Just as everyone was astonished, Xiao Wa's ink-jade scales suddenly made a "crack, crack" sound, peeling off piece by piece, and a large amount of Xuánhuáng Qi gushed out, condensing into miniature mountain shapes in mid-air.
"Roar—!"
A long roar, neither quite Dragon nor not, burst from Xiao Wa's throat. His Earth Element Dao Domain appeared behind him, and the mountain-like phantom images, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, all merged into his newly grown scales. The new scales displayed an earthy Xuánhuáng base color, with ink-jade luster flowing on the surface, engraved with naturally formed mountain Dao patterns.
Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix's pupils contracted sharply, exclaiming, "This is... Earth Vein Resonance?"
Suddenly, a spatial rift opened in the Earth Element Dao Domain behind Xiao Wa, and countless earthy-yellow light points poured down like a star river. These light points, upon landing on his scales, transformed into mountain and river patterns, and when integrated into his flesh and blood, they became Earth Vein Spiritual Meridians. His human form disintegrated, revealing his true form. His originally thick tail gradually lengthened, with Dragon manes growing at the end; his spinal column on his back protruded, forming a series of rugged mountain ridges. As he lay there, his body grew a size larger.
"Rumble—!"
The earth veins within a hundred-mile radius suddenly trembled violently. Seven giant Dragons formed from Xuánhuáng Earth Qi burst out of the ground, all surging into Xiao Wa's Dao Domain and entering his body.
Seeing this scene, Li Mu smiled slightly and explained, "The Legacy Xiao Wa received in Lingxu Blessed Island, the 'Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture,' is a supreme true scripture that points directly to the Great Dao of Earth Element. It's just that he hadn't fully comprehended its true meaning before. Now, I am using Chaos as a guide to transform the conflicting Bloodline within his body into complementary Dao foundations, forging the 'Earth Sovereign Body.'"
Xue'er's eyes shone with brilliance, exclaiming, "Li Dage, did you help Xiao Wa comprehend the 'Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture'?"
"You could say that!" Li Mu smiled and nodded, his gaze deep as he looked at Xiao Wa, who was undergoing transformation.
Xiao Wa's massive Jiao Lizard body crouched on the ground, his scales absorbing Earth Vein essence. Seven mountains in his Dao Domain gradually lit up with brilliant Spiritual Light, connecting seven continuous mountain ranges, vaguely forming a miniature map of mountains and rivers stretching for thousands of miles.
Seven majestic mountains appeared in Xiao Wa's True Spirit Dao Domain behind him. They represented a supreme extreme earth Dao principle. If he could completely master them, he would be able to Breakthrough the Bottleneck and reach the 'Earth Sovereign' Realm—wielding the authority of the earth, capable of altering mountains and rivers with a single thought.
However, the seven mountain phantom images within the Dao Domain flickered erratically, sometimes solid like real mountains, sometimes dispersed like mist; they floated uncertainly, seemingly alive, inhaling and exhaling the Dao rhyme of heaven and earth, as if unable to bear such immense power.
Xuánhuáng Suppressing Mountain manifested: A mountain shadow, like a broken heavenly pillar, floated in the Earth Element Dao Domain. Various Restrictions on its surface appeared and disappeared; countless Xuánhuáng chains dangled from the Void Realm, then broke inch by inch, emitting a heart-pounding clang. From the peak, fragments of stone containing Suppressing Dao rhyme continuously rolled down, dissipating into golden specks upon touching the edge of the Dao Domain. The entire mountain emitted a muffled roar, like the sigh of an ancient god or demon.
Returning Ruins Breathing Soil evolved: The quicksand vortex gathered and dispersed, and the dark fissure at its center exhaled a heart-pounding devouring force; black-yellow sand particles sometimes transformed into a gigantic Taotie mouth, sometimes condensed into the form of a Black Tortoise, yet always struggled to solidify; occasionally, a complete mountain shape would emerge, only to be instantly devoured by its own consuming power, a cyclic process that subtly echoed the principle of Heavenly Dao Reincarnation.
Crimson Flame Rock Mountain condensed: Crimson crystal peaks continuously reshaped under the erosion of Dao rhyme. When the rugged crystal clusters grew to their extreme, they would explode with a bang, turning into a sky full of crimson glow. These scattered crystal fragments did not fall but instead outlined profound trajectories in the Void Realm. The entire mountain seemed to be undergoing endless Rebirth and destruction.
