[You bestowed the Nine-Leaf Spirit Ginseng upon your disciple Lei Ming and received a hundredfold return: ten Life Fruits.]
"Life Fruits!"
Lu Qingshan's gaze settled on the fruit in his palm.
It radiated a gentle, mellow green glow, its surface densely covered in profound natural patterns, like an emerald pearl holding boundless vitality condensed within it.
What a windfall!
That was his first thought.
Though he had never seen one himself, Lu Qingshan knew of the Life Fruit's great renown.
The Life Fruit was a cosmic marvel, containing a vast, surging life essence. Even for a World Lord Level powerhouse, no matter how grievous their injuries, as long as they still had a breath of life, swallowing one would heal them completely in an instant.
The Life Fruit was also known as a World Lord's second life.
Many World Lords could not obtain a single such supreme treasure even by spending their entire fortunes. Yet he, Lu Qingshan, a mere Universe Level 9, had actually obtained ten?
A faint sense of danger hung over him.
Lu Qingshan knew he could never let anyone learn of this.
If word leaked out, even those lofty World Lords would cast aside their dignity and come to fight for them. With his meager strength, never mind Universe Level-even if he broke through to Domain Lord, he could not protect treasures like these.
He glanced at Lei Ming. His disciple was fully absorbed in his breakthrough, his five senses shut off. When taking out the fruit, Lu Qingshan had also deliberately kept it out of his sight.
He took out all ten Life Fruits.
Hum!
A surge of vitality so powerful it made the heart tremble erupted, and thick, almost viscous green light instantly filled the secret chamber.
Lu Qingshan did not hesitate. He instantly returned the fruits to his Space Ring, and only then did the restless vitality slowly subside.
He frowned slightly.
No. This immense life force cannot be completely concealed. If I encounter an appraiser with a piercing eye, or certain strange insects or star beasts extremely sensitive to energy, even keeping them in a Space Ring might not keep them secret.
It seemed he would have to study how to store the Life Fruits properly, or use them as soon as possible.
For now, however, his most pressing task was to resolve his inability to break through.
After obtaining the Life Fruits, his problem was no longer a problem. A Life Fruit could repair even a World Lord's foundation; treating a Universe Level cultivator like him would naturally be effortless.
Lu Qingshan had already decided that once Lei Ming finished breaking through, he would immediately consume a Life Fruit to heal his damaged foundation, then attempt to reach the Domain Lord realm.
He looked a short distance away, where his disciple Lei Ming was enveloped in the Nine-Leaf Spirit Ginseng's tremendous vitality. He had already touched the threshold of a domain, so his breakthrough to Star Level came as naturally as water flowing into a channel.
Boom!
A powerful surge of Origin Force exploded from within Lei Ming. Amid the rolling waves of air, he opened his eyes, unable to hide his excitement. "Teacher, I broke through!"
Even Lei Ming had not expected to reach Star Level so quickly.
With his current strength, he could be considered a regional powerhouse on Horned Thunder Star.
"Mm." Lu Qingshan nodded slightly. "At Star Level, your lifespan is one era. That is enough. Next, devote yourself to practicing the Nine Thunder Blades. If you can reach the first stage of a domain within ten years..."
His tone was calm, yet carried expectation. "I will have another reward for you."
But as he felt the transformation in his body, Lei Ming's gaze was resolute. "I will not disappoint you, Teacher."
Then he picked up the greater part of the Nine-Leaf Spirit Ginseng that remained and respectfully offered it up. "Teacher, this treasure is far too precious. I broke through after using just two leaves. Please take back the rest."
Having just used the Nine-Leaf Spirit Ginseng, Lei Ming naturally knew how extraordinary this treasure was.
He had never even heard of life energy like that contained within it.
Using just two leaves, he had easily broken through, and could even feel that his body had become much lighter.
Even for a powerhouse like Teacher, a treasure like this must be very precious.
Lu Qingshan waved a hand indifferently. "This was my welcoming gift to you. How could I take it back? However, for you as you are now, possessing this treasure is indeed a crime in itself."
He looked at Lei Ming, his tone brooking no question. "Swallow all of it."
