Under Yaoyun's supervision, the Earth Qi Seal was slowly released. Primal qi gradually spread throughout the Small Nether Realm before seeping toward the mortal world. Even the concentration of primal qi around Mount Pingdu slowly rose. At the early stages of the Earth Qi Seal's release, the change in primal qi concentration was naturally most apparent in the Small Nether Realm. Unfortunately, only Lady Meng resided in it at the moment, and no other ghost cultivators were present. The one who benefited the most was Mu Wanxuan, who remained near the Earth Qi Seal. She had noticed that her cultivation speed had clearly accelerated over the past year and a half, and her progress had been smooth throughout. However, she found little interest in such things now. If it wasn't for Wang Sheng's wish for her to achieve immortality for him, she might have truly given up cultivation and simply aged quietly in this place. Mu Wanxuan's heart had become pure and free of any desires. Cultivators could not intentionally enter such a state of mind. Moreover, since no one could disturb her in the Small Nether Realm, she couldn't be shaken out of it. Hence, she advanced in her cultivation with remarkable ease. This was the main reason Yaoyun had tried several times to remind Wang Sheng that his message had not gotten through, yet she ultimately chose to hold back each time. Naturally, the one progressing the fastest on Earth at this time was still the young sword cultivator trapped inside the Earth Qi Seal—the very man whose absence had brought sorrow to Mu Wanxuan's Dao Heart. This was Qing Yanzi's disciple, Mu Wanxuan's junior brother, Emperor Ziwei and Pure Yang Sword Immortal Lu Dongbin's successor, the Shu Sword Sect's only honorary elder, one of the Righteous-Qi Alliance's most contributing members, Earth's future representative of heavenly tribulations, the best among the top one hundred martyrs of the cultivation world, and the one forever ranked first on the Earthly Rankings and in the hearts of cultivators. He was currently in an environment with such dense primal qi that one could choke on it just by breathing. With Yaoyun guiding his cultivation, Wang Sheng, whom his master had once dubbed a sword fanatic, naturally threw himself into training with everything he had. However, to cultivate with all his might did not mean blindly advancing his Daoist realm. The Daoist realm required insight, and insight demanded time. Yaoyun even constantly reminded him that only through steady accumulation could one achieve explosive growth. Thus, some rather unusual phenomena began to occur. Most cultivators from Wang Sheng's generation within the Daoist sects were desperate to accelerate their cultivation. They even used Qi-Nurturing Stones every day in hopes of quickly absorbing enough primal qi, consolidating their cultivation, and breaking through to the next realm. Unlike them, Wang Sheng chose the opposite path. He spent great effort suppressing his urge to break through. Hence, he focused instead on practicing swordsmanship, meditating, bathing in heavenly tribulations, and minimizing seated cultivation. Wang Sheng had no choice, though. He was advancing too rapidly in his cultivation, while his Daoist realm was struggling to keep pace. Fortunately, Yaoyun was always around to offer guidance. Though she could not be called a perfect teacher, she was certainly a worthy companion. Her cultivation was profound, and her vision and experience were unmatched. She was more than qualified to guide Wang Sheng. Following her advice, Wang Sheng began suppressing his realm after reaching the late stage of the Golden Core Realm. Moreover, he honed the strength of his divine soul. He would refine his Golden Core and Daoist Body to perfection before attempting to open the Heavenly Abode. The Heavenly Abode served as the dwelling of the Primordial Spirit and the great boundary between the Golden Core Realm and the Nascent Soul Realm. Its function was somewhat similar to the Illusory Core Realm. Although the Pure Yang Immortal Mantra included a cultivation method for the Heavenly Abode Realm, the techniques it involved could only be used upon reaching the realm. Since Wang Sheng was still perfecting his Golden Core, they were currently of no use to him. The solution, however, was simple. Yaoyun taught him two immortal arts specifically designed to strengthen the divine soul and Primordial Spirit: the Mysterious-Jade Heart Mantra and the Seven-Lotus Soul-Calming Method. The names alone initially made Wang Sheng feel opposed. However, once he actually began to use them, he discovered how profound and ingenious they truly were in nurturing the Primordial Spirit. The techniques were neither biased toward yin nor deficient in yang, and they certainly were not crafted solely for female cultivators. Their names just… didn't sound particularly masculine. The legendary Mysterious Lady of the Nine Heavens[1] created the first one, while the second was the work of the Queen Mother of the West[2]. Complementing one another, they produced extraordinary results together. Once his soul was strong enough, Wang Sheng would further temper it using his self-created Heavenly Tribulation Bathing Method. With all three methods combined, his soul would grow stronger daily at astonishing speed. Two and a half years since Wang Sheng started cultivating using three different arts. Although he still hadn't opened his Heavenly Abode, his spiritual consciousness had already undergone two transformations. Its quality was now just half a step away from evolving into spiritual perception, and it was now abundant enough to rival mid-stage Heavenly Abode Realm cultivators. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the era's strongest Golden Core Realm cultivator on Earth. Wang Sheng had undeniably greatly benefited from bathing in heavenly tribulation, tempering his body, and training his soul daily. With the addition of his Heavenly Tribulation Sword Intent, which was even stronger than his Dual-Polarity Sword Intent, his cultivation within the Earth Qi Seal had become more intriguing. In cultivation, faster was not always better. One would sometimes have to slow down and lay a stronger foundation for the realms to come. Having been trapped inside the Earth Qi Seal for exactly three years, Wang Sheng was fairly satisfied with his progress. He had refined his Golden Core to perfection, a feat that Yaoyun herself had acknowledged. However, due to the explosive growth of his soul power, he could no longer suppress his cultivation. He had lost count of how many times he had felt an impulse to break through. Now, that urge had become impossible to restrain. Sensing that his Daoist realm was mature enough now, he decided to take the next step forward. I'm done holding back. It's time to open my Heavenly Abode! Anchor my spirit to the spiritual platform and let it serve as my Heavenly Abode. Let my soul and spirit unite and dwell within the Purple Mansion[3]. