Chapter 130: Mortal Body, Dao Womb; Awakening to the Heart of the Universe

Jiang Ming’s vitality surged to such an extreme that a terrifying sea-of-blood vision formed above his head, shocking everyone around him.

"He is improving, improving at a lightning pace!" Ye Bai muttered to himself. "Can he really develop a mortal body to a level comparable to a Holy Body? No, that’s absolutely impossible! Even if he catches up, it would only be because I haven't fully tapped into the potential of the Holy Body. Even at its limit, a mortal body is still far from the pinnacle of a Holy Body."

Yet, his expression remained complex. The Holy Body was too difficult to cultivate; while its potential was infinite, progress was agonizingly slow.

"He may be improving quickly, but I am not slow either! With the Enlightenment Stele right here, even if his mortal body makes rapid progress, he cannot catch up to me—he absolutely cannot!"

Ye Bai returned to his meditation. The others also wore complicated expressions before continuing their cultivation. To them, this was a monumental opportunity, and no one wanted to waste a single second.

Jiang Ming remained completely indifferent to the world outside. He was entirely immersed in his deduction and cultivation. By synthesizing various battle-body cultivation techniques, his past foundations, the analysis of the bloodlines of Ye Bai and the others, and the terrifying talent of "Infinite Genes," he had forged a path.

Added to this were the blessings of fate, unparalleled luck, the aid of Nirvana Rebirth—which allowed for deeper control over his own life force—and the Soul Sovereign talent, which allowed him to meticulously organize his internal state. Most powerful of all was his hundredfold comprehension, which turned every spark of inspiration into a raging sea of fire.

He had gained enlightenment!

Having analyzed both dominant and recessive genes and combined them with the endless potential and Dao rhythms hidden within the bloodlines of Ye Bai and the others, he had deduced a new technique: the Mortal Body Dao Fetus.

This technique tempered the physique, refined the bloodline, and developed genes to exhaustively mine one's potential, balancing all aspects of cultivation. It developed the potential of hidden genes while simultaneously refining the body.

Once the deduction was complete, a brief period of cultivation manifested a terrifying vision that was nothing short of heaven-shaking.

"The Mortal Body Dao Fetus is merely a sixth-turn body-refining technique. It exhausts the potential of one's own bloodline to forge a supreme foundation and create a true 'Dao Fetus,'" Jiang Ming thought, suppressing further stray ideas. "However, it is still not a genetic cultivation method; it cannot sublimate the genes themselves."

He stopped reading. Every three hours, he would eat a hearty meal and then sit before the stone stele, simultaneously practicing the Mortal Body Dao Fetus while continuing his meditation.

On the twenty-ninth day, Jiang Ming stopped. He stood up, and as he moved, his terrifying strength seemed capable of turning the world upside down. He threw a punch into the air, and the surging force tore directly through the void.

"What immense power!" Jiang Ming was stunned. Over these nine days, fueled by an endless supply of meat and extremely dense primordial energy, he had successfully cultivated the Mortal Body Dao Fetus to its absolute limit.

"Brother Jiang, shall we spar?" Seeing him wake from his cultivation, Ye Bai called out.

"Fine by me!" Jiang Ming’s fighting spirit ignited; he, too, wanted to test his newfound power.

"Then come!" Ye Bai leaped a hundred meters into the air, his True Qi surging like a great river crashing against the shore. His stature grew even taller as he headed toward a distant mountain peak.

"I'm coming!" Jiang Ming moved, his body twisting as he propelled himself into the sky. With a single step, he created a shockwave of air, shooting after Ye Bai at high speed.

"How could I be left out!" Li Ping'an also shot upward, chasing after them.

"My secluded cultivation is basically over for now; everyone, let’s go together!" Shi Lei said, transforming into a streak of light as he followed.

"I want to see just how far Brother Jiang has improved!" Fang Qinghan leaped up as well. The others followed suit, even Tang Sanhammer, who hesitated only briefly before rushing after them. As for the surrounding rock walls? They clearly could not block their path.

