Time flies, seven years have passed in the blink of an eye.

On Thunderwood Island, the sea of bamboo is lush and thriving.

Countless spiritual bamboo grows vigorously, as if nourished by something. Especially near the highest point of the island, a grove of spiritual bamboo surrounds a boulder, exuding an aura of lightness. The bamboo leaves appear emerald green, glistening with light, suggesting a sense of elevating their grade.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

On the boulder, a handsome daoist sits cross-legged, his eyes tightly shut. Above his head, a peculiar Dharma Pill engraved with the Dao Pattern of Six Ren continuously absorbs moonlight.

The moonlight cascades down like a silver Spiritual Spring, hanging in the void. Its rich brilliance nourishes the Dharma Pill, and the spiritual bamboo and trees within the surrounding area also benefit from the moonlight, fostering some extraordinary changes.

At this moment, the daoist’s cultivation seems to have reached a bottleneck. He frowned deeply, with no time to observe his surroundings.

"Gulp!"

Suddenly, the daoist opened his mouth and swallowed, the Dharma Pill atop his head instantly transforming into a stream of luminescence and entering his belly.

"Crash!"

Instantly, a sound like a great river surges within the daoist’s body. Intense Spiritual Qi emanates from his skin, forming clouds that drift by his side, making him resemble a Banished Immortal about to soar into the clouds.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Banging sounds repeatedly emerge, yet something seems missing, and the crisp sound remains unheard.

The daoist frowned, beads of sweat seemed to rise on his forehead.

Seeing this, he no longer hesitated, and with a flick of his hand, a verdant pill soared, landing into his mouth.

"Boom!"

The pill dissolved upon entering his throat, transforming into surging Spiritual Qi, rushing into the daoist’s Dantian.

The "Great River" in mid-collision found encouragement and, with added ferocity, charged towards the invisible barrier. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Bang!"

This time, like a Flood Dragon roaring, mana surged violently. The intangible barrier instantly shattered and vanished, the daoist’s Dantian space suddenly expanded several-fold, his meridians seemed to be remolded, broadening extensively.

His body seemed to contain a mysterious space to accommodate more profound mana, allowing for more extraordinary feats.

"Crash!"

Countless Spiritual Qi gushed forth, instantly forming a vortex of Spiritual Qi that enveloped the daoist.

The mana within him swiftly escalated at a pace visible to the naked eye, finally stabilizing at a new level.

"Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, finally achieved!"

"Fortunately, as a precaution, I purchased a ’Hundred Spirits Pill’. Otherwise, failure would’ve been inevitable."

"The Spiritual Qi and moonlight on Thunderwood Island are ultimately lacking; not suitable for realm-breaking cultivation..."

Feeling the profound mana within him, Gu Yuan couldn’t help but reveal a look of joy and gratitude.

In less than ten years, he had progressed from the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment to Mid-Stage, a cultivation speed unmatched by any favored child of Heaven.

The Six Ren Golden Book of Alchemy was indeed a nearly pure silver opportunity, capable of altering the trajectory of fate.

"With just three Demon Pills, such effects are achieved; what wondrous sights shall unfold when the pill becomes Six Ren?"

After thoroughly consolidating his mana, Gu Yuan introspected through his Divine Sense, gazing at the perfectly rounded Dharma Pill in his Dantian, with its dazzling Dao Pattern, heart filled with longing.

But he immediately recalled the difficulty in acquiring Demon Pills, and shook his head helplessly.

Seven years earlier, Gu Yuan secretly deployed the Heart-devouring Insect to search for traces of two Heaven-Earth Exotic Species possessing Demon Pills.

Gu Yuan initially thought he could easily slay these two Demon Beasts and obtain the Demon Pills with his techniques.

But unexpectedly, a grueling battle ensued.

Those two Heaven-Earth Exotic Species had cultivated for hundreds of years, one had already reached Mid-Stage Earth Demon, with formidable strength and an eerie Demon Pill. Gu Yuan deployed all his techniques and barely managed to slay it.

Though the other had yet to break through to Mid-Stage Earth Demon, it possessed a talent Demon Technique that could shift space, exceedingly cunning. Gu Yuan engaged it for several days, ultimately relying on the Azure Roaming Heaven-Evading Seal’s might to kill it.

These two Exotic Species also became the Tower Guardian Spirit Beasts within the Seven-Phase Exquisite Jade Tower.

In the subsequent years, Gu Yuan continued to direct the Heart-devouring Insect to seek traces of Heaven-Earth Strange Beasts, yet to no avail.

The Demon Core belongs to the Heaven-Earth Exotic Species, each one unique, even if lacking in strength, it would possess a peculiar talent technique, and its traces are scarce.

Moreover, these demon beasts use the demon core as a trump card and will not reveal it unless absolutely necessary.

