"This..." Qi Tian stared in shock as Zhao Xing ascended step by step. Almost every dozen breaths, Zhao Xing would take another step up. "Is he really this amazing?" He couldn't make sense of what he was seeing but was deeply astonished!
The trials of Destiny Soul, Karma, and Reincarnation became progressively harder.
Qi Tian himself had climbed sixteen steps, each one presenting him with a different reincarnation illusion—sometimes as a noble from a prestigious family, sometimes as a street beggar, a general amidst the chaos of war, or even a courtesan in a brothel.
Each reincarnation illusion was incredibly vivid, as though he were truly living an entire lifetime.
Based on the selection criteria, everyone entering this place was under four hundred years old.
That meant each of them had lived no more than four centuries in reality, yet the lives within the illusions varied. Some were short, while others spanned thousands or even tens of thousands of years. But amidst these countless memories, which were real?
Breaking through the illusion and escaping was nearly impossible.
Yet Zhao Xing's astonishing speed defied Qi Tian's understanding. "How is he doing this?"
Even Zhao Xing couldn't explain Qi Tian's doubts because he himself didn't know the answer.
"Could it be because I don't have a Heaven Soul? That can't be right. My Heaven Soul was established after my contributions during Emperor Jing's pacification campaigns and has been integrated into the Great Zhou Dynasty's Heavenly Luck system ever since."
"I do have a Heaven Soul, yet no trial appeared for me."
Zhao Xing was puzzled. He even suspected he might have been trapped in an illusion. After all, during his campaigns against the southern tribes, he had once encountered an extraordinarily realistic illusion. It was in that dream that he had apprenticed under Liu Tianning.
That experience felt equally real. Now, even though insights about the Three Divinities Destiny Palace filled Zhao Xing's mind, he continued forward with skepticism. When he stepped onto the thirtieth stair, his expression turned peculiar.
Until the end, he hadn't encountered any trials!
At the same time, his comprehension of the Three Divinities Destiny Palace solidified, and he successfully mastered this minor divine power!
"I actually made it up here." Zhao Xing found it strange. "I've mastered the minor divine power Three Divinities Destiny Palace. Now, as long as I cast it, I can construct the Destiny Palace and break through to the First Rank."
He checked thoroughly but couldn't find anything unusual, so he stopped overthinking it. Besides, Su Xianzi's Dao Embodiment had emerged.
"Congratulations on passing the final trial. Please, come in," Su Xianzi's Dao Embodiment said as she appeared at the entrance of the grand hall, gesturing for him to enter. Zhao Xing glanced back and saw that Qi Tian had disappeared from the staircase.
"When you successfully pass, all inheritors will be released," Su Xianzi explained. "The balance of yin and yang, life and death, is determined by fate. I will only erase their inheritance memories and not kill them."
Zhao Xing nodded. Su Xianzi likely received guidance from someone within the Reincarnation Divine Kingdom, shaping her principles of conduct.
Following Su Xianzi into the grand hall, Zhao Xing noticed an assortment of strangely shaped instruments. Some looked unsettling, others brought a sense of joy, and some incited anger.
"I am a Soul Combat Master," Su Xianzi introduced herself. "In the cosmos, there are many paths to mastering the soul. Some specialize in spiritual illusions as Mental Illusionists; others explore the mysteries of life and death as Destiny Soulmasters who can revive the dead. Some delve into enigmatic Soul Curses, while my path focuses on combat."
"Of course, the path of the soul integrates with many other disciplines. I also practice several ultimate martial techniques."
"I hail from the Purple Divine Mansion of the Yuanhai Kingdom. My exceptional performance there earned me an opportunity to study in the Reincarnation Divine Kingdom, where I was fortunate enough to comprehend the minor divine power, Three Divinities Destiny Palace."
Zhao Xing listened quietly. Judging by her achievements in the Purple Divine Mansion, Su Xianzi had outshone Qing Yuzi, as opportunities to study in the Reincarnation Divine Kingdom were exceedingly rare. "...A long time ago, we were unfortunately targeted by enemies and had no choice but to flee to the Xuanhuang Realm."
What Su Xianzi described next was essentially the same misfortune Qing Yuzi had mentioned but from a different perspective.
For soul cultivation practitioners, injuries were catastrophic. A minor wound might lead to severe repercussions.
