Forging the Sea of Consciousness, Condensing the Divine Soul

On the road, dozens of auras locked onto him as well. Though these people were extremely covert, Ye Jing, now a Great Grandmaster, possessed a Sea of Consciousness so powerful that no subtle shift escaped his perception.

Throughout the journey, these auras clung firmly to Ye Jing. Only upon entering the Hanlin Academy did he feel them withdraw from his person.

Seated at a desk by the window, Ye Jing's eyes were heavy with gravity. Matters had taken an unexpected turn.

According to his original plan, the Li Clan Ancient Clan would eventually trace things back to him, but he was merely at Qi Refining Fifth Layer—utterly incapable of orchestrating this affair. Even if the Li Clan harbored suspicions, they could never pin it on him.

Of course, given his deep bond with Qiuyue, it was hard to rule out the Li Clan acting rashly, threatening his life to force her hand. If such a situation arose, Ye Jing wouldn't just surrender. With his current strength, escape would be easy.

But today's circumstances baffled him entirely.

Had he left loose ends that day, allowing the Li Clan to uncover some clue? A flicker of doubt crossed Ye Jing's eyes.

Yet that shouldn't be the case. If they truly suspected him as the mastermind, they'd have seized him long ago for torture. Why mount such a grand surveillance instead?

Ye Jing racked his brain but found no answer. One thing he could confirm, however: matters were slipping further and further from his control.

Unable to figure it out, Ye Jing stopped dwelling. Though his watchers were many—some even Great Grandmasters or stronger—his own strength allowed him to slip free of their surveillance with ease.

For now, he could only take things step by step. The immediate priority was to bolster his own power. The stronger he became, the more confidence he'd have to face any unknown risks.

Picking up a book from the desk, Ye Jing began to read.

The book chronicled Chen Changsheng's Dao Attainment through dreams.

Chen Changsheng was born in the Yan Kingdom seven thousand years ago. He couldn't speak at five, nor recognize characters at seven, his mind lagging far behind other children his age. His clan elders fretted endlessly over this.

But at seven, a Lotus Immortal entered his dream to enlighten him. From then on, Chen Changsheng's intellect burst open.

Not only could he compose prose with ease, but his comprehension was swift. Any poetry or ancient text, he learned at a glance and could recite backward effortlessly.

Thus, Chen Changsheng's fame soared, and he became a renowned child prodigy in Yan Kingdom. Young as he was, he swept the top three ranks in the imperial exams, claiming the highest honor.

Yet when Chen Changsheng became the Yan Kingdom's top scholar, he refused the Yan Emperor's decree on the Golden Throne Hall, abandoning officialdom to pursue Dao cultivation on Mount Hua.

Chen Changsheng was naturally gifted. Any Dao method he encountered, mastering one meant mastering all. Though he started cultivation late, within a decade his power had grown unfathomable.

One day, Chen Changsheng suddenly felt the path to the Great Dao had been severed, the journey ahead fraught with difficulty. Troubled, he ascended Lotus Peak to observe the celestial constellations and commune with heaven and earth.

Suddenly, in the lotus pond, a Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus bloomed. Recalling his childhood dream, Chen Changsheng fell into enlightenment.

Upon awakening, he abandoned all the Dao he had cultivated and instead lay down to rest on Lotus Peak.

Spring passed to autumn, summer to winter. Three hundred years slipped by in a blink. Throughout those centuries, Chen Changsheng remained reclining on Lotus Peak, yet his aura grew ever more profound and mysterious.

It was as if he had merged with heaven and earth, his body becoming the world itself. His realm had reached a level beyond mortal comprehension.

During those three hundred years, Chen Changsheng awoke a few times. Each time, he would open a Dao platform on Lotus Peak and preach.

He recounted all manner of strange and wondrous tales, drawing countless disciples to listen.

But though Chen Changsheng's Dao arts were transcendent, he could not outlast time itself. In the end, he passed away on Lotus Peak.

Yet even after his death, his body remained uncorrupted for centuries, lifelike as if still alive. Rumors even spread that laughter could be heard emanating from his corpse at midnight.

[You have observed Chen Changsheng's life. Your earnestness has activated Heaven-Defying Comprehension.]

[Your comprehension is heaven-defying. You have comprehended the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture.]

Great Dream Three Thousand! This was a supreme Dao art of the soul. Legend held that beyond the Profound Yellow Great World, there existed three thousand great worlds.

Each of these worlds boasted different civilizations, their brilliance no less dazzling than the Xuanhuang World.

Chen Changsheng's Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture—it was said that if cultivated to its peak, one could send their soul wandering through the Three Thousand Dao Realms, grasping all their mysteries.

Cultivation methods for the soul were already exceedingly rare, let alone a supreme art like the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture. Its value was immeasurable.

The soul is born within the Sea of Consciousness, the most mysterious hidden treasury in the human body. The mightier the Sea of Consciousness, the stronger the soul.

A powerful soul not only aids cultivation but also serves as a formidable weapon in battle. Its wonders cannot be fully explained in mere words.

Though the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture was a supreme soul art, Ye Jing resisted temptation and did not immediately choose to cultivate it.

This was a sensitive time. Every word and action might be watched. The Hanlin Academy was no safe place.

After finishing the day's tasks, Ye Jing organized the Ancient Texts he had compiled, submitted them to his superior for review, and then returned home.

Back at the Ye Manor, he went through his usual routine: cooking, boiling water, bathing, and then retiring to bed, careful not to show any hint of abnormality.

Late at night, Ye Jing opened his eyes. Sensing the auras around the Ye Manor, he noted that though a few powerful presences remained, they had thinned compared to the day.

Seizing the moment when his watchers were lax, Ye Jing set up a formation around his carved wooden bed to ensure no aura leaked, then began to cultivate.

Within Ye Jing's Sea of Consciousness, above the darkness that had been as deep as the Nine Abyss, a great sun suddenly rose.

The sun blazed fiercely, scorching the Sea of Consciousness like raging fire. The once mirror-calm sea churned with steam, rising like clouds toward the sun.

The vast Sea of Consciousness visibly shrank.

A larger Sea of Consciousness meant a stronger soul. Though Ye Jing's sea had diminished, his soul had not weakened—in fact, it had grown mightier.

The Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture was a supreme soul art. Legend said that at its peak, it could open the gates to the Three Thousand Dao Realms, allowing the soul to roam freely.

Such a method naturally demanded an extremely high level of soul power. Though Ye Jing's soul had been strong before, it still fell far short of the requirements for cultivating the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture.

Fortunately, the Foundation Establishment Chapter of the Great Dream Three Thousand Dao Scripture could continuously refine and forge the soul, purifying the Sea of Consciousness and thus strengthening the soul further.

The great sun evaporated the Sea of Consciousness, leaving impurities behind. Then, using True Sun Fire, it burned them away, making the sea purer.

After a long while, Ye Jing finally emerged from cultivation. Sensing the changes in his body, a hint of joy flickered in his eyes.