Even if there stood an Earth Demon before you, unless it used its demon core, ordinary cultivators would find it extremely difficult to notice anything unusual.

As for Gu Yuan, although he used Stone Liquid multiple times over the years, the opportunities within a thousand miles of Thunderwood Island had long vanished. Focusing on bitter cultivation without moving, he naturally had no means to discover other chances.

Even for a life-and-death manipulating creature like the Heart-devouring Insect, Gu Yuan would not reveal even a trace of Stone Liquid.

"Now that I’ve broken through to Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, I should be able to move around a bit and see if I can find some opportunities to further enhance my strength, complete the ten-year pact, and leave the Ten Thousand Islands Sea as soon as possible."

"However, before that, I still need to cultivate a bit more."

Gu Yuan set a plan in his heart, not lingering any longer, his figure flickered, and he directly returned to the Cave Mansion.

...

...

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

Gu Yuan sat cross-legged in the Cave Mansion, beneath him were pieces of dim reddish-yellow Spirit Jade.

The Spirit Jade was crystal-clear, but the Spiritual Qi within, like clouds and smoke, had disappeared, and the entire piece of jade rapidly dimmed and eventually turned to dust, vanishing.

In the palm of Gu Yuan’s hand, a reddish-yellow, mountain-heavy Great Seal was slowly condensing.

The Great Seal glowed brightly, with Dao Seals that looked ancient and desolate. The mana within Gu Yuan’s body moved without wind, seemingly stirred by the Dharma Seal, surging forth powerfully.

Gu Yuan felt as if his mana had suddenly multiplied by several times in power, as if he could move mountains and grab moons with mana alone.

"Boom!"

Gu Yuan no longer suppressed this feeling, letting his mana surge forth, activating the Great Seal.

In an instant, a pair of gigantic yellow hands, dozens of meters large, appeared behind Gu Yuan. The hands’ five fingers were distinct, even the palm lines were vivid, as if formed by countless rocks, exuding an indestructible aura.

"Zheng zheng!"

With a thought, the Boundless Sword Seal surged from the Dantian, transforming into eighteen sword lights, slashing directly towards the yellow hands.

"Rumble!"

But these hands were not only enormous, with a sky-covering and sun-blocking aura, they also moved swiftly, responding like an arm and a finger. The five fingers clutched together like five mountains falling simultaneously, directly enveloping the Boundless Sword Seal.

"Clang clang clang!"

The transparent Sword Qi continued to slice, but these hands remained motionless, like a celestial curtain, directly grasping the Sword Seal tightly.

"Zheng zheng!"

The Sword Seal struggled frantically, constantly shifting, but the Magical Hand’s Qi Power was unparalleled, with power far exceeding a million pounds, forcibly gripping the Sword Seal, rendering it immobile.

"Xiu xiu xiu!"

The Boundless Sword Seal ceased its struggle, only releasing faint Sword Qi, which poked at Gu Yuan’s cheek, seemingly aggrieved.

Seeing this, Gu Yuan immediately retracted the large hands, holding the Boundless Sword Seal in his palm.

The Boundless Sword Seal, both an artifact and a seal, differed in form from the ordinary Dharma Seals, retaining the shape of a foot-long golden bamboo sword.

Thin as a cicada’s wing, appearing both gold and bamboo, the handle held was a section of bamboo, gleaming with starlight, as if surrounded by stars.

"Zheng zheng!"

With just a flick of his hand, a myriad of dazzling Sword Patterns surfaced on the Golden Bamboo Sword, moving like dragons, fluctuating in size, rising and hiding.

Counting carefully, the Sword Patterns were precisely eighteen, like eighteen silver mosquito-sized swords imprinted upon it.

It was precisely with these Sword Patterns that the Golden Bamboo Sword boasted its extraordinary Spiritual Nature, capable of being absorbed internally and releasing radiant Sword Qi with dragon-like agility.

However, with Gu Yuan’s cultivation growth, the eighteen Sword Patterns seemed inadequate to face the situation.

In merely two months of cultivation, the Mountain-moving Spirit Seal with Qi Power over a million pounds could easily grasp the Sword Seal.

"It seems I’ve neglected you these days, but don’t worry, I am no longer a fool with poor aptitude, mere Sword Patterns, are but a cinch..."

Gu Yuan sensed the grievance within the Golden Bamboo Sword, chuckling lightly, then drew a virtual painting with both hands, beginning to emit streams of Sword Qi.

Within the Dantian, the Three-Heart Gold Seal shone brightly, and the Sword Dao hindrances in the past due to realm and magical combat experience, dissipated like melting ice and snow. Gu Yuan’s eyes glinted silver-white, as if an inexhaustible cold arose, eerily appearing.