Chapter 154 – The Secret of the Void-Breaking Realm, the Blessed Land Ascends to a Grotto-Heaven!

Su Xing felt a stirring in his heart at the sight of it.

Mental state was something profound and elusive.

For ordinary people, a poor mental state simply meant a weak capacity to handle setbacks, or a difficult temperament — that seemed perfectly normal.

But for cultivators, mental state was of paramount importance.

A higher mental state meant a lower probability of giving rise to heart demons, smoother cultivation progress, and a host of other benefits.

“To think that a class reunion dinner could actually improve my mental state…”

Su Xing was somewhat taken aback. He carefully looked back on the experiences of these past several years.

From being the pride of heaven at the very start, to later being unable to advance in rank and suffering cold looks from others.

And now, in just under a single year, Su Xing had stood at the Peak of the human race.

Such a life journey had truly given Su Xing much to reflect on.

His gaze turned toward the simulator panel.

【After a night of heavy drinking, you ran into your homeroom teacher Liu Xiaodong the following day.】

【His attitude was unpleasant, but he had nothing on you, and you successfully repeated the year, remaining at the Capital Academy.】

【Your status as a student helps you avoid a great deal of trouble, and the school grounds are safe enough.】

【One day, having saved your Great Wisdom state in advance, you traveled to the Luotian Grand Assembly instance, intending to probe the secret of the Void-Breaking Realm.】

【You successfully entered the Luotian Grand Assembly instance.】

Su Xing felt a stirring in his heart at the sight of this, and silently intoned:

“Activate the Immersive Simulation function, duration: 24 hours!”

【Ding — you have successfully activated the Immersive Simulation function. Duration: 24 hours. Energy consumed: 2,400,000 points. Remaining energy: 492,630,000 points.】

As the simulator’s notification tone faded, the scene before Su Xing’s eyes shifted, and he found himself inside the familiar Luotian Sect.

“My good disciple, go and receive your Uncle-Master Shennong to attend the Luotian Grand Assembly…”

The familiar voice of Grand Elder Niu Rilie reached his ears.

Su Xing first absorbed the additional fragment of memories that had appeared in his mind.

“Hmm? This time, my identity hasn’t changed much — I’m still Niu Rilie’s disciple… but my standing within the Luotian Sect seems to have risen again!”

“The Grand Elder’s personally-taught disciple, a cultivator who achieved the Great Perfection of the Divine Strength Realm before the age of one hundred… someone with the potential to become the Sacred Son?”

Su Xing felt a stirring in his heart.

Come to think of it, this Luotian Grand Assembly instance truly was remarkable — every time Su Xing entered, there were subtle changes.

Yet the date always remained fixed on the very day the Luotian Grand Assembly was held…

“This Luotian Grand Assembly instance must be hiding secrets I’ve yet to uncover!”

Su Xing turned it over quietly in his mind. Why had this infinitely-looping instance come into existence? What secret lay hidden within it? Su Xing was eager to investigate, but that was not the purpose of his visit this time.

So Su Xing bowed to Niu Rilie, and rather than immediately going to find Shennong Youtian, he asked:

“Master, this disciple’s cultivation has reached the Great Perfection of the Divine Strength Realm. I would like to ask about the secret of the Void-Breaking Realm!”

This time, Niu Rilie did not send Su Xing to find Shennong Youtian first.

On the contrary, upon hearing Su Xing’s words, Niu Rilie nodded with evident satisfaction and said:

“Worthy of being this old man’s fine disciple — perhaps you truly can claim the position of Sacred Son!”

“Your body-tempering cultivation has now reached the Great Perfection of the Divine Strength Realm, and you stand but a hair’s breadth from Breaking the Void. Tell me — do you know what the Void-Breaking Realm truly is?”

Su Xing listened and gave a slight nod. He was no longer a newcomer to the cultivation world, and had heard something of it.

So he said:

“The Void-Breaking Realm is the state of proving one’s Dao through force — shattering all illusions and falsehoods!”

