Star Martial Soaring Cloud

Inside the stone chamber, five fairy epiphyllum flowers formed a circle, their petals unfurled, pure white as jade, radiating a warm and gentle light.

The light was neither dazzling nor intense, but it carried an indescribable divinity, as if it were the first ray of light from the ancient wilderness, bearing the secrets of the beginning of heaven and earth.

Wang Xiao sat upright, his palms facing upwards, his eyes closed, completely still.

His breathing had become extremely weak, almost imperceptible, like a gentle breeze that would vanish without a trace after brushing against the stone wall.

His heartbeat slowed down, so slow that it was almost inaudible, but each beat was steady and powerful, echoing in the silent stone chamber.

The light of the fairy epiphyllum shone on him, outlining his features as clear and translucent as glass.

Beneath his clothes, his skin glowed faintly, and the flow of vital energy in his meridians was clearly visible, like luminous rivers surging endlessly within his body.

He was establishing a connection between himself and the Epiphyllum oxypetalum.

The moment Wang Xiao's spiritual sense touched the pure white petals, he felt dizzy, as if he heard ethereal fairy music and saw a fairyland shrouded in mist before his eyes.

That fairyland has magnificent palaces, soaring cranes, cascading waterfalls, and celestial herbs everywhere.

He felt as if he had stepped into another world, a world that only existed in legends.

My mind is completely empty.

All distracting thoughts, all fears, all worries vanished in that moment.

He no longer thought about the battles on the Demon Island, no longer thought about the Tianyi Sect's conspiracy, no longer thought about the oppressive aura of the Five Ninjas of Fusang...

He didn't want to think about anything anymore.

He simply sat there quietly, becoming one with the fairy epiphyllum, one with the stone chamber, and one with this world.

Her body was like crystal, and her mind like a clear mirror.

A fish that leaps over the Dragon Gate can become a true dragon.

But where is the Dragon Gate?

What is Longmen?

No one can tell you the answer.

The Dragon Gate is different for every cultivator; it is not in rivers, lakes, or seas, nor on high mountains and steep peaks, but in the heart of each person.

The leap over the Dragon Gate is not about leaping over the physical gate, but about leaping over the invisible obstacle in one's heart.

This step has trapped countless geniuses throughout history.

They had reached the required cultivation level, had enough vital energy, and the Jianmu tree had taken root, but they just couldn't take that first step.

It's not that we can't, it's that we don't know—we don't know where the Dragon Gate is, how to leap over it, or what awaits us after we've crossed it.

As the Buddhist saying goes: "One flower, one world; one tree, one Bodhi."

There are countless specks of dust in the world, and each speck of dust can become a world in itself.

More precisely, the universe is composed of various elements, among which eight are the most important and can be directly used by cultivators; these are the eight elements of the universe.

The spiritual sense can perceive them, but cannot mobilize or use them, which requires the spiritual sense to transform into divine consciousness.

Wang Xiao's spiritual perception merged completely with the fairy epiphyllum.

At that moment, he felt like he had turned into a fish.

A golden koi carp, its scales shimmering in the sunlight, its tail fin swaying gracefully, swims in the boundless sea.

He swam freely, without direction or purpose, just swimming.

The feeling was wonderful, so wonderful that he was almost intoxicated by it, so wonderful that he almost forgot why he came here in the first place.

But he knew he couldn't keep swimming like that forever.

He was going to a place called Longmen.

But where is the Dragon Gate?

He looked around and saw water on all sides, an endless sea.

There were no mountains, no shores, and no direction to follow.

He didn't know where he came from, nor where he was going.

At first, he felt relaxed.

But then he felt unwell.

It was an indescribable unease, as if something was secretly watching him, or as if something was pressing in from all directions.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably, as if he were trapped in a nightmare from which he could not awaken.

What is the Dragon Gate?

Where is Longmen?

Ignorance leads to confusion; confusion leads to getting lost; getting lost leads to ruin.

I don't know what to do or where to go.

This is why he is in trouble right now.

His spiritual awareness had long since left his body, merging with the universe and all things.

But this fusion did not bring him guidance; instead, it made him even more lost—he wandered aimlessly in the vast ocean, like a headless fly, tireless yet meaningless.

