Spiritual Domain Realm?

Yan Jingzhe went over everything in detail with Xian Lin'er and Feng Ling: the Soul Guidance Department's course arrangements, the progress of several research projects, Huo Yuhao's cultivation plan for the next half year, and the distribution of the immortal herbs. Early the next morning, he first paid a visit to Sea God Pavilion.

Mu En sat by the second-floor window, still holding that yellowed ancient book. Yet his complexion was far better than it had been half a month ago. His deep-blue hair had regained its luster, the wrinkles on his face had faded by more than half, and he looked at least twenty years younger.

"Have you decided?" Mu En set down his book and looked at him.

"I have." Yan Jingzhe sat across from his teacher. "This time, I won't leave seclusion until I break through."

Mu En nodded without asking further. He understood his eldest disciple. This man never fought a battle he was not sure of winning. If he said he would break through, then he truly had confidence.

"I've already made the arrangements at the Golden Ancient Tree," Mu En said.

"Mm. Thank you, Teacher," Yan Jingzhe said.

Mu En fell silent for a while, then suddenly asked, "Jing Zhe, do you know what I'm most proud of in this life?"

Yan Jingzhe paused, then shook his head.

Mu En smiled, the unique kindness of an old man in his expression. "It wasn't defeating Long Xiaoyao back then, becoming the master of Sea God Pavilion, or recovering to my former state even after living for over a hundred and fifty years. It was taking you as my disciple."

Yan Jingzhe opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but it felt as though something had lodged in his throat.

Mu En waved a hand. "All right, go on. Don't get sentimental here. When you come out, the two of us will have a drink."

Yan Jingzhe rose to his feet and respectfully kowtowed to Mu En. The old man did not stop him, accepting the bow before waving him away.

Yan Jingzhe turned and left Sea God Pavilion.

The Golden Ancient Tree stood on the eastern shore of Sea God Lake, not far from Mu En's residence. It was an ancient tree of unknown age, its trunk so thick that even seven or eight people joining hands could not encircle it. Its canopy blocked out the sky, and faint golden light flowed between its branches and leaves.

It was said that this tree had existed since the founding of Shrek Academy, perhaps even earlier.

Yan Jingzhe walked up to the Golden Ancient Tree and pressed a hand against its rough bark.

He entered it. The interior of the tree hollow was far larger than it appeared from outside. It was an irregular space, over twenty feet at its highest point and fifteen feet across at its widest, enough for one person to live in.

At the center of the tree hollow's floor was a shallow depression, as if it had been formed by someone sitting there for countless years. The wood around it had been polished as smooth as a mirror, gleaming with a faint golden luster.

Yan Jingzhe sat cross-legged in the depression, closed his eyes, and first took a deep breath.

The air inside the tree hollow differed from the air outside. It carried a sweet, refreshing scent, and every breath invigorated his mind. He could sense tiny particles of soul power continually seeping from the surrounding wooden walls, like a thin golden mist enveloping his entire body.

This was the spiritual essence of the Golden Ancient Tree.

He calmed himself for roughly a quarter of an hour. Only after his breathing had steadied, his heartbeat slowed, and his mind had completely settled did he sink his consciousness into his Sea of Spirit.

Above the golden sea, that mass of gray mist floated heavily.

"Senior." Yan Jingzhe's consciousness took human form as he stood before the gray mist. "Wake up."

The gray mist slowly churned, and Electrolux's phantom emerged from within. This time, his outline was clearer than before. One could even vaguely make out his features—a high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and the weathered face of an old man.

"Are you starting?" Electrolux asked.

"Mm." Yan Jingzhe nodded. "I'm preparing to break through to Limit Douluo, and I'll need to enter seclusion for a time. There may be dangers during this period, so I'd like to ask you to guard my path."

Electrolux fell silent for a moment.

"Guard your path?" He repeated the phrase. "This old man has only a wisp of remnant soul left. What can I possibly guard for you?"

"Your undead power naturally suppresses all attacks on the spiritual level," Yan Jingzhe said. "If I lose control of my mind or my soul power goes berserk during seclusion, I hope you can help suppress it. Even if it's only for an instant, that will be enough for me to regain control."

Electrolux's phantom swayed slightly, as though considering it.

"Aren't you afraid this old man will seize your body while you're breaking through?"

Yan Jingzhe chuckled. "If you wanted to possess me, you would have acted long ago. You're a proud man. You'd disdain doing such a thing."

Electrolux remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a low laugh.

"You brat, you've figured out this old man's temperament completely." He waved a hand. "Fine, this old man agrees. Break through without worry. I'll watch over anything concerning the spiritual level. But let me make this clear first—if your own soul power goes berserk, this old man won't be able to hold you back."

"That's enough," Yan Jingzhe said. "Thank you, Senior."

His consciousness withdrew from the Sea of Spirit and returned to reality.

Opening his eyes, Yan Jingzhe did not begin immediately. Instead, he first took two jade bottles from his storage ring.

The first jade bottle contained the Autumn Dew of Insight.

He pulled out the stopper, and a cool, crisp aura spilled from the bottle's mouth, carrying an indescribable scent. It was like the air in the mountains after rain, yet also like the first wisp of mist on a late autumn morning. At the bottom of the bottle lay a transparent droplet, refracting seven-colored light like a frozen rainbow.

Yan Jingzhe poured that drop of Autumn Dew of Insight into his eyes.

The instant the liquid touched his skin, it seeped in automatically without the slightest obstruction. Immediately afterward, a cool energy flowed upstream through his meridians, heading straight for the space between his brows. The energy was not overwhelming, but it was extraordinarily pure, as if it had been refined countless times without a trace of impurity.

Yan Jingzhe closed his eyes and concentrated.

That cool energy gathered between his brows, then slowly spread throughout his entire Sea of Spirit. It was as though a fine rain had fallen over the golden sea, every drop nourishing his spiritual power. He could feel his Sea of Spirit expanding—not violently, but with a steady, continuous growth that nourished all things in silence.

The Autumn Dew of Insight was the purest immortal herb for spiritual power. Its essence did not increase soul power or strengthen the body. It had only one effect—strengthening the spirit.

An hour later, Yan Jingzhe opened his eyes.

The golden light deep in his pupils was thirty percent brighter than before. He could feel that his Sea of Spirit had expanded nearly threefold. Previously, he had needed to deliberately use his spiritual power to examine his surroundings, but now it had almost become instinctive. So long as he wished it, he could sense every movement within several miles. If he exerted himself fully, nothing within hundreds of kilometers around Shrek City would remain hidden from his eyes.

Could this be the Spiritual Domain Realm?

As I recall, the original work described the Spiritual Domain Realm in Soul Land 3 as a transitional realm between the peak of mortal spiritual power and god-level spiritual power. Reaching the Spiritual Domain Realm meant the soul had transcended the scope of ordinary humans, with one foot already across the threshold of divinity. Once spiritual power broke through further, one could advance to the Divine Origin Realm, give birth to divine power, and communicate with the God Realm.

It should be. Not bad, not bad. Yan Jingzhe nodded in satisfaction.