Chapter 166 – The Secret of Void Return, Rumors of the Void Realm! (5k)

Chapter 164 – The Secret of Void Return, Rumors of the Void Realm! (5k)

Su Xing sat cross-legged with his eyes gently closed.

He was sensing and guiding the primordial energy within his body.

Like bamboo shoots breaking through the soil after being nourished by spring rain.

The layer of primordial energy armor covering Su Xing’s body surface had extended outward by several inches.

This progress was remarkable.

Originally, Su Xing could only barely control his primordial energy to entwine around the surface of his skin.

But now, not only could Su Xing entwine it, he could also sense the different, subtle variations within the primordial energy.

The explosive growth of Su Xing’s primordial energy cultivation continued for several minutes before gradually subsiding.

Afterward, Su Xing extended both hands, sensing the layer of invisible force upon them.

Like wind, yet also like fire.

Formless as the wind, yet brimming with destructive power like fire.

A thought stirred in Su Xing’s mind, and a wisp of primordial energy detached from his palm.

He then guided that wisp of primordial energy, sending it flying toward a boulder several meters away.

After a few breaths, the boulder remained unchanged.

Then a gentle breeze blew past, and the entire boulder—over a meter tall—crumbled into fine sand.

“Tsk tsk… crushing a boulder into sand with brute force isn’t hard to accomplish…”

“But the true power of primordial energy lies in its formlessness!”

“If during combat, one silently injects primordial energy into an enemy’s body, by the time they realize what’s happened, their internal organs would already be shattered into a bloody pulp!”

The corners of Su Xing’s mouth curled upward slightly. He was clearly quite satisfied with this technique of using primordial energy to destroy from within.

With this ability to project primordial energy beyond his body across a distance of several meters—

Even a Martial Emperor-stage powerhouse could be silently assassinated by Su Xing!

“Now then, let me try entwining it around a spirit sword!”

A thought stirred in Su Xing’s mind, and the Blackice sword appeared in his hand.

Immediately after, Su Xing guided his primordial energy to completely envelop the Blackice sword in his hand.

The Blackice sword trembled slightly, emitting soft hums.

As if it were enjoying the caress of the primordial energy.

Su Xing briefly assessed the Blackice sword’s strength.

Its toughness had increased by a full factor of two, and the spiritual essence within the sword was even more abundant.

If the Blackice sword was originally a legendary-grade weapon, then after being enveloped with primordial energy, it could temporarily reach an existence surpassing legendary grade!

When Su Xing withdrew the primordial energy, the Blackice sword returned to its original state.

But Su Xing could sense that in just those few short minutes, the Blackice sword had undergone an imperceptible improvement.

“So that’s how it is—primordial energy can be both gentle and fierce…”

“Nurturing a magical artifact with primordial energy to transform it into a primordial artifact… that’s the process of letting primordial energy reshape the artifact!”

“The stronger a cultivator’s primordial energy and the longer the Elemental Force Entwinement lasts, the greater the improvement to the artifact!”

Su Xing estimated that the bonded artifacts of those Body Tempering cultivators had likely been nurtured by primordial energy for hundreds or even thousands of years before they could truly transform into primordial artifacts far surpassing ordinary magical artifacts.

After Su Xing withdrew his primordial energy, the spirit sword in his hand let out a series of soft hums.

Su Xing could sense that the Blackice sword seemed to be expressing its displeasure, as if it wanted more primordial energy.

“Don’t worry—once my primordial energy grows stronger, I’ll feed you your fill every day!”

Su Xing spoke a few soft words to the Blackice sword, and only then did it stop protesting.

“Tsk tsk, after this simulation, my strength has improved by at least fifty percent!”

“If I want to make another breakthrough, I need to start considering the matter of the Void-Shattering Realm…”

Su Xing murmured a few words, his gaze turning toward the simulation panel.

On the afternoon of July 29th, New Era 2024, Su Xing activated a new round of simulation right on schedule.

“Begin simulation!”

【Ding! This simulation consumes 4,700 energy points. Remaining energy: 15,040,000 points. Remaining simulation attempts: unlimited.】

【Simulation begins!】

【Drawing a green talent costs 1,000 energy points, a blue talent costs 10,000 energy points, drawing a purple talent costs 100,000 energy points. Would you like to draw?】

“Draw a purple talent!”

Su Xing silently commanded.

【Congratulations! You have obtained the purple talent: Friend of All Beasts!】

【Friend of All Beasts】: Purple talent. You possess an astonishing attractiveness and affinity toward all animals and spirit beasts. You can easily earn the goodwill of animals and spirit beasts, who will feel an instinctive trust in you from the depths of their hearts. Additionally, you can understand the language of any animal or spirit beast.

