Chapter 505: Chapter 418 Divine Skills_2
But nearly six thousand years have passed, and he is still trapped at the seven-pattern level, unable to achieve a breakthrough.
Until days ago.
Feeling increasingly anxious and irritable, along with the growing infamy of Dongning Venerable, Chihong Immortal feared calamity might befall him, ruining his future. No longer willing to wait, he sold off most of his assets to acquire treasures for defensive formations in the Fire-Origin Grounds. He also invited his close friend, Dark Star Immortal Monarch, to accompany him as a protector.
"Twenty-three arrays."
"They cost a total of four hundred Fang Yuan Crystals."
"Even if each array can only last three to five years in the Fire-Origin Grounds, twenty-three arrays would enable cultivation for almost a hundred years."
If one were to cultivate in such a treasured site as the Fire-Origin Grounds for close to a century and still fail to reach mid-stage Dharma Body, then no amount of wealth or Spirit Crystals would matter—mere illusions in the end.
Chihong Immortal is betting everything, gambling for a brilliant future.
...
Fierce Bird Mountain.
Fire-Origin Grounds.
Before Chen Jichuan were placed two jade bottles, one black and one white. With each breath of his, flows of clear and turbid energy were absorbed into his body, as his mastery of the Dayan Divination Method gradually improved.
Divine Skills are far harder to cultivate than Magic.
Not to mention the difficulty in comprehension, the sheer resource consumption can bankrupt even Fourth-order Immortals.
"Among the Fourth-order, those who master Divine Skills are exceedingly rare."
"They are mostly Fifth-order Great Powers who grasp them."
"Fifth-order Great Powers have far richer legacies, vastly surpassing Fourth-order Immortals. But even for the Fifth-order, cultivating Divine Skills is no easy task—it requires both insight and resources."
Returning to the Nine Heavens, after settling in Fierce Bird Mountain, Chen Jichuan devoted his first hundred years to switching to a new cultivation technique, focusing on enhancing his cultivation. After advancing to the External Realm, it was truly during the second century that he began utilizing the Purple Pure Spirit Mechanism and Red Muddy Profound Mechanism to cultivate the Divine Skill, Dayan Divination Method.
Over a hundred years, only one-tenth of the five hundred Fang Yuan Crystals worth of Purple Pure Spirit Mechanism and Red Muddy Profound Mechanism had been consumed.
Which is merely fifty Fang Yuan Crystals.
Compared to the hundred and thirty Fang Yuan Crystals worth of Five Elements Jade Liquid consumed in the first hundred years, it’s indeed insignificant.
But similarly, the progress of the Dayan Divination Method has also been slow.
"The Dayan Divination Method consists of ninety-six layers."
"Twelve layers form one realm, totaling eight realms."
"I cultivated the Najia Divination Method to the Sixth Realm and extrapolated it into the Divine Skill, Dayan Divination Method. Divine Skills differ from Magic; while the six realm Super-level Najia Divination Method transitioned into the Second Realm Divine Skill Dayan Divination Method, the skill at the time was only at the thirteenth layer, merely entering the Second Realm."
"Later, I spent twenty thousand years on Mishen Island in arduous cultivation. Due to the exorbitant cost of Purple Pure Spirit Mechanism and Red Muddy Profound Mechanism and my own financial constraints, much of my focus shifted toward improving other Super-level Techniques."
"The Dayan Divination Method saw little progress, barely reaching the fourteenth layer."
Upon advancing to the External Realm, a hundred years of cultivation consuming fifty Fang Yuan Crystals of Spirit Mechanism Mysterious Mechanism finally pushed the Dayan Divination Method up one more layer to the fifteenth.
But it is still a far cry from the twenty-fifth layer of the Third Realm.
"The Second Realm requires fifty Fang Yuan Crystals to elevate just one layer; advancing to the Third Realm will require at least six to seven hundred Fang Yuan Crystals."
However, Chen Jichuan knows that transitioning from the Second Realm’s second layer to the third layer already demands fifty Fang Yuan Crystals. Future advancements per layer will undoubtedly exceed fifty Fang Yuan Crystals.
Back then, going from the thirteenth layer to the fourteenth layer only required a little over ten Fang Yuan Crystals.
"At least six to seven hundred, perhaps even thousands."
Calculating these figures, Chen Jichuan couldn’t help but feel his eyelid twitching. This doesn’t even account for the consumption of Immortal Pills and Treasure Medicines needed to restore spirit after Enlightenment.
If not for his fortuitous financial windfall in the Immortal Gate World, he wouldn’t dare divert his focus to cultivating Divine Skills.
Compared to Tuota Venerable, however, his situation was relatively better.
Tuota Venerable once obtained a fragmented Immortal Stele in the Immortal Gate, which recorded an incomplete Divine Skill named Summoning Wind and Rain.
This Divine Skill comprises fifty-six layers.
Tuota Venerable acquired only the first twenty-one layers. The first seven layers correspond to the initial realm of the Divine Skill, yet even after fifty thousand years of cultivation, he only reached the Sixth Layer.
He hadn’t even touched the threshold for the Second Realm, leaving him with no means to squander wealth further.
"Third Layer of the Second Realm."
