Gao Wu insists on cultivating immortality.

Chapter 396 The True Saint in the World
The Taoists say: "Refine the spirit to return to emptiness, pure yang without yin, this is called yang spirit."

When one's cultivation reaches this stage, one's spirit and soul become as solid as diamond and as free as flowing wind; the distinction between tangible and intangible is merely a thought away.

It can withstand wind and thunder without breaking, water and fire without harm, metal and stone without hindrance, and the starry sky without injury after a hundred eons.

If measured by Taoist standards, refining the Yang Spirit represents the pinnacle of cultivation, making one a terrestrial immortal who can almost live forever.

As a pioneer of martial arts, Qin Liuhe has always been at the forefront of human martial arts. The path ahead of him was shrouded in chaos, and in order to explore and move forward, he read various ancient books.

The Taoist school, in particular, emphasizes the cultivation of both body and spirit, with countless methods. Although most of them are just boasting, some methods, such as visualization and breathing, still have some value to learn from.

Qin Liuhe later discovered some ancient divine realm ruins, some of which corresponded to Chinese mythology and legends, and he began to pay more attention to ancient texts.

Whether it's parallel universes or the mapping between multiple dimensions, it proves that these classic texts are not entirely fabricated.

He did indeed gain some useful methods from it, and with the divine artifacts obtained from the ruins of the divine realm, he condensed them into a spirit god through his willpower.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to risk entering the Epang Palace's divine realm, obtain the Jade Seal of Destiny, and then be trapped inside the Epang Palace by it. If it weren't for Gao Wu and Xiao Jiu, he would have been trapped there for the rest of his life...

Qin Liuhe felt both emotional and gratified to see Gao Wu achieve the Yang Shen realm.

Once the Yang God is formed, one's martial arts skills will greatly improve, and one will be able to protect oneself even when encountering demon god clones or projections.

Looking at the Tai'a Sword again, it also reformed and took shape as Gao Wu condensed his Yang Spirit, becoming one with Gao Wu's Yang Spirit, proving that Gao Wu had refined the Tai'a Sword.

With this divine sword, one might even have the chance to slay the demon god's avatars and projections. Of course, this is in the real world.

The demon god in the secret realm is still too powerful. As for the divine kingdom where the demon god resides, the demon god should be omnipotent, so a level 10 sword is nothing to him...

Gao Wu's Yang Shen, radiating a crimson-gold light, suddenly contracted inward, and both Gao Wu and the Yang Shen opened their eyes simultaneously.

The two stood side by side, appearing almost identical. Details such as their clothing and the aura of their source energy were also exactly the same.

Qin Liuhe and Song Mingyue could both distinguish it very clearly. Qin Liuhe could directly see the essence of the Yang God, while Song Mingyue could only do so through spiritual resonance.

Gao Wu and Yang Shen both grinned broadly, their smiles radiant and smug.

He cupped his hands in thanks to Qin Liuhe: "Many thanks to Lord Qin for your help. I have achieved spiritual enlightenment and have also refined the Tai'a Sword."

"When a spirit reaches this level, it becomes a Yang God." Qin Liuhe gave Gao Wu a brief explanation of the Yang God. Although the name is not important, it represents different levels.

This is especially important for those who come after.

Gao Wu nodded in acceptance. Yang Shen drew the Tai'a Sword, and a clear, autumn-water-like sword light burst forth. The outward-emitting sword light then flowed back into the scabbard like water.

The sword was drawn and retracted without a sound, yet its movements were as smooth and fluid as flowing water.

Gao Wu exclaimed, "It really is a divine sword; it's truly different."

The Tai'a Sword and the Heavenly Mandate Sword merged, and the swords themselves remained almost unchanged. However, the spiritual imprint on the Heavenly Mandate Sword was transferred to the Tai'a Sword, allowing him to successfully master the Tai'a Sword and establish a resonance with its supreme and invincible divine power that swept across the six directions and dominated the world.

Using his Yang spirit to wield this sword, there was absolutely no resistance. This was far more powerful than wielding the Tai'a sword with his physical body.

