Zhi Xuan exhaled a breath of spiritual essence, feeling a sense of profound satisfaction as he successfully suppressed the sudden, piercing enlightenment of the Extreme Ice. The presence of the Kun Peng, even in its dormant fetal state, was an extraordinary resource fraught with peril, akin to facing the Ancient Devil Monument itself. He would not press his luck further; the fragment of Extreme Ice comprehension he had secured was a sufficient seed, one he intended to nurture within the frozen wastes of the Northern Ice Plains.

  He then shifted his focus toward the Fire Law Pillar. Compared to the bone-chilling clarity of the Extreme Ice, Zhi Xuan's current grasp of the Fire Law felt coarse and untamed. He already possessed the Soul Fire, the Azure Holy Flame, which stood as an unmatched source of spiritual conflagration. However, he found himself unable to integrate this Soul Fire with the ordinary Fire Laws etched upon his Dao Pillar.

  "Heavenly Fire," Zhi Xuan murmured. "Soul Fire is a flame of purification, a spiritual heat that targets the essence of the soul. It is not the elemental fire of destruction."

  He reached out to touch his spiritual Fire Law Pillar. The laws within felt scorched and aggressive, yet they were limited, tethered to the common cycles of combustion and energy. This was the Fire Law mastered by ordinary Consciousness Transformation cultivators. To transcend this level, he required a source of fire far more primordial, something of equal standing to the Kun Peng's Extreme Ice.

  Furthermore, the Fire mastered by a practitioner of the Five Elements was not the same as that wielded by those in the Consciousness Transformation realm. It was a Fire born from an intimate resonance with the World itself, rather than a superficial understanding of laws. Having established the Lightning Law as the bedrock of his Five Elements foundation, Zhi Xuan possessed the fortitude to weather the coming Laws of Fire and Water.

  He recalled the Magma Pool that housed the Fire Heart Fruit, and how it had interacted with the Summer Law to quell the raging heat. At that time, he had not engaged with it directly, relying instead on the Divine Cauldron while remaining physically distant.

  "The Laws of Fire and Water," Zhi Xuan whispered. With a wave of his hand, the Fire and Water Law Pillars immediately converged with the Heavenly Samsara Wheel, awaiting the enlightenment that would eventually fill them. "To comprehend the Law is not to observe it from afar. One must submerge oneself into the magma pool, or freeze beneath the weight of the eternal snows."

  This realization pierced his Primary Soul. The Dao of the Five Elements could not be constructed from abstractions or filtered essences; it had to be tempered through direct confrontation with the purest elemental essences. If he had obtained the Extreme Ice from the Kun Peng, then he required a source of Fire just as ancient, not merely a Soul Fire focused on refinement.

  Zhi Xuan stroked his spiritual chin, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at the restlessly pulsing Fire Law Pillar within his Sea of Consciousness. A primordial fire source equivalent to the Kun Peng—save for the Kun Peng itself, which commanded the laws of Wind and Water—was not easily found. Such a fire had to be elemental, destructive, and pure, devoid of spiritual or soul-based tethers.

  "The Earth Core Fire," hissed Ruo Xianxue, who sat elegantly beneath the Devil Tree of Life. Her spiritual body had stabilized, and she opened her dual pupils, gazing at Zhi Xuan with the chilling composure of a mentor. "You know where to seek it. If you crave destruction that rivals the void, it exists only beneath the Great Volcanoes, and you must remain there for many years."

  "As for the Extreme Ice, it is not something you can master in a day or even a week," Ruo Xianxue continued, her nine tails fluttering behind her. "Since you have resolved not to use ordinary Laws of Fire and Water, but rather Extreme Ice and Primordial Fire, you are not the only one among geniuses to attempt such a feat. Thus, the choice between a fragile foundation and one that defies the Heavens lies solely in your hands."

  Zhi Xuan ignored Ruo Xianxue's taunts. He had chosen his own path, and he would bear the weight of that choice. He could not rely entirely on the Ancient Heaven Memory Legacy. Though that knowledge was vast, it was filtered wisdom, not forged experience. Ruo Xianxue was correct; the Five Elements Dao he pursued—founded upon Extreme Ice and Primordial Fire—was no ordinary path of cultivation.

