Lin Fan sat calmly, utterly still, refining himself within the great cauldron, his expression serene and undisturbed.
For half a month, he persisted in this state. His body cracked and healed, only to fracture again in an endless cycle. At times, the damage was so severe that his bones and organs were exposed, and even the spiritual light at his brow dimmed, as if he teetered on the edge of destruction. The danger was extreme.
Yue Chan, watching from the sidelines, felt her heart tremble. Who cultivates like this? she thought. It's like walking a tightrope—utterly reckless!
Yet, miraculously, Lin Fan endured each time. His flesh and spirit proved resilient, never shattering or fading entirely. As the process continued, his body shed layers of charred, dead skin, revealing a jade-like, crystalline physique. Not only was it stronger, but it also radiated a vibrant spirituality.
Every inch of his body, every rune etched within, seemed to come alive. Even without conscious effort, these runes could actively refine the divine radiance of heaven and earth. His spirit, too, grew immensely, resonating with a faint hum. The power it contained was vast, like an abyss, awe-inspiring in its depth.
At last, tranquility settled over the scene. The cauldron ceased its trembling, emitting a soft, radiant glow. The yin and yang energies within no longer roiled, achieving a harmonious balance akin to the union of dragon and tiger—a sign that the "golden core" was nearing completion.
Lin Fan, seated cross-legged within the cauldron, slowly opened his eyes. The cracks on his body had vanished, his skin now glowing white as jade, enveloped in a golden aura that pulsed with vitality. His hair, especially, shimmered as it rose, each strand crystalline and tinged with a faint golden brilliance, lending him an air of divine sanctity.
His skin was translucent, smoother than that of any maiden, and as his blood coursed through his veins, it rumbled like distant thunder, hinting at boundless potential.
"It's done!"
Yue Chan, astonished, realized he had succeeded in his breakthrough. He had seized the fortunes of heaven and earth, undergoing a nirvana-like transformation that unlocked the gates of his potential. His strength had surged dramatically.
On the path of the Spirit Transformation Realm, he had taken a massive leap, advancing directly to the Mid Spirit Transformation stage. This breakthrough had saved him at least a year of arduous cultivation.
To achieve this at nine years old… Yue Chan marveled. It's unheard of. A prodigy like this could shake the world. Who would believe such a tale?
Typically, reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm by thirteen or fourteen was already the mark of an exceptional genius, eagerly sought after by major sects. But a nine-year-old in the Mid Spirit Transformation Realm? That was nothing short of monstrous.
Clang!
The cauldron's lid was flung open. Lin Fan shook his body, casting off the medicinal residue that clung to him, completing the final stabilization and nourishment of his form.
At the Spirit Transformation Realm, cultivators no longer merely mimicked or applied runes. They could now recombine and restructure them, guiding their flow to unleash greater power. While this wasn't a treasure technique in itself, it was far more significant—it marked a leap in the mastery of runes, laying the foundation for creating one's own divine abilities in the future.
For now, Lin Fan's task was to reorganize his runes, fusing them into a cohesive whole within the crucible of his spirit, ensuring they flowed smoothly to provide an inexhaustible source of power. Yet he hesitated, deep in thought. This was no trivial matter; it demanded careful consideration, as it would shape his future. He held back from acting rashly.
In his contemplation, he recalled the vast resources of the Heaven Mending Sect, which never lacked supreme treasure techniques or divine abilities. But then his gaze fell to his chest, to the Supreme Bone embedded there. A sudden clarity washed over him, as if a fog had lifted from his mind.
Of course, he thought, excitement stirring within. The runes most suited to me are those of my innate divine ability, perfectly aligned with my very being.
The Supreme Bone in his chest, though restrictive in its dominance, bore runes of unparalleled power. These could be transformed into a treasure technique, manifesting as a unique life-giving divine ability capable of healing all wounds. It was a force that could assimilate myriad techniques into one, imbued with profound mysteries and uncanny potential.
