Inside the quiet room, the black crystal box in front of Lu Xuan began to tremble slightly, without any warning.
Though there was not a trace of wind in the surrounding space, the lid of the box seemed to be gently pushed open by an invisible pair of hands, slowly lifting.
Inside the box, a miniature black tree lay peacefully—only about the size of a palm. It appeared ordinary at first glance, yet it emitted an indescribable aura of dim, profound light.
And in the very instant Lu Xuan lifted the lid, a vast and boundless torrent of black energy, as if finally released after long imprisonment, burst forth with the speed of lightning, surging outward in a mighty wave.
This vibrant, life-filled black energy came with overwhelming force, as though it would break free from the confines of the room and sweep across the outside world.
But just then, outside the room, a purple energy barrier shimmering with mysterious light materialized in the air, like an enormous purple dome, tightly enveloping the entire chamber.
This purple barrier was incredibly resilient, radiating an extraordinarily fearsome aura. It firmly held back the wildly surging black energy, preventing it from advancing even a single step.
Drawing from his previous experience with a top-grade heavenly and earthly treasure, Lu Xuan had used his spiritual power to seal off this space the very first moment, preventing the terrifying celestial energy within the Cave Heaven Spirit Object from leaking out and triggering a catastrophic storm of spiritual energy.
A hint of astonishment gleamed faintly in Lu Xuan’s eyes. The sight before him stirred his heart deeply.
The spiritual energy inside the room had reached an extreme level of density, nearly condensing into visible watery mist that filled the air. It felt as though if he simply reached out, Lu Xuan could touch the moist, numinous essence. Every wisp of spiritual energy flowed like a living thing, exuding a life force that made one’s heart palpitate.
And immersed in such dense spiritual energy, even Lu Xuan—a martial artist who had already stepped into the Divine Mansion realm—felt an unprecedented sense of pleasure.
The rich spiritual energy of the Black Spirit Wood seemed to penetrate every pore, seeping into his body, nourishing his flesh, his meridians, and even his soul. His body relaxed involuntarily, as if every cell were rejoicing and greedily absorbing the purest spiritual energy the heavens and earth had to offer.
“Such dense spiritual energy… I’ve never even heard of anything like it…”
Lu Xuan murmured softly, his heart both shaken and secretly thrilled.
If he hadn’t sealed off this space in time, a spiritual energy concentration of this magnitude could very well have led to unforeseeable consequences. The spiritual energy from the Black Spirit Wood might have shot straight up into the heavens, spreading across the entire imperial capital.
Lu Xuan took a deep breath, savoring the soothing sensation of the spiritual energy circulating through his body, while quickly steadying his mind.
Then, his gaze locked onto the tip of the Black Spirit Wood, where a single point of pure, pitch-black light radiated a startling pulse of power.
The power of Law?
“This Cave Heaven Spirit Object, the Black Spirit Wood… is probably even more precious than I imagined.”
Lu Xuan pondered silently, a flicker of fervor passing through his eyes.
Holding his breath and focusing his mind, he quietly activated the Divine Mansion within him. Terrifying waves of spiritual power surged forth from his entire body.
Guided by his spiritual power, the Cave Heaven Spirit Object—the Black Spirit Wood—slowly detached itself from the box, hovering in midair and drifting gradually toward Lu Xuan.
The Black Spirit Wood was jet-black as ink, yet its surface shimmered with a deep, abyssal luster, as if it could devour all light around it. Every inch of its texture held an ineffable spiritual charm, as though it were the embodiment of profound, natural mysteries.
As the Black Spirit Wood drew closer, the spiritual energy around Lu Xuan grew even denser. The mist-like celestial energy became an ocean of spiritual power, nearly submerging his figure entirely.
Lu Xuan hesitated no longer. He reached out and gently touched the surface of the Black Spirit Wood.
In that instant, a cool and profound force surged through his fingertips into his body, as if attempting to pull him into an endless abyss of darkness.
With a sharp inward alert, Lu Xuan’s physical body suddenly radiated brilliant golden light, protecting him from head to toe.
“It seems nothing has been tampered with,” Lu Xuan muttered to himself, and the last trace of caution in his heart faded away.
In that split second, his spiritual power had inspected the Black Spirit Wood several times over. Aside from its pure celestial energy, there was no other force within it.
Having confirmed the Black Spirit Wood’s safety, Lu Xuan wasted no more time.
He extended his right hand, spreading his five fingers, and an endless purple radiance bloomed in his palm. The dense, almost tangible purple spiritual energy stretched out like agile purple threads, frantically intertwining and wrapping around the Black Spirit Wood, encasing it in layer upon layer, completely sealed.
After doing all this, Lu Xuan opened his mouth wide without a moment’s hesitation. A powerful suction emanated from his throat, and the Black Spirit Wood, along with his spiritual energy, was instantly swallowed into his body.
Once the Black Spirit Wood entered his system, a storm of spiritual energy erupted within him. The pure celestial energy of the Black Spirit Wood rushed through his meridians like a torrent, nourishing every inch of his flesh and blood.
