186: Source Qi Refining, Fifth Transformation Opportunity

In the Pill Tower Holy Domain, on the top floor of the star tower, within a quiet room.

Xiao Chen lay quietly on a warm jade platform condensed from Power of Starlight, his complexion still as pale as gold leaf, his aura as faint as a wisp of silk. The direct impact from Soul Heaven Emperor's self-detonation and the immense consumption from forcibly seizing the Origin Qi had brought his recently reforged Saint Body and soul to the brink of collapse once more.

His body was covered in spiderweb-like cracks, with wisps of Chaos Qi and dark red death energy intertwining and corroding within, emitting sizzling sounds.

Xuan Kongzi, Flame Heart, and others guarded him day and night without rest, transforming the Pill Tower's most prized top-tier healing elixirs into pure medicinal power, continuously injecting it into Xiao Chen's body.

Flame Heart, furthermore, did not hesitate to consume her own vital essence blood, carefully using the Yan Clan's secret Nirvana Flames to calcine those stubborn Netherworld death energies.

However, the destructive energy residue from a Half-Emperor's self-detonation and Soul Heaven Emperor's inherent curse were extremely overbearing, far beyond what ordinary elixirs and Dou Qi could dispel.

"It's already been three months... Brother Chen's aura is still so weak..." Flame Heart's beautiful eyes were swollen and red, her voice hoarse, as she tightly clutched Xiao Chen's cold hand, tears silently falling.

She felt Xiao Chen's life force flickering like a candle in the wind, swaying precariously, and her heart was filled with endless fear and helplessness.

Xuan Kongzi's brows were tightly furrowed, his soul power, at the Great Perfection of the Heaven Realm, repeatedly probed Xiao Chen's injuries, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

"No... Soul Heaven Emperor's dying counterattack was too vicious; that Emperor-level death energy and curse have already eroded Chen'er's life origin and soul core... If this continues, I fear... he won't last half a year..." His voice was incredibly heavy as he delivered the worst possible prognosis.

Inside the quiet room, there was a deathly silence. A desperate atmosphere, like a cold tide, engulfed everyone's hearts.

However, just at this moment of utter despair—

"Buzz—!"

That wisp of Origin Qi, which had been lying quietly in Xiao Chen's palm, emitting a faint yet tenacious light, suddenly trembled slightly! A gentle yet vast surge of vitality, like the first ray of spring sunlight, quietly emanated!

Immediately after, a sudden change occurred!

That wisp of Origin Qi, as if possessing its own will, actively broke free from Xiao Chen's palm, slowly floated up, and drifted to the center of Xiao Chen's brows!

The next moment, like a wanderer finding its home, it transformed into a warm stream of light and silently... merged into Xiao Chen's glabella!

"That is... Origin Qi?!" Xuan Kongzi's pupils constricted, and he cried out in astonishment!

"Brother Chen!" Flame Heart also exclaimed, nervously watching Xiao Chen's changes!

The instant the Origin Qi entered his body—

"Boom—!!!"

Xiao Chen's originally extremely weakened aura suddenly erupted like a volcano that had been dormant for ten thousand years! An indescribably vast energy, like a breached galaxy, instantly swept through his limbs and bones, washing over every meridian, nourishing every cell!

The grotesque cracks on his body began to heal at a visible speed! The intertwining Netherworld death energy and curse power, before the supreme purifying power of the Origin Qi, were like ice and snow meeting the sun, emitting piercing sizzling sounds as they were rapidly forced out, purified, and dissipated!

Even more astonishingly, deep within Xiao Chen's Qi Sea, that newly formed origin qi seed, upon sensing this wisp of Origin Qi—which was of the same origin but even purer and more ancient—let out a joyful hum!

It actively rose to meet it, like a seedling welcoming sweet dew, and began to frantically absorb and fuse the immense energy and profound information contained within this wisp of Origin Qi!

"Buzz buzz buzz—!"

The origin qi seed began to expand and solidify at an astonishing speed! On its surface, more complex and mysterious chaotic patterns emerged! An aura of Origin Qi, far purer and more ancient than before, emanated from it!

At the same time, within Xiao Chen's Sea of Soul Consciousness, colossal waves were stirred! Within that wisp of Origin Qi, not only was there pure energy, but it also carried some of Soul Heaven Emperor's insights when refining it, as well as some fragmented ancient secrets and fundamental truths of heaven and earth recorded by the Origin Qi itself!

