Chapter 391: Black Iron Overawes the Mighty

On Refining Xiong Baofeng, thunder roared, and violet-purple lightning tore through the firmament, casting the figure standing before the ancient temple in an exceptionally imposing light.

"Three Tian Shi!"

Zhang Fan looked toward Mao Xiaoyun with a solemn expression.

This realm was like heaven and earth, as if it contained the cosmos, encompassing all things, ever-changing; every time one witnessed it, one would have a different realization.

At this very moment, as Mao Xiaoyun walked toward the mirror-smooth stone, the thunder in the sky seemed to be his mood—rising at a single thought, perishing at a single command.

This realm was beyond imagination, beyond the bounds of common reason.

Even though Zhang Fan was currently at the Ninth Realm of the Great Being, even if he were to advance further and cultivate to the rank of Zhai Shou, or even attain the rank of Temple Master, compared to a Three Tian Shi, it would still be the difference between clouds and mud, between heaven and man.

"On Refining Xiong Baofeng, the Refining Treasure Platform; heavenly thunder and earthly fire refine treasures!"

An Wuyang's expression tightened as he stared fixedly at the mirror-smooth stone platform.

When he was at Mount Zhongnan, he had long heard that Mount Mao had a stone platform called the Refining Treasure Platform. Legend had it that Mount Mao's Pure Yang Dharma Treasure, the 【Heavenly Talisman Precious Record】, was refined on this very platform.

Because of this, the stone platform had been imbued with the creation of a Pure Yang Dharma Treasure, becoming spiritually aware and undergoing a transformation.

Over the long passage of time, countless Dharma treasures had been refined on this platform; tempered a thousand times, struck ten thousand times, it remained as immovable as ever.

"This is the legendary Refining Treasure Platform!?" Xiao Changfeng's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but take a few extra looks.

It was said that this platform possessed the power of indestructibility; heavenly thunder could not destroy it, earthly fire could not consume it.

Rumble...

At that moment, a bolt of heavenly thunder descended, striking the 【Refining Treasure Platform】, and the terrifying aura startled everyone present.

This was not thunder summoned by Daoist spells, but natural thunder triggered by the resonance between the human body's "small universe" and the "great universe" of the outside world.

The power of the two was as different as heaven and earth.

Back in the Ten Thousand Mountains, the power summoned by Li Changge's third divine ability, 【Thunder Origin Dharma Assembly】, was similar to this natural thunder, which was why he had been able to break Zhang Fan's Samadhi True Fire.

Aside from divine abilities, the only way to trigger the power of natural phenomena with one's own body was through the methods of a Three Tian Shi.

Rumble...

Violet-purple lightning struck the 【Refining Treasure Platform】 repeatedly, yet the mirror-smooth stone remained unmoved, becoming increasingly brilliant instead.

At the same time, a crimson radiance surged from beneath the ground like a spraying tide, erupting from the earth as rolling, scorching flames that enveloped the platform.

"Heavenly thunder hooks into earthly fire!"

Violet-purple thunder and crimson earthly fire collided, thunderous energy permeating the air and sparks of fire splashing everywhere.

Such terrifying natural phenomena caused everyone to pause, not daring to step even half a step closer.

Yet, Mao Xiaoyun stood before the 【Refining Treasure Platform】, unmoving. The aura around him lingered like a faint presence, actually pushing aside the power of the heavenly thunder and earthly fire.

"The Three Tian Shi realm is truly a realm beyond humanity," Fang Changle said hoarsely.

To ordinary people, they were already existences beyond humanity.

But to them, the Three Tian Shi realm was the true "beyond humanity"—the realm of heaven and man.

Heavenly thunder and earthly fire—even a Great Being would have their physical body suffer a calamity and be incinerated upon approaching, unless they had cultivated 【Vacuum Refining Form】 or a miraculous technique like 【Five Elements Wrong King】 that specialized in the physical body.

Whoosh...

At that moment, Mao Xiaoyun's chest heaved, and he exhaled a breath. That breath was like a mountain wind, like a marsh tide, drifting and scattering, mysterious and profound, as if it were a mountain of spiritual light, merging into the heavenly thunder and earthly fire.

The next moment, an even more miraculous scene appeared. Under the union of that breath, the heavenly thunder and earthly fire seemed to merge into one, becoming bright, boundless, and vast.

"Essence of the Innate!?"

Everyone's eyes widened, revealing a fervent glow.

Cultivation in the human world is the return from the acquired to the innate, refining away all impurities to achieve Pure Yang.

