Chapter 90: Ascending to the Extraordinary

Just how powerful it truly is, Qin Jing could not say, for the “Dragon Stratagem” offered no explanation. Yet simply the fact that it disregards the boundaries of cultivation, aiming directly for the ninth transcendent level—even the mythical realm—such audacious ambition alone attests to the grandeur and vastness of this technique.

Previously, Qin Jing had always suppressed his own cultivation, and later, he had even ceased practicing altogether. This was because the “Literary Arts Volume” was insufficient to lay a solid foundation. Now, however, all the conditions were in place, and he was naturally prepared to break through to the transcendent realm.

The journey from ordinary human to transcendent brings an adaptation period. In this era of spiritual resurgence, practitioners at this stage are called “Initiates,” officially referred to as “Transcendent Candidates.” Qin Jing was now in this phase: Initiates can refine magical energy or spiritual power from the world’s aura, their physical capabilities far surpassing those of ordinary people, but still falling short of the first transcendent level.

According to the rules left behind from the last era of spiritual revival, the hallmark of the first transcendent level is the gathering of spiritual energy (magical power) into a cohesive mass within the body.

Now, Qin Jing’s spiritual energy had begun to coalesce, and sometimes, with effort, he could barely form it into a true cluster. Moreover, thanks to the transformative effects of the miraculous snacks and recycled essence, his body’s foundation was deep and strong; the spiritual cluster within him was much larger than others’. Where most began with a cloud the size of a soybean, his initial cluster was as large as a fist.

After thoroughly examining his internal state, Qin Jing took a deep breath and produced the “Foundation Pill.”

This transcendent elixir, valued at a thousand magic stones, was dark green, its surface crystalline, and when removed, it exuded a faint, refreshing aroma. Qin Jing swallowed it and began to circulate the foundational cultivation skill of the “Dragon Stratagem Volume”: the “Dragon Devour Method.”

As its name suggests, the “Dragon Devour” is the greatest act of swallowing in the biological world. Direct and unreserved, once activated, it immediately opened thirty-six vital channels in Qin Jing’s body—especially the Heavenly Gate. Endless streams of worldly spiritual energy rushed in, and under the method’s influence, were instantly converted into spiritual power.

Within his organs, three layers of internal and external channels worked together, stimulating the pill he had ingested. The medicinal power unfurled, flowing in a stream of golden light visible to his inner vision, circulating through his entire body, crossing each acupoint and breaking through barriers, invigorating his whole form and steering it toward transcendence.

The strength of a transcendent is not merely in the spiritual energy they wield, but also in the gradual transformation of their physical body by that energy. This transformation typically becomes quantitatively and qualitatively apparent only at the third transcendent level, manifesting unique transcendent effects. Yet, owing to the dual efficacy of the Foundation Pill and the “Dragon Stratagem,” Qin Jing experienced these changes immediately upon breaking through.

But that was not all. Next, Qin Jing opened his recycling space and withdrew clusters of refined essence—some from wraiths, others from the talents, strength, and constitution left behind by Qi Ershao.

These essences did not overlap with the effects of the Foundation Pill. As Qin Jing extracted them, they entered his body at the command of his mind. In an instant, his spirit, strength, and constitution surged dramatically.

In that moment, Qin Jing could distinctly feel the upheaval within himself: his muscles grew firmer and more taut, his skin took on a denser, fairer, yet resilient appearance. He even sensed that ordinary blades and bullets could no longer pierce his skin.

His pores slowly secreted a milky-white sweat. Seeing this, Qin Jing rejoiced. According to the “Literary Arts Volume,” the ultimate bodily transformation is marked by the absence of colored secretions, replaced instead by milky-white fluid. This signifies that the body’s reform has reached its peak. Qin Jing understood that this secretion related to the deepest layers of human genetics; its appearance indicated that the improvements wrought by various forces had penetrated to the microscopic level—something that usually appears only beyond the mythical realm.

As the milky-white fluid was expelled, Qin Jing sensed an extraordinary clarity in his mind. In that instant, he approached the “God’s Domain” state proposed by Earth’s scientists, a condition in which the mind can command every cell in the body.

At this moment, Qin Jing came to a realization: all forms of cultivation are ultimately interconnected. There are scientific principles underlying practice, though they must be interpreted from different perspectives.

All manner of knowledge and insights seemed to converge with this transcendent breakthrough, distilling his experiences, learning, cultivation, and even the progression of his life into pure essence.

Transcendence was not merely a matter of power, but a transformation of mindset and spirit—a rising above the mundane.

Meanwhile, the brilliance of the Foundation Pill shot into Qin Jing’s dantian, forming a cluster of golden light at its core, around which clouds gathered and swirled, resulting in a gigantic cloud the size of a basin! Visually, Qin Jing’s cloud cluster was nearly a thousand times larger than an ordinary one.

Thus, the breakthrough was complete.

Qin Jing opened his eyes, a strange expression on his face, and murmured, “Truly worthy of the ‘Dragon Stratagem’—it does not concern itself with specific levels, but focuses on the cultivation experience. The power released by this thousandfold cloud cluster likely surpasses the third transcendent level, perhaps even reaching the fourth. By Earth’s standards, I am already at the peak of the third transcendent level, yet in truth, I am merely a newcomer to transcendence.”

His recent epiphany had clarified much, making him appreciate the rarity of his current state. Even the prodigies of the mythical world would struggle to reach this degree, for they lacked recycled essence and such a deep soul foundation.

Strictly speaking, Qin Jing was now at the first transcendent level, yet possessed the combat strength of a third-level peak. It was easy to imagine that when he advanced to the second and third transcendent levels, his power would not merely grow incrementally—it would multiply exponentially.

Simply put, it was the Matthew effect. The larger his initial spiritual cluster, the better his subsequent cultivation. Now, with a spiritual cluster a thousand times greater than the average, upon his next breakthrough, he could well possess a cloud cluster two thousand times that of others; by the ninth transcendent level, it might reach ten thousand times the average!

Such overwhelming spiritual reserves—just imagining them made Qin Jing shudder.

“Fortunately, this terrifying power is mine alone.”

He relaxed, opening his eyes.

Twin golden beams shot from his gaze—this was the last trace of the Foundation Pill’s power circulating through his body. The golden light within the cloud cluster had faded to mere appearance, its medicinal strength almost entirely assimilated, with ninety-nine percent absorbed. The remainder would dissipate through his eyes, skin, and other channels—this was the pill’s most perfect digestion. By comparison, Qi Ershao, who was already at the second transcendent level, had managed to refine only a “Foundation Pill (Residual),” which was truly baffling.