Ji Xia settled into his residence in Yanxiang Manor. The relentless journey and his fierce battle with Master Pang Xie had left him feeling uncharacteristically fatigued.
Now, he had a companion, albeit a mere puppet with the intelligence of a child, barely able to comprehend his more complex instructions. Still, its presence was better than living alone in such a vast manor.
On the third night of his stay, Ji Xia felt his body and Snowy Mountain reaching an optimal state. Sitting cross-legged on the white jade bed, his mind quieted as he entered deep meditation.
A profound scripture surfaced in his mind—The Golden Crow Primordial Sage Canon.
This miraculous cultivation method had been imprinted in his consciousness when the Great Sun Soul Refining Furnace absorbed tens of thousands of shadowy entities. The Canon's intricacies were profound, yet Ji Xia could effortlessly comprehend them, though he couldn't fathom why.
He recalled that the Ancient Vein Spirit Fruits he had consumed were said to enhance cultivation talent. Perhaps that explained his newfound clarity.
Each time he delved into the Canon, two three-legged golden crows would emerge from the Soul Refining Furnace, radiating brilliant light, allowing Ji Xia to observe their movements.
After days of preparation, Ji Xia was finally ready to begin practicing the first chapter of the Canon.
The Starry Secrets Scroll, the cultivation method inherited from the Ji clan of Taicang, had served him well, outperforming most other methods in his nation. Yet, it now felt inadequate to him. His abundant spiritual energy and the Soul Refining Furnace's acceleration capabilities rendered the Scroll redundant.
However, the Golden Crow Primordial Sage Canon was different. Its depth and refinement far surpassed the Starry Secrets Scroll. Even the faint traces of its mysticism suggested immense potential.
Only the first three chapters had entered his mind, and each chapter introduced a powerful combat technique. These techniques and the Canon itself complemented each other perfectly, offering unparalleled might.
Unlike the Starry Secrets Scroll, which aligned with the nine levels of mortal cultivation, the Canon lacked rigid stages. Each chapter was simply stronger and more profound than the last.
Ji Xia had long been stuck at the threshold of the heavens, unable to break through to divine abilities. Ordinary cultivation methods offered no insights. To surpass this barrier, he needed a more advanced path, one that the Canon promised to provide.
With his spiritual energy adjusted to its peak condition, Ji Xia exhaled deeply and began circulating the Canon.
The moment he activated the method, the two golden crows in his Snowy Mountain screeched, their bodies erupting in searing flames that enveloped them entirely.
Under the Canon's influence, these flames dispersed and flowed into his Snowy Mountain, igniting the vast reservoirs of spiritual energy within.
The intense pain struck suddenly, as if his entire being was ablaze. The flames consumed his Snowy Mountain, transforming it into a sea of fire where spiritual energy burned and sparked relentlessly.
The first chapter of the Golden Crow Primordial Sage Canon, Primordial Sage Spirit Refinement, required all spiritual entities—be it Spirit Wheels, Snowy Mountains, or Spirit Embryos—to undergo a trial by golden flames.
These flames refined the spiritual energy, making it denser and stronger while fortifying the Snowy Mountain or Spirit Wheels to contain even greater reserves.
The process, however, was excruciating. Ji Xia's body trembled uncontrollably. Though his physical form was sturdy and impervious to ordinary weapons, this agony came not from his flesh but from his very essence.
The Canon's ultimate purpose was to elevate the quality of spiritual energy and expand the capacity of one's spiritual foundation. Ji Xia's uniquely abundant spiritual reserves—bolstered by divine encounters and his connection to the sacred tree—allowed him to feel constrained only by the size of his Snowy Mountain.
If he succeeded in cultivating the Canon's first chapter, his spiritual energy might reach unprecedented levels, enabling him to challenge even second-level divine ability cultivators without resorting to his powerful Jupiter Prison Sword.
Gritting his teeth, Ji Xia endured the torment. As time passed, the golden crows eventually ceased their screeching and landed at the base of the Snowy Mountain, surveying the transformed spiritual energy.
The once-ordinary spiritual energy now gleamed with a golden hue, resembling solid bricks of gold radiating brilliant light. The Snowy Mountain itself glimmered faintly, exuding a majestic aura.
Despite having consumed a significant portion of his reserves, Ji Xia's Snowy Mountain now appeared only half-filled, a testament to the qualitative improvement of his spiritual energy and the expanded capacity of the mountain.
Ji Xia didn't stop there. He continued practicing the Canon, summoning the Soul Refining Furnace. From its opening, a torrent of pure golden spiritual energy poured forth, flooding into his Snowy Mountain.
These reserves, sealed within the furnace since his encounter with the Taicang National Decree, were finally unleashed.
As fresh spiritual energy flowed into his Snowy Mountain, the golden crows resumed their fiery dance, refining the energy with relentless flames.
Though the pain returned, Ji Xia resolved to endure. He knew that in a land teeming with powerful foes, strength was the only safeguard against peril.
"Though the Dragon Beard Shears are formidable, they require extensive blood sacrifices to unleash their full potential," Ji Xia thought grimly. "It took me seven to eight days to prepare them for a fourth-level divine ability opponent. To face someone even stronger would take weeks, if not months."
"My physical strength has reached its limit at 40,000 to 50,000 pounds. A robust body-refinement technique might allow further breakthroughs, enhancing my vitality and shortening the preparation time for the Dragon Beard Shears."
"Until then, I'll endure this pain and forge ahead!"
Hours later, as the refined spiritual energy settled, Ji Xia's Snowy Mountain was still not full, hinting at even greater potential.
The brilliance of the Golden Crow Primordial Sage Canon was undeniable.
Awakening from meditation, Ji Xia stretched and clenched his fists, feeling the newfound power surging within him. A triumphant smile crossed his face as he thought, "If Zhang Yi were still alive, I'd crush him with my bare hands!"