158: Chapter 158 Protective Sword Seal, Flying Star Formed!

Chapter 158: Protective Sword Seal, Flying Star Rank Success! (Seeking Subscriptions)

He tamed the torrent of energy that would have reduced an ordinary person to ashes, systematically washing and tempering every inch of his flesh, sinew, and bone.

Destruction and Rebirth played out in turns within his body; each cycle made the Foundation of his Divine Body thicker and more profound.

After two hours of extreme tempering, the energy in the cultivation room gradually subsided.

The residual purple lightning on Li Wen's body retracted into him. His expression was calm, and his overall aura became increasingly heavy and stable, like a mountain.

When he left the cultivation room and walked down to the second floor of the Lightning Induction Tower, the scene had already changed.

The entire second-floor hall was crowded with people; almost most of the Nine Heavens Peak Disciples currently on the Peak had gathered here, waiting with bated breath.

The artifact for chasing Taiwan novels is ultra-smooth.

When they saw Li Wen's figure appear at the top of the stairs, the silence was instantly shattered.

“Congratulations to Senior Brother Li on the Great Perfection of his Divine Body!” a Disciple shouted excitedly.

“Congratulations to our Nine Heavens Peak for producing another Nine Heavens Divine Body of the Ninth Heaven!”

More people followed suit, their voices loud and brimming with excitement and glory.

“Congratulations, Senior Brother Li Wen!”

The waves of sound converged, sincere and enthusiastic.

Facing this wave of congratulations, a gentle smile appeared on Li Wen's face. He cupped his hands and responded to everyone around him with a humble attitude, without the slightest hint of arrogance.

The crowd automatically parted to form a path. Du Yun, Fang Chenghong, and Chen Xing stepped out from the group and quickly walked up to him.

“You guy—” Du Yun punched Li Wen's shoulder, the admiration in his eyes almost overflowing. “The Ninth Heaven!"

“You've really brought us so much honor!”

Fang Chenghong also nodded with a smile. “That's right. We entered the sect together, and now you've left us so far behind we can't even see your back.”

Though he said this, he was full of joy.

Chen Xing was concise: “Ridiculously strong!”

Facing the sincere congratulations of his three old friends, the smile on Li Wen's face deepened. He patted their shoulders in turn and said sincerely, “The path of the Divine Body lies in accumulation and persistence. You have also laid a deep Foundation. In time, you may not be unable to catch up.”

Upon hearing this, the three of them turned solemn and nodded gravely.

After exchanging a few words with his acquaintances, Li Wen returned to his Villa No. 1 located near the foot of Nine Heavens Peak, accompanied by the eager gazes and continuous congratulations of the Nine Heavens Peak Disciples.

However, just as he stepped into the courtyard, a message came through his personal terminal directly from the Principal's office.

“Come quickly to the back mountain of Wudao Peak.”

It was still that cliffside overlooking the sea of clouds, calm and profound.

A gentle breeze blew, ruffling the Principal's simple robes.

Li Wen's figure appeared silently at the edge of the cliff, and he bowed respectfully. “Principal.”

The Principal turned around, his aged gaze falling on Li Wen, scrutinizing him for a moment. That gaze seemed to penetrate his skin and reach the depths of his Soul.

After a long while, an approving smile appeared on his face. “Very good, a Nine Heavens Divine Body of the Ninth Heaven. Li Wen, you have done excellently, far exceeding my expectations.”

“I don't deserve such praise. It is thanks to the sect's cultivation; I dared not slacken in the slightest,” Li Wen said humbly.

“No need for excessive modesty.” The Principal waved his hand and paced over to a stone table by the cliff to sit down, gesturing for Li Wen to sit as well.

“Throughout the several hundred years of Kindling University's history, those who have achieved the Ninth Heaven of the Nine Heavens Divine Body are as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns. Every single one was a person of stunning talent, and every one shed their last drop of blood for our Human Race.”

The Principal's voice dropped, carrying the weight and remembrance of history.

“For example, five hundred years ago, there was Lin Shuo of my Nine Heavens Peak. He was a celestial genius who also cultivated the Divine Body to the Ninth Heaven before the age of twenty. In the Great Sun Realm, he could fight those of higher ranks, even slaying powerful enemies who had just entered the Marquis-level. However, his brilliance was too exposed. He was eventually ambushed by Shadow Death Soldiers in the Star Domain. Besieged by four Marquis-level Shadow experts, he fought to the death, killing three and heavily wounding one, but ultimately died of exhaustion, leaving his regrets in the Star Domain.”

A flash of sorrow passed through the Principal's eyes. When the word 'Shadow' left his mouth, it carried a cold killing intent.

