Chapter 31: Soul Mutation (Part 2)

  With a loud crash, Ye Han felt as if his mind had exploded.

  The entire person's thinking seems to have fallen into a very strange state, as if in the womb, surrounded by warm amniotic fluid, nourishing the body, making people lazy and not wanting to wake up, let alone open their eyes. It's as if everything is superfluous, with only oneself left in the world, and nothing can arouse any interest anymore.

  Ye Han sat cross-legged, slowly closing his eyes. This situation was so natural, as if it should have been this way all along. Whether he closed or opened his eyes, it was a feeling that came from the heart. There was no "good" or "bad", it just was.

  "Enter concentration!"

  In ancient times, many of those who entered the deep mountains to practice Taoist meditation and internal alchemy were actually masters of internal martial arts. They were also exceptional in their spiritual pursuits, or else they would not have abandoned the worldly splendor to live in seclusion in the mountains, contemplating nature and savoring solitude. Whether this approach can lead to immortality is uncertain, but it is indeed a profound form of spiritual cultivation.

  He who is strong will be strong, the clear wind sweeps over the mountain ridge; he who is arrogant will be arrogant, the bright moon shines on the great river.

  There are many Buddhist and Taoist classics that depict this peculiar state of life. Just like the legendary Turtle Breath, a person becomes as still as a stone, their pores closed, breathing stopped, just like death itself. But in reality, the entire body has entered a state of suspended animation that cannot be described in words. The heartbeat slows down, just like the longest-lived tortoise, this is a miraculous transformation of life.

  Legend has it that Chen Bo, the ancestor of Taoism, was known as the Sleeping Immortal. He slept for 800 years and when he woke up, the world had already changed beyond recognition. It's the same principle.

  Because in all living things, the life of turtles or tortoises is the longest, it's because they breathe slowly, their heart beats less, their metabolism is slow, and they reduce the consumption of their vital energy, which allows them to extend their lifespan.

  Entering a state of meditation, it is in this semi-awake and semi-asleep state that one can enter the realm of this unique internal martial art. Ye Han had never entered such a strange life state before. This time, under the influence of external forces, he finally took this long-awaited step. It's called "seeing the divine without being destroyed". According to legend, it is a deeper level of internal martial arts, and in this state, everything becomes very vague, making it difficult to define with any standard. At least, Ye Han had never heard of anyone reaching such a realm before.

  In history, whether in the Republic of China or ancient times, the boundaries of Bao Dan still have some reference, but this kind of unbreakable boundary is really unsupported. Just like the "Golden Elixir" and "Purple Mansion" of ancient Taoism, it is said that "the Golden Elixir is swallowed into the abdomen, and a long-lived person stands on the ground". This is something that can only be achieved by Zhang Sanfeng, whose physical potential has reached its limit, and the internal martial arts method enters the Bao Dan boundary, which is the ancient "True Immortal of the Earth". When people reach that point, living to be 150 or 160 years old is also very normal. But the "Purple Mansion" is really somewhat illusory and elusive. This is completely a transformation from the material world to a more unimaginable thinking or spiritual realm.

  So even if Ye Han only dared to consider it as a level of rumor, he now had a feeling that he had subtly touched some kind of peculiar trigger. However, everything was just a feeling, and wanting to take that step was not easy at all.

  Just as Ye Han's entire person was entering a meditative state, the whole thing fell to the ground and into a small puddle of water. The soul mask that had been immersed in the spiritual water also began to change gradually. Gradually, from its initial dullness without light, it once again shone with a strange golden brilliance. The dense cracks and fissures on its surface were also slowly disappearing. Only the largest crack in the middle, which almost split the entire mask in two, remained starkly visible. However, wanting to fill it completely was only a matter of time.

  At this time, Ye Han's brain domain was also undergoing a huge change. At an unimaginable speed, it rapidly expanded. The original location of the soul mask at the very center, a massive vortex erupted, and that vortex grew larger and larger, with its deepest part seemingly connected to a more mysterious void...

  Time had passed unknowingly, the spider web-like cracks on the soul mask had completely disappeared, re-forming into a complete piece, just like newly cast gold, shining with noble and mysterious luster.

  Behind Ye Han's body, a golden mist spread out, constantly changing, as if trying to outline some kind of pattern.

  At this time, the golden mask that was originally immersed in the soul water at the bottom of the small pool suddenly floated up and hovered in mid-air. Then, it suddenly opened its eyelids, revealing a cold and indifferent pair of golden eyeballs that seemed to be made of pure gold.

  Ahh! A sound like a sonic boom, inaudible to the human ear, suddenly rang out. Instantly, a suction force was generated, and the gurgling Soul Water was sucked into the open mouth of the black hole on the Soul Mask.

  In an instant, it was as if dry wood had met fierce flames, producing the most terrifying chemical reaction.

  Ye Han's tightly closed eyes had a hint of ferocity, his brow furrowed. In the space within his mind, a stormy sea surged, with fierce winds and torrential rains.

  Behind him, in the midst of swirling golden mist, a peculiar image was slowly taking shape, resembling an inverted golden pyramid.

  After swallowing a large amount of Soul Water, the golden mask that had already been fully restored was also undergoing a huge change. The original soul mask was a gold-colored, tightly closed-eyed bull statue image. But at this moment, the golden bull mask slowly transformed into an unpredictable situation...

  The sharp golden horns became even sharper, gradually curving, expanding, and branching out into many peculiar, hook-like forks. The forehead protruded high, the eye sockets were deep-set, and the eyeballs shone like gold, while the lion's nose expanded, and then on top of the head grew four or five pairs of golden horns, displaying a majestic and noble appearance. Gradually transforming into an image of a strange golden demon mask, it slowly revealed an indescribable, terrifying aura.

  At this time, the golden mist behind Ye Han had already vaguely outlined the main outline of the inverted golden pyramid in mid-air, but it was still a bit blurry. It was like a mirage, hidden behind countless golden mists, faintly visible, and looked extremely majestic...

  Boom.

  Just as he finished, Ye Han suddenly opened his eyes, shooting out two golden beams of light that condensed into a solid substance and burst forth more than three or four feet. In the space of his mind, the spiritual willpower stirred up a massive whirlpool, which seemed to have reached some kind of limit before suddenly collapsing, stirring up an unparalleled majestic aura.

  Then everything, under the influence of some kind of strange power, suddenly contracted towards a certain central point...

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  Sorry about that, yesterday I fell asleep while typing, this is the last chapter from yesterday, there will be another update tonight!