On the mountain ridge, Ye Bai landed with such force that he shattered the rock, creating a deep crater; he clearly hadn't fully adapted to his explosive increase in strength. He stepped out, his arms swaying, whipping up wild currents. Every step he took left cracks in the stone. His power had reached its zenith.

Jiang Ming landed a hundred meters away, also leaving a deep crater. As he stepped out, he left footprints, but within seven or eight steps, he had mastered his surging power and stopped leaving marks.

"Such fast control!" Ye Bai’s pupils constricted. In this, he was far inferior—no, he was not even in the same league. It would take him at least a day to fully control such a sudden surge in power, yet Jiang Ming had done it in mere moments.

Ye Bai’s pupils constricted again when he noticed that after walking another twenty steps, Jiang Ming didn't even snap the blades of grass beneath his feet.

"Even if he hasn't achieved micro-level control of his surging power, he is very close." Ye Bai felt a chill on his scalp. "Brother Jiang, you are a monster. Truly a monster."

By now, Shi Lei and the others had arrived. Seeing Jiang Ming’s state, they were all stunned.

"These are just small tricks," Jiang Ming laughed. "Brother Ye, how have you improved?"

"Because of the Enlightenment Stele, I have finally gained a clear understanding of the Holy Body," Ye Bai said. "The path of the Holy Body is vast and profound. With my current cultivation, it is impossible to exhaust its potential or reach completion. No, I am too far away—it feels like standing here and gazing into the depths of the stars."

"I am currently only at the entry level of the Holy Body, albeit a high-tier entry level. I’m not even at the 'small success' stage! But my strength has surged to an unimaginable degree. Now, I am confident I can beat you to a pulp with one punch!" Ye Bai was filled with confidence.

"High-tier entry level?" Jiang Ming looked at him strangely. "If there is 'small success,' does that mean there is also a 'Great Completion' Holy Body?"

"There should be!" Ye Bai hesitated slightly. "Logically speaking, there must be a Great Completion stage. Brother Jiang, are you afraid?" He was brimming with heroism.

"Even if there is a Great Completion Holy Body, you are still a novice right now," Jiang Ming said. "You are confident you can beat me to a pulp, but I am equally confident I can beat you! How about one punch to decide the winner? No, this isn't the virtual battle network; if I kill you, you'll actually die. Let’s stick to conventional methods."

"That will have to do!" Ye Bai lunged forward. "Brother Jiang, fight!" His vitality soared to the heavens, and divine radiance poured from above like the rays of the morning sun, giving him a sacred aura, filled with an endless sense of invincibility.

"Fight!" Jiang Ming charged toward him. Their vitality was red-hot, and their strength distorted the void. As they exchanged blows, they kicked up wild torrents, shattering the surrounding rocks.

*Boom!*

They collided intentionally on the first punch. For a split second, there was stillness, and then both were knocked backward. The force of the collision swept outward, shattering rocks and sending clouds of dust into the air, which Bai Bing quickly froze and dropped to the ground with a wave of her hand.

After being pushed back, both Jiang Ming and Ye Bai stood still, looking at each other in surprise.

"Brother Jiang, did you use an amplification technique?"

"No."

"Did you use an intent-based boost?"

"No."

"Impossible!" Ye Bai shrieked, his face full of shock. Although his heart believed it, he couldn't accept it. "Impossible, absolutely impossible. My Holy Body may only be at the high-tier entry level, but I can unleash five hundred units of Vajra power. You are just a mortal—how can you produce such strength?"

His words stunned Shi Lei and the others. Five hundred units of Vajra power? Without amplification? Without intent-based boosts? They couldn't believe it. After all, an average body-refiner at the peak of the sixth turn only had five units of Vajra power. Jiang Ming was just a mortal. Even if he had developed to the limit, how could he reach this level? This wasn't just incomprehensible; it shattered their understanding of reality.