Star Core Magnetic Pole anomaly: The silver-gray mountain body twisted violently, with star patterns on its surface flickering erratically. The surrounding space was torn into spiderweb-like cracks. Several Magical Artifact remnants caught within it were decomposing and reassembling in an illogical manner, only to expand and explode in the next moment, spitting out dazzling silver light.
Formless Tribulation Soil rotated: Within the illusory mountain shadow, countless spacetime fragments revolved like a carousel. Sometimes, a complete, majestic mountain form could be seen suppressing all directions, while at other times, it would turn into ashes of tribulation scattered everywhere. Those gray-white mists, once condensed into shape, would then dissipate into hideous ghostly faces; the entire mountain seemed to exist simultaneously in the past, present, and future, yet belonged to no single spacetime.
Yellow Springs Underworld Mountain stirred: From the holes on the dark mountain body came bursts of ghostly wails. The Underworld River water at the foot of the mountain sometimes flowed backward into a waterfall, and sometimes dried up to the bottom. Deep within the rift valley that traversed the mountain body, countless pale arms were frantically waving, yet were pulled back by some invisible force just as they were about to extend out; the entire mountain exuded a chilling Dao rhyme of life and death.
Ten-Thousand-Jun Boulder Mountain trembled: From the cracks on the dark green mountain body, dazzling golden light occasionally burst forth. The cracks opened and closed, vaguely revealing some existence struggling within the mountain body; the most bizarre thing was that the weight of the entire mountain seemed to be constantly changing, sometimes as heavy as ancient profound iron, and sometimes as light as a feather.
Xiao Wa's breathing triggered a wondrous change in the seven mountain Dao Domains: Xuánhuáng Suppressing Mountain suddenly rose, its broken chains reconnected, and complete Dao patterns appeared on its surface; Returning Ruins Breathing Soil stopped flowing, black-yellow sand particles condensed into the form of a Black Tortoise, with a Returning Ruins Formation diagram naturally forming on its shell; Crimson Flame Rock Mountain's crystal clusters stopped exploding, and the crimson glow rolled back into the mountain body, forming a crimson lotus at the peak; Star Core Magnetic Pole Mountain expanded, its spiderweb-like spatial cracks healed, and its star patterns lit up with brilliant silver light;
In the Formless Tribulation Soil, spacetime fragments unified, and gray-white mist condensed into a complete mountain shape; the ghostly wails of Yellow Springs Underworld Mountain suddenly ceased, the Underworld River flowed smoothly, and pale arms retracted into the rift valley; Ten-Thousand-Jun Boulder Mountain's weight became constant, its golden light converged, and the mountain's cracks completely healed.
As he exhaled, the Xuánhuáng Suppressing Mountain's chains broke inch by inch, its Dao patterns disappeared, and its body shed Xuánhuáng fragments; Returning Ruins Breathing Soil transformed into a Taotie giant mouth, frantically devouring the surrounding Spiritual Qi; Crimson Flame Rock Mountain's crystal clusters exploded, crimson glow dyeing half of the Dao Domain; Star Core Magnetic Pole twisted and deformed, spatial cracks reappearing; Formless Tribulation Soil returned to Chaos, its mountain shape disintegrating into ashes of tribulation; Yellow Springs Underworld Mountain's ghostly wails intensified, the Underworld River flowed backward, and ghostly hands reached out; Ten-Thousand-Jun Boulder Mountain's weight became imbalanced, and golden light burst forth.
Following the rhythm of his breathing, the Dao rhyme of the seven mountains gradually achieved a subtle balance. When Xiao Wa inhaled, the seven mountains returned to their true form; when he exhaled, the seven mountains evolved. Each breath, each exhalation, subtly conformed to the principles of heaven and earth's creation.
Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix watched, mesmerized: "This... this is..."
Li Mu's eyes swirled with Chaos Qi, and he praised, "Seven mountains breathe, heaven and earth resonate. Xiao Wa is cultivating the 'Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture' to the Major Achievement Realm!"
Indeed. The seven mountain phantom images on Xiao Wa's back, following the rhythm of his breathing, attempted to merge into one all-encompassing mountain. From the base of the mountain, countless earth veins extended.
As time passed, Xiao Wa had also shed his Jiao Lizard form. His entire body's scales had become thick and reddish-yellow, transforming into an unprecedented Dragon Tortoise unusual beast:
His head was as majestic as a True Dragon, with two Xuánhuáng Dragon horns winding upwards from his forehead, their bodies covered in mountain Dao patterns. In his amber vertical pupils, reflections of mountains and rivers seemed to exist, and with each breath, these mountain patterns appeared and disappeared, echoing the seven main mountains behind him.
