Chapter 1679: Breaking the Limit

Lu Ye was currently at the absolute limit of what he could endure. Although the ancient environment of this stellar wonder didn't affect him, the grinding force, which grew stronger the deeper he went, was something he couldn't ignore.

This invisible grinding force was remarkably peculiar. Previously, Lu Ye had been constantly fleeing, with no time to carefully observe it. Only now, having calmed his mind, did he begin to perceive its nature.

He felt as if his very being was caught within an invisible millstone, with every inch of his flesh undergoing a strange process of refinement.

While his spirit energy remained unchanged, flowing as before, his flesh, under that peculiar grinding, began to pulsate rhythmically.

Lu Ye attempted to resist this pulsation, but he found that the more he fought against it, the more violent the grinding force became. Soon, the skin on his body even cracked open, exuding crimson blood.

A quiet dread filled him; this bizarre grinding force was incredibly potent.

One should know that his physique was considered the strongest among Constellation realm cultivators. The mere act of resisting to this extent had already caused him injury, and continuing would only lead to more severe consequences.

Furthermore, as he resisted this pulsation, Lu Ye discovered that not only did his flesh suffer some damage, but even his vital energy began to show signs of weakening.

This was truly astonishing.

After some contemplation, he ceased resisting the peculiar pulsation and instead observed calmly.

Soon, a look of surprise appeared on Lu Ye's face. Under the effect of that strange grinding force, he clearly felt his physique, which he believed had already been tempered to its limit, showing a tendency to continue improving.

He was greatly astonished because he had believed that in the Constellation realm, he had already reached his peak, and his physique had been tempered to its absolute limit. If not for that, he wouldn't have been able to fully comprehend the Blood Clan's bloodline inheritance and subsequently condense his Precious Blood.

Yet, in reality, what he had perceived as the ultimate limit was not the true limit at all!

Beyond his surprise, there was a greater sense of delight, as he discovered he still had room for improvement. This meant that the more solid his foundation became in the Constellation Realm, the stronger he would undoubtedly be when he eventually advanced to the Moon Splendor and Sun Illumination stages.

The cultivation in the upper three realms primarily focuses on tempering one's essence, qi, and spirit. The reason why the physical body, or essence, is tempered first is naturally because the physical body is fundamental to a cultivator. The qi of the Moon Splendor realm and the spirit of the Sun Illumination realm are both built upon this foundation of essence.

The stronger the foundation, the more potent the qi and spirit it can naturally bear.

Coming to this Yin-Yang Millstone was absolutely the right decision!

Fortunately, the Reincarnation Tree had given him a hint back then; otherwise, Lu Ye would never have thought of traveling countless miles to reach a place like this.

Although he could still come here to temper his body after advancing to the Moon Splendor realm, the benefits he would gain at that point would not be as significant as they were now.

There is a fixed order for what a cultivator should do and which aspect of cultivation to focus on at each stage.

The many Moon Splendor cultivators currently cultivating within the Yin-Yang Millstone were likely attempting to compensate for deficiencies in their own foundations, but it was hard to say how much they would truly gain.

The invisible grinding force continued to exert its effect, and the pulsation of his flesh never ceased for a moment. Under this continuous rhythm, Lu Ye felt his physique strengthen yet another step.

After two days, the initial pressure gradually disappeared. Lu Ye stood up and proceeded deeper.

This very spot had previously been his limit, making it difficult to delve further inside. However, with his physique strengthened yet again, his former limit was clearly surpassed.

Lu Ye continued until he reached yet another extreme position before stopping.

The grinding force at this location was undoubtedly more intense than where he had previously stayed. Lu Ye once again experienced the sensation of his entire being being placed within a millstone and continuously ground, his flesh violently squirming anew.

Repeatedly advancing deeper and breaking through his own limits, this form of cultivation was utterly captivating. Lu Ye became completely oblivious to the passage of time, with only one thought in his mind: to discover where his true limit lay.

Initially, he could still faintly sense the presence of some powerful Moon Splendor realm cultivators practicing here. However, as he continued to delve deeper, even the figures of Moon Splendor cultivators became imperceptible.

This wasn't to say that his physique was now stronger than those Moon Splendor cultivators. Rather, he was able to ignore the suppression of the ancient environment here, giving him an inherent advantage over them. In contrast, for those Moon Splendor cultivators who entered this place, their abilities were suppressed by the environment, making it difficult to say how much of their full strength they could actually exert.

The Reincarnation Tree likely hadn't anticipated Lu Ye delving to such a profound depth. It typically offered guidance to every cultivator it favored.

However, throughout history, few have truly managed to reach the level Lu Ye had.

One reason, naturally, was his exceptionally solid foundation.

Another reason was the countless sacred blood he had refined in the past, having obtained the inheritance of the Blood Clan. Especially after the birth of his Precious Blood, his physique had surpassed other cultivators at the same realm by a significant margin.

It could be said that he possessed immense potential regarding the limits of physical tempering—a potential he had not perceived before, even mistakenly believing his physique had already been refined to its absolute peak. Now, through the terrifying grinding force of the Yin-Yang Millstone, this potential was being unleashed step by step!

