Holding that star-patterned, heavy realm token, Tang Xiaoqi, guided by a Heavenly Axis City executive, passed through layers of tightly guarded barriers and formations, finally stepping into the legendary Heavenly Axis Realm.
Passing through a water-wave-like spatial portal, the scene before him opened up, completely different from the outside.
This wasn't imagined immortal mountains or fairy pavilions, but a vast, seemingly pure spiritual energy-constituted strange space. The sky had no sun or stars, only countless soft yet bright light sources, like pearls embedded in the dome, scattering refreshing brilliance. Beneath his feet was dense spiritual mist, walking upon it as if stepping on clouds.
Most shocking was that abundant, nearly materialized spiritual energy! Its purity and richness, far exceeding the outside by not just ten times! Simply taking one deep breath, Xiaoqi felt all his pores open. His body's spiritual energy automatically accelerated (operation), like parched seedlings meeting rain. That comfortable feeling was indescribable.
Moreover, an ancient and vast flavor (permeated) in the air. When divine sense slightly probed, one could catch some broken ancient rune phantoms flickering with multicolored brilliance, or sense remnant mysterious Dao rhythm fluctuations. Those were traces left by great ones who had cultivated or discussed Dao here in ancient times. Though fragmentary, they still contained infinite wisdom and enlightenment.
"Daoist Tang, this place is one of the realm's core regions, named 'Cloud Sea of Enlightenment.'" The guiding executive respectfully introduced. "The token is valid for ten days. When time is up, it will automatically transport you out. During this period, no one will disturb you. Please cultivate with peace of mind. Do remember—not to venture deep into the cloud sea's depths. There, space is unstable, remnant law fragments are more violent, dangerous."
Xiaoqi nodded understanding. The executive bowed again and departed, leaving this tranquil and precious cultivation sanctuary entirely to Xiaoqi.
Feeling the surging spiritual energy around him and ubiquitous Dao rhythm fragments, Xiaoqi's heart surged with uncontrollable excitement. This place was truly an unmatched cultivation treasure!
He delayed no further. He immediately found an area with richest spiritual energy and relatively peaceful Dao rhythm fluctuations nearby, sat cross-legged. He didn't rush to absorb those broken Dao rhythms. Instead, he first settled his heart, operating the "Springtime Longevity Art," beginning to consolidate his cultivation.
The consecutive intense battles in the conference, especially that high-intensity confrontation with Mu Xue—though giving him much gain—also left his spiritual energy somewhat (superficial), his realm needing to settle. Under this place's pure spiritual energy nourishment, his liquid spiritual energy in the dantian became visibly more condensed and pure. The Foundation Establishment Great Circle realm, originally slightly unstable from rapid advancement, rapidly became solid and steady, smooth and flawless.
In just three days, he felt his state adjusted to its peak. Spiritual energy abundant, soul full, Dao heart clear.
After consolidating cultivation, Xiaoqi turned attention to other aspects. He first took out that golden jade slip obtained from the "Small Cave Heaven" realm's core.
His divine sense sank within. The massive information not previously examined due to the intense competition now clearly presented itself in his mind. Indeed, this jade slip recorded the subsequent chapters of the "Swimming Dragon Nine Turns" ancient movement technique! Though still incomplete, only complete methods for the first three turns and partial description of the fourth, compared to his previous fragments containing only basic (concepts) and first turn's (rudiment), it was worlds apart!
The first turn "Emerging Dragon from the Abyss," he had comprehended at the life-and-death moment. It focused on explosive force and sudden advance.
The second turn "Cloud Dragon Nine Manifestations," focused on illusion and confusion. It could leave multiple hard-to-distinguish afterimages during extreme-speed movement, confusing enemies' eyes.
The third turn "Divine Dragon Swipes Tail," focused on borrowing force and changing direction. It could alter movement trajectory at any unbelievable angle and state—extremely wondrous.
The fourth turn "Swimming Dragon startles the phoenix," seemingly involved deeper-level spatial displacement. The jade slip's records were vague, hard to see its complete form.
Xiaoqi treasured it like gold. He immediately immersed himself in comprehending the subsequent movement techniques. With this place's abundant spiritual energy and remnant Dao rhythms' assistance, his comprehension seemed also elevated to the extreme. Those originally obscure force-application methods, spiritual energy circulation routes, and the mysteries of integrating movement technique with space and heaven-earth momentum—understanding these now had double efficiency.
He no longer merely satisfied with passive absorption. He began attempting to merge the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns' movement concepts with his cultivated Springtime Longevity Art's spiritual energy characteristics and Guardian Sword Intent.
The Springtime Longevity Art's spiritual energy was upright and peaceful, full of vitality. Though seemingly different from the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns' agility and elegance, its "continuous generation" characteristic, if integrated into movement technique, might greatly enhance movement technique's endurance and recovery speed.
And the Guardian Sword Intent's core was "stillness" and "stability," seemingly contrary to movement technique's "movement." But Xiaoqi gradually comprehended during his studies—guardian wasn't rigid immobility, but seeking stillness within movement, guarding the heart's original nature amidst change. If using Guardian Sword Heart to control extreme movement technique, perhaps movement could gain another layer of steadiness and immovability besides agility and unpredictability.
He sometimes sat meditating for insight, sometimes rose to practice among the dense spiritual mist. His form sometimes like emerging dragon from the abyss, erupting suddenly, leaving sonic boom clouds at his original position; sometimes like cloud dragon tumbling, creating several realistic hard-to-distinguish afterimages, shuttling through the cloud sea; sometimes like divine dragon swiping tail, changing direction at sharp angles during rushing forward, defying common sense.
Spiritual energy flowed with movement technique's operation, attempting to combine with the Springtime Longevity Art's continuous generation concept, making each of his movements seem to carry a (endless) follow-through momentum. Guardian Sword Heart guarded his spirit sea, making him within extreme speed and change maintain a trace of clarity and composure. His control over himself reached a brand new height.
Time flew by in this absorbed cultivation.
Seven days, eight days, nine days...
Xiaoqi completely immersed in cultivation and enlightenment, forgetting everything outside. His movement technique became more and more skillful. He had initially mastered the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns' second turn "Cloud Dragon Nine Manifestations." The third turn "Divine Dragon Swipes Tail" also had progress. His spiritual energy under the Springtime Longevity Art and realm spiritual energy's dual tempering became more and more pure and vast. Distance from Foundation Establishment's limit seemed only a thin paper barrier.
On the tenth day, when the realm token began to slightly heat, reminding him time was nearly up, Xiaoqi slowly opened his eyes.
Between his eyes' opening and closing, brilliant light was contained within, aura (steady and condensed) like an abyss. Compared to ten days ago when he entered, he had already undergone a complete transformation. Though cultivation realm hadn't broken through, his foundation's solidity, spiritual energy's purity, movement technique's progress, and understanding of his own Dao path were all far beyond the past.
"It's time to leave." He stood up, feeling the surging power within. For the upcoming Golden Core bottleneck, he was filled with unprecedented confidence.
Spatial fluctuations descended, wrapping him. The next moment, his form vanished from this spiritual mist-filled realm.
Ten days of intense cultivation laid the most solid foundation for him to strive for the Golden Core Dao. Next was finding an appropriate opportunity to break through!