C3 Body Double

Thankfully, the Cosmic Oddity ceased its absorption shortly thereafter. In Chu Xing's spiritual sea, a void of 50 cubic meters had formed. While the Cosmic Oddity was siphoning Chu Xing's spiritual energy, it inadvertently expanded his spiritual sea. Yet, at this juncture, Chu Xing's spiritual energy was nearly exhausted.

Suspended in the midst of Chu Xing's spiritual sea, the Cosmic Oddity had taken on a deep black hue and emitted a soft glow. Intricate patterns adorned its surface, which began to spin, imbuing it with an air of life and profound mystery.

Influenced by the rotation of the Cosmic Oddity, the grey mist within Chu Xing's spiritual sea gradually began to coalesce into spiritual energy, albeit at a sluggish pace.

Three hours passed, and the Cosmic Oddity came to a halt. Now, the sphere was as dark as ink, seemingly capable of engulfing everything in its path. It had assisted Chu Xing in converting a basketball-sized portion of spiritual energy.

Elder Hsu, with his left hand resting on Chu Xing's forehead, had been closely monitoring the fluctuations within Chu Xing's spiritual sea. He breathed a sigh of relief when the Cosmic Oddity's absorption ended. "The Cosmic Oddity also serves to stabilize the spiritual sea... the alternative doesn't bear thinking about."

Once he felt the Cosmic Oddity cease its spin, Elder Hsu channeled his Divine Power, guiding the Cosmic Oddity through Chu Xing's meridians and into his dantian.

Elder Hsu then executed a series of intricate hand signs for about a quarter of an hour. At the end, with hands trembling, he pressed them to Chu Xing's dantian. Suddenly, a dense web of Divine Power materialized over the Cosmic Oddity. In the next instant, both the Cosmic Oddity and the web vanished.

Elder Hsu collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Drained of a significant amount of Divine Power, he struggled to maintain his composure.

A day later, Chu Xing came to. "Ah, my head is throbbing." He cradled his head, taking a moment before the pain subsided.

Looking up, he saw Elder Hsu seated before him, his head hanging limply, his greying hair obscuring his face. "Is this all just a dream, or is it reality?" Chu Xing wondered, beginning to question his own senses.

"Elder Hsu, what's the matter?"

Looking up, Chu Xing noticed Elder Hsu's complexion was ashen, as though he had aged considerably. His form appeared as if it might fade away at any moment, giving the impression he was shrouded in mist.

"I've grown old, and even setting a seal takes its toll," Elder Hsu paused before continuing, "The Cosmic Oddity has absorbed your psychic energy, and now it belongs to you.

Cultivating your own universe or planet takes place within your dantian. I've used divine power to seal the Cosmic Oddity there, ensuring that no one else will discover it, unless someone of higher cultivation than myself inspects it closely."

"If the powerful learn that you possess a Cosmic Oddity, you would find no refuge in the entire universe. Remember, you must keep this a secret from everyone, even those closest to you. Have you got that?"

"I've got it," Chu Xing replied, still in shock, nodding blankly.

"You're not yet at the Qi Training Stage, so you won't be able to feel it."

"Now, pay close attention. Legend has it that refining a Cosmic Oddity grants you three avatars. Only divine beings or the mightiest warriors in the universe can cultivate avatars, and typically, they only have one, which is usually a human form," Elder Hsu said, his eyes softening as he looked at Chu Xing.

"The avatars you could possess might belong to other species. Imagine if you had an avatar with innate abilities – your combat power would be formidable. Such a prospect is irresistible."

Chu Xing gulped, "Avatars from other species with innate abilities?"

"I had only just acquired the Cosmic Oddity when I realized there was an excellent opportunity to gain a powerful avatar. Without time to cultivate, I set out in search of it.

In the end, I succeeded, but not without cost. My enemies, who had been trailing me, seized their chance to strike a grievous blow, forcing me to flee."

At that moment, Elder Hsu revealed a crystal on his left hand. It gleamed with a bright silver light, a meter in diameter, and was studded with palm-sized, diamond-shaped facets.

"This is known as the Mechanical Heart! At the dawn of the universe, a massive piece of unique metal came into existence. By a series of fortuitous events, it split into four parts, three of which evolved into living entities."

"They possess an innate mastery over metal, enabling them to imbue mechanical beings with life. As they progress in their cultivation, they can animate an increasing number of mechanical lives. Eventually, they established a vast empire and became one of humanity's primary adversaries."

"This is the leftover metal. The three Metal Emperors were unwilling to share power with another, yet they couldn't destroy it. Ultimately, I reaped the benefits—machines can be quite covetous! Heh, it seems you're the one who's truly benefited."

Elder Hsu finished speaking and with a light touch of his left hand, the crystal vanished, replaced by a bone over a meter in length.

He went on, "This bone belongs to the tri-headed celestial race, born at the dawn of the universe with an inherent ability to build a strong foundation. They have three heads and six arms, each head wielding the power of one of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, or earth.

"Their greatest weakness, however, is their simplistic minds. They only understand eating, destruction, and sleep, much like children. Nearly every one of them is hunted down upon appearance. You'll learn the reasons behind this in time."

"The clones of the tri-headed celestial race can only be nurtured once you've reached the Foundation Stage."

Elder Hsu paused, then added, "Both of these can serve as your External Incarnation. Keep in mind that each Incarnation is invaluable, safeguarding the advancement of your strength. You must choose the Incarnation with the greatest innate talent."

"Elder Hsu, what are the advantages of possessing one's own universe?" Chu Xing asked, intrigued by Elder Hsu's explanations.

"From what I understand, some powerful beings cultivate internal worlds within themselves, spaces where they can live and train. Others, through serendipity, have evolved entire universes within their bodies, though the process is fraught with challenges and often falls short of expectations."

"Nevertheless, the inner universe has numerous benefits. There are legends of it bestowing immortality. I hope you will effectively utilize your External Incarnation to aid in the development of your inner universe."