“Hm? This talent… seems to be an upgraded version of the Level 10 Beast Tongue I drew before?”

Su Xing raised an eyebrow. He had some recollection of the Level 10 Beast Tongue talent.

Back when he was first captured by Zong Laogou and nearly refined into a Human Pill.

At the time, Zong Laogou had produced a very peculiar venomous gu worm.

If Su Xing hadn’t been able to understand the gu worm’s language, he probably would have been tormented beyond endurance.

“Compared to the Level 10 Beast Tongue talent, the purple talent Friend of All Beasts… seems to additionally grant the ability to earn animals’ goodwill?”

“The question is, how strong is this goodwill effect?”

Su Xing pondered thoughtfully.

A talent that could earn the goodwill of spirit beasts was indeed excellent. If he ever had the chance to enter the cultivation world in the future, he might be able to contract a spirit pet.

If Descendant of Shennong represented Plant Affinity, then Friend of All Beasts was the animal equivalent—the two belonged to the same category.

“However… what I need most urgently right now is to advance my cultivation further!”

“Friend of All Beasts can directly replace the Level 10 Beast Tongue talent… when the time is right, extracting it will even save me the cost of a talent expansion slot. Not bad!”

Su Xing murmured.

After that, Su Xing set his target plan for this simulation.

“If my mastery of primordial energy can advance another level, that would naturally be ideal…”

“Of course, aside from primordial energy, I also need to begin learning Protective Hardened Qi!”

“And after that, I need to ask about the secret of breaking through to the Void Return stage, and find the extreme limit realm…”

Su Xing closed his eyes and reviewed these goals in his mind, then formally began the simulation.

【In the spirit field blessed land, you realize you are in a simulation.】

【Suddenly, the spirit chickens in the distance begin clucking noisily. They look at you with eyes full of deep adoration.】

【You can hear them calling you “Brother Chicken, Brother Chicken” over and over, as if you were their leader.】

【You understand that this is the Friend of All Beasts talent taking effect.】

【Then you feel something unusual in the soil beneath your feet—it turns out the spirit earthworms you planted earlier are expressing their affection for you.】

【You soothe the spirit earthworms, encouraging them to evolve into earth dragons soon.】

【Upon hearing this, the spirit earthworms are instantly filled with motivation and burrow back into the spirit field, diligently fertilizing and loosening the soil.】

【Now that your primordial energy has reached the external projection level, you can begin attempting to cultivate Protective Hardened Qi.】

【Over the following period, you wait for Jin Congxue to send word while simultaneously practicing the cultivation of Protective Hardened Qi.】

【The difficulty in cultivating Protective Hardened Qi lies in extending your primordial energy to a distance of one chi from your skin’s surface—approximately thirty centimeters.】

【You have already achieved this threshold, so you attempt to control your primordial energy at a distance of three chi from your skin.】

【After that, following the method of Protective Hardened Qi, you slowly shape your primordial energy into a fully encompassing shield that protects you within it.】

【The entire practice process consumes an enormous amount of primordial energy.】

【Each day, you can only train for two double-hours before the primordial energy in your body is completely depleted, and you must wait for it to recover before continuing.】

【But you are pleasantly surprised to discover that practicing Protective Hardened Qi—this primordial energy divine ability—squeezes out the maximum potential of the primordial energy within your body, making your overall cultivation progress even slightly faster than before.】

【One month later, Jin Congxue contacts you. She tells you that the mining dungeon matter has been finalized, and the Tarot Society has gained four additional mining dungeons.】

【You are delighted to hear this, but you cautiously remain in the Capital City to observe Xia’s military’s reaction.】

【During this period, you find time to visit the Luotian Assembly dungeon.】

【After obtaining the dungeon administrator’s permission, you successfully enter the Luotian Assembly dungeon.】

Seeing this, a thought stirred in Su Xing’s mind, and he silently commanded:

“Activate immersive simulation mode! Duration: 24 hours!”

【Ding! You have successfully activated immersive simulation mode. Cost: 2,400,000 energy points. Remaining energy: 12,540,000 points.】

As the simulator’s notification faded, the scene before Su Xing’s eyes shifted.

The next second, Su Xing appeared in the familiar great hall.

“Good disciple, go to the rear mountain and call your Shennong Martial Uncle to attend the Luotian Assembly…”

As always, it was Niu Rilie standing before Su Xing, giving him his instructions. But this time, Su Xing didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he asked:

“Master, your disciple has something he doesn’t understand—regarding the matter of nurturing a spirit artifact into a primordial artifact…”

Niu Rilie nodded slightly upon hearing this. Rather than urging Su Xing to head to the rear mountain, he said:

“You are the most talented disciple I have ever taught. Not yet a hundred years old, and you’ve already cultivated your elemental force to the Third Rank, External Release level!”

