Star Martial Soaring Cloud

In a cave not far from the temporary camp, Wang Xiao was in seclusion.

After breaking through to the Dragon Gate Divine Realm, he did not consolidate his realm—because he did not have time.

He didn't have a chance to properly explore the mysteries of the Dragon Gate Divine Realm before being swept up in a series of battles, fighting his way through to this day.

The main reason for choosing this place for seclusion is that I am afraid my movements will affect everyone's rest and recuperation, and that too much fluctuation in their vital energy will be detrimental to their recovery.

Wang Xiao sat cross-legged deep in the cave, facing upwards, eyes closed and mind focused.

The surrounding stone walls glowed slightly from his aura, as if invisible flames were dancing between the rocks.

He first calmed down and contemplated his current realm—the Dragon Gate Consciousness Sea Realm, where the sea of ​​consciousness had been opened and the divine consciousness had been formed.

He could clearly perceive everything within a radius of a hundred feet—the movement of the wind, the dripping of water, the crawling of ants in the cracks of rocks…

The feeling was as if the whole world was unfolding before his eyes like an exquisite painting, with every stroke and line clearly visible.

But this is just the beginning.

In a duel between cultivators, the one whose attack is stronger than the opponent's will likely win; the one whose defense is stronger will likely be invincible.

By tempering the physical body, one can achieve both.

Therefore, Wang Xiao firmly chose to take this path—a strong physical body not only prevents the opponent from harming him, but also allows his attacks to penetrate everything.

When an ordinary cultivator enters the Dragon Gate Divine Realm and condenses their divine sense, they use their divine sense to manipulate the primordial energy of heaven and earth, and use their own body to condense and unleash divine abilities.

In this process, the physical body merely acts as a conduit—the vital energy of heaven and earth flows in from one end, and supernatural powers burst forth from the other. The physical body is just a medium, never the end point.

But Wang Xiao didn't want to build a pipeline; he wanted to build a dam.

His path to body refinement involves channeling all the primordial energy of heaven and earth into his body to temper his flesh, bones, and internal organs.

He doesn't let the vital energy pass through him, but rather retains, absorbs, and transforms it into a part of himself.

Pipes are pipes after all; they have their limits and require maintenance and repair.

But dams are different—the more water a dam holds, the more stable it becomes.

This is his way.

After finishing his comprehension, Wang Xiao opened his eyes and slowly raised his hands.

With a thought, the karmic fire hidden deep within his heart burst forth, and a crimson fire lotus emerged from his chest, slowly rising to the top of his head and hovering in mid-air.

The fire lotus is small, only the size of a palm, but the temperature it contains is enough to melt metal and stone.

The petals are layered upon layered, each one burning with a blazing flame, crimson, orange-yellow, and incandescent white, progressing layer by layer, breathtakingly beautiful.

Immediately afterwards, the blue water droplets hidden deep within the kidneys also rose up.

It was a crystal-clear droplet of water, entirely azure, like solidified seawater, or a condensed version of the sky.

It hovered beside the fire lotus, radiating a soft, watery glow that contrasted sharply with the lotus's intense heat.

The fire of karma refines the mind, and the blue water droplets refine the kidneys.

However, after entering the Dragon Gate Divine Realm, Wang Xiao discovered that his use of them was not perfect—they had more potential waiting for him to explore.

"Come."

Wang Xiao let out a low shout, and the fire lotus suddenly spun around, transforming into a crimson curtain of fire that enveloped his entire body.

The roasting has begun.

That was no ordinary flame, but karmic fire—a crimson lotus fire capable of burning away all the sins of the world.

Flames licked his skin, scorched his flesh, and slowly seeped into his bones, veins, and internal organs.

Every inch of my skin is burning, every cell is screaming.

Wang Xiao's body turned red at a visible speed, first light red, then dark red, and finally almost transparent.

He could even clearly see the meridians, blood vessels, and bones in his body...

The excruciating pain surged like a tidal wave, one after another, endlessly.

Wang Xiao gritted his teeth and remained motionless, his body growing increasingly red and transparent, as if he would be completely melted by the karmic fire in the next second.

When the red reached its peak, and his body almost turned into a transparent ball of red light—the blue water droplets moved.

It transformed into a cascading waterfall, pouring down from above and soaking Wang Xiao completely.

"laugh--"

Water and fire collided violently, producing a piercing sound.

White steam instantly filled the entire cave, causing a rapid change in temperature. The alternating shock of ice and fire caused his skin to crack instantly, and blood gushed out from the cracks.

But he didn't stop.

He gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain, and continued.

The fire lotus spun again, and the karmic fire enveloped him once more, scorching him until he turned red and transparent.

The water droplets poured down again, cooling and cracking.

Time and time again, over and over.

For him, experiencing both ice and fire was not torture, but the ultimate forging process.

He wanted to use this most extreme method to thoroughly temper the power of the karmic fire and the blue water droplets into his own flesh and blood.

After an unknown amount of time, the light of the karmic fire began to dim, and the luster of the blue water droplets gradually faded. Their power was being absorbed inch by inch by Wang Xiao's physical body.