Yet it had its flaws. Its focus was purely on life, lacking any capacity for destruction. This made it a poor match for combat, leaving him at a disadvantage against enemies—a limitation Lin Fan found unacceptable.
His thoughts turned to the True Primordial Record, a peerless imperial scripture of profound depth and all-encompassing wisdom. Its teachings began with simplicity, progressing from the basic to the complex. The runes of every clan seemed to find echoes within its pages, vast and boundless, filled with enigma.
In truth, these were merely intricate arrangements of runes. How else could a single bone text contain such multitudes? The very notion was staggering.
As Lin Fan pondered, vivid images of runic diagrams surfaced in his mind. His body began to glow, as if a deity were awakening within him. He was experimenting, seeking the optimal configuration by cross-referencing the True Primordial Record with the runes of his Supreme Bone, striving to craft the most fitting arrangement.
"The pinnacle of life is death," he murmured to himself. "If life can be reversed, it becomes deprivation…"
His singular Heavenly Passage roared to life, black and white energies swirling in a tempest. He sought to invert his life-giving divine ability, to rearrange the runes of the Supreme Bone from life to death, thereby gaining a means of attack. If successful, he might resolve the bone's limitations without needing to remove it.
A spark of joy lit within him. The True Primordial Record was miraculous, capable of turning the mundane into the extraordinary. It broadened his perspective, offering invaluable insights. Truly, it was the introductory chapter of a peerless imperial scripture.
Drawing from its simple yet profound runes, he sought parallels and contrasts, weaving death from life. Through ceaseless rearrangement, a radiant seal began to take shape.
"What kind of dao is this guy comprehending?" Yue Chan muttered, edging farther away. "It feels like the flow of life itself is accelerating…"
Time slipped by, unheeded. Though Lin Fan had not fully succeeded, a faint outline of his goal emerged. He could now perform a rudimentary deprivation of time, subtly affecting the flow of vital essence. It was a thrilling first step, a promise of greater achievements to come.
"This marks the end of one phase," Lin Fan thought, exhilarated. "My body has become spiritual, and the remolding of my true self is complete. Only the nurturing of my Heavenly Passage remains to achieve perfection in the Spirit Transformation Realm."
Ordinarily, the higher one's cultivation, the slower the progress. Yet Lin Fan maintained a steady pace, a feat made possible by the ancient prescriptions from Stone Village. He felt brimming with power, his combat strength soaring. The flow of his runes granted him an endless wellspring of energy, like an eternal divine furnace.
Moreover, his vast potential allowed him to continually unlock the treasures hidden within his body. Each advancement brought exponential growth in his combat prowess, far surpassing others of his realm. Even against cultivators at the peak of the Spirit Transformation Realm, he was confident he could hold his ground—perhaps even slay them.
"It's time to step out and see the world," he mused. "How long has it been?"
With a leap, Lin Fan emerged from the cauldron, his body gleaming with a lustrous glow, treasure light flowing naturally around him. His aura surged like a vigorous true dragon bursting from the sea.
"Ah! You scoundrel, put some clothes on!" A sharp cry rang out from Yue Chan, who sat in a corner, her hands covering her eyes. Her face flushed a deep red, like a ripe apple, her delicate features both charming and alluring.
"Oh? Xi'er, you're still here?" Lin Fan teased, slipping into a fresh set of robes. "Didn't expect you to care so much about me."
The black robes, adorned with a jade belt and golden dragon-like stripes, exuded an air of dominance. They lent him a mature, commanding presence, shedding his youthful innocence for the majesty of a true dragon emperor, as if he ruled the heavens.
"Who… who cares about you? Don't flatter yourself!" Yue Chan huffed, shooting him a glare, her cheeks still tinged with embarrassment.
During this time, she too had been cultivating and gaining insights, observing Lin Fan's path to spark her own inspiration. Though she couldn't achieve the unity of her Heavenly Passages as he had, she had made a small but significant step forward in her ten Heavenly Passages—a rare accomplishment.
Later, Lin Fan learned that his breakthrough had taken over a month.
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