Longevity starts with choosing Hextech enhancement

Chapter 493 Attempting to Break Through to the Fourth-Order Body Cultivation
"Reporting to the True Lord, this child possesses immense potential!"

"At such a young age, he seems to have already stepped into the threshold of the Path of Wood."

"Even I, the old man, feel that I can't quite see through the realm he's in now."

"If one gains more experience and accumulates knowledge over a few more years, and then attempts to break through to the Nascent Soul stage with a deeper understanding, there is a very good chance of success."

"In addition, his body is also very active, and his blood and qi are extremely vigorous."

"As long as I can obtain a breakthrough pill to protect my soul in the future, even if I fail to break through on my first attempt, I will most likely have the opportunity to make a comeback."

"Overall, her current level is already top-notch for this age group."

"His potential for the future is unparalleled, making him worthy of being called an extraordinary genius!"

The Dharma Transmission Elder of Guiyun Sect gave Xiao Chen's portrayal of Cai Youde the highest praise without reservation.

This result greatly surprised the True Lords.

They even suspected at first that the Cai family might have secretly bribed the other party, otherwise why would they give such a high evaluation?

But on second thought, the possibility of doing so seems unlikely.

Whether someone is a genius or a mediocre person cannot be faked; it requires the test and proof of facts.

Just recently, Cai Youde demonstrated his ability to fight three rogue cultivators in the wilderness.

It seems he gained considerable insights from actual combat, and upon returning, he announced that he would go into seclusion for cultivation, and for an extended period at that.

Judging from their posture, they are clearly preparing to break through the current bottleneck in one fell swoop.

Such an amazing performance, if it were deliberately staged, would obviously be a bit too much.

In other words, the other party is very likely to be a genius cultivator.

"It seems the Cai family is doing quite well."

Caiyun Zhenjun laughed and said, "So many years have passed, and we haven't been able to cultivate many promising juniors. I thought they were going to fail."

"I never expected that such a prodigy was secretly hidden in the ancestral home."

"If he really succeeds in breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, he can bring glory to the Cai family for another thousand years."

For many cultivation families, the condition of the family's pillar is related to the fate of the entire family.

This is especially crucial for families like the Cai family, which once enjoyed great success but are now experiencing a decline in their generational structure.

"Senior brother, what do you think about this?"

Lan Yun Zhenjun asked, "It seems the Cai family's revival is promising. Should we do something about it?"

For the Guiyun Sect, keeping track of the situation within its own territory is also a very important matter.

However, after hearing this, True Monarch Guiyun raised his eyebrows slightly, thought for a moment, and did not answer directly.

Instead, he turned the question back on: "Junior brother, what do you think we should do now?"

It seemed that Lord Lanyun already had an answer in his mind before he even spoke.

Upon hearing this, he immediately replied, "I think we should offer him some help."

“The spiritual energy in the outside world is scarce, so why not grant him permission to cultivate in this blessed land?”

"At the same time, he is allowed to compete for those Grade A cultivation rooms located in the core of the spiritual vein through a contest, just like a true disciple of the sect."

What Lord Lanyun said was a rather conservative but effective solution.

Rather than offering help, it's more like putting the other party under one's watchful eye for observation.

The deeper purpose of allowing duels is actually to facilitate long-term assessment of the target's true cultivation level.

At the same time, this unified training within the sect is also very beneficial for cultivating the target's feelings towards the Guiyun Sect.

If Xiao Chen were to come to Guiyun Sect for long-term cultivation, he would naturally develop deep feelings for the many people and things there.

This kind of feeling doesn't necessarily need to be obvious, intense, or deeply moving.

It's enough to subtly influence his future decisions in small ways.

More importantly, all of this was done under the guise of providing assistance.

On the surface, it appears to be a perfectly good thing for the Guiyun Sect to enthusiastically help outstanding family members within its territory.

Moreover, such a favor is almost an open scheme, so even if Grandpa Cai could see through his calculations, it wouldn't matter.

