Even under the torrential rain, the spiritual spring still showed a slight downward trend.
In contrast, the third level of the Celestial Gate beside Lu Li began to take on color.
“Fragrance Holds,” Lu Li sighed softly, and the nine tails behind him swayed even more fiercely.
At the same time, the originally pouring rain became as if the sky had shattered, directly dumping countless streams of water.
Inside, as Lu Li meditated on his impact into the Dragon Revelation Stage, the guard outside, Liu Qingxi, couldn’t help but feel moved.
Even with the formation, the restriction, and her own protection in place, a spiritual qi millstone over ten zhang wide had already formed above the Heavenly Fox Mansion, continuously pouring down vast spiritual rain from above.
The wondrous flowers and herbs Lu Li had planted outside grew ceaselessly, expanding by several inches within just a few breaths.
Meanwhile, a unique fragrance began to permeate the air.
“That scent again.” Liu Qingxi closed her eyes and sniffed lightly.
This smell made her feel at ease and comfortable.
It was as if, by simply inhaling it, she could fall asleep peacefully and dream sweetly until dawn.
But this was also a scent she could never touch again.
After she grew up, she went to visit her parents.
But times had changed, and people were no longer the same.
Now, smelling this scent again on Lu Li filled Liu Qingxi with confusion.
Yet, catching it again after many days, it was now mixed with different notes.
“Still… Lu Li, you’ve already reached Dragon Revelation… an eighteen-year-old Foundation Establishment cultivator entering Dragon Revelation, hah…” Thinking of this, Liu Qingxi could only let out a sigh.
Though the formation concealed it, the spiritual rain drifted in the wind, slowly scattering around the Heavenly Fox Mansion.
The grasses and trees in the cracks of the stones grew stealthily.
Inside, observing his inner world, Lu Li was unaware of Liu Qingxi’s thoughts, nor did he know that the spiritual qi millstone above his head had expanded further.
Staring at the Celestial Gate walls that radiated strange, brilliant lights, he fell into thought.
“No wonder Master always emphasized what I am cultivating immortality for.”
As Lu Li looked at the walls, his mind gradually sifted through the inheritance of the Yin Yang Sect.
Using True Yuan to flush through and impact the Dragon Revelation was only the first step.
What came next, and what was important, was his own “Will.”
The Thirty-three Levels of Celestial Gates connect the body to the Spirit Soul.
But not every cultivator possesses a clear and stable “Will.”
Thus, predecessors in the Immortal Realm had explored three methods—upper, middle, and lower.
The lowest and most convenient method was to repeatedly use True Yuan to flush and temper the Celestial Gates.
This was the simplest way to cultivate, and one’s cultivation could still increase.
But as some Golden Core or even Nascent Soul True Masters put it, it lacked so-called “spirit.”
The gate opened, but the spirit was absent.
The middle method was to engrave one’s Dao Heart onto the Celestial Gates.
Sword cultivators engrave Sword Intent.
Body cultivators engrave Fist Intent.
Medical cultivators engrave herbs and plants.
A general could engrave a military banner.
A scholar could engrave his essays.
But this came with risk.
Once a cultivator’s Dao Heart changed, they could easily be harmed.
At the lightest, the Dao Heart would be damaged; at worst, the Celestial Gate would collapse.
This was what they called cultivation regression.
“My master suggested I choose the highest method.” Lu Li opened his eyes, and the spiritual spring behind him immediately condensed, then split into two, taking the form of Yin Yang fish.
“Instead of depicting or engraving the Dao Heart, I should completely engrave the path I walked as a mortal onto it.” As Lu Li spoke, the Yin Yang fish directly transformed into two small fish, one black and one white, leaping into the walls.
“No matter how far I walk on the path of immortality, I will never forget the road I came from.”
“And these paths will eventually become the laws of the universe within my body…” Lu Li’s gaze followed the two small fish. As they swam, his entire life was clearly imprinted onto the Celestial Gates.
In Hundred Immortals Town, as a child with hair in tufts, he paid respects to his mother with his father.
In Hundred Immortals Town, at the age of losing his baby teeth, his father passed away, and he began to escort caravans and protect people.
The scenes from the Yin Yang Sect were the most interesting.
Split in two.
The images depicted by the Yin and Yang fish were also different.
On the left, he stood with a sword, while a hundred weapons bowed before him.
On the right, his fox tails blossomed, and a horde of demons prostrated behind him.
The weak had also stood before others for the first time.
“Next are the matters in Heavenly Deduction City and Blackstone City.” Lu Li pushed open the first level of the Celestial Gate, and a golden powder-like color began to show on his skin.
This level of the Celestial Gate was a tangible space, much like the tower he had once followed his father into.
The depictions were meticulous, including countless moments he had previously forgotten.
There was a scene of him acting spoiled in his father’s arms just for a piece of sweet cake.
And the joy of disarming his father for the first time.
Climbing to the second level, Lu Li saw the countless times he had struggled and lived in Hundred Immortals Town.
“How nostalgic…” His slender fingers traced over the murals as Lu Li ascended, eventually reaching the third level.
He saw scenes of him bickering with Qing Luo, and those laughable moments with Jiang Yuebai.
And also the day he faced Shen Zhaoxue, defeated her, and was forced to enfeoff her as Saintess.
Thinking of this, a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“But… ah, I see.” Lu Li looked up at the tightly closed door to the fourth level of the Celestial Gate, and a realization dawned in his heart.
“My insights regarding Heavenly Deduction City and Blackstone City aren’t deep enough, so naturally I can’t continue cultivating.” Understanding this, Lu Li didn’t dwell on it. He slowly opened his eyes and withdrew from his internal observation state.
As he stood up, Lu Li leaped, jumping a full zhang high in the secret chamber.
Fortunately, the Heavenly Fox secret chamber was spacious enough that Lu Li didn’t hit his head.
“What’s this…?” After landing lightly, Lu Li tried again without using True Yuan, simply stepping gently.
Just like before, he jumped another zhang high.
“Dragon Revelation… can temper the body to this extent?” Lu Li still hadn’t used much force or any ordinary Lightness Skill.
“Wasn’t it said that one level of the Celestial Gate only increases physical constitution by about thirty percent? My reaction speed alone has increased by at least ninety percent.”
“Is it because I chose the highest-grade method of depiction?” As he pondered, Lu Li pushed open the door, only to find that as his fingers brushed against it, the thick stone wall was scratched into several deep grooves by his nails.
“This is going to be troublesome… I’ll have to hold back my strength in daily life from now on.” Taking a deep breath, Lu Li gradually suppressed the previously activated Nine Forms of the Heavenly Fox, and as he walked, he pinched flowers and touched grass to practice controlling his strength.
“Little sister Lu, your training went smoothly?” Liu Qingxi looked at Lu Li emerging from the secret chamber.
“What’s this? You’re already pinching flowers the moment you’re out.”
“Because cultivation at the Dragon Revelation Stage has both good and bad sides.” As Lu Li spoke, he gently lifted a half-human-sized rubble stone in the courtyard, gripping it in his hand.
“Alright, alright, you really are Lu’s daughter grown strong—‘lifting mountains with strength, covering the world with your might.’” Seeing this, Liu Qingxi burst into laughter.
“Just in time. Yuan He of the Buddhist Light Sect practices body refinement himself. Why not have a friendly spar with him? How about it?”