Chap 8 - Origin Infant

In the vicinity of the battleground, a vast square sprawled atop a raised plateau, encircled by a series of small cliffs that lent an imposing backdrop.

From the lower ground nearby, the gentle murmur of a stream reached the ears, emanating from a crystal-clear lake that shimmered under the moon's silver radiance.

The tranquil waters teemed with visible fish, gracefully darting to and fro, bearing witness to the remarkable transparency and purity of the liquid realm.

Within the square stood a collection of towering pillars, each surpassing the height of an adult man threefold.

These pillars served as steadfast sentinels, encircling the central area and evoking an air of enigmatic formation. Intriguing symbols adorned the heart of each pillar, with one bearing the mark of a majestic tiger and the other a fierce dragon.

The ground beneath their feet was adorned with white stones, meticulously arranged to form an intricate mosaic of martial arts stances.

These peculiar black painted symbols, frozen in action, bestowed upon the location the unmistakable aura of a dedicated training ground.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rustled through the trees, setting the leaves in motion. Delicate purple foliage swirled and twirled in a graceful dance, gracefully cascading onto the square's center, forming a miniature vortex before being abruptly dispersed by a powerful gust.

Simultaneously, from the epicenter of the scattered leaves emerged a slender figure. Long tresses of yellowish-brown hair cascaded around a face adorned with dark magenta eyes that keenly surveyed the surroundings.

Present before them was a man in his twenties, blessed with striking features that could be deemed truly handsome.

After surveying the area, he momentarily closed his eyes, inhaling a lungful of crisp air, thus alleviating the tension that had settled upon his visage.

"In this world of breathtaking beauty, humanity's looming shadow has tragically marred nature's capacity for harmony," he uttered, his voice carrying a frail yet piercing timbre that seemed to pierce the very tranquility of the surrounding space.

A scops owl, perched nearby, let out a melodious whistle, as if echoing the sentiment expressed.

Simultaneously, a symphony of chirping emanated from a gathering of crickets concealed amidst the tall grass atop the cliffs, their harmonious tunes blending seamlessly with the rustling of the wind.

Upon hearing this symphony orchestrated by nature itself, a faint smile graced the young man's lips, his head swaying gently in rhythm with the harmonious melody, as if he were partaking in a private communion with the elements.

In that ethereal moment, an eagle's shrill cry sliced through the air, rending the owls' song asunder, its razor-sharp talons claiming a hapless victim before soaring back into the lofty heavens.

Concurrently, a chorus of frogs erupted in a cacophonous bark, abruptly silencing the crickets and plunging the surroundings back into a desolate hush.

This fleeting disturbance in the natural peace served as a poignant reflection of humanity's minuscule role within the grand tapestry of existence.

The young man let out a sigh, his eyes filled momentarily with sympathy, before resuming their default state of tranquil uncertainty.

He resumed his stroll around the square until he discovered a spot beneath a pine tree adorned with resplendent purple leaves, where he decided to settle.

"To attain the realm of Nascent Soul cultivation, one must cultivate an Origin Infant within their Dantian, cherishing and nurturing it as if it were their own child," Xia Wei, the young man, murmured thoughtfully.

As he recited the sacred path of Dao cultivation, his regular breaths gradually slowed, with the majority of the air now flowing through his nostrils, imbuing his body with a serene rhythm.

"Each stage of Nascent Soul mastery entails the manipulation of one's Origin Infant, allowing the soul to traverse beyond the confines of the physical vessel-

"- penetrating the consciousness of others, and even birthing new souls," he continued, pausing briefly as a gust of wind swept across the square, whisking away the accumulated dust.

"That is the path traversed by ordinary cultivators en route to the Nascent Soul realm. But what of me? The one in whose veins courses the bloodline of Yinglong?"

With those words lingering in the air, Xia Wei closed his eyes, allowing the vivid image of his Dantian's vast sea to envelop his mind.

Within the calm expanse of the cerulean sea, numerous white cores floated, known as the Yinglong Cores. Each core emanated a radiant glow, a testament to the recently absorbed Qi that coursed through Xia Wei's meridians.

The Qi seamlessly merged with each of the Yinglong Cores, and the once tranquil waters of the sea suddenly began to ripple and distort.

Each Yinglong Core, surrounded by ethereal tendrils of faint light Qi, began to orbit above the sea. The Qi within Xia Wei's Dantian surged, culminating in a colossal wave forming at the center of the circling cores.

Simultaneously, a brilliant white radiance flashed across the expanse of the sea, engulfing it in a momentary brilliance.

ROAR!

The resounding roar reverberated through the air, replacing the fading brilliance. In the heart of the swirling circle, a faint silhouette gradually materialized.

Initially, only scales emerged, followed by the gradual formation of a sinuous serpent-like spine adorned with two majestic horns, all sculpted by the unending sea of Qi.

As the bones and scales took shape, the Qi converged at the tip of the skeletal structure, manifesting a dragon-like head with a pair of formidable horns. Devoid of wings, the entity boasted four arms, each ending in sharp claws.

With the appearance of razor-sharp teeth and sockets for its piercing eyes, the process accelerated inexplicably, bringing the entire entity to life in an instant. It took the form of a fully grown Yinglong dragon, albeit with the size of an infant.

The white dragon, a manifestation of the Yinglong bloodline, roared defiantly at the churning sea and the white Yinglong Core, as if they were natural adversaries.

However, in the very next moment, a chilling Qi enveloped its head, soothing the enraged Yinglong and coaxing it to descend, gradually merging with the sea of Qi within Xia Wei's Dantian.

The initial stage of attaining the Nascent Soul realm involved the formation of an Origin Infant.

Yet, for a cultivator bearing the bloodline of Yinglong, the human soul was replaced by the corresponding bloodline essence, resulting in the emergence of a fully grown white dragon entity—the embodiment of the mighty Yinglong.