“Then there was the Marquis Meteor, Zhao Qian, three hundred years ago,” the Principal continued. “He became a Marquis before the age of fifty. Relying on the extreme speed brought by the Ninth Heaven of the Nine Heavens Divine Body, he moved in and out of the Myriad Yao Territory seven times, performing illustrious military exploits. Ultimately, during a mission to protect a rear base on Blue Star, the Yao Race spared no expense, dispatching a top-tier King-level Great Yao who used a heavy treasure to forcibly infiltrate Blue Star for a surprise attack.”

Li Wen's expression was grave as he listened quietly.

The Principal glanced at Li Wen, seemingly seeing through his confusion. “Are you thinking that since the Nine Heavens Divine Body is renowned for its world-surpassing speed, and those at the Ninth Heaven Perfection are even faster, he should have been able to escape even if he couldn't defeat that King-level Yao?”

“Yes, that is exactly my confusion,” Li Wen admitted candidly with a nod.

The gap between a Marquis and a King was immense, but with the Marquis Meteor's speed, if he were focused solely on fleeing, it should have been difficult for even a King to capture or kill him instantly.

“That is because the Yao Race used the 'Luo Tian Net',” the Principal said deeply. “That is an extremely rare Domain-type heavy treasure. Within the 'Luo Tian Forbidden Domain' expanded by that treasure, space seems to freeze, and speed is suppressed to the limit. Being able to utilize ten percent of one's movement techniques is a stroke of luck.”

“A Domain-type treasure?” Li Wen's heart jolted as he realized the severity of the problem.

The Principal nodded slightly. “Correct. You should know that when a Cultivator breaks through to the Flying Star Rank and condenses their own Domain, it is the sign of stepping across the threshold of a true expert. Domains vary greatly: there is the 'Heaven-Rending Sword Domain' which focuses on slaughter, the 'Green Wood Spirit Domain' which focuses on recovery and healing, and naturally, there are Domains specifically focused on trapping and binding enemies. For example, the 'Star Evolution Divine Body', one of the Peak-guarding Divine Bodies of Xingyan Peak, is world-famous for trapping and killing enemies by evolving the Starry Heavens Formation. At the same Realm, no matter how fast you are, once you fall into this kind of powerful trapping Domain, you are like a dragon in a shallow pond, unable to exercise your abilities.”

For example, the 'Star Evolution Divine Body', one of the Peak-guarding Divine Bodies of Xingyan Peak, is world-famous for trapping and killing enemies by evolving the Starry Heavens Formation.

At the same Realm, no matter how fast you are, once you fall into this kind of powerful trapping Domain, you are like a dragon in a shallow pond, unable to exercise your abilities.”

He paused, looking at Li Wen's thoughtful expression, and continued further: “The effect of a Domain is absolutely influenced by the user's level of skill and Realm. If the trapper's skill Realm is far lower than the trapped, the Domain will be forcibly torn apart or weakened to the point of being nearly ineffective. But conversely, if the skill Realm of the expert using the trapping Domain far exceeds the trapped, then the power of the Domain will multiply. Those enveloped within it will find even breathing difficult, let alone utilizing their speed advantage.”

“That Yao Race King-level Expert's Realm was already above the Marquis Meteor's. Under the terrifying suppression of that 'Luo Tian Forbidden Domain', even with the peerless speed granted by the Ninth Heaven of the Nine Heavens Divine Body, the Marquis Meteor was like a bird caught in a bog, unable to spread its wings.”

The Principal concluded in a heavy tone.

Li Wen was silent for a moment, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

The slight joy brought by the previous Breakthrough to the Ninth Heaven had been completely washed away by this heavy historical tale.

He fully understood the Principal's intention. “I see. Domain suppression—it is truly an inescapable situation. Thank you, Principal, for the reminder. I will certainly be more careful and cautious in my future actions.”

He knew the Principal's intent—having revealed the potential of a Ninth Heaven Nine Heavens Divine Body, his future value to the Human Race was infinite, and his threat to the Yao Race was immense. It would inevitably draw assassination attempts at any cost.

Previously, his talent might have only been worth sending high-level assassins, but now, it was enough for the Yao Race to use some of their true trump cards and heavy treasures.

“It's good that you understand the stakes.”

The Principal looked at the confusion quickly dissipating from Li Wen's eyes, replaced by a deep alertness, and nodded with satisfaction.

His summoning this time was far more about warning than congratulation.

Seeing that Li Wen understood with just a hint, this comprehension and steadiness gave him even more hope.

“Achieving the Ninth Heaven is certainly a great blessing, but it also means you will step into another, more dangerous situation. One's brilliance must not be too sharp; hide your sharpness, Cultivate humility, and proceed with caution to endure for the long term.”

“I will keep your teachings in mind!” Li Wen promised solemnly.

Subsequently, the Principal asked about Li Wen's insights from his Breakthrough and the current state of his Divine Body. Li Wen answered them one by one, and the two chatted for a bit longer about cultivation experiences.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Li Wen saw that the Principal seemed to have important matters, so he rose to take his leave: “If the Principal has no other instructions, I shall excuse myself.”

