Chapter Five: The Harvest

"Heaven bears scars, earth suffers flaws, seize the essence of all things to mend them..." Ji Hao gazed up at the phantom, whose enormous figure towered a hundred times higher than Golden Crow Ridge. For ten years, Ji Hao had strained his sight, barely able to discern its general form.

Long hair and beard flowed freely, black and gleaming, moving without wind, accentuating the giant’s mysterious and extraordinary presence. The phantom wore no clothes, exposing his upper body; around his waist was a simple apron fashioned from enormous leaves.

From the moment of his birth, Ji Hao became aware of this phantom. For nearly a decade, it had insisted on exchanging cultivation techniques with Ji Hao, who always refused. But now, under the overwhelming threat from Ji Shu and his son, a deep sense of crisis forced him to consent.

Thunderous rumblings echoed like the sun and moon traversing the sky, as if countless stars were grinding against the void. Amidst the cacophony, multicolored runes formed from radiant light continually appeared beside the phantom. Ancient and unrefined, the runes resembled birds, fish, flowers, and insects, exuding an indescribable air of profundity.

When the phantom finished chanting, all the colorful runes surged toward Ji Hao, seamlessly merging into his body. At the same time, something stirred within Ji Hao’s soul; every insight and secret of the Nine Word Mantra Pill Scripture was copied by the phantom through some miraculous means. Nine clusters of golden light appeared around the phantom, each containing a seal corresponding to the nine words, shining like miniature suns and radiating endless brilliance.

The gold light fused into the phantom’s body. The immense form shifted slightly, and within Ji Hao’s soul space, clouds and winds roiled, and boundless thunder and lightning sparked into existence. Ji Hao struggled to lower his head, his soul trembling before the terrifying celestial might conjured by the phantom.

"Truly marvelous beyond words," the phantom sighed deeply, blue divine light flickering in his eyes. "Little one, your Nine Word Mantra Pill Scripture has perfected the cultivation of the soul and the techniques for harnessing the powers of the universe. Ingenious, profound—never did I imagine such exquisite 'application methods' could exist in this world."

With a long sigh, the phantom murmured in a lowered voice, "Had I mastered my strength so finely in the past, would I have fallen so far, forced to hide my face and live as a failure?"

Ji Hao’s mind buzzed chaotically, overwhelmed by a torrent of information. With his soul’s limited strength, he could scarcely absorb and digest these vast mysteries.

The secret technique offered in exchange, "Heaven-Mending No-Leak Formula," began to operate on its own. Before Ji Hao’s soul could activate it, all his vital energy surged toward his lower abdomen, where the dantian had yet to be opened.

Blood and energy spun, forming a tiny vortex. From this swirling center, a subtle breath arose, and with a sudden crash, akin to the opening of heaven and earth, a faint multicolored flame shot forth. The flame was delicate and resilient, with countless colorful runes flashing within.

The first stage of the Heaven-Mending No-Leak Formula was formally initiated. Ji Hao now understood its supernatural properties—henceforth, of all the food he consumed, ninety-nine percent of its essence would feed the multicolored flame, and only a fraction would nourish his own strength.

In other words, if Ji Hao devoured a hundred dragons in one sitting, he would gain the power of one dragon!

"Wait, am I to become a glutton?" Ji Hao marveled at the terrifying nature of the Heaven-Mending No-Leak Formula, voicing his complaints aloud. "Old man, are you trying to bankrupt the entire Fire Crow Tribe with my appetite? Does the technique actually say that as long as I have the energy, I can eat endlessly?"

"The more you eat, the stronger you become!" The phantom laughed with a raspy chuckle, and with a wave of his hand, two blood beads the size of human heads flew out.

One bead shone with golden light, bold and domineering, radiating pride; the other was enveloped in purple aura, exuding a mysterious and noble grace. The moment the two beads appeared, Ji Hao felt his body trembling with excitement, eager to absorb them.

The phantom lowered his head, blue light flashing in his gaze upon Ji Hao. "Little one, I’m not taking advantage of you. This is a little extra compensation—a drop of dragon blood, a drop of phoenix blood. They’ll benefit you now and in the future!"

The two beads burst, transforming into golden and purple mist that fused into Ji Hao’s body.

Heat surged through Ji Hao, agonizing pain radiating from every fiber of his being. His soul could no longer remain in the soul space; forced by the torment, Ji Hao’s soul retreated to his flesh, striving to control every muscle and suppress his cries.

Muscles writhed and bulged atop his lean frame, bones and sinew shattered and reformed, becoming ever more refined. Dragons, soaring high above, are born with the world’s strongest bodies; even a pure-blooded dragon cub possesses physical strength on par with a peak Wizard King.

A drop of dragon blood would transform Ji Hao, granting him the most perfect, most efficient human physique.

At the same time, waves of warmth poured into his soul, making it stronger and purer, driving out impurities and refining its quality. Phoenixes are born with the purest souls in existence; each one is a formidable wielder of magic. A drop of phoenix blood likewise metamorphosed Ji Hao’s soul, laying a flawless foundation for future cultivation.

The multicolored flame in his lower abdomen flickered gently as both body and soul underwent simultaneous transformation. Ji Hao suddenly opened his eyes wide.

Hunger—an indescribable hunger threatened to make him howl in pain. It felt as if a black hole within was ravenously devouring his flesh and blood. With a low grunt, Ji Hao sprang up, leapt through the open window, hooked his arm onto the eaves, and dropped nimbly into the hall below.

In the hall, embers flickered faintly in the fire pit. More than twenty chunks of beast meat hung above it, smoked and seared, nearly cooked through, each piece coated in a thick layer of rock salt. The fat rendered by the flames and salt mixed together, forming a fragrant, glistening glaze.

Ji Hao grabbed a saber-toothed tiger haunch, opened his mouth wide, and bit down hard.

With a subtle crunch, he snapped the thick bone—matching his own waist in girth—in one bite, chewing meat and bone together before swallowing the savory morsel whole.

As the tiger meat entered his stomach, it instantly became a powerful stream of heat, feeding the multicolored flame in his lower abdomen.

In the blink of an eye, threads of multicolored light surged from the flame. Ji Hao’s body greedily absorbed and fused them, waves of pleasure flowing from every inch of his flesh.

Devouring madly, he polished off a dozen beast legs. Suddenly, a thunderous boom resonated from within. Ji Hao, once lean and tall, grew half an inch taller; his muscles swelled subtly beneath his skin.

Strength coursed through him as he gritted his teeth and murmured, "Wizard Realm, fourth level!"

***

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