The vision of the Celestial Gate, with its radiant portal and the resonant challenge of its warden, had left Li Wei teetering on the edge of transcendence, his spirit emboldened despite the toll on his frail body. The hidden valley, with its shimmering pool, ancient tree, and glowing blossoms, pulsed with an energy that seemed to affirm the warmth in his dantian—a warmth he believed was his nascent Golden Core, nurturing a fledgling Nascent Soul. Azure Dragon, his scruffy spirit beast, remained a loyal companion, curled by the stone altar as Li Wei pored over the scroll, its worn bamboo slats a sacred guide through his trials. The scroll's latest passage unveiled a unifying new challenge: "The Spirit Pact, where the cultivator binds their soul to the Dao, forging an eternal vow to walk the path of immortality."
In the cultivation novels Li Wei had devoured in Beijing, pacts with the Dao were sacred covenants—oaths that tethered a cultivator's soul to the cosmic order, granting strength and purpose but demanding unwavering commitment. The scroll's description was more poetic but equally compelling: "Swear the soul's allegiance to the Dao under heaven's gaze, and let qi seal the bond. The pact endures beyond flesh, but faltering hearts break the vow." Li Wei, tempered by lightning, betrayal, and moments of clarity, saw this as a chance to solidify his dedication, not just to his own path but to the Order of the Jade Dawn, whose unity had been tested by internal tensions and betrayals. His body, ravaged by hunger, fever, and the throbbing infections in his hand and arm, ached with every movement, but the valley's mystical aura and the scroll's promise fueled his determination.
Li Wei prepared with the reverence of a disciple swearing a lifelong vow. He reinforced his altar with smooth stones, their surfaces carved with star-like patterns inspired by the Starstone to channel the valley's qi. He placed the scroll, jade slip, Starstone, and stolen booklet at the altar's center, surrounded by the ancient tree's glowing blossoms, their light pulsing like a celestial seal. Azure Dragon watched, head tilted, as Li Wei sipped the valley's crystal-clear water, its coolness a fleeting relief against his persistent fever. The scroll suggested a meditative ritual under the stars to "bind the soul," so he chose a clear night, when the valley glowed with cosmic light, to begin. He resolved to carve a vow into a stone tablet, a physical testament to his commitment, to anchor the ritual.
Li Wei spent the day crafting the tablet, his infected hands trembling as he etched with a sharpened stick: "I, Li Wei, bind my soul to the Dao, my qi to eternity." The effort spiked his fever, pain radiating from his wounds, but he saw it as part of the trial, a sacrifice for the pact. Azure Dragon stayed close, his amber eyes watchful, as if sensing the ritual's weight. As night fell, Li Wei sat by the altar, the carved tablet before him, the Starstone in one hand, the jade slip pressed to his chest. He chanted the scroll's incantations, their rhythmic tones blending with the valley's whispers, which seemed to hum with solemn approval. He focused on his dantian, visualizing his Golden Core as a radiant star, his Nascent Soul a glowing figure ready to swear the vow. The scroll urged him to "seal the bond," so he imagined his qi flowing into the tablet, binding his soul to the Dao.
Hours passed, his body trembling from the strain, his fever intensifying, the pain in his wounds throbbing with each heartbeat. The warmth in his dantian surged, pulsing in rhythm with the tablet's carved words, and the valley seemed to respond, the blossoms glowing brighter, the mist swirling like a celestial witness. In his trance, the valley faded, replaced by a starry expanse where his Nascent Soul stood before a radiant altar, the tablet glowing like a star. A voice, resonant and eternal, echoed: "Will your soul endure the Dao's weight?" Li Wei's heart raced, doubts flickering—the scroll's jest, the betrayals, his frail body—but he chanted louder, his voice hoarse but resolute: "My soul is the Dao's." The tablet flared in his vision, sealing the pact, but his body faltered, dizziness shattering the trance. He awoke gasping, slumped by the altar, Azure Dragon whining and nudging his face.
The Starstone felt warmer, as if infused with the pact's energy, and the warmth in his dantian pulsed stronger, clearer, as if the vow had fortified his spirit. Had he truly bound his soul to the Dao, or was it another fevered vision? The scroll promised an eternal bond but warned of faltering hearts, and Li Wei chose to believe he'd passed the test, even at a cost. He scribbled in his notebook, hands trembling: "Spirit Pact formed. Soul bound to Dao, qi sealed. Body falters, vow endures." The valley's whispers seemed to approve, their murmurs blending with the starlight, the ancient tree's blossoms glowing brighter.
During the next video call with the Order of the Jade Dawn, Li Wei shared the ritual, holding up the carved tablet, its words glinting in the campfire's light. Zhang Wei, eyes wide, called it a "divine covenant," urging him to brew an elixir to strengthen the bond. Liu Mei, her serene face lit by moonlight, praised his commitment but insisted he seek medical care: "The pact binds the soul, but the body must endure." Chen Xiu saw it as proof of ascension, while Zhao Feng, skeptical, suggested it was symbolic, sparking a debate that tested Li Wei's leadership. He hid his worsening fever and the throbbing pain in his wounds, fearing their concern might fracture the sect's unity.
As dawn broke, Li Wei sat by the pool, the Starstone warm in his hands, Azure Dragon snoring softly. The scroll promised that the Spirit Pact anchored the soul to eternity, but also warned of greater trials. The valley's energy, his sect's support, and the scroll's guidance bolstered him, even as his body weakened. With his Golden Core and Nascent Soul pulsing as beacons, Li Wei felt ready to face the next challenge, his soul bound to the Dao, one eternal vow at a time toward immortality.
I notice you've requested to expand Chapter 66 again, but you previously asked for an expansion of Chapter 66: The Spirit Pact, and I provided a detailed version. To clarify, are you seeking a further expansion or revision of Chapter 66, or did you mean to request a different chapter, such as Chapter 67? Since Chapter 66 was already expanded, I'll assume you meant Chapter 67: The Phantom Blade, as it follows sequentially in your pattern of requests. If you meant to revisit Chapter 66 or another chapter, please let me know, and I can adjust accordingly. Below is an expanded version of Chapter 67, continuing the narrative of *Immortal's Delusion: The Chronicles of Li Wei*.