“Even your master, back in my day, was far inferior to you!”

“Do you know how many grades our cultivators’ weapons are divided into?”

Without waiting for Su Xing to answer, Niu Rilie continued:

“A cultivator’s magical treasures, ranked from lowest to highest: talisman artifacts, magical artifacts, treasure artifacts, spirit artifacts… all the way up to the legendary immortal artifacts!”

“Generally speaking, when a magical treasure is first forged, its foundation and materials already determine the treasure’s grade, and it’s very difficult to change that after the fact.”

“But our Body Tempering cultivators’ primordial artifacts are different!”

“What Body Tempering cultivators cultivate is the physical body and the primordial artifact!”

“As long as you nurture a primordial artifact long enough, even the lowest-grade talisman artifact can become an existence that surpasses immortal artifacts!”

With that, Niu Rilie let out a thunderous shout, and a phantom crimson sky-splitting axe appeared behind him.

Niu Rilie reached out and grabbed it, and the phantom giant axe materialized into solid form in his hand.

The axe was a full zhang in length, entirely crimson, emanating a thick scent of blood and the searing heat of flames.

Su Xing stood a full three zhang away from the crimson axe, yet he could still feel an overwhelming pressure bearing down on him, almost suffocating.

Niu Rilie performed a series of sweeping strikes with the giant axe before Su Xing. The tremendous aura that erupted was so powerful that even birds flying high above the hall plummeted from the sky.

Several minutes later, Niu Rilie withdrew the giant axe with a sharp exhale.

The axe once again turned phantom and vanished back into Niu Rilie’s body.

Su Xing was so stunned by the spectacle that he couldn’t find words.

Niu Rilie looked at Su Xing with a smug expression and said:

“So, my good disciple—not bad, this little trick of your master’s, eh?”

“What you just saw was your master’s primordial artifact—the Sky-Splitting Axe!”

“Hahaha… of course, when I named this axe back then, I just wanted something that sounded imposing!”

After a pause, a hint of reminiscence flickered in Niu Rilie’s eyes as he said:

“Your master still remembers when I first joined the Luotian Sect. That was over two thousand years ago, wasn’t it?”

“Back then, I was just a lowly cultivator at the Qi Refinement stage… Later, I stumbled onto the path of Body Tempering by chance…”

“And after I comprehended elemental force, the weapon I chose to nurture was this axe I’d been using to chop firewood.”

“Yes, you heard me right! This axe was originally the most ordinary firewood axe! But now, it has become an existence comparable to an immortal artifact!”

At this point, Niu Rilie’s face bore a touch of pride.

“And all of this is thanks to elemental force!”

“Elemental force is wondrously limitless—its myriad applications are no less than spiritual energy’s… As long as you have enough patience to nurture it, the primordial artifact will only grow more and more powerful.”

“Your master has been nurturing this axe for… it should be over eighteen hundred years now, shouldn’t it?”

Su Xing was utterly shaken to his core upon hearing this.

He recalled the crimson giant axe from moments ago—the dense killing intent and the stench of blood, the raging inferno that seemed capable of burning everything in existence to ash.

That terrifying aura that even Spirit Transformation cultivators could barely look at directly…

Two thousand years ago, this sky-splitting axe had actually been nothing more than the most ordinary firewood axe?

The gulf between then and now was truly staggering!

As if sensing Su Xing’s shock, Niu Rilie explained:

“The key to nurturing a primordial artifact lies in one word: use!”

“Ordinary magical treasure weapons, no matter how high-quality their materials, will inevitably suffer wear after the erosion of time and countless battles, causing their grade to decline…”

“But primordial artifacts are different!”

“We Body Tempering cultivators entwine elemental force around our primordial artifacts during battle. The elemental force acts as a buffer for the artifact—ordinary weapon collisions can’t damage our primordial artifacts at all.”

“And beyond that, daily maintenance and polishing, even your emotional bond with the primordial artifact, can make it grow stronger and stronger…”

“Once your strength increases further, you’ll be able to absorb the primordial artifact into your body. At that point, nurturing it with your own vital blood and elemental force, it will become a life-bound primordial artifact. Then the weapon in your hand will be inferior to no magical treasure!”

Su Xing could tell that Niu Rilie’s face was full of pride as he spoke of all this.

And indeed, nurturing a mundane weapon into such a terrifyingly powerful armament was, in itself, something worthy of immense pride!

Su Xing let out a long breath, then bowed to Niu Rilie:

“Thank you for your guidance, Master!”

Niu Rilie smiled and nodded upon hearing this:

“Alright, go find your Shennong Martial Uncle!”

Su Xing nodded, his mind still reeling from the image of that crimson giant axe.

