Half a month.
The Primordial Magnetism Divine Boat hovered in the void, divine light pulsing beneath its hull, forcibly driving back the encroaching spirit-severing qi at regular intervals.
Magnetic origin power held open a region of space several hundred zhang across. Qing Chen sat cross-legged and motionless at the bow, surrounded by the layers of formation flags and restrictions he had laid down.
Spiritual qi from over a thousand high-grade spirit stones turned into milky-white wisps of mist, seeping into his body strand by strand through his pores, Apertures, and meridians.
When the final spirit stone shattered, he finally opened his eyes.
The instant he did, two streaks of scarlet light flashed through his eyes and vanished.
The blood gang around him erupted uncontrollably. Dark red true essence surged from his body, condensing behind him into a blood-colored phantom dozens of zhang tall-the Lawless Devil Aspect that appeared only when the Brahma Demon-Refining Art was driven to its utmost.
But the Dharma form dissipated on its own in less than a breath.
Qing Chen lowered his head and looked at his hands. A series of muffled thunderclaps burst in his palms.
True essence rushed through his body like mighty rivers. Most of his hidden injuries had healed, and the cracks in his meridian walls had essentially closed. Though he was still a hair short of his true peak, this was enough.
The restraint and scheming that had built up over more than half a month could no longer be contained. He abruptly raised both hands, fingers loosely curled and palms facing upward, as though supporting a thousand-jin weight.
"Ha."
"Haha."
"Hahahaha-"
He finally burst into unrestrained laughter.
His laughter reverberated through the space held open by the Primordial Magnetism Divine Boat, striking the barriers of the void and bouncing back,