"This brat... he actually carries primordial lightning qi within him?" Wind Dragon watched the lightning surging from Jun Laoye and murmured, "Heh... disciples raised by noble sects truly are different. To think he harbors such dense primordial lightning qi within his body. "With this lightning qi, one could say they stepped into the cultivation world even before birth. Once they formally start cultivating and awaken that power, their progress will skyrocket. This is the difference between disciples of noble clans and ordinary cultivators. No matter how strong a commoner's talent may be, they simply can't compare. Ordinary cultivators are at a disadvantage from the very start." "It really does seem so, Lord Wind Dragon. I've sensed similar energy from my brother as well," Nantian Wan'er said, her gaze fixed on Jun Laoye with a trace of awe. "It's just that... the golden dragon-shaped spirit qi only emerged after my brother was gravely injured, when it was inadvertently triggered. Since then, his cultivation has advanced rapidly. By now, he should be nearing the peak of the Core Breakthrough Realm." "That aura you saw should be primordial dragon qi. At the very least, it originates from a dragon-type beast of the Earth Core Realm, and it only manifests when producing offspring." Wind Dragon glanced down at Nantian Yijian, who looked bewildered but kept attacking, quietly reducing the ferocity of the wind blades. He then looked back at Nantian Wan'er and continued, "From my observations, the spirit qi of this continent is far weaker than in our era. Very few noble sects remain that can still store primordial qi within a fetus." "Yes, Lord Wind Dragon. I've heard from grandpa that such sects are indeed rare. Even for the Nantian Sect, it took over a hundred years of preparation to leave my brother with a trace of primordial qi." "However... I was often sick as a child. Later on, I followed Grandpa from place to place and paid little attention to cultivation affairs. I'm still not entirely sure where Brother Jun came from, though I doubt he was from a humble background," she added softly. "He has already cast aside the doubts clouding his heart. What's meant to happen will happen. Where he came from no longer matters." At that moment, the lightning energy within Jun Laoye grew even stronger, spreading outward. The blue glow of spirit qi around him gradually shifted into violet. A thin bolt of lightning leapt from his fingertip, striking a wind blade and becoming its core. Sparks crackled as lightning fused with it, transforming it into a lightning-infused wind blade. Layer upon layer of lightning coiled around the blade, amplifying its power severalfold. "Oh... it seems we have a little accident," Wind Dragon said with an awkward smile, observing the changes. "This boy's primordial qi is extraordinary... he can even alter my technique at its source." "Could it be that Brother Jun's spear skills are the key to awakening his primordial qi?" Nantian Wan'er wondered aloud, watching the surging energy. "It only appeared after he advanced in his spear skills just now." "That's right. Everyone has their own condition to trigger the primordial qi within them. For example, your brother's only manifested after he suffered a serious injury. That was his condition. "We should step back; his lightning is quite fierce," Wind Dragon said, retreating with Nantian Wan'er as he raised a protective shield around Jun Laoye. Inside the shield, the lightning flared even more violently. Anyone within two meters would be struck by it. Standing beside Wind Dragon, Nantian Wan'er suddenly shouted, "Lord Wind Dragon, please save Brother Yijian! Those lightning-infused wind blades are getting too close to him!" "It's fine. I've already modified them. They may look fierce, but most are just illusions. At most, they'll cause surface wounds," Wind Dragon replied calmly as he observed Nantian Yijian. "Come. This brat's comprehension skills are far too dull. He needs a push." Together, Wind Dragon and Nantian Wan'er descended above Nantian Yijian. Wind Dragon calmly uttered the sacred words of the Dao[1], "Ha... I safeguard the true heart; from one principle, ten thousand unfold."[2] His words pierced through the layers of wind barriers, reaching Nantian Yijian's ears. The youth looked up at him in shock, his face still dazed. "Senior Wind Dragon... what does 'from one principle, ten thousand unfold' mean?" He barely noticed the blades grazing past him as he asked, "I heard everything you said just now. Does this mean I truly have no talent or comprehension?" Wind Dragon explained, "Since you heard it all, you should know where your strength lies. Talent and comprehension are meaningless to you. Only your will can determine your future. Recall the will you showed aboard the airship, when you pleaded for the common folk. That is what you must pursue." A humanoid phantom holding a long guqin slowly took shape before Wind Dragon. He looked on as the flying swords were drawn from it one by one, swirling endlessly before him. "I do not know the