Inside the dark cave, Wang Zhen's body was going through a painful change. His lungs began to break down, melting away slowly. With a scream filled with pain, the broken pieces mixed with a glowing golden liquid. This liquid was special—bright and powerful. Bit by bit, his lungs started to rebuild themselves, taking on a shining golden-red color. They looked stronger, ready to work better than before.
"RAAAGHHGGGGHHHHHHH!!!" his scream didn't stop; it grew louder, full of pain and determination.
Next, Wang Zhen's heart started to break apart too. Piece by piece, it mixed with the golden liquid and slowly reformed. The new heart glowed bright red and pulsed with fresh strength.
One by one, each of his organs took their turn. His liver melted completely and mixed with the golden liquid. Then it came back, shining with a deep copper color, stronger than before.
His kidneys didn't get a break either. They dissolved and blended with the light before rebuilding into tough, strong organs, carrying a faint blue shine.
His stomach melted next, mixing with the golden liquid. It rebuilt itself as a powerful organ, glowing softly with energy, ready to absorb and process more than just food.
Then, his intestines dissolved and reformed into a smoother, brighter form, glowing with a soft blue light, now more efficient at handling energy. Even the smaller organs like his spleen, pancreas, and gall bladder melted and came back stronger and glowing in different colors. Each was enhanced to help Wang Zhen's body work faster and better.
His bladder and reproductive organs were last. They dissolved and rebuilt, glowing faintly, becoming better at storing life force and carrying the power to continue his bloodline. Wang Zhen's screams filled the cave, louder and louder with every organ's transformation. It was an agonizing change, but it made him stronger.
Every part of his body was being destroyed and reborn. This was the Deity Transformation—a harsh and painful journey. The more powerful a person, the more intense the pain.
But Wang Zhen was determined. He was becoming more than a mortal. His body was turning into a new vessel to hold god-like power.
...
Twenty days passed, but inside the hidden cave, Wang Zhen's transformation was still not finished. The pain never really faded, coming in waves as his body slowly remade itself over and over, every muscle, every organ turning stronger, harder, and closer to something truly godlike.
...
Meanwhile, outside the dome, Old Man Jin and Old Man Wei hadn't let up for even a day. The ground around the dome was more ruined than ever—cracked, scorched, and littered with bits of broken stone and tree. Both men looked tired, but their willpower was as strong as ever, attacking the barrier in shifts, using powerful sword slashes, seals, and direct punches. Their strikes rang out day and night, each attempt echoing across the twisted battlefield.
News of this battle couldn't stay secret for long. Word spread from passing traders and wandering cultivators: "Two peak Deity Formation experts are attacking the dome of Lord Heavenly Law!" It became the topic everyone whispered about.
Soon, crowds of cultivators and sect leaders made their way to watch—but few dared to reveal themselves. Nearly all of them hid miles away in the shadows, peeking from behind rocks or camped out high on distant hills. They watched with complicated feelings: some hoping for the barrier to break so they could snatch some opportunity for themselves, others simply in awe at the legendary power on display.
The Fire Alliance group watched as well, keeping to the shadows and cold patience. Their Supreme Elder, Shin Stalin, kept a careful eye on the scene, his four grand elders and the six nascent souls all hiding with him among thick forests. Their only goal was to storm in and rescue Hizler at the first chance, not daring to step out early and make themselves targets.
Other ambitious figures watched too—some from lesser sects, some powerful rogue cultivators, all waiting like wolves on the edge of a wounded prey. None dared get too close to Jin and Wei, knowing even a stray attack could mean instant death.
The constant sound of assault on the dome became a signal to every observer: sooner or later, the barrier would give way. Suspense crackled on the air. Inside the dome, those still trapped could only guess at what was about to happen.
And all this happened as Wang Zhen, deep in his dark cave, struggled through each phase of his painful, world-changing transformation—a storm about to break, with every eye fixed on the dome.
...
