Chapter 401 - 75: Train of Thought

The Jade Void Cave Heaven is a legendary Immortal Mansion. If one could control it, founding a sect and becoming a patriarch would be a simple matter.

Pei Jingque was clearly tempted.

But Zhu Ju saw things clearly. This was not something the two of them could get their hands on right now.

If one of them had been a genuine Golden Core Grandmaster, they could have taken a gamble.

But now...

With the Immortal Mansion’s appearance, chaos was imminent. The only sensible thing to do was to leave at once.

Rushing in without any chance of gain was foolish. It was clearly unwise to linger.

"You have greater foresight, Husband."

Pei Jingque glanced to the side, a smile on her face.

"Your foundation is profound. With your Cultivation at Dao Foundation Perfection, your ascension to the Golden Core is all but guaranteed."

"Even if we gain nothing from this Jade Void Cave Heaven, the Bright Void Sect will one day have two Golden Core cultivators watching over it. That’s enough to ensure our security for a hundred years."

If not for the scourge of the Demon Sect, a Sect with two Golden Core masters could easily endure for a millennium.

Zhu Ju smiled faintly.

’The reason I see things so clearly is that I have my own opportunities, ones that aren’t necessarily inferior to the Jade Void Cave Heaven.’

’Knowing I have a promising future if I just proceed steadily, there’s no need to take unnecessary risks.’

"Let’s go!"

"First, let’s check out the forbidden grounds near the Beihou Mansion."

The so-called forbidden grounds...

...were, in reality, sanctuaries built by powerful predecessors who once lived in the Jade Void Cave Heaven to escape some great calamity.

According to Huike, there were many such forbidden grounds in the Grotto Heaven World.

The vast majority had already been explored by others; only a rare few remained untouched.

The forbidden ground near the Beihou Mansion had, of course, also been explored.

"RUMBLE..."

The stone wall trembled.

A heavy stone door slid open to both sides, revealing an empty area of over a thousand square meters within.

"This is where Zi Yang True Man entered seclusion."

Huike waved his sleeve, settling the swirling dust, and began to explain:

"According to ancient records, Zi Yang True Man was an Integration Great Cultivator and a direct disciple of the Jade Void Sect."

’Integration?’

Zhu Ju and Pei Jingque exchanged a look, and they could clearly see the shock in each other’s eyes.

For a Cultivator, the first step is Qi Refining, followed by Dao Foundation, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul. After that comes Divinity Transformation, Refining Void, and Integration.

The Six Paths Demon Monarch, who single-handedly suppressed the Six Demonic Sects, was only at the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul.

Divinity Transformation Cultivators had already vanished a thousand years ago.

And Integration...

That was the stuff of legends!

A being of such power could have crushed the Six Paths Demon Monarch with ease, yet he died without a trace.

And yet, there were many similar beings in the Grotto Heaven World, and all of them, without exception, had perished.

"From what I know, Integration Cultivators have a lifespan of ten thousand years and can traverse the void, yet he died here."

Pei Jingque sighed softly and asked with a frown,

"Did this Zi Yang True Man not leave any legacy behind?"

"No." Huike shook his head.

"The forbidden grounds are suffused with the will of the Dao, which destroys everything. Very few of them contain any surviving relics."

"And even if relics were left behind, they couldn’t be used."

"Why not?" Zhu Ju asked, cupping his chin thoughtfully.

"Integration Cultivators could traverse the void, and Immortals could pluck the stars from the sky, yet they all perished. Even sealing themselves in these forbidden grounds couldn’t save them. But ordinary Mortals were somehow unaffected."

"Why is that?"

"The Great Dao is poisoned," Pei Jingque said.

"The higher one’s Cultivation, the stronger their connection to the Great Dao. Immortals are even called ’those who have attained the Dao.’"

"Since the Great Dao is poisoned, the closer one gets to it, the more dangerous it becomes. Ordinary people, on the other hand, have no concept of it and are thus unaffected."

"Correct." Huike nodded.

"An Immortal’s forbidden ground was once excavated in the Grotto Heaven World, and the writings found within said the same thing as Sect Leader Pei."

"Wait a minute!" Zhu Ju raised a hand, asking in surprise,

"’Pill Breaks and Infant Forms,’ a Nascent Soul is born containing the Dao."

"Doesn’t that mean Nascent Soul True Men are also tainted by Dao Poison? If so, why are they unaffected?"

"Could it be..."

