Immortal Trace, On-the-Spot Reaction

The sunlight poured down from the heavens, renewing the world.

As the yang energy grew intense, Yuan Tianzong opened his eyes. He sat up, feeling refreshed. He was satisfied with his powerful physique's self-healing capabilities and believed that by practicing breathing techniques on this foundation, he might truly achieve the status of a Fleshly Body Great Sage in the future.

Yuan Tianzong picked up his mobile phone to check the time. He had slept for three days.

Hiss.

As he woke up, the spiritual energy around his body shifted from a dormant calm to active alertness, with wisps of lightning appearing.

He hadn't fully mastered the surge of mental power from refining the Divine Smoke yet, so Yuan Tianzong immediately sat down cross-legged, entering a meditative state.

Currently, he hadn't mastered methods for cultivating spiritual energy and could only rely on the simplest training to achieve control over the surging mental power.

Coincidentally, he was practicing fine manipulation of true energy, simulating the white marks from the Nameless Scripture. The control of true energy was centered around spiritual energy. He drew circles with his left hand and squares with his right. The mental energy was being split, and since both had commonalities, they could be trained together.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh.

As the thought arose, thousands of pebbles floated up in the wooden house.

Compared to the initial simulation of white marks, where he controlled over four hundred pebbles with true energy, the number had now grown to over a thousand.

After a moment of adaptation, Yuan Tianzong found that his control had significantly increased. He could now effortlessly maneuver thousands of pebbles, a benefit brought about by the surge in his mental power.

His spiritual energy expanded, rushing out of the wooden house.

In the yard, Bone looked up. Within a three-hundred-meter radius, countless pebbles rose into the air, a spectacular sight.

A smile touched Yuan Tianzong's lips. Fifteen thousand pebbles, not bad!

Under his control, fifteen thousand pebbles flew in various routes within the range.

With a crisp sound, his smile vanished.

More pebbles collided with each other, exploding into powder.

He sighed softly, and all the pebbles fell to the ground. His control was still lacking; he couldn't accurately guide tens of thousands of pebbles on separate paths without a single deviation.

"A bit disappointing."

If an outsider heard this, their emotions would surely be complicated.

This was disappointing?

Yuan Tianzong stretched and walked out of the wooden house.

Bone immediately rushed over, carrying the Jade box, its emotions excited.

Seeing this, Yuan Tianzong immediately realized something and tentatively asked, "The seed reacted?"

Bone nodded.

"Haha, let me see!" Yuan Tianzong hadn't expected the incense ash to actually make the withered exotic seed react. This seed had a mysterious origin. If it could truly regain its vitality, sprout, and bloom, who knew what it would bear.

He lifted the lid and Yuan Tianzong focused on the incense ash within.

The Dao seed was buried deep inside.

He condensed his true energy into his fingertip and gently brushed aside the incense ash on top, revealing the Dao seed.

A light flashed in his eyes.

As expected, the Dao seed had changed. Bone hadn't misjudged.

Previously, the Dao seed was completely withered, exuding deathly energy, its surface covered in cracked, shriveled, and unsightly seed skin.

Now, after being buried in the incense ash for only three days, it had changed. A faint wisp of vitality was brewing. The shriveled parts were beginning to plump up, and new skin had grown beneath the cracked seed skin.

Looking closely, the surface of the embryonic bud had developed some strange patterns. They were too small and short, only measurable in millimeters, making it impossible to determine the complete pattern.

"Good, good, good!"

Yuan Tianzong covered the incense ash again.

"Bone, you've done a great service this time. I'll look for more powerful Evolved Beasts in Wangwu Mountain and hunt a few for you to refine into pelvic bones."

"Dada!" Bone was overjoyed, expressing its gratitude.

"Senior Yuan."

A voice came from outside the wall. It was Xue Ding.

"Come in."

Xue Ding walked in carrying a box, the aroma of meat emanating from within. He hadn't forgotten his previous promise—to cook.

Although Yuan Tianzong hadn't specified how long he should cook, Xue Ding believed Yuan Tianzong had helped him immensely. Even cooking every day wouldn't be enough to repay him. He had come for the past few days, and upon learning Yuan Tianzong was sleeping, he had left on his own.

"Senior Yuan, these are steamed buns from our Celestial Master Temple's canteen. They taste great, please try them."

The vegetarian buns indeed tasted good, and Yuan Tianzong ate several.

During the meal, he noticed that Xue Ding had also received Divine Smoke and had awakened his spiritual energy, his demeanor changing significantly.

"How many wisps of Divine Smoke did you endure?" Yuan Tianzong asked.

"Twelve wisps."

"Only twelve wisps?"

Xue Ding gave a wry smile. "Naturally, I can't compare to Senior Yuan."

No one knew how much Divine Smoke Yuan Tianzong had acquired. Some of the incense ash-rich soil containing Divine Smoke had been reached by him and its unknown quantity taken before others could discover it.

However, according to information released by some individuals, Yuan Tianzong had already obtained forty strands of Divine Smoke.

This number was astonishing. Compared to other prodigies and old monsters from across the internet, he was in the lead, truly terrifying.

