His Origin Spirit returned to its vessel.
Yaoguang rose immediately and cupped his hands to the assembly. "My thanks to you all for your trouble."
"Please, there is no need to be polite with us. This was merely our duty! To receive such a pinnacle formation completely gratis is truly an immense blessing for us."
"Hall Master Yaoguang, are you all right? Do you need to recuperate?"
"No words of thanks are necessary. You bore an immense amount of Zixiao Divine Lightning just now; it would be best for you to recuperate first. Moreover, this experience will aid you in undergoing further lightning tribulations and tempering your body with lightning in the days to come."
"Indeed. When we channeled our Origin Spirit power into you and your Origin Spirit underwent the tempering of Zixiao Divine Lightning, we gained profound insights of our own. If we experience this a few more times, we might even dare to draw down more Zixiao Divine Lightning to temper our own Origin Spirits! For that alone, Hall Master Yaoguang's help to us is simply immeasurable."
Hearing everyone describe their state under Heavenly Dao Alone, Yaoguang was somewhat surprised, yet found it entirely reasonable upon further thought.
Heavenly Dao Formless and Heavenly Dao Alone were the core direct transmissions of the Heavenly Dao Sect.
Their function went far beyond merely concentrating the power of multiple Origin Spirits.
The true profundity of this secret art lay in stacking all their Origin Spirit powers together, allowing everyone to tangibly experience a higher Origin Spirit realm and cultivation as though it were their own.
"You may as well practice this secret art more often in the coming days," Yaoguang said. "Whenever someone needs to draw down Zixiao Divine Lightning for tempering, the others can share in the experience. After going through it several times, you will naturally become proficient, which will also do much to bolster everyone's divine mind."
Murong Tianguang nodded. "That is why I said earlier that gaining such a pinnacle formation for nothing is truly an immense blessing for Origin Spirit cultivators like us."
"Familiarize yourselves thoroughly with it first. Once you have fully mastered it, feel free to teach it to other Origin Spirit cultivators to aid them through their Blazing Sun Heavenly Lightning and Zixiao Divine Lightning," Yaoguang said.
At those words, Murong Tianguang froze in surprise, his eyes widening. "Does Hall Master Yaoguang mean... this pinnacle formation... can be taught to people outside of our twenty-three?"
"It can," Yaoguang replied.
A moment later, however, another thought struck him: "But before it is passed on to anyone, you must inform me first."
He had to observe them discreetly to ensure they were trustworthy.
"As it should be," Murong Tianguang said solemnly. "I shall report this matter to the Sect Master at once... Hall Master Yaoguang, the value of this formation of yours is scarcely inferior to that of the upgraded Spirit Gathering Formation."
"Think of it as a small contribution of mine to the sect," Yaoguang said.
Murong Tianguang nodded, committing the matter to memory.
With that, Yaoguang exchanged pleasantries with each of the twenty-three Origin Spirit cultivators and returned to his quarters.
Having gained their own insights from channeling their Origin Spirit power to experience Yaoguang's ascension through the Zixiao Divine Lightning, the twenty-three cultivators also dispersed to their respective residences for secluded cultivation.
Moreover, every Origin Spirit cultivator who had crossed the Zixiao Divine Lightning was a prominent figure overseeing a major region, burdened with countless affairs of all sizes. They naturally could not linger at the Third Sky-Patrol Research Institute for long.
Before long, the bustling Third Institute quieted down.
***
"How did it go?"
In the Virtual Spirit Realm, Li Qingshan inquired with evident anticipation.
"A success," Yaoguang said with a faint smile.
Regarding things that were already obvious to them, he no longer kept up any pretense of secrecy.
"Good! Good! Excellent!"
Li Qingshan's eyes beamed with joy. "To think... who could have imagined! Who could have imagined that our Nine Cauldrons Sect would also have a Dharma Idol cultivator... becoming the fourth power in this world to possess a Dharma Idol! This is truly wonderful!"
"How is the Zhenren doing?" Yaoguang asked instead.
