Chen Xuan understood very well that he didn’t have much time. Although the Seven Trials Tower could conceal itself, it was a fact that it had neither disappeared completely nor slipped into another dimension.
Its concealment merely hid its aura, while its reduced size made it difficult to detect with their divine sense.
As long as someone attacked everything around them indiscriminately, it was only a matter of time before they located it.
Then, although invading the tower or destroying it was impossible for people of the Mortal World, transferring it elsewhere was entirely possible.
For example, into a forbidden area. Or somewhere filled with countless traps, patiently waiting for Chen Xuan to emerge.
Although he could remain here and cultivate, he was unwilling to spend years trapped inside a dark "room," cultivating in complete isolation while the outside world continued without him.
’Judging by the commotion outside, Luan Yi should need at least a few minutes to find the tower. Thankfully, the indoor garden is large enough. If this were an ordinary room, she would have found it within seconds.’
While thinking, Chen Xuan never stopped moving. He glanced at the "bouquet" of flowers floating in his hand before turning toward the Law Furnace.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he tossed the flowers into it.
The furnace instantly erupted with blazing flames. As though they possessed a will of their own, they wrapped around the flowers and greedily devoured them.
Within moments, the thousands of heavenly flowers that Luan Yi had painstakingly collected over centuries vanished without a trace.
Nothing remained of them, as though they had never existed at all.
In their place remained streams of radiant essence, each carrying a different color and Law aura. They slowly intertwined, weaving together into an incomprehensibly profound pattern.
It was neither a rune nor a formation, yet somehow resembled both.
Luan Yi clearly possessed some method of sensing the state of her beloved plants. The instant the flowers were refined, the barrage of attacks outside paused for the briefest moment.
Then, it became even more violent.
The entire Seven Trials Tower trembled continuously under the impact, only stabilizing after Honglan personally took control of the Holy Weapon and suppressed the shaking from within.
Throughout the entire process, Chen Xuan paid no attention whatsoever. His entire focus remained fixed upon the pattern before him.
At first, it appeared chaotic. Countless colors clashed with one another, producing something that could only be described as ugly and disorderly.
However, as time passed and its edges gradually smoothed, the colors began to harmonize. Black and white continuously alternated before eventually settling into a profound shade of gray.
An overwhelming aura erupted from the pattern.
It suppressed everything in its surroundings, causing even the surrounding space to tremble violently, as though unable to bear its existence.
Chen Xuan himself was not spared. An invisible pressure descended upon him, attempting to suppress both his body and his mind.
Thankfully, the instant that happened, the sound of a sword leaving its sheath echoed within his consciousness.
The oppressive force was instantly severed.
Chen Xuan regained his clarity.
He stared at the pattern for several long seconds, carefully feeling the mysterious aura contained within it.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he reached out and grabbed it.
The moment his fingers touched the pattern, a sharp pain spread across his palm. It felt as though what he held wasn’t a pattern at all, but the edge of an incomparably sharp blade capable of splitting heaven and earth.
Rather than disappointing him, however, the sensation only made him more excited.
After all, he already understood the Law Furnace’s function.
Likewise, he knew exactly what the pattern in his hand represented.
A fragment of a Law—the key capable of allowing a cultivator to break through into the Soul Formation realm.
The instant Chen Xuan obtained it, he no longer hesitated. With a thought, he allowed it to seep through his pores before descending into his Dantian.
Inside that vast, illusory world, his Nascent Soul opened its eyes.
By now, the Nascent Soul had grown to hundreds of feet in height, occupying much of the endless space within the Dantian.
Upon its forehead rested an incomplete pattern, remarkably similar to the fragment that had just entered, albeit significantly simpler.
Unlike the last time Chen Xuan had observed it—when he had accidentally integrated the Law of Fire—his Law Mark prototype had undergone tremendous changes.
Besides the Law of Fire, several other Laws had already become part of it.
Yin and Yang. Life and Death. Fire and Water. Earth and Wind.
Several completely different powers coexisted in perfect harmony.
