Unlike the rough sense of qi he could only perceive with his body several days ago, no matter how deeply he probed inward.

When Zong Shou looked inward again, he was able to perceive with absolute clarity those ceaseless rivers of qi meridians, and the interlocking, vast, yet subtly aligned with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth—the Chakras.

And as the intense pain gradually receded, a surge of warmth rose from within his chest and abdomen.

This was the convergence point of all spiritual energy, true essence, and internal breath—the very source of all ‘qi’! Furthermore, it was the starting point of the nine body chakras, the sole vital acupoint capable of direct contact with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth before the body wheel was broken!

Not long ago, though Zong Shou could probe this area using special techniques, he could not sense it accurately in the slightest.

The spiritual energy painstakingly guided inward could not be stored within. Even if forcibly injected, it would only dissipate slowly.

At this moment, in Zong Shou’s spiritual awareness, he saw a white mass of qi suddenly appear below his abdomen.

If he delved deeper, a white sea of mist unfolded before his eyes. Wisps of fluidic qi flowed within it. At first glance, the color was pure white, but upon closer inspection, he could see tiny specks of grayish-blue interspersed within.

This was the residual refined essence he had purified from the medicinal essence of the Five-Part Blood Strengthening Decoction using the Devouring Origin Technique. With only a minor transformation, it could be converted into internal qi.

The stored quantity, compared to when he reigned supreme in the Cloud Realm in his previous life, was naturally negligible, like the difference between a puddle and the sea. Nevertheless, it instantly caused Zong Shou’s chest and spirit to feel cleared, all oppression vanished.

“The opening of the Sea of Qi marks the beginning of the wheel and meridian path—”

In his past life, Zong Shou had created countless characters in the game to study the profound mysteries of the meridians and acupoints. Utilizing the complete fidelity of the fully immersive virtual reality, he tested his novel ideas, verifying the so-called ‘self-created’ martial arts he had haphazardly pieced together from whimsical concepts.

And this Sea of Qi, naturally, had been opened by him countless times before.

However, in this reality, this was his first time, and the sensation was entirely different. It wasn't a character in a game; it was a power truly and inherently his own.

This was the origin of all meridians; only after its opening could one truly step onto the threshold of a martial practitioner, gaining the qualification to cultivate myriad martial arts.

“However, although this Heaven-Swallowing Origin Transformation Method is miraculous, the refined essence swallowed still contains impurities, no matter how much it is purified. Just as I predicted—”

Recalling the differently colored motes of dust within the white qi mass, the joy in Zong Shou’s heart slightly receded, replaced by solemnity.

Those impurities were not very noticeable right now. But if ignored, once his cultivation reached the level required to break open the body meridians, and the accumulation reached a certain volume, they could prove fatal.

Of course, there was no immediate worry. Having absorbed the strengths of dozens of top-tier martial arts, the refined Heaven-Swallowing Origin Transformation Scripture had proven somewhat effective. Coupled with his self-created guidance technique, he could completely purify it within ten days.

Still, he needed to remain careful in the future.

He tentatively used the inner sight technique to examine his own wheel and meridian system. He found that the dozens of meridians and acupoints connected to the Sea of Qi were indeed dual-tracked. They were intertwined like a twisted rope, mutually repelling yet significantly connected.

Zong Shou smiled wryly, paying no more attention to his internal condition, and turned to sense the outside world.

Before the Sea of Qi opened, he could barely detect the spiritual energy permeating the world.

Only now could he use his own minuscule qi to probe the surroundings within an inch.

However, the next moment, Zong Shou’s expression froze violently once more. His brow furrowed again.

“Why is the spiritual energy here so sparse too?”

Calculating the spiritual energy concentration within the inch surrounding him, it was naturally far stronger than in his future era.

But compared to the vast, abundant spiritual energy conjured within the Divine Emperor game, it was incomparable.

“Which era is this truly? Thirteen thousand years ago?”

Staring blankly around him, Zong Shou felt a regret more profound than ever before.

