Zhao Xing ignored Gao Ye and kept his gaze locked on Wu Feng.
Wu Feng, staring at the Purple Yang and Purple Yin radiating above Zhao Xing's head, finally took this matter seriously.
He realized that a simple apology wouldn't be enough to resolve this situation. Ultimately, the past two hundred years had been filled with neglect and half-hearted treatment toward Zhao Xing.
"Junior Brother, I'll reassign Gao Ye to a mining star. From today onward, he will no longer appear before you. Does that sound acceptable?"
With a mere wave of Wu Feng's hand, Gao Ye vanished from sight—there was no room for him to protest.
"Senior Brother has the final say. I'm not one to hold grudges," Zhao Xing replied calmly.
Not one to hold grudges? You were absolutely fuming just moments ago!
Wu Feng sneered in his heart but maintained a warm smile. "Junior Brother, you are truly broad-minded, much like our Martial Uncle."
"Senior Brother overpraises me," Zhao Xing replied, not dwelling on the matter.
The two no longer mentioned past grievances, as if none had ever existed.
From that day forward, Wu Feng began fulfilling Zhao Yuanzi's orders seriously. He no longer sent subordinates to deal with Zhao Xing but instead personally guided him.
"The Purple Divine Mansion has eight Mansion Lords, making it a first-rate power within the Ancient Kingdoms. Among them, Purple Moon Mansion specializes in training Heavenly Timing Shennongs."
"Under Purple Moon Mansion's control are six major star systems. The number of Realm Stars and Small Worlds exceeds three million, while the number of small star continents and mining stars is practically uncountable."
"Forget about Purple Divine Mansion—just Purple Moon Mansion alone surpasses the scale of most major dynasties. For example, in a place like the Great Ye Dynasty, even their Emperor would have to kneel and welcome our Mansion Lord."
"In the previous era, Purple Moon Mansion only had five major star systems," Wu Feng casually mentioned while explaining cultivation techniques, attempting to mend their relationship.
In the past, he had dismissed Zhao Xing as nothing more than a backwater native who had stumbled upon Qing Yuzi's inheritance and successfully returned his remains. Though an official member of Purple Divine Mansion, he was never taken seriously.
Now, things were different.
Someone like Yun Tiandao, a rare talent, was a once-in-ten-thousand-year occurrence even on high-tier Realm Stars like Qingyu Realm Star.
But Zhao Xing was even stronger. He was simultaneously cultivating Purple Yang and Purple Yin. If he fully mastered the first layer in the next hundred years, he would break a record that hadn't been touched for two hundred thousand years.
Adapting to the situation and seeking benefits was human nature.
Wu Feng couldn't afford to keep neglecting Zhao Xing. He needed to rebuild their relationship before Zhao Xing reached the Origin Stage.
After all, once Zhao Xing advanced, he would begin taking on assignments from the Purple Divine Mansion—who knew how far he would go?
"Oh? Where did the extra star system come from?" Zhao Xing asked, seeing through Wu Feng's intentions but accepting the goodwill nonetheless.
He was still living under their roof, after all.
"When Martial Grandmaster broke through to the Dao Domain Realm, his Dao Field became larger than the previous Mansion Lord's. Within the Ancient Kingdoms, there's an unwritten rule—the size of one's Dao Field determines their territorial claim."
"Especially after the Era of the Barren Domain began, stronger Dao Domain Realm cultivators receive more preferential treatment. The Marlin Star System was awarded to Martial Grandmaster during the Starry Sky Dao Conference, which was hosted by the Ruler of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom."
Zhao Xing nodded. The so-called Starry Sky Dao Conference was essentially a power restructuring orchestrated by the ruler of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom.
Every so often, the Ancient Kingdoms would hold such events to evaluate the strength of their vassal forces—much like an assembly of feudal lords.
"Senior Brother Wu, what is the Martial Grandmaster's current cultivation level?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Martial Grandmaster has taken the second step, reaching the Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm," Wu Feng replied.
