The 7th Astral Soul

The 7th Astral Soul . . . 

Cultivation, a path unfettered by the passage of time, unfolded its own rhythm. A year had vanished like a fleeting dream, and yet, Qin Wentian remained in a profound state of focus, utterly oblivious to the relentless march of time. The world beyond had faded into insignificance; he was fully immersed in his cultivation.

In his singular pursuit of enlightenment, Qin Wentian was unaware of the silent observer nearby. The mysterious figure lay in repose, his presence shrouded in an enigma that defied detection. He watched Qin Wentian with an intensity born of inscrutable purpose.

Around Qin Wentian, torrents of destructive law energy surged in a relentless, turbulent cascade. It flowed like a ceaseless river of annihilation, emitting a deafening roar that resonated throughout the surroundings. His astral soul, a halberd-shaped embodiment of destruction, radiated a fearsome aura, imbued with the essence of the destructive-attribute law.

Qin Wentian's very being became adorned with the runes of destruction, drawing the surrounding destructive energies toward him. Under the eerie glow of his astral soul, he resembled a harbinger of cataclysmic obliteration, striking terror into any who beheld him.

Amid this spectacle, a voice disrupted Qin Wentian's cultivation, causing his heart to bristle with frustration. He cast an irritated glance at the mysterious figure who had broken his concentration. "Senior..."

"Enough. Though you may be a half-step immortal king, I shall temporarily grant you a reprieve from the trial," the mysterious figure declared. "However, do not hasten to form your law domain just yet. First, you must explore and comprehend other law attributes. I grant you an additional year, and remember, failure bears the price of death."

Qin Wentian, stunned by the unexpected turn of events, found himself temporarily robbed of words. Inwardly, he muttered a choice epithet, "Bastard."

"Who are you cursing?" A voice interjected, causing Qin Wentian's heart to lurch. Flustered, he quickly responded, "Senior, I was referring to myself."

"Hmm," the mysterious figure responded sagely, "While it's true you may be somewhat lacking in strength, there's no need for such excessive self-reproach. Survival offers its own opportunities, after all."

Qin Wentian, gnashing his teeth inwardly, found himself baffled by the enigmatic figure's peculiar blend of wisdom and exasperation. The figure had indeed awakened him from his contemplative trance, asserting that he was merely a half-step immortal king. Then, to add insult to injury, the figure had graciously offered an additional year to comprehend other attribute energies.

Qin Wentian was incensed. As he closed his eyes once more to continue his cultivation, he resolved to demonstrate the full extent of his capabilities. Three months later, an overwhelming aura of suppression radiated from him, filling the space with an indomitable presence.

By the fourth month, he had successfully comprehended the sword-law attribute.

At the midpoint of the fifth month, he had mastered the demon-law attribute.

In the latter half of the fifth month, he embraced the dream-law attribute.

Reaching the climax of the sixth month, he triumphed over the force-law attribute.

For the remaining half of the year, he embarked on an arduous journey, striving to attain the pinnacle of the immortal king realm. He sought to forge the body of laws, an essential step that would make him the nucleus of his own unique laws, capable of transformation at will.

Just as Qin Wentian prepared to inaugurate his law domain, the mysterious figure materialized once more. As Qin Wentian brimmed with self-satisfaction, he preempted the figure's judgment. "Senior, how have I fared?"

The figure responded with a measured nod. "A passable performance, I suppose. Once you've grasped your first law attribute, the subsequent ones become considerably more accessible. Fortunately, you're not completely inept; otherwise, it would have been dreadfully tedious to spare your life."

Qin Wentian nearly choked on his disbelief. He had poured immense effort into his endeavor, successfully achieving it well within the allotted timeframe, and yet, the mysterious figure deemed it merely "passable."

Nonetheless, the figure's assessment was astute, recognizing the method Qin Wentian had employed and his current state.

Indeed, after mastering his initial law attribute, the subsequent ones proved markedly more attainable. Some immortal kings, in their relentless pursuit of enlightenment, relied upon a single law attribute to attain the immortal king realm. Even then, it took considerable time to seamlessly integrate and consolidate their newfound status. Perfecting their comprehension of other law attributes remained a demanding endeavor.

"Next, you should be prepared to condense your 7th astral soul. Feel free to choose whichever law attribute you desire. Once your 7th law attribute is born, you can explore the creation of different law domains," imparted the mysterious figure with an air of wisdom. He then departed abruptly, leaving Qin Wentian bewildered and silently fuming at the unpredictable trials ahead.

Despite his inner frustration, Qin Wentian dutifully followed the figure's instructions. He recommenced his arduous cultivation, pushing the boundaries of his abilities. With utmost concentration, he unlocked his 7th astral gate, extending his perception into the expanse of the nine heavenly layers.

In the vast cosmic tapestry, the nine heavenly layers stretched before him. Thanks to his formidable perception, Qin Wentian effortlessly breached the barriers, arriving in the 7th heavenly layer. Here, the pressure was formidable, but it proved inconsequential before his might. His previous astral soul had been condensed from a constellation in the 8th heavenly layer, and though hurriedly achieved, it had been successful. Thus, his new astral soul too must originate from the 8th heavenly layer.

