C2 Thetome of the Celestial Way
The Yin-Yang Holy Body operated in silence, attuned to the divine force that seemed ready to flood into his body with a mere wave of his hand. Ye Chen realized that from this moment forward, he was no longer a person of mediocre talent; he had become a prodigy with exceptional gifts.
As the Yin-Yang Holy Body merged with Ye Chen's being, he experienced a profound transformation. Initially, his physical form was suffused with an ancient presence, radiating an air of eternity and indestructibility.
The most wondrous aspect was the Breath of Harmony weaving through his flesh and blood, tirelessly refining the wakan within him. This transformation was a direct consequence of assimilating the Yin-Yang Holy Body!
What astonished Ye Chen the most was that during the fusion, his body metamorphosed, spontaneously evolving his Dao foundation within, bypassing the Body Tempering Realm and ascending to the Soulcatch Realm. He had transitioned from a mere mortal to a cultivator in an instant—an incredible metamorphosis!
The fabled Yin-Yang Holy Body lived up to its reputation for strength. Once integrated, the essence of Yin and Yang lay dormant within him, with no discernible aura, making him appear unchanged.
"Such an unremarkable Holy Body!" Ye Chen's lips twisted into a goofy grin. His aspirations of becoming a formidable figure now seemed within reach.
Yet, there was a tinge of regret for Ye Chen. At present, he lacked any cultivation techniques or martial skills. Otherwise, he was eager to discover the extent of his newfound talents post-fusion with the Yin-Yang Holy Body.
Given Ye Chen's innate Holy Body aptitude, he was confident that, aside from the most sacred techniques, he could swiftly master any cultivation method or secret manual that came into his possession. Such was the fearsome nature of the Yin-Yang Holy Body.
Rapid mastery of techniques was merely one facet of the Yin-Yang Holy Body's talents. Its true power would only be revealed as Ye Chen's own strength reached new heights.
It's akin to a child born with Herculean strength; one wouldn't expect him to lift a great cauldron at birth. He must first grow, become acquainted with his power, and learn to wield it before he can achieve such feats.
"There's no rush. With the Yin-Yang Holy Body, my future is brimming with hope. Strength and such can be developed gradually." Ye Chen whispered to reassure himself, "Besides, this is only my first check-in. There will be plenty more chances ahead."
Now that his physical form had transformed into the legendary Yin-Yang Holy Body, the issue of his innate talent had been resolved. As long as Ye Chen continued his slow and steady cultivation and kept up with his check-ins, becoming a formidable cultivator was just a matter of time.
This was merely the reward from Ye Chen's inaugural check-in.
There would be countless other opportunities to check in at various places in the future.
Polaris is one of the Eight Great Holy Lands of Lunaria and the only sect within the Skyborn Kingdom of such caliber. It has a lineage that dates back to a saint from ancient times. Despite its decline, the depth of its accumulated heritage remains among the top in all of Lunaria, with numerous sites rivaling the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
The Tower of Binding, the Pill Hall, the Scripture Library, the various Spiritual Peaks, and the Mysterious Realms all present prime locations for check-ins.
"Next, I'll make sure to leave my mark in every corner of the Holy Land."
The thought of all the treasures within Polaris nearly made Ye Chen drool.
He resolved to explore every nook of Polaris, checking in at each place imbued with the rhythm of the Dao.
This was particularly true for the Tower of Binding nearby.
The Tower of Binding, a legendary Sacred Weapon, was crafted by the Founder of Polaris. It embodies the Breath of Harmony and merges the Five Spirits Rune, boasting supreme might.
Even Fellbeasts at the level of Spiritual Manifestation, once suppressed by the Tower, find themselves unable to break free, such is the might of this Sacred Weapon—one of the most powerful in existence.
Polaris owes much of its prosperity to the Tower of Binding.
Despite its decline, no one dares to challenge Polaris' standing, all because they possess this Sacred Weapon.
With the Sacred Weapon deployed, even beings of Spiritual Manifestation are rendered helpless, a testament to the weapon's formidable power.
The Tower of Binding stood adjacent to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and for Ye Chen, signing up there was a breeze.
He was eagerly anticipating the Divine Weapon he would sign for at the Yin-Yang Holy Body within the Polaris Holy Land. Surely, whatever the Tower of Binding had to offer couldn't be too far off from the treasures of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
"It's definitely an exciting time ahead."
Ye Chen was all smiles, his mind brimming with visions of his imminent rise to prominence.
Lost in his transformation and the integration with the Yin-Yang Holy Body, Ye Chen was oblivious to the stir his actions had caused outside. As he merged with the essence of the Yin-Yang Holy Body, the Breath of Harmony surged skyward, agitating the wakan above the Polaris Holy Land and creating a tumultuous spectacle.
This phenomenon was even more dramatic than the day the Founder of Polaris wielded the Sacred Weapon, the Tower of Binding, to subdue a Fellbeast King of Spiritual Manifestation.
Such a disturbance immediately caught the attention of the formidable beings within the Polaris.
Zi Yuan, the temple attendant overseeing the Imperial Ancestral Temple, emerged from within, visibly shaken. He gazed at the capricious heavens and scanned the surroundings.
"What just happened? Why is there such a terrifying phenomenon above the Tower of Binding? Could it be that there's been a shift in the tower's seal?" Zi Yuan, standing inside the Imperial Ancestral Temple, checked the ancestral tablets and the unchanged green lamp before hastily making his way toward the Tower of Binding, a look of concern etched on his face.
The other powerhouses of the Polaris Holy Land converged on the Tower of Binding, their eyes filled with puzzlement as they observed the fading anomaly.
"What caused that strange phenomenon? Is there an issue with the seal?"
