Under these circumstances, Locke realized that without sufficient strength, he would undoubtedly be swept up in this massive vortex.
After comprehending a fragment of the "Illusory Mist" law, Locke had tested it. Using his current spiritual power as a level-seven mage, he could expend his energy to launch a soul attack with the "Illusory Mist" law—instantly killing level-seven magical beasts, severely injuring level-eight, and lightly wounding level-nine beasts.
However, this consumed a huge amount of his spiritual energy. Even for Locke, he could only unleash it once or twice in a short period.
Yet the technique he created from the "Illusory Mist" law, the Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel, could strike even level-nine beasts without mercy.
Of course, depending on their strength, the duration for which a beast lost sight, hearing, and touch after being hit by the Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel would vary greatly.
This experiment gave Locke a clearer understanding of his path forward.
Having crossed into the Coiling Dragon Universe, Locke had received no external aid from any "Transmigrator's Association."
He did not know how far he could ultimately grow.
But he could carve out a path uniquely his own.
The gods of the Coiling Dragon Universe, including the supreme gods, almost always relied on brute force in battle.
Technique clashes, and the weaker party dies.
Now, Locke wanted to take a different path.
A path centered on illusion, with everything else serving as support—a route of illusory mastery.
Taking this path might mean he would almost certainly never become the strongest being in the Coiling Dragon Universe, but it might allow him to become the hardest to kill.
Everything was for his own survival.
After all, compared to the massive expenditure of energy needed for direct attacks, using illusions to affect an opponent's soul required almost no consumption.
Otherwise, Locke could not have deployed the Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel against nearly a thousand warriors, depriving them of sight and hearing.
After a period of quiet in Pu'er Village, Locke bid farewell to his parents and began his cultivation journey.
Fortuitously, the mountains and forests within the Enzo Territory were largely occupied by magical beasts.
Locke picked a direction at random and ventured into the mountains.
With his current power, only Sacred Domain beasts posed any real danger.
Otherwise, even level-nine magical beasts could be evaded easily.
As long as he had not cultivated a divine sense to replace his physical senses, the time during which an enemy's vision and hearing were taken was more than enough for Locke to escape a level-nine beast's attack range.
Thus, Locke roamed freely through the magical beast-filled mountains of Enzo Territory. Aside from meditating to refine mana, entering the "Unity of Heaven and Man" state to comprehend the laws, and tempering his spiritual power, he spent the rest of his time studying the souls of the beasts.
The deeper Locke's understanding of "souls" became, the more his spiritual power no longer just "clouded" souls but could truly influence them.
Moreover, he discovered the connection points between the remaining senses—taste and smell—and the body.
With this, the Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel was perfected, capable of instantly depriving enemies of all five senses.
Whether warrior or mage, anyone who lost all five senses became nothing more than prey.
So far, Locke had yet to encounter a Sacred Domain-level being, so he was still unsure of the Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel's effectiveness against them.
Of course, until he reached the Sacred Domain himself, he had no intention of making such a dangerous experiment.
If he could cultivate safely to the Sacred Domain, why take unnecessary risks?
…
Ten years later.
At the peak of a mountain, a human sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.
Below the peak, five magical beasts radiating immense power circled around the mountain, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
The roaring magical energy coursing through them warned all who approached: any intrusion into their territory would be met with merciless assault.
Within Locke's soul space, vast amounts of water elements had been refined into liquid mana.
The speed at which Locke absorbed these elements created a massive vortex, drawing in every water element within a kilometer radius.
As Locke devoured and refined this massive energy into mana, a tremendous aura suddenly burst forth from his body.
Sensing this aura, the eyes of the five beasts guarding him flickered with helplessness—and deep envy.
These were the five strongest magical beasts in the mountains!
Sacred Domain or not, these beasts were the undisputed rulers of this range.
Yet, ever since this human arrived five years ago, they had lost all respect.
The memory of being trapped in a dark cell, unable to see, hear, smell, or touch, still filled them with endless terror.
In the hearts of these five level-nine peak beasts, this human was more terrifying than even Sacred Domain powerhouses.
Even when this human had been only a level-nine Grand Mage.
For the past five years, this human had spent most of his time absorbing water elements and refining them into mana.
From the pressure radiating off him just now, the five beasts realized that this human had surpassed the level-nine peak threshold and had become a true Sacred Domain powerhouse.
…
Opening his eyes, Locke's lips curved into a faint smile.
With a thought, his meditative body at the mountaintop slowly floated upward.
Stretching his arms, Locke closed his eyes, quietly sensing his current state.
"Sacred Domain… this is Sacred Domain!"
From fourteen, when he first comprehended a trace of the "Illusory Mist" law, to now reaching the Sacred Domain, Locke had spent twenty-one years.
At thirty-five, Locke finally stepped onto the stage of the Coiling Dragon Universe.
Upon reaching the Sacred Domain, the most immediate sensation was that he felt as if he had broken free from the gravitational pull of the world.
Like now, Locke could freely soar through the skies at will.
This ability did not consume his mana or anything else. It felt instinctive—within a certain speed, flight was zero-cost for Locke.
Of course, increasing the flight speed beyond a limit would require active mana expenditure.
Additionally, upon reaching the Sacred Domain, Locke could sense that his life would no longer age.
This meant that as long as he was not killed by someone stronger, he could live indefinitely.
(End of Chapter 16)
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