It had been several days since Li Mu returned to Seven Profound Sect from Xuantian Sword Sect. During this time, he discussed the Dao with Sword Master Feng and gained experience in advancing to the Body Integration Realm from him and many Sword Elders.
He went with Qiu Yuanhong to the Contribution Hall to exchange for cultivation resources, and then visited the Extreme Gold Secret Realm to check on the six-rank and seven-rank gold-element spiritual plants cultivated there, as well as to retrieve his gold-element Soul Transformation Clone for the purpose of refining his Law Domain.
When Li Mu returned to Seven Profound Sect, he was greeted enthusiastically by all the Elders of the Seven Profound Sect.
Li Mu, as the Sect Master of Seven Profound Sect, was proficient in Artifact Refining and array formations, was generous and open-minded, and had a wide network of connections. He was deeply loved by the entire Sect. Because of him, the relationship with the upper Sect, Xuantian Sword Sect, was extremely harmonious. Even during his disappearance for over a hundred years, Seven Profound Sect benefited greatly from his benevolence.
When Li Mu appeared in the air above the Seven Profound Sect's iconic seven divine mountains and entered the core area of Seven Profound Sect, Third Elder Qin Wentong, Fourth Elder Zhong Zilin, and Fifth Elder Ge Xinyu, leading the Sect's Disciples, were already lined up in the sky above the Sect square, waiting. Their faces were filled with excitement, all eagerly anticipating Li Mu's return.
"Sect Master Li, you've finally returned!" Qin Wentong's voice trembled slightly as he stepped forward, bowing deeply, tears glistening in his eyes.
Zhong Zilin followed closely, stepping forward, his eyes shining with light, and excitedly said, "Sect Master, I didn't expect your trip to be so long; we've been waiting for so long!"
Ge Xinyu smiled gently, gracefully moved her lotus steps, came before Li Mu, and congratulated him, "Sect Master, welcome back to the Sect. Everything in the Sect is as it was when you left, awaiting your return."
"Disciple, greets Master!"
Lin Maoshan, Zhao Tianchen, Su Hongxiu, Liu Yuqian, and others all stepped forward and bowed in greeting.
Li Mu smiled and nodded, his gaze sweeping over each familiar face. He immediately made many discoveries: among the seven Disciples, except for Lin Maoshan who was still in the Late Stage Golden Core, the other six had already reached the Nascent Soul Realm. Zhao Tianchen and Su Hongxiu had successfully advanced to Soul Transformation, both in the Early Stage Soul Transformation.
"Very good, excellent. Where are Elder Fang and Elder Nangong? Are they not in the Sect?"
Li Mu scanned the area but did not find Second Elder Fang Shixin or Sixth Elder Nangong Chenxing, so he asked curiously.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of Qin Wentong, Zhong Zilin, and Ge Xinyu dimmed, and the atmosphere instantly became heavy.
Qin Wentong sighed softly and quickly explained to Li Mu, "Sect Master, Elder Fang... responded to the upper Sect's summons, went to the Northern Region to perform a mission, and unfortunately perished; Elder Nangong, on the other hand, failed in his attempt to refine his Void Refining Domain some days ago, and also... left us."
Li Mu's expression immediately became solemn, and he remained silent for a moment, as if digesting the sudden news.
"How could this be! The demise of Elder Fang and Elder Nangong is a great loss to the Sect!" Li Mu's voice was low, then he changed the subject and encouraged everyone, "But the deceased are gone, and the living remain! Let everyone turn grief into strength, inherit their last wishes, and pass down the Legacy of Seven Profound Sect."
Qin Wentong, Zhong Zilin, and Ge Xinyu nodded upon hearing this, their eyes gleaming with determination.
"Sect Master, rest assured, we will not fail your expectations and will diligently Cultivate to bring glory to the Sect." Lin Maoshan, Zhao Tianchen, Su Hongxiu, and other Disciples also expressed their resolve, their voices full of power, demonstrating the responsibility and determination of the younger generation.
