Portrait of Ying Bing Ascending to Immortality

Midnight.

Li Mo sat before the Hall of Supreme Purity, holding two paintings in his hands.

After imprinting the Creation Seal, the original "Mona Ice Slush" had not disappeared.

With both paintings placed side by side, the young scholar Li found himself puzzled.

"Both are of the Middle Form, so why can I perceive one but not the other?"

"Could it have nothing to do with the painting's grade?"

Seated in a corner of the celestial court he had simulated himself, Li Mo fell into deep thought.

The only distinction he could think of was that the icy figure's portrait had been drawn by his own hand.

Surely it couldn’t be that only his own paintings were perceivable?

As he pondered—

"Teacher... I... I'm here."

Jiang Chulong approached with light footsteps, her joy palpable even through the blindfold covering her eyes.

She seemed eager to step closer, to share her happiness with her teacher, yet her feet hesitated.

Timid, she dared not stand too near him.

"You're right on time today."

Li Mo stored the paintings and rose to his feet.

His warm tone eased some of the tension in Jiang Chulong's stiff posture.

The Heavenly Venerable's lesson began.

Whoosh—

Suddenly.

Princess Jiang, who had been listening attentively, froze mid-motion.

Li Mo recognized this fluctuation of energy.

Through his Heavenly Eye of Fate, he confirmed it.

[Name: Jiang Chulong]

[Age: 15]

[Root Bone: Innate Sword Embryo, Wild Grass Sword Bone forming.]

[Realm: Twelve Meridians of the Blood-Qi Realm (Breaking through).]

[Fate: Gold]

[Evaluation: Youngest daughter of the Great Yu Emperor, born with a Sword Embryo physique. At fourteen, her elder brother, the Crown Prince, stole her Sword Bone. Yet the Sword Bone was born from her, not she from the Sword Bone. If she can cleanse the dust from her heart and mend herself, she may still ascend as a Sword Sovereign.]

[Recent Event: The Wild Grass Sword Sutra has taken form; she is on the verge of rebirth through destruction.]

Princess Jiang was about to break through.

But this world lacked the natural spiritual energy required.

Without hesitation, Li Mo willed it.

The rare treasures, spiritual materials, and two Mystic Crystals piled in the corner shattered, dissolving into the purest form of heaven and earth's energy.

The energy surged toward Jiang Chulong.

Before long—

[Congratulations, Host. Successful investment in 'Jiang Chulong,' aiding her breakthrough.]

[Investment Reward: Mythril Creation Seal!]

[Mythril Creation Seal]: "Can deduce Divine Observation Paintings, applicable to Upper Forms, with the potential to elevate them to Supreme Forms."

"Teacher... I... I broke through..."

Jiang Chulong's timid voice reached him.

"Hmm?"

Li Mo paused, studying her intently—something unexpected caught his attention.

The princess's aura was far more profound than he had anticipated.

Jiang Chulong lowered her head.

"It seems... not just the Qi Condensation Realm."

Li Mo: "??"

This was his world. With a mere flicker of perception, he realized the princess had already liquefied her inner energy.

At this speed, she was nearly matching Ying Bing.

Theoretically, aside from his own still-mysterious immortal physique, Ying Bing's talent was the strongest he had encountered thus far.

But upon reflection, it made sense.

Princess Jiang's innate gifts were exceptional, and she was an absolute workaholic—because once she reached the Inner Breath Realm, "Big Brother Li" had promised her a gift.

Thus, she cultivated relentlessly, even in her dreams, all twelve hours of the day.

Coupled with the "Heavenly Venerable Teacher's" guidance and resources, her rebirth through destruction was no surprise.

"Very impressive."

The Heavenly Venerable nodded approvingly, his voice gentle.

Jiang Chulong stood obediently, her lips trembling slightly.

Seeing her like this, Teacher Li Mo recalled his promises to her.

First, to tell her stories of the celestial court.

Second, to bring "Big Brother Li" in to play.

"Today, let's start with a tale of the heavens, shall we?"

The Heavenly Venerable cleared his throat, adopting a profound, resonant tone.

"Mmm..."

Jiang Chulong was a little disappointed.

But she obediently sat cross-legged, eager with anticipation.

She always retold these stories to Da Zhu and the others afterward.

"To explain why the Eight-Trigram Furnace toppled over..."

"We must begin with the story of a monkey who sprang forth from a stone."

Cue the visuals!

With his improved painting skills, Young Scholar Li's composition had also leveled up.

Paired with the World Seed's ability to manifest scenes according to his will, the viewing experience was nothing short of immersive.

"In those days, there was an Eastern Victory Divine Continent. By the shores of the Ao Lai Kingdom stood a Mountain of Flowers and Fruit..."

Whoosh—

The winds and clouds shifted, revealing a stone weathered by wind, rain, and the essence of the sun and moon.

...

The next morning.

"Princess Jiang seemed to really enjoy Journey to the West."

Li Mo leisurely rose from bed.

In his hand, another small seal gleamed—this one silvery-mythril.

"Bronze Creation Seal, Mythril Creation Seal, Gilded Heavenly Script Seal..."

"Does this mean I can now elevate a Middle Form directly to a Divine Form of the Great Dao?"

Li Mo pondered.

He fetched his scholar's tools, took a deep breath, and steadied his mind, trying to recapture yesterday's sensation while painting the Divine Observation image.

Finally—

On the jade slip of the Azure Vein, a stone seemed to leap off the page.

"This is just a painting."

"Not a Divine Observation image."

Li Mo shook his head.

He had intended to depict the stone from which the Monkey King emerged.

But... he had failed.

Now, there was only one path forward.

Li Mo retrieved the painting of Ying Bing, which had been elevated to Middle Form.

First, the Bronze Creation Seal.

A new scroll separated from the original, bathed in a hazy glow.

[Bronze Creation Seal successfully applied.]

[This painting depicts Ying Bing during her breakthrough into the Dharma Body stage.]

Now elevated to Upper Form, the painting's aura had ascended further, its majesty even more transcendent.

Yet Li Mo's spirit felt no strain.

"It can still go further."

Plop—

The Mythril Creation Seal, freshly obtained from Princess Jiang, was stamped onto the new artwork.

[Mythril Creation Seal successfully applied.]

[This painting depicts Ying Bing at the Heaven-Treading Realm, standing among the Nine Heavens.]

The scene had transformed into an exquisitely crafted jade palace, floating high above, gazing indifferently upon the mortal realm.

Its master was as cold and detached as the palace itself.

The Ying Bing in the painting now wore jade-colored celestial robes, her majesty peerless—so much so that one might mistake the heavens for being beneath her feet, as if she had elevated them to new heights.

Had Ying Bing been present, she might have wondered if she had been reborn without realizing it.

Yet the figure in the painting was doing something she had never done in life.

She gazed serenely upon the mortal world, watching its tides rise and fall, as if waiting for something.

"One more step, and it becomes a Divine Form of the Great Dao."

Li Mo stared at the painting, his mind reeling.

Yet his spirit, his body—neither showed signs of being overwhelmed.

He could still press onward.

The Gilded Creation Seal descended slowly onto a corner of the painting.

Hum—

Everything on the scroll began to waver, losing its solidity.

The system prompt chimed.

[Gilded Creation Seal successfully applied.]

[This painting depicts Ying Bing's ascension into immortality and transformation into the Dao!]

This—

Was the pinnacle Ying Bing had spent her life pursuing, a height even she had never reached.