Chapter Nineteen: The Seven-Colored Soul Stone

In just a few short minutes, Wang Fan’s body had been greatly strengthened by the medicinal power of the Nine Orifices Golden Elixir. With each beat of his heart, every passing instant, his flesh underwent further refinement and transformation.

As night finally fell, Wang Fan glanced at the darkened sky, then donned his suit once more, pocketed the Soul-Soothing Mountain, and left his room. Outside the residential complex, he noticed the chaos erupting—police sirens echoed through the night, and it seemed that cultivators were stirring up trouble again. Wang Fan paid it no mind; the disorder hadn’t appeared directly before his eyes, and he had his own affairs to attend to.

He set off swiftly toward the Botanical Garden, moving at a remarkable speed. In order to establish an alibi, Wang Fan took care to avoid the city’s ubiquitous surveillance cameras. Unbeknownst to him, as he sped through the night, police cars had already entered the residential complex. Several squads of armed police had been dispatched, moving quickly through the area in an attempt to apprehend him. They surged into Wang Fan’s rented room, but found no trace—he was already long gone.

They didn’t realize that Wang Fan had simply left the complex a few moments earlier, heading straight for the Botanical Garden.

A step too slow!

The failed operation left the faces of dozens of armed officers grim and frustrated; they could only organize a retreat. Thus, the arrest operation led by Director Zhao Dong of the Public Security Bureau ended in failure.

As the police cars exited the complex, Wang Fan had already arrived at the vicinity of the Botanical Garden. Upon discovering that the main gate was guarded by security, he opted to vault over the wall instead. For the old Wang Fan, scaling a three-meter wall would have been impossible—but now, things were different. He circulated the energy of the Bitter Sea within him; the vital force surged into his legs, veins bulged, and his legs became as sturdy as iron. With a leap, he landed atop the wall, then tore through the barbed wire glinting coldly in the night. He dropped down inside, successfully infiltrating the garden.

The security guards in the watch room remained completely unaware that a cultivator had entered.

Within the Botanical Garden, Wang Fan moved quickly. Gazing at the myriad plants, a gleam of excitement flashed in his eyes. Inwardly, he thought, With such a perfect place for cultivation, I am certain to make great progress tonight.

He sat in the heart of a grassy field and began to cultivate without delay. The Devouring Heaven Demonic Art was set into motion, and his body radiated an infinite force of plunder. This force targeted every living plant within the garden—none capable of resistance. Under the domineering, magical extraction of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art, the plants were like helpless maidens, ruthlessly stripped of their life force.

Essence energy streamed ceaselessly into Wang Fan, flooding his body and limbs, then pouring into the reservoir of his Bitter Sea, where more and more energy accumulated. Soon, he realized this reservoir could hold no more—the Bitter Sea realm had reached its limit. To contain further essence, he would have to break through to the next stage.

Yet Wang Fan felt his foundation was not yet perfect; he did not intend to break through just yet. He was determined to bring his physical body, spiritual strength, and cultivation technique all to their respective peaks. This idea had taken root when he first reached the limits of the Bitter Sea realm.

Now, with the Soul-Soothing Mountain and the Nine Orifices Golden Elixir in hand, it was not impossible to push all three aspects to their utmost. Wang Fan was willing to strive for this goal with all his might.

Though he possessed enough essence and reserves to break through to the next realm, Wang Fan chose to delay. After a brief moment of contemplation, he decided to use the accumulated essence—which was sufficient for a breakthrough—to nourish the Soul-Soothing Mountain, allowing it to produce Soul Stones to further strengthen his spirit.

As Wang Fan fed essence energy into the Soul-Soothing Mountain in his pocket, the pitch-black stone radiated a seven-colored light, as if it contained profound mysteries of the soul.

Maintaining the operation of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art, he continued to absorb essence, all the while drawing the Soul-Soothing Mountain from his pocket. Along with it, he produced a Soul Stone that shimmered with seven colors. The instant Wang Fan held the stone in his hand, a refreshing fragrance, uplifting to the soul, emanated from it.

So this is a Soul Stone? Truly extraordinary!

Wang Fan studied the Soul-Soothing Mountain and the seven-colored Soul Stone intently, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. He then lifted the Soul Stone, about the size of a peanut, and swallowed it whole. The stone, though solid to the touch, dissolved instantly in his mouth, leaving no taste—only a surge of unclaimed soul energy, which rushed into his mind and merged with his spirit. In that moment, Wang Fan’s soul grew noticeably stronger.

The sensation of spiritual growth was vivid. Wang Fan felt his mental energy greatly enhanced, and his awareness of everything around him became much sharper, as though his five senses were being refined along with his soul.

It truly does cultivate the soul. I wonder how far my soul can grow?

His eyes shone with fervor as he placed the Soul-Soothing Mountain back onto his trousers and continued to absorb essence energy with all his strength, channeling it into the Soul-Soothing Mountain, which would transform it into Soul Stones to further elevate his spirit.

That night, the plants of the Botanical Garden withered and died en masse, their vitality completely consumed. All of it became Wang Fan’s nourishment, the energy fueling the Soul-Soothing Mountain and transforming into Soul Stones for his spiritual growth.

The night passed swiftly. By dawn, more than half the garden’s flora was dead and desiccated, while Wang Fan had condensed more than ten Soul Stones. He swallowed ten of them, bringing his spirit to the state of perfection—a completeness akin to the consummation of his Bitter Sea essence.

Yet Wang Fan sensed this was not his limit. When the time came, his spirit, too, would break through to the realm beyond!