Afterward, accompanied by the Elders and Disciples, Li Mu inquired in detail about the Sect's situation in recent years, then announced his intention to enter seclusion to prepare for condensing his Void Refining Domain.
"Sect Master, you must be cautious about condensing a Law Domain. Elder Nangong's past experience serves as a warning." Qin Wentong looked worried, hesitant to speak, but finally mustered the courage to continue, "Condensing a Law Domain is a crucial step for Void Refining to advance to the Body Integration Realm, touching upon the Dao. Its danger is extraordinary. Throughout history, countless Prodigies and heroes have either suffered Heavenly Tribulation backlash, or Heart Demon invasion, or even directly turned to ashes without a chance of Reincarnation, during the process of attempting to condense a Law Domain. Condensing a Law Domain also requires a Cultivator to fuse their spiritual power, Divine Sense, and even their comprehension of the Heaven and Earth Law to the extreme. A slight mistake can lead to eternal damnation."
"Indeed, condensing a Law Domain not only requires a Cultivator to possess extraordinary strength and Comprehension Ability, but also to find a place with extremely rich Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and unusual Law fluctuations as a place for seclusion, to assist in comprehending the Void Realm and inducing Heaven and Earth Law." Zhong Zilin picked up the conversation and added, "Sect Master, since you Cultivate all Five Elements, the Law Domain you condense will surely be extraordinary. You must carefully find such a spiritual land and not act rashly!"
"I already have a plan for this matter, so you can rest assured!" Li Mu smiled slightly, his smile calm and incredibly firm.
With the Perfection Realm Star Cloud Contemplation Method, coupled with the absorption of massive amounts of vitality and Lifespan, and his research into the Three Thousand Divine Runes, Li Mu's cultivation, Divine Soul, and even his comprehension of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang Dao had all reached their limits.
Combined with taking the Seven-Rank Dao Pill - Returning Void Pill, to assist in condensing his Law Domain, Li Mu had seven to eight tenths of a chance. The only slight flaw, as Zhong Zilin mentioned, was the need to find a place with extremely rich Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and suitable Law fluctuations.
However, Li Mu already had a plan in mind and looked up at a formation pillar standing on the mountain Peak.
Under the Heavenly Talent - Identifying Myriad Spirits, the attributes of the formation pillar standing on Golden Sword Peak were displayed.
"Five Elements Yin Yang Spirit Gathering Array (Mother) One of the Gold Formation Pillars"
"Grade: Seven-Rank Formation"
"Characteristics: Gathers Five Elements, converges Yin and Yang, mother-child dual array, gathers Chaos..."
"Constructed with the Five Elements Foundation as the core, supplemented by Seven-Rank Profound Yellow Stone, Seven-Rank Jianmu Root, Seven-Rank Undetermined Spiritual Water, Seven-Rank Blazing Fire Crystal, and Seven-Rank Thick Earth Dusk, fused with Yin and Yang. This array is the mother array, gathering Yin and Yang and Five Elements power. It can cooperate with the child array: Five Elements Shifting Array, to shift Five Elements Qi, break through space-time barriers, and reach a certain Secret Realm."
The child array, Five Elements Shifting Array, was located in the Sect's treasury. Previously, due to insufficient cultivation, Li Mu had not had time to repair this place.
Now, Li Mu had a clear plan in mind: repair and activate this Five Elements Shifting Array, enter this Secret Realm, which might provide him with a cultivation place rich in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and strong Law fluctuations, helping him to condense his Law Domain and advance to the Body Integration Realm.
However, before condensing the Law Domain, he first needed to go to the remaining few extreme Secret Realms and retrieve the remaining six Soul Transformation Clones.
... ...
Several days later, Li Mu took the teleportation array and appeared in Cang Yuan Secret Realm - Extreme Wood Land.