Su Xianzi had once fallen into a brief slumber due to injuries. By the time she recovered, Qing Yuzi had already established the Yu Dynasty.
Another distinction was that Su Xianzi's inheritors were required to swear a Destiny Soul Oath in the Xuanhuang Realm, pledging to assist Qing Yuzi's successor in conquering the Southern Barbarians until they could leave the realm.
Since Earth Deity Pills were ineffective in the Xuanhuang Realm, and the Destiny Soul Oath set by Su Xianzi couldn't be broken within it, the alliance among the three was essentially unbreakable. "I'm leading myself?" Zhao Xing chuckled after hearing this.
The third distinction was Qing Yuzi had left behind a wealth of treasures.
Su Xianzi, being a combatant, had exhausted most of her resources at the time, even falling into slumber due to her injuries. All that remained was a treasure called the Void Soul Ring.
This was an upgraded version of the Secondary Soul Ring, classified as an ultimate-grade Stellar Dao Weapon.
Its effects far surpassed those of the Secondary Soul Ring. Beyond inheriting all its abilities, it possessed a crucial feature: upon being attacked, it would immediately traverse through the void, carrying the soul away from the battlefield, automatically seeking a suitable place for the host to recover.
Qing Yuzi, Puta, and others had arrived in the Xuanhuang Realm largely by following the direction of Su Xianzi's Void Soul Ring, coincidentally discovering the Xuanhuang Realm nearby. "To find a place suitable for recovery… they really found a good one."
"Found a prison, in fact."
Zhao Xing looked at the ring, half amused, half exasperated. Recovery had been achieved, but there was no way out.
A cell disguised as a sanctuary.
The hum of energy filled the room as Su Xianzi concluded her explanation and vanished.
Zhao Xing didn't feel regretful. After all, the greatest treasure Su Xianzi left behind was Three Divinities Destiny Palace! This minor divine power was priceless. By incorporating the Heavenly and Earth Souls into the Destiny Palace, he would achieve unity of the three spirits, freeing himself from karmic entanglements.
Because those who cultivated this technique were exceedingly difficult to trace, it became a must-have for assassins and outlaws.
"The Void Soul Ring, the Secondary Soul Ring, and the divine power Three Divinities Destiny Palace. Perhaps in the future, I can use these to connect with a major figure in the Reincarnation Divine Kingdom. Su Xianzi left numerous insights and self-created secret techniques, one of which might even reach the divine power level?"
A jade tablet glowed in Zhao Xing's palm, containing Su Xianzi's cultivation insights.
"Soul's Heavenly Sight, nearing the divine power level… specifically designed for the Southern Barbarians," Zhao Xing thought. After their initial failure, Qing Yuzi, Puta, and Su Xianzi hadn't given up. They made repeated attempts.
The Southern Barbarians' Heaven-Severing Earth-Isolating Divine Power was unparalleled. Qing Yuzi's group believed it to be connected to the Xuanhuang Realm's origin, granting it power far exceeding their comprehension within its domain.
Breaking that divine power was nearly impossible.
Yet, they devised methods to improve their odds.
"Su Xianzi's divine power research focused on Soul's Heavenly Sight, a detection-type secret technique similar to the Heavenly Sight technique I practiced before. However, creating a new divine power is incredibly challenging. She reached only the sixth transformation of the ultimate method before being unable to proceed further."
"Qing Yuzi left behind Eight Epochs of Purple Light, a divine power he originally comprehended, later modified to counter the Southern Barbarians' Heaven-Severing Earth-Isolating Divine Power after his failure to ascend in the Xuanhuang Realm."
"Puta also left an ultimate mechanism-based method targeting the Southern Barbarians, known as the 'Sky-Connecting Weaponry,' theoretically capable of reaching divine power levels. Paired with the final inheritance treasure, the Purple Spirit Puppet, it could remain operational even within the Heaven-Severing Earth-Isolating Divine Power's domain."
"Now that both inheritance trials have concluded, all that remains is to await the end of the Mechanism Inheritance trial," Zhao Xing reflected on Qing Yuzi and Su Xianzi's explanations. With a thought, he appeared in the Three-Spirit Palace.
He glanced toward the depths of the hall, where he saw others undergoing trials.
