In the Cloud-Mist Mountain Range, within the Natural Sanctuary.
The animal companions who had brought Qi Ping back to the domain finally breathed a sigh of relief when they saw him wake up. Qi Ping's mysterious sleep this time had lasted far too long. During that period, he had only transmitted one message:
"Bring me back to the sanctuary. Do not worry about me."
Then, he fell into a long slumber. Not long ago, after more than three years of sleep, Qi Ping had suddenly begun to shake with pain, his face contorting in agony.
If they hadn't detected through their contracts that his body and soul were fine, they would have been worried beyond measure.
The Little Spirit Fox and the Three-Colored Deer—now a Four-Colored Deer—who were usually the most clingy, had stayed by his side without pause. They wiped away the cold sweat and kept his clothes dry.
When Qi Ping opened his eyes and saw the two little fellows, a faint smile and a sense of happiness emerged in his weary gaze.
"I'm fine, don't worry!"
After patting the heads of the Little Spirit Fox and the Four-Colored Deer, Qi Ping closed his eyes again. The aura on his body suddenly intensified!
His Dao-Heart realm had broken through once more!
During those three years, through the memories of the Spirit of the Land, Qi Ping had witnessed the evolution of the Verdant Stream Domain over countless ages. From its birth to its peak and then its decline, he saw the tragic, ordinary, inspirational, or brilliant lives of countless beings.
Although these images were like fleeting glimpses, and Qi Ping had not experienced them firsthand, as a cultivator whose Dao-Heart had already reached the second stage, he gained many precious insights. He developed a clearer direction for the path he wanted to take.
The experiences of those people were not what Qi Ping desired for himself.
'Regardless of whether a life is tragic, ordinary, or glorious, without longevity, it eventually turns to dust and vanishes from the world!'
'Tombs disappear, memories fade, and even the knowledge and techniques left behind will eventually vanish in the river of time until every trace is gone!'
Witnessing all this reaffirmed Qi Ping's determination to seek immortality! And the memories of the Spirit of the Land allowed him to see a special kind of longevity. A Spirit of the Land was not a living being, yet it possessed unique spirituality and emotions, participating in the cycle of life as a unique existence.
As his thoughts boiled and his Dao-Heart was tempered, the surging momentum finally broke through! The countless ages of witnessing and feeling by the Spirit of the Land served as his nourishment, much like a different kind of Samsara Fruit!
In that moment, a unique Dao-Heart domain rose around Qi Ping and began to evolve frantically!
First, the most basic aura was the Farming Domain. Within this domain, Qi Ping only wanted to quietly protect his own little corner of the world, keeping his fields from being encroached upon and himself from being harmed. This was the power of protection!
Next, the second aura was a bone-chilling intent to kill. Qi Ping had realized this Dao-Heart because his home had been invaded, and merely protecting his corner was no longer enough. Thus, he chose to protect through slaughter. Through repeated, frenzied killing, he finally understood the Dao-Heart of slaying for the sake of protection, evolving his intent into the Homeland Domain.
As for Qi Ping's third stage of Dao-Heart, it was Eternal Endurance!
No matter how time flows or how many cycles of life and death occur, only I remain eternal in the river of time!
Special Talent: Heaven-Earth Favor, Eternal Endurance (Third Stage of Dao-Heart Intent).
Eternal Endurance: A special intent produced after comprehending the third stage of Dao-Heart. It can be used to control more law-power, spiritual energy, and soul-power. It has an excellent effect on resisting heart-demons; the higher the realm, the better the effect. This talent has four special effects:
Effect One: Forms a special protective intent around the body that can be used to block attacks against the soul, spiritual energy, and other forces. The protective will increases with the level of Dao-Heart comprehension.
Effect Two: Within the user's Homeland Domain, more heaven-earth power can be controlled. the degree of control increases with the level of Dao-Heart comprehension.
Effect Three: Gains a killing power born from protection, significantly increasing attack power.
Effect Four: Obtains the power of Eternal Endurance, drastically increasing lifespan. Gains the protection of Eternal Endurance; within the domain of Eternal Endurance, any damage received is weakened!
"Eternal Endurance!"
As Qi Ping saw the effects of Eternal Endurance on his attribute panel, his weary heart finally felt a sense of joy that acted like a stabilizing anchor.
The massive memory of the Spirit of the Land had been a tremendous shock to him. For Qi Ping's limited experience, it was a significant trial. If he had failed to endure it, his Dao-Heart might have collapsed.
Under normal circumstances, Qi Ping would have avoided such a dangerous endeavor, as his principle was to not take risks if he didn't have to. But in the matter of the Dao-Heart, he had no choice, as no person or power could help him.
Immortal power is never held by someone with a weak will, as the backlash of power would consume everything. The more powerful the strength, the more terrifying the will it carries; it could directly crush the owner's resolve.
Thus, when faced with the memories of the spirit, Qi Ping decided to bear it! He believed in his Dao-Heart, his will, and his pursuit of the immortal path.
The fact that he had decided to undergo the trial was already the herald of success. And the final result proved he had succeeded!
After his Dao-Heart evolved to the third stage and awakened Eternal Endurance, he not only gained increased lifespan and the ability to weaken any attack, but his existing protective and killing powers also grew significantly. His overall combat power and, especially, his survival ability had risen to another level.
Combined with the fact that he had confirmed the Lord of Mountains and Rivers could indeed grant him combat power at the Nascent Soul level, Qi Ping's strength had truly exploded!
However, despite this massive increase in combat power, Qi Ping still had no intention of going out for adventure. Instead, he planned to continue trying to increase his special connection with the Qingtian Domain to obtain higher control over the land.
'According to the information from the Earth-Vein Ants and the Little Stone Spirit, there are currently three subterranean races whose ecology is facing a crisis...'
'And there's that array that extracts the leylines...'