Sage Monarch (Sage Emperor)

After consuming massive amounts of medicinal pills, Yang Qi finally reached the point where life force quintessence was coursing through him, pouring into that twenty-first particle, which began to wriggle and twitch.

By now, he had a very deep understanding of the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth.

The further along one proceeded in cultivating it, the harder it became. Every step was like breaking through a massive obstacle. In fact, without all of the spirit medicines he had access to, he couldn’t make this progress in even a hundred years of cultivation.

However, he still wasn't willing to abandon an energy art that was meant for gods and spirits. How could he?

He was developing power that could look down condescendingly on all heaven and earth; despite being a mortal, he was already developing the heart of a god. One reason powerful experts could be called powerful was because of their heart. However expansive their hearts were, that was how expansive their prospects could be.

Now, by sending the spirit energy of numerous medicinal pills into the Hellfire Crucible, he was preparing to make his break through into the Lifeseizing level.

“Seize life from the heavens! Godmammoths are invincible; they can pluck stars and snatch moons, their energy can consume even blazing suns.” True energy gathered around him and then shot upward, only to be grabbed by the energy formation, and sent back into him.

Crick! Crack!

True energy settled down around him, no longer in the visage of a suit of armor, but rather, as scales, all of them a deep golden color, and rippling as if they were flowing magma. There were also countless sparks of electricity flowing around him constantly; having been struck with a fatal bolt of lightning, his meridians and true energy contained its power within them.

Scales of true energy settled around him, covering him; in the blink of an eye, it wasn’t even possible to see Yang Qi. The only thing in the room was a towering megamammoth.

This megamammoth looked nothing like an elephant; it was massive, with a trunk so powerful it seemed capable of sucking all the air out of the room in the shortest moment.

As for Yang Qi, he sat cross-legged inside of the true energy megamammoth, which was so big it took up almost the entire room.

“Seize life from heaven? Seize life from heaven…. Focus on becoming stronger. Communicate with the spirit energy of heaven and earth, and the quintessence of the sun and moon. Seize life. Transform the self….”

It was a process, not just of reaching the highest level of enlightenment, but of pushing beyond that. Gradually, he realized that the air around him was actually heterogeneous and impure. It was filled with elements that could help all living things to grow, could help plants to blossom, and could help humans to transcend to higher levels. It was an energy, marvelous and strange, something that couldn’t be forcibly taken into the body.

It was the spirit energy of heaven and earth.

In the Lifeseizing level, humans rose to the level of being able to take that energy, bring it into their bodies, and use it to create life force essence, to replenish personal true energy, to transform the fleshly body, to acquire greater strength, to add lifespan, and to purify the mind.

One of the most fundamental changes was that, with the swipe of a hand, a Lifeseizer could create a resonance with the spirit energy of heaven and earth, and use it to attack enemies, or create astrological phenomena.

For example, Yang Qi cultivated the Four Seasons Swordplay, so if he reached the Lifeseizing level, he could truly use the sword energy of winter snow to cause actual snow storms.

If he could continue to seize life, and reach Quinary Lifeseizing, or even better, Septenary or Octonary, then he could do terrifying things within a range of fifty kilometers to five hundred. Wind, rain, snow, lightning; all such things were in the realm of possibility.

“Azure dragon. White tiger. Vermilion bird. Black turtle….”

Yang Qi’s true energy megamammoth trumpeted loudly, and as it did, more manifestations of divine animals appeared, all of them bowing in subservience.

Godmammoths were gods to the legions of gods, and were created to be leaders of all creation. In the endless sea of worlds, planes, and hells, they were the only divine beasts capable of forcing anything and everything to submit.

Yang Qi’s eyes snapped open, and he threw his head back and howled.

True energy streamed out of his pores, as his Hellfire Crucible transformed the medicinal energy within him into life force quintessence.

Inhale. Exhale….

As he performed his breathing exercises, true energy saturated the room, eventually bursting up to connect to the clouds, which churned and seethed until they were a vortex.

As of this moment, Yang Qi was like a butterfly in a cocoon, just waiting to emerge into the world.

But then, all of a sudden….

The medicinal energy in his Hellfire Crucible faded away. He was out of medicinal pills.

He needed even more life force quintessence than he had already generated.

Without enough spirit medicines, the twenty-first particle could do nothing but sink down into silence.

“Ai….” Sighing, he reined in his true energy.

