Tonggu Daoist inhaled deeply, his expression grave.

  He didn't even notice the dropped melon seeds—how could he care about them now?

  "This secret realm... could it truly be a saint's handiwork? Not 'saint-making'—that's not so easy. More like laying a solid foundation for the Five Phoenixes."

  Tonggu thought.

  This further convinced him: a starry saint stood behind the Five Phoenixes.

  Always safeguarding. Otherwise, rising from low-martial to Immortal Martial so swiftly would've drawn divine-demon attention long ago. Weak Five Phoenixes: no match for them.

  After all, weakest divine-demons: Emperor realm.

  "Saints' minds... unfathomable."

  "But creating Five Phoenixes—what purpose? Saints do nothing meaningless."

  "Does Five Phoenixes hold other significance?"

  Tonggu's thoughts raced.

  Otherwise: inexplicable saint investment in Five Phoenixes.

  If favoring Lu: cultivate him alone. Tonggu once thought so—but now: not just Lu. White jade palace: for all Five Phoenixes...

  Tonggu's gaze sharpened on Dantai Xuan, rippling second soul layer.

  "Second layer: elevates limit, not direct power—but potential."

  "Soul layers like cup capacity. First: small—Emperor max. Second: larger—quasi-saint possible..."

  Tonggu eyed seated figures on jade stairs.

  Now certain: palace value rivaled three Beast Ancestor enlightenment grounds.

  Statues: cultivate power. Palace: soul layers.

  Both vital—but soul harder.

  Needs personal insight—profound, difficult.

  Tonggu suddenly regretted.

  Palace barred him. If third layer: human another saint.

  One saint: massive human impact.

  "But Dantai Xuan lad entered second—maintaining hard. Some instant enter, quick fade. Sustaining: key."

  Tonggu narrowed eyes—no rush.

  Resat—cracked seeds. Curious: more surprises?

  ...

  Lake island.

  Lu slightly pale.

  Mind in preaching platform—linked Fire Elemental God's spirit to palace: supply power.

  Whoosh...

  Vast spirit flowed chains to palace.

  Fire Elemental God felt rapid drain—slight panic.

  "What did you do?!"

  "Draining me dry?!"

  God uneasy—furious attacked cauldron, escape attempt.

  Just now: massive wave—nearly fatal.

  At this rate: seven-eight times—dry!

  Lu discovered issue—serious.

  God's spirit: main source. Lu supplying: instant dry.

  Continue: god drained sooner or later.

  Lu needed solution.

  "To milk cow: feed well..."

  Lu thoughtful.

  Exited platform.

  Pavilion breeze—head slightly swollen. Channel built—but transmission needed Lu's spirit: consumption.

  Manageable—Lu's vast spirit: endure.

  Concern: sustained output...

  "Pills?"

  Lu pondered—controlled chair to alchemy pavilion, Ni Yu's vault.

  Flipped her pills: none spirit-recovery.

  Lu sighed—research formula?

  But output strain: formula research overload.

  "Right—pills no, herbs yes..."

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  "Dad's vault too."

  Lu eyes brightened—decided: to ancient tomb, Lu Changkong's lab.

  Tomb.

  Lu Changkong's research.

  Acres herb fields—fragrant waves, swaying medicinals.

  Lu scanned: many divine herbs—unsatisfied, none desired.

  Deeper.

  Eyes lit.

  "Backwater Grass—top divine herb. Oral/topical. Toxicity: mild. Accelerates blood flow, boosts function—till burst. Desperate back-to-wall strength."

  Blood-veined leaves: plaque description.

  Lu smacked lips.

  "Poison is poison—call divine herb..."

  Lu speechless.

  Backwater Grass: nicely said—blood-exploding poison.

  Careless: bleed out—dead.

  Lu shook head—not it.

  Continued: many top divine herbs—Lu Changkong's achievements. Dazzled Lu.

  Thought dad playful—mostly poisons for Myriad Poison Body.

  Unexpected: hybridized odd poisons.

  "Found!"

  "Mind-Chaos Chrysanthemum—low immortal herb. Oral. Toxicity: medium. Stimulates spirit—enhances release, inflates—till shatter."

