Chapter 28: The Impact

Devouring the Cosmos circulated, forming a white Devouring Vortex the size of a broad bean inside Jiang Xincheng’s stomach. As it spun, vast amounts of the Lotus Leaf Elixir’s potency were absorbed by the vortex, transforming into the purest Devouring Origin Force. It poured towards Jiang Xincheng’s Meridians and Dantian.

The speed was incredibly fast, almost a thousand miles in a single day. Jiang Xincheng’s Primordial Force visibly surged.

Through intense cultivation during this period, Jiang Xincheng had reached the minor mastery level of the first layer of Devouring the Cosmos. The Devouring Vortex was tens of times larger than before. It could now devour harder Yuan Stones, and the rate of absorbing Primordial Force had also multiplied several times over.

Facing the surging power of the Lotus Leaf Elixir, the white Devouring Vortex steadily rotated. It swallowed all of the elixir’s power, refining it into the purest Devouring Origin Force, becoming a part of Jiang Xincheng himself.

Within his Dantian, the mist-like Primordial Force continuously expanded, becoming purer at the same time. Gradually, it touched the barrier to the Tendon Training Realm.

The human body held endless mysteries. Beyond the Spirit Sense Sea, the Dantian was the most wondrous place.

Once Primordial Force cultivation began, the Dantian existed between the physical and the ethereal. It felt hazy, almost as if in another space, making it difficult for the Practitioner to grasp.

The Dantian could be large or small. Its size was simply an organ, yet vast enough to be limitless, like a separate space-time itself, capable of holding the myriad things of the world. The wonder of the Dantian lay within the mind, though one principle regarding its size was universally recognized.

The stronger the Primordial Force and thus the Practitioner’s strength, the larger the Dantian became. If a Muscle Training Realm Primordial Warrior’s Dantian might be only the size of a broad bean, then the Deity and Demon Realm Dantian would resemble a boundless ocean, vast and without end.

Furthermore, within the Dantian of every Primordial Warrior were bottlenecks, or barriers. Like concentric rings, stacking layers within layers, these barriers varied in size, toughness, and the space they enclosed.

For example, the bottleneck from Mid Muscle-Tempering Stage to Late Muscle-Tempering Stage was merely a small concentric barrier the size of a palm. It confined the growth and transformation of a Mid Muscle-Tempering Preemial Warrior’s Primordial Force within their Dantian.

The bottleneck from Late Muscle-Tempering Stage to Early Tendon Refining Stage, however, was a concentric barrier the size of a watermelon. Not only was it large, but it was also solid and tough, impossible to break through easily.

Once broken through, the Primordial Warrior’s Dantian would expand considerably, allowing it to hold more Primordial Force. Their strength would greatly increase. Crucially, the expanding Dantian volume would exert greater pressure on its Primordial Force, refining it to a higher degree of purity.

This was the so-called theory of the infinite Dantian – boundless and immeasurable, entirely dependent on how far the Primordial Warrior could progress in their cultivation. However, research from his past life suggested that reaching the Deity and Demon Realm might represent the Dantian’s absolute limit… though Jiang Xincheng didn’t know if that truth held.

Yet Jiang Xincheng was still enormously far from the Deity and Demon Realm. For now, tempering his foundation to perfect solidity was paramount.

Jiang Xincheng did not intend to use this Lotus Leaf Elixir to break through the Muscle Training Realm bottleneck and enter the Tendon Training Realm. He wanted to forge an even more stable Cultivation Foundation, reaching the absolute peak of Primordial Force purity within the Muscle Training Realm before attempting the breakthrough. This way, upon breaking through, he’d avoid instability and ensure his foundation was rock-solid.

He used this entire Lotus Leaf Elixir solely for tempering his foundation. After absorbing it, the white mist-like Primordial Force within his Dantian had reached the peak of the Muscle Training Realm, purer than any other cultivator under the Muscle Training Realm could attain.

At this very moment, within the Muscle Training Realm, Jiang Xincheng’s Primordial Force had achieved perfection. Neither its quantity nor its purity could advance even a fraction further.

Feeling the surging Primordial Force inside him, a faint smile touched Jiang Xincheng’s lips. In his past life, doing this would have been seen by other Primordial Warriors as a ludicrous waste of such precious resources. After all, before taking this elixir, his Primordial Force level was already sufficient to break through the Muscle Training Realm bottleneck and enter the Tendon Training Realm.

Yet, to ensure a smoother breakthrough and the most solid foundation imaginable, Jiang Xincheng didn’t hesitate to “waste” the potency of a single top-grade Level 1 Lotus Leaf Elixir. His foundation needed to be unshakable, his Primordial Force perfectly rounded.

Thankfully, this was the dawn of Primordial Force cultivation, an era with abundant Spiritual Herbs freely available for him to use. If this were decades later, he would much rather spend extra time on foundational tempering than use the valuable Lotus Leaf Elixir for it.

Truly, this was a favorable era. Jiang Xincheng smiled slightly and stood up, preparing to refine a second batch of Lotus Leaf Elixir.

With the experience from the first batch, Jiang Xincheng gradually rediscovered the touch he held in his past life. The refinement of the second batch proceeded very smoothly. Several dozen hours later, three perfectly formed Lotus Leaf Elixir pills sat ready. Not a single one was flawed; all were pristine and flawless, surpassing the quality of his first batch even.

Looking at the three pills emitting a soft, gray luster in his palm, Jiang Xincheng breathed a long sigh of relief. They were finally done. Next, he needed good rest before beginning his assault on the Muscle Training Realm bottleneck to enter the Tendon Training Realm.

He tidied up before returning to his bedroom. Lying down, he rested well. When he awoke, he felt mentally sharp and physically replenished, his energies at their peak.

After eating a little, Jiang Xincheng sat down cross-legged, his expression turning solemn.

Taking out one Lotus Leaf Elixir, he slowly placed it in his mouth. Feeling the Elixir’s potency begin to erupt, Jiang Xincheng closed his eyes. He poured his full focus into operating Devouring the Cosmos. He absorbed the surging power, transforming it into Devouring Origin Force that merged with the Primordial Force already within his Dantian. He amassed this potent energy, preparing to assault the barrier holding him back.

Time flowed. With every passing second, the Devouring Origin Force within Jiang Xincheng grew more massive. Eventually, it pulsed against his Meridians and Dantian, causing them to distend. The feeling of deep ache arrived right on schedule.

The moment had come!

A glint flashed in Jiang Xincheng’s eyes. His Spiritual Sense Power surged. He directed the enormous mass of Devouring Origin Force within him and violently propelled it towards the barrier surrounding his Dantian. As he started the assault, a layer of pure white barrier suddenly materialized before the Devouring Origin Force, blocking its path and preventing it from claiming more territory.

Expressionless, Jiang Xincheng controlled his Devouring Origin Force. He slammed it forcefully into a specific point on the barrier. He condensed the force, sharpening it into a drill bit, carrying overwhelming momentum, and smashed it into the barrier.

It was like a waterfall crashing into a deep pool, or a raging torrent hitting a dam – colossal splashes erupted; deafening roars filled his senses. Jiang Xincheng’s entire body began to tremble.

“BOOM!”

With just that single impact, the entire Bottleneck Wall shuddered violently. It looked like it could collapse at any moment. Watching the violently shaking Bottleneck Wall, a smile appeared on Jiang Xincheng’s face.