Firstly, the environment within this blessed land is indeed excellent, and the concentration of spiritual energy is indeed high; not coming would be a waste.

Secondly, if the Cai family openly rebels, it would indicate that they harbor rebellious intentions.

Since that's the case, there's no need to talk about the future; we should eliminate the danger in its infancy now.

"That's a good idea."

Guiyun Zhenjun nodded first, then changed the subject: "However, this alone seems a little insufficient."

"Since he is an unparalleled genius, he deserves a higher price to bet on."

“Let him cultivate in the blessed land. There’s no need for any competitions. Just give him a private cultivation room.”

"Give him the best of everything in terms of clothing, food, housing, and transportation, so that he looks more like a true disciple than our true disciples."

Ok?
The other two True Lords were somewhat taken aback upon hearing this. What did this mean?

Although Tsai Yu-te has indeed shown remarkable talent, it is only a possibility.

Will he be able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage in the future?

Even if we eventually succeed in making a breakthrough, how many years will it take?

These issues are all still open to discussion.

Is it really necessary for Guiyun Sect to offer such favorable conditions to an outsider?

The key issue is that if it's truly about bestowing favors, these superficial gestures are somewhat insufficient.

It's far less reliable to invest in spirit stones or crucial breakthrough items in the future, just before you're about to break through.

Caiyun Zhenjun blinked, seemingly puzzled.

However, he didn't delve into it. Since his senior brother had decided to do it this way, he would just listen to him.

He was already exhausted from contemplating the Great Dao every day, so he didn't bother with these trivial matters.

Lan Yun Zhenjun pondered for a while, then tentatively asked, "Does Senior Brother mean to help him become famous?"

"Senior brother actually thinks so highly of him?"

He seemed to have guessed his senior brother's thoughts, but he was still somewhat unsure.

"why not?"

Guiyun Zhenjun smiled and said, "To fight against overwhelming odds, to comprehend the Dao in the midst of battle, and to kill the enemy with a single move—it has been many years since our blessed land has produced such a powerful genius."

"Junior brother, you might want to think about when was the last time you had such an interesting story?"

"Since that's the case, why not lend him a hand and help him become famous?"

"If we send him to the Holy City to participate in the competition in a few years, he might be able to win an extra spot for our Zejing Blessed Land. Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Every so often, the Holy City holds a grand competition.

At the same time, the most powerful or most renowned Golden Core cultivators from various blessed lands were summoned to participate.

The rankings in the competition will then determine the allocation of slots for the next large-scale secret realm.

Guiyun Sect has sent many disciples to participate in competitions over the past thousand years.

However, none of them made it into the top ten, and they could only regretfully miss the opportunity to enter the secret realm to search for treasure time and time again.

This is not simply because Guiyun Sect is relatively weak.

More importantly, the rules of the competition held in the Holy City are simple, with almost no restrictions, striving to closely resemble real combat situations.

Therefore, there is considerable danger in the process of fighting.

Not only are participating disciples often seriously injured, but occasionally someone is even killed on stage.

The Holy City's attitude toward this is ambiguous.

Although he verbally appealed to the disciples participating in the competition to go easy on them and stop when they were at a disadvantage.

However, they have no intention of changing the rules, and seem to be somewhat happy about it.

Therefore, even if Guiyun Sect occasionally manages to cultivate a disciple with outstanding talent, they are unwilling to send him to participate in competitions in order to protect their own talents.

For example, when True Monarch Caiyun was still a Golden Core cultivator, he did not participate in the Grand Competition.

Instead, one of his senior brothers took his place, but he also unfortunately failed and was left with lasting effects, preventing him from ever reaching the next realm.

"But now there are less than three years until the next competition."

Lan Yun Zhenjun reminded him, "Cai Youde is only at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, so he probably won't be able to catch up."

"Could it be... that Senior Brother is referring to the next cohort?"

However, True Monarch Guiyun shook his head: "As long as he can break through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm this time, he can catch up, and he must catch up."

