As the dragon pearl moved through his body, Yi Tianxing could clearly sense a faint current of thunderous power emanating from it—swift and resolute, like thunderclaps chasing shadows. As it passed through, it delivered a subtle numbing sensation to his flesh, blood, and bones.
The dragon pearl appeared to be searching for the most suitable region within his body to establish itself—a place best suited to open a new Life Aperture.
It paused briefly at the throat, then moved on. Eventually, it settled in his right foot, where it exploded suddenly, releasing countless divine runes and threads of Dao rhythm, instantly opening a brand-new Life Aperture. Within this space, thunder surged endlessly, and one could vaguely see the formation of a thunder pool. Inside, a divine fetus shrouded in lightning was gestating, rapidly absorbing all nourishment and growing at an astonishing speed.
"Thunder God Life Aperture!!"
*(New Life Aperture: 雷神命窍 - Lei Shen Ming Qiao)
At the moment the Life Aperture was established, an innate message surfaced in his mind.
The divine fetus being nurtured within was none other than a Thunder God. Once fully born, it would command all aspects of lightning, possibly even give rise to top-tier thunder-based divine abilities—unstoppable and destructive.
The Thunder God Life Aperture began to grow rapidly. With every breath, the divine fetus grew stronger, transforming and evolving so quickly that the process was visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, it had already condensed into a Life Aperture Star within his Sea of Divine Consciousness.
This was a monumental gift from the heavens and earth.
And yet, it wasn't over. Yi Tianxing's immense contribution in helping the human race secure the top position in the rankings meant that the fortune bestowed upon him was equally immense. He watched as endless Dao rhythm was once again absorbed by the ancestral dragon within his divine sea, seemingly preparing to condense another dragon pearl.
This kind of rapid cultivation and continuous transformation was previously unimaginable.
Typically, cultivation proceeds one step at a time. But now, under this heavenly baptism, that traditional path was being completely overturned. Even so, there were no hidden dangers—his power increased unrestrained, and his comprehension of strength and Dao laws appeared naturally in his mind, crystal clear.
Boom!!
Unknowingly, a third dragon pearl had fully formed. Like the ones before it, this pearl did not hesitate. It left the divine sea and coursed through his body once more. This time, it swiftly located a new suitable area and settled into his left arm, where it detonated. A myriad of profound runes intertwined rapidly.
These runes clearly carried a bone-chilling cold aura.
"Ice God Life Aperture!!"
(New Life Aperture: 冰神命窍 - Bing Shen Ming Qiao)
This Life Aperture, too, nurtured a divine fetus—an Ice God.
With the successive opening of three Life Apertures, waves of intricate Dao patterns began to seep into his flesh and blood, merging naturally. Each new Life Aperture refined his physical body further. The infusion of Dao laws not only strengthened his body, but also conferred resistances aligned with each aperture's attribute. Defending against those corresponding powers became far easier. Over time, these changes could even transform his very physique, evolving his battle body into something even mightier.
At this point, Yi Tianxing's body could already endure flames and water unscathed. He could walk through the Five Elements as if he were a returning deity. Techniques based on the Five Elements had their damage greatly reduced against him. A full-force attack might now only be 70% effective.
Such was the dual refinement of life and body that Life Apertures provided.
Once the three new Life Apertures were opened, the ancestral dragon in his divine sea no longer continued to condense pearls. Instead, it went dormant again, resuming its cyclical absorption of heaven-and-earth energy and converting it into strands of True Dragon Qi, which in turn tempered his Life Diagram.
He observed as the three newly-formed Life Apertures quickly accumulated their origin power, advancing at an inhuman pace—ascending levels within mere breaths. They each solidified a celestial star projection in the divine sea.
Among the three realms of Life Aperture cultivation—Phantom Reflection, Celestial Star, and Mirror Moon—he rapidly cycled through each. What normally took others years or even decades, he completed in moments.
At the same time, the new apertures seamlessly merged into his Life Diagram: the Heavenly Emperor Dragon Taming Diagram (天帝御龙图).