During the late stage of crossing the Zixiao Lightning Tribulation, he had practically touched upon the chaotic void, and had naturally sensed the clash that had erupted within that domain.
"Martial Uncle..." Hearing Yaoguang mention Li Hanqiu, the joy on Li Qingshan's face faded slightly.
Before he could finish, however, Li Hanqiu materialized in the Virtual Spirit Realm, beaming with smiles. "I am fine—better than ever! Witnessing the birth of a Dharma Idol in our Nine Cauldrons Sect with my own eyes is quite simply the happiest moment I have experienced in all these years!"
Yaoguang glanced at the Golden Core Zhenren and pondered briefly, deciding against uttering empty platitudes.
His next branch was the lineage of [Qi Path]. Once he raised its level, he would inevitably obtain the orthodox method for achieving the Golden Core. When that time came, it would not be too late to see if he could help Li Hanqiu stabilize his Golden Core condition.
"I believe the Nine Cauldrons Sect's situation will only continue to improve," Yaoguang said. "In another ten to twenty years... even vying for the position of hegemon against the Myriad Beasts Sect, the Immortal Alliance, and the Wuji Astral Palace will not be an extravagant dream."
"That, we believe as well," Li Hanqiu gave a slight nod.
Looking at Yaoguang, he added, "Cultivate diligently. If there is anything you require, do not hesitate to ask us."
"I understand," Yaoguang nodded. "For what comes next, I will need a batch of pills for qi refining."
Then he added, "Whatever it costs, spare no expense. There is no need to stand on ceremony with me."
"Of course we won't stand on ceremony with you," Li Qingshan chuckled. "You are the wealthiest person in our Nine Cauldrons Sect; to say your fortune rivals that of the entire sect would hardly be an exaggeration."
"Do you intend to cultivate all three paths concurrently?" Li Hanqiu asked.
"Yes!" Yaoguang nodded. "Cultivating all three paths is indeed the only true future. If one cultivates only a single path, the higher one climbs, the smaller the room for advancement becomes."
At this, he paused before continuing, "In fact, I personally believe it is best to cultivate all three paths as early as the Great Cultivator stage, laying a true foundation in this realm known as 'Foundation Establishment' for future Golden Core achievement."
"Laying a firm foundation at the 'Foundation Establishment' stage..." Li Hanqiu sighed with emotion. "We also know how vital it is to build a solid foundation at that stage, but... far too few people possess the talent for multi-path cultivation."
"It is likely that development has simply not reached the requisite stage," Yaoguang remarked, thinking of that rare treasure of heaven and earth—the Heavenly Spirit Root.
Since such a treasure existed, it proved that under specific environments, these spiritual items could be cultivated.
It was even possible to refine such treasures of heaven and earth into pills.
It was just that the Cangwu Great World's development... was deeply distorted.
Before the Moon Demon Empire invaded, the strongest beings in the Cangwu Great World were at the Nascent Soul realm, yet their combat prowess was inferior even to present-day Golden Core cultivators.
And had they not pursued the Golden Core path of chasing extreme combat prowess, the Cangwu Great World truly would not have reached a point where cultivating all three paths concurrently was an absolute necessity.
One could only say that the Moon Demon Empire's invasion accelerated advancement in raw combat power, leaving other fields lagging behind, which had resulted in this glaring imbalance.
"Your pills will be delivered shortly," Li Qingshan said, glancing at Yaoguang. "You are currently in a period of rapid advancement in your cultivation. If necessary... you can put affairs at the Third Sky-Patrol Institute on hold."
"No matter, I have time," Yaoguang replied. Then something occurred to him, and he added, "Speaking of sky-patrol warships, after more than a year of research, we have completed the design for our first sky-patrol warship. In every metric of performance, it reaches the standards of a third-generation sky-patrol warship! However, because time was tight, the cost will be rather high. Still, as long as I can personally oversee the construction of such a warship, I expect many technologies that currently exist only in theory can be optimized and realized."
