"Goodbye, Daoist brother."
Before the Lingguan Hall of White Cloud Temple, Yan Kuan waved farewell to the little brat riding on his mother's back. Although he had always known that Ye Fan was also in Jingcheng, he had never deliberately sought out this Child of Destiny. He had not expected to run into him by such coincidence.
But on second thought, it was perfectly normal. The original work had mentioned that Ye Fan was from Jingcheng and quite familiar with White Cloud Temple. Yan Kuan was now cultivating at White Cloud Temple, so encountering Ye Fan was somewhat coincidental, but merely a coincidence nonetheless.
"Although Ye Fan's Desolate Ancient Holy Body hasn't fully awakened yet, the kid's vitality is so robust. I only drew the tiniest drop of his blood, and he was still as lively as ever. It should be fine, right?"
After Ye Fan, his mother, and their neighbor Aunt Liu had gone far away, Yan Kuan strolled back into the small courtyard where he lived with his parents. He extended his hand, and a drop of blood appeared in his palm. A faint thread of golden light shimmered deep within the crimson blood—it was what Yan Kuan had obtained from Ye Fan.
The Desolate Ancient Holy Body was among the most powerful known constitutions in the Shrouding the Heavens universe. A Great Completion Sacred Body was said to be capable of challenging a Great Emperor.
This constitution had a long history, having appeared as early as the Mythic Era. It reached its peak only when nine Great Completion Sacred Bodies emerged in succession during the Ancient Desolate era.
After the Ancient Desolate era, the world's environment changed drastically and became unsuitable for Sacred Body cultivation. Coupled with the vicious Curse of certain Forbidden Zone Supremes, no Great Completion Sacred Body had been born in all these countless millennia.
The Sacred Body bloodline was highly compatible and could combine with certain other special constitutions to give birth to powerful constitutions such as the Primordial Spirit Sacred Body and the Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo. It could be said to be an exceptionally valuable bloodline.
The Sacred Body bloodline itself was divided into two types. One was the Innate Sacred Body, like Ye Fan's, born with a fully awakened Sacred Body bloodline and possessing the greatest chance of reaching Great Completion.
The other was like Ye Fan's future disciple Yang Xi, a descendant of the Desolate Ancient Holy Body. Sacred Body blood flowed within his body, and after embarking on the path of cultivation, he could gradually awaken the Sacred Body bloodline, with some chance of reaching the realm of a Great Completion Sacred Body.
"Open the box, open the box. I wonder what kind of rewards Little Yezi, whose Sacred Body hasn't fully awakened, can bring me."
Yan Kuan looked eagerly at his palm. Threads of Empyrean Flame instantly surged forth and enveloped the drop of blood. Then, a wheel of golden light abruptly exploded within Yan Kuan's Divine Soul.
"So this is the spectacle of a Supreme traveling forth. This one must be the first ancestor of the Sacred Body lineage!"
Within Yan Kuan's Divine Soul, countless scenes of golden light flickered. A being comparable to an Ancient Great Emperor walked between heaven and earth. True Dragons soared into the sky, Immortal Phoenixes circled overhead, Black Tortoises cleared the way, while streams of auspicious radiance and divine brilliance paved a great road of gold.
Dao Light flickered between heaven and earth, transforming into the rumbling of nine heavens. Even heaven and earth manifested extraordinary visions for him, acknowledging his supreme Dao Fruit. Such a sight was rare throughout the ages; few had ever accomplished it.
This being, suspected to be the first Great Completion Sacred Body, took a single step. The sun, moon, mountains, and rivers all receded, Dao Patterns appeared beneath his feet, and one step carried him hundreds of thousands of miles.
Such speed was terrifying beyond measure. His steps seemed to pierce through the Void. The golden road and all manner of heavenly visions followed him as he battled another being wreathed in boundless Purple Qi. That was likely a Great Success Overlord Body.
The fierce battle between the Sacred Body and the Overlord Body affected the entire cosmic starry sky. Countless figures who blotted out the sky and covered the earth watched from afar, all awaiting the final outcome.