Niu Rilie listened and nodded, saying:

“Correct — to break ten thousand techniques with a single force! That is also the defining skill of we body-tempering cultivators in this world!”

“Then do you know why, compared to the Divine Strength Realm, a Void-Breaking cultivator’s raw power does not increase dramatically — yet they can still break ten thousand techniques with force alone?”

Su Xing listened and furrowed his brows slightly. After a moment’s thought, he suddenly grasped something and blurted out:

“Because… of Yuan Force!?”

Niu Rilie’s face broke into an expression of great satisfaction as he said:

“Precisely! It is all because of Yuan Force!”

“Yuan Force is the very foundation upon which we body-tempering cultivators stand. It is divided into three stages: the Enhancement Stage, the Envelopment Stage… and finally, the Projection Stage!”

Niu Rilie paused, then continued:

“The Enhancement Stage uses Yuan Force to strengthen one’s own power. The Envelopment Stage coats the surface of the body with Yuan Force, forming a high-intensity protective layer…”

“As for the final Projection Stage — it allows Yuan Force to leave the body to repel enemies, and can even be affixed to weapons, dramatically increasing their destructive power!”

“It is precisely because of Yuan Force’s many wondrous applications that we body-tempering cultivators can hold our own against qi-refining cultivators!”

Su Xing listened and felt something stir within him, as though a realization were taking shape.

Truth be told, the bulk of Su Xing’s current strength came from his body-tempering cultivation.

After all, the hundred-thousand-ton force of the Divine Strength Realm was truly the might of a monster wearing human skin.

And Yuan Force was also a critical component of Su Xing’s power — when Yuan Force was deployed, the explosive strength and extraordinary defense it produced formed the foundation of his confidence in looking down upon Martial Emperor-class experts.

“Projection-level Yuan Force, is it?”

Su Xing turned it over thoughtfully in his mind.

He saw Niu Rilie continue:

“You started cultivating Yuan Force fairly early — you’ve already entered the second stage, the Envelopment level. Go take a look at the Scripture Pavilion of our Luotian Sect; there are books on Yuan Force advancement and application that you should read.”

Niu Rilie paused slightly at that, then added:

“Xiaochuan, you are the disciple with the finest comprehension and aptitude among all those I have taught. There is a high probability that my legacy will be passed on to you in the future…”

“Since that is the case, I will keep nothing from you. I have a Yuan Force divine ability here, as well as my personal insights on how to cultivate to the third stage — I will pass them both to you.”

With that, Niu Rilie extended a finger and pressed it to the center of Su Xing’s brow.

Su Xing felt a small segment of insights on Yuan Force cultivation appear in his mind, along with a Yuan Force divine ability… Protective Hardened Qi!

“Hiss… Protective Hardened Qi — envelop Yuan Force around the body’s surface, with divine strength upon oneself, ten thousand techniques cannot penetrate!”

A look of wild elation spread across Su Xing’s face. This Protective Hardened Qi was absolutely a formidable divine technique!

After receiving the Yuan Force divine ability and the cultivation insights for the third stage, Su Xing asked again:

“Master, after mastering the third stage of Yuan Force, how does one step into the Void-Breaking Realm?”

Niu Rilie let out a light sigh:

“Difficult, difficult, difficult! One must cultivate Yuan Force Projection to its utmost extreme, combining it with the powerful physical body of a body-tempering cultivator, and then stand in a place of absolute extremity — breaking through in order to rebuild. Only then can one achieve the Void-Breaking Realm!”

“And yet, among hundreds of Divine Strength Realm cultivators, not even one or two manage to enter the Void-Breaking Realm!”

“One moment of carelessness, and it means death and the erasure of one’s Dao. Only by making thorough preparations can one even attempt it!”

“Furthermore, Void-Breaking cultivators are also divided into different tiers. The more dangerous the place of absolute extremity, the greater the physical enhancement the body-tempering cultivator will receive upon entering the Void-Breaking Realm!”

