Ye Chu’s intent patterns were already on the verge of collapse, dimmed to the point of having no light at all. They looked as though they would shatter in the next instant. This made Yang Hui and the other girl clench their fists tightly, cold sweat seeping from their palms in rivulets.
Ye Chu was equally shocked by this erosive power. Even with the Azure Lotus combined with Chaotic Azure Qi, he was being worn down to the point of shattering. If it were any other cultivator, how could they possibly have reached the spot where he now stood?
“The path of the Origin Spirit belongs neither to kings nor emperors. It relies solely on oneself. The mind can give birth to all things, and all things can transform the mind…”
Ye Chu slowly recited the fragmented secret technique he had obtained in the Ancient Nightmare Forbidden Ground in his heart. As he recited it, the patterns he had acquired there also seeped into his intent patterns.
Only then did the previously crumbling intent patterns stabilise slightly. However, they were still continuously dissipating!
This terrifying eroding force filled Ye Chu with dread. It had already exceeded everyone’s expectations. With every step forward, everything was being worn away. Even the Chaotic Azure Qi was no exception. Ye Chu could not even imagine how utterly extraordinary the Saintess Hongchen truly was.
Ye Chu continued to step forward, covering another three metres. He was now less than five metres away from the Seven-Coloured Demon Spring.
This caused many to gasp in astonishment. Meanwhile, Ye Chu’s intent patterns began to crack, splitting open with fissures as they neared collapse. Ye Chu himself was on the verge of losing consciousness, his mind growing heavy and clouded.
A terrifying eroding force threatened to annihilate the vitality of his intent patterns. Ye Chu used his patterns to shield his entire body and took another step forward.
“Pfft…”
The terrifying dissipative force forced Ye Chu to cough up a mouthful of blood. The overwhelming pressure threatened to force him to his knees, yet his crumbling intent patterns did not collapse.
Using the momentum of spitting blood, Ye Chu took another step forward. Only three metres remained between him and the Seven-Coloured Demon Spring.
“Hiss…”
Even Ji Die could not help but draw in a sharp breath. Looking at Ye Chu’s dishevelled figure, her face was filled with shock. She knew perfectly well how difficult it was to reach this stage. In the final ten metres, every single step became twice as hard as the last.
If it were her, her vitality would have already been completely worn away. Yet despite being struck until he vomited blood, Ye Chu’s intent patterns still managed to protect his entire body. He was less than three metres from the destination.
This level of terrifying talent and intent patterns made Ji Die ponder. Among all the cultivators she had ever seen, not even a human paragon could compare to Ye Chu.
“Pfft…”
Ye Chu spat out another mouthful of blood and stepped forward again. Only two metres remained. His intent patterns had shattered like a dense spider’s web. Both the starry sky and the azure lotus resembled shattered celadon porcelain. Yet the patterns remained stubbornly intact, refusing to collapse completely.
Everyone stared fixedly at Ye Chu, completely shaken by what they saw. That his patterns had not yet collapsed at this stage meant his Origin Spirit was incomparably resilient.
“Ah…”
Ye Chu’s mind had turned to mush. Dizzy and disoriented, he relied solely on his intent to move forward. With a roar, he took two rapid steps and leapt to the edge of the Seven-Coloured Demon Spring.
“Crack…”
His intent patterns could hold on no longer and began to shatter. At that moment, Ye Chu felt as though his entire Origin Spirit was about to explode. Yet just as the patterns fractured, Ye Chu plunged headfirst into the Seven-Coloured Demon Spring. Instantly, the terrifying eroding force vanished. The spring water flowed down his throat, and his previously shattered intent patterns began to coalesce once more.
In a very short time, they recovered to their former peak state, with a brilliant starry sky and a pure yet unadorned azure lotus. Ye Chu’s mind cleared once again. He drank greedily from the Seven-Coloured Demon Spring, feeling a gentle power expanding his Qi Sea. His Origin Spirit was undergoing ascension, and Ye Chu clearly felt his own metamorphosis.
Ye Chu could not ponder this transformation in detail at the moment. The Black Iron vibrated, emitting a terrifying azure light that blended with the spring liquid. At the same time, bursts of patterns erupted and merged into his Qi Sea and Origin Spirit, causing both to expand simultaneously.
The expansion of his Qi Sea far surpassed what he had achieved with dragon blood. If his previous cultivation had carved out a small stream, the Black Iron and spring liquid were now carving out a mighty river.
Ye Chu felt his mind become exceptionally clear. His already formidable Origin Spirit actually grew stronger again. The azure lotus sprouted roots, taking hold in his Qi Sea like a genuine lotus plant.
Ye Chu’s patterns grew more active yet became far more restrained. He closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, focusing solely on the changes within his Origin Spirit and Qi Sea.
To those watching from the outside, however, Ye Chu’s body now emitted a divine radiance. Light flickered from his skin, and his blood and qi churned like a roaring tsunami. It was vast and immense, as if ocean waves lay dormant within him. At this moment, his vital energy surged tens of thousands of times.
This sight made Ji Die’s eyes twitch. Such overwhelming vital energy exceeded their understanding. Watching Ye Chu continue to absorb the spring liquid frantically, she sighed inwardly.
The legacy left by the Saintess Hongchen was truly extraordinary. Now, Ye Chu’s entire body was wreathed in a rosy glow, truly resembling a divine physique.
After consuming countless drops of the holy liquid, Ye Chu finally opened his eyes. The instant he did, his pupils shone brilliantly like stars, emitting a rosy light that captivated the soul.
In almost an instant, the spiritual energy from the surroundings poured into his body, and Ye Chu’s cultivation realm advanced to the ninth tier.
Yet compared to Ye Chu’s appearance, wreathed in rosy light with his robes fluttering like a celestial being, advancing a single tier seemed utterly insignificant.
Ye Chu stood there now, his eyes glowing like rosy clouds. Every glance sent shivers down everyone’s spines.
“Can my Qi Sea finally rival that of a human paragon?” Ye Chu let out a soft breath. All along, although his Origin Spirit had been peerless, his Qi Sea had been extremely weak. This was because the original owner of this body had been too frail. Even after baptism by dragon blood, Ye Chu could hardly be considered outstanding, still lagging somewhat behind Ye Jingyun.
But now, aided by the divine liquid, he had finally expanded his Qi Sea to a level comparable to a human paragon.
Human Paragon!
This was an extraordinary title. Those worthy of being called a human paragon undoubtedly possessed peerless demeanour. Anyone bearing this title would almost certainly become a regional powerhouse, provided they survived.
With his Qi Sea now rivaling a paragon’s, Ye Chu felt his power surging like an ocean. With every vibration, his blood and qi churned, truly peerless in their magnificence.
Looking at the spring liquid swirling with seven colours before him, Ye Chu sighed inwardly. The Saintess Hongchen truly defied conventional understanding. How could she refine such holy liquid, and refine seven different types at once?
Ye Chu examined his own state and realised this divine liquid possessed miraculous effects. His body felt as though it were undergoing a complete restructuring. He wanted to ponder it carefully, but the moment was not right.
Remembering what Ji Die had said about the demon liquid’s miraculous effects, Ye Chu felt a surge of excitement. He wondered what other wonders this liquid might hold, beyond elevating him to the level of a human paragon.
Ye Chu took out a jade bottle and began filling it with the holy liquid. Failing to collect as much as possible of such a treasure would be a sheer waste of heaven’s bounty.