Chapter 316: Relying on a Single Resolve to Smash Open the Eternal Moon of the Heart!

Mist and light intertwined into brocade, like floating incense from a censer.

Amid the cloud haze, the Tai Su Zhen Xing, though still appearing faint and indistinct, had quietly undergone subtle changes compared to before.

Chen Heng raised his eyes to look, seeing only that the round halo behind the Tai Su Zhen Xing's head now shone with brilliant light, like an auspicious cloud of celebration, majestic and fierce in spirit.

It was as if myriad saints offered protection, capable of dispersing evil stars and melting away ten thousand calamities!

Its state of illuminating the world within and without was immeasurable!

After silently perceiving these profound changes, Chen Heng did not dare delay further; turning to look around, he found the room already empty, the figure of the old man in golden robes, Ao Yang, nowhere to be seen, leaving only himself alone in the space.

"Embodying the Peng Qian Yuan to guide fate, wielding boundless marvelous utility... this Tai Su Yu Shen truly holds many wonders."

At this moment, a laugh suddenly rang out beside Chen Heng's ear:

"Young friend, now that this calamity has dissipated, this old one shall not linger longer; during your cultivation in the Fan Fan Dongtian, should you need any external items, simply speak up, and do not stand on ceremony!"

"Senior's great virtue; many thanks for protecting me and helping me break through this disaster!"

Chen Heng straightened his robes, his expression solemn, and bowed respectfully with a kowtow before speaking.

Hearing this, Ao Yang merely smiled once, and then no sound arose again.

He knew that the various courtesies the Dragon Palace had shown earlier had inevitably aroused vigilance in Chen Heng's heart, making him suspect that he would eventually have to shatter his body and bones to repay them.

In all things, going too far is as bad as not going far enough.

This principle, Ao Yang naturally understood.

Master Master Tongxuan's original intention, however, was to avoid revealing his identity too early, wishing to temper Chen Heng further until he could truly bear the weight of the sect's vessel before accepting him as a disciple.

Chen Heng was a smart person.

From the conversation just now, Ao Yang had already realized this.

If he acted too eagerly, it might arouse Chen Heng's suspicion, causing him to detect Master Master Tongxuan behind the scenes prematurely.

In that case, Master Master Tongxuan's plans would inevitably be ruined.

Then Ao Yang would truly have done a good deed with bad results, suffering in silence with no way to explain.

For this reason, although he wished to strike while the iron was hot and deepen their friendship, he could only wisely stop and let the matter rest for now.

After Ao Yang departed, the door suddenly made a soft sound, and several Dragon Maidens walked in, each with a different allure: some were enchanting and seductive, making one's soul melt at a glance; others wore sorrowful yet charming expressions, appearing too delicate to bear their own clothes; while others possessed a dignified elegance, graceful and divine.

Such varied beauty and splendor were truly dazzling, overwhelming the eyes.

"Greetings to you noble ladies; this poor Daoist pays his respects."

Chen Heng performed a kowtow and politely invited these few to take their seats.

After chatting for a while and seeing the Dragon Maidens off, the room was now quiet, without a single extraneous sound.

"The intricacies within this... are indeed thought-provoking."

Chen Heng pondered silently in his heart, and after thinking for a moment, shook his head slightly.

But regardless of what schemes lay behind this.

The improvement of his own Daoist cultivation was undoubtedly correct.

At this present time, the most crucial matter was still to seize the opportunity to cultivate and advance his cultivation base one step further!

At this moment, gazing out the window, he saw water and sky blending into a single hue, vast and boundless.

Turbid waves surged into the sky, spraying silver and snow with a force that shook mountains and peaks, as if ten thousand long snakes were writhing and undulating, their roar like thunderous explosions, buzzing incessantly in his eardrums!

Such a magnificent natural scene of high skies and distant seas, combined with the joy of finally succeeding in his plans, made Chen Heng feel his heart broaden, suddenly giving rise to a surge of heroic spirit.

It was as if his limbs were freed, with nothing left to block him; even if the will of heaven and earth stood before him, he would split it apart with a single breath!

Shaking open his sleeves, he could not help but chant loudly:

"Frozen water, often breathed upon, still breeds regret; turbid bones and mortal flesh are inferior.

Day and night uneven, hunger and cold pressing hard, sooner or later transcending birth and extinction—

One must rely on a single resolve, to smash open the moon of the heart that has lasted through eternity!"

