36: The five elements are in perfect harmony, yet a thousand swords pierce the heart!

Supreme Yin gives birth to water, the ultimate Yin and extreme cold.

The Black Emperor Avatar within Lu Yuan's body suddenly solidified.

Boom!

But within the void of the Immortal Cave, the roar of surging waves suddenly came.

A crystal-clear droplet of water condensed out of thin air before Lu Yuan.

Next, this droplet exploded, transforming into a mighty long river that surrounded him.

The river surged, each drop of water as heavy as a mountain, all real matter, not illusory spiritual power.

Transforming illusion into reality.

The Water Law, Second Transformation achieved.

But this was not over.

With the Breakthrough of the Water Law, the Profound Truth of the Five Elements mutual generation was pushed to the extreme under the operation of the Great Five Elements Chaos Art.

Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth.

That overwhelming comprehension of the Laws converged on the Earth Law.

Coupled with the Yin and Yang creative power from the Yin Yang Dragon Phoenix Art, the barrier of the Earth Law was also shattered.

A layer of thick Xuanhuang light spread over Lu Yuan's body.

The Yellow Emperor Avatar became as majestic as a mountain.

With a thought, pieces of spiritual Xirang grew out of the hard rock ground of the Immortal Cave.

These soils were not ordinary; they were spiritual earth containing the power of the Earth Origin.

Creating land from void, gathering sand into a tower.

The Earth Law, Second Transformation achieved.

Thus, Lu Yuan's Five Elements Laws of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth all entered the Second Transformation level.

Five Elements perfected, endlessly generating.

An aura as vast as an abyss burst forth from his body.

Although his Realm remained at Soul Transformation Early Stage, his current strength was several times stronger than before seclusion.

He was only a step away from Soul Transformation Middle Stage, needing only the accumulation of magical power to achieve it naturally.

And as his Dual Cultivation Dao Companion, Gu Qingxue also gained tremendous benefits from this cultivation.

Lu Yuan's pure Yang Origin, refined by the Five Elements Laws, continuously flowed into her body, nourishing her Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul.

Her aura rose steadily, her Nascent Soul becoming more crystalline, and the crescent moon mark on her forehead shone with intense purple light.

"Break."

Gu Qingxue murmured in her heart.

With a crisp cracking sound, some shackle within her was broken, and a powerful pressure belonging to Nascent Soul Middle Stage spread from her delicate body.

Nascent Soul Middle Stage, achieved.

After a long time, the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased.

Gu Qingxue lay limp in Lu Yuan's arms, drenched in sweat, without the strength to move even a finger.

Her beautiful face carried the afterglow of satisfaction, her eyes misty.

Feeling the surging magical power within her, her admiration for Lu Yuan reached an unparalleled level.

But at the same time, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in her heart.

With her husband's continuous Physique transformation and the Blessing of the Five Elements Laws, his ability in that area was terrifyingly powerful.

Even as a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Supreme Yin Body, she could barely withstand it.

"My husband is now a Huashen Venerable, cultivating all Five Elements simultaneously, with an unparalleled Physique. I alone may find it hard to serve him long-term and meet his cultivation needs."

Gu Qingxue leaned against Lu Yuan's chest, pondering silently.

"Perhaps it's time to find someone else for my husband to share the burden."

As the leader of a sect, she was not the jealous type.

In the Immortal Realm, it was common for the strong to have multiple Dao Companions. As long as her husband had her in his heart and her position was secure, nothing else mattered.

For some reason, Lu Xueyao's figure suddenly appeared in her mind.

That girl with a cold and stubborn personality.

"Xue Yao, with her Nine Aperture Exquisite Sword Heart and being my husband's Personal Disciple, matches him in both Aptitude and appearance. Moreover, she is a Disciple, and I am the Master's wife, which makes management easier."

The more Gu Qingxue thought about it, the more suitable it seemed, and she made up her mind.

Lu Yuan had long told Gu Qingxue about Lu Xueyao's Physique, keeping nothing hidden.

...

After finishing the cultivation, Lu Yuan felt refreshed.

He did not forget his newly accepted Disciple.

Lu Yuan straightened his clothes and sent a voice transmission to summon Lu Xueyao.

After a moment, Lu Xueyao arrived at the Immortal Cave in a plain white dress, carrying a mortal iron sword on her back.

After a few days of Spirit Medicine treatment, her complexion was much rosier. Although she still had no cultivation, her sharp Sword Intent had become purer.

"Xue Yao, follow me."

Lu Yuan said nothing more, waved his sleeve, and vanished with Lu Xueyao.

The next moment, the two appeared in the Tai Xu Secret Realm.

Lu Yuan led her deep into the area, finally arriving before a desolate valley sealed by numerous Restrictions.

This was the Forbidden Ground of the Tai Xu Secret Realm—the Sword Tomb.

Before they even approached, a terrifying Evil Qi that could change the color of heaven and earth rushed toward them.

Inside the valley, countless broken and severed swords were densely planted.

Some were rusty, others only half remained, but each sword retained astonishing Sword Intent.

"This is the Sword Tomb." Lu Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the valley, speaking calmly: "And also the place where your Nine Aperture Exquisite Sword Heart will Awaken."

Lu Xueyao looked at the thousands of broken swords, feeling her blood boil as if hearing some call.

"Revered Master, what should I do?" She looked up, no fear in her eyes.

"Your Sword Heart is Sealed; only through destruction can it be reborn." Lu Yuan turned to meet her eyes, speaking seriously: "I will release the Seal of the Sword Tomb, drawing the Sword Qi of these thousands of broken swords to temper you with ten thousand swords piercing your heart, using endless Sword Qi to forcibly open the nine apertures in your heart meridian."

"This process is extremely painful. One mistake and you will be utterly destroyed. Do you dare to try?"

"Your Disciple dares." Lu Xueyao answered decisively.

Compared to being trampled underfoot, compared to the despair of being betrayed by her father that day, this physical pain was nothing.

"Good."

Lu Yuan nodded approvingly.

"Go in. Your Revered Master will protect you."

Lu Xueyao took a deep breath and resolutely stepped into the center of the Sword Tomb.

The moment she sat cross-legged.

Lu Yuan formed hand Seals and pointed at the void.

Rumble!

The entire Sword Tomb instantly erupted.

Countless broken swords that had slept for ten thousand years trembled together, emitting piercing sword cries.

Streams of visible, tangible Sword Qi, like a bursting flood, carrying the will to destroy everything, crazily converged toward Lu Xueyao at the center.

"Ah!"

With the first Sword Qi entering her body, Lu Xueyao let out a miserable scream.

The pain was like countless dull knives cutting her flesh and drilling into her bones.

Then came the tenth, the hundredth, the thousandth.

Ten thousand swords piercing the heart.

Lu Xueyao's body was instantly stained with blood, her clothes torn, her skin split.

But she still gritted her teeth, even as her lips were bitten through and her consciousness blurred, she maintained her sitting posture and did not fall.