Xu Guang frowned, further restraining his presence, and quietly slipped into a secluded area.

The mystical spring's water slowly merged into his body, tiny sparkling lights appeared between his flesh and bones, and even the cool sensation began to integrate into his Spirit Palace, hinting at some sort of transformation.

Feeling the changes within, Xu Guang was satisfied.

This spring, although perhaps exaggerated to say it could cleanse the marrow, could enhance the physical body and simultaneously increase the affinity for water attribute within the Source Qi of the body. Put simply, soaking in this spring would enhance the power of water attribute Daoist Techniques.

Xu Guang restrained his presence and began to carefully comprehend the enhancements provided by the mystical spring.

In the blink of an eye, a day had passed.

The effect of the mystical spring on Xu Guang had diminished, and although the comfortable feeling made him reluctant to leave, the enhancement was very slight, so Xu Guang decisively left.

Just as he emerged from the water.

A scream rang out.

"Who are you!!?"

Xu Guang frowned, this was a Qing Yao.

At the first glance of the other party, Xu Guang immediately felt something was wrong, his Divine Soul was seemingly pulled into an indescribable twisted space, with a core that was like a massive black hole, seemingly intent on annihilating his consciousness.

'Get out!'

With a low roar from Xu Guang, a terrifying killing intent erupted from him, Years of Killing!

The twisted space was influenced by the true meaning of Years of Killing and began to reverse flow.

A muffled female grunt was heard.

The core of the black hole in the twisted space instantly collapsed.

Xu Guang's Divine Thought returned to the mortal realm, and with a wave of his hand, a bloody rain appeared.

"Xu Guang! Are you that Xu Guang!?"

"Quickly run!"

Two charming voices sounded in his ear, and Xu Guang then saw two women from the Qing Yao tribe, fleeing rapidly, one behind the other.

Their clothes were still left by the mystical spring.

Xu Guang frowned, looking at the speed at which they escaped.

Forget it, at this speed, before he could catch up, they would have reached the Twelfth Building occupied by the Qing Yao tribe.

He didn't want to complicate matters.

With one punch, he smashed a sea tiger and turned away.

...

Celestial Capital is not just palaces, where the Immortal Venerable resides naturally has mountains and waters.

Outside the forest, by a pool.

Under the sunset, falling leaves danced.

A figure in a white dress, veiled, held a broad-bladed blue-green long sword.

The long sword exceeded two meters in length and was as wide as a brushstroke, its hilt wound with fine silver threads, ending in a pure white tassel.

"Xu Guang?"

The woman in the white dress let the tip of her sword touch the ground, raising her eyes to look in Xu Guang's direction, moving easily into a position that could both attack and defend, prepared against sudden attacks from Xu Guang and presenting a sufficient threat to him.

"Who are you?"

With his path blocked, Xu Guang had no choice but to stop.

The aura from the other party wasn't weak, but there was no one else around.

"The Hot Spring Palace, have you been there?"

The woman in the white dress asked in a deep voice.

"The Hot Spring Palace?" Xu Guang slightly lowered his head, "You planning to cause me trouble?"

"No, I want to make a deal with you."

The woman in the white dress took three steps back, dragging her sword along the ground, indicating she meant no harm.

Xu Guang looked up and down at the sword-wielding Qing Yao woman before him, quite intrigued.

"What can you offer me?"

The woman in the white dress spoke in a low voice. "A talisman that can imprint in the Spirit Palace!"

"Even though a talisman is precious, it's of no use to me. This condition is not enough for a deal with me."

Xu Guang shook his head lightly.

The so-called talisman is a treasure used by Qi Refiners of the third stage and above, which can imprint Daoist Techniques, root them in the Spirit Palace, and once fully integrated, can be used as freely as a martial artist's Divine Techniques without any need for sealing.

Depending on the strength of one's Spirit Palace, the number of talismans it can accommodate is limited.

So the integration of talismans is very important to each Qi Refiner, who would not choose lightly.

"This talisman comes from Celestial Capital, related to the Immortal Venerable and infused with the Dao of Transformation, capable of integrating Demon True Blood, allowing for transformation to the point where counterfeit and real are indistinguishable, and you're not interested?"

Xu Guang's eyes lit up instantly, "Oh? What do you want me to do?"