The Principal nodded slightly. “Go. Consolidate well; the road ahead is long.”

Li Wen bowed again and turned to walk toward the path down the mountain.

The moment he turned to step away, a sharp glint flashed imperceptibly in the seated Principal's eyes.

He placed his left hand under the stone table and gave a seemingly casual flick of his finger.

Buzz!

A faint ripple, almost impossible to perceive, instantly condensed and formed a mark in the air.

A miniature, completely transparent sword-shaped seal, less than the size of a finger, silently imprinted itself onto the skin of the back of Li Wen's neck at a speed exceeding the limits of perception.

The moment the seal touched his skin, it was like a drop of water merging into a sponge, leaving no trace, not even a single ripple.

It thoroughly penetrated and merged; rather than being attached, it was more like it was embedded into the deepest layer of his life aura, eventually vanishing completely without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

The miraculous thing was that Li Wen, who was steadily walking down the mountain, was completely unaware of all this.

He was still immersed in his previous thoughts about Domains and assassinations.

He didn't notice at all that the moment he left the cliff, the Principal had used heaven-reaching means to quietly add an invisible protective talisman to him.

Time flew by, and more than three months had passed since Li Wen's Nine Heavens Divine Body broke through to the Ninth Heaven.

galactic calendar Year 227, December 28th, morning.

Li Wen woke up from deep meditation, his consciousness clear.

—

Like a daily mandatory task, he habitually pulled up his information panel, and the light screen silently unfolded before his eyes:

[Name: Li Wen]

[Age: 20]

[Realm: Advanced Super Martial Artist (Level 29.9)]

[Class: Scholar Lv12 (48960→108000/204800)]

[Skills: Blade Technique - Concept (74%), Five Styles of Dawn (Instant Rainbow Style 100%, Silent Rainbow Style 100%, Mountain-Crushing Style 100%, Heavenly Gap Style 70%)]

[Cultivation Technique: Nine Heavens Divine Body - Ninth Heaven (100%), God-Shocking Sting - Third Layer (100%)]

“Ninth Heaven Perfection, I've finally reached this step.”

Li Wen muttered to himself, his gaze lingering for a moment on the words [Nine Heavens Divine Body - Ninth Heaven (100%)], the emotion in his heart turning into a sense of certainty.

The “100%” mark behind the Nine Heavens Divine Body was crystal clear, a culmination of his efforts over the past three months.

Theoretically, going from just entering the Ninth Heaven to the “Great Perfection” recorded in the classics would only take a month and a half given Li Wen's terrifying comprehension and efficiency.

And that was indeed the case; his early cultivation was like a hot knife through butter, reaching 99% in just one month.

However, it was precisely this last 1% that was like a natural chasm, stalling his progress for two full months.

During that time, Li Wen consulted all the records regarding the Ninth Heaven of the Nine Heavens Divine Body in Nine Heavens Peak and even the entire Kindling University's collection.

All the books clearly stated that the various characteristics he possessed at 99% were the Peak of Perfection, with no possibility of further progress.

But this stood in clear conflict with the clear indication on his panel that he was still 1% away from 100%.

Was it an error on the panel, or was there a blind spot in the entire cultivation world's knowledge?

In the end, Li Wen chose to believe the panel; it had been his most solid reliance since his Transmigration.

He didn't rush to break through with the 99% Ninth Heaven Nine Heavens Divine Body, but continued to temper himself with lightning over and over again, sensing and adjusting repeatedly, striving for Perfection with near-obsessive persistence.

For two whole months, that stubborn “99%” on the panel didn't budge (the panel's lowest display precision was 1%, unable to show decimal values). Every internal inspection felt like a silent questioning of his choice.

Hesitation had appeared, and self-doubt followed like a shadow, but in the end, he chose to trust the interface.

This trust finally bore fruit yesterday; the final 1% was completed.

At that moment, an indescribable sense of Perfection replaced the previous 'false Perfection'.

It was as if the last piece of a puzzle had been fitted perfectly, a cycle completely closed.

It wasn't a sudden surge of power, but a completion of essence and a sublimation of state.

It was a qualitative change from ninety-nine to one hundred, a sense of transformation reaching true 'flawlessness'.

The results of the three months were remarkable.

Scholar experience accumulated steadily. Under the honing of the Five Styles of Dawn, his Saber Intent Realm continued to climb steadily after breaking through 70%.

Only the cultivation of the fourth layer of God-Shocking Sting was limited by the Bottleneck of his current total Primordial Spirit Power; the rune engraving could not be completed in one go, and nothing short of a Realm Breakthrough would suffice.

And the Breakthrough of the Realm was happening today.

Flying Star Rank!

The long-awaited Realm was right before his eyes.