  "You mean to say I am not the only one with the audacity to forge the Five Elements realm in such a manner?" Zhi Xuan muttered. He had assumed that he alone dared to temper his laws this way, given the lack of true geniuses he had encountered. "Who else can withstand both Extreme Ice and Primordial Fire besides myself?"

  Ruo Xianxue let out a soft, mocking snort, her spiritual laughter dripping with disdain. "You have lingered too long in the small pond of the Zhao Kingdom, Devil. The Ancient Zhu Clan and the Ancient Hua Clan have possessed Pure Five Element foundations since the Era of the Great Emperor's Fall. That Saintess Zhu you encountered did not reach the Soul Transformation realm through a common foundation. She forged her Five Elements Dao with the very essence of Heaven and Earth, not merely mortal energy."

  "She may not be as arrogant as you to seek the Primordial Fire, but she utilized the rarest Five Element Essence Stones," Ruo Xianxue continued, her Sun and Moon dual pupils emitting a cold, illuminating light. "Every Great Genius who wishes to stand at the pinnacle of the Five Elements realm must fortify their Dao with the true Laws of Nature. In the Northern Continent, there are geniuses tempered by blizzards and lava, geniuses who dare to face the very elements you seek."

  Zhi Xuan narrowed his eyes, absorbing the information. He was not surprised, but he felt challenged. It was as if other geniuses on the horizon had chosen the same path, rendering his Dao foundation no longer unique, but rather the dividing line between a common talent and a True Genius.

  A thin, arrogant smirk played across Zhi Xuan's lips. "However," he murmured, looking at his own reflection in the Sea of Consciousness. "I shall still be the strongest if we stand within the same realm."

  Despite acknowledging the existence of others pursuing extreme Five Elements, Zhi Xuan's self-confidence remained unshakable. He did not merely possess a sturdy foundation; he held the Heavenly-Devil Blood and the Pure Lightning Law he had tempered himself—two blessings no other genius possessed.

  Zhi Xuan's brow furrowed as he suddenly heard the whines and cries of Ao Sheng from outside his physical body. He immediately closed his eyes within the Sea of Consciousness and opened them in the material world. His face turned pale, and he let out a heavy sigh as he saw Ruo Xianxue standing before Ao Sheng. Her nine tails radiated a threatening aura, while Ao Sheng cowered in a corner of the room.

  "Senior... This woman... She suddenly appeared," Ao Sheng whispered in terror, his eyes widening as he beheld Ruo Xianxue's Sun and Moon dual pupils. "She... Help me, Senior!"

  Before Ao Sheng, Ruo Xianxue stood tall. She was no longer confined to the Sea of Consciousness but had manifested her Incarnation Spiritual Body in the real world. Her form was transparent yet shaped like a breathtakingly beautiful woman with silvery hair, shrouded in a soft, dark radiance. Her dual pupils exerted a cold, oppressive authority. Her nine tails, covered in Darkness Runes, drifted behind her, nearly brushing against Ao Sheng's pallid face.

  "This woman?" Ruo Xianxue hissed. Her voice in the real world was melodic yet filled with sharp mockery. She turned her celestial gaze toward Zhi Xuan, her expression clouded with displeasure. "I expected this vessel to have more dignified allies, not a lowly dragon who whimpers like a lost pup simply at the sight of a Spiritual Body."

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Ao Sheng shuddered, feeling humiliated by her description. He was a newly born Azure King, yet the pressure emitted by this Nine-Tailed Darkness Fox was beyond anything he had ever faced, including the Heavenly Calamity. His dragon instincts screamed at him to prostrate before this primordial entity.

  "I... I am only afraid of your tails," Ao Sheng muttered, emboldening himself to point at Ruo Xianxue's tails with a trembling hand. "Look, they take up nearly the entire room..."

  Zhi Xuan sighed, feeling a sharp spiritual headache. He rose from the jade bed and walked toward the two of them. He stood between them, acting as a steady spiritual buffer, though he knew he could not truly halt Ruo Xianxue's wrath if the Ancient Fox intended to strike.

