Bai Lanyue was stunned. Never before had she seen such an expression of shock on her Master's face.
"This..." Although Ye Xianrong was still in a state of astonishment, a smile quickly spread across her lips. "I've finally found him."
"Master!? What happened?"
Without answering, Ye Xianrong gently raised her index finger. With a light tap, something seemed to change.
Suddenly, the sun reappeared in the exact spot where it had vanished.
Across the countless kingdoms below, panic spread like wildfire. No one understood what had happened. Fear gripped their hearts, and many believed the world itself was on the verge of collapse.
Fortunately, the unrest was quickly brought under control after Ye Xianrong dispatched several people to calm the populace.
"Disciple," Ye Xianrong called.
"Yes, Master!" Though she had no idea what was happening, Bai Lanyue immediately knelt before her.
"You deserve a reward for your efforts."
The Spiritual Queen's index finger hovered over her disciple's forehead. A faint light, almost impossible to notice, shimmered at its tip.
Something flowed directly into Bai Lanyue's mind.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"T-This..."
"Yes," Ye Xianrong replied. "It is the method for comprehending the Path of Spiritual Energy. With it, breaking through to the Core Formation Realm will become much easier. However, do not mistake this for immunity from the Heavenly Tribulation. Whether you can forge your Spiritual Body or not... depends entirely on you."
Bai Lanyue couldn't understand.
What had she done to deserve such a reward?
All she could do was stare silently at her Master.
Ye Xianrong smiled gently before turning her gaze beyond the Small World. Her expression was filled with renewed hope, as though the aura of freedom itself had embraced her soul.
"That young man... carries an immense Destiny. Let him walk his own path."
She had never looked so satisfied. Even the Small World itself seemed more vibrant than before.
"M-Master... I don't understand. What is so special about that young man that has made you... this happy?"
"The young man himself is nothing extraordinary." Ye Xianrong shook her head. "It is his Destiny. I believe... Father is finally awakening."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
She couldn't even measure the joy she felt.
"Now I understand why the Chains have been behaving so strangely."
Although Bai Lanyue listened carefully, she still couldn't grasp what had truly happened.
She couldn't help but wonder what Feng Qi was hiding.
Then she remembered Bai Lan mentioning that the young man possessed several secrets.
What could they possibly be?
"Little Lanyue, return to Qingyao. Gather the finest spiritual herbs and spirit pills you can find. Help that boy."
Though still confused, Bai Lanyue immediately nodded.
"Yes, Master."
Without another word, she departed for Qingyao.
The moment Bai Lanyue's presence vanished, Mu Qingye stepped out from the folds of space. Looking at her Master with unconcealed curiosity, she asked,
"Master... who is that young man?"
Ye Xianrong had long been aware that her disciple was hiding nearby.
"It's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations."
"I'm sorry, Master. The sun suddenly disappeared, and I was frightened. I thought something had happened to you."
"It's fine."
Ye Xianrong smiled faintly.
"His name is Feng Qi. It means Awakening of the Wind—to be free."
She paused before asking,
"Tell me, Little Qingye... do you know what the World truly is?"
Mu Qingye's expression immediately darkened.
She looked toward the distant horizon, her eyes carrying a trace of melancholy.
"...Yes, Master."
After a long sigh, she continued,
"I do. Does he have something to do with it?"
"Not exactly."
Ye Xianrong slowly shook her head.
"It is his Destiny."
"I saw the Thread of his Destiny."
"The aura of Freedom... the subtle movements of the Chains... and the Dharma Body..."
"...Father is awakening."
Thump!
The words struck Mu Qingye like a bolt of lightning.
Cold sweat streamed down her face as her heart pounded violently.
"F-Father... your Father!?"
Everyone knew of him.
Or rather...
Everyone had heard his name.
Even if most regarded him as nothing more than an ancient legend—a myth.
There wasn't a single being in existence who had never heard of him.
His name echoed throughout the world, striking fear into the hearts of villains while bringing peace to the innocent and the righteous.
"Shen Huang..."
Mu Qingye knew his story.
An unbelievable tale.
A story so extraordinary that few could accept it...
