Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
Within the Empty Orifice, ninety percent of the True Essence sea churned with towering waves, their true gold color brilliant and dazzling, illuminating the surrounding orifice walls.
These orifice walls were no ordinary walls. They were crystal clear, lustrous and full, harboring a sense of vitality. This was the crystalline membrane of the Peak Stage Fourth Transformation.
On the true gold sea surface, waves surged ceaselessly, raising monstrous billows. Then, wave after wave, they crashed against the crystalline membrane.
At first, the crystalline membrane stood like a seaside cliff, unmoving. But gradually, it could no longer bear the burden, cracking under the relentless True Essence tidal surges.
As time passed, the cracks grew more numerous and wider.
The True Essence sea level slowly dropped. The crystalline membrane became riddled with cracks, terribly fragile. But it fell just short of breaking through.
Fang Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes tightly shut, his mind almost entirely focused on the Empty Orifice.
He possessed ninety percent aptitude, belonging to Grade A, and had deep accumulated reserves. This charge toward the Fifth Transformation realm could be accomplished relying solely on his own foundation.
At this point, only twenty percent of the True Essence sea remained, the waves on the surface gradually diminishing, seeming to trend toward calm.
But suddenly, after a period of buildup, the true gold sea surface erupted with a heaven-piercing wave.
This wave was vast and fierce, surpassing any previous wave—it was practically a tsunami, roaring upward before slamming viciously against the orifice walls.
Bang!
A soft crack, and the orifice walls finally could not bear any more, shattered by this enormous wave.
Massive amounts of crystalline orifice wall fragments, like shattered icebergs, fell into the sea, transforming into essence and slowly dissolving away.
After a moment, all the fragments from the crystalline walls had fallen away, leaving behind only a layer of Light Film, enveloping everything above, below, and around.
The Light Film shimmered brilliantly, its aura powerful—far surpassing the Peak Stage Fourth Transformation crystalline membrane. This was the genuine manifestation of the Initial Stage Fifth Transformation!
Along with it came a wisp of pale purple True Essence, born at the bottom of the sea.
A Gu Master's First Transformation produced Bronze True Essence; Second Transformation, Red Iron True Essence; Third Transformation, Silver True Essence; Fourth Transformation, Gold True Essence; and at the Fifth Transformation, it became Purple Crystal True Essence.
Though it was only a wisp of pale purple, it represented a qualitative leap.
From this day forward, Fang Yuan's True Essence was pale purple True Essence!
"Since my rebirth, wandering and drifting from place to place, I have finally become a Fifth Transformation Gu Master." In the Soul-Swaying Palace, Fang Yuan slowly opened his eyes and sighed with satisfaction.
A Fifth Transformation Gu Master was absolutely a regional overlord in the mortal world, a truly peak realm. Those who could cultivate to this level were far fewer than one in ten thousand.
Had it been anyone else, they would probably have been wild with joy by now. But Fang Yuan, having experienced this once in his previous life, felt not so much wild excitement as satisfaction and anticipation.
"Compared to the wasted years of my past life, entering the Fifth Transformation so young in this life is truly an impressive achievement."
Fang Yuan was currently only in his early thirties. To cultivate to the Fifth Transformation at such an age was absolutely the performance of the most outstanding genius among the Five Great Regions.
"However, the Fifth Transformation realm is not my endpoint, but rather a starting point. Next comes ascending to Gu Immortal once again!"
Had it been those genius Gu Masters, speaking of charging toward Gu Immortal, they would have felt hesitant. But Fang Yuan possessed his previous life's experience and had great confidence in his future ascension to Gu Immortal.
"After ascending to Gu Immortal, the death crisis of the Spring Autumn Cicada can be completely resolved."
Fang Yuan looked again at the Spring Autumn Cicada.
Since the last rebirth, the Spring Autumn Cicada had fallen into deep slumber, continuously drawing from and consuming the waters of the River of Time, recovering on its own.
By now, its condition had mostly recovered. A faint aura of pressure filled Fang Yuan's entire Empty Orifice.
All along, the Spring Autumn Cicada had been a guillotine blade hanging over Fang Yuan's neck. As time passed, this massive blade would draw ever closer to Fang Yuan's spine.
The Spring Autumn Cicada brought Fang Yuan an enormous death threat, forcing him to constantly take risks, doing everything possible to push his cultivation forward.
Only by reaching the Sixth Transformation Gu Immortal realm could Fang Yuan's Empty Orifice bear the Spring Autumn Cicada.
At that time, Fang Yuan would gain more freedom and composure, no longer so urgently oppressed as he was now.
Pale purple True Essence in the Empty Orifice continuously generated, settling beneath the remnants of golden True Essence.
Fang Yuan withdrew his mind, slowly stood up, walked out of the secret chamber, and entered another room.
In this room sat several large jars. The jars were filled with green liquid, each containing a Purple Crystal She Li Gu floating within.
There were six Purple Crystal She Li Gu in total. The vast majority had been purchased by Fang Yuan or the Little Fox Immortal over these past few days from the Treasure Yellow Heaven.
A Purple Crystal She Li Gu could elevate a Fifth Transformation Gu Master by a full realm of cultivation! Fang Yuan had spent a considerable sum for these Purple Crystal She Li Gu.