Chapter 7: Ninth Level Perfection of the Mysterious Sun Divine Technique

"Can I learn them all?"

Fang Wang gave his answer, which made Zhou Xue's lips twitch as she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

So arrogant!

Suppressing her impatience, Zhou Xue explained, "Different cultivation methods refine different types of spiritual energy. If you mix them up, your energy can become chaotic. It's much easier to specialize in one technique than to dabble in many."

Fang Wang, shamelessly persistent, asked, "If I choose one and fail to master it, can I switch to another?"

"Fine, since you saved my life," Zhou Xue relented, unable to hold back a soft laugh. The movement tugged at her injuries, causing her to cough uncontrollably.

Fang Wang didn't dare reach out to help her and could only stand by helplessly.

"Which one do you want to learn first?" Zhou Xue inquired, her voice even weaker after her coughing fit.

After some thought, Fang Wang replied, "Then I'll try the hardest first—the Profound Sun Divine Sutra. If I start with the most difficult, learning the others later should feel easier."

Zhou Xue didn't waste words and began to recite the incantations and mental formulas of the Profound Sun Divine Sutra, including its breathing techniques.

Fang Wang listened intently, filled with anticipation. Only by mastering a true immortal cultivation method could he truly set foot on the path of immortality.

While transmitting her knowledge, Zhou Xue watched him carefully, her heart full of emotion.

"To think I'd ever treat someone this way. Is this what family feels like? Ruolan, you were right. Depending on others is useless; I must cultivate trustworthy allies. Perhaps my rebirth is Heaven's way of guiding me onto another path."

As Zhou Xue watched Fang Wang, who hadn't appeared in her memories of her previous life, earnestly listening to her teachings, she felt the reality of her new beginning.

If she had a second chance at life, she would not stop at mere immortality.

Countless thoughts swirled in Zhou Xue's mind. With the crisis facing the Fang family behind her, she began to plot a new future.

Fang Wang had no idea what she was thinking. He was fully focused on the Profound Sun Divine Sutra.

When Zhou Xue finished imparting the entire Profound Sun Divine Sutra, Fang Wang felt his mind explode, his vision blurring.

In the next instant, he found himself inside the Celestial Palace. When he saw his surroundings clearly, he immediately threw a punch and shouted in excitement.

"I did it!"

Overwhelmed with joy, Fang Wang knew that entering the Celestial Palace meant he could master the Profound Sun Divine Sutra!

Although the Celestial Palace could only aid his comprehension, if he could perfect the Profound Sun Divine Sutra and then begin true cultivation, his progress would be doubled for half the effort.

This was a technique even Zhou Xue had failed to master before her ascension!

Without delay, Fang Wang sat cross-legged and began cultivating the Profound Sun Divine Sutra.

The Profound Sun Divine Sutra consisted of nine levels. Upon reaching the third, one's spiritual energy contained the fire of the Profound Sun, capable of burning souls. At the sixth, one became immune to all flames. At the ninth, one could condense the true fire of the Profound Sun, incinerating everything in existence.

Fang Wang started from the most basic breathing techniques. The Celestial Palace began to change, manifesting the spiritual energy of heaven and earth necessary for immortal cultivation. This energy was illusory and used solely to aid his practice. Spiritual energy is born of heaven and earth, nurturing all living things, but many types of energy exist in the world. Cultivation is the process of extracting and refining this spiritual energy.

However, mastering just the first level of the Profound Sun Divine Sutra felt like ten years had passed for Fang Wang.

Ten years to reach the first level? Was his aptitude for cultivation truly that poor?

Refusing to believe it, Fang Wang continued to practice. To track the passage of time, he imagined a great bell within the Celestial Palace—ancient in appearance, with the years marked at its base for easy record-keeping.

Yet, the second level took twice as long as the first. Fang Wang put aside his doubts about his own talent and concentrated on his practice.

And so, he continued, losing himself in the endless cycle of cultivation, gradually becoming numb, forgetting everything beyond.

It was as if the ages flowed by, stars wheeling in the heavens.