His words made Lan Yun Zhenjun feel even stranger.

How could there possibly be enough time?

Even True Monarch Caiyun couldn't help but ask, "Senior Brother, to participate in the Grand Competition, even if you're not at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage, you should at least have the cultivation of the late Golden Core stage, right?"

"If we deduct the time for advance preparation and travel, we may only have two years left."

"Even if Cai Youde is a peerless genius, it's probably too late."

"And why do you say he can catch up?"

However, True Monarch Guiyun reminded them, "Have you two forgotten that our sect still has a batch of Gathering Yuan Pills?"

"If we use this pill to help us, it will greatly save the time required to condense our true essence."

"Given Cai Youde's understanding of the Great Way of Wood, overcoming the next minor bottleneck shouldn't be too difficult."

"If everything goes smoothly, let alone two years, one year will be enough."

The Gathering Essence Pill can greatly increase the speed at which Golden Core cultivators condense true essence, but its production cost is high, and ordinary cultivators cannot afford to take it.

It is generally only used as a reward in special circumstances.

Guiyun Sect has actually figured out some tricks for dealing with the summons from the Holy City.

Neither the strongest Golden Core cultivator on the surface nor the most famous Golden Core cultivator within the blessed land are the immortal seedlings they are truly cultivating.

Under these circumstances, it seems unnecessary to force Cai Youde to participate in the competition for safety reasons.

Guiyun Zhenjun seemed to have noticed their confusion as well.

He continued, "I have three reasons for doing this."

"First, according to the records on the photographic stone, Cai Youde was quite skilled in magic."

"This also corresponds to his leading position in understanding the Great Dao."

"As long as he can participate in the competition, there is a good chance that he can break into the top ten and win back another spot in the secret realm for us."

"Secondly, the Gathering Yuan Pill is quite valuable, and the rewards for the competition are equally generous." "As long as Cai Youde receives this favor, he will owe our Guiyun Sect a great debt of gratitude."

"He will have to repay this favor when he needs it in the future."

"Third, the situation in the North has become increasingly strange since the beginning of the year."

"Although the various rumors circulating are extremely confusing, it is not easy to discern the specific situation at the moment."

"But one thing is certain: something must have happened over there."

“Our Zejing Blessed Land is among the closest to the Northern Border.”

"In case of any unforeseen circumstances, they are the most likely to be affected."

"But now, Hua Jian Zhenjun has been killed by Zhe Jian Mojun, and the identities of Sanlong Zhenjun and Gao Jia Lao Gui are in doubt."

"The Shang and Cai families are known as the four great families, but in reality, there is a gap in their lineage."

"The overall strength within my Zejing Blessed Land is currently at a low point, and it may be difficult to cope with the upcoming changes."

"In such times, if the Cai family can produce a Nascent Soul True Monarch in time, it would be like having another person who can help us share the danger."

"Since that's the case, why not give him a push? After all, the cost isn't actually that high."

"If it succeeds, it might be able to protect us from disaster when needed in the future."

"Even if the Northern Border turns out to be a false alarm and nothing happens in the end, the Cai and Gao families can join forces to counterbalance the Jin family."

"To prevent them from having two Nascent Soul cultivators in one family and developing any improper thoughts."

After Guiyun Zhenjun explained it this way, the other two immediately understood.

"Senior brother, your plan is insightful and achieves three goals with one move. You truly have a far-sighted vision!"

Lord Lanyun immediately praised him sincerely.

Caiyun Zhenjun also laughed and said, "It does seem like a good deal, but it's a real bargain for that brat Cai Youde, who actually caught such a good opportunity."

"But since we might need his help to ward off disasters in the future, let's give him some treats first."

The three of them discussed the matter and decided to summon Cai Youde directly after he came out of seclusion.

On the other side, Xiao Chen waited patiently for a few more days.

It was confirmed that Guiyun Sect would not send anyone to visit again, nor would any Nascent Soul True Monarchs secretly come to spy on them.

