After what felt like an eternity, Liang slowly opened his eyes, a faint trace of fatigue lingering within them. "To think it took me five years just to cultivate the first stage…"
Five full years had passed since he began tempering himself within the Consciousness Cleansing Stage. The process had been relentless, filled with constant strain and mental exhaustion, pushing him to the brink more times than he cared to remember.
Yet, despite the hardship, the results were undeniable. His mind felt clearer than ever before, as if layers of unseen restraints had been stripped away, allowing his understanding of the Dao to deepen with each passing moment.
Many of the lingering regrets and burdens he had carried for years had quietly faded, leaving behind a calm and steady clarity. Even his divine sense had grown stronger, though the improvement was subtle, it was still a step forward.
Just as he was about to resume his cultivation, his thoughts shifted, and his gaze turned toward a corner of the cave.
Yang Wu remained seated there, still immersed in meditation, yet his condition did not appear stable. Liang frowned slightly. "His injuries… they're heavier than I thought."
He observed him for a moment longer before withdrawing his gaze. "Interrupting him now won't help."
Letting the matter rest, Liang closed his eyes once more.
---
Deep within the cave, Liang steadied his breathing as he prepared for the next stage of the Void Form Refining Art—the Ethereal Integration Stage. His thoughts gradually settled, and his consciousness began to sink inward, merging with the surrounding energies.
As his awareness expanded, he began to sense the different currents flowing through the cave.
Yang Qi surged first, vibrant and intense, carrying a force that radiated strength and vitality. It moved like a burning tide, brushing past him as if testing his presence.
"Too aggressive…" Liang murmured faintly, adjusting his focus.
Soon after, Yin Qi followed, calm and gentle, bringing a cooling balance that softened the intensity of the Yang Qi. It settled into his awareness, steady and quiet.
"This is better…"
Then came the subtle movement of Wind Qi, brushing against him like a passing whisper. It carried a sense of clarity, guiding his thoughts and sharpening his perception.
"The flow… it's not fixed."
Beneath it all, Earth Qi rose steadily, grounding and stable, anchoring his presence as everything else moved around him.
"A foundation…"
These energies did not clash, nor did they remain separate. Instead, they intertwined naturally, forming a delicate balance that flowed through his consciousness.
Liang allowed himself to follow that rhythm.
With each breath, he drew them in, not forcing control, but letting them settle into place. Gradually, the boundary between himself and the surrounding environment began to blur.
"I see…"
Time passed unnoticed as his perception deepened.
One year later, Liang opened his eyes once more, a quiet clarity settling within them.
"The difference is clear… this stage is far smoother than the first," he said, exhaling slowly. "And it only took a year."
His understanding had advanced, allowing him to perceive the balance between opposing forces with greater precision. The interactions between Yin and Yang, the shifting flow of natural energies—everything now felt more coherent.
Without delay, his focus shifted forward.
"The next stage… Void Sense."
Closing his eyes again, Liang directed his awareness inward, reaching toward the depths of the void itself.
"Merge… don't resist."
As his consciousness extended, the limitations of his physical body began to fade. His perception stretched outward, touching something vast and boundless.
At first, his divine sense resisted the change.
"Too rigid…"
But as he continued, it began to shift.
Like a layer being peeled away, its nature gradually transformed, shedding its former structure and taking on something more subtle.
"Its form is changing…"
His divine sense dissolved into the void, no longer confined to its original state. It stretched outward like countless strands, intertwining with the unseen currents of space.
Each strand pulsed faintly, drawing from the depths of the void itself.
"Void sense…"
Time passed quietly as the transformation stabilized.
When Liang opened his eyes again, a faint light flickered within them.
His gaze moved toward an empty corner of the cave.
In the next instant, space itself began to distort.
A subtle ripple formed, followed by a small, oval-shaped rift that slowly opened before him.
"So this is it…"
Without hesitation, Liang reached into his space ring and retrieved a dagger.
He paused briefly, then extended a strand of his newly formed void sense, attaching it carefully to the blade.
"Let's see how far it can go."
With a flick of his wrist, the dagger shot forward and entered the rift.
The moment it passed through, Liang felt the immense pressure of the void descend upon it. The surrounding energy surged violently, as if attempting to crush and erase the foreign object.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Hold."
The strand of void sense reacted instantly, wrapping around the dagger and shielding it from the surrounding force. The pressure weakened, dispersing into nothingness.
"Good… it works."
Within the vast emptiness, the dagger continued forward, moving smoothly despite the unstable currents that surrounded it.
Through his connection, Liang could feel every shift, every disturbance in the void.
"It's like navigating a current…"
The dagger adjusted its path, slipping through invisible obstructions as though guided by instinct.
Then—
He felt it.
A faint presence, distant yet unmistakable.
"Life…"
Without hesitation, the dagger surged forward, slicing through the void and opening a narrow rift.
In the next moment, it disappeared into the space beyond.