Li Yan's Divine Sense once again descended into his Dantian's Purple Mansion. The sea of Gui Water magical power there was deep and serene, having expanded threefold again, which was within his expectations.
The sheer volume of magical power at the Late-stage Nascent Soul was truly as vast as an ocean; the Mid-stage could only be considered a corner of the sea. Still, Li Yan was momentarily stunned by the boundless, deep sea of magical power before him.
He also came to realize just how formidable the True Scripture of Gui Water was, for it had allowed him, while at the Mid-stage Nascent Soul, to contend with Late-stage cultivators like the Great Island Master of the Qionglin Sect.
Judging by the profound light glittering within the sea of magical power, most of this power was newly generated, intermingled with a portion of the "Nine Cauldrons Gui Water" he had previously condensed.
With such majestic magical power, if he were to fight Yan San now, Li Yan estimated that Yan San would have a hard time withstanding a single blow delivered at seventy percent of his strength.
When Li Yan's gaze shifted to the golden Nascent Soul miniature, a violent tremor ran through him.
When his Nascent Soul miniature had reached the Mid-stage, it was about 1.8 inches tall. Now, it stood at over two inches.
"This..."
Li Yan was somewhat stunned. If his memory served him right, the scriptures he had read stated that it was impossible for the Nascent Soul miniature of a cultivator below the Spirit Transformation Realm to exceed two inches.
He knew that his Nascent Soul was larger than that of other Nascent Soul cultivators due to his special cultivation method, but two inches was a known limit for the Nascent Soul stage.
Although Li Yan had not read the Five Immortal Sects' descriptions regarding the size of the Nascent Soul, he believed that the information in those other scriptures was correct.
After all, due to the influence of the Rules of Heaven and Earth in the lower realm, this was the consistent outcome for all sects and their cultivation methods.
He could understand his Nascent Soul growing ahead of schedule, but for it to ultimately exceed this limit was something Li Yan had thought impossible.
After a moment of silence, although this development had exceeded his expectations, the outcome brought Li Yan immense joy. The size of the Nascent Soul was also an indicator of strength.
At the same time, there was another anomaly on the golden Nascent Soul miniature. This surprised Li Yan, but he knew what it was. Amidst the golden light covering its body, there were streaks of silver.
Li Yan was all too familiar with those silver streaks—a phenomenon that occurred after integrating the Essence Blood of the Undead Nether Phoenix.
'This time, not only did the Essence Blood merge with my bloodline, but it has also integrated into my Nascent Soul. What does this signify?'
For a moment, Li Yan was unsure what the presence of this silver light within his Nascent Soul's body meant.
He could sense an unparalleled, astonishing power from the Nascent Soul miniature, but this could very well be the natural increase that came with advancing to a Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, especially since his Nascent Soul miniature had broken the two-inch barrier.
Therefore, the power he felt now might not necessarily come from the Essence Blood of the Undead Nether Phoenix. This was something he would have to test slowly later on.
Subsequently, Li Yan's Divine Sense moved to his chest and abdomen. The thirty-two faint green threads were still there, no more and no less, only that their green hue had deepened.
'The Fragmented Poison Body hasn't changed much. The deepening color probably represents an increase in the poison's power. The next major change will likely happen after I break through a great realm.'
Having cultivated this far, Li Yan had grown increasingly clear about the changes in his body, so he had anticipated the lack of major changes in his Fragmented Poison Body.
After that, Li Yan quite naturally directed his Divine Sense to his Sea of Consciousness.
The sky and land in his Sea of Consciousness were now even richer and more vivid in color, as real as the outside world, and it had expanded by more than twofold again.
Li Yan did not immediately test the strength of his Divine Sense. Instead, he went directly to the space above his Sea of Consciousness. With an infusion of his mental power, lines of small golden characters materialized above the surface of the sea.
Li Yan read them one by one. First, he looked at the section displaying the True Scripture of Gui Water. As expected, the corresponding cultivation method for the Late-stage Nascent Soul had appeared. This was still within his expectations.
He then continued to look through the rest. The other cultivation methods remained unchanged, which meant they were sufficient to support all his needs in the Nascent Soul stage, and he still needed to continue refining them.
But when he looked at the very end, Li Yan's spirits couldn't help but lift, for two new passages of text had appeared there.
'As expected of the Five Immortal Sects, the further one progresses, the more powerful the cultivation methods that appear!'
In an instant, Li Yan determined that the new additions were two cultivation methods, not techniques for alchemy or artifact refining, which were the weaknesses of the Five Immortal Sects' cultivators.
By now, Li Yan was well aware of how powerful the Five Immortal Sects' cultivation methods were. Each art and technique had given him the strength to crush peers of the same rank.
Suppressing the joy in his heart, Li Yan read on, character by character, line by line, filled with anticipation.
