Ling Yun had carved forty-nine Spirit Gathering Formations on the Psychic Jade Box. After cultivating the Yin-Yang harmony balance, Ling Yun had depleted the immortal spiritual energy in the Psychic Jade Box. Now that he had taken the box out, it was obviously his intention to let it absorb the ma.s.sive amount of spiritual energy being emitted from the dragon's saliva.

Ling Yun casually placed the Psychic Jade Box by the side of the rocky pool of dragon's saliva to let it absorb its spiritual energy. He grabbed the box to gauge its absorption rate and was extremely satisfied.

After completing the task, Ling Yun felt that he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. His expression was very relaxed, and there was a radiant smile on his face as he waved at Little White.

"This is the dragon's saliva which will greatly benefit your cultivation. Go over and drink some of it too…"

Who knew that Little White would only glance at the dragon's saliva without budging before fixing her seductive gaze on Ling Yun?

"Alright, alright…" Ling Yun could only walk over with his water bottle to fill it up with the dragon's saliva before feeding it to Little White.

Only then did Little White start drinking the liquid; its foxy eyes were full of delight and satisfaction. After finis.h.i.+ng half the bottle in a single breath, it wanted to continue drinking, but Ling Yun took the bottle away.

"Your realm is insufficient. If you drink any more, it will be detrimental to your cultivation. You need to take it in slowly…" Ling Yun smiled at Little White.

Ling Yun was able to perceive an increase in Little White's cultivation powers after it had fought against the sinister Yin energy in the Yin Yang Dragon Lock Spell. Now that it had drunk the dragon's saliva, Little White could grow a third tail after returning to Mansion Number One for a period of cultivation.

At that time, he would bring Little White to search for places of tribulation. As long as they had safely undergone the tribulation in the heavens, Little White could metamorphosize into a human form and wouldn't look any different from the human species.

Little White threw a dissatisfied look at Ling Yun. However, there was a cunning seductiveness in its eyes, and it walked to one side to commence its cultivation.

Little White had never come into contact with humans before this, but after it had met Ling Yun, it was virtually spending the entire day with people such as Zhuang Meifeng and Xiao Meimei. As such, its behavior and emotions were no different from those of humans.

Of course, Ling Yun didn't need to drink the dragon's saliva. The point of drinking the dragon's saliva was to absorb the powerful spiritual energy contained within it, and since Ling Yun's body could absorb it naturally, it was no different from consuming the saliva directly.

The giant "dragon" had entered a deep slumber after being mortally wounded, and there was no guarantee that it would be able to survive. Ling Yun gazed at it and pondered seriously before rising to fill a bottle with the dragon's saliva. Then, he walked to the giant "dragon" and poured the liquid into its mouth.

After successively pouring in three bottles of the dragon's saliva, Ling Yun discarded the bottle and remarked indifferently, "Maybe this is your doom. Whether or not you'll be able to survive will depend on yourself. I've already tried my best!"

Muttering these words to himself, Ling Yun embarked on a careful examination of the stone walls. He couldn't believe that there was no way to open the stone door.

"There's surely a mechanism somewhere!" Ling Yun was unresigned to the situation. He circled the stone walls once and even explored the six rocky caves in the vicinity. However, his search proved futile.

Ling Yun silently activated the Yin-Yang harmony balance and demonstrated his Qinggong to its maximum level. Leaping about twenty meters into the air, he raised his head to survey the roof of the cave.

The top of the cave was similar to the surrounding walls; it was bare and devoid of any mechanism or b.u.t.ton.

"Is it really impossible to enter the door? This isn't logical — I'm a genius at spell formations…" Ling Yun searched the place multiple times and couldn't bear the thought of giving up.

Indeed, he had descended into the crater for the sake of cultivating the Yin-Yang harmony balance. He was successful in his cultivation, with his energy center and meridians expanding to countless times their original size. Also, he had progressed to Body Cultivation Level Four without a hitch and had even gotten hold of the Devil's Underworld Essence Blade as well as Dragon Vein Sword, along with some magical treasures from the master monk.