  "Great Saint," Zhi Xuan said flatly, his face showing nothing but a weary reluctance to engage her. He pointed toward a spacious wooden chair. "Sit there if you wish to remain outside, but do not bully Ao Sheng. He, like Xiao Die, is not for you to oppress."

  Ruo Xianxue snorted, a cold laugh that was barely audible. She flicked her nine tails, and the spiritual pressure weighing down on Ao Sheng vanished instantly. She did not move to sit but instead drifted slowly across the room, her Spiritual Body leaving a trail of soft, dark light. Zhi Xuan could feel every inch of her form radiating the sublime Law of Ultimate Darkness.

  Exhaling softly, Zhi Xuan turned his attention back to Ao Sheng and looked at him calmly. "Do not be afraid. You surely recognized her the moment your Golden Dragon bloodline awakened. She is indeed difficult, but she is a powerful being."

  Zhi Xuan patted Ao Sheng's head gently, his hand feeling large and cold atop the youth's head. He waved his hand, and his spiritual essence, carrying a hint of the Pure Spring Law, enveloped Ao Sheng, helping to soothe the spiritual turbulence caused by Ruo Xianxue's oppressive aura.

  "She is Ruo Xianxue, an Ancient Saint Devil from the Ancient Devil Monument," Zhi Xuan explained, his tone returning to the clinical efficiency he used for maps or strategy. "Her spiritual body has only recently reached perfection, so she is testing its limits. Ignore her. Your focus is Metal, Golden Dragon."

  Ao Sheng, though still trembling, nodded quickly. A mixture of shame and awe washed over him. He realized just how complex the Senior Devil's world was; he was not merely dealing with the Shi Clan or Ancient Beasts, but with primordial entities emerging from within the Senior's own Sea of Consciousness. He steadied his heart, returning to his Metal Beast Core and forcing himself to ignore the majestic spiritual figure drifting through the room.

  Zhi Xuan watched Ruo Xianxue, who now stood by the jade bed, her cold gaze fixed on the cowering Ao Sheng. He knew her appearance in the real world was not just to test her form, but to assert her dominance and explore the extent of her physical influence.

  "You have heard of it as well, the Competition of the Three Plains," Zhi Xuan began, turning fully to face her. "I believe the invitation sent by the Hongmeng Empire is far too contrived. If they truly wished to invite me, they could have found me with ease."

  Ruo Xianxue shifted her celestial gaze from Ao Sheng to Zhi Xuan, her eyes full of calculation. The soft darkness surrounding her pulsed slightly as she processed the words.

  "A contrived invitation, indeed," Ruo Xianxue replied, her voice melodic yet laced with condescension. "Do you think all great entities are as foolish as those you have met? The Hongmeng Empire did not send that invitation to trap you, Devil. They sent it because they wish to bring you in without a struggle. And if they can help it, they will not risk disturbing a youth with a Five Elements realm who carries an Immortal Artifact."

  "Are you suggesting that the Hongmeng Empire—a power that rules the Xing Luo Plains—cannot locate a Five Elements cultivator like myself?" Zhi Xuan sneered, his tone thick with arrogant disbelief. He stepped closer to Ruo Xianxue, unintimidated by the ancient majesty of the Saint Devil.

  Ruo Xianxue met his gaze, the Sun and Moon in her dual pupils emitting a piercing light. She smiled faintly, a smile that carried the wisdom of millions of years of cultivation.

  "You overestimate yourself, Devil," Ruo Xianxue hissed quietly. "And you underestimate what you carry. The Hongmeng Empire possesses master formationists and spies scattered across every vein of the earth. They undoubtedly know where you are. If they truly wished, they could appear before you this very second and take you."

  Zhi Xuan knit his brows, a calm anger beginning to smolder in his eyes. Ruo Xianxue touched the side of his spiritual Heavenly Sword with her fingertip, and the dark blade hummed lowly, as if welcoming the touch of the Ancient Saint Devil.

  "Then why an invitation?" Zhi Xuan countered, his voice turning cold. "Why not use their military might directly? I am not someone they can negotiate with."

