C3 Break and Rebuild Spire of the Infinite!

"Purple Air Comes From The East?" Xing Yun's gaze sharpened as he detected an anomaly within his body.

The purple aura was invisible to the average person, as it signified one's fortune, which couldn't be seized casually except through a long and special ritual.

The emergence of Purple Air Comes From The East signified the imminent arrival of a new child of the Plane.

Despite his current limited cultivation, Xing Yun was undaunted. With a grave tone, he declared, "No matter the strength of fortune, it is but a gift from the heavens. What power does it hold over me?"

In his past life, Xing Yun's martial arts practice defied the heavens. This so-called 'heaven' was merely an ambiguous concept, insignificant before the true Great Dao, and even less so compared to the 'heaven' of the Plane.

Each person has their own 'Dao,' their path to choose and follow. Xing Yun placed his faith solely in his control over his destiny.

Though his spiritual Qi cultivation was constrained by his mortal coil after rebirth, his Dao heart remained indestructible.

The onlookers gazed upon Xing Yun with terror, many shaking uncontrollably.

The once ineffectual City Lord of Heavenly Luo City had vanquished his foes with a single move, employing a rare dragon-shaped martial skill!

Such skills were exceedingly scarce, and their rank was certainly no less than Earth Grade. The rumors appeared to be true—Xing Yun was indeed from the Upper Realm!

Disregarding the crowd, Xing Yun crouched down and retrieved a ring from the pool of murky blood, probing it with his mental energy. "Just as I thought!"

The entity within the ring was meant to be in a delicate state, surviving only due to Gu Yan's nurturing of the soul. The onslaught of Xing Yun's Emperor Dragon Seal had only worsened its condition.

Now, the remnant soul was firmly in Xing Yun's grasp, and with a mere exertion of his will, it could be scattered to the winds.

Remarkably, the ring was a special top-tier Spirit Ring, nearly identical in material to the dark gold Spirit Ring Xing Yun wore.

With a cold chuckle, Xing Yun pocketed the top-tier Spirit Ring and then turned his attention to the still-stunned onlookers.

Feeling the weight of Xing Yun's commanding stare, they were like startled birds, utterly at a loss.

In that moment, Lee Lang and Liang Zun were the quickest to respond, filled with elation as they prostrated themselves before Xing Yun, exclaiming, "Our master is invincible!"

"Our master is invincible!"

"The City Lord is invincible!"

A chorus of similar cheers erupted from the crowd, with most people kneeling to pledge their loyalty to Xing Yun.

Defying the heavens might hold some hope, but defying Xing Yun left none!

Xing Yun's bold declarations still resonated in everyone's ears, cementing their unwavering belief in him.

Warriors who had initially come to spectate, favoring Gu Yan, quickly backed away upon witnessing the scene, then hurriedly departed, fearing retribution from Xing Yun.

Even Gu Yan, a formidable warrior who dared to challenge those above his station, had been felled by Xing Yun in a single strike. They certainly did not wish to overestimate their own strength.

Without a hint of modesty, Xing Yun declared loudly, "Those who wish to continue serving me, follow me back to the Keep. The rest may do as they please."

Lee Lang, Liang Zun, and the others promptly responded, then surrounded Xing Yun as they escorted him back to the Keep, with the other warriors respectfully clearing a path.

Inside the grand hall of the Keep, Xing Yun surveyed the people kneeling before him and spoke with authority, "Now, I offer you a choice. Those who wish to remain loyal to me, stand to the right. Those who wish to leave and live freely, stand to the left."

Noticing the crowd's confusion, Xing Yun reassured them, "Rest assured, even if you choose to leave, I, Xing Yun, will not hold it against you. Each of you will receive five hundred gold coins for your journey, and the Keep will not pursue you."

At his words, the crowd was even more astonished and anxious. Why would Xing Yun make such an offer? Wouldn't it be better to continue leveraging his status as the City Lord to lead and control them?

Yet, Xing Yun's display of power had already commanded their submission; it was clear he was no ordinary leader.

Having realized this, Lee Lang gathered his courage and stepped to the right, addressing his master, "I have no one else to turn to, and it was you who gave me a purpose. I humbly request to continue serving at your side!"

Liang Zun followed closely behind Lee Lang, pledging with unwavering conviction, "I, Liang Zun, swear to serve my Master with my life. I will face any danger and embrace death without a second thought!"

With Liang Zun's declaration, the others followed suit without hesitation, all gathering on the right side.

"You shall be the founding pillars of my side," Xing Yun declared. "If you withstand the trials, your potential will be boundless! The first order of business is to continually advance your cultivation!"

The prospect of enhancing their cultivation resonated like a thunderbolt in the ears of the assembly, leaving them incredulous. "Is that really possible?"

It was well-known that Xing Yun himself possessed only the ninth level of strength within the Profound Vein Stage. As a reputed descendant from the Upper Realm, he had been here quite some time without any advancement in his own cultivation, so how could the others expect to do so?

Xing Yun spoke with gravity, "Having pledged your loyalty, your foremost duty from this day forward is to trust me implicitly. In time, you will see that my promises are always kept. Within one month, each of you here will have reached the Awakened Soul Stage or higher!"

"Yes!" The crowd responded, a mix of surprise and anticipation in their voices as they made their promises.

Xing Yun sighed, his heart heavy with contemplation. The Xing Yun of old had treated his followers well and was far from the stereotypical wastrel; his actions were clearly driven by necessity. Bereft of Xing Chen, Xing Yun had struggled just to defend himself, never expecting that a chance encounter with the saintess would alter his course.

