Within the highest-grade cultivation room of the Yi Region, silence reigned.
The formation surrounding the room isolated sound, spiritual fluctuations and outside disturbances while streams of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi continuously gathered toward the center.
There—
Lin Sheng sat cross-legged atop a meditation cushion.
His eyes were closed.
His breathing was steady.
His entire being seemed as calm as an ancient mountain.
Yet beneath that calm exterior, astonishing changes were taking place.
Currently, he was regulating his breath while countless strands of True Essence flowed through his meridians. The circulation no longer required conscious control as it had already become instinctive, each cycle completing itself before beginning another while nourishing every corner of his body.
As the circulation continued, his cells became increasingly active.
His muscles.
His bones.
His blood.
Even the smallest meridians hidden throughout his body were being strengthened little by little.
An hour passed.
The process never stopped.
At the same time, the twelve acupoints throughout his body began forming another circulation entirely separate from the one flowing through his meridians. Streams of liquid True Essence flowed from the First Acupoint toward the Second, then the Third and Fourth before eventually reaching the Twelfth Acupoint and returning once more.
Two circulations.
Operating simultaneously.
According to the Chip's countless simulations, maintaining dual Heavenly Circulations before a breakthrough would greatly strengthen the body's vital structures while increasing its ability to withstand the violent transformation accompanying the Xuan Gang Realm.
Normally, attempting such a feat would be extremely dangerous.
One mistake could result in meridian damage.
Yet for Lin Sheng—
Everything proceeded perfectly.
The Chip constantly adjusted every flow of energy down to microscopic levels.
Not a single strand of True Essence was wasted.
Not a single mistake occurred.
Inside his body, countless streams of data continuously flowed.
[Meridian Toughness: Increasing...]
[Acupoint Stability: Increasing...]
[Cellular Activity: Increasing...]
[Body Condition: Peak.]
[Breakthrough Requirements: Fully Met.]
A faint smile appeared on Lin Sheng's face.
Every requirement had finally been completed.
His physical body had reached the level of a Rank-2 Yao Beast.
Not through ordinary cultivation alone.
But through months of body refinement.
The Vajra Refinement Manual.
The optimized body-refining method created through combining multiple techniques.
Countless medicinal baths.
Yao beast blood.
Body-refining pills.
All of it had contributed toward forging his physique into something terrifying.
Even now, the Chip maintained a separate task dedicated to researching a new Rank-2 body-refining pill specifically designed for the Vajra Refinement Manual. By combining its alchemical database with medicinal knowledge gathered from countless books, it hoped to eventually create an entirely new formula.
Unfortunately—
That task would have to wait.
For now, every ounce of computational power was being redirected elsewhere.
Toward the breakthrough.
Toward observation.
Toward understanding.
Because Lin Sheng wasn't merely trying to enter the Xuan Gang Realm.
He wanted to understand it.
To understand why the transformation occurred.
To understand how Gang Qi was born.
To understand the changes occurring within the Origin and Life Structure of a living being.
Only by understanding the foundation of a realm could one truly walk further along the path.
This had always been Lin Sheng's philosophy.
Knowledge first.
Cultivation second.
As the two Heavenly Circulations continued operating, the purity of his True Essence reached an astonishing level.
Liquid True Essence possessed one great advantage.
Impurities were easier to detect.
Easier to isolate.
Easier to remove.
Every circulation further refined his foundation.
Every circulation pushed him closer to perfection.
Then—
A change occurred.
The two circulations gradually approached one another.
The circulation within his meridians.
The circulation within his acupoints.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Until finally—
The Ren Meridian and Du Meridian connected through the Yongquan Acupoints.
For a brief instant, the two forces collided.
Boom!
A powerful vibration spread throughout his body.
Then—
The resistance vanished.
The two circulations merged completely.
A single system.
A single flow.
A single Grand Heavenly Circulation.
At that moment, Lin Sheng knew.
The time had come.
The breakthrough could finally begin.
---
The spiritual qi within the cultivation room surged violently.
With every breath, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi entered his body before being transformed into True Qi and then compressed into liquid True Essence.
Consumption.
Refinement.
Replenishment.
The process continued endlessly.
Two hours passed.
During that time, his body maintained perfect harmony with the surrounding world.
Innate.
This was the true meaning of Innate.
A state where the body continuously exchanged energy with Heaven and Earth.
Only after reaching this peak state did Lin Sheng finally make his move.
Immediately—
The Grand Heavenly Circulation changed direction.
The countless streams of True Essence flowing throughout his body began ascending.
Upward.
Toward the brain.
Toward the crown.
Toward the Baihui Acupoint.
The moment the energy moved upward, the Chip exploded with warnings.
[Warning.]
[Neurological Activity Increasing.]
[Brain Function Entering Transformation State.]
[Unknown Variables Detected.]
[Extreme Caution Recommended.]
Lin Sheng ignored them all.
His attention remained entirely focused.
The Baihui Acupoint.
The crown of the head.
The final destination.
The final step before the Life and Death Pass.
As the liquid True Essence reached the Baihui Acupoint, something unexpected occurred.
The energy entered effortlessly.
No resistance.
No obstruction.
