The elixir resting within the Four Myths Cauldron was truly flawless. Half black and half green, it seemed as though the powers of life and death coexisted in perfect harmony.
It was no wonder it was called the Grand Rebirth Elixir. With just a single glance, it was obvious that anyone who consumed it would truly be reborn.
Not only would their injuries recover, but even the very foundation of their body would undergo a complete transformation.
Looking at the Grand Rebirth Elixir, Chen Xuan couldn’t help but feel emotional. He had worked far too hard for this pill.
He never wanted to go through such trouble ever again.
Stretching out his hand with almost invisible tears in his eyes, he picked up the Grand Rebirth Elixir and was about to toss it into his mouth.
Yet halfway through the motion, Chen Xuan discovered something was wrong. The elixir suddenly dissolved.
Its flawless surface broke apart into countless white specks of light, as though the medicinal pill had never truly existed in the first place. They floated gently into the air, looking ready to disperse at any moment.
Chen Xuan’s expression changed.
He had gone through countless hardships to obtain this pill. If something had really gone wrong at the final step, the price he would have to pay would be unimaginable.
Fortunately, his worries soon proved unnecessary.
The specks of light did not scatter. Instead, they drifted toward him of their own accord, wrapping around his body like a cocoon before seeping into him through every pore.
The instant the light entered his body, it transformed into pure medicinal power.
Chen Xuan sensed a warm green glow flowing through every inch of his body. Under its effects, his cracked meridians rapidly healed.
Likewise, every hidden injury that had accumulated over the decades and remained buried within his body quietly disappeared.
Even tiny wounds he had long forgotten ever suffering were washed away beneath the pill’s astonishing medicinal effects.
More importantly, a portion of the Grand Rebirth Elixir’s power descended into his Dantian.
Once there, it began stabilizing the damaged foundation.
Within moments, the dim light surrounding his Dantian brightened, while its previously shrunken size gradually expanded back to normal.
Under the influence of so many miraculous effects, Chen Xuan felt as though his entire body was being reborn.
The injuries that had burdened him rapidly disappeared. Moreover, as though that alone wasn’t enough, Chen Xuan felt his physical body continuously growing stronger.
The powers of life and death constantly intertwined.
One destroyed his body, the other worked to restore it.
Death shattered his flesh over and over again, while life rebuilt it into something even stronger.
Under this endless cycle of destruction and rebirth, Chen Xuan’s physique transformed at an astonishing speed.
The Dragon-Phoenix Body circulated on its own, greedily absorbing the medicinal power. At the same time, Chen Xuan could vaguely sense that even his Spirit Body was undergoing another evolution.
The process was so profound that he instinctively closed his eyes, allowing his body to transform naturally.
Fortunately, the changes did not last for long. The Grand Rebirth Elixir once again displayed why it deserved its legendary reputation.
Within only a few minutes, the transformation was complete.
When Chen Xuan finally opened his eyes, a sharp divine light flashed across his blue pupils.
For a brief moment, an unfathomable aura erupted from his body before sweeping through the endless darkness of the Seven Trials Tower.
The surrounding void trembled slightly beneath that pressure.
Chen Xuan made no attempt to suppress it. Instead, he nearly threw back his head and roared.
He had succeeded! After so many twists and turns, so many dangers and schemes, he had finally recovered his true strength.
The familiar surge of Spiritual Energy flowing through his meridians, the stability of his Dantian, and the effortless circulation of every technique made him feel as though an enormous mountain had finally been lifted from his shoulders.
Only a handful of days had passed since his cultivation was "crippled".
Yet to Chen Xuan, it had felt as though years had gone by.
Not merely because of everything he had experienced, but because of the helplessness brought by losing the strength he had spent nearly a century cultivating.
"Finally... I finally regained my strength."
"I should make sure this never happens again."
"I must always carry ten—no—one hundred Grand Rebirth Elixirs with me."
Chen Xuan solemnly swore as he clenched his fists, feeling the overwhelming power surging through every inch of his body.
He knew that not only had he completely recovered, but he had also grown even stronger than before.
Part of it came from everything he had experienced over the past few days, which had further tempered his foundation. The other part naturally came from the Grand Rebirth Elixir itself.
