Leaving the hidden valley, Xiao Qi and Zhao Tiezhu didn't stay any longer, heading east at full speed toward the Central Plains core region. With their cultivation greatly advanced, the two traveled extremely fast. In just a few days, they had crossed the border, stepping again into that spirit-energy-rich, densely-populated prosperous land.
They didn't return directly to Clear Void Temple, but first arrived at an important hub of the Central Plains cultivation world, also the giant city they had briefly stayed at before—Heavenly Axis City.
Stepping again into this familiar great city, feeling the bustling crowds on the streets, hearing the enthusiastic calls of shop assistants on both sides, smelling the spiritual food aroma coming from wine towers, Xiao Qi actually felt a sense of being from another world. Compared to the Northern Plains' extreme cold, the Western Desert's deathly silence and desolation, the noisy, life-filled scene before him was so real and full of vitality.
They found an elegant tea tower, sitting at a window position. Outside the window was endless traffic, inside the tea fragrance curled up. Xiao Qi didn't rush to taste the tea, but gazed at the flowing crowds below, his mind drifting away, reviewing this long journey since leaving Clear Void Temple.
East Sea's shore, vast blue waves. He had seen the sea tribe's boldness and heritage at the Dragon Palace birthday banquet, obtained the Azure Dragon soul crystal in the deep sea Dragon Palace ruins, and initially comprehended water's yielding, all-encompassing characteristic. That vast boundless blue taught him that his heart needed to be like the sea accepting a hundred rivers.
Northern Plains ice sealing, cruel wind and snow. He had traded with the Ice Crystal Phoenix in extreme cold, narrowly survived under Mystic Ice Pavilion's pursuit, and comprehended the Cold Ice Dao Pattern's "stillness" and "guardianship" in the frozen ancient city. He broke through desperate situations with Southern Ming Li Fire, deeply experiencing the confrontation and balance between ice and fire—two extreme powers. That extreme white and cold tempered his will, making him understand the principle of combining hardness and softness, yin and yang birthing each other.
Western Desert yellow sand, death's forbidden domain. He had fought quicksand and poison scorpions in the endless sand sea, seen through the mirage's confusion, and finally entered the moving Golden Sand ancient city. There, he witnessed the Buddha-demon intertwined ancient secret, obtained the ancient Buddhist body refining secret technique's remnant chapter, and expelled demonic thoughts with purification Sanskrit sounds. Together with Zhao Tiezhu, he borrowed relic power to temporarily suppress demonic energy. That dazzling gold and oppressive black made him understand "power's" essence more deeply—power knows no good or evil, the key lies in the wielder's heart. Fierce as the "Indestructible Diamond Body" also needs a compassionate heart and guardian intent as foundation, otherwise it falls into the demonic path.
East Sea's watery moistness, Northern Plains' ice cold, Western Desert's fierceness (Buddhist body refining)... These completely different power attributes and environments, like teachers with different styles, on his journey pursuing the Great Dao, showed him the world's rich variety and the Dao method's infinite changes.
He was no longer limited to Clear Void Temple's transmitted Dao methods, nor obsessed only with sword Dao and purification. His Dao heart, after experiencing all these insights and comprehensions, was like a sky washed by rain, becoming more open, inclusive, and firm.
He understood that true strength wasn't some single power's extreme, but the harmony and balance after integrating everything. Like his current physical body—fierce yet containing resilience (Indestructible Diamond Body), spiritual power majestic yet condensed (Northern Plains settling), divine consciousness powerful and clear (numerous insights), plus Purification Source coordinating and harmonizing, Southern Ming Li Fire as a trump card... Various powers in his body didn't exist in isolation, but formed a preliminary, endlessly circulating system.
This openness and balance was also reflected in his understanding of Core Formation. The Golden Core was the condensation of a cultivator's essence, qi, spirit and their own comprehended Great Dao. Now his essence (physical body) was tempered to Foundation Establishment's extreme, his qi (spiritual power) was settled and complete, his spirit (mind state) was open and clear. The Dao he comprehended was even more all-encompassing, possessing both water and fire, hardness and softness, purification and guardianship. He had a premonition that the Golden Core he was about to condense would be absolutely extraordinary!
"Brother Qi, what are you thinking about? The tea's almost cold." Zhao Tiezhu's voice woke Xiao Qi from his contemplation. He had now broken through to Foundation Establishment late stage, his aura thick, his eyes steadier, but that honest straightforwardness hadn't changed.
Xiao Qi withdrew his gaze, picked up the slightly cool spiritual tea and took a sip—fragrant and sweet aftertaste, just like his current mind state. He smiled and said: "Nothing, just feel that after walking so far, seeing so much, then returning here, it feels... very different."
Zhao Tiezhu nodded as if understanding yet not understanding, saying in a muffled voice: "I also feel different! Before I thought Heavenly Axis City was big enough and lively enough. Now looking at it, it's just so-so. Compared to those ghost places in the Northern Plains and Western Desert, this is paradise!" He patted his more solid chest, "But I'm not afraid of those ghost places anymore! Do it again, I can still follow Brother Qi and get through!"
Looking at Zhao Tiezhu's confident appearance, Xiao Qi's smile deepened. Yes, reading ten thousand books isn't as good as traveling ten thousand miles. This journey increased not just strength, but vision and nature.
He finished the remaining tea in one gulp, put down the teacup, his gaze once again becoming firm and sharp.
"Enough rest, Tiezhu." Xiao Qi stood up, "We should return to the sect."
All the travels, all the insights, all the settling, were for that moment of transformation. Now, everything was ready, only the east wind was lacking. He already sensed that flawless perfect state within, and that stirring, about-to-break-out Golden Core opportunity!
It was time to return to Clear Void Temple, at the place where the dream began, to meditate and assault that Golden Core Great Dao that countless cultivators dreamed of!
Homesick, the Dao path ahead. Xiao Qi and Zhao Tiezhu left the tea tower, their figures merging into Heavenly Axis City's crowd, heading toward outside the city, toward Clear Void Temple's direction, striding forward. The prosperous bustle behind gradually faded; the road ahead led to higher realms and broader worlds.