Chapter 460: 元神 Six Realms

Skill levels, starting from the 'Dao' realm, progressively influence one's soul and primordial spirit.

In the 'Grotto-Heaven' realm, with sufficient time, a cultivator's primordial spirit almost certainly reaches the fifth level. Beyond that, the supplementary effect becomes weaker. In the 'Heaven-Earth' realm, with sufficient time, a cultivator's primordial spirit almost certainly reaches the sixth level.

As for the seventh level of the primordial spirit, it requires profound enlightenment, the spiritual inspiration from creating one's own cultivation method, or special opportunities like unique primordial spirit cultivation techniques. In short, for countless beings across the river of time and space, the seventh level of the primordial spirit is almost the pinnacle they can achieve. For instance, Ancestor Cang Yuan remained at the seventh level throughout his life.

The eighth level of the primordial spirit signifies a mighty expert of the Primordial Spirit Tribulation realm. Reaching this stage demands both innate talent and opportune circumstances.

Meng Chuan's brush moved with fluid strokes, painting with vibrant passion.

Not every skill realm can be infused into the paintbrush. For instance, a deadly art full of malevolent energy or an ultimate technique would not be suitable for expressing emotion through a painting of a beautiful woman. The Cloud-Mist Dragon-Snake movement technique inherently resembles painting upon the world. It was perfectly suited for painting, and Meng Chuan found immense satisfaction in it. Each stroke invoked profound rule mysteries and the power of heaven and earth, resonating deeply within him. The painting itself even began to spontaneously form a 'Grotto-Heaven'. Although the scroll was ordinary and incapable of truly opening a Grotto-Heaven, the painting gradually manifested an illusionary Grotto-Heaven.

"A single painting can encompass a world; the ancients truly spoke no falsehood," Meng Chuan marveled inwardly. "When painting with the brushwork of the 'Grotto-Heaven' realm, and if one's artistic skill is sufficiently refined, an illusionary Grotto-Heaven will naturally form."

Only halfway through the painting, Meng Chuan perceived a change in his primordial spirit.

"My primordial spirit broke through?" Meng Chuan exclaimed with delight.

Within his sea of consciousness, the slowly rotating 'primordial spirit star' and the 'black demonic cone' circling beside it, which had always radiated spiritual light, now finally began their metamorphosis. This was a fundamental, qualitative transformation of his primordial spirit, fully advancing from the fifth to the sixth level. The primordial spirit's sensory range expanded to fifty *li*.

"It's been over seventeen years since I reached the fifth level of the primordial spirit," Meng Chuan silently rejoiced. "Now, I've finally attained the sixth level."

"Merge," Meng Chuan thought. The black demonic cone completely merged into the primordial spirit star.

"Divide," he thought again. The slowly rotating primordial spirit star split into two, with both primordial spirit stars slowly rotating in unison.

With a whoosh, one of the primordial spirit stars flew out of his body, transforming into a slightly ethereal version of Meng Chuan himself—a primordial spirit avatar.

"A primordial spirit avatar?" The two Meng Chuans looked at each other, finding the sensation quite peculiar.

A primordial spirit avatar, ultimately, consists solely of the primordial spirit and is not considered a complete life form. While capable of independent action, it remains tethered to the main body. If shattered, the dissipated primordial spirit quickly returns to the main body. Should the main body perish, the primordial spirit avatar will inevitably die as well. Furthermore, if the main body resides in one world, the primordial spirit avatar must also remain in that same world and cannot travel to others.

This limitation only ceases if one can cultivate a 'flesh and blood avatar'. Emperors, for example, can manifest a flesh and blood avatar. When a primordial spirit avatar integrates into a flesh and blood avatar, it becomes a complete life form. At that point, there is no discernible difference between the main body and the avatar. If the main body dies, the avatar can continue to live and even cultivate the 'main body' back into existence. Similarly, if the avatar dies, the main body remains unharmed and can cultivate the avatar back. Their statuses are equal. Figures like Emperor Peng, Lady Xuanyue, and Emperor Xinghe, though seemingly residing in the Demon Realm, all have avatars venturing into other domains.

