Chapter 168 - The Dual Body Gambit

After thinking for a moment, Cale asked.

"No wait, but... how the hell is this related to dual cultivation?"

[Dual cultivation doesn’t always require intimacy.]

"I know that! Sigh... so, let me get this straight. You want me to somehow maintain this body alongside my own while cultivating both of them together?"

[Affirmative. That is what the technique depicts.]

"Hmm... so a technique to cultivate both bodies. Hence, even if that body doesn’t use qi, once I shift my own consciousness from this body to that one, I can use properties of both bodies? And vice versa?"

[Correct. The second body will be stored in host’s shadow and can be switched anytime host desires.]

Cale’s eyes widened slightly.

"Wait... if it’s a Progenitor body, won’t I be free from heavenly tribulations!"

[Correct.]

"Hahaha! This is it! The chances to stay alive after becoming Emperor get thinner due to the tribulations, but if I can bypass it... hehe."

There was another benefit too. If his own body was damaged too much, he could simply switch to the other one. Although both bodies could use the abilities and techniques of one another to their maximum extent, if Cale had to use qi, the best option would obviously be his yin-refined body. That was obvious.

But still, two bodies could help in exponentially increasing his strength and cultivation speed. Not to mention it would serve as a mask for his real identity.

And who in their right mind would reject a body of a race that was extinct solely because they were too powerful?

Humans weren’t even ranked in the first four races!

He sighed.

"Alright, but can I actually recover it? Didn’t the serpent king die trying to refine it? It’s only a bag of bones right now. We need to refine it to its original state — a human-like body."

If he obtained it, dual cultivation would definitely increase his cultivation speed. If any normal person had gotten it, they would need to cultivate both bodies separately, wasting enormous amounts of time.

He cracked his neck.

’I guess I have to take it anyway.’

"Alright, analyze and explain me the technique to get it."

The system examined the technique to recover the entire body and use it as a second form, rather than to change his current body.

Hearing the technique, Cale could only sit down and hold his head, shaking it.

"Are you for real! Create the body and then what??? Fight the heavenly will? Just tell me to go die in a ditch if that’s what you want!"

He was now absolutely certain of it. His system was going down the drain.

’Don’t you need your host to live your damn parasitic life!’

[Host can fight the heavenly will.]

"Fight? Are you dumb? It’s ’The’ heavenly will — the thing that determines the entirety of this world itself. The fuck you mean that I should fight it? Yep, we’re leaving from here."

He turned to leave, but the system chimed again before he could take a step.

[Host’s cultivation technique can defy the heavenly will. Although due to host’s weak cultivation strength, it can only help reject it and not eradicate it.]

He fell into thought.

"Hmm? Was there such a thing...?"

Going back into the system, he clicked on his cultivation technique: Supreme Nihility Chaos Genesis Scripture; and examined its description carefully this time.

"Hm, now that I think about it, the creator of this technique sure put some weird dialogue... or was this made by you?"

The scripture’s opening declaration appeared before him:

["Before the Heavens woke, there was only the Void. Out of Nihility, the Great Chaos was born. I grasp the Genesis, I shatter the Dao. Beneath my Supreme feet, the Gods shall fall!"]

’Gods shall fall, he says...’

Then he read the background:

[Conceived before the Universe, Time, and the Heavenly Dao itself. This entity witnessed the inevitable decay of all macrocosms. Before dissolving into cosmic void, they condensed their ultimate enlightenment into this world-defying script.]

And then the second authority; the authority of Chaos itself:

[Authority II: Infinite Assimilation (Chaos)

Dao-Devouring: Swallow any incoming energy, divine attacks, or spells. Convert instantly into Chaos.

Fate Masking: Complete invisibility to divination, karma-tracking, heavenly curses, and fate-reading.]

The more he read, the more he understood what the system was actually implying.

His technique had the potential to even defy and devour the heavenly will of this world itself.

’I knew it was quite strong, but isn’t this too crazy...’

But then, what was he if not a bit crazy himself? Although this Fate masking thing wasn’t exactly doing its job! People were even making bad sketches of him...

Well, all he could do was cultivate more and get stronger so the effect of that authority increases.

"So, how sure are you that I can get out of this alive?"

[With the help of the accumulated luck and fate from Fate Shattering Technique, along with the luck host shall get after taking this Astral body, host has a sixty percent chance to live.]

".... that’s damn too low... sigh."

Should he take the risk?

Should he not?

But if he took this risk, only then could he become an absolute powerhouse, someone who transcended the limitations even Divine cultivators faced!

He tilted his head.

"Oh wait, how far is that flower field from here?"

If what he was thinking was possible, his chances could definitely increase significantly.

[300 meters northeast from host.]

"Good, let’s go there. Haha!"

Hope. There was still quite a bit of hope.

He could still get the Nine Nether Frostflame to increase his chaos flames further. And use the Abyssal Soulflowers to increase his demonic qi and cultivation itself, pushing him toward Peak Apex Stage.

There should be enough resources to help him reach new heights and even increase his soul cultivation by a considerable margin.

He looked at Sesrir.

"Hey, take everything from here. And also sort out what you want from this pile and give the rest to me."

"Hmm? Alright, even if you didn’t tell me I was going to do that anyway," Sesrir replied, already moving toward the treasure pile.

Cale walked outside, then toward the direction of the Nine Nether Frostflame, which was likely in the same location as the Abyssal Soulflower field.

"Heh, come on~ do all that on the way while we go there. Don’t tell me you can’t," he called back.

Sesrir tsked in annoyance.

"We just got some rest... haah. Alright."

Saying that, he filled everything, from the skeleton to the scrolls and techniques — into his storage, emptying the entire treasure chamber completely.

Then they headed toward the flower field, ready to claim the final rewards that would determine Cale’s fate.