Ji Ning felt his consciousness penetrating layers of barriers across countless worlds, advancing relentlessly… advancing… until it finally entered an endless expanse of vast void. In the deepest part of this infinite void were two enormous stars, each incomparably massive.
One was a gigantic star with endless swirling flames on its surface, its massive fireballs erupting as if it were a colossal fire orb illuminating countless worlds. The other star, with an incomparably cold surface, featured a towering osmanthus tree. Its boundless icy moonlight also blanketed every world.
These two ancient stars were none other than the Moon Star and the Sun Star.
"It's so beautiful, so unbelievable," Ji Ning was overwhelmed with awe. He could even 'see' the gigantic flames and the enormous branches and leaves of the osmanthus tree.
For most, cultivating the "Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens" meant they would struggle to even sense the Moon Star and the Sun Star faintly, but Ji Ning could clearly 'see' the flames and the branches of the osmanthus tree.
...
Inside the hall, Ji Yichuan and Yuchi Snow, the husband and wife, were equally stunned by the scene before them. They saw countless starlights converging around Ji Ning's body, primarily divided into two colors: blazing golden starlight and icy silver starlight. The hot golden starlight and cold silver starlight spiraled around Ji Ning, and gradually, a miniature star took shape in his left hand. The star even showed faint traces of an osmanthus tree — the Moon Star. In his right hand, a star formed with surrounding flames and faint golden crows circling it — the Sun Star.
One hand held the Moon Star, the other held the Sun Star.
Ji Ning, bathed in endless starlight, had a serene and peaceful expression, exuding an air of reverence.
"This, this..." Ji Yichuan and Yuchi Snow exchanged astonished glances, speechless.
"One hand holds the Moon, the other holds the Sun?" Even with his usual composure, Ji Yichuan couldn't help but be amazed. "An osmanthus tree on the Moon Star, golden crows circling the Sun Star?"
"Is this the legendary scene of holding the Moon and Sun in one's hands?" Yuchi Snow's eyes were fixed on the two miniature stars suspended above Ji Ning's hands, showing clear signs of an osmanthus tree and golden crows.
The couple was in extreme shock. They weren't ordinary people; they knew much more than others. Furthermore, they had carefully read through the "Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens" and understood the significance of this scene. The "Crimsonbright Diagram" was incredibly difficult to cultivate, and progress was typically slow.
There were several stages of success:
The first stage was "starlight like silk," where only two thin threads of starlight would merge into the body, representing the lowest level of entry, with a painfully slow cultivation process.
The second stage was "starlight like clouds," where a large amount of starlight swirled around the body like mist, indicating a relatively good level of progress.
The third and most extraordinary stage was "starlight like a vortex, one hand holds the Moon, the other holds the Sun." Here, starlight would spiral around the body like a vortex, and a miniature Moon Star would form in the left hand and a miniature Sun Star in the right hand. If the Moon Star displayed an osmanthus tree and the Sun Star showed golden crows circling, it was considered the absolute pinnacle of talent.
Ji Ning, from birth, had been meditating on the "Nuwa Diagram," a method so powerful that even in the Celestial World it would be considered top-tier. He could already multitask, revealing his extraordinarily strong soul. Combined with the fact that his body was regularly cleansed by the world's energy from birth, his physique was as pure as a newborn's, free from any impurities — comparable to a congenital Dao Body!
His body was as pure as a congenital Dao Body. His soul was strong enough to multitask. These two factors together made him possess the most extraordinary talent for cultivating the Godfiend Body Refining method.
"Our son possesses such extraordinary talent," Yuchi Snow's pale cheeks flushed red with excitement, her body trembling slightly. "Yichuan, one hand holds the Moon, the other holds the Sun, with an osmanthus tree and golden crows! This is the legendary scenario. Our son will surely achieve great things in cultivating the 'Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens.'"
"Yes," Ji Yichuan was equally moved.
When their son was first born, Yichuan had examined him and found his meridians to be weak, and his bones and muscles to be merely average. Although he knew it was due to an injury sustained in the womb, he still felt some disappointment. He understood that in this vast and brutal world, strength was essential for survival. While he could protect his son while alive, what if he perished?