"The sky-patrol warship is already designed?! And... it reaches the level of a third-generation sky-patrol warship?!" Li Qingshan was incredulous.
"Hahaha! Never underestimate the efficiency of a Dharma Idol," Li Hanqiu laughed. "If we're going to build it, then by all means build it. What is the estimate?"
"Roughly thirty million spirit stones," Yaoguang said.
Instantly, the smile on Li Hanqiu's face stiffened slightly.
Thirty million?!
Never mind that the Nine Cauldrons Sect's annual spirit stone production had now exceeded one hundred million; thirty million... was still an astronomical figure.
After all, far too many areas demanded spirit stone expenditure.
"I can front the funds for now," Yaoguang said. "Once the sect has surplus funds, you can reimburse me."
Li Hanqiu and Li Qingshan exchanged a look.
This... was indeed a way.
Neither doubted that Yaoguang had thirty million spirit stones at his disposal.
"Then we shall have to rely on you to front the cost for now."
"The sect owes you yet another favor," the two remarked.
"We are all members of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, why draw such sharp lines?" Yaoguang said. "If you truly feel uneasy about it, just help promote the external sales of the Zixiao-13. The more of those flying swords we sell, the more extra revenue the sect will earn as well, right?"
"We were only worried you might spread yourself too thin," Li Qingshan said.
"Instruction on upgrading the Spirit Gathering Formations is practically complete. In a few months at most, Hall Master Gao Shenghan and the others will finish their training, and I will be able to lay aside my duties on that end. Then I can concentrate on producing Zixiao flying swords for external sale and building the sky-patrol warship," Yaoguang said.
The two nodded.
After discussing a few more details, Yaoguang withdrew from the Virtual Spirit Realm.
Over the following month, he focused his energies on consolidating his Dharma Idol realm.
With each passing day, he seemed to discover entirely new applications of the Dharma Idol.
Considering that he was bound to clash with the Dharma Idol cultivators of the Wuji Astral Palace, the Myriad Beasts Sect, and the Immortal Alliance before long, he selected two additional secret arts alongside Heavenly Dao Formless and Heavenly Dao Alone: Firmament Piercer and Mountain and River Suppressor.
One for offense, one for defense.
Furthermore, when cultivated to their ultimate extremes, the former could tear apart the grotto-heavens formed by True Spirits, while the latter possessed the wondrous ability to suppress grotto-heavens.
They were two secret arts that would remain remarkably potent even upon reaching the Void Piercing Realm.
He studied and adapted to these two secret arts, while his divine mind continually roved through the Virtual Spirit Realm.
He even... felt his way to the outer periphery of the Virtual Spirit Realms opened by the Dharma Idol cultivators of the Myriad Beasts Sect, the Immortal Alliance, and the Wuji Astral Palace.
Relying on the subtlety of the Heavenly Dao Formless secret art, the Dharma Idol cultivators of the three immortal sects failed to detect Yaoguang in the slightest.
Moreover, after making a circuit through their Virtual Spirit Realms and observing carefully, Yaoguang was certain that if he wished, he could use the Firmament Piercer secret art to collapse their Virtual Spirit Realms in an extremely short span of time.
*I knew it. Once I achieved the Dharma Idol, I would be the foremost Dharma Idol of the Cangwu Great World... And now, it seems... that is truly the case,* Yaoguang reflected.
*We are all Dharma Idols... yet the gap between my Dharma Idol and those of the three sects... feels almost like a generational divide.*
However, although he had the power to destroy the Virtual Spirit Realms forged by the Dharma Idols of the three sects, he obviously could not do so.
Li Hanqiu alone could not withstand the combined wrath of all the Golden Core cultivators of the Myriad Beasts Sect, the Immortal Alliance, and the Wuji Astral Palace.
After merely observing for a time, Yaoguang withdrew.
And as he grew accustomed to the various powers of the Dharma Idol realm, a new branch upon the ancient tree finally grew forth.
Unsurprisingly, it was none other than the path of qi refining.
Chapter 217