C9 The Ninth Chapter

The 'Spirit Transformation Palm' was not a martial art originating from the Xia Family. In reality, aside from the 'Spirit Guidance Technique' and a handful of rudimentary Spirit Gathering Arrays detailed in the Mystic Spirit Secret Records, the Xia ancestors had left no other legacy.

Throughout their history, the Xia Family possessed only the Spirit Guidance Technique for cultivating spirit Qi, lacking any martial skills to utilize it effectively.

Traditionally merchants, the Xia Family lineage occasionally included a few Martial Saints, though such individuals were outliers, much like Xia Yi.

The 'Spirit Transformation Palm' was an esoteric skill closely guarded by the royal family of Veotus, the preeminent nation of Foglaostein. Mastering this technique to a certain degree allowed one to neutralize the spirit energy within an opponent's body upon contact with their palms.

Consider a scenario where combatants are evenly matched, yet one wields the Spirit Transformation Palm and the other does not. Who would have the upper hand? Clearly, the one with the palm technique would gain an increasing advantage as the battle endured. Despite its modest power, the technique's practicality was undeniable.

Completing a session with the 'Spirit Transformation Palm' left Xia Yi with a sweat-drenched forehead. He exhaled deeply and examined his palms to gauge his recent progress in cultivation.

The skin at the center of his palms was noticeably whiter than the surrounding area, not with the pallor of illness but resembling the luster of translucent white jade.

The 'Spirit Transformation Palm' comprised nine distinct levels, with the dispelling force growing stronger at each stage. Achieving the ninth level would turn one's entire palm the color of white jade.

Once Xia Yi released the energy of the Spirit Transformation Palm, his palm's skin promptly reverted to its normal shade. Pleased with the outcome, he nodded in approval, then sat cross-legged and began practicing the Spirit Guidance Technique.

Meanwhile, Xia Ye held a sketchpad, observing her brother Xia Yi as she drew. The serene moonlight bathed them both, casting a harmonious glow on their surroundings.

Inside Xia Yi's mind, the spiritual seed had grown to the size of a sesame grain, enveloped in a blinding white light, resembling a tiny sun.

A delicate red filament emerged from his body, illuminated by the moon's rays. Above his head, an enigmatic rune materialized once more. Accompanied by a soft chanting from the rune, a glimmer sparked between Xia Yi's eyebrows.

The rune materialized at the crown of his head, marking Xia Yi's second attempt.

A massive wave of pain surged through his forehead once again. Though Xia Yi braced himself for the onslaught, the intense agony still elicited an involuntary grunt from him.

The pain intensified incrementally, steadily depleting the spiritual seed nestled deep within his consciousness.

The murmuring resonated like a grand bell, each word and tone reverberating through his very soul.

"To vanquish demons and uphold the Dao, one must endure three thousand trials. Only then shall the celestial beings descend to the mortal realm. Boom!"

At the peak of his suffering, Xia Yi suddenly deciphered the cryptic murmurs. In a flash, the runes swirling above his head cascaded down, flooding his body with their frenzied energy.

The agony was excruciating. His consciousness grew hazy, yet the relentless pain showed no signs of abating.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The triple chime of the bell shattered the barrier at his brow. Xia Yi felt a buzzing in his head as the intense pain vanished, replaced by an ineffable sense of relief.

Opening his eyes, Xia Yi witnessed his transformation and couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

The barrier at his brow had been breached, but contrary to his expectations, it did not reveal any mystical 'Heavenly Eye.' His brows appeared unchanged, as normal as ever.

However, his body had undergone a remarkable change!

An oval halo emerged at the back of his head, and his body was enveloped in a faint golden glow. From a distance, he resembled a celestial being descended to earth, a living embodiment of the Three Pure Ones.

His hearing was sharp, his vision clear, and his body brimmed with boundless energy. What state had he achieved?

Xia Yi glanced at Xia Ye, noticing the little girl still engrossed in her drawing. Perplexed, he wondered if she was oblivious to his current transformation.

Indeed, to Xia Ye's eyes, Xia Yi looked no different. The golden state he perceived was visible only to him.

Suddenly, a feeling of weakness washed over him, and in an instant, Xia Yi's luminous form faded away...

Upon inspection, Xia Yi noticed the light on the spiritual seed had dimmed to a mere flicker, indicating that sustaining this state would require a continuous consumption of spiritual energy.

After enduring three thousand trials of banishing demons and upholding the Dao, a celestial being could finally descend to the mortal realm.

Could it be that what Master mentioned about binding the fiend at the crown could open the heavens? It's not about unlocking the Heavenly Eye, but rather, the opening to the celestial beings?

Celestial, celestial... It must be correct. The more Xia Yi pondered, the more convinced he became.

After taking a short break, Xia Yi got to his feet.

"Come on, sister, time to head back."

"Oh, alright."

"What are you always drawing? What is it? I want to see."

"Don't look."

Xia Ye, like a startled fawn, scampered away in a flurry.

"Let's see where you can run to!"

Xia Yi laughed heartily as he gave chase.

...

At the training grounds, every student and teacher of Dragonflight Cloister was gathered, their emotions surging with excitement as they listened to the headmaster's speech.

The headmaster himself had decreed that the Spirit Gathering Tower would be open for two days!