It meant the freedom to break away from the shackles of the earth and roam the starry sky!

Li Wen's eyes held strong anticipation and determination as he closed the interface.

At this moment, the smart bracelet on his wrist vibrated slightly, and a projected light screen popped up, displaying several birthday greeting messages from his parents.

"Twenty years old—" The sense of time passing was so clear.

He returned the video call. His mother's gentle smiling face and his father's concerned words came across the sea of stars, chatting about daily life and sharing recent news.

This moment of warmth added a bit of coziness to this day destined to be extraordinary.

Ending the call and finishing his morning routine, he enjoyed a specially provided high-energy breakfast to replenish his energy.

He was in no hurry to take that crucial step, instead walking toward the martial arts arena as usual.

The blade light flashed like a bolt of silk, and the Dawn Saber Intent was piercing and chilling, cutting through the cool morning air and adjusting his physical and mental state to a Peak of harmony.

This was his rhythm.

An hour later, Li Wen sheathed his blade, his breath steady and long, without a single ripple.

He returned to Villa No. 1 and walked straight into the quiet cultivation room.

The room was already prepared with the top-tier Heaven And Earth Treasures provided by Kindling University—Lightning-Struck Wood Core Essence, Star Essence Tempering Liquid, and Nine-Aperture Exquisite Fruit—each containing vast and pure spiritual energy sufficient to transform an ordinary Super Martial Artist.

They emitted heart-palpitating energy fluctuations.

This was the 'fuel' he needed to step into the Flying Star Rank, and even more so, the necessary support for the Nine Heavens Great Perfection Divine Body.

Sitting cross-legged in the center of the quiet room, Li Wen slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into the deepest part of his Sea of Consciousness.

"Let's begin."

Calm the heart, steady the breath.

The Mind-Cultivation Technique of the Nine Heavens Divine Body: Nine Heavens Great Perfection Chapter flowed through his mind. The vast blood qi that had already accumulated to the Peak within his body, reaching the limit of Level 29.9, surged like a powder keg being ignited.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A majestic aura far exceeding that of an ordinary Advanced Super Martial Artist erupted from the villa, shooting straight into the sky.

The air at the summit of Mingde Peak suddenly froze, and the invisible pressure sent the birds nesting there scattering in panic.

The Dantian—the source of a Cultivator's power—seemed to transform into a singularity at the beginning of the Universe.

The violent and condensed thunderous blood qi, guided by Li Wen's will, began to rotate and collapse frantically with an unprecedented rhythm.

This process was far more complex than simply absorbing spiritual energy.

A true Nine Heavens Great Perfection body had a demand for energy that could be called greedy, and only the highest-tier pure spiritual energy could satisfy its need for transformation.

The boundless vitality and thunder-fire power contained in the Lightning-Struck Wood Core Essence, the refined essence energy of the Star Essence Tempering Liquid that seemed to come from the depths of a stellar core, and the strange medicinal power of the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Fruit that harmonized all things were efficiently extracted and refined by the Nine Heavens Divine Body technique, surging into the violently collapsing center of the Dantian like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

Zzzzt!

On the surface of his skin, it was no longer ordinary lightning flickering, but countless fine, ancient deep purple lightning patterns that seemed to contain the Law of Heaven and Earth quietly emerging and fading.

The air vibrated violently, emitting a low, suppressed rumble of thunder.

Just as the collapse of the Dantian core was about to reach a certain critical point—Crack!

An invisible and massive shackle was violently forced open by the power accumulated to the extreme.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

Throughout the mountain range where Mingde Peak was located, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi suddenly rioted.

Vast purple thunderclouds gathered from all directions without warning, completely shrouding the sky above Mingde Peak in an instant.

Within the cloud layers, it was not ordinary silver snakes dancing, but a rich purple-gold luster flowing, deep and majestic, carrying a terrifying pressure that seemed to come from above the Nine Heavens.

The low rumbling shook every inch of space, and a majestic, perfect aura of life that transcended the mortal Realm spread out from it, enveloping almost the entire campus.

Throughout Kindling University, countless shocked gazes turned toward the direction of Mingde Peak.

At the Wudao Peak plaza.

The Disciples doing their morning exercises all stopped their movements, staring at the sky in a daze.

"This—what kind of phenomenon is this?!" a burly-looking Disciple exclaimed in shock.

"I'm not sure, but looking at the position, it's Mingde Peak."

Beside the burly Disciple, a slightly more mature-looking Disciple gazed at the location of the phenomenon and began to guess, "Those living on Mingde Peak are all Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters below the Flying Star Rank. Could it be that someone is breaking through to the Flying Star Rank?"

"Can breaking through to the Flying Star Rank trigger a phenomenon? Why didn't I have one back then?" The burly Disciple was slightly puzzled.

