Eternal Tale
Chapter 281: The Shackles of Immortal Points Are Broken, The Divine Acupoint Mutates

Chen Xun smiled gently, gazing at them from afar. His aura, as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, felt oddly out of place on the battlefield of the realm.

By the Shore

“Moo!”

The big black ox raised its head and let out a loud bellow, preparing to leap through the air toward Chen Xun. It didn’t care about his cultivation level—whether he was a mere mortal or an all-powerful being. He was, and would always be, its big brother!

“Old Ox.”

“Moo?”

The big black ox froze mid-air.

“Don’t come over. Let me have a moment of peace. When the time comes, you’ll get your share of blessings—or trouble!”

“Moo moo!”

“Ah?!”

The Little Red, perched on the crane’s head, widened its eyes in shock. “A share of blessings?” Didn’t that mean punishment for them?

The big black ox waved a hoof, signaling its understanding, and returned to the crane’s head. It stared at Chen Xun in the distance without blinking.

…

Chen Xun calmed his breathing and sat cross-legged in mid-air, trying to organize his thoughts.

He turned his focus inward, observing the changes within. He had opened an additional 80 body acupoints, bringing the total to 160, the limit for a Nascent Soul cultivator's physical refinement. The tempering power from this tribulation had been overwhelming, and he had no choice but to accept it.

His blood energy surged rapidly through the acupoints, accompanied by streaks of light. It was truly majestic, akin to a dragon. A single punch could shatter a mountain.

Even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn’t stand a chance—one punch could send their Nascent Soul flying and shatter their physical body.

What was even more remarkable was how his Nascent Soul had transformed into a tangible Primordial Spirit. These spirits no longer hovered behind him but could now leave his body at will, guided by his intent to slay enemies until the five elemental energies were depleted.

Six Chen Xuns fighting as one—his current combat strength made him almost unconcerned about the possibility of the Great Li Realm containing him. It was time to resolve the Yu family’s affairs.

Chen Xun’s gaze turned cold at the thought. With a wave of his hand, a meticulously crafted tombstone of the Crane Spirit Tree appeared on the ground—a monument to Long Guanzi.

On the Coastal Ship

The big black ox and the Little Red stared at the enormous tombstone that had descended from the heavens, their eyelids twitching. They exchanged a glance, silently acknowledging each other’s thoughts.

Big Brother might seem gentle, but he held grudges deeply. The faint, looming aura of immense killing intent promised calamity for someone.

Chen Xun exhaled a deep breath, his expression returning to calm.

The shackle of the Immortal Points had finally been broken, and the enhancements to his body were becoming increasingly terrifying.

His current point attributes: Strength 200, Speed 200, Essence of All Things 200, Spiritual Energy 200, Defense 200.

With the combined bonuses from the body acupoints and 200 defense points, he doubted even a cultivator in the Divine Transformation Realm could break through his defenses—aside from tribulation lightning itself.

His speed had also become incredible. Combining physical refinement and movement techniques, he moved like thunderbolts, at least 200 times faster than ordinary Divine Transformation cultivators, even when exiting his body.

The endless flow of the five elemental energies allowed him to continuously augment his abilities. Each attribute complemented the others, leaving no weaknesses.

As for strength, there was no need to elaborate—one punch could obliterate a Nascent Soul cultivator. No flashy spells were required. Anyone caught in the blow would experience the sheer, brutal aesthetics of a cultivator's physical power.

With Essence of All Things, he could now cultivate medicinal herbs at a speed equivalent to 200 months per day—6,083 years in one year.

Once the big black ox broke through, they would be able to cultivate over 10,000-year-old spiritual treasures annually. The future of the cultivation path looked promising and steady.

“Interesting,” Chen Xun muttered, breaking into a chuckle as he thought about the bright future ahead. “Though I’ve just stepped into the Divine Transformation Realm, even mid-stage cultivators in the realm might struggle to match me.”

His gaze turned introspective, focusing on his Divine Acupoint. Among all his breakthroughs, this felt the most extraordinary.

His earlier mountain-shattering palm strike was merely a test to see if slaying defiled beasts could still enhance his spiritual consciousness—and it hadn’t disappointed him. Though subtle, the growth of his Divine acupoint’s power continued.

It seemed the Divine acupoint’s growth required no specific cultivation technique; it had become entirely independent of his cultivation base.