As time went on, he began to question the entire practice.

"What is spiritual practice?"

In the darkness, a voice came from all directions, echoing across the entire sea.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Which direction are you heading?"

"have no idea."

Why do you want to leap over the dragon gate?

"have no idea."

"Who are you?"

"I don't know... I don't know... I don't know..."

With each "I don't know" he answered, his body grew heavier and his senses dimmed.

At first he could struggle a few times, but gradually he lost the strength to struggle and could only drift with the tide, letting the waves push him into the unknown abyss.

This is why leaping over the dragon gate is so difficult.

This is indeed a formidable barrier.

It is not only a chasm in terms of cultivation level, but also a chasm in terms of mentality.

Spiritual practice is also about cultivating the mind.

No one can answer your questions about inner confusion.

You can only find the answer yourself.

If you can't find it, you'll be stuck here forever.

The waves surged, one higher than the next.

The golden koi struggled desperately in the sea, sometimes sinking to the bottom and sometimes floating to the surface.

Its scales began to fall off, its golden luster gradually dimmed, and its tail fin was torn apart by the waves, revealing blood-red flesh.

It was exhausted.

Wang Xiao felt the same way.

He couldn't feel the temperature, he couldn't feel the water, and he didn't even know if he was still in the ocean.

His five senses are being peeled away layer by layer, as if countless invisible hands are taking away his sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste one by one.

The world turned into darkness.

Pure, utter, and endless darkness.

There was no light, no sound, no temperature, nothing perceptible.

He didn't know whether he was standing or lying down, or even whether his body still existed.

"How could this happen?" he tried to shout, but no sound came out.

Why can't I see or hear anything?

In the empty, dark world, there was nothing.

There was no echo; he became a lonely soul abandoned by the world.

"What is spiritual practice? Where does your path lead?"

The voice rang out again.

This time, it didn't come from the outside, but from the depths of his soul, constantly roaring in his mind, shaking him to the point that he almost lost his soul.

"I don't know... I really don't know... Ah—!"

Wang Xiao could no longer maintain the meditation posture.

He clutched his head and rolled around in the stone chamber, veins bulging on his forehead.

His body was convulsing and twitching, like a fish thrown ashore, making its last, death throes.

The karmic fire hidden deep within his heart emitted a sinister laugh.

"This kid's already out of his mind. If he doesn't make it through this and loses all his senses, then this handsome body will be mine, haha!"

The karmic fire laughed, laughing at his overestimation of his abilities, his weakness and incompetence, and at his futile struggle despite being in dire straits.

Cultivation requires an indomitable spirit and an unwavering determination.

Even amidst countless setbacks and difficulties, one must grit one's teeth and persevere, using one's own strength to break through all constraints in order to achieve great success.

But at this moment, Wang Xiao actually had the idea of ​​backing down.

Because he couldn't find a way out, he wanted to retreat and try again.

There is no way out.

He was completely at a loss.

At this moment, he is facing the most dangerous hurdle on his path to advancement—a self-examination.

If the heart is not upright, the path will be crooked; if the heart is not steadfast, the way will be unsteadfast.

Faced with this test of conscience, Wang Xiao was completely powerless to resist.

The path of cultivation is long and arduous, the Great Dao is formless, where exactly is the Dragon Gate? How can one leap over it?

All of this is unknown; you need to find the answers yourself.

Many cultivators spend their entire lives unable to see through illusions and find their own Dragon Gate.

They will never be able to leap over the Dragon Gate, and will always be trapped in confusion, day after day, year after year, until their lifespan is exhausted and they turn into a handful of yellow earth.

In the most severe cases, it can lead to a situation like Wang Xiao's current state—the five senses are stripped away, and the spiritual perception is disconnected from the physical body.

If the situation is not improved, it will become like what Ye Huo described, leaving only an empty shell, with both body and soul destroyed.

This is the difficulty of leaping over the dragon gate.

Most cultivators who reach this level will encounter fog blocking their path.

Some people are trapped in it for three or five years, some for decades, and some for a lifetime.

How long was Wang Xiao trapped?

he does not know.