"Unfortunately, my body refinement system is limited to the 'Blood Drop' realm and cannot advance to the higher 'Saint Entry' realm," Meng Chuan mused. "According to the ancient teachings, once one reaches the Saint Entry realm, a flesh and blood avatar can be manifested." The body cultivation system is incredibly potent in terms of physical strength; a body in the Saint Entry realm is comparable to that of an Emperor.

With a thought, the primordial spirit avatar swiftly returned to his sea of consciousness.

Meng Chuan resumed painting; the artwork was not yet complete.

Liu Qiyue didn't arrive at the study until noon, only to find her husband still absorbed in his painting. She stood beside him and observed. The scroll depicted Liu Qiyue seated cross-legged, encircled by flying fiery phoenixes whose warmth caused the surrounding snow to melt.

"How beautiful," Liu Qiyue murmured. Upon seeing the painting, her consciousness was drawn into the illusionary Grotto-Heaven. The illusionary Grotto-Heaven was still hazy and not fully formed. She could discern a woman seated cross-legged, phoenixes circling around, and the sound of melting snow dripping. Being a King God-Demon, Liu Qiyue, with a single thought, was able to withdraw her consciousness from the illusionary Grotto-Heaven.

"A painting that contains a world?" Liu Qiyue exclaimed in awe. "This is only a half-finished piece; how powerfully would it affect one's consciousness if completed? Ah Chuan's previous paintings never had such a strong impact. Has his painting skill improved?"

Not daring to disturb him, she allowed Meng Chuan to continue painting meticulously. He continued painting from morning until nightfall.

By night, with the candles burned down past halfway, Meng Chuan finally put down his brush. The painting depicted a courtyard. Within the courtyard, a woman sat cross-legged, phoenixes circled, thick snow lay, and partial buildings were visible. The colors were vibrant, making everything appear remarkably real.

"Ah Chuan," Liu Qiyue said from beside him, looking on in astonishment. "How is it that your paintings now resemble a Black Iron Heavenly Tome, capable of drawing one's consciousness into them?"

"This brushwork incorporates the profound mysteries of the Grotto-Heaven realm, which is why this painting naturally formed an illusionary Grotto-Heaven," Meng Chuan explained with a smile. "I didn't anticipate it before I started painting. It seems that when the profound rules of heaven and earth are infused into the brushstrokes, the paintings become increasingly wondrous." If he were to reach the Heaven-Earth realm in the future, and infuse its artistic conception into his brushstrokes, what kind of influence would such a painting possess?

"Qiyue, keep this safe," Meng Chuan said with a smile.

"This is mine now," Liu Qiyue said, gazing at it delightedly. A painting each year was her treasured possession.

"I need to enter seclusion for cultivation tonight, so you should rest early," Meng Chuan told her.

"Seclusion?" Liu Qiyue asked, puzzled. "Ah Chuan, you've only been back for three days, and you need to go into seclusion already? Is your cultivation schedule so tight?"

Meng Chuan smiled faintly. "Just today, my primordial spirit broke through to the sixth level, so I need to enter seclusion to cultivate a primordial spirit secret art."

"The sixth level of the primordial spirit?" Liu Qiyue was astonished. She knew that among all the God-Demons in the world, only a handful could reach the sixth level of the primordial spirit. Although she was aware that her husband had been a painting master since his youth, achieving the sixth level of the primordial spirit now was still quite astounding.

"I didn't expect it either," Meng Chuan said with a smile. "Breaking through my primordial spirit before the final battle of the World Gap is a cause for great celebration. It will also allow me to give the demon race a little surprise."

"Ah Chuan, you should go into seclusion quickly. Cultivation is important," Liu Qiyue urged.

Meng Chuan nodded, then exited the study and walked towards a nearby quiet room, pondering as he went: "How much of my primordial spirit essence should I use this time to cultivate the Demonic Cone Forbidden Art?"

"The final battle of the World Gap will have far-reaching consequences. The human race must win."

"I'll use thirty percent of my primordial spirit essence," Meng Chuan decided. He dared not use more, as doing so could result in memory loss, diminished comprehension, or even madness.

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