Chapter 96 - Dispelling Doubts (1/2)

All the disciples sat down cross-legged. The long-haired man sat cross-legged, smiled, and said, “There are 20 new disciples today. It’s truly a joyous occasion for our Archean Mountain.”

20? Shouldn’t there be 21? Meng Chuan, Princess Li Ying, Zong Sha, Chu Yong, Yan Feng, and the other new disciples were slightly taken aback. They couldn’t help but look around. The youngest Yan Chitong was also here today.

Ji Yuantong is missing! Meng Chuan paid careful attention and sensed that Ji Yuantong wasn’t in the pavilion.

Out of the new batch of disciples, only Ji Yuantong was missing.

The long-haired man smiled indifferently. “If there’s anything you want to ask, you can speak.”

“Master.”

Immediately, a youth with sword-like eyebrows and glistening eyes—who sat towards the back—stood up and bowed respectfully. “I’ve been cultivating the Azure Lotus Divine Body for three years. I have only cultivated the Azure Lotus Divine Body to the Fire Water Symbiosis realm. Do I continue cultivating?”

“You’re too slow. The Azure Lotus Divine Body has a total of seven steps. You have only reached the second step—Fire Water Symbiosis. You won’t master it in twenty years. You can abandon it and switch to a high-grade Godfiend body,” said the long-haired man. “Also, you should focus on your sword art more. You haven’t reached the Realm of Intent after three years. That’s also too slow.”

“Yes,” replied the young man respectfully as he made his decision.

He had put in too much effort into the Azure Lotus Divine Body for three years. He had even overlooked his sword techniques. He knew that there was little hope to cultivate the Azure Lotus Divine Body, but he was unwilling to accept it. He still had hope. However, his master’s words made him give up completely.

After all, if one did not become a high-grade Godfiend within ten years, they would be expelled from the inner sect!

I’ll just become a high-grade Godfiend! I’ll focus on my sword techniques. If my sword art is profound enough, it can make up for the huge gap between high-grade and transcendent-grade Godfiend bodies.

“Master.” Another thin, hunchbacked youth stood up and said respectfully, “I’ve been cultivating the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body for six years. I finally reached the Seventh Refinement realm five days ago. Do I absorb heavenly lightning for the Life-and-Death juncture or attempt the Eighth Refinement?”

Seventh Refinement? Immediately, many disciples looked at the hunchbacked youth in surprise.

As long as one reached the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body’s Seventh Refinement and had reached the Realm of Intent, one could challenge the Life-and-Death juncture and become a Godfiend.

That would mean an additional transcendent-grade Godfiend expert for Archean Mountain.

Seventh Refinement? Meng Chuan’s eyes lit up when he heard that.

He had chosen the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body. He knew that this formula required the world’s baneful aura to cultivate the Godfiend body. Every time he successfully improved his body with the baneful aura, it would be considered a refinement. The more one refined their bodies, the more precious and powerful baneful auras would be needed. According to records, one could refine their bodies a maximum of nine times.

Nine refinements meant perfection. When one’s body was sufficiently robust, one could forge the perfect Lightning Devastator Fiend Body during the Life-and-Death juncture by drawing heavenly lightning unto themselves.

In reality, the baneful aura was extremely harmful to the physical body. It also dealt damage to one’s consciousness. Even though many genius disciples had strong wills, once they reached the third or fourth Refinement, their bodies would not be able to withstand it. If they absorbed even more baneful aura to cultivate, their bodies would fail. Every refinement was a transformation, and the danger level would rise correspondingly.

“It wouldn’t be worth it to give up after cultivating for six years. Continue to the Eighth Refinement before becoming a Godfiend,” said the long-haired man with a smile. “Of course, if you haven’t reached the Eighth Refinement by the ten-year limit, give up immediately and attempt the Life-and-Death juncture to become a Godfiend. Becoming a Godfiend in ten years is a cast-iron rule of Archean Mountain.

“A mortal’s body and lifeforce peaks at the age of twenty. It remains stagnant between the ages of twenty to thirty with very slight drops in lifeforce. Once thirty and older, one’s lifeforce will decrease rapidly. Such Godfiends won’t have a promising future. Cultivation skyrockets in difficulty with an aging body. Therefore, you must become a Godfiend before the age of thirty.”

“Yes,” all the disciples responded in unison. The hunchbacked man also responded respectfully before sitting down cross-legged.

The surrounding disciples looked at him differently. No matter what happened, he had already reached the Seventh Refinement! He was destined to become a transcendent-grade Godfiend.

With 200 plus disciples learning of it, the top family clans in the Great Zhou Dynasty would soon know of his achievement.

…