"The Dao Domain Realm has three main stages: Five Elements Dao Domain, Yin-Yang Dao Domain, and Life-Death Dao Domain."
"Breaking through the Life-Death Dao Domain leads to the Reincarnation Realm, granting immense power, including the ability to resurrect others. Even if a Reincarnation Realm cultivator dies, they can return through pre-prepared resurrection methods."
"Typically, the ruler of an Ancient Kingdom is the only Reincarnation Realm cultivator in that kingdom."
"However, due to its long history, the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom has three other Reincarnation Realm powerhouses besides the current ruler."
"Of course, this number is technically classified. No one knows the exact number of Reincarnation Realm experts within Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom—we only know of the three made public."
"Only a Reincarnation Realm cultivator can make an Ancient Kingdom truly formidable."
"More importantly, during interracial wars, an Ancient Kingdom with Reincarnation Realm experts can grant their warriors the ability to fight fearlessly, knowing they can be revived."
Wu Feng's words were correct—Reincarnation Realm cultivators were the foundation of collective power. Without them, no one would be willing to die for their kingdom.
For example, the Reincarnation Divine Palace in the Xuanling Star Domain governed the cycle of life and death for the human race.
They prohibited Reincarnation Realm experts from using resurrection powers carelessly.
However, during interracial wars, the Reincarnation Divine Palace allowed the Ancient Kingdoms to use their revival powers—otherwise, no kingdom would accept restrictions while facing extinction.
"Every cultivation path undergoes multiple transformations." Wu Feng continued explaining.
"The first major transformation happens when breaking through from the Ascension Stage to the Origin Stage."
"The body undergoes Origin Transformation, allowing the Dao Body to resonate with the surrounding Spiritual Qi. Cultivation methods synchronize with these Spiritual Qi particles, rapidly expanding the Dao Field's range."
"This is similar to how Solar and Lunar Stars radiate light, covering all the planets within their star system."
"However, while Origin Energy is uniform, the distribution of Spiritual Qi varies depending on location."
With a flick of his wrist, Wu Feng split the surrounding environment into eight distinct regions.
Each region had clearly defined boundaries, and even the way light passed through them differed, creating noticeable color variations.
Wu Feng extended his hand. "Junior Brother, look closely—each of the eight regions around me has a Spiritual Qi Index ranging from 10 to 100."
"You may cast a spell and observe how it behaves as it travels through these regions."
Zhao Xing nodded. He then formed a lightning bolt in his palm, its energy coiling like a thunder dragon before he sent it toward Wu Feng.
The lightning bolt circled around Wu Feng, passing through each region before returning to Zhao Xing's hand.
"How was it?" Wu Feng asked.
"As the Spiritual Qi Index decreased across the eight regions, the speed of the lightning gradually slowed, and its power weakened," Zhao Xing summarized.
"Since the Lightning Origin relies on sufficient Spiritual Qi, the spell weakened due to the lack of energy support, causing distortions."
"Exactly," Wu Feng nodded. "This is what we often call unstable void conditions."
With another wave of his hand, the eight regions shifted once more.
"The previous setup was an idealized unstable void."
"Now, try again."
Zhao Xing extended his hand, and once again, a bolt of lightning surged toward Wu Feng.
As before, it followed the sequence of Spiritual Qi Index from high to low. However, this time, something unusual happened.
As the lightning entered the first region, it suddenly expanded, growing larger as if its power had increased. But in reality, its energy had scattered and weakened.
Upon reaching the second region, the tightly condensed Thunder Dragon suddenly dispersed into numerous arcs of electricity, flickering chaotically in all directions.
Still, Zhao Xing's control was exceptional. He managed to force one of the Thunder Dragons into the third region, where it rapidly shrank until it was barely a meter in size.
Then, unexpectedly, it jumped from the third region straight into the fifth region, completely out of Zhao Xing's control.
"Boom!"
The Thunder Dragon collapsed and scattered into sparks.
Wu Feng, witnessing this, smiled. "See? This is the difference between different—"
Before he could finish, something unexpected happened.