The Yang God and the Tai'a Sword God are one, and the sword can be stored away at will, so there is no need to always carry it.

"The Tai'a Sword possesses the power to command the world. With this sword in your hand, you can even fight against a demon god," Qin Liuhe said.

Gao Wu said seriously, "Holding the Tai'a upside down is a very unlucky phrase. The Qin dynasty's demise after only one generation is also extremely unlucky."

"Since this sword has merged with the Heavenly Fate Sword and become one with my Yang Spirit, it's better to call it the Heavenly Fate Sword."

As he spoke, he drew his sword and gently flicked it, revealing the inscription "Heaven's Mandate" in large seal script near the hilt.

Qin Liuhe nodded in agreement: "Indeed, destiny is better."

As a traditional Chinese, Qin Liuhe did not believe in ghosts and gods, but he did believe in the mysterious power of fate.

In the face of this situation, only by following the will of Heaven and winning the hearts of the people can we turn the tide and save the collapsing edifice!
Gao Wu excitedly raised his sword and said, "Lord Qin, let's go to the Federation to seek justice for Dongwei Island!"

"Your Yang Spirit is newly formed, and you're still a bit restless," Qin Liuhe said. "Don't rush, go to Zhongjing to rest for a few days."

Having successfully obtained the Tai'a Sword, Qin Liuhe breathed a sigh of relief.

Since the Nine Cauldrons are difficult to break, at this time, the main task in going to the Federation is to collect as many level-nine artifacts as possible for sacrifice.

However, the Federation is powerful, with billions of believers. The immense power of these believers can even form a stable source energy magnetic field, guiding the demon god's avatar to descend.

Going to the Federation requires strategy and tactics; it's not enough to just grab a sword and charge straight in...

Gao Wu had no objection to resting for two days. He had just become a Yang God and indeed needed to adapt to the powerful strength of the Yang God and the new Heavenly Fate Sword.

Qin Liuhe brought the two back to Zhongjing, where he first dealt with various backlogged official duties.

Gao Wu and Song Mingyue went to the family residential area of ​​the Security Headquarters. As the deputy chief, he had his own private room.

A three-story villa facing Luoyan Lake is regularly looked after and cleaned by dedicated staff to ensure it is always ready for occupancy.

Gao Wu's tenure as vice president has been too short; this is the first time I've had time to see his villa.

The Chinese-style villa features simple decor, yet uses very solid and high-end materials. Since it's uninhabited, everything is arranged meticulously, much like a prefab house…

The study on the third floor faces Luoyan Lake, offering views of the island in the middle of the lake, the white pagoda, and the small boats coming and going on the lake...

In early June, Zhongjing was already quite hot. Luoyan Lake, with its rippling waters, was a perfect place to escape the heat. Many people were paddling small boats on the lake, enjoying the view of the distant green mountains under the bright sunshine.

Gao Wu sat on the recliner in his study, quietly watching the bright summer day outside the window, and he felt very comfortable and relaxed.

You don't need to do anything, and you don't need to refrain from doing anything. Just staying here in comfort and relaxation is the most comfortable thing in the world.

Gao Wu remained lost in thought until dusk, letting his mind wander freely. It wasn't until a pretty, refined-looking staff member approached and cautiously inquired, "Would you like some food?"

Her face was flushed, she was somewhat nervous, and her voice was a little hoarse. Mainly, the deputy chief was too young and handsome; even just sitting there casually, he exuded a powerful and extraordinary charisma.

"No need," Gao Wu said. "Go and rest."

Once the pretty female attendant left, Gao Wu was no longer lying flat.

For him, lying down for most of the day was already a luxury.

Upon summoning the Book of Boundless Merit, Gao Wu first checked the basic stats. His spirit had reached 40 points, which was within expectations.

Looking at the Vermilion Bird Divine Light Mantra again, the Yin spirit at the entry level is indeed marked as a Yang spirit.

There's even a note after Yang Shen: Natal Sword: Heavenly Mandate (Level 10).