"I completed Su Xianzi's inheritance in under nine years. It's now Yuan Shou year seventy-one. In these nine years, the Mechanism Inheritance Palace's situation hasn't changed much."
"Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable, Chen Ju, and Yu Feiyang are still at the seventh stage."
"Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable seems to be leading slightly."
From Zhao Xing's perspective as an outsider, Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable's progress appeared faster, with his mechanism puppet nearing completion. The other two lagged behind significantly.
Of course, Zhao Xing's evaluation was only from an amateur's perspective and might not be entirely accurate. "Let's go!"
Zhao Xing immediately left the Purple Light Ruins, returning to the Matrix Palace.
Having mastered Three Divinities Destiny Palace, he was now prepared to construct his Destiny Palace, incorporate the Heavenly and Earth Souls, and break through to the Destiny Palace Realm.
Before Zhao Xing departed, Fairy Su expelled the remaining eight participants from the trial grounds. At that moment, the illusions of karma also dissolved.
"Master, you..."
The current Sect Master of Qingyang Sect, Qingyangzi, suddenly froze mid-sentence.
Looking down at his hands, he muttered to himself, "So it was an illusion. What a powerful illusion. I've never encountered such a realistic technique before… it felt too real."
Just moments ago, he had been reliving the scene where he personally cast his master into purgatory. His master had writhed and roared in anguish within the inferno. Over and over, the scene repeated itself, trapping him in that harrowing cycle.
He had been terrified that his master might escape from purgatory and had vigilantly watched the illusion, wanting to ensure his master's death with his own eyes.
"Now that I've broken free, it seems someone has surpassed me. What a pity..." Qingyangzi sighed deeply, full of regret.
Whoever had crafted such a formidable trial surely held the most valuable inheritance he had ever encountered. Securing it would have been the opportunity of a lifetime. "Could it have been that mysterious figure in black?"
...
"It's over."
Linghuan Marquis glanced down to find himself still holding his arms out in a gesture of embrace. However, the woman he had once loved most dearly was no longer there. "I can almost still feel Xiner's warmth, but this was all just a dream."
Linghuan Marquis stood motionless, pain evident in his expression. If it were possible, he would have chosen to remain in that dream forever. "Some things, once missed, are lost forever."
With slow and aimless steps, Linghuan Marquis walked away.
...
"Kill! Kill! Kill! No one will stop me from ascending the throne!"
A youth dressed in luxurious robes roared into the void, his eyes scanning for enemies. Though his hands held no blade, waves of sword energy radiated outward, forming an oppressive mountain of blade qi. Its mere presence left onlookers gasping for breath.
"The Thirteenth Prince!"
Someone recognized him as a prince of the Southern Barbarian Purple Dragon Court and urgently called out to wake him.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, all the blade qi vanished as it retracted into the Thirteenth Prince's body. Realizing what had just occurred, his gaze grew cold, sweeping over the surrounding crowd before locking onto a black-robed figure.
"Was it him who received the inheritance?"
"He was the first to enter the second trial and advanced the fastest," another murmured.
The Thirteenth Prince's gaze turned hostile, and vitality surged around him as he unleashed his energy to probe the figure before him.
...
"This is strange..." Qi Tian murmured to himself. "My memories are fading fast. It feels like I glimpsed something or understood something profound, but I can't hold onto it."
Fairy Su's main objective was to erase any memories related to the inheritance. Even though Three Divinities Destiny Palace was a minor divine power, it could not be widely disseminated.
The inheritance was meant for one successor only; any insights gained by others were to be wiped clean.
"It was all for nothing," Qi Tian sighed, shaking his head.
Despite the Thirteenth Prince's provocation, Qi Tian paid him no mind, merely casting him a brief, indifferent glance.
"Urgh—!"
The Thirteenth Prince's face turned crimson as though a hand had gripped his throat, cutting off his air. His vitality froze as if bound, and his blade qi was completely suppressed by an unseen force.
"Palace Master, you're out?"
At that moment, two figures emerged hurriedly, evidently from the Heavenly Realm, who had been trying to transform into Gulu Beasts.
"Yes," Qi Tian nodded.
"Was it fun?"
"Did you succeed, Palace Master?" they asked eagerly.
"No, let's go."
