Chapter 139: Breaking the Iron Law, Genetic Evolution

Ye Hongyu stood up, her face glowing with excitement. "I only came out for a stroll to attempt a breakthrough. I expected it to take at least a year or two; I never imagined it would happen so quickly."

For her, strength represented status and the power to command. More than anything, she wanted to catch up to her brother.

"Congratulations!" everyone offered their well-wishes. Ye Hongyu was even more delighted.

Afterward, they each plucked five Blood Bodhi fruits to keep. Jiang Ming gathered the remaining seventy or eighty, storing them all within his spatial ring. As for leaving any behind? That was out of the question.

Seeing the fruits vanish into thin air, Ye Hongyu couldn't help but ask, "Brother Jiang, where did you put them?"

Jian Chen was also curious, and even the Mud Bodhisattva could not remain indifferent.

"This is an application of the Dao of Space—hiding Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed. I have opened a small pocket dimension in the void to store items," Jiang Ming explained simply.

"Opening a space?" Ye Hongyu’s voice rose an octave. Jian Chen was left speechless, and even the Mud Bodhisattva was struck with shock. "Unheard of."

Jiang Ming offered no further explanation, and the group continued on their way.

Zhou Tian sent a mental transmission: "Have you confirmed whether there have been any 'descenders' in this world?"

"It seems not. If there were, given the deep background of the forces behind Ye Hongyu and the unique nature of the Mud Bodhisattva, it would be impossible for them not to know."

"It is better that there are none. It allows us to traverse the world more freely and gives us more time to cultivate and accumulate."

"True. Let us strive to reach the Heaven-Man Realm soon."

"Brother Jiang, the Heaven-Man realm is too difficult. I am aiming to break through within a year and challenge the Heaven-Man realm in five."

"That is too long. Break through within six months, enter the Seventh Realm within three years, and break into the Eighth Realm within eight!"

"This..." Zhou Tian gasped. "I have no such confidence. Brother Jiang, from now on, this younger brother is following your lead."

Jiang Ming was speechless. The guy was clearly younger than him.

Instead of seeking out the Fire Qilin directly, he led them deeper into the cave system until they arrived at another location.

"The Profound Martial True Arts!" The Mud Bodhisattva was startled. "I once heard of a fierce warrior in the pugilistic world named Wu Wudi, the 'Ten-Strong Martial Artist.' He was truly formidable, dominating the entire martial arts world without rival and suppressing an entire era, only to suddenly vanish without a trace. It was he who cultivated the Profound Martial True Arts. I never expected to find his heritage here."

"The technique is powerful—incredibly powerful," Ye Hongyu said, looking at the carvings on the wall with intense excitement.

"Exquisite and unfathomable. It seems even stronger than my..." Jian Chen trailed off, wanting to say it surpassed his own Unexplained Sword Art. It was simply incredible.

"The Great Martial Territory has the reclusive Martial Arts Supreme on the surface, but the hidden depths of these waters are far beyond ordinary," Ye Hongyu sighed. "I now believe—truly believe—that there exist entities here with the power of Earthly Immortals."

"I fear there is more than one," the Mud Bodhisattva whispered. "No, there is definitely more than one."

Jian Chen was shaken, but Ye Hongyu was not surprised. The Great Tang had far too many powerhouses: the Master, the Abbey Master, the Academy's Eldest Brother, and Liu Bai, who was only half a step away and seemed to be comprehending a new sword art, likely to break through at any moment. And those were just the ones they knew of.

"What a powerful offensive technique! It is exactly what I lack—killing moves!" Zhou Tian was also slightly stirred. The palm, fist, finger, and leg techniques carved there were perfectly suited to him.

"The Peerless Saber Technique, the Heaven-Questioning Spear Decree, the Heavenly Fate Sword Dao, the Great Yi Halberd Records, the Tiger-Roar Staff Collection, the Mountain-Sea Fist Canon, the Profound Martial Divine Palm, the Fierce Leg Absolute, the Perfect Golden Finger, and the Oracle Dragon Claw!" Jiang Ming observed silently.

The Profound Martial True Arts were divided into internal and external techniques. The internal was the heart-method, while the external was the path of slaughter.

"It is too difficult!" Jian Chen suddenly said. "To comprehend even one of these would likely take a considerable amount of time, and there are ten here. Wu Wudi was truly terrifying."

He suddenly looked at Jiang Ming and revealed a look of disbelief. Above Jiang Ming's head appeared a tiny figure; he could tell at a glance it was condensed from true energy, and, incredibly, it was practicing the saber technique—the Peerless Saber Technique.

"True energy taking form? And imbued with spirit?" Ye Hongyu also looked over, shocked.

"Awesome!" Zhou Tian gave a thumbs-up.