His back shell was the most peculiar, with seven mountain phantom images of varying forms materializing and bulging, forming rugged bone armor. At the highest center was the Xuánhuáng Suppressing Mountain, with the Crimson Flame Rock Mountain on the left spitting crimson glow, and the Star Core Magnetic Pole on the right shimmering with silver light. The remaining four mountains were arranged in sequence, collectively forming a living diagram of mountains and rivers.
His four limbs were thick like heavenly pillars, his claws resembling both Dragon and Tortoise. When they landed, they automatically triggered Earth Vein resonance. The tips of his claws were entwined with Xuánhuáng Qi, and each step left an imprint three feet deep on the ground, which was then instantly repaired by the earth itself.
His tail was completely Draconified, long and powerful, with thick Xuánhuáng mane at the end. When it swayed, it brought forth gusts of earth element storms, vaguely revealing countless miniature mountain phantom images floating within the storm.
"The Dao rhyme is not yet settled, the seven mountains remain restless."
Li Mu's eyes swirled with Chaos Qi, his expression showing a hint of solemnity. He said in a deep voice, "Xiao Wa will have to go through many hardships to achieve the Earth Sovereign Body!"
"Li Dage, is there something wrong with Xiao Wa? Can't you help him?" Xue'er's heart tightened, and she asked with concern.
Li Mu gazed at the turbulent seven mountains in Xiao Wa's Dao Domain and said in a deep voice, "The 'Earth Sovereign Suppressing Mountain Scripture' emphasizes 'using the body as a furnace to refine myriad meridians.' These seven mountains symbolize seven extreme earth Dao principles, and he must comprehend their profound mysteries himself."
With that, Li Mu waved his sleeve, and the four directions house transformed into a stream of light, landing on the ground and instantly unfolding into a courtyard situated in the valley. Then, he conjured a Chaos Dao Formation Flag from his tianxuan ring.
"Rise!"
Li Mu chanted an incantation lightly, and the Formation Flag disintegrated into three hundred and sixty smaller Formation Flags, setting up the Zhouxing Great Formation around the four directions house.
The moment the Formation was complete, projections of stars filled the sky, interweaving with the Earth Vein essence rising from the ground, completely concealing the unusual phenomenon caused by Xiao Wa's Breakthrough.
"Xiao Wa doesn't know when he'll wake up. We'll cultivate here for a while. Do you want to return to the Treasure Mansion, or...?" Li Mu looked at Green-Eyed Golden Ape, Azure Moon True Dragon, and Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix.
Green-Eyed Golden Ape said with a serious expression, "Master, I'll stay to be Xiao Wa's Protector! Before, Xiao Wa also protected me."
"Let's all stay together! Just in case!"
Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix and Azure Moon True Dragon exchanged glances, indicating their agreement.
"Your subordinates and Crimson Flame have obtained several Spiritual Items from the Black Scaled Python Clan's Treasure Mansion, which need to be presented for your review," Azure Moon True Dragon nodded, indicating.
Before he finished speaking, Azure Moon True Dragon took out several high-grade Spiritual Items from his storage ring. Six brilliant Spiritual Lights floated in mid-air, emitting astonishing Spiritual Pressure:
A pulsating purplish-red ball of lightning, shaped like a lotus, occasionally emitting crackling sounds; a mass of liquid metal, its surface dotted with starlight, capable of changing shape at will; a section of a tree branch as black as ink, with dark green runes appearing on its surface; a translucent blue crystal, with a hurricane seemingly swirling within; a seven-colored Spiritual Plant, bearing seven different colored flowers, growing on a mass of Returning Ruins Breathing Soil...
Under the Talent Divine Power - Identify Myriad Spirits, the attributes of various high-grade Spiritual Items were displayed one by one in Li Mu's eyes.
