Shenxiao Book Tower!

The most vital core of the Shenxiao Sect.

It was deeply anchored within the Sect-Defending Divine Artifact, the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City.

As the Exquisite Essence Core in Daoist Yunxiong's hand was taken by the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City, a thunderous boom resounded. An extremely fine slit opened in the grand gates of this supreme Lei City. A fierce gust, seemingly carrying raging thunderbolts that illuminated the vast world, billowed out, engulfing the air.

Suddenly, a ray of Thunder Yuan magnetic light shot out from the gate and wrapped around Daoist Yunxiong, drawing him into the Lei City in an instant.

Though it was not his first time entering this colossal Lei City, gazing upon the epic traces filled with the utmost Dao Charm within this ancient Divine Artifact, and those silent, slumbering Primordial Heavenly Thunder Cannons that faintly exuded an aura of destruction, Daoist Yunxiong still felt an indescribable pride.

This was the foundation that had allowed the Shenxiao Sect to stand tall through several ages!

Wrapped in the Thunder Yuan magnetic light, he was swiftly brought to the central area of the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City.

There sat a majestic wooden tower, simple and unadorned, constructed from over ten thousand kinds of Divine Marvel woods such as evergreen, bamboo, Wutong, and ancient sandalwood.

The tower stood over ten thousand zhang tall. Treasure light flowed around its body, and continuous phantasms swirled about. These were all manifestations of the True Scriptures and Dharma Gates contained within, competing in beauty like myriad blossoms vying for attention—an incredibly captivating sight.

Upon landing in front of the Book Tower, Daoist Yunxiong straightened his clothes, bowed slightly towards the building, and said, "Junior Yun Xiong, by order of the Sect Master, has come to retrieve scriptures."

Before Daoist Yunxiong's words had fully faded, the Shenxiao Book Tower, which emanated myriad treasure lights and the penetrating fragrance of books, trembled slightly.

A middle-aged man materialized. He held a scroll, was dressed in a long robe, and had an elegant, refined demeanor. A palpable pressure descended upon Daoist Yunxiong.

"Yun Xiong, I recall you accompanied your disciple here just a few years ago, did you not?" the middle-aged man asked softly, raising the scroll and glancing at Daoist Yunxiong.

"In response to Senior Wuyazi, this time it is because my youngest disciple has broken through to the Blood-Stained Realm," Daoist Yunxiong replied.

"I see…" The middle-aged man, whom Daoist Yunxiong respectfully called Senior from the Book Tower, nodded thoughtfully. With a flip of his palm, the Exquisite Essence Core that had been taken previously reappeared.

"A First-Rank Essence Core? Is your youngest disciple an illegitimate child of Dongfang Qing?" the middle-aged man asked, a look of surprise on his face after glancing at the Exquisite Essence Core in his hand.

Not only did he address Dongfang Qing by his full name, but he also brazenly made light of this Supreme Sect Leader of the Shenxiao Sect.

"Hey, such words must not be spoken carelessly!" Daoist Yunxiong's expression changed, and he waved his hands repeatedly in denial.

Good heavens, this Senior from the Book Tower still hasn't learned to watch his words after all these years. Within the entire Shenxiao Sect, he's probably the only one who dares to joke about the Sect Master.

Faced with the middle-aged man's banter, Daoist Yunxiong could only offer explanations and force a couple of dry laughs.

There was no helping it.

The genteel middle-aged man before him was, arguably, the most senior member of the Shenxiao Sect currently. His very being was an amalgamation of the diffuse auras from the tens of thousands of True Scriptures and Dharma Gates within the Book Tower, which had coalesced, gained sentience, and given birth to a Dao Spirit. His embodiment was this Book Tower itself. He called himself Wuyazi. He was born in an era between the Middle Ancient Era and more recent ancient times. His seniority was, one might say, off the charts. Furthermore, as the Dao Spirit of the Book Tower, everyone in the Shenxiao Sect, from the highest echelons down to the newest disciples, including Patriarch Dongfang Qing, held him in high regard.

