Chapter 1256 - Second-Level Origin Conversion Realm

One by one, Senior Hai refined the spiritual herbs with practiced skill while Liu Wuxie remained silent, watching closely. From the initial purification to the pill condensation process, there were no obvious mistakes.

Then, a strange phenomenon occurred. The cauldron, which had glowed with steady heat, began to cool rapidly. The Grand Divine Pill, which was beginning to take form, started to crumble.

Senior Hai's expression tightened in alarm. His eyes flicked toward Old Blindie, silently pleading for guidance. He had executed everything so far—the technique, the timing, the sequence of ingredients—flawlessly. So why did the cauldron cool?

"The drop in temperature isn't enough. Lower it further," Liu Wuxie instructed.

"What did you say?" Senior Hai blurted, shock flashing across his eyes. If the cauldron cooled even more, the pill would collapse completely.

"Follow my instructions if you don't want the Grand Divine Pill ruined," Liu Wuxie pressed. At that moment, he no longer looked like a mere cultivator at the ninth-level Transcendent Realm. Pill runes shimmered faintly across his body, giving him the aura of a grandmaster alchemist. If not for the restraint of his cultivation, he would have intervened personally.

Gritting his teeth, Senior Hai complied.

Old Blindie sat with his eyes closed, but through his divine sense, he saw everything. His heart pounded heavily. If the refinement failed, the Earth Immortal would lash out, and neither he nor Liu Wuxie could withstand the fury. He knew his intimidation relied solely on soul energy. If others discovered his actual cultivation, the consequences would prove disastrous.

The cauldron's temperature plunged, driving the pill to the brink of collapse. Cracks marred its surface, and the entire vessel looked as if it would explode at any moment.

"Add the Wondrous Rootwater now!" Liu Wuxie barked.

Senior Hai didn't hesitate. He poured the final ingredient into the cauldron; at once, the pill stabilized, and the fractures stopped spreading.

"Raise the fire. Accelerate the process!" Liu Wuxie commanded again.

Obeying, Senior Hai increased the flame. The cauldron roared with heat, sealing the cracks until the Grand Divine Pill solidified completely.

Two long hours passed. The fire finally dimmed and then vanished. When the last ember died, a radiant golden pill rested within the cauldron, gleaming with brilliance.

"Senior, I am deeply grateful for your guidance!" Senior Hai cupped his fists, bowing respectfully. He never suspected Liu Wuxie deserved the credit; instead, he convinced himself that the mysterious Primordial Elder had guided him through it all.

"You may leave," Old Blindie replied tersely. Though his tone remained calm, cold sweat soaked his back.

Senior Hai produced the Profound Metal Stone and handed it to Liu Wuxie. Then, with solemnity, he extracted a wisp of the Earth Immortal Realm's laws. The strand hovered in the air, radiating boundless pressure.

He didn't leave right away. Instead, he lingered, his gaze fixed on Liu Wuxie. He wanted to see how they would handle the law. If the Primordial Elder truly stood at the Earth Immortal Realm, he wouldn't need such a thing. But if the boy needed it, then how could a mere Transcendent cultivator possibly absorb it?

Liu Wuxie, of course, saw through his intentions. Old Blindie, at the pinnacle of the Void Realm, could not touch an Earth Immortal's law either. That fact puzzled Senior Hai even more.

A devilish grin curved Liu Wuxie's lips. He summoned the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron. Its aura erupted, vast and terrifying, as though it sought to swallow the heavens themselves. In an instant, the cauldron devoured the Earth Immortal's law.

Senior Hai's eyes widened in shock. Without another word, he turned and vanished, retreating into the night.

Silence reclaimed the courtyard. Old Blindie still heard his heart hammering in his chest. The tension of the encounter weighed on him—had Liu Wuxie failed, Senior Hai would never have left peacefully.

Inside the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron, the Demonic Purgatory Chains lashed out and bound the wisp of law tightly. Refining it would take time, but Liu Wuxie felt no rush.

The second half of the night passed without interruption. Liu Wuxie idly toyed with the Profound Metal Stone, unconcerned about refining it immediately. A breakthrough to the Origin Conversion Realm would take days at the very least.

By day, the trio cultivated on their own; by night, they opened the courtyard to visitors.

On the third night, a Void Realm expert came with simple cultivation questions and left behind a piece of Azure Divine Wood in payment.

On the fourth day, another Earth Immortal appeared, offering a deep-blue droplet of water brimming with terrifying aquatic energy. When Liu Wuxie answered the man's question through Old Blindie, Senior Hai broke through immediately and caused a commotion that shook the entire city.

The fifth day passed in quiet. On the sixth, another visitor brought Divine Metal Essence, a treasure that resonated with the Profound Metal Stone. Liu Wuxie accepted it without hesitation. The stronger his five elements, the greater the might of his Great Five Elemental Palm.

On the seventh day, Liu Wuxie declared a three-day rest. He hung a plaque outside, announcing that the Primordial Elder would see no guests during this period.

Now, with Azure Divine Wood, the Profound Metal Stone, and the mysterious water droplet, he had gathered three of the five elements. Only fire and earth remained.

Old Blindie stood guard while Liu Wuxie cast the three treasures into the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron. Energy erupted violently, and the Desolate Devouring Art roared to life. Demonic flames surged as the three elements merged into the desolate world. The gateway to the Origin Conversion Realm burst open.

Beside him, He Yingwu seized the chance to attempt his own breakthrough.

The fusion of three different energies shattered the gateway to the Origin Conversion Realm without resistance. Countless laws of the Origin Conversion Realm poured into the desolate world, fusing seamlessly with its foundation.