"Five Elements Disarray Mantle." Upon casting this art, one could disrupt the Five Elements rules in a region of the world, making it impossible for those enveloped within to borrow the nearby Spiritual Energy and the Rules of Heaven and Earth for a short period.
Even if a cultivator forcibly used their own magical power to attack, the chaos and alteration of the surrounding rules would render the outcome of the cast technique uncertain; it might even backfire on the caster.
For the caster of this art, because their internal five elements had already taken shape, they could still barely manage to launch close-range attacks by using this small-scale five elements cycle to influence their immediate surroundings.
In other words, if Li Yan were to use this art in the future, he would still retain a certain degree of offensive capability at close range.
Reading this, Li Yan's mind trembled incessantly. A Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from the Five Elements Sect could actually disrupt some of the rules of Heaven and Earth.
'No wonder the Five Elements Sect is coveted by countless people in the Immortal Spirit Realm. Besides some special cultivators who practice the laws of time, who else could achieve such a feat? I'm afraid even some Spirit Transformation cultivators might not be able to do this.'
Although this art was heaven-defying, its drawbacks were also severe. Because it damaged the Five Elements forces within the Rules of Heaven and Earth, each use would cause a backlash against the caster.
A light backlash would result in turmoil in the Sea of Consciousness, leading to symptoms of dizziness or fainting. A severe one could cause the Sea of Consciousness to collapse and the Divine Soul to dissolve. The severity of the backlash was influenced by the caster's cultivation level and the strength of the surrounding Rules of Heaven and Earth, among other factors.
Li Yan paid these drawbacks no mind. To obtain power that surpassed one's current level, one naturally had to pay a corresponding price. This was the true nature of the Heavenly Dao.
After carefully reading it once more, Li Yan shifted his gaze to the next passage. When he saw the introduction to the next cultivation method, he was once again shocked.
"Quaking Cosmos." This was a divine ability cultivation method similar to a Nascent Soul's instantaneous movement. The difference was that when casting this art, one could use their physical body to teleport away with another person.
The fastest speed of this art was about seventy percent that of a true Nascent Soul's instantaneous movement, and the distance was also roughly fifty to seventy percent of a true Nascent Soul's teleportation. It required a certain mastery over the rules of space.
With the physical body of a Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, one could carry a single person and instantly teleport over three thousand li away within half a breath. The number of times this art could be cast was related to the strength of the physical body.
A normal Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator could generally only cast it twice in succession. Any more than that, and the physical body would be unable to withstand the force and speed of tearing through space and would shatter into countless fragments.
Li Yan stared at the description of this cultivation method, his mind momentarily blank.
'Instantaneous movement? A grand divine ability to teleport with the physical body?'
Instantaneous movement was a grand divine ability that could only be performed after the Nascent Soul left the body. It was the ultimate life-saving measure for cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and above. Its speed was phenomenal, allowing one to vanish into the void in an instant, making it difficult to track even with Divine Sense, covering thousands of li in a single breath.
An Initial-stage Nascent Soul could teleport over a thousand li away in half a breath. At the Mid-stage, the distance reached three thousand li. And upon reaching the Late-stage, with a mere flicker of the eyelids, one could appear five thousand li away.
This divine ability was almost impossible for any magical treasure to catch up with. And the most terrifying part was that it could be cast continuously, shuttling through the void. Who could possibly catch up?
However, this was a divine ability that no Nascent Soul cultivator was willing to use. Once used, it meant that they were on the brink of life and death, their physical body destroyed.
Most of their divine abilities would become unusable, leaving them with only one path: a desperate escape. Once discovered in such a state, with their cultivation greatly reduced, they would be in extreme danger.
But the "Quaking Cosmos" cultivation method that appeared before him actually allowed one to perform instantaneous movement with the physical body. Even with Li Yan's extensive reading and wide knowledge, this was unheard of.
Although its speed and distance were only seventy percent of a true instantaneous movement, it was undoubtedly a supreme life-saving treasure, especially since it could carry others along.
'Seventy percent of the distance... that means a Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator casting this art could probably travel about thirty-five hundred li...'
'What kind of cultivation methods does the Five Immortal Sects possess? One can influence the surrounding Rules of Heaven and Earth, and another is a bizarre divine ability akin to instantaneous movement. This... is this still a Nascent Soul cultivator?'
Li Yan remained dazed for over ten breaths, a tempest raging in his heart. For a moment, his vision was filled with only the flashing golden characters, his thoughts coming to a standstill.
How could such a cultivation method exist in the world? If a Nascent Soul cultivator were to master this method, Li Yan himself could not imagine what level of strength they would reach.
After a short while, Li Yan finally calmed the shock in his heart and began to think rapidly.
His own Nascent Soul's instantaneous movement could cover a slightly greater distance than that of an ordinary cultivator. By that calculation, he estimated he could teleport with his physical body for a distance of about thirty-seven or thirty-eight hundred li in one go.
'I can only use it twice? That's calculated based on the physical body of a normal cultivator who has reached the Late-stage. But the toughness of my physical body is far beyond that.'
