Absolute Resonance

eyes.
A trace of serenity could be seen within them along with an unfathomable deepness, much like a stilled pool.

“Time for the show to begin,” Li Luo mused to himself.
He could feel the bottled resonant power within him surging vigorously, as though trying to break free its existing shackles.
 

Taking one last glance at his fellow supporters, he no longer hesitated.
Clasping his hands together, his fingers formed a hand sign.

Bang!

Right at that moment, his docile resonances kicked into complete overdrive, their resonant power flaring up with violent force.
Strand after strand of resonant power materialized and then violently struck the resonant palaces repeatedly in a whipping motion. 

Boom!

Resonant power continued to hammer away at the resonant palaces containing them.
After numerous consecutive blows, the resonant palaces began to tremble as though their internal organs were being violently abused.
A dark red color also began to spread throughout the palaces. 

Li Luo's expression twisted in pain as this occurred.
His resonant palaces were the root of his body's power, and now his resonant power was seemingly running amok, causing devastation wherever it passed, each internal blow inflicting excruciating suffering.

However, he understood that this was an unavoidable process to enter the General Stage.

The first stage of the Earth Fiend General Stage was the Fiend Palace Tier.

One's resonant palaces would be transformed into so-called Fiend Palaces if they reached that point.

Simply speaking, it was a tempering process of one's resonant palaces to increase their size significantly and allow them to contain even more resonant power.
More importantly, the tempering process ensured that the resonant palaces would be able to accommodate the influx of earth fiend energy. 

Earth fiend energy was the mark of an Earth Fiend General Stage practitioner.

This was a unique energy that existed independently from worldly natural energy.
When one's strength reached a certain level, they would be able to discern and extract this energy from their surroundings.
Earth fiend energy was exceptionally berserk, but it possessed the ability to refine one's resonant palaces.
Thus, those who wished to enter the Earth Fiend General Stage would first have to sense this energy, then they would extract it and integrate it into their body, strengthening their resonant palaces.

“It's not enough!” Naturally, Li Luo was focusing all of his attention on sensing earth fiend energy, but nothing could be felt.
This meant that his initial stage of resonant palace tempering was insufficient.
The first time one sensed earth fiend energy, they would have to voluntarily damage the surrounding walls of his resonant palaces and then allow the energy to fuse with his existing resonant power, completing the process of rebirth through destruction.
It was time for the next method.
Li Luo gave a deep sigh and bit down on the Holy Tree Marrow Crystal, which had been wedged beneath his tongue.

The moment the crystal shattered, a massive amount of the purest energy swept through his body like an unstoppable tsunami.
 

This energy was gentle and required no refinement before it could be used.
With a mere thought, it was guided into his resonant palaces.
It assimilated with the existing resonant power and proceeded to heavily batter against the walls of his resonant palaces with renewed force.
His palaces once again shuddered under this violent series of blows whilst the dark red coloration became more and more intense. 

Wave after wave of insufferable pain battered Li Luo's senses in tandem with these strikes, leaving him with a back full of cold sweat.

However, this was no time to give up.
Recomposing himself, he shoved all of his worldly worries to the back of his mind, only focusing on the rhythmic movements of his resonant power and the rumbling clashes on his resonant palace walls when they collided.

This process continued without end.

Meanwhile, outside the skygold room, Jiang Qing'e and the rest were staring unblinkingly at the uncomfortably shifting Li Luo.
They could see every bead of sweat atop his forehead slowly trickling down with each passing moment.
Despite possessing a calm demeanor, Jiang Qing'e's hands were tightly clutching the sides of her seat, indicating her true feelings. 

This was a process she was familiar with and thus she empathized with Li Luo's pain.
It was a necessary path to go through.
Cultivation was about discipline and overcoming one's comfort zones.
Only through constant clambering to the peak and conquering one's frailty through constant improvement could one develop themselves. 

As time went on, the situation seemed to remain in a stalemate.

However, all this was about to change.
Li Luo could feel that he was becoming a little dizzy, and his heart trembled as something changed within him.
His perception cleared up and gradually expanded, then he was suddenly able to sense a new form of energy within the existing worldly natural energy. 

This strand of energy was a beautiful crimson-red, giving off a slightly wild and berserk air, almost akin to a feral serpent swimming through the clouds.

Exuberance.
This was the only thing on Li Luo's mind when he finally saw the fruits of his labor. 

The long-awaited earth fiend energy was finally right before his very eyes.

It was time to truly begin.