From the scattered electrical arcs, the Thunder Dragon struggled to reform, crackling back to life.
"Zzzz—" Zhao Xing maintained his focus, guiding the Thunder Dragon as it completed its circuit through the remaining regions.
Wu Feng couldn't help but be surprised.
I designed this unstable void simulation to be extremely close to real battle scenarios, not just a theoretical model—yet he adapted this quickly?
After all, Wu Feng was already in the Second Stage of the Origin Realm! Even though he had casually created this training environment, Zhao Xing's ability had exceeded his expectations.
His talent is outstanding, and his comprehension of spellcasting is remarkable.
For someone from the Shenluo Barren Domain—a desolate, backwater region—to possess such skill, it's truly unexpected.
Having a genius like Yun Tiandao was one thing, but now there's also Zhao Xing? Could they actually be from a high-tier Realm Star?
That shouldn't be possible. How could a high-tier Realm Star exist within the Barren Domain…?
For a moment, Wu Feng was lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing was also deep in contemplation.
Wu Feng was far superior to Gao Ye.
He was a true combat specialist, someone with vast experience. Unlike simple theoretical teaching, Wu Feng's simulated training field likely replicated environmental conditions from eight entirely different star systems.
People often talk about battle experience, but what does that really mean?
Real experience comes from fighting in different environments against different types of opponents.
Simply fighting the same kind of enemies in the same area over and over again? That's just narrow-minded training.
Zhao Xing had to admit—Wu Feng's knowledge and adaptability were truly impressive.
"Junior Brother Zhao, since you're cultivating both Purple Yang and Purple Yin, once your Origin Dao Body is fully refined, you'll naturally be stronger than most cultivators at the same realm."
"With 840 million Origin Stars manifesting within your body, when you advance to the Void Realm, you'll be far more adaptable to various combat environments."
"After all, every environment in the universe ultimately falls under the fundamental principles of Heavenly Timing—everything is influenced by the Extreme Yang Star and Extreme Yin Star."
Time passed.
Twelve years went by in the blink of an eye.
[Purple Yin First Layer: 98%]
[Purple Yang First Layer: 97%]
With Wu Feng's guidance, Zhao Xing's Dao Body refinement had accelerated significantly.
At this moment, Yun Tiandao arrived to bid farewell.
A streak of purple light appeared within the estate, accompanied by Yun Tiandao's calm voice.
"Zhao Xing, the Yuanhai Hall has completed the customized Realm Star Dao Soldiers. I'll be departing the day after tomorrow."
"Brother Yun," Zhao Xing stood up. "No need for sentimental words—just take care of yourself."
Yun Tiandao was somewhat touched.
But before he could respond, Zhao Xing added, "You still owe me 30 million—don't you dare die."
"..."
The warm farewell moment instantly shattered.
"Was that last line necessary?" Yun Tiandao asked, exasperated.
"Hahahaha!" Zhao Xing laughed.
Yun Tiandao turned and left, boarding a Realm Vessel from Qingyu Realm Star, setting off on an adventure to Hai'ao Star.
Hai'ao Star, located in the southern borders of the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, was near the Sea Demon Tribe's territory.
As a major force under Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, Purple Divine Mansion had the obligation to defend the border regions.
Yun Tiandao had voluntarily accepted a border defense mission, preparing to depart Seven Star Pass, earning merits in battle while refining his spellcraft.
The mission required him to remain there for at least a thousand years.
For an Origin Stage First Layer cultivator, a thousand years wasn't considered long—Yun Tiandao aimed to reach the Second Layer within that time.
"Ten thousand years is too long—we must seize every opportunity," Zhao Xing murmured, watching the Realm Vessel disappear into the void.
It wasn't just Yun Tiandao aboard.
Among the passengers were dozens of Origin Stage cultivators, all from Qingyu Realm Star, each carrying dreams of establishing themselves through battle.
"My progress is almost complete. I should start considering an Origin Stage trial mission as well."
Zhao Xing activated the Star Mirror.
