Chapter 82: Breaking Through the Ninth Layer

Boom!

Xu Xuan felt a deafening roar in his mind, his entire body struck as if by lightning. That outward surge of spiritual intimidation suddenly broke through a barrier.

A humming sound—

In the void, the faint echo of a dragon’s roar resonated, chilling to the bone. An aura of terrifying dread emanated from Xu Xuan, causing all living things to cower and tremble.

His whole form seemed to shift between dragon and serpent, as though he had become a primordial celestial dragon, gazing down upon the earth from the heavens above.

Almost simultaneously—

“What was that sound?”

Across from him, in a nearby tent, Yue Feng—who was in the midst of cultivation—let out a muffled groan, opened his eyes, and looked deeply unsettled.

A low, dragon-like rumble seemed to reverberate indistinctly through the air, vague yet enough to set the soul quivering in unease. It was like the sense of insignificance and inferiority that lowly beings feel before a higher lifeform…

“You heard it too? It didn’t feel real to me—I thought it was just an illusion.”

Senior Brother Jia was startled awake as well.

“A sound?” Yang Xiaoqian’s face had gone pale, and she spoke with lingering fear: “I couldn’t hear it clearly, but I felt a profound sense of discomfort, as if trapped in a nightmare, pinned down, unable to move or breathe.”

Where had that sound come from?

The three exchanged glances, then turned their eyes toward Xu Xuan.

Just then, Xu Xuan still exhibited that shifting, serpent-dragon posture, though there was no visible sign or aura about him.

After breaking through that barrier, Xu Xuan gained a heightened awareness. In that instant, all living things around him fell silent; he could sense countless creatures in the forests bowing and trembling, as if in worship.

He instinctively withdrew the power of the ninth transformation, the “Dread” formula.

“It can’t be him. No mere human could possess such power,” Senior Brother Jia shook his head.

But Yue Feng’s gaze flickered. In his mind, he recalled the day in the cavern, facing the desperate assault of hundreds of bats—he had sensed a similar presence then.

Though Xu Xuan quickly suppressed his aura, he likely still underestimated the might of the ninth transformation’s “Dread” formula.

When he reached the ninth transformation, countless creatures across the wilderness were shaken and terrified.

In the course of evolution, humanity’s primal instincts had dulled, but those species surviving in harsh environments retained a keener sensitivity.

Hiss—

From a cave deep in the woods, a massive serpent—seven or eight meters long, its body gleaming with golden markings—suddenly slithered out. Its emerald eyes flashed with feral light as it opened its bloody maw, flicking its tongue and exuding a pungent, bloody scent. Behind it, hundreds of snakes, large and small, slowly recovered from their prior cowering, the influence of the “Dread” formula fading.

A few miles away from the forest, in a simple wooden hut, three disciples of the Sword Sect sat in meditation.

“What was that sound? It unsettled my spirit,” said one, a graceful maiden with eyes like autumn rain, suddenly opening her gaze toward the direction of the forest.

“Sister Yu Mo, what’s wrong?” asked the handsome, fair-skinned youth beside her, momentarily startled.

“Did none of you sense anything unusual?” Yu Mo took a deep breath, her breath calming after a moment.

“Yes, my heart started pounding for no reason—I felt some pressure.”

“My eyebrow was twitching like mad just now,” added the other male disciple.

“We should go take a look. In these woods, opportunity and danger go hand in hand. Wherever there are treasures of heaven and earth, there are sure to be demonized creatures lurking nearby…” Yu Mo gazed curiously toward the forest.

…

Beside the deep woods, Xu Xuan let out a slow breath, his body relaxing, returning to a normal stance.

Suddenly, he turned and saw Yu Qin perched atop a tree. Her face was drawn and pale, clearly in distress.

“Yu Qin, what’s wrong?” Xu Xuan was startled, leaping up to the treetop to find her breathing rapid, her vital energy in disarray, her spirit unsettled.

“That sound… it was unbearable…” Yu Qin’s face was ashen as she stared at Xu Xuan, a hint of fear and unease in her complicated expression.

Xu Xuan immediately understood; this must be connected to his own actions. Yu Qin had never been afraid of him before.

“What just happened?” Seeing her so shaken, Xu Xuan quickly grasped her hand and activated the “Calm” formula, sending a cool, soothing energy gently into her.

After a moment, Yu Qin finally returned to normal. Her hand in his was restless, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head shyly. “I was meditating just now, and it felt as if you were turning into a serpent, then a dragon soaring through the sky, drifting farther and farther away. I was scared…”

Sensing her abnormal state, Xu Xuan released her hand and fell into deep thought.

