Amidst the gaps of assuming the Temple Master position and handling the complex sect affairs, Tang Xiaoqi finally found a moment to catch his breath and turn his gaze inward. The final battle in the demonic nest, the complete awakening and fusion of the Green Lotus origin, had helped him break through to Late Nascent Soul in one stroke. Furthermore, his consciousness had been tempered in the Realm of Void, achieving perfection of the Dao heart. However, such a rapid rise in power and transformation of essence could not be fully mastered overnight. He knew that he needed time, needed a complete seclusion to digest this vast ocean-like power, to stabilize this hard-won realm, and to re-examine himself and adapt to a new way of combat.
He entrusted all daily sect affairs to senior brother Mu Qingfeng, retaining only the final decision-making power on major matters. Then, he chose that hidden valley behind the mountain where he had first activated the jade pendant and frying pan as the location for this seclusion. This place held special significance for him; though its spiritual energy was not the most abundant in the sect, it subtly resonated with the origin of his own Dao path and could better calm his mind and spirit.
With a wave of his hand, he set up layers of restrictions, isolating inside from outside. The valley instantly fell silent, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind and the gentle sound of the stream. Xiao Qi sat cross-legged on a smooth bluestone, his eyes slightly closed, his mind completely sinking into his body.
Through internal observation, his dantian's sea of qi was no longer what it once was. The originally liquid ocean of spiritual power had now nearly completely solidified, presenting a crystalline, translucent quality like glazed diamonds—this was the mark of Late Nascent Soul, where spiritual power was highly condensed, nearly substantial. In the center of the qi sea, the Nascent Soul with features identical to his own had grown to nearly the same height as his physical body, surrounded by a hazy yet pure green glow—the external manifestation of the World-Purifying Green Lotus origin power perfectly fused within.
The Nascent Soul was no longer a simple aggregation of energy; its features were clear, its expression vivid, as if it possessed independent life and will. Xiao Qi could clearly feel that his connection with this Nascent Soul had reached the utmost intimacy. With the slightest movement of his will, the Nascent Soul could mobilize the spiritual power throughout his body, resonating with the laws of heaven and earth, its power incomparable to before.
His first task was to organize the Green Lotus power within his body—that vast as an ocean, yet carrying a trace of newly-born chaotic energy. This power was of an extremely high order, containing meanings of purification, creation, and even a hint of chaotic return to the void, far exceeding ordinary spiritual power. In previous battles, he had mostly relied on its instinct and grand momentum to face enemies; fine control was far from adequate.
Under the guidance of his mind, the Green Lotus power flowed like a gentle stream, slowly circulating along the meridians he had long since opened and widened several times over. With each complete circulation, his understanding of this power's characteristics deepened, and his control became more refined. Wherever the power passed, the walls of his meridians were further reinforced, his flesh and bones nourished, faintly glowing with precious light, his physical strength unconsciously increasing once more.
At the same time, he continuously comprehended the Dao principles contained within the Green Lotus power. Purification was not simply dispersing and destroying; at a deeper level, it was "transforming" and "merging"—breaking down and absorbing different kinds of energy into nutrients that nourished himself, or guiding them back into the heavenly circulation. Creation lay in understanding and stimulating the essence of life—with one thought, he could make withered wood bloom again, or nurture life in the midst of deathly silence. And that thread of chaotic meaning was the most mysterious, involving the origin and end of all things, beyond what his current realm could fully comprehend, only allowing him to vaguely sense its terrifying potential to encompass everything yet also annihilate everything.
Time quietly passed in deep meditation. Xiao Qi's body began to emit a faint green glow. Within the glow, pure white light occasionally bloomed and vanished like lotus flowers—that was the Dao principle of purification manifesting; at other times, a wisp of chaotic air current spiraled uncertainly, emitting a heart-palpitating aura. The spiritual energy of the entire valley was drawn to converge toward him, yet was silently purified and absorbed by the Green Lotus glow on his body's surface, without causing the slightest external fluctuation.
After an unknown duration, he slowly opened his eyes, green light flashing and fading within them, returning to depth. The surging power within his body had settled, responding to his will, perfectly integrated. The Late Nascent Soul realm was at last truly stabilized, with no sense of instability remaining.
However, the stabilization of his realm was only the first step. Next, he had to face a practical problem—the transformation of his combat style.
The Crimson Flame Sword was broken, the frying pan shattered. These two objects that had accompanied his growth, almost becoming his signature in battle, were no more. He could no longer rely on the Crimson Flame Sword's blazing sword intent that could incinerate in all directions, nor could he depend on the frying pan's "Wok Dao" that could swat anything and was incredibly durable.
He spread his hands, palms upward, his will stirring slightly.
In his left palm, a wisp of pure white flame quietly appeared. This was no ordinary fire, nor was it the Southern Ming Li Fire, but was formed from the highly condensed purest Green Lotus purification power—he temporarily named it "Purifying Lotus Heart Fire." The flame burned silently, without any heat radiating outward, yet its core contained extreme high temperature and the characteristic of purifying all things. It could burn away evil demonic energy, refine metal and stone, and even act on the soul, cleansing inner demons.
In his right palm, a chaotic air current slowly rotated. This air current was gray and unremarkable in appearance, yet seemed capable of swallowing light, distorting the subtle space around it. This was his preliminary attempt at utilizing that thread of chaotic meaning—though far from a fraction of the Realm of Void, it already possessed the strange ability to erode, decompose, and even briefly annihilate an opponent's spells and defenses.
He experimented with applying these two powers to various basic techniques. When the Purifying Lotus Heart Fire activated a fireball technique, the fireball no longer exploded and burned but became like an attachment that clung to the bone—once touching a body, it continuously purified and dissolved the opponent's spiritual power and vitality. When chaotic air current enhanced a wind blade technique, the wind blade became soundless and traceless, its trajectory unpredictable, yet its cutting power became even more terrifying, carrying a characteristic of structural disintegration.
He even began trying to no longer be bound by specific spell forms. Where his will directed, Green Lotus power could directly transform into an invisible domain of purification, enveloping a region of heaven and earth, weakening and suppressing all enemies within; it could also condense into protective light screens with defensive power far exceeding any protective spell from before; it could even simulate attacks similar to sword qi—though lacking the majestic righteous momentum of the Crimson Flame Sword, it gained the strange and tenacious qualities of purification and erosion.
He practiced repeatedly, adapted, improved. From initial awkwardness, to gradually becoming proficient, to effortless command. He no longer pursued fixed forms but rather the essential application of power, pursuing that realm where thought moved and the Dao followed, where ten thousand methods returned to one thought.
This process was not easy, even more mentally exhausting than consolidating his realm. He needed to break past habits and reconstruct his own combat system. Naturally, there were failures along the way—sometimes power control was unstable, nearly injuring himself; sometimes the conception was flawed, and the power was actually weaker than before.
But his will was firm, and he was not discouraged. Every failure was valuable experience. He immersed himself in the exploration and reconstruction of power, forgetting the passage of time.
When he again emerged from deep-level practice, he felt his entire being's aura was flawless, and his control over his own power had reached an entirely new level. Though the loss of the Crimson Flame Sword and frying pan still left some regret in his heart, he had already found a new direction—a path closer to his own origin Dao, with infinite potential.
He stood up, feeling the surging yet docile power within, his gaze penetrating the valley's restrictions toward the distance. Late Nascent Soul, realm stabilized—the road ahead, though without old companions in the form of weapons, had opened a new thoroughfare. This Qingxu Temple, this world, needed him to continue protecting it with this new posture.