Within Purple Divine Mansion, there were countless missions, categorized into various types.
As a Purple Moon Mansion member, Zhao Xing noticed that most of his available missions revolved around agriculture and resource management.
For example, the mission he randomly came across:
[Mission Name: Phoebe Tribe's Mining Star]
[Mission Description: Phoebe Star, located within the "Marlin Star System," produces "Yi Star Sand." This mineral is a unique companion ore of the Phoebe Tribe, known for its high compatibility in artifact refinement. However, Phoebe Star frequently experiences uprisings.]
[Mission Objective: Maintain order on Phoebe Star and increase Yi Star Sand production.]
[Mission Duration: 3,000 years per term.]
[Mission Reward: Base salary of 30 million. After the term, the Purple Divine Mansion will conduct an evaluation—higher ratings will result in greater rewards, up to a maximum of 3 billion Yuanhai Coins.]
Zhao Xing narrowed his eyes.
"Three thousand years and only 30 million base salary? That's on par with Ascension Stage wages."
But after thinking about it, he realized:
"Still, there's no Spiritual Qi Tax while cultivating there, and food and lodging are covered. I can at least save up money this way."
"And if I do well, I could earn a bonus of up to 3 billion."
"The job itself isn't too difficult—the strongest enemy on Phoebe Star is only at the Ascension Stage. If I go there as an Origin Stage First Layer, it'd be almost impossible to fail."
"And if any rebellions break out, I can easily suppress them."
Since this was within Purple Divine Mansion's territory, there was no need to worry about enemy attacks or Star Pirates raiding the place.
Robbing a Purple Divine Mansion mining star? That would be even more suicidal than robbing an Ancient Kingdom Bank.
Either way, the outcome would be death, but at least the latter had more money.
"This mission is mainly about exploiting the Phoebe Tribe. The material is a companion ore, so it's not just about mindless killing. It's more suited for administrative personnel, not someone like me."
The term for this mission was three thousand years, and resignation was not allowed midway.
Most of Purple Divine Mansion's missions had some level of compulsion—quitting midway lowered one's evaluation.
Doing the job poorly also lowered one's evaluation, and in severe cases, it could even demote a formal member's rank, pushing them down to an external member or even a commoner.
On the other hand, doing well meant promotion and better privileges.
[Yaoying Star Land]
Type: Class-B Third-Level Star Land
Unique Feature: Native "Yaoying Spirit Trees," a major economic plant listed under Purple Divine Mansion's native exports.
"The star land is frequently invaded by Void Storms, and this mission involves countering various natural disasters that occur on it."
"Disasters happen often, so the term is only one thousand years."
"But there's no real danger—it's just exhausting work. The base salary for a full term is 50 million, but the Spiritual Qi Index fluctuates at an average of 40."
"The pay is good, but it's not great for cultivation."
Zhao Xing spent an entire afternoon browsing through mission listings.
Most of the missions within Purple Divine Mansion's territory were relatively safe.
As a formal member, Zhao Xing had access to many relatively easy and well-paying missions.
For external members, however, even the same Phoebe Star Mining Mission—despite both being at the Origin Stage First Layer—wouldn't grant them the position of Planetary Administrator.
Instead, their wages would range between one million to five million, a mere fraction of what formal members earned.
Yet, people still fought tooth and nail for these positions.
Why?
Because compared to other jobs, this was already one of the best options.
Surviving one term meant saving up for a Realm Star Dao Soldier—even if one's cultivation progress stalled for a while, it was still worth it.
Not everyone's time was precious, and not all cultivators were constantly progressing.
Spending three thousand years on a stable job—even if cultivation slowed—was something many Origin Stage First Layer cultivators were more than willing to do.
"The safe jobs all have reward caps."
Zhao Xing analyzed the listings carefully.
"Unless you're managing a high-tier Realm Star, but those positions are usually reserved for Third Layer or higher, where they receive profit shares."
"These high-paying, low-risk jobs require a long record of completed missions and a high contribution rating within the Mansion. Just having strength isn't enough."