"People like you and me certainly can't trigger a phenomenon, but if one breaks through with the Nine Heavens Great Perfection—then a phenomenon can be triggered," the mature-looking Disciple said pointedly.

"Nine Heavens Great Perfection—could it be Junior Brother Li Wen breaking through?" the burly Disciple suddenly cried out.

"It should be him." The mature-looking Disciple looked at the phenomenon from afar and nodded.

"This—the phenomenon is even more grand and terrifying than when he broke through to the Nine Heavens last time!"

Exclamations and discussions spread like a tide.

At the Star Observation Platform of Xingyan Peak.

Several Marquis-level Experts who were observing the stars all looked up, their expressions solemn.

"Nine Heavens Thunder Stirring, All Manifestations of Life—this phenomenon is rarely recorded even in ancient texts. To what extent has that Li Wen cast his Foundation?"

Someone murmured in a low voice, their tone carrying an unconcealable shock.

At the Nine Heavens Peak martial arts arena.

Du Yun and Fang Chenghong, who were sparring, were both startled by this majestic pressure and involuntarily stopped to look toward the direction where the lightning gathered.

Jiangnan fellow provincials Chu Feng, Wang Shuo, and others gathered together, their faces full of envy and excitement: "Brother Wen is too awesome!"

"It really is him!"

In front of the Lightning Induction Tower on Nine Heavens Peak.

Sun Rui looked up at the Heaven and Earth phenomenon that seemed to be paying homage to Mingde Peak, his eyes burning with a near-tangible, fiery Battle Intent.

He pursed his lips tightly, showing no dejection, only a purer and stronger drive for progress: "Flying Star Rank—Nine Heavens Divine Body Great Perfection—this is the goal I, Sun Rui, should chase!"

Zhao Qiming and the others had faces full of awe, deeply feeling that the gap between them and that person was like a natural chasm.

At the various Peak Masters' halls.

The Primordial Spirits of the King-level Experts, such as the Lietian Peak Master and the Xingyan Peak Master, instantly swept through the void, capturing the Perfection contained within that phenomenon—

The flawless Dao charm of Great Perfection and the vast vitality.

Even as powerful as they were, they felt a profound shock.

"The number of nine times nine has a remainder—this boy's Foundation is no less than those in ancient legends." The Xingyan Peak Master's tone was deep, carrying a hint of subtle praise.

"That old fellow Fang Qinghan—this time he has truly picked up a real dragon," the Lietian Peak Master sighed.

More Marquis-level Experts were stirred in their hearts, silently feeling the pressure and hope from the younger generation.

At the principal's residence behind Wudao Peak.

The white-haired principal stood by the window with his hands behind his back, quietly watching the transformation of the sky.

The strange Fusion of Chaos purple lightning and boundless vitality, and the true Concept of Great Perfection contained within it, finally caused a ripple of gratification to appear in his calm eyes.

It was like seeing a seedling carrying infinite possibilities undergoing a qualitative change in its life level.

Behind this gratification was a responsibility as heavy as a mountain and a sense of protection.

His fingertips moved slightly, as if confirming once again the invisible mark left on the back of the young man's neck, his whisper dissipating in the wind:

—

"Such a spark—must not be lost—the Flying Star has risen, and greater storms—"

The Heaven and Earth phenomenon lasted for nearly half an incense stick's time before the boundless energy vortex slowly calmed and dissipated.

When the last trace of purple lightning returned to nothingness and the last bit of spiritual mist merged into the world, a new, vast aura, accompanied by a surging vitality that made even space vibrate slightly, rose like a newborn sun from the direction of Mingde Peak's Villa No. 1, clearly announcing its arrival—Flying Star Rank! Achieved!

At this moment, throughout Kindling University, whether teachers or students, regardless of their Realm, everyone understood in their hearts.

A true legendary new star had broken through the clouds and risen into the sky!

A new era seemed to be quietly beginning.

Inside the quiet room, Li Wen slowly opened his eyes.

In his deep eyes, the lightning was restrained, as if containing a deep starry sky.

He felt the new core deep in his body, slowly rotating like a miniature cosmic vortex, providing endless power.

With a slight thought, his body lifted three feet off the ground, hovering in the void.

It wasn't a jump, it wasn't staying in the air; it was a true, effortless hovering at will!

He looked out the window at the sky gradually returning to normal, feeling no wild joy, only a sense of natural progression and the satisfaction of finally reaching his goal.

A twenty-year-old Nine Heavens Great Perfection Flying Star—another brilliant stroke would be added to the annals of human civilization's history.

The high-hanging sun shed its scorching light.

On the open ground in front of Mingde Peak's Villa No. 1, Li Wen hovered a few feet above the ground, the purple electricity lingering around him not yet fully subsided.

The surging sense of power from breaking through to the Flying Star Rank coursed through his body; he needed to clearly grasp this brand-new ability.

With a slight thought, the lightning around him flashed violently, emitting a low hum.

