Ye Futian stared at the aftermath of his punch, momentarily lost in thought. Then, as if remembering something important, he closed his eyes and focused his consciousness, entering his Destiny Palace.

Within the palace, his consciousness manifested as a faint figure standing beneath the towering World Tree. His eyes widened in awe.

At this moment, the emerald-green ancient tree seemed to shimmer with a faint fiery glow, as if infused with fire-attribute spiritual energy. But what truly shocked Ye Futian was the sight above him—a blazing sun now hung in the sky of his Destiny Palace, radiating fiery light. Though it wasn't as dazzling as the real sun, it was still breathtaking.

"The Great Freedom Visualization Technique—observe the mountain, and you gain the mountain; observe the water, and you gain the water. I visualized the sun for cultivation, and now, a sun has appeared in my Destiny Palace," Ye Futian murmured to himself, deeply moved. "This technique is truly extraordinary."

He began to visualize the sun within his Destiny Palace. Instantly, he felt as if he had transformed into the sun itself. The fire-attribute spiritual energy from the surrounding world surged into his body, flowing into his Destiny Palace and merging with the World Tree.

The ancient tree in his Destiny Palace took on a fiery hue, and the sun hanging above it grew even more radiant.

"It's so hot," Ye Futian thought, feeling as though he were inside a blazing furnace. The solar flames continuously tempered his meridians and bones.

"A Destiny Palace houses a soul, which is the Destiny Soul," Ye Futian muttered, contemplating a possibility. With a thought, a radiant solar halo appeared behind his head, illuminating his surroundings. His handsome face took on a sacred glow.

"Is your Destiny Soul the sun?" Yu Sheng asked, standing beside him.

Ye Futian suddenly opened his eyes, and the solar halo vanished. He looked at Yu Sheng with a strange expression and said softly, "I think... I can create Destiny Souls."

He realized that the sun in his Destiny Palace was, in fact, a Destiny Soul. Not only could he use it for cultivation, but he could also manifest it externally.

Yu Sheng's eyes widened as he stared at Ye Futian. After a moment, he said seriously, "Can you make one for me too?"

Ye Futian's face darkened. This guy's thought process was too quick. Shouldn't he be shocked or at least curious? Instead, he was asking for a Destiny Soul to be made for him...

"You've got quite the imagination," Ye Futian said with a serious nod, then turned and walked away.

Yu Sheng scratched his head and called after him, "Where are you going?"

"To cultivate. I need to observe beasts and birds," Ye Futian replied confidently, his spirits high. He had visualized the sun and harnessed its flames to break through multiple realms. However, to progress from the Iron Bones stage to the Divine Strength stage, he needed to refine his body's coordination and power control. Only when he could unleash his strength freely, with his essence, energy, and spirit united, would he truly reach the Divine Strength stage.

The Tianyao Mountain Range was teeming with demonic beasts, even in its outermost regions.

Not long after entering the mountains, Ye Futian and Yu Sheng spotted a Level 4 demonic beast—a Wind Leopard.

"Yu Sheng, block it. Don't let it get away from me," Ye Futian shouted, dashing forward. As soon as he spoke, Yu Sheng sprinted ahead, his heavy steps causing the ground to tremble. The Wind Leopard, sensing the threat, turned and bolted like a flash of lightning.

"Intent follows the heart, action follows intent. The Great Dao is natural, unbound by action or the heavens," Ye Futian recited the mantra of the Great Freedom Visualization Technique. As he ran, he visualized the Wind Leopard's movements in his mind, slowing down each motion until it became crystal clear.

Then, he began to mimic the Wind Leopard's movements. As he leaped into the air, his right leg bent slightly, and upon landing, all his strength concentrated in his right leg, propelling him forward like a bolt of lightning. At first, his movements were awkward and unnatural, and he quickly fell behind. Fortunately, Yu Sheng had already intercepted the Wind Leopard, preventing it from escaping.

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"It's not just about strength; it's also using the wind," Ye Futian realized. He could sense the wind-attribute energy surrounding the Wind Leopard. Gradually, his body began to move with the wind, and his movements became smoother. After half an hour, he was running as swiftly as the Wind Leopard itself.

"Yu Sheng, that's enough," Ye Futian said, coming to a stop. Yu Sheng released the Wind Leopard, allowing it to flee.

"Your ability to mimic is incredible," Yu Sheng remarked, having watched Ye Futian's movements closely. In just half an hour, he had mastered the Wind Leopard's speed.

"I can sense the wind's spiritual energy. As long as I master the technique, I can mimic the Wind Leopard's speed. But that's not enough. I'll need your help in the coming days," Ye Futian said with a smile. Yu Sheng simply nodded and followed him silently.

