Cultivation: Start From Simplifying Martial Arts Techniques

Chapter 432: Enlightenment Tower

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Only two apertures remained to be opened, and Chen Fei’s cultivation would reach the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm, achieving an accomplishment that no one in the Primordial Sword Sect had been able to attain for many years.

However, it was precisely these final two apertures that were currently posing a challenge for Chen Fei.

This was because the cultivation method for the Primordial Sword Body, which was only available in the early stages of the Aperture Tempering realm, had long been lost. As a result, Chen Fei couldn’t fully cultivate the Primordial Sword Body to perfection and then integrate it into the Primordial Sword Manual.

For martial practitioners in the Aperture Tempering realm who wished to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm, they needed to reach the late stages of the Aperture Tempering realm to qualify for such a breakthrough.

However, just like how those at the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm could attempt to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm, the ones who truly had a better chance were those whose cultivation and foundation were more solid.

Comparing a regular late-stage Visceral Tempering realm practitioner with one at the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm, attempting to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm simultaneously, it was certain that the success rate for the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm was much higher.

Or one could say, significantly higher.

With only two apertures left to open, Chen Fei could reach the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm. Naturally, he couldn’t rush to attempt to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm without first filling these two apertures. Doing so would be irresponsible to his own path of martial arts and would also harm his own foundation.

Attempting to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm from the Aperture Tempering realm, if unsuccessful, would cause severe damage to the apertures within the body. There wouldn’t be a second opportunity for breakthrough in the short term, which typically spanned several decades.

If one’s luck was a bit worse, a failed breakthrough could even result in the loss of one’s life, making it an extremely dangerous endeavor.

Beneath the moonlit sky, Chen Fei stood in the courtyard, gazing up at the heavens. The night breeze rustled through his hair.

“Clang!”

A sword’s resonance echoed as the Qianyuan Sword fell into Chen Fei’s hands. Sensing the power emanating from Chen Fei’s body, the Qianyuan Sword trembled as if it were rejoicing.

In the past six months, not only had Chen Fei’s own cultivation advanced further, but the Qianyuan Sword had also finally transformed from a middle-grade spiritual sword into a high-grade spiritual sword.

Built on the foundation of the Tian Shijin from the beginning, worth several hundred thousand taels of silver, the Qianyuan Sword’s achievement in becoming a high-grade spiritual sword was nothing short of a miracle.

Of course, this miracle had been achieved by forcefully using the spiritual essence of so many Aperture Tempering realm enemies. Moreover, the Tianhui Stone obtained in the Mysterious City had significantly accelerated the sword’s transformation.

One hundred and six apertures, the fusion of six martial arts techniques in the Primordial Sword Manual, and a high-grade spiritual sword—these factors combined to make Chen Fei’s current strength exceptionally formidable.

As for what exactly the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm was like in terms of strength, Chen Fei had only occasionally seen it, and since he hadn’t truly fought against one, he couldn’t make a definitive judgment.

However, based on what he had witnessed in the past, it was possible that Chen Fei, in his current state, was no weaker than those at the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm.

Of course, this assessment applied to those at the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm who didn’t possess top-grade spiritual weapons. If a Visceral Tempering realm practitioner at the pinnacle wielded a top-grade spiritual weapon, their overall strength would greatly increase.

Top-grade spiritual weapons had the potential to transform into treasures if the right circumstances aligned.

Many Combined Aperture Tempering realm experts used treasures that were, in fact, their former top-grade spiritual weapons nurtured with their own essence, gradually elevating them to the level of treasures.

While these self-nurtured treasures might have a slightly weaker foundation, their long-term use allowed for a deep connection between the wielder and the weapon, compensating to some extent for any shortcomings in power.

Chen Fei lowered his head to look at the Qianyuan Sword in his hand, and the Primordial Sword Manual circulated. The Qianyuan Sword’s blade began to radiate an astonishing and formidable power.

Not far from Chen Fei’s courtyard, Zhang Fangqiong opened her eyes and gazed towards the location of Chen Fei’s courtyard.

After breaking through to the Aperture Tempering realm, Zhang Fangqiong had intentionally chosen a courtyard not far from Chen Fei’s, hinting at a deeper meaning in her actions.

Zhang Fangqiong flashed onto the eaves and looked ahead. Under the moonlight, in Chen Fei’s courtyard, the sharp and awe-inspiring aura emanating from him became increasingly evident.

Zhang Fangqiong’s gaze wavered, thinking that after breaking through to the Aperture Tempering realm, the gap between her and Chen Fei had narrowed. But now, it seemed to have grown even wider.

Involuntarily, Zhang Fangqiong recalled the first time they had met. At that time, Chen Fei’s cultivation was only at the Bone Tempering Realm.

In the context of the Primordial Sword Sect at that time, the Bone Tempering Realm was considered a lower-level cultivation, and venturing into the treacherous Strange Wind Realm with such a cultivation was akin to a life-or-death gamble.

However, against all odds, within the Strange Wind Realm, Chen Fei not only survived but also managed to rescue them all from the perilous situation.

Looking back now, Zhang Fangqiong couldn’t help but feel a sense of unreality.

Chen Fei had progressed rapidly from the Bone Tempering Realm in just a few short years, reaching his current Aperture Tempering realm.

A light sigh escaped from Zhang Fangqiong’s lips.

In the courtyard, Chen Fei gently stroked the Qianyuan Sword’s blade, and the pervasive power began to slowly recede.