“This is no different from defying the heavens! And it is precisely for this reason that we body-tempering cultivators are so extraordinarily rare!”

Su Xing listened and furrowed his brows slightly. This Niu Rilie kept saying “difficult” with every breath…

If such a powerful cultivator was calling it difficult… could the Void-Breaking Realm truly be that hard to achieve?

So Su Xing asked:

“Master, what exactly are these places of absolute extremity you speak of?”

Niu Rilie explained:

“There are many such places. For instance, the ocean floor ten thousand li deep — where boundless pressure bears down upon the body from all sides. If one can endure for several days at the bottom of a ten-thousand-li-deep sea, one may achieve the Void-Breaking Realm.”

“Or there is the heavenly thunder baptism — the first spring thunder on the day of Jingzhe possesses boundless power, capable of cleaving through all illusions and falsehoods. If one can withstand nine thunder tribulations, one may use the power of lightning to temper the body. Not only would one enter the Void-Breaking Realm, but one could even seize the opportunity to reforge the physical form entirely and comprehend a precious sliver of lightning power!”

Niu Rilie spoke at an unhurried pace.

Su Xing listened and pondered, gradually grasping what Niu Rilie meant.

Body-tempering cultivators were, by their very nature, those who defied the heavens — their primary work was tempering the body and strengthening vital energy and lifeblood.

And to break through the body’s limits again and again, one had to survive in environments of extreme peril.

Whether it was the bottom of a ten-thousand-li sea or nine bolts of thunder crashing down from above, it was all about shattering one’s own limits.

Step across that line, and it was the Void-Breaking Realm. Fail to step across it — and it was death.

Therefore, one could choose the dangerous location freely — the more perilous the place, the greater the improvement!

After understanding the secret of void-breaking, Su Xing suppressed the excitement surging in his heart and bowed respectfully to Niu Rilie.

“Thank you, Master!”

Niu Rilie looked somewhat fatigued and merely nodded slightly. “Good disciple, go find your Martial Uncle Shennong first.”

Upon hearing this, Su Xing took his leave. After stepping out of the great hall, the joy on his face was unmistakable.

“This Luotian Sect instance truly is an enormous treasure trove!”

“I comprehended a Yuan Force divine ability just like that? Hiss — although it still requires cultivation… but just this one divine ability alone, without the memory infusion, would probably have taken me several days to learn on my own!”

“And these third-stage Yuan Force cultivation insights are incomparably precious too!”

“The Void-Breaking Realm — I finally have some leads… but breaking through to Void-Breaking can’t be rushed. I need to advance my Yuan Force to the third stage first!”

Su Xing broke into a grin, suddenly finding Niu Rilie somewhat endearing.

One had to know that memory infusion placed a burden on a cultivator’s spiritual sense and was not performed lightly. Su Xing was fortunate to have received such treatment several times.

Su Xing walked toward the rear mountain with a spring in his step.

After escorting Martial Uncle Shennong to the Luotian Grand Assembly, Su Xing returned to the familiar Scripture Pavilion and began studying knowledge on advancing Yuan Force.

Although Grand Elder Niu Rilie had given him a divine ability and cultivation insights on Yuan Force externalization, Su Xing still needed to study this advanced Yuan Force knowledge.

Activating the Great Wisdom state bonus, Su Xing stayed in the Scripture Pavilion for over twenty hours straight.

It was not until the Immersive Simulation time expired that Su Xing’s consciousness returned to the real world.

Back in reality, the corners of Su Xing’s mouth curled up uncontrollably.

“I made a killing with this Immersive Simulation!”

“Not only did I learn the insights for the third stage of Yuan Force, I even scored a divine ability for free!”

When good fortune comes, one’s spirits soar. Even the expression on Su Xing’s face as he looked at the simulation panel was one of pure delight.