"This is my son, the son of Ji Yichuan!" Ji Yichuan clasped his wife's hand, and the couple, filled with excitement and hope, gazed at their son. What parents wouldn't wish for their child to become great?
...
Ji Ning sat with eyes closed, reverently kneeling, his hands raised, holding a miniature Moon Star in one hand and a miniature Sun Star in the other.
The two miniature stars, the Moon Star and Sun Star, continuously channeled energy into Ji Ning's body. The power of the moon and sun was swiftly absorbed by his ravenous cells, and Ji Ning's muscles, bones, and even his internal organs began undergoing transformation.
"Whoosh~~" A layer of frost instantly formed on the surface of Ji Ning's animal hide clothes.
Then came a sizzling sound as the hide began to char and crack on his back.
Freezing, burning.
These opposing forces constantly alternated, causing the animal hide to split and fall away.
"Hmm?" Ji Yichuan furrowed his brow and gently pointed, sending a streak of water-blue light from his fingertip to wash over Ji Ning's back, causing the broken hide to fall away, leaving Ji Ning's back completely exposed. His tender back shimmered with silver light on the left and golden light on the right.
The silver, icy light flowed and gradually formed a shape.
The golden, fiery light also swirled and formed another image.
"Divine patterns!" Yuchi Snow softly murmured. "He's forming divine patterns naturally on his first attempt at cultivation. At this rate, the first level of the 'Crimsonbright Diagram' will be completed in ten days or half a month."
"Indeed," Ji Yichuan quietly observed.
Time passed…
On Ji Ning's young back, two divine patterns slowly became visible. The left side was vaguely recognizable as a rabbit, while the right side was a bird.
Two divine patterns: the Moon Divine Pattern in the form of a moon rabbit, and the Sun Divine Pattern in the form of a golden crow.
"Whoo!" Ji Ning suddenly exhaled a long breath and opened his eyes. The divine patterns on his back disappeared, and the two miniature stars in his hands quickly faded away. Ji Ning was a bit startled; he had read the "Crimsonbright Diagram" and knew what it meant to hold the Moon and Sun in one's hands with an osmanthus tree and golden crows.
"What power!" Ji Ning clenched his fist, feeling the surge of energy throughout his body. "I'm only a four-year-old child, just starting to cultivate the Godfiend Body Refining method, yet I've undergone such changes."
Suddenly, a cold voice interrupted.
"Put on your clothes." His father, Ji Yichuan, waved his hand, producing a set of animal-hide clothes for children and tossed them in front of Ji Ning.
"Yes, Father," Ji Ning quickly grabbed the clothes.
Yuchi Snow, meanwhile, gazed at her son, her heart filled with joy. The more she looked, the prouder she felt. Since the day her son was born, she had worried about his future… but now, seeing his unbelievable potential, she felt nothing but overwhelming happiness.
"Ji Ning," Ji Yichuan called out calmly.
"Father," Ji Ning listened attentively.
"You have extraordinary potential, but breaking through the bottleneck of life to become a congenital being, and even stepping onto the path of immortality, requires more than just talent and potential." Ji Yichuan looked at his son. "You need the best guidance."
Ji Ning respectfully replied, "Please instruct me, Father."
"Snow," Ji Yichuan turned to his wife. She nodded and revealed two items in her hand. One was a deep green gemstone, about the size of a fingernail, beautifully cut. The other was a fist-sized stone that shimmered with multicolored light.
"This deep green gemstone is called 'Mustard Stone,'" Yuchi Snow explained with a smile. "It's a naturally formed gemstone containing a tiny internal space. It can be made into a ring or pendant, or concealed within a belt. Once you drip a drop of blood on it, it will be yours."
"A Mustard Stone!" Ji Ning was overjoyed.
In cultivation, there were two main paths: body refining and qi refining.
Body refiners followed the path of the Godfiends and didn't know how to manipulate magical treasures. Qi refiners, at least after becoming congenital beings and condensing true essence, could control some low-level treasures… but to manipulate even the lowest-level treasures required one to be a congenital expert, and they had to be a qi refiner. Therefore, most body refiners would also train in