Chapter 164 - 124: Is Nine Transformations the Limit? Not Necessarily!

Chapter 164: Chapter 124: Is Nine Transformations the Limit? Not Necessarily!

After endless contemplation and weighing of options, Jiang Hao gave a self-deprecating laugh.

If he were to conventionally reshape his eight veins and spine, the Celestial Sword Sect would have likely slain him long before he had the chance to rise. He had no time to start over from scratch. The countless mortal enemies waiting outside would never give him that chance.

"If I reshape them, it will take at least three years," he thought.

Three years. Setting aside whether opportunities like the Dragon Transformation Pool would still exist by then, if he didn’t enter the Mortal Shedding stage through the ninth transformation of his multiple veins today, the Saint Sons and Saintesses of the Celestial Sword Sect probably wouldn’t even give him those three years.

"In three years, the grass on my grave would be three feet tall."

Ultimately, Jiang Hao slowly released the translucent *Nine Transformations Spirit Technique* in his hands, letting it dissipate into dragon energy and slip through his fingers.

When this scene fell into the eyes of the onlookers, however, it took on a profound meaning.

"Look quickly, that guy actually gave up on the *Nine Transformations Spirit Technique*?"

"What a disheartening choice. Were you all right? His limit has stopped at the eighth transformation of his eight veins and spine. Has he given up?"

"He really gave up?"

This scene in the Holy Pool left the tens of millions of Cultivators utterly astonished. Even Gu Qingyan and the others stared in stunned disbelief, unwilling to accept what they were seeing. Many local Nanling Cultivators became confrontational, relentlessly mocking some of the outsiders.

"Is this the peerless freak you talked about? I really thought the barren lands were going to birth a legendary figure this time, but who would have thought he’d end up just being a joke."

"Go on, keep gloating! Weren’t you all so full of yourselves just a moment ago? You were walking around with your chests puffed out, so why the silence now?"

Faced with the mockery and provocations of the Nanling Cultivators, countless Cultivators from the barren lands lowered their heads in utter desolation. Yet, just as everyone was utterly baffled and even somewhat disappointed...

In the Holy Pool.

"Since I could achieve eight consecutive qualitative transformations, it proves that this path is viable. At the very least, it can be walked," Jiang Hao muttered to himself as he sat cross-legged in the Holy Pool, seemingly solidifying a certain conviction in his heart. "The ninth transformation can definitely be broken through as well. Where exactly lies the problem?"

Although this path was not recorded in Nanling’s *Nine Transformations Spirit Technique*, he had still walked it step by step to reach this day. This meant that all hope was not lost; he simply hadn’t found that sliver of opportunity yet.

As he pondered, Jiang Hao’s Divine Sense subconsciously entered his body, manifesting as a miniature version of himself that began to walk around within. This time, however, he did not enter the Xuanhai, but rather his eight veins and spine.

The Divine Sense Jiang Hao felt as if he had stepped into a vast, independent world. Flowing slowly around him was Golden Spiritual Power, bounded by vein walls that resembled massive celestial canopies. Above him was the bottleneck that shrouded this space, a visible shackle clamping down tightly on the entire major vein.

With his Divine Sense’s arrival, illusory images surfaced on the vein walls, each depicting scenes of his past attempts to break through the One Vein Many Transformations. He was like a wanderer searching for memories, or a sage traveling through a great world seeking enlightenment, treading across every corner of his eight veins and spine.

In the outside world, however, Jiang Hao seemed to have turned into a fossil. He sat perfectly still in the Holy Pool, his lips constantly moving as he muttered to himself.

On the South Mountain Peak.

Yan Nantian stared at the figure in the transmitted projection. His body suddenly shuddered, and his usually placid eyes seemed to ripple with churning galaxies. It wasn’t just Yan Nantian. At this moment, a terrifying Saint’s phantom also manifested behind a certain generation’s Sword Saint.

"He gave up the *Nine Transformations Spirit Technique*, which records all the methods of One Vein Many Transformations, and instead entered a state of self-epiphany. Could it be...?" The stalwart Saint’s eyes were filled with horror. Feeling a sudden chill down his spine, he asked, "Is he walking a completely new path of spirit transformation?"

"How is that possible?"

Hearing the voice, Yan Nantian’s Sacred Body trembled slightly, a storm brewing in his time-worn eyes.

"Has he never come into contact with a spirit transformation method?" Yan Nantian murmured. "That must be it. Without ever learning a spirit transformation method, he still managed to walk step by step to where he is today. Relying solely on his own epiphanies and exploration, he has stepped into the eighth transformation of his eight veins and spine?"

BOOM!!!

