Chapter 208

Murong Changhao wept and begged, eventually smashing his forehead against the stone floor.

At merely twenty-four years old, he’d become a perfected twelfth-level Gathering Qi cultivator.

This achievement already matched those of Tiger-Chasing’s greatest prodigies.

But for royalty, such accomplishments remained woefully insufficient.

Murong Tianyang gazed down at the broken man. "The Emperor sits before you," he stated coldly. "Why bow to me?"

The words struck Murong Changhao like icy water, extinguishing his frantic thoughts. His trembling eyes rose to meet the figure enthroned in molten rock, his own face now deathly pale.

"You practiced our royal secret methods," Murong Tianyang continued relentlessly. "Used heaven-earth treasures, studied qi patterns, received Spirit Communication teachings. Yet still you failed Condensing Essence with the dynasty’s finest resources. Tell me, brother – don’t you deserve death?"

Murong Changhao’s body convulsed. The words held truth – with such advantages, cultivators like Shen Yue or He Shenglai would’ve succeeded effortlessly. His failure proved innate weakness, advancement owed only to royal privilege.

The Tiger-Chasing Emperor’s mercy in granting this chance had been extraordinary. This outcome left no room for excuses.

"So hot," he whispered.

Then he fell.

BOOM!

Three royal heirs struck the flames. Golden fire erupted from the skeletal dragon below, its fleshless jaws roaring as embers rekindled in empty sockets.

The Tiger-Chasing Emperor rose from the inferno, molten gold weaving itself into imperial robes. "West Concubine reached the eastern front?"

The national master bowed. "She departed three days past, Your Majesty. Now commands Central Camp with Du Yuan. Jia Huairen guards the west, Xing Jiuli the south, Ji Ci the north. All fronts secured."

For this Eastern Expedition, Tiger-Chasing’s full might concentrated along the eastern line. Mere garrison troops watched other borders.

With such military strength, maintaining daily border control was manageable, but resistance against invading armies became impossible.

To secure the rear and allow the frontline to advance without concern, Tiger-Chasing deployed all three national guardians during this Eastern Expedition.

Leader of the Immortal Patrol Office: Master of the Virtual Sword, Jia Huairen.

Leader of the Exterminate Evil Division: Heavenly Aspect Master, Xing Jiuli.

Prison Overseer: Crossing Calamity Master, Ji Ci.

These three masters at perfect Spirit Communication level guarded the borders, forcing neighboring dynasties to carefully reconsider any hostile moves.

This demonstrated the irreplaceable role of West Concubine, the sole Martial Cultivator.

Without her, Tiger-Chasing’s Eastern Expedition would never have proceeded so smoothly.

On battlefield commanding Tiger-Chasing cavalry, she equaled genuine master-level combat strength, ranking among the mightiest.

"For her western campaigns and eastern advances – arduous efforts, monumental achievements."

Tiger-Chasing Emperor murmured, "When this succeeds, the Eastern Wilderness territory shall be hers to govern."

"Your will be done."

As the national master’s voice faded, the three figures vanished.

Thus, only the groaning remnant Golden Dragon and blazing golden flames remained within the palace’s Underground Dragon Vein.

Within the Star Sea space of the mysterious realm,

Chen Yang contemplated the new mysterious power.

Like the intangible power of wishes, yet different.

Wish power only activated during specific events – crafting talismans at crucial moments or breaking through Condensing Essence barriers.

This new force obeyed his will freely, applicable to anything.

Through it, Chen Yang connected with the mysterious space.

Focusing his mind, he sensed responses from the material world.

His spiritual body dissolved into Starlight. Moments later, he materialized in Yang Family’s Forbidden Area ancestral hall.

"Congratulations, Immortal Master, on achieving Condensing Essence!"

Yang Lingqing led Yang Yuanliu and Yang Yuanhong in chorus as Chen Yang’s form regained solidity.

With fragments of Chen Yang’s consciousness implanted in their minds, they’d sensed his breakthrough like Yang Lingshu and Yang Lingrui.

Chen Yang channeled true essence into the trio.

Yang Lingqing and Yang Yuanliu – both on the Path of Cultivation – felt warming energy followed by drowsiness, immediately sitting to meditate.

Yang Yuanhong experienced cooling comfort instead, his movements gaining fluid grace.

This resulted from Yang Lingqing’s relentless efforts refining his physique over two years.

Under the infusion of true essence, Yang Lingqing and Yang Yuanliu kept expelling flawed spiritual power from their bodies. Meanwhile, Yang Yuanhong’s purified physique eagerly absorbed the incoming true essence completely. After checking, Chen Yang realized this was the limit the boy could currently bear.

By merging true essence with mortal flesh untouched by the Path of Cultivation – such extraordinary defiance of natural laws meant Yang Yuanhong’s future wouldn’t stop at Condensing Essence, but would truly reach Spirit Communication!

While the three children meditated to digest their gains, Chen Yang examined his post-breakthrough abilities. His most anticipated skill came first: wind control.

With mere thought movement, his stone body dissolved into gray mist. Within moments, he’d flown three round trips between Song Mountain’s northern and southern banks.

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!" This regained control over his form brought Chen Yang profound relief. Now he could freely travel anywhere in this realm.

Though excited, he resisted immediately flying to Moon Watching City. As a new Condensing Essence cultivator, avoiding others at this stage seemed prudent. After mastering wind manipulation, he returned to the ancestral hall.

Within him, the former white space for storing spirit energy had transformed into a small cave heaven after his breakthrough. This pocket dimension spanned thrice Song Mountain’s combined banks – town-sized, with height measuring three hundred sixty zhang.

Through testing, Chen Yang found it could store various objects: elixirs, talismans, spiritual treasures. Surprisingly, even storage bags could enter. Could this enable infinite nesting? More bags meant more space – though differences remained.

Storage bags only held lifeless items anywhere. But Chen Yang’s cave heaven could sustain life through true essence’s transformations. He transplanted soil from Song Mountain, then conjured sunlight, dew and breezes with true essence – enabling plants to grow within this stone sanctuary.