Within the grotto-heaven, the passage of years went unnoticed. Yang Jian immersed himself in Great Peng's unreserved teachings. His cultivation advanced with each passing day, and his understanding of the Dao of Yin-Yang transformation and the secrets of the Heavenly Peng's supreme speed grew ever deeper.
His temperament quietly changed. He lost some of a youth's restlessness and gained a restrained poise that was both steady and sharp. Whenever the divine eye between his brows opened and closed, golden light flowed within it. He could already perceive the essence of energy and glimpse the traces of laws.
Great Peng taught him without holding anything back. Beyond the foundational Dao methods, he imparted countless combat techniques and divine transformations one by one.
Yang Jian was like an insatiable sponge, madly absorbing every source of nourishment that could make him stronger.
He knew that this peace had not come easily, and the shadow that would shatter it had always hung high in the sky.
That day, Great Peng summoned Yang Jian before him, his expression more solemn than ever. He spread open his palm, and two streams of Xuan Huang light slowly emerged. A heavy, ancient aura, as though it bore the mysteries of the world's first creation, spread outward, causing even the spiritual energy throughout the grotto-heaven to briefly stagnate.
The light faded, revealing two treasures. One was a square great seal, its body Xuan Huang in color. Phantom images of mountains, rivers, sun, moon, and stars seemed to rise and fall upon it. The moment it appeared, the surrounding space trembled slightly, carrying an incomparable force of suppression. The other was a Precious Umbrella. Its ribs were like jade, while Xuanhuang Qi flowed across its canopy, descending in fine strands to form layers of protective light screens. It gave off