The moment these words were spoken, the two Saints looked as though they had been struck by lightning, subconsciously exchanging a glance. It wasn’t hard to see the immense shock in both of their eyes, as if they had simultaneously realized the same thing. As time passed, however, the Holy Pool remained incredibly tranquil.

Three months later.

Countless favored sons and daughters of heaven had finished their spirit transformations and consecutively exited the Dragon Transformation Pool. Even among the Five Sons of Nanling, some had reached their limits.

In the fifth month.

Leng Tianyu, the last to finish, finally opened his eyes, having stepped into the Eight Veins Ninth Transformation. Unfortunately, the spine ultimately barred this peerless Saint Son, the leader of the Five Sons, from proceeding further.

"Still no changes?"

"He’s been sitting there like a rock for five whole months. What on earth is he doing?"

By now, the countless Cultivators from the barren lands no longer held out any hope. Only a sparse few, like Gu Qingyan, were still anticipating something.

Half a year later.

On this day, half a year later, even Huang Ling’Er and the other two in the highest Holy Pool dispersed their heavenly auras, erupting with terrifyingly boundless Mortal Shedding presences. Yet, that figure in white remained as unmoving as a mountain.

"Enough already! If you can’t do it, just get out of there. Stop making a fool of yourself."

"His limit is right there. Even if he sits there for a hundred years, he won’t make any progress."

"Brat, you’re the only one left. If you don’t have the strength, stop wasting everyone’s time! Don’t tell me you think sitting there for a few more months will help you break through a realm you couldn’t pass in half a year?"

Countless Cultivators shook their heads, their eyes filled with exasperation and mockery. Some had even begun to turn and leave, no longer paying attention to the Holy Pools. However, just as this unprecedented gathering was about to disperse...

"I understand now. They appear independent, but in truth, the eight veins are interconnected, and the spine is linked. The barrier to the ninth transformation lies in unity."

The motionless Jiang Hao suddenly spoke in a faint tone. Though his voice was incredibly low, it carried into the ears of every single Cultivator.

"What is he saying? Understood what?"

"The eight veins are interconnected, and the spine is linked? It lies in unity?"

"What kind of nonsense is he spouting?"

As countless Cultivators broke into fervent discussions, Jiang Hao continued muttering to himself, seemingly entirely immersed in his own world.

"This is my path of spirit transformation. It is a brand-new path," Jiang Hao murmured.

"At least within the world I have access to, it is a new path.

"Who said the eight veins had to be cultivated separately?

"Who said the eight veins and the spine couldn’t be broken through simultaneously?

"These are all just limitations—limitations forced upon oneself."

Following Jiang Hao’s epiphany, the eight veins and spine within his body seemed to come alive, all of them trembling violently.

RUMBLE!!!

The boundless power of the eight veins and the power of his spine erupted simultaneously, resonating with each other as if across an endless universe.

"The heart moves with the thought, the thought moves with the will," Jiang Hao declared.

"What need is there for a Secret Technique? I am the Secret Technique.

"My veins, my bones—I am their master. To shatter mountains and split the earth takes but a mere thought.

"BREAK FOR ME!!!"

With the silent command to ’break’, suddenly...

BOOM!!!

A world-shocking might erupted from within Jiang Hao’s body. Terrifying Spirit Transformation Power surged against the heavens, instantly crashing into the nine shackles.

CRACK!

A crisp sound echoed from within his body as the nine shackles tore apart instantly. They shattered like fragile wings, completely unable to withstand that terrifying force. The world-shocking might broke through the shackles and burst out of his body, sweeping across the endless void.

RUMBLE!!!

A massive surge of energy violently exploded, bombarding the grand array of the Holy Pool. The entire Dragon Transformation Pool trembled, shocking the meditating old man guarding outside the Holy Pool as if he had been struck by lightning. This world-shocking transformation instantly drew the gazes of the tens of millions of Cultivators.

When everyone felt that terrifying might, when they witnessed that earth-shattering eruption, they were all thunderstruck. Especially at the moment when nine streaks of Holy Light pierced the sky simultaneously, the entire Holy City was completely stunned.

"Nine streaks of Holy Light?"

"Is this... the eight veins and the spine stepping into the ninth transformation simultaneously? How... how is this possible?"

RUMBLE!!!

Nine beams of radiant light soared into the sky, piercing through heaven and earth, stupefying the endless peerless geniuses and tens of millions of experts. At this moment, even atop the nine distant Holy Mountains, countless ancient eyes snapped open.

However, all of this was not over yet.

In the Holy Pool.

That figure in white remained as immovable as a divine guardian, showing not the slightest sign of waking up.

Nine uniting as one signifies rebirth.

Was the ninth transformation truly the limit?

Not necessarily!