'If all goes well, I should be able to teleport more times. I need to find some time to test it carefully!'
Li Yan's gaze remained fixed on this cultivation method for a long, long time. Its importance was self-evident, as it was primarily for escaping.
In terms of escape, it was simply incomparable to "Phoenix Soars to the Heavens." In comparison, the "Phoenix Soars to the Heavens" technique was more suited for close-quarters combat.
Li Yan believed that if he successfully cultivated this method, even if that fifth-rank Yin Mountain Beast broke through the ground, he would have the ability to instantly flee with Gong Chenying.
Although Li Yan only thought of escaping with Gong Chenying, it was a thought he wouldn't have dared to entertain before.
Facing a pair of fifth-rank Wind Beasts, he might not have even had a sliver of a chance to escape. But with the appearance of this cultivation method, Li Yan now had the confidence that he could escape.
Looking at the two cultivation methods that had appeared, Li Yan's mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts. He didn't know how difficult they would be to cultivate, but he knew he had to succeed.
After calming himself for another few dozen breaths, Li Yan finally withdrew from his Sea of Consciousness.
Then, he closed his eyes once more. He needed to spend time stabilizing his new realm...
In the blink of an eye, another five years passed. On this day, the gate to Li Yan's seclusion chamber finally opened. With the same short, needle-like hair, Li Yan walked out.
His Divine Sense instantly spread out in all directions. A moment later, a look of surprise first appeared on Li Yan's face, followed by a gentle smile as he flew forward.
In the backyard of Qing A Wang's manor, a formation was active around the courtyard walls. Gong Chenying was sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, her eyes closed in meditation.
After successfully forming her Nascent Soul, she had entered seclusion for another four years to completely stabilize her realm. When she emerged, she saw that Li Yan was still in seclusion, so she chose not to enter seclusion again.
Having just broken through a major realm, it wasn't the time to blindly push for another breakthrough. Instead, she needed to settle down and carefully comprehend the Initial-stage Nascent Soul realm, so as to prevent her foundation from becoming unstable.
Thus, Gong Chenying had also become an elder of the Tianli Clan. But aside from occasionally attending meetings at the Tianli Hall, she spent most of her time in Qing A Wang's manor, engaged in daily cultivation.
She would also visit Hong Yin's residence from time to time. The first time she saw her master's appearance, she was truly stunned.
Although Hong Yin was still dressed as a nun, her cold demeanor was almost completely gone. Her curvaceous figure was complemented by an aura full of charm.
Coupled with her nun's attire, it gave her an even more exotic and bewitching allure.
After her successful Body Seizure, Hong Yin had only come out once. By the time she emerged again, Gong Chenying had already stabilized her Nascent Soul realm. Hong Yin's own realm had also finally stabilized at the Late-stage Nascent Soul.
Hong Yin was naturally unwilling to accept this, but her original body had long since turned into a Sarira. For this wisp of her soul to retain its current strength was already a great fortune amidst misfortune, so she could only accept it.
When she learned that Gong Chenying had successfully formed her Nascent Soul, she was also very gratified. She had always felt that this disciple's aptitude was in no way inferior to her other disciples from the past, and was perhaps even superior.
She knew that it wouldn't take long for someone like Gong Chenying to stabilize her realm, so she had been waiting for her to emerge from seclusion.
The reason was that she had some cultivation matters to explain to the newly-minted Nascent Soul, Gong Chenying. As for herself, she was already planning other things.
After Gong Chenying emerged, she taught her for another two years. A little over a year ago, after confirming with the Great Elder and the others that the seal was fine.
With peaceful relations currently maintained with the Wind Beasts, Hong Yin proposed to the Great Elder her plan to travel the world for twenty years.
She wanted to personally understand the current situation on the Wind God Continent. For so many years, all her information had come from scriptures and collected reports. Hong Yin naturally wanted to confirm some things for herself.
The Great Elder readily agreed to this.
After some thought, Hong Yin still went down to the swamp with the Great Elder and Yan San before leaving, and personally reinforced the seal one more time.
She even added another type of seal on top of it, which made the Great Elder and Yan San even more delighted and grateful towards her.
Afterward, Hong Yin gave some instructions to Gong Chenying, telling her that if Li Yan and she left the Tianli Clan within twenty years, she should tell Li Yan that she would go to the Desolate Moon Continent to find him in the future, as there might be some matters she needed his help with.
Otherwise, when she returned, she would leave the Wind God Continent with Li Yan.
Gong Chenying naturally agreed. Subsequently, Hong Yin departed gracefully, beginning her journey across the Wind God Continent.
In the backyard of Qing A Wang's manor, Gong Chenying opened her beautiful eyes. She had sensed the formation's restriction being opened.
At this moment, as the white mist at the main gate churned violently, a figure was revealed. The person was looking at her with a smile.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister, on stepping into the Nascent Soul stage!"