Thinking of this, Chen Xuan immediately summoned the System.
Instantly, lines of familiar text appeared before him.
...
[Name: Chen Xuan]
[Age: 98]
[Physique: Mutated Life and Death Yin-Yang Spirit Body (Ultimate Grade)]
[Cultivation: Late Stage Nascent Soul]
[Technique: Yin-Yang Technique (12th Level), Dragon-Phoenix Body (4th Level), Heaven-Swallowing Scripture (4th Level)]
[Disciples: Huo Ling’er, Chi Yao]
...
Every negative status that had previously covered his panel had vanished without a trace. In their place were two pleasant surprises.
The Dragon-Phoenix Body had advanced to the Fourth Level. Even more importantly, his Spirit Body had evolved once again.
As Chen Xuan focused his gaze upon it, the familiar description emerged.
...
[Mutated Life and Death Yin-Yang Spirit Body (Ultimate Grade)— A Low-Grade Mortal Body that has undergone multiple evolutions through various methods and an immortal-level technique. It has reached the apex of the Mortal World and is sufficient to support a cultivator until their ascension.]
[The Mutated Life and Death Yin-Yang Spirit Body is a unique Physique currently possessed by only a single individual. This achievement has attracted the power of heaven and earth, granting it a unique Vision.]
[Following its owner’s cultivation being crippled and the subsequent consumption of a Grand Rebirth Elixir, it has now integrated the concepts of life and death, bringing it one step closer to the Holy Body.]
...
Only a handful of words had changed.
Yet those few changes represented a world of difference.
In terms of immediate combat strength, the improvement was actually rather limited, perhaps not even comparable to the Dragon-Phoenix Body reaching the Fourth Level.
However, at the level of one’s foundation and future potential, the significance of this evolution was immeasurable.
’A step closer to the Holy Body...’ Chen Xuan silently repeated those words, finding it difficult to remain calm.
If anyone within the Tianxuan Domain possessed a deep understanding of Holy Bodies, it would undoubtedly be him.
Over the past few months, he had carefully studied Huo Ling’er’s Physique and gradually uncovered many of its secrets.
Combined with his repeated confrontations against Xiao Huo, Chen Xuan’s understanding of Holy Bodies had reached an extraordinary level.
Such Physiques were unfathomable!
Not only in terms of cultivation talent, but also in terms of combat potential.
’Huo Ling’er and Xiao Huo have yet to display the true strength of their Physiques.’
’For now, they merely possess stronger bodies and their accompanying Visions.’
’But once they step into the Nascent Soul realm... the true horror of a Holy Body will finally awaken.’
Law Marks.
That was the greatest advantage granted by a Holy Body, something Chen Xuan had only fully understood after coming into contact with them himself.
Every Holy Body naturally contained a unique Law.
Once its owner reached the Nascent Soul realm, that Law would gradually reveal itself, making the journey toward Soul Formation far smoother than that of ordinary cultivators.
If a Spirit Body could be considered a ticket to reaching the Core Formation realm, then a Holy Body was almost a guarantee of reaching Soul Formation.
’Moreover, according to Master, cultivation beyond Soul Formation revolves almost entirely around Laws and Law Marks.’
’If that’s true... then Holy Bodies possess an advantage that only becomes more terrifying the higher one’s cultivation rises.’
Chen Xuan’s thoughts wandered for several moments before he gradually organized them and returned to reality.
Looking at the endless darkness surrounding him, he no longer lingered.
A satisfied smile spread across his face as he waved his hand, constructing a spatial gate before stepping through it.
Moments later, he returned to the gloomy garden.
The miniature Seven Trials Tower rested quietly in his palm before disappearing into his sleeve.
The shrill cries of countless ferocious ghosts echoed through the air.
To an ordinary cultivator, such a place would have been enough to chill the soul.
Yet Chen Xuan’s mood was simply too good. Nothing could diminish the joy of recovering his cultivation.
Still smiling, he turned toward Honglan.
The next instant, that smile froze.
A familiar fragrance suddenly drifted into his nose. Then, a soft, affectionate voice whispered beside his ear.
"Brother Chen... why are you so happy? Is it because you have finally come to see Luan Yi’er?"