"Twelve strands are already quite a lot, enough to form an incense cauldron."

Speaking of this, Yuan Tianzong voiced his inner doubts. Four divine platforms had been born from Divine Smoke in his spiritual realm, a peculiar situation that must have some deeper meaning.

"What is the function of an incense cauldron?"

Xue Ding was taken aback. "Senior Yuan doesn't know?"

"I don't."

Xue Ding nodded. He had initially thought that Yuan Tianzong had worked so hard to collect Divine Smoke because he knew its purpose.

"Senior Yuan, not long ago, an ancient great sect released news stating that these mysterious items condensed from Divine Smoke possess the power to perceive immortal traces. This is why various factions, prodigies, and old monsters are scrambling for Divine Smoke and enduring its impact."

"Immortal traces?" Yuan Tianzong raised his eyes, a flicker of surprise flashing in them.

He had seen this term in an ancient book before.

It was said that immortal traces were the indelible marks left by powerful beings from ancient eras. Though the beings were dead, their traces would never dissipate.

Just like the eternal achievements left by certain emperors. Though the emperors were long gone, their traces remained, revered by later generations.

"I heard that a prodigy from a certain aristocratic family, through the incense cauldron they condensed, has comprehended some kind of mysterious trace. Illusory beasts often manifest outside the courtyard where they are in seclusion, exuding immense power!"

"Is that true?"

"Of course. While there's no concrete proof, such news wouldn't just come out of nowhere."

"Divine Smoke, Divine Incense, Divine Cauldron, Divine Platform. I heard that the more Divine Smoke one has, the more powerful the immortal traces one can perceive."

Yuan Tianzong felt a surge of joy in his heart, but his expression remained calm.

His spiritual realm had four divine platforms. Perhaps he could also perceive immortal traces?

"That monster must be in that courtyard!"

"After searching day and night for several days, I've finally found the trace!"

"I've been studying the torture methods of past dynasties for days. Today, I'll open this monster's eyes!"

"I'm so excited! I'll get my revenge soon!"

"The lump on my head still hurts. I want to see what kind of weapon he used to hit so hard!"

Noisy shouts came from outside the wooden wall.

Yuan Tianzong and Xue Ding turned their heads simultaneously.

Just then, the door was kicked open.

"Bone spirit, I've been looking for you everywhere! Today I'll tear you apart..."

The voice, which had been excited and loud, quickly became weak and lacking confidence.

The crowd crammed at the doorway stared at Yuan Tianzong in shock, as if they had been silenced.

A Refiner?!

Why was he here?!

It's over, they've caused huge trouble!

Sweat beaded on everyone's foreheads, forming streaks on their faces. Some were so scared their pants were wet, their legs trembled violently, and their vision went black; they almost fainted.

Yuan Tianzong's brow furrowed slightly, and he was about to speak.

Plop!

Someone knelt down with a plop, took out a square jade box, and said with a trembling voice, "Lord Bone, seeing you digging for incense ash day after day, you must really like it. I specifically brought this for you. I hope you like it!"

Those who had already seen the "path to the Yellow Springs" brightened up. They reluctantly took out their own incense ash and respectfully offered it.

Yuan Tianzong looked at Bone, a hint of amusement in his eyes: Bone, you're quite popular. So many people are giving you such expensive items.

Bone tilted his head, somewhat bewildered, but quickly stepped forward and collected all the incense ash. Seeing the still-swollen lumps on the crowd's heads, he felt they were too kind, repaying kindness with grievance, and regretted hitting them earlier.

"Lord Bone, Lord Refiner, if there's nothing else, we won't disturb you. Goodbye! Goodbye!"

Seeing that Yuan Tianzong did not speak, the crowd felt as if they had received a great pardon. They quickly turned and fled from the place in a sorry state.

After distancing themselves from this "land of death," everyone gasped for air as if they had narrowly escaped from King Yama's presence.

"Damn it! Can anyone tell me why that bone spirit and the Refiner are working together? We walked right into a trap, how stupid can we be!"

Someone threw their hands up and sat down on the ground, crying, "I didn't get my incense ash back, and I lost the little I had! Ah!!!"

"Alright, alright. It's a blessing that we're alive. Chen Liang, we have you to thank just now. If you hadn't had a flash of inspiration and knelt down to offer incense ash, we would all have been refined!"

"Right, right, thanks to Chen Liang!"

"I never realized you had such quick thinking on your feet. You've got a bright future!"

"Yeah, yeah, good thing you reacted quickly!"

Chen Liang forced a wry smile as everyone praised him.

It wasn't that he reacted quickly; his legs had just gone weak and given out on him. Cough, cough.

Someone optimistic chimed in, "Speaking of which, we actually survived the Refiner! That's something we can brag about, right~"

"Brag about what? Don't you dare spread this around, it's too embarrassing. We looked like idiots."

"Right, right, nobody say a word outside. It's humiliating."

"My head still hurts from that lump. Ow."

"This lump might be infected with Yin energy. I should find my master to exorcise the evil when I get back."

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author. Maybe they just changed the name!