Demonic flames raged higher and refined the wisp of Earth Immortal Realm law. Liu Wuxie knew that once this law merged fully into his body, breaking into the Earth Immortal Realm would only be a matter of time.

Seizing the opportunity, He Yingwu advanced as well. Together, the two of them broke into the Origin Conversion Realm. The overwhelming energy of the three elemental treasures fueled them, and their progress didn't stop there. In less than a day, they both welcomed another breakthrough, pushing them directly to the second level of the Origin Conversion Realm.

The rapid advance came at a heavy cost. Wisdom Stones were vanishing at an alarming rate, leaving Liu Wuxie with only a small reserve. Even as he absorbed the elemental energy, he took time to comprehend the Great Five Elemental Mythical Art.

"It's unfortunate," he muttered, eyes flickering with regret. "Without the remaining two elements, I can't fully condense the Great Five Elemental Mythical Art."

Determination continued to glow in his gaze. He was confident he would acquire the missing treasures.

On the third day, both he and He Yingwu drew back their auras and allowed themselves a brief respite. Days of tension had left them worn, and even Liu Wuxie admitted to the strain of facing Earth Immortals night after night.

Old Blindie had grown numb to such shocks, yet even he reeled slightly as Liu Wuxie stood up. The youth's body crackled with power as his True Dragon Physique advanced yet again, elevating his strength to rival that of a fourth- or even fifth-level Primal Origin Realm expert. Combined with his true essence, he already overwhelmed cultivators at the fourth-level Primal Origin Realm.

"Wuxie, are you truly only at the Primal Origin Realm?" Old Blindie asked, unable to hide the pressure he felt.

"Of course not," Liu Wuxie answered with a laugh. With his breakthrough to the Origin Conversion Realm, his arsenal of strength had grown immensely; Primal Origin Realm cultivators could no longer pose any threat.

Meanwhile, demonic flames continued to refine the Earth Immortal's law, breaking it down into countless smaller threads that fused with the desolate world and reinforced its structure.

"Wuxie, the secret passage is ready," He Yingwu reported. They built the tunnel when constructing the courtyard, ensuring they could escape unnoticed.

"Let's go get some fresh air," Liu Wuxie said. After days of confinement, the three of them felt restless.

Old Blindie also began to worry for his granddaughter's safety, and Liu Wuxie had paused their activity for three days to avoid suspicion.

Through the secret passage, the three slipped away unnoticed and returned to Old Blindie's residence. When they arrived, they found Xiao Luo seated quietly in the courtyard, her face dazed with worry, and days without news had made her anxious.

The moment she spotted them, her eyes lit up, and she ran forward in delight.

"Grandfather, Master, you're finally back!" she cried, bowing before the two of them.

"Well done," Liu Wuxie said with approval, sensing her progress. "You've reached the third-level Transcendent Realm while we were gone."

Once again, her talent astonished him.

Old Blindie's heart filled with relief as he saw his granddaughter's growth.

"Thank you, Master!" Xiao Luo beamed, her joy overflowing at Liu Wuxie's praise.

"You've all worked hard. I'll treat you to a proper meal to relax," Liu Wuxie said. Everyone needed to recharge, including him. After today, he would need to focus entirely on their activities again, with his goal set on reaching the high levels of the Origin Conversion Realm.

He Yingwu and Xiao Luo had been waiting for those words. Their faces lit up at the thought of a break.

"You people go ahead. I've gained some insights and need to digest them. I plan to enter seclusion for a day," Old Blindie said. Guiding others in their cultivation had also given him valuable benefits, and he needed time to consolidate them.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Thus, the three of them left and walked into the city, this time without disguises. He Yingwu had no idea what plan Liu Wuxie had in mind.

As they walked the bustling streets, Xiao Luo's eyes sparkled with excitement. In the past, whenever she ventured outside, she would be ridiculed and avoided, so she had rarely left home. Now, however, she walked with confidence at her master's side, filling every step with joy.

They crossed several busy streets until a towering restaurant came into view.

"Heavenly Gale Pavilion. This is the place," Liu Wuxie said as he led them in.

This was no ordinary restaurant. The dishes here were not simple food but creations infused with laws, each designed to strengthen cultivation. Liu Wuxie had already noted this place when studying the map of the Indigo Bamboo Astral Domain, curious about its uniqueness. Tonight, he intended to see it for himself.

Not long after Liu Wuxie's group entered, two men appeared at the far end of the street.

"We've finally found him! Notify Elder Duan Li!" one whispered. In an instant, the pair disappeared into the shadows.

Duan Li had mobilized countless people across Mount Dragon City to search for Liu Wuxie. After scouring every corner in vain, they had nearly given up. None expected Liu Wuxie to reveal himself here, walking openly into the city's most luxurious restaurant.

Inside the Heavenly Gale Pavilion, the crowd was sparse. Each dish carried such an extravagant price that even Primal Origin Realm cultivators hesitated to dine there, while Void Realm experts treated it as a rare indulgence.

The moment Liu Wuxie, He Yingwu, and Xiao Luo sat down, countless gazes turned toward them. Patrons felt surprised to see cultivators at the Transcendent and Origin Conversion Realms enter such a place.

Unbothered by the stares, Liu Wuxie opened the menu and ordered decisively.

"Three Divine Dragon Hands, Azure Bee Buddha Fang, Steamed Red Bodhi..." He listed dish after dish, enough for the three of them.

The waiter tallied the cost, and the number staggered even him, over four hundred thousand astral stones for just a handful of dishes.

"So expensive!" Xiao Luo gasped, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"They are," Liu Wuxie said with a mysterious smile. "But soon you'll know why."