When the final water curtain fell, Wang Xiao's body was no longer cracked. His skin had a faint jade-like luster, smooth and tough, like the finest jade that had been meticulously carved and polished, lustrous and translucent.

Those burn marks and torn wounds were repaired and strengthened time and time again during the tempering process, eventually becoming part of his physical body.

The karmic fire and blue water droplets completely merged into his body.

Wang Xiao opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of stale air. The breath he exhaled was tinged with a faint red and blue color, swirled in the air for a moment, and then slowly dissipated.

He looked down at his hands—their skin was as white as jade, their fingers long and strong, like a meticulously crafted work of art. But he knew that these hands could now shatter a mountain with a single punch.

"Not enough," he said softly.

The cellar was opened, and the splendor of the Jianmu tree slowly rose up.

It was a cluster of emerald green light, warm and smooth as jade, gentle as water, radiating vitality.

This is a gift from Lu Shu to him.

The Jianmu Flower hovered in front of Wang Xiao, its emerald green light reflecting on his face and dyeing the entire cave a rich turquoise.

The liver belongs to the element of wood, and the third step in the Five Elements Body Refinement is liver refinement.

Wang Xiao took a deep breath and guided the power of the Jianmu Flower to slowly seep into his liver.

Emerald green light flowed slowly along his meridians, bringing a refreshing coolness wherever it passed.

It wasn't cold, but rather a vibrant, refreshing coolness, carrying the scent of grass and trees.

He could clearly feel that his liver, nourished by the Jianmu flower, was undergoing some kind of mysterious change—becoming more resilient, more vibrant, and stronger.

The light of the Jianmu Flower grew brighter and brighter, eventually transforming into a stream of emerald green light that entered Wang Xiao's liver and took root firmly.

At that very moment, the dormant Jianmu tree within him suddenly came to life.

In the sea of ​​primordial energy, the Jianmu tree, which had been rooted for a long time, suddenly trembled, its branches stretched out, and its leaves trembled slightly, as if it had suddenly awakened from a deep slumber.

Its crown originally had only two leaves—one fiery red and the other azure blue.

At this moment, the third leaf slowly emerged from the branch, its emerald green color glistening with moisture, radiating a soft green light.

Three leaves, three colors of light, intertwine and reflect on the branches of the Jianmu tree.

Red leaves represent fire, blue leaves represent water, and green leaves represent wood.

On each leaf, you can see tiny veins flowing, like blood vessels or meridians, continuously delivering energy to every corner of the tree.

Wang Xiao was shocked.

His Jianmu tree was able to absorb the power of these rare treasures.

He closed his eyes and carefully sensed it.

The vital energy of heaven and earth surged in from all directions and was absorbed into his body, much more smoothly and abundantly than before.

The roots of the Jianmu tree spread wildly in the sea of ​​primordial energy, greedily absorbing every wisp of primordial energy and transforming it into its own power.

But at this moment, something is different.

When the eight elements of heaven and earth surged into his body, the concentration of the three elements of water, fire, and wood was significantly higher, and they were absorbed at a faster rate. They seemed to be firmly attracted by the three leaves on the Jianmu tree, rushing in one after another.

It turned out to be the case.

Wang Xiao opened his eyes, a flash of understanding appearing in them.

The leaves on the Jianmu tree are not only carriers of power, but also natural elemental attractors.

The water element was attracted by the blue leaves, the fire element by the red leaves, and the wood element by the green leaves. They flowed and merged on the branches of the Jianmu tree, and then—they were seen to be generated on their own.

Wang Xiao clearly sensed that the roots of the Jianmu tree were slowly wriggling in the sea of ​​primordial energy, decomposing and recombining the absorbed primordial energy of heaven and earth, and then releasing pure water, fire, and wood elements through its three leaves.

It is not drawn from the outside, but generated by the body itself.

"If there are other treasures," Wang Xiao murmured to himself, "would the Jianmu tree be able to sprout new leaves? If I collect all eight types of treasures, would my body then be able to generate its own Eight Elements of Heaven and Earth?"

This discovery thrilled him.

The eight elements of heaven and earth are self-contained, which means that he no longer needs to draw power from the outside world, nor does he need to rely on any environment. No matter where he goes, his power will never run dry.

This is a true world unto itself, a realm that countless cultivators dream of.

But his refinement of the Jianmu flower goes far beyond that.

Wood represents vitality, rebirth, and hope.

A withered tree can be reborn in spring; a wildfire cannot burn it out, and the spring breeze will bring it back to life—this is a new beginning, an inexhaustible force of life.

Wang Xiao did not condense any supernatural powers, but he could use this power on himself.

The power of wood in the Jianmu Flower, guided by him, surges from his liver and flows throughout his body along the meridians.

Wherever it goes, those hidden wounds that have not yet fully healed, the fatigue accumulated in the bones, and the hidden dangers lurking deep in the flesh are all soothed, repaired, and nourished.

He wants to imbue himself with the vitality and tenacity of wood, transforming it into a continuous source of healing power.

Wang Xiao clenched his fist, a thought rising in his mind.