Determined, Qin Wentian's indomitable will propelled his perception to ascend to the 8th heavenly layer. Here, constellations were fewer in number, each distanced widely from the next. These celestial entities emitted auras capable of toppling heaven and earth. Remarkably, despite their vast separation, Qin Wentian could distinctly perceive their law energy fluctuations and the unique law domains they represented.

It was as if his cultivation enhanced his affinity with the constellations, enabling him to discern them more easily within the nine heavenly layers.

This time, Qin Wentian's perception roamed freely across the 8th heavenly layer. Despite the formidable pressure, he persevered. The 9th heavenly layer remained inaccessible for now, but he could freely select his constellation from the 8th layer.

Each constellation exuded copious law energy. After immortal-foundation, astral souls no longer manifested directly in combat, yet, they remained the wellspring of energy for stellar martial cultivators. Powerful astral souls guaranteed a distinct advantage.

Moreover, once he reached the immortal king realm, potent constellations bestowed formidable law attributes, an invaluable asset in battle.

Surveying the 8th heavenly layer, Qin Wentian's perception paused before a constellation radiating an imposing, tyrannical aura. Its form resembled a fearsome devil, exuding an aura that compelled all living things to submit. Most terrifying of all, this constellation possessed the power of disintegration. It alternated between dissolution and recovery, enveloped in an overwhelming shroud of devilish energy.

"I've cultivated the devil path techniques; this constellation is well-suited to my inclinations. It also appears to possess dual attributes," mused Qin Wentian. His newfound knowledge, gleaned from ancient texts, revealed that some constellations endowed cultivators with two law attributes, albeit in a unique fashion. Strictly speaking, they did not have dual attributes; instead, these constellations granted a secondary function or ability upon astral soul condensation.

Such dual-attribute astral souls were predominantly found in demon, devil, and buddha-type constellations. Upon condensing an astral soul from these constellations, cultivators gained the ability to explore the demon, devil, or buddha pathways, in addition to other unique attributes.

"This devil constellation possesses an extra disintegration ability?" contemplated Qin Wentian. Choosing this constellation would grant him not only an innate understanding of devil law energy but also the power of disintegration.

"Constellations from the 8th heavenly layer are exceptionally potent. It's worth a try," Qin Wentian resolved. He ignored the overwhelming pressure and, without hesitation, directed his perception into the chosen constellation.

This endeavor proved arduous, with his will corroded by devilish energy and his mind assailed by unrelenting pressure. Nevertheless, he persevered, forging a connection with the chosen constellation. Brilliant devilish light rained down from the heavens, illuminating Qin Wentian's physical form within the forbidden ground. Simultaneously, a subtle gleam of menace flickered in the eyes of the enigmatic figure, silently observing from afar.

The process of condensing his newest astral soul unfolded with surprising smoothness. Once the astral soul settled into its rightful place, Qin Wentian continued his cultivation, though he observed that this latest addition, the 7th astral soul, manifested weaker law energy fluctuations compared to his other attributes. To harness its full potential, he knew he needed more time to fortify his cultivation base and refine it.

For an extended period, he immersed himself in the profound art of cultivation. The mysterious figure, much to Qin Wentian's relief, refrained from intervening this time. Gradually, he condensed his astral soul and seamlessly forged his body of laws in a single, remarkable stride. As the seven unique attributes coalesced around his body, he embodied an indomitable force, akin to a true fiendgod, unrivaled in this realm.

Upon reopening his eyes, they gleamed with a chilling sharpness as he gazed skyward. Soon, a triumphant smile graced his face.

With clenched fists, a resounding and crystal-clear resonance emanated.

"To acquire such power! The constellations of the 8th heavenly layer are indeed a zenith to behold," Qin Wentian mused, his gaze unwavering as he contemplated the celestial expanse above, longing to transcend the 9th heavenly layer. A burgeoning excitement kindled within his heart. During his cultivation, he had been utterly focused, but now, the irresistible thrill of achievement surged through him, impossible to suppress.

Yet, just as euphoria began to swell, a disapproving voice shattered the jubilation. Qin Wentian's elation deflated, replaced by an exasperated expression, and he couldn't help but be irritated by the perennially vexing presence of the mysterious figure.

"Do you fancy yourself invincible now because of that devil-attribute law energy?" the voice queried, as Qin Wentian rolled his eyes mentally. The undying freak seemed to derive pleasure from dousing his excitement at every opportunity.

"Do you believe that I could obliterate you with a mere flick of my finger? I could reduce your soul to nothingness, leaving behind only a lifeless corpse," the figure continued, taunting. Then came the reminder: "You remain weak. Law-attribute energy's potency grows in tandem with one's cultivation base. As it stands, regardless of the quality of your law attributes, your current level won't yield much."

Gritting his teeth, Qin Wentian knew the assessment held truth. He recognized that, for now, his strength was insufficient. Otherwise, he would have undoubtedly unleashed a torrent of violence on the infuriating and death-defying mysterious figure.