In this darkness where time has no concept, a moment and eternity are indistinguishable.

Just as Wang Xiao was about to completely lose consciousness, a burst of golden light suddenly shone from his chest.

A phoenix, about the size of a thumb, appeared, its body golden, its wings outstretched, and it let out a clear, melodious cry.

The cry pierced through the darkness, through the mist, through all chaos and nothingness, and went straight into Wang Xiao's mind.

The golden light and the phoenix vanished in an instant, leaving only two words that lingered in his mind and spirit like the morning bell and evening drum.

"A lone pine."

"The Lone Pine Tree"

Wang Xiao stopped struggling.

He calmed down, like a drowning person finally grabbing onto the last piece of driftwood.

His body stopped convulsing, his breathing gradually became steady, and his tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.

"Lone pine..." he muttered to himself.

Then he smiled.

It was a relieved smile, a clear and understanding smile.

"I understand," he said softly.

On Seven Star Mountain, there stands a lone pine tree.

At his master's request, he watched over it for a year, rain or shine.

It grows on the highest mountain peak, with a bottomless abyss at its foot and jagged rocks all around.

Without companions, without support, and without even enough soil for its roots to grow deeper.

But it is alive.

It survives torrential rain; it survives scorching sun; it survives when autumn comes and all other grasses wither and turn yellow; it remains green and jade-like; it stands tall between heaven and earth, its green hue pressing down on the mountaintops and bending all other trees.

The world changes constantly, and people come and go, but it stands quietly on the mountaintop.

Everything changes, but I remain unchanged.

Where I am, there is a world of my own.

Having figured all this out, Wang Xiao smiled.

Because he saw a beam of golden light pierce through the boundless darkness, through layers of mist, and shine into his heart.

The light was neither dazzling nor intense, yet it was brighter than the sun.

It shone on Wang Xiao, exposing all his confusion, fear, and unease.

"Alright, you asked me what cultivation is, I'll tell you now—"

He stood up, straight as a pine tree.

"Breakthrough is the essence of spiritual practice."

Cultivation is a continuous process of breaking through—breaking through one's own limits, breaking through the shackles of heaven and earth, and breaking through all impossibilities.

Conversely, continuous breakthroughs and advancements constitute spiritual practice.

To be stronger today than yesterday is growth; to be better tomorrow than today is self-cultivation.

Leaping over the dragon gate is a process of self-examination; breakthrough is cultivation, and this is the answer Wang Xiao gave.

With confidence in life, one can brave the waves.

Chasing and splashing for three thousand miles, one day we will rise with the wind and soar straight up ninety thousand miles.

"Why search for the Dragon Gate when you can leap over it? Wherever I am, the Dragon Gate is there! I stand here, and the Dragon Gate is right beneath my feet!"

As his powerful words fell, all the fog dissipated and all the darkness vanished.

His five senses instantly returned, even surpassing their former sharpness, becoming incredibly acute.

A mysterious radiance enveloped his entire body, as if he were receiving a baptism from heaven and earth.

He sat down cross-legged again, with his palms facing upwards.

His spiritual senses left his body once more, transforming into a golden koi carp that leaped into the sea that had led him astray.

This time, however, he was no longer confused.

With the arrival of spiritual awareness, the entire ocean instantly changed color.

The wind rose and the clouds surged, lightning flashed and thunder roared, dark clouds rapidly gathered in the sky, so thick they seemed to press down.

The waves surged, one higher than the next, the highest of which almost touched the sky.

In an instant, the sea became as dark as night.

"Well done!" Wang Xiao's voice echoed throughout the heavens and earth, brimming with confidence. "Golden carp are no ordinary fish; they transform into dragons when they encounter favorable winds and clouds. Let you all become my foils for advancement!"

The koi no longer runs away or dodges, but instead faces the towering waves and swims upstream!

Inside the stone chamber, the light from the fairy epiphyllum suddenly intensified.

The petals of the five fairy epiphyllum flowers trembled at the same time, as if blown by the wind, or as if responding to something.

Deep within the flower's heart, something is surging, struggling, and breaking free from its shell.