That old monk had sat down to pa.s.s over to another realm for the longest time, and the items in his possession remained undamaged, despite being subjected to the elements. If they weren't magical treasures, then what else could they be?

Apart from that, Ling Yun had also obtained ninety-nine Bright Night Pearls. He could be considered to have reaped a bountiful harvest from this trip and made a windfall. Logically speaking, he ought to have been content with what he had.

But he had heard about the Earth Emperor's Book! The Emperor Brush was already in his hands, and he had a clearer understanding of its power compared to everyone else. As such, Ling Yun was filled with endless antic.i.p.ation regarding the Earth Emperor's Book!

The Emperor Brush and Earth Emperor's Book should belong to the same rank of magical treasure. If I were to place them together, perhaps it would evoke a response from them…

Ling Yun had thought about it quietly, but he quickly dismissed the idea after recalling that the Emperor Brush had been feeding him with immortal spiritual energy and Dragon Spiritual Energy while he was in the eye of the Yin Yang Dragon Lock Spell. If there was some sort of response between the two similar-ranked magical treasures, there would surely have been an earthshaking scene then. Had that been the case, Ling Yun would've taken notice of it instead of waiting until now.

While he was in the Yin Yang Dragon Lock Spell, Ling Yun had wielded the Emperor Brush. It wouldn't make much difference whether he was in the eye of the spell or at the heart of it.

Oh right, where did that dragon go? It couldn't have escaped already, right? Could it have brought the Earth Emperor's Book away?

Thoughts flashed across Ling Yun's mind, and he pondered deeply on the matter. However, he immediately refuted each hypothesis. As he was pondering, Ling Yun subconsciously walked towards the three doors.

"Limitless Rebellion Sword Spell… such a formidable spell formation… such a powerful manifestation of the Great Dao…" Ling Yun could sense that the three stone doors were extraordinary, not just because of the spell formation, but also from the powerful manifestation of the Great Dao that was seeping faintly from them.

It seemed stronger than the Buddhist power from the old monk at the eye of the Yang Spell. Evidently, the old monk, who had sat down to pa.s.s over to another realm, had only entered the scene later on.

First was the Yin Yang Dragon Lock Spell; subsequently, on an unknown date, the enlightened monk set up his abode in this place and occupied the eye of the Yang Spell. After he had sat down for a long time to pa.s.s over to another realm, the owner of the bronze coffin arrived at this place.

There were no dragons here, so did that particular dragon depart before or after the old monk's arrival?

"So when was the spell formation here set up? Three thousand years ago? Five thousand years ago?" Ling Yun muttered to himself in astonishment as he mulled over the power of the great energy which had set up the spells.

"Could it really have been an immortal who did this?"

Ling Yun contemplated the matter for a long time; he was unable to solve the mystery no matter what. The power of his realm was too low currently, so he could only wait for it to increase before re-attempting his endeavor.

"Finally, I feel that my body has been completely filled with spiritual energy. How long have I been absorbing it? It should've been seven to eight hours at least? Oh my! I absorbed such dense spiritual energy from the dragon's saliva at such a rapid pace, and I still needed a long time to fully absorb it? How strong does it require my energy center to be?"

Everything that had happened to Ling Yun following his promotion in rank was beyond his knowledge of the Cultivation World. Whether it was cultivation technique or power, it was much stronger and more bizarre than his peers. This caused him to be somewhat delighted and bewildered at the same time.

However, Ling Yun knew this was certainly beneficial to him. With regard to all of these occurrences, he had to wait until he reached the Qi Cultivation Stage and possessed a divine sense before he would be able to look introspectively into his body and have a clear understanding of it.

Little White had concluded its first round of cultivation. After it had woken up, it immediately took its place beside Ling Yun and swept both of its huge, snowy-white tails on his body.

Looking down at Little White, Ling Yun was aware that it had made significant improvement after the first round of cultivation. He nodded his head involuntarily at it and smiled in delight.

