Yang Spirit! Achieved!

Deep beneath the Great Cang Imperial City, within the core of an upside-down meteorite.

The dark silver crystal walls, shimmering with starlight, reflected a strange, faint glow.

Qi Yun stood alone in the center of the suspended platform, his thoughts subtly shifting.

"Buzz-!"

Beneath his feet, countless complex and subtle array patterns containing the True Intention of [Northern Defense] instantly manifested, spreading wildly from his center and instantly covering every inch of the crystal wall of the spherical space!

Immediately afterwards, the heavy, majestic, and immense "mountain spirit" rose from the array patterns, transforming into layers upon layers of ancient mountain phantoms, some real and some illusory.

The entire internal space of the meteorite's core was completely sealed and solidified!

The illusory shadows of ten thousand mountains rise and fall, sealing off all directions.

With everything arranged, Qi Yun's gaze sharpened, and he made a grasping motion with his five fingers towards the empty space in front of him.

"Come out."

Ripples spread through the space, and a figure, appearing somewhat ethereal and extremely weak, seemed to be expelled by an invisible force, staggering and falling to the ground.

It is none other than the True Person Bright Moon!

However, the current sect master of the Moonlight Sect and a powerful Yang Spirit was completely different from the blazing sun-like incarnation in the Cloud Dream Great Marsh.

His figure was ethereal and transparent, his hair disheveled, and his once majestic face was now filled with desolation and bewilderment. His eyes, which had once burned with golden flames, were now dull and lifeless, like dusty glass, filled only with emptiness and despair.

There was no trace of pure Yang Dao intent flowing through his body anymore; instead, he exuded wisps of scorched aura from being burned by lightning.

He lay curled up on the ground, unresponsive to the changes in his surroundings, like an empty shell from which all his energy had been drained.

His Dao heart, along with his own beliefs, had been completely shattered and destroyed within the [Heaven-Deceiving Grand Formation] by that [Divine Firmament Thunder Talisman].

What about the majesty of the Yang Spirit, what about the glory of the sect?

Faced with an absolute disparity in power and authority, they are laughably fragile.

Qi Yun quietly looked at the top cultivator from the Azure Gate Realm beneath his feet and shook his head slightly.

"How could one's Dao heart be so easily broken, completely giving up resistance after just one defeat, with one's Dao intent collapsing—how could such a mindset have been cultivated to this level?"

He found it somewhat difficult to understand.

In the Xuanhuang Realm, which True Person hasn't fought their way out of mountains of corpses Blood Sea, struggling to survive countless desperate situations?

Their Dao heart has long been tempered to be as hard as divine iron. Even if they die and their Dao dissipates, it is mostly because they fought to the last moment and their Divine Soul were destroyed. It is rare for them to collapse and disintegrate without a fight.

Is cultivation in this world too smooth?

Never mind, the reason is no longer important. What matters is that this Yang Spirit is of great value to him.

The next second, nine-colored divine light suddenly shone in Qi Yun's eyes!

He raised his right hand, spread his five fingers, and gently pressed it against the vacant-eyed True Person Bright Moon on the ground.

[Wield Myriad Laws] + [Seize Profound Meaning]

Dual Divine Ability activated simultaneously!

Nine-colored divine light burst forth from Qi Yun's palm, instantly enveloping the remnant soul of True Person Bright Moon!

"Ugh--!"

The previously numb True Person Bright Moon let out a short, distorted wail, and his body involuntarily floated up, stiffening in mid-air.

The nine-colored divine light seeped into its illusory soul body, like mercury spilling onto the ground, penetrating every nook and cranny.

Qi Yun's [Great Luo Heaven] circulated silently throughout his body, like a vast furnace of heaven and earth.

The extracted Dao intent and cultivation insights, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, continuously poured into his Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness, where they were rapidly refined, absorbed, and integrated by the [Great Luo Heaven]!

This is an extremely domineering and efficient form of plunder!

As the refining process progressed, Qi Yun's divine Divine Soul aura, which had been suppressed due to the cross-realm restriction, began to surge at a visible speed!

His illusory Divine Soul appeared and disappeared behind him. At first, it was somewhat blurry, but as True Person Bright Moon's Yang Spirit essence continued to flow in, the illusory soul quickly solidified and grew stronger!