With one hundred and six apertures and the damaged Primordial Sword Body, Chen Fei had several options ahead of him.

One was to ignore the condition of the Primordial Sword Body and forcefully open the remaining two apertures, increasing the total to one hundred and eight apertures. Then, he could use the power of the Primordial Sword Manual to connect all one hundred and eight apertures into a single entity, achieving the true pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm.

With Chen Fei’s current martial knowledge and the assistance of the Primordial Sword Manual, forcefully opening the remaining two apertures was a task he had a reasonable chance of succeeding in, and it wouldn’t take too long.

In less than a year, Chen Fei was confident that he could elevate his cultivation to the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm.

However, the absence of one of the six martial techniques, the Primordial Sword Body, in the Primordial Sword Manual would inevitably impact Chen Fei’s strength when he reached the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm.

This was unavoidable because only with a complete set of martial techniques could one fully elevate their strength to its most optimal level.

Other Visceral Tempering realm experts at the pinnacle relied on complete martial techniques to reach that level. When compared to those Visceral Tempering realm experts, Chen Fei would naturally have a disadvantage.

Of course, this disadvantage wouldn’t be too significant. It just meant that it would be more challenging for Chen Fei to sweep through opponents of the same level as he used to.

If those Visceral Tempering realm experts also possessed top-grade spiritual weapons, Chen Fei’s chances of winning would be even slimmer.

Furthermore, with his current foundation, attempting to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm would also naturally come with a lower success rate. The decrease in success probability wouldn’t be substantial, but breaking through from the Aperture Tempering realm to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm was inherently a risky endeavor.

Out of the numerous Visceral Tempering realm experts at the pinnacle, only a few of them ultimately succeeded in breaking through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm, and they were a rare minority.

A slight reduction in the chances of success could ultimately lead to a grim outcome because it might come down to a tiny margin, resulting in success or failure on the brink.

These were the possible consequences that Chen Fei might face if he forcefully opened the remaining two apertures. Everything would be just slightly lacking, not entirely unacceptable, but indeed, there would be a difference.

Of course, compared to other Visceral Tempering realm experts at the pinnacle, Chen Fei had one advantage that others didn’t possess, and that was the Suppressing Dragon Elephant.

The Suppressing Dragon Elephant had a significant catalytic effect when it came to aiding in breaking through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm.

In the past, the Dragon-Elephant True Immortal had relied on the Suppressing Dragon Elephant’s cultivation method to ultimately break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm. Besides having other exquisite martial techniques of his own, the Suppressing Dragon Elephant had played a crucial role in his success.

Even if Chen Fei forcefully opened the apertures, causing a slightly weaker foundation, the Suppressing Dragon Elephant could certainly make up for these differences.

Apart from the method of forcibly opening the apertures, there was another option: Chen Fei could directly repair the damaged Primordial Sword Body.

However, the time and energy required to repair a martial technique would be slightly less than creating an entirely new one. This timeframe could range from a few years to possibly more than a decade, depending on the circumstances. And it was only because of Chen Fei’s current foundation that he could achieve this within such a short time.

It might take over a decade to have a chance at breaking through to the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm, so Chen Fei might choose to forcibly open the apertures within a year and then attempt to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm.

However, the final decision on whether to forcibly open the apertures would depend on Chen Fei’s visit to the Haiyan City, where he would have access to a treasure of the Thousand Feathers Alliance – the Enlightenment Tower!

A spiritual treasure was even more potent than a magic treasure and was generally only held by experts in the Mountain Sea Realm. The Enlightenment Tower in Haiyan City belonged to the leader of the Thousand Feathers Alliance.

Within the territory of the Thousand Feathers Alliance, there were six major cities that possessed a subsidiary form of the Enlightenment Tower.

During normal times, the Enlightenment Tower could help individuals create and comprehend martial techniques. In case of external threats, it could also be used for defense.

The fact that the leader of the Thousand Feathers Alliance was willing to place this spiritual treasure in other cities indicated great confidence in their ability. In other words, even if someone were to take the Enlightenment Tower, the leader was confident that they could personally retrieve it.

Moreover, whether placing the Enlightenment Tower in a bustling area like Haiyan City would aid in its growth was uncertain.

Chen Fei was not at that level yet and had never even seen a magic treasure, so he didn’t fully understand the mystical uses of spiritual treasures.

However, Chen Fei knew that this Enlightenment Tower could help him repair the Primordial Sword Body. So, he intended to give it a try. If successful, the Primordial Sword Manual would truly become perfect.

If it proved unfeasible, Chen Fei would return and forcefully open the remaining apertures, elevating his cultivation directly to the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm. Afterward, he would seek a way to break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm.

Early the next morning, Chen Fei informed Qu Qingsheng of his departure and then left the sect’s mountain gate.

Chen Fei’s figure flickered as he headed in the direction of Haiyan City.

Before leaping off the island, Chen Fei looked back. Compared to half a year ago, there were noticeably more people on the island now.

After all, with factions stationed here, it meant that the island would be guarded in the future.

Although it all fell under the territory of the Thousand Feathers Alliance, not every island was completely safe, as occasional sea monsters would emerge from the depths of the sea and devour humans.

Having factions stationed on these islands greatly reduced the occurrence of such incidents.

A smile played on Chen Fei’s lips. This was just the beginning. In the future, more and more people would come here. If the strength of the Primordial Sword Sect could improve even further, there might even be people traveling from far and wide to seek apprenticeship here..