As time wore on, the vast spiritual energy of the Five Elements swirling around gathered ceaselessly, continuously transforming the True Qi of Water and Fire into Yin and Yang. The nine Spirit Veins integrated into his body also began to change under the impact of the essence contained within the Dark Demon Relic. This process lasted a full day, concluding precisely at the midnight hour of the second day. The internal breath flowing through Zong Shou's circulation wheels had completely converted to the dichotomy of black and white.

Zong Shou had long intended to convert his cultivation technique ever since he completed his deductions within the Star Gazing Tower. However, he had been continuously occupied until this moment. By leveraging the power of the Dark Demon Relic, a process that would ordinarily require several tens of days, if not months, was accomplished in just twelve hours.

However, the wisps of demonic thoughts seeping in also accumulated within him. Zong Shou’s expression gradually grew ferocious, and all the malice in his heart was infinitely magnified. His eyes turned blood-red, his entire body became covered in skin that resembled layers of black scales, and black miasma coiled around him.

Just as Zong Yuan and Ruo Shui nearby stood utterly dumbfounded, completely unaware of what was happening and deeply worried, Zong Shou, internally, detonated the eighteen Shocking Cloud Divine Destruction Sword Seeds within his Dantian.

In an instant, countless formidable sword intents were stimulated, scattering and surging through the nine circulation wheels. They pulverized every bit of the demonic energy and malignant thoughts that had invaded his body! Zong Shou endured the agonizing pain, and within just a few cycles, these demonic thoughts were completely eradicated. Not only did the changes in his skin halt and reverse, but his expression also gradually returned to serenity.

Yet, the sword intents continued to rampage through his body. Even after shattering the demonic thoughts, a portion of that energy remained. Having lost its target, it had begun to damage the inner walls of his circulation wheels. Zong Shou paused for a moment, intending to release this residual sword intent outside his body.

But the instant this thought arose, he felt a sudden, vast surge of vital essence erupting from between his eyebrows, crashing down through the acupoints and rapidly suffusing his entire body.

“This is… the Cauldron Dao Embryo?”

Zong Shou started, realizing that Zhao Yanran had most likely broken through to the Seventh Rank. The Dao Embryo this woman had implanted in him had accumulated an immense amount of innate vital energy over the past two years. Its counter-feeding now was torrential and seemingly endless. Furthermore, those wisps of insight regarding the heavens and earth, and the myriad Great Daos of Runes, suddenly surfaced in his mind. He was already aware of most of it, but there were parts he had not mastered.

A sharp glint flashed in Zong Shou’s eyes, followed by a faint, knowing chuckle in his heart. “What opportune timing! If so, so be it! To refuse a gift from Heaven is to invite censure. Let us see if I, Zong Shou, can blast open this Heavenly Gate now?”

Bearing the barrier between Man and Heaven, Zong Shou not only found his Earthly Gate incredibly solid—ten times stronger than a normal person’s—but his Heavenly Gate above his head was similarly fortified. Although not yet a true ‘barrier,’ it was still exceedingly difficult to breach.

At this moment, Zong Shou used the dispersed Shocking Cloud Divine Destruction Sword Intent as the vanguard, striking first. In an instant, countless scattered sword intents exploded, piercing the ‘Heavenly Gate’ with a thousand rents. Then, behind this ‘Heavenly Gate,’ he saw another sealing talisman, the character ‘Seal.’

Zong Shou paused, then let out another cold laugh. The vast vital essence spewed forth by the Dao Embryo followed immediately, striking forward. It once again took the form of a sword, thoroughly obliterating the ‘Seal’ character with irresistible force.

When the ‘Heavenly Gate’ was completely cleared, Zong Shou could finally perceive the massive Spirit Veins distributed across the sky, and the vast, flowing spiritual energy in the starry expanse. Previously, he could only draw power from the earth; now, he could borrow the strength of the entire world.

Zong Shou felt a moment of blankness—was this the sensation of a Heavenly Master martial artist, a feeling he had been divorced from for several years? Stepping through this threshold meant truly standing at the doorstep of the Heavenly Realm. Since condensing his Dharma Aspect and his soul power reaching the Seventh Rank, he could indeed sense the Heavenly Veins and the starry sky. Sensing it remotely with his spirit body was actually clearer, yet Zong Shou always felt it was inferior to his previous existence as a Heavenly Master martial artist.

He then took a deep breath, calming his heart and quietly experiencing everything. He knew that every time a realm was broken through, it was the moment of greatest synchronicity with heaven and earth, the most likely time for enlightenment. After a moment, the still-gushing vital essence suddenly sank into his Sea of Qi. It gradually gathered, and just as a single breath-sword was about to be fully condensed, it suddenly split into two—one black and one white—circling within his energy channels. Faintly, they carried a trace of Primordial Chaos essence.

“As expected! This is how solitary Yin cannot flourish, and solitary Yang cannot live, is it not?”

With a self-deprecating smile, Zong Shou ceased paying attention to it and instead focused on his spirit and soul, meditating quietly for a moment before moving again. As the thought arose, dozens of brand-new runes swiftly converged. Among the Heavenly Runes, the runes for Thunder, Fire, and Water began to change. Their physical size hadn't increased much, but they were now imbued with countless strands of spiritual light. Instantly, countless filaments extended outward. Though they hadn't formed the core of a rune array, they were noticeably superior to other spirit restrictions within the True Runes. The moment these three Heavenly Runes were completed, the black and white orbs in his Dantian visibly swelled with a mischievous energy.

