Chapter 171 – Exploring the Ruins: A Spirit Dragon Appears, and a Body Integration Stage Perfected One Is Revealed! (5k)

Su Xing felt a surge of excitement when he saw this.

Was he finally going to see what lay within this ancient tomb ruin?

“This is clearly the Dharma-Ending Era where spiritual energy has been depleted… so why does this ancient tomb ruin contain such astonishing spiritual energy?”

With doubt in his heart, Su Xing turned his gaze toward the simulation panel.

【You charged into the core area of the ancient tomb ruins. An invisible formation barrier appeared before you, seemingly separating the interior from the outside world.】

【Behind you, the living-dead puppet was still in relentless pursuit.】

【You didn’t hesitate for a moment, slamming a fist directly into the formation barrier.】

【But the formation barrier was extraordinarily sturdy. Your full-powered punch merely made it tremble and shudder, failing to break it open.】

【So you took a deep breath, infused primordial energy onto both fists, and threw another punch!】

【The power of this punch was staggering. The entire ancient tomb ruin shook violently, and debris crumbled from the stone walls.】

【The invisible formation barrier before you shattered layer by layer like a spider’s web, finally collapsing and crumbling away.】

【In an instant, incredibly dense spiritual energy rushed toward you, and you could now clearly see the core area within the formation.】

【Unlike the thin spiritual energy in the tomb’s outer passages, the density of spiritual energy here was nearly comparable to that of your spirit field grotto-heaven!】

【Looking ahead, you saw a vast medicinal garden stretching at least five or six mu wide.】

【The garden was planted with numerous spirit herbs. With a single glance, you recognized how precious they were—their quality even surpassed the spirit herbs in the Advent Cult’s treasury.】

【What excited you even more was that every one of these spirit herbs was over three thousand years old!】

【They were incomparably precious heavenly materials and earthly treasures, suitable for refining superior-grade pills!】

【Within the medicinal garden, several bronze-skinned, completely unclothed figures appeared to be tending the plants.】

【You were startled—could these be great cultivators who had lived for thousands of years?】

【But after sensing them carefully, you discovered that every one of these figures was a living-dead puppet.】

【However, they were not combat-type puppets. They seemed to be puppets specifically designed for tending the medicinal garden.】

【You swept your divine sense rapidly across the ruins but found no trace of Spirit-Gathering Flowers.】

【You were puzzled. To produce spiritual energy this dense, there should have been at least several thousand Spirit-Gathering Flowers.】

【But your divine sense ultimately detected something highly unusual…】

【Before the medicinal garden stood an enormous stone platform, ten zhang in length, width, and height.】

【The platform was ancient and extraordinary, its entire body seemingly carved from some rare mineral.】

【Atop the platform rested a massive bronze coffin, three zhang long and two zhang wide.】

【Carved upon the bronze coffin was a lush, verdant azure dragon. Beneath the dragon’s claws spread vast forests, brimming with vitality.】

【And beneath the bronze coffin, a young dragon was pinned down—its body white as jade, yet wrapped entirely in dark miasma!】

【Indeed, this was the first time you had ever seen a dragon, a creature of myth and legend.】

【This jade-white young dragon was a full three zhang long… with a camel’s head and deer antlers, rabbit’s eyes and a serpent’s neck, its entire body covered in scales as white and pure as jade…】

【When your divine sense swept over the young dragon, it sensed your arrival and let out mournful cries of anguish.】

【You were puzzled. Based on your senses, this did not seem to be a living, flesh-and-blood dragon.】

【You probed more carefully and discovered that although the dragon’s aura was feeble, its entire body radiated astonishing spiritual energy…】

【This spiritual energy surpassed even that of a grotto-heaven!】

【A bold idea formed in your mind. You had once read in ancient texts about a special creature known as a spirit vein dragon…】

【It seemed that this jade-white young dragon before you was a spiritual creature born from the convergence of spirit veins…】

Su Xing stared at this, his eyes filled with utter shock and elation.

Memories flashed through his mind.

He had once read about spirit vein dragons in the Luotian Sect’s Scripture Pavilion.

Spirit stones were mined from spirit veins, and spirit veins were finite…

Spirit stones were classified into four grades—low, medium, high, and supreme—and spirit veins naturally fell into the same four tiers.

Legend had it that when a supreme-grade spirit vein’s spiritual energy reached a certain concentration, it would give birth to a creature known as a spirit vein dragon!

Wherever a spirit dragon dwelled, spiritual power was inexhaustible and boundless.

It was a supreme treasure that countless cultivators could only dream of!

If one could earn a spirit dragon’s favor, they would have an endless supply of spirit stones and would surely rise to prominence with meteoric speed.