When Little White saw Ling Yun's smile, it lifted two of its front limbs and pounced on him. Ling Yun knew that it was Little White's way of entering his embrace.

In an instant, Ling Yun was embracing Little White and stroking its satiny fur while walking to the side of the rocky pool.

The giant "dragon" was still in as deep a slumber as before. Ling Yun filled three more bottles of the dragon's saliva and poured them into its huge mouth.

He dared not pour too much of it, as the dragon's saliva was extremely potent. It wasn't the case of consuming as much of it as possible and was best taken in moderation.

Dongfang Ting was the first to finish his cultivation. After he had awoken, he stood up and was evidently revitalized. He was full of vitality and in wonderful form.

After relaxing his muscles, he immediately cupped his fists and bowed to Ling Yun. In a sincere tone, he said, "Ling Yun, I, Dongfang Ting, will always remember how you've saved my life, gave me the dragon's saliva, and helped protect me during cultivation. I'll greatly repay you in the future!"

Ling Yun didn't attempt to be unconventional. After all, Cao Shanshan had once said that the prestigious ancient martial arts families were powerful. Now that he had managed to find favor with two such families, he would be fearless henceforth, even if the Sun Family and a.s.sa.s.sins were to give him trouble!

Ling Yun smiled faintly and said, "Elder Brother Dongfang, what realm are you at now?"

Dongfang Ting gave a sheepish laugh. "I was at the early stage of Houtian Realm Level Nine before I descended into the crater, and I've now reached its middle stages. However, the effect of the dragon's saliva was simply too potent, and I'm unable to perceive any results after a short while of cultivation. Maybe it's due to my poor caliber…"

Ling Yun laughed without restraint. "Elder Brother Dongfang is too humble. If my prediction is correct, you should be able to break through to the Xiantian Realm within the next two months."

Dongfang Ting scratched his head in embarra.s.sment. "Little Brother Ling Yun's eyes are as sharp as lightning, nothing can be hidden from you. Indeed, I should have a chance of breaking through to the Xiantian Realm within the next two months after drinking the dragon's saliva!"

Ling Yun laughed and congratulated him repeatedly.

"Ling Yun, let me inform you of my address and how to get in touch with me so that you'll be able to contact me anytime in the future!"

After he had spoken, Dongfang Ting gave a detailed briefing to Ling Yun with regard to his address and how to get in touch with him.

Ling Yun's memory was superb beyond comparison, and he managed to capture all the details even though Dongfang had only briefed him once. At the same time, he informed Dongfang Ting of his telephone number to facilitate their correspondence.

Dongfang Ting voiced his suspicions to him, "Ling Yun, I have a burning question to ask you. I realized that I'm unable to see through your realm, but my instincts tell me that it is not that high…"

After Ling Yun had cultivated the bizarre energy center, other people were unable to perceive his cultivated realm even if they were of a higher realm than him.

Ling Yun pondered on the matter, letting out a laugh. "I should either be at Houtian Realm Level Seven or Eight, though I'm not too certain about the specifics."

Although Ling Yun was evasive in his reply, he knew that he was Physique Tempering Stage Four in reality. After he had cultivated the Yin-Yang harmony balance, Ling Yun was unsure about the extent of increase in his powers.

Although he might still be unable to defeat his mother, Ling Yun sensed that he would still be able to evade the experts at Xiantian Realm Level One even if he didn't stand a fighting chance against them.

Now that he had been freed from the fetters of spiritual energy, Ling Yun was able to venture to any place as he pleased.

"With powers that are deep beyond measure and unrivaled healing skills, accompanied with a beautiful two-tailed fox and das.h.i.+ng looks. Do you have a girlfriend? If not, I can introduce my younger sister to you. I tell you, she's the pride of our family…" Dongfang Ting remarked in earnestness.

After listening to Dongfang Ting's unreserved praises, Ling Yun was unable to stomach it and quickly waved his hand. "Elder Brother Dongfang, please spare me and don't make such jokes…"

The issue of a girlfriend was a terrible headache to him.