【After obtaining the secret intel on the Void-Breaking Realm from the Luotian Grand Assembly instance, you prepared to put Yuan Force cultivation on your agenda.】

【But before that, you decided to first join the Advent Cult to acquire pills.】

【You spent several days in Shuangqing City luring out Zong Laogou.】

【After a round of under-the-table dealings, you successfully joined the Advent Cult.】

【You didn’t forget to act buddy-buddy with Zong Laogou on the surface, while in reality you had long since contacted Luo Shuying and earned her trust.】

【With Luo Shuying’s help, you obtained many precious spiritual medicines.】

【And so, in the days that followed, you steadily grinded away at your own affairs every day.】

【You planted five hundred Spirit-Gathering Flower seeds in your spirit field blessed land. Because the number of seeds was so large, you had to spend four double-hours each day tending the spirit field — watering and accelerating their growth with spiritual energy.】

【Afterward, you would spend four double-hours cultivating, diligently improving your qi-refining cultivation each day.】

【The remaining four double-hours were used to refine pills, preparing for your future enlistment in Xia’s military.】

【Every day, you scheduled all twelve double-hours perfectly, leaving absolutely no time for rest!】

Seeing this, Su Xing couldn’t help but purse his lips, muttering:

“Damn, that last line… was that a jab from the simulator?”

“But then again, other people have a liver growing inside their body — in my case, it’s more like a person growing on a liver, right?”

Su Xing shook his head slightly. What a joke — if he didn’t grind hard in the simulation, wouldn’t he have to grind even harder in reality?

After silently roasting himself for a bit, Su Xing turned his gaze back to the simulation panel.

【Year Three: Your first batch of Spirit-Gathering Flowers matured. You harvested five hundred Spirit-Gathering Flowers along with 800 newly obtained Spirit-Gathering Flower seeds.】

【You planted the new batch of Spirit-Gathering Flower seeds, preparing to harvest them in two years.】

【That same year, you judged the time was ripe and decided to defect from the Advent Cult.】

【Afterward, you and Luo Shuying fled to Xia’s military, while Zong Laogou suffered an undeserved calamity and was also hunted by the Advent Cult.】

【Year Four: The twelve double-hours each day simply weren’t enough, so you decided to temporarily halt cultivation and focus entirely on refining pills and growing Spirit-Gathering Flowers.】

【You spent six double-hours each day nurturing Spirit-Gathering Flowers and another six double-hours refining pills.】

【Year Five: You harvested eight hundred mature Spirit-Gathering Flowers and one thousand seeds.】

【You began a new round of planting.】

【As the number of Spirit-Gathering Flowers in the spirit field blessed land grew ever larger, the spiritual energy within became increasingly dense, making your cultivation twice as effective!】

【That same year, you finally finished refining the two hundred thousand-plus pills that Xia needed. Thanks to your good fortune, over one-third of this batch were supreme-grade pills.】

【Because of you, Xia gained an additional eighty thousand Grandmaster-level professionals, eight hundred Heavenly Kings, and eighty Martial Emperors.】

【Year Six: You rarely refined pills anymore, devoting most of your remaining time to cultivation.】

【Each day, aside from tending to the Spirit-Gathering Flowers, you spent the rest of your time cultivating the Eternal Spring Art, and your cultivation steadily advanced.】

【Year Seven: The one thousand Spirit-Gathering Flowers you had planted finally matured, and at the same time, you obtained one thousand five hundred immature seeds.】

【You determined that the Spirit-Gathering Flowers in the blessed land were nearing saturation, so you stopped planting and began cultivating with single-minded focus.】

【As over three thousand Spirit-Gathering Flowers slowly released their spiritual energy, the spirit field blessed land underwent a tremendous transformation.】

【The dense spiritual energy in the air nearly condensed into liquid form. With every breath you took, you felt an enormous surge of abundant spiritual energy flooding in, leaving you invigorated and refreshed.】

【At the same time, the growth rate of spiritual plants accelerated dramatically. Plants that originally needed five years to mature now needed only three!】

