Hongmeng Stellar Art

Inside the cultivation room of the Thunder Mountain Residence, the spiritual energy was so dense it had nearly condensed into mist. Qin Yu and Xiao Hei sat cross-legged, immersed in their cultivation, their internal energy circulating steadily as they consolidated their early-stage Golden Core realms.

Qin Yu's eyes were slightly closed, his mind submerged within his dantian, guiding the nebula vortex to rotate slowly. With every cycle, massive amounts of stellar power and heaven and earth spiritual energy were drawn into his body, tempering his physical form and refining his Nebula True Qi. The profound mysteries of Stellar Transformations became increasingly apparent during his practice; the nebula vortex within his dantian grew more solid, and his purple true qi became more refined, showing faint signs of advancing toward the mid-stage of the nebula.

Beside him, Xiao Hei had tucked in its wings, its body intertwined with the power of thunder and fire and wind-attribute spiritual energy, its consciousness immersed in the comprehension of its own power. After awakening its spiritual consciousness, its control over its innate abilities had become increasingly skillful, and the fusion of thunder-fire power and wind-attribute spiritual energy had become more natural. Occasionally, faint sparks of thunder-fire light would spill from its wings, only to be quietly drawn back into its body, its aura steadily rising.

The only sounds in the cultivation room were the subtle movements of spiritual energy and the circulation of cultivation techniques, quiet and peaceful. On the other side, Yun Ce stood in place, his gaze deep, his mind already quietly submerged within the System Space—all his attention at this moment was focused on the supreme technique he had just obtained: the Hongmeng Stellar Art.

Within the System Space, everything was chaotic and hazy. Countless stellar lights swirled and intertwined, and the aura of the Hongmeng path could be faintly seen flowing within. A simple, unadorned tome floated in the void; it was the Hongmeng Stellar Art. The five large characters for "Hongmeng Stellar Art" on the cover radiated a vast aura that transcended all things in heaven and earth. It possessed both the majestic rhythm of stellar rotation and the primordial aura of the dawn of Hongmeng, as if it had been born at the beginning of the universe, carrying the ultimate truths of the Starry Path and the evolution of Hongmeng.

As Yun Ce's divine sense gently touched the tome, countless profound characters and mantras flooded his mind. The opening consisted of four majestic lines of verse, each word a gem, piercing straight to the origin of the Starry Path: "Stars fall, the Hongmeng path opens; energy condenses in the purple mansion to gestate the true pearl. The celestial stars follow my will; once eternity is proven, I step onto the immortal path."

Following this was the general outline of the technique. Every word was profound, yet it clearly pointed out the essentials of cultivation, the core logic, and safety restrictions, while also hiding the limitations of each realm: "This method is heaven-defying and can be cultivated by a mortal body. Use stellar power as the foundation to comprehend the path of universal evolution. Once the inner universe is complete, Hongmeng will be born naturally, and you shall finally prove the path of the Controller. Remember: Hongmeng spiritual energy is a symbol of the authority of creation, not a resource for cultivation; do not make direct contact, or you will perish! The first seven realms are the foundation for building the path; the mysteries of the later realms are not for you to glimpse yet. Only by keeping your feet on the ground will you reach the end."

Probing further with his divine sense, Yun Ce sensed the two core mechanisms built into the technique. They were not presented directly in text but were integrated into the origin of the technique, bound to his own cultivation—

The first was the technique's protection mechanism. This mechanism could resist all external attempts to spy on, plunder, or tamper with the technique. Whether it was a search by divine sense, an invasion by inner demons, or a high-level cultivator forcibly seizing the technique, it would be automatically repelled by the origin of the technique. At best, it would injure the intruder's soul; at worst, it would directly backfire on their cultivation. Only the practitioner could perceive and study the content of the technique. Even if the practitioner died, the technique would dissipate along with their soul, never to be leaked.

The second was the phased unlocking mechanism. The sixteen realms of the technique were not all unlocked at once; specific conditions had to be met to open them gradually. For ununlocked realms, even if one forcibly probed with divine sense, one would only see a chaotic stellar mist, unable to glimpse a single thing.

The rules for phased unlocking appeared clearly in Yun Ce's divine sense:

The first unlock point: Cultivate to the Golden Core stage to unlock the content for the Postnatal, Xiantian, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Void-Piercing, and Emptiness realms.

The second unlock point: Break through to the Tribulation Transcendence stage to unlock the content for the Tribulation Transcendence, Great Perfection, Heavenly Immortal, Golden Immortal, and Mystic Immortal realms.

