With a thunderous boom, a blazing volcanic crater materialized beside Lin Fan, spewing molten lava in a dazzling array of vibrant colors, with auspicious rays dancing in the air.
It hovered in the void, so vivid and lifelike it defied belief!
As the crater quivered slightly, boundless spiritual essence surged forth, boiling within the opening. A shower of radiant light nourished Lin Fan's body, fortifying him.
In that moment, Lin Fan underwent another transformation. Each new Heavenly Passage he opened amplified his strength significantly, making his body gleam with a crystalline, flawless radiance, as if he had ascended to immortality, pure and ethereal.
Another one! Lin Fan thought, his heart swelling with joy. This breakthrough was the result of his unshakeable foundation in the Blood Transformation Realm, which endowed him with immense stamina and potential.
For an ordinary cultivator entering this realm, opening even a single Heavenly Passage was a stroke of fortune, let alone two in succession.
Yet Lin Fan felt he could push further. His momentum was unrelenting, his energy far from exhausted. His blood roared like thunder, and he could still summon divine radiance to refine the essence of heaven and earth.
Boom!
Suddenly, runes filled the sky, and his blood qi soared, shaking the cosmos like waves crashing against the shore. Endless order took shape, with ten thousand rays of light gleaming brilliantly.
A third Heavenly Passage formed, hovering on Lin Fan's other side, emitting auspicious rays and rolling spiritual essence, resembling countless crystalline petals fluttering in a cascade of wondrous light.
Together with the other two passages, they glowed in harmony, shimmering brightly, ceaselessly drawing spiritual essence from the void to replenish his body and spirit, bringing both to their peak.
Visions swirled around him. The purple bamboo grove seemed to come alive, rustling with a shasha sound as if in response. In the nearby lake, lotus flowers bloomed, and silver dragon carp leaped from the water, as though celebrating his achievement.
I might be able to break through again, Lin Fan murmured, a smile of delight spreading across his face.
He recalled that Nai Wa, the milk baby, had only opened three Heavenly Passages at once when breaking into this realm, right?
If he could open a fourth, wouldn't that make him stronger than Nai Wa?
Of course, the comparison wasn't entirely fair. Nai Wa had grown up in a remote wilderness tribe with scarce resources, while Lin Fan, since joining the Heaven Mending Sect, had never lacked sacred medicines or the flesh and blood of pure-blooded ferocious beasts. Naturally, his potential was greater.
But just as he prepared to attempt another breakthrough, a clear, melodious voice, both cool and enchanting, rang out, cautioning him: "Do not advance too quickly. Take time to comprehend your current realm and familiarize yourself with your power. Rushing risks an unstable foundation and hidden dangers."
Lin Fan froze, then replied, "I understand, beautiful sister."
The moment the words left his mouth, the surroundings returned to silence, as if the voice had never spoken.
Yet Lin Fan broke out in a cold sweat. He had nearly lost himself in the allure of power and reckless comparison, forgetting that cultivation required steady progress, one step at a time. Only by building a solid foundation could one walk far.
Had Qing Yao not intervened, he might have committed a grave error in his cultivation.
Indeed, cultivation is also about cultivating the heart. Confidence is good, but blind arrogance is not. On the path of cultivation, one must remain clear-headed, constantly reflecting to achieve true progress.
Thankfully, opening three Heavenly Passages at once and advancing to the mid-stage of the Heavenly Passage Realm was already a remarkable feat, surpassing most of his peers. If word of this spread, it would cause a sensation, shocking countless contemporaries.
At six or seven years old, while others were still struggling in the Blood Transformation Realm, he had not only entered the next realm but also broken through multiple stages. Such a feat would likely leave many jaws on the floor.
Even Qing Yao, seated quietly in the bamboo hut, was stunned. Had she not intervened, Lin Fan might have opened a fourth Heavenly Passage in one go.
Such prodigious talent, if made known, would be considered an astonishing tale—few would believe it!
Yet, considering Lin Fan's identity, Qing Yao found it less surprising.
The Heavenly Passage Realm brought a wondrous sensation. Lin Fan felt his body lighter and more agile, and with the slightest movement, he could unleash explosive strength several times greater than before, as if he were invincible.