"Have the Six Paths Demon Monarch and the others already solved the problem of Dao Poison?"

"No." Pei Jingque shook her head.

"Even Celestial Immortals, who could foresee the future, died from the Dao Poison. How could a mere Nascent Soul possibly solve it?"

"The reason the Six Paths Demon Monarch and the Nascent Soul True Men of the Righteous Dao are fine is that their Cultivation is extremely weak compared to the ancient masters. The amount of Dao Poison they are tainted with is limited. Moreover, they are extremely restrained whenever they act, typically ending any Combat within the time it takes an incense stick to burn. They then spend years purging the influence of the Dao Poison."

"Oh!" It dawned on Zhu Ju.

"So that’s how it is!"

’With the power of a Nascent Soul True Man, the several hundred Golden Core Grandmasters in the world wouldn’t be enough for them to kill.’

’The reason the battles between the Righteous and Demonic paths are still fought mainly by Golden Core cultivators is simply because it’s too risky for the Nascent Soul True Men to intervene.’

’No wonder!’

’So many things that didn’t make sense before were now clear.’

"Sect Leader!"

A crisp voice called out from behind them.

A heroic-looking young woman in Soft Armor strode in, knelt on one knee, and cupped her fist.

"Those who will follow you, Sect Leader, and leave the Grotto Heaven World have been assembled. We can depart at any time."

This was Xia Tong.

Daughter of the Marquis of Beihou.

Zhu Ju’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

’Xia Tong was clearly cultivating the Bright Void Sect’s Celestial Spirit Technique. But in the short time I was in seclusion, she has already opened her Seven Acupoints and reached the Late-Stage Innate realm. Her Talent is terrifying.’

’Of course...’

’She probably had help from some Spiritual Medicine.’

"Good."

Pei Jingque nodded and asked,

"How many people in total?"

"A total of four hundred thirty-seven people," Xia Tong replied, looking up with a troubled expression.

"Sect Leader, can we take that many?"

"That’s quite a few more than I expected." Pei Jingque frowned.

’The Bright Void Sect had changed its recruitment strategy to value quality over quantity. Over four hundred people far exceeded her expectations.’

"Sect Leader."

Xia Tong lowered her head.

"A great catastrophe is coming. I couldn’t bear to watch them perish. But rest assured, Sect Leader, these people are following me, but they will not be joining the Sect."

"..." Pei Jingque gave her a long, meaningful look.

"Do as you wish."

’This Xia Tong not only possessed outstanding cultivation Talent, but also a resilient and unyielding personality, and on top of that, immense ambition.’

’She was likely worried that she would be isolated and unable to act freely in the Bright Void Sect, so she brought all these people with her to serve as her own personal faction.’

"Bring them here."

"Yes."

Xia Tong’s expression relaxed. She bowed and withdrew.

"Husband."

Pei Jingque turned back and said,

"What are you thinking about?"

"The Ten Thousand Spirits Body Forging Technique," Zhu Ju said, cupping his chin thoughtfully.

"That technique was left behind by a sage of the Jade Void Sect. It focuses on cultivating the Physical Body, so wouldn’t that mean it avoids being tainted by the Great Dao?"

"Yes." Pei Jingque nodded.

"Theoretically, yes. But the Method is incomplete. Even if cultivated to the stage of Great Success, the most one could reach is the Golden Core realm."

In reality...

...cultivating the Ten Thousand Spirits Body Forging Technique would, in all likelihood, not even lead to the Golden Core realm.

The Body of Ten Thousand Spirits—absorbing the bloodlines of countless spirits to forge an immortal golden body. The concept was magnificent and the Mental Realm profound, but so far, the only known Method was for the Refinement of the bloodline of the Three-Eyed Divine Race. No other bloodlines could be refined and assimilated.

Zhu Ju grew contemplative.

’The Method I cultivate also focuses on the Physical Body. In theory, it can even reach the Late-Stage Golden Core.’

’If I could merge it with the Ten Thousand Spirits Body Forging Technique...’

"Husband."

Pei Jingque pressed her lips together and asked,

"After we get back, are you really going to attempt Core Formation?"

"Yes."

Zhu Ju came back to his senses.

"The path of Cultivation is one of relentless forward progress. Even if you gave me several more decades to consolidate, my Cultivation wouldn’t improve much."

"This time, with my attempt at Core Formation..."

"If I succeed, that’s that. But even if I fail, at my current age, I’ll still have a second chance at Core Formation."