In regards to Qi Cultivation, it's been sixty-one years since his last breakthrough. He couldn't help but recall his ease of progression to his current realm. Because of his outstanding foundation and available resources, he progressed to the late-Qi Unification Realm with little issue. As for progressing speed, due to his Herculean Physique, his essence refinement speed was thousands of times stronger than before.
Now, his physique had reached the second level with a regalia refined within. His talent couldn't be considered on the same level as before. As for resources? He obtained so many alchemic pills and elixirs from the Asura Phantom Realm and Grux that he had no worries on that front.
This didn't even include the number of essence crystals he had in his possession. With the deal for the Apex Essence Pill, he had several million in hand. He also had a lot of materials, but he wouldn't sell those without getting a proper estimate.
He didn't lack foundation. He didn't lack resources. He didn't lack talent.. This ascension should be a smooth one.
Taking his Origin Source, he couldn't help but marvel at it. Unlike before, it converted into its true form, a deep-white mist. It gave off a plain yet chaotic feeling as if it represented all things yet also nothing. Excavating it, he sent it into his dantian using his qi-essence.
Finding one's Origin Source and placing it into your dantian classifies you as a peak-Qi Unification Realm. After condensing all of one's qi-essence to formulate a Nascent Core, they could be considered at the half-step Origin Core Realm.
He wasn't going to use normal ascension methods, that typically took time, and he had so many resources that it'll be a waste not to use them.
He took out three items in various multiples:
Firstly, 5 Origin Consolidating Pills. With this, he could condense his qi-essence to help formulate his core and strengthen his Origin Source.
Secondly, 12 Primal Crystallization Elixir. This was a top-grade elixir for the Origin Core Realm. With it, the constructing and reinforcement of one's Origin Core and enhancement of your Origin Source would occur. It is suitable for initial-stage to late-stage. It was an item obtained in the Asura Phantom Realm.
Lastly, 100 Qi-Essence Replenishment Pill. With this, he can easily recover about 10-30% of his qi-essence in a brief period depending on the stage of the Origin Core Realm. These pills were exceptionally expensive. The greatest reason for defeats between near-equals in fights was energy deficiency. So, these pills were quite essential for anyone at the Origin Core Realm.
With these preparations, he readied himself. Closing his eyes and steadying his breathing, his mental state became calm and his dao radiated its vast aura, permeating the surroundings. He was getting into a peak condition for cultivation.
Three Months Later.
Yan Zaizen, dressed in nothing but comfortable leggings, exhaled a deep breath. This breath was exceptionally powerful, causing the training room to rumble chaotically. His body was glistening with sweat, his hair was wet, and his muscles trembled as if thirsty for essence.
When he opened his eyes, those brilliant amber-gold eyes had traces of sky-blue. As for his aura? Extraordinary! A pure white core the size of a fist that seemed like an orb of crystal calmly rotated. With each rotation, the qi-essence in his body would be absorbed, and a cycle of refinement took place.
Origin Core Realm!
Not only that. The size of his origin core was not the size of a nail or the size of a walnut! Late-Origin Core Realm! The qi-aura released had a plain feeling but it felt like it contained all things yet none of it. His law-based bloodline had properly merged with his qi-essence!
He also learned all of its secrets, and his mind was deeply shaken when he did. Lifting up his palm, he opened it flat. Within it, a ball of deep-white qi-essence emerged. His thoughts flashed. The ball of white transformed into a ball of purple. It radiated with the law of destruction!
Another thought passed. The ball turned silver and rippled with spatial fluctuations!
Another thought. The ball turned white once more but morphed into a long sword and radiated a fierce sharpness that could slice through the world! It felt like Bai Lufeng's bloodline!
A cyclone that caused all things to funnel towards it was produced next. Cyclone laws!
A blue flame that radiated all-consuming heat.
A cerulean water that shifted to many different shapes.
A small mountain that gave off the aura as if it contained a wave of pure force within.
He changed that ball of white into a myriad of different laws and attributes. Although it was mimicked, so the conceptual laws weren't pure and thus far weaker than the original, but the attributes were truly equal!
In theory, he could mimic all attributed qi-essence. Water, fire, space, life, blood, and more! Of course, attributes have very little true meaning without proper arts, but he could use any and all qi-arts!
Not only did he discover this, but he learned more about the sky-blue regalia that refined itself into his brain. It was the Shifting Spirit Orb of the Soul! It could process the spirit and soul, advancing it in any direction, be it phantoms or other spiritual forms. For Spirit Forms or True Spirits like Pinaka, this was the most beneficial!
This orb was the reason that the Asura Phantom's daughter had thoughts of returning alive once more. Shifting her phantasm soul form into an actual soul! It made sense that the Asura Phantom Lord had arts that surrounded converting the soul into phantoms. It was this very concept that attempted to convert Yan Zaizen's soul beforehand.
