479 The Martial Arts Grandmaster (1/2)
The Martial Arts Grandmaster was an honor for the ancient martial arts practitioners. Specifically, it was a title that differentiated the ancient martial art practitioners of all of the realms from one another.
Every Martial Arts Grandmaster represented the pinnacle of all of the ancient martial art practitioners. If they could improve further, they would no longer be ancient martial art practitioners, but immortal cultivators, who would then begin their immortal cultivation by practicing martial arts.
”Young man, you have guts. I really admire this characteristic.” The elder in sackcloth nodded his head.
Not only did this youth not show any signs of fear in the presence of his pressure, he even seemed to have the intention of challenging him! Although being so sharp may not always be a good thing, if young people did not have at least some edge about them, they never be able to stand out from the crowd.
”Senior, you know that rabbits will not work with tigers. Similarly, you and I have such a large difference between our cultivations, so can that really be called cooperation? Also, I am not interested in your affairs,” Mo Wen said nonchalantly.
After all, he did not really know what matter the elder in sackcloth was referring to. But, no matter what it was, Mo Wen knew that he did not want to work with this elder in sackcloth. At least for now, he definitely would not.
”You sure are clear-headed. However, you are failing to see that you and I working together is a win-win situation. Besides, there is no conflict of interest, so what are you afraid of? Furthermore, you can't do anything right now. I hope that, in the future, when your cultivation breaks through to the later stage of the Golden Elixir realm, you will work with me again. When that time comes, you shouldn't need to be so wary of me, right?” the elder in sackcloth asked lightheartedly.
He naturally knew why Mo Wen was wary. After all, anyone that heard about the matter knew that it was not a simple thing.
But there would certainly be huge benefits, yet this youth had actually straightaway declined to work with him! Although it was a bit off-putting, he had to really admire such determination.
”A win-win situation?” Mo Wen asked plainly after he hesitated for a bit. He was curious now.
What the elder in sackcloth said was true. If he waited until his cultivation reached the later stage of the Golden Elixir realm, he indeed would not need to be wary of anything. In fact, even at the beginning stage of the Golden Elixir realm he would be able to defend himself against the elder.
Of course, Mo Wen was not conceited. Deep down, he knew how frightening someone who could become a Martial Arts Grandmaster was.
”With your talent and ability, you should know all about becoming immortal, right? If I said that this matter can make it possible for both of us to become immortal at the same time, would you be moved to cooperate with me?” The elder in sackcloth looked at Mo Wen with an expression that was hard to read.
After all, becoming immortal was a temptation that was irresistible for any ancient martial art practitioner. In fact, the final goal of almost every ancient martial art practitioner in the Inner World was to one day be able to transcend mortality and become immortal.
”Becoming immortal?” Mo Wen's wide eyes showed his surprise.
After experiencing so much, he naturally knew the significance of these two words. At the same time, he knew even more the difficulties that accompanied becoming immortal. He had learned about these after having lived in an Immortal Cultivation world sect.
In his past life, he did not manage to grasp the opportunity of transcending mortality as an ancient martial art practitioner. This was because the process of becoming immortal was just too difficult.
According to what Mo Wen knew, for ancient martial art practitioners, the only way to become immortal was by beginning one's immortal cultivation by practicing martial arts and becoming the Martial Arts God of legends. But, a Martial Arts God in the Immortal Cultivation world was a rare existence.
As such, Mo Wen naturally felt touched to have the good fortune of beginning one's immortal cultivation by practicing martial arts. In fact, he was very moved by it. After all, this had been his goal all along.
”Senior, is what you are saying really true?” Mo Wen asked with a serious expression.
”Of course. A hundred years ago, I became a Martial Arts Grandmaster. I had already walked the normal path of martial arts to its limit. Thus, if I wanted to improve, I could only do so by walking the path of Immortal Cultivation.” The elder in sackcloth sighed.
He then said, ”But, sadly, the path of Immortal Cultivation requires talent and the good fortune of opportunity. My talent was limited and my good fortune of opportunity was no better than anyone else's. So, even after one hundred years, I still have not been able to break through to that stage.”
He then added, ”In this life, I desired nothing else but the path of Immortal Cultivation. Young man, your talent is astonishing, far greater than mine was when I was your age. As such, the chances of your walking the path of Immortal Cultivation far exceeds mine. Such a path has been laid out clearly before you, what you choose now will depend on you alone.”
The elder in sackcloth looked at Mo Wen with shining eyes. His gaze was very peaceful, as he knew that no ancient martial arts practitioner could resist the temptation of becoming immortal.
”Senior, the path to becoming immortal, how does one walk it?” Mo Wen asked plainly.
Although the words of the elder in sackcloth had really moved him, he was not a mere child. As such, he would not believe things to be true just from hearing a few words from someone's mouth. Instead, he would decide on his own whether something was true or false after further questioning and investigation.
”As you still do not have the ability, I cannot tell you now.” The elder in sackcloth shook his head.
He then said plainly, ”However, rest assured that, once you have the ability, I will tell you. When the time comes, you will know for sure whether it is true or false. I only have one condition, which is that, once your cultivation has reached the later stage of the Golden Elixir realm, you will come here once again.”
”The later stage of the Golden Elixir realm? Could it be that senior is not afraid that, by the time I reach that realm, you will already have...You also know how difficult the practice of the ancient martial arts practitioners is. Some people may not even break through to the Golden Elixir realm in their entire lives, yet alone make it to the later stage of the Golden Elixir realm,” Mo Wen said as a look that was hard to read spread across his face.
No matter how great a genius one was, one could not guarantee that they would surely break through to the Golden Elixir realm. Also, once one broke through to the Golden Elixir realm, every step after that would get more and more difficult. In fact, the difficulty of practicing to the later stage of the Golden Elixir realm was no lower than that of practicing from the Body Consolidation realm to the Golden Elixir realm all over again!
Even if his cultivation now was at the intermediate stage of the Embryonic Breathing realm, if he wanted to practice to make it to the later stage of the Golden Elixir realm, he would need to practice for decades, even centuries! At least, under normal circumstances, this was the standard for geniuses. As such, even if one was an ordinary ancient martial arts practitioner, breaking through to the Golden Elixir realm was a tough task!
”Rest assured. Although I have aged, living another fifty to sixty years should be no problem for me. If you have not broken through to the later stage of the Golden Elixir realm in fifty to sixty years, that means that your talent and ability is insufficient to work with me. After all, the only people who can work with me are geniuses and strong practitioners,” the elder in sackcloth said.
”Senior, I am most likely not your only partner, right? Also, you have tried this before, right?” Mo Wen asked the questions as he laughed playfully.