  Ruo Xianxue laughed softly, a sound that was beautiful yet calculating. "Because you are a youth who carries too many complications. You have ties to the Ancient Zhu Clan—remember, Ancient Clans hold power that can rival an Empire. You are the Black-Haired Devil, the third Star King of the Thousand Heavens Sect, the one who ransacked the Black Dragon Tomb of the Shi Clan, the wielder of the Heavenly Sword and a mysterious Divine Cauldron."

  Ruo Xianxue drifted toward Zhi Xuan, circling him. "You also possess the Heavenly-Devil Blood and the ability to summon Heavenly Calamities to forge artifacts. The Hongmeng Empire knows that if they act rashly, they will face backlash from across the Plains, especially from factions that secretly oppose their dominance. Kidnapping you or using military force would ignite a fire that is difficult to extinguish. You are far more valuable as a 'gift' than as a 'prisoner'."

  She turned her gaze toward the thick stone window and drifted back toward it. "The invitation is a superficial honor, yet an elegant snare. They want you to come willingly to their grand competition. If you win, you become their greatest asset, and they will have a legitimate reason to claim your loyalty. If you lose or refuse, your reputation will dim, and they will have the justification to deal with you as a common troublemaking Devil. They are letting you choose your own chains."

  Zhi Xuan narrowed his eyes. Ruo Xianxue's analysis was sharp and cold, stripping away his arrogance with the logic of ancient politics. He had spent too long in the world of direct combat and lower realms, forgetting that at the level of Ancient Clans and Empires, military force was the final card to be played.

  "An elegant snare," Zhi Xuan muttered. He touched his chin, channeling essence into the Snow Phoenix Jade that bound his hair—a gift that had become his most recognizable mark. "They are delaying the punishment, giving me ten years to reach a worthy realm. That is incredible confidence from the Hongmeng Empire."

  "It is not confidence, Devil," Ruo Xianxue corrected sharply. "It is certainty. They know that even with ten years, the Dao Foundation you are building now requires far longer to stabilize. Especially if you persist in constructing a Five Elements Dao with Extreme Ice and Primordial Fire. That foundation will tear your Primary Soul apart, leaving you vulnerable, while their geniuses have spent the same time with foundations that are already rock-solid."

  Zhi Xuan smirked coldly. The threat of those ten years, rather than filling him with dread, sparked a rebellious fire within his Heavenly-Devil Bloodline. He did not care for the time other geniuses had spent; his Dao was forged in a way that transcended mortal cultivation logic.

  "Then ten years it shall be," Zhi Xuan declared coldly, tilting his face to look out the stone window alongside Ruo Xianxue. "The Laws of Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. I shall master them all and become the strongest within the Five Elements realm."

  Ruo Xianxue did not reply, but her cold celestial gaze suggested she remained unconvinced. She drifted back to the jade bed, absorbing the faint cold aura emanating from Zhi Xuan's body—the remnants of the Extreme Ice comprehension. A grand silence returned to the room, accompanied only by the soft hum of the spiritual isolation formation.

  Zhi Xuan exhaled a spiritual breath, feeling the calm brought by his decision. He realized that every step he took, from stealing artifacts to challenging Ancient Clans, had placed him at the center of the grand chessboard of the Xing Luo Plains.

  He could no longer act without purpose; every action had to contribute to the tempering of his Dao. He sat cross-legged once more upon the jade bed, turning his gaze inward. He ignored Ruo Xianxue, who had returned to being a silent spirit, and focused on his cultivation. In the corner of the room, Ao Sheng was already fully submerged in his task.

  Despite the disruption caused by Ruo Xianxue, Ao Sheng's Golden Dragon core was filled with stubborn perseverance. He was now facing the resistance of the Metal Beast Core. The Ancient Iron-Horned Rhino Core radiated a Metal Law that was harsh, sharp, and inflexible. Every attempt Ao Sheng made to purify it felt like striking steel with silk.

  Within Ao Sheng's Sea of Consciousness, his Golden Core was surrounded by a vortex of Water, Fire, and Illusion Laws. The Metal Law from the Beast Core sought to dominate, threatening to cut and shatter the very foundation of his Water Law.