"As for the most rewarding missions, they always carry significant risk—like Yun Tiandao's border defense mission."
Still, Purple Divine Mansion's mission system followed a clear rule—you get what you put in.
At the very least, it provided a fair platform for people to showcase their talents.
The worst thing was working hard without getting rewarded fairly—and unfortunately, the universe had plenty of exploitative factions like that.
"Hmm? This mission—"
After searching for a long time, Zhao Xing's eyes suddenly caught a familiar mission.
He immediately clicked on it.
[Mission: Moonfall Mausoleum]
Mission Description:
The Moonfall Mausoleum is located in the public star sea region "Phantom God Star System." It consists of numerous star lands and has been confirmed as an ancient race's burial ground.
Seven thousand years ago, due to the failure of its sealing formation, the Moonfall Mausoleum was exposed after being eroded by Void Turbulence.
Mission 1 - Exploration:
Enter Moonfall Mausoleum, gather valuable information, and submit findings for verification. Rewards will be granted based on the significance of the discovery.
Mission 2 - Elimination:
Numerous foreign races roam the Star Lands. Every confirmed kill earns at least 500,000 in reward. No upper limit!
Mission 3 - Material Collection:
Search for listed materials within Moonfall Mausoleum. (Material list attached)
Mission 4 - ???
"Moonfall Mausoleum? Even Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom has access to this mission?"
Zhao Xing's eyes lit up upon seeing this listing.
Of course, he knew about Moonfall Mausoleum.
In his previous life, when he had entered the universal version, the Moonfall Mausoleum had already been discovered for some time.
But at that point, it was still in the exploration phase.
Later on, when players from his generation reached the Origin Stage, nearly everyone took a trip there.
After all, it was a massive ancient star tomb—looting the graves of the strong? What kind of player could resist that temptation?
Unfortunately, he had arrived late in his past life.
By the time Zhao Xing and his group got there, they spent hundreds of years scavenging and barely found anything worthwhile.
At that point, the excavation had already reached the mid-stage, and Origin Stage First Layer cultivators had very little opportunity.
Most accessible areas had already been dug up, and the burial artifacts were almost completely stripped clean—they had practically scoured the place down to the last inch.
"Back then, when we arrived, the Moonfall Mausoleum was like a pile of bones already gnawed clean—only scraps remained. But right now, there's still plenty of valuable treasure left… maybe even the big ones."
Since the Moonfall Mausoleum had only emerged 7,000 years ago, its sealing formations were likely still functional.
After being tossed into the Void Turbulence, its formations would take time to fully unravel.
After all, it was an ancient star tomb—its protective formations wouldn't simply collapse all at once.
Instead, they would weaken in phases, starting from localized sections before eventually crumbling entirely.
"Danger level: Unknown?"
Zhao Xing glanced at Purple Divine Mansion's rating on the mission and couldn't help but chuckle.
"I know what the danger is."
He wouldn't claim to remember every single inch of the place or each specific formation, especially since stronger cultivators had tampered with it later on.
But he definitely knew most of the major traps.
Besides, just gathering intelligence for this exploration mission was rewarded!
"Even if I just walk around the outer perimeter and report back, I could still make a decent fortune."
Of course, he actually had to go in—fabricating information about hidden treasures or rare burial goods would be suicidal.
"Alright, this is the one."
Zhao Xing closed his Star Mirror.
For now, he couldn't accept the mission yet.
The minimum requirement for Moonfall Mausoleum was Origin Stage First Layer.
Ascension Stage cultivators didn't even qualify—they weren't fast enough to travel through space, let alone navigate within the Star Lands.
With no ability to reach light speed, their mobility would be too limited, making exploration impossible.
If an Ascension Stage cultivator were to attempt exploration, it would take them a hundred million years and they still wouldn't be able to uncover everything.
Back when Yun Tiandao departed, it was the Year 301 of the Shixin Era.
Now, Zhao Xing was preparing for his first Origin Stage Trial Mission.
With a clear goal in mind, Zhao Xing became more diligent than ever.