The fifth-rank Spirit Gathering Tower at Dragonflight Cloister wasn't just for decoration; it had a purpose.

Its mission was to ensure that every student who entered Dragonflight Academy would acquire their own 'Martial Spirit'.

If it weren't for this fifth-rank Spirit Gathering Tower, even with the royal family's backing, Dragonflight Academy's fame might not be as widespread. It's fair to say that the current renown of Dragonflight Cloister owes at least half of its prestige to this Spirit Gathering Tower.

The Spirit Gathering Tower at Dragonflight Cloister hadn't been open to the public for over two years, primarily due to a lack of funds.

Maintaining a fifth-rank Spirit Gathering Tower was already costly, and once someone entered the tower, whether or not they acquired a Martial Spirit, the spiritual energy within would inevitably diminish. The only solution was to continually infuse new jade into the tower until the spiritual energy was fully restored.

Besides bestowing a 'Martial Spirit', the Spirit Gathering Tower had another significant function: it could help warriors who possessed a 'Martial Spirit' accelerate their progression to the Unification of Martial Spirit.

Previously, to minimize depletion, the Spirit Gathering Tower was exclusively opened to students lacking a 'Martial Spirit'. However, an unrestricted two-day opening like this had not occurred in five years.

The Spirit Gathering Tower, categorized into five levels, doubles the quantity of spiritual energy with each ascent. While higher levels promise superior Martial Spirits, the risks are equally present. These spirits, prior to bonding with a human, share your history and thoughts. Their sole distinction from you lies in their inability to exist under the sunlight.

Wu Liang, the white-haired principal of Dragonflight Cloister, delivered this cautionary message to the teachers and students poised to enter the Spirit Gathering Tower. His voice, deep and solemn, conveyed the warning he faithfully repeated at each opening of the tower.

"Alright, you can go in now."

With a wave of his hand, Wu Liang concluded his address. The crowd, eager and animated, filed into the Spirit Gathering Tower.

Despite its vastness, the tower seemed to swallow the influx of people, making the interior appear sparsely populated. This was, of course, a testament to its grand scale.

Trailing behind, Xia Yi noticed Luo Fang remaining motionless and approached him with curiosity.

"Brother Luo, why aren't you entering?"

With an air of arrogance, Luo Fang replied, "I grasped the Unification of Martial Spirit at the age of fifteen. The Spirit Gathering Tower holds no value for me now."

Fifteen years old... This fellow was truly extraordinary.

Xia Yi shook his head in amazement and scanned the area, noting that around thirty individuals were also stationary. Like Luo Fang, they had likely achieved the Unification of Martial Spirit and found no need to venture inside.

As Xia Yi stepped into the tower, he observed numerous students already seated in meditation on the first floor, channeling their Qi and attuning to the Martial Spirit.

The tower's interior was bare, save for a central staircase adorned with dragon motifs, marking the route to the second level.

Within the tower, an unseen pressure from the Martial Spirit enveloped the space, explaining why the students immediately settled into meditative postures upon entry. The pressure was indeed overwhelming.

Xia Yi stood at the entrance of the tower, surveying the students scattered haphazardly on the ground around him. With the naked eye, one couldn't see the Martial Spirits, so it took him a moment to understand what was happening.

Xia Yi could feel the oppressive force of the Martial Spirits, but unlike the others, he had a unique response. Whenever he sensed the pressure, a warm flow would spontaneously rise within him, neutralizing the force until it vanished.

Unaffected by the suppression of the Martial Spirits, Xia Yi ascended the stairs to the second floor with ease. The second level of the Spirit Gathering Tower was sparsely populated, with only the occasional person spotted meditating on the floor.

The second floor was a stark contrast to the tranquility of the first, with chilling winds and the occasional fine, silk-like wails of ghosts that sent shivers down one's spine.

With each ascent, the concentration of Spiritual Qi doubled. Martial Spirits, growing stronger, preferred to dwell in areas brimming with Spiritual Qi, making each higher floor increasingly perilous.

Although the internal warm current continued to counteract the pressure from the Martial Spirits, Xia Yi noticed a marked slowdown in his ability to neutralize it.

Each step he took intensified the pressure on his body. By the time Xia Yi reached the stairs to the third floor, his heart was pounding fiercely.

Settling into a cross-legged position, Xia Yi began to regulate his breath. In his consciousness, the spirit seed, no larger than a sesame seed, glowed intensely, its brilliance magnified by the tower's abundant Spiritual Qi.

"Another newcomer. Whose turn is it this time? Is it mine?"

"Meow, it's my turn, it's my turn! Hahaha, I've waited a hundred years, meow..."

A sob emerged, and within Xia Yi's barren consciousness appeared a fist-sized ball of transparent white air—the coveted Martial Spirit of every warrior.

Upon Xia Yi's observation, the Martial Spirit began to transform, the white mist swiftly morphing into an adorable little flower-patterned cat.

"Meow, I am Flying Sickle Cat. I cultivated in the deep mountains for two hundred years. Alas, I was once ambushed by a band of despicable attackers and met an unfortunate end. I am an Enhanced Martial Spirit. If you choose me, I can significantly boost your speed."

As Flying Sickle Cat spoke, it darted around Xia Yi's consciousness with incredible velocity, demonstrating a speed that could rival lightning. Xia Yi watched in amazement.

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