Lying Low in the Ancient Path Holy Land, Growing Stronger Slowly
Chen Du traveled through the deep, dense forests of the back mountain, deliberately avoiding the patrol routes commonly used by his disciples.
He carefully sensed the fluctuations in the surrounding atmosphere and finally found a completely secluded and deserted valley.
This secluded valley is nestled between two steep mountain walls, its entrance hidden by layers of ancient vines and towering trees, making it virtually impossible to glimpse the interior from the outside.
The ground was covered with a layer of fallen leaves that had accumulated over the years; it was soft and silent underfoot, and there was no sound of footsteps or voices to be heard around.
Even birds rarely land here; it's so quiet that only the gentle rustling of the wind through the leaves can be heard. It's an ideal place for temporary seclusion.
He slowly walked to a flat, wide black rock in the center of the valley, sat down cross-legged, and gradually calmed his mind, shutting out all the disturbances of the outside world.
He raised his hand and took out the divine pill he had obtained from the Thunder Abyss Ancient Land; the pill was a deep, translucent purple-gold color.
The nine lines on the surface of the elixir are lifelike, flowing thunder patterns, like nine Lie Dormant thunder dragons slowly swirling on the surface of the elixir.
The pill emitted blinding lightning. Even before it entered the mouth, the surrounding air trembled slightly from the power of the thunder, and tiny sparks crackled and sputtered on the black stone.
This is the Nine-Turn Thunder Abyss Soul Tempering Pill, Fourteenth Tier superior divine pill.
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Du gently pushed the divine pill into his mouth.
The pill melted instantly upon touching the tip of the tongue, without any bitter or unpleasant taste. Instead, it was replaced by a powerful and violent primal thunderous force that descended down the throat and exploded deep within the dantian.
The boundless, violent lightning power instantly scattered and surged, wildly crashing and coursing along every meridian in his body, as if billions of world-destroying divine lightning bolts were about to tear his physical body apart and shatter it.
The sharp lightning energy sliced through flesh and blood, and the meridian walls felt numb and stinging. If an ordinary cultivator swallowed this pill, he would be instantly blasted to death by its violent medicinal power.
Chen Du remained calm and composed, steadily guarding his mind. Using the second level of recognition of the Fundamental Law of Thunder as a guide, he calmly extended his Divine Thought outward, dismantling and sorting out the surging medicinal power layer by layer, and slowly guiding and restraining it.
The scattered and violent primal lightning power was gradually tamed under his control, transforming into a trickle that flowed slowly along his meridians, cleansing every law meridian within his body.
The purest and most refined Thunder Abyss Dao Resonance Thunder Abyss continuously seeped into the depths of his meridians, refining and solidifying the foundation of the Fundamental Law of Thunder time and time again.
The original, slightly gap-filled pathways of law became perfect and solid under the nourishment of the medicine. The second-level recognized foundation of the Dao gradually took root downwards, becoming more and more stable and substantial.
Chen Du quietly probed inward with his Divine Thought, secretly marveling at the sight.
The insights into the laws contained in this single pill are equivalent to the accumulation of hundreds of millions of years of secluded cultivation by a top cultivator.
The Dao Fruits that outsiders would need to accumulate bit by bit over endless years have now all transformed into nutrients that can be directly absorbed, nourishing his Dao.
After a long time, the surging thunder in the dantian gradually subsided. The main force of the pill had been completely refined and absorbed, leaving only a faint trace of residual medicinal power hidden deep in the meridians, to be slowly nurtured in the future.
Chen Du exhaled a long breath of turbid air crackling with electricity, and the white mist was instantly torn apart and dissipated by the remaining lightning force in mid-air.
He did not get up, but closed his eyes to calm his mind, raised his hand to take out the cultivation manual he had obtained from the Thunder Abyss, and continued to immerse himself in comprehending it.
The "Nine Heavens Thunder Abyss True Explanation" slowly unfolded in his sea of consciousness, revealing the vast and expansive network of Thunder Abyss Laws.
It resonates with and corroborates the Fundamental Law of Thunder he had already mastered.
The Thunder Abyss Law also follows the path of destruction and life coexisting, but it is even wilder and more domineering than his original fundamental law.
Carrying the weight and explosiveness accumulated over billions of years by the divine thunder from the bottom of the abyss, once unleashed, it is like the sky splitting and thunder collapsing, sweeping away all things, and its killing power is even greater.
The two paths, though originating from the same source, each with its own emphasis, constantly collided and merged, clarifying many previously unclear points of doubt, and deepening his understanding of the Dao of Thunder.
Time flies by, and several months have passed in the blink of an eye.
With the dual nourishment of elixirs and cultivation techniques, Chen Du's cultivation level, manifested through Zhang Shun's body, steadily increased, rising smoothly from the Sixth Tier, passing through the Seventh Tier, Eighth Stage, and Ninth Tier, and finally reaching the Twelfth Tier.
The Fourteenth Tier Soul Heart suspended deep within his sea of consciousness, nourished by the continuous flow of insights into the laws, became increasingly refined and solid, its aura warm and profound.
