The flesh body took form, reshaped anew—this was an arduous process. Facing the terrifying forces beneath the waters, Shi Hao’s *Indestructible Scripture* played a monumental role.
However, during this process, the invading primordial spirit fused with his five viscera.
Within his body, the five viscera glowed, vaguely transforming into five palaces that guarded the primordial spirit.
The reason? The external corrosive forces were still present, eroding his flesh and dissolving his primordial spirit.
His flesh was protected by the *Indestructible Scripture*, with mystical glyphs merging into his flesh and blood, making it far harder to shatter again. But his primordial spirit lacked a corresponding scripture to reinforce it, rendering it much more fragile.
In the end, the five viscera within his flesh transformed into palaces, shielding the primordial spirit!
This was a wondrous spectacle, manifesting in such a manner.
In this state, Shi Hao’s mind became unusually serene, free from fear or anxiety. He observed everything with detached clarity, focusing on the changes within himself.
In the cultivation world, there had long been a saying: aside from their original life, living beings possessed five additional lives, corresponding to the five elements of heaven and earth. However, activating them was exceedingly difficult.
Generally, if a being was slain, they died—no exceptions.
Only in extremely rare cases, even when utterly annihilated—including the destruction of their soul—could a being still revive.
This was the mystery of the so-called “five additional lives.”
For instance, some could live a second life precisely because one of these five lives took over, allowing them to rejuvenate and embark on an entirely new existence.
Adding the original life, a being could theoretically possess six lives, living through six lifetimes.
Thus, in ancient times, some sought to create the *Six Paths of Reincarnation*, studying this very mystery!
The profundity of this was unimaginably complex. Among those who walked the path of the Six Paths, the Ancient Monks and the King of Six Paths stood at the forefront.
Now, witnessing the changes within his body, Shi Hao gained insight, understanding the “five lives” from a different perspective.
“Five viscera, five gates—each gate connected to a life,” he murmured softly.
What he glimpsed were not the five lives themselves, but rather the most primal and fundamental truths underlying them.
Of course, this differed from past cultivation paths, so his understanding was also unique.
His achievements today were deeply tied to his path of *Seeding the Body*. By continuously opening the gates within, he could witness extraordinary phenomena!
His primordial spirit, recuperating within the five palaces atop his viscera, slowly healed under their protection.
In essence, his primordial spirit was currently divided into five parts, each housed within a hazy palace—like five deities being enshrined and nurtured.
After an indeterminate period, Shi Hao’s flesh was fully reshaped, and his primordial spirit gradually restored itself.
With a soft exclamation, the five fragments of his primordial spirit surged out of the hazy palaces, reuniting into a complete entity before merging back into his skull.
At this moment, he sensed that his reforged flesh was exceptionally powerful—strong enough to temporarily resist the lake’s corrosive forces.
“Hmm?”
Shi Hao was startled. Though his primordial spirit had clearly returned to his skull, the five palaces within his viscera remained, accompanied by faint, indistinct chanting.
What was happening? He was utterly astonished.
If his primordial spirit was no longer there, who was chanting?
The scripture’s voice was indistinct yet profound, as if echoing from the ends of the heavens or resonating from the depths of primordial time—utterly mysterious.
Shi Hao strained to listen, but the words remained unclear.
*Whoosh!*
Then, something even more bizarre occurred. A hazy figure, wreathed in immortal aura, manifested amidst his viscera.
The five palaces, resting upon his organs, were both mystical and awe-inspiring.
The figure did not enter the palaces but instead seated itself at their center, motionless—as if listening or contemplating.
Shi Hao recognized it instantly: this was the being birthed from one of the three *Dao Flowers* blooming above his head.
“It’s him—the one who seems to live in the past!” Shi Hao gasped.
That figure had once taken the blow of the *Immortal-Slaying Guillotine* in his stead, nearly perishing before being stabilized by a *Cycle Seal* that prevented its dissipation.
After an indeterminate time, the figure vanished as swiftly as it had appeared.
