. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and made a slight motion. The moment his body shifted, the entire dimension began to tremble.
Then, both figures vanished into the void, leaving behind only silence and an oppressive pressure that defied explanation.
…
…
In the Sacred Land of Desolation, the sky was shrouded in endless thick fog, casting a dim and oppressive atmosphere over the land. This was the birthplace of Hao Yang, the fourth disciple of Han Ming... and one of the places he wished to destroy before the day he died.
Within a massive council hall constructed from green Divine Wind Stone, two stone thrones sat at the far end. Seated upon them were a man and a woman faces Hao Yang knew all too well, for they were once his elder brother and sister.
But that... was only the outer shell. The souls that now resided within those bodies were no longer the same. Even Hao Yang himself had no idea who or what these spirits truly were.
Kneeling on one knee before them was a middle-aged man. Though the lines of countless battles etched his face, the look in his eyes resembled that of a child awaiting forgiveness from his parents.
That man was Hao Song, Hao Yang's father.
Suddenly, Hao Yang's elder brother, the one seated on the throne, slowly opened his eyes. He picked up a scroll with deliberate motion before proclaiming in a deep, resonant voice that echoed throughout the hall.
"Hao Song... in the past, you made considerable contributions to the clan. You provided two vessel bodies bearing the Physique of the Divine God and offered the Primordial Sun Emperor Body the very body of the first ancestral patriarch to the main clan. Because of this, eight hundred thousand years of your punishment has been rescinded."
Soft murmurs rippled through the elders standing behind, yet not a single one dared to interrupt his words.
"And now, with your recent discovery of the location of the Herbal God's Tomb, the main clan has reached a unanimous decision... All remaining penalties against you will be nullified, and I hereby declare that you are once again recognized as a member of the main clan, starting from this day forth."
A broad smile bloomed across Hao Song's face the moment those words were spoken. Though he tried to suppress it, he couldn't help himself. Joy surged within him, causing his hands to tremble slightly. He bowed low until his forehead touched the floor once more, his voice trembling with utmost reverence.
"Thank you, Ancestor... I will not let the clan down again."
In Hao Song's heart, at that very moment, there was nothing but happiness. He had sacrificed so much in hopes of erasing the sins of his past, and today, his efforts had finally borne fruit.