After that night when he made the pact with his Senior Brothers and Sister, Tang Xiaoqi's life seemed to have returned to a peculiar peace. He still cultivated daily, handled some necessary sect affairs, guided disciples, or discussed some whimsical ideas about artifact forging and runes with Second Senior Brother.
However, whether it was Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng, the perceptive Third Senior Sister Liu Yun, or the seemingly carefree Second Senior Brother Luo Feng, they all clearly felt a subtle change occurring in Xiao Qi.
He was still steady, gentle and polite in dealing with people, but deep within those profound eyes, there was often a trace of unnoticeable contemplation and searching. It was as if part of his spirit had already flown beyond Qingxu Temple's mountains, toward that unknown and vast distance. The time he spent gazing from mountain peaks had lengthened; sometimes he would even stare blankly at the clouds drifting in the sky.
This change was neither restless nor uneasy, but rather the stillness beforegathering strength, ready to strike, a coiled dragon in the depths awaiting wind and clouds.
Tang Xiaoqi himself sensed his own state more clearly than anyone.
His cultivation, after experiencing the Demon Nest battle, absorbing the energy of the Star-Devourer, comprehending in the Void of Return, and being enlightened by the Sect Master, had firmly stabilized at the peak of Nascent Soul stage. The Nascent Soul, identical to himself, was surrounded by pure spiritual light and a thread of chaotic energy. Its eyes were tightly closed, as if also gathering strength, awaiting some transformation.
However, that invisible barrier toward Spirit Transformation was extraordinarily resilient. He had attempted several breakthroughs, all feeling like striking an egg against a stone. That barrier did not budge an inch; instead, it faintly sent back counter-shocks, making his qi and blood churn. He understood this was not due to insufficient accumulation or lack of comprehension, but that the environment and fortune had not yet arrived.
The spiritual energy concentration and the degree of manifestation of heaven and earth laws in Qingxu Temple and even the entire Southeast cultivation realm were acceptable for Nascent Soul cultivation, but for impacting that Spirit Transformation which involved deeper-level fusion of soul and heaven and earth, they seemed somewhat thin and superficial. He needed more concentrated, more primordial spiritual energy; needed to observe more complete, clearer traces of the great Dao of heaven and earth; needed to clash with stronger opponents; needed to seek that moment of breakthrough that breaks limits between life and death.
His state of mind also had fallen into a similar bottleneck. Internal sect hidden dangers had been eliminated, cohesion was unprecedented, external great enemies the demonic entity had temporarily hidden, and relations with the silicon-based civilization were peaceful and even beginning cooperation. Looking around, there seemed no urgent crisis requiring his response. This stability was sometimes actually an invisible shackle for cultivators who needed constant pressure to break through. He needed new challenges, new scenery, new stories to wash his Dao-heart and ignite that flame pursuing higher realms.
This feeling was like a dragon trapped in a pond. Though the water was clear and food ample, it ultimately yearned for those vast unending rivers and seas, longed for the exhilaration of battling wind and waves, craved the freedom of soaring to the nine heavens.
On this day, Tang Xiaoqi was in his cave dwelling, attempting to fuse a thread of flame origin obtained from the World-Purifying Spirit Flame with the Chaos Pill Fire. Both were top-tier flames in the world; one represented extreme purification and creation, the other represented chaos and return to origin. The fusion process was extremely difficult and dangerous. A moment's carelessness could cause a fire to consume its master. He was fully concentrated, carefully guiding two stubborn forces, beads of sweat already showing on his forehead.
Just as the two flame origins were about to violently repel each other, their energy nearing out-of-control, the restrictions outside his cave dwelling were triggered again.
This time, it was not the Sect Master or Senior Brother's divine thought, but a peculiar fluctuation with a certain distant and ancient rhythm, like a stone dropped into a still lake, clearly transmitted in.
