At the entrance of the alley, Daoling clicked his tongue, still holding the broken sword with which he had knocked Jian Xiaoxiao unconscious. After hiding her in a secluded spot, he scratched his head, eyeing the drop of golden energy. *Might as well leave it for her—she's pitiful. If I take it, she'll definitely sell me out.*
Daoling fled immediately, not returning to Starfall Academy but heading to a cultivation facility to break through and gather information before resurfacing. He urgently needed strength—though his Body Forging Realm was extraordinary, it paled against true masters. Only by reaching the Soul Convergence Realm could he gain life-saving trump cards.
Daoling's resources were abundant. He had already prepared the materials for breaking through to Soul Convergence, and with the golden energy, he could achieve a leap forward.
Qingzhou City had numerous cultivation facilities for rent. After wandering, Daoling arrived at a luxurious one.
"What kind of seclusion chamber do you need?" a maiden greeted him.
"What options are there?" Daoling asked flatly, having never been here before.
The maiden frowned slightly, casting a dismissive glance. "Human, Mystic, and Celestial grades. Prices are 100 gold coins, 1,000 gold coins, and 10,000 gold coins per day, respectively."
These prices were exorbitant—many cultivated for months, making a Celestial-grade chamber 300,000 gold coins per month, unaffordable for most.
"Celestial grade, ten days." Daoling handed over a gold card with 500,000 gold coins from Treasure Pavilion.
The maiden's expression shifted, regretful for her earlier怠慢 (neglect). "Right away, sir. Follow me."
The Celestial-grade chamber was a small courtyard with energy comparable to Starfall Academy's Spirit Mountain—painful to waste money on.
Sitting cross-legged on a futon, Daoling's mind cleared, his body空灵 (ethereal) with an air of detachment. He expanded his spiritual awareness, merging with heaven and earth, sensing the surrounding energy to awaken his body's connection to the cosmos.
This realm posed challenges for many cultivators: channeling heavenly energy to imbue the body with cosmic creation, merging boundless divine power for逆天 (heaven-defying) strength.
His aura surged, vibrant qi erupting from within, his entire body glowing as he awakened every inch of his being, unleashing潜能 (potential) without reserve. With a rumble, the courtyard trembled under surging energy, contained by array patterns.
The Soul Convergence Realm varied in strength. First and foremost, it depended on the body—the stronger the body, the more terrifying the inner world it forged!
His potential was unparalleled. Radiating dazzling divine light at the peak, he absorbed energy, channeled the cosmos,领悟 (comprehended) heavenly principles, and visualized himself as a microcosm.
After half a day of immersion, thunder rumbled within him, golden blood energy roiled, and inner visions surged like the creation of the universe. His body began to resonate. He visualized himself as a small world, every bone and muscle glowing, awakening to emit mysterious threads of aura.
Rumble!
Daoling's dormant aura exploded. His pores opened and closed, exuding terrifying suction as he became a ferocious beast linked to the great world, intercepting cosmic energy. The courtyard shook as energy seas converged at its center.
His flesh and blood glowed with transformation, shrouded in divine mist. Energy within him暴涨 (skyrocketed) at a terrifying rate, like a divine furnace. He absorbed so rapidly that the courtyard's abundant energy was drained in mere breaths, leaving the surroundings dark—an appalling sight that would shock the world, testament to his peerless potential.
With energy枯竭 (depleted), Daoling nearly broke through prematurely. He quickly popped a Spirit Enlightenment Fruit into his mouth, shell and all. The fruit dissolved, multiplying his radiance like a sun, changing the color of the void. He became a vacuum cleaner, drawing in imperceptible starlight and dominatingly stealing energy from the surroundings. The Spirit Enlightenment Fruit not only provided massive energy but also accelerated absorption, greatly enhancing potential upon reaching Soul Convergence—hence its value.
Daoling's body radiated divine light, every muscle greedily absorbing energy, yet it was供不应求 (inadequate). "Not enough! Not enough!" He swallowed a Purple Heart Soul Elixir, knowing his potential demanded vast resources. But the golden energy, being high-grade, would help him reach a terrifying realm—after all, the more advanced the energy in one's inner world, the stronger the world itself.
Thus, clan prodigies prepared heavenly materials for Soul Convergence; some even sought cosmic essences, divine mists, purple qi, and primal energy. Daoling lacked such treasures, but he knew his path had just begun.
As the Purple Heart Elixir's power dissolved, purple energy flowed through his bones and flesh, awakening more potential. His body became a wonder, radiating divine light and auspicious rays—a fearsome sight.
Notably, as the Spirit Enlightenment Fruit's energy waned, his absorption rate surged. Daoist chants echoed within him, and the Devouring Heaven Scripture grew fearsome, turning him into a black hole that drew in starlight and refined all five elements to strengthen himself.
In an alley, a pile of ordinary rocks suddenly emitted sword qi, shattering into pieces. Jian Xiaoxiao, clad in golden armor, emerged, frowning as she touched the back of her head, wincing in pain. "Who did this?"
Furious at being ambushed—she was always the center of attention, never humiliated like this—she ground her teeth. "It must be that damn thief!" Noticing blood in her hair, she trembled with anger, ready to hunt him down, but paused at a glint on the ground.
Opening the jade bottle to see the golden energy, her anger faded into a smile. "What terrifying energy—he didn't take it all." Then she frowned, worried. "I was ambushed. Could he have been too?"
She knew Daoling was behind the Spirit Pagoda's异变 (anomaly). If he were captured, he might be tortured or killed. Worrying, she paced, then headed to the pagoda, now in chaos as powerhouses flocked to the ninth floor. The secret couldn't be hidden—too many came to study runes, and crowds would soon arrive for the tenth floor.
*Didn't he say a powerful being was sealed on the ninth floor?* Clenching her fist, Jian Xiaoxiao stepped inside to investigate.