Chapter 175: Late Stage of the Array Formation Realm

"What a strange formation," Huofeng Zhizun said, a look of shock appearing on his face. At this moment, even this ancient Supreme was stunned into a daze.

As Mengchen formed various hand seals, his physical body and primordial spirit were continuously tempered, while lightning flashed and thunder rumbled all around, accompanied by the wailing of ghosts and howling of spirits.

"This is a terrifying method of transformation!"

Everyone was stunned.

"Sss..."

"Crack!"

The spirit flames and lightning seemed to soak into the faint, flickering tripod, scorching and striking Mengchen's physical body, only to be absorbed and resonate with his form.

"This method of tempering one's own body using Heaven and Earth as a furnace is truly earth-shattering and soul-stirring!"

The crowd retreated; there, the spirit flames and lightning grew more intense, a gale rose, and spirit energy surged in, pouring into the center of the Heaven and Earth tripod.

"Boom...!"

Even richer life essence was extracted from the Spirit Medicine and rushed toward Mengchen, seemingly changing his skin tone. As the life essence poured into his body, it made him look stunningly like jade, resisting and consuming the spirit flames and lightning that had also entered his body.

Mengchen's muscles were trembling; his physical body and even his primordial spirit were enveloped by the life essence—which had become so dense it appeared emerald-colored—along with the lightning and spirit flames. Quietly, an astonishing change was taking place.

At this moment, whether it was Yuechan or Tianhu Shaonü, even with their extraordinary backgrounds, they had never seen such a tempering method and were deeply shocked.

"Crack!"

A sound came from within Mengchen's body, as if his flesh were cracking. The crowd changed color; his body split open from time to time, only to heal again, radiating brilliant golden light. Through this, one could see the state of Mengchen's agony and the immense pain he was enduring.

And what they could not see was that Mengchen's primordial spirit was currently just like his physical body, splitting and healing from time to time.

"What is wrong with him?" Xiyao was alarmed, having received quite a fright.

Jinchanzi, Heizi, and the others were also very worried.

This sudden change in Mengchen was truly too shocking; his flesh was covered in cracks, as if it were about to shatter into a thousand pieces at any moment.

"Using Heaven and Earth as a furnace, spirit energy as the furnace fire, to temper oneself—this method is truly too overbearing, and the transformation occurring is too violent," Huofeng Zhizun murmured, gazing at Mengchen.

The crowd looked over upon hearing this, but they remained completely confused. They could only sense that this method was beyond the reach of ordinary people, and they could also feel the terrifying pain Mengchen was enduring at this moment.

Mengchen was transforming, extremely violently, slowly breaking through within the Array Formation Realm.

Quietly, he entered the mid-stage of the Array Formation Realm. The change was very intense because tempering one's own body, to put it plainly, was forcibly unlocking the treasures within the body. The potential was so vast that it seemed to be on the verge of shattering his own physical body.

Although his physical body and primordial spirit were enduring immense, inhuman pain, Mengchen remained unmoved, sitting cross-legged there, continuing to transform, letting the spirit flames and lightning temper him.

The potential within his body was being continuously developed, becoming turbulent, and at the same time, more cracks appeared on his physical body, but a powerful aura was also surging.

His flesh was already bleeding from the cracks, but as the tempering developed his potential, his body also began to emit a pale golden light, and his aura grew increasingly strong!

At the same time, he kept his heart empty and clear, beginning to deeply manifest the formation he had created within his body.

The life essence from all directions grew thicker, turning into small rivers that poured into his body, while at the same time, the spirit flames and lightning seeping in from the void became increasingly vigorous and dense.

This scene was moving; it was too extraordinary.

"What an overbearing tempering method! Just this phenomenon alone is transcendent and rare to see!"

No matter how much Yuechan disliked Mengchen, she was extremely impressed at this moment; her eyes shifted, filled with extreme wonder.

Xiyao, Tianhu Shaonü, Xiaohuang, and the others were already full of shock. How many people throughout history had experienced such a tempering method!? The majestic life essence merged with the spirit flames and lightning, blending within Mengchen's body, permeating with Dao rhyme as they interacted.

This tempering method was too heaven-defying. They finally understood why even a body as strong as Mengchen's was cracking and nearly exploding—because this was a qualitative change.

Mengchen endured the excruciating pain, tempering his tendons and bones, persisting at the risk of his physical body and primordial spirit disintegrating. At the same time, he drew life essence, spirit flames, and lightning into his body, continuing to strike at the gates of the human body's treasures to release his potential.

In the process of tempering himself, he had charged from the early stage of the Array Formation Realm into the mid-stage, and there were faint signs of breaking through to the late stage. At this time, he was consolidating his realm, polishing his physical body and primordial spirit, wanting to stand firm first without leaving any hidden dangers.

After all, this breakthrough was too overbearing; this sudden eruption was too violent, shaking his foundation.

The greatest hidden danger was manifested in his physical body, which was covered in cracks, interwoven like a spider web, nearly causing his shell to collapse; this needed to be repaired.

"This is a forced breakthrough! Extreme and violent, forcibly tearing open the gates of the body's treasures to release potential. If anything goes wrong, he will be destroyed in body and spirit," Huofeng Zhizun explained.