A vast stream of information, like a flood, surged in, washing over, expanding, and refining his Saint Realm soul!

His Chaos Sacred Realm autonomously unfolded behind him! The originally two-hundred-zhang world began to violently expand under the frantic infusion of Origin Qi energy!

Three hundred zhang! Five hundred zhang! Eight hundred zhang! The world barrier became even more solid and thick, and the four fundamental laws of earth, water, fire, and wind within it rapidly evolved; mountains began to rise, rivers began to surge, and even faint phantom images of vegetation and traces of life began to gestate!

The entire Sacred Realm seemed to be undergoing a rapid growth spurt after its creation!

"Crack... crack..."

Inside his body, there were crisp sounds, like a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon! That was the sound of his cultivation level's barrier beginning to loosen and shatter under the irresistible impact of the Origin Qi's power!

The bottleneck of the Fourth-Turn Dou Sheng (Battle Saint) Peak was like a paper window, easily broken through!

His aura, with unstoppable momentum, surged into... the Fifth Revolution Dou Sheng level! And it did not stop, continuing its triumphant advance towards the mid-Fifth Turn, late-Fifth Turn... under the propulsion of the Origin Qi!

"Fifth Turn... Chen'er, he... is breaking through to Fifth Revolution Dou Sheng?!" Xuan Kongzi trembled with excitement, tears streaming down his face!

He could feel that Xiao Chen's breakthrough at this moment, with its profound foundation and immense aura, far surpassed that of an ordinary Fifth Revolution Dou Sheng! It was a fundamental transformation!

"This is wonderful! Brother Chen!" Flame Heart cried tears of joy, tightly covering her mouth, afraid of disturbing Xiao Chen's breakthrough.

The entire quiet room was enveloped by the hazy Chaos Qi and the brilliant light of Origin Qi! Xiao Chen's body, like a bottomless pit, greedily devoured all the energy and insights brought by the Origin Qi!

His injuries were not only rapidly healing, but his strength was also undergoing a monumental, earth-shattering leap!

This was a heaven-defying reversal, a blessing in disguise! The Origin Qi that Soul Heaven Emperor had painstakingly refined ultimately became Xiao Chen's greatest aid in breaking through bottlenecks and solidifying his foundation!

Time, in deep cultivation, flew by rapidly.

After an unknown period, the Chaos Qi and Origin Qi light in the quiet room gradually receded. On the jade platform, Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes.

In his eyes, there was no longer just the simple birth and destruction of stars or the primordial chaos, but an infinitely profound chaotic starry sky, within which countless worlds seemed to be born, evolve, and perish!

A detached majesty, transcending all beings, naturally emanated!

He gently clenched his fist, feeling the surging, terrifying power within his body, as if he could control a piece of heaven and earth, and a satisfied smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Five-Turn Dou Saint Peak! Achieved!

Moreover, it was a Fifth Revolution Dou Sheng Peak, having fused two Source Qi Origin, with his Sacred Realm initially forming a world's embryonic shape! His strength was sufficient to crush an ordinary late Sixth Revolution Dou Saint! If he unleashed all his trump cards, he would even have the power to contend with a Seven-Turn Dou Saint!

"Soul Heaven Emperor... Pavilion Master Tianji... I, Xiao Chen... have accepted your 'grand gift'!" A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes.

He rose to his feet, his aura completely restrained, returning to its natural state, but the profound, hidden majestic pressure made Xuan Kongzi and the others, who were waiting outside, involuntarily feel awe and submission!

"Teacher, Xin'er, everyone... you've waited long." Xiao Chen stepped out of the quiet room, his voice calm, yet carrying a reassuringly powerful strength.

"Chen'er! (Brother Chen!)" Everyone excitedly gathered around him.

"I'm fine, and... I've had a breakthrough, a blessing in disguise." Xiao Chen smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone, finally looking out at the overcast sky, filled with hidden murderous intent, his eyes gradually becoming sharp.

"Now... it's time to settle all accounts!"

Xiao Chen, at the Five-Turn Dou Saint Peak, officially emerged from seclusion! The final storm of the continent was about to usher in... its most intense collision!