Even being one year late could mean missing out on valuable treasures.
For an Origin Stage First Layer cultivator, there weren't many chances to make big money—so he had to seize the opportunity.
Time passed quickly, and soon, it was the Year 351 of the Shixin Era.
"Gulu-gulu~"
Zhao Xing opened a bottle of Heavenly Origin Liquid, tilted his head back, and gulped it down. The purple glow around his body gradually receded.
[Purple Yang First Layer: 99%]
[Purple Yin First Layer: 99%]
"I'm just 1% away from lighting up 840 million acupoints."
"Dual cultivation of these techniques requires a balanced approach to Yin and Yang."
"For me, the only obstacle to breaking through now is maintaining this balance."
Zhao Xing focused his mind and looked inward.
At this moment, he only had two acupoints left to activate—intentionally left unlit.
"Purple Yin and Purple Yang act like a scale inside me. If one side advances first, the balance will break."
"If one side overpowers the other, it will trigger a single-source breakthrough—making the centuries of dual cultivation completely worthless."
Zhao Xing continued drinking the Heavenly Origin Liquid, gazing at the sun and moon shining together in the sky.
The difficulty of dual-source cultivation lay in the final breakthrough moment.
If the balance collapsed, then the Taiyin or Taiyang energy within his body would devour the other, immediately triggering a one-sided transformation.
In an instant, his Dao Body would become either a Purple Yin Dao Body or a Purple Yang Dao Body.
"There's a reason why Purple Yin and Purple Yang are usually cultivated separately. Right now, I can't be completely sure I'll succeed."
"Based on my calculations, I have an 80% chance at best."
Zhao Xing stood up and soared into the sky.
He flew past the boundary of Qingyu Realm Star, entering the vast cosmos.
In the starry void, both the Taiyang and Taiyin origin forces shone down upon him simultaneously.
The two remaining acupoints within him began to stir.
Due to some special aggregation effect, the two forces seemed to naturally seek completion.
Zhao Xing unfolded his Dao Field.
Two purple lights, one Yin, one Yang, shot toward him from opposite directions—colliding at the center of his Dao Field.
"Weng!"
As the light clashed, the Taiyin force quickly gained the upper hand.
Purple Yin energy flooded the entire Dao Field.
Zhao Xing spread his arms again, drawing the two forces into another collision.
"Weng~"
This time, the collision merged the forces together.
Within the Dao Field, the two lights fluctuated—gentle yet filled with immense power.
"Attempt #102,541: Success."
"Attempt #102,542: Success."
"Attempt #102,543: Success."
Zhao Xing conducted another hundred attempts.
Then, he sat down and began to analyze.
"Hmm… not bad. Out of 100 attempts, I succeeded 73 times and failed 27 times."
Instead of overthinking it, he took out a pile of books from his Qiankun Pouch and lay back, reading under the starry sky.
"Hmm?"
Flipping through a book, he accidentally came across an old text.
It was none other than his own work—a commentary titled "Two Canons Annotations", which he had written long ago to explain the Principle of Self in the Heavenly Objects Theory.
"Using the Self to Control Heavenly Timing?"
A spark of realization flashed through Zhao Xing's mind.
He sat up immediately, a bold idea forming in his thoughts.
"My Yuanhai Domain cultivation progress is also at 99% now."
"In my Pure Spiritual Space, the Five Elements Dao framework is already clearly taking shape."
"Light, come!"
Zhao Xing started another simulation attempt.
Both Taiyin Light and Taiyang Light rushed toward him from afar, entering his Dao Field.
But just before they collided—
"Weng~"
Zhao Xing activated his Pure Spiritual Projection.
After cultivating in the Yuanhai Domain, the Five Elements Origin had become much clearer.
Even when using projection techniques, his spiritual soil was already infused with the power of the Five Elements Origin.
"Transform!"
With a flick of his finger, the spiritual soil shrank rapidly and began to spin at high speed.
"Weng~"
The extreme rotation caused the incoming Taiyin and Taiyang origins to twist together, following the soil's circular motion.
