88: In the middle stage of the Dao Foundation, the grotto-heaven undergoes changes.

The sea of clouds across the entire Yuxu Grotto-Heaven suddenly churned like boiling water.

An indescribable aura diffused from the Peak of Yuxu Mountain; at first, it was soft as a spring breeze, but in an instant, it transformed into a vast heavenly majesty.

"Buzzing!!!"

The entire mountain Peak began to tremble slightly.

In the center of the main hall, the Spiritual Jade Prayer Mat where Yu Xuzi sat cross-legged was covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

Five-colored brilliance flowed ceaselessly around his body.

Five strands of Dharmic Power—gold, green, blue, red, and yellow—surged like living things, eventually converging three feet above his head into a hazy, gray pillar of Chaos light.

"Boom—"

The ten-zhang-wide pillar of Chaos light reached the dome of the Grotto-Heaven.

"Break."

A soft whisper, yet it sounded like thunder from the Nine Heavens.

The pillar of Chaos light exploded with a bang, turning into a rain of light that showered down, covering nearly half of the Grotto-Heaven's sky in a faint five-colored haze.

Yu Xuzi slowly opened his eyes and stood up.

The Dharmic Sea within his Dantian expanded to two hundred zhang in size, and his majestic Divine Sense was released, enough to cover an area of four thousand zhang; the aura of the Mid Dao Foundation Realm exploded... Late October, the 17th year of the lunar calendar.

Yu Xuzi successfully completed his seclusion!

For five whole years, he had been in seclusion for the first time for so long.

Fortunately, none of it was in vain.

Not only did he create the prototype of the Grand Primordial Doctrine of the Lunar Derivation Cultivation Technique, but under the stimulation of the technique, he directly broke through to the Mid Dao Foundation Realm, much earlier than his estimated Breakthrough time.

"It's time to go out."

Yu Xuzi looked toward the hall door and flicked his sleeve.

The Spiritual Gold hall door, weighing over ten thousand catties, slid open silently, and two cries that could pierce through gold and stone came from the clouds one after another.

"Screech~" "Screech~"

The clouds parted, and two massive creatures dove down.

They were none other than Embracing Star and Soaring.

Their wingspan had reached eighteen or nineteen zhang; when their wings unfurled, they blotted out the sun. Their golden feathers shimmered with a metallic luster in the sunlight, the golden crowns on their heads were incredibly magnificent, and the tips of their wing feathers were as sharp as swords.

Peak First-Order cultivation!

If Yu Xuzi hadn't been in seclusion, they would have already been able to attempt a Breakthrough to Second-Order Yao Beasts.

At this moment, their eyes were full of human-like excitement. They circled Yu Xuzi three times and landed at the entrance of the hall, stirring up bursts of tornadoes.

Behind them followed three slightly smaller Wind-Chasing Golden Eagles, with wingspans of eight or nine zhang, already showing signs of divine majesty.

They were naturally the three offspring of the Embracing Star couple, having just broken through to the Middle Stage of the First-Order, less than a year apart.

"Five years, you must have been bored to death."

Yu Xuzi reached out with a smile, and Embracing Star obediently lowered its massive head, rubbing it gently against his palm.

"Coo, coo~"

Soaring craned its neck and let out a long cry that echoed for a hundred miles, as if excitedly announcing the master's exit from seclusion.

The three little ones also followed suit, crying excitedly toward the sky.

They were indeed bored to death.

For five years, being trapped in this small Grotto-Heaven of only a hundred miles in radius was like a kind of torture for Spiritual Birds like them who longed for the high heavens.

When bored, they could only continue to create little Golden Eagles.

Well, there were three more eggs hatching in their nest... Yu Xuzi's Golden Eagle flock had grown a bit more.

"Let's go, come with me to see how the Grotto-Heaven is doing, and see if you've been lazy these past five years."

After comforting them, Yu Xuzi rose into the air. Embracing Star lowered its body in a tacit understanding, carrying him to inspect this Grotto-Heaven spiritual realm from which he had been away for five years.

Before his seclusion, he had assigned them the task of looking after the Grotto-Heaven, including tending to the Spiritual Plants and Yao Beasts... The Spirit Herb Garden.

Before even landing, he could already smell the refreshing fragrance of medicine.

