Dao Palace Secret Realm, Innate Deity

The seven-hundred-thousand-year Snow Emperor had reached a new level of majesty. Ice Empress and the others did not dare disobey her.

"All right, I'm going to condense my Soul Ring. You may watch," Qin Sheng said. "Snow Emperor, follow the plan we discussed before. Use the power of heaven and earth to assist me."

"Okay."

Using Snow Emperor's Origin to connect with heaven and earth was naturally best attempted in the Far North.

Moreover, since his relationship with Snow Emperor was fairly good at present, Qin Sheng intended to have her serve as the "bridge" between himself and heaven and earth.

Qin Sheng took out Snow Emperor's Origin and summoned the Spirit-Control Banner.

Compared with three years ago, the Spirit-Control Banner had changed considerably.

If it had merely been a top-tier Martial Soul back then, the Spirit-Control Banner had now entered the super-tier ranks.

It could rival the Ice Sky Snow Lady and Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion after they transformed into Martial Souls.

Using the Spirit-Control Banner to contain Snow Emperor's Origin, Qin Sheng circulated the Yijin Jing. The Origin dissolved, but Qin Sheng did not absorb it. Instead, he used the Origin as a medium to communicate with the heaven and earth of the Far North.

Strands of transcendent aura spread from Qin Sheng's body, stirring the wind and snow.

The power of the Origin flowed, outlining mysterious runes that imprinted themselves upon the Spirit-Control Banner, making this Martial Soul's aura increasingly profound and vast.

Snow Emperor closely observed Qin Sheng's changes. Seizing the right moment, she mobilized the power of heaven and earth and connected it with Qin Sheng's Martial Soul.

This further stirred Snow Emperor's Origin.

The Martial Soul, Snow Emperor's Origin, and the heaven and earth of the Far North resonated with one another. A faint, illusory ring appeared.

At first, it was pale white. After a single breath, it turned light yellow.

Purple, black, red...

In a short time, this Soul Ring continuously transformed, reaching the hundred-thousand-year level and advancing toward a Ferocious Beast Soul Ring.

The power of heaven and earth in the Far North became the energy source, fueling Qin Sheng's transformation.

Time passed. Qin Sheng's aura continued changing, and he became increasingly harmonious with the Far North.

Wind and snow became his clothes, the sky his blanket, and the snowy ground his warm bed.

At a certain moment, Ice Empress, who had never left, suddenly revealed an incredulous look.

"This human... why do I suddenly feel that he resembles you, Snow Emperor?"

Snow Emperor's eyes flickered. He had actually managed it?

The profound scripture of the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art circulated through Qin Sheng's mind, enlightening his wisdom and awakening his understanding of heaven and earth.

Under Qin Sheng's powerful spiritual perception, nearly divine in its intensity, heaven and earth took on a different appearance. They gained countless colors—things more essential, more fundamental.

In other words: laws.

As if blessed by inspiration, Qin Sheng completely fused Snow Emperor's Origin into the Spirit-Control Banner.

Endless power of heaven and earth surged together. This was not Snow Emperor's doing, but the spontaneous response of the Far North itself.

A cocoon of light appeared atop the snow peak, and Qin Sheng began his final transformation.

This transformation lasted a full half year. When the cocoon shattered, Qin Sheng appeared once more beneath heaven and earth.

The Spirit-Control Banner fluttered. Even without activating any Soul Skill, it gave off a terrifying sensation capable of shattering one's soul.

Perhaps the current Spirit-Control Banner could be called a "Heaven-and-Earth Martial Soul."

One Soul Ring after another rose around Qin Sheng.

Red! Red! Red! Red! Red! Red! Red!

All seven rings were red. In particular, the latter few Soul Rings bore golden lines representing Fierce Beasts.

"Th-this... He's only a Soul Sage, so how did he absorb seven Soul Rings that are each at least a hundred thousand years old?"

Ice Empress was utterly shocked. "And he actually killed so many hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts?!"

"Quiet, Bing'er. Those Soul Beasts may not have been killed by him. Wasn't Qin Sheng's seventh Soul Ring condensed through my Origin?"

"Xue'er, why are you always speaking up for him?" Ice Empress said irritably.

Ice Empress liked Snow Emperor, and their genders...

"Without the Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow he gave me, I would already be dead. You would not have been able to cross the four-hundred-thousand-year limit either."

Snow Emperor reprimanded her. "You should thank him as well."

"I never said I wasn't grateful..." Ice Empress muttered.

"There's no need to thank me. Since I gave you the Mysterious Ice Marrow, it is naturally yours to do with as you please."

Qin Sheng's voice rang out. He had already awakened.

