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Just as Su Ning was in seclusion in Cave No. 19, trying his best to break through the bottleneck of the Void Refinement stage.

Outside the magnificent city gates of Tianyuan City, a group of weary and varied cultivators, each bearing an undisguised weariness and apprehension, arrived one after another.

They were Xiang Zhili, Hu Laomo, Feng Laoguai, Bingfeng, and Che Laoyao, who were "freed up" by Su Ning a hundred years ago and each sought their own opportunities to establish themselves in the spirit world.

It is regrettable that nearly a third of the cultivators who set off from the Five Dragon Sea node together have now disappeared!

Those fallen late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, and even a certain early-stage Deity Transformation cultivator, silently testify to the cruelty of the Spirit Realm.

Old Ancestor Bai and Old Ancestor Ziyang arrived safely. They followed Su Ning's advice and were quite cautious, avoiding dangerous places along the way. Although they gained little, they managed to save their lives.

These chosen ones of the Guanghan Realm, now reunited, no longer possessed the excitement and anticipation they had when they first entered the Spirit Realm. Instead, their faces were solemn, and their eyes held a lingering fear.

Xiang Zhili's originally sage-like face appeared somewhat ashen, and there were even some burnt marks on one corner of his Taoist robe. He said with a wry smile, "I was following a clue from an ancient ruin when I was almost blasted to dust by the restrictions inside. If I hadn't run fast, these old bones of mine would be finished."

Hu Laomo's face was gloomy. One of his arms seemed to be newly injured and still had some difficulty moving. He snorted coldly, "I encountered a group of flying scorpion wolves. The leader of the scorpion wolf king was comparable to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm. Its poisonous aura was extremely powerful. I only escaped by losing two of my painstakingly crafted demonic corpses!"

Old Monster Feng was even more exhausted, clearly suffering a great loss of vitality: "Don't even mention it! I accidentally entered a natural, mysterious, and forbidden area, where I was trapped for a full thirty years and almost died inside!"

Ice Phoenix fared relatively better, but her cool and aloof face still showed signs of weariness. She had escaped several major calamities thanks to her spatial talent, but she had also been hunted down by a group of cultivators who coveted her Heavenly Phoenix bloodline.

Che Laoyao, still disguised as a human cultivator, remained silent, but the faint smell of blood and several deep claw marks on his body indicated that he had also experienced many fierce battles.

They shared their experiences over the past century, and the more they talked, the heavier their hearts became.

The opportunities in the spirit world are indeed far greater than in the human world, but the level of danger also increases exponentially!
The Nascent Soul stage is not considered top-tier here; a slight misstep could lead to death and the annihilation of one's cultivation.

Only then did they realize that what Su Ning had said about the "weakness of the human race" and "being surrounded by crises" was no exaggeration!

And the man who planted a soul imprint deep within their souls and "tricked" them into going to the spirit world...

At this moment, Suning has become the "backbone" and "protector" that they subconsciously yearn to find.

The influence of the soul imprint, coupled with the harsh realities of life, involuntarily fostered a sense of dependence in them.

After making inquiries from various sources, they finally confirmed that Su Ning had indeed arrived in Tianyuan City.

With mixed feelings, the group paid spirit stones to enter Tianyuan City and, following the clues, found the Grade A spiritual land area in the west of the city, which was shrouded in purple mist.

However, before they could even get close to Cave 19, they were blocked by an incredibly powerful barrier and two guards who suddenly appeared, emanating a chilling demonic aura.

"Our lord is currently in seclusion, at a crucial juncture in his breakthrough to the Void Refinement stage. No one is allowed to disturb him!" The green-robed man in Feng Xi's human form said coldly. The pressure of the level twelve demon beast made Xiang Zhili and the others feel breathless.

"Trying to break through to the Void Refinement Realm?!" Upon hearing this, everyone was horrified!
How long has it been since?

Suning has actually started his attempt to break through to the Void Refinement stage?

What a terrifying cultivation speed!

After the initial shock came endless bewilderment.

Suning is in seclusion, what should they do?
Left with no other choice, they had to temporarily find a place to stay in Tianyuan City.

However, the rules of Tianyuan City soon came their way.

The stewards of the Ascension Palace wouldn't make an exception for them just because they knew Su Ning.

After verifying their identities and conducting a brief interrogation, they were coldly informed of the rule that they must serve in the military or pay a huge sum of spirit stones.