In five years, in the thousands of acres of medicinal fields, various Low Grade Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicines were growing well, and many had already matured.

In the central area, more than two hundred Second-Order Spirit Medicines grew, including over ten Second-Order spiritual fruit trees.

Some were discovered in the Thousand Islands Realm, while others were obtained through forced trades in the Fei Chen Realm and Qingyuan Realm.

For example, the Small Five Elements Spirit Fruit Tree—a Medium Grade Second-Order spiritual wood.

Over eight zhang tall, its leaves displayed five colors.

Twenty-five green, unripened fruits of various colors hung among the branches and leaves.

This was a spiritual seed he had obtained from an island in the Thousand Islands Realm; it takes ten years to flower and ten years to fruit. Consuming it can greatly enhance the cultivation of Cultivators and Yao Beasts.

Judging from the state of the fruits, it was estimated that they would mature in another five or six years.

In addition, there were three Low Grade Second-Order Golden Spirit Date Trees. In five years, they had grown another three feet. Their trunks had a strange metallic texture, and the edges of their leaves were as sharp as knives.

On each branch hung nine nearly mature pale-gold fruits, with fine golden patterns appearing on their skin.

Golden Spirit Dates were treasures for Body Refining; consuming them could greatly enhance the Physical Body strength of a Dao Foundation Cultivator, which happened to be useful for Yu Xuzi.

"Not bad, not bad."

Yu Xuzi nodded with satisfaction and turned to look to the side.

That was a High Grade Second-Order Green Spirit Jade Fruit Tree.

It was also the highest-grade Spiritual Plant in the Yuxu Grotto-Heaven.

The tree was like jade throughout, only three zhang tall, with crystal-clear leaves and five emerald-green fruits radiating vibrant life.

Green Spirit Jade Fruit was a precious medicine used for healing and restoring Dharmic Power.

It was best used for Alchemy.

"It looks like it will mature in a few years."

...The Beast Garden occupied the largest area and was divided into more than ten regions.

However, most were raised to be eaten... Iron-Horned Oxen, White Spirit Phoenix Chickens, Long-Tusked Pigs, and so on.

Not only did Embracing Star and the others like to eat them, but Yu Xuzi would also often catch a few to taste.

Aside from these meat-source Yao Beasts, there were several Yao Beast species in the Beast Garden with good Bloodline potential and special functions.

For example, a group of Earth-Traveling Dragon Earthworms.

Although their combat power was near zero and their meat was not tasty, having a muddy smell that Embracing Star and the others disliked.

However, they had a special function—plowing the land!

The soil turned over by the Earth-Traveling Dragon Earthworms was not only softer, but they could also secrete a special spiritual liquid, Dragon Earthworm Saliva, which was of great use for nourishing the soil and increasing the fertility of the Spiritual Fields.

So, basically every ten days to half a month, the Embracing Star couple would pass through the Formation and catch a few to place in the Spirit Herb Garden.

However, after watching them finish plowing, they had to be caught and taken back.

Because these fellows, besides plowing and loosening the soil, would also instinctively nibble on the roots of the Spirit Medicines.

They were both beneficial and harmful insects.

If they weren't kept and fed separately but were instead left directly in the Spirit Herb Garden, many Spirit Medicines would likely be lost.

There was also that group of Black Scale Horses.

Among them, the leader of the herd was nearly five zhang tall at the shoulder and about eight zhang long. Dense black scales like Dragon scales covered its entire body, and when its four hooves hit the ground, there was a faint sound of wind and thunder.

Most peculiar were the two fist-sized lumps on its forehead, showing the shape of Dragon horns.

The original horse hooves had begun to transform into three-toed sharp claws, with the tips of the claws flashing with cold light.

"Not bad, you've also broken through to the Late Stage of the First-Order and have developed the appearance of a Dragon Horse."

Yu Xuzi gently stroked the scales on the side of its neck; they were cold and hard to the touch, and the Demonic Qi inside its body was hot and violent.

"Screech~"

Behind him, Embracing Star lowered its head and let out a dissatisfied cry.

Their relationship had always been poor.

In the entire Yuxu Grotto-Heaven, the Black Scale Horse leader was the only Yao Beast that did not submit to it.

Even if it was beaten until its head was bloodied, it would not lower its head in the slightest, being extremely stubborn and untamable.