"Can true energy really reach this level?" Ye Hongyu asked, looking from Zhou Tian to the Mud Bodhisattva.

"Didn't you just see it?" Zhou Tian pointed at Jiang Ming's head. The Mud Bodhisattva remained silent.

Waves of saber intent erupted, sharp and piercing, as if capable of cleaving mountains and slicing the moon. Though the figure was small, its power was boundless—manifesting techniques through energy and spirit.

A moment later, the sword in the tiny figure's hand transformed into a longsword. Over the following time, the figure shifted continuously, pondering fist techniques, then executing palm strikes. Finally, the figure dissipated, merging back into Jiang Ming's body as true energy.

He sighed in admiration, "Such exquisite arts. Ten techniques, each profound, yet sharing common threads. Once fused, they will surely erupt with terrifying power."

This art allowed Jiang Ming to see a deeper level of evolution in the path of combat.

"All this time, the techniques I've comprehended have only been superficial applications of power," Jiang Ming whispered.

"Give me a break!" Zhou Tian felt the urge to curse. *You call that superficial? Then what are we? Total trash!*

"Isn't it?" Jiang Ming sighed. "Although I comprehend various intents quickly, my application has always been crude. Even with the Path of Fusion, I only use the force and not the spirit. If I can fully master the Profound Martial True Arts, drawing inferences and creating something new, my combat power will surely skyrocket once again."

Zhou Tian simply ignored him, and Ye Hongyu couldn't help but roll her eyes. *You are at the Fifth Realm, capable of slaying peak Heaven-Man powerhouses, and you call that superficial?* Even as a woman, she felt the urge to swear. Jian Chen felt the same, though he now understood the terror of this man even more.

After memorizing the techniques, they continued on.

"It's getting hotter ahead. Could we have encountered the Fire Qilin?" Jian Chen became tense.

"It should be!" The Mud Bodhisattva smiled, appearing entirely unconcerned.

"Brother Jiang, let me go first. I want to see if the Fire Qilin is worthy of the title of a divine beast." Zhou Tian was eager to try. Since Jiang Ming was leading, it had to be the Fire Qilin ahead. As he spoke, his figure blurred as he shot forward at incredible speed.

A moment later, the roar of a beast echoed, accompanied by the shockwaves of a struggle that caused the cave walls to tremble. The temperature rose rapidly. Jian Chen quickly moved to the Mud Bodhisattva's side, channeling his energy to shield them both.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Tian retreated, looking extremely disheveled, his hair singed. "Brother Jiang, it's all yours!" He ducked behind Jiang Ming.

With another roar, a torrent of flames surged forth, followed by a massive beast—the Fire Qilin itself. Its body burned with fire, its eyes cold and cruel, a distinct scar marking its hide.

*ROAR!* Seeing the group, it let out a thunderous bellow and unleashed a deluge of fire. Jiang Ming raised his hand, manifesting a Yin-Yang Taiji diagram to block the flames. While the diagram was constantly battered and chipped away, his true energy was inexhaustible; the Fire Qilin could do nothing to him with fire alone.

"Inch Punch, Eleventh Wave!" Jiang Ming stepped forward, piercing through the flames to appear before the beast. Its speed was too slow to react, and a single punch landed squarely on its forehead.

With 500 units of basic Diamond Strength amplified by twelve layers of force—totaling 6,000 units—the punch sent the Fire Qilin flying, its pained shriek filling the cave.

"Tough hide!" Jiang Ming marveled. Its forehead was almost as hard as a mountain-splitting axe. He quickly pursued, unleashing a barrage of blows.

The wailing Fire Qilin eventually went silent, its flames extinguished, scales shattered, and blood leaking from its seven orifices. Its aura grew weak.

"Its power is immense, its flames of high quality, and its teeth and scales are as sharp as divine weapons, yet it lacks the ability to use its strength properly. Its mind is chaotic, as if it has gone mad," Jiang Ming finally stopped. "It must have suffered damage to its spirit long ago. Otherwise, its strength would be at least peak Heaven-Man, perhaps even that of an Earthly Immortal. A pity!"

"Even so, you are a monster for beating it into a dead pig," Zhou Tian walked over. "What do we do with it? Shall we eat it?"

"I'm tempted to taste it, but..." Jiang Ming mused, "let's keep it alive. Brother Chen and Brother Fang might have need of it."

"Those two..." Zhou Tian shook his head. "They would be overjoyed."

*Brother Chen? Brother Fang?* Ye Hongyu took note of the names.

Jiang Ming kicked the Fire Qilin toward a pool of magma and threw it in, allowing it to slowly recover. They then turned a corner and proceeded deeper into the cave.

They soon stopped before a massive cavern—a vast underground palace, or perhaps more accurately, a tomb. In the center sat a throne occupied by a skeleton. Its spine, in particular, shimmered with a precious light, containing an incredibly heavy and sacred power.