For the Fire and Thunder runes, he already possessed the Burning Sky Blood and the Thunder Phoenix Mark, making him inherently skilled. The breakthrough, in theory, was just aggregation. However, fearing another internal imbalance, he had delayed. This marvelous enlightenment fed back by Zhao Yanran allowed him to instantly complete the aggregation of the Water rune Heavenly Rune.

His soul thought surged violently, expanding frantically. His spiritual consciousness spread far wider, extending outward. Zong Shou enjoyed the sensation while continuing to observe his body’s primordial soul internally.

“The Heaven and Earth runes have now merged into one, forming the character ‘Cosmos.’ With the gap of one rune among the eighteen, I can incorporate the ‘Netherworld’ rune—”

He tentatively reached out his spiritual sense to probe the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth, then frowned again. The true final obstacle of the Man-Heaven Barrier lay in the portion breaking through the Immortal Path Gate—his ‘Heavenly Obstruction.’ This was several times more difficult than the Earthly Gate and could not be compared to the Heavenly Gate.

With a long sigh, Zong Shou returned to alertness. Beside him, Zong Yuan, Ruo Shui, and Fei Han all wore expressions of joy. Ye Feishuang, however, looked exceptionally complex. “Congratulations, Your Highness! The Heavenly Gate is open. From this point on, both Spiritual Law and Martial Dao cultivation will be unimpeded—”

Having reached this stage, his soul power had evolved from Yin to Yang, and his internal breath from extreme Yang to Yin. Although conflict remained, it was far less severe than before. The speed of dual cultivation in Spiritual Law and Martial Dao could now increase severalfold!

Zong Shou smiled noncommittally. A moment later, a cold glint reappeared in his eyes.

“They have arrived!”

From afar, he sensed over twenty powerful auras rapidly approaching. Among the three Ninth Rank experts, only two remained. One of them was Luo Ming. Furthermore, the contingent of Primitive Demon Sect experts had also diminished by a third of its number.

Zong Shou started, then dismissed it. His spiritual sense retracted like a tide, preventing the approaching parties from sensing him. His thoughts returned to perfect stillness, sitting on the dharma altar like deadwood. For this battle, he only needed Luo Ming present!

Six thousand li east of Cloud Saint City, deep within the sea of clouds, in the depths of a cavern.

The white-haired elder seated in the main position let out a soft sigh. “Gentlemen! I have not involved myself in worldly affairs for many years. Though I am already a Spirit Martial Venerable, I know that in the eyes of true powerhouses across myriad worlds, I am but an ant. I wish only to cultivate martial arts intently. Must you two involve this old one in this matter?”

Before the elder stood two men whose demeanor was entirely composed. If Zong Shou were present, he would instantly recognize one of them as Long Ruo. However, the one speaking was the other, Ling Weizi, former head of the Pill Spirit Mountain.

“Brother Xue Yun, why speak thus? This matter is intimately related to the cultivation world of Eastern Lin. Brother Xue Yun is a renowned itinerant cultivator of Eastern Lin, and you and my Ling Yun Sect have been allies for years. How can you stand aside at this juncture? If Qiantian Mountain were allowed to unify Eastern Lin, I suspect none of us would fare well. My Ling Yun Sect approaches you only due to a shortage of personnel. I know Brother Xue Yun has close ties with the cities in Northeastern Eastern Lin. Even if you refuse to fight, at least—”

Ling Xue Yun let out a cold laugh, almost spitting out a taunt. The implication was that he had benefited from the patronage of the Ling Yun Sect and must contribute now. After a moment, he swallowed it down.

“The Demon King of Qiantian Mountain is the disciple of Dragon Shadow. How do you Eastern Lin sects plan to deal with this person?”

The Ling Yun Sect did not fear Qiantian Demon King’s retribution afterward, but Ling Xue Yun did. Without Qiantian Mountain’s Zong Shou, the current Zong Shou would be even more terrifying.

“The battlefield is ruthless; what else can be done?” Ling Weizi chuckled lightly, his gaze flickering. “As a precaution, my Ling Yun Sect will pay a heavy price to invite Yuan Wushang to act. This man loves swords, his actions are merciless, sharing the temperament of Jueyu but being even more ruthless. Can Brother Xue Yun rest assured?”

“Your Ling Yun Sect has found Yuan Wushang’s whereabouts?” Ling Xue Yun’s eyes narrowed, and he pressed eagerly. But this time, Ling Weizi merely smiled without answering. After a slight contemplation, Ling Xue Yun’s expression returned to indifference.

“Please allow Ling Xue Yun to consider this a little longer—”

Ling Weizi seemed to realize he could not push too hard. With a confident smile, he and Long Ruo rose to take their leave.

Not long after the two departed, Ling Xue Yun waved his wide sleeve, and a figure emerged from behind the cavern, bearing an elegant and noble air.

“City Lord Xu Zhengyuan, you have seen the situation! It is not that I refuse, but the Ling Yun Sect will give Zong Shou no quarter. I truly see no possibility of his victory—”

The person was none other than Xu Zhengyuan, who smiled faintly. “That may not be so! Why doesn't Master Ling wait until after meeting my Sovereign before making a final decision?”

Ling Xue Yun let out a cold laugh and shook his head slightly. “I will treat today’s discussion as if it never happened. When you return, do not harbor any undue intentions. If you provoke the Ling Yun Sect, even I cannot save you. The Ling Yun Sect is an ancient, major power; its strength far exceeds your imagination!”

He was growing impatient; Xu Zhengyuan was essentially dragging him into a pit of fire. While the Ling Yun Sect had caused dissatisfaction in recent years, risking one’s life was unnecessary.

As he was thinking this, an almost imperceptible fluctuation of spiritual energy drifted from afar. Ling Xue Yun started; he recognized the direction—it was a small island three thousand li to the east.