With a wave of his hand, Qi Tian took the pair and flew out of the ruins. They quickly found a sea vortex and disappeared into it. Only then did the Thirteenth Prince manage to catch his breath, as though the blade pressed against his neck had been lifted.
"Huff... huff..."
"That was terrifying. Even with my Sixth-Rank domain, I couldn't muster any resistance against just a glance from him," the Thirteenth Prince muttered, fear flickering in his eyes. "He's definitely a true Rule Realm powerhouse."
Suppressing his arrogance, he quickly flew away under the wary gazes of those around him.
...
At the Matrix Hall, Lu Ying was the first to welcome Zhao Xing's return.
Since Zhao Xing had handed Lu Ying the Purple Light Divine Command left by Qing Yuzi, Lu Ying had been able to monitor the trial's progress in real time. Thus, he was also the first to know that Zhao Xing had successfully completed the trial.
"Zhao Xing, could it be that you've already…" Lu Ying asked, his voice tinged with hope. Although he was certain Zhao Xing had obtained the inheritance, he couldn't help but confirm it.
"Yes," Zhao Xing replied with a nod. "But aside from you, no one else knows that I've received the inheritance for now."
Fairy Su's trial grounds were entirely isolated, preventing any predictions or observations. Having mastered the Three Divinities Destiny Palace, her domain was beyond the reach of karmic divination.
"Let them guess," Lu Ying said with a chuckle. "The longer we can keep it a secret, the better."
"Lord Lu, I need you to help me contact Wei Hong, the Grand Ritual Official. I have an important matter to discuss," Zhao Xing requested.
"Of course, I'll contact him immediately."
Lu Ying escorted Zhao Xing to a private chamber and promptly used the Earth Realm to reach Wei Hong.
Currently, among the six department heads stationed at the Western Glacier, only Luo Hou King, Liu Tianning, and Lu Ying remained. With decades of peace, Wei Hong had naturally withdrawn to the capital.
Even Liu Tianning and Lu Ying had temporarily left during this period, leaving only a few lower-ranking officials in charge.
With a hum, Wei Hong's projection materialized in the private chamber.
"Greetings, Lord Wei," Zhao Xing said, cupping his hands.
"Lord Zhao," Wei Hong returned the gesture, "Congratulations on completing the trial. What urgent matter brings you to seek me?"
"Lord Wei," Zhao Xing said directly, "I request that you petition His Majesty to release my Heaven Soul."
Since Wei Hong was currently in the capital, contacting Ji Che directly would expedite the process. To construct the Three Divinities Destiny Palace and break through, the release of his Heaven Soul was essential.
"Understood. I'll handle it immediately," Wei Hong replied, his projection fading shortly afterward.
"Lord Lu, I'll also need a cultivation chamber prepared for me," Zhao Xing requested.
"A cultivation chamber?" Lu Ying's eyes brightened. "Of course! Follow me."
...
Deep within the Matrix Hall, in a secluded chamber, Zhao Xing sat cross-legged, calming his mind and spirit.
"Ordinarily, constructing a Destiny Palace and advancing to the Destiny Palace Realm involves integrating and safeguarding the Life Soul," Zhao Xing reflected.
"In the Rule Realm, one uses domain rules and borrows the power of the world's essence to externally shield and protect the Life and Earth Souls."
"This is why in the Xuanhuang Realm, the behavior of those at the Rule Realm cannot be predicted by Fate Officers."
For martial artists, the approach differed. For instance, Luo Wang had fused his Life Soul, Seven Spirits, and Earth Soul into a unified whole.
"Their physical body itself becomes the Destiny Palace. For martial artists, the body is paramount. This fusion greatly enhances their strength and defense, making them nearly invincible. For example, the Dragon Elephant Golden Body is renowned for its impenetrable defense and overwhelming power. However, if their body dies, so do they."
"For spellcasters, physical death isn't the end. As long as the Life Soul survives, there's a chance to reconstruct a body."
"Rule Realms generally began appearing during the era of Spiritual Qi, marking a clear divergence between martial arts and spellcasting," Zhao Xing mused.
"My breakthrough using the minor divine power Three Divinities Destiny Palace differs in nature. My Destiny Palace will be constructed from my Three Souls, cultivating the Great Dao of Souls. Unlike other professions that rely on the Yin-Yang Five Elements to draw upon the world's essence, my Three Souls are inherently strong, needing no external protection."
