As soon as Chen Xuan’s mind stirred, the Law Mark upon his Nascent Soul’s forehead began to transform once more.
Its gray radiance suddenly split apart.
It divided into two perfectly balanced halves, one black and one white.
Yet its aura did not weaken in the slightest. If anything, the moment the two colors appeared, its presence became even more terrifying.
For a split second, it seemed to shatter part of the invisible membrane restraining it, as though it were on the verge of breaking into an entirely new realm.
The surrounding space within the Dantian rippled violently, unable to withstand the pressure released by the evolving mark. Even the Nascent Soul itself appeared bathed in an ancient, transcendent brilliance.
Of course, that was only an illusion. Although it had grown far more powerful, the Law Mark was still some distance away from becoming a true Immortal Law Mark.
At least, until Chen Xuan’s thoughts stirred once again.
Instinctively, he circulated the Great Yin-Yang Origin Dao alongside the Yin-Yang Technique. At the same time, every Yin-Yang divine art he had comprehended throughout his lifetime resonated with the evolving Law Mark, including Yin-Yang Annihilation.
Immediately, the two distinct colors began to merge.
Black flowed into white like ink spreading across clear water, while white quietly seeped into black.
Bang!
A terrifying aura erupted as the two finally settled, forming a flawless Yin-Yang Symbol.
One half radiated boundless vitality, carrying the concepts of life, holiness, and creation.
The other was enveloped in darkness, embodying death, destruction, and eternal silence.
Neither side overwhelmed the other. Instead, they complemented one another perfectly, forming a cycle that seemed capable of sustaining itself forever.
The sight of the completed Law Mark was breathtaking.
The instant the transformation was complete, and the Law Mark truly stepped into the Immortal Grade, the momentum that had been suppressed earlier erupted once again.
This time, there was nothing left to suppress.
Whether he wished it or not, he had reached the point where he had to break through into the Soul Formation realm.
In the past, such a forced breakthrough would have disappointed him. But now, having achieved his greatest objective and forged the highest-grade Law Mark imaginable, Chen Xuan no longer had any regrets.
Rather than resisting, he willingly embraced it.
His Spiritual Energy erupted violently.
The Nascent Soul within his Dantian slowly opened its eyes before raising a finger toward the heavens.
The Immortal Law Mark upon its forehead shone brilliantly as the Nascent Soul itself rapidly expanded.
It had already grown to hundreds of feet in height. Now, it became even larger.
Within moments, it occupied the entirety of the vast space inside Chen Xuan’s Dantian.
Then, it surpassed even those boundaries.
Invisible ripples spread throughout every inch of Chen Xuan’s body. Flesh, blood, bones, meridians, and soul all resonated with the Nascent Soul, as though they had always been parts of a single complete existence.
All Nascent Soul cultivators possessed the ability to project their Nascent Soul beyond their Dantian, even taking over another person’s body if necessary.
Chen Xuan had long known this was possible, but he had never attempted it himself.
Now, however, his breakthrough forced him to do so.
His Nascent Soul emerged from the Dantian of its own accord. Rather than leaving his body, however, it spread throughout it, their forms gradually overlapping.
Little by little, the two began to fuse together.
Chen Xuan’s aura climbed higher and higher, no longer confined within his flesh.
Even the Origin Concealment Technique failed to suppress it, allowing its overwhelming presence to surge throughout the dark void.
Gradually, a mark appeared upon Chen Xuan’s forehead.
Divided into two perfectly balanced colors, it embodied absolute harmony between two completely opposing powers.
Slowly, it became increasingly solid.
Until, at last, it became identical to the Immortal Law Mark adorning his Nascent Soul.
At that moment, the breakthrough reached its absolute peak.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Continuous explosions echoed from within Chen Xuan’s body as his physical strength soared at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Inside his Dantian, the vast sea of Spiritual Energy rapidly compressed, shrinking again and again.
Yet it had not weakened. Quite the opposite.
Every strand of Spiritual Energy had become incomparably denser. A single unit now possessed the might of hundreds from his state as a Nascent Soul cultivator.
The transformation was far from instantaneous.
It continued for several minutes before finally settling, only after his body had fully adapted and every trace of Spiritual Energy had completed its metamorphosis.
Even then, Chen Xuan spent several more minutes quietly familiarizing himself with his newfound strength.
When he finally opened his eyes, a sharp light flashed through his pupils.
His hand instinctively rose to his forehead, gently brushing across the Yin-Yang Symbol there.
Immediately, the mark faded from sight, retreating beneath his skin.
