In the small courtyard, golden divine light surged, strands of powerful aura pressing against the sky. Sacred waves filled the air, turning the courtyard into a mist-shrouded, hallowed realm.
A shadow sat cross-legged, body radiating divine light. With each breath, the surrounding world trembled—a sign of supreme strength. He had become a microcosm, absorbing energy from the greater world to temper his being.
Daoling's body emanated a sacred aura as he refined the golden energy. Three days ago, swallowing the drop had nearly burst his body, and it took three full days to consume it all. Now, every inch of his muscle glowed with dazzling divine light, like a primordial treasure trove beginning to unseal, with a faint saintly might lying dormant.
"My body feels strange," Daoling murmured. Growing more fearsome by the day, he sensed a primal force awakening within—perhaps the origin of his Saint Body! Attempts to rouse this energy failed, as it seemed to require some terrifying power to activate.
Still in seclusion, his awakening incomplete, another drop of golden energy fell into his body, transforming into sacred qi that surged with vibrant life force, accelerating the awakening process.
In Qingzhou City, turmoil had erupted. Though early discoverers tried to hide the news, it spread within two days. The Spirit Pagoda, a sacred structure长存 (standing for eons) in Qingzhou, had lost its威压—a seismic event. Many believed someone had taken the tenth-floor treasure, or the treasure had flown away, causing the pagoda's change.
Regardless, the aftermath was huge. With the pagoda's pressure gone, countless people fought to enter the ninth floor for its inheritance halls. Now, as the Starfall Hall was set to open, powerhouses flocked to Qingzhou, drawn by both events.
Five days later, the courtyard erupted with mighty waves. Daoling's aura reached its peak, shattering a minor realm barrier. His气息 (aura) surged, a terrifying golden blood-energy torrent tearing through the sky.
"Broken through," Daoling whispered. Normally, advancing from Body Forging to Soul Convergence took six months, but he achieved it in under ten days, even reaching the Second Heaven of Soul Convergence. This was the result of long accumulation—he felt another breakthrough imminent.
His eyes snapped open, brilliant with divine light. Dao韵律 (rhythms) coiled around him like a banished immortal, his long hair flowing, aura transcendent. Suddenly, he closed his eyes, joy crossing his face. His mind空灵 (ethereal), he sensed something stirring in his脑海 (mind).
As he released his mental barriers, a strange energy wriggled free. Veins bulged on his forehead as he awakened his spirit soul—succeeding now meant avoiding another wait. The spirit soul, the essence of one's being, allowed some强者 (experts) to scan ten thousand li with a thought, but enhancing it required rare treasures or elixirs.
After half an hour of persistence, a strange energy burst from his mind, bringing floods of memories. With his spirit soul awakened, his memory surged—for the soul was the root of the sea of consciousness, the storehouse of memories.
He saw himself at twelve, sweating profusely in a room, training his body with primitive methods. That year, he'd struggled against冷漠 (indifference) and mockery, unable to practice techniques without falling asleep—until he overtrained, collapsed, and heard a mysterious voice传授 (teaching) him the Devouring Heaven Technique. Daoling sighed, grateful to the unknown benefactor.
At six, he'd wondered why the lame man applied strange substances to his body—some fragrant, some bitter, some radiating sacred life force. *The lame father had great skills,* he thought—where else would commoners find such ores?
At three, the lame man had taken him wandering like savages before settling in Green Mountain City. Then, a familiar yet陌生 (strange) scene emerged: a grand land with palaces, heavenly sounds, spirit beasts, and药田 (herb gardens) where ancient herbs spat auspicious rays. A porcelain-doll child slept on a dao-scribed stone, watched by a heroic man and a celestial woman...
Daoling's soul ached, and he cut off the vision, breathing heavily. *Was that me?* he murmured, smiling bitterly. Raised by the lame man, he'd never known his mother, and the memory only deepened his longing. *I'll strengthen my soul to see more,* he decided, calming his emotions before rising.
Leaving the cultivation chamber, he reached the Spirit Pagoda, surrounded by gawkers denied entry. Great powers had seized the pagoda to monopolize its ninth-floor inheritances—a harsh reminder of the world's law: the strong take all.
"Elder, why has the Spirit Pagoda changed?" Daoling asked an old man.
"They say the tenth-floor treasure is gone, so it can't channel heavenly energy anymore. No one's allowed in now," the elder replied.
"Where did the treasure go?"
"No one knows—stolen or flown away. Stories vary." Many suspected the Martial Emperor or other peerless prodigies, but Daoling relaxed—so long as he stayed hidden, he cared not.
Approaching the Small Martial Dao Stele, Daoling thought, *Qian Yao got a treasure last time. Maybe I can too by engraving my name.* But he hesitated: *Qian Yao was hunted after. With so many powerhouses here, I'd better wait.*
Stretching, he headed for Starfall Academy, where news buzzed: the Starfall Hall, an ancient秘境 (secret realm), would open soon, holding Seventy-Two Great Divine Abilities—including "Starshift," a heaven-defying technique harnessing stellar power.
"Will the Martial Emperor come? I hear he was terrifying at ten," a dreamy少女 (maiden) sighed. Others swooned—he was the undefeated prodigy of the Mystic Domain.
"Is he that handsome?" Daoling clicked his tongue, turning toward Spirit Mountain. Unseen, several men eyed him hungrily. "He's finally shown himself after two months," one sneered. "Wang Junyi promised a reward for his head—let's make our move."