629: Precursors to Deity Transformation, Trial of Battle Immortal

Above the Hongmeng Dao Platform, the pale gold energy pathways of the seven realms spirit web crisscrossed, interweaving with the emerald spiritual light of the Spirit Plant Protection Formation into a brilliant curtain of light that enveloped the entire platform. The phantom of the Myriad Guardian's remnant soul floated in the center of the platform, his aged gaze falling upon Huang Xiaolong with a hint of solemnity and expectation: "To break through to the Soul Transformation Stage and protect the peace of the Seven Realms, you must first pass the platform's War Immortal Trial. This trial uses the power of the seven realms spirit web to condense an illusion. You must independently face the Evil Projections of the Seven Realms within the illusion, merging the power of the myriad realms to break the evil, before you can trigger the opportunity for Soul Transformation and condense the godhead embryo."

Huang Xiaolong gripped the myriad realms guardian token in his hand, the token and the dual realm imprint on his forehead echoing each other with flickering gold and red light. He knew that this War Immortal Trial was the necessary path to Soul Transformation and the ultimate test of his War Immortal Power. He immediately bowed and replied: "This Junior will certainly pass the trial and live up to the responsibility of protection!"

Su Linger hurriedly stepped forward, the emerald spiritual light of her spirit plant nascent soul swirling around Huang Xiaolong: "Senior Brother Huang, I will set up a Vitality Formation beside the platform for you, using the power of vegetation to nourish your Divine Soul and help you stabilize your mind!" Lin Ye also raised his hand to form a hand seal, Holy Spirit Power surging around him: "I will set up the Holy Spirit Protector Formation and stand guard outside the illusion to resist the interference of evil remnants. I will not let any external force interrupt your trial!"

As soon as they finished speaking, they each took action. Su Linger took out lingxu spirit crystals and the wood spirit pearl, pressing the spirit ruins guardian seal into the four corners of the platform. She operated the Spirit Plant Creation Art and the Seven Realms Spirit Web Repair Technique, drawing upon the Origin Spiritual Qi of the seven realms spirit web and the vegetation Vitality of the Spirit Ruins to Cultivate a Spirit Plant Nursery at the edge of the platform. Countless Spiritual Plants containing the Spiritual Qi of the Seven Realms sprouted, forming a gentle Vitality Protection Formation. Lin Ye, using the Holy Spirit Crystal Stones of the Spirit Enlightenment Realm as a foundation, set up layers of the Holy Spirit Protector Formation. The lustrous white Holy Spirit light firmly sealed the illusion's range; any evil aura that approached would be instantly purified.

Seeing that the two had made their arrangements, the Myriad Guardian's remnant soul waved his hand. The energy of the seven realms spirit web in the center of the platform suddenly surged, the pale gold spiritual light turning into a vortex that completely enveloped Huang Xiaolong. "War Immortal Trial, begin!"

With a low shout, Huang Xiaolong felt the light and shadow shift before his eyes, and the Hongmeng Spiritual Qi around him instantly transformed into a chaotic illusion. Within the illusion, Evil Projections of the Seven Realms arrived one after another, all condensed from the most powerful evils of each world—there was the Evil Sea Lord of Earth's East Sea, surrounded by billowing black Qi and controlling heaven-toppling black water; there was the Evil Energy War General from the Black Sea of the Xuanhuang Great World, holding a long saber forged from Evil Energy Stone, the saber wind carrying bone-corroding evil power; there was the Evil Priest from the Spirit Root Hall of the Lingxu Realm, capable of controlling polluted spiritual vines and setting up a Spirit-Absorbing Evil Formation; and there were also evil powerhouses from the Spirit Enlightenment Realm, Illusion Realm, and the other Five Realms, all at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. The seven projections formed a surrounding Formation and pounced fiercely toward Huang Xiaolong, a pressure far exceeding the Nascent Soul Stage sweeping through the entire illusion.

"Mere projections dare to block my path!" A cold light flashed in Huang Xiaolong's eyes as he operated the War Immortal Dao Unification Art. The war immortal nascent soul emerged from his Dantian, Crimson Gold Battle Qi and Lustrous White Immortal Qi interweaving into a two-colored light shield that withstood the first wave of attacks from the seven Evil Projections.

"Boom!"

Amidst the loud explosion, Huang Xiaolong's figure swayed slightly. He felt a violent evil power surge into his body along the light shield, making his Meridians ache faintly. He then realized that although these Evil Projections had no physical bodies, they condensed the Origin Power of the Seven Realms' evils. A single type of War Immortal Power was actually difficult to resist them with; to win, he had to fuse the power of the myriad realms, using defense as offense and breaking through as defense.

