Demonic Backlash, Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven
Screech!
In Kong Wenxuan's newly opened Sea of Consciousness, his newborn Spiritual Consciousness was like the first light of the rising sun, bright and full of life, yet also faint.
But at that moment, the "five-colored peacock" that had opened and rushed into his Sea of Consciousness suddenly raised its head and let out a clear cry. As if out of control, it pounced straight at the newborn spiritual light of his Spiritual Consciousness and opened its beak to swallow it.
The Peacock Bloodline’s Demonic Nature Backlash!
Kong Wenxuan had not encountered a backlash from the demonic nature of his bloodline when he awakened it, but now, as he broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, he had indeed encountered one after all.
His newborn Spiritual Consciousness braced itself as if facing a formidable foe. The sword intent of the Five Elements Divine Swords gathered and took shape within it, preparing for a great battle against the oncoming "five-colored peacock."
If he could not suppress this Demonic Nature Backlash and his newborn Spiritual Consciousness was devoured by the oncoming "five-colored peacock," he too would surely fall and become a peacock Demon Beast, just like those Foundation Establishment cultivators who had failed their breakthroughs.
Just then, however, the Five-Colored Divine Light that had accompanied him through reincarnation appeared in his Sea of Consciousness. Like a "sun" radiating five-colored light, it hung high in the sky above his Sea of Consciousness, casting down a vast expanse of five-colored radiance.
Seeing this, Kong Wenxuan's newborn Spiritual Consciousness immediately pounced, merging into the "five-colored peacock" and completely refining it and bringing it under his control.
Screech! Screech!
The refined and controlled "five-colored peacock" raised its head and let out a clear cry. Then it dispersed, turning into five-colored light that merged with the newly opened Sea of Consciousness. Only the five tail feathers of the Five Elements Divine Swords remained, transforming back into the Five Elements Divine Swords and circling the newborn Spiritual Consciousness once more.
After refining and taking control of the "five-colored peacock," the newborn spiritual light of his Spiritual Consciousness now also shone with five-colored radiance, looking somewhat like the great sun formed by the Five-Colored Divine Light in the sky.
It was just that one was like a great sun and the other like a firefly; the difference between them was vast.
In any case, with the power of the Five-Colored Divine Light, he had now successfully suppressed the Demonic Nature Backlash of the Peacock Bloodline, passing the final tribulation of Foundation Establishment.
If he ended his seclusion now, he would emerge a complete, whole Second Tier Foundation Establishment cultivator.
But Foundation Establishment was only the first step, the first goal of this seclusion. He still had a second step, a second goal: Star Inlaying—to transform his Lineage's Peacock Bloodline into a star and set it in the starry sky, thereby attaining the rank of Ninth-Grade True Spirit.
Thus, in his newly opened five-colored Sea of Consciousness, Kong Wenxuan's newborn five-colored Spiritual Consciousness began to reach beyond it for the first time, reaching toward the sky.
Outside, it was deep into the night. A crescent moon hung in the sky like a hook, and stars filled the night sky.
Kong Wenxuan's newborn Spiritual Consciousness naturally could not reach very far, much less reach into the starry sky.
But with the workings of the True Spirit Realm's laws of heaven and earth, the Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram that covered the sky would respond and guide him at this moment.
A ray of starlight descended from the heavens and connected with his newborn Spiritual Consciousness, which had reached out of his body.
At once, Kong Wenxuan saw a Starlight Stairway leading to the heavens appear before him, guiding him up into the starry sky.
Both the experience of Star Inlaying left by Ancestor Jianling and passed down through the Lineage, and the information he now obtained from the Starlight Stairway, made him understand:
When a bloodline cultivator in the True Spirit Realm reached Foundation Establishment, the first time their newborn Spiritual Consciousness reached out of their body, it would be guided by the Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram overhead.
When a cultivator of a True Spirit Lineage reached Foundation Establishment, they would be guided into the True Spirit Star formed from their own bloodline, where they would leave an imprint.
When a cultivator who did not belong to a True Spirit Lineage reached Foundation Establishment, they would be guided into the Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven to undergo Star Inlaying. If they succeeded, their Lineage's bloodline would become a Ninth-Grade True Spirit Star, and their Lineage would attain the rank of Ninth-Grade True Spirit.
But if a Foundation Establishment cultivator lacked sufficient strength, they would be unable to reach the Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven even with the Starlight Stairway guiding them. If they failed to reach it, or failed at Star Inlaying after entering it, not only would their bloodline and Lineage be unable to attain the rank of Ninth-Grade True Spirit, but the Foundation Establishment cultivator attempting Star Inlaying would also suffer grievous injuries, perhaps even death.
Thus, in the True Spirit Realm, quite a few cultivators who did not belong to True Spirit Lineages, upon successfully reaching Foundation Establishment and receiving the guidance of the Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram, would voluntarily give up Star Inlaying after discovering they could not do it, in order to preserve themselves.
For this reason, some Lineages that were not True Spirit Lineages also had Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even higher-tier cultivators.
But now, looking at the Starlight Stairway before him, Kong Wenxuan naturally had no intention of giving up. Taking the Five Elements Divine Swords with him, he stepped straight onto the Starlight Stairway leading to the Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven.
Step by step, the higher Kong Wenxuan climbed, the heavier the pressure he felt bearing down on him, blocking his ascent and keeping him from entering the Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven.
This pressure acted not only on his body, but also on his mind, consciousness, and even his soul, making him feel its suppression, the hardship and exhaustion of advancing, and even pain in every respect.
It was as though he were climbing ever higher with a mountain on his back, one that grew larger and heavier with every step.
No wonder so many Foundation Establishment cultivators can't even finish climbing the Starlight Stairway or enter the Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven, let alone undergo Star Inlaying.
Back then, the patriarch was unable to finish climbing the Starlight Stairway and had no choice but to give up.
But I can't give up! It's only a little pressure. How could it stop me!
With that low shout in his heart, Kong Wenxuan's Five Elements Divine Swords, circling around him, suddenly blazed with sword light. Vast, razor-sharp sword intent erupted from his newborn Spiritual Consciousness, cleaving straight through the mountain and all the pressure bearing down on him and blocking his way, opening a passage to the heavens for him.
Without the slightest hesitation, Kong Wenxuan sprang forward. Through the passage cleaved open by the sword light and sword intent, he swiftly crossed the last steps of the Starlight Stairway and charged into the Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven.
According to the information he had obtained from the Starlight Stairway, the Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram divided the heavens of the True Spirit Realm into nine layers. This Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven was the first layer, and also where all Ninth-Grade True Spirit Stars were found.
For a Lineage that was not a True Spirit Lineage to attain the rank of Ninth-Grade True Spirit, it had to undergo Star Inlaying in this Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven.
Likewise, for a Ninth-Grade True Spirit Lineage to attain the rank of Eighth-Grade True Spirit afterward, it had to push the star formed from its own bloodline up into the Eighth-Grade True Spirit Heaven.
It could be said that, starting with Star Inlaying, every subsequent advancement in True Spirit rank was another ascent to the heavens, and each was as difficult as reaching the heavens.
Now, standing in the Ninth-Grade True Spirit Heaven, Kong Wenxuan looked around. Stars of every kind densely filled the space both near and far. It was as though he had entered a vast wilderness of stars, or the starry expanse of the universe itself, boundless and vast, with starlight blazing!