Some had been comprehended through Chen Xuan’s own efforts during this journey, while others had resulted from fortunate opportunities and the effects of the Grand Rebirth Elixir.
Regardless of their origins, the once Mortal-Grade Law Mark had evolved tremendously.
It now stood at the boundary between the Earth and Heaven Grades, powerful enough to make even Soul Formation cultivators envious.
Luan Yi had clearly relied upon a powerful Law Mark to break through into Soul Formation. That was why her strength vastly surpassed ordinary cultivators of the same realm.
Despite only being at the Middle Stage of Soul Formation, she could likely contend against Late Stage or perhaps even Peak Soul Formation experts.
Yet Chen Xuan suspected that the quality of her Law Mark was not much different from his own.
That meant if he chose to break through now, he would immediately become one of the strongest Soul Formation cultivators in the entire Tianxuan Domain.
Of course, he was unwilling to settle for that.
’According to Master, there are four grades of Law Marks.’
’Mortal, Earth, Heaven, Immortal.’
’Each grade is separated from the previous one by an insurmountable gulf.’
’A cultivator possessing a Mortal Law Mark stands little chance against someone with an Earth Law Mark.’
’The same applies between Earth and Heaven.’
As such, Chen Xuan had always been unwilling to break through unless absolutely necessary. Now, with Luan Yi relentlessly hunting him down, circumstances had forced his hand.
Even so, before taking that final step, he intended to make one last attempt.
At that thought, Chen Xuan’s Nascent Soul lowered its gaze toward the gray pattern floating nearby.
Although somewhat formless, the aura it emitted vastly surpassed that of the Law Mark he had previously integrated.
Excitement flashed across Chen Xuan’s eyes. Combined with the little time remaining, he did not hesitate.
The Nascent Soul pointed its finger at the gray pattern. Immediately, invisible power enveloped it and slowly drew it closer.
The nearer it came, the more terrifying its pressure became.
The Nascent Soul experienced the same suppression Chen Xuan had felt earlier. Yet alongside that pressure came an indescribable sense of longing.
It was as though the incomplete Law Mark had finally encountered the missing piece it had been searching for.
Although the Nascent Soul trembled slightly, it never stopped moving. Eventually, it brought the gray pattern before itself before reaching out and grasping it.
Instantly, the pattern exploded into countless runes.
Rather than scattering, every rune shot upward as though drawn by an irresistible force.
Soon, they landed upon the Nascent Soul’s forehead. Or rather, upon the incomplete Law Mark.
The instant they made contact, the runes flowed into it one after another.
The process was astonishingly smooth.
Every rune fused naturally with the Law Mark, causing its appearance to rapidly transform.
Just like before, it was black at first before turning white.
Finally, the two colors merged into a gray, perfectly balancing opposing concepts.
Throughout the process, both its aura and quality underwent a complete transformation.
Initially, it had merely stood at the threshold separating the Earth and Heaven Grades. But almost immediately, it shattered that invisible barrier and reached the Heaven Grade.
Then it continued rising. Chen Xuan could almost sense its state.
Early Heaven Grade. Middle Heaven Grade. Late Heaven Grade.
Peak Heaven Grade.
Although such subdivisions did not truly exist, that was the only way Chen Xuan could describe its evolution.
Unfortunately, once it reached the very peak of the Heaven Grade, it encountered another invisible wall. No matter how much its aura surged, it could advance no further.
Just as Mu Xuanyin had once said, the Immortal Law Mark seemed to exist only in ancient legends, with no one possessing any proof that such a grade had ever truly been reached.
Gradually, the violent aura subsided.
The incomplete Law Mark became increasingly whole, ready to force Chen Xuan into breaking through to the Soul Formation realm.
Everything appeared settled, as though the breakthrough had already reached its inevitable conclusion and the Immortal Law Mark would remain one of Chen Xuan’s unrealized dreams.
But just then, everything changed. A sudden enlightenment descended upon Chen Xuan.
As he gazed at the intricate Law Mark, a bold idea surfaced within his mind.
Following that thought, the previously stable Law Mark suddenly began to transform once more.
Bang!
A terrifying momentum erupted.