Over the next few days, Ye Futian continued to cultivate in the Tianyao Mountain Range, observing the movements of demonic monkeys, the strength of lions and tigers, and even chasing after birds. Every day, he made progress. On the tenth day, he finally broke through to the fifth level of awakening—the Divine Strength stage.

One day, as Ye Futian and Yu Sheng walked deep into the forest, the ground began to tremble slightly. The trees around them shook, and the air was filled with the roars of a ferocious beast.

The two exchanged a glance and headed toward the source of the noise. The tremors grew stronger, and soon, they saw a massive, enraged beast—a Level 9 demonic beast, the Violent Ape, standing five meters tall.

"A Level 9 Violent Ape," Yu Sheng said, his eyes sharp. This beast was a threat even to him. But what surprised them more was the sight of a slender, graceful girl standing in front of the ape.

The girl was dressed in pure white, her long hair flowing in the wind. Her beauty was flawless, and though she was still young, she had the makings of a stunning beauty.

"It's her, Hua Jieyu," Ye Futian thought, his heart skipping a beat. How could he not recognize the legendary beauty of Qingzhou Academy?

"Should we help her?" Yu Sheng asked.

"Wait, the Violent Ape is injured," Ye Futian observed. The ape was covered in wounds, while the girl appeared unharmed.

With a deafening roar, the Violent Ape charged at Hua Jieyu, its massive frame seemingly capable of crushing her in an instant. But Hua Jieyu moved like a swallow, leaping onto a tree with ease.

The Violent Ape smashed the tree, uprooting it and swinging it toward Hua Jieyu in midair. The sheer force was terrifying.

Hua Jieyu dodged gracefully, and the leaves around her swirled like a vortex, each one sharp as a blade, slicing toward the Violent Ape.

The ape swung the tree wildly, scattering the leaves, but the tree itself began to crack under the strain. The ground was littered with flying debris as Hua Jieyu landed on another tree. She closed her eyes, and the scattered stones around her shot toward the Violent Ape like deadly projectiles. Though they couldn't fully penetrate the ape's tough hide, they left bloody marks on its skin.

Even more astonishing, some of the stones, infused with spiritual energy, transformed into sharp spears, hovering in the air and pointing directly at the enraged ape.

"Spells," Ye Futian thought, his heart racing. In the next moment, he saw the spears pierce through the air, striking the Violent Ape's eyes. The beast let out a painful roar and fled, crashing through trees as it went.

Hua Jieyu didn't pursue it. Instead, she landed gracefully on the ground, her white robes fluttering like a celestial being.

"Have you seen enough?" Hua Jieyu asked calmly, her gaze turning toward Ye Futian and Yu Sheng, who stepped out from their hiding spot.

"Impressive. Are you a multi-attribute mage?" Ye Futian asked.

"I know you," Hua Jieyu said, ignoring his question and looking directly at Ye Futian.

"Am I that famous?" Ye Futian chuckled, feeling a sense of pride at being recognized by the legendary beauty of Qingzhou Academy.

"Three years ago, during the entrance test at Qingzhou Academy, I heard what you said when we first met."

Ye Futian coughed awkwardly but quickly regained his composure. "What did I say?"

Hua Jieyu looked at him, then smiled faintly, leaving Ye Futian momentarily entranced.

"Do I look like a temptress?" Hua Jieyu asked softly before turning and walking away into the forest.

"Yes," Ye Futian said after a moment, nodding seriously as he watched her retreating figure.

"You were right," Yu Sheng said, watching Hua Jieyu disappear.

Ye Futian recalled the scene from three years ago when he had seen the twelve-year-old Hua Jieyu and said to Yu Sheng, "This girl is already so stunning at twelve. In a few years, she'll be a real temptress."

"I heard she's already at the ninth level of awakening, cultivating both martial arts and magic. But the spell she just used, which allowed her attacks to leave her body, is something even ninth-level awakeners struggle to achieve. There are also rumors that she might be a Destiny Mage and has already caught the attention of the academy's higher-ups. She has countless suitors, but no one dares to approach her because of her beauty and talent," Yu Sheng said quietly.

"Are you smitten?" Ye Futian teased.

Yu Sheng shook his head, then said seriously, "I think she'd make a good wife for you."

Ye Futian smacked Yu Sheng's head lightly. "What are you thinking about?"

As he walked away, a bright smile spread across his face. "But you're not wrong. She's definitely a candidate."

Behind him, Yu Sheng stumbled slightly, glaring at Ye Futian's back. A candidate? How shameless.