C3 Spirit Convergence

The bath, initially intended for cleansing after secluded cultivation, was now being used by Chen Dutian to dissolve an Awakening Pill.

Should anyone discover that Chen Dutian had dissolved an Awakening Pill into the bathwater, they would likely be outraged, as countless individuals might wish to kill him for such extravagance.

Each Awakening Pill was valued at a hundred gold coins, and here Chen Dutian was, squandering them recklessly. Such a spendthrift he was.

Splash!

Chen Dutian stripped off his clothes and leaped into the bath.

"Cosmic Energy Siphoning," a cultivation technique, surfaced in Chen Dutian's mind.

This technique was the epitome of perfection, a creation from his past life after a million years of cultivation and studying countless techniques across myriad realms. It was meant to surpass all realms, awaiting the day he would ascend to emperorship. But unexpectedly, he met his end at the hands of someone who used the cosmos as a kiln and the will of the masses as fuel.

Chen Dutian inhaled deeply, submerging even his head underwater. With that breath, every pore on his body opened wide.

The Awakening Pill had dissolved, its essence now permeating the bathwater.

Bubbles swarmed around Chen Dutian's submerged form, blurring his figure as if the water were boiling.

"All Daos converge, all originate from the same source, mastery over all heavens," he thought. The breath Chen Dutian had taken earlier now coursed through his body, his pores fully dilated. The medicinal power of the Awakening Pill, now infused in the water, streamed into his body.

The water's surface undulated as if it were alive and breathing.

"Power Node, open!"

Chen Dutian bellowed beneath the water, and in an instant, the medicinal power of the Awakening Pill converged in his head.

At the deepest recess of his brain, a Power Node was blasted open by the formidable energy.

Chen Dutian felt an incredible lightness in his head, his soul seemingly ready to take flight.

The space was a hazy expanse within the Power Node, empty and chaotic.

This was the realm of the Power Node.

Within the human body lies a chaotic cosmic universe, concealed within the Power Node.

Only by unlocking the Power Node can one cultivate and ascend to the zenith of all realms.

Rumors say that the Myriad Heavens are composed of the Power Node spaces of countless formidable beings.

Chen Dutian was well aware that this was no mere tall tale, but a reality. Aside from the singular realm, all other worlds within the Myriad Heavens came into being when the Power Nodes of some mighty individuals manifested in reality after their deaths, forming what is known today as the Myriad Heavens.

"Open the Power Node, gather the Martial Spirit."

For a warrior, the journey of cultivation begins with breaking through the Power Node, marking the First Heaven of Awakening, a stage with nine distinct levels.

Reaching the pinnacle of the Ninth Heaven of the Awakening Realm can happen in the span of just a few breaths.

Previously unable to cultivate, Chen Dutian, son of Lord Protector Chen Dou, was nonetheless the most privileged scion within the entire Phethia Dynasty, surpassing even some princes and princesses in status.

Raised in an environment rich with medicinal concoctions, Chen Dutian consumed spirit medicines and pills with the same nonchalance one might have for weeds and candy.

Although he was unable to cultivate or assimilate these substances himself, specialized warriors within the House of Protector would massage and diffuse the medicinal power throughout his body, fortifying his sinews and bones to a degree that surpassed even those warriors who had reached the Fifth or Sixth Heaven of Awakening.

A significant portion of this medicinal power remained dormant within Chen Dutian's body. Without the ability to cultivate, this power would gradually seep into and bolster his physique over time, though much of it would eventually dissipate, squandered.

Armed with the cultivation experience from his past life and an exceptional physical foundation, ascending to the Ninth Heaven of the Awakening Realm was a matter of mere moments.

"Cosmic Energy Siphoning."

Within the chaotic expanse of the Power Node, a silhouette swiftly coalesced into the form of Chen Dutian.

The Martial Spirit is the essence of a warrior, and it is only with the condensation of the Martial Spirit that one can make rapid progress in the martial path.

A warrior without a Martial Spirit is fundamentally incomplete.

"Hmm?" A puzzled expression crossed Chen Dutian's face.

Typically, a warrior's Martial Spirit takes on their own likeness. However, some Martial Spirits may take the form of plants, animals, or even weapons, influenced by their lineage and the techniques they practice.

At that moment, Chen Dutian's Martial Spirit was adorned with an imperial crown and a yellow robe, the latter embroidered with top-tier mythical beasts such as true dragons and qilins, along with a towering World Tree. The cuffs of the robe were even embellished with a vast array of stars.

Chen Dutian was intimately familiar with this regalia—it was the very crown and robe he donned when he ascended to emperorship in his past life. The air was filled with countless voices singing praises. Listening closely, one could discern that they were chanting the name of the God-Emperor.

The God-Emperor was Chen Dutian's imperial title in his former life. By using his own name for his title, he was considered unparalleled in the annals of the myriad realms. "This is the power of the collective will of billions from my past life's universe, which has astonishingly followed me through rebirth and manifested as a phenomenon within my Martial Spirit," Chen Dutian mused, his expression a mix of surprise and uncertainty. "Indeed, in my past life, I was slain—burned alive using the collective will of billions as fuel, with the cosmos as the crucible. If I've managed to be reborn to this present moment, then it stands to reason that the will of those billions has come with me."

A smile played at the corners of Chen Dutian's lips. Though he was unsure of its purpose, the power of the collective will had been exploited by others in his previous life. It was likely that everyone had perished in that conflagration alongside him. Now, transformed into a Martial Spirit phenomenon, it surely held some profound secrets.

"A warrior's cultivation journey includes the stages of Awakening, Spirit Convergence, Astral Wandering, Skyflight, Deification, Tribulation Crossing, Unbound, Revered, Overlord, and Supreme Ruler. Rumor has it that beyond the Supreme Ruler lies the Divine Sovereign realm. Alas, even in my past life, I never reached that level. Yet, I sensed that there was indeed another tier beyond the Overlord. Regrettably, had I not been betrayed, I might have harnessed the collective will to glimpse the Divine Sovereign realm," Chen Dutian reflected inwardly.

Yan Chen, Yan Nantian," a lethal intent flashed in Chen Dutian's eyes. Yan Chen was the current Emperor of the Phethia Dynasty, and his son, Yan Nantian, was the Crown Prince. In a previous life, it was this father and son duo who, fearing Chen Dou's growing power and potential to usurp the throne, conspired with the Southern Barbarian Empire. They lured Chen Dou and his army into the vast mountains, nearly leading to his demise.

Simultaneously, within the Imperial Capital of Phethia, they sought to annihilate the entire House of Protector on fabricated charges of rebellion. Qin Fan was merely a pawn of the Yan family, the hand that forged the yellow robe jade seal to falsely implicate the Chen family in a coup.

At that time, no one in the Phethia Dynasty's court dared to defend the Chen family. It wasn't necessarily out of fear, but perhaps reluctance, as Chen Dou's meteoric rise over the years had garnered both envy and resentment. The interests he had offended were substantial and powerful.

This led to the tragic end of Chen Dutian's mother, Zhao Danna, who, unable to bear the disgrace, took her own life by running into a pillar. In an effort to save Chen Dutian, his betrothed, Song Mei Yue, reluctantly accepted Qin Fan's marriage proposal, only to end her life on their wedding night.

Chen Dutian, concealed by Song Mei Yue, began his martial arts training. It wasn't until Chen Dou returned with his army to the Capital of Phethia, decimating the majority of the dynasty's officials, that he ascended the throne. He renamed the country Zhao in honor of his late wife.