Chapter 271: Chapter 220: Arduous Cultivation!
He mastered the ’Daluo Heavenly Sleeve.’
Chen Jichuan’s life remained as usual, filled with daily cultivation, alchemy, artifact refining, and slaying demons.
Progress in alchemy and artifact refining slowed down after breaking through to the second order in this lifetime, despite relying on his previous accumulations. Although Chen Jichuan devoted himself to studying diligently and routinely opened the furnace for alchemy or engaged in artifact refining, Chen Pu, Sun Jiuzhang, and other high-ranking members of the Heaven Mending Sect thought Chen Jichuan was not dedicated enough to mastering these arts.
This perception stemmed from the slow advancement in both areas.
But Chen Jichuan was not discouraged. He delved into the sect’s ancient texts related to alchemy and artifact refining, building theoretical foundations. In practice, he focused on consistent refinement.
Frequent crafting and meticulous contemplation.
Small accumulations would eventually lead to significant changes.
The battle against demons and monsters persisted.
Such creatures were difficult to find and even harder to defeat.
Chen Jichuan struck out in all directions, but his pace remained slow.
And as for cultivation—
Following his advancements in Immortal Dao Qi Refinement, both Life Dao and Xing Dao reached the pinnacle of Core Formation Tenth Layer and Night Travel Tenth Layer.
Soon after.
Life Dao directly broke through to the second order, refining one soul fragment and reaching the peak he had achieved in his previous life.
This breakthrough came with ease, seamless as flowing water.
To maintain his status as a True Disciple, Chen Jichuan would consume his Life Dao cultivation levels right after experiencing a Heavenly Tribulation, using them to deduce cultivation techniques and magic techniques, keeping them consistently at Core Formation Tenth Layer.
He experienced repeated tribulations.
As his experience grew, he learned to face each trial calmly when calamities descended.
His Life Dao cultivation fluctuated in and out of the Second-order Soul Refining Realm, with his progress becoming increasingly smooth and natural.
Both Immortal Dao and Xing Dao approached critical breakthroughs from the first order to the second order.
Standing on a threshold.
Chen Jichuan found it hard to balance both paths.
Thus, he opted for Immortal Dao to lead, while Xing Dao underwent repeated refinement and introspection, simultaneously strengthening his understanding and providing valuable resources for deducing both cultivation techniques and magic techniques.
Immortal Dao forged ahead on its own.
Mana increased steadily.
He continuously explored the key insights to break through to the second order.
"Life Dao Soul Refining."
"Immortal Dao Enlightenment."
"Xing Dao Soul Condensation."
"Human beings are born with nine acupoints—eyes, ears, nose, mouth, front Yin, rear Yin. Immortal Dao’s second order requires opening these nine acupoints."
"The nine acupoints are intrinsically linked with the internal organs and practicing the acupoints essentially strengthens them."
"Once all nine acupoints are opened, Immortal Dao reaches its second order perfection."
Chen Jichuan meditated on the mysteries of Immortal Dao Qi Refinement.
First-order Qi Refinement.
Second-order Enlightenment.
The essence of the ’nine acupoints’ lies in their manifestation as external sites—eyes, ears, nose, mouth, front Yin, rear Yin—but their origins are rooted within.
The Qi Refinement Stage involves condensing and opening 365 major acupoints throughout the human body as preparation for the task of opening the ’nine acupoints.’
"The nine acupoints form the foundation."
"Extremely challenging to locate."
"Thus, it is crucial to establish coordinates to deduce, discover, and confirm the locations of the ’nine acupoints’ in order to condense and open them."
"The 365 major acupoints serve as ’coordinates.’"
Chen Jichuan sat cross-legged in meditation.
He closed his eyes.
Internally, all 365 major acupoints were condensed, filled with mana. During inner vision, they shimmered like stars, radiating brilliance.
The acupoints resonated, interconnected.
The linkage opened up several Qi meridians containing profound mysteries, guiding and attracting bits of Spiritual Energy from the heavens and earth. With each breath, his mana grew incrementally.
The human body itself resembled a tiny Spirit Vein.
It was not only rich in Spiritual Energy but was imbued with mystical Magic Veins which generated enigmatic states favorable for cultivation.
This was the fundamental reason late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators could become Peak Masters.
The Enlightenment Realm demanded systematic categorization and integration of these naturally linked acupoints and Qi meridians, tailoring them more closely to oneself and aligning them harmoniously with internal and external worlds.
The condensation of nine acupoints and the refinement of the internal organs elevated the physical body.
Enlightenment is termed ’True Person.’
That principle explained why.
"The first acupoint is the Eye Acupoint."
"From the 365 major acupoints, one must identify the corresponding several dozen linked to the ’Eye Acupoint,’ then condense, refine, and open them. Upon successful linkage, energy surges, enabling a step into the second order."
