The moment the Dragon Elephant Great Strength entered his body, Gu Yuan felt a surge of immense power from within. His bones and sinews cracked, further strengthening his already robust frame.
His bones stretched, and his large tendons extended, enabling him to unleash even more formidable power.
Gu Yuan felt no discomfort; it was as if his body were immersed in a warm spring.
After a long while, Gu Yuan opened his eyes and slowly stood up.
His entire body's bones and sinews made sounds like popping beans.
Gu Yuan felt the potent strength within him, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
He clenched his fist, crushing the air in his palm, and slowly assumed a boxing stance.
His fists and feet moved with apparent slowness, yet they stirred the air in the room, creating a rushing sound. Papers and other light objects were tossed about by this swirling current.
Was this the might of the Dragon Elephant Great Strength? He felt as though all previous discomfort had vanished.
He could now freely activate his powerful physique, no longer experiencing the frustration of having the will but lacking the strength.
He decided to seize the opportunity and return to Tianyuan City tomorrow. Today, he aimed to push all his destined fates to their limit and then awaken his Fated God.
The next in line was Xiao Yixian's [Slaying Demons and Exterminating Heretics (Azure)].
Absorb, Gu Yuan willed.
The star representing [Slaying Demons and Exterminating Heretics (Azure)] descended into Gu Yuan's body.
[Azure Fate Points reduced by three hundred!]
After a considerable time, Gu Yuan opened his eyes. This fate had not physically altered him; it had merely infused his attacks with a trace of the "Slaying Demons and Exterminating Heretics" power.
[Remaining Violet Qi: two thousand nine hundred points, Azure Qi: four thousand five hundred points!]
With so much Qi remaining, he should be able to choose a Fated God.
Gu Yuan tentatively queried the Dao 운 Heavenly Book and was surprised by its response: a Fated God required one thousand Violet Qi points.
Gu Yuan was somewhat taken aback, surprised that inviting a god into his fate was so inexpensive.
He felt reassured. [Body of Iron Skin (Azure)] imprint!
[Azure Fate Points reduced by three hundred!]
This still had minimal impact on his physical body. Its primary effect was on his understanding of tough body cultivation techniques, making them twice as effective.
Reflecting himself.
[Dao Master]: [Gu Yuan]
[Fated God]: [Unformed]
[Fate]: [Primordial Chaos Qi]
[Realm]: [Meridian Opening Realm (Minor Accomplishment)]
[Fates]: [Primordial Chaos Yuan Fetus (Gold)], [Innate Physique (Violet)], [All Meridians Open (Violet)], [Golden Fusion Body Tempering (Violet)], [Rib Cage and Brawny Muscles (Azure)], [Dragon Elephant Great Strength (Azure)], [Body of Iron Skin (Azure)], [Qi Swallowing Bullfight (Azure)], [Slaying Demons and Exterminating Heretics (Azure)], [Martial Skill Mastery (Azure)], [Spiritual Qi Affinity (Azure)], [Natural Death (White)], [Cautious and Brave (White)], [Sudden Premonition (White)], [Archery (White)], [Long Blade Affinity (White)].
Huh!
Gu Yuan received a message from the Dao 운 Heavenly Map, informing him that he could now destroy fates.
With that in mind, Gu Yuan's gaze fell upon the white fates.
Focusing on one fate, he willed: Erase!
[Natural Death (White)] gradually faded from the Dao 운 Heavenly Map, and Gu Yuan felt a restriction on himself being lifted.
This meant his lifespan was no longer limited by this fate.
Gu Yuan decided to upgrade the remaining white fates.
[Cautious and Brave (White)] → [Peerless (Azure)]
[Sudden Premonition (White)] → [Foreseeing Danger and Embracing Fortune (Azure)]
[Archery (White)] → [Never Misses (Azure)]
[Long Blade Affinity] → [Grandmaster of the Blade (Azure)]
[Azure Fate Points reduced by one thousand!]
Gu Yuan's eyes held a hint of madness. He again communed with the Dao 운 Heavenly Map, merging [Rib Cage and Brawny Muscles (Azure)] and [Dragon Elephant Great Strength (Azure)].
His entire body's sinews and bones began to tremble violently. This time, it wasn't just his bones and sinews that evolved; even his flesh, internal organs, and blood began to transform.
Externally, Gu Yuan's body underwent continuous changes. Large tendons bulged, emitting a startling dark purple hue. Beneath his skin, countless small movements, like scurrying mice, were visible, creating a somewhat horrifying spectacle.
Gu Yuan's consciousness was carried by a mysterious force to an unknown land.
Where is this? Gu Yuan looked down at a world resembling a primeval wilderness, where beasts of one hundred and one thousand feet roamed unchecked.
Suddenly, the earth began to crack, and fissures that seemed to reach into the abyss appeared. Countless beasts let out mournful cries before falling into the dark crevices that had emerged beneath their feet. Towering trees toppled, and mountains ten thousand feet high fractured, scattering debris across the ground.
Some beasts with the ability to fly soared into the sky, evading the constantly appearing ground fissures. But the danger was far from over. Numerous fiery streaks suddenly appeared in the sky.
What are those? Gu Yuan strained his eyes, trying to discern the nature of the fiery streaks. As they drew closer, Gu Yuan realized with a shock that they were meteorites.
Dense and sky-obscuring, they offered no escape for the countless flying beasts that had taken to the air, each struck directly and falling into the endless abyss.
Rumble!
A massive tremor shook the land. Gu Yuan turned his gaze to see the center of the continent violently split open. A pair of hands covered in rock grabbed the edge of the shattered earth, and another hand emerged, grasping the opposite side.
To Gu Yuan's horrified astonishment, the hands pushed upwards with immense force. A colossal humanoid giant, whose height was immeasurable and entirely covered in rock, appeared in this world within Gu Yuan's field of vision.
This colossal rock giant clearly reached the very heavens, the so-called world barrier. He tightly held up the continuously descending sky with both hands, while golden light radiated from beneath his feet, stabilizing the ground. Thus, with gradual effort, he pushed the heavens upwards until they reached a stable position.
After completing this monumental task, the sky-reaching humanoid giant turned towards Gu Yuan's location. A beam of golden light shot out, heading straight for Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan instinctively tried to struggle, but the surrounding air felt as if it were locked, rendering him completely immobile.
He could only watch helplessly as the beam of golden light entered his brow. Instantly, a flood of realizations surged from the depths of his heart.
After a long while, Gu Yuan felt that the two previously distinct fates within him had now become a single entity. With a slight exertion, his body pulsed with an inexhaustible flow of power, a feeling that was intoxicating. His fist represented power, and true power came from his own strength.
Then came the moment he had most anticipated.
Gu Yuan's consciousness sank into the Dao 운 Heavenly Map. Before the countless shining stars in the Dao 운 Heavenly Map's space, a golden scroll appeared above Gu Yuan's head.
Gu Yuan understood.
Raising his hands above his head, he shouted towards the myriad stars:
"Today, I invite a god into my fate!"