In the instant they fused with the diagram, it seemed to radiate joy. Three new true dragons emerged from the image—one of wind, one of ice, and one of thunder—transforming from illusion to reality, lifelike and majestic. They joined the ranks of the Five Elemental Dragons, amplifying the diagram's overall might.
Now, eight true dragons coiled around the Heavenly Emperor's Dharma Body.
There was no question that the addition of these three Life Apertures greatly enhanced and perfected the Life Diagram. Not only had they birthed new dragons, but the power of all dragons within the diagram had been significantly elevated.
The Heavenly Emperor Dragon Taming Diagram had the capacity to integrate countless powers into itself—continuously refining and strengthening the Life Diagram, even beyond the Life Diagram Realm. That was the unique strength of this divine artifact.
Unknowingly, Yi Tianxing felt a subtle yet distinct sense that his realm was on the verge of breaking through—into the Dharma Phase Realm.
This sensation was profoundly mysterious.
What was the Dharma Phase Realm?
It signified the true evolution of one's power—where comprehension of the world's supreme truths began. In the Life Diagram Realm, one manipulated heaven-and-earth energy through the diagram. But in the Dharma Phase Realm, one directly wielded this power.
This shift manifested as a Domain—a tangible field of influence surrounding the cultivator.
And this domain was intimately tied to the Life Diagram. The stronger the diagram, the mightier the domain.
Thus, cultivating Life Apertures and the Life Diagram laid the groundwork for entering the Dharma Phase Realm. The sturdier this foundation, the greater the potential to grow into a towering force.
To put it in metaphor:
The Life Diagram was the seedbed of one's Dao; the Dharma Phase was the first sprout of divine power. It was the fusion of one's soul with the Life Diagram—irreversible and inseparable.
But it came with immense danger.
This marked the beginning of one's path toward immortality.
And with that came the unavoidable Heavenly Tribulation. If one failed to overcome it, they would be reduced to dust—body and soul annihilated. At best, a sliver of the soul might escape reincarnation, but memories and cultivation would be nearly wiped clean.
Some passed their tribulations with ease. Others struggled, only to perish anyway.
Right now, Yi Tianxing hesitated. He wasn't afraid of the tribulation—but one should always be prepared.
"If I break through now, I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a curse. Entering the Dharma Phase Realm marks the start of a new journey... but it might also cause great upheaval in the outside world."
He was worried.
Back when the Eternal Continent first fused with the myriad realms, the heavenly mandate had sealed off all beings above the Dharma Phase Realm. Such powerhouses were forbidden from emerging, even if their own race faced annihilation. Violators would be smitten by heavenly punishment.
And even the Dharma Phase Realm wasn't a single step.
Its progression involved three sub-realms:
Dharma Spirit, Soul Fusion, and Soul Consolidation.
The first step, Dharma Spirit, represented the emergence of divine sentience from one's Life Diagram—an embryonic form of the Dharma Phase.
For example, if a cultivator's diagram was a sword, then their Dharma Phase would likely be a sword—now imbued with spirit and will. Passing the heavenly tribulation, this spiritual embryo would transition from illusion to substance.
Then came the fusion of one's Three Souls and Seven Spirits, culminating in a form capable of shaking the heavens.
But each step was fraught with danger. Infusing one's will into the Dharma Phase was risky—any failure meant catastrophic backlash.
"Still," Yi Tianxing murmured, "I feel that if I break through now, the tribulation might not even appear—or if it does, it'll be weakened to the extreme. My only real concern is whether my advancement will cause the Heavenly Seal to weaken or even collapse."
That was what he truly feared.
If the seal broke, countless ancient powerhouses would reappear. The balance would be shattered. Battles between those entities could wipe entire regions from existence, reducing them to scorched earth.
The current landscape—where the Great Yi Dynasty had just begun to establish itself—could fall into turmoil. Worse, even the greater human race might suffer. Who could guarantee that the ancient human sects would act in the people's best interest?
No one could say.