The entirety of decades of accumulated effort, hundreds of millions of flawless successes, had all been exhausted in a single go, but Wei Wuyin felt neither dissatisfied nor at a loss. Floating at the center of his palm, hovering quietly, the clear pill that represented the culmination of his study of the Alchemic Dao, ingenuity as an inventor, and determination as a cultivator that dared to glimpse into the Heavenly Daos' secrets, challenge the embodiment of the World itself and face the eighteen Calamities of Hell.
It now contained the full extent of his life as an Alchemist, proving itself as unordinary to the greatest degree describable.
The Eighth Source Transcendence Spell utilized Utmost Purity Mist to elevate the quality of a product post-concoction. It was a rough spell, raw at first, still requiring a heavy-duty load of work. It lacked refinement, and when Wei Wuyin had grasped the numerous other post-concoction alchemic spells that existed and his memories of his alternatively suave self, he had corrected many of its flaws, shaping it into an entirely new and masterful spell.
The current Eighth Source Transcendence Spell revised by all these sources of knowledge was unfathomably, profoundly powerful. The clear pill had fully absorbed the entirety of the Utmost Purity Mist, including the unrefined lifeforce and Seven Source Soul Light. There was no disharmony, only a further growth of its potential.
However, this pill was unordinary. Even after exhausting 30% of the Utmost Purity Mist and over fifty thousand years of unrefined lifeforce from the Mark of Eden, it only elevated to the high-quality. It required almost the entirety of the remaining Utmost Purity Mist and an additional one hundred and fifty thousand years.
Then, and only then, did it experience the intrinsic transformation determining it as a peak-quality product in accordance with the Alchemic Dao. When it finally completed its transformation, Wei Wuyin's brows lifted intriguingly.
"That aura I felt before, where it felt like the scent of everlasting permanence, is present in this pill." Wei Wuyin was extremely curious about what that was. Was it simply the unique aura formed by the harmony of the Mortal Dao and Mystic Dao?
Unbeknownst to Wei Wuyin, it wasn't the harmony of two Daos, but something profound that felt equally as interested in his actions, lending its assistance as a result. In fact, the moment it reached peak-quality, it had transcended beyond with ease due to this aura.
"I didn't expect the Mortal Dao and Mystic Dao to descend personally and assist you," the Heavenly War Spirit commented emotionally. This was unprecedented. Was it because of Bai Xiu's apology or the pill that sought to bring forth Mortal and Mystic into harmony? Regardless of the reason, if the Alchemists of the world beyond the Sealed Regions knew this, they would go absolutely ballistic with madness.
"He's OUR Master! Of course they would assist, hmph!" Bai Xiu arrogantly said after leaving Wei Wuyin's eyes, hand on her hip, chin in the air, and a hint of a smug smile on her beautiful little face. The pride was as clear as solar light within the Dark Void. So much so that the Heavenly War Spirit was rendered speechless.
Bai Xiu blushed slightly, feeling the Heavenly War Spirit's disbelieving stare at her audacious statement. She cleared her throat and flew toward Wei Wuyin's palm. A little bit of dejection flowed through her eyes, "this little thing took all my food. Hungry, greedy little thing you are." She extended her dainty finger and poked it lightly. It moved slightly but nothing else.
"What is it? It doesn't have the solar form of a ninth-grade product, lacks a Transcendent Radiance Belt, and doesn't have the school of fragmented runes that Mystic-Earth grade products possess." Bai Xiu was a Spirit of Dao, infused with the essence of the Alchemic Dao, and yet she was rather baffled by the final result of all those resources and sacrifices. She turned to an exhausted Wei Wuyin, her eyes glowering for answers.
If anyone in the world would be able to identify it, it would be its creator, and Wei Wuyin was the only cultivator below the Realm of Sages that could ever hope to glimpse at the effects of this particular pill. As for its grade, he was unable to say.
"It's a physique-establishment pill," Wei Wuyin declared. As he did, the clear pill trembled so slightly that even Wei Wuyin couldn't feel it.
"A physique-establishment pill? Oh!" Bai Xiu was immediately interested. When cultivators ascend to the Star Core Phase, they begin to interact with their already existing physique developed based on their birth and cultivation thus far, or using Divinity Spheres; then, Starlords further cultivate their physique using it as a foundation to generate unique Astral Physiques.