Transformed into a serpent, then a dragon, soaring in the sky? Yu Qin had been meditating—these must have been hallucinations.

But with her superior spiritual root, her affinity for the world’s energy far exceeded others, so something about this was indeed unusual.

“Those were just illusions. Focus on your cultivation,” Xu Xuan comforted her with a smile.

Yu Qin calmed herself, and the fluctuations of her magical power showed subtle changes.

Xu Xuan noticed that her cultivation had reached the peak of the second stage of Qi Refinement, even half a step into the third stage—all within just three days!

Sure enough, by the next day, Yu Qin’s magic power advanced another level. A pure and gentle spiritual pressure radiated from her, her slender form surrounded by a shimmering violet glow that sparkled in the sunlight like stars and moon.

“So beautiful, so radiant—perhaps this is what makes the path of immortality so alluring.” Xu Xuan sighed softly.

He thought of how he had completed the Nine Transformations of Dragon and Serpent, stepped into the ninth level of body refinement, and was now facing the final threshold of cultivation.

With the insights of his previous life as a foundation, he could easily master immortal techniques, even embark on the path of martial cultivation.

Yet, for reasons unknown, a familiar voice echoed in his mind again and again: “Never give up on the tenth level of body refinement.”

That voice lingered, dreamlike and unceasing, as if piercing through the cycles of reincarnation, a call of fate itself.

And yet, now that the “Nine Transformations of Dragon and Serpent” had been fully mastered, did that elusive tenth level of body refinement truly exist?

“There are countless paths in this world. In theory, every path can reach the summit and go on endlessly… but that is only theory,” a familiar voice resounded in his mind.

“You… you’re finally awake.”

Xu Xuan was overjoyed.

“Congratulations. You have reached the ninth level of body refinement. All the roads of cultivation in this world now stand open before you.” The voice of his former self’s remnant soul was filled with a sense of nostalgia and longing.

“The ninth level of body refinement… Where will my life lead from here?” Xu Xuan clenched his fists, his eyes shining with boundless hope and anticipation.

The ninth level of body refinement was a rare foundation for cultivation—no matter which path he took, his roots would be stronger than anyone else’s.

“We shall meet… in dreams.”

The voice of his former self’s remnant soul abruptly faded.

Meet in dreams?

Xu Xuan took a deep breath and nodded.

He leaped up to a tree branch, gazing at Yu Qin—now advanced to the third stage of Qi Refinement—her face aglow with pure joy. He smiled and congratulated her: “Yu Qin, congratulations on reaching the third stage of Qi Refinement. Make sure to consolidate your progress.”

“Yes.” Yu Qin nodded, her eyes resolute.

“By the way, there’s something I want to discuss with you. Tonight, I intend to have a good sleep… Could you safeguard me while I rest?”

Though Xu Xuan felt a bit shameless asking—since he was supposed to be her protector in this secret realm—he pressed on.

“Rest well, Senior Brother. I will protect you,” Yu Qin replied with a start, then broke into a radiant smile.

That night, Xu Xuan lay on the tree, drifting to sleep, while Yu Qin sat by his side, cultivating and consolidating her power, setting prohibitions around them.

Breathing in the pure, tranquil fragrance of the young woman beside him, Xu Xuan gradually slipped into dreams…

Once more, his consciousness entered that desolate, dim starry world.

The bright region belonging to Yang Fan had expanded to a radius of fifty miles, with many more grains of stardust, even two new stars.

Suddenly gaining two stars filled Xu Xuan with delight.

“You’re here. But there’s no need to rush to absorb these important fragments of memory,” the figure of his former self’s remnant soul appeared, clearer and brighter than before.

“Yes, I must first clarify the path of cultivation I wish to pursue. Otherwise, no matter how many memories I have, it’s all meaningless,” Xu Xuan replied, meeting the remnant soul’s gaze.

“I am but a wisp of your former self’s will, sealed within this sea of memories. As for which path you truly take, I cannot interfere. Only the call deep within your heart can decide.”

For the first time, the remnant soul’s tone was solemn, watching Xu Xuan intently.

“The call deep within… that is, the path of cultivation I truly desire in my heart.”

Xu Xuan understood at once.

“The sea of memories from your past life is vast and boundless, encompassing almost all the knowledge of the cultivation world. The true choice is yours alone.”

The remnant soul fell silent, simply gazing at Xu Xuan.

Perhaps he knew the answer, but he understood his master’s obsession and would not force it in the slightest.

“What I truly yearn for…” Xu Xuan’s eyes showed a trace of confusion. “Perhaps it is the way of immortality.”

The way of immortality!

The remnant soul’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly, his expression grave as he asked without betraying emotion, “Why?”