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ N()velFire.net That day, Wang Sheng stepped away from his small corner and sat cross-legged before Spiritless. The sword now showed nearly three inches of its blade. If he were to find himself in any danger while breaking through, he only had to grasp the hilt, and Yaoyun would lend him her aid. Wang Sheng truly had little to worry about during this breakthrough. Calming his mind, he followed the Heavenly Abode section of the Pure Yang Immortal Mantra. He began to radiate a dim golden light, and strands of divine radiance began to converge at the center of his forehead. The human body contained three dantians[4]. Wang Sheng had already opened the lower dantian, located in the lower abdomen, into a qi sea. The middle dantian, situated at the Shanzhong acupoint[5], was tied to one's vital essence. It was the future dwelling place of the Nascent Soul. The upper dantian, where the Heavenly Abode would be opened, was roughly located at the center of the forehead. One cun deep between the eyebrows was the Bright Hall[6], and two more cun behind it was the upper dantian. It was essentially in the middle of the brain. Even without Yaoyun's warning, Wang Sheng was already well aware of the consequences that he could suffer if he recklessly tampered with his own brain. To ensure that his Heavenly Abode would smoothly open, he had made ample preparations beforehand. Currently, he had at least a ninety percent chance of success. All that remained was to follow each step carefully and steadily. While letting the divine radiance converge for about half an hour, Wang Sheng drew in a breath of multicolored primal qi. His Golden Core, which was in the lower dantian, shook gently, and his qi sea began to boil. Subtle traces of Dao Rhythm then flowed outward, converging toward the upper dantian. The procedure had to be done calmly and steadily. Hence, Wang Sheng maintained a tranquil state of mind as he focused on the dark-golden mist that was forming within his upper dantian. He couldn't have any sudden flashes of inspiration or bursts of wild imagination. Any misstep could truly open a hole in his skull. Only when everything had aligned as naturally as flowing water could the breakthrough be considered perfect. Wang Sheng made sword fingers with both hands and quickly tapped several points all over him. Flickering enchanted power emerged and circulated through his meridians for nine full cycles before surging toward the upper dantian. The process lasted for more than an hour. Eventually, Wang Sheng sighed softly, and his forehead began to glow. Rings of light drifted out from his skull, slowly expanding into the land of multicolored crystal. Another hour passed. Wang Sheng raised his right hand and touched his forehead with a finger. He shone brightly. In that instant, he temporarily lost control of his Dao Body. He felt as though he had plunged into a sea of clouds, unable to sense enchanted power, primal qi, or anything else from the outside world. Illusions and reality blurred together. Adrift in confusion, he rose and fell. It was as if he had not yet been born, yet he somehow possessed a faint awareness that allowed him to observe and perceive everything around him. This has to be the Innate Dao Breath. Gradually, more points of light appeared around him. They gathered more densely until Wang Sheng saw what seemed to be an infant. On their head, a pale-white glow flickered gently. Is that the soul of a divine spirit, the source of all things? Gradually, Wang Sheng lost all sense of time. He witnessed and experienced birth, growth, illness, aging, and death—the complete cycle of life. He focused on the ball of light the entire time, paying no attention to the shifting illusions around him. Eventually, the illusions, which generally troubled cultivators, quietly shattered. The thread of white light began to rise, transform, and grow stronger. A faint restlessness welled up once again in the depths of his heart. Negative emotions—anger, agitation, unease, and fear—seemingly tried to shake the foundation of his Dao Heart. Wang Sheng responded with a gentle smile, and the emotions all vanished at once, leaving only clarity and stillness within him. He passed one trial after another, enduring countless illusions and dangers. Eventually, the thread of white light transformed into a human figure and plunged into the dark-golden mist. Right after, Wang Sheng lost awareness again. He then had a vision. The sky was dim, and enormous multicolored celestial crystals were all over the ground. A familiar silhouette stood silently before him. She was now thinner than three years ago, though little else had changed. However, her eyes seemed dull and lifeless. Her expression stirred Wang Sheng's urge to approach, embrace her, and soothe her sorrow and longing. He took half a step forward, then stopped. He knew this was no more than an illusion. If he truly walked forward, all his previous efforts would be in vain. "Wait for me," Wang Sheng said softly. He then steeled his heart, turned away, and stepped through the two wooden doors that had appeared before him. With a leap, he plunged into the wondrous realm ahead, half starlight, half daylight. Wang Sheng was unaware of it, but the vision that he had just witnessed was real. Outside the Earth Qi Seal, a graceful figure was lost in thought before the celestial crystals. She then blinked and turned her head slightly, finding nothing but the distant thicket of trees and the crystals near her. Mu Wanxuan pressed her lips together in a soft smile, and her eyes showed a hint of contentment. She raised a hand to tidy the two locks of hair at her chest, then nodded slightly in response. Even if it was only a fleeting illusion that her mind had created, she at least still managed to hear his voice. 1. The goddess of war and longevity in Chinese mythology. ☜ 2. The goddess of life, fertility, and immortality. ☜ 3. A spiritual center within the body, located in the region between the eyebrows. It is also known as the upper dantian ☜ 4. Internal energy centers in the body where qi is gathered, refined, and stored. ☜ 5. Right in the middle of the chest. ☜ 6. Serves as a gateway to the upper dantian and is associated with clarity, inner vision, and the refinement of spirit ☜