Furthermore, when it merged into his brain, it advanced his cognitive functions in a similar way as a Mental Cultivation Art! His processing ability, memory, and perception were heightened. It may not be as effective as an actual Mental Cultivation Art, but it didn't require any changes in personality, simply the powerful soulforce stimulated his brain constantly. Not to mention, it had the ability to grow with his physique.
As for Pinaka, his regalia emitted pure soulforce which she could absorb that was far more effective than Asura's Milk or his own soul energy. Her recovery was decreased by over ten times! She'll still need another year or so to fully recover, but she was nearly done.
The reason she was absorbing Yan Zaizen's soul energy was to convert it into soulforce. Now Yan Zaizen could produce pure soulforce with just his vital energy alone in the same way he could produce lifeforce. With that, her recovery was fiercely accelerated.
Taking another deep breath, he could feel his muscles, flesh, and blood feel excited and thirsty. With his quad-lungs, he siphoned an extreme amount of essence with each breath. This essence was quickly converted into lifeforce by his heart and sent through his blood to strengthen every cell in his body.
Clenching his fist, he had a confident smile filled with warmth and happiness. "I feel...in a few years, I could reach the True Essence Realm," if anyone else heard those words from a boy below a hundred-years-old, they'll think he was delusional. However, Yan Zaizen was absolutely confident!
He also had a True Sublimation Pill, other high-quality resources, and exceptional talent with his physique. With all this and his impeccable foundation, he'll be able to reach such a level soon!
He rose from his sitting position. The drips of sweat on his body contained a sweet, alluring smell and his muscles tensing and relaxing periodically as if breathing. He estimated his current physical attributes. Despite his vital energies only rivaling a peak-True Essence Realm in intensity, his physical body strength was far, far greater.
After siphoning all of the essence of the two-floor Hell Altar and revival materials for the Asura Phantom Palace Master, converting it into lifeforce energy and refining it into his cells, bones and blood, Yan Zaizen felt invincible within the Essence Path! He felt like he could truly step towards the heavens fearlessly!
"Your cultivation, both foundation and characteristics on all fronts, is too exceptional," Pinaka voiced. In truth, her words weren't an exaggeration. His cultivation base truly was too exceptional. He had a Perfect Aurora Soul, a body that was invincible within the Essence Path, a qi cultivation at the late-Origin Core with a mimic bloodline, peak upper-tier Mortal Dao, and a combined mixture of lifeforce and soulforce.
Normally, souls or spirit-based forms have an exceedingly difficult time recovering injuries, but with soulforce, he could recover any damage short of complete annihilation. This included with his physique's healing factor enables him to recover from pretty much any damage with sufficient energy and time.
Not to mention, comprehended three laws to manifestation-level, all of which were upper-tier world laws, comprehended five conceptual laws total, on the cusp of comprehending the World Law of Time and Soul. To anyone, any of these feats made them an outstanding person who could stand above many, yet this was contained on a single body.
Yan Zaizen had a confident smile, but it contained no arrogance. The Xiantu Realm was only a minor realm, a second-level heavenly-tier force. What about those major realms? Those ninth-level heavenly-tier forces? His talent in cultivation may be outstanding here, but to the myriad geniuses in all the realms, how could he be so impressive?
Despite knowing his thoughts, Pinaka shook her head. When she was under her master, the people at Yan Zaizen's age was just at his current qi-cultivation base. He was truly underestimating himself with this mindset. At least he wasn't overly arrogant and narrow-minded, but there was something called being too modest.
Well, at least it'll increase his desire to always improve, so she refused to say anything.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Yan Zaizen looked towards the door to sense the little girl that he had met when he first arrived. He waved his hand. The sweat was swept away, and his attire shifted to his sky-rank official Anima Lieutenant's uniform.
It was a tight fitting, martial outfit with a firm robe. It was sky-blue in color with a dark-silver trim and belt. The outfit accentuated his perfect muscular outline and masculine features. With his lively pair of amber-gold eyes that exuded confidence and intelligence, it truly gave him an extraordinarily handsome appearance.
Opening the door, Yan Zaizen looked at the small girl. "Wu Yuanxu has finished his recovery." Her voice was soft, yet clear, and filled with respect. Her eyes couldn't even match Yan Zaizen's, looking at her chest instead. It was obvious that despite her young looks, the seed of attraction was planted deeply into her heart.
"He has?!" However, how could Yan Zaizen care about her? With a step, he vanished. Wu Yuanxu was someone who helped him towards the path of soul cultivation. Without him, Han Genji wouldn't have been able to obtain those soul arts, and he wouldn't have a soul method. Not to mention, early on, Wu Yuanxu was very good to him. But because of him, he was killed by a sudden attack.
Now, he was revived! How could he care about anything else?