Snow Emperor immediately asked, "How was it? Did you succeed?"

"I suppose it was a success."

Qin Sheng smiled. "During my seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul True Body, the Spirit-Control Banner will enter a special state. At that time, heaven and earth will also aid me."

Snow Emperor was an elf born and nurtured by heaven and earth. Thus, the Spirit-Control Banner in its Martial Soul True Body state was an artifact "nurtured by heaven and earth."

Although that state was not permanent, it still brought Qin Sheng immense gains.

The true essence of Martial Souls, the ultimate mysteries of Soul Rings, his comprehension of the laws of heaven and earth, and also...

The path to godhood.

Qin Sheng had always been confident that he would become a god and fulfill Douluo Qin Sheng's final wish. Now, he had already found a clue.

"That's good. Congratulations," Snow Emperor said with a smile.

"All right, I've stayed in the Far North for nine months. It's time for me to leave."

Qin Sheng rose to his feet. "I live at Blazing Spirit Academy in the Heaven Soul Empire. If anything comes up, you can find me there."

"When I have time, I'll come to the Far North to visit you too."

He had yet to fully study the Ice Sky Snow Lady.

Snow Emperor fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay."

She sent Qin Sheng out of the Far North. Her curiosity about the human world reached a new height.

"Next, I'll cultivate step by step, improve my strength, and prepare for the next Soul Master Tournament..."

Qin Sheng was determined to claim the championship.

Shrouding the Heavens World.

Inside the cave dwelling, Qin Sheng's body went from withered silence to fullness, bursting forth with even more vigorous vitality.

Majestic vital essence spread outward, his life force so dense it was beyond imagination.

The withered grass beside him turned green again, while grass seeds in the cracks between the stones sprouted and grew within several breaths.

The life force within this body was so abundant that mortals could not comprehend it.

"The ninth transformation is complete."

Qin Sheng had reached the peak of the Other Shore Realm. The Sea of Reincarnation Secret Realm was now complete.

Qin Sheng did not relax. He intended to push forward in one go, break into the Dao Palace Secret Realm, and enter a brand-new world.

Recalling the true meaning of the Dao Palace Chapter of the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, Qin Sheng pondered it over and over.

"The Sea of Bitterness lies below the navel, while the Dao Palace lies above it. It corresponds to the five organs of the human body, storing vital essence without leakage and preserving the spirit without decay."

"This is an immensely powerful and important secret realm. It not only further excavates the divine potential of the human body, but also prepares one for comprehending the rules of heaven and earth later. There can be no carelessness whatsoever."

Severing every stray thought and leaving behind only the firmest will to break through, Qin Sheng closed his eyes and began his advancement.

Above the Sea of Bitterness, a doorway that seemed both real and unreal appeared. Behind it stood five Heavenly Palaces, like the Heavenly Court itself.

Qin Sheng did not hesitate or waver. The Divine Bridge continued to grow, carrying him before the heavenly gate.

Without looking back, without hesitation, Qin Sheng pushed open the heavenly gate.

From Earth to Beidou, he had perfectly accomplished everything he needed to do and everything he needed to plan.

If he did not break through now, then when would he?

Boom!

Heavenly sounds erupted as Qin Sheng entered a completely new world, leaving the Sea of Reincarnation Secret Realm behind.

The outside world also underwent astonishing changes.

The five elemental energies soared into the sky, piercing through Qin Sheng's cave dwelling and shining upon Dragon-Pattern Peak like heavenly pillars, incomparably frightening.

Such a massive disturbance alerted over half of Shaking Light Holy Land, and countless people turned their gazes toward it.

"Someone is breaking into the Dao Palace Secret Realm? What an enormous display!"

"This phenomenon is simply shocking. Since when did the Holy Land gain such an outstanding disciple?"

"It's Dragon-Pattern Peak. Could it be that another genius has emerged from that lineage?"

"This is bad..."

Discussions erupted everywhere, but none of it had anything to do with Qin Sheng.

The Dao Palace Secret Realm required cultivation of the Five-Organ Divine Treasuries and was divided into five heavens.

There was an order to cultivating the Five-Organ Divine Treasuries, but it was not fixed and depended on personal choice.

One could cultivate the Heart Divine Treasury first, or the Spleen Divine Treasury first. Neither choice was wrong.

Qin Sheng had long decided which Divine Treasury he would cultivate first.

The Lung Divine Treasury!

It was the Divine Dao that connected spiritual energy. Cultivating this Divine Treasury first would make his magical power more abundant while greatly increasing the speed at which he absorbed the vital essence of heaven and earth, bringing endless benefits.