Xiang Zhili, Hu Laomo and the others had just gone through hardships, so how could they possibly have many spirit stones left?
Even if there were some gains, it was far from enough to pay the staggering "life-saving fee".

“Serving for a thousand years…” Old Ancestor Bai smiled bitterly, “I never thought that one day I would have to return to my old profession and guard the city for others.”

Ancestor Ziyang also sighed and remained silent.

Hu Laomo's face turned ashen. To subject a demonic giant like him to military regulations was worse than killing him.

Xiang Zhili, on the other hand, was more easygoing. He stroked his beard and said, "So be it! So be it. Since we've come this far, we need a place to stand. Serving in the army is fine. It's better than being killed by the demons or captured by some old monster to be used as medicine."

Ultimately, under pressure from reality, and in order to obtain temporary protection from Tianyuan City and acquire contribution points to exchange for resources, this group of Nascent Soul cultivators from the lower realm, led by Xiang Zhili, Hu Laomo, Feng Laoguai, Bai Laozu, Ziyang Laozu, Bingfeng, and Che Laoyao, along with their remaining dozen or so Nascent Soul cultivators who were also badly injured, had no choice but to sign a contract at the Ascension Hall and join the Qingming Guard.

When they put on the standard Azure Guard armor, their feelings were extremely complicated.

In the human realm, they are ancestral figures who stand at the pinnacle and look down upon all living beings.

In the spirit world, however, they became high-ranking "cannon fodder" who had to carry out military orders, patrol and guard cities, and could even be sent to the most dangerous front lines at any time.

The immense psychological gap, coupled with the ever-present danger of the spirit world, made them crave power more than ever before, and also made them realize more than ever before...

Perhaps, only by closely following the man who is currently in seclusion attempting to break through to the Void Refinement Realm, can these cultivators from the lower realms truly gain a foothold in the Spirit Realm and even forge a brilliant future.

The subtle influence of the soul imprint, coupled with the catalysis of harsh reality, has led to the quiet emergence of an invisible cohesive force centered on Su Ning among the lower realm cultivators who were forced to join the Azure Nether Guard.

While carrying out their missions as Qingming Guards, they waited silently for the day when Cave No. 19 would open.

……

Deep within Cave 19, time seemed to lose its meaning.

Su Ning sat cross-legged on the eye of the spirit-gathering array, his body completely submerged in the dense spiritual energy that had turned into liquid seven-colored spiritual liquid.

The array runes engraved on the four walls of the cave were operating at full power, frantically drawing in the spiritual energy from the underground veins and the spiritual energy gathered in Tianyuan City, forming a huge, visible vortex of spiritual energy that was funneled into Su Ning's body.

However, breaking through to the Void Refinement stage is by no means a simple accumulation of spiritual energy.

This is a leap in the level of life, a complete fusion of the nascent soul with the physical body and spirit, and the beginning of truly touching and controlling the laws of heaven and earth!
Phase 1: Refining magical power, transforming the nascent soul into a void.

Su Ning first swallowed the Five Elements Condensing Pill, which he had purchased at great expense.

The elixir entered his stomach and instantly transformed into five incomparably pure torrents, each belonging to one of the five elements, which merged into his limbs, bones, and dantian.

He simultaneously pushed the "Brahma Saint True Demon Art," "Ming King Technique," and the foundational "Great Wilderness Technique" to their limits!

Even more astonishingly, his most deeply hidden five spiritual roots revealed their terrifying, unparalleled quality at this moment!
The five elements of heaven and earth—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—no longer flowed in chaotically, but were precisely separated, purified, and refined by his perfectly balanced five spiritual roots!
Five different colored spiritual energy bands, like gentle dragons, flowed around his body, mutually reinforcing and restraining each other to form a perfect cycle, making the absorption and refining efficiency of spiritual energy reach an unbelievable level!

There is almost no waste, and no risk caused by conflicting spiritual energy attributes!

His nascent soul radiated brilliant five-colored light within his dantian. His body, which was originally as solid as an infant's, began to gradually become transparent and illusory, as if it were about to merge into the void and resonate with the five elements laws of heaven and earth.

This process requires a massive amount of energy and a deep understanding of the principles.

The spiritual energy vortex above the cave became even more violent, and its range even began to extend beyond the Jia-19 spiritual land, causing spiritual energy fluctuations throughout the entire western region of the city!

