Chapter 17: Heavenly Origin!

The process of forging a spirit was incomparably wondrous. As Fang Wang imagined the sword-shaped treasure spirit he desired, he entered a peculiar state of introspection. Within, he perceived a region of utter darkness, where fierce flames blazed, slowly coalescing into the form of a sword.

Fang Wang’s entire focus was on this sword. In that moment, it felt as if his thoughts had become intangible hands, capable of touching the nascent weapon.

As he immersed himself in this state, the flames surrounding his body surged towards the crown of his head, gathering into a blazing sphere of fire.

Guang Qiuxian, Yang Yuanzi, and Zhou Xingshi stood in the corridor, watching.

“Your disciple’s cultivation art is anything but ordinary. This is the first time I’ve encountered such a scorching spiritual aura,” Guang Qiuxian praised.

Yang Yuanzi remained silent; in truth, he did not know Fang Wang well.

Zhou Xingshi recalled the battle before Fang Wang’s initiation. He had exchanged only a single palm strike with Fang Wang, yet it had left him recuperating for an entire month. Even now, the memory filled him with dread.

The joy of having forged his own Profound Origin Treasure Spirit had long faded. Fixing his gaze on the nascent treasure spirit above Fang Wang’s head, Zhou Xingshi’s instincts told him that whatever spirit Fang Wang forged would far surpass his own.

Fang Wang, still at the seventh tier of the Qi Nurturing Realm, had already swept aside him and fifty other cultivators. Zhou Xingshi dared not imagine what sort of life-bound treasure spirit Fang Wang would create.

He had heard many legends of prodigies within his clan, but Fang Wang was the most terrifying genius he had ever witnessed.

Putting aside pure strength, it had only been a few months since this youth was at the seventh tier of Qi Nurturing, and now he was already forging his spirit alongside Zhou Xingshi…

A tremor ran through his heart, and the look he gave Fang Wang grew ever more complicated.

Time flowed slowly by.

Half an hour passed.

The treasure spirit above Fang Wang’s head had now taken on a distinct sword shape. The flames around him grew more intense, winding about his body like fiery serpents. Even the water in the pool began to boil, sending up clouds of steam.

Guang Qiuxian stroked his beard and smiled. “At least a Profound Origin grade, no doubt.”

Yang Yuanzi’s gaze grew grave. “To reach the Profound Origin grade at this stage, it’s truly possible he could reach Earth Origin as well.”

Instinctively, he glanced at Zhou Xingshi, whose heart pounded wildly. Zhou Xingshi suddenly regretted staying to watch, but it was now far too late to leave.

Guang Qiuxian fixed his eyes on Fang Wang, a satisfied smile on his face. “After Luyuanjun, now comes Fang Wang. With such talents, how could the Grand Abyss Sect not flourish?”

At this, Yang Yuanzi shook his head, snorting coldly. “Master, I advise you not to become too complacent. Don’t forget the tragedy of the Supreme Purity Sect. The Grand Abyss Sect’s reliance on prodigies to attract cultivation clans may incite jealousy from other sects. One Luyuanjun may escape calamity, but with another such talent, who can say?”

Guang Qiuxian’s smile faded away.

Hearing this, Zhou Xingshi’s regret deepened, and he began anxiously considering how he might respond to what was to come.

Time ticked slowly onward.

The sword-shaped treasure spirit above Fang Wang’s head grew ever more solid, its surface etched with delicate patterns, and it began to draw in the spiritual energy of the surrounding world.

“Earth Origin!” Guang Qiuxian uttered the words. The ability to absorb ambient spiritual energy during spirit forging was the hallmark of an Earth Origin treasure spirit.

Zhou Xingshi’s emotions were in turmoil, his fists clenched tight.

“For a talent like him to forge an Earth Origin treasure spirit… it’s no surprise. Why should I compare myself to him…” Zhou Xingshi tried to console himself.

Yet Fang Wang’s spirit continued to coalesce, making it impossible for Guang Qiuxian to maintain his composure. His brows knit together in deep thought.

Yang Yuanzi narrowed his eyes, gaze riveted to Fang Wang’s life-bound treasure spirit.

Inwardly, Fang Wang still watched his spirit, now fully formed into the sword he’d envisioned. The sword’s guard and hilt seemed coiled by a majestic red dragon, exuding power and grandeur.

How dashing it would be to wield such a sword!

Fang Wang was deeply pleased with his sense of aesthetics. As he admired his spirit, he suddenly sensed something and, almost unconsciously, raised his gaze.

He saw a beam of light appear in the darkness above—a palace manifested within his consciousness.

What was this…

As Fang Wang puzzled over it, the palace doors abruptly swung open. A column of light shot down, striking his life-bound treasure spirit head-on.

Boom!

His sword-shaped treasure spirit was instantly annihilated. Simultaneously, in the outside world, Guang Qiuxian and the others saw the treasure spirit above Fang Wang’s head explode, sending a wave of fire outward.

Guang Qiuxian raised a hand, using his own spiritual power to shield them from the flames, but his brows furrowed in disappointment.

Yang Yuanzi’s face was taut as he said in a deep voice, “Failed? How can that be? Only a Yellow Origin spirit could fail at this stage…”

Zhou Xingshi felt a blend of surprise and regret. For such a prodigy to fail at spirit forging was a fall from the heavens to the mortal world. In truth, he had looked forward to witnessing what kind of power Fang Wang would wield upon success—perhaps even the rise of a living legend.

What a pity!

Within his introspective state, Fang Wang stared blankly at the palace.

What was happening? Why would the palace destroy his spirit?