The third unlock point: Ascend to the Divine Realm to unlock the content for all subsequent realms.

Yun Ce's divine sense was immersed in these profound words and mechanisms. The more he read, the more alarmed he became; the more he understood, the more shocked he felt. The profoundness of this Hongmeng Stellar Art far exceeded any technique he had ever encountered, even several times deeper than the Stellar Transformations created by Lei Wei over a thousand years. It was truly heaven-defying! Its core was to simulate the principles of Hongmeng evolution, using stellar power as a base to reconstruct the path of universal evolution within the body, gradually improving energy quality, and finally achieving a complete inner universe that naturally birthed Hongmeng. It progressed layer by layer, pointing directly to the path of the Controller of Hongmeng, perfectly fitting the cultivation laws of universal beings.

The technique's exposition on the essentials of the first seven realms was even more incisive and unique, fitting the logic of the Starry Path and Hongmeng evolution:

"The essence of cultivation lies first in sensing the stars. Stars are the spiritual roots of heaven and earth, the cornerstone of universal evolution. Use stars to draw energy, use stars to temper the body, follow the order of the celestial stars, and build the foundation of the inner universe. This technique teaches you to start from stellar power and gradually build the path of Hongmeng evolution within your body. On the day your inner universe is complete, Hongmeng will be born, and you will be Hongmeng."

As his divine sense delved deeper, Yun Ce gradually grasped the full picture of the first six realms of the Hongmeng Stellar Art that were already unlocked. Subsequent realms remained locked, and he could only see vague realm names without knowing the specific cultivation methods. This technique was divided into sixteen realms, each corresponding to a completely different level of power. From mortal cultivation to the peak of the Controller of Hongmeng, every step contained the secrets of stellar creation and Hongmeng evolution, perfectly fitting the world view of Stellar Transformations while far exceeding the current world's cultivation system.

The details of the first four unlocked realms were clear and precise, fitting his current early-stage Void-Piercing cultivation and far exceeding techniques of the same level, with stellar power as the core throughout, adhering to the principle of "evolution":

First Realm: Postnatal Star-Sensing (Postnatal Realm)

Observe the star sea at night to wash away the mortal dust; a spark of spiritual light enters the purple mansion.

Draw stellar power into the body to temper the physical form, open the dantian, and gather true qi. With a solid foundation, one can perform basic stellar arts, with a lifespan of five hundred years.

Second Realm: Xiantian Star-Absorption (Xiantian Realm)

Energy absorbs the celestial cycle to open the hundred meridians; the natal star illuminates the path home.

True qi turns into liquid, condensing into Stellar True Essence, allowing one to control objects for flight. Initially communicate with the natal star to gain the blessing of stellar power, with strength far exceeding ordinary Xiantian.

Third Realm: Golden Core World-Gestation (Golden Core Realm)

Swallow a single golden core into the belly; the mustard seed contains Mount Sumeru.

Condense the stellar golden core; the core contains the embryo of a Mustard Seed Space (the beginning of the inner universe). Combat power is comparable to the Golden Core stage; one can use the Mustard Seed Space for brief concealment and forge natal magic treasures.

Fourth Realm: Nascent Soul Technique-Evolution (Nascent Soul Realm)

The innocent Nascent Soul sits in the square inch; the mind wanders ten thousand miles in a single thought.

The Nascent Soul merges with the Mustard Seed Space, expanding the space to a radius of ten miles (the initial evolution of the inner universe). Corresponds to the Nascent Soul stage, initially mastering the embryo of space freezing, with divine sense covering a thousand miles.

Because Yun Ce had already reached the early-stage Void-Piercing, he had already met the prerequisites for the first unlock point (having passed the Golden Core stage). With a thought, the content for the Postnatal, Xiantian, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Void-Piercing, and Emptiness realms was instantly unlocked, appearing clearly in his mind, maintaining the core of using stellar power as a base to evolve the inner universe:

Fifth Realm: Void-Piercing Creation (Void-Piercing Realm)

Insight into the true nature of the void; lotus flowers can be planted in the spiritual field of the square inch.

Insight into the essence of spatial fluctuations; use Stellar True Essence to drive spatial power to shape simple inanimate objects within one's own Mustard Seed Space (the embryo of the inner universe), pushing the evolution of the inner universe. Strength is equal to the Void-Piercing stage; one can perform short-distance spatial travel and tear through the space of the mortal world with a wave of the hand.