For now, with no Divine Transformation cultivation method to guide him, his progress was bottlenecked. All he could do was consolidate his foundation.

However, the supply of these defiled lifespans here was endless. He wanted to push his limits and see just how far he could go, to what extent his abilities could grow!

Afterward, he planned to return to the Heavenly Gate to harvest some God-killing Stones for the newly awakened divine acupoints. He swore to himself not to take too many.

A few small booklets floated in the air before him as he began jotting notes and sketches.

For a Divine Transformation cultivator, multitasking was effortless, and thoughts flowed with incredible speed. Cultivation truly unlocked the mind, validating the wisdom of the ancients.

“Ridiculous... Old Ox, this one’s intellect now far exceeds your comprehension.”

Chen Xun’s mouth curled into a smirk, and his eyes gleamed with newfound clarity. Thoughts that once eluded him were now snapping into place. “It seems the Divine Transformation Realm is truly the starting point for cultivators—the true beginning of exploring the mysteries of the universe.”

He could now perceive the essence of the world’s energy, akin to the skeletal framework of heaven and earth. He had truly grasped what it meant to wield the power of the natural world. Mountains, rivers, and vast terrains, all brimmed with elemental energy.

Divine Transformation cultivators use spiritual energy as a medium, transforming it into elemental energy to channel the forces of heaven and earth. The resulting spells were devastating, with effects spanning vast areas.

However, Chen Xun had always relied on the five elemental energies as his medium, using system-enhanced spiritual energy to manipulate the natural forces.

Now, his Starfall Technique had become a genuine celestial bombardment, capable of annihilating everything in its path.

If he acted without restraint, he might destroy the entire Qian Nation with a mere gesture.

The thought sent a chill through Chen Xun’s heart. Such terrifying cultivators were not rare in this world.

In the coming era of great upheaval, cultivators surpassing the Divine Transformation Realm would likely number beyond reckoning. He resolved to act cautiously, plan meticulously, and avoid hubris.

“Heart Demon Tribulation... The memories of that ‘Chen Xun’ from another past have already faded like smoke. It seems everything was merely a simulation,” Chen Xun mused, frowning slightly as his pen moved swiftly across the booklet.

“Why wasn’t Little Red there? Could the effects of the Heart Demon Tribulation truly be so terrifying…”

He had assumed the so-called Heart Demon would involve reliving past experiences, trapping him in a cycle of despair to destroy his Dao heart.

But he was no ordinary cultivator. He had never taken the Heart Demon Tribulation seriously, thinking it would be similar to his earlier Heart Refinement Trial—a mere passing glimpse, effortlessly overcome.

Perhaps a scenario where a demonic version of himself appeared, first engaging him in a battle of wits to shake his resolve, then a clash of strength, culminating in a desperate, rage-fueled roar to vanquish the foe.

But all his assumptions had been wrong. This Heart Demon Tribulation dragged his entire being into a recreated world, crafting an entirely new future based on the Heart Demon’s own deductions.

What surprised him most was that the Heart Demon didn’t reforge his past but presented a plausible future instead!

Moreover, they bore no ill will. They simply let him live in that world as if everything was designed for his benefit.

The harsh reality of the cultivation world struck him—Heart Demons didn’t just arise at a particular stage to be slain and forgotten.

They intended to linger, subtly influencing his longevity. Their hidden intent was utterly chilling, opening Chen Xun’s eyes and leaving him deeply unsettled.

“Little Crane... is a girl? Impossible! Trees don’t have genders. You Heart Demons are just making things up—after all, who can truly see the future?”

Chen Xun shook his head with a chuckle, casting a contemplative glance toward the black-and-white leaves on the shoreline. “Regardless of what form you take in the future, you’ll always be my brother.”

His expression turned enigmatic. If Little Crane turned out to be a boy, Chen Xun resolved to give him proper guidance: three days of discipline and five days of instruction. He’d ensure a proper upbringing, preventing any wayward tendencies.

He vowed not to spoil him as he had the three little troublemakers, who were given too much freedom and indulgence.

“Hmm… It shall be so.” Chen Xun nodded to himself, his thoughts firm. “This one will personally oversee his teachings. Old Ox and Little Red will not interfere.”

Rustle, rustle.

On the coastline, the Crane Spirit Five-Element Tree suddenly began to shake violently, catching the attention of the big black ox and Little Red. They both looked up in confusion.

“What’s going on? There’s no thunderstorm…”