“Agreed!” said the Reincarnation Mountain, its final word.

As the sound echoed out, a brilliant light surrounded the mountain. It pierced the sky, filling it with ten portions of light. Nine portions of light had already been bright.

As of now, the light was piercing, illuminating everything completely!

Light shone down from up above, filling the entire world with brightness, making the two Holy Lands completely clear.

Now, a tall paG.o.da was visible on the other Holy Land, upon which a large character could be seen.

Fang!

In the past, Lord Li had two great generals who were the basis of the two Holy Lands. In later generations, one of those generals came to be called Ji. The other was named Fang; had been, and always would be!

Meng Hao’s mind trembled and he took a deep breath. One by one, the nine great Nascent Souls that spun around him reentered his body to sit cross-legged in his dantian region. As they returned, Meng Hao’s Cultivation base climbed up again. He could sense that he now had the power to enter the Ninth Anima!

That would be fearsome power equal to 256 great circle Nascent Soul Cultivation bases, as well as an intense fleshly body power that could reach a shocking realm.

Meng Hao looked up. He saw the Reincarnation Mountain, and then, above all the three Greater Demon Mountains, the fully illuminated Third Heaven.

He could sense an enormous, terrifying pressure weighing down from the Third Heaven. Even with his nine Nascent Souls, it was something he couldn’t possibly even touch.

“Even Spirit Severing would be incapable of breaking through,” thought Meng Hao, his eyes glittering. “Only a higher stage, higher than Dao Seeking, would have even a chance.”

The voice of true spirit Night suddenly could be heard echoing about, filled with complex emotions. “You acquired ten portions of light…. I never thought that could happen.

“If you acquired only six, I wouldn’t stand in your way. That would especially be the case if you acquired nine. But you acquired ten.

“The sky has room for ten portions, and you occupied them all….

“Nine portions of light qualifies you to have nine chances. As for ten portions of light…. you are qualified to unlimited chances. As long as no one acquires the legacy of Lord Li before you do, then most likely, that legacy belongs to you.

“However, I advise you not to attempt to break through to the Third Heaven before Immortal Ascension.”

Meng Hao’s eyes glittered as he looked up to see true spirit Night staring at him.

Ke Jiusi was silent for a moment, then looked at Meng Hao and quietly said, “Ten portions of light is the pinnacle. I also advise you not to attempt to break through this time. The Third Heaven is not a place for those who are not Immortals. Furthermore, the ten portions of light contain incredible good fortune that cannot be acquired unless you are Immortal.”

Meng Hao clasped hands and bowed to Ke Jiusi. As he rose, he looked at him and said, “I want to try.”

Ke Jiusi looked at Meng Hao. When he saw his staunchness, he held his tongue, and did nothing to block his way.

True spirit Night similarly said nothing.

Meng Hao took a breath and the flashed up into the sky, transforming into a beam of colorful light. He shot directly toward the Third Heaven, and the Fang Clan Holy Land.

As soon as he flew up into the air, everything began to shake. An enormous pressure descended, causing Meng Hao’s body to instantly stop in mid-air. It was as if all the bones in his body were making cracking sounds. His entire person felt as if it were being grabbed by a giant hand, and then crushed into pieces.

At the same time, something that seemed like a giant net wrapped him, causing his body to weaken rapidly.

All of this was when he had just started out! He was still far, far away from the Third Heaven!

Meng Hao’s eyes flickered as, without hesitation, he entered directly into the Third Anima.

Three great Nascent Souls merged together. The fact that he had a Cultivation base equal to four great circle Nascent Souls was secondary; his fleshly body power was the key. Meng Hao lifted his head up and laughed.

Boom!

The pressure surrounding him quavered, and the force wrapping up his Cultivation base loosened a bit. Meng Hao once again flew upward, shooting up roughly 3,000 meters.

The sky was 30,000 meters high, which meant that Meng Hao had only forced his way ten percent of the way toward the Third Heaven.

In his position 3,000 meters up, Meng Hao began to pant. His body felt as if it were sinking into waters of weakness. The force wrapping around him emitted intense pressure, causing his body to distort.

“Fifth Anima!”

Boom!

Meng Hao’s body shook. He now had a Cultivation base equal to 16 great circle Nascent Souls, and his fleshly body was close to Spirit Severing. He was able to cast off the pressure surrounding him, once again forcing his way up. Soon, he had reached the 6,000 meter mark.

At that point, the pressure in the area bore down with overbearing aggression. It seemed ready to crush Meng Hao in an instant. His face flickered, but he didn’t hesitate.

“Seventh Anima!”

After entering the Seventh Anima, the power of 64 great circle Nascent Souls filled him, and his fleshly body was at the Spirit Severing stage. Meng Hao lifted his head up and roared, then forced himself up, fighting back against the pressure. Roaring echoed out as he faced directly against the increasingly intense pressure to fly up another 3,000 meters. He had now reached a total height of 9,000 meters.

By this point, Meng Hao was panting. The pressure here was such that it would instantly destroy any Cultivator who was under Spirit Severing, exterminating them in mind and spirit.

