The Nine Nether Yin Fiend churned as if alive, rapidly intertwining and colliding with the dense Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi in the secret chamber to form a small, dark vortex visible to the naked eye, with Chen Sheng at its center.

With a tremor of his arms, the Qi and blood in Chen Sheng’s body surged like a mighty river, letting out a roaring sound.

Within his Dantian, the fully perfected Innate Spirit Seed sensed the external pressure and automatically emanated a brilliant Profound Light, preparing itself for assimilation and conversion.

The next moment, he channeled his Cultivation Technique with all his might, generating a powerful suction.

The Nine Nether Yin Fiend permeating the secret chamber was drawn in. Like rivers flowing into the ocean, it surged frantically into the major acupoints all over Chen Sheng’s body.

"Argh—!"

The moment the Evil Qi entered his body, Chen Sheng could not help but let out a suppressed growl, his face instantly twisting in agony.

’This Nine Nether Yin Fiend truly is unbelievably potent.’

As it invaded his Meridians, it felt like countless red-hot steel needles frantically piercing and corroding his flesh and channels.

Everywhere it passed, excruciating pain bored into him, followed by a spreading, soul-freezing chill. Even his eyes began to fill with ghastly, blood-red threads.

Daring not to hesitate, Chen Sheng immediately channeled the potency of the Spiritual Object he had just consumed. He began the arduous task of refining and guiding the rampaging Evil Qi, moving it along the designated route of his Cultivation Technique—slowly but steadily, step by step—toward the Innate Spirit Seed in his Dantian.

Time passed slowly amidst the extreme agony.

An unknown amount of time passed. Chen Sheng’s body was long soaked in sweat, which in turn was evaporated into a white mist by the chill of the Evil Qi in an endless cycle.

At this moment, the partially tamed streams of Nine Nether Yin Fiend were finally guided before the Spirit Seed. Like famished beasts, they began to frantically devour the pure Innate True Qi surrounding it.

He had reached the final, most critical step—

Shatter the Spirit Seed, fuse the Evil Qi, and forge the Dao Foundation!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Chen Sheng pressed the Profound Spirit Treasure Pearl he had been clutching in his left hand tightly to his forehead.

Instantly, a cool and soothing stream of energy surged from the Treasure Pearl, swiftly flowing through every inch of his body.

The excruciating pain that had nearly driven him mad was instantly reduced by more than half under the influence of this cooling current.

His agitated Meridians felt as if they were being soothed by gentle hands. Even the utterly tyrannical Nine Nether Yin Fiend seemed to grow much more docile, no longer so frenzied and untamable.

’Now is the time.’

A sharp glint flashed in Chen Sheng’s eyes as he roared inwardly:

’Shatter!’

BOOM!!!

Within his Dantian, the fully perfected Innate Spirit Seed violently shattered at that very moment. It transformed into countless dazzling motes of origin light, which then fiercely collided, intertwined, and merged with the Nine Nether Yin Fiend Qi that lay in wait.

Within the secret chamber, the dark vortex of Evil Qi suddenly contracted, only to expand outward with even greater ferocity, completely engulfing Chen Sheng’s figure.

A terrifyingly cold aura spread throughout the secret chamber, filling the air with a suffocating pressure.

Within his Dantian, the shattered motes of light and the tyrannical Evil Qi, harmonized by the wondrous power of the Profound Spirit Treasure Pearl, began to slowly rotate and coalesce according to a profound pattern.

A new, more powerful, and more solid core was gradually taking shape.

Another unknown stretch of time passed. It felt like an instant, yet also an eternity.

The moment the last wisp of Evil Qi and origin light perfectly fused—

OMM!

Chen Sheng felt a clear, resonant chime ring in his mind. The excruciating pain throughout his body receded like a tide, and an unprecedented sense of power surged from the depths of his Dantian, instantly filling his entire being.

The original Innate Spirit Seed had vanished. In its place was a far more solid and profound seed, its surface entwined with strange, coiling patterns of dark gold and black—

The Innate Evil Seed, also known as the Earth Fiend Dao Foundation.

Streams of pure, condensed, dark-gold Evil Qi, containing terrifying power, flowed slowly around the brand-new Dao Foundation like tame, swimming dragons, exuding a daunting, tyrannical aura.

Meanwhile, the powerful pressure emanating from Chen Sheng began to climb steadily, rising at a palpable rate.

Slowly opening his eyes, a tangible, brilliant light flashed within their depths. With a flicker of his will, the Celestial Book Panel quietly materialized in his mind. The information on it had changed.

[Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique: Great Success (1/1000)]

Mid-stage Innate, Earth Fiend Realm. A success!

Chen Sheng slowly raised his hands and clenched them into tight fists.

A terrifying power, far greater than anything he’d ever felt, surged through his fingers. With a single thought, an incredibly solid, illusory Golden Bell instantly enveloped his body. Faint patterns of dark gold and blood-red swirled across its surface as it emitted a low, deep hum that vibrated through the air of the secret chamber.

The might of the Earth Fiend had begun to reveal its power.

————