At this rate, given just a few more months, he will be able to completely break through the limitations of this physical body and fully recover his Peak Stage strength at the Fourteenth Tier.
By the time this round of cultivation came to an end, night had already enveloped the entire Ancient Path Holy Land.
A cold moon hung high in the sky, its pale light spilling over the mountains. Most of the disciples were already fast asleep, with only a few deacons patrolling the perimeter.
Chen Du carefully put away his cultivation technique, quietly left the secluded valley, and once again headed towards the depths of the sacred mountain's back.
Tonight, his target is a forbidden area called Sealed Ruins.
The seclusion here even surpasses that of Thunder Abyss. It is nestled among several cliffs, its entrance concealed by thick layers of rock and dark red mist.
Even many outer disciples had never heard of Sealed Ruins, let alone found its exact location.
Relying on his powerful spiritual perception, Chen Du easily passed through numerous obstacles and arrived at the entrance to the Sealed Ruins.
An ancient and desolate aura slowly emanated from the dark, ruined cave. Instead of the tearing force of thunder, it was filled with the scorching heat of flames that seemed to burn away eternity.
This ruin is not a sealed prison, but the burial place of an ancient fire-elemental master. Endless earth fire burns eternally beneath the ruins, and even after countless years, the remaining fire- Dao Resonance remains incomparably powerful.
Chen Du squatted cross-legged at the entrance of the Sealed Ruins, and slowly activated his two great talents one after another, Become a Saint on the Spot and the World as a Book. Then he activated the Super Upgrade, pushing the power of the two talents to the peak.
Deep within the silent, Sealed Ruins, the Dao Resonance, hidden for billions of years, seemed to be awakened by an invisible force, slowly flowing outwards.
This Dao Resonance, carrying the profound mysteries of burning, melting, and annihilation, surged into Chen Du's sea of consciousness through the void. Countless fragments of laws intertwined and entangled, constantly recombining and condensing, eventually transforming into a thick and ancient scripture, which quietly floated within his soul.
On the cover of the scroll, five powerful and ancient characters slowly emerged: "The Record of the Great Void Burning Heaven".
This is a supreme cultivation technique of the Fourteenth Tier, containing the "Fundamental Law of Fire element.
If one can master this technique, one can burn the heavens and earth with a single thought. All things in heaven and earth, the laws of the enemy, divine souls, and physical bodies will be melted into ashes by the indestructible divine fire. Its power is terrifying and unparalleled.
Chen Du scanned the entire technique with his Divine Thought and memorized it. He then did not leave immediately but remained at the entrance of the Sealed Ruins.
Activate the Infinite Sign-In talent and simultaneously unlock the Super Upgrade and amplification rewards.
[Infinite Sign-In trigger, Location: Sealed Ruins Ancient Land, Foundation Assessment: Fourteenth Tier, Sign-in Reward: Fourteenth Tier Mid-grade Divine Seal "Ruin-Burning Seal", Super Upgrade Trigger, Reward Quality Improved, Final Reward: One Fourteenth Tier Divine Seal "Great Void Burning Heaven Seal".]
The next instant, a palm-sized inkstone appeared in his palm.
The seal base is entirely crimson, as if it were cast from the deepest, most indestructible lava of the earth's core, and its surface is covered with layers upon layers of fiery patterns.
A tiny spark flickers within each of the lines.
The seal knob is no longer a coiled Xuanwu (a mythical tortoise), but a phoenix with outstretched wings, its head held high and its wings spread wide, lifelike, as if it is about to break through the seal platform and take flight at any moment.
Scalding heat emanated continuously from the divine seal, and one could feel its terrifying power—enough to melt gold and boil the sea—from a great distance.
Chen Du gently weighed the divine seal in his fingertips, feeling the vast fire power dormant within the seal platform. He nodded in satisfaction, then stored the Great Void Burning Heaven Seal deep within his sea of consciousness, placing it alongside the Twelfth Tier dark golden palace magic treasure.
This trip to Sealed Ruins was incredibly fruitful.
A top- Fourteenth Tier fire-based cultivation technique, plus a superior Fourteenth Tier divine seal, and if we also consider the Nine-Turn Thunder Abyss Soul Tempering Pill and the "Nine Heavens Thunder Abyss True Explanation" obtained in Thunder Abyss earlier.
Chen Du's accumulated wealth while lurking in the Ancient Path Holy Land had become unimaginably substantial.
He didn't linger any longer. He got up, concealed all his presence, and, taking advantage of the deep night, like a ghost, retraced his steps and silently returned to his outer courtyard.
After locking the door and shutting out all outside probing, Chen Du sat back down on the meditation cushion in the cultivation room and closed his eyes in deep thought.
With both lightning and fire in his hands, the two complementing each other, his methods in future battles will be even more unpredictable.
The Ancient Path Holy Lands are vast and boundless. There must be many other ancient places like Thunder Abyss and Sealed Ruins that bury ancient traditions. With patience, you can uncover even more opportunities.