Phase Two: The inner demons arise, and the soul imprint stirs.

Just as the Nascent Soul was reaching its most crucial moment of transformation, an invisible inner demon tribulation quietly arrived! Countless illusions arose: regrets from past and present lives, the killings on the path of cultivation, the resentment of a confidante, the fear of having no hope for the Great Dao...

All sorts of negative emotions and obsessions surged through Suning's mind like a tidal wave.

However, Su Ning's Dao heart was as firm as a rock, and his experience of living two lives made his mind far superior to those of his peers.

He kept his mind clear and focused, using his powerful divine sense as a sharp sword to sever the illusions.

But at that moment, an unexpected turn of events occurred!

Perhaps the laws of heaven and earth that he triggered during the breakthrough to the Void Refinement stage were too intense, which actually touched the control soul imprint he left deep in the souls of Xiang Zhili, Hu Laomo and others!
Those soul imprints were connected to his mind and body, and at this moment they were feeding back a large number of distracting thoughts, fears, and negative emotions accumulated by those Nascent Soul cultivators who had struggled in the Spirit Realm for a hundred years!
These emotions acted like fuel, fueling the inner demons' flames and causing their power to surge dramatically!

"Hmph! You think your mere distracting thoughts can hinder my path?!" Su Ning remained calm under pressure, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

Without hesitation, he used the newly cultivated "Blood Soul Fusion Technique"!
boom!
The powerful demonic blood essence he had collected was instantly refined, and a surge of boundless blood energy and a wild, malevolent intent rushed into his body, not only stabilizing his restless blood energy but also forcibly dispelling the enhanced version of the inner demon tribulation!
The Mingwang Jue shines with golden light, guarding the soul; the Fansheng Zhenmo Gong is filled with demonic energy, devouring distracting thoughts!

As the crisis was resolved, his spirit became even purer and more resilient through the ordeal.

The third stage: Baptism of Laws, Extraordinary Phenomena of Heaven and Earth.

Having overcome the inner demons, the most crucial moment has arrived!
The nascent soul has almost completely transformed into nothingness and needs to draw upon the power of the laws of heaven and earth for a final baptism and fusion!
Su Ning took a deep breath, adjusted himself to his peak condition, and suddenly released all the suppression of his aura!
Rumble——! ! !
An indescribable terrifying aura, like a volcano that had been dormant for ten thousand years, suddenly erupted from Cave 19 and shot straight into the sky!

In an instant, the sky above Tianyuan City changed color!

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of ten thousand miles completely surged, frantically converging towards the west of the city!
A seven-colored spiritual energy vortex, a hundred times larger than before, appeared in the sky above Tianyuan City, slowly rotating and covering a small part of the city!

At the center of the vortex, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and five-colored lightning dragons—gold, cyan, blue, red, and yellow—were faintly seen weaving and roaring! That was the materialized manifestation of the Five Elements Law!
Even more shockingly, around that enormous vortex of spiritual energy, various other strange phenomena simultaneously appeared: stars were shattering, lotus flowers were blooming in the void, demons roared, and chants of Buddhist hymns resounded!

This signifies the complexity and power of the cultivation technique that Su Ning has practiced, which has already triggered a resonance of various laws!
Such an earth-shattering phenomenon instantly alarmed the entire Tianyuan City!

"This is...someone attempting to break through to the Void Refinement stage?!"

"My God! What kind of strange phenomenon is this? How can it be so terrifying? The Five Elements Laws are so clear!"

"There are also auras of stars, space, demonic paths, and Buddhism... Just how many top-tier cultivation techniques has this person mastered?!"

"Judging by the direction, this is the top-tier spiritual land area in the west of the city! Which fellow cultivator is in seclusion here?"

Countless cultivators rushed out of their caves and shops, staring in disbelief at the spectacular sight in the sky, discussing it animatedly, their faces filled with shock and awe.

Deep within the city lord's mansion, several incredibly powerful divine senses instantly awakened, traversing the void and sweeping towards the west of the city.

"Huh? Five elements spiritual root? Such perfect balance? The laws it triggers are so complex yet not chaotic? Strange!" An old voice said with a hint of surprise.

“This lad’s foundation is so solid, and his magical power is so pure, that it far surpasses others of the same level! It seems that Tianyuan City will have another fellow Daoist.” Another gentle voice rang out.