Huang Xiaolong's mind raced, and the dual realm imprint on his forehead suddenly lit up, drawing upon the masculine power of the huaxia dragon vein to merge into his Battle Qi. He then operated the Spirit Enlightenment Realm Holy Spirit Technique, turning the Holy Spirit Power into a lustrous white light curtain attached to the outside of the war immortal light shield to purify the evil power. He also drew upon the vegetation Vitality of the Spirit Ruins to travel through his Meridians, repairing the Meridians injured by the evil power, while simultaneously using the intent of the Spirit Plant Creation Art to stimulate the growth of Spiritual Plants within the illusion to entwine the bodies of the Evil Projections and limit their movements.

"Using Huaxia Battle Qi as the bone, Xuanhuang Immortal Qi as the Meridians, Spirit Ruins Vitality as the blood, and Spirit Enlightenment Holy Spirit as the soul—Myriad Realms Power, condense into my War Immortal Punch!"

With a roar from Huang Xiaolong, the phantom of the war immortal nascent soul swelled to several dozen feet high. The dual realm imprint on the Nascent Soul's forehead merged with the golden light of the myriad realms guardian token, fully integrating the Origin Powers of the Seven Realms, including Huaxia, Xuanhuang, Spirit Ruins, and Spirit Enlightenment, condensing into a Seven-Colored Fist Radiance at the tip of his fist. Within this fist radiance were hidden the dominance of Battle Qi, the ethereal nature of Immortal Qi, the warmth of Vitality, and the purification of the Holy Spirit, as well as the power of conviction from the seven realms spirit web. As soon as it was struck, the space of the entire illusion vibrated violently.

The first to meet it was the black water wave of the Evil Sea Lord. The Seven-Colored Fist Radiance crashed into the wave, and the black water was instantly purified into clear spiritual water. The projection of the Evil Sea Lord let out a shrill hiss and dissipated into wisps of black Qi. Immediately after, the Evil Energy War General's saber slashed down; the fist radiance collided with the saber radiance, and the Evil Energy saber shattered inch by inch, the general's projection also dissolving in the seven-colored light. Seeing the situation was unfavorable, the other five Evil Projections tried to join forces to set up a Seven Realms evil Formation, but Huang Xiaolong used the Spirit Snake Evasion movement technique to weave between them. The Seven-Colored Fist Radiance struck out one by one, and the five projections collapsed in succession, leaving not even a trace behind.

The moment all the Evil Projections of the Seven Realms within the illusion were defeated, a crisp clicking sound rang in Huang Xiaolong's ear. A Jade Slip, entirely seven-colored and engraved with Trial Runes, dropped from the chaotic spiritual light of the illusion. It was the Soul Transformation Stage Trial Technique. A scan with his Divine Thought revealed that this technique detailed how to use the Origin Power of each realm to break through the Soul Transformation Stage trials and how to fuse myriad realms power to create a personalized War Immortal Evil-Breaking Technique; it was a foundational Soul Transformation technique tailored specifically for those who passed the War Immortal Trial.

"Trial passed! Triggering the Soul Transformation opportunity, condensing the godhead embryo!" The voice of the Myriad Guardian's remnant soul echoed in the illusion, and the power of the seven realms spirit web from the platform surged madly into Huang Xiaolong's body, flowing through his Meridians into the war immortal nascent soul in his Dantian.

Under the nourishment of the myriad realms' Origin Power, the war immortal nascent soul suddenly erupted with ten thousand feet of seven-colored light. A tiny golden phantom slowly emerged above the Nascent Soul's head, shaped like a crown and surrounded by Hongmeng Spiritual Qi. This was the godhead embryo. During the process of condensing the godhead embryo, Huang Xiaolong felt the power of his Nascent Soul climbing madly. However, because the myriad realms power was too complex, the godhead embryo vibrated slightly and seemed somewhat restless, making it difficult to completely stabilize.

Just then, Su Linger's voice came from outside the illusion: "Senior Brother Huang, quickly consume the Seven Realms Spirit Fruit! It will help you stabilize the godhead embryo!"

In the Spirit Plant Nursery beside the platform, the Spiritual Plants cultivated by merging the Spiritual Qi of the Seven Realms had already flowered and borne fruit. Dozens of fruits, entirely seven-colored and emitting the Origin Spiritual Qi of the Seven Realms, hung from the branches. These were the Seven Realms Spirit Fruits. These fruits were cultivated by Su Linger using the Spirit Ruins Creation Technique, merging the Origin Spiritual Qi of the Seven Realms including the huaxia dragon vein, Xuanhuang Immortal Qi, and Spirit Enlightenment Holy Spirit. They could perfectly neutralize complex myriad realms power, stabilize a Cultivator's Divine Soul and Nascent Soul, and were supreme treasures for condensing a Godhead.

A Seven Realms Spirit Fruit passed through the illusion's barrier and landed in Huang Xiaolong's hand. He opened his mouth and swallowed it; the fruit dissolved upon entering his throat, turning into a gentle seven-colored energy that surged into the war immortal nascent soul. Under the nourishment of the seven-colored energy, the restless godhead embryo instantly became steady and solid, the golden phantom becoming clearer and the surrounding Hongmeng Spiritual Qi becoming even denser.