【Crimson Flame Lightning Crystal】
【Grade: Seventh-tier Spiritual Item】
【Characteristics: Lightning and fire mutually generate, Yin and Yang mutually benefit, lightning gathers to form flames, flames transform into lightning, expelling evil and slaying demons】
【Status: Crystal core complete, lightning and fire active, ready for refining at any time】
【A seventh-tier heavenly and earthly rare item, born in a place where lightning and fire converge, containing pure Yang lightning evil and Earth Vein fiery essence. It can unleash a Crimson Flame lightning storm when used against enemies, and can also be used to temper fire and lightning dual-element Magic Treasures; requires tempering with Yin-cold spiritual materials, otherwise easily subjected to lightning and fire backlash.】
【Starlight Flowing Silver】
【Grade: Seventh-tier Spiritual Item】
【Characteristics: Ever-changing, shapeshifting at will, Star Power tempering, demon-slaying and evil-exorcising】
【Status: Spiritual energy abundant, Star Power surging】
【This item is formed from the core of an extraterrestrial meteor, refined into a liquid state by thousands of years of Star Power. It can transform into any weapon shape at will and has a natural restraint against evil entities. Adding a small amount when refining Magic Treasures can significantly enhance the Magic Treasure's spirituality.】
【Nine Nether Spirit Wood】
【Grade: Seventh-tier Spiritual Item】
【Characteristics: Connects to the netherworld, nourishes souls and gathers spirits, Yin evil condenses into crystals, Yin power self-gathers, gathers souls for Rebirth.】
【Status: Vitality introverted, containing Yin evil, ten thousand years of wood age, spirituality not apparent.】
【A rare wood of ten thousand years, growing in the Nine Nether Land. Its surface naturally forms Netherworld Dao patterns, capable of refining soul-nourishing Magical Artifacts and communicating between the Yin and Yang Realms. If stimulated with essence blood and Lifespan, it can summon an army from the Netherworld Ghost Prison to assist in battle.】
【Wind Evil Profound Crystal】
【Grade: Seventh-tier Spiritual Item】
【Characteristics: Wind gathers into evil, travels a thousand miles in an instant, formless and invisible, Wind Evil Blade, Void Realm wind.】
...
【Seven-Colored Profound Spirit Flower】
【Grade: Seventh-tier Spiritual Plant】
...
Li Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze flowing between the six floating Spiritual Items, his tone carrying a hint of playfulness: "Why so many? I remember only asking you to take three Spiritual Items."
Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix quickly explained, "Master, please allow me to report. That Black Scaled Python Clan Chief, hearing it was for you, insisted on giving a few more. Your subordinate couldn't refuse..."
Azure Moon True Dragon also lowered his Dragon head and interjected, "The Black Scaled Python Clan Chief said that these Spiritual Items have been stored in their Treasure Mansion for ten thousand years, and no one has been able to use them. Now, to be able to serve the Master is their good fortune."
"Oh, it wasn't Black Scaled!" Li Mu nodded, asking curiously.
"Yes! The Clan Chief of the Black Scaled Python Clan is an eighth-tier Zi Dian Jiao Python. He seemed to be quite injured. As soon as he heard that Black Scaled was going to take treasures from the clan's treasury to curry favor with the Master, he didn't refuse at all. He even actively let us pick three more! He was fawning all over us!" Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix's eyes flashed with a hint of amusement, indicating.
"Presumably, that eighth-tier Zi Dian Jiao Python was the Master's defeated opponent?" Azure Moon True Dragon looked at Li Mu, smiling.
"That Zi Dian Jiao Python is the Clan Chief of the Black Scaled Python Clan!" Li Mu chuckled upon hearing this, nodding.
Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix's eyes flashed with a mischievous glint: "That Zi Dian Jiao Python, hearing we were going to take treasures, was so scared that he even took out the 'Nine Nether Spirit Wood' he treasured. Your subordinate saw that Chaos Qi still lingered at his broken horn, so he must have suffered a lot at the Master's hands before."
Li Mu looked at the six high-grade Spiritual Items floating in the air, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes; he gently stroked his chin and chuckled, "Xiao Wa doesn't know when he'll Breakthrough. Why don't I take this opportunity to refine some new Magic Treasures."
With that, Li Mu waved his sleeve, and the door to the Artifact Refining Room of the four directions house opened with a bang, a rich fiery Spiritual Qi wafting out.
Li Mu turned to his Spirit Beasts and instructed, "You all stay here to protect Xiao Wa. I will go into seclusion in the Artifact Refining Room for a few days."
Green-Eyed Golden Ape - Xiao Jin immediately patted his chest and guaranteed, "Master, rest assured, with me here, not even a fly can get in!"
Xue'er nodded obediently, "Li Dage, refine your artifacts with peace of mind. I will take good care of everyone."
Li Mu nodded with satisfaction. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly remembered something and took out a Jade Slip from his Pregnant and handed it to Xue'er: "If Xiao Wa experiences any abnormality during his Breakthrough, immediately crush this Jade Slip."
After giving his instructions, Li Mu strode into the Artifact Refining Room. As the heavy stone door closed, the entire Artifact Refining Room was immediately enveloped by a Chaos Formation, isolating the internal and external auras.