Inside the dome, in the thick darkness of the forest, about 300 people were still alive. They moved cautiously, but Wang Zhen didn't care about them much. He saw no use in wasting energy on controlling or hunting them. Instead, he had given the spirit strict orders: to watch over these survivors and, more importantly, to catch whoever was stealing life force from others.
The spirit hovered high above the dark canopy, eyes sharp and glowing faintly. It looked in the direction where Wang Zhen was deep in his Deity Transformation breakthrough."Good luck, my lord," it whispered respectfully, knowing the importance of what was happening.
—
Now, it's important to understand what these spirits are in this world—like the one watching over the dome.
Artifact Spirits, Gu Spirits, Pill Spirits and more: These are all lifeforms born from cultivation, but they serve very specific purposes. They live only for their masters, and in some rare cases, they actually love their masters, almost like family or even a soulmate.
Once a master refines a spirit—turning it into a powerful weapon or helper—the spirit belongs to that master alone. It cannot change owners unless the master wills it. If the master dies, the spirit is then called 'soul', and is free to go, as it is no longer bound.
Yet, some spirits are so loyal that they choose to die alongside their master, refusing to leave even in death. Others—more rare and powerful—do not die at all, but choose to carry their master's will and purpose to someone else. This is known as fulfilling the master's last wish.
The person who inherits the spirit's loyalty and will then becomes the new owner, the new master. This transfer of faith and loyalty keeps the cycle going.
These spirits form a crucial part of the chaotic world they live in. Even if someone is a demon or evil by nature, their spirit remains faithful and true to them, making these spirits some of the most reliable lifeforms in the vast, unpredictable cosmos.
In such a world full of strife, war, and endless battles, these spirits act as anchors of loyalty—sometimes more trustworthy than even flesh-and-blood allies.
...
Days slipped by like sand through fingers, each one marked by Wang Zhen's struggle.
Two days later, he coughed up blood, his voice rough with frustration. "Damn it!" he spat, his face hidden in shadows, revealing nothing of his battered form.
...
A day later, blood stained his lips again as he repeated his harsh question, "Why? What am I missing?"
...
Three days after that, the pain grew sharper but mingled with a new sense of clarity. Wang Zhen's laugh broke through the silence—a dark, menacing sound filled with both relief and madness. "Hahahaha, finally… finally, I understand—it's the Dao Mark."
Reaching into his spatial ring, he pulled out three rare Gu worms—each unique and powerful. One was a purple-red moth shimmering with strange light. The second looked like a large white earthworm, thick and pulsing faintly. The third was a caterpillar marked by black and white spots creeping slowly around its body.
Without hesitation, Wang Zhen crushed all three, focusing their essences into himself, allowing their power to surge inside, accelerating his transformation toward completion.
...
Meanwhile, outside the dome, Old Man Jin's gaze sharpened at the barrier fortified with threads of law. "Old Wei," he said, pointing at a widening crack that refused to heal, "look at that—it's not closing. It's about to break."
Wei chuckled deeply, proud but weary. "That's because we haven't stopped. Our constant, unrelenting attacks are finally wearing it down."
The two elders exchanged a grim smile, knowing that their combined persistence was the key to breaking through the dome's defence—and that soon, the hidden world inside would be exposed to the chaos and wars ready to erupt.
...
A sudden, powerful surge of divine energy erupted from deep within the dome as Old Man Jin and Old Man Wei prepared for another strike on the slowly cracking barrier. The explosion was sudden and earth-shaking, sending shards of the refined threads of law skyward in a spectacular display. The fragments swirled and exploded into a celestial light show above the battlefield—a sight that stunned not only the two elders but every cultivator hiding in the shadowed distance. Among them were hundreds of observers from distant sects, rogue warriors, and reluctant spectators, all frozen in awe.
The sky filled with radiant light, shimmering with the colors of the primal spectrum—brilliant reds, deep blues, vibrant greens, glowing yellows, ethereal purples, and more. These nine colors of light intertwined and danced across the heavens like living flame, stretching wider and higher until the whole horizon glowed with otherworldly power. The radiance was so powerful that it seemed to pulse with a heartbeat of its own, carrying a vibrancy that no mortal eye had ever fully seen.