Panic rose within him. Even with the palace as a safeguard, he had no desire to play the fool; in the Grand Abyss Sect, one’s life-bound treasure spirit determined both talent and status.

As Fang Wang faltered in confusion, the palace doors remained open, light spilling forth ever more brilliantly.

“What is that…” Fang Wang stared into the blazing light, vaguely perceiving a shadowy figure within.

“Failed!” Guang Qiuxian declared, his voice cold and disappointed. He cast one last, lingering look at Fang Wang before turning to leave.

At that moment, something caught his attention, and he whirled around.

Firelight danced in the eyes of all three; the flames around Fang Wang erupted wildly, burning his robes to ash and evaporating the pool in an instant. A surging heatwave spilled into the corridor of the Origin Hall.

Yang Yuanzi’s face shifted, Zhou Xingshi’s eyes widened.

Under their gazes, Fang Wang had become a man of pure fire. The blazes surged to his head, coalescing again.

“Is he… reforming his treasure spirit? Impossible!” Yang Yuanzi exclaimed, unable to maintain his composure.

Guang Qiuxian’s pupils dilated as he seemed to recall something. Drawing a deep breath, he explained, “There are legends of forging a life-bound treasure spirit where the phenomenon of rebirth through fire—nirvana—may occur. This is seen only in the most extraordinary prodigies. A life-bound treasure spirit that can be reborn… is one of destiny!”

As he finished, he glanced at Zhou Xingshi, whose own treasure spirit—a black fan—had appeared above his head.

“My spirit… why is it out of control…” Zhou Xingshi asked in panic, looking to Guang Qiuxian for help.

But Guang Qiuxian did not respond, sparing only a fleeting look before turning his focus to Fang Wang in the pool.

Elsewhere.

Within her dwelling, Gu Li suddenly opened her eyes from meditation. She glanced upward, brows knitting, as a silver longsword appeared above her head.

It was her life-bound treasure spirit!

“What’s happening…” Gu Li murmured, an inexplicable unease gnawing at her heart. She found herself unable to retract her treasure spirit—something she had never experienced since forging it.

Nor was she alone. Across the peaks of the Grand Abyss Sect, other disciples at the Spirit Forging Realm were experiencing the same phenomenon. Above each of their heads, their life-bound treasure spirits materialized; some disciples halted in flight, nervous or panicked.

Within the Origin Hall.

The firelight flickered across the faces of Guang Qiuxian, Yang Yuanzi, and Zhou Xingshi; all three were frozen in shock.

Yang Yuanzi gritted his teeth. “Even my own life-bound treasure spirit is afraid…”

Guang Qiuxian’s expression turned grim, and though he said nothing, his heart was equally unsettled.

They watched as, within the surging flames above Fang Wang’s head, the image of a divine weapon began to emerge—not a sword, but a long polearm.

Within his introspection, Fang Wang saw it as well.

Boom!

Darkness shattered. His mind spun, and suddenly, he felt his feet touch solid ground. Opening his eyes, he found himself within the palace.

Before him stood a halberd nearly ten feet in length, around which a faint azure dragon coiled. Twin crescent blades flanked the halberd’s head, each a third the length of the shaft. Between the two blades was a dragon-shaped body, the dragon’s mouth open to the sky, spitting forth the primary blade. The tail of the halberd resembled a short, razor-sharp sword. The shaft was pitch-black, gleaming faintly in the gloom.

What a majestic weapon!

Almost instinctively, Fang Wang reached out and grasped the halberd. At that instant, the Profound Yang True Fire within him surged, wrapping the halberd. Its head and blades ignited, even the point at the tail bursting into flame. Fiery patterns spread along the shaft, bestowing an even greater aura of might.

The moment he gripped the halberd, Fang Wang sensed a profound connection—as if it were a part of his very body.

An overwhelming urge pressed him to name the weapon. He breathed out his thought: “Heaven Palace Halberd!”

Named after the palace itself!

In an instant, his consciousness returned to reality, and his body stood upright of its own accord.

Before the astonished eyes of Guang Qiuxian and the others, Fang Wang, wreathed in flames, stood tall and proud, his right hand grasping the halberd above his head. In that moment, he was like a war god, towering and invincible, utterly transformed from before.

Yang Yuanzi could not help but turn to Guang Qiuxian and ask, “Profound Origin spirits emit their unique glow; Earth Origin spirits can absorb the world’s energy. But what grade is a spirit that is reborn through nirvana and can evoke fear in other life-bound spirits?”

A suspicion flickered in his heart, but he dared not voice it.

Guang Qiuxian stared fixedly at Fang Wang’s figure and uttered, “Heaven Origin.”

Zhou Xingshi stood dumbstruck, oblivious to the murderous glare Yang Yuanzi cast his way.

At the same time, all the flames around Fang Wang flowed into the Heaven Palace Halberd, revealing his figure. The ten-foot weapon looked incomparably imposing in his hands.

Fang Wang planted the halberd’s tip at the bottom of the pool, sending shockwaves sweeping outward, forcing Guang Qiuxian to intervene again—for even the Origin Hall itself trembled.

“Master, what grade is my treasure spirit?” Fang Wang asked, looking to Guang Qiuxian. He struggled to contain his excitement, for he could clearly sense his spiritual energy boiling within, its very nature beginning to transform.

The Spirit Forging Realm!

Guang Qiuxian stared at the halberd. “Above Earth Origin, but as for its precise grade, I cannot say. I have never before witnessed a Heaven Origin spirit…”

His gaze drifted sideways to Zhou Xingshi.

Sensing the killing intent, Zhou Xingshi snapped to attention. He stumbled back two steps, hastily declaring, “I… I swear I’ll never breathe a word of this!”