Gaze and you will become stronger: starting from Doupo

It swam slowly in the medicine cauldron, and each movement of its body caused violent fluctuations in the liquid, releasing powerful medicinal properties.

Gradually, the medicinal liquid in the cauldron boiled, billowing with a misty, ethereal atmosphere, like a fairyland, with various auspicious lights bursting forth. Shi Hao, being boiled in the medicinal liquid, turned his body crimson, as if he were about to be fully cooked; in reality, it was his blood surging and cleansing his entire body. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his skin, mixed with some black impurities—the impurities expelled from his body.

"Bear with it, and do as I say." Jiang Han looked at the little one who was clenching his teeth, frowning, and looking pained, and spoke at the right moment. His voice carried a hint of concern, but also an undeniable authority.

Hearing Jiang Han's words, Little Dot nodded. The Tremor-Tremor Fruit within him spun, releasing its power, and he used the medicinal properties to continuously refine himself, using the powerful medicine as a catalyst to cleanse his flesh and bones for a breakthrough. Under the combined effects of the medicinal power and the Tremor-Tremor force, his body underwent constant changes. His bones became harder, his flesh more resilient, and his aura grew increasingly powerful. Each surge of medicinal power was like a life-or-death test, but Little Dot gritted his teeth and persevered. He knew that only by breaking through this barrier could he become stronger, and only then could he, along with Jiang Han, protect the Eight Domains and uncover the hidden truths behind them in the future.

A deep, muffled sound suddenly resounded throughout the world, like the roar of an ancient behemoth, shaking the space within a hundred miles. This sound, like the drumbeat of destiny, heralded the beginning of an earth-shattering transformation.

In a mysterious cultivation ground, Little Dot's body was covered in dense runes, like an inverted galaxy, its brilliant light illuminating the void. Ten grotto-heavens slowly emerged, each containing immense energy, as if the sun, moon, and stars were revolving within them. These ten grotto-heavens were the culmination of Little Dot's many years of cultivation, and now they became the key to his breakthrough.

"Now!" Jiang Han's voice was calm and resolute, carrying an irresistible power. At his signal, the little boy made a shocking move. His eyes narrowed, and all ten of his grottoes simultaneously burst into flames. These flames were no ordinary fire, but primordial fire imbued with divine power; he was actually sacrificing himself!
If others witnessed this scene, they would be speechless with shock. In the eyes of the world, this was undoubtedly a crazy act, and they would accuse Jiang Han of being a mediocre teacher who disregarded his disciple's life and led him down such a dangerous path. However, only Jiang Han and Little One knew that this was a necessary gamble, an essential step towards a higher realm.

Just as Little Dot's Ten Great Cave Heavens ignited, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit within his body released wisps of strange ripples. These ripples, carrying unique fluctuations, seeped into the Ten Great Cave Heavens one after another, like invisible threads connecting the originally independent cave heavens together. Time seemed to stretch out endlessly at this moment, each second filled with tension and anticipation.

As time passed, Little One's ten great grotto-heavens gradually crumbled, and his body suffered severe damage. His blood and energy withered, and his divine essence flowed away like sand in an hourglass. His face turned as pale as paper, and his body trembled slightly. However, upon closer inspection, one could see that beneath the Tremor Fruit, a small grotto-heaven was slowly taking shape. The energy within the broken ten grotto-heavens, drawn by the power of Tremor, flowed like rivers into the sea, all converging into this newly opened grotto-heaven.

"Unite!" Little Dot shouted, his voice filled with determination and resolve. Using the power of the fruit as thread, he pierced through the ten shattered grotto-heavens, connecting them tightly. With a deafening roar, the ten grotto-heavens completely merged into the new grotto-heaven.

The new grotto-heaven began to glow, its light dazzling and captivating, revealing a myriad of wondrous phenomena within. Ancient divine beasts roared, glittering stars twinkled, and mysterious Dao patterns flowed—a hazy, enigmatic scene. Thus, the only grotto-heaven, the only one of its kind!
"Master, I did it!" The little one suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes sparkling with excitement and joy as he looked at Jiang Han. At this moment, all the effort and pain had transformed into the joy of success.

At this moment, the medicine cauldron beside him had long since dried up, and all the medicinal properties had been completely absorbed by the little one, leaving only a few dregs, witnessing this arduous and extraordinary breakthrough.