Yet it was, without question, the truth.
Back in Qingyao, Feng Qi was surrounded by healers.
Each of them was doing everything in their power to save him.
At that moment, the Bai Manor had only one order:
Save Guard Feng Qi at all costs.
"His condition has improved dramatically, Senior Sister. Even his scars have disappeared..." Bai Lan frowned in confusion. "This is far too strange. He hasn't even reached the Qi Refinement Realm yet."
"That only proves he's extraordinary."
Bai Lanyue's expression remained calm, though Ye Xianrong's words still echoed in her mind.
"We should be grateful that someone like him is here. Remember this."
"Treat him well."
Countless theories flashed through her mind.
The Sanskrit inscriptions...
The ancient language...
She vaguely remembered reading that Sanskrit formations could alter one's appearance, enhance physical attributes, and even strengthen the soul through profound written patterns.
"I need to investigate this."
She turned toward the healers.
"Keep watch over him. Don't let anything happen."
"Senior Sister?" Bai Lan asked. "Where are you going?"
"To the library."
Bai Lanyue understood certain truths about the world.
For instance...
The Laws.
Only cultivators who had reached the Nascent Soul Realm could truly comprehend them.
That was precisely why Nascent Soul Masters were revered as Immortals within the Mortal World.
They stood on an entirely different level of existence.
Even cultivators at the Golden Core Realm were utterly insignificant before true Immortals.
It was common knowledge that a single Nascent Soul Immortal could bring an entire empire to its knees.
Kings and emperors.
Nobles and armies.
All of them could be wiped out as effortlessly as ants before a Nascent Soul cultivator.
"The world is far larger than most people can imagine. It's only natural that countless powerful forces exist."
About forty years ago, a peerless prodigy was born in the Southern Region of the Shanyue Continent.
Before reaching the age of thirty, he shattered the limits of the Golden Core Realm, broke his Golden Core, and stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm.
Such talent immediately attracted the attention of countless powerful factions.
"The Immortal Sects of the North showed tremendous interest in recruiting him."
"Naturally, many people preferred to uproot the sapling before it could ever reach the Northern Immortals..."
In the end, the genius died a meaningless death.
His fall most likely ignited the fury of the Northern Immortals toward the Southern Region.
"It hasn't been that long since that incident," Bai Lanyue murmured to herself. "If that's the case... everything begins to make sense."
She sat motionless in the middle of a mountain of books.
Hundreds of ancient tomes floated around her, suspended effortlessly in the air by her spiritual power.
Her eyes darted from page to page with astonishing speed.
To an outsider, it looked as though she were merely flipping through the books absentmindedly.
In reality, she was reading and comprehending every single word at a speed no ordinary person could hope to match.
Most of these books had been brought from the imperial capital.
She had stored countless crates of them inside her Spatial Ring.
Bai Lanyue had always been an avid reader.
"...Fǎshēn?"
Her eyes suddenly stopped on a particular page.
"The Sanskrit word means Dharmakāya..."
She frowned.
"But... what exactly is the Dharmakāya?"
About a week later...
"Your movements are far too stiff, and your strikes have completely lost their edge. Your muscles have practically atrophied." Luo Zixuan clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. "Tsk, tsk... Looks like you've been resting for far too long."
The sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable.
"Resting?" Feng Qi shot back, breathing heavily. "I almost died, you bastard!"
It was his first day of training since making a full recovery.
His body still felt as rigid as stone, but he pushed himself with everything he had.
"Let's take a break!" Zixuan shouted.
Feng Qi immediately collapsed onto the training ground, exhausted.
"...Seriously."
He let out a long sigh.
"You can't skip training even for a single day. I feel like I've turned into a complete couch potato."
He draped an arm over his eyes and silently gazed at the endless sky.
A sense of unease lingered in his heart.
Ever since arriving in Qingyao City, trouble seemed to find him at every turn.
And that wasn't even his greatest concern.
The Feng Clan would never stop hunting him.
They would always be looking for another opportunity to make his life miserable.
"If I had been a little smarter, I would've gone to another city..."
He sighed helplessly.
"...Though walking that kind of distance would've been nearly impossible."