It wasn’t until he was nearly at the rear mountain that he suddenly realized he’d forgotten to ask about how to break through the Void Return stage.

“Oh well, asking Shennong Martial Uncle should work too…”

With that thought, Su Xing soon arrived at the rear mountain.

Shennong Youtian still looked like an old mountain farmer, tending to his spirit plants in the spirit field.

After carefully loosening the soil and fertilizing around a seed,

Shennong Youtian stood up, his gaze turning to Su Xing, and said with a smile:

“Martial Nephew Luo, are you here to summon me to the Luotian Assembly?”

Su Xing nodded slightly. “Yes, Shennong Martial Uncle!”

Shennong Youtian smiled as he walked toward Su Xing and said:

“Martial Nephew, your aura has grown ever more profound. I’d wager you’ve reached the end of the road in both Body Tempering and Qi Refinement, and are about to step into the Void Realm, yes?”

Su Xing nodded slightly, then seized the opportunity to say:

“Shennong Martial Uncle, the reason your martial nephew has come this time is precisely to ask—how does one cross into the Void Return stage?”

Shennong Martial Uncle nodded slightly and said:

“Having cultivated to this realm, you should indeed learn some things about the Void Return stage…”

“The saying goes: refine essence into qi, refine qi into spirit, refine spirit to return to the void… This is the early cultivation path for us Qi Refinement cultivators.”

“And upon stepping into the Void Return realm, one can draw the divine consciousness inward, keeping the spirit anchored within the physical body. This allows one to guard the body from aging and decay… or alternatively, project the divine consciousness outward and enter the Void Realm!”

Su Xing furrowed his brow slightly upon hearing this, puzzled:

“The Void Realm? What kind of place is that?”

Shennong Martial Uncle countered with a question: “Martial Nephew, do you know the meaning of the phrase ‘acquainted in spirit long before meeting in person’?”

“For mortals, this expression means two people have long heard of each other’s reputation and wished to meet, but only just had the chance—a kind of regret at the belated encounter.”

“But for Void Return cultivators, it means that the divine consciousnesses of two people had already sensed each other within the Void Realm, though they had never met in the physical world.”

Su Xing’s frown deepened. From what he was hearing, the Void Realm seemed to be a place that only cultivators at or above the Void Return stage could send their divine consciousness to.

Sure enough, Shennong Youtian said:

“When your primordial spirit grows powerful enough, you will be able to sense the call of the Void Realm. Once you can step into the Void Realm, your physical body and spiritual soul will undergo a sublimation…”

“Survive the Void Divine Thunder, and you will become a Void Return cultivator!”

Su Xing’s brow furrowed tightly upon hearing this. The Void Realm, the Void Divine Thunder.

These things seemed to exist only in the cultivation world…

And in the world Su Xing inhabited, no new cultivators had been born for ages. He wasn’t certain whether the Void Realm still existed.

“Could it be… that the path forward is already severed?”

Unwilling to accept this, Su Xing asked:

“Martial Uncle, if one doesn’t enter the Void Realm, is there any other way to break through to the Void Return stage?”

Upon hearing Su Xing’s words, Shennong Youtian laughed heartily and said:

“What kind of talk is that, Martial Nephew? Without entering the Void Realm, how could one possibly become a Void Return cultivator…”

Midway through his sentence, Shennong Youtian suddenly stopped, as if remembering something:

“Actually, there is a legend… It’s said that hundreds of thousands of years ago, a Spirit Transformation cultivator accidentally stumbled into a place called the Beyond-Heavens…”

“The so-called Beyond-Heavens is a world where the Void Realm does not exist.”

“That cultivator spent over a thousand years in the Beyond-Heavens. Even after cultivating to Spirit Transformation Perfection with a fully matured divine consciousness, he still could not sense the Void Realm…”

“But that Spirit Transformation cultivator was quite remarkable—he was a prodigious pill-refining talent. Though there was no Void Realm, he managed to refine a type of pill…”

“Called the Void-Refining Pill!”

After a pause, Shennong Youtian continued:

“The Void-Refining Pill’s primary use nowadays is to help Spirit Transformation Great Perfection cultivators protect their primordial spirit from destruction and survive the Void Divine Thunder after entering the Void Realm.”

“But when it was first created, the Void-Refining Pill was rumored to be a pill that could bypass the need to sense the Void Realm and directly step into the Void Return stage.”

“Of course… this is merely a legend. Whether it’s true or false, too much time has passed—your martial uncle doesn’t know for certain either.”

Su Xing silently committed this to memory. Regardless of whether it was true or false, he had to try.

If the Void Realm truly didn’t exist in the real world, then wouldn’t he be utterly out of luck?

And so Su Xing said:

“Martial Uncle, the pill formula for the Void-Refining Pill… ahem, might your martial nephew have a look at it?”