"It is indeed five hundred units of Vajra power, not a bit more or less," Jiang Ming clenched his fist, and a thunderous crack echoed from his palm. With his level of control and judgment, he didn't even need a measuring device to know exactly where he stood.

"Jiang Ming, you are not human!" Ye Bai’s face twisted for a moment. "I am a Holy Body, one of the most powerful constitutions in humanity, and I have cultivated to the limit I can currently reach, yet I haven't surpassed you!" He was truly provoked. "My Holy Blood boils to increase my power fivefold, and with another fivefold amplification, my maximum limit is twelve thousand five hundred units of Vajra power. Even if I integrate the Dao of Intent, twenty thousand is my absolute limit. But you... if you unleashed your limit, you could produce a terrifying fifty thousand units of Vajra power! Damn it! The gap between us hasn't narrowed; it’s gotten even wider!" The more he spoke, the more frantic Ye Bai became.

"Fifty thousand units of Vajra power!" Li Ping'an was dazed.

"Fifty thousand?" Shi Lei bared his teeth, scratching his head. "God damn it, how can he be so strong?"

*Sigh...* Fang Qinghan sighed, looking at Jiang Ming, unable to help but lick his lips. Wang Qiutong, Ji Junning, and Bai Bing were equally stunned.

"Fifty thousand?" Tang Sanhammer was the most shocked of all. He looked at Jiang Ming, gritted his teeth, his expression twisting repeatedly before finally calming down. He had to accept this reality.

"Sigh..." Jiang Ming sighed, looking at Ye Bai. "Brother Ye, in truth, I am the one who is truly envious and jealous!"

"Cut the crap!" Ye Bai jumped up, pointing at Jiang Ming’s nose with a trembling finger. "Jiang Ming, are you—are you mocking me?!"

"You are a Holy Body with infinite potential. You are only at the high-tier entry stage, and your base strength has already reached five hundred units of Vajra power. There is still 'small success' and 'Great Completion' ahead. But me?" Jiang Ming sighed again. "I have developed the mortal body to its limit—the true limit—and only then reached this level. This means my potential is exhausted. In the later stages, I can only move forward step by step; it is hard to imagine any more miracles! The method I deduced to develop the mortal body is something you can practice, too. You definitely still have room for significant improvement. As for me? Brother Ye, shouldn't I be the one who is envious and jealous?"

Ye Bai’s face was full of resentment. "Well, it seems... that really is the case!" He calmed down, feeling a bit embarrassed, but then his eyes brightened. "Brother Jiang, are you really willing to teach me your method?"

"Of course!" Jiang Ming nodded.

"Haha, Brother Jiang, as expected of you—my lifelong rival and my good brother!" Ye Bai laughed.

"However," Jiang Ming’s eyes flickered, "in the future, I want to study your Holy Body to find inspiration. You cannot refuse."

"Pah, that’s a small matter. Just say the word, and I’ll give you my blood. If a drop isn't enough, then a liter. If that’s not enough, I’ll open my heart and let you study the origin of my Holy Body," Ye Bai said, patting his chest grandly.

"Me too!" Li Ping'an walked over.

"Ahem, my Supreme Bone is right here, Brother Jiang. You can study it anytime!" Shi Lei was also eager. A method to develop a mortal body to its limit was absolutely useful to them. Even if it wasn't as terrifying as Jiang Ming's own improvement, it wouldn't be far behind. Even Wang Qiutong and the others gathered around.

The group chatted and laughed, discussing their respective gains. This trip had been truly fruitful—extraordinarily so. Just look at Ye Bai: in his words, if he were to take the final exam now, he could blow Shi Lei away with one punch and kill Fang Qinghan with another.

"If I were to take the final exam now, I could swallow you whole, Ye Bai," Fang Qinghan retorted. Ye Bai was speechless. Tang Sanhammer watched them gather, feeling a bit bitter, and quietly walked away.