Chen Jichuan meticulously tuned into the resonance of each major acupoint in his body, attentively deducing and refining.
While human bodies bore similar structures.
Subtle differences permeated every aspect.
Thus, in cultivation, each has their own path—there is no universal template to mimic another’s approach. One must rely on the descriptions in cultivation techniques, the experiences of predecessors, and their personal insights for achievement.
In moments like these.
The characteristics of cultivation techniques became apparent.
"Take the ’Sword Map.’"
"This is a side door level technique, allowing each major acupoint to contain six units of mana. Greater mana not only advantages combat but also simplifies resonance and introspection during cultivation."
"For beginner techniques."
"Each major acupoint houses only one unit of mana. Inner vision reveals faint acupoints, so dim they’re barely observable let alone subject to introspection and in-depth analysis."
"Our acupoints’ interconnections are likewise feeble."
"But if ’Sword Map’ were upgraded to True Sect Level, each major acupoint could harbor nine units of mana, akin to orbs of radiance. In such a state, deeply comprehending the mysteries of acupoints becomes considerably easier."
Of course.
This ’easier’ pertains to comparisons with beginner, refined level, and side door level techniques. Even for Qi Refinement cultivators employing True Sect Level techniques, advancing to the second order remains a daunting challenge.
Perseverance.
Wisdom.
Resources.
None can be lacking.
Chen Jichuan contemplated while engaging in rigorous cultivation.
Life Dao experienced constant breakthroughs and regressions.
Tribulations came and went.
Chen Jichuan grew increasingly adept at navigating Heavenly Tribulations, and progress in ’Sword Map’ refinement continually advanced.
Xing Dao underwent repeated fresh starts.
The ’Essence, Qi, and Spirit’ of a person are inherently complementary, and Chen Jichuan maintained relatively high cultivation levels in Immortal Dao and Life Dao, ensuring abundant Essence Qi, which accelerated Xing Dao’s reconstruction.
While refining his insights, he simultaneously developed cultivation techniques.
Truly achieving a dual gain.
...
Four years after obtaining ’Daluo Heavenly Sleeve.’
Third Senior Brother Cheng Beixuan reached two hundred years of age without breaking through to the second order, losing his place in the True Disciple sequence.
Nevertheless, Cheng Beixuan received offers from various peak masters and hall masters within Heaven Mending Sect. After all, he had consistently ranked in the top ten of the Immortal List during his time as a True Disciple.
Second order breakthroughs were tough.
The rarity of achieving second order within the True Disciple stage was akin to phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
Late-stage Qi Refinement Tenth Layer.
Even if Cheng Beixuan failed to breakthrough before two hundred, he still had a hundred years left—a fair chance for success.
Many influential figures within the sect took this opportunity to extend olive branches.
Yet Cheng Beixuan, heart set on the Nine Refinement Immortal Mansion, ultimately chose to return to the outer seas, back to Radiant Light Island.
Three years after Cheng Beixuan’s departure.
Fifth Senior Sister Xue Xiao also reached two hundred years old. Compared to Cheng Beixuan, Xue Xiao lacked outstanding achievements, typically fluctuating between the thirtieth and fiftieth ranks on the Immortal List.
Some people still placed hope in her future, but Xue Xiao also returned to the Nine Refinement Immortal Mansion.
As these two departed.
Under the tutelage of Master Baiyun within Heaven Mending Sect, only Chen Jichuan and Sixth Senior Sister Li Yunyuan remained. Meanwhile, from the Nine Refinement Immortal Mansion, Wang Zhan persisted.
No more than three True Disciples.
...
Time flowed like water.
Year after year.
Having entered Heaven Mending Sect for eighty years and possessed ’Daluo Heavenly Sleeve’ for forty years, Chen Jichuan faced his eighth Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation and embarked on Xing Dao’s second reconstruction.
’Sword Map’ refinement reached completion but remained stagnant at side door level.
"Side door."
"True Sect."
"The former halts at the gate of immortality, the latter strides into Immortal Dao."
"A chasm as vast as sky and earth."
Chen Jichuan felt disappointment but understood the gulf between side door level and True Sect Level techniques.
Sky and earth apart.
Mortal and immortal separate.
Naturally, it wasn’t something easily achieved.
Fortunately, the refinements left him with newfound rewards.
"Side Door Level techniques still hold distinctions in quality."
"The enhanced ’Sword Map’ exhibits notable improvements, clearly more refined than before."
Chen Jichuan found solace in these advancements.
While upgrading ’Sword Map’ to True Sect Level remained an unattainable aspiration.
He now shifted to refining magic techniques.
The first priority was ’Little Four Nine Wind and Thunder Escape Method.’