As this vast spiritual energy continued to pour in, deep within Lu Xuan’s Divine Mansion, the small, seated purple spiritual entity suddenly opened its eyes.
Those eyes were as deep and vast as the starry sky, as if holding within them endless mysteries and power.
Then, nourished by the spiritual energy, the purple spiritual entity began to grow at a visible rate. Its once somewhat ethereal form gradually condensed into a translucent liquid-like shape, constantly radiating a suffocating pressure.
It seemed that the purple spiritual entity was only one final step away from fully transforming into a Primordial Spirit!
And the fearsome aura surrounding Lu Xuan’s body was growing at a breakneck pace as well. The profound golden light radiating from his physical form seemed to undergo an incredible transformation, releasing an astonishing life force.
Yet Lu Xuan did not relax in the slightest. With his current physique, bolstered by the Undying and Indestructible technique, his body was already terrifyingly formidable. Even if top-grade celestial energy entered his body again, it would be dissolved in an instant. But now, facing this Cave Heaven Spirit Object, he felt a faint sense of being overwhelmed—refining it was proving to be quite a struggle.
With a single thought, Lu Xuan’s spiritual power took firm control of the Black Spirit Wood’s energy flow, ensuring that every wisp of pure celestial energy was perfectly absorbed by his flesh.
Looking closely, Lu Xuan’s figure seemed to appear and disappear within the dense spiritual energy, as if merging with the very heavens and earth. Only his closed eyes occasionally revealed a faint glimmer of purple light.
Three days later!
The turbulent spiritual energy within the room had been completely absorbed by Lu Xuan, not a single drop left behind.
Lu Xuan remained seated cross-legged, steady as a mountain on the cushion on the floor.
Then, he slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was calm and tranquil, so deep and unfathomable that it was impossible to read the emotions within.
“The Divine Mansion has expanded several times over!”
“Is this the effect of that wisp of Law power from the Black Spirit Wood?”
Deep within Lu Xuan’s Divine Mansion, the purple spiritual entity, wreathed in purple energy, sat quietly at the very core. Purple light flowed around it, and with every flash, it released startling ripples of power.
After the Divine Mansion had expanded several times over, Lu Xuan sensed that his spiritual power had also grown several times stronger.
With his now formidable spiritual power, even at the minor attainment of the Divine Mansion realm, he could easily overwhelm a Primordial Spirit master at the major attainment level!
Host: Lu Xuan
Realm: Divine Mansion True Person (Minor Attainment)
Cultivation Methods:
- Burning Heaven Saber Technique (4/9 — Available for Deduction)
- Inch Step, Horizon’s Reach (1/9 — Available for Deduction)
- Undying and Indestructible (4/9 — Available for Deduction)
Points: 182,660
Host, please confirm: Do you wish to consume 50,000 system points to deduce “Undying and Indestructible”?
Host, please confirm: Do you wish to consume 40,000 system points to deduce “Inch Step, Horizon’s Reach”?
Host, please confirm: Do you wish to consume 110,000 system points to deduce “Burning Heaven Saber Technique”?
That single Cave Heaven Spirit Object, the Black Spirit Wood, had provided him with a whopping 150,000 system points.
This massive amount was a full five times more than what a top-grade heavenly and earthly treasure could offer.
“Just about right. With this many system points, I can push the Burning Heaven Saber Technique all the way to the fifth level.”
Lu Xuan murmured softly, his gaze drifting to the Windfire Saber in the distance.
Then, he reached out and made a grasping motion. His spiritual power stretched out like invisible threads, wrapping around the saber. The Windfire Saber let out a soft hum before transforming into a streak of light, flying into his right palm with a steady thud.
“And this Windfire Saber—I need to refine it as well.”
Now that Lu Xuan had the Seven-Mark Moon Artifact, the Blazing Nether Saber, this two-mark Chen artifact, the Windfire Saber, was somewhat redundant.
So he planned to convert the Windfire Saber into system points as well.
Last time, after refining the two-mark Chen artifact, the Earth Dawn Staff, obtained from the Prince of An’s estate, he had gained 15,000 system points. Refining this Windfire Saber, Lu Xuan estimated, would likely yield a similar amount—around 15,000 points.
Lu Xuan shifted his gaze away from the Windfire Saber and looked into the distance.
There, an ancient bronze crutch lay quietly on the ground, its surface covered with mottled patterns and the marks of time.
“It’s a pity, really. If only I could refine this thing too…”
“It might just bring a pleasant surprise.”
Lu Xuan muttered to himself, a trace of regret and contemplation flickering in his eyes.
This bronze crutch was something he had taken from that man of the Wu family. Although it appeared ordinary and unremarkable, Lu Xuan could tell from the power that Wu family member had displayed that this artifact undoubtedly contained a far stronger essence of heavenly origin than the Windfire Saber.
Ah, well. I’ll settle accounts with that Wu family member another day.
And there’s also that so-called Prince of An, Xia Mingqing—I’ll need to find an opportunity to deal with him quietly as well.
