Chapter 380: The Secret of the Dao Embryo (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

The room was filled with true qi surging like flowing water, growing faster and faster until it became an invisible, intangible radiance.

A single thought spans a hundred li!

Li Rui slowly opened his eyes.

Breakthrough!

At this moment, his mind was empty and clear, all distractions cast aside.

The feeling of controlling one's inner state was extraordinarily unique; Li Rui could not help but sink into it.

With no distractions in the heart, power becomes limitless.

A martial artist's strength is hindered by countless obstructions, unable to be fully unleashed; the cultivation of the heart in a primordial martial artist is to break these chains and achieve true single-minded focus.

Heart cultivation is complete.

It means he now stands on the same level as Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong—he has reached primordial mastery.

The next step, earth immortal, is within reach!

"Spirit refining."

These two characters rose in Li Rui's mind.

Above heart cultivation lies spirit refining.

Or perhaps, all of primordial cultivation is merely preparation for spirit refining.

A primordial martial artist unites life and spirit, drawing near the Dao.

When the soul reaches perfection, one can link one's true qi with heaven and earth, and every gesture unleashes supreme divine power.

Ordinary martial artists are crushed with a mere hand motion.

Below primordial lies mortal; above primordial lies immortal!

The distinction between mortal and immortal lies in these two words: spirit.

Unlike other martial artists who, upon completing spirit refining, immediately attempt to break into the upper three realms, he had trained He Qian Nian's Da Heng Lian, so naturally he wished to test the legendary Dao Tai realm.

"Dao Tai is the bridge between heaven and man. Contain the cosmos within a tiny space, nurture creation within the purple palace. When the embryo forms, breath becomes clouds, a wave of the hand raises mountains—but one misstep leads to eternal ruin."

He looked inward, and the Immortal Court within his dantian seemed to have gained a touch of vitality.

Li Rui stared intently at the Immortal Court for a long time.

Finally, he understood the source of the new vitality.

It was a peach blossom beside the coiled dragon pillar of the Immortal Court.

Amidst the misty white expanse of the Immortal Court, a vivid pink had appeared.

Seeing that peach blossom,

Li Rui could no longer suppress his excitement.

Embryo of Dao Tai!

Those who refine the spirit in primordial cultivation must use their own soul to resonate with heaven and earth, drawing upon cosmic energy.

This is why the upper three ranks are called terrestrial immortals.

The upper three ranks move in ways that stir the primordial energy of heaven and earth—how could ordinary martial artists stand against such cosmic power?

Of course, they are doomed to be crushed.

"It is said that in ancient times, spiritual energy was abundant, and all cultivators practiced the Dao of heaven and earth. In later ages, spiritual energy dwindled, so only those in the upper three ranks can now recreate the former divine might."

But He Qian Nian's Dao Tai realm goes even further beyond spirit refining.

It directly contains heaven and earth within a tiny space, carving out a miniature world within the dantian.

It is truly an act against heaven.

Over countless millennia, only a handful have ever achieved the Dao Tai realm.

Even He Qian Nian's understanding is merely speculation—whether it can be achieved depends on fate.

Li Rui gathered his mind.

He felt the true qi flowing through his fingertips—utterly wondrous.

This time, he did not tell Tie Kuang.

Not out of suspicion, but because he feared his good elder brother would break through again and shatter his Dao heart, losing the primordial mastery he was so close to securing.

"This mystery of Dao Tai—I've only just glimpsed it; it remains difficult to enter."

He Qian Nian spoke slowly.

"The last person to achieve Dao Tai was the founding emperor of the State of Xuan—truly a genius beyond compare."

Li Rui listened quietly beside him.

He Qian Nian was a third-rank Tong Xuan powerhouse—he surely knew far more than Li Rui.

"Come, let me see if your Da Heng Lian has improved lately."

Li Rui nodded.

He stood and assumed a fist stance, his movements flowing naturally, harmonious and effortless.

To anyone unfamiliar with the art, it would be impossible to tell he was practicing He Qian Nian's Da Heng Lian.

Compared to He Qian Nian's fist technique, his own had gained more balance and calmness.

Yet the spirit of challenging heaven itself was even stronger.

He Qian Nian's eyes brightened.

"Good lad—I never misjudged you."

He had taught Li Rui Da Heng Lian, but he never imagined Li Rui would gradually forge his own path.

Extraordinary!

Cultivation means becoming less and less like your master's teachings.

The more he watched, the more delighted he became.

Soon,

He Qian Nian frowned, staring intently at Li Rui for a long time.

When Li Rui finished his fist form,

He spoke: "You've broken through?"

Had he not been intimately familiar with Da Heng Lian, he never would have noticed Li Rui's power had surged dramatically.

Li Rui did not hide it:

"I've made a bit of progress lately."

"Just a bit?"

He Qian Nian raised an eyebrow: "You're still holding back in front of me—speak plainly."

Li Rui answered honestly: "I've broken through the Heart Cultivation barrier."

Upon hearing the words "Heart Cultivation barrier," He Qian Nian drew a sharp breath.

How little time had passed.

Already primordial mastery—and just one step away from entering the upper three ranks, the Spirit Refining barrier.

Remarkable.

