Chapter 7: The Tenth Aperture of the Enlightenment Realm

"The tenth aperture..." Jiang Ning recalled his previous attempt to break through to the Body Forging Realm. His heart stirred with excitement.

"I should try again!" He sprang up in a rush, startling Erhuang who was lying beside him and nearly asleep.

He fetched several bottles of Clear Spirit Liquid he had stored away in his room. Of course, one or two bottles had mysteriously appeared, pilfered by Erhuang and never discovered by anyone.

"It's not enough. Last time I tried to break through, I merely sensed something in the dark, but I likely need to rely on even more spiritual energy to shatter the shackles..."

Thinking for a moment, he took out a yellow fruit radiating spiritual energy.

"Aw..." Erhuang caught the scent, instantly awake, gazing at Jiang Ning with reluctant longing. This was another of its spoils, obtained after days of surveying the medicinal garden and much effort.

"I'll make it up to you later, don't be so stingy..." Jiang Ning chuckled, soothing Erhuang until it regained its lively spirit.

Seeing Jiang Ning’s preparations, Erhuang understood he was aiming for a breakthrough. It obediently sat beside him, small yet exuding a fierce aura, as if ready to bite anyone who dared interrupt.

Jiang Ning calmed his breath, entering a state free of distractions. As a Celestial Spirit Body, he naturally harmonized with his surroundings. Now, it seemed as if he entered a membrane of void, utterly isolated from the outside world.

After some time, he adjusted his breath to its peak.

"Erhuang, be vigilant. Don’t let anyone approach."

It was deep into the night. During a breakthrough, any nearby presence might sense a fluctuation. He was cautious, determined not to expose himself.

Erhuang barked softly, assuring him it was on guard.

Jiang Ning smiled, produced several bottles of Clear Spirit Liquid, and, without hesitation, opened and drank them all.

The cool liquid poured down his throat. Without pause, he sent the yellow fruit into his mouth as well, devouring its tender flesh, which contained spiritual energy equivalent to several bottles of Clear Spirit Liquid.

"So rich..." Jiang Ning marveled at the taste of this spiritual fruit for the first time. If an ordinary person took a bite, their dantian would likely burst.

Swallowing the fruit, he focused, guiding the surging spiritual energy in his dantian toward the Body Forging Realm.

"Last time, I tried to break through to the Body Forging Realm with Clear Spirit Liquid, but felt no shackles—instead, my body endlessly absorbed, channeling it toward my Dao Platform... that sensation..."

His excitement stemmed from recalling the peculiar feeling when he tried to break through the Aperture Opening Realm.

"It didn’t feel like advancing to the Body Forging Realm, but rather breaking through a particular aperture!"

The Celestial Spirit Body had all nine apertures open; without cultivation, he could reach the peak of the Aperture Opening Realm. Yet its uniqueness might extend beyond that.

"That must be the legendary Tenth Aperture—Great Completion!"

The nine apertures had been described in his previous life. In the world, within the six directions, the energy connects the nine provinces, nine apertures, five viscera, and twelve joints, all tied to celestial energy.

But here, cultivators’ nine apertures were different.

They referred to the nodes in the body where spiritual energy is absorbed, connecting to heaven and earth. First, two apertures on the soles, then two in the palms, one at the dantian, one at the nose, one at the mouth, and two in the ears.

Nine apertures fully open, one could autonomously connect with heaven and earth, continuously drawing in spiritual energy.

This was the so-called peak of the nine apertures.

With the nine apertures open, the body forms a complete circuit, endlessly cycling—this is the foundation of cultivation. It extends the lifespan and allows one to abstain from food for periods.

Yet the nine-aperture circuit is not perfect. Spiritual energy leaks; during bursts of power, some energy returns to heaven and earth, not fully utilized.

The hidden Tenth Aperture lies atop the Dao Platform, which is the center of the forehead, sheltering spiritual consciousness.

Ordinarily, only cultivators who reach the Ninth Heaven of Divine Repository can awaken spiritual consciousness, probing their bodies.

Otherwise, to awaken spiritual consciousness early, one must attain the Tenth Aperture—Great Completion...

"Indeed!"

Jiang Ning sensed it again.

Typically, breaking through to the Body Forging Realm, with nine apertures open, spiritual energy floods into the dantian until it bursts, infusing the energy into flesh, muscles, bones—strengthening the body.

But the spiritual energy Jiang Ning sensed, after circulating through his body, did not return to the dantian, but surged toward the Dao Platform.

Previously, he thought he had erred in cultivation, but now realized it might not be so.

"The Tenth Aperture must be at the Dao Platform..."

It was only a guess.

He knew little of the Tenth Aperture’s secrets.

After hesitating, he gritted his teeth.

"If so, then break through and see!"

The Celestial Spirit Body was exceedingly mysterious; no matter how much spiritual medicine or liquid he consumed, his body would not burst, for he himself was a spiritual herb.

As for injuries during cultivation?

He feared not even battle wounds. The Celestial Spirit Body recovered quickly; for cultivators, refining the Celestial Spirit Body was a miracle medicine, so Jiang Ning had no fear.

This was why, cautious as he was, a single remark from Li Zhenyu made him consider attempting.

The Celestial Spirit Body was his greatest reliance.

"Break through!"

No longer hesitating, Jiang Ning summoned his spiritual energy. All around him, it surged forth, thunder rumbling faintly; even Erhuang noticed, tilting its head curiously toward Jiang Ning.

"Rumble..."

Waves of spiritual energy rose within him, one after another, striving to shatter the aperture’s shackles.

"Not enough!"

Jiang Ning opened his eyes abruptly, producing a green fruit.

Another spiritual fruit, its aura even stronger than the last.

This time Erhuang remained silent. With its intelligence, it understood Jiang Ning was at a critical moment.

"Hiss—"

Fruit flesh entered his mouth again. Even Jiang Ning’s Celestial Spirit Body now felt a swelling pain in his meridians.

An excess of spiritual energy entering the body.

He remained calm, gritting his teeth, guiding the energy through another circuit, like a landslide and tsunami, toward the Dao Platform!

"Bang!"

At that moment, he suddenly felt his entire being light and ethereal.

A strange power enveloped him, once again isolating him from heaven and earth.

The swelling pain vanished instantly; his body felt utterly comfortable. In his ears, the profound sound of the Dao, like thunder rolling in from distant lands, echoed endlessly.

"This is..."

He opened his eyes to see white light enveloping him. Looking within, he saw Dao patterns on his meridians.

"These are the imprints of the Dao left in my body during the spiritual energy infusion!"

He recalled Li Zhenyu’s words.

He did not fully trust him, nor did he trust Master Yang lightly.

"Whether good or bad, I always feel uneasy keeping them. This time, I’ll purify and wash them away completely!"

Jiang Ning bathed in white light, letting it enter his body unobstructed.

Once inside, the light gathered, transformed into starlight, and fell into the dantian.

The Dao imprints on his meridians were gradually washed away...

Eventually, the white light faded.

Spiritual energy settled and formed a perfect circuit within, endlessly flowing. Jiang Ning sensed that his control over spiritual energy had reached a whole new level.

Moreover...

"I can project my spiritual consciousness!"

He probed every corner of his residence, testing the range of his spiritual sense.

"It covers half a mountain..."

He was surprised; this was an ability possessed only by Ninth Heaven Divine Repository experts.

Now that the Dao Platform’s aperture had been broken through, he too could wield spiritual consciousness.

However, his range was much smaller than a Ninth Heaven expert’s.

Yet within the Aperture Opening Realm, he was invincible.

"The power of spiritual consciousness cannot be used carelessly!"

Jiang Ning resolved that—since he could use spiritual sense in the Aperture Opening Realm, others might deduce he had reached the Tenth Aperture—Great Completion.

"Hmm? No, wait..."

Jiang Ning guided spiritual energy through another circuit and discovered he could completely control it—no leakage, no fluctuation.

"This is the Great Completion of the Aperture Opening Realm..."

"If I fight someone at the same level, I shouldn’t reveal my Celestial Spirit Body..."

A look of delight appeared in his eyes.

He could deliberately release some energy in battle, preventing others from linking it to the Tenth Aperture, while the aura of the Celestial Spirit Body remained hidden, making it difficult for anyone to discern.

"But I must remain low-key... The sect has more than just Aperture Opening cultivators; those old monsters..."

He could not guarantee that even with caution, there would be no risk.

He must eliminate any chance of his Celestial Spirit Body being discovered.

At the same time, Jiang Ning noticed—

The white light had not completely erased the Dao imprints from his meridians.

They remained, though slightly faded...

"Li Zhenyu said the Tenth Layer of the Aperture Opening Realm could erase the Dao imprints, but mine remain. Either he was guessing, or that old man was misleading me!

My spiritual energy infusion might differ from Yang Xiangtian’s!"

"Or, Li Zhenyu is deceiving me? What benefit does my breakthrough to the Tenth Layer give him?"

He was filled with suspicion and uncertainty.