The First Venerable of All Paths

"Brother Fang Xuan, I always feel that guy wasn't telling the truth."

Li Tianjiao looked at Nie Song, who stood on the mountainside, and spoke softly.

"Perhaps."

Fang Xuan waved the incomplete map in his hand and said, "But as long as this map is real, that's fine."

He checked it, and the map was indeed genuine.

If it were fake, Fang Xuan, a weapon refiner, would naturally be able to tell at a glance.

Moreover, Nie Song had no need to deceive himself.

As for the concealment, perhaps it involves other secrets of his.

"Too."

Li Tianjiao asked, "Brother Fang Xuan, where are we going next?"

"I haven't decided yet."

Upon hearing this, Li Tianjiao looked surprised.

"Haven't decided yet?"

In her memory, Fang Xuan was a person with clear goals.

Since you've chosen to leave Qingyang County, why haven't you decided where you're going?

"How about Brother Fang Xuan comes to Qingzhou with me?"

Li Tianjiao's eyes flashed, and he said softly, "At least we can keep each other company."

"never mind."

Fang Xuan shook his head and said, "I have no plans to go to Qingzhou for the time being. I may go into seclusion for a short period of time."

"All right."

Although somewhat disappointed, Li Tianjiao still smiled and said, "Seclusion is a big deal, so I wish Brother Fang Xuan all the best in his martial arts journey."

"it is good."

After hesitating for a moment, Fang Xuan said, "Take care of yourself. If I get to Qingzhou, I will definitely come to find you."

"Uh-huh!"

......

After Li Tianjiao left, Fang Xuan felt only a slight sense of loss before he began to think about his next seclusion plan.

Fang Xuan originally did not intend to go into seclusion.

However, during the battle with the Ghost Child, Fang Xuan unexpectedly unlocked the cultivation method of the "Thousand Souls Illusionary Dream Technique".

Although he had already inherited the Soul Dream Empress's legacy, it did not mean that he could begin to cultivate the Thousand Soul Illusion Dream Technique.

Fortunately, stimulated by the ghost child's spirit, Fang Xuan unexpectedly unlocked the cultivation method of this technique.

Moreover, in the past few days, Fang Xuan felt that his spiritual power was in a very special state.

Therefore, Fang Xuan planned to spend some time in seclusion to cultivate the "Thousand Soul Illusion Dream Technique".

Fang Xuan determined the direction and headed straight for a cluster of peaks not far away.

This mountain peak does not belong to the Lost Souls Mountain Range.

But with its deep mountains and dense forests, shrouded in clouds and mist, it is a good place for seclusion.

Half a day later.

Fang Xuan then entered the newly opened cave.

Because Fang Xuan was unsure how long this seclusion would take, he completely blocked the entrance to the cave.

At the same time, a concealment formation was also set up.

Unless one is a master of divine intent or a master of formations, no one would be able to tell that there is a cave hidden here.

Inside the cave.

Fang Xuan was not in a hurry to cultivate the "Thousand Souls Illusionary Dream Technique".

Instead, he took out the spear-holding technique he had obtained from Nie Song and began to study it carefully.

"This spear technique, although not of a high level, is a sword cultivation method that contains the essence of swordsmanship."

The spear-holding technique has only three forms, namely:

A hundred kills turned to frost!

A hundred battles, a cycle of reincarnation!

Man and gun become one!

The three spear techniques are all stronger than the last, with their power increasing exponentially with each strike.

Fang Xuan studied the spear-holding technique while practicing it with his fingers.

At the same time, the Myriad Swords Return to Nothingness Technique within his body operated on its own.

The sword light flowed freely at his fingertips.

A chilling frost emanated from itself.

"laugh!"

Fang Xuan suddenly pointed his fingertip, and several condensed, icy sword beams shot out like frost blades frozen in the cold winter, striking the cave wall hard and leaving a thin layer of frost that lingered for a long time.

"Just as I expected!"

Upon seeing this, Fang Xuan's eyes lit up, his suspicions confirmed, and his tone was filled with undisguised excitement.

"This 'Spear-Holding Technique' is clearly evolved from a high-level swordsmanship, but it only appears mediocre because it transforms sword intent into spear stance."

He had sensed the extraordinary nature of Nie Song's spear technique as early as when Nie Song first demonstrated it.

If these three moves are executed with sword energy, freeing one from the constraints of spear techniques, they will surely unleash terrifying power far exceeding their original strength.

The previous attempt has already proven this point.