No barrier.
The passage opened naturally.
Lin Sheng frowned slightly.
For a brief moment, he wondered whether he had missed the acupoint entirely.
Yet his Mental Field immediately confirmed the truth.
He had reached it.
The Baihui Acupoint was already open.
A realization flashed through his mind.
Perhaps his repeated entry into the Entering Samadhi Realm had already affected the acupoint beforehand.
Perhaps the White Dwarf Visualization Method had produced changes he didn't yet understand.
Unfortunately—
There was no time to investigate.
The breakthrough had already reached its most dangerous stage.
The Life and Death Pass.
The Mysterious Pass.
A pathway hidden deep within the human body.
A gateway leading toward the center of the brain.
Toward the spirit.
Toward Shen.
The moment his True Essence entered it—
Everything changed.
---
Darkness.
Silence.
Weightlessness.
Lin Sheng suddenly felt as though he were floating.
His body disappeared.
His senses disappeared.
Even the concept of time seemed to disappear.
Only faint awareness remained.
The Chip immediately provided a comparison.
[Current State Similar To: REM Sleep.]
Lin Sheng understood instantly.
Dreaming.
Yet not dreaming.
Sleeping.
Yet not sleeping.
This was the temporary ascension state recorded within countless martial arts manuals.
The final trial.
If he awakened successfully—
He would become Xuan Gang.
If he failed—
Death awaited.
At this moment, even thinking felt sluggish.
His consciousness drifted endlessly.
As though trapped within an ocean of mist.
Then—
He remembered.
Martial Intent.
Immediately, a sharp and domineering aura erupted from within his consciousness.
Wind.
Lightning.
Movement.
Destruction.
Freedom.
His Martial Intent emerged.
The surrounding spiritual qi instantly responded.
At the same time, a fragment of memory surfaced.
The words left behind by the genius who had used Intent to cross the Life and Death Pass.
"Guidance uses Intent to lead Qi."
"Value Intent, not Form."
Boom!
The words struck his consciousness like thunder.
Immediately, Lin Sheng entered his State of Extreme Emptiness.
Everything unnecessary vanished.
All distractions disappeared.
Only pure understanding remained.
Within that state, his neurological activity erupted.
His Martial Intent acted as a beacon.
A guide.
A path.
Leading his True Essence through the final obstacle.
Then—
It happened.
His energy emerged from the other side.
Yet it was no longer True Essence.
It had transformed.
Refined.
Elevated.
Evolved.
Gang Qi.
---
Boom!!
A terrifying pressure erupted from within his body.
Lin Sheng's eyes snapped open.
The world immediately appeared different.
Sharper.
Clearer.
More vivid.
He could sense every movement within the room.
Every strand of spiritual qi.
Every fluctuation of energy.
Every tiny detail.
At the same time, newly born Gang Qi surged downward from his brain and flooded through his entire body.
His cells.
His blood.
His bones.
His organs.
Everything underwent transformation.
A faint barrier automatically formed around him.
Protective Aura.
The symbol of the Xuan Gang Realm.
An invisible force capable of blocking attacks and resisting divine senses.
At the same time—
Gravity seemed to lose its hold over him.
His body became lighter.
Not because he weighed less.
But because Gang Qi continuously rejected the force pulling him downward.
The Chip released endless notifications.
[Breakthrough Successful.]
[Gang Qi Generated.]
[Protective Aura Formed.]
[Physical Body Transformation In Progress.]
[Neurological Evolution Detected.]
[Warning: Excessive Data Generation.]
Lin Sheng ignored everything.
Because another phenomenon had already begun.
---
Outside.
The entire market suddenly trembled.
Boom!!
A pillar of Gang Qi erupted into the sky.
The cultivation room shook violently.
The heavens roared.
Countless cultivators opened their eyes in shock.
Those sleeping were instantly awakened.
Those cultivating immediately rushed outside.
Even experts from distant regions looked toward the Yi Region.
The Gang Qi pillar continued rising.
Five zhang.
Six zhang.
Seven zhang.
The pressure intensified continuously.
Many people held their breath.
Because everyone understood what this meant.
Another Xuan Gang expert had appeared.
Then—
A formation suddenly activated.
The countless flags hidden throughout the cultivation room lit up simultaneously.
Light spread everywhere.
The phenomenon instantly slowed.
Suppressed.
Distorted.
Controlled.
It was the formation Lin Sheng had spent months creating.
For a brief moment, he worried it might fail.
Thankfully—
It worked.
The pillar continued rising.
Seven and a half zhang.
Eight zhang.
Nine zhang.
Higher.
Higher.
Higher.
Until finally—
It stopped.
Not ten zhang.
But extremely close.
So close that countless observers felt their hearts tremble.
A near ten-zhang phenomenon.
A monstrous foundation.
A peerless breakthrough.
Many experts watching from afar sighed in admiration.
Some felt envy.
Others felt shock.
Among countless martial artists, reaching such a level was akin to standing below one person while towering above ten thousand others.
And none of them knew—
The displayed phenomenon wasn't even Lin Sheng's true limit.
The real foundation hidden beneath the formation was far more terrifying than anyone could imagine.