Sixth Realm: Emptiness Realm Domain-Formation (Emptiness Realm)

Refine the void into a world to open a secret realm; starlight illuminates a heaven of its own.

Refine one's own Mustard Seed Space into a "Starry Divine Domain" (further evolution of the inner universe). Within the divine domain, the rules of the stars serve as the foundation, and Stellar True Essence fills the four directions. Equivalent to the Emptiness Realm; the divine domain can cover a mortal planet.

As for the seventh realm and beyond, because the second unlock point (breaking through to the Tribulation Transcendence stage) had not been reached, they remained locked. He could only see realm names like "Tribulation Transcendence Path-Fusion," "Heavenly Immortal World-Control," and "Divine Being Heaven-Opening," unable to glimpse their specific mysteries. Yun Ce already knew that the subsequent realms were all about continuously using stellar power to push the evolution of the inner universe until it was complete, naturally birthing Hongmeng, and finally proving the path of the Controller—this was highly similar to the growth path of Controllers like Qin Yu and Lin Lei. Even so, the six unlocked realms alone were enough to make Yun Ce's heart race. He had never imagined there could be such a rigorous technique that fit the laws of the universe. Even just the current fifth realm, Void-Piercing Creation, far exceeded the Void-Piercing cultivators of this world; he could tear through the space of the mortal world with a gesture and even create simple inanimate objects within his own inner universe embryo!

What made him even more at ease was the technique's protection mechanism. With this safeguard, no matter what crisis he encountered in the future, this supreme technique would not be coveted or plundered by others, allowing him to cultivate with peace of mind. The phased unlocking mechanism forced him to keep his feet on the ground, not to be impatient for success, and to step-by-step solidify the foundation of his inner universe with stellar power, steadily pushing its evolution and paving the way for the future birth of Hongmeng within his body and proving the path of the Controller.

Just as Yun Ce was immersed in the mysteries, the two mechanisms, and the evolutionary logic of the Hongmeng Stellar Art, a cold system prompt sounded in his mind once again: "Ding! Detected that the host has studied the core content of the Hongmeng Stellar Art and comprehended the principle of 'Stellar power as the base, evolving Hongmeng.' Confirmed that the first unlock point has been reached. Unlocking the content for the Postnatal, Xiantian, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Void-Piercing, and Emptiness realms. Beginning technique conversion for the host, adapting to the current early-stage Void-Piercing realm, and reconstructing the internal energy system with stellar power..."

As the system prompt fell, a dense, extreme stellar power surged from the System Space, following Yun Ce's divine sense into his body. The original cultivation true qi within him, under the nourishment of pure stellar power and the conversion of the technique, began to quietly transform, rapidly turning into more refined Stellar True Essence with greater evolutionary potential. Within his dantian, the original dantian space also began to evolve step-by-step into the embryo of a Mustard Seed Space (the beginning of the inner universe) according to the principles of Hongmeng evolution. A power far more formidable than before quietly sprouted within him, and his comprehension of space became increasingly profound.

"Hahaha... Good! What a great Hongmeng Stellar Art! What a 'Stellar foundation, evolving Hongmeng'! What a great technique protection!" Yun Ce could no longer suppress the wild joy in his heart. His mind returned to his body, which trembled involuntarily. His eyes were filled with excitement and shock, and the smile on his lips could not be hidden.

He finally understood that the heaven-defying aspect of this technique was that it guided him on a righteous path that fit the laws of the universe and the growth of a Controller of Hongmeng—using stellar power as a base to evolve a universe within his body step-by-step, and finally birthing Hongmeng naturally. This was the true Great Path! He was already a top expert on the Hidden Dragon Continent after breaking through to the early-stage Void-Piercing. Now, with the Hongmeng Stellar Art and the imminent completion of the technique conversion, having unlocked the cultivation methods for the next three realms, his Stellar True Essence was becoming increasingly refined, and his inner universe embryo was evolving steadily. His strength already far exceeded that of Void-Piercing cultivators of the same level, and he could even crush ordinary late-stage Void-Piercing cultivators. This opportunity was truly heaven-defying! Even more rare was the built-in protection mechanism, which allowed him to have no worries about the technique being leaked and to cultivate in seclusion with peace of mind.

Yun Ce's excitement and trembling soon caught the attention of Qin Yu and Xiao Hei nearby. Both stopped their cultivation, opened their eyes, and looked at Yun Ce with confusion.