Even without the saintess's influence, the formidable Gu Yan loomed as a threat. Had the original Xing Yun remained, he would likely have been marked by Gu Yan, used merely as another stepping stone. Gu Yan might even have exploited the Xing Family of the Upper Realm as a grander foothold to amass wealth.

Lee Lang stepped out from the ranks, kneeling earnestly, "I am no longer young, and the improvement of my cultivation is of little concern to me. All I ask is that, a century from now, should you cross paths with my estranged kin, you would extend them your kindness..."

Lee Lang had recently found himself adrift in Heavenly Luo City, where Xing Yun had taken him in and appointed him as the steward of the Keep. He had shared his tale with Xing Yun.

Xing Yun, who had once reigned supreme over the Infinite Cosmos in his past life, shared one trait with his former self: a compassionate heart for the innocent.

Xing Yun nodded affirmatively, "Certainly, I wouldn't want my followers to think I'm all talk. Lee Lang, though you've reached your sixties, I will find ways to prolong your life so that you can continue your cultivation. It's a positive cycle. The longer you live, the greater your chances of reuniting with your family."

Cultivators, upon breaking through to new realms, would often find their lifespans slightly extended. At certain levels, they could even rejuvenate themselves. In the Shadowlands, it was not uncommon for sect members to live for centuries, while in the Infinite Cosmos, there were innumerable ancient demons living for millennia.

"Thank you, Master!" Lee Lang bowed deeply in gratitude. As a rare scholar among warriors, he had witnessed Xing Yun's single-strike defeat of the formidable Gu Yan and was thoroughly convinced of his power.

Xing Yun surveyed the crowd below and commanded, "Liang Zun, your courage in defending me against Gu Yan's intimidation has proven your loyalty. I hereby appoint you as the city's first general. Even as more powerful individuals join us, you will command them!"

Overwhelmed with joy and surprise, Liang Zun bowed deeply in thanks.

Xing Yun went on, "Lee Lang, you will serve as the steward of the Keep, overseeing all its affairs. Both of you, ensure the city runs smoothly for now. Meet me here at dawn tomorrow, and we will discuss our grand strategy for empire-building. Dismissed."

"Yes!" Without a moment's hesitation, Liang Zun and Lee Lang accepted the charge. They exchanged glances, each recognizing the astonishment in the other's eyes at their master's transformation from a frivolous youth to a figure of unwavering confidence and authority.

Once everyone had departed, Xing Yun retreated to his bedroom, securing the door behind him. Seated cross-legged on his bed, he felt an urgency to examine his condition. After slaying Gu Yan, he had sensed an anomaly within himself.

Moreover, he needed to investigate who exactly was concealed within Gu Yan's Spirit Ring.

With his eyes closed and a deep breath drawn, Xing Yun began to extend his consciousness outward. The spiritual essence of heaven and earth was drawn inexorably into his being.

A quarter of an hour later, an image of a pagoda the size of a fingernail materialized on Xing Yun's forehead, shimmering with an enigmatic light of black and white.

"Thank goodness I had this up my sleeve," Xing Yun said with a slight smile.

The Spire of the Infinite was Xing Yun's prized possession. It was instrumental in his rebirth after an unexpected turn during his tribulation.

This ancient spire was forged when Xing Yun ventured into the fabled Chaos Divine Realm, vanquishing countless guardian beasts. He then condensed it while tapping into the Way of the Infinite deep within.

Upon its initial emergence, the Spire of the Infinite caused the Infinite Cosmos to quake for a hundred days.

Yet, due to its unique properties, Xing Yun hadn't fully mastered it in his past life. Mastery required a complete overhaul, a transformation from the Exalted Realm back to the Profound Vein Realm.

At that time, Xing Yun could not afford to relinquish his cultivation level as he needed to maintain his influence, so he postponed the process in favor of attempting a breakthrough.

Now, his cultivation level was conveniently at the ninth tier of the Profound Vein Realm, ideal for the necessary transformation.

With a mere thought, Xing Yun vanished from the room.

He reappeared in a vast space, a thousand feet across, surrounded by spiritual flora and fauna. A crystal-clear stream meandered from north to south, its waters so transparent that the fish within were plainly visible.

Spatial ripples pulsed on the ground before the sealed entrance of the ancient spire, and from within these undulations, Xing Yun materialized, landing with poise.

This was the Voidlands, a unique space concealing the Spire of the Infinite.

Xing Yun surveyed his surroundings. The Spire of the Infinite stood twelve stories high, its surface a chaotic blend of colors, marred with fissures yet enshrouded in a wisp of mist.

Each level's walls and pillars were intricately carved with exotic creatures and ancient deities wielding divine artifacts. Scenes of battle, some involving multiple factions, were depicted with such realism they seemed to come alive.

The twelfth level of the Spire of the Infinite soared into the heavens, its apex beyond sight.

Xing Yun closed his eyes, his resolve unyielding, as a sliver of his consciousness merged with the Spire of the Infinite.

Moments later, the Spire radiated a chaotic brilliance, and the sky was suddenly filled with countless divine and mythical creatures, their teeth bared and claws flashing menacingly!

Azure Dragons, Phoenixes, Qilins, Qiongqis, Taoties, Pixius...

Shadows of divine and sacred beasts that once dominated the Infinite Cosmos materialized, their forms intermingled with the silhouettes of countless unknown mystical creatures unfamiliar to the denizens of the Infinite Cosmos.

Though mere shadows, they exuded boundless might, seemingly close enough to touch. One could sense that a mere glance from them had the power to reduce mortals to dust!

As Xing Yun's eyes remained shut, the celestial host of divine and sacred beasts, with their unmatched ferocity, roared as they surged toward both Xing Yun and the Spire of the Infinite.