"Hmph, quite a commotion indeed. Let's see if he can withstand the final tribulation of the laws." A cold voice seemed somewhat dismissive.

The owners of these divine senses were all beings at or above the Void Refinement stage!

There might even be an ancient monster in the Integration Stage! The strange phenomena caused by Su Ning have truly caught the attention of the highest levels of Tianyuan City!
Fourth stage: Five Elements Thunder Tribulation, physical body reorganization.

As if in response to the questioning voice, the five elemental thunder dragons in the sky roared and merged into a thick, five-colored divine thunderbolt containing the power of destruction and rebirth. It tore through the sky and slammed down on the No. 19 A cave below!

The cave's protective barriers shone brightly for a moment, but then crumbled layer by layer like paper!
However, Suning did not rely on external resources.

He let out a long roar and took the initiative to leap into the air, facing the terrifying five-colored divine lightning!

"Well done!"

He activated the "Ming Wang Jue" and his physical body radiated golden light, like an indestructible Buddha; at the same time, the "Brahma Saint True Demon Art" was activated, and demonic energy swirled around him, making him seem like an unparalleled demon god!
The five elements spiritual roots operated wildly, absorbing the fragments of laws and pure energy contained in the divine lightning!
boom--! ! !
Thunderbolt pierces the body!

Su Ning's body instantly became transparent, and his internal organs, meridians, and bones seemed to melt and recombine in the lightning!
The intense pain nearly drove him to the brink of madness, but he endured it with unwavering willpower!

The five-colored divine lightning not only tempered his physical body, but also completely shattered his nascent soul, which was almost ethereal, and began to merge with every inch of his flesh and blood and every wisp of his soul at the deepest level!

One after another, even more ferocious five-colored divine lightning bolts fell!

The entire western part of the city was illuminated by lightning as if it were daytime!
Everyone held their breath and stared intently at the figure at the center of the lightning tribulation.

After enduring countless lightning tribulations, the strange phenomena in the sky gradually subsided after the last and thickest five-colored divine lightning bolt slowly dissipated.

At the center of the lightning tribulation, Su Ning's figure re-formed.

His body seemed to be cast from flawless jade, radiating a precious glow, and exuding a mysterious aura that was in harmony with heaven and earth.

Within his dantian, the nascent soul had vanished, replaced by a primordial spirit that was exactly like him, slightly illusory, yet contained terrifying power!

Refinement of Void Stage, achieved!
He slowly opened his eyes, and in them seemed to see the sun and moon revolving, and stars rising and falling.

With a slight movement of his divine sense, he could grasp every rustle of grass and wind within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, and his perception of the laws of heaven and earth became more than ten times clearer!
He made a breakthrough!

Moreover, thanks to his extraordinary talent with five spiritual roots and a variety of top-level cultivation techniques, his foundation is extremely solid. Once he breaks through, his strength far surpasses that of ordinary early-stage Void Refinement cultivators!
The heavens bestowed sweet rain and celestial dew, nourishing his physical body and primordial spirit.

Tianyuan City was completely silent.

Then, an even bigger uproar broke out!
"It worked! It actually worked!"

"He withstood such a terrifying lightning tribulation? Is this person a monster?"

"Our Tianyuan City has gained another Void Refinement expert! And one with such boundless potential at that!"

The powerful divine senses from the City Lord's Mansion slowly receded, but clearly, the name Su Ning had officially entered the vision of the highest levels of Tianyuan City.

Inside Cave No. 19, Ling Yuling, Song Yu, and Ziling wept with joy.

Feng Xi and Kunpeng also roared and howled, expressing their joy.

Outside the cave, Xiang Zhili, Hu Laomo, and the others who had been forced to join the Azure Nether Guard felt the vast, ocean-like pressure of the Void Refinement Realm. Their hearts were filled with mixed emotions: shock, envy, but above all, an indescribable sense of relief and relief...

The master they followed was far more powerful and defied the heavens than they had imagined!

Su Ning felt the new power surging within him, his gaze piercing through the cave and looking into the distance.

The journey to the spirit world truly begins a new chapter from this moment on.

Moreover, this Tianyuan City will be a blessed land for Su Ning and his companions, where each of them will surely gain opportunities.

At this moment, Su Ning couldn't help but feel a surge of confidence once again. He felt that the spirit world that everyone in the Guanghan Realm longed for was nothing special, and even suspected that the immortal world in "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality" was a fake immortal world.

...(End of chapter)