Once one steps into the Three Tian Shi realm, one reverses the acquired and re-enters the miraculous realm of the innate; a single breath of essence exhaled is the spiritual brilliance of the innate.

"Wonderful!" Zhang Fan watched, mesmerized.

With the point of the Innate Essence, merging with the heavenly thunder and earthly fire, everything before them became a blur of chaos. On the refining platform, the light became as clear as glaze, and even the 【Hidden Sword Seal】 placed upon it, along with the two remnant seals and other Dharma treasure fragments, became blurred.

Heavenly thunder, earthly fire, Innate Essence.

Heaven, Earth, Man—the three talents were complete, the phenomena unified, and the spiritual treasure was formed.

Rumble...

At this moment, Mao Xiaoyun's figure seemed to vanish, merging into that bright glaze, becoming one with the heavenly thunder and earthly fire.

He became an indispensable part of this system; he was no longer man, no longer heaven, no longer earth. Harmony was achieved, and there was not even a trace of thought.

Only within that bright glaze were the Dharma treasures being refined.

Rumble...

At this moment, everyone heard a "rumbling" sound in their ears—like heavenly thunder, like earthly fire, and like a mysterious breath, all mixed together, sounding like heavy hammer blows. Every sound contained nature and revealed mystery.

"Master Mao seems to have disappeared," Zhang Fan whispered.

He could no longer feel Mao Xiaoyun's presence; he had merged into that bright glaze, leaving only the phenomenon of refining the treasure—the wind blowing, the thunder roaring, the fire burning...

This was the phenomenon.

This was instinct.

This was also nature, without perception, without the participation of any "existence or non-existence," and without the birth or death of any thought.

"This is too interesting."

Zhang Fan's eyes were glazed with obsession. With his primordial spirit observing, he saw the boundaries of the 【Hidden Sword Seal】 become blurred, and cracks appeared on the Dharma treasure fragments beside it. The incense spiritual power within them seeped through the blurred boundaries into the 【Hidden Sword Seal】, merging perfectly, indistinguishable from one another.

Hum...

The Hidden Sword Seal shone with spiritual light and let out a faint moan.

Almost at the same moment, the 【Thunder City Imprisoning Demon Golden Seal】 and the 【Jingming Cave Yang Dharma Seal】 trembled violently.

Although these two were remnant seals, their origins were extraordinary. The remaining incense spiritual power suddenly boiled over like an unyielding will, emitting strange sounds—like the roar of a dragon, the howl of a tiger—constantly striking the Refining Treasure Platform, as if trying to break free.

"Dragon and Tiger!"

An Wuyang's gaze narrowed. He had known that these two remnant seals would not be easily subdued, which was why he had traveled thousands of miles to Mount Mao to seek the refining of his Dharma treasure.

"The Dharma seals of the Dragon and Long Long Hu Shan, even if they are only remnants, will not be easily refined," Fang Changle sighed.

He looked subconsciously at Zhang Fan, who remained expressionless, staring fixedly at the Refining Treasure Platform.

Rumble...

Suddenly, a strange ripple came from within the ancient temple, like ripples on autumn water, spreading layer by layer, covering the Refining Treasure Platform.

"Purple Heaven Imperial God Jade Seal!" Zhang Fan's brows twitched.

This supreme Dharma seal of the Dragon and Long Long Hu Shan finally exerted its power at this moment. The strange ripple instantly suppressed the struggle of the two remnant seals.

Dragon and Long Long Hu Shan, one hundred and eight Dharma seals—the great overcomes the small, the strong overcomes the weak.

Let alone these two remnant seals, even if they were in their prime, they could not contend with the 【Purple Heaven Imperial God Jade Seal】, which ranked eleventh.

Hum...

Within the bright glaze, the two remnant seals became increasingly blurred. Cracks slowly appeared, and the boiling incense spiritual power began to leak out, slowly flowing toward An Wuyang's Hidden Sword Seal.

"In the end, it must merge into dust," Zhang Fan sighed inwardly, feeling a sense of loss.

Dragon and Long Long Hu Shan, the ancestor of the Daoist gate, the sect of the profound gate—how glorious it had once shone. Yet now, the seals once worshipped in the temple had become materials for others to temper their Dharma treasures.

Such sorrow was beyond words.

Hum... Hum...

Suddenly, a strange ripple came from Zhang Fan's pocket, like a beating heart, growing more powerful.

"Huh!?"

Zhang Fan sensed something and looked down subconsciously.

Rumble...

At that moment, a golden stream of light leaped from his pocket, turning into a long rainbow that tore through the air and flew directly toward the Refining Treasure Platform.

Such a sudden scene took even Fang Changle by surprise.