Shi Yi's soothing words worked like a calming anchor, steadying Qin Yining's chaotic thoughts and gradually stabilizing her emotions.
As a widow, Qin Yining was in desperate need of someone to rely on.
To be precise, she craved a man to take the lead. Left to herself, she was like a headless fly, directionless.
"Yi'er, you're all I have left. Please don't vanish overnight too."
Qin Yining bit her lip, her slender, pale arms clinging tightly to Shi Yi. Ignoring his squirming, she pressed him firmly into her ample embrace.
Since Shi Ziling's departure, she'd been searching for someone to rely on. And at that moment, Shi Yi had returned, becoming the true head of the Martial King's Manor.
She'd assumed this long-estranged nephew, grown distant over time, would share his mother Yuyue Xian's disdain—labeling Shi Hao a calamity star and viewing her as a burden, casting out their mother-son pair.
But he hadn't. Instead, he'd stood up for them, giving her and Shi Hao a home to stay. She no longer feared being displaced or forced to return to the Immortal Mountain, begging for their mercy.
"Aunt, rest assured, I won't disappear suddenly."
Shi Yi struggled to breathe, wanting to push Qin Yining away but hesitating, wary of triggering her fragile emotions. His hands hovered uncertainly before settling awkwardly on her shoulders.
Smooth as silk.
That was Shi Yi's first fleeting thought, but he had no time for distractions. His focus was on calming his aunt before checking his own condition.
Just moments ago, he'd realized he'd broken through to the Spirit Transformation Realm. Despite achieving this in the virtual Void God Realm, his real-world body had somehow synchronized the breakthrough.
Something was off. If the Void God Realm could sync cultivation levels, it would be the ultimate training ground. Why would anyone risk their lives chasing opportunities elsewhere?
Yet, as impossible as it seemed, it had happened to him.
Truthfully, Shi Yi hadn't noticed the change at first.
Fresh from the Void God Realm's Second Domain, his mind had been on confronting Liu Shen about his doubts, not on sensing his body's transformation.
After all, he'd already broken through to the Spirit Transformation Realm in the Void God Realm, completing the transformation of his Heavenly Passages. He hadn't realized his real-world body had mirrored the feat.
Realm synchronization!
Shi Yi understood what this meant. If syncing realms was truly possible, he could break through in the Void God Realm first, then replicate it in reality.
It also implied endless trial-and-error opportunities.
But why him alone?
Why not others?
Shi Yi didn't know the answer, but he suspected it was tied to the Scripture of Salvation and the other twelve Taoist scriptures, whose true essence had yet to reveal itself.
Everything felt natural, as if destined.
The Dao follows nature.
Go with the flow.
"Yi'er…"
Qin Yining held Shi Yi, feeling an immense sense of security. She saw him as her pillar, the only one left in the family.
Especially after overhearing in the Martial King's Manor garden that Shi Yi fancied an older woman, she'd instinctively projected herself into that role.
"Aunt, how long has Little Brother been gone?"
"Nearly ten days."
"That long?"
"Hao'er said he was going to train and asked me not to disturb him. If I hadn't been worried…"
-
"Qin Yining, you shameless woman, seducing your own nephew!"
"Mother, you're awake?"
Say what you will—women were trouble.
Qin Yining was more trouble.
Yuyue Xian was the most trouble.
As Shi Yi calmed Qin Yining, Yuyue Xian woke up—heaven knows how—and it took monumental effort to placate these two problematic women.
One was his birth mother, bound by blood.
The other was his aunt, bound by marriage, not blood.
By his nature, Shi Yi should've sided unconditionally with Yuyue Xian, not defending Qin Yining, a relative without blood ties.
But for Shi Hao's sake, who'd entrusted his mother to Shi Yi, he couldn't let her be driven out.
What if Shi Hao returned?
How would Shi Yi explain it?
Fortunately, in the Martial King's Manor—and in Yuyue Xian's heart—Shi Yi held significant sway. Though she resented Qin Yining's presence, she didn't want to upset her son over this woman.
Half a day later, after sorting out the mess between Yuyue Xian and Qin Yining, Shi Yi finally turned his attention to himself.
His physique was crystalline, his skin like jade, his bones flawless—a return from acquired to innate, free of any impurity.
Most crucially, his body was autonomously undergoing Spirit Transformation. The forces within his transformed Heavenly Passages nourished him, strengthening and perfecting his flesh with every moment.
This sensation—mystical and profound—defied the understanding of this world's cultivators.
They could only fight to the death, seeking breakthroughs in the crucible of life, death, blood, and fire.
But Shi Yi?
Though he cultivated this world's method, the Primal True Explanation, it was a facade. In essence, he cloaked himself in this world's techniques while forging his own path.
The Blood Transformation Realm, a stage of bodily refinement, was nearly identical for all.
But in the Heavenly Passage Realm, he'd already diverged from this world's norms.
His passages weren't mere illusory volcanic craters but tangible small worlds, miniature universes brimming with earth, water, fire, wind, and yin-yang chaos.
Though much of this was serendipitous—without Liu Shen's guidance, he wouldn't have used the thirteen Taoist scriptures to shape his tenth Heavenly Passage, setting him on an unknown path—the reality was that Shi Yi had embarked on a new road.
And he had to walk it to its end.
So, would this haphazard, uncertain path lead to a radiant future?
Shi Yi didn't know, but he was certain it was better than endless fighting.
He didn't reject combat outright, but this world's methods were too extreme, offering no alternative to slaughter.
Either ascend through life, death, blood, and fire.
Or perish, becoming fodder for the strong.
Savage, primal, the heavens a cage, beings like venomous insects.
Only the venom king could break free.
Shi Yi's path, though its future was unclear, included combat for self-preservation but emphasized natural harmony. It didn't force him into unwanted actions.
"Forge a true spiritual self, deepen the foundation of the Heavenly Passages, transform body and soul, ascend and sublimate, return from acquired to innate. Now, I only need to reach the peak of the Spirit Transformation Realm to attempt the Engravement Realm, even the Formation Arrangement Realm. But when I break through, could I inscribe the four great killing formations into my body?" Shi Yi mused.
The Engravement and Formation Arrangement Realms were similar in essence. The Engravement Realm involved borrowing runes from beasts and raptors, inscribing special symbols within the body.
The Formation Arrangement Realm used these runes to form rudimentary arrays, inscribing killing formations to vastly amplify combat power.
For these realms, Shi Yi wondered if he could inscribe the legendary four great killing formations of primordial lore into his body. If successful, he could slaughter an adult Pixiu in moments.
Though risky—potentially fatal—with the Void God Realm as a limitless testing ground, it didn't seem impossible.
As Shi Yi pondered, a graceful figure approached the door, and a melodious voice rang out.
"Cousin Shi, the Stone Emperor wishes to see you."
_
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