Over the span of seven days and nights, within the Ice and Fire Ying Yang Well, the forces of water and fire, yin and yang, continuously revolved and clashed, their collisions giving rise to boundless vitality. Chen Ming lay upon the grass, instinctively sensing the ever-shifting balance of yin and yang, adjusting his breathing in harmony with the rhythms of heaven and earth.
Using the surging force of water and fire as external pressure, the profound cycle of yin and yang as its guiding principle, and the ceaselessly transforming natural energies of the entire Ice and Fire Ying Yang Well as an outer furnace, he tempered his body little by little—slowly integrating that essence of "gold" into both his life and his being.
Every breath, every heartbeat became a subtle act of refinement. Each shift in the Ying Yang energies, every ounce of pressure, was a fine polish upon his existence.
Many had been misled by the idea of an "Indestructible Vajra Body," believing it to be merely a stage of physical cultivation.
In truth, it was the opposite. The term originated from Buddhist teachings, referring to the Dharma body attained by the Buddha—likened to the unbreakable nature of a diamond, symbolizing an eternal and indestructible essence.
Hardness was only the surface. "Vajra" was but a metaphor. True essence lay in transcendence—beyond the three realms, beyond all destruction.
Within Daoist teachings, the core of the "golden nature" was likewise immortality and divinity.
This was precisely the essence of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum: aligned with the metal element, supremely firm and yang in nature, yet fundamentally balanced. Its "gold" did not refer to metal, nor to weapons, but to an extraordinary quality symbolized by gold itself—
Transcendence. Immortality. Divinity.
To pursue mere hardness or durability was not entirely wrong, but it was a lesser path—one that clung to appearances and missed the deeper truth.
As the saying went: "To cultivate only the nature and not the life is the first illness of cultivation. To refine only innate nature without forging the elixir—through countless tribulations, one remains a wandering spirit, unable to attain sainthood."
By that standard, Chen Ming judged that Tang San's approach to cultivation fell firmly into the inferior tier.
In the original story, Dai Mubai's method of consuming the chrysanthemum was not wrong. Given that his White Tiger Martial Soul also aligned with the metal aspect, he was able to draw out a reasonable portion of its effects.
But that was merely the baseline. It fell far short of fully awakening the true, undying nature of that "gold."
The so-called indestructible body was only an outward manifestation of this property—and even then, Dai Mubai had never truly reached such a level.
As for the reason, Chen Ming did not believe Tang San had deliberately held anything back. Rather, it was simply that Tang San's understanding was limited—he had read too few Daoist canons and classical scriptures to grasp the deeper principles.
As an outer disciple of an assassin sect, Tang San's knowledge of internal cultivation was largely confined to the Mysterious Heaven Skill and its associated teachings. His understanding of immortal herbs came solely from records in the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, lacking personal research or deeper insight.
Thus, he could only apply it superficially—knowing what it did, but not why it worked—and handed the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum to Dai Mubai without unlocking its full potential.
Had it been someone trained in high-level Daoist inner arts, with proper cultivation knowledge, they might well have refined even a Golden Core from it. The true value of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum lay in the opportunity for dual cultivation of body and spirit—mere physical enhancement was secondary.
Chen Ming did not claim to possess extraordinary enlightenment or great fortune, nor did he believe himself to have inherited true Daoist or Buddhist secret arts. But at the very least, he knew more than Tang San—and his creativity and comprehension surpassed his.
Through his own method, Chen Ming had successfully integrated the golden essence and medicinal power of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum into his body.
At last, he slowly opened his eyes. Rising from the ground, he stretched lazily and let out a yawn. Without any deliberate effort, a faint golden glow naturally emanated from within him.
With a casual wave of his hand toward the Land Dragon Golden Melon that had served as his pillow for seven days, the melon transformed into a streak of light and flew into his palm, continuously shrinking until it became a golden pill no larger than an egg yolk.