These Astral Physiques can be considered the second layer framework for cultivators' physiques. They cultivate this physique by refining it with their uniquely-possessed Starforce, a power that contains the entirety of their cultivation base. They do so until it's fully refined by raw resources or certain cultivation methods, transforming into an Earth-Refined Physique. The Dawnbreaker Swordlight Method and Warring Soul, Triumphant World Method both cultivate Earth-Refined Physique, with the former being of a high-grade and the latter as a peak-grade.
The double-layered framework can bolster a cultivator's abilities and even their innate talents by a considerable degree, making it extremely important. When Wei Wuyin entered the Nexus Battlefield, the faceless poison woman had an Astral Idol, which was only brought out if one's Earth-Refined Physique is cultivated to the limits, inducing a miraculous fusion of Astral Soul and Physique—the greatest manifestation of strength that a Starlord could possess.
That said, cultivating one's physique to its limits was abnormally difficult. There's never been a single record of any Starlord throughout the entire recorded history of the Sealed Regions of a single cultivator that manifested one, albeit in the life of his alternative self later learned that wasn't true. Furthermore, within the World Between the Fold, only a single cultivator was said to have reached that level: Zhangjie Wushu!
As for the one cultivator in the Sealed Regions that achieved that feat?
The one and only…Tian Taizong!
The Aeternal Sky Divine Emperor!!
"Everything stems from the mortal body," the Heavenly War Spirit said mysteriously. This single sentence touched upon a principle of cultivation that contained a profound, everlasting truth.
The body was the container of the soul, of the mind, of the Bloodline Source, of the Primal Yin, of the Primal Yang, of the Spirit of Cultivation, of the Primary Light Source, of affinity toward time and space, and of the heart. It was extremely vital to all aspects of cultivation. Wu Yu understood this the most after his close call with death. His rush for a greater stage of cultivation led to him losing his body, becoming a discarnate soul tethered to his soul and preserved by a ring.
When Wei Wuyin first read the Myriad Monarch Canon, learning about the principles of the three Mortal Realms, he came to realize that all of it was designed to transform one's physique. It might seem that their miraculous powers were fantastically magical, capable of shattering planets, soaring across the Dark Void, shifting through space, harnessing light, and unleashing mysterious world-bending abilities, but all of it was simply a byproduct of refining a source of energy that could transform one's physique—Starforce.
Energy that could rival a Solar Star.
Only a body that can handle this power can contain the power of the Mystic.
"What type of physique will it produce? Will it be heaven-defying?!" Bai Xiu grew increasingly interested as she zipped around Wei Wuyin's palm, analyzing the pill from multiple angles. She still couldn't fathom what the pill does despite bringing forth the fullest extent of her knowledge.
Amused, Wei Wuyin lightly chuckled, "Heaven-defying? Maybe. Maybe not." When Wei Wuyin soon waved his hand, producing a comfortable chair. He sat in it with a soft sound, his chest heaving up and down as he carefully held the pill. "When I set out to concoct a physique-establishment pill, my goal was simple: Exceptional. A simple word but one that contained endless meanings."
Bai Xiu sat on the armrest, her eyes sparkling as she listened.
"I learned very early on that amongst cultivators, what I lacked the most was bodily talent. In comparison to the average human, I might be a few notches above them, but my bodily talent was considerably low. In my early years, looking back, I've mostly gained advantages through my high comprehension, work ethic, and fortunate encounters.
"If it wasn't for inventing the Externalize Method, capitalizing on having two complete Spirits of Cultivation to regulate my turbulent innate energies, I would never have reached my current level in the time I've lived, even if I possessed the same amount of resources." Wei Wuyin lamented this undeniable truth, but a wisp of pride leaked as well.
Bai Xiu and the Heavenly War Spirit both agreed with his statement, summoning upon their knowledge of cultivators. They, too, were utterly astonished by how incredible Wei Wuyin's cultivation base was, especially the Heavenly War Spirit, who watched him refine vast quantities of ninth-grade products like they were candy. The Externalize Method allowed his Spirits of Cultivation to cultivate on his behalf, allowing him to reach such an ungodly level of foundation despite his bodily limitations.
But it was cyclic in nature; Wei Wuyin only had his high concocting times and exceptionally vast quantities of energies to endlessly concoct without going tired solely because of his cultivation base, and only had his cultivation base because of his ability to concoct. As they grew, they both continuously rose.