Its color gradually acquired a warm, jade-like luster.

That's a sign that the essence of the Divine Soul is being elevated and is beginning to transform into a higher level!

At this moment, under the refinement of the origin of a true Yang Spirit, his understanding of the Divine Soul Dao of the Azure Gate Realm deepened rapidly, and his own Divine Soul Realm began to advance rapidly toward the peak of the [Yin Spirit Realm] as defined by this realm!

When approximately one-tenth of True Person Bright Moon's Divine Soul cultivation was refined and seized, a "boom!"

Qi Yun's body trembled slightly, and the solidified illusory image of his Divine Soul behind him suddenly burst forth with dazzling light!

The illusory figure was incredibly clear, its appearance identical to Qi Yun's, its eyes gleaming with divine light, its body radiating a Daoist aura that was perfect, flawless, and as solid as a tangible substance, exuding a powerful aura!

Yin Spirit Realm, Peak!

Just one step away from attempting to touch the gateway where yin transforms into yang!

However, at the very moment his realm stabilized, Qi Yun did not revel in the pleasure of his increased power; instead, his brows furrowed slightly.

A crucial point in his cultivation clearly emerged in his mind. "If the Yin Spirit wishes to transform into the Yang Spirit, it must undergo the baptism of heavenly lightning."

Temper the Divine Soul and cleanse it of all impurities.

A wisp of pure, undying Yang energy was born from destruction.

Ultimately, his Divine Soul became as clear and pure as crystal, bathed in the warmth of the sun.

However, thunder is the instrument of heaven's execution, the pivot of Creation, and the source of supreme power.

Those who are not granted the fortuitous opportunity by Heaven's Will's will cannot be roused, nor can they bear it.

"Therefore, cultivators in this realm who wish to become Yang Spirit must first obtain the approval of [Heaven's Will] and undergo a heaven-sent tribulation at a specific time and place."

If one can overcome this obstacle, then yin will transform into yang, and one will achieve the Yang Spirit.

If one cannot overcome this, both body and Divine Soul will perish, turning into ashes—"

"The so-called Yang Spirit is less a breakthrough in one's own cultivation and more a conferment and recognition from [Heaven's Will]?"

As he digested the core Daoist intent extracted from the essence of True Person Bright Moon, the nine-colored light in Qi Yun's eyes slowly subsided, replaced by a cold and sharp insight that saw through the essence of things.

He had previously felt that the Yang Spirit of this realm were somewhat "superficial," and their foundation did not seem to have come from arduous cultivation.

Now it seems that it was indeed so!

The crucial "tribulation of lightning" for achieving Yang Spirit was actually completely controlled by [Heaven's Will]?

Once a cultivator reaches the peak of Yin Spirit cultivation, whether they can trigger a tribulation lightning, when and where they will undergo it, and even the intensity of the tribulation lightning—all of these may be controlled by the invisible Heaven's Will of Heaven.

How can this be considered a breakthrough in cultivation?

"No wonder—no wonder the Yang Spirit of this realm have limited methods and fragile minds."

Their power largely stems not from their own arduous exploration and mastery of the Great Dao, but from the "gift" and recognition from above.

When faced with forces outside their recognized system, their beliefs and strength easily crumble.

Qi Yun slowly withdrew his right hand, which had been pressed into the void. True Person Bright Moon's soul fell to the ground like a tattered rag and quickly dissipated.

It eventually turned into a few faint glimmers of light and vanished completely.

He stood with his hands behind his back in the silent core of the meteorite, gazing at his own deep eyes reflected in the crystal wall.

"Thunderous authority, Heaven's Will in control—the conferment of the Yang Spirit title—"

Keywords collided in my mind.

This brings to mind previous speculations about "someone taking over the Heaven's Will."

A clearer, and more unsettling, picture is gradually emerging.

If the current [Azure Gate Heaven's Will] has truly been replaced or controlled by some entity.

Therefore, the power to confer titles upon "Yang Spirit" is undoubtedly one of the most important tools for controlling the cultivation world and maintaining its rule!

By controlling who can become a Yang Spirit Yang Spirit and when they can become one, one can firmly grasp the generation and loyalty of the highest-level combat power in this world.

And those Yang Spirit who were "conferred titles," in a sense, didn't they all become—subjects or servants—of that "substitute for the Heaven's Will"?