This explains his current actions of repeatedly breaking through his limits and venturing deeper into the Yin-Yang Millstone.

Lu Ye gradually understood these insights and naturally became eager to discover where his true limit lay.

As time passed, he gradually noticed that the enhancement of his physique was slowing down, and the breaking of his limits was becoming more gradual.

Although he felt a sense of regret, he also understood that a person's limits could not be infinite; there was always a true endpoint.

At this moment, he was nearing that true endpoint.

Of course, this was merely the limit for his Constellation realm cultivation. Once he advanced to the Moon Splendor and Sun Illumination stages, the limits of his physique would experience another significant leap.

He felt very satisfied. If he hadn't made this journey, he would likely have already advanced to the Moon Splendor realm in the Myriad Manifestation Sea. While he would still have been powerful, the full potential of his Constellation realm would not have been completely unleashed, which would ultimately affect his future growth.

Then, at a certain moment, just as Lu Ye felt his potential was about to reach its true limit, a sudden hum resonated within his body, as if something had broken through...

An ineffable sense of comfort permeated him from within, making Lu Ye feel as though his entire being, from body to spirit, was undergoing a profound sublimation.

The vital energy within his body surged and pulsed like thick liquid, roaring like thunder. His glabella suddenly became incredibly hot, and all his vital energy rapidly flowed towards that spot.

Lu Ye couldn't help but furrow his brows, unsure of what exactly was happening.

However, after calmly perceiving his own condition, he found nothing amiss.

As his vital energy continued to flow, the heat in his glabella intensified. Just when Lu Ye was on the verge of being unable to bear it, the scorching sensation suddenly vanished, replaced by an boundless sense of comfort.

Lu Ye paused for a moment, then gently clenched his fist, feeling an overwhelmingly fierce power surge through his entire body.

If, before this, he could have slain a late-stage Constellation realm cultivator with a single saber strike, now he felt he could obliterate them with a single punch.

Once the essence of his physique had been tempered to its true limit, the enhancement to his physical strength was truly terrifying.

With such power, complemented by his saber techniques, Lu Ye felt that even if a Moon Splendor cultivator stood before him, he could emerge victorious!

Previously, this would certainly have been impossible for him. Over the years, he had contended with several Moon Splendor cultivators, often requiring Lishang's soul possession to assist him. Even in that possessed state, he could only fight equally with newly advanced Moon Splendor cultivators.

However, now, even without Lishang's assistance, Lu Ye possessed the confidence to slay newly advanced Moon Splendor cultivators, such as the Ghost.

Furthermore... he felt as if something had appeared at his glabella.

He hastily rummaged through his storage ring, retrieved a mirror-like spiritual artifact, and held it up to himself.

Yet, he found nothing.

Lu Ye was somewhat perplexed. The scorching sensation at his glabella just now was clearly not an illusion, and he did feel that something new had appeared there. So why couldn't he see it?

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lu Ye fiercely channeled his vital energy. As his vital energy surged more powerfully, reaching a certain limit, the sight before his eyes finally changed.

There was indeed something at his glabella; it simply wasn't visible normally. It only manifested when he pushed his vital energy to its absolute limit.

Upon closer inspection, the mark resembled a star, positioned directly in the center of his glabella, displaying a vibrant, dripping blood-red hue.

What was this?

Lu Ye was bewildered, having never heard of anyone else developing such a thing at the peak of the Constellation realm. However, he could sense that it posed no harm to him. As for benefits... there didn't seem to be any either. It didn't manifest in his normal state, only appearing when his vital energy was pushed to its absolute limit. In other words, it would only reveal itself when he was fighting desperately.

It seemed he would have to inquire thoroughly when he next encountered the Reincarnation Tree. Although he couldn't grasp the mystery behind this star-shaped mark, he was certain that his mission to the Yin-Yang Millstone had been accomplished.

This was likely the very purpose for which the Reincarnation Tree had guided him here.

It was time to prepare for his advancement to the Moon Splendor realm.

For other cultivators, it would naturally be best to have appropriate treasures to assist them when advancing to the Moon Splendor realm, as this would increase the probability of a successful breakthrough. It would be even better if they could advance in a special environment like the Constellation Palace.

Lu Ye himself had previously intended to advance within the Constellation Palace.

However, ever since he learned some of the underlying secrets, he realized there was no need for him to do so. This was because whether one advanced within the Constellation Palace or utilized corresponding treasures, the primary goal was to purify one's spiritual energy.

From the very beginning of his cultivation, Lu Ye's spiritual energy had been pure and flawless, so there was naturally no need for him to rely on any external aid.

All of this was thanks to the Talent Tree. Its power of immolation ensured that no matter whether he ingested spirit pills or refined other forms of power, there would be absolutely no impurities.

Other cultivators, however, were not so fortunate. It went without saying that any spirit pill, even those externally labeled as "supreme-grade," contained pill toxins; it was merely that the toxins in supreme-grade spirit pills were very subtle. Refining spirit jade also caused minute, imperceptible impurities to be refined into the body. While this posed no immediate concern, if too many accumulated, it would become a significant obstacle for a cultivator's advancement to the Moon Splendor realm.