The Primordial Spirit Elder of the Polaris Holy Land fixed a grave gaze on the Tower of Binding, a hint of anxiety in his eyes.
"Pontifex, is it possible that the Demon King sealed within has achieved a breakthrough?"
The Elder of the sect eyed the Sacred Weapon warily, as if hoping to discern some sign of irregularity.
The Pontifex of the Polaris Sect shook his head. "I doubt it. The space under the seal is devoid of divine force; it shouldn't be capable of breaking through. If that Demon King truly had broken through, it wouldn't simply give up. It would relentlessly strive to shatter the Sacred Weapon's seal."
In a brief moment, the nine most powerful masters of the Polaris Holy Land converged near the Tower of Binding, adjacent to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. The Cave Heaven patriarch and eight God-Man realm elders assembled above the Tower of Binding.
"During this time, let's keep a vigilant eye on the Tower of Binding. Report any anomalies to me immediately," the Pontifex instructed the surrounding elders.
Their gazes were heavy with concern as they watched the Tower of Binding below, aware that it suppressed the Demon Beasts responsible for past turmoil within the Holy Land. The most formidable among them was the King of the Spiritual Manifestation realm.
This Demon Beast King, suppressed beneath the Tower of Binding, had never ceased its attempts to escape. Their reliance on the sage aura of the Imperial Ancestral Temple's Founder to empower the Tower of Binding and maintain the suppression was testament to that.
Normally, there would be no disturbances at the Tower of Binding. The presence of such alarming signs likely indicated that the Demon Beast below was challenging the seal, perhaps even that the King of the Fellbeasts had achieved a breakthrough.
The Polaris experts had not anticipated that the disturbance was actually caused by a new acolyte, Ye Chen, whose existence they were oblivious to. Moreover, even if they were aware, they would not associate him with the phenomenon, as such occurrences were typically linked to the awakening of legendary physiques or the mastery of extraordinary abilities.
Before becoming acolytes, all disciples underwent a talent assessment. Those with truly remarkable gifts would not end up as acolytes.
Unaware of the turmoil outside, Ye Chen was engrossed in his research of the system within his mind, inside the stone house. He quickly grasped that it was known as the divine-level sign-in system. It allowed for daily sign-ins at places imbued with the rhythm of the Dao, rewarding him each time. The more profound the rhythm at the sign-in location, the more magnificent the treasures received.
His ascent would hinge on his daily commitment to signing in.
Ye Chen was particularly pleased that the system could mask his cultivation level, thwarting any prying eyes.
He prudently had the system display his cultivation at the early stages of Body Tempering. Staying under the radar was his strategy for longevity.
At the crack of dawn the following day, Ye Chen rose from his bed.
Tending to the Imperial Ancestral Temple involved more than sweeping floors; it meant replenishing the spirit oil in the green lamps before each memorial tablet every morning.
Only those lamps with less than half their spirit oil required refilling.
With the majority of the 365 lamps not needing attention, the task wasn't overly burdensome. Ye Chen simply needed to keep track of the oil levels, remember the locations and conditions of the lamps, and organize his work efficiently.
Naturally, if any messes were made during the refilling process, he would have to clean them up.
Beyond the green lamps and tablets at the temple, the Imperial Mausoleum also demanded his care.
The mausoleum housed numerous stone coffins, arranged from the least to the most distinguished. The most powerful ancestors rested in the deepest, highest part, while those of lower status were placed at the perimeter.
This hierarchy meant that the further one ventured into the mausoleum, the heavier the malevolent aura became.
The deeper you went, the more dazzling the spirit light that shrouded the coffins, indicating the greater value of the relics left by the ancestors.
The most revered ancestor of Polaris was enshrined in the innermost sanctum.
Though it was merely dusting, the sheer number of tombs made the task time-consuming and physically demanding for Ye Chen.
Thankfully, having signed in for the Yin-Yang Holy Body the day before had enhanced his strength and endurance. Without this boost, he would have been utterly drained.
During his maintenance of the mausoleum, Ye Chen discovered that the spiritual light emanating from the stone coffins was sentient. As he cleaned, much of this light, seemingly drawn to his Yin-Yang Holy Body, released wisps of rhythm that merged with his being.
"The Yin-Yang Holy Body isn't just beneficial for my cultivation; it also makes tending to the mausoleum a breeze," Ye Chen mused to himself, sensing the goodwill emanating from the spiritual weapons nearby.
Previously, Ye Chen had to clean the Imperial Mausoleum with great caution to avoid provoking the ancestral weapons and triggering their wrathful assaults. Over the past year, he had endured several such attacks. However, since merging with the Yin-Yang Holy Body, such incidents had ceased. The Yin-Yang Holy Body granted him an astonishing affinity and fondness for these spiritual weapons, which no longer repelled him. In fact, they seemed quite eager to please him.
Ye Chen felt confident that, should he choose to, he could command the loyalty of all the ancestral weapons within the mausoleum and wield them as he wished. As he tidied the mausoleum within the Imperial Ancestral Temple, he was surrounded by innumerable spiritual weapons, their rhythms nurturing his Divine Body.
Upon reaching the innermost sanctum of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Ye Chen found three stone coffins. These were not the resting places of the Founder of Polaris but rather those of his three most ancient disciples—beings on the cusp of ascending to the Sage realm who, for some reason, chose to end their lives and were interred here.
Standing beside the coffins of these venerable ancestors, Ye Chen knew he couldn't pass up such an opportunity. "System, check in!" he whispered under his breath as he continued to clean around the coffins.
"Congratulations, host, for a successful check-in. You have acquired the cultivation technique 'Tome of the Celestial Way,'" the system's voice announced calmly.