Xiyao, Jinchanzi, and the others watched with trembling hearts. For an ordinary person, it would definitely be a nine-out-of-ten chance of death. Fortunately, Mengchen's physical body was strong enough that it did not shatter as a result. A grain of sand is a world, a blade of grass is a heaven; as weak as an ant, as huge as a celestial body—if one opens their own "gates," they can release infinite power.

However, how many people could achieve this method of tempering oneself and forcibly unlocking one's own potential? And who would dare to try?

After all, this could easily lead to the destruction of body and spirit, being erased from the world forever.

"In fact, the reason his physical body cracked is mainly because his potential is too great. If the treasures within his body were not this powerful, this scene would not have occurred," Huofeng Zhizun said.

Because of this, he seemed to understand something in his heart, knowing why his master, Zhenhuang, held Mengchen in such high regard and favor.

Perhaps in the near future, his achievements would make everyone look up to him from afar.

Hearing Huofeng Zhizun's words, Xiyao and the others nodded, understanding clearly. The potential contained within Mengchen was endless and terrifying; the aura that spilled out during the process just now was enough to leave one dumbfounded, far surpassing his peers and even his elders present.

His current strength was not only reflected in his physical body but also in his primordial spirit. His majestic divine sense was like a vast abyss; once released, it would surely be earth-shaking.

At this instant, within his flesh and blood, the Purifying Sound Killing Array that had been successfully inscribed earlier seemed to be endowed with life. A large bell floated there, the symbols upon it vibrant with vitality. In addition, the divine images of the Kunpeng, Zhenhuang, Jiuyou Ao, eight Heavenly Dragons, a golden eye, a red lotus, and a small golden figure also became increasingly vivid, as if they had all been injected with life.

At this time, the faint tripod no longer flickered between reality and illusion; it solidified completely, emitting a soft radiance and no longer absorbing spirit energy from the surroundings.

Because at this moment, Mengchen had returned to perfection through the tempering, and the cracks on his primordial spirit and physical body had completely healed.

At this time, a golden glow enveloped and nourished him, making his physical body full of vitality and becoming increasingly translucent, like jade glowing, completely stabilizing and securing the strength he had broken through to in such an overbearing manner.

"It's done!" A flash of brilliance appeared in Huofeng Zhizun's eyes, and he revealed a smile.

He wore Chise Zhanjia. Although he was usually gentle with people, he invisibly exerted a great pressure, but the moment he smiled, it made people feel his kind and approachable side from the heart.

Hearing Huofeng Zhizun's words, combined with the changes on Mengchen's body surface, the crowd knew that Mengchen had successfully advanced after using Heaven and Earth as a furnace and spirit energy as the furnace fire to forcibly unlock his internal potential.

"Crack...!"

The formation ceased to exist, and the condensed furnace shattered. For a time, a misty aura shrouded the Yaoyuan, and people could no longer see the scene inside; this was the final moment of enlightenment.

Mengchen sat cross-legged, motionless, performing the final consolidation, deeply sensing and manifesting the formation within his body. During this process, his aura surged, becoming increasingly powerful.

Mengchen's potential was immense; he had opened ten Cave Heavens while in the Dongtian Realm, earning him the title of Young Supreme. Afterward, he went even further beyond the extreme of the Dongtian Realm, so that whenever he made progress, his corresponding combat power would soar, far surpassing those of the same rank.

"Crack...!"

In the shrouded Yaoyuan, a sound of something breaking came forth.

This immediately startled Xiyao, Heizi, Jinchanzi, and the others, who thought something had gone wrong with Mengchen.

They were shocked beyond measure, gazing with eyes full of extreme worry until the swirling mist completely vanished and Mengchen appeared.

"My Yaoyuan!" Jinchanzi cried out in heartache, his face full of reluctance.

At this moment, everyone finally understood that the previous shattering sound was actually the Spirit Medicine being exhausted and dried up, crumbling away entirely.

The stone hanging in Jinchanzi's heart dropped; he had only said that to set the mood, not because he was truly heartbroken over the destruction of all the Spirit Medicine, for in his heart, Mengchen surpassed everything, and how could mere Spirit Medicine compare?

Mengchen's whole body shone as if carved from a gemstone; his body was vibrant with life, his Divine Power surging, reaching a peak he had never attained before.

In this instant, everyone knew that Mengchen had made significant progress and was far more powerful than before; he could likely fight even if facing a powerhouse of the Divine Fire Realm.

As of now, he possessed the absolute strength to roam freely across this Xia Jie Bayu.

The people of the Western Sect and others stared at the countless shattered Spirit Medicine branches around him, feeling a wave of regret; consuming so much Spirit Medicine at once had simply squandered the entire foundation of the Western Sect.

Afterward, Mengchen bathed in the spirit spring and changed into a brand-new orange monk's robe.

When he appeared before the crowd again, he was radiant, ethereal, and agile; although his face was somewhat youthful, it possessed an invisible aura that was soul-stirring.

The group sighed in admiration, for Mengchen was truly brilliant and talented!

Jinchanzi was even more deeply moved; this little bald thief was not even fifteen years old yet, and to have reached such a realm could truly be called peerless throughout history!

To have broken through to the perfection of the Array Formation Realm all at once! Mengchen felt the terrifying growth of his own strength and was also deeply astonished.

He had not expected that the Vajra Pestle's method of tempering one's own body would possess such transcendent power.

(End of this chapter)