"Others' Three Souls—Heaven, Earth, and Life—remain fragile, susceptible to exploitation by enemies. Even martial artists struggle to integrate the Heaven Soul without a divine power of this kind."
"But my breakthrough requires even the Heaven Soul to be incorporated into the Destiny Palace."
Zhao Xing began his cultivation, and changes soon appeared within his Sea of Consciousness. The first transformation involved the Life Soul.
In the vast expanse of his Sea of Consciousness, the Life Soul originally stood on a faint golden layer of material—the foundation of his Destiny Palace.
But now, the golden light rapidly multiplied, elevating the Life Soul higher. Before long, a towering mountain materialized beneath the Life Soul's feet.
"The Spirit Mountain nurtures Heavenly Luck, becoming the foundation of the Destiny Palace upon breakthrough," Zhao Xing observed as he inspected the transformation within his Sea of Consciousness.
"Grow, grow, grow!"
As the mountain's illusory form grew, its height took on a definite concept within the Sea of Consciousness.
"9,999 meters."
"This is the pinnacle Spirit Mountain technique left behind by Xuanyuan Qingtian, once my bottleneck."
With a thought, Zhao Xing manipulated the pure essence within his Dantian. The earth veins of the Pure Essence Soil converged, forming a mountain at the center.
"The mountain here also rises to 9,999 meters."
"The Dao of Shennong employs the Spirit Mountain Method to enter the Destiny Palace Realm, where soil gives rise to towering peaks."
"As for the mountain's shadow in my Sea of Consciousness, it symbolizes a solid foundation and a soul force as stable as a mountain. This is the benefit of using the Spirit Mountain Method to break into the Destiny Palace."
"Break!"
Zhao Xing gave a low shout.
The shadow of the Spirit Mountain in his Sea of Consciousness, along with the Spirit Mountain within the Pure Essence Space, effortlessly shattered the ten-thousand-meter limit. In this moment, the shackles were broken by Zhao Xing, and he began his process of breaking through to the Destiny Palace Realm.
Simultaneously, in Lingxu Blessed Land, the Qitian Mountain that Zhao Xing nurtured underwent drastic changes. Winds howled, clouds surged, and the earth trembled violently.
The mountain, originally at a height of 9,999 meters, began to expand at an astonishing speed—13,000 meters, 16,000 meters, 19,000 meters...
The exaggerated growth immediately caught everyone's attention.
Next to it, Zhiming Mountain, the peak belonging to Xie Zhiming, a Shennong cultivator at the Heavenly Luck Realm and the twentieth peak of Lingxu Blessed Land, suddenly awakened. He turned his head to the side and witnessed the bizarre scene.
"What's happening? Why is Qitian Mountain suddenly growing?"
"Damn it! If it keeps expanding, my mountain is going to get crushed!" Xie Zhiming quickly flew away.
Sensing the situation, Zhao Xing, inside the Matrix Palace, paused his breakthrough. "I can't let my mountain crush someone else's Spirit Mountain. Everyone has worked hard for years, and if I destroy their foundations, it would ruin their accumulation in the Heavenly Luck Realm."
The solution was straightforward.
He activated his Earth Territory communication device and contacted Qiu Yuanshan. "Zhao Xing, what's the matter?"
Qiu Yuanshan's face appeared on the Earth Territory interface.
"Dean Qiu, I'm about to break through. Please bring the Kun Yuan Hoe and move the twenty-seven mountains around my Qitian Mountain in Lingxu Blessed Land to another location."
Hearing Zhao Xing's intent to break through, Qiu Yuanshan first showed delight, then confusion. "Zhao Xing, your Qitian Mountain already has plenty of space. Why do you still need me to move the other mountains? Is it really necessary?"
Zhao Xing replied, "If you don't believe me, Dean, check the current state of Lingxu Blessed Land. I'm sure Xie Zhiming has already reported the situation."
Qiu Yuanshan lowered his head and indeed received a report from Xie Zhiming.
"Dean, Zhao Shennong's mountain is suddenly expanding and almost crushing mine. Dean, come see this marvel!"
Xie Zhiming wasn't panicking; he even seemed excited.
Living atop a mountain for so long had made his emotions extraordinarily stable.