In the Divine Emperor World, top Spirit Masters and Martial Cultivators possessed the ability of body possession (Duo She). He had always been wary of this, which was why he dared not directly question Yin Yang Chuxue. In recent days, he could only probe indirectly.

Yet now, he desperately needed to understand his current situation, the state of the Cloud Realm, and the era he inhabited.

The legendary era, the end of the Primordial Age when mythical figures roamed, saw the complete severance of the world's spiritual veins. The legacy of Spirit Masters and Martial Cultivators was almost entirely extinguished. This was the least likely possibility.

That left only the Cloud Wilderness Era, when spiritual energy gradually revived, an era spanning over ten thousand years before the spiritual energy explosion of the Divine Emperor Century.

His thoughts whirled, a chaotic mess, as Zong Shou sat stunned in the tub. It was only when the demonic water in the tub had cooled completely that he stood up with a grim expression.

Just as he finished dressing, Chuxue poked her head back through the carriage door, her face bright with joy: “Young Master, the Ancient Spirit Market has arrived—”

“Ancient Spirit Market?”

Zong Shou’s eyebrows twitched slightly, a fresh wave of emotion rising within him. He took two steps in one and hurried to the carriage window.

Looking far ahead, he clearly saw a vast marketplace spanning several li appearing in his view.

This was not the Ancient Spirit City of his memory; the imposing city walls had not yet been built. Outside, there were only low fences and earthen ramparts to guard against wild beasts.

Yet seeing this scene, Zong Shou’s spirit first relaxed, then became uncontrollably excited.

※※※※

After the carriage stopped on the outskirts of the market, Yin Yang left without a word, disappearing to an unknown location.

Zong Shou, accompanied by Suchuxue, toured the market.

At this time, the Ancient Spirit Market had nowhere near the massive scale it would later achieve, but it was already extremely prosperous. Along both sides of the streets were almost exclusively shops buying up beast hides, beast crystals, and medicinal herbs. The people walking by were all armed, carrying a fierce aura.

Its location, close to the Dragon Marsh Plain and near several clean water sources, meant this place attracted a massive confluence of Martial Practitioners and Spirit Masters. No less than a thousand people entered and exited daily.

Though this place was teeming with experts, including many vicious individuals responsible for countless deaths, one did not need to worry about their personal safety.

In the territory guarded by the foremost sect in the far east of the Cloud Realm, private fighting and killing were strictly forbidden within the market. How many people in this world dared to commit atrocities here?

This was precisely why Yin Yang felt secure letting him roam the motley crew of the Ancient Spirit Market.

Observing the passersby and the various merchants along the streets, Zong Shou became increasingly certain about the era he was currently in, and this finally put his mind at ease.

It must be somewhere between ten to fifty years before the spiritual energy explosion. Any earlier, and the Ancient Spirit Market would not have existed on the Dragon Marsh Plain. Any later, and the Ancient Spirit City would have already begun to take shape. Countless Martial Cultivators and Spirit Masters, sensing the signs of increasing spiritual energy, had converged here to temper their state of mind and their martial and spiritual techniques deep within the Dragon Marsh Plain.

With his calm temperament, his obsession with the Divine Emperor game bordered on neglecting sleep and food, primarily out of interest. The runes and the peak of martial cultivation—a height none had reached—had captivated him. In truth, he was reluctant to contend with the monstrously overpowered figures of the Divine Emperor Century within the game. As for the mythical figures of the Primordial Era, he avoided them whenever possible.

However, compared to the late Primordial Era or the post-Divine Emperor era, where spiritual energy was equally low, Zong Shou preferred this intensely bloody era of the Divine Emperor, which, despite its danger, at least allowed him to continue researching everything he yearned to know and explore the zenith of martial arts.

Moreover, in his previous life, he had countless regrets that he needed to settle one by one in this era poised for a massive surge of spiritual energy.

“Eh? Precious Weapon Hall—the Ancient Spirit Market Hall even has a branch of Precious Weapon?”

Chuxue suddenly spoke, interrupting Zong Shou’s contemplation. Following Chuxue’s gaze, he saw a weapons shop, neither large nor small, yet meticulously neat, appearing before his eyes.