Chapter 153: CH. 153 | Leading The Sect, Seeking Enlightenment
Lin Tian kept working to grasp the Clone Technique, hoping he could pick it up in under a week.
He figured he’d be able to understand it quickly thanks to his Absolute Dao Emperor Comprehension ability.
But the clone technique was different from other techniques.
On top of needing a deep grasp of its basic principles, its grade sat at heaven grade, a level usually studied by cultivators at the Soul Formation stage.
Because of that, he figured it was only natural that it would take him some time to understand it.
Elsewhere, Wu Yue turned around, her eyes fixed on the sect’s main building. Inside, Lin Tian was busy studying the clone technique.
"Is something wrong, Grand Elder Wu?" Li Huan asked, coming over to see Wu Yue.
Wu Yue smiled and gave a quick shake of her head, "It’s nothing. How are things with them?"
"They’re training and cultivating well. I’m pretty impressed."
"Good. Once they reach Foundation Establishment, they can choose which discipline hall they want to study in," Wu Yue answered.
"I’ve already told them. I still... haven’t decided which hall I’ll go to myself."
"I’m too confused to pick," Li Huan said.
Wu Yue looked away. The instructors at the Foundation Establishment stage were probably all feeling the same way.
None of them knew which hall to choose since there was no detailed explanation of what each discipline hall covered.
As the sect’s grand elder, Wu Yue had to figure out how to settle the doubt in their hearts. If they didn’t pick a discipline hall soon, their growth would end up limited.
"Alright. This evening, gather the Foundation Establishment disciples in the front courtyard. I’ll explain everything to all of you."
"Yes, Grand Elder Wu."
***
The next day.
A powerful burst of qi shook through the area, coming from the sect’s main building. The disciples who were training and cultivating were briefly thrown off, unsure what was happening.
Wu Yue turned and looked toward the main building, watching as the burst of qi happened just once, but it was still startling enough for everyone.
Inside the main building, Lin Tian opened his eyes after his consciousness finally grasped the essence of the clone technique.
The flow of golden spiritual qi stopped, and the clone technique scroll closed up on its own. He tucked it right back into his bag of holding.
Wu Yue was curious. She climbed the stairs and arrived at the main building. The door was open, and she saw Lin Tian sitting on his cultivation altar.
"What happened?" Wu Yue asked.
Lin Tian’s eyes sharpened, but he didn’t answer her question. His hands formed the complex seal for the clone technique he’d just learned.
A powerful stream of spiritual qi from all across the sect flowed toward the main building, so strong it even disrupted the disciples’ cultivation.
They realized their flow of spiritual qi had been disturbed and their cultivation had come to a temporary halt.
Cao Ying sensed a massive surge of spiritual qi moving through Sect Lingxian. She stepped out from the rocky hill and saw streams of spiritual qi being pulled toward the main building.
An Yue and the other disciples in their discipline hall felt the same thing.
Their training paused for a moment as they walked to the edge of the mountain peak, their attention locked on the main building.
"Lin Tian...?"
They all flew down from their respective peaks and gathered near the main building. When they arrived, Wu Yue stepped out and filled everyone in.
"What’s happening to Master Lin?" An Yue asked, looking worried.
"Sect Leader Lin Tian is in the middle of a breakthrough, working toward heavenly enlightenment. He needs closed door cultivation right now," Wu Yue explained. The others were surprised, though Cao Ying wasn’t.
Breaking through to Soul Formation isn’t a simple thing these days.
The momentum it generates is massive and shakes heaven and earth, even more so if the cultivator manages to grasp a dao concept through their own understanding.
What Lin Tian was actually doing was simply forming a new clone. But since the clone technique was heaven grade, the momentum it gave off felt just like a real breakthrough.
Inside the main building, Lin Tian touched his forehead and drew out the essence of his soul blood, letting it hover in front of his face.
The moment the soul blood appeared, a white rune formed beneath him, right above the hall floor.
Spiritual qi flowed into the soul blood, which spread out to form networks of body cells, build bones, arrange meridians, and bring a dantian into being.
"Nine Heaven Myriad Clone Art... activate!"
More and more spiritual qi poured into the soul blood until a body took full shape, its face and appearance matching Lin Tian’s exactly, though its cultivation base did not.
Since Lin Tian’s soul blood carried the essence of his own cultivation foundation, the moment the clone’s body finished forming, its cultivation base jumped straight to Early Foundation Establishment.
The clone’s eyes opened, along with a powerful burst of qi that spread through the entire sect, cutting off the massive absorption of spiritual qi all at once.
Seeing this, Wu Yue told the other disciples to get back to their training and cultivation. They nodded and obeyed.
She took a long breath and let it out slowly. The clone technique had worked, and Lin Tian’s clone now stood before her with the same firm expression as the original.
Wu Yue and Cao Ying walked into the main building and saw that Lin Tian had successfully formed a clone.
They were completely stunned. At first they’d assumed the clone would have no cultivation base at all, meaning it would have to start over from Qi Condensation. But what they saw surprised them.
"The clone’s starting cultivation base is Early Foundation Establishment?" Cao Ying asked.
"Yes. I put a bit of the essence of my own cultivation foundation into the clone’s soul blood, so its body could resonate with that essence," Lin Tian said.
"If I’d given it the essence of my golden core instead, I worried its body and abilities wouldn’t have been ready for it, and it could’ve gotten hurt," Lin Tian added.
"An Early Foundation Establishment base is plenty for me. At the very least, I’ve got a solid starting point for reaching Nascent Soul in under three years," the Lin Tian clone said, speaking to Cao Ying and Wu Yue.
Both women looked impressed. Wu Yue was still trying to wrap her head around what had happened, while Cao Ying already knew exactly what needed to be done.
"I’m handing over leadership of the sect to him. He is me. I’ll be able to see and know everything that happens through the soul blood connection," Lin Tian explained.
The clone walked closer to Lin Tian, looking his original body straight in the eyes, "I’ll take good care of Sect Lingxian, since they’re an important part of who I am."
"Heavenly enlightenment is brutal and takes a long time," the clone added.
"Breaking through to Nascent Soul in three years is difficult and risky," Lin Tian said.
Lin Tian raised his hand, a glow of qi forming at his fingertips as he changed his robe back into a black one, no longer bothering to hide his true cultivation base.
"I need to leave," Lin Tian said firmly.
"Maybe... you should go see her. I’m sure she’s already noticed," the clone said.
Lin Tian turned and glanced to the side, his eyes on Mount Taixuan, where the Hall of Techniques and Weapons stood. He knew exactly what he needed to do.
"I... was planning to visit her before I go."