"What are you muttering about over there?" Zixuan asked.
"Nothing."
Feng Qi didn't move.
"I'm holding a meeting with myself."
"...Looks like your injuries finally drove you insane."
Zixuan stared at him with a look of genuine surprise.
"You're the crazy one if you still think I'd be perfectly fine after everything that happened."
Feng Qi rolled his eyes.
"Honestly, the servants of Bai Manor are unbelievably heartless. Thank goodness I'll be leaving this place in a year..."
He glanced sideways at Zixuan.
"...Otherwise I'd end up just like you."
"What are you talking about?"
Zixuan sighed.
"Are you hallucinating?"
Another sigh escaped him.
"...Looks like I'll have to make a sacrifice."
The two had grown noticeably closer over the past several days.
Watching Feng Qi hover between life and death had softened Luo Zixuan's heart.
He was genuinely happy to see his training partner back on his feet.
More importantly, the attack that day had put the entire Bai Manor on high alert.
Security had become much stricter.
Several of the manor's enemies had been blacklisted.
Everyone shared the same opinion.
An eye for an eye.
"Don't worry about what happened," Luo Zixuan said as he reached out a hand to pull Feng Qi to his feet.
"Bai Manor will settle that matter."
Feng Qi accepted the hand, somewhat surprised.
He had clearly noticed the change in Zixuan's attitude.
Something about him had softened.
"I'm sure they will," Feng Qi replied with a smile.
"It would be a real problem if they tried pulling the same stunt again."
Over the past several days, while Feng Qi was still recovering, Luo Zixuan had pushed past his limits and broken through to the Eighth Layer of Body Refinement.
"Now I really don't stand a chance..."
Feng Qi let out a helpless sigh.
He was still at the peak of the Sixth Layer of Body Refinement. Even before Zixuan's breakthrough, he had already struggled to match him in combat.
Now, the gap between them had grown even wider.
"What are you talking about?" Zixuan said with a puzzled look. "Did you forget that you've already reached the Sixth Layer? You're lucky enough to advance that quickly."
There was no hiding the envy in his voice.
To him, Feng Qi's cultivation speed was practically unnatural.
"Now that you mention it..." Feng Qi rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"That breakthrough was strange. At that moment, it felt as though my body had suddenly been flooded with an overwhelming amount of energy... and then I just broke through."
"Maybe you possess some kind of unique physique."
"A unique physique?" Feng Qi blinked. "Something like that actually exists?"
"It might."
Zixuan nodded.
"Many geniuses are capable of fighting opponents several realms above their own. Others use their minds like a whetstone to temper their bodies. So strengthening the body through mental cultivation isn't impossible."
Feng Qi's eyes immediately lit up.
"Is there a cultivation technique that teaches something like that?"
The idea of using mental cultivation to strengthen his physical body sounded incredibly appealing.
"I wish."
Zixuan shrugged.
"Something like that may exist somewhere... but definitely not in Qingyao. Even the strongest sects in this city wouldn't possess a technique of that caliber."
"So it does exist..."
Feng Qi looked toward the distant north.
"I really do need to go there."
Meanwhile...
Far away from Qingyao...
Meanwhile, in another part of the continent...
"These lands have no rightful owner."
A powerful-looking man stood atop a massive altar, his voice echoing throughout the imperial hall.
"A select group of Elders from the North has decided to annex this region into our domain."
His gaze swept across the crowd before settling on the Imperial Family standing before him.
"You have two choices."
"Lower your heads and accept the new order..."
"...or become fertilizer for the earth."
"There is no room for negotiation."
Silence engulfed the hall.
The Imperial Family stood powerless before the man's overwhelming presence.
"...A Nascent Soul cultivator..."
The Emperor trembled as cold sweat ran down his face.
"W-Where is the Grand Elder?! Summon him immediately!"
"There's no need, Your Majesty."
A middle-aged man with long hair and a flowing beard stepped out from behind one of the massive pillars.
"Grand Elder!"
Relief flooded the Emperor's face.
"Save us! This man—"
"I already know."
The old man interrupted him before he could finish.
"I know this man personally."
He lowered his head.