Then, another figure approached, seating itself in the same spot—this one wreathed in *Primordial Qi*, birthed from another of the Dao Flowers atop his head.
This left Shi Hao puzzled. Were these two figures appearing to listen to the scripture, or for some other purpose?
Pondering deeply, he realized that what he had witnessed today was not only bizarre but also of immense significance. The palaces within his viscera held great secrets, concealing unimaginable power—worthy of future exploration!
For now, however, he had no time to dwell on it. He had sunk to the lake’s depths, seated upon a pile of bones, now in a state of equilibrium.
“A pity. Though my primordial spirit is strong, it lacks a corresponding cultivation method. If it had a scripture like the *Indestructible Scripture* for my flesh, it would be peerless!” Shi Hao lamented.
Yet he knew this was unrealistic. How could all supreme scriptures fall into his hands?
Undoubtedly, his flesh had gradually withstood the trial here. Were it not for the need to protect his primordial spirit, he could already act without restraint.
This time, his flesh had shattered, only for the *Indestructible Scripture* to reforge it—akin to a *Nirvana*!
“When will I be able to create my own scripture?” he mused. But he knew this was still far off. Unless he truly mastered the myriad laws of the world, anything he created would hardly be extraordinary.
Shi Hao did not rush to rise. Instead, he meditated on his current state, consolidating his reforged flesh and drawing power solely from the gates within his body—not from the lake’s energies.
Though he had reached equilibrium with the *Cycle Pool*, he remained cautious, unlike the Golden Lion, who voraciously absorbed the lake’s mysterious essence.
To Shi Hao, the pool’s countless bones signified the dissolution of countless sages. This was a lake of their melted flesh and blood—something he dared not recklessly absorb.
He refused to refine this power, sensing something inherently wrong with it.
To him, this was a *Burial Pool*. Refining its energies would be disrespectful—not only to the Ancient Monks but to himself!
“Since I can unlock my own potential gates, unleash boundless power, and forge an indestructible body, there’s no need to absorb this divine liquid steeped in corpses!”
Shi Hao regarded this pool solely as a *Tempering Pool*, never as a *Cauldron of Medicine*!
In fact, this aligned perfectly with the Ancient Monks’ teachings.
Not long ago, the Golden Lion had mentioned that this place was called the *Cycle Pool*—also known as the *Tempering Pool*.
Never had it been referred to as a *Medicine Pool*!
“Tempering Pool—is this all the tempering it offers? Having endured, have I passed the trial?” Shi Hao exhaled deeply, feeling his spirit and vitality surge, his body stronger than ever before.
*Crack!*
Suddenly, a sound echoed from the lakebed, as though something was emerging. His scalp prickled with dread.
Then, bones were upheaved, revealing a golden skeleton—missing only its skull, unlike the other withered remains.
In a flash of gold, the very skull that had once sought to devour Shi Hao’s primordial spirit appeared, settling onto the skeleton’s neck and completing it.
As Shi Hao stared in shock, the golden skeleton moved, extending a bony arm—its palm striking toward him with unfathomable might.
“What?!” Shi Hao barely had time to react. The attack was inescapable, infused with supreme Dao principles beyond his ability to evade.
*Thud!*
Blood sprayed from his mouth as his body cracked under the blow, trembling violently.
—
On the shore, the gathered beings had long grown restless, the wait stretching too far.
“Little Lion, have you not yet completed your Golden Body?” a senior cultivator pressed.
“Almost. My peerless Golden Body is nearly forged!” the Fearless Lion declared, brimming with confidence and arrogance.
Then it added, “Esteemed seniors, rest assured—soon, I shall descend to retrieve the wooden chest.”
“Are you certain?” someone questioned.
“Absolutely! My Golden Body has reached transcendent heights. Soon, I shall undergo the *Eighteen Ancient Buddha Palms* trial at the lakebed, refining it to perfection—and retrieving the chest along the way!” the Golden Lion proclaimed.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage