Chapter 12

In the midst of the lightning and thunder, a sudden and unexpected change occurred! A clear cry echoed, and the wooden bracelet on Xiaosheng's left wrist began to vibrate intensely. Immediately after, a brilliant light, as intense as the sun, shot out from the bracelet, spinning in the air and growing larger and larger.

Finally, the light split to the left and right, revealing countless golden specks like snowflakes fluttering in the air. A magnificent, elegant, and majestic golden phoenix appeared before everyone's eyes!

It was the Sunstone! For many years, the Sunstone had never shown any unusual activity, but today it underwent a change that no one could have predicted!

In the next moment, the golden phoenix opened its beak and pecked at the primordial imperial aura, swallowing it whole. It then stretched its neck and let out a long, loud cry.

The sound of the phoenix's cry echoed through the nine heavens and ten directions, spreading far and wide. Instantly, all the birds in Luoyang City, inside and out, began to sing in unison, chirping and chattering. They all bowed their heads in reverence toward the direction of the phoenix.

Such a scene was a spectacular sight, a rare occurrence in a thousand years.

After swallowing the primordial imperial aura, the Sunstone's transformation did not stop. It flapped its wings and turned its head, calling out to Xiaosheng three times.

In that instant, Xiaosheng felt a faint crack deep within his body, as if an extremely strong lock had been shattered.

Immediately after, a cool sensation arose in Xiaosheng's mind, spreading through his entire body and rushing to the top of his head.

Time seemed to stop. There was no past, no future, only the eternal present. Instinctively, Xiaosheng exerted all his strength and leaped. But it was not his physical body that leaped, but his spirit.

His entire spirit transformed into countless tiny points, invisible even under a microscope, rising continuously until they coalesced in a higher-dimensional space. Xiaosheng opened his spiritual eyes and saw himself, or rather, his physical body.

His physical body was still sitting cross-legged, but Xiaosheng's spirit had transformed into another magnificent, elegant golden phoenix.

In an instant, the two phoenixes circled and flew around each other, faster and faster, forming a huge Taiji pattern in the air. Xiaosheng's spirit was the yang within yin, while the phoenix formed by the Sunstone was the yang within yang. Together, they formed—pure yang!

A loud boom erupted! The two golden phoenixes merged completely, inseparable from each other.

Xiaosheng's spirit returned to his body, and he stood up instinctively, letting out a long, loud cry. Warm, radiant, and gentle golden light burst from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, shooting toward the sky! Everything inside and outside the bamboo pavilion was instantly engulfed in golden light, making everything invisible.

No one knew how long it had been, but the brilliant light, like the rising sun, finally faded slowly. The changes in Xiaosheng were finally revealed.

Armor! Golden armor! Golden Phoenix armor! Standing proudly here was no longer Xiaosheng, but a Golden Phoenix Knight.

This unprecedented armor was completely sealed. It covered the wearer from head to toe, with not even a single inch of skin exposed. Even the eyes and mouth were covered.

The surface of the armor shone with the most brilliant and dazzling golden luster. Its appearance was filled with phoenix characteristics. The phoenix head was the helmet, the wings were the armor, draped over the shoulders on both sides. The claws were the greaves, protecting the legs below the knees.

The chest, back, and vital areas were protected by specially reinforced plates. The buckle on the armor's belt was engraved with a phoenix spreading its wings and crying out, depicted in an abstract style.

Majestic and magnificent, it exuded a sacred and overwhelming presence. Those with weak wills would likely kneel down and worship the Golden Phoenix Knight the moment they were illuminated by the armor's light.

Yuxuanji, whose will was as strong as steel, would not kneel. But seeing the armor, a faint smile appeared on her flawless face for the first time. She softly exclaimed, "It's done!" Her body swayed, and she almost fell backward.

At the critical moment, the eyes of the Golden Phoenix Knight suddenly glowed with intense red light. Then, a flash of golden light, and the Golden Phoenix Knight was by Yuxuanji's side, supporting her waist and asking with concern, "Strategist, how are you?"

The voice through the armor was somewhat muffled, but it was clearly Xiaosheng's voice.

"I'm fine, let me go," Yuxuanji steadied herself, pushed away the Golden Phoenix Knight's arm, and sat down, catching her breath. She then regained her usual calm demeanor and said, "The most important thing now is not how I am, but how you are."

"Right! How am I?" Xiaosheng raised his arms, looking at his hands with surprise. "This armor... this armor... what exactly is it? Right, the Sunstone! What about it now?"

"The Sunstone is actually another name for the phoenix egg. The phoenix egg absorbed the primordial imperial aura and hatched into a young phoenix," Yuxuanji said calmly. "Now, the young phoenix has merged with your spirit, becoming one. The eggshell left after the phoenix hatched has formed this armor. So from now on, the Sunstone is you, and you are the Sunstone."

"The phoenix egg is the Sunstone. So, when Old Nine challenged me, it wasn't entirely baseless," Xiaosheng realized, then smiled. "In that case, breaking his leg wasn't unjustified."

Pausing, Xiaosheng took a few deep breaths, straightened his body, and casually made a few movements. The movements were not large, but the air around him immediately filled with a deep, buzzing sound. The space within a ten-meter radius trembled slightly, as if it had been cut off and was being shaken.

Feeling the surging power within his body, Xiaosheng's voice was filled with excitement. "This armor is really great. It looks heavy, but it's actually light and flexible, like a second skin. Hmm... it's like I've been reborn. What level of strength do I have now?"

Yuxuanji said calmly, "To know what level you are at, you first need to understand the different levels of martial cultivation and their characteristics. Otherwise, your question can't be answered."

Xiaosheng smiled and said, "Although I have the six yin meridians and can't cultivate in the normal way, I know the basics of martial cultivation. Do you want to test me? Fine, I'll just say a few things.

The Five Animal Martial Saint, who was recognized as the greatest martial artist eight thousand years ago, explained the levels of martial cultivation most clearly. He believed that the greatest mystery in the universe is 'life and death.' Life and death are like a sea of suffering, and the human body is a precious boat. To transcend life and death, one must cultivate martial arts to strengthen both the body and the soul, hoping to eventually reach the other shore and transcend life and death.

The Five Animal Martial Saint divided the entire cultivation process into nine levels, each with nine stages. Nine levels and nine stages, totaling eighty-one stages, the ultimate yang number. He believed that if someone could successfully complete these eighty-one stages, they could achieve eternal immortality.

The first level of martial cultivation, 'Inner Response and Outer Sensation,' is the Martial Scholar. One must understand the interaction between the body and the universe. After cultivation, one's senses become sharp, and even the slightest movement, like a leaf falling or an ant crawling, cannot escape the practitioner's notice.

The second level, 'Sinew Transformation and Bone Washing,' is the Martial Master. The body is continuously refined, reaching a relatively pure and perfect state. The body becomes light and agile, immune to diseases, and the bones become as strong as steel, with immense strength. One can split stones and tear apart tigers and leopards.

The third level, 'Five Qi Convergence,' is the Martial Warrior. This means cultivating the true qi of the five organs and being able to channel internal energy externally. Advanced martial techniques like sword beams, blade beams, and invisible sword qi can only be mastered at this level.

The fourth level, 'Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown,' is the Grandmaster. The focus shifts to mental and spiritual cultivation. A successful cultivator can defeat enemies with sheer willpower and momentum, subduing them without a fight. Their skills are miraculous and incomprehensible.

The fifth level, 'Martial Intent Manifestation,' is the Great Grandmaster. The focus is on understanding one's own martial intent and transforming it from abstract to concrete. A single move can travel across mountains and rivers, and its power will not diminish until it hits the target.

After that, there are the sixth level, 'Hundred Apertures Unblocked,' the Martial Transcendent; the seventh level, 'Blood Drop Rebirth,' the Human Martial Saint; the eighth level, 'Thousand Transformations,' the Earth Immortal; and the ultimate ninth level, 'Union with the Dao,' the Martial God.

However, even the Five Animal Martial Saint himself was only a Human Martial Saint. The levels beyond have never been reached by anyone in recorded history. Therefore, whether these levels truly exist is still a matter of debate.

The levels of martial cultivation are roughly as described. Strategist, am I correct?"

"You've described it well," Yuxuanji nodded lightly and continued, "The levels of martial cultivation are roughly as you described. As for you, Lord, you practice the Ripple Immortal Dao and the Extreme Star Phoenix Fist. These two techniques are extraordinary. Combined, they are roughly at the level of a second-stage Grandmaster, or the 'Disturbing Spirit Realm.'

Of course, the phoenix egg is a rare and sacred object with miraculous and incomprehensible powers. Your spirit has merged with the young phoenix hatched from the phoenix egg, becoming a pure yang spirit. The potential is even more incomprehensible.

In the future, you will not only have a strong destiny, turning misfortune into good fortune and enjoying continuous good luck, but your mental cultivation will also progress smoothly and rapidly, without encountering any bottlenecks. Achieving the peak of the Grandmaster or even the Great Grandmaster level is just a matter of time."