Chapter 470: He Ti

Spirit Realm.

Nine Fragrance Palace.

Layer upon layer of palaces stretched into profound depth; in the square stood nine massive incense burners in a row.

The burners glowed with a brass hue, their surfaces engraved with mountains, rivers, trees, flowers, birds, insects, fish, and the landscapes of the mortal world…

From within the burners, slender spirals of spiritual smoke curled upward, dissolving into faint mists that perpetually shrouded each palace.

These mists had been specially refined to aid cultivation, calm demonic disturbances, and awaken spiritual insight—precious artifacts coveted by every cultivator in the Spirit Realm.

In the Spirit Realm, the Nine Fragrance Palace was renowned, one of the three ancestral seats of humanity alongside the Eastern Dragon Imperial Court and the Spirit Moon Sect, guarded by a Great Ascension elder.

On this day.

Inside one of the palaces, a large geomantic instrument suddenly roared to life.

"Huh? Did the Grand Elder personally issue a decree to monitor the Qianyuan Lower Realm? Has a cultivator ascended?"

Several young Daoist acolytes rubbed their eyes and hurried forward to observe the changes in the Nine-Dragon Geomantic Instrument: "The Zhen position points east—it must be the Eastern Dragon Continent, still within our Nine Fragrance Palace's territory…"

"Pinpoint its location immediately, and report to all the He Ti elders without delay!"

An older acolyte issued orders, his hands forming seals as spiritual light flared into a thread of flame that ignited a green incense stick.

The incense smoke curled and revealed a Daoist with white hair and a youthful face: "Nine Dragon Earth Hall—what is your report?"

"Honorable Earth Fragrance Elder, a cultivator has ascended from the Qianyuan Lower Realm—the Geomantic Instrument has detected his energy signature… within the territory of the Seven Yuan Pavilion on the Eastern Dragon Continent."

Even as the acolyte spoke, the other children were already narrowing the location further.

"Seven Yuan Pavilion? Excellent—it is a subordinate force of our Nine Fragrance Palace, with a teleportation array."

The white-haired, youthful Daoist beamed: "I shall depart at once. If we capture this ascended cultivator, you shall all be rewarded handsomely!"

"Thank you, Elder!"

The acolytes rejoiced, already treating the glory as if plucked from a pouch.

After all, ascended cultivators were all at the Profound Void initial stage.

And Earth Fragrance Elder was a He Ti cultivator!

In the Spirit Realm, while Great Ascension cultivators held the highest cultivation, they were elusive, only concerned with ascending to Immortality.

The true rulers of the land were the He Ti cultivators.

Moreover, Earth Fragrance Elder was no weakling even among He Ti cultivators.

Capturing a Profound Void initial stage cultivator—even one with astonishing abilities—was as easy as plucking fruit from a tree.

…

Spirit Realm.

Eastern Dragon Continent, somewhere.

A flash of light appeared in the void, and Fang Xing's cultivation avatar materialized.

"This is the Spirit Realm?"

Fang Xing looked up and saw two suns—one large, one small: "Hmm… the spiritual energy here is merely average—slightly stronger than the Qianyuan Immortal Realm…"

His divine sense expanded rapidly, locating a nearby great city and sweeping directly over it: "Fascinating… in the Spirit Realm, mortals and cultivators coexist. This place is 'San Hua City,' under the jurisdiction of the Seven Yuan Pavilion, which commands a Profound Void cultivator and oversees one hundred and thirty-two nearby cities—a minor regional power…"

In the Spirit Realm, Profound Void cultivators were already high-tier, their status roughly equivalent to Golden Core cultivators in the Qianyuan Lower Realm.

Without provoking major factions, they could establish sects in remote regions and rule with impunity.

Yet at this moment, what drew Fang Xing's attention was not this.

As he merged his spirit with heaven and earth, he received information from the Spirit Realm:

"In the Spirit Realm, cultivators below Profound Void face tribulations only when breaking through major realms. But above Profound Void, it is different: Profound Void cultivators must endure the 'Three Nines Heavenly Tribulation' every thousand years, its power increasing each time. He Ti cultivators face the 'Six Nines Heavenly Tribulation' every two thousand five hundred years. Great Ascension cultivators face the 'Nine Nines Heavy Tribulation' every five thousand years—fail, and you die!"

"Indeed… immortality gained too easily always carries hidden costs."

"Still, compared to the Qingyuan Great Realm, where even the Ninth Layer of the Soul and Soul Sovereigns are limited to ten thousand years of life, this is already quite good."

Fang Xing sighed.

The Immortal Dao offered many advantages—not only did Shenhun cultivators merge their soul with heaven and earth, but after reaching Profound Void, they could directly absorb the power of the Immortal Dao, granting endless life.

Yet this longevity was false—not true immortality!

Not only would it vanish instantly upon leaving the Immortal Dao's influence, but one would also face tribulations at regular intervals.

"Only a Thirteen-Level True Immortal who fully masters a single law can be free from lifespan and tribulation… That's why Great Ascension elders ignore worldly affairs, devoting themselves solely to ascending to the Immortal Realm—they are all driven by the sword hanging above their heads."

Fang Xing stood idle, refusing to move.

He waited a moment longer, finally sensing a powerful divine sense sweep past: "This response… slow, but it's finally here?"

With his speed, he could have fled far beyond pursuit immediately after ascending.

But he deliberately stayed to lure a fish.

