Chapter Fifty-Six: Defying the Weather Sea, Limits of Heaven and Earth

Can the space of the Dantian Qi Sea still expand? It can, but once it stabilizes, the conditions for further expansion become exceedingly harsh. For example, in the province where he resides, no one has ever heard of a Dantian expanding a second time—not even among the elders.

Moreover, his Qi Sea had already reached ten zhang, sensing within the depths that he had attained the ultimate limit. The true ultimate limit. And now, it was expanding again?

Shock was quickly replaced by ecstasy.

Regardless of the reason, this was unquestionably a good thing.

Jiang Ming steadied his mind, merging himself with heaven and earth, pondering the profound mysteries of the Yin-Yang domain, immersing himself completely. As for his Dantian Qi Sea? He left it to its own devices.

After a long while, his breath was collected, and an expression of utter bewilderment appeared on his face.

He looked as though he had seen a ghost.

“The space within my Dantian has exploded to ten times its size!”

This was beyond anything he could have imagined—it sent chills through him. His Qi Sea had leaped from a ten zhang radius to nearly a hundred.

“How could this be?”

Jiang Ming could not comprehend it.

He had only just begun to grasp the Yin-Yang domain; how could it bring about such a terrifying transformation? He had comprehended countless domains before—powerful ones, like the Five Elements or the Killing Sword Intent—and yet, his Dantian had never changed.

But now, it had expanded tenfold.

Unbelievable!

Yet, he also felt a vague constraint, as if a great fish were swimming in shallow waters—restless and ill at ease.

He had sensed this restriction long ago, but never as clearly as today.

“Heaven and earth are like a cage. I have reached the very limits of this world—the true ultimate limit.”

Jiang Ming gained some understanding.

He even felt a strange illusion, as if a single punch could shatter space itself.

“Brother Jiang, your aura…”

Captain Jin walked over, his eyes suddenly shining with amazement as he looked at Jiang Ming. “You are extraordinary—like an immortal descending to earth, ethereal and detached from the mundane. How have you changed so much? Are you about to ascend to immortality?”

“If I were about to become immortal, could I still remain here?” Jiang Ming couldn’t help but laugh.

“But the changes are too great. And the natural power you radiate—no longer deep and inscrutable as before, but as if you’ve blended into the void, merged with heaven and earth. Fresh, natural, and incredibly approachable.” Captain Jin scratched her head. “And your complexion—rosy and tender. I almost want to bite you.”

Jiang Ming was speechless.

He knew this was the result of comprehending the Yin-Yang domain.

Every domain he mastered brought comprehensive enhancements.

His current insight, even without innate talent, far surpassed what it once was. Cultivation is an evolution, a self-transcendence; soul strength, wisdom, and insight all continuously improve.

Turning, he looked toward a farmhouse, then pointed through the air, sending a gentle stream of energy into the body of a newborn within the house.

It was a breath of vitality—not only locking in the child’s innate fortune, but also improving their constitution. In the future, cultivating would be twice as effective with half the effort.

Even if the child never set foot on the path of cultivation, they would remain free from illness.

“Lock it in…”

A thought stirred in Jiang Ming’s heart, and he recalled the Main World.

“What I have seen, what I know, is probably only the tip of the iceberg. Even the so-called eight-year-old prodigies mentioned by Elder Tang are ordinary in certain realms.”

The stronger his cultivation became, the more he sensed the terrifying nature of the Main World.

He did not linger, called for Lu Yuan, boarded the carriage, and the three continued on their way.

On the carriage.

Jiang Ming sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and sent his consciousness sweeping through every part of his body. With his spiritual power, he could even observe at the cellular level. Each cell was brimming with astonishing vitality and immense life force.

Within the Dantian.

The Qi Sea was enormous.

A hundred zhang in radius—the equivalent of a sphere with a diameter of three hundred thirty-three meters, as large as a small town.

It was beyond incredible.

Jiang Ming was utterly stunned.

A tenfold increase in radius.

What about the volume?

It had increased a thousandfold.

Yet inside, it was empty, the true Qi exceedingly sparse.

“How can I fill it with true Qi?” Jiang Ming was instantly troubled.

Even if he consumed all the best elixirs in this world, it would likely not be enough.

“The most direct benefit of a vast Dantian Qi Sea is greatly enhanced endurance.”

“As for combat strength?”

If the cultivation method remains unchanged, it depends on the breadth of the meridians—the wider the meridians, the greater the output, and vice versa.

“Compared to before I comprehended the Yin-Yang domain, the breadth of my meridians has nearly doubled, and their resilience is much greater!”

Relatively speaking, Jiang Ming’s combat power had soared.

Not to mention the integration of the Yin-Yang domain into his combat techniques.

“Both the Dantian Qi Sea and the meridians possess the properties of holding a universe within a mustard seed—in other words, spatial attributes!”

Jiang Ming’s thoughts raced, then he calmed his mind, blended with nature, united his will with heaven and earth, and activated a more refined Yin-Yang cultivation technique. Instantly, the Qi of heaven and earth surged toward him.

A wild tempest arose on an invisible level, forming a massive vortex centered on him. He became like a black hole, greedily absorbing all the Qi, converting it into his own true Qi through his cultivation method.

Only then did Jiang Ming secretly sigh in relief.

His ability to unite his mind with heaven and earth had grown stronger still, and filling his Dantian Qi Sea was no longer a distant dream.

The Qi of heaven and earth is intangible and formless. Though it formed a vortex, it had little effect outwardly. Yet Lu Yuan, who drove the carriage, and Captain Jin inside, noticed immediately.

Both were astonished.

“He’s drawing in such terrifying Qi—doesn’t he fear bursting apart?” Lu Yuan’s voice was strong, tinged with dread. “If I tried, I’d explode in ten breaths.”

“He’s practically a deity—I wouldn’t be surprised if he was,” Captain Jin grinned.

But her eyes brightened, and she quickly sat down cross-legged to start cultivating.

At this moment, the Qi inside the carriage was so dense it was frightening. Even a small share was a rare fortune.

Lu Yuan quickly came to his senses. As he drove the carriage, he filled his own Dantian Qi Sea, all the while sensing the Dao essence radiating from Jiang Ming.

The carriage rolled forward.

They admired the landscape, savored the world’s simple pleasures.

That day, the carriage stopped before a tea house at the crossroads of a slope. The three alighted to stretch their legs.

The tea vendors were a middle-aged couple.

“This tea…” Jiang Ming smiled, eyeing the honest, unremarkable middle-aged man. “Has ‘Heavenly Spring Water’ been added?”

“Heavenly Spring Water?” Lu Yuan’s pupils shrank. “One of the three deadliest poisons in the world—once refined, it’s colorless and tasteless. A single drop can kill even a grandmaster!”

Clang—

Captain Jin had already drawn her sword, but frowned. “They have no cultivation—how could they possess something like this?”

After a moment of doubt, she understood.

“That’s precisely why it’s so difficult to guard against—a cunning killing move!”

Captain Jin snorted coldly.

She trusted Jiang Ming would not make such claims lightly.

“Speak—who sent you?” Captain Jin pressed her sword to the man’s throat.

The middle-aged man trembled, his face pale as death, shaking his head desperately. “Heavenly Spring Water? I—I’m just a tea vendor, been here seven, eight years.”

Jiang Ming had no interest in interrogating him further. With a casual wave, the tea water transformed into a water arrow, shooting into the man's mouth. The terrified tea vendor’s face turned black, then he spat up black blood, convulsed, and died.

“To resort to such underhanded tricks—are they afraid?”

He turned his gaze toward the direction of the imperial capital.