With the successful refinement of the Rainbow Eye weapon, Lu Fan's connection to the mortal realm had deepened beyond just fate and cultivation. Recognizing that his influence was already woven into the very fabric of the land, he made a bold decision—to unify and govern the entire region's mortal Dynasties under the banner of the Sunfire Sect.
He began by deploying trusted sect disciples throughout the region, establishing Pillars of Faith in each province. These mystical Pillars would resonate with the destiny of individuals, selecting those with the potential to rise and serve. Unlike traditional exams or noble lineage, selection was now based purely on resonance with the Pillar's will, reflecting both fate and character.
This move shook the existing political order. The noble families and officials, once drunk on power, suddenly found themselves powerless. They dared not act against the Sunfire Sect, not when the founder was a Nascent Soul cultivator with a divine weapon, and not when even the heavens had recognized him through multiple thunder tribulations.
Within months, a new system emerged—a Martial Guardian Program.
The Sunfire Sect began recruiting promising mortals from all corners of the region. Using alchemical pills, they rapidly advanced these chosen ones to the Innate Realm, assigning each of them to a district. Their duty: to protect the people for ten years. After fulfilling this responsibility, they would be eligible to become full disciples of the sect.
This simple shift brought about massive transformation.
Bandits were hunted down. Evil cultivators fled or were slain. Mortal cities, once plagued by corruption, now enjoyed unprecedented peace. The people, seeing the strength and justice of the sect, poured their faith into the Pillars, strengthening them further.
Lu Fan didn't stop there.
Drawing from his previous life's knowledge, he began overhauling mortal infrastructure. Using a modern coin-minting machine, he standardized currency across the region, ensuring fair trade and eliminating inflation caused by scattered, local coins.
Then came the cities. Lu Fan introduced modern city planning, designing wide, solid roads, efficient layouts, clean water systems, and central markets. Production surged, both agricultural and industrial. With peace came prosperity. Livestock multiplied, harvests increased, and even spiritual herbs began growing more abundantly in the stabilized environment.
In just a few short years, the mortal realm underwent a renaissance. What was once a fractured land of petty kingdoms and lawless provinces had become a prosperous, orderly region under the quiet but unshakable rule of the Sunfire Sect.
At the heart of it all, the Pillars stood tall, now glowing with golden light from the ever-growing faith of the people.
Lu Fan remained in deep seclusion, his cultivation progressing steadily through the years. As the Nascent Soul expert at the heart of the Sunfire Sect, his presence alone shaped the fate of the region.
One day, An Zhi, now a powerful sect leader, visited him.
"Master Lu," An Zhi began respectfully, "Would you consider taking a personal disciple?"
Lu Fan opened his eyes, golden patterns briefly flashing. "Disciple?" he echoed, intrigued. "All my arts are already etched onto the pillars. I have nothing new to offer. But…"
A sharp glint sparked in Lu Fan's eyes. "Your physique—Thunder Attracting Physique—is unique. It responded to my arts in ways no one else did."
At that moment, An Zhi shivered, his instincts warning him as if some ancient beast had locked its gaze on him.
Lu Fan continued, "Instead of teaching disciples the old way, I want to research the many rare physiques scattered across the land. Each one may open new doors for cultivation methods. Go and send word—invite anyone with a rare physique to the Sunfire Sect. I'll guide them… through experimentation."
He wasn't interested in tradition. His cultivation had always pushed limits. Now he wanted to see how far unique physiques could go if refined under his guidance.
After Lu Fan issued the call, cultivators with rare physiques answered—among them, those with the Nine Yang Body, Sword Body, Nine Yin Body, Jade Bone Physique, and Yellow Earth Physique. Lu Fan used his Clone Gu technique to create clones of each physique. Once the clones were formed, he took control of them one by one and began his detailed experimentation, studying how each unique physique interacted with his cultivation methods and body-tempering arts.
At the foot of the sacred mountain, Bai Wu and the others diligently cultivated in silence, each immersed in their own paths. Unbeknownst to them, their clone counterparts—created through the mysterious Clone Gu Art—were already undergoing radical transformation.
Within a secluded chamber beneath the mountain, Lu Fan sat cross-legged in front of the Bai Wu clone. His eyes glowed with golden light as he separated a strand of his soul and possessed the clone's body.
"This body… Nine Yang indeed," Lu Fan muttered, flexing his newly borrowed limbs. "Let's see how far you can go."
He began by cultivating using the pure Sunfire, steadily increasing its density and concentration. At first, the clone responded with astonishing speed. Muscles thickened, blood coursed like lava, and the skin radiated heat like a smoldering forge. The Nine Yang Body was the perfect vessel.
But Lu Fan didn't stop.
He continued to flood the body with Sunfire, pushing the limits further than ever before. The response shifted—the skin began to crack, steam erupted from pores, and violent pulses of energy disrupted the internal balance. The pressure was immense. Yet Lu Fan remained composed. He injected refined blood essence, soothing the damage, forcing the body to adapt rather than collapse.
Then, it happened.
Nine glowing spots emerged within the clone's body, orbiting the dantian like burning satellites. These spots rapidly expanded, forming pocket dimensions—internal worlds growing within the body.
Lu Fan's eyes narrowed.
"This is evolving into another Three Doors system… I won't allow that."
Without hesitation, he collapsed the internal spaces, using his control over Sunfire to shatter each pocket. The clone writhed in agony before going still. The Nine Yang Body faded. Its extraordinary traits were lost.
But Lu Fan wasn't done.
He restarted the experiment, once again pouring Sunfire into the damaged clone. This time, the body did not resist—it healed slowly, but something was different. As the Sunfire flowed through meridians, acupuncture points began to ignite, one by one.
Lu Fan's soul, still inside the clone, felt each ignition like a spark in the soul. One. Two. Ten. Fifty. A hundred. Each point acted like a tiny Sunfire core, absorbing and refining flame energy.
"It's not just brute force," he muttered. "There's a pattern. A natural rhythm."
Following intuition and observation, he activated the 361 acupuncture points in the proper sequence. As the final point lit up, a brilliant transformation occurred—the Nine Yang Body returned, not as a separate entity, but as a harmonized part of the acupuncture network.
"This… is far superior to the old method."
Returning to his own body, Lu Fan conducted the same process with other clones.
A normal male clone displayed robust fire and thunder resonance, though not as potent as the Nine Yang version.
A normal female clone responded uniquely to gentler, lunar-aligned Qi, forming fluid-like patterns within the acupuncture system.
After countless iterations, trials, and soul transfers into clone after clone, Lu Fan perfected three systems:
1. Acupuncture Tempering Method - Standard Male Variant
2. Acupuncture Tempering Method - Standard Female Variant
3. Nine Yang Integrated Acupuncture Method
Each path led to Level 4 Body Tempering Realm, equivalent to Nascent Soul cultivation in raw power and resilience.