And according to another legend…

It was said that the Three Thousand Worlds once had nine immensely powerful spirit vein dragons, endlessly channeling spiritual energy throughout the entire world.

And the reason for the great severing of heaven and earth, the depletion of spiritual energy, was the disappearance of those nine spirit dragons…

At this moment, countless memory fragments surged through Su Xing’s mind.

Even with Su Xing’s mental fortitude—tempered by surviving all five trials of the Spirit Transformation stage—he couldn’t suppress the greed that erupted within him, his eyes turning bloodshot.

This was a spirit vein dragon!

Even if it was just a young dragon, even if it was weak and listless, even if dark miasma clung to its body—

For Su Xing to obtain a spirit dragon was equivalent to obtaining the most supreme treasure between heaven and earth!

The grand path to immortality was right before his eyes!

At this thought, Su Xing’s breathing couldn’t help but grow heavy.

He took several long, deep breaths before barely managing to calm the excitement raging in his heart.

After suppressing the greed within, Su Xing couldn’t help but raise a question.

“Why would a spirit dragon—a creature of pure legend—appear inside this ancient tomb ruin?”

Su Xing couldn’t understand. This was a spirit dragon!

With something like this, why would the Immortal Martial Era world still suffer spiritual energy depletion and descend into the Dharma-Ending Era?

Carrying this curiosity, Su Xing turned his gaze back to the simulation panel.

【Just as you stood in shock at the staggering treasure hidden within the formation, the living-dead puppet behind you had already caught up to attack.】

【Seeing the puppet closing in, you hastily activated your primordial energy to block its assault.】

【A fierce battle erupted!】

【You fought another several hundred rounds against the living-dead puppet, expending considerable primordial energy.】

【The puppet before you had also gradually weakened its offensive, seemingly having suffered significant injuries as well.】

【At this rate, you had no confidence you could outlast and defeat this living-dead puppet.】

【So while locked in combat with the puppet, you observed everything in this treasure trove, hoping to uncover its secrets.】

【After racking your brain, your gaze fell upon the massive bronze coffin atop the stone platform.】

【For some reason, apart from that initial glance, you kept involuntarily ignoring the bronze coffin, as though it simply didn’t exist.】

【This only reinforced your conviction that the coffin concealed an even greater secret.】

【So you struck the living-dead puppet back with a single blow and charged toward the bronze coffin!】

【Seeing you approach the bronze coffin, the living-dead puppet went berserk, desperately trying to stop you with everything it had.】

【After another dozen-plus rounds of close combat, you had already sustained considerable injuries.】

【But you endured the puppet’s devastating blows, wrapped Elemental Force Entwinement around both fists, and hammered at the bronze coffin with everything you had.】

【BOOM BOOM BOOM!】

【The entire ancient tomb ruin shook violently.】

【You were critically wounded by the living-dead puppet, coughing up a mouthful of blood.】

【The bronze coffin merely rocked violently a few times before settling back to stillness.】

【Unwilling to give up, you once again wrapped your fists in Elemental Force Entwinement and pounded furiously at the bronze coffin.】

【During this, you took multiple wounds. Even your Protective Hardened Qi was shattered by the living-dead puppet.】

【Your aura grew feeble. Just when you thought you were about to die…】

【A terrifying presence suddenly surged from within the bronze coffin, and an ancient voice, carrying the weight of countless ages, rang out.】

【Who dares disturb this Perfected One’s slumber?】

In the real world, shock appeared on Su Xing’s face as he read this.

“A Perfected One… how could it be a Perfected One?”

Su Xing murmured.

One must understand that even Void Return stage cultivators could not call themselves “Perfected One.”

Only upon reaching the Body Integration stage could one be addressed as a Perfected One.

And Mahayana stage cultivators were called Perfected Lords!

“The one sleeping inside this bronze coffin is actually a Body Integration stage powerhouse?”

Disbelief filled Su Xing’s heart.

Spirit Transformation cultivators lived a thousand years; Void Return cultivators lived three thousand.

Body Integration cultivators live six thousand years… Mahayana cultivators live ten thousand years!

These were merely the minimum lifespans for cultivators at each realm. A Spirit Transformation cultivator, even without doing anything at all, could live for a thousand years.

But if they also consumed various life-extending heavenly medicines and spiritual herbs during that time—

For a Body Integration cultivator, living seven or eight thousand years would not be difficult at all.

“Doesn’t that mean… the owner of this bronze coffin is a Body Integration stage cultivator who has lived for seven or eight thousand years?”

Su Xing’s heart grew heavy.

If this truly was a Body Integration stage cultivator, and Su Xing had barged into this ancient tomb ruin and disturbed his slumber, there would be absolutely no chance of survival…

His gaze turned to the simulation panel.

