"I can't wait to test my new powers!" Bai Xing exclaimed, soaring through the sky, a wide grin plastered across his face.
"You've cultivated for over two years now and already reached the Golden Core realm. That might seem impressive, but it's only the early stages of cultivation," Tai Bing Chi's voice echoed in his mind. "There's still so much to learn, like Dao, for instance. Hmm."
"Dao? What's that?" Bai Xing asked, intrigued by the unfamiliar term.
"Head towards that mountain. I sensed something peculiar there," Tai Bing Chi instructed.
As Bai Xing neared the mountain, his eyes landed on a young girl. "A girl? And a spiritual beast is following her? Let's check this out." He then sensed a Golden Core Peak aura emanating from the beast. "So that's how it is. I found a perfect test subject for my new powers!" A surge of fighting spirit coursed through him. He swiftly consumed an Earth-grade Qi Regen pill and charged towards the spiritual beast.
The air crackled with anticipation as Bai Xing faced the colossal, bear-like spiritual beast. Its fur was the color of aged granite, and its eyes glowed with raw power. Li Mei, the young girl, watched from a distance, her brow furrowed in doubt. If I, a middle-stage Golden Core cultivator, couldn't defeat it, how could he, an early Golden Core, possibly win? she wondered.
Bai Xing gripped his sword, its polished surface reflecting the faint light of the setting sun. The beast let out a thunderous roar, shaking the very ground beneath them, and charged.
The spiritual beast lunged, its massive claws extended. Bai Xing, moving like a phantom, activated Wind Step, blurring into a series of afterimages. The beast's attack, a ground-shaking "Earth Rend," tore through the air where Bai Xing had been a mere instant before. He reappeared to the beast's flank, his sword flashing.
"Roar!" The beast spun, aiming a crushing paw at him. Bai Xing met the attack with Flowing River Dance. His blade moved with the unpredictable grace of water, deflecting the blow with a shimmering parry that simultaneously created an opening. He didn't hesitate, following through with a swift, shallow cut across the beast's leg.
The beast bellowed in pain and frustration, its movements becoming more erratic. It swung wildly, forcing Bai Xing to constantly shift and evade. He saw his chance. With a powerful surge of qi, Bai Xing extended his index finger. A faint golden glow emanated from it, growing rapidly into a colossal, translucent finger that pulsed with immense energy. "Take this! Giant Finger of the Zenith!" he roared. The enormous finger slammed down onto the spiritual beast, crushing it into the earth and creating a deep crater.
Li Mei gasped, her eyes widening. "He's... he's amazing! The way he moves... and that technique!" Her doubts began to dissipate, replaced by a growing awe.
The beast, bruised and dazed but not defeated, began to gather its qi. A dark, pulsating energy formed around its paw, hardening into a menacing, hammer-like appendage. This was its "Qi Hammer," a devastating attack that could shatter stone.
"Not on my watch!" Bai Xing thought, preparing his own attack. He channeled his spiritual energy, focusing it into his sword. With a mighty roar, he unleashed Soaring Dragon Sword. The blade, infused with his condensed qi, glowed with an ethereal blue light, appearing to transform into a miniature dragon that surged forward with incredible force.
The "Qi Hammer" and the "Soaring Dragon Sword" clashed with a deafening explosion, sending shockwaves through the air. For a moment, neither seemed to give way. But Bai Xing's attack, born of his newly refined power, began to push back the beast's formidable strike. The spiritual beast stumbled, and its "Qi Hammer" began to crack.
Then, with a final, desperate surge of energy, Bai Xing prepared his ultimate move. "This ends now!" he roared. He channeled every ounce of his energy into one final, decisive blow, his sword becoming a beacon of focused power. Piercing Star Blade! The concentrated thrust bypassed the beast's remaining defenses, piercing directly into its chest.
The spiritual beast let out a guttural shriek, a sound of agony and defeat, before collapsing to the ground with a thud that echoed through the quiet forest.
"Finally, victory!" Bai Xing panted, a few minor injuries marring his clothes, but his qi surprisingly still potent. He was elated with his progress. "Even though I can defeat a spiritual beast with power equal to a peak Golden Core, it still can't compare to real cultivators. But at least I can preserve my life if I have to fight one."
He then noticed Li Mei and walked towards her. "What's your name? Why are you here?" he asked.
Li Mei, still in a state of shock, replied, "I'll answer everything, just please, get my companion to the Jade Spring!" She pointed to the deep injury on the spiritual beast, which was actually a giant serpent.
"Okay, I'll help you," Bai Xing agreed. He carefully carried the spiritual serpent, and Li Mei guided him to the Jade Spring.
Upon reaching the spring, Bai Xing gently placed the serpent into the shimmering waters. To his astonishment, its deep injuries began to heal at an incredible rate. Within an hour, the serpent had returned to its original, healthy condition.
"Now, tell me what happened," Bai Xing prompted, eager to hear her story.
Li Mei slowly recounted her tale, explaining how she ended up in this remote location.
"So that's how it is," Bai Xing mused. "You and your companion were being pursued because of a body... Could it be that cultivators already know about Tai Bing Chi? Or am I just overthinking it?" he pondered silently. "Your name is Li Mei, right? And your companion's name is Xiao Long?"
"Yes," Li Mei confirmed.
Suddenly, Tai Bing Chi's voice boomed in Bai Xing's mind. "I remembered! Hahaha! I felt something different about this girl, that's why I told you to save her! Now I recall, she possesses one of the hundred Sovereign Bodies!"
"A Sovereign Body? What's that?" Bai Xing asked, utterly bewildered.
Tai Bing Chi patiently explained. "Legends say that when Heaven was born, it created four worlds: Mortal, Spirit, Immortal, and Heavenly. Then it brought forth spiritual beasts, humans, and all other living beings. After that, Heaven forged Daos. If one can comprehend a Dao, they can control its related elements – for example, with the Water Dao, one can control all water in the universe. Heaven also established cultivation and infused Dao into it, so that once we cultivate to the Transformation realm, we can gradually wield the powers of Dao. And finally, Heaven bestowed spiritual roots and created one hundred Sovereign Bodies. These bodies are incredibly rare, even rarer than five spiritual roots, as there are only a hundred of them. These bodies grant numerous privileges: a better understanding of Dao than most, faster cultivation speed, and an easier path to immortality. This is because these one hundred bodies are linked to specific Daos. For instance, a Fire Dao Body allows one to easily cultivate the Fire Dao. Lad, you are incredibly lucky to have found a Sovereign Body after only two years of cultivation! This Li Mei possesses the Water Sovereign Body! She is truly gifted by the Heavens and is destined to reach the Nirvana realm or even higher. You should make her your friend!"
Bai Xing understood everything about the Sovereign Body and pondered Tai Bing Chi's advice. He made up his mind.
"So, what are you going to do now? Do you have anywhere to go?" Bai Xing asked Li Mei.
"No, after that attack, I don't think my old location is safe anymore. I've decided to find a new place," Li Mei replied.
"Oh, well, how about coming to my place? It has very high spiritual energy and is incredibly safe. I've set up many arrays there; even peak Golden Core cultivators wouldn't be able to easily breach them."
Before leaving, Bai Xing strengthened the array with his Golden Core powers, making it five times more effective than before.
Li Mei was taken aback. She suspected Bai Xing might have some hidden motives. "I can come," she said, "but only on one condition: we will have boundaries that can't be crossed without any valid reasons. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to leave."
"Okay," Bai Xing agreed with a smile, "You can do whatever you want."