Time passed swiftly.

Since entering the Hongze Changsheng Bazui Fan Fan Dongtian and surviving the Tai Su calamity.

Chen Heng had found a quiet and peaceful place in the upper layer of the Main Palace, devoting himself single-mindedly to harmonizing the Yin and Yang energies within his body, hoping to cultivate the first layer of the Cave-Mystic Realm—the Dragon-Tiger Cauldron.

With all external resources sufficient, and with the aid of this superior Fan Fan Dongtian, the Hongze Changsheng Bazui.

During this closed-door cultivation, Chen Heng completely forgot the passage of time, unaware of cold or heat.

Until one day, Chen Heng suddenly reined in his circulating energy and turned his divine consciousness inward.

Counting on his fingers, he realized he had stayed in the Fan Fan Dongtian for a full ten years, and he could not help but sigh in his heart.

Looking inward at this moment, he saw that above the Qi Sea in his lower abdomen, a small two-legged cauldron of brilliant golden color was now floating.

The small cauldron existed between void and reality; black and white energies swirled around its mouth, while a true dragon and a divine tiger galloped back and forth along the cauldron's rim, chasing and playing with each other, vivid as living creatures.

Seeing this, Chen Heng smiled slightly and withdrew his gaze.

It must be known that cultivation in the Cave-Mystic Realm is divided into three minor sub-realms.

These are: Dragon-Tiger Cauldron, Absorbing the Five Essences, and Innate Golden Mercury.

The path to follow is first to condense the Yin and Yang energies within the body into a Dragon-Tiger Cauldron, then fill it with the five elemental energies, causing the Dragon-Tiger Cauldron to transform from void to reality and govern the five elements.

Finally, use a Mi Fa to shatter both the Dragon-Tiger Cauldron and the Qi Sea below the abdomen, mix their primal essences, and condense a lump of Innate Golden Mercury!

This Innate Golden Mercury is the womb fluid that nurtures the Jin Dan, extremely crucial and not to be taken lightly.

Furthermore, during the process of refining the Golden Mercury, the Dao foundation laid by the cultivator in previous realms will ultimately determine the quality of this Innate Golden Mercury.

If one step is strong, every subsequent step will be strong.

If one step is weak, every subsequent step will also be weak.

It is like the relationship between a foundation and a building; the connection is extremely tight.

Unless one later obtains a heaven-shaking opportunity, this aspect is absolutely impossible to change!

And this first step, merely mixing the Yin and Yang energies within the body to form a furnace and cauldron, is not something that can be easily accomplished; it requires expending considerable bitter effort.

When circulating Qi, if one is even slightly careless, one's belly will rot and intestines will pierce through, true Qi will reverse and press against the Purple Palace, carrying the risk of death and the extinction of one's Dao.

Even though Chen Heng held the True Dharma Realm in hand, allowing him to constantly try and err, with conditions far more generous than ordinary people by an uncountable margin, it still consumed ten years of bitter effort.

Now.

After cultivating to the Dong Xue Xuan Yi Zhong realm.

He rose from the meditation cushion, slightly stretching his limbs, feeling both body and mind at peace, possessed of an inexplicable sense of comfort.

His strength had now increased once again; his true Qi had multiplied several times over compared to before, vast and unmatched.

With every lift and movement, there was the imposing momentum of wind and thunder rising from flat ground, terrifyingly awe-inspiring!

After silently circulating his Xue Xuan Gong several times and familiarizing himself with his current realm.

Chen Heng did not delay further, only pushing open the window to gaze outward.

The sky was now densely gathered with thick clouds, making a great show; faintly visible within were flashing bolts of lightning and rumbling Lei Ting, constantly shaking the void in all directions!

It was only blocked by an invisible barrier that they ultimately failed to fall inside, merely struggling futilely outside.

It was precisely because Chen Heng was currently located within this Hongze Longsheng Ba Zui Fan Fan Dongtian that, after breaking through his realm, he gained these means of coping.

Had he been outside the Fan Fan Dongtian.

Fearfully, at the very instant of breaking through the realm, Lei Ting would have struck the crown of his head, crashing down with a boom!

"Chen Chen Yushu... another portion of your tribulation is about to be dispelled."

Chen Heng swept a glance toward the sky, his expression blank.

(End of Chapter)