Only then was the grand formation in the courtyard fully activated, and then he quietly left the Cai family.

They moved to a more secluded spot and returned to the other side of the Storm Sea.

Considering that there was still enough time, Xiao Chen first went to the market to purchase the spiritual items that the Reverse Immortal Alliance had ordered.

Since the required quantity was relatively small, it was easy to gather the necessary items.

Normally, it should be ready to be sent over for the transaction.

However, Xiao Chen went straight back to the Black Iron Cave, intending to cultivate in seclusion for a while before making any further moves.

Prolonging the transaction time in this way can be seen as a test of the Reverse Immortal Alliance, and a punitive response.

Make them realize that they have always held the reins of the transaction.

To prevent them from thinking that they are in a hurry to sell the spiritual items and can be manipulated at will.

Fortunately, I've finished arranging most of my tasks, which has freed up a considerable amount of time.

Although theoretically, it should be possible to retrieve the fully fused magical artifact after seven months.

However, considering the previous delays, it might be better to postpone it.

Aside from that, there's really nothing else to do in the short term.

Xiao Chen felt that this was a perfect opportunity to break through his long-prepared body cultivation path.

To be honest, this matter has actually been delayed for quite a long time, and its progress is far behind the revision of the law.

Fortunately, as long as one can successfully cross the major realm, things will be much easier from here on out.

Xiao Chen could have gone to Su Li and used the blood crystals stored with her to rapidly condense his true essence again, further boosting his blood and qi concentration.

To be honest, he was actually quite looking forward to seeing how much true essence the Blood Crystal, after being enhanced by the Moonlight, could provide for him, and how much of a boost it would bring.

It will definitely be much stronger than the original blood crystal.

Thinking of this, Xiao Chen was even more motivated. He immediately sat cross-legged on the small square in the cave and began to circulate the "Nine Transformations Dragon Technique" after a long time.

The Life Elixir regulates the body's Qi and blood, accelerating their circulation.

This will prepare for the next breakthrough.

Soon, with the help of his enlightened mind, Xiao Chen cleared his mind and made preparations.

He immediately took out several fourth-tier spiritual items from his storage ring that could help improve his qi and blood.

The most crucial one, of course, is the golden astragalus plant that has been growing for three thousand years.

Xiao Chen swallowed all the spiritual herbs almost ravenously, and soon felt his blood and qi becoming more condensed under the stimulation of the medicine.

At the same time, the blood flow speed is getting faster and faster, like the rushing Yangtze River, with a faint roaring sound.

As a result, the person's body temperature also begins to rise sharply.

Under such circumstances, it wasn't long before Xiao Chen's entire being seemed to have turned into a giant melting pot.

He was refining the spiritual herbs he had ingested, using them as fuel for his breakthrough.

On the one hand, he also tempered his flesh and blood, which were not strong enough, and made final checks and improvements before officially breaking through the major bottleneck.

Almost exactly 15 minutes after taking the golden thread astragalus.

Xiao Chen's entire body turned bright red, and much of his skin and flesh had ruptured under the powerful impact of the medicine, causing blood to gush out.

Fortunately, the wound will heal in no time and grow new, stronger flesh and blood.

Nevertheless, he was almost covered in blood in less than half an hour.

The pain of flesh tearing apart during that time goes without saying.

However, all of this was merely an appetizer.

After burning himself for three days and three nights, almost replacing all the skin and flesh on his body.

Xiao Chen officially began to break through the major bottleneck in his physical cultivation path.

As he silently recited the mantra, the life-giving elixir, which had been nurtured for many years, suddenly stopped its regular rotation.

"Boom!"

Like an ancient, ferocious beast that has slumbered for millennia, it emitted its first heartbeat, resounding deep within Xiao Chen's consciousness.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Immediately afterwards, louder and louder sounds came from within the life core, like the booming of war drums!

Each roar made his skin tremble.

