Jiang Tian found himself inside another spatial ring, its interior strikingly different from Li Wei's.
'The size seems about the same, but what a difference in arrangement,' he mused, taking in the neatly organized space.
Unlike Li Wei's chaotic collection, Fang Hao's ring was meticulously arranged.
Books were stacked in orderly rows, weapons hung on racks, and elixirs were stored in labeled containers.
'I thought it couldn't be arranged properly, but it seems the old man just didn't bother. Here, everything is placed in a specific area,' Jiang thought, marveling at the stark contrast as he explored the orderly subspace.
As Jiang Tian ventured further into the spatial ring, he was met with one of the shadowy cats he had encountered before.
But this time, there wasn't just one—dozens of them leaped from shadow to shadow, their movements fluid and almost hypnotic.
When Jiang entered their area, their glowing yellow eyes locked onto him, as if an intruder had arrived.
But as soon as they sensed Fang Hao's Qi emanating from him, their glowing eyes dimmed, and they returned to their mysterious activities, leaping and prowling as if he weren't there.
Jiang Tian made his way to the books and weapons section, his eyes scanning the neatly organized shelves.
'These manuals are also pretty good. Oh, wait—he even has non-fighting manuals? Celestial Architecture Scripture, Nine Heaven Formation Art?!? These sound really useful,' he muttered, his interest piqued.
As he browsed through the section, he couldn't help but think, 'I was planning to build a house anyway, so I might as well take these too.'
With that, he gathered several books and scriptures on architecture and formations.
After gathering the manuals and tools he needed, Jiang Tian exited the ring, his arms now filled with not just cultivation resources but also construction materials.
When Jiang Tian emerged from the cave, he carried all his newly acquired items—mostly books—and placed them on the ground outside.
He then stepped to the side of the cavern, taking a firm stance as he lowered his body slightly.
Concentrating his Qi into his right arm, he channeled all his strength into a single, powerful punch aimed at the towering cavern wall.
*BOOM*
The force of his strike reverberated through the air, the impact so powerful that the entire cave began to crumble.
Rocks and debris tumbled down, collapsing in a thunderous roar until only the base walls remained, leaving the cavern's interior completely exposed.
Dust and rubble filled the air, but Jiang Tian stood firm, watching as the structure he had called home for months was reduced to ruins.
"Not quite what I had in mind when I learned the Earthshaker Fist, but that was a strong blow," Jiang Tian said, standing beside the pile of rubble with a satisfied smirk.
"That's that for now, and..." Jiang Tian said, turning his attention to the materials he had brought out of the cave.
He sat under one of the massive trees and began cultivating his Qi once more, just as he had done before.
When his progress slowed, he would switch to studying martial arts and scriptures, but this time, he added a new activity to his routine.
He started clearing the area within a kilometer radius, cutting down trees and cleaning the space.
Using the construction manuals he had been studying, he began building his own place step by step.
All the while, he continued advancing his realm and mastering new arts, balancing cultivation, training, and construction with unwavering determination.
After 30 years had passed, Jiang Tian was still within the dome of dead fog.
Despite the decades, his appearance hadn't changed much, thanks to his cultivation.
However, his body was now covered in intricate tattoos, reminiscent of his former life, created using soul threads.
His hair was tied in a neat bun, and his gaze remained as sharp as ever.
A dragon adorned his thighs, a koi fish stretched across his back, and countless other tattoos covered his body, each one telling a story.
He now wore a full set of cultivator's robes, their elegant design fitting his powerful aura.
The air around him felt purer and calmer than before, a testament to the immense progress he had made over the years.
Jiang Tian stood inside an awe-inspiring, colossal structure that seamlessly merged the grandeur of a traditional yakuza stronghold with the ethereal majesty of a cultivator's sanctum.
The building was a sprawling masterpiece, its towering ceilings supported by massive, intricately carved wooden beams that seemed to stretch endlessly into the heavens.
Each beam was adorned with glowing runes, pulsating with ancient protective formations that hummed softly, creating a harmonious resonance throughout the space.
The walls were draped in vast tapestries, each one a masterpiece depicting legendary battles, celestial dragons, and mythical phoenixes.
The threads of these tapestries were woven with spiritual energy, causing the scenes to shift and come alive, as if the very fabric of history and myth were breathing within the room.
The floor was a marvel of craftsmanship, made of polished obsidian stone inlaid with a sprawling, intricate formation circle.
The circle glowed with a rhythmic, pulsating light, its patterns shifting like constellations in the night sky.
It enhanced the flow of Qi within the building, creating an environment where spiritual energy thrived and cultivation was amplified.
At the heart of the room stood a massive, ornate table carved from a single piece of ancient spirit wood, its surface etched with symbols of power and resilience.
Surrounding the table were high-backed chairs, each one a work of art, engraved with protective sigils and imbued with a faint, protective aura.
Shelves lined the walls, stretching from floor to ceiling, filled with countless scrolls, ancient tomes, and mystical artifacts.
Each item radiated a unique aura, some glowing faintly, others humming with latent power.
The air was thick with the scent of rare herbs and elixirs, their energies mingling to create an atmosphere of potent vitality.
In one corner, a grand fountain cascaded with water that sparkled like liquid silver, infused with spiritual essence to purify the air and enhance the concentration of those within.
The sound of the flowing water was soothing, yet it carried an undercurrent of power, as if the very essence of the fountain was alive with Qi.
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Side Note
Soul threads are a lost dark art that allows a cultivator to etch formations, scriptures, or sutras onto their skin using Qi, enhancing their martial prowess.
However, this technique comes with a significant drawback: it corrodes the cultivator's consciousness over time, as the markings cannot be erased once enacted.
The process is also excruciatingly painful. But Jiang Tian, already accustomed to the harsh traditional Yakuza tattooing style known as irezumi, found the pain manageable.
Since he was simply drawing pictures rather than inscribing powerful scriptures or formations, the tattoos didn't affect his consciousness.