After everything settled, Ding Songyan was drawn back out, and the part of his consciousness that had been looking down at himself returned to his body, embraced by the dim, indistinct chaos over his face.
His mind naturally spread outward, but the pull of his own chaos stopped it at five zhang-a distinctly small range.
Beyond that, he could only see things with his eyes, hear them with his ears, and smell them with his nose.
This was a weakness brought on by the nature of chaos. Within five zhang, however, working in concert with his external orifices, Ding Songyan's ability to grasp, influence, and alter his surroundings-even turn the unreal into the real-approached the state he had once attained by using the "Heavenly Heart" to lever the energies of heaven and earth. It should surpass that of the vast majority of Law Realm Martial Grandmasters.
With no time to explore anything else, Ding Songyan first examined his present condition.
His spirit left the Mystic Pass, his intent rested in his dantian, and his qi traveled throughout his body. Gradually, he gained various impressions, though none were entirely clear:
"This should count as Perfected Law Realm. But just as I thought before, this portion of the Hundun Remains was clearly insufficient. In three years at the earliest, five at the latest, my power will fade, and my realm along with it. Before then, I must finish walking the corresponding Martial Arts path, stabilize my realm and power, and make them truly mine..."
"That demoness Ji's portion must have been enough, perhaps even a little more. A little extra wouldn't make much difference, but I still hope eating it causes her some trouble, so she won't come looking for trouble with me for the next three to five years...
*"Chaos strengthened