When Fang Wang finally perfected the Profound Sun Divine Sutra, flames ignited behind his head, condensing into orbs of fire like miniature suns. A ring of these small suns hovered above him—the true fire of the Profound Sun.

The true fire of the Profound Sun looked much like ordinary flames, but it could absorb sunlight, growing ever more powerful the longer it burned by day.

When Fang Wang opened his eyes, his gaze was full of ancient weariness—not the weariness of worldly experience, but of exhaustion of the spirit.

He turned to look, discovering that mastering the Profound Sun Divine Sutra had taken him two hundred and thirteen years!

That was almost as long as the lifespan of a dynasty!

Feeling depressed, Fang Wang could only blame the difficulty of the Profound Sun Divine Sutra.

Better to blame the goal than to torment himself about his own abilities.

No wonder Zhou Xue couldn't master it before ascending—who could spend two hundred years on a single technique?

Composing himself, Fang Wang willed his consciousness out of the Celestial Palace.

His gaze cleared, and Zhou Xue's face appeared before him, pale and weak as she lay in bed.

Two centuries had passed for him, but only a heartbeat in reality.

"For this month, focus on cultivating the Profound Sun Divine Sutra. Once I recover, we'll set out. The Grand Abyss Sect only recruits disciples every five years. If you miss this year, you'll have to wait five more," Zhou Xue said softly, her expression slightly odd.

For some reason, after teaching him the Profound Sun Divine Sutra, she felt Fang Wang had changed in some indefinable way—a subtle, indescribable feeling.

"You are a reincarnated Immortal Sovereign—why not found your own sect?" Fang Wang asked, puzzled.

Zhou Xue smiled wryly. "Immortal cultivation is not so simple. The blessed lands and resources of the Great Qi have long been divided among the nine great sects. Besides, after being reborn, I must retrace the path of cultivation. Joining a sect not only provides resources, but also protection."

Fang Wang nodded. Seeing her face growing even paler, he said, "You should focus on healing. We'll talk more after you've recovered."

With that, he stood to leave.

"By the way, the cultivator from last night left behind two magical artifacts. Since you killed him, they should be yours. Once I'm well, I'll give them to you and teach you how to use them. It'll give you a head start on your immortal path," Zhou Xue added.

Fang Wang didn't turn around. He waved his hand and said, "Keep them. You started me on this path; consider it a token of thanks. Just teach me more spells in the future."

Without pausing, he quickly left the room.

After the door closed, Zhou Xue smiled to herself. "Taking him as my disciple wouldn't be a bad idea," she murmured. "But since we're family, why be caught up in titles?"

Reborn, she resolved not only to seek immortality for herself, but to guide the Fang family in cultivation as well. The betrayal of her past life had taught her that no amount of power could save her if she lacked trustworthy allies.

Setting aside the Fang family’s debt of gratitude for raising her, with a genius like Fang Wang, they were worthy of her support.

Closing her eyes, Zhou Xue used her convalescence to organize her thoughts.

She now realized that rebirth was more than a chance to correct regrets; she could forge a path stronger than ever, seize the opportunities she had missed, so long as she planned carefully.

And from now on, the secret of her rebirth could never be revealed again. It would be her greatest secret.

Even in her previous life in the upper realms, she had never heard of such a miraculous experience. She put herself in others’ shoes: if she truly believed someone had been reborn, she would certainly be tempted to act against them.

...

Back in his own room, Fang Wang sat in meditation at his desk, activating the Profound Sun Divine Sutra and absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

There were no obstacles and no need to adapt; almost instantly, a vortex formed around him, drawing invisible, intangible energy into his body, filling him with clarity and refreshment.

He had felt something similar while cultivating in the Celestial Palace, but it was far less intense than in the flesh.

Immersed in the pleasure of drawing in spiritual energy, Fang Wang found it impossible to stop.

At the peak of the ninth layer, the Profound Sun Divine Sutra was unimaginably powerful. Fang Wang didn't know how others progressed in cultivation, but he certainly felt wonderful—Profound Sun spiritual power was already forming in his dantian.

An hour later, he broke through to the first stage of Qi Nurturing.

After a day and a night, he reached the second stage.