In the midst of this divine spectacle floated a large, profound sphere—a rich, warm brown that stood out in contrast to the nine-colored blaze. This sphere was not merely light but a living symbol: the divine root itself, the primal seed from which endless power was born. Its glow was subtle but ancient, deep with hidden wisdom and untold strength.
Encircling this sacred root were five smaller orbs, each spinning slowly but with purpose. They shone bright in their own right—one blazing red like the heart of fire, one golden yellow as if forged from sunlight, one lush green like a vibrant forest, one blue deep as the ocean, and one purple shimmering with mystery and unseen power. Together, these five spheres mirrored the divine root's eternal guardianship, weaving a cosmic harmony in their orbit.
The viewers—elders, warriors, and lowly cultivators alike—watched in complete silence, entranced by the majestic scene unfolding before them. Even Old Man Jin and Old Man Wei, warriors hardened by countless battles, were struck speechless.
Jin's eyes gleamed with a mix of awe and disbelief as he whispered, "Is that... the divine root?"
Wei's normally serious voice softened, voice filled with both wonder and caution: "This is no ordinary sign. What we are witnessing is a celestial omen of great weight. Is someone inside that dome is breaking through the Deity Transformation."
From distant hills to the shadowed forest edges, whispers spread quickly like wildfire—no one could contain their astonishment:
"A celestial omen! The divine root in the sky!"
"Does that means... Lord Wang Zhen is still alive."
"I can't believe, I saw a celestial omen in my lifetime!"
"Such signs only come when a god truly begins to form."
"Spectacular."
Among the crowd, a mixture of fear, excitement, greed, and hope took hold. Many who hid nervously behind rocks or high in treetops fought to keep their composure, while others exchanged meaningful glances, already plotting what they would do should the dome crack open.
But the celestial display did not fade. It lingered and grew, the nine-colored lights pulsing like a mighty engine of the heavens, radiating blessings and warnings at once. The brown divine root sphere held steady and dignified in the middle, its power and ancient memory anchoring the storm of divine energy that flooded the sky.
Each color seemed to have its own message: red for strength and passion, yellow for growth and clarity, green for life and renewal, blue for wisdom and calm, purple for mystery and destiny. Their slow rotations spoke of order amidst chaos—as if the universe itself acknowledged the importance of what was taking place.
Old Man Jin frowned. "Such a dazzling and enduring sign... it is a rare sight—But, if it's Wang Zhen, we can't let it continue."
Old Man Wei gazed towards Old Jin with a hint of urgency and anger. "Old Jin, If Wang Zhen is still alive. I can't continue attacking the dome, the price is not worth it. Until..."
Old Jin thought, "Hmph, old fox. I knew it, you're not reliable." But his face carried a pleasant smile as he said to Old Wei, "Old Wei, we still don't know which fellow cultivator is breaking through. It's not confirmed that Wang Zhen is alive. If he is alive, I'll help you refine two grade-seven artifacts instead of one."
Old Man Wei let out a smirk and said. "Alright."
Across the watching crowd, the air thickened with tension. No one fully understood what the full implications were, but every person present knew the moment was historic.
The soft rustling of leaves in the cold wind was the only sound as the crowd waited, breath held tight. Cultivators prayed silently, strategists recalculated their moves, and warriors sharpened their weapons in anticipation.
The celestial phenomenon shimmered on, grand and unyielding, as the sky seemed to become a living canvas of power and fate. As time stretched forward, the watchers felt their hearts pound in unison with the divine pulse. This moment would be etched forever in the annals of history.
Inside the dome, somewhere unseen, Wang Zhen's painful journey toward godhood surged relentlessly, his battle echoing in the brilliant display above.
The divine root and its guardians spun onward, a cosmic beacon for all who dared witness the birth of a new deity—and the inevitable storm that would follow.
-----TO BE CONTINUED-----