86: Wanfa Oven
After the conversation in the Sword Heart Hall ended, Ye Chen didn't rest for a moment. The threat of the Dark Hall was like a sword hanging over his head; he had to race against time.
Under the personal guidance of Dean Yun Canghai, the two passed through layers of Restrictions and arrived at a deep, secluded canyon in the back mountains of Tianfeng Academy, a place rarely visited by people. At the end of the canyon was not a cave, but a smooth, mirror-like black stone wall a hundred feet high. Countless complex and ancient runes were naturally carved upon the wall; they were not static, but flowed slowly, brightening and dimming like breath, drawing in the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and the power of the stars toward a vortex-shaped entrance in the center of the wall, just large enough for one person to pass through.
Before even getting close, a scorching, violent aura that yet contained endless creative vitality rushed toward him. That aura was mixed with the ferocity of earth fire, the coolness of starlight, and the Dao rhyme of the myriad Laws returning to one, making one's mind and Soul waver.
“This is the entrance to the ‘myriad laws furnace.’” Yun Canghai pointed at the vortex entrance with a solemn expression. “Inside the furnace is a self-contained space divided into nine levels. The deeper you go, the stronger the earth's core fire and astral power become, and the greater the difference in the flow of time. However, the pressure and Law impacts within are correspondingly more terrifying. With your current Spiritual Gang Realm cultivation and Sword Venerable foundation, you might try entering the third level. Remember, act within your capabilities and do not be overly ambitious, or you risk your body perishing and your Dao dissolving.”
“Disciple will keep that in mind.” Ye Chen nodded. He could feel the majestic power coming from behind that entrance, which was both heart-palpitating and desirable.
“This is a jade talisman for controlling the basic Formations inside the furnace, along with some Medicinal Pills to consolidate your foundation and resist Heart Demons.” Yun Canghai handed a warm white jade talisman and a Storage Pouch to Ye Chen. “Once you enter, everything will depend on you. I will protect you from the outside; if there is any abnormality, I will respond immediately.”
“Thank you, Dean!” Ye Chen took the items and put them away solemnly.
No longer hesitating, he took one last look at the light of the outside world, took a deep breath, and stepped forward, his figure vanishing into the slowly rotating runic vortex.
A sensation of the world spinning hit him. Unlike an ordinary teleportation array, this time Ye Chen felt as if his Physical Body and Soul were being thrown into a giant smelting furnace! Turbulent flows of energy, interwoven with heat and cold, were everywhere, and countless shattered Law fragments were like sharp knives, constantly cutting and impacting his protective spiritual light and Sword Intent.
He immediately circulated the Myriad Realms Sword Canon, and Nirvana Sword Intent emanated from his body, forming a thin layer of dark Chaos shielding around him. The guixu sword hovered before him, vibrating slightly and emitting joyful fluctuations as it actively devoured those violent energies, filtering and purifying them before feeding them back to Ye Chen.
A moment later, the dizziness from the teleportation vanished, and he stood on solid ground, stabilizing himself.
Looking up, he saw a strange sight that defied description.
The sky was not blue with white clouds, but an endless starry dome where countless stars seemed within reach, pouring down cool yet majestic astral power. The ground beneath his feet was a sea of dark red, constantly writhing and rolling magma, with scorching earth core fire rising from it, containing violent energy capable of incinerating all things.
Astral power and earth core fire met and collided here, forming colorful energy storms of various attributes that raged through the space like tornadoes. Furthermore, chains condensed from pure Laws appeared and disappeared fitfully, letting out heart-palpitating roars.
This was the internal space of the myriad laws furnace, the first level.
Ye Chen could clearly feel that the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi here was so dense it was almost solid, yet extremely violent. For an ordinary Cultivator to be here, let alone Cultivate, even maintaining survival would be extremely difficult. At the same time, he could feel that the flow of time here was indeed slower than the outside world—roughly three to one, meaning three days here was one day outside.
“To think the first level alone has such power...” Ye Chen was inwardly awed, gaining a deeper understanding of this secret ground of the academy. He did not stay in the first level; following Yun Canghai's suggestion, he headed directly for the deeper layers.
When crossing the energy barrier between the first and second levels, the pressure increased sharply, and the impacts from the Law chains became denser. Ye Chen had to fully activate his Nirvana Sword Intent and use the guixu sword to clear the way just to barely pass through.
The environment of the second level was even harsher. Astral power and earth core fire were almost equal in strength, the power of the energy storms doubled, and the time flow reached five to one. Ye Chen felt his spiritual power being consumed rapidly, but he did not stop, continuing his march toward the third level.
When he finally broke through the barrier and stepped into the third-level space, even with his experience and Heart-Nature as a Sword Venerable, he couldn't help but suck in a cold breath.
In the third-level space, there was no longer a clear heaven or earth. As far as the eye could see was a boundless Chaos ocean interwoven with astral light-flames and earth core lava! Countless massive runes composed of pure Laws drifted and collided in the ocean, each collision erupting with a thunderous sound like the creation of the world, giving rise to all sorts of incredible phenomena—sometimes golden lotuses blooming, sometimes the roars of demon gods, and sometimes the momentary scenes of worlds being born and destroyed!