The megamammoth vanished, and the golden color which made him look like some sort of god from heaven slowly sank back down inside him.

Although it wasn't visible to the naked eye now, Yang Qi could tell that the color of the multi-layered membrane beneath his skin had changed. And now, it had complex designs on it that seemed to be a spell formation.

Once he did step into the Lifeseizing level, he would be a living spell formation of sorts, one with all creation, and virtually invincible.

“I failed to break into the Lifeseizing level. But at least I benefited in some ways. And I did progress a bit.” Now that his true energy was back inside of him, and was already starting to build up again, he could tell that his meridians were all thicker and stronger. The true energy flowed through them like massive, roiling rivers.

Compared to his meridians, those of ordinary people would be like little more than streams. Within his various acupoints, his true energy seethed like magma ready to erupt from a volcano and destroy the world.

Yang Qi had failed to reach the Lifeseizing level, and the only reason was that he lacked enough life force quintessence.

Without that lightning mammoth to help him, his cultivation would now be far more difficult. It was a good thing he had mentally prepared for this outcome.

“I need to think of some other way to get the medicinal pills I need.” Rising to his feet, he checked his thumb-ring and confirmed that he had less than half of the medicinal pills left.

That definitely wasn't enough to build up the life force quintessence he needed.

Every time one type of medicinal pill was consumed, the second such pill that was consumed would be only half as effective. Therefore, Yang Qi planned to give the rest of his pill stockpile to his brothers and father.

Another month went by, during which Yang Qi stayed in his room and practiced cultivation in peace and quiet. Thanks to the pointers given by Yang Susu, many of his areas of confusion had been cleared up. Now, his routine cultivation went about smoothly and with no difficulty. In fact, he was reaching the point where he felt that he could probably create energy arts of his own.

His Four Seasons Swordplay were now at the ultimate peak, and he could use them without even thinking. He could bring about the transformations of spring, summer, autumn, and winter at will, although not to the level of a Lifeseizer.

And thanks to his constant work at cultivation, every square inch of his flesh and blood was filled with true energy.

His blood was now a deep golden color, and when he cast his senses inward, he could sense how powerful it was. It flowed like mercury through his blood vessels.

At long last, the freezing temperatures were fading away, and the lands were warming up. It was almost time for the lunar New Year.

Yang Qi circulated his true energy and then flicked his finger, causing a drop of blood to emerge from its tip, which then dropped down to the ground. When it landed, it didn't splash, but instead, remained there, a deep golden pearl, flickering and glittering like metal.

His blood had already reached a level that even most Lifeseizers would have a hard time comprehending. It was almost as if he wasn’t even human. When one's blood became golden, and as heavy as mercury, it indicated that one's energy arts and cultivation base had reached the point of completely transforming.

If one drop of blood was that heavy, then it was difficult to imagine how sturdy Yang Qi’s flesh and blood were as a whole. He was more tough and durable than even some massive beasts from ancient times.

“Wow, I've been in seclusion for a month already. I wonder if Li He and the others have returned. I should go ask how things are going in my clan.”

Waving his hand, he pulled the dark golden drop of blood back into his body.

Considering how much medicinal energy now existed in his blood, each drop was precious. In fact, if some master pill concocter got a drop of his blood, they would be able to produce a consummate spirit medicine.

With that, Yang Qi sent his true energy out of his room and into the rest of the tower.

It was at that point that he realized Li He and the others were already back.

Without any hesitation, he summoned them, and they immediately flew over to his room.

“Brother Yang, we've been back for ten days. Why were you in secluded meditation for so long? You were cultivating for an entire month?” When they entered, it was clear that they were in very high spirits.

“Did your trips home go well? How is your clan standing now? And how is my clan doing?” At a single glance, Yang Qi could tell that all four of them had advanced significantly, and were already far beyond the level they had been at when first becoming Masters of Energy.

Obviously, they had benefited greatly from their trips home.

“Between the four of us, we managed to muster over thirty Masters of Energy, and a hundred eighth phase experts. With their help, your father has already driven the previous city magistrate out, and taken control of Yanhaven.”

“What?” Yang Qi exclaimed. “They actually took over Yanhaven? Did my father send any messages?”

“Of course, Brother Yang Qi. Check this out.”

With that, Li He handed over a sealed letter.

Yang Qi took it and immediately tore it open. At first glance, he could tell that it was his father’s handwriting.