  Translucent jellyfish-like flower: plaque intro.

  Lu satisfied—exactly!

  Mind stirred—qi layered thick gloves. Even Lu cautious—dad's medium toxicity: terrifying.

  No careless—smooth sailing long: dad poison death no.

  Plucked Mind-Chaos Chrysanthemum—left quick. Glanced remaining two: left for dad.

  ...

  White jade palace stairs.

  Dantai Xuan serene.

  Brow faint white dots surging—soul elevation sign.

  Entered second layer: sensed oddity. Glanced around.

  Flawless world: less vivid.

  But no immediate break.

  Rare rebirth chance—Dantai Xuan: experience fully.

  Mortal body: peak possible?

  Great Xuan: how far?

  Tang Xiansheng death: took Tang Yimo.

  Of course Tang Guo, Yimo's mother—to capital. Yimo academy—taught martial.

  Yimo martial talent: surprised Jiang Li—diligent cultivate. Soon: Great Xuan army thousand-commander under Jiang Li.

  World unified—Dantai Xuan handled affairs.

  Emperor experience: governance familiar—awed aides Mo Beike, Mo Ju.

  Under Dantai Xuan: Great Xuan golden age.

  Decade fleeting—Dantai Xuan increasingly peaceful—transcendent feel.

  Elegant scholarly—but even strongest blood-qi masters: no fist-raising courage before him.

  Domestic prosperity—abroad: iron fist.

  Jiang Li led Great Xuan army—beyond borders, slaughter Rongdi, endless deserts.

  Soon: clashed western Maton dynasty.

  Great Xuan cavalry: robust under Dantai Xuan—excellent masters Jiang Li, Zhao Zixu.

  Maton no match—crushed, conquered.

  Dantai Xuan continued conquests.

  Whole pre-change Five Phoenixes continent under banner.

  Finally thirty years: Dantai Xuan continental peak.

  No cultivation era: even blood-qi masters aged—vitality stripped, withered.

  Dantai Xuan no exception.

  Jiang Li old—sword heavy.

  Dantai Xuan old—many old friends gone. No cultivation: no longevity—time cruel blade.

  But Dantai Xuan content.

  This life: no bed death.

  Dawn: emperor robes throne—gazed afar.

  Decades sedimentation: soul stabilized—profound.

  Sunlight shone court—brilliant rays.

  Aged Dantai Xuan bathed—lips curved.

  Emperor dominance, boundless vigor—closed eyes.

  Boom!

  All shattered.

  Stream from palace—shot into seated Dantai Xuan on stairs.

  Dantai Xuan opened eyes—calm palace gaze. As expected: life illusion.

  True or false: Dantai Xuan unclear.

  But changed—soul level.

  Former Ninth-Turn stuck: now Daluo easy.

  Previously possible—but soul elevation: pierce membrane effortlessly.

  ...

  Not just Dantai Xuan reborn.

  Most Five Phoenixes: one life differently.

  Qi-less, no cultivators, no White Jade Capital, no Young Master Lu Five Phoenixes: reborn life.

  Ning Zhao opened eyes: back Beiluo maid days. Stunned.

  Long lashes trembled—lips pursed, eyes rippled—even misty.

  Lu's room clatter: hurried in—saw stubborn Lu crawling up.

  "Young Master!"

  Ning Zhao called—helped to wooden wheelchair.

  Lu silent.

  Ning Zhao stood quiet—watching then youthful, unimaginably stubborn Young Master.

  No jade grace, no peerless—just ordinary crippled inconvenient Lu young master.

  "Not that unparalleled Young Master..."

  Ning Zhao slight regret—but after: hope.

  Perhaps...

  This Young Master: not unattainable.

  "Young Master, let me..."

  Ning Zhao softer—wiped face.

  Beiluo still Beiluo—Ning Zhao back origin. Beiluo unbreached.

  Ning Zhao served daily—dutiful.

  Enthusiasm: shy Lu flustered—but habituated.

  Her wiping hands, pushing garden walks, lifting bed...