Dongfang Ting laughed aloud. Turning his head to look at Dugu Mo, who was sitting cross-legged, his face revealed a hint of shock. He remarked in astonishment, "Why has Dugu Mo's realm elevated by so much? He is about to break through to the peak of Houtian Realm Level Nine!"

Ling Yun pretended to exclaim in shock. Maintaining his composure, he replied, "The peak of Houtian Realm Level Nine? Did he drink too much of the dragon's saliva?"

Dongfang Ting's eyes flashed a look of sincere admiration. He mumbled, "There's no way of comparing one person with another. Although Dugu Mo is younger than me by five years, his realm is the same as mine. After drinking the dragon's saliva and cultivating together, I've only managed to reach the middle stages of Houtian Realm Level Nine. He, however, has crossed two small realms at once. He is undoubtedly the most outstanding genius of the Dugu Family!"

Ling Yun didn't continue speaking. He was clearly aware that this was the result of the immortal spiritual energy that he had injected into Dugu Mo's body earlier on. That immortal spiritual energy was sufficient for Dugu Mo to break through to the peak of Xiantian Realm Level Two from Houtian Realm Level Eight. Had he failed to do so, it would have been a crus.h.i.+ng defeat.

"Elder Brother Dongfang, there's an endless supply of dragon's saliva here. Are you going to resume your cultivation?" Ling Yun smiled as he changed the topic.

Dongfang Ting shrugged. "I'm not going to cultivate anymore, my heart feels unsettled in this place, which is five hundred meters underground. Moreover, I feel bad that you have to protect us while we are cultivating. Since we're unable to find the Earth Emperor's Book, I'll wait until Dugu Mo has awakened before bidding farewell to him."

Knowing that Dongfang Ting was feeling unsettled after experiencing a close shave with death, Ling Yun didn't hinder him and smiled while allowing him to bring as much dragon's saliva with him as possible.

"Your Elder Brother won't stand on ceremony then!" This was exactly what he wanted to do. Dongfang Ting collected two mineral water bottles from the ground and filled them with the dragon's saliva before twisting their caps tightly and putting them away carefully.

Seeing that Dugu Mo still didn't have any intention of stopping his cultivation, Ling Yun laughed and asked Dongfang Ting, "Elder Brother Dongfang, since we've got nothing to do anyway, why don't you tell me more about the Huaxia as well as these ancient martial arts families and secretive sects?"

Ling Yun desperately needed to know more about the subject — the more he knew, the better. Hence, he seized the opportunity to have a comprehensive understanding of it through Dongfang Ting's explanation.

Dongfang Ting naturally wouldn't conceal anything from Ling Yun. Whatever question he asked, Dongfang Ting would reply to him to the best of his knowledge. This quickly enabled Ling Yun to have a clear understanding of the distribution of powers within Huaxia.

After an hour, the duo chatted about the Xiantian Realm. Ling Yun asked curiously, "There are a total of nine levels in the Xiantian Realm. What realm would one reach after breaking through the peak of Xiantian Realm Level Nine?"

Dongfang Ting laughed. "Above Xiantian Realm Level Nine… I had once posed this question to the elders in my clan. However, even if they had attained Xiantian Realm Level Nine, this question was too difficult for them to answer. Nevertheless, I recall my grandpa saying that it would be Wusui Emptiness…"

"Wusui Emptiness?" Ling Yun echoed in shock.

"That's right, Wusui Emptiness. Once a person has attained Wusui Emptiness, also known as the realm of Cultivating Spirit into Emptiness, then even if he enters the Dao with martial skills, he would become one of those people…"

It was the second time that Ling Yun had heard about "those people". He thought to himself, Wasn't Cao Shanshan referring to you guys from the ancient martial arts families and secretive sects when she mentioned 'those people'? How is it that Dongfang Ting is also mentioning 'those people' as well?

"Those people? Which people?" Ling Yun continued questioning him.

"The legendary pract.i.tioners of cultivation!"

Ling Yun was so dumbfounded and excited that he was speechless for a long time!