"If not an illegitimate son, would he be willing to part with a First-Rank Essence Core? Don't be hasty; let me investigate."

A trace of curiosity in his eyes, Wuyazi gestured casually. The great door of the Book Tower behind him swung open instantly, and a heavy, profound stone scripture flew out on its own.

The stone scripture was initially blank, but then Wuyazi swept his sleeve across it. Rows of dazzling golden script immediately materialized.

"Oh, an Innate Hunyuan Holy Body, and he has also passed the Saint Calamity and cultivated the Xuanhuang Heavenly Palace. Hmm? This is..."

Before Wuyazi could finish reading the inscriptions on the stone scripture, the scripture, which seemed to be a book of heaven without words, suddenly vibrated. Threads of dark golden light cascaded down from some unseen realm. Cracks instantly spiderwebbed across the surface of the stone scripture, and the vibrant golden text upon it vanished.

"Human Path Merit protection?" Wuyazi muttered, looking at the cracked stone scripture in his hand with a dawning understanding. He then sent the stone scripture back into the Book Tower.

"In that case, he does indeed deserve this First-Rank Essence Core. Very well, since Dongfang Qing has agreed, I won't say more. However, little fellow, you certainly understand what a First-Rank Essence Core signifies. You need to consider carefully whether a mere child at the Blood-Stained Realm can truly handle it."

Stepping aside slightly to clear the path into the Book Tower, Wuyazi picked up the Exquisite Essence Core and gently pressed it into the pages of the book in his hand, saying, "There's no need for you to look below the fifth level. Above the fifth level, be careful. Remember, you have only one chance to choose. Once you leave the Book Tower, the decision is final and cannot be changed. Whether you can truly utilize this First-Rank Essence Core will depend entirely on you."

"This junior will remember Senior's words." Daoist Yunxiong nodded, his gaze solemn. He then stepped into the radiant and colorful Shenxiao Book Tower. Phantasms of countless Dharma Lights and visions evolved in the surrounding void, and amidst them resounded various Daoist shouts, Buddhist chants, scripture recitations, and even wild laughter.

…

"Reporting to Seventh Master, the Peak Master has not yet returned," the cherubic little Daoist acolyte, holding a jug of clear water, replied respectfully to Qi Xiu at Guanlan Cliff.

"Still not back? Then do you know where Master went?" Qi Xiu asked, puzzled. It had been more than two months since he last saw Sect Master Dongfang Qing, and since then, his master seemed to have vanished into thin air. He had come looking several times but had not managed to see him.

"The Peak Master didn't say," the little Daoist acolyte said, shaking his head to indicate he didn't know either.

"He probably went off to discuss business somewhere again."

What Qi Xiu referred to as 'talking business' was naturally the Divine Soul Wonderful Medicine, which had already become the primary economic pillar of Yunti Peak. In recent years, Daoist Yun Xiong had amassed a fortune selling the Divine Soul Wonderful Medicine using the Wonderful Medicine Pot. He had virtually transformed into a local tycoon within the sect, ridiculously wealthy. His business had even begun to extend beyond the Shenxiao Sect. There had been instances in the past where he disappeared for several months, or even half a year, mostly to discuss wholesale purchases of the Divine Soul Wonderful Medicine with other Peak Masters.

Having failed to find his teacher, Qi Xiu headed straight back to his standalone courtyard. There, about a dozen half-human-high white figures scurried around, brooms and cloths in hand. They bustled under Qingyi's command, vigorously tidying up the courtyard like soldiers in battle.

"Master, you're back!"

Seeing Qi Xiu return, Qingyi blushed. She quickly hid the duster she had been wielding like a baton behind her back and bashfully stuck out her tongue.

"It's fine, carry on with your game."