It also possesses the characteristic of an indestructible Yang spirit.

The Yang Spirit is not much different from the original body now, and it can freely transform between energy and matter states, making it far more powerful than the original body in terms of transformation.

With the Yang God activating the Five Divine Incantations and the Heavenly Fate Sword, its combat power is much stronger than its original form.

In the real world, the distance the Yang God can roam increases tenfold. Especially with the increase in speed, coupled with his natal sword, enemies locked onto by him have almost no chance of escape.

At this point, Yang Shen can be seen as his clone.

The upgrade of the Vermilion Bird Divine Light Mantra also greatly increased the power of the Blazing Fire Divine Light. Gao Wu estimated that the temperature of the Blazing Fire Divine Light should be able to reach 30,000 degrees Celsius.

Combined with the sharpness of the Destiny Sword, no normal living being should be able to withstand a single strike.

Because the Taiyi Battle Body has condensed the Yang Spirit, achieving a perfect unity of Yin and Yang, it can operate its power more precisely, greatly enhancing its ability to survive.

For advanced martial artists, the foundation lies in their physical body, while spiritual power is the central hub of all power, representing the upper limit of a martial artist's potential.

The upgrade in his mental strength increased his source energy circulation efficiency by at least 50%. This means that the same change in source energy can release roughly 50% more power.

The powerful spiritual force also enhanced the martial arts divine power.

Once one's cultivation reaches the advanced level of martial arts, there's no need to find someone to test one's moves; one can accurately assess one's own condition simply by relying on one's powerful mental strength.

The initial formation of the Dharma Domain can be considered as advancing to the eighth level.

Now that he has cultivated the Yang God, his spiritual power has increased sevenfold, and he has reached the top level of level eight in all aspects.

To put it bluntly, whether it's spiritual power, source power, or swordsmanship, he is now much stronger than his teacher, Hai Wuji.

Of course, his understanding of space and swordsmanship is still inferior to his teacher's. He wouldn't lose in a real fight, but it would be difficult for him to keep his teacher in check.

The main problem is that he advanced too quickly, and his skills weren't solid enough in all aspects. Fortunately, these are minor issues.

Give him some time to process things, and these problems can be solved.

Gao Wu gave a brief summary: at this point, he was already at the strongest level eight. With the level ten Heavenly Fate Sword, he should be able to contend with level nine opponents, right?

He had no concept of level nine, but using the Ice Dragon as a benchmark, Yang Shen, wielding the Heavenly Fate Sword, could still kill the heavily wounded and sleeping dragon soul.

He couldn't withstand the dragon soul's final counterattack. But he could re-condense his Yang God using his Taiyi Battle Body!

Rounding up, he can now kill level 10 enemies?!
Gao Wu wasn't fixated on this; in the real world, he wasn't even level ten, so there was nothing to fear.

This tiny federation is nothing to him; he can do whatever he wants with it. Once he accumulates a hundred billion merits, he'll upgrade the Qilin Divine Heroic Mantra.

Forty points of innate talent are enough to resolve all flaws and deficiencies in cultivation. Advancing to level nine should be a piece of cake.

After all, no matter how strong Qin Liuhe is, his innate talent can't possibly exceed forty points...

Gao Wu got excited again at this thought, and he took out the dragon blood and gulped down a whole bucket of it.

Level 10 dragon blood is still very nourishing. Although its effect on strengthening the body is negligible, it can satisfy his huge demand for source energy.

He activated the Heavenly Dragon Divine Form, and all twelve acupoints in his body responded and coalesced...

When the rising sun shines on the surface of Luoyan Lake, it sparkles and glitters.

Gao Wu also stood up from the recliner. His eighty-four acupoints were connected as one, with the source power in his brow flowing in an orderly and precise manner.

The female attendant who knocked on the door saw Gao Wu standing by the window with his hands behind his back. His back was so tall and straight, and there was a faint light around him.

Like a deity descended to earth, he exuded a sacred and transcendent aura... making her want to kneel in worship...

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(End of this chapter)