"The spine of the ancient Yellow Emperor is a Dragon Bone, containing incredible power. Legend says it can suppress the earth's veins, quell demonic nature, govern dragon veins, and command all spirits," the Mud Bodhisattva bowed before speaking. "The atmosphere here is thick with a weight like heavenly might—the natural aura of the Dragon Bone. Perhaps this is why the Fire Qilin dared not come here."

"No, there is a guardian," Jiang Ming said with a grave expression.

"A guardian force?" The Mud Bodhisattva paused, his eyes gleaming as he scanned the area, finally fixing on a sword stuck beside the throne. It was rusted and seemed to have reached the end of its life after endless years.

"The Xuanyuan Sword. Is there a sword spirit inside? No, it is a dying sword spirit!" the Mud Bodhisattva exclaimed. "Perhaps this is the true reason the Xuanyuan Tomb has remained undisturbed."

*Hummmm...* A dragon's roar resonated, vibrating the soul. It was agony for Ye Hongyu and Jian Chen, though the Mud Bodhisattva and little Nan Nan were unaffected. A light erupted from the sword, transforming into a winged dragon in the air.

"Yinglong!" Zhou Tian gasped.

"Legend says the Yellow Emperor rode a divine dragon to conquer the world; it turns out to be true!" The Mud Bodhisattva was stunned, then realized, "I understand now! This Yinglong is but a soul, yet it is filled with demonic energy, like a devil. The Yellow Emperor must have slain it, fused its bones into his own, and gained terrifying talents!"

"He fused with the earth's dragon veins, controlled the beasts of the four directions, and merged the soul of the Yinglong into the Xuanyuan Sword. When his time came, he used the soul to guard his tomb."

"The Fire Qilin must have been severely wounded by this soul when it wandered here, and perhaps the Yellow Emperor left behind other measures that drove the beast mad, causing it to lose its wits and roam the Lingyun Grotto, acting as a barrier."

"However," the Mud Bodhisattva continued, "this soul is now filled with deathly aura; it won't last more than a few years. Once it fades, the sword will wither, and this tomb will lose its greatest protection."

Jiang Ming understood. According to the original plot, the Dragon Bone was eventually taken by Nie Feng, and since the soul did not appear, it meant the soul had already withered and the sword had decayed.

The Yinglong soul charged. The heavenly might it exuded made Jiang Ming's body sink. He drew the Fire Scale Sword from his ring and slashed, splitting the soul in two, but it immediately reformed. It spat a whirlwind—intangible and invisible, leaving the air unaffected, yet chilling Jiang Ming to the core.

He channeled his power and struck again, his sword qi transforming into a thunder dragon that shattered the wind. But the soul was already upon him. Jiang Ming's expression shifted; he pushed with his left hand, unleashing a burst of brilliance, striking nine times to force it back.

"Though it is on the verge of decay, its soul is of too high a nature for ordinary means to kill it!" the Mud Bodhisattva noted gravely.

Jiang Ming remained silent. His Yin Spirit leaped from his crown, manifesting as a Yin-Yang Dharma Image. As it rotated, it formed a crushing force. Using soul-power against a soul was far more effective.

The Yinglong soul was powerful, roaring and struggling, but the moon laurel tree within the Yin aspect leaped out, the crescent moon hanging amidst its leaves. The Fusang tree from the Yang aspect also emerged.

The suppression surged. The laurel tree blossomed, its scent calming the soul's agitation, while the Fusang tree shook, infusing the soul with invisible flames. The Moon Rabbit leaped from the laurel, spitting forth cold, Yin energy, while the Golden Crow on the Fusang tree spread its wings, spewing the True Fire of the Sun. They formed a Yin-Yang cauldron, refining the soul.

*Wail...* The Yinglong soul shrieked, its voice fading until it vanished entirely.

*Crack...* The sword beside the throne shattered, its rusted body succumbing to cracks as the spirit finally died. The light dissipated, and the Yin-Yang Dharma Image returned to Jiang Ming.

Ye Hongyu and Jian Chen were stunned. *Physically powerful, immense cultivation, and he practices soul arts as well?* The path of the soul was notoriously mysterious and rare. To possess such mastery was unheard of.

"There truly is no weakness in you!" Zhou Tian sighed.

"I lack a Sacred Body," Jiang Ming replied.

"If you had a Sacred Body, you wouldn't leave anyone else alive!" Zhou Tian retorted.

Jiang Ming smiled. They approached the throne; the pressure was immense, like a divine mountain suspended in the air. The Mud Bodhisattva and Nan Nan stayed back, while Jian Chen stopped first. Ye Hongyu didn't approach either. Only Zhou Tian reached the base of the throne.

