Such a situation had occurred countless times in the Washing‑Dust Sect.
Many geniuses once thought they could first use the LunarVortex·SolarWheel to break through early realms and then, when its limits appeared, switch to another Longevity Art.
Yet once drawn into it, few ever escaped; its circular, vortex‑like blood circulation was utterly unique and bound their essences tight.
Because of this, the sect eventually forbade disciples — especially the gifted ones — from practicing the technique at all.
"I have my own plan." Li Qiye smiled, offering no further explanation.
He could not reveal that the version he used was flawless; if anyone realized such a thing existed, the consequences would be disastrous.
Nan Huairen knew Li Qiye was neither ignorant nor arrogant, but he could not understand the source of his calm confidence.
"I heard Second Senior Brother will return soon," Nan added — the main reason for his visit.
Li Qiye nodded lightly, asking nothing more. The so‑called Second Senior Brother, favored disciple of Sect Master Zhou Yonghuang, mattered little to him.
After Nan left, Li Qiye settled back into cultivation. Hard work made up for weak roots; even armed with two peerless arts, laziness was a luxury he would never allow.
### Building the Foundation
The ExpandingDomain Realm had three sub‑levels:
1. Building the Art (筑功法),
2. Absorbing Essence (纳精气), and
3. Expanding the Domain (拓疆土).
After mastering the Knocking Realm, both Life Wheel and Life Palace had their foundations complete; now new techniques could be added — Longevity arts, Fate methods, combat secret skills, or body training.
Li Qiye chose to forgo additional arts for now; what he required most was a strong physique.
The wheel and palace were innate, unchangeable, but the body — that could transform through cultivation.
### Classes of Physique
From lowest to highest, they were: MortalBody, Acquired, Innate, Royal, Sacred, and finally ImmortalBody.
The Immortal Body was the absolute limit. None were born with it; it could only be forged.
An Innate Body was the watershed: those born so might advance all the way up to Immortal Body, while Acquired Bodies could not — no matter how refined.
For instance, Xu Hui's Golden Eagle Physique was an Acquired one of the avian line.
He could, through body tempering, strengthen it to Heavenly Eagle or Divine Eagle levels, perhaps even rival Royal tiers in might — but never reach the true Immortal extreme.
When an Innate form advanced, it was called Ascension; when an Acquired one enhanced, it was called Reinforcement.
A Golden Bull Physique of the Innate type could ascend to the Royal Overlord Body, yet never transform into another type — its path was fixed from birth.
Heaven was mysterious indeed — of all bodies, only the lowly MortalBody was free.
Looked down upon by all, it nevertheless could choose any path — Eagle, Bull, or even the mythic Immortal Body itself.
A Mortal Body was a blank canvas: it could take any law or element; whereas others were bound to their nature.
This freedom came at a price — crafting a higher form from a Mortal Body demanded endless effort, piles of rare body‑temper elixirs, and an unyielding heart.
Thus, few ever invested in those born mortal; such endeavors were deemed wasted resources.
Li Qiye was well aware of the difficulty, but his Dao‑heart was iron.
He possessed one of the Nine Heaven Tomes — the legendary PhysiqueTome, coveted even by Immortal Emperors.
He remembered clearly how Mingren Immortal Emperor, too, had once been a mortal.
Later generations claimed he was born with the Diurnal Heaven Body, but Li Qiye knew the truth — Mingren had awakened it through the Yang character of the Physique Tome that Li himself had taught him.
Now, Li Qiye unfurled the Tome within his mind.
Its six primordial characters — YinYangGangRouQingHun (阴,阳,刚,柔,清,浑) — rose from chaos illumined by his spirit.
Each word contained two possible Immortal Physiques, together forming the legendary TwelveImmortalBodies.
The very concept of the twelve had sprung from this book in ages beyond memory.
The Yang character could lead to the DiurnalHeavenBody or the SolarBody; Mingren had attained the former — supreme embodiment of pure Yang.
Through eternal study spanning eras and aided by beings such as the Black Dragon King, Li Qiye had mastered the Tome's ultimate mysteries.
Now he chose another route: the Hun(浑) character — the path of depth and fullness.
His goal was set: to forge the AbyssalGodlyPhysique(镇狱神体), one of the twelve supreme forms.
He knew the journey would take centuries or millennia, but his heart did not waver.
Even born mortal, he would someday perfect that divine body.
### The Beginning of Transformation
The runes of the Tome poured into his Life Palace.
His True Life inhaled their essence along with his flowing blood, grinding the Hun‑runes within its core until they merged with his vital energy.
A shiver ran through him; the world seemed to slow, every movement drawn out to eternity — the silent mark of a new path beginning.