438: Analysis of Spiritual Roots

As the top powerhouses of the Immortal-Demon Realm successively disappeared, the Immortal-Demon War gradually fell into a stalemate.

On the battlefield, even Taiyi Realm powerhouses became rare, and the Great Luo Realm was already the Peak fighting force.

The Immortal Realm was too vast; merely the Ten Continents could be measured in light-years.

Large-scale battles gradually became fragmented, turning into countless small-scale conflicts.

Wang Xianzhi and others followed the Jade Pool Holy Land's forces, fighting in various places, continuously honing themselves through life-and-death struggles.

However, the more they fought, the more they noticed a strange phenomenon—most battles maintained a delicate balance.

It was as if an invisible giant hand was using the two Realms, Immortal and Demon, as a chessboard, constantly consuming the strength of both sides.

Even more unsettling was that in many areas of the Immortal-Demon Realm, entire cities of living beings repeatedly vanished into thin air, a bizarre event that put the remaining leaders of various forces on high alert, causing them to withdraw their power, and the Demon Race army also began to retreat back to the Demon Realm.

However, all of this was temporarily unrelated to Xiao Zhuo.

The Dao Competition had already ended.

Xiao Zhuo had been practically stationed in the Nine Wood Forest Sea for over ten consecutive days, never returning.

In a hidden forest cave.

Xiao Zhuo, dressed in a dark-colored close-fitting suit, slowly exhaled and concluded his Cultivation, with chilling ice shards condensed everywhere in the cave, and even the ground was covered with a thick layer of frost.

"This Spiritual Root is indeed incredibly profound. If I Cultivate the Spiritual Root method to the Quasi-Saint Realm, even relying solely on the Dao of Ice would be enough to contend head-on with the Dao of Water." Xiao Zhuo raised his hand, and a ball of ice-blue halo floated in his palm.

Within the halo, specks of blue light revolved like starlight, flickering on and off.

He was still in the Nine Wood Forest Sea; this cave was one he had accidentally discovered and concealed with a Formation, using it as a temporary Immortal Cave.

The original owner of the cave was a Golden Core Stage white-striped golden tiger, which had become a dead soul under his hand.

Over the past ten days, he had almost completely slaughtered the Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts within a hundred-mile radius, and even killed more than ten Golden Core Yao Beasts.

His Attribute Points had accumulated to over a hundred, enough to support him in dispelling his Cultivation and re-Cultivating.

Taking this opportunity, he not only dispelled his original Cultivation but also completely forced the ice spiritual root out of his body.

The ice shards scattered throughout the cave were caused by the extreme cold energy that emanated when the ice spiritual root left his body.

Although his true essence was completely gone, his Divine Sense was unharmed; in fact, during the process of forcing out the Spiritual Root, he gained some insight into the mysteries of the Spiritual Root based on his own knowledge.

This Spiritual Root seemed to be closely related to the Heavenly Dao rules of the Nirvana Realm.

Within this world, there existed a profound rule that could inject Spiritual Root fragments into all Human Race born here.

During gestation in the womb, the Human Race could condense these fragments with the help of the Innate Qi within the fetus.

Depending on the condensation process, the Spiritual Root after birth would have varying degrees of superiority and inferiority, which was truly miraculous.

The fragments that made up the Spiritual Root were mysterious runes Xiao Zhuo had never seen before, extremely profound and complex.

Even with his current Comprehension Ability, it was difficult to comprehend any of them in a short time.

However, since he had already stripped out the ice spiritual root, he intended to investigate it thoroughly.

Since the method of the Spiritual Root originated from a Saint and was widely promoted in the Nirvana Realm, it was by no means ordinary and must have a profound intention.

Since even Saints valued it so much, it must also be of great benefit to Cultivation in the Saint Realm.

Xiao Zhuo did not rush to re-Cultivate, but instead, with a slight thought, began to deduce the Spiritual Root Runes with the help of the panel.

Consuming one attribute point, the sixteen runes that formed the ice spiritual root were completely deduced and comprehended by him.

Consuming ten more points, the mystery of how these sixteen runes intertwined and condensed into a complete ice spiritual root also became clear.

But this was not enough for Xiao Zhuo to understand the composition of other Spiritual Roots; to understand them, he had to analyze other Spiritual Roots and deduce their structural patterns.

Without continuing to invest Attribute Points, Xiao Zhuo began to add points to Cultivate the Free and Natural Heavenly Art, investing all his remaining Attribute Points.

The first stage of the Cultivation Technique was instantly Cultivated to about thirty percent, and his Cultivation Realm also surged accordingly; in the white mist world, his Cultivation started anew from the Qi Refining Stage.

He forged a perfect Dao Foundation, formed a nine-revolution golden elixir, and finally shattered the Golden Core to form a Nascent Soul.

From a mere Mortal to the Nascent Soul Stage!

The deficit in between was replenished by the Yao Beast flesh and blood he had hunted during these days.

The day the first stage of the Free and Natural Heavenly Art reached Perfection would be the day he returned to the Immortal Dao.