"From this day onward... I serve him."
"Or rather..."
"...I serve the Frostcrest Sect."
"What!?"
The entire hall erupted into chaos.
"Grand Elder... is this truly your decision?"
"You swore to protect this nation!"
"You're the only one capable of standing against him! Please... reconsider!"
Voices of despair echoed throughout the palace.
The nobles looked at one another in panic.
Some had already begun searching for a way to abandon the sinking ship.
The old Grand Elder remained silent.
His head hung low.
A bead of sweat slowly slid down his cheek.
He glanced at the imposing man standing behind him before turning his gaze toward the Imperial Family.
His eyes were filled with killing intent.
"Kings... Nobles..."
"Give up."
"The Northern Sects are forces beyond even my ability to oppose."
"We all knew this day would eventually come..."
"There is no turning back."
The old man turned toward the Nascent Soul cultivator.
Placing one fist into his open palm, he bowed respectfully.
"Excellent!"
The man's laughter resounded through the hall.
"Excellent!"
"I'm pleased to see that there are still people capable of understanding the bigger picture."
"Do not worry."
"We will not treat you poorly."
"From this day forward..."
"...everyone here belongs to us."
His gaze was merciless.
His domineering aura spread through every corner of the vast imperial palace.
"A new era..."
"...is about to begin."
At that very moment...
It was as though an invisible seal upon the world had been released.
Destiny, which had remained stagnant for ages, finally began to move once more.
A future unlike any before slowly took shape at the end of history's road.
And...
A terrifying existence opened its eyes.
"Huh?"
"I-I broke through?"
Feng Qi looked at himself in disbelief.
He had just advanced to the Seventh Layer of Body Refinement.
Without wasting a single moment, he immediately circulated his spiritual energy to stabilize and strengthen his body.
"What?!"
"So fast?!"
Luo Zixuan stared at him with wide eyes.
"...You've really got a talent for this."
Inside the library...
Bai Lanyue remained seated amid an even larger mountain of books.
This time, nearly every tome had been taken out of her Spatial Ring.
After finishing the last book, Bai Lanyue let out a quiet sigh.
It wasn't from exhaustion.
It was disappointment.
Even after spending so many days reading without rest, not the slightest trace of fatigue could be found in her eyes.
"The Dharma Body..."
She gazed into the vast expanse of her Sea of Consciousness, her expression growing increasingly solemn.
"...the manifestation of the Will of the Spiritual World."
"It represents the world's goodness... its light."
"So much information..."
"I searched everywhere, yet all I found was the meaning of Dharmakāya."
She slowly closed the ancient book in her hands.
"The Dharma Body is nothing less than a fragment of the Will of Heaven."
"Although history records the existence of other manifestations, the Dharma Body has always been regarded as the highest expression of the Dao."
"It is Heaven and Earth."
"It is Law and Dao."
"It is balance..."
"...and life itself."
Silence filled the library.
What made everything so incomprehensible was that such an existence resided within the body of an ordinary young man with no remarkable background.
Yet with the aid of that mysterious power...
Feng Qi possessed the potential to one day stand at the very summit of every hierarchy in existence.
"If this were ever revealed..."
A bead of cold sweat slowly slid down Bai Lanyue's cheek.
She didn't even dare imagine what would happen.
The Gods...
The Spiritual Kings...
The supreme beings who ruled the world...
Without question, they would ignite the greatest war the world had ever seen.
"Feng Qi must be extremely careful..."
Her expression softened slightly.
"And speaking of him..."
"I've finally discovered who his father is."
A rumor had long circulated throughout Qingyao City.
It was said that the Governor's eldest daughter had once fallen deeply in love with a man from the Feng Clan.
A faint smile appeared on Bai Lanyue's lips.
"...Those people truly have no fear."
With a simple wave of her hand, every book in the library snapped shut simultaneously.
They flew back to their proper places on the shelves, arranging themselves as though guided by invisible hands.
The library returned to perfect order in an instant.
Bai Lanyue's expression, however, remained grave.
The sight reminded her of an old rumor she had heard shortly before leaving the city.
"...This must be the Feng Clan's doing."