The second layer of the Ten Thousand Dao Source Ruins.
Gray mist hung thicker here. Broken mountain ranges and excavated crystal mines stretched in every direction.
Disguised as Lu Chen, Lu Ren traveled alone through the second layer.
Along the way, he encountered quite a few cultivators.
But they traveled almost exclusively in groups of three or five. All were Source-Integration Realm cultivators, and he even spotted Domain-Transformation Stage experts.
Their bodies also shimmered with Crystal Luster. They had clearly absorbed vast quantities of Ten Thousand Dao Origin Crystals and tempered their Battle Bodies to the limit.
On one Domain-Transformation Stage expert, he could faintly make out thirteen Battle Marks flowing across his body.
"A Thirteen-Mark Battle Body!"
Lu Ren was secretly startled.
At the Source-Integration Realm, a cultivator's Great Dao Origin was carried by their Battle Body. Reaching thirteen marks would at least double their strength.
If he were still in the Dao-Controlling Realm, barging into the second layer and catching the attention of a Domain-Transformation Stage expert like that would spell trouble.
"Now that I've reached the Source-Integration Realm, the most direct way to grow stronger is to forge a Thirteen-Mark Battle Body!"
Memories from those Xu Family experts surfaced in Lu Ren's mind.
The second layer of the Ten Thousand Dao Source Ruins held an ancient city: Source Ruins Ancient City.
There, Ten Thousand Dao Origin Crystals could be exchanged for all kinds of cultivation resources.
Among them were Battle Marks born from the Battle Souls of Dao-Unity Realm cultivators.
A Dao-Unity Realm Battle Mark was a Fourteenth-Rank Battle Mark.
Fourteenth-Rank Battle Marks had another name: Dao-Tier Battle Marks!
The Battle Marks born from slain Battle Souls at each level from the First-Level Dao-Unity Realm to the Ninefold Dao-Unification Realm corresponded to Dao-Tier First-Grade through Dao-Tier Ninth-Grade