Chapter 918
Chapter 918
The howling wind, like millions of steel needles, pierced Fu Shaoping's pores! The excruciating pain felt as if it would blow away every inch of his flesh and blood, every wisp of his soul! The golden core in his body spun even faster, bursting out with brilliant golden light, using pure true essence and the power of the contract's origin to resist the erosion of the wind.
"Contract Protection - Origin Blessing!"
A pale golden protective shield of the contract lit up, combining with the spiritual energy of the stars to fiercely resist the gale. Fu Shaoping's physical body had undergone numerous temperings and was infused with the true meaning of the "contract protection," making it exceptionally resilient. Even so, his skin rapidly cracked, oozing golden blood, and his soul felt as if it had been torn apart by a thousand knives.
But his will was as firm as iron, and he remained unmoved, focusing all his energy on circulating his cultivation technique to guide his true essence to continue collapsing into the golden elixir.
An hour later, the gale gradually weakened and dissipated.
Fu Shaoping was covered in blood, his breath weak, but his eyes shone even brighter. He had passed the first tribulation!
Before he could catch his breath, the temperature of his golden core, under extreme compression, rose sharply! A tiny, crimson spark was born from the core of the golden core, then exploded into a raging fire, burning the golden core and his soul from the inside out!
The Samadhi True Fire Calamity has arrived!
This fire is no ordinary fire; it is formed from the cultivator's own essence, energy, and spirit, specifically designed to burn away impurities in the foundation of one's cultivation and impure thoughts. The flames are red, white, and blue, leaping and rising, extremely hot.
Fu Shaoping felt as if his golden core was about to melt and his soul was about to burn. The excruciating pain far surpassed that of the wind tribulation; it was a scorching heat originating from the very source of life.
He focused intently on the clarity of his mind, fully utilizing the "Origin Condensation Method" in the "General Outline of Origin," while simultaneously drawing upon the power of the "Purification of the Heavenly Stele Fragments" to purify any impurities or evil energy that might be contained within the true fire.
"Purify your heart and refine your golden elixir!"
The pure essence of the contract and the power of purification merged into the true fire, making the burning process, though painful, even more pure. He could feel the last trace of impurity in his golden core being refined, becoming more perfect and flawless; the subtle distractions in his soul were also burned away, becoming pure and clear.
The real fire burned for a full three hours.
As the flames gradually died down, Fu Shaoping's golden core had shrunk to the size of a pigeon egg, yet it was crystal clear, like the most perfect work of art, with a faint phantom of a curled-up infant inside.
Above the Golden Core, rich radiance bursts forth from the nine orifices!
After being tempered by true fire, the physical body was freed from impurities, becoming more crystalline and resilient, faintly radiating a pale golden light of the contract.
The second ordeal is over!
But Fu Shaoping knew that the most dangerous third tribulation—the tribulation of inner demons—was about to arrive.
He immediately swallowed the Nascent Soul Pill. The pill melted upon entering his mouth, transforming into a cool and vast medicinal power that surged into his limbs, bones, and soul, protecting his origin and providing the immense energy needed to form his nascent soul.
As soon as the power of the elixir dissipated, the scene before them suddenly distorted and changed.
The tribulation of inner demons begins!
Fu Shaoping finds himself back in Fu Family Village, where he grew up. His parents are still alive, the villagers are harmonious, and he is still a carefree child, playing under the big tree at the entrance of the village.
"Ping'er, come home for dinner!" Her mother's gentle voice rang out.
Everything feels so real, so warm. If only I could stay here forever!
This is the demon of attachment.
Fu Shaoping felt a pang of pain in his heart, but he knew it was an illusion. He gently shook his head: "My parents and fellow villagers are long gone. My path lies ahead."
The scene was shattered.
The next moment, he found himself in the Northern Territory, being hunted down by Elder Ying, a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Myriad Contracts Alliance. He was severely injured and on the verge of death. Despair and fear surged over him like a tidal wave.
"Hand over the fragments of the 'Contract Order,' and I'll spare your life!" Elder Shadow's ferocious face was inches away.
This is the demon of fear.
Fu Shaoping sneered: "A mere illusion dares to disturb my Dao heart? If I can kill you once, I can slay you ten thousand times!"
A fearless sword intent rose within him, shattering the illusion.
The scene shifted again. He found himself a Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator, or even higher, with overwhelming power and the world submitting to him. The Myriad Contracts Alliance was suppressed with a flick of his wrist, and the "Contract Pivot" was easily purified, making him the Contract Master revered by heaven and earth. Power, strength, and glory were all within his grasp.
"This is what you deserve! Accept it!" A tempting voice echoed in my mind.
This is the demon of desire.
Fu Shaoping's eyes were clear: "Power is for use, not the ultimate goal. My path lies in protection and order, not in control and supremacy."
The illusion dissipated.
Then, he saw that he had failed to form his Nascent Soul, his Golden Core had shattered, his cultivation was completely ruined, he had become a cripple, suffered endless ridicule and scorn, and finally died a miserable death.
"See? You're destined to fail! Give up!" A voice of despair echoed.