As the light of the teleportation array faded, a completely different and wondrous world greeted Li Mu's eyes. The sky here was a deep green, the forest beneath his feet was vast and boundless, growing countless strange spiritual plants. The air was filled with a rich scent of vegetation and Yi Wood spiritual power. In the distance, a towering ancient tree stood majestically, its branches and leaves like a canopy, as if the guardian of the entire Secret Realm, exuding an ancient and powerful aura.
"Master! You, you've finally come! I thought you had forgotten about me."
Azure Jade Ginseng King sensed Li Mu's aura and immediately transformed to appear beside him, taking the form of a tall, slender middle-aged man with snow-white hair, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He wore a greenish-blue robe, its corners gently swaying, as if he had merged with the vitality of this Extreme Wood Land.
Li Mu looked at the human form of Azure Jade Ginseng King in surprise. Before, he was a white-haired old man. In the time they hadn't met, he didn't expect his cultivation to have advanced so much that his transformed appearance had changed.
"Master, this place is extremely suitable for my cultivation. My vitality and the Yi Wood spiritual power of this Extreme Wood Land complement each other, so my cultivation has naturally made a qualitative leap. Now, I can control my form more freely to better adapt to different environments." Azure Jade Ginseng King felt Li Mu's gaze and quickly explained with a smile, his eyes filled with gratitude and pride.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu also felt a surge of relief. Azure Jade Ginseng King's Aptitude and potential were already extraordinary. Now, seeing his cultivation greatly advance, he was even more filled with anticipation for his future growth. "Good, very good. It seems that during this time, your cultivation has not only improved, but your state of mind has also grown. This Extreme Wood Land is indeed your blessed land."
"Thank you for your praise, Master. All of this is thanks to you. Master, you must have important matters to discuss on this visit. Is there anything I can do to help you?" Azure Jade Ginseng King bowed in salute, his gratitude overflowing, and asked enthusiastically.
"No need, I'll go check the spiritual fields. You go busy yourself!" Li Mu smiled and looked towards a figure, which was none other than his wood-element Clone, whose appearance and features were extremely similar to his.
"Okay, Master, call me if you need anything!"
Azure Jade Ginseng King sensed the solemn atmosphere between his Master and this Clone, and immediately retreated tactfully. His figure flickered, turning into a greenish-blue stream of light that drilled into the depths of the forest and disappeared.
"You're here. Is it time to begin?"
The wood-element Soul Transformation Clone looked at Li Mu. As his Primordial Spirit Clone, no one understood Li Mu's current state better than it. He was full of shock and reluctance.
However, the Divine Soul of the main body, and its hidden cultivation, had already reached the extreme of the Void Refining Realm. Next, it must be for the purpose of condensing the Law Domain.
"Since you know, why ask more?" Li Mu looked calmly and firmly at the Soul Transformation Clone, motioning.
Seeing this, although the wood-element Soul Transformation Clone felt reluctant, it also knew that this was a necessary path for its Master. It nodded, its figure slightly moving, turning into a green stream of light that flew into Li Mu's hand.
Li Mu put it into the nine storage spiritual pearl, then his figure flashed, appearing beside a large spiritual field, his gaze sweeping over the state of various high-rank spiritual plants.
"Emerald Splendor Spirit Wood (Growing Stage)"
"Grade: Six-Rank Spirit Wood"
"Characteristics: Nurtures spirits and consolidates Foundation, nurtures souls with emerald splendor, resists six calamities, condenses essence, purifies and refines the Physical Body."
"Status: Full of vitality, growing robustly."
"Emerald Splendor Spirit Wood, growth period: 253 years. Rooted deep within a Secret Realm rich in Spiritual Qi and vitality, its state is extraordinary. It reaches Major Achievement in 300 years. Its emerald splendor leaves first appear after 100 years, its spiritual splendor flowers bloom after another 100 years, and its emerald splendor spiritual fruits ripen in the last 100 years. Its fruits contain life essence, and have the effect of consolidating Foundation and resisting Heavenly Calamities."
... ...