Wei Wuyin wasn't like those truly blessed individuals with Saint Alchemists tending to their cultivation since infancy or parents beyond the Mystic Ascendant Realm, he had reached his current level through effort and hard work.
Wei Wuyin wryly smiled, "Truthfully, almost all of the Valkyries, even some of the Ascendants like Hong Chunhua, have a greater degree of bodily talent than I do. Su Mei is so talented that, whether it's in bodily talent or comprehension, she eclipses me considerably. I don't even need to talk about Qing Qiumu, I'm envious of her innate talents for Wood Cultivation. It's quite hard to admit it. It hurts the pride a little, haha."
Since the Externalize Method was developed, his four Spirits of Cultivation had been leading their own cultivation, refining their own products, and he was simply reaping the benefits.
"..." Wei Wuyin went silent for a long, long moment. Eventually, he shrugged and sighed. "It started off with that thought, to rectify my bodily talents. With alchemy, this is a relatively easy solution. While I didn't want to be ordinary, I could easily change this. I could give myself a unique set of Meridians, a Mind Palace, and Blood Essence through Alchemy, matching even Qing Qiumu's talents. I can then elevate them endlessly, and grow as I grow.
"But as I continued to march along this arduous path of cultivation, I realized that I couldn't settle for that. I wanted to solve every problem I've faced thus far, and every problem I will face in the future due to my body, especially the time I was blinded by my own Spiritual Strength—I refuse to let that happen again. So, I wanted to obtain a physique without limits.
"I was seriously pondering this issue endlessly, unable to find a solution. What would that even be? What could that even look like? And then, I realized! A physique without limits must be unbreakable, inexhaustible, compatible, adaptable, and powerful!" He held up the pill, his eyes shining with a shocking brilliance that could recoil the bravest of hearts.
"Unbreakable and inexhaustible! I've met continuous situations where my Bloodline Source, Yang Source, and Primary Light Sources within my body have been exhausted, experiencing an inability to function properly. This has always limited me. With the Unique Intents of both Yin and Yang Renewal Physiques, I can create a perfect balance where all forms of innate energy will automatically recover! Where all my Sources of Power will never shatter!
"Compatible! To have an affinity for all things Mortal and Mystic. The Crystal Essence of Ascension greatly demonstrated this power, containing both aspects to the point that neither can properly claim it as theirs!
"Adaptable! The ability to refine any and all sources of energy and power without consequence, and to transform any type of energy into another type at will! The True Element Crystal might seem simple, but its core power is the ability to transform ordinary essence through will, becoming anything!
"Powerful! Powerful enough to refine energies and contain strength far surpassing my cultivation stage limits! I became blinded, crippled, utterly handicapped after my Spiritual Strength reached unprecedented levels; I refuse to allow that to happen ever again!"
Wei Wuyin strongly declared, his eyes glossing with a tint of madness. As he spoke, the two Spirits of Dao shivered endlessly, completely shaken by Wei Wuyin's ambitions. They gradually began to understand what Wei Wuyin wanted to accomplish, and it sent them reeling.
Wei Wuyin took a deep breath. He was completely drained of every ounce of his energy, being unimaginably empty. This was the perfect ideal state to consume this pill. He opened his mouth, deeply exhaled, and then swallowed it whole.
As it slowly made its way down, Wei Wuyin realized that he forgot to name this pill.
"I'll name you…let's see…Neo-Dawn Defying-Limits Pill? No, that sounds very childish. Neo-Dawn Limitless Awakening Pill? That's a little better, but I feel like it's not right. Neo-Dawn Perfect Limit Pill? Eeh." Wei Wuyin could feel the pill begin to settle, a coldness seeped into his body.
Then, all four Astral Souls shook. They, unanimously, shouted their joint name that's conceived since the beginning, long before Wei Wuyin had even started concocting the pill!
"Paragon-Forging!" They shouted, causing Wei Wuyin's mind to tremble. Stunned, he couldn't help but smile. Forging a physique of a legendary Paragon of myth? How ambitious was that? Sure!
"Neo-Dawn Paragon-Forging Pill!"
The Sealed Regions, the sealed World Between the Fold, the World Beyond the Fold, and even further beyond, all trembled slightly!