"That divine sense just now—its malice was blatant and immensely strong… surely a He Ti cultivator."

Fang Xing nodded, waited a moment more, then saw a streak of light streaking toward him, revealing a Daoist with white hair and a youthful face.

His spiritual power surged like an endless ocean; his divine sense was overwhelmingly potent.

In the cultivation world, a single major realm gap meant a chasm between heaven and earth—total domination.

"Profound Void initial stage, reeking of mortal filth—you're the one."

Earth Fragrance Elder held a spiritual pearl, examined it, and sneered.

Newly ascended cultivators carried subtle differences in aura compared to native Spirit Realm cultivators. The Nine Fragrance Palace had specially crafted the "Dust-Finding Pearl" to detect such ascended cultivators within a certain range.

Of course, once an ascended cultivator lived in the Spirit Realm for a few years, the "mortal filth" faded entirely, rendering the Dust-Finding Pearl useless.

"Speak—what happened in the Qianyuan Lower Realm? What became of our dispatched disciples? And… where is the treasure?"

Earth Fragrance Elder loomed above, interrogating like a judge sentencing a criminal.

"You speak with great arrogance…"

Fang Xing shook his head and sighed.

"I know that cultivators from the lower realms are used to ruling with impunity—but this is the Spirit Realm. If you're a dragon, coil. If you're a tiger, lie down…"

Earth Fragrance Elder sneered, unfurling a scroll shimmering with spiritual light: "Very well… if you won't speak, I shall imprison you in the 'Eighteen Incense Bone Hell Map' and torture you until you answer…"

He formed seals, and runes sank into the scroll.

The scroll slowly unrolled, filling the air with exotic incense, while petals bloomed around, sealing the void.

Combat above the Profound Void stage almost always involved manipulation of the void.

Thus, items above the sixth rank almost always possessed void-sealing abilities!

Shhh!

Shhh-shhh!

From the scroll emerged a series of white bones—each radiating the spiritual energy of Profound Void late stage.

"First, seal heaven and earth, then eighteen Profound Void white bones… oh, the real weapon is the hidden floral incense? It resembles a soul attack—fascinating."

Fang Xing smiled in appraisal.

"Hmph! Stubborn fool!"

Earth Fragrance Elder snorted, yet was startled by Fang Xing's perceptiveness.

"Probably trained some divine eye technique—sharp senses. But the gap between realms is already sealed."

He willed his intent, and the eighteen white bones formed a formation, crashing down.

Simultaneously, a dozen black circular shields materialized before him.

For cultivators, caution had become instinct.

The next instant!

Shhh!

A sword flashed forth—like a thousand stars, a white rainbow streaked with faint gold and silver slashed through the white bone demons.

Crrrak!

The sword qi erupted—"One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Methods"—instantly obliterating one white bone demon.

Moreover, Fang Xing opened his mouth slightly, and a thread of purple-green flame appeared, striking the surrounding seals.

"Fine sword technique, fine spiritual flame!"

Earth Fragrance Elder praised, yet his expression remained unchanged.

Though this Profound Void initial stage cultivator had unleashed astonishing power—even slaying a Profound Void late stage white bone demon—

Given his status as an ascended cultivator, it was not entirely unexpected.

Such ascended cultivators possessed extraordinary talent, fortune, and insight; if they survived their early trials, they often rose to prominence in the Spirit Realm.

"If that's all you have…"

He sneered, changing his seals.

The remaining white bone demons roared, their jade-like bones scattering and reassembling into a six-faced, eighteen-armed white bone dragon, its aura surging past Profound Void—reaching He Ti level.

'Of course—when dealing with ascended cultivators, one must not use Profound Void cultivators. One must crush them with a realm advantage, like a mountain crushing an egg…'

Earth Fragrance Elder thought.

In the history of the Spirit Realm, there were indeed cases where ascended cultivators were easily subdued by He Ti masters.

Of course, there were also true prodigies who could slay He Ti cultivators while still at Profound Void—true Immortal seeds, one in a thousand ascended cultivators.

The white bone dragon roared, weaving through the starry sword qi, leaving only faint scratches on its demonic body.

Just as the white bone dragon opened its maw to strike, Earth Fragrance Elder saw Fang Xing's hand reveal a familiar Two-Yin-Two-Yang Ring.

Then… a primordial Two-Yin-Two-Yang Magnetic Divine Light surged skyward, like a divine sword.

Puff!

The White Bone Demon Dragon was instantly split in two.

Tiny flecks of purple and blue flame ignited at once upon Earth Incense Elder's scroll…

"The Two Yin-Yang Rings—it really is you!"

Earth Incense Elder was stunned and furious, yet tinged with doubt.

The Two Yin-Yang Rings may be wondrous, but my Eighteen Incense Bone Hell Map is a true seventh-grade Body Union artifact, its applications boundless; not only is my artifact of superior quality, but my cultivation is one full realm higher—how could I possibly be at a disadvantage?

"It seems you're going to die."

Fang Xing's rotten iron sword materialized; a sword cry surged skyward.

"A mere Void Refinement…"

The Earth Incense Elder formed hand seals; boundless spiritual light surged forth, and countless lines of Dao principles converged to form a yellowish-brown "Body of Dao."

In an instant, he seemed transformed into a "Dao Giant!"

The Immortal Path's Body Union stage is when one attains the fourth level of Dao comprehension—the "Body of Dao"—merging with it, unleashing limitless power!

The second chapter update will come later.

(End of chapter)