Only a blurred afterimage remained in place; in the next instant, he had appeared a hundred meters away.

The air was disturbed by the trajectory of his high-speed passage, forming weak shockwaves.

"This speed—" Li Wen himself couldn't help but feel his heart stir; it far exceeded the records in ancient texts for the speed of an ordinary Nine Heavens Great Perfection practitioner who had just promoted to the Flying Star Rank, "I'm afraid it's even a bit faster than some gods and demons of the Bright Moon Realm."

He quickly realized: "The Nine Heavens Great Perfection recorded in books probably mostly stopped at the 99% Realm. My achievement of the final 1%—"

"—cultivating it to true Perfection brought a Foundation strengthening that is especially prominent in the advantage of speed."

One of the cores of the Nine Heavens Divine Body was indeed lightning speed.

In his joy, Li Wen transformed into a human-shaped bolt of lightning, rapidly shuttling around the towering Mingde Peak.

The sound of breaking through the air was continuous, and purple light-trails intertwined among the Peaks.

At first, there was still a slight stiffness when turning his body, but as his subtle control over the counter-thrust of his externalized True Essence and his perception of air resistance became more refined, his flight trajectory became increasingly smooth and harmonious, as if it were an extension of his own limbs.

After fully experiencing the freedom and pleasure of flying through the air, Li Wen landed on the ground.

With his feet on the ground, he instantly burst forth with force!

The combination of his leg strength and Flying Star Rank True Essence produced an explosive power far exceeding that when he was in the air.

Only a loud 'bang' was heard as he shot out like an arrow from a bow, instantly appearing three hundred meters away, leaving only a ring of spreading dust waves and scattered purple electric snakes in his wake.

His speed was more than two or three times faster than when flying.

After testing his speed, Li Wen focused his mind and began to fully perceive his internal changes.

Within the Dantian Qi Sea, the once-surging blood qi had completely transformed into a brand-new power—True Essence—which was more condensed, majestic, and contained the attribute of the thunder Origin.

The True Essence flowed like mercury, each wisp containing energy far beyond what blood qi could compare to.

As recorded in the books, the Flying Star Rank is the beginning of the extraordinary, where one sheds their mortal coil, their power level changes drastically, and their Lifespan is significantly extended.

At the same time, he also tested the Fusion effects of his Primordial Spirit Power.

In the Sea of Consciousness, the little Primordial Spirit figure sat entrenched, radiating brilliant divine light.

Driven by his will, the Primordial Spirit Power flowed into his limbs and bones like a clear stream.

Compared to the exaggerated five or ten-fold increases during his time as a Super Martial Artist, the multiplication factor had indeed significantly decreased now that the Primordial Spirit Power was merging with his True Yuan or physical flesh, only increasing it by two to four times.

Li Wen understood this in his heart: "This is a matter of course. If the multiplier remained constant, as the base power of the main body continues to leap forward, the Primordial Spirit Power would break the balance. I'm afraid a Marquis-level Expert would be able to challenge a King-level Expert then."

"Although the multiplier has decreased, the base has exploded, so the actual total combat power has instead leaped to a new height."

The ten-fold eruption as a Super Martial Artist was not even as powerful as a single-fold increase at the Flying Star Rank; this was a qualitative change.

Furthermore, his perception range, mental toughness, and the deduction efficiency of his Scholar skills had all taken a comprehensive leap forward due to the strengthening of his Primordial Spirit and his Breakthrough in Realm.

By the time all the perceptions and tests were completed, it was nearly noon.

With a few silent flickers, Li Wen returned to the quiet room of Villa No. 1.

After consuming a specially prepared high-energy nutritional meal to replenish his energy, he immediately threw himself into the next important task.

At this moment, the Primordial Spirit had grown much stronger after the nourishment and baptism of the Breakthrough; it was the critical moment to deduce the Primordial Spirit secret technique, God-Shocking Sting, to the fourth layer.

This secret technique, which specialized in the Soul level, had unpredictable and eerie power; it was currently his greatest trump card.

In terms of physical combat power alone, even if he used his Primordial Spirit Power to merge with his entire body, his limit eruption would barely touch the Peak of the Bright Moon Rank, making it impossible to face a Great Sun Realm head-on.

However, the existence of God-Shocking Sting was the key to breaking common sense.

An extremely condensed Primordial Spirit impact was enough to instantly annihilate the Soul of any target with insufficient Primordial Spirit defense.

No matter how strong their Physical Body or how superb their techniques, as long as their Primordial Spirit could not block that thorn, the result would be death and the end of their path.

This kind of method targeting the Soul Origin could be called unsolvable.

He sat quietly and regulated his breathing.

The Sea of Consciousness world was as clear as a mirror, without a single ripple.

The little Primordial Spirit figure sitting in the center slowly opened its "eyes" and spat out an inch-long, translucent spike.