Each roar resonated deep within him.

"Boom!"

Encouraged by the war drums, the blood and qi within Xiao Chen's body surged and roared as if soldiers had received a command.

It transformed into a raging torrent, surging rapidly through the meridians, emitting a terrifying roar like a river bursting its banks!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Xiao Chen's entire body was like a bowstring being pulled wildly by an invisible giant hand, stretched to its limit, and then suddenly plucked, making a teeth-grinding tearing sound.

Each flick released a terrifying tearing force, adding countless more wounds to him.

To cope with such an injury, a large number of newly formed muscle blocks piled up, coiled and knotted, and tendons wrapped around it like old vines, causing Xiao Chen's whole body to swell up.

Even around him.

The splattered blood was drawn together by some unseen force, coalescing and spinning wildly to form a huge, heart-stopping vortex.

Deep within the vortex, a faint phantom image of a true dragon coiled within flashed by.

That was the strange phenomenon triggered by the Nine Transformations Dragon Technique reaching its critical point!
"It's now!"

Xiao Chen knew the time was right, so he immediately mobilized the surging blood and qi within his body that was on the verge of going berserk and slammed it into the first major acupoint.

"boom!"

It was like a battering ram smashing against the tightly closed city gates.

An unimaginable, excruciating pain instantly erupted from the acupoint, spreading throughout the entire body.

The surrounding bones, meridians, and flesh were all torn apart inch by inch under the violent impact!

Then, in the next instant, it is enveloped and melted by the scorching blood and qi, thus gaining new life at an even faster speed.

Since the first wave of energy flow started from a relatively easy location, it was easily penetrated after the second surge of energy and blood struck again.

Immediately, Xiao Chen felt a pure power merging into his blood and qi, making him stronger and more violent.

Continue to open the acupoints!

He pressed on with renewed vigor, propelling an even stronger torrent of qi and blood along the meridians toward the second major acupoint.

Each breakthrough in a major acupoint grants an additional boost.

However, each breakthrough in a major acupoint makes the system more difficult to control, leading to more and more severe injuries.

If a cultivator cannot persevere halfway through and is unable to repair these damages, not only will the breakthrough fail, but they will also face a life-or-death crisis.

Fortunately, Xiao Chen's total blood and qi were extremely rich, far exceeding that of ordinary body cultivators, and he could withstand such severe depletion.

He is also a wood-element cultivator, so healing is his forte.

By simply borrowing the powerful healing ability of the wood-elemental true essence within the nascent soul, one can gain an exceptionally strong advantage, completing healing almost instantly upon injury.

However, the dangers of breaking through the major bottleneck are far more than that; there are three other major hurdles.

The first major hurdle is the ancestral aperture between the eyebrows!
This place is close to the sea of ​​consciousness.

The instant the torrent of qi and blood surged up, Xiao Chen felt as if his head had been struck by an invisible giant hammer.

Hot blood gushed from all seven orifices at the same time, turning his vision blood red and causing his soul to tremble violently!

If a cultivator's sea of ​​consciousness cannot withstand such an attack, but insists on going against it, the cultivator may very well become a fool or an idiot.

Fortunately, Xiao Chen's spiritual strength was already at the level of a fourth-tier cultivator, and he successfully withstood the impact without much effort and was not damaged.

The second major hurdle is the Dragon's Aperture of the Spine!
The Du Meridian is connected to many acupoints, and all of them must be broken through in one breath, otherwise it may cause sequelae.

To facilitate the smooth opening of the acupoints, Xiao Chen's body suddenly arched, and his vertebrae emitted a series of rapid, crackling sounds.

However, this caused him inhuman pain as each bone joint was opened, forcing him to move in a distorted way.

If one were to suffer such pain without preparation, almost no one could endure it.

Fortunately, Xiao Chen had already experienced similar excruciating pain in the Body Tempering Hall.

Therefore, he gritted his teeth and persevered through this ordeal with his strong willpower.

(End of this chapter)