Qiu Yuanshan looked up again. "Alright, I'll bring the Kun Yuan Divine Hoe to Lingxu Blessed Land immediately."
"Wait a moment, Dean," Zhao Xing interjected. "The Kun Yuan Hoe can indeed move mountains, but relocating Spirit Mountains away from their original leyline positions will still have some impact. Please inform those not currently in Lingxu Blessed Land that I will compensate them for any losses."
Qiu Yuanshan chuckled. "Compensation is a minor matter; the academy can handle it. Don't treat us like outsiders. Even if your mountain crushes ours, it's not a problem."
After informing Qiu Yuanshan, a projection appeared atop Qitian Mountain. It was Zhao Xing. "To all owners of the twenty-eight Spirit Mountains in Lingxu Blessed Land, I am Chief of Shennong Zhao Xing." His voice echoed across the distant mountains.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Upon hearing his voice, every Shennong cultivator present in the mountains emerged.
After all, it was Zhao Xing—a living legend many hadn't seen in person before!
"Greetings to Chief of Shennong!"
"Greetings to King Zhao!"
Cultivators training on the mountains flew up and cupped their hands respectfully toward the projection.
"I am about to break through. Please deactivate your formations immediately. Dean Qiu will use the Kun Yuan Divine Hoe to relocate your Spirit Mountains. I will compensate you for any losses caused today."
There was limited space in the area, and Zhao Xing had no choice but to relocate the surrounding mountains.
"Chief of Shennong is about to break through? This is fantastic news!"
"Will this breakthrough establish the ultimate form of the Spirit Mountain Method?"
"Hahaha, what are my losses compared to Zhao Shennong's breakthrough? Dean Qiu, quickly move the mountains!"
Far from being angry, the owners of the various peaks were exhilarated, treating the event as a spectacle. They clamored for Qiu Yuanshan to dismantle their mountains, as if they didn't own them.
"This is a rare sight—everyone's so excited about moving their mountains, even knowing the Kun Yuan Divine Hoe will cause some damage," muttered Meng Kun, who had accompanied Qiu Yuanshan. "Begin!" Qiu Yuanshan wielded the Kun Yuan Divine Hoe, excavating each mountain and relocating them elsewhere.
Before long, the surroundings of Qitian Mountain were entirely cleared.
"Zhao Xing, the space around your mountain is now open. Expand freely!" Meng Kun waved toward the mountain's peak projection.
"Thank you, Dean Meng," Zhao Xing nodded in acknowledgment and resumed his techniques.
"Boom!" "Whoosh!"
The phenomena atop the mountain resumed their movement.
Seasons cycled, flowers swayed with elegance, winds surged, and the mountain soared higher and higher!
"Wonderful, absolutely marvelous!" Meng Kun clapped his hands in excitement. "Keep growing!"
Qiu Yuanshan approached with the hoe in hand, sprinkling a handful of soil onto Qitian Mountain. Though it seemed like a mere handful, it blanketed the entire peak.
"Thank you, Dean, for your assistance."
Qitian Mountain rose rapidly from ten thousand meters to an astonishing one hundred thousand meters before finally stopping. This was the limit established by the method created by Xuanyuan Qingtian. Meng Kun sighed in admiration, "A mountain reaching one hundred thousand meters in a single day—an unparalleled marvel!"
"If the mountain is this tall, who knows how profound Zhao Xing's cultivation has become?"
Qiu Yuanshan shared the sentiment, "At this rate, Zhao Xing might have broken through to the late stage of the Destiny Palace Realm in one go." His guess, however, underestimated the reality.
In truth, Zhao Xing had already reached the pinnacle of the Destiny Palace Realm.
This achievement stemmed from his prolonged cultivation in the Heavenly Luck Realm, the explosive growth of his Pure Essence Soil nourished by spiritual energy, and his mastery of a minor divine ability in the soul. The harmony of essence, energy, and spirit elevated the Spirit Mountain Method to unprecedented heights.
With a single effort, Zhao Xing reached the Destiny Palace Realm's peak.
"The Spirit Mountain Method has no ultimate form; its limit lies here. To break through to the Rule Realm, I'll need to comprehend its ultimate technique in the future." He mused, "However, my soul can continue to advance."
In Zhao Xing's Sea of Consciousness, the golden mountain ceased its growth, but his Life Soul began to expand.