Returning to the valley, everyone organized their gains, not wanting to waste the final moments. Jiang Ming, however, approached Qian Yuan, bowed, and asked, "Instructor, after we finish our secluded cultivation, do we immediately enter the secret realm?"

"There is one day for rest and recuperation." Qian Yuan looked at Jiang Ming, his eyes filled with undisguised surprise. He had developed a mortal body to its limit in such a short time. It was truly a miracle.

"One day?" Jiang Ming frowned. "Instructor, the Martial Champion of the final exam receives a reward of enlightenment from the 'Heart of the Universe.' I want to know how long that takes."

"I do not know!" Qian Yuan shook his head.

"You don't?" Jiang Ming was stunned.

"The Heart of the Universe is a supreme treasure; even I cannot touch it," Qian Yuan said with a complex expression. "So, I do not know."

"Then can I claim the reward now?" Jiang Ming asked. "The Principal told me to go after my secluded cultivation, but there is only one day left, and I’m afraid it won't be enough!"

"If you go now, you'll waste the final time for secluded cultivation. Are you sure, Jiang Ming?"

"I am sure!"

"Very well!" Qian Yuan nodded, stood up, grabbed Jiang Ming’s arm, and soared into the sky. In the blink of an eye, they reached an altitude of ten thousand meters, piercing through a membrane and disappearing.

Jiang Ming found himself in a great hall. Qian Yuan didn't stop; he grabbed Jiang Ming and flew out again, heading into the sky at immense speed. Fortunately, he enveloped them in a mysterious power, protecting Jiang Ming from the harsh air. Soon, they broke through the atmosphere, which left Jiang Ming utterly shocked.

"I am actually seeing a human body roaming the starry sky with my own eyes!" His heart trembled. Just then, it was as if they passed through another membrane, and a great hall appeared before them.

It was filled with endless radiance and surrounded by divine light. A faint divine aura permeated the air, and even with Qian Yuan's barrier, Jiang Ming felt as if he were facing a true god. They soon entered the hall. When they stopped, Principal Hong Xuanji appeared before them. As for the others? He didn't see a single one.

"Not bad, not bad. To achieve such things in just over a month... even at your age, during the sixth-turn stage, I had not reached this level," Hong Xuanji said with a smile. "I will say it again: you are currently only at the entry level of martial arts. Focus on accumulation; the deeper the foundation, the greater your future achievements. When you reach the seventh stage, be sure to feel the Dao rhythms of heaven and earth—that stage is also very special. Come, follow me!"

"Remember, the enlightenment of the Heart of the Universe is an extremely special opportunity! It is world-famous, and many know of it, but of those who can truly receive enlightenment, not even those who have transcended the eighth stage are qualified to experience it even once. This is a rare opportunity; you must seize it." Hong Xuanji sounded slightly emotional.

They arrived at the depths of the palace, where an altar stood.

"Go up!" Hong Xuanji pointed, then added sternly, "Remember, do not speak to anyone about this experience!"

"Yes!" Jiang Ming was inexplicably nervous. After he stepped onto the altar, Hong Xuanji’s eyes bloomed with two rays of divine light. The altar lit up, erupting with runes that enveloped him. The next moment, Jiang Ming disappeared without a trace.

"Enlightenment from the Heart of the Universe... it is too early. I wonder if it will be a blessing or a curse," Hong Xuanji sighed.

"It will be fine on Blue Star, but once he reaches the Myriad World Battlefield..." Qian Yuan looked slightly worried. "Still, this kid is a real monster. He even shocked me—truly shocked me."

"It’s not just you; I am deeply shocked as well," Hong Xuanji laughed.

"Who wouldn't be?" Qian Yuan said. "I thought the final Martial Champion would be either Shi Lei or Fang Qinghan. I never expected him to take it. Even this enlightenment of the Heart of the Universe was likely prepared for those two. Who would have thought this kid would snatch such a heaven-defying opportunity?"

"Is it not prepared for him?" Hong Xuanji whispered.

Qian Yuan’s breath hitched.