At the moment the Seven Realms Spirit Fruit's medicinal effect reached its Peak, another crisp clicking sound rang out. A Jade Slip, entirely emerald and engraved with Seven Realms spirit plant runes, dropped from the Spirit Plant Nursery and rolled to Su Linger's feet. It was the Seven Realms Spirit Plant Cultivation. This technique detailed how to merge the Origin Spiritual Qi of the Seven Realms to Cultivate high-tier Spiritual Plants and how to make Spiritual Plants contain myriad realms power to assist a Cultivator's cultivation and combat.

Outside the illusion, Lin Ye's Holy Spirit Protector Formation also faced the impact of evil remnants. Several evil remnant souls at the Nascent Soul Stage followed the aura, trying to break through the Formation and interrupt the trial, but they were defeated by Lin Ye using the Spirit Enlightenment Realm Holy Spirit Technique and his newly understood Formation techniques. The moment he successfully resisted the evil interference, a Jade Slip engraved with Holy Spirit Formation runes appeared out of thin air and landed in Lin Ye's hand. It was the Protector Formation Technique, which could increase the defensive and counter-attack power of various guardian Formations several times over, and even merge with Formations from other worlds to form cross-realm Protector Formations.

Huang Xiaolong felt the godhead embryo stabilizing within the illusion, and the power of the war immortal nascent soul was also constantly climbing, only one step away from the Soul Transformation Stage. The moment the godhead embryo completely solidified, he suddenly perceived a faint milky-white aura slowly emerging at the core of the Godhead. That aura was vast and ancient, carrying the Origin flavor of the beginning of the Grandmist, and was actually of the same Origin as the Initial Immortal Qi Lu Shaoyou had left in his body—this was the Primordial Chaos Initial Qi!

The phantom of the Myriad Guardian's remnant soul appeared beside Huang Xiaolong. Looking at the Primordial Chaos Initial Qi within the godhead embryo, a hint of gratification flashed in his eyes: "This wisp of Primordial Chaos Initial Qi is transformed from the Origin core of the seven realms spirit web. It is of the same Origin as Lu Shaoyou's Initial Immortal Qi and is the key to your Breakthrough to the Soul Transformation Stage. Only by completely merging this wisp of Initial Qi with your war immortal nascent soul and godhead embryo can you take the final step of Soul Transformation."

Huang Xiaolong's mind suddenly cleared. He operated the War Immortal Dao Unification Art, slowly merging the Primordial Chaos Initial Qi into the war immortal nascent soul and the godhead embryo. The milky-white Initial Qi and the seven-colored myriad realms power interwoven, making the godhead embryo's light even more brilliant and the war immortal nascent soul's pressure even more majestic, already touching the threshold of the Soul Transformation Stage.

The illusion slowly dissipated, and Huang Xiaolong's figure reappeared on the Hongmeng Dao Platform. He was surrounded by seven-colored light, the godhead embryo floating above his head, echoing the dual realm imprint on his forehead and the myriad realms guardian token in his hand. A pressure between the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation Stages swept out, causing Su Linger and Lin Ye beside the platform to look on in awe.

"Senior Brother Huang, you've successfully condensed the godhead embryo!" Su Linger stepped forward quickly, her eyes full of joy. Lin Ye also cupped his hands and smiled: "Congratulations, Brother Huang, on triggering the Soul Transformation opportunity. You are only one step away from the Soul Transformation Stage!"

Huang Xiaolong raised his hand to feel the Primordial Chaos Initial Qi within him, a firm smile appearing at the corners of his mouth: "The Primordial Chaos Initial Qi has merged with the Godhead, and the Soul Transformation opportunity has arrived. Next, I need to return to Earth. At the Origin site of the huaxia dragon vein, I will use the Dragon Vein Power to complete the final Soul Transformation Breakthrough!"

He knew clearly in his heart that Earth was the starting point of the path of protection and the Origin site of the huaxia dragon vein. Only there could he completely merge the Primordial Chaos Initial Qi with the War Immortal Power to break through to the Soul Transformation Stage. And at this moment, Earth was facing the final counter-attack of the evil remnants. Kunlun Mountain, as the core of the huaxia dragon vein, had already become the final target of the evil remnants.

Above the Hongmeng Dao Platform, the energy of the seven realms spirit web flowed slowly, nourishing Huang Xiaolong's godhead embryo. Su Linger put away all the cultivated Seven Realms Spirit Fruits, and Lin Ye also collected the crystals of the Holy Spirit Protector Formation. Both were ready to return to Earth with Huang Xiaolong.

A Soul Transformation Breakthrough based on the huaxia dragon vein and merging the Primordial Chaos Initial Qi was about to begin at Kunlun Mountain, and the final counter-attack of the evil remnants was also imminent. The final battle to protect the Seven Realms was about to commence on the Huaxia Land of Earth.