Lei Ming had absolute faith in his teacher. Without hesitation, he grabbed the spirit ginseng, roots, leaves and all, and swallowed it whole!
"Urgh."
The instant the spirit ginseng entered his stomach, Lei Ming's eyes bulged. A world-shattering torrent of vitality suddenly exploded inside him. His bones groaned under the unbearable burden, and wisps of emerald-green essence spilled uncontrollably from his seven orifices. He felt like an air bladder stretched to its limit, ready to burst at any moment.
"Tea...cher!" he roared in agony, desperately trying to suppress the raging energy within him, only to discover that he had completely lost control.
"Calm your mind." Lu Qingshan moved close like a phantom and pressed a palm against the center of Lei Ming's back.
Hum!
A surge of Origin Force, condensed like iron and incomparably domineering, instantly poured into Lei Ming's body. It forcibly suppressed and confined the runaway life energy, compressing it back into the depths of his body.
"Done." Lu Qingshan withdrew his hand, his voice as still as an ancient well. "Slowly refine the remaining medicinal power. Let this matter rot in your heart. Do not mention it to anyone."
Drenched in sweat after his narrow escape, Lei Ming felt the immense energy firmly confined within him and nodded reverently. "I understand."
"Go."
The heavy stone door rumbled shut, sealing off the chamber from the outside.
Only Lu Qingshan remained in the secret chamber.
His gaze was calm. With a turn of his hand, he took out a Life Fruit and swallowed it without hesitation.
There was no need to guide it.
The fruit dissolved as soon as it entered his stomach, becoming a warm, vast current of vitality that washed through every limb and bone in an instant. His depleted foundation, like scorched earth after a long drought, greedily gulped down this pure life essence.
Tens of thousands of years of depleted essence were repaired and replenished at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In just a few breaths, the foundation Lu Qingshan had been unable to repair for tens of thousands of years was swiftly restored, returning to its condition before he had participated in the Giant Axe Life-and-Death Battle.
An ocean of life force still surged within him.
The time has come!
A sharp gleam flashed through Lu Qingshan's eyes. Without further hesitation, he began his attempt to break through to the Domain Lord realm.
This was his fourth attempt, and he already knew the process by heart.
The vast Origin Force within him frantically condensed and transformed.
In an instant, a brilliant star map formed from pure Origin Force emerged. Countless stars revolved along profound trajectories, each shift stirring tides of power.
Lu Qingshan shut off his five senses, immersing his entire mind in controlling this starry expanse of Origin Force.
Time passed without his awareness...
Boom-rumble-
Deep within his consciousness, as though the universe were first coming into being, the revolving stars abruptly lost their balance, frantically collapsing toward the center and colliding.
A pitch-black vortex that devoured everything formed instantly. Its terrifying gravity tore not only at the remaining Origin Force, but also forcibly dragged the tremendous life force within his body into it.
Condense!
Lu Qingshan's will was steel as he growled inwardly.
The black hole compressed and collapsed frantically, its volume shrinking sharply as its density climbed to a terrifying degree!
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
At the same time, Lu Qingshan's physical body began to disintegrate, his flesh and bones shattering inch by inch. Yet the life force drawn into the black hole poured forth endless vitality, repairing and reconstructing him in an instant. Disintegration and restoration, destruction and rebirth waged the cruelest contest within his body.
The pain was like being slowly sliced apart by a thousand blades. Lu Qingshan's body trembled violently, yet he did not so much as furrow his brow.
Amid endless destruction and rebirth, the singularity within him compressed to its utmost limit! At last-
Hum...
A strange tremor rang out from the depths of his soul.
A pitch-black Life Core, poised between the illusory and the tangible and containing endless energy and his Life Imprint, finally condensed completely!
Domain Lord-achieved!
An indescribable sense of release swept through his body and mind.
He had finally succeeded!
After cultivating for ninety thousand years, Lu Qingshan had finally broken through to the Domain Lord stage.
His lifespan, which had originally had only a hundred and twenty years remaining, instantly became nine hundred thousand years.
The limit on his lifespan no longer loomed over him. The silvery-white strands on Lu Qingshan's head now turned as black as ink.
(End of chapter)