As for Meng Hao, if he didn’t have his incredibly powerful fleshly body, then he too would be destroyed. His face was now extremely unsightly.

However, a smile could also be seen on his face, and a wild determination appeared in his eyes.

“Eighth Anima!”

Boom!!

Meng Hao laughed toward the Heavens as his Cultivation base exploded up. His Cultivation base was risen up to a power equivalent to 128 great circle Nascent Souls. His hair whipped about and his clothes fluttered. His fleshly body grew even more intensely powerful. Cracking sounds could be heard as he seemed to grow taller. Within him, every inch of bone, flesh, and blood burst with endless power.

His fleshly body grew even more powerful than before!

The Eighth Anima was something that could imperil First Severing Cultivators!

Patriarch Huyan, who was of the great circle of the First Severing, couldn’t stand up to a single blow when Meng Hao was in the Eighth Anima!

The pressure surrounding Meng Hao shattered, and his body flew up again. The sight of it caused Ke Jiusi to be moved visibly. A profound look appeared in the eyes of true spirit Night.

To them, Meng Hao’s Cultivation base wasn’t even worth mentioning. However, Meng Hao’s will, his determination, and his decisiveness caused their minds to tremble.

Off in the distance, Zhixiang was staring fixedly at the scene. Her heart was also trembling, moved by Meng Hao’s persistence, perseverance, and tenacity.

Although Meng Hao’s Cultivation base was far from any of these people, he had already forced his way to the 12,000 meter position. Such a high position was nearly at the halfway point. The pressure was intense, and as Meng Hao neared, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

His fleshly body was powerful, but underneath this pressure, it twisted and distorted, emitting groaning and creaking sounds. Even the Cultivation base power of 128 great circle Nascent Nascent Souls was defeated with a boom.

As of this moment, it seemed he had reached the end….

Meng Hao’s eyes filled with an intense light. He could accept that he couldn’t go further, but what he couldn’t accept was that he couldn’t reach the halfway point!

“Ninth Anima!”

As his voice rang out from the 12,000 meter level, his body suddenly shook.

White hair appeared on his head as his longevity was sucked away at a terrifyingly rapid rate. However, at the same time, his Cultivation base… began an unprecedentedly mad climb.

128, 151, 178, 193… all the way to 200!

Not too long ago, when he had acquired his eighth Nascent Soul, during the time when his Cultivation base climbed from the power of 64 great circle Nascent Souls to reach the power of 100, he had felt as if he were equivalent to Spirit Severing.

If 100 great circle Nascent Souls was similar to Spirit Severing, well, as of this moment, he had 200!

After reaching the Cultivation base power of 200 great circle Nascent Souls, Meng Hao’s energy changed in an earth-shaking way. The pressure around him once again collapsed, and was completely incapable of doing anything to stop him. Now, nothing prevented him from pus.h.i.+ng onward, climbing up!

203, 210, 230… all the way to 256!

The power of 256 great circle Nascent Souls caused the sky and land to dim, and the wind to scream. Roaring echoed out, and Meng Hao’s entire body turned into something like a shooting star that charged upward.

His fleshly body also experienced incredible growth. It was tougher and more powerful. Furthermore, it was at this point that gradually, complex markings began to appear all over his body!

The marks glittered brightly, and seemed to contain laws of Heaven and Earth. They appeared to be branded on him from the void, causing his energy to once again shake everything.

13,000 meters. 13,500 meters. 14,500 meters… all the way to 15,000 meters!

15,000 meters in the air was the halfway point!

Meng Hao’s body trembled, and blood oozed from his mouth. His hair was now more than half white. His body was tall and slender, and his energy intense. As he hovered in the 15,000 meter position, he did not wipe the blood from his mouth, but instead lifted his head up and laughed.

Then, he raised his foot and… moved forward once again, by and entire three meters!

Meng Hao’s imposing manner, his demeanor, and his appearance in this moment caused Ke Jiusi, true spirit Night, and Zhixiang, to all be shaken.

When was a man most attractive?

In a moment like this!

When was a man the most righteous hero?

In a moment like this!

There is an expression that describes a person as being ‘indescribably beautiful and striking.’ That is usually used to describe women. There is another expression. ‘Who can do it except for me?’ That expression is used to describe a true man!

At any time or place, a true man who stands out from the crowd, a pa.s.sionate, true man, is like a hero, a person just as attractive as the most beautiful woman!

Regardless of man or woman, anyone would be drawn to such pa.s.sion and ardor!

Zhixiang’s heart shook. Even she didn’t notice that the image of Meng Hao was being burned deeply into her heart in an unprecedented way. This was not to say that it caused romantic love to appear, but rather, she would now be incapable of forgetting him.

“Pressing forward with indomitable will,” she murmured. “That… is a true man.” She looked at Meng Hao, and suddenly realized that this scene really was indelibly etched on her heart.

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This chapter was sponsored by Wei Tan, Dennis Liu, Asger Hansen, and Westerly Idiot

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Note from Er Gen: This book is nearing its conclusion, and I’m currently thinking of the name for the next book…. I welcome any guesses about the name!