Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 449 - 45: Illusion Realm, Breakthrough, Rewards! (5K)_3

Chapter 449: Chapter 45: Illusion Realm, Breakthrough, Rewards! (5K)_3

Jingxin Eighteenth Year, Spring.

Emperor Jing did not conduct the periodic imperial favor again, contrary to Zhao Xing’s expectations.

Yet, Zhao Xing still returned to the Ten Suns Cave Heaven Station to rest and anticipate the upcoming ’Cave Heaven Spiritual Revival.’

However, by the time June of the Jingxin Eighteenth Year arrived, the ’Cave Heaven Spiritual Revival’ still did not occur.

After leaving in June, he once again went to the battlefield to fight.

But in October of the Jingxin Eighteenth Year, the ’Ten Days In The Sky’ disaster struck, and Chen Shijie and Long Xiao Tian Shan both perished in this calamity.

By the time Zhao Xing rushed back, the Grotto Heaven had already closed, and upon receiving the news of Old Chen and Long Xiao’s deaths, his head began to hurt.

....

Jingxin Nineteenth Year, Ten Thousand Skill Palace.

Pain, unbearable pain. Zhao Xing’s headache was splitting, and he did not know when he had begun to suffer from this ailment.

He sought many military doctors for a diagnosis, but they could never identify a specific cause, simply suggesting he was overwrought with worry and needed more rest.

In his mind seemed to be multiple images, causing his head to throb fiercely. To alleviate the pain, Zhao Xing came to the Ten Thousand Skill Palace, seeking Liu Tianning’s guidance in cultivating the Ten Thousand Skill Grass Man.

During the cultivation of the Ten Thousand Skill Grass Man, Zhao Xing’s headache somewhat eased.

And so he cultivated until the Jingxin Nineteenth Year.

It was then that he finally withstood the nebulous interference and focused his thoughts.

At the same time, the first Self Grassman appeared before Zhao Xing.

Seeing this, Liu Tianning approached Zhao Xing, looking at him, "You seem to have realized something."

Zhao Xing nodded, "Yes, I’ve finally figured it out."

Liu Tianning asked, "What have you figured out?"

Zhao Xing pointed to his head, "The military doctors were right, I really don’t have a sickness. My inability to focus is caused by my own power attacking myself."

"What is it?"

"Fear."

Zhao Xing looked at the ’Ten Thousand Skill Grass Man’ before him, his expression tense and his eyes filled with fear.

At that moment, it could be said to be a ’Fear Grassman.’

"The fear of the unknown, the fear of the future, the fear of losing prescience."

Liu Tianning looked at Zhao Xing in surprise, "What are you talking about?"

Zhao Xing did not answer, muttering to himself, "If I were without these advantages, I would fear the vast unknown ahead, and then I truly wouldn’t deserve immortality."

"You’re mad," Liu Tianning said, "Immortality, the future, what are you talking about?"

Zhao Xing formed a sword with his fingers and sliced at the Self Grassman before him.

"Thump~" The Fear Grassman, Zhao Xing, fell over.

"No matter how the future changes, one must press on with courage. My conviction in pursuing immortality remains unshaken!"

His voice boomed like thunder, echoing through heaven and earth. The voice grew louder and louder until everything before his eyes shattered.

Zhao Xing looked at the steps before him and realized he was still on the Heart Inquiry Platform within Dream Palace.

"So it is," Zhao Xing said reflectively. Unknowingly, he had already reached the twentieth step.

And he had randomly entered the ’Fear Barrier’ of the Heart Inquiry Platform.

"Amplifying the subtle fears within my heart, layer by layer, it created a complete Illusion Realm."

"Trapped in the realm of fear, unable to break through the inner fears, one would forever be lost in the illusion."

In the Illusion Realm, he lost his panel, his prescient knowledge of the future.

But in the end, Zhao Xing broke through the bonds of fear in his heart, affirmed his convictions, and successfully escaped the illusion.

[Disciple Zhao Xing, with unwavering will, has passed the ’Fear Barrier,’ awarded one ’Life Soul Pill.’]

...

Two kilometers underground, within a cave enclosed by an octagonal cage in the Earth Palace.

Zhao Xing opened his eyes.

In his arms lay four elixirs.

Three of them were merely Fourth-tier Supreme Earth Evil Pills, which he put away casually.

The other one, however, was emitting a faint golden light.

As Zhao Xing looked at it, a longing surged from the depths of his soul, utterly irrepressible.

"A Life Soul Pill? The rewards from the Heart Inquiry Platform are truly generous," Zhao Xing couldn’t help but exclaim.

Tao Embryo Pills and Life Soul Pills are ’marvels’ without a graded tier, because they are rarely successfully refined, and their effects are not immediately apparent and vary from person to person.

If Zhao Xing had to estimate, he would consider both the Tao Embryo Pill and the Life Soul Pill to be of the Sixth-tier Supreme quality.

Because in his past life, they were sold at prices comparable to Sixth-tier Supreme or Seventh-tier Lower-grade elixirs.

"The life soul resides in the body, and the soul is restricted by the physical body; often, the realm of the life soul lags behind the body’s realm."

"But the Life Soul Pill can nourish one’s life soul, and even allow it to surpass the realm of the physical body," Zhao Xing mused.

He was currently at the Seventh Grade Perfection realm, but his life soul was at the Early Seventh Rank.

"According to the Great Dream Spring and Autumn, in the ancient method of the Earthly Evil Realm, apart from infusing the evil into one’s body, there should also be a step of infusing the evil into one’s soul."

"The same goes for the Heavenly Gang Realm: Refining Gang into the body, Refining Gang into the soul."

"The realm of the life soul, like that of the physical body, is truly complete only when it’s at the same level."

"With a mere gesture, one would carry the true aura of the strong, a shout could scare away malevolent spirits."

"There are so many benefits to enhancing the life soul," Zhao Xing said joyfully, immediately swallowing the elixir.

After swallowing it, there was no sensation, as if he had eaten air.

However, a thread of golden light spread throughout his body, wrapping every inch of his skin.

Zhao Xing felt himself become more spirited, a warm sensation filled his whole body.

Many insights into the Dao emerged in his mind.

The moment he ingested it, his high-level spell [Wind of Shadowy Evil] broke through and reached the High-level Fifth Transition.

Then, another one of his spells broke through to high-level.

It was the [Sleeping Bug] spell from the Great Dream Spring and Autumn.

The Sleeping Bug Spell is used to capture parasites within the life soul.

A powerful life soul naturally grasps the Dao faster and has a deeper understanding of soul-based spells.

Reaching high-level, the range of [Sleeping Bug]’s capture ability significantly increased; what previously required close-range casting could now capture and release across several kilometers!

Zhao Xing’s life soul realm began to change rapidly.

From Early Seventh Rank, it climbed to Mid Seventh Grade, Late Stage Seventh Grade, and then Seventh Grade Perfection.

Two hours later, as the golden light receded,

A captivating brilliance burst forth from Zhao Xing’s eyes.

He looked at his panel.

The panel now showed his life soul realm as: Early sixth grade!

"The realm of the life soul has surpassed the physical body’s realm, reaching the sixth grade!"

"Moreover, after reaching the sixth grade, another one of my spells has broken through."

With a life soul at the sixth grade, he had stepped into the second realm of cultivation, leaving behind the lower realms of seventh, eighth, and ninth grades.

The life soul is the divine thought of a person; stepping into the sixth grade, Zhao Xing’s Bright Eyes Technique made a breakthrough.

The [Inspection] skill that was previously displayed on the panel disappeared.

In its place was the high-level [Heavenly Eye Skill].