This object was the carrier of the God-Shocking Sting. After months of repeated nourishment with Primordial Spirit essence by Li Wen, its form was now condensed and stable.

Its halo was restrained, and three layers of profound golden runes flowed incessantly on its surface, emitting a heart-palpitating sharpness.

The key to the fourth layer lay in inscribing a new, even more complex and profound rune upon it.

The little figure held its hands as if embracing a void, and the center of its brow shone brightly. Vast Primordial Spirit Power was highly condensed and compressed, turning into a mental carving knife ten thousand times finer than a strand of hair.

The little figure's expression was extremely solemn as it guided this invisible carving knife, carefully probing toward the edge of the God-Shocking Sting's tip.

The first golden line slowly emerged.

This was not a carving on a physical level, but rather using pure mental will as a guide and condensed Primordial Spirit Power as ink to brand the trajectories of some profound Soul Law in the world onto the Origin of the divine thorn.

The process was exceptionally difficult.

Every time the carving knife moved across, as the rune lines lit up slightly, a powerful backlash of intertwined suction and repulsion would be generated, stabbing into the little figure's core consciousness like a needle and consuming a huge amount of Primordial Spirit reserves.

Li Wen discarded all distracting thoughts, leaving only absolute focus.

His Divine Sense was like the probe of a precision machine tool, and the mental carving knife moved steadily and slowly, meticulously branding a new rune structure—one that was extraordinarily complex and contained the triple Concepts of "Deterrence," "Piercing," and "Annihilation"—onto the main body of the God-Shocking Sting.

The rune was not flat but a three-dimensional structure that merged deeply into the thorn's body, interlocking and nesting with the original three layers of runes.

Time seemed to lose its meaning in the quiet room.

Only the steady operations of the little Primordial Spirit figure and that increasingly clear and complete fourth layer of golden runes on the God-Shocking Sting's body spoke of the progress of the inscription.

Sweat soaked the hair on Li Wen's forehead, but his aura became increasingly long and calm.

Every time a subtle connection of rune nodes succeeded, the light of the thorn's body would restrain itself by another point, but that deadly sense of sharpness would surge by another level, as if even the Sea of Consciousness space was being faintly sliced by its invisible aura.

When the final stroke of the rune quietly closed at the end of the God-Shocking Sting, a golden light flashed suddenly and then completely vanished.

The entire God-Shocking Sting had completely turned into a deep dark gold, with only a few barely perceptible profound patterns flowing on the surface, like the fangs of an ancient beast sleeping in the abyss, just waiting to devour someone.

The fourth layer of God-Shocking Sting was complete!

Fatigue appeared on the little Primordial Spirit figure's face, but more so was the calmness of having completed a challenge.

It took a breath, and that dark golden divine thorn, its power having surged, was instantly retracted into its body, where it was slowly nourished and settled within the pure Primordial Spirit Origin.

In the quiet room, Li Wen slowly opened his eyes. Deep within his pitch-black pupils, something like a flash of lightning and something even deeper seemed to flicker and vanish.

Once the fourth layer runes of the God-Shocking Sting were completely integrated and nourished to Perfection, he would have the qualification to exchange blows with a threshold Marquis-level Expert.

Although it would still take some time to nourish it to Perfection, this powerful Soul attack weapon was already held in his hand.

Setting aside the full-force deduction of the secret technique, Li Wen finally felt a hint of relaxation.

With a slight thought, the virtual screen in front of him expanded, and the interface of his smart bracelet lit up silently.

The message icon on the chat software had long since turned into a glaring "99+".

Opening it, the screen was full of congratulatory messages like "Congratulations to Senior Brother (Junior Brother) for breaking through to the Flying Star Rank!"

"Inhuman talent!!" and similar words of praise came from the familiar Du Yun, Fang Chenghong, Chen Xing, Wanglarge, Nangong Xue, Chu Feng, and others.

There were even official congratulations from several Flying Star Rank Senior Brothers and Sisters who he had only met once at the summit, as well as from the attendants of Nine Heavens Peak.

The bustling excitement rushed toward him like a tide.

Li Wen's expression was calm. With a light tap of his finger, he attached a concise "Thanks" as a reply to every name that had sent a congratulation.

He had always disliked formalities, but he would not fail to live up to well-intentioned recognition.

After handling the distracting flow of information, a pinned System notification caught his eye.

"Notice on Residence Relocation and Permission Upgrade for Flying Star Rank Disciples."