He raised his hand and the Seven Star Sword at his waist soared into the air, suspended in mid-air under the guidance of his divine sense, its tip pointing downwards, aimed at his left arm.

Then, he slashed down fiercely.

Wang Xiao did not offer any resistance.

"laugh--"

The blade sliced ​​through, leaving a deep, bone-revealing wound on his left arm, from which blood gushed out instantly.

"Dead wood comes back to life!"

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

Emerald green light burst forth from the wound, like tender buds sprouting from the soil in spring, gradually reconnecting, growing, and healing the broken skin, muscles, blood vessels, and bones.

Three breaths.

In just three breaths, the terrifying wound vanished without a trace, and the skin on his left arm was completely healed.

Wang Xiao moved her fingers and felt no discomfort.

"Okay." He nodded in satisfaction.

The Seven Star Sword hovered in the air once more, this time aimed at his chest.

"Qingchuan Hidden Water!"

His thoughts resurfaced.

An invisible, almost transparent curtain of water emerged from his body, clinging tightly to his skin like a thin, translucent membrane.

That wasn't ordinary protective energy; it was a water-based defense formed by the power of blue water droplets, soft yet resilient, and intangible.

The Seven Star Sword slashed down in response.

The sword blade struck the water curtain as if it were cleaving through a fluffy ball of cotton; the force was dissipated layer by layer and dispersed in all directions.

Wang Xiao could even clearly sense that the power of that sword strike was broken down into dozens of thin streams by the water curtain, which slid along the surface of his body and finally dissipated into the air.

The blade stopped before his skin, unable to advance an inch.

"Qingchuan Hidden Water."

This is the name Wang Xiao gave to this invisible water curtain.

This technique can deflect and neutralize the enemy's attacks layer by layer, making it more powerful than ever before.

Even if there is an unyielding force, he still has a strong physical body to withstand it; even if his physical body cannot withstand it, there is also the ability of withered trees to regenerate and heal in time.

The three layers of defense are interconnected, each more robust and secure than the last.

At this moment, Wang Xiao felt incredibly powerful.

"what?"

Just as Wang Xiao was immersed in the joy brought by his new ability, he suddenly felt the green leaves on the Jianmu tree tremble violently. A pale golden light rose from between the veins of the leaves, transforming into a string of ancient seal characters, which rushed straight towards his brow.

The ancient and obscure seal script characters seemed to come alive, leaping and flowing before his eyes, eventually imprinting themselves into the depths of his consciousness.

Wang Xiao closed his eyes and quietly felt the meaning of those seal characters.

Crossing the Void.

This is a powerful spatial technique that can tear through the void and achieve short-distance teleportation.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with disbelief.

Within a radius of ten feet, one can directly traverse the void and arrive in an instant—what an incredible, heaven-defying technique!

This is not about speed or mysterious movements, but about true spatial traversal, ignoring obstacles and barriers, and appearing in any corner within ten feet in the blink of an eye.

This must have been left to him by Lu Shu.

It already possessed the supernatural powers of the ethereal space.

Wang Xiao recalled that green figure, its resolute turn as it faced the wall of miasma, and the warmth of the Jianmu flower falling into his palm.

It left him everything—the blossoms of the Jianmu tree, and this precious cultivation technique.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice echoing through the empty cave.

He wasted no time and immediately began cultivating the Void Crossing technique according to the incantation in his sea of ​​consciousness.

The cultivation of Void Crossing was far more difficult than he had imagined.

This technique requires one to condense their divine sense to the extreme, find those invisible "gaps" in the void, and then pass through them in an instant to appear in another location.

Wang Xiao tried again and again, failed, tried again, and failed again.

When his spiritual energy was exhausted, he meditated to regulate his breathing and recover, and then tried again.

His physical body became increasingly powerful during the tempering process, but the Void Crossing technique not only consumed his physical strength but also required strong divine consciousness to support it.

Each attempt was like a storm raging in his mind, giving him a splitting headache.

He worked tirelessly for three days and three nights.

On the morning of the fourth day, Wang Xiao opened his eyes and a thought arose in his mind.

The next instant, he appeared at the other end of the cave.

It wasn't about running there, or flying there; it was about simply appearing there.

Despite being separated by a thick rock wall, he passed right through it.

There was no impact, no obstruction; it was as if heaven and earth had opened a new door for him, and he stepped through.

"It's done." Wang Xiao's lips curled up slightly.

But then, a strong feeling of weakness suddenly struck.

His face turned deathly pale, and he swayed, almost losing his balance.

Most of the vital energy in my body was drained, and I felt completely drained.

His physical body is now strong enough to withstand the attacks of a Dragon Gate Sea of ​​Consciousness cultivator, but using Void Crossing once almost left him exhausted.

Each Void Crossing consumes most of his vital energy and spiritual consciousness. In his current state, he can only perform it three times at most. After that, he will have no strength left.

But that's enough.

They arrived within ten zhang in an instant.

Combined with his formidable physique, it is enough to become his strongest trump card.

He would never use this unless absolutely necessary.

The reason why a trump card is a trump card is because it is unexpected.

Once exposed, it is no longer mysterious, no longer deadly.