"Phoenix Position? You are not worthy!"

"Little do you know that when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you as well."

Hong Yuan sneered disdainfully, gripping the frosty sword in his hand.

Luck Tao Divine Power—Destiny Lamp High Illumination!

The very next moment, Hong Yuan activated his own Luck Tao Divine Power.

In his eyes, there seemed to exist an ancient and boundless azure lamp.

With the help of this Luck Tao azure lamp, Hong Yuan instantly observed the Phoenix Paulownia on Ye Qingcheng’s body.

The entire body of the Phoenix Paulownia was snow-white, as if cast from snow. It was supremely sacred, compelling an almost worshipful reverence in any who beheld it. Moreover, its appearance resembled that of a phoenix.

It was a towering tree that reached the heavens, its body snow-white. Its lush branches and leaves shone upon the world, and it contained a powerful life force that even surprised Hong Yuan.

Merely observing it was enough to inspire awe.

Fool! To enter a treasure mountain yet return empty-handed, completely unaware! This divine tree clearly possessed a slim chance of transforming and reaching the Unconventional Tao Realms. Yet you, damn fool, used it recklessly to seize destiny, adulterating its essence and extinguishing any possibility of it advancing to the Unconventional Tao Realms! Such a wanton waste of Heaven’s gifts! Hong Yuan felt a pang in his heart.

Using the Phoenix Paulownia to seize destiny wasn’t inherently wrong. However, one had to choose the best of the best, opting for quality over quantity; it was also best not to target more than three people simultaneously!

Yet this Ye Qingcheng, not knowing any better, had rashly seized destiny, needlessly adulterating the Phoenix Paulownia’s essence.

Such actions were truly heartbreaking.

If, in the Han Jiuming dream, I, Hong Yuan, had possessed such a Spirit Plant and also obtained the method to refine it, then the Human Race’s attempt to break through the Black Heaven firmament would surely have been even more difficult!

Hong Yuan sighed inwardly. He focused his mind and began to use his Great Emperor Level innate talent and intellect to decipher Ye Qingcheng’s Innate Secret Skill tied to her Life Talents.

He resolved then that in the real world, his Demonic Body absolutely had to select a Spirit Plant that was not inferior to the Phoenix Paulownia—perhaps even one more formidable!

Refine the spiritual roots of heaven and earth as a foundation, thereby forming a Life Spirit Plant... Absorb the essence of flora, the power of the sun, moon, and annual cycles to nurture the Life Spirit Plant, thereby enhancing the cultivator’s physique... It begins with a fifth-stage Spirit Plant, sustained by Class A Essence Nourishment... A hundred-year Verdant Wood Spirit Body, a thousand-year Second Wood Dharma Body, a ten-thousand-year Myriad Ages Evergreen Physique...

Upon comprehending this fully, Hong Yuan finally understood why Ye Qingcheng had been so shortsighted.

This was because she belonged to a short-lived race. She lacked the surplus energy and patience for such cultivation; moreover, she couldn’t afford it!

Therefore, in a sense, Ye Qingcheng hadn’t been shortsighted at all; this was the best choice she could make under duress.

HEH HEH HEH, this sort of Divine Power, accumulated through Life Span, suits me perfectly. Hong Yuan cackled inwardly.

After completely deciphering this "Life Plant Skill," Hong Yuan directly extrapolated from it, perfecting the Life Holy Artifact Skill and deriving the Life Spiritual Spring Skill.

It truly was a case of "understand one method, understand ten thousand methods."

The innate talent and intellect of a Great Emperor Level were simply beyond reason!

Furthermore, the "Life Plant Skill" wasn’t just for his Demonic Body to cultivate; his Original Body could also separate a Wood Tao Incarnation to cultivate this as its fundamental method.

The Nine-tailed Worm was Hong Yuan’s most fundamental Cultivation Worm, its status nearly equivalent to a Natal Worm.

With the Nine-tailed Worm’s aid, once Hong Yuan recalled his Incarnations, his Original Body would also strengthen accordingly.

This was tantamount to an unconventional solution to the "Tao Mark Contradiction" dilemma!

If I were to grow to my absolute limit, and all nine Incarnations, along with my Demonic Body, returned to my Original Body, that combined power... surely it would be enough to reach the Eternity Realm?

For a moment, Hong Yuan was lost in pleasant reverie.

「On the other side.」

The fierce flames beneath the Pill Furnace blazed, heat rising in waves.

Yet Ye Qingcheng’s expression flickered, obscure and difficult to interpret.

She glanced at Hong Yuan in bewilderment, thinking, This shouldn’t be happening, it really shouldn’t!

Gritting her teeth, Ye Qingcheng squeezed out the True Essence from her Aperture, pushing the Phoenix Paulownia to its absolute limit and unleashing all her secret arts and Divine Powers.

Yet Hong Yuan remained utterly unmoved!

Annoying fly that only knows how to resort to trickery, let’s see how you contend with a Great Emperor Mark, Hong Yuan’s eyes were icy.

He covertly activated his Luck Tao Divine Power, proactively releasing a wisp of supremely mystical Purple Gold Status Energy.

The mere thought of the terrifying nature of the Heavenly Horned Ant Emperor’s Mark made Hong Yuan sneer inwardly.

Back then, he had achieved complete mastery of the three major schools of Power Tao and had even endured eight tribulations before successfully overcoming it.

When the Phoenix Paulownia absorbed the Purple Gold Status Energy, a smile finally graced Ye Qingcheng’s lips. She thought with arrogance, Ye Gufan, is it? Just wait until your great aunt here successfully refines this, then I’ll teach you a proper lesson! Hmph!