【You widened your eyes, staring at the figure emerging from the bronze coffin.】

【The pressure and aura radiating from his body alone was enough to extinguish any thought of resistance.】

【You watched as a young man slowly stepped out of the bronze coffin, clad in a flowing cyan robe, his bearing ethereal and otherworldly.】

【Yet strangely, you sensed something decayed and ancient about this youth—you weren’t even certain whether he was still alive…】

【This aura bore some resemblance to a living-dead puppet, yet was not entirely the same.】

【You knew better than to judge a cultivator’s age by appearance.】

【After all, Nascent Soul stage cultivators already possessed eternal youth, and only when their lifespan was truly exhausted would their appearance rapidly age.】

【Moreover, some cultivators possessed arts to preserve their appearance—even after living for thousands of years, they might look no older than a child.】

【You gazed at this powerful cultivator who called himself a Perfected One, and he gazed quietly back at you.】

【Remarkably, once the youth awakened, the living-dead puppet simply stood motionless to the side, ceasing all action.】

【This further confirmed your suspicion that this Perfected One was likely the master of this ancient tomb ruin.】

【The cyan-robed Perfected One studied you quietly, and you felt as though your very soul had been seen through entirely.】

【Then a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He recognized that you cultivated the Eternal Spring Art and asked whether you were a cultivator of the Myriad Wood Sect, and what year it currently was.】

【To save your life, you could only answer truthfully.】

【The cyan-robed Perfected One fell silent for a moment after hearing your words, lost in thought.】

【But then he noticed the spirit dragon being suppressed beneath the bronze coffin, and wild joy and greed blazed in his eyes.】

【He cried out: Hahaha! I never imagined that I, Perfected One Myriad Wood, after sacrificing the world’s spirit veins and suppressing them with my own body, would actually succeed in nurturing a young spirit dragon!】

【But his laughter was short-lived, for he soon noticed the layer of dark energy coiling around the young dragon’s body.】

【His expression changed drastically, as if he had also noticed the changes in his own body.】

【Fury, anguish, defiance, resentment… a storm of complex emotions flashed across Perfected One Myriad Wood’s face in an instant.】

【Then he turned his gaze toward you, hatred gleaming in his eyes.】

【Without another word, he merely waved his hand and crushed your physical body…】

【Then he swallowed your divine soul in a single gulp.】

【You died!】

【Your talent Die With Eyes Open activates.】

【You saw the bewildered expression on this cultivator who called himself Perfected One Myriad Wood, as he seemed to murmur to himself…】

【Through lip-reading, you determined he was saying: Why did the Yellow Springs Pill malfunction? Why have I become a living-dead… Only by devouring living souls can I sustain my vitality…】

【Ding, this simulation has ended!】

After the simulation ended, Su Xing furrowed his brow tightly, deep in thought.

This simulation’s exploration of the ancient tomb ruin had uncovered an earth-shattering secret!

“The treasures within this ancient tomb ruin are simply too astonishing… Those several acres of spirit field filled with spiritual herbs…”

“Or that juvenile dragon-shaped spirit vein! If I could obtain it… eternal life and immortality would be within reach!”

Su Xing couldn’t help but grow excited.

But his brow furrowed again almost immediately. With his current strength, obtaining the treasures within that ruin was simply unrealistic.

After all, a Perfected One was slumbering there!

“That cyan-robed cultivator… is he truly a Perfected One-level powerhouse?”

Su Xing sighed inwardly. Even Body Integration stage cultivators, if unable to achieve a breakthrough, would eventually reach the end of their lifespan.

“The information brought back by the Die With Eyes Open talent this time is absolutely critical…”

Su Xing murmured softly.

“The reason the spiritual energy was exhausted in the Immortal Martial Era instance was probably because he condensed the world’s spirit veins into a single dragon-shaped spirit vein… in pursuit of a breakthrough, right?”

“But… Perfected One Myriad Wood seems to have failed. He clearly took the Yellow Springs Pill, yet something went wrong and he became a living-dead. His vitality will eventually dissipate, and he’ll become a puppet stripped of consciousness and soul…”

“Under such a devastating blow, Perfected One Myriad Wood’s Dao heart will likely crumble… and he’ll ultimately degenerate into a demonic cultivator, won’t he?”

Based on the information from this simulation, Su Xing roughly deduced what had happened in the Immortal Martial Era instance two to three thousand years ago.

And Old Dog Zong’s Diary had also recorded that approximately two thousand years ago, the spiritual energy in the Immortal Martial Era had rapidly depleted, making it impossible for new cultivators to emerge.

Perfected One Myriad Wood had most likely already taken the world’s spirit veins by then, causing the ambient spiritual energy to steadily diminish—which was probably what forced Old Dog Zong into dormancy as well.