Its power, however, remained unchanged. The Law Mark had merely become invisible.
His connection to the laws of heaven and earth remained stronger than ever before.
Feeling the immense power coursing through every corner of his body, Chen Xuan slowly exhaled before summoning the System panel.
...
[Name: Chen Xuan]
[Age: 98]
[Physique: Mutated Life and Death Yin-Yang Spirit Body (Ultimate Grade)]
[Law Mark: Yin-Yang (Immortal Grade)]
[Cultivation: Early Stage Soul Formation]
[Technique: Yin-Yang Technique (13th Level), Dragon-Phoenix Body (4th Level), Heaven-Swallowing Scripture (4th Level)]
[Disciples: Huo Ling’er, Chi Yao]
...
A new column had appeared, while his cultivation had naturally advanced.
As his gaze lingered on the words "Early Stage Soul Formation", Chen Xuan could not help but sigh emotionally.
Only a few months ago, he had merely been a Core Formation cultivator, constantly afraid of unleashing his full strength.
Whether in talent, foundation, or combat power, he was a completely different person now.
Only a few months had passed.
Yet it felt as though an entire lifetime separated the current Chen Xuan from the man he had once been.
He remained immersed in those thoughts for several moments.
Just as a faint smile appeared on his face and he was about to dismiss the System panel, however, the surrounding space suddenly shook violently.
The Seven Trials Tower was under attack.
From somewhere beyond its walls, a soft, familiar voice drifted inside.
"Brother Chen... I’ve finally found you... How about you come out?"
--
Outside the Seven Trials Tower, the once breathtaking garden, with its thousands of carefully nurtured environments, had vanished without a trace.
In its place remained only devastation.
The earth had been split apart by countless fissures, while the ground itself had been overturned.
The ancient trees had disappeared, the streams had vanished, while the flowers were long since gone.
The beautiful sanctuary Luan Yi had painstakingly built over centuries had been reduced to a desolate wasteland in the span of a few minutes.
Amidst this endless destruction stood a lone woman.
Her long black hair draped over her shoulders, while her dark eyes remained as deep and unfathomable as ever.
It was none other than Luan Yi.
Perhaps because she had vented much of her anger, she had gradually regained some of her composure. The faint smile that rarely left her face had returned as she lowered her gaze toward her palm.
To ordinary people, there was nothing there.
But to the senses of a Soul Formation cultivator, a tiny speck, no larger than a grain of dust, quietly floated above it.
Sweeping over it with her divine sense, its true appearance gradually became clear.
It was a miniature tower.
"So this is where you’ve been hiding, Brother Chen..." Luan Yi murmured softly, the corners of her lips curling upward.
"I have to admit, you’ve surprised Yi’er once again."
"But..." Her smile became gentler, "Do you really think you can escape like this?"
She had already tested the tower several times.
No matter how she attacked it, she could not leave so much as a scratch upon its surface.
Likewise, even after attempting to force her power inside, every trace of Spiritual Energy had been effortlessly blocked by its outer defenses.
It was obvious that this was no ordinary treasure. Even Soul Formation cultivators were completely powerless before it.
Yet Luan Yi showed no trace of frustration.
Instead, a thoughtful look flashed across her eyes before quickly turning into delight.
Since she could neither destroy the tower nor force her way inside, she simply had to ensure that Chen Xuan could never leave safely.
She could place the tower inside a forbidden land, seal it beneath countless formations, or prepare an inescapable trap outside and patiently wait.
No matter how long it took, Brother Chen would eventually emerge.
And when that happened, he would never be able to leave her side again.
The smile on Luan Yi’s face became increasingly heartfelt, gentle enough to melt one’s heart.
Yet the grip around the Myriad Souls Banner unconsciously tightened, causing the countless imprisoned souls within it to release mournful cries that echoed across the ruined garden.
Just as she had made up her mind and reached out to move the Seven Trials Tower elsewhere, however, a tiny ray of light suddenly emerged from within it.
Her movements paused.
The speck of light rapidly expanded before gradually taking the shape of a person. Chen Xuan.
The instant he appeared, Luan Yi did not hesitate in the slightest.
Having already guessed that he would attempt to flee, she struck with her full strength the moment he materialized.
This time, she was no longer relying on the garden’s formation. Her own cultivation erupted without reservation.
The Myriad Souls Banner unfurled behind her, while the cries of countless imprisoned souls instantly grew several times louder.
An unfathomable force swept toward Chen Xuan, locking him from every direction.