Mo Yu's internal energy surged continuously.
With every awakened microparticle, earth-shattering changes rippled throughout his body.
The strength of his physical body increased at an astonishing rate.
His bones, muscles, and meridians were all undergoing a profound transformation, becoming increasingly tougher and more resilient.
Gradually, a faint golden radiance emerged around him.
It was a phenomenon that only manifested when one's physical body had reached an extraordinary level.
The flowing golden light enveloped Mo Yu, making him resemble a golden War God descended from the heavens.
Majestic and awe-inspiring, he exuded an overwhelming aura of power.
As his cultivation continued, the disturbance grew even greater.
The massive vortex of Spiritual Qi expanded without end, greedily drawing in the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from every direction.
The winds howled as clouds churned overhead, while sand and stones were swept into the air by the terrifying pressure radiating from his body.
His aura continued to climb, showing no sign of stopping.
Beside him, Xia Ningbing slowly opened her eyes, a hint of surprise flashing across her violet pupils.
She could sense that Mo Yu was cultivating an extremely powerful Body Refining Technique.
Its rank was exceptionally high. Even among Immortal Emperor cultivation techniques, it would be considered top-tier.
Her Junior Brother truly possessed countless opportunities.
However, that was all.
She did not believe Mo Yu could surpass her within a month.
After all, the gap between them was simply too vast.
She herself also cultivated a Body Refining Technique.
At most, this would allow Mo Yu to last a little longer when they eventually faced each other.
More importantly, her Divine Phoenix Body was far superior to the Pure Yang Saint Body.
Even if they cultivated techniques of the same rank, the Pure Yang Saint Body could never surpass the Divine Phoenix Body.
Xia Ningbing closed her eyes once more and resumed her cultivation.
Time flowed quietly.
Eventually, thirty thousand micro-particles awakened within Mo Yu's body.
He slowly opened his eyes, and a golden radiance flashed across his pupils.
A majestic aura erupted from his body with a thunderous roar.
It was like a slumbering divine elephant awakening, its overwhelming pressure spreading in every direction.
He could clearly feel that, in terms of pure physical strength alone, he was now hundreds of times stronger than before.
Every movement carried terrifying force.
It felt as though a single punch could shatter Verdant Mist Peak.
A casual palm strike would be enough to kill his former self.
At the same time, his cultivation was on the verge of another breakthrough.
The fourth layer of the Nascent Soul Stage was within reach.
"While cultivating, remember to temper your Dao Heart."
Xia Ningbing's clear, icy voice drifted into his ears like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley.
Mo Yu was slightly taken aback before cupping his hands respectfully.
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister."
She was warning him that advancing too quickly in cultivation was not entirely beneficial.
Only a few days ago, he had been at the fourth layer of the Golden Core Stage.
Now, he was already on the verge of reaching the fourth layer of the Nascent Soul Stage.
The Dao Heart represented one's understanding, conviction, and pursuit of the Dao.
If one's comprehension failed to keep pace with the rapid growth of one's cultivation, countless problems would arise.
An unstable foundation.
Slower future cultivation.
Shallow combat prowess.
The birth of Heart Demons.
And many more.
However, Mo Yu was not worried in the slightest.
He trusted the Heavenly Dao.
Tomorrow, it would surely arrange an opportunity to temper his Dao Heart.
Breakthrough.
The fourth layer of the Nascent Soul Stage.
Within his Dantian, the tiny Nascent Soul, originally no larger than a fist, rapidly grew into the form of a young child.
Its features were exquisitely carved, delicate and lifelike, making it look remarkably adorable.
This marked the second phase of the Nascent Soul Stage—Nascent Soul Formation.
Mo Yu felt refreshed from head to toe.
His five senses became even sharper, and his perception of the Heaven and Earth's Spiritual Qi grew far clearer than before.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
He was confident that, even against an ordinary Soul Transformation cultivator, he could defeat them with ease.
Xia Ningbing sensed his breakthrough, yet her expression remained as cold and tranquil as ever, unchanged for what seemed like ten thousand years.
She had already said everything that needed to be said.
The rest was his own choice.
People only truly grow after experiencing hardship for themselves.
Besides, the consequences were not particularly severe.
At worst, he would simply have to spend more time repaying the debt in the future.
After finishing his cultivation, Mo Yu lay on the ground and gazed up at the star-filled sky.
Countless stars sparkled overhead, while the Milky Way stretched across the heavens in breathtaking splendor.
His thoughts drifted back to the Qin Family.
They were known as a semi-demonic cultivation clan.