"Kill the Linglong Saint Son and a woman from the Qing Yao tribe."

Xu Guang looked at the other party with great interest, "So, are you a sea traitor?"

The woman in the white dress was taken aback, and the face under the veil flushed to a visible red.

"Will you or won't you make this deal!?"

Seeing the other party somewhat cracking, Xu Guang fell into contemplation.

He had to consider whether this was a potential trap.

A talisman infused with the Dao of Transformation...

According to the other party, it not only allows changing identities but also gaining the power of the integrated Demon True Blood. If he could transform into Linglong...

"When can I get the talisman you mentioned?"

"When the Linglong Saint Son is dead."

"I agree, but... when to kill, I will decide myself."

"Of course."

After hesitating, the woman in the white dress threw a token, "This token carries the aura of the Sea Tribe, with some illusion techniques, it will be enough to fool those of lower races, considered as my... show of sincerity to you."

Watching the woman's retreating back, Xu Guang reached out to gently pat the fluffy head of Tao Gu.

"Little Tao, do you think this woman's words can be trusted?"

Tao Gu, crawling out from Xu Guang's large robe, said in a small voice, "I don't know, the ancestral land of the Qing Yao tribe is too far from the Crocodile Dragon Tribe's territory, I'm not familiar with that area, but the infighting within these great tribes is very intense..."

After speaking, she glanced at Xu Guang worriedly.

The purpose of Xu Guang capturing her was to understand the Sea Tribe, yet now encountering something she didn't know, she worried if he would abandon her.

Xu Guang frowned slightly, not surprised by Tao Gu's remarks, Tao Gu was just a well-informed low-level First Grade in the Sea Tribe, the information she knew was limited.

Forget it, prioritize enhancing strength.

...

In a mountain hollow.

Zhuge Wuliang moved swiftly like a phantom, weaving through the palaces and buildings.

Moments later, he landed, standing before an artificial mountain waterfall.

Though called an artificial mountain, it was over six hundred meters high, with a waterfall cascading from the heavens, resembling a Milky Way.

Of course, he was not here to admire the artificial mountain. In the cave within, there existed a stone stele, his true objective.

The stone stele was carved with countless patterns resembling ancient events, carrying an inexplicable sense of profoundness.

'This stele, or perhaps beneath it, hides something.'

Zhuge conjectured, but the specifics were temporarily unclear.

The appearance of such a stele in the dwelling place of the Immortal Venerable seemed very strange.

This thing felt incompatible with everything in the Celestial Capital, its significance unknown.

...

Star-Picking Pavilion.

The Linglong Saint Son was named Yin Kuang, of extraordinary ability, hailed as the strongest First Grade master of his generation in the Linglong clan, having once defeated someone undergoing Nirvana Transformation head-on.

He was highly regarded by the Linglong clan.

Upon hearing the approaching footsteps behind him, Yin Kuang's silver eyes glimmered faintly, like twinkling stars.

"News about that Xu Guang?"

Behind him, a somewhat hunchbacked fat man cautiously approached and whispered.

"Dragon Heir, according to messages from the pirates, this Xu Guang is a newcomer invited by the Liu Chuan Pirate Group, having had conflicts with Jiang Nanzun of the Dragon Head Pirate Group, who has declared he will personally kill him."

Pausing, the fat man hesitated before speaking.

"There are also claims that he might be from the Northern Polar Six Institutes of the Eastern Sea. This information is yet to be confirmed."

"From the Northern Emperor Institute?"

Yin Kuang frowned, "Find him, he is a decent whetstone, the true intent within him is noteworthy, slaying him might offer... hope for my Nirvana Transformation."

Upon hearing this, the fat man's face lit with joy.

"Congratulations, Dragon Heir."

...

That day, as Xu Guang was cultivating, Celestial Capital was, to him, a place of opportunity. Ever since leaving Li Taizhou, his foundation had been building steadily, but resources had always been lacking.

Now in Celestial Capital, the scarcity of resources was nearly all resolved, and his cultivation progressed rapidly.

In little over half a month, he had already completed half of his First Grade cultivation. It wouldn't be long before he reached the peak of First Grade.

At this speed, Xu Guang was more than satisfied.

Suddenly, the heavens and earth split apart.

A vast voice seemed to emanate from the distant stars.

'The Taiyi Hall opens!'