Originally, the Life Soul atop the mountain peak was merely a small speck compared to the towering mountain. However, as Zhao Xing activated the Three Divine Destiny Palace divine ability, the Life Soul surged, breaking past the pinnacle of the Destiny Palace Realm and stepping into the early stage of the Rule Realm.
"My Life Soul has already reached the strength of the Rule Realm's initial stage."
Before him appeared a black spear exuding a menacing aura.
This was the Soul-Devouring Spear, a technique Zhao Xing comprehended during his first challenge in the Soul Trial. At the time, it barely reached the power of the First Transformation of the Ultimate Technique. Previously, wielding it felt laborious, but now it moved with ease.
"The First Transformation of the Soul-Devouring Spear was something I only recently comprehended. With the enhancement from the Life Soul, its power is now three hundred times stronger than before. With my current soul power, I can release tens of thousands of spears simultaneously."
It wasn't that he couldn't produce more, but creating additional spears would weaken their power, rendering it meaningless. Satisfied, Zhao Xing retracted the Soul-Devouring Spear.
"Next is gathering the Earth Soul."
Zhao Xing activated a spell, channeling the convergence of the Three Divine Forces.
Soon, a silhouette entangled in countless threads appeared before him. This ethereal figure was none other than his Earth Soul.
"Merge!"
With a low shout, a powerful suction emanated from Zhao Xing's Sea of Consciousness. The threads binding the Earth Soul unraveled, and the Earth Soul entered his left eye. Known as the gateway to hidden power, the left eye had long been associated with omens of fortune, as expressed in the saying: The left eye twitches for wealth—a manifestation of the Earth Soul's resonance.
"Grow, grow, grow!"
The Earth Soul expanded rapidly, taking its place atop the mountain and standing opposite the Life Soul. Soon, it grew to the same height as the Life Soul.
"Only the Heaven Soul remains," Zhao Xing murmured, turning his gaze toward the capital.
"The Heaven Soul travels through the Yin Realm and should arrive in just a few days."
Ordinarily imperceptible, the Heaven Soul became detectable after reaching the Destiny Palace Realm.
"It departs from the Heaven Soul Shrine and travels through the Yin Realm passage beneath Yongzhou."
The speed was astonishing. Three days later, a faint, translucent figure with a pale white aura bypassed countless barriers and entered the secluded chamber within the Matrix Palace.
"So, I do have a Heaven Soul after all. I just don't understand why the Heaven Soul Trial didn't affect me back then."
"Forget it; there's no point dwelling on it. Merge!"
Once again, Zhao Xing performed a spell, pulling the Heaven Soul inward.
"Whoosh~"
As the Heaven Soul neared the Destiny Palace, it encountered significant resistance, as though some unseen force sought to hinder its approach.
"This must be the suppression of the Heavenly Laws. The Xuanhuang Realm does not allow individuals of this caliber to exist," Zhao Xing realized. "Even those in the Path-Binding Stage rarely merge their Heaven Souls. Fortunately, at this stage of the spiritual energy revival, the Xuanhuang Realm's rules aren't yet fully oppressive."
In the future, when the true era of spiritual energy arrived, integrating the Heaven Soul would become exponentially more difficult.
Fairy Su once warned him: in non-spiritual energy eras, it was better to accomplish this early, lest the difficulty grow over time.
"Merge!"
In his Sea of Consciousness, the Life Soul and Earth Soul joined forces, radiating brilliant golden light. The Heaven Soul, drawn by their combined might, gradually accelerated its approach.
Two days later, at noon.
The Heaven Soul, cloaked in a soft white halo, finally entered Zhao Xing's Sea of Consciousness. The Three Divine Souls converged, forming a triad at the center of the space.
With the arrival of the Heaven Soul, the golden brilliance within his Sea of Consciousness intensified.
Initially, the Life Soul glowed brightly, but this radiance soon extended to the Earth Soul and, finally, the Heaven Soul. Gradually, the Heaven Soul turned a vibrant gold.
The transformation was complete. All three souls now gleamed with unparalleled might, reaching the early stage of the Rule Realm.
"The Three Souls have entered the Destiny Palace. Existing beyond the Five Elements, my power now borders on terrifying."
Zhao Xing opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.
The Three Divine Destiny Palace technique—a minor divine ability—was finally mastered.