Xiao Qi's heart stirred. He forcibly suppressed the restless flames within his body, temporarily separating and sealing them. Frowning slightly, this fluctuation... he had never felt it before. It was neither spiritual energy messaging nor spiritual sense communication, but more like a spatial beacon across vast distances.
He opened the cave door. A slender scroll made of jade material, emanating soft white light, was quietly hovering outside. The scroll was made of some unknown material, neither gold nor jade, warm and cool to the touch. It had no text, only some peculiar light points flickering like stars that formed a simple yet profound pattern, faintly emanating a vast, ancient, and majestic aura.
The moment this scroll appeared, Xiao Qi clearly sensed his inner Nascent Soul tremble slightly, as if resonating with the scroll's aura.
He extended his hand, and the jade scroll, as if sentient, lightly floated into his palm.
The instant his fingertip touched the scroll —
"Hum!"
A light vibration sounded from the scroll. The stellar light points upon it suddenly brightened, projecting a hazy screen of light floating before Xiao Qi. Within the screen were not characters but a dynamic scene: that was a metropolis whose grandeur and magnificence transcended description. City walls soared into the clouds, seemingly connecting with heaven. Towers and halls were neatly arranged, their styles varied yet harmonious, emanating an ancient and eternal atmosphere. Above the metropolis, it was not blue sky and white clouds but an endless starry sky. Stars seemed within arm's reach. A bright galaxy composed of countless light points, like a jade ribbon, slowly flowed around the metropolis. In the city, powerful auras could be seen streaking across the sky like meteors, cultivators riding swords, foreign races on peculiar magical artifacts, even massive spirit beasts soaring.
At the same time, a vast thought directly imprinted into Xiao Qi's sea of consciousness:
Receiving Heaven's Mandate, guided by the Stars. Thus, there is Tian Shu City, bearing the legacy of ancient times, opening the grand assembly of Asking the Way of All Things. Feeling that Tang Xiaoqi True Lord of Southeast Qingxu Temple, a young talented person, with deep Dao foundations and extraordinary disposition, having merit in eliminating demons and protecting the Dao. Specially granting one Invitation to the Way, inviting you, within a cycle of sixty years, to go to Tian Shu City, to discuss the great Dao together with the world's outstanding talents, compete for fortune, and seek the secrets of eternal life. Tian Shu City, Star Decree Hall.
The scene and thought slowly faded. The light on the jade scroll also dimmed, returning to its former simple and unadorned appearance, only the star pattern still slowly circulating.
"Tian Shu City... Asking the Way of All Things assembly... Invitation to the Way..." Tang Xiaoqi, holding this jade scroll cool to the touch, murmured to himself.
His heart beat faster uncontrollably.
He had heard of Tian Shu City! It was the legendary ancient metropolis located at the most core region of the Central Plains cultivation world, the center of this great world's cultivation civilization, gathering the top forces and supreme geniuses from all directions and the myriad realms of heaven. There were the oldest inheritances, the richest resources, the fiercest competition, and the opportunities leading to higher realms.
And this Asking the Way of All Things assembly was even more renowned. It was said to open only once every ten thousand years, the ultimate stage most yearned for by the younger generation of cultivators, an excellent opportunity to make a name for oneself and obtain against-heaven fortunes.
This sudden Invitation to the Way was like a key. At the moment he felt the bottleneck and craved breakthrough, it fittingly opened a door to a broader world.
He felt the distant yet powerful aura contained within the scroll. That was definitely not anything any force in the Southeast region could forge. This was a real call, from afar, from that cultivation holy land.
Tang Xiaoqi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging excitement. He looked down at the Invitation to the Way in his hand, his gaze gradually becoming sharp and resolute.
Bottleneck, craving, call... everything seemed to connect at this moment.
He needed a broader world, stronger opponents, deeper Dao comprehension. And Tian Shu City, this Asking the Way of All Things assembly, was undoubtedly his best current choice.
The horn from afar had sounded.
His expedition was about to step onto a brand-new, grand stage.