Danger! Opportunity!
Two thoughts collided wildly within Li Su's spiritual consciousness.
The energy contained within the Earth Vein Spiritual Milk was pure and terrifying, far beyond the limit he could currently control. Absorbing it recklessly would be no different from courting self-destruction.
Yet the giant beast's chaotic will was perfectly countered by it. If he could seize this opportunity to completely grind it away, not only would he resolve the danger of his body exploding, but he would also clear the greatest obstacle to fully absorbing that vast store of energy!
Should he gamble?
The system's warnings still rang sharply in his mind. The icy energy traveling through his bamboo roots had already caused black frost crystals to form on their surface, and they were beginning to spread upward!
There was no time to hesitate!
"System! Assist at full capacity! Prioritize using the Spiritual Milk's energy to destroy the chaotic will! As for the bamboo body's endurance... lower it to the minimum safety threshold!" Li Su practically roared the command.
He chose to trust the system's control—and even more, he trusted this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
[Command confirmed. Adjusting energy guidance... 99% of Earth Vein Spiritual Milk energy directed toward 'Temporarily Stored Chaotic Will'... 1% of energy used to strengthen the bamboo body's foundation and spiritual consciousness... Overload protection activated...]
Buzz!
That torrent of piercingly cold energy, enough to nearly freeze one's soul, split into one large and one small stream under the system's precise guidance.
The smaller stream merged into his bamboo body and spiritual consciousness, bringing needle-like pain and exceedingly slow strengthening.
The larger stream, meanwhile, crashed into the stored chaotic will filled with savage roars like a celestial river pouring down from the heavens!
"ROAR—!!!"
It was as though hundreds of millions of Fierce Beasts were howling in despair and agony from the depths of his soul!
The stubborn chaotic will, which had constantly tried to erode Li Su's spiritual consciousness, melted and scattered at an unprecedented rate beneath the cleansing force of the supremely yin, icy, and incomparably pure Earth Vein Spiritual Milk—like snow beneath the blazing sun!
It felt as if deadly poison embedded deep in his marrow were being forcibly scraped away. It hurt, but the pain carried a liberating exhilaration!
[Chaotic will eradication progress: 35%... 52%... 71%...]
The progress bar surged wildly!
At the same time, that one percent of Spiritual Milk energy continued to flow into him.
Li Su's bamboo body shook violently. The mysterious black patterns on its surface blazed with their brightest light, and it even emitted groans of strain.
Fine black impurities began to seep from between the bamboo joints—the dregs forced out through tempering.
The pain remained, but the path forward was now clear.
Li Su held fast to the last shred of clarity in his mind and fully cooperated with the system, guiding the violent process.
Who knew how long passed before the flow of Earth Vein Spiritual Milk gradually weakened—
[Ding! Chaotic will completely eradicated!] [Stored energy has been converted into pure, ownerless origin energy. It can be safely absorbed!] [Warning: Earth Vein Spiritual Milk intake is about to cease. The bamboo body is at the critical threshold of severe damage and must immediately replenish energy for recovery!]
Now!
"System! Absorb the origin energy! Repair myself! Break through!" Li Su did not hesitate.
The majestic energy originating from that terrifying Fierce Beast, which had been stored for an unknown length of time, was now as docile as a lamb and as pure as crystal. Guided by the system, it surged mightily into Li Su's bamboo body and spiritual consciousness!
Warmth! Comfort!
Completely unlike all the pain before, this was the ultimate pleasure of a leap in the level of life itself!
The five-zhang ink bamboo shot upward at a visible rate! Six zhang... seven zhang... eight zhang!
Its body became even deeper in color. A warm, jade-like sheen faintly shone through the ink-black bamboo, while the mysterious black patterns on its surface grew more intricate and profound, as if they contained the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.
Its leaves grew wildly. The cold gleam at their edges withdrew, yet they became even sharper. With the slightest sway, they drew in the surrounding evil energy, then tamed it into a faint black halo encircling the bamboo body.
His spiritual consciousness expanded madly at an unprecedented pace! His sensory range rapidly spread beyond one hundred and fifty zhang!
Two hundred zhang... three hundred zhang... five hundred zhang! Everything within that range became clearer than ever before!
He could even "see" microorganisms wriggling deep within the soil, "hear" the faint collisions of evil energy particles, and vaguely sense the flow of energy inside several powerful Fierce Beasts farther away!
A mysterious realization rose within him.
His control over himself, his understanding of energy, and his awareness of this world were all undergoing a qualitative transformation!
Some intangible barrier burst open beneath the impact of the vast origin energy!
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have successfully advanced to the Earth Immortal realm!] [Origin upgraded: Nine-Section Soul-Devouring Bamboo (Mid-Grade Acquired Spiritual Root)] [Spiritual consciousness has transformed into divine sense! You may now initially draw upon the power of heaven and earth!] [Divine ability acquired: Soul-Devouring Dark Light (Beginner)] [Evolution Points are full. Begin evolution?]
He had succeeded! An Earth Immortal!
Overwhelming joy washed through Li Su's consciousness. He had finally taken that crucial step and truly crossed the threshold of cultivation!
He had shed mortality; his immortal body had begun to form!
Though he was merely an Earth Immortal at the very bottom, in this Primordial World where Fierce Beasts ran rampant, he finally possessed a sliver of strength to protect himself. He was no longer an ant to be trampled at will!
More importantly, the upgrade to his origin meant vastly greater potential! The birth of divine sense meant his ability to perceive and influence the world was fundamentally different! He had even awakened a divine ability!
And his Evolution Points had finally filled up!
"Not yet."
Li Su suppressed the urge to evolve immediately. He had just broken through to the Earth Immortal realm; his cultivation needed to be consolidated, and he needed to familiarize himself with his newfound strength.
Evolving rashly might destabilize his foundation. He needed time to digest these tremendous gains.
His divine sense swept over himself.
The Eight-Zhang Ink Bamboo stood beside the mountain of corpses and sea of bones, surrounded by a faint black halo and radiating a deep, mysterious, dangerous aura.
It stood at odds with the deathly stillness and savagery of its surroundings, yet somehow blended into them strangely well.
At last, he was no longer a bamboo that could only passively endure fate.
His divine sense spread outward, and everything within five hundred zhang entered his "sight."
He could clearly see the Earth Essence Stone coiled around the roots of the Purple-Black Strange Plant. He could see the Evil Energy Centipede deep within a crevice, its hundred legs twitching in sleep. He could see several powerful Fierce Beasts farther away roaring at one another as they contested territory...
The world had become clearer—and more dangerous.
An Earth Immortal was still insignificant upon this ancient land. Yet Li Su's heart brimmed with hope.
He slowly restrained his aura, concealing the fluctuations from his recent breakthrough as much as possible.
His eight-zhang bamboo body swayed gently as he began actively yet cautiously absorbing the surrounding evil energy and lingering souls, consolidating his early Earth Immortal cultivation while familiarizing himself with his newborn divine sense and the divine ability known as Soul-Devouring Dark Light.
The road ahead remained long, but the Heavenly Gate had already opened a crack.
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