Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 398: Nascent Genesis Spirit

Trailing behind, Song Bomei stole glances at the sway of her waist, the night cool but his throat parched.

Soon, they neared the gates of the Primordial Academy. Huyan Pin veered into a courtyard ablaze with light and life. She took a seat, legs crossed, on a stone bench and shot Song Bomei a look, "Fetch Song Ze."

"Yes," Song Bomei nodded, disappearing into the depths of the courtyard.

He returned with a middle-aged man in blue, who bowed deeply, "Song Ze pays respects to Miss Pin."

"Are you overseeing tomorrow's examination?" Huyan Pin's frosty demeanor carried an air of iron-clad authority.

"Just leading the team, the scoring is up to others," Song Ze replied with a respectful smile.

"That'll do," Huyan Pin said, her gaze briefly meeting Song Bomei's.

"Rest assured, Miss Pin, Song Ze has been a trusted figure in Qingchuan Prefecture since childhood," Song Bomei hurriedly added.

"Good."

Despite her youth, Huyan Pin commanded respect from Song Ze, a teacher at the Primordial Academy, a testament to her esteemed status.

"Is everyone here for tomorrow's exam, aside from the lady accompanying Lian Xi?" Huyan Pin looked towards the livelier parts of the estate, where the light shone bright and the sounds of discussion and practice filled the air.

"Miss Pin," Song Ze reported with a gravity that belied the moonlit serenity, "we've gathered about 130 souls here. Ninety hail from the Primordial Ruins, while 40 have been unearthed from the lower worlds, each a record-breaking prodigy in their own right."

Huyan Pin, taken aback by the influx of new blood from the lower worlds, raised an eyebrow. "So many?" she mused, a hint of surprise in her tone.

"Indeed," Song Ze nodded, "the numbers are swelling."

"It's the decline of the Primordial Ruins, isn't it?" Huyan Pin chuckled, the sound carrying a weight that seemed to mock the situation.

"The blame lies with the Martial Emperor Clan. The Five Decays have cost us dearly," Song Ze lamented, a note of bitterness in his voice.

Song Bomei scoffed, "Stepping aboard this divine ark from the lower worlds, they rise to the heavens in one leap, basking in newfound glory, these newcomers must be thrilled." His words dripped with the disdain of a local for the newcomers.

"The fresh meat," Huyan Pin remarked coolly, "are snatching what was once ours."

Song Ze, puzzled by their tone, offered a weak smile. "But the Three True Immortals do support the Academy's initiative to infuse new blood from the lower worlds..."

"Was that in question?" Huyan Pin's eyebrow arched higher.

Song Ze paled, bowing deeply, "My mistake."

Song Bomei clapped him on the shoulder. "Ease up. Tonight, Miss Pin has a special task for you."

"I am at your command," Song Ze pledged, his seriousness undiminished.

Huyan Pin, with a sly smile, produced a transparent bottle, half-filled with clear water. "What do you see here?" she teased, her eyes narrowing with a dangerous allure.

"Water?" Song Ze ventured, uncertain.

"And what's in the water?" Huyan Pin pressed.

Peering closer, Song Ze scratched his head, chuckling sheepishly, "I can't tell, Miss Pian. It seems there's nothing in the water. Please enlighten me."

"Not seeing is to be expected," Huyan Pin said, swirling the bottle with a chilling smile. "This water teems with Life Burning Gu."

"Life Burning Gu?" Song Ze recoiled, his face tightening and eyes flickering with apprehension.

"Yes, invisible to the naked eye but immensely potent. A perfect instrument for a proxy kill," Huyan Pin whispered, her voice as cold as the moonlight.

"Sure as the moon is bright, those critters were too small to see," Song Ze mused, eyeing Huyan Pin with a mix of awe and trepidation. "What's the play?"

"Just slip it into their drinks. These 130 geniuses won't know what hit them," Huyan Pin said with a casual wave, as if discussing the weather.

"Every single one?" Song Ze's voice quivered just a tad at the thought.

"Every last one," she confirmed, her tone final.

Song Ze pursed his lips, glancing between Huyan Pin and Song Bomei. "So, come tomorrow, you'll use the Mother Gu on them, and like fire to kindling, they'll blaze up in a frenzy, mighty and wild, only to be sent off to snuff out a life?"

"You've got a sharp mind," Huyan Pin complimented, lounging back with a confidence that made the moon seem dim. "But without proof, it's just hearsay. And with them all dead, who's to argue?"

"I get it," Song Ze said, taking a deep breath. "Avenging your brother, I can respect that."

Huyan Pin shot him a glance. "So, Huyan Luo's little debacle has already spread?"

Song Ze offered a sheepish grin, caught in the gaze of both Huyan Pin and Song Bomei. "Word travels fast."

"It's no matter," Huyan Pin shrugged, unfazed. "Even if Lian Xi sniffs out my hand in her lover's downfall, without proof, it's all just wind. My brother likes to play with his food; I prefer a clean cut. The best way to handle a threat is to strike it down hard and fast, then stab it again for good measure."