A streak of golden light finally flashed through Yan Kuan's mind. He only felt a golden ripple rise within his Wheel Sea, and a fragmented Dao Diagram appeared in his mind.
"This is a Sacred Body secret art dedicated to cultivating a single secret realm. But I'm not a human Sacred Body, so what use is this to me?"
The vision in Yan Kuan's mind gradually faded. His gains this time were somewhat useless. In terms of value, the Sacred Body secret art was no less than an Imperial Scripture, but like the Wushi Emperor Scripture, it was tailored to a specific constitution. Ordinary people simply could not cultivate it.
"Once I reach the Big Dipper in the future, I can still trade this to Little Yezi. It's not entirely useless."
Yan Kuan quickly adjusted his mindset. He had only used a single drop of Ye Fan's blood this time. Obtaining a fragmented sacred art already counted as extraordinary luck. One could not be too greedy.
"Now that I've adjusted my condition over these past few days, it's time to break through once more."
After recording and putting away the newly acquired secret art, Yan Kuan brought out three Jade Vials. Two glimmered with purple light, while one was dyed crimson. All carried potent demonic qi. They were precisely the spoils Yan Kuan had obtained after previously killing two elder members of the Dragon-Sparrow Clan.
Vermillion Phoenix Blood and Dragon-Sparrow Blood, like Little Yezi's blood that Yan Kuan had previously used Empyrean Flame to trigger with his Reincarnation Ability, could also be used to trace back ancestral imprints. Perhaps he could obtain powerful sacred arts from the ancient Vermillion Phoenix and the Great Xia Dragon-Sparrow.
However, Yan Kuan already possessed enough cultivation arts and divine abilities. He did not lack one or two more divine abilities or sacred arts. He was more inclined to directly refine them and increase his cultivation.
"Wheel Sea completion shall be achieved today."
After adjusting his condition, Yan Kuan no longer hesitated. The Trigram Treasure Box sealed off the courtyard while releasing threads of scorching flame to provide him with the energy needed for his cultivation breakthrough.
His brow burned hot as his spiritual power condensed into form. At the same time, within his dantian, the fiery-red Sea of Bitterness surged toward the heavens, divine radiance blazing. At the center of the Sea of Bitterness, the Life Spring erupted, and the wellspring of divine power boiled.
Divine power surged like a tide, and rosy light filled the sky. The Life Spring reached its peak and opened the Divine Bridge. The divine power in Yan Kuan's Sea of Bitterness roared forth, and a brilliant rainbow hung high above, spanning the heavens in incomparable splendor. The Divine Bridge suspended itself above the Sea of Bitterness, and he became a cultivator of the Divine Bridge realm.
At the very moment Yan Kuan broke through to the Divine Bridge, the divine power flowing within him transformed into liquid, while threads of radiance surfaced over his body, perfectly adhering to every corner of his form.
Dou Qi Gauze—gathering qi into liquid—was the mark of Dou Qi reaching the Dou Master realm. Crimson flames rose, adding a unique brilliance to the Dou Qi Gauze. Yan Kuan abruptly opened his eyes. The Jade Vial glowing red opened, and a flash of crimson light accurately entered his mouth.
As the Vermillion Phoenix Blood entered his body, Yan Kuan suddenly shuddered. His face instantly turned crimson as blood, and his body temperature rapidly rose. Wisps of white vapor escaped from him. He was scorching hot, and a faint look of pain showed between his brows.
After several breaths, Yan Kuan's body temperature grew higher and higher, while his skin turned blood-red. He looked like a man drenched in blood, an alarming sight.
Chaos also reigned within his body. Violent crimson energy raced madly through him like galloping wild horses. The scorching, berserk Vermillion Phoenix Blood caused him immense agony, but its effects were equally apparent.
The Sea of Bitterness within his dantian expanded wildly. The Divine Bridge condensed at an even faster rate and continued extending higher and higher. Earth-shaking visions stirred up unrest within the courtyard. Had it not been sealed by the Trigram Treasure Box, the entire White Cloud Temple would likely have sensed the violent commotion.
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