The Dao Palace Secret Realm was filled with mist, making everything unclear. Following his instinctive intuition, Qin Sheng moved onward until he finally arrived at the Lung Divine Treasury.

Within the Divine Treasury was the embryonic form of a deity, waiting for him to nurture it.

Vital essence was the foundation of a person. Within the Dao Palace Secret Realm, one needed to transform essence into spirit and nurture Dao Palace Divine Spirits.

If one could nourish the spirit, one would not die. With the five spirits ever-present, connected to the five energies and linked to heaven and earth, they would endure without end and exist eternally in the world.

Innate Essence transformed into deities, while Acquired Essence nourished the deities.

Qin Sheng entered the Lung Divine Treasury. Incomparably vigorous life force and vital essence exploded within his body, rapidly transforming his flesh, magical power, and Primordial Spirit.

He officially advanced to the Dao Palace First Heaven.

Moreover, something unexpected happened.

A Star in the Infinite Land flickered. A point of light appeared within Qin Sheng's body and merged with the embryonic deity inside the Lung Divine Treasury.

Then Qin Sheng felt that he had gained another perspective. His consciousness appeared upon the Lung Deity, taking control of this god.

Qin Sheng clicked his tongue. "Have I become 'me'?"

Qin Sheng carefully sensed it and discovered that the Lung Deity was extraordinarily special. It could actively absorb and exhale the vital essence of heaven and earth, contemplate scriptures and secret arts, derive techniques and mysteries, and could even be summoned into the real world to fight!

"It's like having another me cultivating?" Qin Sheng's heart shook.

"Moreover, I can sense that the deity's strength will grow as she cultivates."

"I've only just broken through. If the Lung Divine Treasury reaches completion, this deity will likely become even more astonishing."

He had never heard of anyone's Dao Palace Divine Spirit being so miraculous. Even the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art contained no record of it.

In fact, within the Dao Palace Secret Realm, this Demonic Art required one to devour the deities of the five organs...

But under the insight granted by his golden finger, the Lung Deity had mutated. Qin Sheng naturally would not devour her again.

"Five deities, like five divine selves. Perhaps my Dao Palace Secret Realm will become unprecedentedly powerful."

Qin Sheng's heart surged with excitement. He felt that there was much to be done.

He stretched his body. The overwhelming power gave him the illusion that he could punch through the blue heavens.

Qin Sheng walked out of the cave dwelling, and the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master's voice sounded by his ear.

"Come see me."

Qin Sheng did not dare delay and hurried up the mountain.

The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master examined Qin Sheng and nodded in satisfaction.

"In just one year, you've broken through to the Dao Palace First Heaven. Your foundation is astonishing, and your base has not fallen behind. Qin Sheng, you have not disappointed me."

"However, your breakthrough this time alerted quite a few people. Many experts are watching you now."

"Will anyone make a move against me?" Qin Sheng asked with some concern.

The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master smiled. "Competition within the Holy Land is extremely fierce, and many people are deliberately suppressing and targeting our lineage. But it does not matter. It is merely a little wind and frost."

"As for you personally... the challenges you face will not be small."

Qin Sheng thought for a moment before saying,

"Peak Master, I want to leave the Holy Land for a while."

"Why?"

Qin Sheng lowered his voice. "Devouring Origin is ultimately the cultivation method of the Sacred Art. There are too many restrictions within the Holy Land."

"Hahaha."

The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master laughed loudly. "Good, very good. Qin Sheng, I am pleased that you possess such awareness."

"The Swallowing Heaven Immortal Art can never reach great completion through bitter cultivation alone. You must kill!"

"I will teach you the Four Extremes Chapter of the Sacred Art in advance. Go. Elder Li will provide you with enough resources to support your cultivation outside."

"Qin Sheng, I have only one requirement for you."

"If you kill, kill cleanly. Do not expose our existence. Do you understand?"

Qin Sheng nodded in agreement and left at the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master's gesture.

"Another person controlled by Demonic Nature. It seems we can only harvest him."

An aged voice sounded from within the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master's body.

"Ha, that works." The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master's laughter was filled with cold cruelty.

"However, his talent is quite good. We should nurture him longer, so that he can grow into a great medicine."

"Mm. We only need to harvest him before he loses control. There is no rush."

But whatever the Ruthless lineage planned had nothing to do with Qin Sheng at this moment.

After collecting a large amount of resources from Elder Li, he left Shaking Light Holy Land directly and looked toward Yan Nation.

Now, he was going to attack the Green Emperor's Tomb!

To war against the Great Emperor's Sacred Heart!

To war against the Green Lotus Imperial Weapon!!

To war against the Desolate Pagoda!!!