"This is the power of the earth's dragon veins," the Mud Bodhisattva deduced from afar. "With the bone as the anchor and the sword as the seal, the pressure will gradually weaken now that the soul is gone. However, it still draws in boundless heavenly energy. With the Dragon Bone and the lingering Dao essence, this is a perfect place for cultivation."

Jiang Ming nodded. He had already checked; the Yellow Emperor's power was truly terrifying. *How could such a person die? He must have lived for countless ages.* He thought of Di Shitian and Xiao Sanshao—there must be a story there.

He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. "I will cultivate here. Do you want to stay, or shall I send you outside?"

"I will stay to help Nan Nan build her foundation and begin cultivating," the Mud Bodhisattva said. "My lineage was cursed to be unable to cultivate martial arts, but that curse is broken. I wish to try."

"Very well. Call me if you need anything," Jiang Ming said, turning to Zhou Tian. "I need to go into seclusion. As for the Path of Worlds, that will have to wait."

"No rush!" Zhou Tian laughed. "I will use this opportunity to strive for the Heavenly Image Realm. Without it, I'll be left too far behind." He then sent a mental message: "I will pass the 'Zhou Tian Star Body-Protection Technique' to you."

Jiang Ming did not refuse. As he listened, his pupils contracted—the technique was even more profound than the Profound Martial True Arts.

"This is a secret technique; is it really okay for you to teach me?" Jiang Ming hesitated. The Zhou family was known as the Star God family.

"My great-grandfather ordered it, don't worry!" Zhou Tian laughed. "If you help me comprehend the Path of Worlds, the old man will be so happy he'll dance on the moon."

Jiang Ming twitched his lips. He was certain Zhou Tian's great-grandfather was at least an Eighth Realm powerhouse. Dancing on the stars? That was no exaggeration.

Jian Chen and Ye Hongyu also decided to stay. Jiang Ming felt relieved and sat beside the throne, channeling the Yin-Yang Scripture to open his acupoints. He planned to open all of them to push his true energy to its true limit before practicing the Genetic Law.

He worked with two minds—one opening acupoints, the other refining the Genetic Law. He consumed Blood Bodhi fruits to heal and replenish energy. The process was violent. As time passed, the natural energy around him turned into a swirling mist, devoured by his body.

Jian Chen and Ye Hongyu were terrified by the display.

Finally, Jiang Ming opened his eyes. Martial Dao Fifth Realm, Grandmaster Realm—all 365 acupoints were fully opened. "Time flies. Now, the Universe Genetic Law."

He closed his eyes, keeping his mind clear. "The Universe Genetic Law... to evolve the genes, to evolve the level of life itself. I can only succeed; failure means death."

He was extremely nervous. If it weren't for his 'Infinite Genes' talent, he would have given up. "Decision made. Let's begin!"

He was decisive. The content of the law flowed through his mind—it was so profound, so bizarre, so incomprehensible that it dwarfed all other techniques he had learned. Even the Profound Martial True Arts were nothing compared to it.

As he began, his aura vanished instantly. In the distance, the Mud Bodhisattva looked over in confusion. Jiang Ming now gave him a strange feeling—neither dead nor alive. "A person beyond fate," the Mud Bodhisattva sighed.

Suddenly, the energy around Jiang Ming collapsed, and the energy from the entire cave flowed into him. Space twisted, laws broke, visions of collapsing skies and exploding stars appeared.

*Crack!* The Xuanyuan bone on the throne weathered away, its essence consumed by Jiang Ming before it turned to dust. The Xuanyuan Sword crumbled.

"Is he trying to break a taboo?" the Mud Bodhisattva whispered, his heart sinking. *If he fails, he will perish.*

*Hum!* Jiang Ming's aura surged, blowing Zhou Tian away.

Silence returned. Jiang Ming opened his eyes and smiled. "Hahaha!"

He had succeeded. His gene level had doubled! His basic 500 Diamond Strength had reached 1,000.

"Did you succeed?" Zhou Tian asked eagerly.

"I did!" Jiang Ming nodded, but his expression suddenly shifted. "Oh no!"

The evolution had occurred, but his 'Infinite Genes' talent had not triggered a prompt. He realized with horror: "This is a secret realm world! To bring the results back to the main world, I must slay an Eighth Realm powerhouse within ten years of arrival."

He hadn't done that yet. His evolution wasn't complete!

"Slay an Eighth Realm powerhouse!" Jiang Ming's face twisted. Nearly two months had passed in the main world, and eight months here. With only two months left, how was he to find and kill an Eighth Realm powerhouse?

"Mud Bodhisattva..." Jiang Ming flew to him, ignoring the others. "Help me calculate: is there an Earthly Immortal hidden within the Heaven Gate?"

His target was set: Di Shitian!