【The spirit chickens in the blessed land also grew increasingly robust, their feathers ever more sleek and lustrous. Even the spirit earthworms grew noticeably larger overnight, slowly evolving toward becoming earth dragons.】

【You knew — the blessed land had evolved into a grotto-heaven!】

【Year Eight: You began a structured cultivation regimen.】

【Each day, you spent eight double-hours cultivating the Eternal Spring Art to improve your qi-refining cultivation.】

【The remaining four double-hours were devoted to Yuan Force cultivation, hoping to advance your Yuan Force from the Wrapping stage to the Externalization stage as soon as possible!】

【Year Nine: The difficulty of Yuan Force cultivation exceeded your expectations.】

【According to the cultivation insights Niu Rilie gave you, to achieve Externalization, Yuan Force must first reach the level of full-body wrapping!】

【That is, coating the surface of the body with a layer of invisible Yuan energy armor. This armor could resist virtually all attacks, and the armor’s strength was directly proportional to the strength of one’s Yuan Force.】

【Although your Yuan Force had entered the second stage of Wrapping, you could only cover a limited number of vital areas. To achieve full-body coverage, your Yuan Force strength was far from sufficient.】

【Though your Yuan Force cultivation progressed slowly, this year your qi-refining cultivation successfully broke through to the second level of Spirit Transformation!】

【Year Ten: You continued your daily cultivation routine. Your body-tempering cultivation grew ever higher, but your Yuan Force progress remained sluggish…】

Seeing this, Su Xing let out a soft sigh.

He naturally knew that Yuan Force cultivation was difficult. Cultivating Yuan Force and improving his overall cultivation simultaneously would inevitably slow his qi-refining advancement.

But Su Xing had no choice — after all, Yuan Force was crucial to achieving the Void-Breaking breakthrough.

If by some chance Su Xing triggered a serendipitous epiphany and advanced to the third level of Yuan Force… that would truly be hitting the jackpot!

So Su Xing was merely taking a gamble, nothing more.

The bulk of his time was still devoted to advancing his qi-refining cultivation.

With that thought, Su Xing turned his gaze to the simulation panel.

【Through day-and-night cultivation, two years passed in the blink of an eye. During these two years, you chose not to join the Demon-Sealing Pass.】

【Because you cultivated within the spirit field blessed land, joining the Demon-Sealing Pass made little difference to you.】

【Year Thirteen: Cultivating within the grotto-heaven blessed land truly yielded progress by leaps and bounds. Your cultivation speed was a full two times faster than before, and your qi-refining cultivation advanced day by day as you steadily approached the third level of Spirit Transformation!】

【The only regret was that your mastery of Yuan Force progressed slowly, still stuck at the Wrapping stage. However, as you continued cultivating, the area of your body covered by Yuan Force grew ever larger.】

【Year Fourteen: A monotonous year of cultivation. You failed to break through to the third level of Spirit Transformation…】

【Year Fifteen: On a sunny, breezy morning, you had a premonition — and as naturally as water flowing downstream, you broke through to the third level of Spirit Transformation!】

【Year Sixteen: You temporarily abandoned Yuan Force cultivation and made an important decision…】

【You wanted to explore the End of Dharma Era instance!】

【The End of Dharma Era instance was a cultivation-oriented instance you had learned about long ago. According to official intelligence, this instance seemed to be set in the final era of the cultivation world, where not even one in ten thousand people could become a cultivator.】

【You had wanted to explore this instance for a long time, but due to insufficient strength, you — ever the cautious one — decided to play it safe.】

【Later, when you learned that Zong Laogou came from this instance, you became even more wary.】

【But now, your cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Divine Strength Realm, and you were confident in your ability to explore this instance…】

【Following the coordinates from your memory, you arrived at an instance outpost outside the capital city. After presenting your identification, you successfully entered the End of Dharma Era instance!】

(PS: For details on this instance, see Chapter 36.)