This is the demon of despair.
Fu Shaoping's heart was as firm as a rock: "With a steadfast heart, one cannot be indomitable. Success is certainly gratifying, but failure is also an opportunity to start anew. The way of contracts should not be avoided because of fortune or misfortune."
The illusion of despair has vanished like smoke.
However, the tribulations of inner demons are not over. The deepest and most hidden inner demons are often closely related to one's own spiritual path.
Before Fu Shaoping's eyes appeared a scene of the "Contractual Mandate" being completely corrupted and transformed into a world-destroying evil weapon, causing widespread devastation to the Northern Territory and even the entire cultivation world. Countless people wailed and cursed, blaming him as the culprit, because he possessed fragments of the "Contractual Mandate" but failed to stop it.
"It's your incompetence that led to all this!" countless voices accused.
Then, the scene changed again. He saw himself sacrificing innocent lives and offering blood sacrifices of billions of living beings in order to purify the "Spirit of Contract". Although he succeeded in the end, he transformed into a demon more terrifying than the Myriad Contracts Alliance.
"Look, this is the most effective method! For the greater good, sacrifice is inevitable!" a cold voice seduced.
This is the demon of the path and the demon of choice. It points directly to his deepest sense of responsibility, fear, and potential obsession.
Fu Shaoping remained silent for a long time. These illusions touched upon the heaviest burden in his heart.
But he slowly raised his head, his gaze as resolute as ever: "Protecting all living beings does not come at the cost of sacrifice. Purifying evil must be based on righteousness. The way of the contract values fairness and order, not unscrupulous means. My path is one of perseverance, never straying from my true heart!" As his words fell, all illusions shattered with a deafening roar!
The tribulation of inner demons is over!
Having survived the three tribulations, Fu Shaoping felt his soul was clearer and stronger than ever before. Inside his dantian, the crystal-clear golden core emitted a soft "crack" sound, and countless fine cracks appeared on its surface!
The nascent soul will shatter and form an infant at this very moment!
"broken!"
Fu Shaoping silently urged himself, guiding the power of the Nascent Soul Pill and all his true essence and contract origin to break through to the Golden Core stage!
"Boom—!"
The golden core shattered completely! But it wasn't destruction; rather, it was rebirth!
The fragments of the Golden Core, along with the immense energy, the origin of the contract, the spiritual energy of the stars, and Fu Shaoping's core soul, rapidly reorganized and coalesced under the influence of the profound laws of Heaven!
A tiny baby, about three inches in size, with a crystal-clear body like jade, eyebrows and eyes exactly like Fu Shaoping's, and pale golden contract runes flowing around its body, slowly took shape and sat cross-legged in the center of its dantian!
Nascent Soul, complete!
At the same time, Fu Shaoping's sea of consciousness expanded dramatically, transforming into the Purple Mansion! His divine soul condensed, transforming into the Primordial Spirit, which resided in the Purple Mansion, resonating with the Nascent Soul!
An unprecedentedly powerful force surged from his nascent soul and primordial spirit, flowing throughout his entire body! His life level, the quality of his true essence, the strength of his divine soul, and his perception of the rules of heaven and earth all underwent earth-shattering changes!
Lifespan increased to a thousand years! The range of divine sense expanded tenfold! Every move he made could resonate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth!
He has officially entered the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm!
Within the Hidden Star Realm, spiritual energy converged wildly, forming a massive vortex that poured into Fu Shaoping's body, stabilizing his newly formed Nascent Soul and Purple Mansion. In the sky, starlight shone brightly, showering down endless starlight.
Outside the boundary, the two Supreme Elders and Guan Xingzi sensed the suddenly surging, vibrant Nascent Soul aura and the gradually subsiding pressure of heaven and earth. They all breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
"Success!"
"This child's foundation is exceptionally strong, and the formation of his infant spirit is remarkably stable. His future is limitless."
Within the Hidden Star Realm, Fu Shaoping slowly opened his eyes. His eyes shone brightly, and countless contract runes seemed to appear and disappear deep within his pupils. He exuded a vast and majestic Nascent Soul aura, yet it also carried the unique composure and sense of order characteristic of contracts.
He felt the surging power within him, but instead of elation, he felt a natural calm and a greater sense of responsibility.
"The Nascent Soul has been formed; it's time."
He gazed into the void, as if piercing through the barrier of the Hidden Star Realm, and saw the "Qi Shu" sealed in the Burial Valley of the Northern Gods, the Myriad Qi Alliance lurking in the shadows, and the end of the hundred-year pact.
Purifying the "Pillar of Contract" resolves cause and effect, and serves as the ultimate guardian of the contractual way.
His journey to becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator officially begins at this moment.
Fu Shaoping stood up, took a step, and left the high platform where he had been in seclusion for three years.
The entrance to the Hidden Star Realm slowly opened.
Three years have passed in the outside world.
A storm concerning the entire cultivation world's contractual order was quietly accelerating with the emergence of this newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator.