"Let me test the power of your unique grotto-heaven." Jiang Han looked at the little one with satisfaction, his eyes full of admiration. He gently waved his right hand, and a raptor appeared out of nowhere across the void. This raptor was enormous, its wings radiating a dark light, as if cast from metal, and it carried a ferocious aura. Judging from its aura, its strength was at least equivalent to the peak of a human cultivator's grotto-heaven realm.

The raptor was startled at first, then let out a sharp, piercing cry as it swooped down towards the little one. Its wings whipped up a gust of wind that seemed capable of leveling mountains. However, the little one looked up at the ferocious raptor, its expression calm and unmoved, letting it pounce.

The little boy's unique grotto-heaven shone brightly, enveloping him within. The celestial glow was vibrant, and auspicious light flowed, making him appear sacred and transcendent. His eyes were clear, and his jet-black hair danced in the wind, making him seem as if he were one with heaven and earth.

Buzz! Just as the raptor, with the power to shatter mountains, was about to strike the little one, its body sank into the glowing cavern, as if it had plunged into quagmire, unable to escape. The raptor suddenly struggled to breathe, instantly bound and imprisoned.

*Crack! Crack!* The raptor's black feathers bristled, and it let out a soft, mournful cry, its eyes filled with terror, its body trembling. However, before its mournful cry could even fade, its frozen body was inexplicably torn into pieces by a spatial force. Even until the raptor died, the little one didn't move an inch, relying entirely on the power of its unique cave combined with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit to kill the raptor.

"Not bad." Jiang Han nodded in satisfaction, a pleased smile on his face. He waved to the little one and said, "Let's go, follow your master on a new journey."

"A new journey? Master, where are you taking your disciple?" The little one stared wide-eyed at Jiang Han, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Don't you want to go and see the Three Thousand Provinces where those giants reside?" Jiang Han patted the little one's head lightly, a hint of mystery in his eyes.

"Master, are you taking me to the Upper Realm?!" The little one was stunned at first, but after realizing what was happening, he became extremely excited, his face beaming with a bright smile.

Seeing the little one's expectant expression, Jiang Han smiled knowingly, then waved his sleeve, and a seven-colored passage appeared before him. This passage appeared very long, traversing through space, shrouded in mist. Within the passage, stars twinkled and the Milky Way swirled, creating a hazy, mysterious scene.

In a daze, the little one followed Jiang Han onto the seven-colored passage. The energy fluctuations within the passage were extremely intense. The little one clung tightly to Jiang Han's large hand, afraid that the energy within the passage would carry him to an unknown, mysterious place. "Master, can you tell me about the Upper Realm?" the little one asked curiously. "This so-called Upper Realm is actually just one of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. This realm is also known as the Three Thousand Dao Provinces. In other words, even one of these provinces is larger than the combined area of ​​the Eight Regions of the Lower Realm..." Jiang Han calmly imparted his knowledge of the Three Thousand Dao Provinces to the little one.

"What?! One province in the Upper Realm is larger than all eight regions in the Lower Realm combined! Master, how vast must these three thousand provinces be! And if you add those even more expansive, mysterious, uninhabited areas you mentioned, I simply can't imagine it!" After hearing Jiang Han's words, the little boy was so shocked that his mouth gaped open, his jaw dropped, and he stood there dumbfounded, like a wooden statue. He didn't understand much of what else he said, but he knew one thing: vast! These three thousand provinces were infinitely vast!
"Disciple, broaden your horizons. The Three Thousand Dao Provinces are just one of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. What's more, what truly captivates supreme experts is the Immortal Realm, which borders the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths in the Boundary Sea! That is where your future truly lies!" Jiang Han picked up the little one, pinched his fair cheek, and his eyes were filled with expectation.

"The Immortal Realm? I will definitely go there! Master, are you from there?" The little boy clenched his fists, his eyes filled with longing for the Immortal Realm, and then looked at Jiang Han curiously and asked.

Jiang Han shook his head: "I come from a place called the Heavens Above, which is the true land where chaos first began."

"Above the heavens? Your disciple will definitely cultivate diligently, not only to go to the Immortal Realm, but also to visit your birthplace, Master!" The little boy raised his fist, full of fighting spirit and determination.

