"Hmm—"
A faint tremor rang out, as though it came from the laws themselves. The transformation was complete! A yellow-brown crystal radiating an aura far more powerful and steady than before—the Midgod Godhead—hung quietly in the air. It remained part of Qin Zhao's soul, yet now carried greater power and a deeper comprehension of the laws.
The next moment, the Midgod Godhead spun rapidly and merged back into the space between the brows of the Earth God Clone.
"Boom!"
Like a dam bursting, vast, pure Midgod Earth Divine Power surged through every limb and bone of the God Clone in an instant! Every particle of the Divine Body rejoiced, greedily absorbing this higher-grade energy as it underwent a fundamental strengthening and reshaping. The faint yellow-brown sheen that had once flowed across the Earth God Clone grew denser, suffused with the profound weight of something eternal, bearing all things while containing boundless vitality. The pressure he radiated was more than ten times stronger than when he had been a Lowgod!
The Earth God Clone's tightly shut eyes snapped open. In the depths of his pupils, there was no longer mere yellow-brown. Instead, boundless vitality unfolded: mountains rose and were leveled, plants withered and flourished in turn, and the Pulse of the Earth throbbed like breathing. Three perfected Profound Mysteries blended seamlessly within them.
At the same time, Qin Zhao's original body, far away in his Thousand Fold Peaks cave abode, had not directly experienced the Godhead transformation. Yet his soul was closely connected to the God Clone, and he too felt that leap in the level of life. It was as though a warm, weighty force had washed over and nourished the very essence of his soul, making it more resilient. His affinity for and understanding of the Law of Earth, already acknowledged by its Origin Law, seemed to have deepened further. The energy core within his original body, formed from Origin Force and mental force, also faintly resonated with the Midgod Godhead. Its circulation grew smoother, and its efficiency at absorbing cosmic energy improved.
The log on the system panel appeared clearly once more:
[Midgod Godhead transformation complete!]
[Earth God Clone's cultivation level increased: Midgod!]
[Divine Body greatly strengthened!]
[Divine Power quality elevated!]
[The essence of the soul has been strengthened through nourishment!]
After the transformation was complete, the data on the panel before Qin Zhao finally updated!
[Achievements: Saint Realm, Lowgod, Erudite, Praise of a Paragon, Facing a Highgod, Might of the Main God, Midgod]
[Secret Techniques: 128 Martial Arts Secret Techniques (Perfected), Shockwave (Minor Accomplishment 89%), Earth Pulse Guard (Minor Accomplishment 91%), Ten Thousand Line Flow (Proficient 5%)]
[Comprehension: Earth-style Laws (Earth Element 100%, Pulse of the Earth 100%, Gravity Space 100%), Law of Space (Teleportation 3.5%)]
Midgod! Acknowledged by the Origin Law!
Qin Zhao (original body) slowly opened his eyes in the real world. He felt the coolness of the Law of Earth Origin mark between his brows, as well as the stronger, closer connection to his Midgod Clone deep within his soul. A sense of power and control unlike any he had known welled up within him.
With a slight shift of thought, he did not use any secret technique. He merely guided his will, and a field of power naturally spread around him. It was no longer a simple Ninefold Domain. It carried a trace of the Origin of Laws, as weighty as an ancient mountain yet brimming with vitality within. Inside its range, even space seemed more stable. This increase in power came naturally from combining the Midgod realm with acknowledgment by the Origin Law.
"Midgod... three perfected Profound Mysteries, and acknowledgment by the Law of Earth..." Qin Zhao murmured, his eyes flashing. He could feel that, with the Earth God Clone alone, he could now crush the vast majority of Universe Levels. He might even be able to fight a Domain Lord! With his original body's comprehension of the Law of Space and his many secret techniques, his actual combat strength had already leaped to an entirely new level.
The gains from this period of intense cultivation during the Emperor Flow Nectar's golden window had far exceeded his expectations. Not only had his comprehension of the "Teleportation" Profound Mystery of the Law of Space risen to 3.5%, and had he successfully cultivated the Nine Line Flow, but he had also made an astonishing breakthrough in the Law of Earth: by perfecting its three Profound Mysteries, he had entered the Midgod realm and earned acknowledgment by the Law of Earth Origin!
After the golden period of law comprehension following the Emperor Flow Nectar's baptism came to an end, Qin Zhao's Earth God Clone had perfected all three Profound Mysteries and entered the Midgod realm. His original body had also gained acknowledgment by the Law of Earth Origin. His cultivation in the Thick Earth Continent of the Noah Secret Realm had now entered an entirely new stage.
As his teacher, King Lanchen did not instruct him in every last detail. Instead, he guided him from a higher vantage point, offering pointers at crucial moments.
He charted out the paths ahead for Qin Zhao in the two laws of Earth and Space, pointing out many blind spots and misconceptions that were easy to overlook during cultivation. He also opened access to some of the precious resources under his name, such as the Nine-Fold Realm, which could simulate all kinds of extreme gravitational environments, and the Void Trace Hall, which allowed one to clearly sense fluctuations in the patterns of space. Qin Zhao eagerly absorbed everything, and his progress began to accelerate.
From Star Level Two to Star Level Three... and all the way to Star Level Nine, Qin Zhao's cultivation steadily advanced. Meanwhile, his comprehension of the "Teleportation" Profound Mystery of the Origin Law of Space continued to grow as his Ten Thousand Line Flow advanced beyond the Nine Line Flow toward the more profound Hundred Line Flow.
His use of the Law of Earth was no longer limited to the two secret techniques Shockwave and Earth Pulse Guard.
So he turned his attention to the foundation he already possessed: the three perfected Profound Mysteries of the Law of Earth, as well as certain fragments of memory from the Coiling Dragon World in his mind. He recalled one of Linley's signature techniques in that world: the Black Stone Prison! It was a fearsome Domain Type technique centered on the Gravity Space Profound Mystery and fused with the Pulse of the Earth Profound Mystery and Soul Stone. It possessed tremendous binding and crushing power and could even affect the soul.
"The Black Stone Prison... Its core lies in the resonance and binding force of the Pulse of the Earth, along with the condensation and solidification of the Earth Element. But in the Swallowed Star World, there's no such wondrous substance as Soul Stone. Still, I have something more fundamental—the perfected Profound Mysteries of the Law of Earth, and even greater control thanks to the Origin Law's acknowledgment!"
In this Swallowed Star World, the laws manifested differently, but their essence was the same. Qin Zhao had perfected the three Profound Mysteries of Earth Element, Pulse of the Earth, and Gravity Space. He had also gained acknowledgment by the Law of Earth Origin, bringing his control over the power of Earth to an extremely profound level. In theory, it was entirely possible for him to create his own version of the Black Stone Prison within the Swallowed Star World.
Qin Zhao told King Lanchen that he wanted to create the Black Stone Prison. Hearing this, King Lanchen did not dismiss the idea. Instead, he showed a flicker of interest. "Not a bad idea. The use of laws is endlessly varied. If you can use this as an opportunity to truly integrate the Law of Earth Origin you've already comprehended, perhaps even find a point of convergence between Earth and Space, and create a secret technique suited to you, it will greatly benefit your cultivation. Go ahead and give it a try. If you run into difficulties, you can come ask me."
King Lanchen was not like other Immortal Experts who would scoff at the idea of someone at Star Level trying to create a secret technique. On the contrary, he strongly supported his disciple's drive to turn ideas into reality. In his view, creating a secret technique was much like organizing one's comprehension of the laws, and was also an excellent way to study them.
With his teacher's support, Qin Zhao was even more confident.
He began a long process of deduction and experimentation.
The Thick Earth Continent offered an ideal testing ground. At times, he sat cross-legged atop a mountain, linking his consciousness to the earth as he repeatedly simulated different ways of combining the Pulse of the Earth with the Earth Element. He searched for a balance that could create both a powerful field of crushing pressure and high-frequency vibrations within it, capable of breaking down an enemy's defenses and soul.
Before you continue