In the days that followed, Fang Wang rarely left his room, focusing entirely on cultivation. At first, his parents came to check on him, but upon hearing he was cultivating, they didn't dare disturb him, simply sending meals through the maids.

After the great battle that night, Fang Wang's status within the Fang family soared, and he became the pride of the entire household. Still, word of immortal cultivation did not spread. Fang Meng even forbade talk of demon sorcery, claiming only that the family had been attacked by mysterious martial experts.

...

In a quiet study,

The Emperor of Great Qi sat in a chair, holding an ancient tome. He looked to be in his early twenties, remarkably young.

An elderly minister entered, bowing as he approached the desk.

"Your Majesty, the South Hill scheme has failed, and the immortal master I hired is dead," the minister reported softly. He wore official robes, was slightly overweight, and his temples were streaked with white. As he spoke, his expression did not change.

The Emperor's right hand trembled as he gripped the book. He slowly set it down, fixing the minister with a cold stare. "Did you not say there was no possibility of failure?"

The minister sighed. "To slay an immortal master, the Fang family must also possess such power—or be protected by it. I miscalculated. I thought nothing could go wrong, but no matter. I have already written to that person. Before, he assured me there would be no mistakes. I trust he will resolve this himself."

The Emperor turned to gaze out the window, murmuring, "The power of immortals, eternal life... I wish to enter this path. So much has been sacrificed, yet I have not succeeded. What support does the Fang family have to obtain the powers of cultivation?"

The minister had no answer. He was just as baffled and dared not send anyone to investigate the Fang family, fearing it would alert their protectors.

After a long silence,

The Emperor drew back his gaze, staring directly at the minister. "Let it rest for now. I know nothing of this. Make sure the matter is cleaned up."

The minister nodded.

With a wave of his sleeve, the Emperor dismissed him. The minister bowed and withdrew.

"They say imperial power is supreme, but what is it compared to immortality?"

A long sigh echoed through the study, filled with helplessness.

...

After half a month in seclusion, news of the Fang family's massacre spread throughout Great Qi. Every province and county discussed it; the Fang family even sent envoys to the capital to petition for justice, causing all the noble houses to tremble. After all, the Fang family was a dukedom—what sort of force would dare such a thing?

One day,

Zhou Xue came to visit Fang Wang. He rose to greet her, and they sat together at the table as Fang Wang poured her tea.

"Your recovery has been remarkably fast..." Fang Wang marveled inwardly. Her wounds had been so severe before that ordinary medicine would have required half a year of rest.

Zhou Xue was once again radiant, dressed in her signature red, her presence even more striking than before. She was sharper, more imposing, every feature exuding confidence. She studied Fang Wang and asked, "How's your progress with the Profound Sun Divine Sutra?"

Fang Wang thought, Not bad—I've already perfected all nine layers.

But faced with Zhou Xue, a reincarnator—and a devil cultivator—he dared not reveal everything. Their previous teamwork had been out of necessity, with the Fang family in imminent danger; there had been no time for suspicion.

"Pretty good. I feel like I can keep going," Fang Wang replied. After mastering the Profound Sun Divine Sutra, he had no plans to study the Spring and Autumn Art or the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art.

The Profound Sun Divine Sutra was too powerful; half a month’s practice had already transformed him. His cultivation had reached the sixth stage of Qi Nurturing.

And...

A hundred years in the Celestial Palace had been a torturous ordeal—only he knew how monotonous and exhausting it truly was.

Zhou Xue studied him, an odd look in her eyes.

Fang Wang’s heart skipped—had she noticed something?

Zhou Xue looked away and spoke softly, "We leave in thirteen days. I've chosen nine Fang family disciples, including you and me, to travel to the Grand Abyss Sect together."

Fang Wang nodded, his eyes full of anticipation.

Mastering cultivation techniques was not enough; he needed powerful spells as well!

"Zhou Xue, could you teach me some spells?" Fang Wang asked, feigning a cough to mask his embarrassment.

Zhou Xue looked at him, half-smiling. "Of course. Your sword technique is already impressive—you must have a talent for the way of the sword. I happen to have a sword art; if you master it, you can sweep your peers at the same level."