Lord of Rituals' techniques, but I remember his movements," Wind Dragon murmured. "Focus on your will. The same will you showed when pleading for the people of this world." At the same time, the phantom danced his fingers across the guqin. "Will? Pleading for the people? What I'm chasing is..." Nantian Yijian stared at the phantom before him, his thoughts spiraling inward. What am I chasing...? "Looks like I was right all along," Wind Dragon observed with a satisfied smile, watching as Nantian Yijian began moving in ways he couldn't fully grasp. "He truly resonates with the Imperial Lord of Rituals' teachings." Nantian Wan'er asked, "Could it be that the God of Slaughter, too, had poor talent at first?" Wind Dragon shook his head, glancing at Nantian Wan'er. "I wouldn't know. By the time I followed the Beast King, the Imperial Lord of Rituals already commanded a region on his own. "I later heard the Beast King say he had been a young master of a mortal clan. His early years were harsh. Pursued and threatened, he honed his skills under pressure. He stepped onto the path of cultivation only after his clan was slaughtered." Hearing this, Lu Chen's figure surfaced in Nantian Wan'er's mind. She murmured, "So the God of Slaughter had such a tragic childhood? That's strangely similar to Lu-gege's story." "There is indeed some resemblance..." Wind Dragon turned back to Nantian Yijian, chanting the sacred words of the Great Dao once more, while also quickening the phantom's playing of the guqin. "What exactly am I chasing? It's not only about giving the common people a chance to change their fates... What am I truly seeking?" Nantian Yijian clutched at his hair, screaming as he dropped to his knees. Bowing his head, he still cried aloud, "Lord Wind Dragon, what am I really chasing? Do you know? I... I don't even truly bear this surname..." Sensing his mind collapsing, Wind Dragon released his divine sense, plunging into Nantian Yijian's memories in an instant. After scanning them in full, he sighed, putting an end to Nantian Yijian's questions. Then he released his spirit qi, merging the Ice-Heart Command with the sacred words of the Dao. "Stay true to your heart. Since you chose this path, walk it to the end. This is your chance to rise. Nantian Yijian will become the sharpest sword of the Nantian Region." "Can I really do it?" Nantian Yijian pressed both hands to the ground, tears slipping down his face. "But I truly am not... Even with this name, I have neither the strong backing that Little Jun has nor the talent of a prodigy. Even with this name, I feel I am still not enough." "Stay strong. That is only your past. As long as you believe, it will become real. "Wan'er, his mind is on the verge of collapse. I can enter his consciousness with my spirit body. Guard him. Whether he can shift his understanding of cultivation depends entirely on this moment." "Don't worry, Lord Wind Dragon. I understand. I am already a Qi Regulation Realm cultivator. I'll keep watch." "I'm going in. I'll leave everything else to you." With a sharp cry, Wind Dragon unleashed the full force of the Ice-Heart Command, turning into a streak of shadows as he plunged into Nantian Yijian's mind. Inside Nantian Yijian's consciousness, Wind Dragon's phantom in human form hovered in midair, scanning every corner in search of Nantian Yijian's Divine Psyche Incarnation. Storms and lightning raged through the mindscape. In the far corner of Nantian Yijian's divine chamber, the Divine Psyche Incarnation crouched, head buried between the knees, trembling violently. It was growing thinner by the moment, as if he could vanish at any instant. Suddenly, the door to the divine chamber burst open. Wind Dragon's phantom shone with golden light as he charged inside. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝘯𝘦𝘵 The Divine Psyche Incarnation raised its head, shivering. "You... are?" Wind Dragon approached slowly. "Stay true to your heart." Golden radiance enveloped the trembling Divine Psyche Incarnation as Wind Dragon pressed his finger against its forehead. "I will pass you a manual to cultivate your Divine Psyche Incarnation. Recite it carefully in your mind." Bathed in the glow, the Divine Psyche Incarnation slowly stilled. No longer questioning Wind Dragon's identity, it whispered, "Yes." Wind Dragon transmitted the complete Heart-Observing Mantra. The Divine Psyche Incarnation followed his guidance, silently reciting it. Golden light coursed through the mind, pouring into the Divine Psyche Incarnation. Gradually, the Divine Psyche Incarnation solidified. Sitting upright, it began to actively draw in the surrounding golden energy. 1. In cultivation/Daoist novels, it refers to a profound Daoist mantra or supreme incantation that carries the essence of the Dao ☜ 2. The phrase emphasizes that the Dao is unified at its root, and that all the myriad transformations of heaven and earth can be traced back to one underlying principle. In cultivation terms, it means once you master the essence, infinite techniques and paths will open up before you. ☜