Chapter 500: Hope

Hearing this, Su Miaoke immediately thought of the Misty Immortal Mountain, a place Chu Feng had often mentioned before.

The place was likely related to the immortals of a bygone era.

However, she kept quiet. She didn’t know if this was something she should mention, and she was worried that if it wasn’t, she might accidentally reveal Chu Feng’s secrets.

“It’s not that there aren’t any,” Chu Feng said. “It’s possible that some special legacies or unique entities exist in remote mountains we’re unaware of. But I know of one such place, and I plan to check it out in a while.”

Su Miaoke knew the place Chu Feng was talking about had to be the Misty Immortal Mountain.

After all, the place was extremely dangerous—Chu Feng himself had said so. He certainly wouldn’t tell the Celestial Sword Sect Leader or Bai Xue about it, to avoid putting them in harm’s way.

“This person you met from the Ancient Era… just how strong was he?” the Celestial Sword Sect Leader inquired.

“Back in his prime, he was incredibly strong. He must have reached the Nascent Soul Realm, perhaps even higher. Otherwise, how could he have survived for so many years? But even so, his strength had waned considerably by the time I met him. He was on the verge of death, which is the only reason I could defeat him. Otherwise, it would have been a real struggle,” Chu Feng explained.

“So, is he dead?” the Celestial Sword Sect Leader pressed.

“He is,” Chu Feng confirmed with a nod.

“Did he leave behind any information when he died?” Su Miaoke asked, her curiosity piqued by this ancient figure.

“He did leave some information behind,” Chu Feng said. “It’s all related to the Ancient Era—secrets, really.”

“Oh? Do tell. I’m quite curious myself,” said the Celestial Sword Sect Leader.

“The real reason we’re in the Dharma Decline Era, with such thin Spiritual Qi, is that the Divine Core of our planet has malfunctioned. It can no longer generate Spiritual Qi. This is what caused the Dharma Decline Era. Without Spiritual Qi, Cultivators can’t practice Cultivation by absorbing it.”

“Over time, many powerful Cultivators gradually died off. Subsequent generations of Cultivators were unable to reach the heights of their predecessors, leading to this inevitable decline.”

“The other piece of information is that many of the powerful Cultivators from the Ancient Era, from thousands of years ago, didn’t actually die. They just left,” Chu Feng added.

He had now shared the two key pieces of information he knew.

“Does that mean the path for us Martial Cultivators is completely cut off? That Ascension through Crossing the Tribulation is now virtually impossible?” the Celestial Sword Sect Leader said, her voice heavy.

“It’s not that hopeless,” Chu Feng reassured her. “There should still be a way. When the time comes, I can undergo my Tribulation and leave this world. Then, I can search for a cultivation method for all of you. It all comes down to Martial Cultivation Spirit Stones. As long as you have enough of them, you can still advance your Cultivation.”

“The problem is that many lineages have been broken, so your Cultivation Techniques aren’t advanced enough. They were all modified by your predecessors to fit the conditions of their time, which makes them ill-suited for absorbing Martial Cultivation Spirit Stones.”

“These so-called Martial Cultivation Spirit Stones are actually meant to be used by Spirit Cultivators. Now you understand, right?” Chu Feng said.

“No wonder they’re called Martial Cultivation Spirit Stones,” the Celestial Sword Sect Leader mused. “No one ever knew the real reason for the name. We only knew they could be used for Cultivation, but the progress is incredibly slow. A single stone might take years to fully absorb, and the effects aren’t very pronounced. Still, it’s much faster than cultivating on your own.”

“Master, don’t worry. There’s still hope,” Chu Feng said. “Once I find a Soul Cultivation Skill, you can practice it. I’m sure it will be effective. I’ll be setting out to search for one soon.”

“Mm.” The Celestial Sword Sect Leader nodded, a flicker of excitement in her eyes.

She had been stuck at her current realm for many years, and the desire to break through was almost driving her mad. How could she not be thrilled to finally see a glimmer of hope?

“In truth, the path of the Martial Dao isn’t just about honing the physical body; the Divine Soul is equally important,” Chu Feng said. “So, Master, you must not neglect your physical training. When I find a Soul Cultivation Skill, you can combine it with your current practice. You’ll surely be able to reach a new level, creating infinite possibilities within our limited time.”

‘In truth, he wasn’t very confident himself, but at least there was a sliver of hope.’

‘If he did find a Soul Cultivation Skill and the Celestial Sword Sect Leader still couldn’t break through, then there would be nothing more he could do.’

However, Chu Feng now faced a vexing problem: his parents were unwilling to cultivate and refused no matter how he tried to persuade them.

So, Chu Feng wanted to find a way to convince them. Of course, if he couldn’t, then so be it. He wouldn’t force the issue.

After all, the path of Cultivation couldn’t be walked through coercion; it required one’s own unwavering conviction.

However, not everyone yearns for a life of Cultivation.

For some, being an ordinary person and living an ordinary life was satisfaction enough.

They had no desire to pursue ultimate truths or the meaning of their existence.