In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed.
The cavern had remained silent for that entire stretch of time, without so much as a sound.
On this particular day, a series of sharp cracking noises suddenly echoed from within the blood cocoon enveloping Yang Kai — a dense, crisp cascade of sounds like bones popping one after another. Along with these noises, a hairline crack split open across the surface of the cocoon.
Then the crack multiplied, spreading until the entire cocoon resembled a shattered mirror.
Finally, with a thunderous burst, the blood cocoon exploded into countless fragments that flew outward in every direction. At its center stood Yang Kai's towering frame, his jet-black hair billowing around him without any wind, his bare skin smooth and luminous — fairer and more flawless than that of a newborn babe.
Yang Kai slowly opened his eyes. The brilliant light within his gaze dimmed inward, leaving behind a vivid, spirited look.
He tilted his head slightly, and his expression turned peculiar.
In that moment, he felt something distinctly different from before — a strange sensation, as though he had been reborn entirely.
He lowered his gaze and inspected the condition of his body, and a look of astonishment crossed his face.
Over the years, he had spent his life rushing from place to place, battered by wind and sun. The countless hardships he had endured had forged not only an iron will but also a reasonably formidable physique. Yet now, after a single pot of Myriad Treasure Soup, his skin had become softer and fairer than most women's — a fact that left him more than a little amazed.
He rose and gave himself a quick test. His body felt lighter than ever before. When he clenched his fist, an inexhaustible surge of power flowed continuously from his muscles and flesh.
He threw a casual punch, and a sharp boom rang out as the air rippled in a visible shockwave that spread rapidly outward.
Seeing this, Yang Kai's face lit up with delight. He immediately understood that his physical body had undergone another significant advancement. Sending his divine sense inward, he examined his own organs and was stunned to find that they had become as if carved from gold and jade — not only suffused with a faint golden glow but radiating an impression of absolute invulnerability.
They certainly hadn't been like this before.
That could only mean one thing — the Myriad Treasure Soup was responsible for all of it. The broth seemed capable of unlocking the hidden potential within a warrior's body, tempering and refining their physical constitution. Combined with his already powerful frame, it had elevated his strength to an entirely new level.
As if that weren't enough, Yang Kai could clearly sense that within his bones and muscles, a vast reservoir of the soup's medicinal power still remained unconsumed. It lingered there, waiting quietly as the passage of time allowed it to gradually and silently transform his body further.
This result satisfied Yang Kai immensely. He couldn't help but think that a broth simmered for one or two thousand years truly deserved its reputation — its efficacy far surpassed that of any spirit pill.
With his current physical constitution, he was more than capable of refining the Dragon Artifact.
With that thought in mind, Yang Kai proceeded to check his internal power once more.
The moment he did, he was completely taken aback.
He discovered that the energy within his body had already been entirely converted into Source Power without his noticing — not a single trace of Saint Power remained!
Source Power was an existence on an entirely different level from Saint Power. It was the foundation upon which Dao Source Realm warriors connected with the laws of heaven and earth and harnessed their power. Without Source Power, a warrior could never hope to advance to the Dao Source Realm.
Yang Kai's own comprehension of Law power had long since reached sufficient depth. The only reason he had been unable to break through to the Dao Source Realm was that his internal energy had not yet fully converted.
In his original plan, even taking Source Condensing Pills without interruption, he had estimated it would take at least another year or two to complete the conversion. Yet now, that milestone had been achieved ahead of schedule.
The credit, of course, belonged to the Myriad Treasure Soup.
This discovery sent Yang Kai into a near-euphoric state. He could now advance to the Dao Source Realm at any time he chose.
However, breaking through to the Dao Source Realm was no small matter, and this place was hardly suitable for welcoming the baptism of heaven and earth's energy. Yang Kai had no intention of attempting his breakthrough here — he still needed to find a proper location.
With that thought, he resolved to leave.
He turned and surveyed his surroundings. There was nothing left in the cavern worthy of further attention. Liu Yan, on the other hand, had charged into that lava pool some time ago and still had not returned. He had no idea what kind of fortune she might have found below.
He walked to the edge of the lava pool and looked down, only to be surprised to find that its temperature seemed to have dropped considerably, as though much of the heat within had been drawn away by someone.
Yang Kai reached out with his thoughts, attempting to contact Liu Yan, but received no response.
Rather than worrying, this actually pleased him — it meant Liu Yan had surely stumbled upon an opportunity of her own, which was why she couldn't hear his call.
With that settled, he decided to stop worrying about Liu Yan and set about finding an exit.
The cavern was not large, connected to the outside by only a single passageway. It didn't take him long to locate a teleportation array at the other end. He activated it and vanished from the cavern in an instant.
About a hundred miles from Yuan Ding Mountain, in the midst of a desolate stretch of wilderness, Yang Kai's figure materialized out of thin air.
He immediately released his divine sense, and only after confirming that there was no danger in the vicinity did he take a moment to look around. A short while later, his form flickered, and he transformed into a streak of light that shot off into the distance.
Yang Kai had no intention of returning to Maple Leaf City. His most pressing priority now was advancing to the Dao Source Realm, which meant he needed to find a quiet place where he would not be disturbed.