"A seemingly ordinary village woman actually knows the method of resurrecting the soul, possesses such spear skills that contain the essence of swordsmanship, and even has a fragment of a map recording a secret realm..."

Fang Xuan's gaze was deep.

It seems that the mother and daughter came from a rather unusual background.

However, since the person is already dead, even if he wanted to interrogate Nie Song, the other party might not know.

Soon, Fang Xuan put the matter out of his mind.

He put away his spear-holding technique, sat cross-legged on the stone bed, and began to adjust his state.

After an unknown amount of time, Fang Xuan opened his eyes again, and his condition had finally reached its peak.

"Next, I will begin practicing the Thousand Soul Illusion Dream Technique."

Empress of Soul Dreams, a powerful figure in the Soul Path.

Fang Xuan's inherited memories record that when the Empress attained enlightenment, she slept for a hundred years.

With only the power of his divine soul, he annihilated an entire ancient clan in a dream, shocking the heavens.

This "Thousand Souls Illusionary Dream Technique" is the culmination of the Soul Dream Empress's life's cultivation.

Like the other cultivation techniques he inherited, it was all of Emperor rank.

It possesses immense power and is specifically designed for cultivating the spirit and soul.

It can control souls, create illusions, and kill without leaving a trace.

As Fang Xuan formed hand seals, he began to circulate the "Thousand Souls Illusionary Dream Technique".

"Buzzing!"

As the cultivation technique was activated, wisps of strange energy suddenly appeared in the air inside the cave.

This aura was ethereal and carried a faint warmth.

Like the warm sun of spring, or nourishment for the soul, it slowly gathered from all directions, quietly entering his sea of ​​consciousness through his brow.

Fang Xuan felt a warm sensation in his sea of ​​consciousness, and his originally calm spiritual power began to surge slowly, like an awakened tide.

That warm feeling spread from his soul to his entire body, so comfortable that he almost closed his eyes, and his mind gradually sank into the depths of his consciousness.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the originally somewhat thin soul gradually became fuller under the nourishment of the strange aura.

The originally faint fluctuations of the divine soul became increasingly clear and condensed.

He could clearly feel that his soul was being reshaped and strengthened little by little.

With each nourishment, I can feel the growth of my spiritual power.

Time passed slowly, and Fang Xuan maintained his cultivation posture throughout.

The strange aura around him grew stronger and stronger, forming a faint cocoon of light that enveloped him.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the changes became increasingly drastic.

The originally scattered spiritual power gradually condensed into a pale golden ball of light. Within the ball of light, countless tiny points of light flickered, a sign that the spiritual power was being refined.

After an unknown amount of time, when another rich and strange aura surged into the sea of ​​consciousness, the pale golden ball of divine soul light suddenly began to fluctuate violently, emitting a buzzing vibration, and the color of the ball of light became even more intense and dazzling.

"Um?"

Fang Xuan's heart stirred, knowing that this was a sign that his soul was about to break through. He quickly calmed his mind and focused all his efforts on guiding the strange energy to break through the bottleneck of his soul.

He could feel that the bottleneck was like a thin film.

Despite its apparent resilience, cracks gradually appeared under the ever-increasing impact of divine soul power. The cracks multiplied and grew larger, as if it would shatter at any moment.

"Break it!"

Fang Xuan gave a low shout in his heart and fully activated the "Thousand Soul Illusion Dream Technique".

The ball of divine soul light in the sea of ​​consciousness suddenly erupted, and a divine soul power several times stronger than before swept out like a tsunami, fiercely impacting the bottleneck.

"Snap!"

A faint cracking sound rang out in the sea of ​​consciousness, and the bottleneck that bound the soul shattered instantly, breaking apart like glass and dissipating into the sea of ​​consciousness.

The moment the bottleneck shattered, countless strange energies surged into the sea of ​​consciousness, nourishing the newly broken-through divine soul. The pale golden divine soul light cluster surged again, its light dazzling.

The fluctuations in his soul also became more condensed and powerful, far exceeding those before by several times.

Fang Xuan felt a sudden clarity in his mind, as if layers of fog had been cleared away, and everything in the world became clear.

He could sense the growth of plants and trees and the flapping of birds' wings outside the cave.

It can even sense the presence of wild beasts several miles away; this level of perception is something it has never had before.

Fang Xuan opened his eyes, a faint golden light flashing in them before he regained his composure.

A relieved smile appeared on Fang Xuan's lips as he murmured to himself:

"First-grade Divine Soul, accomplished."