"Jiang Lin said only he and Li Rui possess martial talent in Yunzhou—he wasn't joking at all!"

He Qian Nian took a long while to calm himself.

Then he burst into loud laughter.

"Good! Very good!"

With Li Rui breaking through Heart Cultivation, he drew one step closer to Dao Tai. The more extraordinary his talent, the greater his chance of achieving Dao Tai.

Extraordinary feats demand extraordinary people.

If one seeks the supreme realm, one cannot judge Li Rui by ordinary martial standards.

By "ordinary martial artist," He Qian Nian meant even third-rank cultivators.

Li Rui: "All thanks to your guidance, elder."

He Qian Nian waved his hand: "I myself have no such ambition—I could never have taught you such a formidable disciple. This is your own destiny."

Then he stopped laughing and warned Li Rui:

"Do not tell anyone about your breakthrough."

After saying this,

He realized he was worrying needlessly.

This unnamed disciple had extraordinary talent—but even greater skill at hiding it.

!

Li Rui had surely prepared thoroughly.

Today, he had deliberately revealed himself to me.

He Qian Nian felt even more pleased.

Li Rui sat back down on the stone bench and asked: "Elder He, has there been any word from the capital?"

He Qian Nian knew Li Rui meant the secret guard's intelligence.

A Ding Shan envoy had died—it demanded some explanation.

He Qian Nian: "In a few days, Jiang's boy will come south to Qinghe."

"Jiang's brother is coming to Qinghe?"

Li Rui's eyes lit up.

He Qianian nodded: "Jiang Lin is the true Southern Town Mountain Warden; I'm just lending a hand. Now that the Purple Gold Palace has appeared and an unknown exiled immortal has intervened, he ought to come and take charge."

"Do you expect me to sit back as a lazy boss while an old man like me runs all over?"

Li Rui fell silent.

He Qianian clearly regretted joining the Shadow Guard.

"It's called letting the capable shoulder more."

Li Rui chuckled.

He Qianian: "Don't flatter me—I don't fall for that. If I weren't afraid you'd die from some careless mistake, why would I go through all this trouble?"

At these words,

Li Rui's heart warmed.

He Qianian could have been a lazy boss, yet he cared so deeply about the Shadow Guard's affairs—clearly because he feared Li Rui would be harmed.

He was, in effect, a Dao Guardian.

This debt was no small thing.

Seeing Li Rui about to speak, He Qianian waved him off impatiently: "If you dare say anything sappy to me, you won't set foot in this door again. If you really want to thank me, cultivate a Dao Embryo Realm."

"Beat up every single internal skill master one by one."

Li Rui's mouth twitched.

That goal was truly ambitious.

In the courtyard of the Deputy Commander's residence.

Li Rui, Tie Kuang, and Liu Tiezhu stood around the anvil, discussing back and forth.

More precisely, they were discussing the Immortal Blade Zhanjiao atop the anvil.

Tie Kuang murmured in wonder:

"I never expected you'd have nurtured a third-rank spirit into this blade so quickly."

There, on the Immortal Blade Zhanjiao,

a tiny dragon was soaring.

Upon closer inspection, one could see a figure seated atop the dragon—but the figure was so blurred, not even his face, gender, or age could be discerned.

Such a peculiar spirit was something Tie Kuang had never seen before.

Just moments ago,

Zhanjiao had suddenly undergone a transformation and birthed a spirit.

That was why Li Rui had come to find Tie Kuang.

After studying it for a long while, Tie Kuang concluded: "This Immortal Blade has been fully nurtured by you. Judging by its appearance, it's not even a low-grade Immortal Blade—it's at least mid-to-high grade."

"What great fortune."

Tie Kuang's tone carried a hint of pride.

This blade was his own forging; the stronger Zhanjiao became, the happier he was.

Now, Zhanjiao ranked among the upper tier of third-rank Immortal Blades, with even a sliver of potential to become a second-rank Immortal Weapon.

It was his lifelong masterpiece.

Without a doubt, he'd never forge such a weapon again in this lifetime.

Even if he still had the vigor and spirit, the world would never produce another Li Rui.

Zhanjiao's power came mostly from Li Rui's efforts.

Li Rui was overjoyed.

With this Immortal Blade, his combat power would surge again.

Even Tie Kuang couldn't help but envy him: "You kid—could you really be the legendary Fate-Selected One? Why do all the good things always end up with you?"

Though he said so, Tie Kuang understood: this was what the martial world called fortune.

Anyone who reached the pinnacle, if you examined their life closely, had always encountered benefactors and had treasures chase after them.

It was simply meant to be that he would be invincible under heaven.

Tie Kuang sighed, already foreseeing the rise of a future top-ranked warrior on the Heavenly Martial Rankings.

Just as he was about to speak,

a young servant called out from outside the courtyard:

"Master, there's a man outside who says he's an old friend and wishes to see you."

Li Rui heard this.

He was surprised.

"An old friend?"

He sheathed Zhanjiao and strode toward the courtyard gate.

When he reached the vermilion-painted main gate of the Deputy Commander's residence, he saw a man in white robes, ethereal as a celestial, smiling before him.

The man, seeing Li Rui appear, smiled effortlessly:

"Brother Li, long time no see."

(End of Chapter)