Deep beneath the Tibetan mountains
Silence ruled the Worldheart Chamber once more.
Ancient formations rotated endlessly across the underground ruins while streams of corruption continued flowing upward from the fractured dimensional breach below. The corrupted guardian remained stationed near the lower seal like an ancient statue, unmoving except for the faint rise and fall of its massive
body.
And at the center of countless overlapping formations-
Krishak cultivated alone.
The corruption surrounding him no longer resembled simple black mist.
Months of continuous absorption had transformed it into something far denser.
Dark crimson currents spiraled endlessly around his body while fragments of dimensional corruption crackled through the air like broken lightning. Even the surrounding stone formations had begun changing slightly under prolonged exposure.
Ordinary cultivators would have died instantly from merely standing this close.
Krishak endured it directly.
Pain had long since become constant.
Not sharp.
Not sudden.
Endless.
Every strand of corruption carried traces of ancient hatred, despair, and dimensional instability. The moment it entered his body, it attempted to invade his spiritual pathways violently like poison searching for weakness.
Some nights, his meridians cracked repeatedly under the pressure.
Other times, black corruption spread across portions of his skin before being forcefully refined away through sheer control.
Even breathing sometimes felt like inhaling burning metal.
Yet he continued.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Because the Primordial Origin Arts demanded exactly that.
The ancient cultivation method circulating within him was unlike modern cultivation systems.
It did not merely absorb spiritual energy.
It refined existence itself.
At its core, the 'Primordial Origin Arts' followed a terrifying principle:
All energy returns to Origin.
Pure energy.
Corrupt energy.
Elemental energy.
Even dimensional contamination.
Everything could theoretically be refined back into its most primal state.
Origin Energy.
But theory and reality were completely different things.
Most cultivators lacked the spiritual foundation, body strength, or mental resilience necessary to even attempt such refinement.
One mistake
And foreign energy would destroy the cultivator from within.
That was why the art was considered nearly impossible to practice fully.
Yet Krishak continued forcing it forward slowly.
Painfully.
Silver Origin energy rotated through his meridians endlessly while black corruption collided against it continuously. Every circulation cycle crushed the corruption apart layer by layer before refining tiny traces of usable Origin essence from within.
The process felt like grinding shattered glass through his spiritual pathways repeatedly.
But each successful refinement strengthened him slightly.
Not only spiritually.
Physically.
Mentally.
Fundamentally.
The old man watched silently from outside the formation.
Even after months-
The sight still unsettled him slightly.
Because what Krishak was doing bordered on madness.
Suddenly-
Krishak's body trembled violently.
A wave of corruption surged upward from the seal below and slammed directly into his spiritual core.
Cracks spread across his arms instantly.
Blood appeared at the corner of his lips.
Yet he did not stop cultivating.
Instead
The silver energy circulating around him intensified sharply.
And beneath it-
Another cultivation art activated.
The Universe Origin Body Arts.
Unlike ordinary body tempering techniques focused only on durability or strength, this art treated the human body itself as a vessel capable of evolving toward higher existence.
Its goal was terrifyingly ambitious.
To forge a body capable of containing Origin Energy safely.
The body art possessed nine major realms.
1. Mortal Vessel
2. Star Forged Body
3. Celestial Vein Body
4. Void Tempered Body
5. Cosmic Origin Physique
6. Eternal Heaven Body
7. Primordial Divine Frame
8. Infinite Origin Vessel
9. Universe Genesis Body
Each realm completely transformed the cultivator's body structure and potential.
And every breakthrough required unimaginable suffering.
Currently-
Krishak had barely entered the second realm.
Star Forged Body.
Even so, the effects were already terrifying.
His bones had begun absorbing traces of refined Origin essence naturally. His muscles and organs possessed far greater spiritual tolerance than ordinary cultivators.
Most importantly—
His body was gradually adapting to corruption itself.
The process remained agonizing.
Black corruption flowed directly into his body while the Universe Origin Body Arts forcefully used it as tempering fuel.
His muscles tore repeatedly before regenerating stronger.
His bones cracked under dimensional pressure before reconstructing denser than before.
Even his nervous system constantly endured unbearable pain while adapting to unstable energy.
At the same time-
His mind was tempering as well.
The corruption carried emotional remnants from ancient eras.
Hatred.
Madness.
Fear.
Despair accumulated over thousands of years beneath the breach.
Each refinement cycle forced Krishak to confront fragments of those emotions directly.
Sometimes he witnessed ancient civilizations collapsing within brief hallucinations.
Other times he heard distant whispers trying to erode his concentration.
Weak-minded cultivators would have lost themselves long ago.
Yet the Primordial Origin Arts demanded absolute mental control.
So Krishak endured.
Again and again.
Using meditation cycles to stabilize his consciousness while refining the corruption into mental resistance itself.
Every wave of pain hardened his will further.
Every refinement strengthened his spiritual control.
Because one day—
If he truly wished to wield complete Origin Energy—
His mind would need to withstand forces far beyond corruption alone.
Hours passed silently inside the chamber.
Then days.
Then weeks.
Time blurred beneath the mountains.
At one point, the corruption surrounding Krishak surged violently enough that the defensive formations shook continuously.
The guardian immediately rose from its resting position protectively.
But the old man raised one hand calmly.
"He's stabilizing."
Inside the formation-
Silver and black energy rotated around Krishak endlessly like opposing galaxies.
Then slowly-
The black corruption began shrinking.
Compressing.
Refining.
Until finally-
A tiny strand of pure silver-gray Origin essence emerged within his palm.
The surrounding pressure changed instantly.
Even the old man's expression shifted slightly.
Because despite its tiny size-
The energy carried terrifying purity.
Far beyond ordinary spiritual power.
Krishak opened his eyes slowly.
Exhaustion weighed heavily across his body.
Pain still burned through every meridian.
Yet beneath that pain-
His body had grown stronger again.
His mind steadier.
His Origin foundation deeper.
Outside the formation, the old man spoke quietly.
"You're turning corruption into nourishment."
Krishak looked toward the tiny strand of Origin essence resting above his palm.
Then answered calmly.
"...No."
The silver-gray energy reflected softly within his eyes.
"I'm forcing it to remember what it once was."