He clicked to read it in detail: "Congratulations to student Li Wen for being promoted to the Flying Star Rank. According to school regulations: All Disciples of Kindling University, after being promoted to the Flying Star Rank, may choose a day to move into the core residential area of their respective main Peaks. Note:

Mingde Peak is a place for nurturing new students, and the environment is stable. The energy fields in the core areas of each main Peak are active and contain Origin characteristics. For Disciples below the Flying Star Rank, the harm outweighs the benefits, and it is easy to damage one's Foundation;

Moving into a main Peak residence marks officially becoming a member of that Peak's Core Disciple sequence, enjoying higher resource tilting and internal permissions;

Starting this month, you will automatically join the Xinhuo Flying Star Society. The society holds a cross-Peak exchange meeting on the evening of the last day of every month, aimed at promoting the exchange of experiences among Flying Star Rank Disciples of the twelve Peaks and increasing collaborative tacit understanding.

Because after the Flying Star Rank, one may need to shoulder the responsibility of guarding various underground city passes, getting acquainted in advance and building trust is crucial for future coordinated operations.

Descent standards updated: You broke through to the Flying Star Rank with the Nine Heavens Divine Body at the Ninth Layer Perfection, and your potential rating is 'Absolute Peak.' The baseline for descent permission has been updated to 'promotion to the Late Stage of the Bright Moon Rank.' Specific task requirements and contribution point standards will be sent separately later.

The new residence on Nine Heavens Peak has been opened for you. Your identity jade plaque already has the corresponding permissions. Please choose your own time to go to Courtyard No. 1 of the Jia Section in the core area to confirm and settle in. Relevant facility manuals have been sent to your personal space simultaneously."

As his gaze swept through the items one by one, Li Wen understood everything.

Regarding the strictness of the descent standards, he had long expected it.

Ling Feng was still climbing at the Bright Moon Rank; with his own Ninth Layer Perfection Foundation, the school's expectations would only be higher.

"An exchange meeting, huh——" His finger unconsciously tapped on the tabletop. "This is indeed a window to observe the core figures of other Peaks and learn about external information."

As for the residence relocation——

Li Wen closed the notification interface and did not set off immediately.

Nine Heavens Peak was his next destination, but this villa on Mingde Peak had accompanied him for a year and a half, recording every bit of his progress from a beginner Martial Artist to the Flying Star Rank. There was no need to rush to leave overnight.

That night, the villa's living room was brightly lit. The Formation to block probes had long since been quietly activated.

——

Fang Chenghong, Du Yun, Chen Xing, Chu Feng, Wang Shuo, and Nangong Xue arrived as scheduled.

Amazement flickered in Fang Chenghong's eyes, while Du Yun was much more composed, his gaze toward Li Wen carrying heartfelt admiration.

Chen Xing's smile was sincere but also carried a determination born from the transformation of pressure.

Wang Shuo was as boisterous as ever, making no secret of his pride: "Brother Wen! You're at the Flying Star Rank! You have to look out for your brother from now on!"

Nangong Xue smiled gently, her eyes rippling with pure congratulations.

Chu Feng sat quietly to the side, his eyes warm as he appreciated these vibrant, young faces with amazing potential before him.

On the dining table were delicacies and fine wines, but even more were the celebratory gifts brought by everyone, cooked from various high-level ingredients.

The atmosphere was enthusiastic yet warm, with less superficial politeness and more familiar small talk and banter.

The conversation naturally revolved around Li Wen's Breakthrough.

"The pressure from those purple thunderclouds made it hard to breathe even from halfway across Mingde Peak,"

Wang Shuo gulped down a drink and gestured, "Brother Wen, the commotion you caused was just too terrifying!"

"Ninth Layer Perfection, the legendary Realm of the Nine Heavens Divine Body——it truly makes one yearn for it."

Du Yun sighed with emotion. Although he had reached the sixth layer, he knew deeply that there were still endless chasms ahead on this path.

"The pressure is mountain-high, but the motivation is also full." Chen Xing smiled and raised his glass. "Senior Brother Li Wen has set a benchmark for us that pierces straight into the clouds."

Fang Chenghong clenched his fist: "I won't slack off! One day, I will also climb to the top of that Lightning Induction Tower!" He had a straightforward personality and made no secret of his intent to catch up.

"Congratulations." Chu Feng and Nangong Xue also raised their glasses. Just two simple words, but all their friendship was within them.

Li Wen responded to everyone's words with a smile, either giving kind encouragement or sharing some subtle insights from his Breakthrough, which led everyone into deep thought.

As the night grew deeper, the topics spread to recent news, their respective cultivation Bottlenecks and realizations, rumors about the newcomer Sun Rui, and even the topic caused by Sun Rui finally joining Nine Heavens Peak.

Moonlight spilled through the window frame, reflecting on several young faces that already bore the weight of hope.

They all knew very well that moving away from Mingde Peak meant a new starting point and a heavier burden for Li Wen.

"No matter when, this place remains one of our 'anchors.'" Du Yun looked around the villa as he took his leave, his words gentle but powerful.

Everyone nodded upon hearing this.

For them, struggling forward on the cruel path of cultivation in the end times, the friendship of like-minded people was precious beyond measure.