The Transformation Realm was truly a wondrous stage. Shi Hao immersed himself in it, no longer treating it as a tedious practice but as a spiritual delight. He refined the myriad glyph-lights within his flesh and blood, guiding them in countless ways, reshaping their forms and evolving their spirituality. It was like sowing seeds of life into the soil, watching them sprout, take root, and flourish with vibrant vitality—a moving experience of rebirth.
Seated cross-legged, Shi Hao’s forehead bone glowed, his divine sense brimming as he wandered in a state of Dao. His body continuously transformed, becoming as translucent as divine glass, radiant like sacred gold. Time flowed quietly within the Kun Peng’s nest, undisturbed and silent, save for a young boy wholly devoted to cultivation. His mind was serene, devoid of turbulent emotions, a faint smile playing on his lips—a reflection of his pure heart, immersed in joyful tranquility.
Before long, his body became shrouded in a luminous mist, wrapped in a cocoon of light, his flesh glowing with a brilliance fairer and more translucent than a maiden’s skin. This was the radiance of spiritual baptism, washing over his entire being. Crackling sounds echoed as his bones resonated, forming a resounding melody. Each bone shimmered, trembling with newfound luster, now coated in a radiant membrane—metallic yet crystalline, dazzling beyond belief. Had anyone witnessed this, they would have marveled—how could a novice in the Transformation Realm achieve such a feat?
Most cultivators began with flesh and blood, but Shi Hao’s transformation was simultaneous, even his deepest bones undergoing this metamorphosis. Guiding spirituality into his bones, that radiant membrane was crucial—it adhered to his skeleton, instantly fortifying it, making it gleam like divine bone. This was a pivotal step, enhancing not just his cultivation but also his agility and strength.
Simultaneously, his flesh and blood underwent their own refinement. Every inch of his body was like a treasure gate, now flung open, bathed in spiritual light that nourished his form. At this moment, he shone brilliantly, as though countless deities sat within his body, guarding his form and spirit. From within and without, bone and flesh merged, the radiant membrane manifesting on his very skin.
Shi Hao’s body was now enveloped in this luminous sheath, as if clad in divine skin, making him sacred and transcendent—a flawless, immaculate perfection. He seemed no longer of the mortal world, his body free of impurities, growing ever more crystalline.
Transformation—seizing the essence of creation, evolving one’s own spirituality, transcending the mundane like a glass dharma body, illuminating the void with divine purity. The Transformation Realm was a process of reshaping one’s true self, a metamorphosis unlike any before, evolving from flesh to spirit, and even the ten heavenly caves that connected to the world.
Traditionally, this process began with blood, then flesh, followed by organs, bones, and deeper refinements. But Shi Hao’s transformation was holistic—no sequential steps, no separation. His body refined as one. His blood glowed like crystalline rivers, nourishing his form, while divine radiance steamed from his flesh, cleansing his organs until they gleamed like jade. Even his bones shone anew, healing all past wounds. His organs now resembled exquisite artifacts, far beyond ordinary human viscera.
Days passed—eight or nine in the blink of an eye. While the world outside raged with battles and strife, Shi Hao remained unmoved, lost in his own world. He forgot all else, immersed solely in cultivation and enlightenment. Gone was his anxiety, his heart now peaceful and serene, brimming with the joy of progress.
Wisps of radiant mist coiled around him as he breathed in auspicious energy, exhaling dragon-shaped qi columns in a rhythmic cadence—neither too fast nor too slow, perfectly attuned to his own tempo. These dragon-qi spiraled around him, lifting him gently. The sight was mystical, the auspicious energy thick as his body continued its metamorphosis. The radiant membrane solidified, merging inseparably with his flesh, organs, and bones.
Half a month later, Shi Hao finally opened his eyes. The nest was silent, ancient timbers stacked high, suffused with misty spiritual energy. His gaze was bright, spirited, and filled with an otherworldly clarity—a testament to his physical transformation, exuding an aura of transcendence.
Undoubtedly, his realm had ascended, his combat prowess greatly enhanced. The Transformation Realm was divided into major steps: first, the refinement of the flesh into spirit, then the reshaping of the true self in spirit, and finally the nurturing of spirituality within the ten heavenly caves. Among these, the refinement of the flesh was the foundation—the most critical yet the hardest to perfect. Few in history had ever achieved true “flesh-to-spirit” transformation.
“I’m still on the path, not yet fully transformed,” Shi Hao murmured. True success would mean his body becoming a spiritual vessel, capable of assimilating all forms of spiritual energy—doubling his cultivation speed and even turning an enemy’s attacks into his own nourishment. The benefits were boundless, understood only by those who reached that pinnacle.
Suddenly, he sensed something and turned his gaze. Through the mist, a pair of golden lantern-like eyes gleamed, radiating formidable power. A strong presence approached. At first wary, Shi Hao soon relaxed—it was the Little Rascal, struggling forward with a pained expression, its tiny paws clutching its bloated belly as it finally clambered onto the nest.
Exhausted, it rolled toward him. Whatever it had eaten had left it rounder than ever, its belly nearly bursting. “You went foraging for spirit herbs, didn’t you?” Shi Hao chuckled. The Little Rascal had been in deep slumber, likely undergoing its own metamorphosis to reclaim past divine power.
Now awake and gleaming golden, it had sneaked off to gorge on nearby spirit herbs while Shi Hao cultivated. The moment it opened its mouth, radiant energy gushed out—had anyone else consumed so much, they’d have exploded.
“Hurry and recover. I’m counting on you to teach me that peerless divine ability—Three Heads and Six Arms,” Shi Hao said, lifting it to ask about the outside world. The Little Rascal shook its head—it had been too busy eating to explore.
“You glutton!” Shi Hao flicked its head, then rubbed his own growling stomach. With a flash, he vanished, returning half an hour later with armfuls of spirit herbs, crunching them like carrots.
The Little Rascal scoffed, chittering—*You’re one to talk!*
Within the Kun Peng’s nest lay forbidden zones lush with spirit herbs, enough to spark wars among ancient kingdoms if discovered outside.
“I *will* achieve flesh-to-spirit transformation!” Shi Hao vowed, resuming his cultivation. He sought to surpass limits, striving for the legendary pinnacle of each realm.
Days later, he opened his eyes to find the Little Rascal sneaking back with a stolen stone tablet inscribed with ancient text. “What’s this?” Shi Hao asked.
The Little Rascal gestured—it had pilfered it amidst the chaos outside. The nest was now a battleground, clans scouring its depths, triggering deadly traps yet uncovering treasures. Though no divine techniques were recorded, these tablets held invaluable accounts of the Kun Peng’s life.
Shi Hao read intently. One tablet mentioned that this sea resembled the Kun Peng’s birthplace—an ideal environment for tempering the body.
“Let’s go,” Shi Hao said, stretching. They exited the nest to find many others retreating, having failed to uncover the legendary divine technique.
Diving into the azure sea, Shi Hao began anew. The seabed housed extreme training grounds—the Blazing Yang Cave, the Profound Ice Abyss, the Meteorite Graveyard—each a rare, perilous paradise for body refinement.
The Blazing Yang Cave blazed with unquenchable fire; the Profound Ice Abyss froze all, requiring chiseling to approach; the Meteorite Graveyard was piled with celestial iron and rare ores.
“Did the young Kun Peng train here?” Shi Hao mused, embarking on another grueling journey.
For three months, day and night, he immersed himself, channeling spiritual energies to push his body to new heights.
Finally, in the abyssal darkness, a figure opened his eyes, twin divine bolts shooting forth.
“Flesh-to-spirit transformation… achieved,” Shi Hao whispered.
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