The dark crystal wasn't cold to the touch; instead, it radiated a strange warmth. Immediately afterward, a torrent of information rushed into Xiao Han's mind without warning.
Before he could fully savor this unexpected "surprise," the crystal had already transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into his brow.
The next moment, the Shadow Void Scripture began to operate wildly on its own, and an unprecedented desire burst forth from the depths of its body, forcefully pulling at the torrent of information.
At the same time, the Eternal Night King Martial Soul appeared uncontrollably. Its originally somewhat illusory form became visibly solid, with the shadow runes engraved on it flickering and greedily absorbing the energy dissipating from the surroundings.
Xiao Han himself to calm down and simply sat cross-legged on the altar, clenching his teeth.
Countless fragmented images flashed through his mind—ancient, vast, and profound... These were the deeper mysteries originating from the * Shadow Void Scripture *, and... fragments of the origin memories of the Eternal Night King Martial Soul?
The amount of information is simply too vast to digest all at once.
All he could do was circulate his cultivation technique, guiding that extremely pure energy from another dimension, part of it into his Martial Soul, and part of it to temper his body.
The meridians were experiencing waves of tearing pain, but they were quickly repaired under the nourishment of energy, becoming even more resilient and expansive.
This feeling of pain intertwined with rebirth is simply irresistible.
I don't know how much time passed; it might have been just a moment, or it might have been several hours.
In a sudden moment, Xiao Han's consciousness jolted.
He "saw" an endless darkness dotted with countless points of light, each emanating an aura similar to this alien space, and they were connected by invisible threads, forming an unimaginably vast network.
The alternate dimension he inhabited was merely an insignificant node within this giant network.
And the core of this giant net is none other than the legendary secret of the origin of Twin Martial Souls!
The thought flashed through his mind only for a moment before his entire being was once again consumed by the surging energy within him.
The aura of the Eternal Night King Martial Soul grew stronger and stronger, majestic and domineering, as if a sleeping monarch was about to open his eyes and survey the world.
Xiao Han felt the power within his body constantly accumulating, challenging an invisible barrier.
Boom!
A deep, booming sound emanated from his body, and a powerful aura suddenly erupted.
The turbulent energy currents surrounding the altar were swept away by this aura.
It's done!
Xiao Han suddenly stood up, feeling the surging power within his body; every cell was filled with explosive vitality.
The physical body became more refined and resilient, every inch of flesh and blood seemed to contain explosive power, and with a casual movement, it felt as if the air was being torn apart.
The spiritual energy vortex within his dantian expanded several times over, and the purity of the spiritual energy increased by a whole level, becoming vast, boundless, and inexhaustible.
Their spiritual power surged, their perception range increased dramatically, their thoughts became clearer, and their thinking became more acute.
"Is this the power of the Fifth Level of the Martial Master Realm...?" Xiao Han clenched his fist, a confident smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips.
His understanding and mastery of the Shadow Void Scripture has reached a whole new level.
With a thought, his figure could easily blend into the surrounding shadows, as if he were born a part of the darkness, his ability to conceal himself was much stronger than before.
As he tried to activate "A Step to the Ends of the Earth", his perception of spatial nodes became clearer. Some previously vague and obscure points suddenly became clear. The distance of spatial jumps increased by at least 30%, and the energy consumption was less, making it more flexible to use.
He even had a vague feeling that, if he wanted, he could briefly affect the spatial stability of a small area around him. Although it was only a very weak influence, it was enough to play an unexpected role at a critical moment.
Within his sea of consciousness, the phantom of the Eternal Night King Martial Soul almost materialized, wearing a shadow crown symbolizing monarchical power, a night cloak adorned with stars, and holding a void scepter, exuding majesty and mystery.
Its "Shadow Dominator" characteristic has been greatly enhanced, and the efficiency of [Shadow Devour] has skyrocketed. What used to take several breaths to devour and refine energy can now be done in almost an instant.
Meanwhile, the still nascent [Eternal Night Domain] has become more stable, its coverage area has expanded slightly, and the power of suppression and control within the domain has significantly increased.
The Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul also benefited greatly from the nourishment of this pure energy.
The lotus petals were so moist they seemed to drip with water, and every vein on each leaf exuded an indescribable charm, its life force so intense it was almost palpable.
Within the body, two completely different forces, one as deep and dark as an eternal night, the other as vibrant as a blue lotus, seemed to be quietly plucked by an invisible string, forming an indescribable resonance.
When combined, things go smoothly and as desired.
Fifth Level of the Martial Master Realm.
Xiao Han stretched his body, and his joints made a series of soft, crisp sounds.
With that kind of strength, if placed among the core disciples of the Imperial Capital Academy, they could easily rank in the middle to upper tiers.
He silently assessed the situation, and considering his own trump cards, he was confident he could hold his own even against seasoned veterans at the seventh or eighth level of the Martial Master Realm.
A chill ran through him, a lingering fear of the "Soul-Devouring Blood Curse".
"Hmph, those shameful scoundrels."
He muttered to himself, his voice carrying a hint of ruthlessness.
"If I catch you again, I'll teach you a lesson you won't believe!"
With his mind back on track, he began to plunder this core area.
The dark crystal was naturally the biggest find. Besides that, there were also a number of high-quality dark-attribute spiritual materials scattered around the ruins of the altar, as well as several stones that felt heavy in the hand and seemed to have spatial fluctuations flowing inside. These were all rare treasures that were hard to find in the outside world.
Xiao Han accepted these unexpected joys without any hesitation, simply rolling up his sleeves.
Only after confirming that nothing had been missed did he begin to clean up the traces he had left behind.
With a flick of the sleeve, a speck of dust is wiped away, leaving nothing but a perfect cleanliness.
Although this place is not a safe haven, and ordinary people cannot easily enter, being more careful will always prevent trouble.
He raised his head and looked at the sky, unique to this secret realm, a sky that was forever twisted and churning.
"Mentor Lin, I have returned this 'generous gift' to you in its entirety... and even doubled it back."
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a hint of mockery.
In the next instant, the Shadow Void Scripture within his body suddenly reached its peak, and the abundant spiritual power brought by his newly broken through to the fifth level of Martial Master cultivation surged towards his legs.
"A Step to the Ends of the Earth," the ultimate action begins!
"Buzz--"
He tapped his toes on the ground, and a visible ripple spread through the space in front of him, more solid than ever before.
The figure flashed and vanished completely from the spot, as if it had never existed.