In this way, the entire cultivation world of [Azure Gate]—

They have likely all fallen into the hands of [Heaven's Will]!

A cold smile slowly curved Qi Yun's lips.

Things are getting more and more interesting.

He raised his hand, and a wisp of pure Divine Soul power, already carrying a faint trace of pure yang energy, swirled around his fingertips.

This was the result of refining True Person Bright Moon, allowing his Divine Soul cultivation in this realm to reach a peak in a short period of time.

"To transform Yin into Yang, one must use pure Yang thunder to pierce the soul's apertures and purify away all Yin impurities—"

"I wield the [Divine Firmament Thunder Talisman], which contains a trace of the original Dao intent of heaven and earth thunder, and is the true manifestation of the authority to punish on behalf of heaven."

In terms of level, it surpasses even the "tamed" heavenly thunder of this realm.

With my thunder, I temper my spirit.

You can achieve Yang Spirit just the same!

Once the decision was made, there was no more hesitation.

With a thought, Qi Yun abruptly suppressed his aura to the extreme, like the deep sea suppressed before a storm.

He slowly moved his hands in front of his chest, leaving behind lingering, chaotic traces wherever his fingertips passed.

Within the trajectory, faint fragments of golden light flickered and made soft popping sounds, as if it contained a world of thunder about to erupt.

"The formation begins."

He lightly stomped his foot.

"Buzz"

[Divine Firmament Thunder Control True Ultimate Formation]!

This formation was briefly seen during the battle against the Black Mountain True Person at the Great Void Hall.

Now, in this absolutely isolated place, Qi Yun has used the [Great Luo Heaven] to fully deploy it, and its power has more than doubled!

As soon as the grand formation was completed, the atmosphere within the formation domain suddenly changed drastically. The originally tranquil space, where starlight flowed, was instantly filled with an omnipresent, Divine Soul- piercing "thunderous intent"!

The stardust on the surrounding dark silver crystal walls seemed to be drawn in, flickering and casting distorted shadows like swaying electric snakes.

But this is merely the prelude.

Qi Yun's expression was solemn as he slowly raised his hand and gently touched his brow with his index finger.

"The symbol appears."

A single point of extremely brilliant, pure golden light, containing all the thunderous majesty of heaven and earth, leaped out from his Ancestral Aperture between his eyebrows!

The golden light was initially only the size of a grain of rice, yet it seemed to weigh a ton. The moment it appeared, the entire [Divine Firmament Thunder Control True Ultimate Array] resonated with a deafening roar!

All the array patterns on the ground simultaneously erupted with blinding lightning, like subjects paying homage to a king!

The golden light rapidly stretched and expanded, transforming into a physical talisman three feet and three inches long and three fingers wide, neither gold nor jade, its entire body woven from countless natural lightning patterns.

Divine Firmament Thunder Talisman!

The True Intention is revealed!

The talisman hovered silently three feet above Qi Yun's head, slowly rotating.

Each rotation triggered an endless surge and roar of thunderous intent within the grand formation, producing a deep, muffled sound like thousands of giant dragons lying in wait.

The lightning patterns on the talisman flickered and flowed, faintly outlining a terrifying scene of a world of lightning, where birth, death, reincarnation, and judgment of all living beings occurred.

Qi Yun looked up, his gaze calmly fixed on the talisman containing supreme thunderous power, as if looking at a mirror reflecting himself, or as if gazing up at a thunderous mountain about to collapse, tempering him.

"With my talisman, I summon my thunder."

"Refine my Yin Spirit, forge my Yang soul."

"Calamity, come."

The last two words were uttered casually, yet they were like a spark that ignited a powder keg.

"Crack! Boom!"

The suspended [Divine Firmament Thunder Talisman] suddenly trembled, and hundreds of millions of Dao patterns on its body simultaneously blazed brightly!

An indescribable burst of dazzling golden light erupted from the talisman!

Nine thick, pillar-like, and incomparably condensed golden lightning beams descended from the talisman, instantly engulfing Qi Yun, who was sitting cross-legged below!

The nine lightning pillars pierced through Qi Yun's flesh and skin the instant they touched his body, and slammed into the deepest part of his Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness, onto the solidified and lifelike phantom of his Divine Soul, which had reached the peak of Yin Spirit!