  Ning Zhao habituated—willing, no complaint.

  Perhaps not that Young Master—but Ning Zhao more enthusiastic.

  World changed much.

  No qi—Young Master no monstrous rise.

  Chess drops: million enemies no.

  But Ning Zhao inexplicably joyful—as if heart's wish possible.

  Deep nights: Ning Zhao roof-sat.

  Starry sky—recalled other world.

  "Actually Empress Ni Chunqiu enviable... at least bold step."

  "Some: hide heart, watch afar—dare not speak."

  Ning Zhao pursed lips.

  Rebirth short—but happy.

  ...

  Sima Qingshan discovered rebirth—panicked.

  Back Nanjin poor painter.

  First day: madly rushed Nanjin—all belongings to remembered city.

  Refugees downstream—he upstream.

  Remembered refugee painting—first for her.

  But now: no painting mood.

  Finally three days nights starving weak: reached small city gate.

  Rebirth qi-less no cultivation... how?

  What meet her?

  Outside gate: Sima Qingshan hesitated, anxious.

  If she despised?

  Shook head—firm entered.

  City: stall paintings.

  Near An mansion—daily quiet watch door.

  Red-caped figure emerged: eyes brightened.

  Inked brush—slow strokes paper.

  Girl lotus steps drawn.

  Red-caped attracted.

  Lotus steps neared.

  Sima Qingshan instant packed stall, painting—fled.

  Girl gazed fleeing figure—stunned.

  Once, twice, thrice...

  Sima Qingshan self-annoyed.

  Heart feared.

  Now poor painter—self-support hard.

  Pressure: dare not face.

  Sima Qingshan annoyed—moonlight unrolled painting. Half girl—but lips curved.

  Night sat—recalled all.

  Unknown dream or now.

  Day night thought—like monk meditation.

  Sima Qingshan awoke—resolved.

  Again An mansion stall—red-caped sulked away alternate path.

  Sima Qingshan stunned—no quit.

  Next: blocked alternate.

  Girl stunned—sulked another. Third: blocked again.

  Finally girl approached.

  Sima Qingshan calm gaze.

  Unrolled paintings—girl stunned: vivid, powerful will—mind shaken.

  Poor painter... master?

  Girl silver buy—Sima Qingshan accepted, gifted one—instruct home open.

  Girl curious—agreed.

  Home unrolled: lifelike self.

  Painter... painting her?

  Girl blushed deeply.

  Daily girl out—Sima Qingshan daily gift.

  Unnoticed: 300+ days nights.

  Girl room: 300+ paintings—each her, different gestures.

  Sima Qingshan daily calm gentle smile: etched heart unknowingly.

  Great Zhou fallen—chaos.

  Small city peace broken.

  Troops entered—cries endless.

  An mansion searched—lord tragic death, mansion chaos—servants fled with bundles.

  Sima Qingshan learned—calm heart uncalm.

  Risked: rushed An mansion.

  Familiar: found girl boudoir—helpless hugging knees.

  Unwilling paintings—unable carry.

  Sima Qingshan appeared—take her away.

  Girl refused—bit lip, eyed 300+ paintings.

  Sima Qingshan smiled: "Today anew meet—from today: daily one."

  "I, Sima Qingshan."

  Then dazed girl—held hand, sneaked mansion, city—deep mountains secluded.

  Decades passed.

  Mountain hut.

  Aged trembling Sima Qingshan: inked strokes.

  Finished.

  Aged Sima Qingshan: wine jug, hut-side small grave burned painting.

  Drank—rocker sat, quiet spring-autumn watch.

  Dwell human realm.

  Calm: soul rippled waves.

  ...

  Preaching platform.

  With Dantai Xuan, Ning Zhao, Sima Qingshan etc. soul transformations—Fire Elemental God spirit nearly drained.

  "No more..."

  God roar weakened.

  Lu hair flying, white robes fluttering—sensed stairs soul elevations: lips satisfied, eyes gleaming.

  Then: Mind-Chaos Chrysanthemum.

  "Old Fire—medicine time."

  "No refuse."

  "Replenish well—Five Phoenixes future: on you."