However, according to Qin Shou's memories, there seemed to be much more hidden beneath the surface.
Even in the future he had witnessed, he had never seen the Qin Family reveal its full strength.
Then there was the Soul Refining Banner...
Even among demonic cultivators, very few were willing to use such a sinister treasure.
Could the Qin Family actually be a clan of evil cultivators?
As that thought surfaced, the tragic destruction of Mo Village involuntarily replayed in his mind.
The villagers' desperate screams.
The suffocating stench of blood.
The collapsed houses.
One heartbreaking scene after another cut into his heart like blades.
"Senior Sister," Mo Yu suddenly asked, "have the righteous, demonic, and evil paths existed since ancient times? And what exactly is the difference between them?"
A few moments later, Xia Ningbing's cool, tranquil voice rang out once more, as clear as droplets falling from an icy spring.
"They have existed since ancient times."
"Demonic cultivators transform Spiritual Qi into demonic qi. They take from the world without giving anything back, exhausting its resources like draining a pond to catch fish. If left unchecked, future generations will eventually face a world devoid of Spiritual Qi."
"Evil cultivators use the lives of others to fuel their own cultivation. They sacrifice others for personal gain, devour essence and souls, and prevent new generations of talented cultivators from flourishing."
"Both paths corrupt the heart and accumulate immense killing karma. That is why they are rejected by the world."
Mo Yu remained silent for a long time before finally understanding her explanation.
Those who consumed Spiritual Qi without replenishing it were considered demonic cultivators.
Those who cultivated by sacrificing human lives were evil cultivators.
If demonic cultivators multiplied unchecked, they would destroy the future of the world itself.
If evil cultivators ran rampant, they could exterminate the Human Race of the present age.
Could she really not explain things in a simpler way? Mo Yu complained inwardly.
Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts aside.
Then he suddenly remembered something important.
What if I left the roasted rabbit in the forest and another Demon Beast ate it?
But a moment later, he smiled in relief.
Tang Si was a Son of Luck.
Either he had already stumbled upon Xiao Wu by sheer coincidence...
Or, even without a body, fate would eventually present him with a way to revive her.
To be honest, Mo Yu had never encountered a genuine method capable of resurrecting the dead.
He wasn't even sure such a thing truly existed.
Meanwhile, in a forest at the border of the Tianxuan Domain...
The bright moon hung high in the night sky, its silver light spilling across the swaying trees.
The silence of the forest was suddenly shattered by a sharp, piercing bird cry.
A massive Azure Profound Bird Yao was relentlessly pursuing a young man through the woods.
"Damn beast! How dare you chase me?!"
The young man roared, a fierce light flashing across his eyes.
"You've brought this upon yourself!"
The young man was none other than Tang Si.
Clutching Xiao Wu's lifeless body tightly in his arms, he darted through the dense forest like the wind.
Screech!
Several razor-sharp wind blades sliced through the air, hurtling straight toward his back.
Tang Si twisted his body at the last moment, barely avoiding the deadly attack.
Even so, one of the wind blades grazed his shoulder, instantly tearing through flesh and sending blood spraying into the air.
"Damn it!"
He gritted his teeth, his heart sinking.
In his current state, he was no match for a Golden Core Great Yao.
He had originally come here today to search for Xiao Wu...
Only to discover that she had already...
His fists clenched tightly.
He silently swore that he would one day find the person responsible for roasting Xiao Wu.
That arrogant bastard had even left behind evidence.
One day... I will find the owner of those needles!
The scent lingering on Xiao Wu's body had attracted this Demon Beast.
Although Tang Si had already reached the Peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage, he still had no hope of defeating a Golden Core Demon Beast.
Screech!
The Azure Profound Bird Yao attacked once more.
Several wind blades tore through the night sky, striking Tang Si head-on and sending him crashing into a giant tree.
Boom!
The trunk splintered apart as he slammed into it.
Tang Si struggled to his feet, glaring fiercely at the Azure Profound Bird.
Hatred blazed within his eyes.
"You've forced my hand!"
he roared, his voice filled with murderous resolve.
He lowered his head and looked at Xiao Wu's body one last time, grief and unwillingness filling his gaze.
"Xiao Wu... I swear to you."
"I will avenge you."
"I won't let a single person involved escape!"
With those words, he stuffed the entire roasted rabbit into his mouth, swallowing it in a few bites.
The instant it entered his stomach—
A vast, majestic power erupted from within his body.
Boom!
His aura exploded outward like a tidal wave.
The bottleneck that had trapped him for so long shattered instantly.
His cultivation soared as he broke through into the Golden Core Realm!