Qin Yu looked at Yun Ce's excited appearance, his eyes full of curiosity, but he did not speak rashly. Xiao Hei, through a spiritual sense transmission, said with some confusion: "Master, what is wrong? Is there something happy?"

Yun Ce noticed their gazes and realized his lack of composure. He quickly restrained the wild joy in his heart, smiled awkwardly, suppressed the restless Stellar True Essence in his body, and said to Qin Yu: "Xiao Yu, Xiao Hei, I have just comprehended a new technique and need to immediately go into seclusion to digest it, consolidate my realm, and familiarize myself with the cultivation method. For the next period of time, you should cultivate on your own and consolidate your own cultivation well; do not be slack."

He did not mention the unlocking mechanism, the protection mechanism, or the core logic of "Stellar foundation, evolving Hongmeng." For one, this matter was too heaven-defying to be leaked; for another, Qin Yu and Xiao Hei's current cultivation was still shallow, and knowing too much would only make them restless. It was better for them to keep their feet on the ground and first consolidate their own foundations.

As his voice fell, Yun Ce raised his hand and waved. A pale golden spiritual light spilled from his fingertips, instantly setting up an isolation barrier around him. The barrier was invisible and intangible, yet it could completely isolate the inside from the outside. Qin Yu and Xiao Hei could not see the scene inside the barrier, nor could they perceive Yun Ce's aura; they could only see a faint golden light shrouding Yun Ce's figure.

After setting up the restrictions, Yun Ce did not hesitate. He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and completely calmed his mind to begin studying the unlocked realm content of the Hongmeng Stellar Art. He digested the changes brought about by the cultivation technique transition, stabilized his Void-Piercing Early Stage realm, and simultaneously attempted to comprehend the mysteries of the fifth realm, Void-Piercing Creation. He tried to shape simple inanimate objects within the embryonic Mustard Seed Space (Inner Universe) in his dantian, familiarized himself with the application of pure Stellar True Essence, and pushed forward the preliminary evolution of his Inner Universe.

Outside the restrictions, Qin Yu looked at the pale golden barrier, his eyes filled with awe. He felt genuinely happy for Yun Ce: "Master's strength is growing stronger and stronger. Having just broken through to the Void-Piercing Early Stage, he has already comprehended a new technique. He is truly amazing!"

Black Feather also communicated via spiritual sense, saying with great admiration: "Yes, yes! Master is so impressive! We must also cultivate diligently and not hold Master back! When Master finishes his seclusion, our strength must also improve significantly. We should strive to break through to the Golden Core Mid Stage as soon as possible!"

Qin Yu nodded, a flash of determination in his eyes: "That's right, we cannot slack off. With Master in seclusion, we must seize the time to cultivate, consolidate our realms, and strive to reach the Golden Core Mid Stage early. We must not let Master down, and in the future, we will be able to share his burdens."

As he spoke, Qin Yu sat cross-legged once more, closed his eyes slightly, and immersed himself back into the cultivation of Stellar Transformations. The Nebula vortex within his dantian began to spin rapidly again, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth along with the power of the stars. Black Feather also focused his mind, continuing to comprehend his own lightning, fire, and wind attribute divine abilities. The Cultivation Room returned to silence once more.

Inside the Cultivation Room, within the restrictions, Yun Ce was surrounded by dense stellar radiance. His divine sense was immersed in the mysteries of the Hongmeng Stellar Art, and the Stellar True Essence within his body flowed slowly. The embryonic Mustard Seed Space (Inner Universe) in his dantian was slowly gestating and expanding under the nourishment of the stellar power. Faint specks of starlight circulated within the space, which were the initial signs of the Inner Universe's evolution. He could clearly feel that his power was increasing at a visible rate, and his comprehension of space was becoming increasingly profound. With every gesture, he could trigger subtle fluctuations in the surrounding space and even vaguely mobilize the stellar power of heaven and earth to bolster himself and drive the evolution of his Inner Universe.

Inside Thunder Mountain Residence, Yun Ce remained in seclusion for deep cultivation; Qin Yu and Black Feather, one human and one beast, focused on their cultivation, stabilizing their Golden Core cultivation bases and striving for progress.

Yun Ce was working hard, relying on the Hongmeng Stellar Art and the guidance provided by the technique's phased unlocks. Following the correct path of "Stellar Foundation Building, Evolving Hongmeng," he delved into the Hongmeng Stellar Secret Canon, polished his stellar foundation, and pushed the evolution of his Inner Universe, stepping forward step by step toward the Great Dao of the Controller of Hongmeng.