His hand seals shifted.
The medicinal conversion of the Cistanche Meat intensified.
The path of a Qi Refiner begins with refining qi, then transforms the Spiritual Sea into liquid, and solidifies the Earth Observation realm into land. Each step follows in orderly progression, with cultivation levels tightly interconnected.
Cultivation resembles a state-supported real estate project, permitted by the heavenly dao. Innate talent is like a company's qualifications. Broad and resilient meridians are construction roads and equipment. "A craftsman must sharpen his tools first." An expansive Spiritual Sea is the construction site. High-grade natural treasures are purchased construction materials like sand and cement. Without such treasures, one can cultivate manually—equivalent to mining raw materials from nature-approved sources—though this takes time and yields uncertain quality. This explains why cultivation requires wealth, methods, companions, and land.
As Lu Ding's hand seals shifted, the sea surface solidified inch by inch into land, spreading outward from beneath his feet. Profound and mysterious energy radiated outward. Once the entire Spiritual Sea transformed into land, the Earth Observation realm would be complete.
The next realm involved using secret techniques to adorn this land with mountains and rivers. Lu Ding had long contemplated this—he planned to use [Heaven-Man Unity] and [White Snake Shakes Scales] as foundational techniques, one modeled after the Yangtze River's flow, the other patterned after the Yellow River's course. These two techniques were crucial to him—one representing intellectual aptitude, the other physical prowess. Together, they would mirror China's two most famous rivers, traversing the entire landmass.
Additionally, Lu Ding's soul technique [Way of the Jinche] was indispensable. Given its extraordinary potential and origin from the Nanshan Stubborn Stone, Lu Ding envisioned positioning it as the mythical Mount Buzhou—a "hidden blade within the pillar of heaven."
For subsequent techniques, Lu Ding tentatively selected [Unshakable as Mountain] and the nearly-complete [Black Prison of Death's Body]. As for the critical third technique... he hadn't decided yet. Perhaps something better would emerge later.
Examining the realms: Enlightened Acupoints (first realm), Zhaoxuan (second), Spiritual Sea (third)—with one intermediate realm where spiritual energy condensed from gas to liquid. After Spiritual Sea came Divine Palace and Si Ming, then Earth Observation—spanning two realms where spiritual energy solidified. Earth Observation and Heavenly Perception could be considered together.
Previously at Dragon Wall, Lu Ding learned the realms beyond Heavenly Perception: Five Decays of Heaven-Man, God Ascension, Spirit Refinement, and finally God Sealing—another major leap spanning three realms. Recognizing the numerical pattern (one, two, three) in these transitions, Lu Ding suspected an underlying principle. If such a pattern existed, he had to attempt aligning with it. Success would bring unparalleled achievement; failure carried no consequences.
The final revelation came through Lu Ding's cultivation journey—the shifting realm concepts strikingly resembled Daoist cultivation stages: Refining Essence into Qi, Refining Qi into Spirit, Refining Spirit into Void, and Refining Void to Merge with Dao. Not identical, but remarkably similar. Native cultivators lacked this conceptual framework, but as a transmigrator with Daoist knowledge, Lu Ding could reverse-engineer the process with answers in hand.
Most crucially, the God Sealing realm had another name: Fengshen Bang (Investiture of the Gods)!!! At worst, no native comprehended its implications better than Lu Ding. For mediocrities, it meant security; for geniuses, a trap. With his cheat abilities, Lu Ding wanted no part of it.
Returning to the present—his reclaimed land now spanned thousands of miles, still expanding. His Spiritual Sea's exceptional foundation continued delivering results where others would have exhausted their progress long ago.
Meanwhile, externally—Wei Gao's forces had arrived, clashing head-on with Great Han's defenders. As Park Yong-ho roared "CHARGE!!!", four thousand Qi Refiner vanguards stormed Tai Island... straight into traps laid by Wang Qingge's unorthodox cultivators. Black patterns surged from ground and sea like living tentacles, writhing with disturbing undulations—instantly shredding flesh.
Yan Feifan's voice crackled through all communicators: "First wave!!" Island arrays activated as thick black smoke erupted, carrying eerie laughter ("Kekekeke..."). A skeletal mask emerged from the smoke, its towering figure draped in tattered black robes. Rotted hands clutched a human-bone bell leveled at the enemy. The mask shrieked—a piercing wail amplified through the bell—releasing soundwaves that flayed bodies and scattered limbs.
"Second wave!!" Another array flared as a decaying coffin shot skyward. A maggot-covered foot kicked it open, revealing a half-rotten obese man with exposed chest. Grinning, his face shed writhing larvae as he upended a filthy sack—releasing corrosive poison fog and swarming maggots that dissolved flesh like acid. Screams multiplied.
These were the unorthodox cultivators' trump cards prepared during Lu Ding's seclusion. Watching his troops decimated, Park Yong-ho burned with rage—though he'd known these vanguards were sacrificial pawns.