One Yin, one Yang—they fused onto the soil's surface.
They remained distinct, yet intertwined—separate but inseparable.
"Using the Principle of Self as the foundation, merging Purple Yang and Purple Yin—this is exactly the concept of Taiji generating Two Forces!"
"After adjusting my approach, Attempt #1: Success!"
Feeling the gentle yet controlled origin energy, Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile.
He continued running more simulations.
Ten attempts—ten successes!
A hundred attempts—every single one a success!
"Hahaha, I'm a genius!"
Zhao Xing burst into laughter.
Now that his simulation success rate had reached 100%, there was no need to hesitate anymore.
He returned to Qingyu Realm Star and entered his private estate.
Under the radiance of both sun and moon, Zhao Xing materialized his entire Pure Spiritual Soil.
"Yu!"
Taking a deep breath, he activated both techniques simultaneously.
Purple Yang and Purple Yin forces surged through his body, colliding and intertwining.
He sat cross-legged on the soil, his entire being beginning to rotate—a purple glow radiating from his body.
"Wengwengwengwengwengwengweng~"
Zhao Xing's rotation speed grew faster and faster, until his figure disappeared entirely—leaving behind only a blazing purple halo.
"Boom—!"
At the same time, his Pure Spiritual Space underwent a fundamental transformation, evolving into a True Origin Space!
"It's done."
Zhao Xing felt the transformation of his Dao Body, an overwhelming sensation of breaking free from constraints.
"I've finally stepped into the Origin Stage First Layer."
Zhao Xing's thoughts moved, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a streak of light, appearing on the opposite side of Qingyu Realm Star.
This was an oceanic region, where a towering structure stood. At its peak, a large plaque read:
[North Sea Fishery · Rift Whale Zone]
"Rift Whale?" Zhao Xing murmured. "It's said that once a Rift Whale reaches adulthood, it naturally attains the First Layer of the Origin Stage. I wonder how it tastes."
With a wave of his hand, the sea surged, and a massive whale, spanning over ten thousand miles, was instantly restrained by his power.
"Mou?"
The blue runes on the Rift Whale's body suddenly lit up as it thrashed violently in an attempt to break free.
"Frost of the Ice Soul!"
Zhao Xing cast a self-created rain technique, derived from the Ice Soul Divine Tree, a plant-type soldier he had once acquired. This technique had already reached the seventh tier of Origin Techniques.
A terrifying cold wave erupted, instantly freezing the whale's Origin Energy from the inside out!
"Dual-Origin Dao Body… My technique is channeling the power of Taiyin, yet its potency already surpasses an ordinary First Layer cultivator." Zhao Xing noted internally.
"This Rift Whale has the strength of at least a mid-stage First Layer cultivator, yet it can't even struggle free from my technique."
"Expand!"
Zhao Xing activated his Dao Body, rapidly enlarging himself.
For ordinary martial cultivators, a Golden Body at the Rule Stage standard was around a thousand meters tall.
At the Ascension Stage, this standard reached ten thousand meters.
For a cultivator at the First Layer of the Origin Stage, a true Dao Body could reach over a thousand kilometers.
At the Dao Domain Realm, the sheer size of a Dao Body could allow cultivators to physically move celestial bodies like the Sun and the Moon.
"This is getting difficult." Zhao Xing noticed that once he reached a size of about five hundred kilometers, maintaining it became strenuous.
"I've only just stepped into the First Layer, so I'm not fully proficient yet. This probably isn't even my limit."
But even at five hundred kilometers, compared to the ten-thousand-mile Rift Whale, his size was still minuscule.
As a result of his breakthrough, Zhao Xing suddenly felt overwhelming hunger.
Looking at the Rift Whale, he couldn't help but feel that it looked… delicious.
"This isn't easy to eat, though."
With a thought, he sliced off a massive chunk of whale meat.
"I'll eat first!"
Taking a large bite, Zhao Xing's eyes lit up.
"Delicious!"
"No wonder the North Sea Fishery keeps raising them—tasty and beneficial for Origin Stage cultivation!"
Zhao Xing ripped apart and devoured eight large chunks of whale meat before finally satisfying his hunger.
"Yu~"
In the distance, a light flashed, and a voice echoed across the sea.
"Who dares trespass in the North Sea and hunt Rift Whales?"
A figure holding a silver spear emerged, radiating a sharp aura.
"I am the Guardian of the Rift Whale Zone in the North Sea Fishery. You are bold indeed!"
Zhao Xing activated his scanning function—this man was a cultivator at the First Layer of the Origin Stage.
"No need to fight," Zhao Xing clapped his hands. "I'll pay for it."
"Hmph! This isn't about money! You trespassed—" The Guardian's tone was stern at first, but the moment he saw Zhao Xing flash his official member token, his expression froze.
His entire demeanor shifted immediately.
As an external member, his status was far inferior to that of an official member.
Not to mention, Zhao Xing had been in Qingyu Realm Star for centuries. As the successor of Qing Yuzi, he was quite well-known on this planet.
"I just broke through and was starving, so I killed this Rift Whale. My mistake. Tell me, how much do I need to compensate?" Zhao Xing asked.
"No need, no need!" The Guardian hurriedly waved his hands.
"Are you sure?" Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow.
"Absolutely!" The Guardian forced a smile. "You just advanced and needed energy replenishment. Eating a Rift Whale under such circumstances is an emergency—besides, it's not even dead."
"Then I won't be polite. Farewell."
With that, Zhao Xing vanished into the sky as a streak of light.
The Guardian watched him disappear, unable to help but mutter in awe.
"He just broke through… and already has light-speed movement?"
"As expected of an official member."
"No wonder I didn't even detect him when he entered."
For most First Layer cultivators, achieving light-speed flight required years of refinement after breaking through.
But Zhao Xing had done it effortlessly, making it clear that he was far from an ordinary cultivator.
"When will I ever become an official member…?" The Guardian sighed, then turned and returned to his post.
When Zhao Xing returned to his estate, two figures were already waiting for him on the grassy field.
They were none other than Zhao Yuanzi and Wu Feng.
A new First Layer cultivator appearing on Qingyu Realm Star would never escape the notice of its managers.
If it were just an ordinary Ascension Stage breakthrough, Zhao Yuanzi wouldn't have cared much.
But this was Zhao Xing—and that made all the difference.
"Zhao Xing, congratulations on breaking through," Wu Feng said with a smile.
Stepping into the Origin Stage was the true threshold of becoming a cultivator in the universe.
At the Ascension Stage, one was restricted to moving around planetary bodies like Realm Stars, lacking the qualifications to truly traverse the cosmos.
"Zhao Xing, you've been cultivating both Purple Yin and Purple Yang at the same time. What was the result of your breakthrough?" Zhao Yuanzi asked.
Wu Feng had already told him that Zhao Xing was practicing both techniques simultaneously.
That level of difficulty was immensely greater than cultivating a single Dao Body.
During the breakthrough process, if the balance faltered even slightly, all prior cultivation would be wasted, and he would still only achieve a singular Origin Dao Body.
Yun Tiandao was known for his rapid cultivation speed, but even Zhao Yuanzi and Wu Feng had seen others advance quickly.
However, achieving a Dual-Origin Dao Body was a completely different matter.
It had been centuries since someone on Qingyu Realm Star had accomplished such a feat.
Hearing his master's question, Wu Feng also turned his gaze toward Zhao Xing.
By now, Zhao Xing had completely restrained his aura, making it impossible for them to tell anything just by looking.
Even Second Layer cultivators couldn't just glance at someone and see through everything.
"Senior Brother, Master-Uncle, I was fortunate enough to achieve the Dual-Origin Dao Body," Zhao Xing replied.
At the same time, his Yuanhai Domain had transformed into a True Origin Space—but there was no need to mention that part.
"He actually succeeded?"
Zhao Yuanzi and Wu Feng exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions.