Chapter 116: Chapter 116 (Power stones Extra Chapter)
"But now comes the real highlight!" Ethan adjusted his mental focus, the fire in his palm flickering brighter, eager.
He began to use the spiritual fire to temper his body—a process radically different from his earlier efforts in the Demon Sealing Cave.
This time, it was the original quenching of the body, using the innate spiritual fire burning within him.
The effect far surpassed anything before—dozens of times more powerful.
Ethan shut his eyes, rising into the air as soft blue flames erupted and wrapped him entirely.
The Divine Flame Bodybuilding Technique had begun.
Time passed... or did it?
Was it three days? A month? Maybe three months?
When Ethan finally opened his eyes, his body was transformed.
He had completed the first stage of training in the Divine Flame Body Training Technique.
Clenching his hands, he felt strength surge through him, energy and blood flowing like never before.
His physical strength hit the very edge of the realm’s limit.
In fact, he was but one step away from the Divine Fire Realm.
Opening his palm, three fiery red pills rested there—Divine Fire Pills.
Cultivators of physical cultivation prized these pills massively. One could increase the chance of breaking into the Divine Fire realm by approximately 20%.
But the effect diminished with each pill taken.
Three pills boosted the chance by almost 30%.
Without hesitation, Ethan swallowed all three.
He had officially begun his breakthrough.
Progress grew slower as one ascended higher.
The retreat lasted over half a year.
One day, the mountains surrounding Serene Mirror Lake trembled violently, shaking wildly for several seconds before calming.
Nearby disciples paused, glancing around; seeing nothing amiss, they chalked the tremor up to a minor earthquake.
Yet Ethan’s reaction was starkly different.
"Divine Fire Realm," he murmured, eyes shining bright.
His sea of spirits surged wildly, and the very essence of his soul ignited anew—the spirit sea becoming a raging sea of fire.
In that moment, Ethan stepped into the Divine Fire Realm.
It was as if floodgates had opened wide, releasing infinite power through his limbs and bones.
Even his mental energy underwent a qualitative jump.
Ancient techniques and secret arts he had cultivated evolved exponentially.
His Heaven-Piercing Mind Eyes reached perfection.
The breath-holding technique, too, reached perfection.
"Very good!" Ethan beamed, quietly joyous.
The Heaven-Piercing Mind Eye’s perfection meant he could unleash soul attacks—sudden, crippling strikes that could surprise, stun and unbalance foes at critical moments.
A full year had passed since his breakthrough.
Yet Ethan’s thirst was unquenched.
He looked pensively out a window, thoughtful but unmoved to haste.
Instead, he retrieved a prize from his last fishing mission.
[World Tree’s Stem: An ancient branch from the World tree from a different plane, pulses with overwhelming power.]
[Five Elements Escape Technique: A secret martial inheritance, requires mastery of at least one of the metal, wood, water, fire, and earth elements—granting the ability to traverse sky and earth unrestricted.]
"Excellent," Ethan murmured approvingly.
"Mastering the Five Elements Escape Technique grants unmatched freedom and safety when wandering the world."
He valued the ability to escape above all.
Such skills bred security and peace of mind—a priceless commodity for any cultivator.
He did not waste time.
Within a month, his mastery of the Five Elements Escape Technique reached perfection.
The World Tree’s Stem, an ancient tree branch over fifty thousand years old, did not grant the same rapid progress.
It nudged him only barely into the early stage of the fourth level of the Celestial Jade Physique Scripture.
Ethan shook his head, the path was arduous.
"The Celestial Jade Physique Scripture is a bottomless abyss," he grumbled inwardly.
"How many resources will it take to fill?"
For nearly a year, he had diligently practiced.
He had broken into the Divine Fire Realm and completed the first level of the Divine Flame Body Training Technique.
Yet the spiritual fire’s body training only bore fruit the first time.
To improve further, a second type of spiritual fire was needed.
But contentment was a rare joy in itself.
Hurrying was folly.
During his retreat, his power multiplied over tenfold.
Even without the Chaos Clock, he had no trouble defeating the condensed demonic Rakshasa of the Black Death Formation.
He was invincible now in the Tribulation Transcendence realm.
Advancing into the Dharma Body realm next would place him on par with the Mahayana cultivators.
Thinking of those future confrontations, Ethan felt a flush rise in his blood.
He rose from meditation, took a refreshing wash, and dressed neatly.
"How wonderful," he sighed.
Stretching leisurely, he was about to step outside for a walk when a shining streak suddenly descended.
Ethan lifted a hand, dispelling the formation’s restrictions.
It was Althea, the master of Sword Peak.
Ten years ago, she had expressed a wish to be friends.
Since then, their bond had grown.
They often drank and chatted, sometimes alongside Liana.
Liana was still young and naive, sometimes unable to follow the topics but enjoying the company nonetheless.
"Junior Brother Ethan, it’s been a year since I last saw you—your strength seems further improved."
Althea landed softly beside him, clad in gleaming white robes, voice gentle and sincere.
"Senior Sister Althea grows stronger too; I believe she’s nearly at the late Tribulation Transcendence realm." Ethan smiled as he replied.
"Please, sit," Ethan gestured toward a stone table in his courtyard, pouring two cups of fragrant tea.
"Junior Brother Ethan," Althea began, "about the spiritual fire I promised to help you find—there’s news."
"Huh?" Ethan’s eyes brightened keenly.
"Tell me."
"I’ve gathered information and consulted many sect elders," she said. "There is innate spiritual fire at the place of inheritance. But no one has yet obtained the spiritual fire left by our Azure Origin Dao Sect’s founding ancestor."
Althea added, "Only those who sit on the holy throne may enter the inheritance place."
"Is that so." Ethan’s interest was piqued even more.
"Then why did my senior sister, when she was a saint, give up her position rather than enter the place?"
Althea replied calmly, "Being a saint is troublesome—burdened by countless watchful eyes, I couldn’t cultivate freely. Inheritance at the place is a personal choice."
"Open-minded," Ethan smiled.
"By the way, both the Empress and Saint have returned. The spiritual path trial has concluded."
"How did it go?" Ethan asked.
Althea shook her head slowly. "It was a disastrous failure."
"A tragic failure, huh," Ethan murmured softly, a faint smile threatening to bloom.
He was curious about Seraphina’s mental state now.
"In this trial, the four primary sects and major families of Skyreach Territory, excluding our own Azure Origin Dao Sect, gained some benefit, though not grand."
Althea concluded, "Meanwhile, two non-Skyreach forces received high-level inheritances."
"What kind of forces?"
"One is unknown; the other is a prince of the Vernal Dawn Dynasty."
A/N:
Extra Chapters
100 power stones - 1 Extra Chapters
200 power stones - 2 Extra Chapters
Capsule - 1 Extra Chapters
Massage Chair - 3 Extra Chapters
Luxury Car - 5 Extra Chapters
Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters