While Lu Fan was deep in cultivation on his island, the pillars across the region pulsed with faint energy—subtle vibrations of fate that only he could sense. These cultivation pillars, connected through karmic threads and spiritual resonance, acted as his eyes and ears. Whenever a technique he created began to significantly alter someone's destiny, a ripple would echo back to him.
Now, for the first time, those echoes were strong.
Lu Fan opened his eyes, frowning slightly. The information that flooded into his mind was astonishing: his discarded techniques—those he had casually engraved on pillars or considered incomplete—had borne fruit. The Totem Art and Thunder Pattern Body Tempering Art had both shown great success. Someone out there had pushed these methods to a new level.
This revelation stirred something in him.
Excited by the possibilities, Lu Fan decided to revisit his early experiments. He still had the collection of thunder patterns he had gathered while researching Thunder Body Tempering. Inspired by their structure, he began developing new variants—this time using the elements of water and fire.
He theorized that, like thunder patterns, water and fire patterns could also be refined into a body-tempering method. So he got to work.
But Lu Fan didn't stop there. A new idea took root in his mind: could formations be integrated directly into body-tempering techniques? He decided to test this theory using the Healing Array as a base.
He tattooed formation diagrams onto tanned beast hide using spiritual ink, carefully layering it with totem designs and elemental patterns. He then used his computer to simulate combinations and generate optimized designs—integrating math, geometry, and cultivation principles into one unified system.
After countless failures and adjustments, he eventually succeeded in stabilizing the formation—on the beast hide.
But the real challenge remained: living application.
No matter how stable the pattern was, once applied to a living creature, it broke down. The spiritual energies fluctuated too wildly, and the living body's instinctive rejection ruined the structure.
Lu Fan sat in silence, pondering this failure.
He realized that the reason the Totem Art worked for others wasn't just because of the pattern—but because of the synergy between their innate qualities and the element used. The fire totems succeeded because their users had the Holy Sunfire . The patterns resonated with their own bodies, allowing adaptation and evolution.
To develop a proper method, he needed a living being—someone who could instinctively adjust and refine the technique within themselves. Someone whose body could teach him how the process should work.
In short, he needed a test subject.
Lu Fan's gaze turned thoughtful. There was only so much theory could achieve. Now, it was time for practical observation.
A new project had begun.
Back on his island, Lu Fan returned his focus to the art of Gu refinement. Among the obscure methods he had collected, one technique stood out: Clone Gu—a forbidden art once devised for infiltration and assassination. The technique cultivated a clone using a Gu insect nurtured on the user's own blood essence. Over time, the Gu would undergo metamorphosis and give birth to a body identical to the cultivator in appearance, bone structure, and even Qi signature.
However, the method had a fatal flaw: the clone's lifespan was inherently short.
Despite this drawback, Lu Fan proceeded, intrigued by the possibilities. After feeding the Clone Gu for several months with his essence-rich blood, the creature finally transformed. From its cocoon emerged a man identical to Lu Fan in every detail—eyes, voice, and Qi presence. Unlike puppets, this clone was a living being. But it was also an empty vessel, awaiting purpose.
Lu Fan could take direct control of this clone as if it were his own flesh. Without hesitation, he engraved a radiant sun totem across its chest and began cultivating it using the Holy Sunfire Fist Art. The clone had access to faith power from the Holy Fire Sect's growing worship, allowing the art to progress rapidly.
He further imprinted fire patterns across the clone's limbs and back, fusing them with the totem. As the training progressed, the clone's body began to strain under the intensity—totem energy, fire patterns, and faith-fueled Sunfire clashed, threatening to tear the body apart.
To withstand the burden, Lu Fan infused the clone with potent blood essence, reinforcing its meridians and bones. Days turned to months. Then—something clicked.
The Sun Totem, Fire Patterns, and Holy Sunfire Qi began to synchronize.
The clone's body ignited in a controlled blaze as intricate tattoos of flame appeared across its flesh, each one a refined array of sacred fire. This was no longer just a totem or a cultivation art—this was Holy Fire Patterns, a complete fusion of art, totem, and divine energy.
With each cultivation cycle, the patterns deepened in complexity. The clone, originally fragile, now possessed the strength of a peak Foundation Building cultivator. Lu Fan had created a living, breathing artifact.
But time caught up. The clone's limited lifespan began to fade.
Not willing to let it die, Lu Fan once more infused it with massive quantities of blood essence. To his surprise, instead of merely extending life, this triggered a second metamorphosis.
The Clone Gu reformed—this time giving Lu Fan a choice.
He chose the same clone form, eager to continue his experiments. Though the body reverted to a blank slate, Lu Fan began again, now using a different path.
This time, he cultivated the clone using the Whirlpool Art, alongside water patterns and the Moon Tome.
The reaction was unlike anything before.
The Moon Tome absorbed every pattern of water, refining them into a brilliant celestial transformation. A silver moon sigil appeared on the clone's back, and countless tiny star-like marks began forming across the body—both inside and out.
The clone now bore a unique connection to celestial bodies.
Using this newfound affinity, Lu Fan began cultivating a celestial bloodline. The body was once again dieing, a blank canvas was obtain that adapted quickly and evolved with each iteration.
Through successive clone refinements, Lu Fan tested dozens of theories. He developed multiple techniques and body-tempering paths:
Celestial Sun Sutra – a fire-body tempering path tied to solar energy.
Celestial Moon Sutra – a cultivation art linked to lunar and star patterns.
Calamity Thunder Art – a destructive variant of thunder cultivation.
Poison Tempering Art – a dark, vicious method using venom to harden the flesh.
Each experiment brought new discoveries. While the clone's lifespan remained a challenge, its utility as a test subject allowed Lu Fan to explore without endangering his own cultivation base.
The island became a living laboratory, and with every success, Lu Fan took another step toward reshaping the very foundation of body cultivation.
While developing the Poison Tempering Art, Lu Fan discovered a fascinating trait of the human body—its immense adaptability. This realization opened a new path in his research. He began experimenting with various harmful and corrosive energies to see how far the body could adapt and grow stronger under extreme conditions.
He first exposed his clone to Ghost Qi, a chilling and soul-corrupting energy found in haunted grounds. Then came Earth Evil Qi, a dense and toxic energy that eroded flesh but tempered bone. Later, he introduced Fire Evil Qi, an unstable flame that consumed blood and marrow but could reforge them anew.
With each experiment, he observed how the clone's body would first decay, then resist, and eventually assimilate these toxic forces. Some combinations destroyed the body completely. Others showed potential—especially when mixed with precise quantities and sequence of application.
After countless trials, Lu Fan began to refine his results into a new technique: the Evil Tempering Art. This method used an evolving balance of deadly energies to forcibly stimulate the body's transformation and strengthen its core foundations.
Though dangerous and painful, the Evil Tempering Art was shockingly effective. It reinforced flesh, purified marrow, and toughened the soul—all while making the cultivator immune to most poisons and curses. Lu Fan marked this art as highly unstable and suitable only for body cultivators with exceptional willpower and regeneration.