A small dragon swam out from the fairy epiphyllum.

It is very small, only as thick as a finger, crystal clear, and emits a faint golden light.

Its scales are fine and delicate, its whiskers sway gently in the wind, and its eyes are lively and spirited.

The little dragon circled once in the air before plunging headfirst into Wang Xiao's lower abdomen—the Sea of ​​Vital Energy.

In the sea of ​​vital energy, the Jianmu tree has been rooted for a long time, with its branches and trunk standing tall and its leaves green, exuding vitality.

Around the Jianmu tree, eight colors of primordial energy—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, indigo, purple, and white—circulate.

The little dragon swam into the Sea of ​​Vitality and headed straight for the Jianmu Tree.

It twines around the roots of the Jianmu tree and slowly climbs upwards.

With each inch it climbs, its body grows a little bigger, and its golden light intensifies.

When it climbed to the top of the Jianmu tree, it was no longer a small dragon as thick as a finger—it had transformed into a majestic golden dragon.

The dragon's body is wrapped around the Jianmu tree, its head held high and its eyes wide open.

"Awooo—!"

A dragon's roar emanated from Wang Xiao's body, resounding throughout the heavens and earth.

That voice contained authority, power, and an unstoppable momentum.

At the same time, in the ocean of consciousness, the koi carp also completed its transformation.

It braved the towering waves and surged upstream, leaping out of the sea amidst thunder and lightning.

The moment it leaped up, its scales burst open, turning into countless golden specks of light; its body lengthened, widened, and expanded, its tail transformed into a dragon's tail, its fins into dragon's claws, and its head into a dragon's head.

Golden light shone brightly, illuminating the entire sky.

A hundred-foot-long golden dragon soared and weaved through the clouds, its roar shaking the heavens and its might overwhelming the world.

Divine light shone in countless rays, as dazzling as a rainbow.

Wherever the golden dragon passed, the seawater was gilded with gold.

All the strange phenomena disappeared—the wind stopped, the waves calmed, the dark clouds dispersed, and the thunder ceased.

Between heaven and earth, only golden light remained, and dragons roamed the sky.

The golden dragon on the Jianmu tree also moved.

It climbs upwards along the roots of the Jianmu tree.

It wasn't entanglement, but ascension—like climbing to heaven, ascending segment by segment along Wang Xiao's spine.

Wherever the dragon passed, the spine felt hot and burning, the bone marrow boiled, and the blood surged.

Wang Xiao could clearly feel that each of his vertebrae was undergoing subtle changes, becoming more resilient, more flexible, and more powerful.

The golden dragon ascended upwards, passing through the chest and neck, finally circling around the center of the forehead and stopping.

Then, it plunged in.

"boom--!"

Wang Xiao felt a sudden explosion between his eyebrows, as if something had been shattered or something had been opened.

A cool current of air flowed in from between my eyebrows, spreading along my meridians to my whole body. Wherever it passed, every cell cheered and every inch of my skin relaxed.

My consciousness has been opened.

Spiritual awareness transforms into divine consciousness.

He sensed the difference in the world.

It is not about seeing with your eyes, hearing with your ears, or smelling with your nose, but about directly "touching" with your consciousness.

That feeling was more real, more subtle, and more comprehensive than any other sense.

He had his eyes closed.

Every crack in the stone chamber, every grain of dust, and every flow of vital energy was clearly visible in his mind.

He could sense the thickness of the stone wall, the direction of the groundwater flow, the temperature distribution in the air, and every breath carried by the wind.

As if in a misty fairyland, he could vaguely see the various elements of heaven and earth beckoning to him.

He stood up, opened his eyes, his gaze bright and clear, a golden glint flashing in the depths of his eyes. His robes moved without wind, and his long hair fluttered behind him.

He clenched his fist, feeling an endless surge of power in his palm, as if a punch could shatter mountains and a stomp could crack the earth.

This is not an illusion.

This is the qualitative change brought about by the Dragon Gate Divine Realm.

The divine consciousness continued to spread.

He saw everything...

They saw the towering, oppressive rocky mountain pressing down!

In an instant, he appeared on the field.

With one hand supporting the sky, he could uproot mountains!