"Azure Origin Spirit Epiphyllum (Growing Stage)"
"Grade: Six-Rank Spiritual Plant"
"Characteristics: Lush green, surrounded by wood spirits, nourishes the Primordial Spirit, dispels demons and clarifies the mind, full of vitality."
"Status: Petals unfurled, wood spirit Qi permeating, currently at the Peak of full bloom."
"Azure Origin Spirit Epiphyllum, growth cycle: 264 years. Requires rooting in a place rich in wood Qi and vitality to grow robustly. Its full bloom is seen only once every thousand years. For the first hundred years, it silently absorbs the essence of the earth. In the next hundred years, it nurtures flower buds. Until the last forty years, the flowers slowly bloom, emitting a faint scent of Qingmu. The spiritual dew condensed in the flowers, a single drop can equal a hundred years of arduous cultivation, and is an indispensable auxiliary treasure for refining Qingmu Pills and for wood-element Cultivators."
... ...
"Jade Spring Spirit Ganoderma (Mature Stage)"
"Grade: Five-Rank Spirit Fungus"
"Characteristics: Jade light converges, spiritual spring surges, nourishes the Physical Body, purifies the mind and expels impurities, stimulates potential, full of vitality."
"Status: Cap full, spiritual spring slightly rippling, currently at the Peak of maturity."
"Jade Spring Spirit Ganoderma, growth period: 282 years. Grows in a treasure land surrounded by spiritual springs, where wood Qi and water Qi converge. For the first sixty years, it roots in the soil, solidifying its Foundation; for the next sixty years, its mycelium spreads, absorbing surrounding Spiritual Qi; for the last sixty years, the ganoderma gradually forms, and under its cap, a clear spring seems to surge, emitting a faint jade light. At maturity, a drop of jade spring spiritual dew condenses in the center of the ganoderma. This dew contains immense vitality."
... ...
As far as the eye could see, the attributes and growth status of various five-rank, six-rank, and seven-rank spiritual plants were displayed in Li Mu's eyes one by one.
A hint of joy flashed in Li Mu's eyes. Most of the six-rank and seven-rank spiritual plants had not yet reached maturity, but the vast majority of the five-rank spiritual plants planted among them had already entered maturity and were ready for harvesting.
Without hesitation, Li Mu raised his hand and cast a gold-element technique, harvesting the already mature five-rank spiritual plants.
"Swish, swish..." Golden lights flashed, and then Li Mu saw countless green light clusters, like moths to a flame, surging towards him and finally entering his body.
The next moment, the log bar of the character panel was immediately flooded with countless information prompts.
"Heavenly Talent - Plant Spirit Absorption takes effect, you absorbed a cluster of Plant Spirit, Innate Wood Origin Qi + 27"
"Heavenly Talent - Plant Spirit Absorption takes effect, you absorbed a cluster of Plant Spirit, Innate Wood Origin Qi + 59"
... ...
... ...
Looking at the Plant Spirit harvest, Li Mu frowned slightly, feeling a bit dissatisfied. After advancing to Void Refining, the Plant Spirit value obtained from harvesting five-rank spiritual plants was too low. Only six-rank spiritual plants could satisfy his numerical needs for advancing to the next Realm.
Fortunately, this Extreme Wood Secret Realm was very large, and cultivating high-rank spiritual plants did not require too much effort to care for. Many five-rank spiritual plants were planted, and accumulation over time also provided a decent boost.
Moreover, when the remaining six-rank and seven-rank spiritual plants matured, another harvest could be made, which wouldn't take too much time.
After harvesting several thousand acres of various five-rank spiritual plants, Li Mu swept them with his Divine Thought and put them into a storage ring for Alchemy. Then, he took out a large quantity of spiritual seeds from the nine storage spiritual pearl and replanted them.
Li Mu stood floating in the air with a faint smile, gazing at the newly tilled soil and the freshly sown spiritual seeds, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. After this condensation of the Law Domain, if the Plant Spirit attribute could not advance to the Body Integration Realm, it wouldn't be too long until the next wave of six-rank spiritual plants matured. (End of Chapter)
