"Did it work?"
The Sacred Academy First Elder looked delighted. If anything had happened to Sun Stone Shi Yi, he would probably have spent the rest of his life in regret.
His two bodies were one whole. If one met with disaster and perished, Shi Yi would never again be able to reach the pinnacle of the Great Dao. Even though a single body was still extraordinary, he would ultimately struggle to achieve true greatness and would fall behind as time passed.
That was the last thing the Sacred Academy First Elder wanted to see. Fortunately, Sun Stone Shi Yi had endured to the end and successfully reforged his ten great cave heavens.
The ten great cave heavens now possessed an ethereal quality, giving the impression that the river of time might sweep them away at any moment. They were no longer as solid as before, when their existence had been utterly tangible.
This was an unavoidable step in refining them into dao markers leading to the Other Shore. Now that both of Shi Yi's bodies had succeeded, he had effectively taken a great stride forward.
"Thank you, Master." Sun Stone Shi Yi stepped out of the furnace and bowed to the Sacred Academy First Elder. Without his master intervening in time to give him that final push, he might well have stopped here.
"Why speak as though we're strangers? How do you feel now?"
"Master, I feel better than ever. This reforging confirmed my idea that the ten great cave heavens can be refined into dao markers. They have that potential, and I am walking the right path," Sun Stone Shi Yi replied.
"Good." The Sacred Academy First Elder relaxed.
Beneath the Mud Swamp at the Heavenly Deity Academy, Lunar Essence Shi Yi emerged from the Qilin Immortal Palace.