In battles across Slaughter Ring Sea, reliance on Magical Treasures, talismans, and Divine Thunder overwhelmingly surpassed reliance on magic techniques. Magic techniques had minimal impact on determining victory.
When engaging in combat.
Magic techniques typically served for probing strength. True outcomes were decided by Magical Treasures, talismans, and the like.
No matter how astonishing one’s magic techniques were.
If evenly matched at Qi Refinement Tenth Layer, a foe possessing a second-order Magical Treasure while you lack one would leave you evenly matched or even at a disadvantage.
Only equally matched treasures allowed magic techniques to shine.
Beyond treasures, talismans, Divine Thunder, and similar items were equally decisive factors.
A handful of second-order talismans or a series of second-order Yin Thunder strikes rendered all escape and protective techniques useless.
"What an distorted world!"
Chen Jichuan was deeply discontented by this.
After devoting centuries of effort to mastering unparalleled magic techniques, he should have been unmatched. Yet due to Slaughter Ring Sea’s unique conditions and the frequent emergence of second-order treasures and talismans, conflicts that should be decided by techniques turned into competitions of wealth and artifacts.
Utterly unappealing.
The only consolation for Chen Jichuan lay in his considerable stockpile of second-order Magical Treasures, talismans, Divine Thunder, Thunderbolts, and similar items.
When outmatched, hurling a handful of Thunderbolts brought booming destruction, banishing gods and demons, and lifted his spirits.
As for Magical Treasures.
Being a second-order Artifact Refiner himself, he could personally craft second-order treasures. Coupled with his status as a True Disciple of the Heaven Mending Sect, granting him access to treasure exchanges, while third-order treasures remained elusive, inaccessible for trading, or scarce, the treasures at his disposal represented the finest of second-order items.
Defense.
Speed.
Offense.
In all aspects, they stood at the forefront, allowing him to confidently compete on equal footing with anyone in terms of treasures.
"Fourth-order sect-defining treasures."
"Third-order treasures rare as phoenix feathers."
"Second-order treasures remain the staple within Slaughter Ring Sea."
"Despite my current low cultivation, suppressed by second-order treasures, the impact of my magic techniques remains limited. However, once I advance to the second order, my magic techniques’ power will increase substantially, rendering second-order treasures trivial."
"Third-realm advanced techniques can already rival them."
"If advanced techniques are cultivated to the fourth realm, their power easily eclipses second-order treasures."
After all, treasures are external objects.
Higher-level treasures are increasingly difficult to obtain, far less dependable than one’s mastery of techniques.
This made refining techniques and elevating their power an essential pursuit.
"Little Four Nine Wind and Thunder Escape Method."
Chen Jichuan prioritized refining this escape technique.
Suitable for traversing vast distances.
Ideal for pursuit and assassination.
Perfect for his monster hunting endeavors.
Combined with the second-order treasures Chen Jichuan wielded to augment speed, it rendered escape for first-order cultivators impossible.
...
At one hundred years since joining Heaven Mending Sect.
Chen Jichuan accumulated six thousand Great Merits and exchanged them for his second Absolute Skill: ’Heaven Mending Seal.’
One seal for life, one seal for death.
The Yang Seal heals; the more lives saved, the more illness and death energy accumulates, strengthening the Yin Seal.
The Yin Seal kills; the more lives ended, the more vitality seized, empowering the Yang Seal.
Since then.
His primary studied techniques expanded by one more.
...
At one hundred twenty years since joining Heaven Mending Sect.
Chen Jichuan faced his sixteenth Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, and refined the ’Little Four Nine Wind and Thunder Escape Method’ to a super-level.
Achieving mastery over his third super-level technique.
Simultaneously.
While previously cultivating the advanced ’Little Four Nine Wind and Thunder Escape Method’ to its third realm, this refinement elevated its profundity, lowering mastery and understanding to the second realm. Yet its power increased remarkably, surpassing its former state.
Moreover, having accrued expertise in its advanced-level insights, advancing this super-level technique to the third realm became attainable in the near future.
Easier than his efforts in mastering ’Daluo Heavenly Sleeve’ or ’Heaven Mending Seal.’
At one hundred thirty years since joining Heaven Mending Sect.
Chen Jichuan experienced his eighteenth Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, now wholly accustomed to its challenges.
During this same year.
Chen Jichuan successfully identified and connected thirty-two major acupoints to pinpoint the precise location of the ’Eye Acupoint.’
With this, he transcended from Qi Refinement Tenth Layer to the Second-order Enlightenment Realm.
At age one hundred ninety-eight with bone age of one hundred thirteen, Chen Jichuan achieved Immortal Dao Second-order Enlightenment Realm, Life Dao Second-order Soul Refining Realm, and Xing Dao First-order Night Travel Tenth Layer.
Dominating the Immortal List for ninety-three years, with only—
"Two years remaining!"
...