Smiling, Qi Xiu ruffled Qingyi's head while walking towards his bedroom. "By the way," he said, "make me a few small dishes and bring them over. I haven't eaten proper food in many years and I'm quite craving some."

"Got it, Master!" Qingyi replied in a delicate voice, standing on her tiptoes. Watching Qi Xiu enter the bedroom, she once again raised her duster, puffed out her small chest, and waved her hand. "Hear my command! Next target: the kitchen!"

…

In the bedroom, listening to the chattering noise outside, Qi Xiu shook his head with a smile. Although he indeed enjoyed tranquility, he also appreciated such lighthearted, bustling moments to liven up his otherwise ordinary days. Cultivating the Dao wasn't about extinguishing emotions and desires. He had no wish to end his cultivation journey as a dull and uninteresting block of wood.

Sitting cross-legged on the reed mat in his bedroom, Qi Xiu closed his eyes slightly, his mind turning inward.

The next moment, his field of vision began to slowly rise. Incredibly, it gently drifted away from his physical body, materializing as an ethereal Yin wind standing beside his form.

Soul out-of-body!

This was one of the basic abilities of a Blood-Stained Realm cultivator. Initiates of the Dao-Entering Realm had their souls locked within their Sea of Consciousness, unable to move freely. In contrast, Blood-Stained Realm cultivators, upon advancing, experienced their souls leaving this protective, yet confining, Sea of Consciousness. The soul, no longer trapped, would then enter the Ancestral Aperture via the Heaven and Earth Bridge. Therefore, they could freely control their souls to leave their bodies and move about at will.

Looking at his physical body, which lay before him with normal breathing, as if asleep, Qi Xiu was curious. He looked down at his own soul-form: a hazy, dark mass of Yin wind, vaguely capable of manifesting a blurry human shape.

With a mere thought, this soul-form began to fly wantonly around the room. The turbulent whirlwind it created was so fierce it seemed almost strong enough to rip the roof off the room.

After swirling for a moment, Qi Xiu's gaze shifted to an incense burner in the corner of the room. With another thought, the incense burner began to dance in the air, as if held by a pair of invisible hands.

My soul's current strength should be at what is called the Yin God Phase.

After testing and experiencing his soul's strength, Qi Xiu had a fair assessment.

Normal Blood-Stained Realm cultivators, after their promotion, would begin to touch upon soul cultivation. Apart from some special existences with inherently powerful souls, ordinary Blood-Stained Great Cultivators had to start from scratch. They would first stabilize their minds, becoming capable of soul projection and moving around their bodies. However, because the soul was Yin in nature, the scorching sun and excessive Yang Qi during the day could inflict enormous damage. Thunder Magic was especially dangerous; a single Thunder Sound was enough to shatter a soul. This was why Blood-Stained Realm cultivators battling Qi Xiu dared not use soul techniques. If they dared to project their souls in front of Qi Xiu, a sky full of Thunder Sounds could instantly shatter their souls, causing them to dissipate. This stage of the soul was called the Infant God Phase, implying it was as fragile and tender as an infant.

Through continuous cultivation, as the soul's strength gradually increased, it could withstand the daytime sun and fly freely, with speed comparable to top-tier Dao-Entering Realm Escape Skills. This stage was called the Wandering Spirit Phase.

Further on, the soul gradually materialized, existing between the illusory and the real, able to influence matter with intent. It could even, to a certain extent, affect the thoughts and consciousness of living beings. At this point, the soul already possessed considerable destructive power, especially in its ability to influence minds. For Dao-Entering Realm cultivators without soul techniques, this was almost a guaranteed kill! (Except for Thunder Law Cultivators!) This stage was called the Yin God Phase.

At the Golden Flower Maternal Sect Main Altar, Qi Xiu had absorbed most of the Divine Soul Force of the Golden Flower Sect Leader, Li Tan. His Divine Soul Realm had leaped directly to the Yin God Phase, saving him at least several decades of arduous cultivation.

…

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