"Disciple, we are almost at the Three Thousand Provinces." Jiang Han said calmly.

"Mmm!" Upon hearing this, the little one responded loudly, nodding his head repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice.

Within this seven-colored passage, the little one felt as if he were wandering in the river of time, as if he had traversed endless ages. Finally, with a flash of light, they flew out of the spatial passage.

"Master, this feels so good!" A surge of powerful spiritual energy rushed towards them, and the little one couldn't help but exclaim. Before them lay a beautiful, low mountain, its slopes ablaze with wildflowers of vibrant colors, their fragrance intoxicating. Hot springs flowed down from the summit, forming dozens of interconnected pools halfway up the mountain. Each pool, like a pearl, adorned the wildflowers, truly a sacred place.

"Master, the spiritual energy in the Upper Realm is so much richer than in the Desolate Region! Cultivating here will definitely be many times faster than in the Lower Realm!" The little one clenched his fists, looking completely intoxicated, as he smelled the fragrance of flowers in the air.

Looking at the excited little one, Jiang Han smiled and shook his head. Then, he released his divine sense, first scanning the surroundings. His divine sense, like invisible tentacles, spread across this unfamiliar area, probing for any dangers and sensing the unique aura of this upper realm. He knew that for the little one, this was only the beginning of a new journey, with countless challenges and opportunities awaiting them. And he, as the little one's master, would always be by his side, guiding him to a wider world and pursuing their glorious future.

"Have you all heard about what happened a few days ago?" A gray-robed monk squeezed into a corner of the tea stall, his well-defined fingers tapping on a rough pottery teacup, the splashed tea leaving dark marks on the mottled wooden table.

"Nonsense! Such a sensational event, how could anyone not know about it!" The burly man with the red beard next to him slammed his hand on the table, making all the teacups clatter. "The news of the Immortal Celestial's demise has now spread throughout the three thousand provinces!"

The tea stall fell into a deathly silence, broken only by the crackling of the charcoal fire. The whispers among the crowd were barely audible, yet they couldn't conceal the panic in their voices: "For tens of thousands of years, the leaders of those major sects have gone to the lower realm every thousand years without incident. Who could have imagined such a drastic change this time!"

"I can't believe even the Immortal Celestial is dead! This is terrifying!" Someone tugged at his collar, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Wasn't it said that the highest cultivation level in the lower realm was only at the Venerable Realm? How could it suddenly become so terrifying!"

The gray-robed cultivator suddenly lowered his voice, his gaze sweeping warily around him: "According to my sources, there is a Supreme Being in the Lower Realm! I think his name is Ancestor Hong something, and he's the one who killed several sect leaders. Even when the Immortal Celestial Venerable used a blood sacrifice to revive the Nine Nether Hound, the outcome still didn't change. The Nine Nether Hound, that's one of the Ten Ancient Fiends!"

"Hehe, but think about it, if the Immortal Celestial hadn't died, how could the Immortal Mountain be in such chaos now? And with the emergence of Demon Island, how could we have had this opportunity!" The red-bearded giant suddenly grinned, revealing two gold teeth. "I heard that among the forces that came to the island this time, the War Clan, the Celestial Clan, and the Immortal Palace have all come! It seems to be for an immortal tomb on the island!"

The crowd stirred immediately, with whispers rising and falling. Not far away, a little boy with a pigtail tugged at Jiang Han's sleeve, his childish voice full of curiosity: "Master, they're talking about you." His round eyes were fixed on the group of cultivators, his eyelashes fluttering.

[Side quest activated: The host will excavate a celestial tomb to obtain Primordial Qi. Rewards for completing the quest will be distributed after the host returns to the Xuanhuang Continent.]

A mechanical system voice suddenly boomed in Jiang Han's mind, startling his fingertips. "Immortal Tomb? Primordial Qi?" he murmured to himself, his gaze piercing through the rising steam from the tea stall, looking towards the rolling leaden clouds in the sky. From the conversations of those around him, he gleaned some information. Their current location was a corner of the Five Elements Continent. The largest sect in the Five Elements Continent was the Immortal Mountain, but due to the recent death of its leader, the Immortal Celestial Venerable, in the mortal realm, the entire Immortal Mountain had been immersed in a somber atmosphere of grief. (End of Chapter)