"Seems somewhat commendable."
Chen Jichuan chuckled bitterly.
To elevate the Dayan Divination Method to the Third Realm within a short period is unrealistic, but at least this Divine Skill has risen another level. Chen Jichuan then proceeded to calculate Wang Yan’s whereabouts with his fingers.
Just then.
A report from the Fire Immortal, one of the Fire-element Fierce Birds among the self-styled Nine Immortals of Fierce Bird Mountain—
"Someone is climbing the mountain!"
...
"What!"
"How can this be?"
"I came to this Fierce Bird Mountain eight hundred years ago, back then these fierce birds weren’t nearly as troublesome."
On the periphery of Fierce Bird Mountain, Chihong Immortal was growing increasingly impatient, his expression darkening.
He had just brought Dark Star Immortal Monarch directly to one of the two Fire-Origin Grounds he discovered years prior. But shortly after venturing in, they were detected by fierce birds. Ignoring them, they forced their way deeper, only to encounter an ever-growing horde of fierce birds.
Before reaching the Fire-Origin Grounds, they had already been driven back to the mountain’s outer edge.
Refusing to concede easily, Chihong Immortal tried several different directions but ultimately failed each time.
He began to realize something was wrong.
The changes in Fierce Bird Mountain over these eight hundred years were far too significant.
Dark Star Immortal Monarch perceived it too, frowning as he spoke: "The fierce birds in this mountain seem to possess a unique communication method, their sensitivity is extraordinary. They’re able to detect our infiltration—even Secret Techniques to conceal our aura don’t work."
"Let’s try again!"
Gritting his teeth, Chihong Immortal once more plunged into the depths of Fierce Bird Mountain.
Dark Star Immortal Monarch sighed inwardly, knowing his friend had staked the bulk of his assets on the Fire-Origin Grounds. The twenty-three formations purchased and crafted had been specifically tailored for defense against the Fire-element Fierce Birds in these grounds.
If Fierce Bird Mountain has indeed changed, making it impossible to access the Fire-Origin Grounds, this investment would go to waste.
The losses, while unfortunate, were secondary; the hope of advancing to mid-stage Dharma Body seemed slim.
"Why?"
"Why!"
"Why could I enter eight hundred years ago, but not now?!"
Once again driven back to the outskirts by the fierce birds, Chihong Immortal appeared somewhat disheveled, his eyes bloodshot.
Dark Star Immortal Monarch remained close at hand, but though he opened his mouth to speak, he hesitated, uncertain how to offer comfort.
Deep within Fierce Bird Mountain.
Atop Tuota Peak.
While using the Dayan Divination Method to calculate Wang Yan’s whereabouts, Chen Jichuan, along with the Nine Immortals under him, observed Chihong Immortal and Dark Star Immortal Monarch repeatedly attempting to infiltrate, only to be driven back by the Nine Immortals directing the fierce bird hordes. He secretly nodded in approval.
This was the first time an Upper Immortal had visited since Chen Jichuan took control of Fierce Bird Mountain.
But Fierce Bird Mountain now was worlds apart from two centuries ago.
Over the past two hundred years, Chen Jichuan had purchased over a hundred Spirit Crystals’ worth of formation materials from Yu Ming Immortal Court to construct arrays and manage his Daoist field.
While the Small Sumeru Right and Left Nine Palace Immortal Formation wasn’t yet fully completed, its foundation had been laid, with basic functionalities like detection and confusion already usable.
This was a Fifth-order Formation.
Though Chen Jichuan had only scratched its surface and employed its introductory features, the inherent power of the formation was sufficient—it could still impact Fourth-order Immortals.
The once ownerless Fierce Bird Mountain could pose some degree of threat to Heavenly Venerates, but now, under the rule of the Nine Immortals, commanding nine major fierce bird clans, and further aided by the Small Sumeru Right and Left Nine Palace Immortal Formation, directing forces to handle mere seven-pattern Upper Immortals was almost effortless.
"In the past, I might have overlooked this."
"But as Fierce Bird Mountain now serves as my Daoist field, with its twenty-five Five Elements Origins under my control, and the Five Elements Fierce Birds diligently collecting Five Elements Jade Liquid as my resources, I cannot allow unrelated individuals to wander in freely."
"Not that I wouldn’t let outsiders use it."
"But unfortunately, my current strength is somewhat lacking, otherwise I could reveal myself as Mountain Master of Fierce Bird Mountain. Considering these Upper Immortals came prepared and invested heavily, if I charged them three or five hundred Spirit Crystals to access the Five Elements Origins for decades of cultivation, I doubt anyone would refuse."
It’s unfortunate—this should have been a mutually beneficial arrangement, yet Chen Jichuan couldn’t afford to act on it presently.
Sitting atop Treasure Mountain is both an advantage and a burden.
Everything hinges on power.
"We’ll wait a little longer."
Chen Jichuan allowed the two seven-pattern Upper Immortals to continue their aimless scrambling while using their movements to test Fierce Bird Mountain’s defenses.
The Nine Immortals grew increasingly adept.
Suddenly.
Chen Jichuan’s expression shifted, betraying his composure.
Without even having the time to instruct the Nine Immortals, his figure flickered and vanished instantly.
...