“So… the great severance of heaven and earth, the depletion of spiritual energy—it was all caused single-handedly by Perfected One Myriad Wood?”

Su Xing murmured, then shook his head slightly.

Based on the available information, no definitive conclusion could be drawn.

Perhaps Perfected One Myriad Wood had indeed caused it all…

Or perhaps the natural decline of spiritual energy had left Perfected One Myriad Wood with no hope of a breakthrough, so he seized the world’s spirit veins in desperation and entered dormancy to attempt his breakthrough.

The exact sequence of events, Su Xing could not know.

“Still… that dragon-shaped spirit vein would probably make even immortals green with envy, wouldn’t it?”

A gleam of longing appeared in Su Xing’s eyes.

Though his current strength was insufficient to claim the dragon-shaped spirit vein, once the time was right, Su Xing was determined to try to tame this spirit dragon!

“When it comes down to it, my strength just isn’t enough!”

“With my current power, although I’m not far from the Void-Shattering Realm… my defensive capabilities are sufficient, but my raw attack power is still lacking.”

Su Xing shook his head slightly and turned his gaze to the simulation panel’s rewards.

【Wood-Fire Dual Spirit Root】: Purple talent, priced at 1 million energy points.

【Ten Years of Alchemy Experience】: Alchemy insights, priced at 500,000 energy.

【Primordial Energy Cultivation Insights (Major Accomplishment)】: Mastery of primordial energy advances to the third stage of Major Accomplishment. A seed of spiritual power is nurtured within the body, primordial energy flows endlessly, and Perfection is no longer far. Priced at 50 million energy.

【Low-Grade Spirit Liquid, 1 Million Drops】: Priced at 100 million energy.

【Protective Astral Aura (Major Accomplishment)】: A primordial energy divine ability. At Major Accomplishment level, within three chi of astral aura, nothing can intrude. As long as the astral aura holds, one faces no danger. Priced at 50 million simulation energy.

【Ruyi Visualization Method (Introductory)】: Contains insights into the Ruyi Visualization Method. Divine sense range increases to 9,900 zhang (Five Senses Realm), not far from the next divine sense realm of Subtle Perception. Priced at 29 million energy.

Looking at the simulation options before him, Su Xing fell into deep thought.

It had to be said—this simulation’s rewards were the most generous Su Xing had received in recent memory.

Whether it was the primordial energy divine ability, primordial energy insights, or divine sense… even the talent was a top-tier reward.

“In terms of cost-effectiveness, the Major Accomplishment elemental energy insights are an absolute must!”

“After all, this simulation triggered a Spontaneous Epiphany, and my mastery of primordial energy is probably not far from third-stage Perfection…”

The three days of epiphany in this simulation were equivalent to giving Su Xing thirty extra years of cultivation.

Su Xing was confident that by the next simulation, he should be able to bring his primordial energy mastery to complete third-stage Perfection!

“As for the other options… divine sense, the primordial energy divine ability, or the talent—I want them all!”

Su Xing hesitated for a moment, then after careful deliberation, decided to choose the spirit root talent.

After all, this was the legendary Heavenly Spirit Root! It was an absolute must-have!

If he didn’t select it now, in the next simulation he would inevitably need to spend energy drawing it from the reward pool, which would cost several million or even tens of millions more.

Moreover, the sooner he obtained it, the sooner he could benefit from it. It might even provide a boost when he broke through to the Void-Shattering Realm.

As for the Protective Astral Aura—now that Su Xing’s primordial energy mastery had reached Major Accomplishment and he possessed the seed of primordial energy within his body, he could sustain primordial energy divine abilities for much longer.

This meant his next attempt at cultivating the Protective Astral Aura would surely be much easier, starting at Major Accomplishment level at minimum. And if he was lucky enough to achieve an epiphany, he might even reach Perfection directly!

As for divine sense… honestly, Su Xing felt somewhat reluctant to pass on it.

He only needed to push a little harder, and his divine sense might break through to ten thousand zhang.

When that happened, perhaps new changes would occur, allowing him to step into the next realm of divine sense.

“Subtle Perception realm of divine sense… I truly look forward to it…”

Su Xing shook his head slightly, then silently declared:

“I choose the third-stage primordial energy Major Accomplishment, and the talent Wood-Fire Dual Heavenly Spirit Root!”

As his words fell, the simulator’s notification chimed in Su Xing’s ears.

【You have successfully brought out Primordial Energy Cultivation Results (Projection-level Major Mastery), spending 50 million energy. Remaining energy: 536.05 million points.】

【You have successfully brought out Purple talent Wood-Fire Dual Heavenly Spirit Root, spending 1 million energy. Remaining energy: 535.05 million points.】