Chapter 248 - 245: Divine Seed
"You’re quite self-aware, kid."
Master Wandering Dragon couldn’t help but give Shen Changchuan another appraising look, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
What young genius wasn’t bursting with arrogance,
thinking themselves unrivaled under the heavens before they had seen the wider world?
A young person with such a clear understanding of themself,
was a rare find indeed.
At this,
Shen Changchuan fell silent.
He understood the logic,
but he found it hard to imagine what kind of abilities those chosen ones in the Qi Introduction Realm could possibly have that would surpass his own. ’In the Qi Introduction Realm, what other methods could those favored by the heavens possibly possess to surpass my current self?’
"Kid, there’s no need for that."
"Some people are born with an Innate Spiritual Body. Their Cultivation progresses at an incredible speed, and when they practice corresponding Magic, its power is amplified severalfold, allowing them to unleash all sorts of profoundly wondrous abilities."
"Some have monstrous Comprehension, grasping any Technique at a glance and mastering it with little effort. They can even refine Cultivation Techniques and Magic, tailoring them into powerful methods perfectly suited to themselves."
"There are also those who, though born with ordinary aptitude, have astonishing family backgrounds. They can endure what others cannot and succeed in cultivating an Ancient Body Refining Method, defying fate to change their destiny..."
Seeing Shen Changchuan’s silence,
and as he was one of the most talented among the Sect’s first batch of entry-level disciples,
Master Wandering Dragon didn’t want to see him discouraged, so he offered some words of comfort:
"Compared to those monstrous talents who lay the foundations for a towering skyscraper at the very start of their Path of Immortal Cultivation, you may fall short. But that’s not your fault. It’s because the Immortal Cultivation Realm here in the Southern Domain is simply too barren."
"This is due to the environment you grew up in. Shallow waters can hardly nurture a True Dragon, after all."
"In my view, if you had the chance to grow within an Immortal Sect, your accomplishments would be no less than theirs!"
Master Wandering Dragon spoke gently,
and despite the chasm in status between him and Shen Changchuan,
his words felt like a warm spring breeze to Shen Changchuan.
"Thank you, Sect Leader, for your guidance!"
Shen Changchuan composed himself and bowed with his hands clasped in thanks.
Master Wandering Dragon nodded slightly.
’It seems,’
’this boy isn’t the type to be crushed by a single setback.’
’His resilience is quite commendable.’
’As for future accomplishments... I won’t say they’ll be lofty, but I expect he can at least advance to the Soul Emergence Realm and become a mainstay of the Dragon Cloud Sect.’
"Your performance in this assessment was good."
"I intend to take you as my disciple."
"However, you are still in the Qi Introduction Realm and have yet to break through. So for now, I’ll make you a Registered Disciple. Once you break through, I will formally accept you as my own. How does that sound?"
Master Wandering Dragon’s words
stunned Shen Changchuan once again.
But thankfully,
Wu Tianhao had given him a heads-up, so he was somewhat prepared.
Still, his heart pounded with excitement as he bowed deeply to Master Wandering Dragon.
"Thank you... Master!"
’This man before me is a Divine Travel Realm Cultivator!’
’For all its might, the Tian Nan Shen Clan has only a single Divine Travel Realm Ancestor watching over it.’
’What’s more, Master Wandering Dragon is no ordinary Divine Travel Realm cultivator!’
’As one of the Seven Immortal Sect Sons of the Yuqing Immortal Sect,’
’according to rumors, he is one of the cultivators closest to and most likely to become a Master Profound Pill!’
’This is a level of existence even the Shen Family Ancestor couldn’t hope to match.’
’Being accepted as his disciple...’
’for me,’
’is an absolutely wonderful thing!’
’Not only would I gain a powerful backer, but the legacy he could pass down would also be of immense benefit to me!’
"Don’t get too excited just yet. Becoming my disciple may not necessarily be a good thing..."
"Ah, forget it. A mere Qi Introduction Realm cultivator like you... it’s unlikely to affect you anyway..."
Master Wandering Dragon shook his head slightly,
clearing it of stray thoughts.
He refocused his gaze on Shen Changchuan before him.
"Now that you’ve reached the Ninth Layer Peak, it’s time you learned a few things about advancing to the Soul Emergence Realm."
"The breakthrough stage from Ninth Layer Peak to Soul Emergence is also known as Foundation Establishment."
"This is a process of extreme importance for your future path of cultivation. The quality of the foundation you build will determine the height of your future achievements, so it must not be taken lightly..."
Sensing that Shen Changchuan’s Cultivation had reached the limit of the Qi Introduction Realm and that he was about to break through, Master Wandering Dragon decided to guide him directly, lest the boy take a wrong turn and ruin his future prospects.
Although,
’in his heart, he didn’t believe Shen Changchuan would ever reach the Divine Travel Realm, let alone the Profound Pill Realm.’
’But since I’ve decided to take him as my disciple,’
’I should at least be diligent.’
’Regardless of what Realm he eventually stops at,’
’as his master, it’s my responsibility to guide him and ensure he doesn’t go astray.’
And so,
from the legacy of the Yuqing Immortal Sect,
Master Wandering Dragon explained all the secrets concerning Foundation Establishment, advancing to the Soul Emergence Realm, and even the matter of condensing a Spirit Body, laying them out one by one for Shen Changchuan.
Shen Changchuan instantly perked up,
listening with rapt attention,
committing every word to memory.
...
「Three days later.」
At Shen Changchuan’s residence,
Shen Changchuan, sitting cross-legged on the White Jade Meditation Mat, opened his eyes. In the air, a flash of light visible to the naked eye flickered and vanished.
"As expected of an expert from a Major Sect. Just a bit of guidance is enough to save me several years of hard work!"
Feeling the Magical Power within his body,
now flowing even more smoothly and powerfully than it had three days prior, Shen Changchuan’s face lit up with joy.
Master Wandering Dragon’s personal guidance three days ago hadn’t actually taken very long.
It was only about one or two hours,
but in those one or two hours, Shen Changchuan had gained an immense amount!
The points his master, Master Wandering Dragon, had raised repeatedly struck at the very heart of issues Shen Changchuan had previously overlooked or ignored.
For example, whenever he cast Magic, he would feel a faint sense of pressure as his Magical Power circulated to a certain tiny meridian in his hand. This trace of pressure never seemed to have any effect,
and after his Divine Sense Inner Vision revealed nothing amiss, Shen Changchuan had paid it no mind.
But his master, Master Wandering Dragon, saw the problem at a glance,
and pointed it out.
Only then did he learn that the tiny meridian needed to work in tandem with another, linked together for smooth operation. Otherwise, the cumulative effect over time would cause hidden internal injuries.
There were many other similar issues.
As his master, Master Wandering Dragon, spoke, Shen Changchuan had broken out in a cold sweat.
He had originally thought that through his persistent efforts and by constantly absorbing the Cultivation Experience of others, his foundation had become solid and unshakable, without any flaws.
But in the eyes of his master, Master Wandering Dragon, it was riddled with errors!
In fact, after three days of making adjustments based on the problems Master Wandering Dragon had pointed out,
Shen Changchuan could feel his strength had increased by at least ten percent!
"It’s always cooler in the shade of a great tree!"
Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but sigh.
Then,
he took out a somewhat worn Jade Slip.
The joy on his face subsided slightly, his eyes flickering with a thoughtful gleam.
"This Divine Seed..."