"A shame about the Calamity Bone," Song Bomei gritted his teeth.

"You detest him, don't you?" Huyan Pin eyed Song Bomei, a smirk playing on her lips.

"With all my heart," he confessed.

"Good. Then you'll handle the Mother Gu tomorrow."

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In the heart of the Primordial Academy, within the Divine Dawn Pavilion, lay a spherical meditation chamber, nestled firmly on the ground, a picture of stability.

Yet, at this moment, it trembled violently, leaves cascading from above.

BOOM! The chamber, as sturdy as steel, vibrated rhythmically, faint gasps of exhaustion seeping through.

"I can't... I'm too tired," a weary voice sighed from within.

"Keep going!"

"Alright then..." Lian Xi blinked her eyes, looking pitiful as she bit her lip. Then, she picked up a battle-axe crackling with thunder and a war hammer engulfed in flames from the ground. With a hammer in one hand and an axe in the other, she continued to forge her physique with relentless determination.

Her method, the Primordial Martial Dao of physical cultivation, wasn't like the demon's method of body refinement. In truth, it was more akin to a technique that infused the physique with the essence of the dao, channeling the power of the dao through the burst of physical strength. This technique demanded an exceptional physical aptitude, typically only found in those with a Seed of Creation.

Yun Xiao watched from the sidelines, analyzing her every move. His purpose was to decipher the essence of what martial cultivation truly entailed.

"So, I could do this too!" Yun Xiao's eyes sparkled with excitement as he moved his body slightly, "With the Prison Warden's Life Sigil bolstering my physique, my martial cultivation could surpass that of an ordinary practitioner."

"Not bad for a physical fitness regimen," Blue Star commented. "With a higher quality of physical essence, even without using the Divine Desolation Physique, your close-combat sword skills would benefit."

"Then I'll need to reclaim the Seed of Creation for physical talent from the human Martial Cultivators," Yun Xiao nodded in agreement.

This wasn't a challenge for him. Scanning the vast expanse of the Primordial Ruins, every Martial Cultivator possessed, to varying degrees, the Seed of Creation within their constitution, including those from the Sky Source Ruins.

While Yun Xiao was preoccupied with observing Lian Xi, Blue Star produced quite a few Heavenly Dao Sariras.

"You're not watching my hammer and axe performance anymore?" Lian Xi approached, panting and drenched in sweat, looking utterly adorable.

"Take a break," Yun Xiao suggested.

"Okay! Now it's my turn to watch you cultivate." She smiled innocently, tossing the hammer and axe aside with a clang, then sweetly watched Yun Xiao with her cheeks propped in her hands.

Yun Xiao, with a calm mind and spirit, sat cross-legged and entered a state of cultivation.

"It's about time." Thanks to the generous supply of Genesis Spirit Essence from the Primordial Son, the mural of the Heaven Sanctuary within Yun Xiao's Dantian was now resplendent, resembling a vivid tapestry of the mortal world.

Beneath the expanse of the mural, whether it was the pristine Worldly Dao Heart or his primordial sacred power spinning like nine fierce suns, it seemed they had both reached their zenith.

"Attain the Heaven Sanctuary, birth the Genesis Spirit!"

Here, attain meant reaching the zenith.

With the Heaven Sanctuary mural complete, the Genesis Spirit was born anew.

Yun Xiao's cultivation journey had been a force of nature, breaking through obstacles with ease. At this moment, struck by an epiphany, he found the path to the Genesis Spirit Realm less daunting than expected.

As he settled into a tranquil state, radiant light from the Heaven Sanctuary converged, focusing above the Worldly Dao Heart.

A hum filled the air! From the white Worldly Dao Heart, a mist arose, mingling with the light from the Heaven Sanctuary mural.

Their union was like the harmonious blend of Yin and Yang, perfectly natural.

Soon, the mist and the light merged into one, transforming into a miniature figure seated atop the Worldly Dao Heart.

"Good heavens," Yun Xiao gasped in surprise.

The figure formed from the mist and light was none other than his own likeness. Not the Creator Immortal! Instead, it resembled the mortal Emperor vanquished by Ye Guying, a look not quite remarkable.

In the grand scheme of the Primordial Ruins, such an appearance was utterly mundane, barely standing out from a commoner.

"In the Genesis Spirit Realm, the nascent Genesis Spirit is born, seated upon the Dao Heart, where soul and dao unite, safeguarding the sanctity of one's essence and pushing the limits of cultivation..."

This was the essence and foundation of the Genesis Spirit Realm.

"So it seems, the nascent Genesis Spirit represents one's true self..."

Gazing at his past self, now part of his spiritual journey, Yun Xiao found himself at a loss for words. His heart was a tumult of emotions.

Between the ordinary and the divine, the mortal and the Creator Immortal, lay merely a shell.

"What is real, and what is an illusion?"

JustLivingJL's Thoughts

The figure formed from the mist and light was none other than his own likeness. Not the Creator Immortal! Instead, it resembled the mortal Emperor vanquished by Ye Guying, a look not quite remarkable.