Exiting the white mist world, Xiao Zhuo briefly checked the newly generated magical power within his body and found that he had successfully Cultivated to the Middle Stage of the Nascent Soul.

However, in the Nirvana Realm, there was surprisingly no Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation.

Xiao Zhuo merely assumed that this world was different from the outside world and didn't particularly care.

With his profound foundation, even if he was only in the Middle Stage of the Nascent Soul, he was almost at the pinnacle within this Xu State.

The strongest in Xu State was only at the Body Integration Stage; although he was now at the Nascent Soul, with the aid of numerous methods, he might not be without the power to fight even against a Void Refining Realm Cultivator.

With his strength greatly increased, Xiao Zhuo felt more confident.

He returned to Xudu (Capital City), quietly going back to the Prime Minister's Residence.

After disappearing for more than ten days, no one in the Prime Minister's Residence even asked about him.

Several of his older brothers and sisters from this body had already left home, either serving in official positions elsewhere or married, only returning to the residence for gatherings during festivals each year.

Original identity of the body originally had a maid, but she unfortunately died of a plague in Xudu (Capital City) a few years ago, and the residence had not arranged another one specifically for him.

The next day, Xiao Zhuo went to see his father in this world—Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang.

In the study, the middle-aged man was hunched over his desk, writing furiously.

Hearing the servant announce his arrival from outside the door, he frowned slightly, but ultimately allowed Xiao Zhuo to enter.

This was the first time Xiao Zhuo had met Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang since his memories Awakened.

The man's face was square, bearing the majesty of someone long in a high position, with slightly graying temples, revealing a hint of the vicissitudes of life.

Although Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang possessed a Spiritual Root, it was a Five Elements mixed Spiritual Root, making his Cultivation extremely slow; to this day, he was still at the tenth level of Qi Refining, unable to Foundation Establishment.

With his power and status, he naturally did not lack Foundation Establishment Pills, but due to his Aptitude, even if he consumed more, a Breakthrough was hopeless, and his Lifespan had only a few decades left.

However, he was indeed an able minister in governing the country, thus deeply trusted by the Xu King and appointed Prime Minister.

"Sixteen, where did you go a few days ago?" Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang asked in a flat tone without looking up.

Xiao Zhuo's gaze was calm, and he replied quietly: "Father, your son went to the Nine Wood Forest Sea these past few days."

He had no intention of hiding it, nor did he need to.

Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang's hand holding the brush suddenly paused, and he looked up at Xiao Zhuo, frowning: "Nine Wood Forest Sea? What were you doing in such a dangerous place?"

"Naturally, to gain experience." Xiao Zhuo looked straight ahead, meeting his gaze calmly.

Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang immediately sensed that this son before him seemed vastly different from before.

His tone turned stern: "How long have you been in Foundation Establishment! How dare you venture into such a dangerous place alone! Even if you want to gain experience, you should have the Guest Elder from the residence accompany you! So reckless, do you even care about your own safety?"

This old man wasn't completely indifferent to his son after all. Xiao Zhuo's heart stirred slightly, but he didn't care.

Whether his memories had Awakened or not, ever since his birth mother passed away and Jiang Yuzhen entered the family, the father-son affection had already faded.

By the time Jiang Yuzhen favored her own children and withheld allowances from the other children, and Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang turned a blind eye, that bit of affection had long been worn away by resentment.

His visit now was merely to bring things to an end.

Seeing Xiao Zhuo's calm gaze, completely devoid of any intention to admit fault, a trace of anger flashed in Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang's eyes, and he was about to speak again.

But then Xiao Zhuo's voice came faintly, calm yet with an undeniable decisiveness: "Father, thank you for your protection all these years. But your son has decided to go to the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty, and this trip, perhaps I will not return."

His words were plain, yet carried an invisible prestige that forcefully pushed back the reprimand Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang had on the tip of his tongue.

He then asked in astonishment: "What? You want to go to the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty?"

Xiao Zhuo did not answer; a powerful pressure suddenly emanated from his body, then instantly retracted!

Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang felt a terrifying pressure descend upon him, his breath hitched, and a chilling sensation instantly spread throughout his body!

But the feeling came and went even faster, as if it were just an illusion.

However, Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang's gaze towards Xiao Zhuo had completely changed.

He felt as if he had never known the person in front of him.

The former Original identity of the body was shy and introverted, always deferential to him, diligent in his studies, and hardworking in Cultivation.

The "Original identity of the body" before him, however, had an aura as deep as an abyss, as silent as an ancient well, unfathomable.

"Who are you?!" Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a dark figure quietly appeared beside him.

That was a seven-foot tall strong man, with a restrained aura, but Xiao Zhuo could clearly sense the immense magical power fluctuations within his body—this was a Void Refining Realm Cultivator.

Xiao Zhuo shook his head slightly: "Father, there's no need to be suspicious; I am still myself."

"Absolutely impossible! Yuan'er would never speak to me like this!" Prime Minister Zhou Tianxiang didn't believe it at all, abruptly stood up, his gaze chilling, "Qian Kang, take him down!"

He suspected that his son had encountered an accident in the Nine Wood Forest Sea and had been taken by Possession!