The Promise of a Century: The Final Chapter
As the entrance to the Hidden Star Realm opened, Fu Shaoping stepped out. Although he had already concealed the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, the profound Daoist charm and the naturally emanating pressure still caused Guan Xingzi and the two Supreme Elders waiting outside to be slightly shaken.
"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Lu (Elder Lu) on successfully forming your Nascent Soul! The Great Dao is within your reach!" The three men cupped their hands in congratulations, their tone sincere.
"Thank you for protecting me, three seniors." Fu Shaoping returned the greeting. He could sense that the auras of these three were even more profound than three years ago, clearly indicating that they had also made progress on their cultivation path.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Guan Xingzi told Fu Shaoping that many things had happened in the Northern Territory and the Central Plains over the past three years.
In the Northern Territory, the seal on the "Pillar of the Covenant" in the Burial Valley remains stable thanks to the efforts of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion and its allies. The rate of erosion by evil energy is slower than expected, giving the hundred-year agreement some leeway. However, the Myriad Covenant Alliance's activities in the Northern Territory have not ceased; on the contrary, they have become even more secretive, seemingly plotting something in the shadows.
In the Central Plains, the aftermath of the Myriad Laws Assembly had long since subsided, but the Dao of Contracts had regained considerable attention due to the assembly. Meng Qingyuan, Luo Bingyun, and others also experienced their own adventures, making significant progress in their cultivation. The Myriad Contracts Alliance remained deeply entrenched in the Central Plains, with occasional scattered incidents related to evil contracts, but their origins were difficult to trace.
"Fellow Daoist Lu has now formed his Nascent Soul and his strength has greatly increased. What are your plans for the next step?" Guan Xingzi asked.
Fu Shaoping's gaze was calm: "The first priority is naturally to fulfill the century-old agreement and purify the 'Spirit of the Seal.' However, this matter cannot be rushed and requires thorough preparation. I plan to return to the Northern Territory first to check the specific situation of the seal and find a suitable location and materials to set up the 'Three-Turn Purification Seal Array.'"
"The Three-Turn Purification Array?" Guan Xingzi and the two Supreme Elders exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with curiosity and anticipation. They knew that Fu Shaoping had been researching purification methods, and it seemed that he had already made some progress.
“Exactly. This formation requires the ‘Source Stone’ as its power source, the fragment of the ‘Purification Stele’ as its core beacon, and various rare materials to gradually strip away, transfer, and purify the evil energy of the ‘Spirit’ without damaging its original body.” Fu Shaoping briefly explained the formation concept.
The three high-ranking members of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion were shocked. This formation involved profound fields such as the origin of contracts, spatial links, and purification and transfer. Its grand and ingenious conception far surpassed any of the solutions they had previously studied.
"Fellow Daoist Lu... if this formation succeeds, it will be a great merit!" a Supreme Elder exclaimed. "The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion will provide full support. You may freely utilize the resources and manpower of the Northern Branch Pavilion."
"Thank you." Fu Shaoping nodded. "However, before that, I still need to take care of some personal matters in the Central Plains and collect some key materials needed for the formation."
"What materials are needed? Perhaps my department can provide some clues."
Fu Shaoping didn't stand on ceremony and named several rare materials: "'Void Crystal Core', 'Five Elements Spiritual Essence', 'Purifying White Lotus' seeds, a small amount of 'Nine Heavens Breath Soil', and... three drops of 'True Dragon Heart Blood'."
While the previous items were also precious, the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's resources and channels made them readily available. However, the last item, "True Dragon's Heart Blood," caused the three Nascent Soul cultivators to change their expressions.
“True Dragon’s Heart Blood?” Guan Xingzi smiled bitterly. “Fellow Daoist Lu, True Dragons have been extinct in this realm for tens of thousands of years. Even if some were left over in ancient times, they have long since become legends. Even if there is a slight possibility that they exist in some forbidden secret realms, obtaining them is as difficult as ascending to heaven and extremely dangerous.”
Fu Shaoping was well aware of the difficulty. He explained, "This item is not essential, but if you have it, it can greatly enhance the 'purification' and 'vitality' attributes of the formation, increase the success rate, and may even repair the eroded parts of the 'Core'. If you don't have it, you can use 'Ice Soul Nine-Leaf Grass' and 'Ten Thousand Year Stone Milk' as substitutes, but the effect will be reduced."
He paused for a moment: "I will do my best to find it. Even if I don't find it, I will still set up the formation as planned."
After discussing some details, Fu Shaoping took his leave and left Tianji Pavilion.
Instead of leaving Wendao City immediately, he went to the main pavilion of Wanbaolou and several large auction houses in the city, posted a commission to purchase materials such as "Void Crystal Core" at a high price, and left his contact information.
Afterwards, he visited Luo Bingyun at the Taixu Sword Palace's headquarters and Meng Qingyuan at the Tianyan Sect's headquarters. Both were greatly astonished and happy to learn that Fu Shaoping had achieved Nascent Soul status. Fu Shaoping shared his insights on contracts with them and subtly reminded them to pay attention to the movements of the Myriad Contracts Alliance. Now holding higher positions within their sects, both indicated they would keep a close eye on things. (End of Chapter)