Tilting his head back, Chen Ming swallowed the golden pill in one motion. As he felt the Land Dragon Golden Melon merge with his very origin, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
It wasn't only Chen Ming who had been transformed by the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum— the Land Dragon Golden Melon, which was bound to his life, had also been affected.
Although the Land Dragon Golden Melon was a heaven-and-earth treasure aligned with the earth element, the principle that earth gives rise to metal meant that it inherently possessed a considerable metal attribute as well.
During the absorption of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, the original imprint within the Land Dragon Golden Melon was further diluted and gradually replaced by Chen Ming's own mark. It began to shift from being merely a fruit toward something closer to a dragon core.
Compared to when it had first been picked, the Land Dragon Golden Melon was now far more refined and rounded. The once uneven, rugged patterns on its surface had, after shrinking, become smooth and intricate—like the natural markings etched upon a golden core. Its internal weight had lightened considerably, and once swallowed, it felt like a miniature sun within his body, radiating an unceasing flow of warmth.
With every beat of Chen Ming's heart, the now-diminished Land Dragon Golden Melon within his abdomen trembled faintly, steadily releasing its medicinal properties while guiding the flow of his Spirit Power into harmony.
Closing his eyes slightly, Chen Ming formed a series of hand seals, assisting the circulation of his Spirit Power. After a brief moment of gathering energy, a golden radiance began to emanate from his body, and his entire figure turned into what seemed like a small golden statue.
However, the state did not last long. Before long, he let out a quiet breath and shook his head.
The Indestructible Vajra Body was a profoundly advanced state. With his current level of cultivation, Chen Ming could not sustain it for long. It would require further training, along with deeper exploration of his own abilities, before he could fully apply it in battle.
Even so, this incomplete, short-lived imitation of the indestructible body was enough to double his defensive power and render him nearly immune to all abnormal conditions.
Chen Ming sat on the ground, watching the sunrise at the horizon. After some time, Dugu Bo finally arrived. Seeing Chen Ming now bathed in the morning light, exuding a calm yet transcendent aura, Dugu Bo rubbed his eyes in disbelief before walking over and sitting beside him.
"You gained a lot this time?" Dugu Bo asked sincerely.
"A lot—truly a lot," Chen Ming replied. "It's hard to describe just how significant it is, but if I had to compare… the transformation I've undergone is no less than absorbing a Spirit Bone suited to me from a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast—perhaps even greater."
"How is that possible? A hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone is a legendary treasure in the world of Spirit Masters!" Dugu Bo believed him, yet precisely because he believed him, he found it hard to accept.
"Some things come down to compatibility," Chen Ming explained calmly. "Certain Spirit Abilities or powers are already formidable, but in the hands of the right person, their effects can multiply many times over. Especially when it comes to transformations at the level of one's origin—when it fits, its power grows exponentially."
"It's like a fire-attributed Spirit Master obtaining heavenly flame, or a water-attributed one gaining the ability to command the power of the ocean. That's a qualitative change—a fundamental enhancement to all abilities."
"But if it doesn't suit you, the best-case scenario is diminished effectiveness. In worse cases, the clash can even cost you your life. It's like the proportions of ingredients in medicine—while each herb's properties matter, what matters more is how they combine, and whether they suit the patient."
"Even deadly poison can save a life, while harmless substances can become lethal under the wrong conditions. In my case, I've brought out the full potential of every 'ingredient' and combined them perfectly—so the result is nothing short of a complete rebirth."
After a pause, Chen Ming added, "In the future, you can let me take a look at your granddaughter. I'll examine her condition and find a suitable immortal herb for her."
"Immortal herbs…" Dugu Bo gazed at the unfamiliar plants around him and sighed with emotion. "They truly are worthy of that name."
"All these years, I've been sitting atop a mountain of treasure without knowing it—only able to look at these priceless plants without daring to use them. If not for you, had someone less honest come to deceive me, I might never have understood their true value, even until death."
"In the future, how Yan Yan cultivates… I'll have to rely on your guidance."