The energy here was no longer just violent, but... chaotic! It was an absolute Domain of Chaos formed by countless distinct Laws being forcibly smelted and clashing against each other! The time flow had reached a staggering ten to one!
The pressure here was enough to instantly crush an ordinary Spiritual Gang Realm Cultivator into powder! The ubiquitous Law impacts could easily tear a Cultivator's Divine Soul to shreds!
“This is the place!” A burning light erupted in Ye Chen's eyes. The more dangerous and chaotic it was, the more it was an excellent place for Cultivation for him, who needed to smelt myriad Laws and temper his Guixu Sword Intent!
He chose a relatively stable “reef” composed of several large Law fragments and sat cross-legged. The guixu sword hovered above his head, its blade radiating intense Chaos light, forming a Guixu Domain three zhang in diameter that temporarily isolated the external chaotic energy.
But he did not intend to stay isolated forever. What he needed was to borrow the power of this place to hone and perfect his own Sword Dao!
He cautiously guided a sliver of the external Chaos energy into the Guixu Domain.
“Boom!”
The moment that sliver of energy entered the Domain, it was like a drop of cold water into boiling oil, instantly exploding! The multiple conflicting Law powers contained within it clashed and exploded frantically, attempting to tear the entire Guixu Domain apart!
Ye Chen let out a muffled groan, his face turning slightly pale. He immediately circulated his Nirvana Sword Intent to its full extent. The guixu sword let out a low roar, and the Chaos vortex spun frantically, beginning to forcibly devour and decompose this chaotic energy!
This was an extremely painful and perilous process. The Law fragments within that chaotic energy constantly bombarded his Sea of Consciousness, trying to pollute his Sword Heart. All sorts of negative emotions and chaotic thoughts surged in like a tide.
He held his mind steady, and the ancient sword phantasm deep in his Soul emitted a constant light, slashing away those stray thoughts one by one. The true essence of Nirvana Sword Intent flowed through his heart; he viewed these chaotic Laws as nutrients, using the intent of Guixu to decompose and absorb them, taking the essence and discarding the dregs.
Under this near-masochistic tempering, the Guixu Sword Intent began to undergo subtle yet profound changes. The dark Chaos light became increasingly deep, as if it could encompass even more “Laws.” Its devouring characteristic was no longer just about plundering energy; it began to attempt to devour, understand, and even reconstruct those shattered Laws!
His cultivation, under such high-intensity pressure and replenishment, also began to rise slowly but steadily. The barrier of the Peak of the first level of the Spiritual Gang Realm gradually loosened.
Time flowed quietly in this chaotic sea of Chaos. Perhaps only a few days had passed outside, but here, it had already been dozens of days.
Ye Chen was completely immersed in this process of contending with myriad Laws and smelting himself. His body seemed to have become a part of the furnace, constantly being cleansed by astral power and forged by earth core fire, becoming tougher and more capable of carrying powerful strength.
After an unknown amount of time, when he felt that he had adapted to the pressure of the third level's environment and his Guixu Sword Intent had become more harmonious—able to decompose and absorb the local Chaos energy with relative ease—he made a bold decision—
To withdraw the Guixu Domain and use his Physical Body and Sword Intent to directly endure the baptism of the myriad laws furnace's third level!
“Disperse!”
With a thought, the light of the guixu sword above his head pulled inward, and the three-zhang Guixu Domain instantly vanished!
“BOOM—!!!”
Endless Chaos energy, violent astral power, scorching earth core fire, and those countless shattered Law fragments were like a bursting dam, instantly submerging Ye Chen completely!
Agony! Indescribable agony came from every corner of his Physical Body and Soul!
He felt as if he had been thrown into the Chaos furnace at the beginning of time; his body was being torn apart, and his Soul was being melted!
But he gritted his teeth hard, his eyes bloodshot, as he fully circulated the Myriad Realms Sword Canon and Nirvana Sword Intent! His body cycled between collapse and reconstruction; his Sword Intent hovered on the edge of destruction and rebirth!
The guixu sword let out a mournful cry, yet it also carried a thrill of excitement as it stood guard closely by his side, enduring this terrifying baptism along with him.
In the midst of this extreme pain and tempering, the barrier of the Peak of the first level of the Spiritual Gang Realm within him crashed and shattered!
Even more vast and majestic spiritual power gushed from his Dantian, flowing through his entire body, repairing damage and strengthening his bones! His aura boldly stepped into the second level of the Spiritual Gang Realm!
Moreover, this was not the end. Under the tempering of the myriad laws furnace, his cultivation continued to rise steadily!
However, just as he had broken through and his mind relaxed slightly, a sudden change occurred!
An extremely obscure yet incredibly malicious and seductive demonic thought, which seemed to have been lurking for a long time, took advantage of the moment Ye Chen's mind wavered during his Breakthrough. Like a venomous snake, it suddenly struck at the deepest part of his Sea of Consciousness!
This demonic thought did not come from the external chaotic energy, but... from himself! It was the shadow imprint and Heart Demon that had quietly accumulated when he previously fought the Shadow Demon Lord and devoured Steward Ying!
Under the stimulation of the chaotic Laws here, they were infinitely magnified and, at this moment... erupted!