"Well--!"

Qi Yun's body trembled violently. Even though he was prepared and even though he had complete control over the lightning, the destruction and excruciating pain that originated from the deepest and most fundamental part of his soul still made him groan.

His face instantly turned ashen.

From all seven orifices, pale golden blood, radiating pure soul energy, seeped out simultaneously!

Within his Divine Soul, everything had been turned upside down!

Nine golden lightning pillars, like nine raging thunder dragons, stormed into his Sea of Consciousness, entangling, piercing, and tearing at his illusory Yin Spirit image.

"Zzzzzzz-!!"

On the surface of the Yin Spirit's phantom, countless gray-black wisps of smoke, representing impurities in the Divine Soul, turbid Yin energy, and even the invisible "shackles" that the cultivation system of this world had been tainted by, were forcibly burned and forced out by the golden lightning, and then turned into nothingness in the thunder!

The excruciating pain was like a million red-hot steel needles piercing every corner of Qi Yun's consciousness.

That is the agony of the Divine Soul Death by a Thousand Cuts, a thousand times more painful than the physical agony of being slowly sliced to death!

However, Qi Yun's Dao heart had already been honed to an indestructible state through countless life-and-death battles and near-death experiences in the Xuanhuang Realm.

He clung to the last vestiges of clarity in his mind, enduring this inhuman suffering.

Destruction, utter destruction.

But at the end of destruction, deep within the very essence of the Divine Soul, repeatedly cleansed and forged by thunder until it was almost transparent.

A faint yet incredibly tenacious "light," brimming with boundless vitality and radiant righteousness, is quietly taking shape.

The opportunity of pure Yang!

After all the Yin energy has been broken through, a spark of Innate Yang energy naturally emerges!

Time lost its meaning in this thunderous inferno.

I don't know how much time passed.

It may be a moment, or it may be ten thousand years.

The burning of the nine golden lightning pillars finally reached a certain critical point.

The Yin Spirit phantom that Qi Yun had repeatedly forged, reduced in size by nearly half, yet condensed to be more than ten times more crystalline, suddenly erupted with Infinite Light from the tiny point of light at its core!

"Buzz-!!!"

A clear and melodious sound, like the primordial sound of the Great Dao, resounded from the deepest part of Qi Yun's Divine Soul!

The illusory figure of the Yin Spirit suddenly spread its arms wide!

Boom!

The endless golden lightning no longer brought pain; instead, it surged wildly into the phantom like rivers flowing into the sea.

The illusory image, at a speed visible to the naked eye, was tinged with a warm, magnificent, and righteous pale gold.

That gold color was not from external dyeing, but rather emanated from within, radiating from the very source of the Divine Soul!

Pure Yang energy!

At the same time, the phantom's form is undergoing its final transformation.

The contours are clearer and more defined, the eyebrows and eyes are lifelike, and the skin texture seems to contain the traces of the Great Dao.

His entire body was no longer cold or stagnant; instead, it exuded a warm, jade-like, yet dazzling and unbearable yang energy.

The Yin Spirit into Yang; success achieved!

"Boom!"

In an instant, Qi Yun's eyes snapped open!

The chaotic nine colors were no longer visible in his eyes; only two pure, pale golden "Great Sun" slowly rotated deep within his pupils!

He slowly stood up.

The movement wasn't fast, but as he straightened up, Yang Spirit's pressure, far more vast and refined than that of True Person Bright Moon, swept across the entire spherical space like an ancient giant awakening!

The illusory shadows of the mountains bowed low, and the stardust -Flowing Light on the dark silver crystal wall came to a standstill.

The surging, boundless pure Yang energy surged ceaselessly.

This is not a "conferred" Yang Spirit!

Instead, it was his supreme Dao Foundation that allowed him to wield the primordial Thunder Method, forcefully break through the yin and turbidity, forge his own path, and forge the Supreme Yang Spirit!

Qi Yun sensed the pale golden Yang Spirit within his Purple Mansion, a satisfied smile finally appeared on his lips.

It was neither theft nor a gift.

Instead, we break through it with force and prove it with the Way.

With a slight thought, a faint halo naturally appeared in the void above his head.

Within the halo, the Lunzhuan of Yin and Yang, and the arising and ceasing of thunder, were faintly discernible.