But this is just an illusion from the surge in power, he reminded himself. I'm still a young cultivator. I mustn't grow conceited.
_
Lin Fan sat cross-legged, focusing on stabilizing his realm.
The three Heavenly Passages orbited around him, ceaselessly drawing spiritual essence from the surroundings and channeling it into his body, filling him with vibrant vitality and keeping him at his peak.
In an instant, the area was enveloped in a radiant mist, submerging Lin Fan in a sea of light. The scene was ethereal and mysterious.
Why not nurture some runes in the Heavenly Passages to prepare for the Spirit Transformation Realm? he mused.
This was one of the techniques of the Heavenly Passage Realm—nurturing powerful runes within the passages to enhance the might of treasured arts and wield them with greater ease.
Without hesitation, he began with his innate Supreme Technique, a domineering art that could neutralize all attacking divine abilities and convert them into healing powers.
So far, he had found no way to counter its limitations, save for removing the Supreme Bone entirely—a choice he would not make unless absolutely necessary.
Though the Supreme Bone was a shackle, it also nourished his body, likely playing a key role in his ability to easily surpass the extreme limits of his realm.
At that moment, Lin Fan's chest glowed with verdant light, as if immortal radiance flowed within. One by one, runes emerged, etching themselves into one of his Heavenly Passages.
Unnoticed, the nearby rocks sprouted greenery. Blades of grass and plants pushed through the soil, growing rapidly.
Before long, the ground was adorned with blooming flowers, and grasses reached Lin Fan's waist, their fragrance rich and intoxicating.
Bathed in this verdant glow, a school of spiritual fish in the lake swam closer to the shore, drawn to the vibrant life force.
Creatures touched by the Supreme Technique seemed to grow larger. The dragon carp, one of the Eight Delicacies, gleamed even brighter, its silver scales shimmering like divine blades.
From the bamboo hut, Qing Yao watched in astonishment. A Supreme Technique tied to life? How ironic…
Inscribing his Supreme Technique into the Heavenly Passage went smoothly, requiring little effort, as it was his innate treasured art.
"Next, the Heaven Mending Technique!" Lin Fan declared.
Shortly after joining the Heaven Mending Sect, he had begun learning this sect-defining divine ability.
However, he had only scratched the surface of this immortal art. It wasn't due to a lack of talent but rather his low cultivation level, limited study time, and the profound complexity of the technique, which couldn't be mastered quickly.
The Heaven Mending Sect's prominence in the Three Thousand Provinces, and even the Heaven Mending Dao in the Nine Heavens, was inseparable from this immortal art.
Lin Fan had learned that the Heaven Mending Dao lineage existed even in the Immortal Domain, passed down by a True Immortal.
The technique touched upon the laws of time, allowing one to reverse and redo actions in battle. For instance, even if Shi Yi's head were severed, he could reattach it and recover fully—an utterly extraordinary ability.
Truly, time reigns supreme, and space is king. A mere True Immortal's time-based divine ability is already this incredible. I wonder…
Lin Fan's thoughts drifted to the Immortal King Wu Zhong from the Immortal Ancient era and the later Great Emperor Wu Shi, both of whom had walked far along the path of time and achieved immense power.
Yet their strength drew calamity. One was ganged up on and killed, while the other was similarly thwarted, blocked from attaining the Immortal Emperor fruit and perishing in the aftermath.
_
Half a month later, Lin Fan finally paused. Bathed in the morning glow, he absorbed the radiant light, his three Heavenly Passages fully stabilized. He had successfully inscribed the runes of two powerful divine abilities into them.
As for the True Dragon and True Phoenix techniques of the Archaic Vicious Ten, which the Heaven Mending Sect lacked, he hadn't studied them yet. It wasn't that Qing Yao refused to teach him, but rather that he shouldn't bite off more than he could chew. He could learn them in the Spirit Transformation Realm.
Besides, the Heaven Mending Sect had a wealth of other treasured arts and divine abilities. Though not on the level of immortal arts or the Vicious Ten's techniques, they were well-suited for Lin Fan to build his foundation. There was plenty of time ahead.
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