Lu Xuan didn’t like having people constantly scheming against him. Even if that man was a member of the Great Xia imperial clan, that still wouldn’t change anything.
Just then, a clear notification sounded in his mind from the system panel: “Heavenly Origin Power detected. Do you wish to extract?”
“Extract!”
Lu Xuan made the decision without hesitation, then closed his eyes once more, focusing all his attention on the system panel.
Meanwhile, the Windfire Saber gripped tightly in his hand began to undergo dramatic changes.
The patterns on the blade’s surface gradually blurred, as if being erased by an invisible force. In just a few short breaths, the Windfire Saber had fallen from being a two-mark Chen artifact to nothing more than common mortal iron, devoid of any trace of mystery.
And on Lu Xuan’s system panel, his 182,660 system points instantly became 197,660 points.
Excellent!
Lu Xuan glanced at the Burning Heaven Saber Technique and Inch Step, Horizon’s Reach, then let out a low, firm shout, his voice tinged with anticipation and resolve.
“Deduce!”
Next, it’s time to break through to the major attainment of the Divine Mansion realm!
Primordial Spirit True Person!
During Lu Xuan’s seclusion and cultivation…
Throughout the entire imperial capital and all the prefectural cities of the Great Xia Dynasty, people were utterly stunned by a sudden imperial decree.
This decree came directly from the highest ruler of the Great Xia Dynasty—Empress Xia Mingyue!
“By the Emperor’s decree, proclaimed to all under heaven!”
As the Empress’s decree spread, every branch of the Xuanniao Guard in every prefectural city erupted into fervent discussion.
Because starting from this day, the Xuanniao Guard of the Great Xia Dynasty would establish a fourth Vice Director.
And this newly appointed Vice Director was none other than Lu Xuan!
Not only that, but the Empress had also bestowed upon Lu Xuan the Purple Extreme Xuanniao Robe—a garment that symbolized supreme status.
The Purple Extreme Xuanniao Robe was the highest-ranking attire within the Xuanniao Guard, with no equal. Only the Director of the Xuanniao Guard was traditionally qualified to wear it!
It was not only a symbol of status, but also a representation of the Empress’s trust and regard.
As a result, Lu Xuan’s name spread overnight throughout every faction and power in the Great Xia imperial capital.
“Lu Xuan? Who exactly is this new Vice Director? To have the Empress personally issue a decree and grant him the Purple Extreme Xuanniao Robe!”
“I hear he’s still young, already a Divine Mansion realm powerhouse. What’s more, he rendered great service during the chaos in the Southern Domain’s Nether Province and earned Her Majesty’s high regard!”
“Not only that—they say he single-handedly shattered the power of a Primordial Spirit cultivator at the major attainment level. His strength is simply unfathomable!”
Within the Xuanniao Guard headquarters in the imperial capital, nearly all of the Earth-tier Xuanniao Guards had a general understanding of this new Vice Director’s background.
And as for why this information about Lu Xuan had leaked out? Naturally, it was deliberately released by Mu Yun and Li Chengxing.
After all, since Lu Xuan was taking office as Vice Director, it was only fitting to let people know about some of his noteworthy achievements.
Meanwhile, the major powers scattered across the imperial capital were just as shaken and curious as those within the Xuanniao Guard.
In a grand mansion, inside a stern and secretive main hall, several elderly men dressed in opulent robes gathered together, each wearing a different expression.
Spread out on the table before them was a thin piece of white paper, covered in writing—all information about Lu Xuan.
This was intelligence that their informants embedded within the Xuanniao Guard had sent back.
After reading through the contents, the few of them felt their hearts churning with mixed emotions.
“Lu Xuan… this man is certainly no simple figure,” said a middle-aged man in a black robe, his eyes flashing with complexity.
“It seems the plans we’ve already set in motion will probably have to be changed.”
Another white-haired elder stroked his beard and sighed, his voice laced with deep emotion.
“Her Majesty personally issued the decree and granted him the Purple Extreme Xuanniao Robe—this is an unprecedented honor.”
“Yes, we really do need to adjust our plans.”
“Where has that old fellow Wu Jiu gone?”
Just as a few of them were about to rise and send someone to look for Wu Jiu—
The main hall’s heavy doors were suddenly shoved open with tremendous force. The thick wooden doors slammed against the walls with a dull boom, shaking the entire hall.
An elderly man in a purple robe stormed in, his face filled with rage.
He was none other than Wu Jiu—the man from the Wu family who had escaped from Lu Xuan’s hands before!
Wu Jiu’s complexion was as dark as water, his eyes blazing with furious light.
Clearly, he too had already learned of Lu Xuan’s promotion to Vice Director and the bestowal of the Purple Extreme Xuanniao Robe.
Damn brat!
He had underestimated that little whelp Lu Xuan.
Who would have thought that a martial artist who had only recently broken through to the Divine Mansion realm could earn such favor from Her Majesty?
If that was the case, his plan to seek revenge by rallying the Wu family’s elders was bound to fail.
Wu Jiu let out a low sigh, his eyes flickering with helplessness and resentment.
